Stealing Spree

"See you, Mina."

Since I already finished the tea she brewed, Mina concluded our time and shoved me out of their clubroom.

Of course, before that, I needed to appeal more to her. That kiss is one thing but she's the one who initiated it and that's after a struggle.

"Just go for now. You're still quite far from stealing me from Haru."

With only a little opening on the door, she replied without looking at me.

"I know. Still, my feelings won't change, and remember that you only need to say it. I'll stop if you did."

Upon hearing my words, the door opened wide and in it, Mina's slightly annoyed face glared at me. And with a voice raised a little, she grumbled.

"Huh? You're really an idiot, you know? Will I kiss you if I'm not at least interested? Let me clear up my mind about all this first. I still don't think you'll have time for me if I really become yours. And you showing up every day will not solve that so… think of a way to convince me."

For her to burst like this, I guess my word came out as insensitive. I'm really dense sometimes, eh? Err… not really sometimes. There were times when I couldn't understand my girls.

Especially what she demanded now. How can I convince her if showing up everyday will not work?

Ugh… Let's think about that later. I needed to have an easy way to contact her first.

"Right. I'm an idiot, sorry. I'll keep that in mind. Can I at least get your contact?"

"Sure. Add me…"

She took out her phone and we added each other on Messenger.

After that, Mina finally closed the door on me. And the last image I saw of her before that was her sticking out her tongue cutely.

The way she acted during our time and that last image of her was something in contrast to each other.

I guess that's one part of her personality that she still won't show me. Should I get some advice from Haruko?

Alright. I'll ask her during her weekly stay at our house.

-

-

"So you finally decided to show yourself at the club, Onoda-kun? You're 30 minutes late."

Ishida-senpai's voice travelled to my ears as soon as I opened the door to the clubroom. If I didn't know her any better, I would be cowering from that.

Kana and Rae who were together at one side of the table instantly turned their heads towards me and waved with a smile on their lips. Otsuka-senpai also looked over but something is different with her today. Her excessive curiosity seems to have been less than how it was before or rather, she's too quiet today.

Well, I still haven't had the time to talk to her. Maybe she already got tired of waiting? If that's the case, I don't know whether I will be relieved or feel like it's a waste.

"I'm sorry, senpai. I'll make up for the days I was out. Did I miss some activities? I'll do it today."

Bowing towards her and calmly answering to her like this, Ishida-senpai couldn't keep up her scolding glare as she heaved a sigh of resignation.

She then settled back on her seat without answering my question.

I asked Kana and Rae yesterday to tell her I wouldn't be able to come despite planning on it. Well, Himeko's first time was more important at that time. I might've wanted to get better in this club but I still prioritized my girls above anything or anybody else.

"Ruki, come here. I'll explain what you have to do. Later, apologize again to Rumi. Let her cool down for now."

Kana called out to me when she saw me still standing in front of the door waiting for Ishida-senpai's answer.

"Kana… Don't spoil him. I have high hopes for him but if he's always like this, not coming whenever he feels like it, I will just give up."

Everyone heard it and that made Ishida-senpai look at her, slightly upset.

"I'm not spoiling him, Rumi. I just want to help... You're finding it hard to talk to him, right?"

I know it's really my fault and Kana here was trying to help me to smooth things out with Ishida-senpai. My priorities won't change though and there's no point telling her about it.

Telling her 'I popped one of my girls' cherry that's why I couldn't come. I'm sorry' would just make things worse here.

"I won't make any excuses, senpai. But on what we talked about before, I'm still serious about it."

"Alright. Don't gang up on me, you two. Sit down and let Kana tell you what you missed. Later stay behind for a bit, let me hear if you already have a plan for that."

While shaking her head, Ishida-senpai put a hand in front of her to stop us. After saying that, she stopped bothering to look at me.

In the end, she still let Kana take charge of me.

I don't know. Maybe she's still scared of me and that's not an unfounded fear given that she saw how Kana and Rae changed. Or just how this club of theirs changed from a somewhat restrained relationship between the club members to now.

According to Kana, that Kenji still hasn't given up on her. Like how I always tell her what's happening to me, she's also doing the same.

They're classmates so he still kept trying to talk to her and at best, she would respond to him as a classmate and not anything else.

Though it sounded cruel on her part, she openly admitted to everyone that they're already done.

Also, that guy's not coming back to this club after that reveal. Is he afraid of me? Or is he afraid to embarrass himself further?

Either way, if I see him somewhere, I will be the one who will confront him to have him stop bothering Kana.

"Thank you, senpai."

I bowed once again to Ishida-senpai before sitting in between Kana and Rae.

And I didn't even need to guess that Rae already told Kana about our meeting at that Gym Storehouse earlier.

After telling me the activities they did since Monday, I started working on it with the two of them as the coach. Today is set as a free activity time. That's why the two were just busy reading about something while waiting for me earlier.

Time passed and the end of club hours arrived.

Though I spent it doing the activities I missed, I spent quality time with the two girls as they happily coached me.

Of course, like I promised Ishida-senpai before, we refrained from being too intimate at the club room.

The first to leave the room is Otsuka-senpai who was silent throughout the club hours.

When I asked Kana and Rae about it, they also didn't have any idea. But Kana concluded that it might be that time of the month for her.

According to her, Otsuka-senpai's excessive curiosity will always be shelved during her menstrual cycle. And that was based on a year of knowing her.

Well, if that's the case, there's nothing to worry about, right? I thought she got into some kind of problem. Maybe that's why Ishida-senpai didn't find it strange that the usual energetic Otsuka-senpai was that silent.

Menstrual cycle, eh? If it's still the same as before, I still remember when it was for Haruko and the other girls from my middle school.

I also know when it will be for Akane. Her act when it was that time before was more excessive than how she usually was back then.

She was clingier even if I kept on rejecting her. When it's free time, she would be at my side. During one of those episodes was how she got acquainted with Yae.

Ugh… Remembering that time now, I don't know if I should laugh or cry. Yae, being my partner in crime, thought I finally laid my hands on my famous childhood friend. And due to that, she thought her position would be taken by Akane.

Well, that's one of the memories that had no meaning back then but now, it's kind of special…

Though I said I kept pushing her away or rejecting her, during those times, I would just succumb to the fate of being with her.

I never really got angry at Akane. At most I ignored her due to her not being a target of my desire.

I guess it's time to remember Kana, Satsuki, Aya, and Himeko's cycle. But yeah, they will surely bring it up when it arrives.

Since Ishida-senpai asked me to stay behind, I asked if I could send the two to the bus station first which she consented to.

Before I opened the door to the clubroom after coming back, I heard a familiar voice inside it.

"Rumi. Can you help me with Kana? She's refusing to talk to me."

Heh. This guy. He couldn't talk to her and now he's asking Ishida-senpai's help. How thick can this guy's face be?

"And she gave you the reason why. Kenji, accept it. Kana loves Onoda-kun. And it's more genuine than what you have with her before."

Alright. I have to thank Ishida-senpai for that response.

"No! I won't accept it! Kana. She's mine!"

"Then why are you not showing up in the club? Scared?"

For Ishida-senpai to show this kind of side. Interesting. Should I come in and surprise that guy? I guess it's time to have him stop calling Kana as his.