Stealing Spree

Although I raised my voice asking why I became the topic of their conversation, they only laughed it off and continued with the rumors floating around me.

With me becoming the topic of their conversation and they seemed to not have any inclination to stop, I started to get annoyed. However, the five girls in front of us… they turned their attention here just because the topic was me…

Looking at their expecting eyes as if they wanted to hear more and know more about me that they hadn’t known yet, I decided to swallow my indignation.

“Eguchi-sensei is looking here. Your voice is too loud, Fukuda!”

Sakuma remarked while pointing towards our PE Teacher whose menacing glare was directed in our direction.

At that moment, Eguchi-sensei’s eyebrows were knitted together. Most probably, it was because of hearing her name being uttered.

When her gaze met mine, she began moving in our direction.

Among Class 3, Itou and Misaki who were doing the activity, also looked in our direction. Since their gazes were all on Eguchi-sensei, none of them noticed how the former glared hatefully at me and the latter smiling cheerfully before continuing with what they were doing. I had the incoming date with Himeko and Itou would surely be opposed to it if Himeko told her about it. Nonetheless, I was already keen and somewhat excited about my date with Himeko. Taking the introverted girl out on a date, I really wanted to make that day memorable for her.

Perhaps misunderstanding that it’s because of his loud mouth, Fukuda became ashen-faced. “Oh snap!” He then stood up to try and salvage the situation. “Sensei, it’s nothing.”

Well, his reaction was understandable. He mentioned it himself, Eguchi-sensei’s name was notorious among the first years. Moreover, everyone got a taste of it already.

He’s probably thinking that if our class got a collective punishment from Eguchi-sensei, he would be the culprit.

Upon hearing his words, contrary to his expectation, Eguchi-sensei didn’t stop and continued. She then shifted her gaze to Fukuda.

Being put under her serious eyes that made her notorious, Fukuda’s delinquent status was useless as he immediately shut his mouth and sat down even without Eguchi-sensei saying anything.

As she continued her steps, it didn’t take long for her to stop in front of us. Scanning her gaze and looking at us one by one, she paused for a while on Satsuki and ended in me.

“Hmm? Why are you here, Onoda-kun? How’s the student at the infirmary?”

Compared to how strong her presence was when she slowly took her steps towards our location, the tone of her voice was… like one of the rumors Fukuda said earlier, warm.

Naturally, as someone aware of how she really is, there’s no way I would be intimidated by her glare. Besides, her tone was nothing sort of menacing. So I answered calmly and respectfully.

“She’s fine now, sensei. She only needs some rest. Her friend came so… I thought of coming here.”

“I see. You’re already marked as excused and you all have free time today... So do what you want but keep your voices down, understand?”

“I understand, sensei. I apologize for Fukuda’s loudmouth.”

I’m a petty guy so… I didn’t forget to take a jab at him.

And upon hearing my words, the confident delinquent swallowed his saliva down as he repeated his apologies to the PE Teacher.

And with that kind of spectacle, the girls in front of us and those around us who witnessed what happened laughed and got a good time from it.

Naturally, they also began to wonder why Eguchi-sensei was that warm to me.

Well, the girls in front of us, except Saki, were aware that I was helping the two teachers with the PE activities. However, to the others it’s like confirming the rumors, the notorious Eguchi-sensei was treating me warmly.

And as I expected, not even a second after Eguchi-sensei went back to supervise the Class 3, Fukuda who was apologizing just now, tapped me on my shoulder.

“So it’s true. I salute you, Onoda.”

Following him the other guys nearby except Ogawa and Tadano also saluted me as if I was a soldier who was about to sacrifice myself to save all of them.

Haa… This must be why I chose to become the Classmate A. I hate this kind of attention.

“Heh, with that rumor proven true, does this mean Onoda-chi is actually the most popular among us 1st years?”

Chii, who had an inexplicable brilliance in her eyes that was most probably fake, broke the ensuing silence following the collective salute before sending me a wink and a teasing grin.

Looks like my being in the spotlight this time would continue until this PE Class ended. I should’ve followed what Saki said to not go since I was already excused.

Well, if I refrained from coming here, we would probably be still in that room, doing another round.

Ah. That would be bad. Our relationship still hadn’t been straightened up after all.

“Is that even a question, Chizuru? In just a month he racked up a lot of achievements…”

Humoring the fake gyaru, Fukuda pitched in again before listing my ‘achievements’ which garnered laughs all around us.

This guy… Is he trying to force me out of acting low-key by broadcasting what was making me well-known?

It’s easy to guess when he swiftly followed Chii when she moved here. Although he didn’t confront me over what he saw, he’s subtly pulling me down.

Little did he know, Chii and I go way back…

Tired at their antics, I put on a deaf ear, ignoring them and focusing my mind on the things I needed to think of while they continued to make me their topic.

Well, since they’re basically around me, there’s no way I wouldn’t hear them.

Sometimes Ogawa would comment on it and say something in line with his delusions.

Those were mostly ignored though, especially by Nami who he wanted to impress.

Tadano who was aware of what’s happening to his ‘friend’ could only facepalm and sigh at his seat as he occasionally glances at Nami who was seemingly amused at what she was hearing; not from what Ogawa said.

Satsuki, Aya and Saki were also keenly listening to what Fukuda or Sakuma was saying but there were times where Satsuki would shoot them down with her rebuttal, making the two telltale idiots choke in their saliva.

Sakuma, who was aware of my relationship with Satsuki and was trying to mend our group’s original rapport, took a step back after that as he whispered an apology to me for getting carried away.

Well, what they’re saying was something widely known already. Fukuda was just trying to exaggerate it. When even Chii stopped listening to him, the guy’s face turned black again.

However, a few seconds later. he cleared his throat and put me in the spotlight once more. “Onoda, there’s also a rumor that you’re already dating someone, can we know who she is?”

As soon as that question dropped, everyone around us perked their ears while having different reactions.

Heh… this guy. If he’s going all out on pulling me down. If I say someone’s name here and it’s not Chii, he would surely rejoice.

As if I would let him get what he wanted.