Stealing Spree

Chapter 92: A New Rumor

Nami settled back on her seat and glanced at me but when Ogawa arrived, her attention turned to him.

I guess I couldnʼt beat him for now but soon.

Satsuki and Sakuma arrived just before the class started

I noticed Satsukiʼs expression. She was feeling down about something. I wanted to know why but I guess I have to wait to ask her.

Between the four of us, something already changed.

I got the two at my sides as mine.

And Sakuma wasnʼt that talkative now.

Well, I still didnʼt know if itʼs because he heard us or his pending confession was putting him under pressure.

Just yesterday he was in a good mood that he finally made that move to ask Satsuki. Did it only sink in now?

Ah. This is good too, I donʼt need to deal with his constant pestering if heʼs like this.

When the 1st period ended, I went out of the class for a bit. Itʼs not to meet anyone, of course.

Err... Who am I lying to?

I chased after Shio. Like Satsuki, she seemed worried about something and it was showing on her face during the class.

”Shio.”

I called out to her when I caught up and my voice immediately alerted her.

”You! Donʼt call me like that here in the hallway.”

She almost hit me with her teaching materials. Good thing she stopped when she saw me.

”Is everything okay?”

I tried not to show that Iʼm worried about her.

But me chasing her like this could be seen as me worrying, right?

”Did it show on my face again?”

She touched her face. Sheʼs probably thinking she could fix it with her hand.

I nodded at her.

I couldnʼt go near her because it might look weird for others if I were to do that. Thatʼs why, I maintained my distance from her.

Other teachers were also in the hallway, passing us by to get to their next classroom to teach while some was also talking with a student like me.

”Yes, it did. Uhm, can I be of help, Ms. Miyazaki?”

I changed my way of calling her and tried to be polite. It will be bad if other teachers heard that Iʼm talking to her casually.

”No. This is not something you should worry about, Onoda. You should go back for now.”

She shook her head and turned her back to me before continuing to go to her next class.

I guess itʼs inappropriate to talk about that here.

I wonder when can I have a chance to talk to her again? She was refraining to call me to her room.

Ah. Sheʼs probably still thinking about her being an adult. That adult problems should be resolved by an adult like her.

I guess Iʼll can only rely on the chance to run into her again.

After that, the class went on normally.

I noticed that Satsuki couldnʼt look straight at me. Was she still thinking about my confession yesterday or maybe she also wanted to tell me whatʼs pulling her down right now?

I heard from her talks with Aya that they were made to play a mock game yesterday. 1st years and 2nd years against the 3rd years.

Was that the source of why sheʼs feeling down?

I donʼt know. I have to ask her to confirm it.

And yeah, they considered that topic as under girlsʼ talk which Sakuma and I couldnʼt join in but we could listen.

We still have idle talks but most of the time it will be just Satsuki mouthing off at Sakuma. Unlike before, heʼs hadnʼt uttered any retort and just took all the insults she was throwing at him.

This guy. Heʼs couldnʼt stop himself to show how much he likes her

He talked about resolving their problem before confessing while Satsuki didnʼt want to tell me about it until Sunday

But yeah, Iʼm already really curious about it.

What problem could it be that stalled them this long?

”Onoda. Looks like your fame these past few days already died down.”

Sakuma finally started his questions again. Did this mean he really didnʼt hear us? But thereʼs a possibility he was just acting.

”What fame? This is better, you know? I donʼt need to deal with more troublesome things.”

I answered him with the same tone I always use.

”You say that but trouble always looks for you.”

Did it always look for me?

Ah. Now that I think about it. Trouble really does look for me.

And thatʼs all my fault.

It started when I tried to see what Shio was reading back then. When I was unconsciously looking at Kanaʼs back and maintaining my distance to her which Nami noticed. And lastly, when I coincidentally met Harada on that train.

”Isnʼt it because of that tongue of his? Do you think heʼs always that quiet?”

Ugh. Satsuki? Right. Itʼs mostly because of my glib tongue. Talking to girls left and right? Now theyʼre already around me.

Well, thatʼs my desire anyway. Iʼm a slave to it. But I have to restrain it now, even if I find another target, she can wait after I sorted out my current targets.

”N-no, they just find him interesting. I guess.”

Aya? Sheʼs now joining the talk like this. This is a step forward for her. Ah. I canʼt help but feel proud of her.

”Onoda, look, you already have Rindou at your side. Shouldnʼt you start considering her?”

Then Sakuma turned the topic to Aya. This guy…

”E-eh? What are you saying, Sakuma?”

Hearing what he said, Aya couldnʼt help but be flustered.

”Rindou. You know, I want to help you.”

What was he trying to start here? Did he want to facilitate my relationship? Was he doing this so that I would divert my attention from Satsuki?

”Hey, Mind your own confession, Sakuma.”

I retorted but yeah, this guy didnʼt take it seriously.

”Right, right. You donʼt worry about it Onoda. Iʼm worried about you. You always help me, now itʼs my turn to help you.”

Sakuma even patted my shoulder like assuring me that with his help, everything would go well.

Worrying about me eh?

”I never asked for your help, man. Rindou and I are getting along just fine.”

”Y-yes, we are.”

Aya also chimed in. Her glittering bright eyes peeked from the fringes of her hair stared affectionately at me.

”I see. What about Andou?”

Determining he couldnʼt continue to push Aya, he switched to another girl.

This guy…

It didnʼt look like he heard us but one thing was for sure. Sakuma was feeling threatened by me. He wanted my attention to be diverted to someone else.

”What about her?”

”Donʼt tell me you havenʼt heard?”

What should I have to hear? Was there a new rumor circulating about me?

”Heʼs an idiot running around all over, how can he hear about it?”

Satsuki sneered from her seat.

This girl…

But sheʼs right. I kept running all over. My only rest nowadays was the time spent in class.

”T-that…”

Aya stuttered, she probably heard about it as well but she didnʼt know if she should tell it to me.

”Huh? What is it? Tell me.”

I looked at the two girls first but since it was Sakuma who mentioned it, I turned to him.

”Tsk tsk. Onoda. There are rumors about the two of you.”

He smirked while clicking his tongue.

Am I supposed to be surprised by it?

”Rumors again? Sakuma, why do you always believe in rumors?”

I asked him. This guy loves this kind of gossip.

Ah. Satsuki was the same. These two were the ones who told me about Nami and Ogawa liking each other.

”When thereʼs smoke, thereʼs a fire. Even if the rumor deviates a bit, thereʼs still an original source.”

Well, true. And I wouldnʼt deny a rumor about me. I was already way past being the Classmate A. Denying it would just fuel the said rumor to burn brighter. If I didnʼt do anything, it will soon die down anyway.

”Okay. Will you tell me that rumor or not?”

”Donʼt be impatient, sheesh. Itʼs about Andou and you, the rumor was that you two were meeting each other during lunchbreaks.”

Eh? Thatʼs a spot on rumor. Itʼs only been 3 days since we started and it already turned into this rumor.

Could it be someone saw us on the first day? I followed her there after all.

”Where did that come from?”

All rumor has its source. Who saw that lead to this? Looks like itʼs more known to the boys than the girls.

Kanzaki didnʼt mention it yesterday when weʼre talking about rumors.

”Huh? You wonʼt deny it?”

Sakuma was confused that I responded nonchalantly about the rumor.

”Whatʼs there to deny?”

I was really meeting her anyway, even Tadano found us there yesterday. Thatʼs why thereʼs no point denying it.

”What the hell? This guy…”

He scratched his head, not knowing what to retort. He looked at Satsuki and Aya but the two didnʼt comment about it.

”Satisfied?”

I smirked at him. He should be satisfied by now, right?

”Youʼll make Rindou sad.”

This guy... Haa. Heʼs back at mentioning Aya.

But yeah, she would probably mind it but she wouldnʼt voice it out. I already told her about the girls surrounding me are all my targets. She will have her time while the other girls will have theirs too.

”No. I told you weʼre getting along just fine.”

”I give up. Youʼre really a tough nut to crack. You canʼt even get flustered by what I revealed.”

Maybe nothing he says will bother me. Unless itʼs about their past. Ah, Iʼll talk him out for it.

”No. Iʼm just admitting to it. Isnʼt that what you want to hear?”

”Idiots. Stop gossiping here. Do your boysʼ talk somewhere else.”

Satsuki finally couldnʼt hold herself back so she sent a kick to the leg of our desks.

”Maemura, donʼt you want to hear it?”

”I donʼt, so stop talking, you idiot.”

She glared at Sakuma which made him gulp down the words he wanted to say as a follow-up.

”Ugh. Anyway, good luck, man.”

Defeated by Satsukiʼs glare, he patted my shoulder again.

”What? You think Iʼll go after her?”

”Isnʼt that why youʼre meeting her?”

If he knew I was trying to steal that girl, he would be energized for sure.

”You donʼt know anything, Sakumea. Rumors are rumors.”

”Then tell me.”

”So you can start another rumor?”

”What do you take me for? Iʼm a friend, Iʼll keep your secrets to the grave.”

”Then please bury yourself right now. With that loud voice of yours, canʼt you see weʼre already the center of attention?”

Right. Theyʼre all listening to his loud voice.

Well, itʼs a known rumor anyway.

I looked at Nami and Ogawa. The former is facepalming while the latter had a bitter smile on his lips.

Heʼs now Namiʼs boyfriend and hearing about a rumor between her girl and me, itʼs sure to get to him. And whatʼs more, I will be acting as her guy on the surface for their friends.

Knowing Nami, she probably already told him about the plan.