Stealing Spree

Chapter 241: Conflicted

Aside from the sound of the teacup being filled, thereʼs no other noise that can be heard in the room. She really wanted me to drink everything she brewed and Iʼm already at my 7th cup.

In any case, hearing her thoughts like that earlier, it made me feel some sort of understanding towards her.

Sheʼs actually holding a grudge towards me from showing up and taking Harukoʼs attention.

Well, itʼs a bit over the top to call it a grudge. Most likely itʼs her jealousy.

But despite that, her reaction to me these past few days were genuine. Even that blushed she had earlier were a result of her reacting to my words.

Maybe tired of the silence or the way I keep my gaze locked to her, Mina asked.

”Why do you keep staring at me?”

”Thereʼs only the two of us here, who else will I stare at?”

”Admire the room, duh?”

Thereʼs nothing to admire in this room though. I already observed it thoroughly the first time I was here. And the roomʼs not the reason why I am here with her.

”But Iʼm more inclined to admire the beauty in front of me. I still remember that every time I show up, you will stay away from me. This is the second time weʼre this close. Seeing you on the door doesnʼt count.”

”Ugh. Iʼm purposely avoiding you, of course. Hurry up and finish your cup. I canʼt wait to kick you out of this room.”

Mina answered before putting down the refilled cup in front of me.

I picked it up and drank it again. Though itʼs tasty, Iʼm already full from all the tea I drank. I might need to visit the restroom before going to the club later.

”I thought we already reached an understanding, Mina?”

”Yes. I understand now how much of a pervert are you.”

”Eh? But I havenʼt done anything yet?”

”Just your stares are enough to answer that.”

”Haa. Alright. I concede. I wonʼt stare at you anymore.”

I already got a fill of staring at her anyway. And by giving in to her demands, she will slowly loosen up to me.

”Great. If you listen to me like that then, I think weʼll get along well.”

”So do you like someone who will listen to you?”

”Not really. Youʼre just too hard to deal with. Remember when you first visited here? I only left for a while and when I came back, Himeko was already making out with you.”

She still couldnʼt forget that, eh? If Iʼm not wrong, watching us like that affected her a little. Sheʼs saying she hated it but the truth is sheʼs curious how we ended up in that position.

But yeah, unbeknownst to her, Himeko realized what Haruko possibly wanted by introducing them to me.

”Himeko and I got to an understanding back then, you know? And I like to have the same understanding with you.”

”You need more than just words to do that, Onoda-kun. After everything that happened, I think I understand now why Haruko asked you to steal us from her. We became too dependent on her that all her time was being spent with us.”

She filled another cup and put it back in front of me before continuing.

”Sheʼs happy with us, true. But the level of happiness she started projecting after you showed up is like the last piece of the puzzle which she was searching for so long was finally found. You completed her. By introducing you to us and asking you to steal us from her, itʼs probably her way of sending the message that we need to grow up.”

”Is that how you interpret it?”

I took the cup and downed it in one gulp. Itʼs already a bit lukewarm so... it became easy to drink it but Iʼm nearing my limit. How many cups are left?

For now, I will do what she wanted me to do. I can understand her better this way. Only when she became relaxed with me will I start to try and open her up.

”Yes. Is there any other interpretation?”

”Well, I donʼt know. We might have different interpretations on what she wanted us to do but I guess itʼs all correct.”𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Thankfully, she stopped pouring more tea even after seeing the cup in front of me emptied.

”I am observing you all this time… And, even though your methods were somewhat odd, the way you helped Himeko is admirable. Iʼve known her longer than you but in the end, she opened up to you about her problem. Thatʼs why… Onoda-kun, Iʼm giving you this chance.”

Giving me the credit again... I only let the two sisters meet. And now, theyʼre trying to resolve it by themselves.

”What kind of chance?”

”This chance.”

Since I stopped staring at her and turned my head away, I didnʼt notice that sheʼs already moved next to me, kneeling on the cushion. With her brown eyes, my reflection could be seen there as she observed my reaction about her being this close.

Is she testing me?

”If youʼre this close, I will not be able to restrain myself from kissing you, Mina.”

”You might be an idiot, but, Onoda-kun, youʼre a man of action. Why else will I move close to you when I know your habits?”

Though faint, thereʼs a little hesitation in her voice.

”I see. So this chance youʼre giving me is to kiss you, correct?”

”Will you kiss me or not?”

”I will, of course. But Mina, I donʼt think this is the chance youʼre giving me.”

Slipping my arm from her waist to support her back, I pulled her closer which ended up in her leaning on me.

But like with any other girls, sheʼs trembling right now. Sheʼs really testing me.

”Why do you say that?”

”Like you, Iʼm observing you clearly whenever you enter my eyes. You will not just throw yourself like this to me. If I kiss you like you asked. It will be the end, right?”

Upon hearing my words, her eyes shook. Her head then drooped down until it ended up leaning on my shoulder.

”…”

Ah. Her reaction and the silence confirmed it.

”You donʼt need to do this to test me. A simple rejection is enough to make me stop. I know how much you love Haruko and I am the same. I might have a lot of girls but I love them all the same. Maybe that will include you as well. I went here in the hopes of knowing you better and I did learn a lot. Thank you.”

After saying that, I let go of her and this time I poured tea to her cup before placing it in front of her.

Itʼs not that I predicted that sheʼs trying to end it by asking me to kiss her. But knowing her, sheʼs not the type to do this, even if she became interested in me. Sheʼs the type who will initiate the kiss instead.

”… How? How can you see through my intention easily? Itʼs just a matter of kissing and not kissing me. You can just not kiss me and that will make you pass. Why do you break it down like that?”

”Itʼs not that I see through you, I guess, somehow, I already know how you will react to me. Youʼre conflicted, right? So you want to decide it with that ʼchanceʼ. I like you, Mina. If you want me to stop pursuing you then I will. Just say the word.”

”Youʼre a bit cruel, Onoda-kun. True Iʼm conflicted whether I will give you a chance or cut you off completely. But you donʼt need to confront me like this…”

She then picked up the cup filled with the tea I poured for her and downed it in one gulp.

Once sheʼs done, she puts the cup down on the table with force.

And with her eyes glaring at me as if she was about to swallow me whole, she stood up and leaned down to cup my face between her palms.

She then lifted my head and on her own, Mina placed her lips over mine.

I didnʼt resist it and instead, I responded to her kiss. Sheʼs already used to it so without noticing it, she ended up sitting on my lap as our lips continued to meet. Soon enough, our tongues moved as well which made the temperature around us rise up a notch.

Like I thought, sheʼs the type who will initiate it instead of asking me to do it.

But with this, I donʼt know if this is her deciding on what she got conflicted on or this just her way to vent her frustration from what I did.

Either way, itʼs a win for me. If she ended up saying itʼs over. Iʼll just need to restart, right? Sheʼll always be at Harukoʼs side after all.

”Ugh… Why did you get carried away as well?”

Mina broke off from our kiss when she realized that it was not ending anytime soon.

”Iʼm not someone who will reject a kiss from someone I like, you know? It was satisfying, thank you.”

”Haa… After all these, I ended up the same as Himeko.”

Mina sighed and punched my chest softly before continuing.

”I still havenʼt decided yet so… Iʼll give you another chance next time.”

”I see. Then I will wait for that another chance. In the meantime, I want to know more about you, Mina.”

”Do that next time. Here, empty this first before you go.”

Mina stood up from my lap and picked up the almost empty teapot and poured the last of its contents on my cup.