Stealing Spree

Chapter 2619: Think twice

A few more minutes passed and Kushiiʼs voice broke the silence again. She looked up at me, putting on an unwavering expression.

”Onoda-shi… about earlier. I know I got, like, super bold. But… I meant what I said. Iʼve been thinking about you. A lot. And I donʼt regret tonight. Just… donʼt think Iʼm, like, some crazy girl who jumps into stuff without thinking, okay? Itʼs because itʼs you.”

I met her gaze with a comforting smile, ”Kushii, Iʼd never think that. You were brave tonight. And Iʼm glad you felt like you could be yourself with me. With us. I will never judge you”

Her lips curved into a small, relieved smile. ”Thanks, Onoda-shi. Itʼs amazing how you could always, like, compose yourself quickly. Must be the experience, huh? What a flirt.”

Ending that with a giggle, the girl dropped her head back on my shoulder, enjoying its comfort.

Before I could retort to that, the bathroom door swung open and An-rin strutted out, walking straight back to the living room. Her hair was wrapped in a towel and her body was clad in a new oversized t-shirt that hung loosely off one shoulder.

So, thatʼs actually what she prefers as a sleepwear, huh?

An-rin froze and her eyes narrowed suspiciously when she saw Kushii, still in her towel, curled up against me.

”Oi, Onoda-han! Whatʼs this? Youʼre already cozying up with Kushii while Iʼm in the bath? And with Chizuru passed out? Youʼre, like, totally shameless!”

Despite the emphasis, the girlʼs voice was still subdued enough not to wake up the girl on my other side. Furthermore, the way her eyes alternated between us says a lot about her wild imagination.

Soon enough, she seemed to have started recalling why she ran away from me as her cheeks still red from the bad, took on a darker hue of red.

Seeing that, Kushii giggled and stood up, moving behind her friend.

Placing her hands on An-rinʼs shoulders, she teasingly whispered, ”Relax, An-rin. Weʼre just, like, chilling. Donʼt forget. Youʼre the one who ran off to the bathroom like you were escaping a crime scene earlier.”𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

”I-Iʼm not!” An-rin tried refuting only to fail at it as Kushiiʼs mischievous smile never wavered.

”Sure. Tell yourself that. Anyhow, Iʼll go and get changed. If you want to, like, cozy up with Onoda-shi, do so now before Chizuru wakes up.”

With that, Kushii left the living room, most likely returning to the bathroom where she could change into her sleepwear.

Meanwhile, An-rin had her mouth open and close a few times, not knowing what to say.

After what felt like a few seconds of her head processing what happened, she puffed up her cheeks before stomping over and plopping down my side with a dramatic huff.

”Hmph, donʼt think youʼre off the hook, Onoda-han,” An-rin grumbled. Her oversized t-shirt slipped further off her shoulder, revealing a glimpse of smooth skin that caught the dim light of the living room. She didnʼt bother fixing it, either too stubborn or too flustered to care, just like before. ”Youʼre, like, totally scheming something, cozying up with Kushii like that. Bet you did something with her or youʼre planning to turn this into some kinda perv palace!”

I tilted my head and gave her a playful smirk, ”Perv palace? An-rin, why do you keep throwing around accusations like that? Iʼm just sitting here, minding my own business, while you and Kushii take turns trying to out-chaos each other. Arenʼt I the victim here?”

The corners of her mouth twitched, betraying her attempt to stay mad. ”Victim? Pfft, as if! Youʼre, like, the mastermind of all this… this stuff!”

She gestured wildly, her hands flailing in the air as if trying to encompass the entire nightʼs chaos. ”You and your sneaky kisses and your… your handsy hands! Donʼt think I forgot about that, Onoda-han!”

I raised an eyebrow before putting on a playful smile as my hand stretched out again, settling around her waist. ”Handsy hands? You mean this?”

”Yes! Like this!” An-rin exclaimed as she tried to pry my fingers from digging into the softness of her waist.

Really, this girl was too teasable. Once you break down her inner gremlin, sheʼs crumbling even the slightest playfulness.

”Whatʼs wrong with this? Donʼt you want to cozy up with me? Or wait. Are you afraid Iʼd steal another kiss?”

”S-steal another kiss?!” An-rin squirmed under my grip, her fingers still halfheartedly trying to pry my hand from her waist. Her oversized t-shirt slipped a fraction lower, teasing a glimpse of her collarbone again. Nevertheless, it all felt like she was fighting a losing battle to keep her composure. ”Y-youʼre, like, totally dreaming, Onoda-han! As if Iʼd let you sneak another one! Hmph!”

Look at her all flustered. She was caught in this push-and-pull of wanting to maintain her fiery persona while her body was being honest. Eventually, she gave up prying my hand from her waist and just rested there, gripping it.

I let it be for a few seconds before pulling my arm back and raising my hands in surrender. ”Alright, Iʼll stop teasing you. Chii might wake up and scold me for bullying you.”

At the mention of Chii, An-rinʼs eyes flicked to her sleeping friend, and her expression softened slightly. ”Tch, see? Youʼre scared of Chizuru. But donʼt think Iʼm just gonna forget this, Onoda-han. Iʼm, like, totally watching you.”

”Noted,” I said in a nonchalant tone, causing her to puff her cheeks again.

Still, she also calmed down and simply enjoyed cozying up on my side. Despite all the facade she was putting up, she also ended up leaning against me with her face buried in my arm.

Like this, the mood around us fully dissolved into this comfortable silence, and I couldnʼt help but feel a strange warmth at how natural it felt to be here with them, even after everything that had happened.

A few minutes later, Kushii returned, now in her slightly… more alluring sleepwear.

But before the two girls could bicker with each other, Chii stirred, her eyes fluttering open as she let out a sleepy mumble. ”Mmm… whatʼd I miss? You guys being loud again?”

An-rin pointed an accusing finger at me. ”Onoda-hanʼs being a perv lord again, cozying up with Kushii while you were napping!”

Chii blinked, then smirked, stretching lazily as she sat up. ”Pfft, you said Kushii? Why do I see you next to him, An-rin?”

”T-that… Itʼs just a misunderstanding!” An-rin scrambled to defend herself, her hands flailing in the air like a cartoon character caught in the act. ”I was just, like, keeping an eye on him, okay? Making sure he doesnʼt pull any more of his perv lord tricks!”

Chiiʼs lips curved up into a mischievous smirk as she leaned on my shoulder again, propping her chin on it while staring down at her friend, ”Keeping an eye on him, huh? Looks more like you were cozying up, An-rin. Donʼt think I didnʼt notice you hogging Kiiʼs side.”

”Tch, Chizuru! Youʼre, like, totally ganging up on me now! Iʼm not. Ugh, whatever!” An-rinʼs mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Looks like I opened the gates for the girl to be continuously teased. Now, even Chii was doing it.

Kushii, now comfortably dressed in a loose tank top and shorts that hugged her figure just enough to draw a glance, giggled from her spot. ”An-rin, youʼre, like, so easy to tease. Youʼre practically handing Kii and Chizuru all the ammo they need.”

I raised my hands, playing innocent. ”Hey, donʼt drag me into this. Iʼm just sitting here, being a perfect gentleman, while you three sort out your–”

”Who are you fooling, Kii?”

”As if, shameless Onoda-han!”

”Masterful evasion, Onoda-shi!”

All three of them cut off my words.

Chii pinched my cheek and pulled on it. An-rin swatted my arm. And Kushii gave me a thumbs up.

After a while, Chii rubbed her eyes and then stood up, pulling me up with her, ”Hmm… Okay, Kii. Letʼs go take a bath. The water will go cold if you donʼt take it with me now. Besides, since I ended up falling asleep, they got the time to cozy up with you, no? Itʼs my turn.”

Her eyes then shifted to An-rin, who couldnʼt refute her words, her cheeks puffing out in that familiar indignant pout.

”Tch, Chizuru, youʼre, like, so unfair! Acting all possessive now when you were the one who let this whole thing spiral into chaos!”

Chii just smirked, undeterred, her hand still gripping mine as she tugged me toward the bathroom. ”Possessive? Not at all, An-rin, Iʼm just claiming my time. You and Kushii had your fun, didnʼt you? Now itʼs my turn to have Kii all to myself. Right, Kii?”

I raised an eyebrow, letting her pull me along while throwing a glance back at An-rin and Kushii. ”Youʼre making it sound like Iʼm some kind of prize to be fought over, Chii. Should I be flattered or worried?”

Instead of answering me, the girl turned to her friends before saying, ”See how shameless he is, girls? You better think twice before letting this guy… steal your hearts.”

With that, Chii and I continued to the hallway and into the bathroom, not letting An-rin or Kushii to stop us from taking it together this time.