Stealing Spree

Chapter 2804: More than you

To further rub salt in the guy’s wound, I turned around and pulled Anzu-nee to my side, wrapping my arms around her waist.

Ria puffed up her cheeks but she didn’t say anything. She just looped her arms around mine, still acting the mischievous girl.

As for Eimi. I already saw her standing by their door. She stepped out and ran to our backs, delivering a pinch to my side before whispering, “Ruki, scare him and show off further. Make him understand Anzu-nee is completely off-limits now.”

I turned my head slightly to nod at her before tightening my hold on Anzu-nee’s waist, pulling her flush against my side, feeling that softness pressing against me. That made her look up at me with an incredulous expression.

“You brat... You’re taking advantage of this situation.” She said in a volume only I could hear.

“Am I? But you’re not against it, Nee-san. I will kiss you too if you just allow me to.”

“Y-you... Stop that. We’re out on the street. Besides...” Her words trailed a bit as her eyes shifted to Ria, “You’ve brought another girl with you, shameless brat.”

“Mhm. I was planning to introduce her to you properly but that has to wait until later. Besides, she’s the birthday girl today. So play along, Nee-san. I’ll make it up to you.”

Anzu-nee’s cheeks flushed a deeper pink, but the corner of her mouth twitched like she was fighting a smile.

Upon seeing this, the guy’s face went through every shade of red imaginable. His eyes alternated between my arm around her and the way she didn’t even flinch.

“Y-you... you’re really with this guy?” He spluttered, clutching the sad bouquet like it was his last lifeline. “Anzu, come on. Compared to him, am I not superior in every way?”

Ria and Eimi almost burst out laughing from that. This guy must’ve been more shameless than me, no? Or he was just that self-confident, he already measured himself superior with just a glance.

Unfortunately for him, Anzu-nee wasn’t pleased by that. She cut him off before he could say anything more with a soft, almost pitying laugh.

“You? Superior? Have you ever tried looking in a mirror?”

At least he’s not as much of a coward as Ogawa or Fukuda. But then again, who gave him the right to treat Anzu-nee in such a way? My fist was already itching to give his dumb-looking face a straight just for hurting her. But I was holding myself back because Anzu-nee might not like to see things go that way.

“What?! Didn’t you say I am handsome? That woman too said so... that’s why... I got... tempted.”

“Pfft. Compared to Ruki here? You’re nothing. Besides, he’s much better than someone who dumped me the second another girl batted her lashes. Better than someone who thought he could crawl back whenever he felt lonely? No thanks. I’ve got exactly what I want now.”

She tilted her head up at me, eyes warm and steady. “He’s more man than you ever were. With him, I experienced what it means to be truly loved.”

Anzu-nee then blushed from that, most likely remembering our intimate moment. Of course, there’s no reason to reveal that to him, who probably hasn’t even gotten a kiss from her.

I mean, that’s the reason he quickly jumped to that other girl. Because Anzu-nee couldn’t give him what he wanted.

Well, although she succumbed to me right away, that didn’t mean she could readily give herself to him when they were still dating. After all, what happened between us was a culmination of the tension that built up from all our interactions.

In other words, what she felt from me was just different from what she felt from him. She dated him, not because she fell in love with him, but because she needed that status. Having a boyfriend prevented her from being continuously mistaken for someone younger on their campus.

Then, he had the gall to cheat on her. Although that betrayal hurt her at first, the affection that blossomed for me was something entirely different. It wasn’t just an attraction. It was trust, desire, and the kind of connection that made everything else pale in comparison.

The guy’s face twisted further, like he couldn’t process what he was hearing. His mouth opened and closed a few times, the bouquet trembling in his grip, making the flowers within look like they were already about to wither.

“You... you’re serious? This guy? What can he even–”

“More than you could ever give,” Anzu-nee cut him off coldly as she looped her arms around my neck, pulling my head down to her. Then, she tiptoed to reach my lips, planting a soft kiss that would definitely be critical to the guy in front of us.

Once our lips parted, she continued, “He doesn’t treat me like a backup plan. He doesn’t make me feel small. He makes me feel wanted. Every single day. That’s something you cannot do. So, to save your ego, stop hounding me anymore and go back to that bitch. I won’t ever go back to you anymore.”

“T-that... Anzu... Please.”

Ah. This guy. He’s the stubborn type. He wouldn’t learn his lesson without accompanying pain.

I gently removed Anzu-nee and Ria’s arms from me and stepped forward, blocking him completely from their view.

The guy tried to crane his neck to peek past me, but I shifted just enough to stay in his line of sight. Then, I readied myself in case he decided to do something stupid.

He looked pathetic now. Bouquet drooping, face flushed with a mix of humiliation and desperation, eyes darting left to right like he was searching for an escape route that didn’t exist.

“Listen,” I said in a tone that didn’t need volume to carry weight. “You heard her. She’s done. You’re done. Take the flowers, take your pride – whatever was left of it – and go. Don’t come back. Don’t call. Don’t text. Don’t approach her at your campus or here again. Because next time, I won’t be this nice.”

He opened his mouth, probably to sputter some weak comeback, but nothing came out. He remembered the grip I had on his shoulder earlier. He wasn’t stupid enough to throw his hands, knowing he’d just get buried from where he was standing.

Anzu-nee wasn’t waiting anymore. She’d moved on. And the guy standing in front of him wasn’t some kid he could intimidate.

I took one step closer, close enough that he had to tilt his head up to meet my eyes.

“Understand?”

His shoulders slumped. The fight drained out of him like air from a popped balloon. He nodded once, jerky and defeated, then turned and shuffled away without another word, the sad bouquet dragging against his leg like forgotten trash.

Once he disappeared from the corner, I turned back, finding Anzu-nee with a wry smile on her lips while Ria and Eimi were giving me a thumbs up.

“What? Are you not satisfied with that, Anzu-nee-san?”

“Shut up. I’m just... embarrassed that you had to deal with him in my stead. I should be the one to handle that idiot alone, but... thanks, Ruki. For stepping in. And for bringing this cute little troublemaker with you.”

Anzu-nee finished with a soft laugh, reaching out to ruffle Ria’s hair again.

The gesture was gentle, almost sisterly, and Ria leaned into it, looking like she was truly pleased with it.

Then, Ria tilted her head up at Anzu-nee, eyes sparkling with that sharp, assessing glint she always got when she was sizing someone up. “Big Sis Anzu is prettier in person. Dumb-senpai wasn’t exaggerating when he said you’re dangerous.”

When did I say that? This girl, what is she plotting this time?

Anzu-nee blinked, cheeks flushing just a touch as she shot me a quick, accusing glance. “Dangerous? What exactly have you been telling her, shameless brat?”

I raised both hands in mock surrender as I quickly came up with something. “Only the truth, Anzu-nee-san. You’re petite but lethal. You have the curves that could stop traffic. And a glare that scares off ex-boyfriends without me lifting a finger.”

Eimi snorted from behind her cousin. “Ruki, you’re exaggerating it. But stop making her fall in love with you further. What will I do if she locks you in her room alone?”

“Hey! I’m not going to do that! I mean... this shameless brat... She’s not mine alone.”

“While that may be true, I can always give my 100% on you, you know?” As I said that, my arms wrapped around Anzu-nee’s hips, pulling her back into my arms.

Anzu-nee tried to squirm but my hold was firm enough. Then, I lifted her from the ground and brought her inside their house. In the end, she could only wrap her legs around me before biting my shoulder in protest.

Meanwhile, Eimi and Ria followed behind us after they introduced themselves to each other.

Mhm. The supermarket date can wait. I need to pamper my girl first.