STEALING SPREE

“Now, senpai, should I go now or… should we stay like this for a bit longer?”

“E-eh?” Minami Shouko blinked, her cheeks becoming tinted with a deeper shade of red as she glanced away. “I-I mean, we should get going, obviously! Don’t just stand here like some idiot holding me like… like some princess!”

I grinned, shifting my hold on her slightly, making her yelp. “But senpai, you did say to carry you. I’m just following orders.”

Her arms around my neck tightened as the girl looked up at me with a pout. Look at how adorable she is. Who would’ve thought that she’s the same senior who masterminded a grand scheme just to get my attention?

“Onoda-kun, you’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Of course, I am. Didn’t I promise to take care of you? This… this is what I mean by it. Now, tell me. We can stay here for a little bit longer, just the two of us or… we can join Shizu and the others in the conference room to help them handle the Cultural Festival Committee.

Minami Shouko sighed dramatically. Gradually her fingers clasped around the back collar of my uniform as she weighed her options.

She was trying to appear as if she was just tolerating this, but the faint, amused curve of her lips told me otherwise. She was similarly enjoying this closeness with me.

“You’re impossible, Onoda-kun. You just want me to say ‘let’s stay here’, right?” She muttered under her breath as she tugged at my collar, a little show of her indignation before lightly thumping my chest with her forehead,

“You caught me, senpai.” I acted goofily, sticking my tongue out which earned me a giggle from her.

Mhm. This is what I want to see. For her to relax.

Of course, I’m aware that this method can lead to something else. What can I do though? This is how I operate. And I’m not against closing our distance further. I promised her genuine connection and I’m here to forge that with her.

“Fine. Since you’re so insistent, let’s stay here for just a bit longer.” She eventually surrendered.

“Good choice, senpai.” I adjusted my hold of her, settling into a more comfortable stance while making sure she wasn’t strained before moving to the more comfortable sofa. “Wouldn’t want you to regret losing your chance to take a break.”

She gave me a sidelong glance as her lashes fluttered slightly. “And what about you? Aren’t you the one working the hardest out of everyone? Running around dealing with club issues, helping the Student Council, and playing savior for every damsel in distress you meet?”

I smirked. “Heh… Are you calling yourself a damsel in distress now, senpai?”

She scoffed and rolled her eyes but the pink on her cheeks deepened. “That was just an example, idiot. The point is, you’re stretching yourself thin.”

I shrugged, rocking her slightly in my arms just to tease her. “I know. My girls have told me that. And I realized I should do something about it. Not to divide what little I have in a day but to spend a meaningful moment with whoever will be next to me. And that’s why I’m here, senpai. I’m making sure both of us are getting a bit of rest before we continue for the day.”

Minami Shouko narrowed her eyes at me, pretending to be unimpressed, but I could tell she was softening up. “I feel like that would just be another excuse for you to rope me into your pace. Besides, I’m not your girl, Onoda-kun.”

“I never said you are. But you are precious to me, senpai,” I chuckled before looking down at her. “Besides, look at us. You’re stuck in my arms.”

Minami Shouko clicked her tongue, trying to keep up her unimpressed act, but the subtle twitch at the corner of her lips betrayed her.

She wasn’t pulling away, nor was she demanding to be put down. If anything, she had grown more comfortable in my arms. Her fingers idly toyed with the fabric of my uniform as if testing its texture.

“Stuck, huh?” She murmured with her voice now carrying a more thoughtful tone. Her eyes met mine before she averted them just as quickly. “It’s not like I hate it…”

Oh? That’s a rare admission.

I smirked, shifting my hold slightly just to make her jolt. “Is that so, senpai? Should I take that as permission to keep carrying you around then? Maybe I should escort you everywhere like this. Or every time we’re together, I’ll put you in my lap.”

With a deadpan expression, she said, “Don’t push it, Onoda-kun. I’ll make you regret it.”

Nonetheless, the warmth of her cheeks didn’t match the cool tone of her words. And gradually, she grew more comfortable in my embrace, “You’re carrying me this time because I told you so. It’s my privilege from my win against you.”

“I know, senpai.”

“If you know… you should stop trying to tease me. There’s a reason why we’re this close. And it’s not because it’s a natural thing to do.”

“That’s fair. But what if I told you… I’d like to make this a regular thing between us?”

“S-shut up.” With another light nudge with her forehead, Minami Shouko buried her face in my chest, hiding the redness spreading across her cheeks.

I chuckled softly, adjusting my hold to make her more comfortable.

“Shy now, are we?” I teased, gently running my fingers through the strands of her hair near her ear. Then, I pinched her earlobe lightly, making her squirm from the sensation.

Minami Shouko groaned, her voice muffled against my uniform. “You’re impossible, Onoda-kun… And annoying.”

“Mhm. I’m well aware, senpai. But you’re not moving away,” I pointed out, my smirk growing.

“Because I don’t want to lose.”

I tilted my head, feigning curiosity. “Lose what?”

“The game,” She mumbled, peeking up at me from beneath her lashes. “The game where I let you fluster me.”

Ah. So that’s how she sees it. Cute.

“Well, senpai, you didn’t tell me we’re playing a game. But don’t you think we both lost already? Look at us.” I leaned in slightly. My voice dropped just enough to make her tense up again. “This is hardly how a normal senior-junior relationship looks.”

Minami Shouko let out a dramatic sigh. “You really do love pushing your luck.”

“I just like seeing you react to me,” I admitted, my honesty catching her off guard for a split second.

Her fingers curled slightly against my chest, gripping the fabric of my uniform. She was quiet for a moment, just staring at me, as if weighing something in her mind.

Then, without any warning, she flicked my forehead.

“Idiot,” She muttered, though the corners of her lips lifted slightly. “You’re lucky I don’t mind… too much.”

I grinned, rubbing the spot where she flicked me. “That sounds like a victory to me.”

She shook her head, finally wiggling slightly in my arms. “Alright, Onoda-kun, fun’s over. Time to go.”

I sighed dramatically, “You’re sure? Not even a few more minutes?”

Following that, I used my thumb to trace her lips, which the girl immediately stopped as if she was afraid to succumb to that kind of temptation.

She then narrowed her eyes, “If you don’t start moving now, I’ll tell your girls how eager you are to flirt with me. They will at least get jealous of someone not like them, right?”

“Fine, fine. You win, senpai. They will really get jealous, after all. They want me all to themselves and yet, I cannot stop myself getting close to more girls,” I adjusted my grip and stood up smoothly, holding her effortlessly as I carried her toward the door.

“Hmph, you should work on that properly. Tolerance has a limit, Onoda-kun. You never know when they will just simply think ‘it’s enough’ and just stop caring for you anymore.”

With the way she said that, Minami Shouko seemed to be speaking from experience. Perhaps this was a clue to her situation in her family. And she’s kind enough to remind me not to go down the same road.

“I’ll remember that, senpai,” I said as I started walking towards the door.

Minami Shouko, despite her earlier protests, didn’t struggle. Instead, she just rested her forehead against my shoulder with a resigned sigh.

“That’s great then…”

“Come on, senpai, smile for me again.”

“Shut up and just walk, you flirt.” She raised her voice a little before giggling silently.

At this, I chose not to push her further, simply enjoying the way she unconsciously held onto me as I carried her down the hallway and toward the stairs leading to the conference room.

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