Stealing Spree

Chapter 214: Progress

The lecture given by Arisa-senpai ended at the same time as the ringing of the bell which indicated the end of the 7th period and school hours.

I thanked her for the lecture and when I was about to mention what happened to us, she stopped me and once again enforced the one-time thing mindset.

When she said that, I realized I'm becoming too affected from what happened to us. That's why like her, I convinced myself that it's a one-time thing. The doubt I have about the possibility of her being averse towards relationships could be put off for now. Unless she mentioned it, I won't ask. It's her privacy.

At least, in the end, from just being a friend of my girlfriend, she really became my friend.

Err… Maybe more than just a friend. She's my playful senior while I'm her cheeky junior. We just have to avoid remembering what happened and we're good.

I went back to the classroom to get my bag. The others who left with their mentors were also flooding inside to get their things. Aya had a satisfied smile on her face when she came back to the classroom. Like a little child, she told me how Otsuka-senpai showed her her collection of books and short stories she personally wrote. I'm really glad that she enjoyed it which made my hand naturally move to pat her head which made Aya's grew even wider.

After that, she asked me about my mentor so I whispered to her what happened. About the swap and what happened between Arisa-senpai and me. She didn't know her so she expressed her doubt. Thinking that I was just restraining myself on liking someone again.

I do like her but not to the point of adding her to my girls. I couldn't explain it clearly. But I feel that if I tell her that I like her, her reaction will be distancing herself from me.

Maybe in the future but not now. I'm liking our current situation and the lecture she did really hit hard. I don't need to be overly considerate to the girls I'm not targeting.

When Nami and Hina came back they could only look at me from their seats. After I nodded at the both of them, Nami noticed how I looked at Hina. Her observer skill worked again that when she turned her head to Hina, she immediately concluded what happened, with an amused smile on her face.

Without waiting for their other friends to come back, Nami took Hina's arm before leaving the room together to go to their club.

Due to that, I lost the chance to tell her about Arisa-senpai.

With Aya at my side, we waited a bit more until Satsuki showed up. Well, it's part of my routine now to escort Aya to Haruko's club. Partly to spend time with her and partly to have the reason to visit Haruko and Himeko.

Satsuki complained to me how irritated she was at Shizu-senpai. Turns out, Shizu-senpai kept asking her about what she thought of me and other things about me.

Haa... Shizu-senpai wasn't acting as her mentor.

To reduce Satsuki irritation, I first escorted her to the Gymnasium and it's effective. Even if she doesn't say anything, it's clear that escorting her like that is enough to satisfy her.

-

-

"You're finally here. From that facial expression... Maemura-san complained to you, correct?"

Shizu-senpai with her reading glasses on had her elbows resting on her table and her fingers were crossed to rest her chin on it. The stack of papers on her side increased more than the last time I was here. Upon seeing me entering the room, she immediately put on that kind of expression as she watched me walk over to her side.

"I get it. That was your intention, right?"

"Not really. I just wanted to see how much affection she has towards you. And I must say... Her affection for you was even higher than Nanami."

Well, I got Satsuki first and we had more moments together. Nanami will also soon reach the same level. After what happened to us today, it's only a matter of time.

"You can do that without irritating her, senpai. Can I ask you to also get along with her?"

"After saying that you like me, now you're here talking for another girl. Onoda-kun, what will I think of this? Also, aren't you here as my secretary and your promise to help me?"

No matter how I look at it, Shizu-senpai is just being grumpy. Is it because of last night? Teasing her made her like this, eh?

"Alright. I admit it's my fault for teasing you last night. I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it upon seeing you being that adorable."

The way she got flustered was really something I wouldn't forget.

When she heard my words, she was taken aback before slowly turning red once more. My guess was spot on. She acted like that to Satsuki because of last night...

"…This blockhead. Why do you think that this is about that?"

"Because I saw how flustered you were last night along with that glare as if I wronged you before the call ended."

Yup. There's that occurrence but I dismissed that due to how satisfied I was upon seeing her that flustered. To think that she would use that as a pretext to irritate Satsuki. I have to apologize to her later.

But what to do with Shizu-senpai? I really promised to help her open up but how will I do it? Flirting with her wouldn't work well. It will just make her uncomfortable...

"Haa... Alright, I will stop and properly become her mentor tomorrow. In exchange for that, you'll stop teasing me, Onoda."

Shizu-senpai sighed from her seat. She involved Satsuki when she could just confront me about it. I guess it's not all about that occurrence. If I have to guess, she's trying to investigate why the girls accepted being with me.

"… What if I just wanted to honestly tell you what I think?"

"Such as?"

"Such as how I will comment on your interaction with me right now. I'm glad you're now a bit comfortable at expressing your thoughts to me, senpai."

I smiled and went to her table to arrange the somewhat disorganized stacks of paper. This is my work here after all.

Compared to before where she has a prejudice against me. That's now non-existent and she's more of expressing her thoughts about how I acted around her. She also didn't deny it when my guess was spot on.

"… Nanami is right. You're hard to deal with and most of your words will strike a chord. Put that down, shut up and bring me tea, Onoda."

Though she didn't react to what I said. She took her time to digest it and after determining that what I said was correct, she accepted it. Her last sentence was just her wanting to get out of the situation where it was already heading on her becoming flustered once more.

"Right away, senpai. I also love to see your smile. The genuine one, not the intimidating smile you always put on as a mask."

"Didn't I just tell you to shut up?"

"Ah. Right…"

I scratched the back of my head before following her order. To shut up.

As I moved from taking the tea set and making the tea she wanted, I noticed that her eyes followed my every move. And like she ordered, I didn't comment on that.

Even after I put the teacup on her table, I stopped talking altogether and just stood at her side once I'm done.

If she's following my move, I'm also doing the same.

Due to that, I noticed how one of her eyebrows raised and that slight smile she put on before picking up the teacup and sipping the tea I made quietly.

When she finished drinking it, she gave me a silent nod before starting to work on the stack of papers next to her.

Upon seeing that, I moved from my position and I assisted her. Picking up the finished ones and organizing it.

As we spent our time in silence, her little actions were all captured by me. Sometimes she would lift her head and stare at what I was doing. Whenever that would happen, I would smile at her which always resulted in her being a bit flustered before focusing back to her work to escape my eyes.

Nonetheless, that same situation happened more than 5 times that at the 5th time, Shizu-senpai couldn't resist it anymore and smiled back at me. It was the genuine smile which I told her that I wanted to see.

Time continued to pass as well as the silence between us. Surprisingly, I found out that this situation with her is also relaxing. Spending time in silence like this with her while we're both working. And from looking at Shizu-senpai's expression, she also felt the same. It's different from when I first came here where she drowned herself while working alone and handing out orders that there's that uncomfortable air around her. This time, she's building up experience in working together with someone else.

She probably didn't notice it yet but we're already on the same page. I would move even before she could tell me what to do and due to that, the stack of work smoothly flowed that we managed to finish everything with a lot of time spared.

When the other 3 members of the Student Council came to visit after doing their tasks. I stood still on her side, silently listening and watching. Since I planned to help her, having her work with the 3 with teamwork will be the ultimate hurdle. I'll think about that when the time comes.

The Vice President complained once again about my existence, he's already wary of me that I was here for her. And this time, he's not wrong. However, like before, he got shut down by Shizu-senpai's words.

The Treasurer and Secretary couple of the Student Council were also curious about me but with one explanation from Shizu-senpai, they stopped poking their noses into it.

"Onoda-kun. You can stop being silent now. Thank you for helping me."

Shizu-senpai turned her revolving chair around and faced me when we were left alone again after the couple left.

"I'm just doing my work, Shizu-senpai. Did you notice it?"

"What?"

"You worked with me. Not just you giving me orders but me helping you without waiting for your orders."

"Huh? Is there a difference?"

This girl... She really didn't notice. I guess I can only slowly teach her that.

"Yes. It means you're capable of working with someone else on equal grounds and not just you ordering that someone."

"I don't really get it but... We did save a lot of time that we finished all of this. You did your job efficiently, that you already moved even before I told you what to do."

"And that's how teamwork works, Shizu-senpai. We worked as a team. Not just you ordering me what to do."

For her, who probably has zero-experience working together with someone because of how she always wanted to take the lead, to be seen as strong, it's really hard to understand the difference. Because most of the time, only the end result matters.

"Is that how it really is? If you say so then..."

"Un. I can now see the light in your path, senpai. Working with others and opening up to those close to you will not just be a dream. Soon we can put your scary facade on a shelf and just be the real Asakura Shizu."

"…Blockhead. T-that won't happen... This time I only felt relaxed working with you. Because it's you..."

Shizu-senpai stuttered as she tried to deny what I said. In the end, she whispered the last sentence with her somewhat embarrassed and sweet-sounding voice.

"I'm happy you say that but I will make sure that it will happen, Shizu-senpai. I promised you."

"Your promise..."

"Well then, now that we're done with work, it's probably time for me to go."

One last time, I reorganized the finished papers and neatly put it where it should be

However, before I went to pick up my dropped bag, Shizu-senpai's voice reached my ears.

"… Onoda. Your time as my secretary hasn't ended yet... Even if there's no more work to do. Can you stay a little longer?"

She stared directly into my eyes. Upon muttering that question, there's that glimmer of hope which appeared in her yellow eyes that was hiding beneath her reading glasses. Hoping that I will accept. As to what she planned to do by asking that, only she knows.

She took the initiative to ask, why will I let it pass?

So upon hearing that, I answered her with a smile.

"If it means I can spend more time with you... Yes, I can stay."

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