Stealing Spree

Without any other eyes to ogle at us, the girls took the liberty to be more intimate with me, which they couldn’t do out there in the open. And naturally, I was all into it given that it’s kind of my goal to spend most if not all of my time just being with them.

Halfway through eating our lunch, all of them approached me, slightly different from each other but with the same intention.

To make me spoonfeed them. Well, we’re using chopsticks… Anyway, that’s what they intended.

First to step up on it was Satsuki, she tugged at my sleeve which made me turn my focus on her.

With six of us here – Chii didn’t come but she whispered that she’d drop by before I had to leave to meet Eguchi-sensei for my role as her Student Assistant – all of us were at one side of the table except for Saki who chose to sit across from me. To my left was Satsuki and to my right was Nami. Then next to the two were obviously Aya and Hina.

Just like with Mizuki, the number of times we spent together allowed me to pick up Satsuki’s intention. She kept on taking a side glance at me as if she was measuring how much I’d eaten. And that tug she just did was born when she deemed it fine for me to stop for a while. With my focus on her, she filled a glass with lemonade – she made one for us again upon knowing that we were going to eat here instead of the classroom. She’s that thoughtful.

She then discreetly gave it to me. Ah no. The girl pushed it close to my lips, wordlessly telling me to take a sip and she’s going to assist me on drinking it rather than have me take it myself.

And that’s how she beat Nami from asking me first. The girl at my right was a step slower after all. Satsuki’s eyes rested on her for a moment as she daringly became a little smug.

And although feeling a little bitter from seeing that, Nami faked a gentle smile.

A while later, I could somehow feel some kind of contending auras that were clashing in front of me. If we were in an anime, it would be depicted as if both of them had lightning shooting off from their eyes. The kind of visual effect that signified rivalry.

Even though no words were even uttered, it’s a little wonderful to have this much of an interaction between us. Uh, not that I like them being in conflict though.

Little competition like this was fine. And it’s not like they’d be in conflict just because of this… It’s just in their nature to be a little competitive for my immediate attention.

If I stopped that, they’d just feel bad about it. They’d blame themselves for acting childishly.

Instead of being childish, I found that more endearing.

I’m only one person. It’s also inevitable that the first one to make a move will get the advantage to be the first to get my attention. Nonetheless, be it first or last, there’s no way I would intentionally neglect them.

Anyway, it’s also up to me to do something to calm down the waves of that little rivalry.

While I was sipping Satsuki’s lemonade, I clasped Nami’s hand and rubbed my thumb as a little gesture that means ‘I won’t forget about you’ or something along that line. After satisfying Satsuki, she’d be next.

Once I gulped down half the contents of the glass, I tapped on Satsuki’s hand to stop and I began doing what she’s wishing for me to do for her.

I picked an egg roll with my chopsticks and pushed it close to her lips.

“H-huh? What are you doing? I never said I want you to—”

“Oh, really? Then Nami, do you want to—”

I cut her off but before I even finished taunting her, Satsuki already grabbed my arm and ate what was on my chopstick.

And that made the girls watching it giggle from their seats.

“Don’t misunderstand, you idiot. You really look like you want to feed me so I granted your wish.”

“I see. Thank you, Satsuki. One more, then?” I picked another one and presented it near her lips.

Satsuki alternately looked at me and the egg before gulping down. At the moment, she’s already as red as an apple but she retained that grumpy yet clearly elated expression.

“… Remember, this is just me granting your –”

“Yes, yes, I understand. Wanna sit on my lap too?” I pushed the egg roll on her mouth before she could finish her dishonest lines.

Satsuki chewed on it first and gulped down before she appeared a little troubled at what she was going to answer. A while later, she averted her gaze and silently muttered, “I… I-if you insist.”

Following that, she stood up and settled herself on my lap, drawing envious gazes from the other four.

“Mhm… My Satsuki is always this cute.”

And just like this, I went through all of them one by one. Hina was the last as she probably thought that she’d get more time that way. And she did.

Whether that’s a scheme on her book or not, I don’t know. It’s a little tame, after all.

Looking at their satisfied expressions as they all sat back down on their seats, the same contented smile peeked from my lips.

Minutes after that, Chii arrived with her first words being an apology for being late.

As soon as I heard that, I quickly grabbed her hand and put her on my lap, surprising the girl.

At first, she was baffled and tried to see if the others would raise a complaint or if they would be jealous. But with the lack of reaction from the five, the girl curled up in my embrace little by little until her gyaru act dropped completely.

“Don’t apologize like that again, alright? Dropping by like this was enough.” I partly scolded and partly reminded her. Unlike the five here, she had those two gyaru friends of hers that’s clearly close to her. Well, Kikuchi was left behind too but that’s fine, she also had her own circle after all. Those with the same hobby as her.

“… I understand, but why hold me like this?”

“Obviously, he missed you as well. Don’t worry about that, we all got our turn.” Nami answered her instead of me.

“On another note, Ruki, you heard about it, right? The popularity poll. What do you think?”

Springing up on that topic, everyone, including the girl in my arms raised their gazes in attention.

Yep. That’s the thing I heard yesterday from Misumi and her cohorts. And all of that stemmed from their curiosity over how popular I became.

Apparently, it’s a tradition that was existing even during their grade school. It was promulgated by its pioneers, mainly girls who love gossiping about boys they’re interested in, and carried them to this school as well.

As for whether the nearby college in our city had the same tradition, who knows? Nonetheless, it would happen sooner or later. So starting it in our class was fairly acceptable.

“What do I think? It’s girls-exclusive, right? Besides, it’s not for me. I’m the Classmate A, right?”

“Funny that you still say that, you popular guy.” Saki facepalmed at me and for sure, if she’s not at the other side of the table, she would be pinching my cheeks or nose from how absurd she found my words. “On another note, I think it’s safe to say that you’ll reach the Year-level. But you’re also popular to the girls in senior years, then a Campus-level.”

The five girls nodded their heads at that.

Wait. Year-level? Campus-level? What’s that?