Stealing Spree

Chapter 2969: Could you come to the rooftop with me?

The school hours were over and almost everyone had already left, even my girls, who decided not to wait for me, headed out.

Honestly, they’re doing it to stop me from bringing up walking them all one by one again, which would take a lot of time when we could always see each other at the Literature Club or when I visit their club.

My considerate trait had long rubbed off on them. They knew that if they stayed, they’d still eventually give in to my insistence to escort them to the clubroom.

Anyway, seeing Shimura, who also stayed a bit to organize all the revised riddles and puzzles for the booth, I couldn’t just pretend not to see her, right? Especially when her gaze kept drifting toward me with that hesitant, shy energy she always carried. She was like a small animal trying to decide if it was safe to approach the food bowl.

"Good work for today, Shimura." I waved with a smile at the girl as she finished packing up.

"Un. You too, Onoda-kun." She replied with a smile, her lips blooming with a bright smile.

"Are you heading to the Photography Club?" I noticed her camera bag, slung carefully over her shoulder.

Shimura paused, her fingers hovering over the strap of her bag. She looked down, a faint blush creeping up her neck. "No... I... I was thinking of taking a few shots of the sunset from the rooftop. Koizumi-senpai told me I could practice my composition there."

"The rooftop, huh? Let’s see. It should still be a little hot there."

Although it was already past five in the afternoon and the sun was already close to setting, the concrete of the rooftop still held onto the day’s heat.

"Oh. Then... I’ll wait for a while. What about you, Onoda-kun? Uhm... Andou-san and the others have already left."

"Well, didn’t you all agree? As the representative who had the least to do in our preparation, I had to stay behind and lock up the classroom."

Yep. That’s another reason why I was still here. As for the Cleaning Duty? There’s no need for it this week. After all, the classroom had already been tidied up before the bell rang.

Hearing my answer, Shimura laughed again before making that cutesy gesture of knocking her head lightly. "I forgot."

I walked towards her, reached for her head and patted it gently. "Alright, you’re adorable. Don’t tempt me."

"Wha--?! I’m not tempting you. Mou... Besides, I don’t think I can tempt you. You’re already surrounded by girls more glamorous than me," Shimura murmured as she tried to swipe away my hand.

But looking at her expression, a hint of joy and contentment flickered behind her modesty. She didn’t actually want me to stop but perhaps because she lacked the confidence to truly confess to me.

"Glamorous, huh. Now that’s a word." My lips curled up slightly as I pulled my hand back. "Regardless, who’s to say I can’t be tempted by you? I’m quite the greedy guy, after all."

"E-eh?" Perhaps not expecting me to respond like that, Shimura’s face turned a deep shade of crimson. She looked away, her gaze drifting toward the window where the sky was shifting into a bruised purple and gold. "You’re too honest. It’s kind of... scary."

"Mhm. I get that a lot. But how scary is scary?" I asked curiously. It’s not every day I’d hear myself described as ’scary’, especially by a girl who’s trying her best to keep interacting with me.

Shimura took a deep breath before looking back at me.

Her eyes shimmered with both nervousness and a longing she was probably holding onto for some time. "It’s just... the way you look at people. Like you’re seeing right through them. Like you already know exactly what they’re thinking."

"Maybe I do," I teased, leaning in just a bit. "For instance, right now, you’re wondering if I’m actually being serious or if I’m just playing with you."

"Are... are you?" Shimura asked hesitantly, her voice barely a whisper.

Alright. This girl is quite pure. I’ll probably feel bad to continue teasing her.

Let’s be honest then.

"It’s a mix of both," I answered, my tone dropping to a softer, more sincere tone. "I do enjoy teasing you a bit, but that doesn’t mean the interest isn’t real. You have a quiet kind of charm, Shimura."

Shimura froze, but then a smile once again bloomed on her face, not the shy, hesitant one from before, but something genuine and relieved. She looked down at her feet, shifting her weight from side to side, the tension in her shoulders finally dissipating.

"Thank you, Onoda-kun."

"Come on, why thank me? I’m just being honest."

The girl shook her head before saying, "No one has ever told me that. Usually, people just... overlook me. Like I’m a background character."

This... Isn’t that my dream? To be the genuine Classmate A. Alas, I couldn’t achieve that anymore with all this popularity and unending rumors about me.

In any case, I never expected her to think this way.

"You’re joking, Shimura. How are you a background character? Haven’t you proved that today? You spearheaded the revision of the riddles. You’re now the brain of our booth’s success," I said, stepping a bit closer. This time, my hand seemed to move on its own, cupping her cheek.

She looked up, her eyes wide. Her mouth opened and closed as if she were trying to find the right words, but the sudden proximity seemed to have short-circuited her thoughts.

Perhaps in the next few seconds, she would overheat and faint.

But well, since I already made a move, I’ll just continue with this.

Gently rubbing her cheek with my thumb, I continued, "You deserved to be appreciated. Even if no one else would have noticed the effort you put into those riddles, I did."

Shimura looked as if she were about to melt. Her breath seemed to pause, and she instinctively leaned into my touch, her eyes fluttering shut for a brief second.

After a long while, Shimura let out a breath and opened her eyes, looking at me with an expression of pure, unfiltered vulnerability.

"You’re too much, Onoda-kun. How can you easily say these things? It’s no wonder almost everyone has a positive impression of you. Aren’t you afraid the girls around you will get jealous?"

"What’s there to be jealous about? Besides, I often pampered them like this as well. It’s not a special treatment."

"Pfft. You know most guys will say that it is a special treatment to score more points," Shimura murmured, though she didn’t move away from my hand. Instead, she leaned her head slightly into my palm, her expression softening into something genuinely happy. "But I guess that’s why everyone likes you. You make it feel natural."

The girl paused for a moment, then, as though she had gathered some courage to do something bold, she stepped forward. "Onoda-kun, can I request one thing?"

"Go ahead," I replied, my thumb still tracing the soft curve of her jaw.

"Could you... come to the rooftop with me? Just for a little bit. I want to show you the view from the spot where I’m taking the photos," She whispered, her eyes carrying a hint of expectation. "I think you’d like it. It’s... very peaceful."