Chapter 350: How Many?

As the train started to move to its destination, the shaking of the train started.

Without anything to grab onto for my balance, I naturally placed my hand just next to Chii's head, ending up for us to be in a position where I was seemingly covering her escape.

"Chii. Do you want to hear about it now?"

Because she had her head lowered without any sign of her lifting it to meet my gaze, I opened a conversation just to take her attention.

The train ride would at most last for 20 minutes so to make use of that time, it's better to have something to talk to than spend it without even looking at each other.

In the classroom or even when outside it, this girl was even more energetic than Saki.

She would greet anyone or would laugh with her fellow gyaru friends in their group.

However, every time she was with me, that gyaru persona of hers was always toned down to the point that she was only using it to mask what's really going on in her mind.

"You said it's inappropriate here."

Without meeting my gaze, I heard her answer which was almost a whisper.

Looking around us, there's no one who we should be cautious of. This was just her not knowing what to do in my presence.

"It is. Since it's too long and… you might not like what you will hear."

Telling the girls about my past was always riddled with my pessimism about it.

But with the few instances that I did, their reactions were always contrary to what I was expecting.

"It's you. I bet it's just filled with you stealing everyone you see."

"That's close or rather, accurate enough."

"Heh. That's so like you. But I still want to hear everything from you, for real."

"Then let me can I hug you?"

"W-wha? In here?"

"Not hug 'hug', I'll just lean closer to whisper it to you. What do you think?"

"You're totally trying to make me flustered, aren't ya?"

"Maybe? I'll be honest then." After saying that, I leaned closer and drew my mouth close to her ears before whispering, "I want to make use of this time with you, Chii. Whatever the result, whether your hate for me that you buried will be brought back to the surface or not, I will keep liking, no, loving you. I messed up before so let me do this right today."

With our current position, it would not be wrong to see us as a couple in public. However, this position also made it hard for anyone who would stare at us to see our faces.

The last thing I needed now was a distraction.

For example, Fukuda. He could be a great friend but with both of us liking the same girl, just like with Sakuma or Ogawa, it wouldn't end up too well.

And, I had no intention to back down now that I confessed to her.

If not for me wanting to know everything about what happened to her and what she truly thinks about me, she would've already accepted me back in her life earlier.

She specifically let me know what she told Fukuda about liking someone else after all. And that someone was me.

"You're still this forceful."

"Tell me if you don't like this, I'll take a step back."

"… Are you for real? Go on. Let me hear everything about what happened to you."

"Then, don't fall asleep, I'll kiss you if you do."

"That kind of threat… don't you think that's too mild and I might intentionally sleep for you to kiss me?"

"That's what I was aiming for."

"Still shameless, Kii."

"Un. That trait of me won't change. Well then, let me start."

Enclosing my free arm to her back while keeping my head close to her ears, I started my story which she silently took in.

It's not a great story but every time I would tell it to them, I would include everything. Well, except the perspective of the girls. It was still the same unadulterated version where I highlighted every bad thing I did to accomplish what I set out to do. To satisfy my bottomless desire.

Capitalizing on the crowded train, I stuck as close as possible to her.

It was a long story that even after arriving at the first station since we'd ridden the train, the story still hadn't reached the halfway point.

And for a few minutes after I started, Chii, whose arms were crossed in front of her, was now holding onto my side while her chin was resting on my right shoulder.

If we're just close before, it's now too clear to see that we're hugging each other.

Perhaps we're an eyesore to the office workers around us, they all had their backs turned towards us, conveniently giving us the privacy that we needed.

"Kii, it's fine now. Jump to how you changed. I bet before that change you're doing the same thing over and over."

"You're not going to comment on what I did to some of the girls I mentioned?"

"What for? It's something that happened in the past. I just want to hear about it not to criticize what you did. Being the stupidly honest guy like you, there's no way you'd craft a story with a reason to make me hate you or to pull my hate for you to the surface."

"I guess you're right. The change happened when I realized how Akane is a crucial part of me."

"Akane? I see. She's still with you even now. At first, I thought she's like me but with how she openly approaches you, that girl… she loves you even before you stole me."

"Un. She held onto that despite seeing me with different girls, hoping that I will change and look back to her again one day…"

"And she won. Her waiting paid off. Now I can confirm why you're not alone at your house anymore."

Because of our position, I couldn't see the expression she had this time. But judging from how her voice was somewhat cracked, she's feeling down. And it's because of Akane.

"I thought I was the first one who fell in love with you. That she's nothing but a clingier girl you stole from someone. I became totally complacent on that part."

"Un. She's different from the rest of the girls I have now."

As always there's no point lying to her. Everyone knew that there's one special girl living with me at home.

Well, if they see Miwa-nee and Minoru, they will also instantly understand. That part will probably be the hardest for them to swallow. The others who already saw Minoru might be accepting it but those who haven't yet, I don't know how they will take the fact that I am already a father.

Nonetheless, I still stood by being completely honest with them. I will not keep the truth about Minoru and Miwa-nee.

"How many? Including the girls from our class."

Instead of following up with what I said, Chii asked a question.

Perhaps it's because she's already convinced with what I told her or she just wanted to know after knowing about Akane.

"Twenty-five. Not including those who I am still trying to get."

"Huh? How are you still alive? No. In the first place, do they know?"

With how she became suddenly stiff, she was surely surprised from hearing the numbers.

Well, anyone would be surprised. To be in a relationship with all of them, it was unimaginable with the current moral of the world.

"They do. What do you think?"

"You're insane, Kii… How? How will I fit in that?"

This girl. Is that really what she should ask? And after calling me insane.