Chapter 380: Suspect? (1)

After I dropped the lunchbox that was still wrapped in cloth on Hina's lap, I stepped back carefully, making sure not to touch the girl sitting on my previous seat.

"Then why are you here?" The playful girl asked. Her eyes never left me. "Don't tell me you're alone here with Hina. Are you…"

By the tone of her voice, Arisa-senpai had already reached her own conclusion as to why I was here.

Her eyebrows furrowed further. While not breaking eye contact with me, she placed herself between me and Hina. Instinctively trying to protect the latter from my claws.

"What is this? Are you going to lay your hands on everyone? Onoda-kun. Is Nanami not enough for you?" With a small sigh, Arisa-senpai then twisted her body to face Hina before taking the lunchbox I put on her lap, "Tell me, what did he say to you? Don't be fooled by his words."

After saying that, Arisa-senpai then put it in front of her, giving it back to me.

"Arisa, Ruki didn't make me cry. He brought me here because…"

Upon seeing how Arisa-senpai reacted, despite being confused about what the playful girl said, Hina reached for her shoulder and tugged at it.

She deeply inhaled as she tried to calm herself down before retelling the events that led to the situation here. Obviously, she omitted the fact about our current complicated relationship.

While that was happening, Arisa-senpai's hand gradually trembled before she slowly reeled her arm back.

"I-is that so? Onoda-kun helped you? And this… is his lunch?"

The way she looked at me switched from being too disappointed to being somewhat apologetic because of her accusation.

Her cheeks and ears also gradually turned red from the embarrassment she was currently feeling.

Before knowing everything about her, I naturally wouldn't let her know that there's also something going on between Hina and me. Hina knew that. Even more so now that she's too conflicted about how she would decide.

Although our closeness was already apparent when both Hina and Nami could be often seen by my side these past few days, without any concrete evidence then they could only suspect.

Just like now.

"I understand where senpai is coming from. It's a well-deserved suspicion after that time." I said while putting on a bitter smile. "Hina, since Arisa-senpai is already here. I'll be leaving you to her. Eat that first. You can give it back to me later."

After that, I took another step back, thoroughly distancing myself from the two.

"Wait. Onoda-kun. You don't have to--"

"It's fine, senpai. Hina m already recovered. Besides, you're here. I'm not needed here anymore." After saying that, I nodded at Hina before turning around to leave.

"Wait. Onoda-kun!" Arisa-senpai called out to me but that shout wasn't enough to make me stop.

Without looking back, I was out of the room in mere seconds.

I knew Arisa-senpai would always suspect me of doing something but hopefully, with this, that would lessen to an extent.

As I turned my feet to leave the club building, I hastened my steps.

Because I knew. I knew that she would chase after me.

However, compared to my hastened pace, Arisa-senpai ran out of the room.

Before I could exit the building, the sound of her running footsteps reached my ears.

"Hey! Onoda-kun! Are you deaf?"

There were few students present in the Club Building and outside it, there were also some who were coming in or some who had just come out of it.

When those lots heard Arisa-senpai's shout, all their attention was gathered on her.

Using that chance, I also turned around to look at the girl who didn't think twice to run after

When she noticed the attention she gathered on her person, Arisa-senpai hurriedly covered her face as she traversed the last few paces of distance between us.

As soon as she reached me, Arisa-senpai grabbed my arm and pulled me with her.

Well, it might become the birth of a new rumor so I let myself be pulled by her.

Not back to that room with Hina but the connected room that we were using during the swap.

Before turning around to face me, Arisa-senpai peeked at that tiny slit to check on Hina.

I followed suit and saw the girl eating the lunchbox I brought for her. On her left hand, the handkerchief that I left behind was still clasped tightly. It's a bit wet with her tears but the way she held it was as if it's something she didn't want to let go of.

But even then, her expressions were still the same as earlier. It's filled with her conflicting emotions.

As she ate that, her mind was most likely lost in thought, considering what would be her decision.

However, I know. It will be hard for her to make that decision. Perhaps, in the following days, Hina would be inside of her own mind, mulling over things.

"Onoda-kun, is that what really happened? Kazuo, he said those words to her?" As she said that, Arisa-senpai gently closed that door shut before turning around to face me.

As expected she's not convinced with only her statement. She pulled back earlier in consideration of Hina but now that we're alone, her suspicion that I had something to do with what happened remained.

Because her hand was still enclosed on my arm, we ended up standing too close to each other when she turned around to meet my eyes.

Seeing her this close, smelling her scent once again and feeling that soft hand on my arm, my mind began to stir as it was somehow urging me to grab her at this moment, put her in my arms and never let her go again.

Obviously, I had to reel that urge in before shaking my head to remove those thoughts in my mind. Afterward, I answered her question. "I will not dare confirm it, senpai. Although I managed to eavesdrop on their conversation earlier, I'm not the one you should ask if what Hina said was what really happened."

With how close we were at the moment, Arisa-senpai's changes in her expression were all captured by me. While our eyes continued their contact, Arisa-senpai analyzed my words before fitting them in what Hina said earlier.

"You're right. But tell me Onoda-kun, how did you end up eavesdropping on them? Where's Nanami? Why are you not together?"

Launching her questions back to back, Arisa-senpai's hand tightened her hold on my arm. Perhaps, trying to prevent me from escaping.

At this point, I broke our eye contact by looking sideways.

"Nami and I are a couple,true. But senpai, that doesn't mean we always have to be together. We're hiding our relationship in class and only your group knew about us. As for why I was there… If you saw Ogawa's expression when he arrived in class and invited Hina out, you'll also be curious as to what he has to say after recovering from his fever. Hina is just like Izumi-senpai. Head over heels over that guy and is getting the same 'oblivious' treatment."

Halfway through this, I faced her gaze once again and said the last bits in a straight face.

At every word I uttered, Arisa-senpai was weighing it if it was true or not.

This was how low she thought of me now. This was the result of telling her that I am interested in her.

Nonetheless, seeing her worry like that even for Hina and how she's ready to protect her from me, I couldn't help but continue to admire her.

"Huh? Did Kazuo change?"

"I wouldn't say change. You could say he became even worse. You have to see it for yourself later at the club and make your own judgement. I don't want you to think I'm trying to destroy his image for my own gains."

Like earlier, I put on a bitter smile and took a step back while trying to pull my arm out of her grasp.

This should be a good time to appeal to her since this was a rare chance she herself created. But with that full-blown suspicion she had on me, it would surely not bear fruit.

As my hand gradually slipped from my grasp, Arisa-senpai's eyes fluttered as she noticed what I was doing. Before I could completely take it back, her grip tightened on it.

However, whether it was intentional or not, she ended up holding my hand instead.