Chapter 99: Tactical Retreat

"I don't like you. You have that air of someone with many secrets."

Shizu-senpai frankly said.

Err… she really said it and with proper reasons. What's that air anyway?

"I see. We all have our own secrets senpai. But thank you for being honest."

I stood up and pulled on Nami's hand. Understanding what I was trying to do, she also stood up and we started making our way to the door.

"Where are you going?"

Shizu-senpai asked when she saw us leaving.

"Sorry senpai, I'm already done with the purpose of my visit here. I get that you don't like me. By looking at your attitude, you won't change that view, right?"

I answered.

This President seems to have an attitude which always wanted to dominate someone.

Look, even that Izumi-senpai whose attire was that of a delinquent hadn't uttered any word since the President arrived.

"So, you chose to run away? Is this the guy you picked, Nanami?"

At least I'm not as indecisive as Ogawa.

Ah. Right. She didn't pick me.

"Shizu-senpai. Picking him wasn't any of your concern, was it? I like him and it's not like I will change my choice just because you said so."

Nami broke her silence and stood in front of me. She looked straight at the President like someone ready to fight.

"Heh. Since when did you get that courage to talk to your older cousin like this? And didn't I tell you to call me Shizu-nee?"

Eh? Cousin? But their surnames...

Ah. I see. It's like that. One of their parents is brother and sister, that's why they have different surnames.

"Shizu-senpai. I always have this courage, I only respected you that's why I never talk back. Today, I don't like your attitude towards Ruu."

Nami answered her.

That Shizu-senpai smiled after hearing what Nami said.

"Is that how much you like this guy? Even when a week ago you were worried about how you could make Kazuo confess to you."

Still with that smile on her lips, she turned her gaze to me.

"Senpai, let's not talk about private things here. Nami, let's go?"

Under that scrutinizing gaze, I didn't cower. Instead, I stopped her and pulled on Nami's hand again.

"Hey, what's your name again?"

"I already introduced myself to you, senpai."

I shook my head and ignored her.

I turned to the others and excused ourselves before I left the clubroom with Nami in tow. I told them to keep our relationship a secret for now and I want all of us to get along.

Apart from the President they all acknowledged it. I threw a glance at Mori first before settling my eyes to Ogawa. This guy also turned silent in front of the President.

Well, that's what we agreed upon, to keep troublesome things from happening in class.

Shizu-senpai watched on and didn't say anything but her smile never left her lips. Looks like I was already marked by her.

This is not me running away. This is a tactical retreat. She's revealing too much information about Nami and Ogawa. If she keeps talking to Nami, more information that can point out that we're just acting might surface.

Plus, I don't like that condescending smile and attitude. Surely if I talk back further, she will use her seniority to get the respect she wants. It's better to avoid her this time.

And also, by retreating now, I earned myself more time to be with Nami alone.

"Ruu…"

Nami whispered from behind me, she looked worried about what I did.

"Don't worry, Nami. I'll make her accept me for you soon."

That President knew the story between Ogawa and Nami. By bringing me there, she was already suspecting Nami and Ogawa so she immediately asked him but with how I acted, it probably confused her, right?

"It's not that. Why did we leave?"

"Hmm? I see. You're blanking out when you're in front of her, Nami. Shizu-senpai was revealing too much information about you and Ogawa."

I see, Nami also has this side of her. All this time I see her as the scary observer girl.

I saw her confused state yesterday but today, that was a new side of her. She is scared of the President.

"…you're right."

"Let's go to that empty clubroom first to wait and talk."

"Okay."

"Anyway, thank you, Nami. You speak out for me."

Even if she was scared, she stood in front of me to defend me from that President. It honestly looked real. She mustered the courage to talk back to her.

"Ruu, you're my lover at this moment. I also didn't like the way she ignored you. I get that that's how she always is but seeing it done to you, I couldn't stand it."

Nami whispered in a soft voice. I glanced at her and saw her reddened face. Was that on impulse?

"Ah, hearing that from you, Nami. I'm happy. Is she always like that?"

I smiled at her to show how happy I was from what she did.

"Most of us were scared of her but she only showed that attitude to someone she met for the first time. It's to give you the impression that you should be scared of her."

I see. So it's like that. When I saw her back at the opening ceremony. She seems amiable and likable. Comparing her to Haruko who was a previous President, that Shizu-senpai is a bit different. Her public and private attitude were contrasting each other. Maybe if we sit and talk to each other in length, I will be able to learn more things about her but I don't have the time for it.

Soon, we arrived back at the empty clubroom. Apart from that Shizu-senpai, the act was already perfect and they were already convinced that we're a real couple.

I wonder what they will talk about now that we left that room.

"Ruu, hug me…"

After closing the door, Nami let go of my hand and hug me from the back.

This… 

Nami wanted me to comfort her. From her hug, I could feel that she was trembling slightly. It seemed that the effect of standing up to the President had just started to surface.

I turned around, took her into my arms as she wished and whispered to her ear.

"Were you scared?"

"No… I just couldn't believe I stood up against her."

She shook her head and explained.

"What do you mean? You never stood up against her before?"

Now that I got to know her circle of friends, I felt my understanding of Nami deepened.

Even if she's the one who Ogawa likes, she has a lot of rivals in there. So she initiated that plan to make him panic, enough to push him to confess to her.

"An older sister."

"Normally, one wouldn't be scared of their older sister."

Yeah. That was weird. It didn't look like she was being bullied by her. In fact, with how much she knew, Nami probably often confides to her.

"She's different. Since young, she has always had that personality. I may be an observer but Shizu-nee can see through at almost everyone."

Eh? That's really scary. Good thing I haven't encountered her during middle school.

"I see. That's why just one look at me and she already knew I have secrets."

"She might be your nemesis, Ruu. If she found out what you're doing…"

"Ah. Are you worried about me, Nami?"

Well, if she did find out about it. What could she possibly do? Expose me to the whole school?

"Why will I be worried about you? You harem collector."

"Hey. Don't give me a title. If it's about harem, Ogawa has it too."

"This guy…"

"You couldn't deny that, right?"

Yeah. Given that she's an observer, she wouldn't be able to deny that Ogawa has his own harem. It's just the way we acted were opposite to each other.

He can naturally attract the girls while I have to work hard to steal one girl for me. My harem was built upon hard work and shady dealings with them. It didn't naturally become like this.

"This guy. Let's stop talking about that. Anyway, Shizu-nee will surely remember what you did."

In the end, she really diverted the topic back to Shizu-senpai.

"Alright, you know I won't care about that. If she doesn't like me for you, I'll just try my best to change that."

The problem is how. Do I need to go back to their club?

"But we're just acting, you don't need to go that far."

"You keep forgetting, we're real lovers right now."

I raised her head to face me, I can simply lean down to kiss her now but yeah, I won't do something. I have to hold back for now, until she asked for it herself, I'll only do what we agreed upon.

"Even so, our act will end one day."

"I'm going to steal you from him, that way we don't need to end this and turn the act to reality."

I won't let it end even if I have to keep the role of her boyfriend in front of her friends.

"There you go again. Let me go now, I'm already comfortable."

Nami released a sigh. She then stopped hugging me and tried to push me away.

I didn't make it hard for her. I dropped my arms that was hugging her and let her go

"It's surprising that you let go easily."

She said as she looked at me backing away, a bit confused.

"You sighed, you know? If I didn't let you go, you might become uncomfortable. That's the opposite of what I wanted to do for you."

I gave her a smile and turned to the chair where Ogawa sat earlier.

"Here, take a seat."

Nami didn't reject the chair and sat on it while I leaned on the wall, away from her.

Well, there's only one chair in this room, I don't know where they put the things that were previously here. Maybe someone from the nearby clubrooms took it and brought it to their own clubrooms.

"Ruu…"

After a few minutes of silence, Nami called out to me from where she was.

"What is it?"

I turned my gaze to her and answered.

I said I'll use this chance to steal her but I can't put myself to force it on her.

What's happening to me?

Do I really have to change like this? Normally I would stick to her side and slowly coax her into accepting what I wanted. That's how I always did it even when I was stealing Kana and Satsuki. I got them because whenever I got the chance, I always stuck to their side.

"Nothing… I thought you'll try and be forceful again. Just like how you forced me to practice holding hands."

See. Even Nami noticed it.

"You're right. Normally that's what I will do. I don't know, I just don't feel like it today?"

No. That's not the answer.

"Is that the effect of you remembering that emotion?"

"No, you already cleared that confusion earlier. I don't know, but now that you mentioned it…"

Ah. There's no use thinking about it if I don't really know the answer.

I stopped leaning on the wall and walked towards her.

She didn't say anything and just watched me approach her.

"Can I sit with you?"

I asked her. It's a single stool, there's no way we could share it but I still asked.

Before Ogawa arrives, I will now use this time to try to steal her.

Haa. I should've done this earlier. I lost a valuable few minutes just waiting at that corner. That's a blunder.