Chapter 101: Mori's Turn

We already separated from each other even before Ogawa set his foot inside the room. We didn't talk about that kiss but yeah, Nami's face turned red from that. She also felt it even with her closed eyes. In fact, she felt our kiss even better than me.

"Nanami, Onoda."

Ogawa greeted us when he entered, tagging behind him was as I expected, Mori.

She was looking down but there's a smile hanging on her lips.

Looks like she got her time with him like we planned. I wonder what happened between them.

"We were waiting. What took you so long?"

Nami asked him, with a little annoyance in her voice.

Ah. That one was her acting a little annoyed. To divert his attention to her unusual appearance.

"Sorry. Shizu-senpai requested the club's support. That's the real reason why she went to the clubroom. We had just finished it."

Ogawa hurriedly explained and then she turned to Mori.

"I already told her about the act. Onoda, she accepted to meet you, but do remember what I told you, okay? You both can go to that room behind that door to talk."

I looked at Mori and like I expected she avoided my gaze.

This girl. She only accepted because that's our deal. She got her time with Ogawa and I don't know what they did which made her smile like that. Maybe she's just happy that she got to spend time with him during the club activity without Nami's interference? I better ask her instead.

Now that our act ended, I have to pass Nami to him and my time with Mori will start.

Ah. After that kiss, I wonder what Nami will think.

"So, how was your time with Ogawa? Was it productive?"

I asked Mori after we moved to the adjacent room.

"Keep quiet, I can't hear them."

She shushed me before turning back to look and peek from a small gap on the door.

Well, I was also curious so like her, I also took a peek.

"They're just talking. Nothing to look at. What are you trying to do anyway? Do you still remember our deal?"

From the gap, I saw Nami and Ogawa next to each other, their backs turned to us. I couldn't clearly hear what they're talking about but there's some distance between them.

That guy. Like I thought, even with their alone time, he couldn't make a move with her.

That's better. I don't want to see Nami being close to that guy anyway. Our act for today might've ended but Nami, I clearly felt how she feels about me and with that kiss, I got another step ahead of this harem protagonist.

"That deal… I heard from Kazuo that you like me. That's not true, right?"

When I mentioned the deal we had, she stopped peeking and turned to me.

Mori noticed how close I was to her and that immediately made her back away.

"It's true. Why will I say I want you to be mine if I don't like you?"

I closed our distance and stood in front of her. Mori kept backing away until she reached the wall.

She's like a little animal being cornered by a predator.

Err. Do I look like a predator for her? It's not like I'm going to bite her.

"Onoda, you told me you won't force me."

She turned her head sideways, afraid to meet my gaze.

"I'm not forcing you, I'm just reminding you that this is our deal. Why is your attention still with them?"

I drew closer to her and asked.

I won't touch her or do anything to her like I promised. But this girl, my desire to steal her is still strong enough. Now that we're alone like this, my focus was now completely on her.

"Is being here with you not enough?"

She looked up and with pleading eyes, she asked.

"No. This is our time, Mori. Just talk to me, okay? I won't do anything unless you give me permission, right?"

I shook my head and reaffirmed her.

That took away her thoughts about peeking again.

I still couldn't stand that Nami was in there with someone else but since my time with her ended, I'm trying to focus my attention on Mori here.

"… Alright."

She gave up and her tensed shoulders loosened. She then stood straight and turned her attention to me.

"So, tell me, what made you so happy? Has your time with him become worthwhile?"

"Uhm…"

"Don't be shy, we're accomplices of each other. I'll also tell you what we did. Will that make you comfortable?"

"Then you first."

I let her think for a while and just observed her. This girl, she's also beautiful like Nami but yeah, the way she carries herself is somewhat lacking. She's a bit cold towards any boys except those in their circle of friends. That's also probably why she even tried to frame me.

But this girl, she's kind of weak to coercion. I remembered when I asked her for a kiss, she took her time to think before answering.

Maybe I could use that to steal her. She might've put her guard up around me outside these walls but we're alone and she was supposed to honor our deal, she couldn't do that anymore.

I'm now the one controlling my desire and yeah, I don't want to pass up on this chance with her.

"This girl, then let's go to that table and sit. Your legs are trembling. Was that because of me?"

"N-no, we walked around the school as requested by the President, that's why I'm kind of tired right now."

She shook her head and explained.

What kind of request was it anyway? I get that idea of their club but aren't they just the President's lackeys?

"I see, then let's go rest there. There's no chair but at least there's a table we can sit on. Here give me your hand."

I held out my hand for her. Let's try this. If she took my hand, then she's really easy to coerce.

I will use that to slowly steal her, but yeah I have to be considerate and try not to force it to the point she will take it negatively. One step at a time, I'll let her be more comfortable with me than what she was feeling when she's with Ogawa.

That harem protagonist has a passive Chick Magnet skill that even if he doesn't do anything, girls will flock towards him.

Well, maybe he did something for them to earn their affection but he's too dense to notice it.

Eh? Wait. That's just like how I was back in middle school.

Am I possibly similar to him?

No, no. That thought was scary.

Mori looked at my hand for a while before taking it. Her hand was a bit rough around her palm. Ah. She's probably good at cooking and household chores.

"You're surprisingly considerate, Onoda."

"Huh? I'm always like this, you know? If I'm not, how can I get you to like me as well?"

I told her as I supported her to walk towards the table. I took another peek in the gap and saw Nami sitting on that chair while Ogawa was at her side. They're still talking about something and that guy isn't making a move.

It's not like I want him to do something. But isn't he frustrated from our act? Or did he just swallow it down for Nami's sake? He's really like those anime characters that I hate.

"I always thought you're a pervert."

Ah. Well, I am. But since that's the first impression I showed her back in that room, she nailed that to my image.

"I'm only like this to the girls I like, Mori. And you're one of them."

"Why aren't you satisfied with Nanami? Can't we work better together if you focus on her?"

She asked. That's a good question, really but I also want her, this schemer. She's too devoted to Ogawa even if he clearly can't see her as more than a sister. 

Well, I'll give her a chance, if she showed me a great rejection just like how Kanzaki showed me back in the library then I might also stop to steal her for now. I shouldn't waste my time on someone who keeps rejecting me. Time was the best weapon for them.

Stealing someone was never easy. It took me weeks before I conquered one. I just got lucky with Kana and Satsuki.

Ah. Should I call that lucky? It has to do with their circumstances so I guess it's really out of luck.

Stealing will be a bit harder now since I won't be using those methods I often use back in middle school. It now only relies on how I could seduce them and make them fall for me. Well, if I find interesting information, I'll use that to my advantage.

For example, Kanzaki's inexperience to kisses or Nami's plan to push Ogawa into a panic

But the best example for that was Satsuki.

"No, Nami is Nami and you are you. I couldn't just give up and give you to Ogawa. That guy, he won't be able to satisfy you."

I let go of her hand when she sat on the table. She whispered her thanks first before she went back to our topic.

"But Onoda, he's the one I like, even if you like me…"

Ah. Now that I think about it, where's that scheming personality of hers? From her expression just now I couldn't see it. Did I already start influencing her since that day?

"He chose Nami over you, Mori. Can't you like me as well? I'll show you I'm better than him."

"You? You won't be better than him."

She shook her head and averted her gaze again. Was she rejecting the idea of me being better than the guy she likes?

Well, I don't know a lot about him since we never had a long talk in which I could properly gauge his attitude. I'm not his friend. I only based my view of him from my observation and their words.