Chapter 149: Sakuma's Concession

"Nao-senpai, are you sure you'll be fine?"

Akane asked when we're at the station.

Since this is where we will part, Akane repeated her question.

Nao decided to go to school and possibly talk to Shio's husband if there's an opportunity, Akane and I advised her against it but she insisted, telling us that she'll be fine.

After last night, I could say that I already got her back but she wanted to end things properly. That guy was someone who was with her for more than a year.

Though calling the police on him sounds like the most logical choice, I don't want Shio to be implicated by it so I'll have him back off for now. If they decided to divorce and he gets a new high school girl for himself, that's when I'll ask for authority intervention. Police and the Ministry will be eager to put him down if proven guilty. He should really reflect and stop his modus of preying on high school girls after what happened yesterday.

"Yes. And if something did happen, I'll call this moron immediately."

Nao answered before tapping my shoulder.

Her school is also in the same direction as mine but hers is a lot further. Turns out her family moved to that area after she graduated middle school so she had no choice but to enroll at the nearest high school. If my school is called the Fourth High School, hers is the Third High School. They're affiliated, that's why Shio's husband transferred in it easily.

"I'll go pick her up if something really happened. But you better take care of yourself, it will be a long ride from my school to there."

I also assured Akane before reminding Nao.

Surprisingly, the two got along well since last night. Though Akane's motive was to help me with Nao, in the end, Nao treated her like a sister.

"Geez. You're both worrywarts. Let's go before the train departs."

She turned around and made her way to the platform on our side.

"Husband update me too, okay?"

Akane reminded me before we separated.

I nodded at her and kissed her.

It's already a regular occurrence so the eyes of those seeing it were already inconsequential.

During the train ride, Nao stuck next to me as she kept talking about what happened with her after she graduated and we lost contact.

I listened to her and also told her the changes that happened to me albeit summarized to the extreme but the idea was still there.

"You really won't ignore me anymore?"

Nao asked again before we reached my station, she's grabbing my hand like she doesn't want to let it go.

"You're also a worrywart, you know? I told you I've changed. I won't ever ignore you again, Nao. I stole you back from him so don't let him touch you again."

I'll break his arms if he ever dared touch Nao again. One blunder and two women in his life became mine.

Err. Even without that, I'm set at stealing Shio. Nao was someone I really didn't expect but I'm really glad it's her. I'm also thankful that she didn't hate me as much as I thought, she's just aggrieved that I ignored and seemingly forgot about her. If not for that, she wouldn't be entangled by that guy. That's my fault so I'll own up to it.

"Then assure me."

Nao whispered softly while she pulled on my arm.

"How?"

"You know. I went down last night to pee, I heard sounds from your room."

Her face was turning red as she probably started recalling what she heard. It's Akane's moans, right?

"Ah. Is that how can I assure you?"

If that's how it is, then I'll give it to her. She's mine again and that guy failed to get it before me. I'll be an idiot if I let her go again after the affection she showed me. This girl truly loves me that her more than 1 year with him was easily replaced once I appeared before her again. Well, maybe that ugly sight yesterday also became a factor.

"Don't make me say it, moron."

She pinched my sides as she turned her head sideways, embarrassed.

"My Nao became this adorable. Alright. I'll let you decide when so you can prepare."

I used my hand to make her look at me again. Seeing her blushing expression and her brown eyes that couldn't look straight at me, I took her lips into another kiss.

Though this is a public place with eyes all over, Nao didn't seem to mind it as she held onto my neck while raising her bag to cover us from prying eyes.

Only when the door opened and my time to get off arrived did we stop.

Err. There are a few students from our school who saw that. They don't know me and I don't know them so it doesn't matter.

"Un. Take care, Ruki."

Only when our lips separated did Nao give me an answer before she bashfully told me to take care.

Now, there's 2 of them lined up, first is Aya and today Nao was added.

Ah. There's also Nami if all goes well at taming the SC President and having Ogawa back off completely.

When I arrived in class, Aya was happily reading again. I joined her in that reading atmosphere to continue reading Kana's novel to pass the time.

I saw her smiling when she noticed me being absorbed at what I'm reading. This girl is truly adorable, for her to be happy about this simple thing. I guess she's thinking that I'm doing it for her, to make her comfortable. There's that idea but the real reason was I'm always out of time to read this.

Soon the class was filled up. I saw Satsuki's complexion wasn't as bad as yesterday so I gave her the juice I bought on the way. I kind of predicted that she might arrive in the same state as yesterday so…

It doesn't really matter if someone saw it. I also gave one to the idiot at my back and also to Aya.

"What's this Onoda? Is this the payment for our help later?"

Sakuma asked. He also went to his club practice so he's probably as drained as Satsuki.

The help he mentioned, it's for the cleaning of the clubroom as punishment for me. That's a valid excuse to secretly mask my concern for Satsuki.

Satsuki already messaged me that her seniors lighten up their practice a bit but I still couldn't help but worry. I really am a worrywart eh?

I already knew that Shio wouldn't be here so this 1st period will become a self-study period.

When the bell rang indicating the start of classes, another teacher came in to tell us about Shio calling in sick. Some were worried while most of the class were happy that they could slack off during the 1st period.

Satsuki used the time to take a nap while Aya was also a bit happy that she could continue reading.

Sakuma called out to me saying he has something to tell me outside.

Well, it's probably about Satsuki's sister and he doesn't want Satsuki to hear it.

"Onoda, you and Maemura."

He started when we reached the same vending machine we went to before.

"You're still on about that?"

I answered him as I picked my own drink. Well, I only bought juices for them earlier since I wasn't that thirsty.

"No. Although I'm kind of an idiot I could see how she looks at you. Are you concerned about me? Is that why you're restricting yourself to…"

Concerned about him? In the first place, I was already thinking of stealing Satsuki from him so I was never concerned about him. But yeah, that's how he saw it, eh?

"You're always watching her so you know. Haa. Maybe? I don't know."

I answered him with a sigh as I tried to act oblivious.

"You should stop restricting yourself, you know. Don't be like me."

Am I getting advice from this guy? Talk about irony. Now it will be harder to tell him about us, we have to change it to something like I stopped restricting myself after he talked to me.

"But what about you? You know you both asked for my help but for it to turn like this."

I slumped at the corner of the vending machine and he did the same next to me.

Since there's no class, it's fine to slack off like this.

"Don't worry. When you told me about her sister, I also started to think and remember those times I was living with them."

So you now changed your target to her sister? This guy. Though this is what I want, for him to concede like this.

"Sakuma, I know I told you to clear your head about who you truly like. Is that it? Your decision?"

I truly welcomed that but him suddenly conceding like this. What should I say? He's properly looking at Satsuki but not me, he noticed Satsuki's gazes at me but he didn't notice my gazes towards her. Well, I'm good at hiding those things so there's no wonder.

"I still don't know, Onoda. That's why I want to meet her sister again."

Sakuma looked up like he's seeing the image of Satsuki's sister up there.

"Dude. If you're telling me not to hold back on Maemura then I won't. But make sure you do it properly this time. If you really like her sister then tell her when you meet her."

This is what he wanted to hear from me, right?

"I will."

Sakuma smiled, his eyes filled with determination.

"What will you do about Maemura now? Didn't you tell her you have something to say this week?"

"You're right. I'll think of something."

With this, he won't confess to Satsuki anymore but what will he say? I like your sister so please give me her number? Considering it's Sakuma, that's highly unlikely.

"I'm sorry it turned like this, Sakuma."

Though he wouldn't know what my sorry contained, at least I properly apologized to him for everything that I did.

"From your words and Maemura's attitude last Sunday, I got a realization, if I'm just really projecting her sister on her, then I better stop."

Ah. So that's why. Even idiots can have a moment of enlightenment.

Err. Sorry for calling you an idiot again, Sakuma

"But what if it's really her that you truly like?"

So that he wouldn't see me as too accepting, I'll still try to push it like this. Like a good friend even if I'm not really good.

"Then I'll accept my loss. You're a better man than me."

Sakuma admitted, he even tapped my shoulder.

"I don't know, I'm not that great either."

I'm never great. If I could assess myself then I'm more of a bastard than a good guy. That's far from great.

"Right, you have those rumors about you.

Ah. So he heard those too. Alright, let's plant an idea in him so that even if he found out that those rumors were true, he could easily accept it.

"It's just rumors but to tell you the truth, I'm not really against it. If I truly like someone, then I'll make her mine. The number doesn't matter since I'm determined to take care of all of them."

This is my true honest feeling. And of course, if anybody hears me saying that, they'll call me all kinds of words.

"That's kind of sick, Onoda"

See? Sakuma's evaluation of it is sick.

"Well, that's how it is. I might earn the hatred of most people but if it's for them, I'll do anything."

Err. What do I get from telling him all of this? Right, so he won't bug me if he saw me with another girl other than Satsuki.

"You sounded like you're already in that state."

He looked at me as if he's trying to find out if I'm really in it or not.

"Don't think too much about it. Just make sure to clear up your feelings, Sakuma."

I shrugged and turned the topic back to him.

With this, Sakuma wouldn't be that much of a problem now, Satsuki can now completely fall for me. Ah. I suddenly missed teasing that tsundere. I'll visit her at her club later.