Stealing Spree

Eri and I continued our leisurely walk to her house, the cool evening breeze playing with the strands of her short hair. Despite being aware of my thoughts, her grip on my arm remained tight, a silent affirmation of her trust in me.

As I didn't want to lead her fully into committing to the same thing as Futaba, I continued reminding her that our closeness could be misinterpreted by her boyfriend. Eri understood it. However, she was also quite sincere at times, and she just couldn't help but cling to me.

I don't think she's planning to set up boundaries for the time being. She's comfortable with our closeness, and there seem to be no noticeable changes in her behavior toward her boyfriend. If anything, she's been more open about her feelings with him.

Although I don't care at all about what the other guys will think, something will definitely change if he finds out how close Eri is to me.

That's why I'll keep reminding her to be conscious of this and if nothing changes in the future, it will only mean one thing. Eri chooses to trust me fully despite her relationship. Upon reaching her house, Eri's grip on my arm loosened as we approached the gate. She glanced up at me with a pleasant smile as she still radiated with the happiness of having been able to talk to me alone, "Good night, Ruki. Thank you for walking me home."

"Mhm. Good night. Message Akane and Fuyu so those won't be too worried," I told her as she unlocked the gate and stepped in, giving a quick wave before closing it behind her.

After that, I took a deep breath and exhaled, releasing all the tension in my shoulders.

The night was still young but I still had a silly girl and a jealous mother waiting for me at home. Also, I had to prepare for tomorrow's school day. It's going to be another busy one with the festival approaching.

On my trip back home, I received another message from the eccentric old man, expecting that it was about the call he made earlier.

"Boy, you have a knack for stirring up situations, don't you? You'll have to do double the work now. In any case, you left quite the impression on Kagura-chan. She quickly asked me to tell her everything I knew about you. Things that the Ichihara didn't pass her. Keep your wits about you. Some storms brew before the sun rises. There's no guarantee her old man will accept the deal. Those in the same position as me are mostly stubborn and prideful. If they decided on something, it would be difficult to change their mind as it would mean they would be taking their words back."

I paused in my tracks, rereading the cryptic message. While it sounded like a warning, there was a playful undertone in his words. Typical of the old man. He was always two steps ahead, making it impossible to discern his true intentions.

That last part was also something I expected. Maybe if my mother didn't help him back then, he also wouldn't approve of me for Otoha.

But right now, despite his eccentricity, his involvement gave me a strange sense of security. If Kagura-san was connected to him, the odds of Marika's situation being resolved without further complications had increased. Yet, I shouldn't be complacent and treat it as a certainty. I had to prepare more for whatever was coming in light of this situation.

By the time I arrived home, the living room was already quiet. Akane was still on the couch, now wrapped in a blanket. She fell asleep again.

Miwa-nee was seated at the dining table with a cup of tea in hand. It was the miraculous tea that they prepared for tonight.

She glanced up as I entered, her expression softening into a warm smile.

"Welcome back, Ruki."

"Mhm. I'm home. Thanks for waiting up, Miwa-nee," I replied as I walked into the living room.

Seeing that I was looking at the sleeping Akane, she giggled, "That girl. She wanted to wait for you but fell asleep again. She's still the same as ever. Her attachment to you will never fade, quirk or not."

I chuckled softly as I approached Akane, carefully tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "She's been pushing herself a lot lately even with her period. I'll carry her upstairs after I clean up."

Miwa-nee hummed in agreement, sipping her tea before gesturing for me to join her and filling another cup.

"By the way, we watched the news while waiting for you. It seems the buzz around Yue's song release is picking up. They played a short sample that immediately garnered a strong response. It will be crazy when it finally drops at the end of this month. Oh. Right. Akane and Miho's identities are also becoming a larger mystery. They showed message board threads speculating about it."

"Really? That's good news," I said as I took the seat next to her but I couldn't help but shake my head, imagining Yue's fans and those casuals trying to figure out Akane and Miho's identity. They could become superstars like Yue. However, they didn't have any interest in it. "Yue's been working hard on this, and so have Akane and Miho. They deserve the recognition." I continued Miwa-nee smiled knowingly. "It's not just about recognition, is it? It's all for you. The song, the message and the work they put into it. Because of you, they've been inspired to do something like that." ȐÅNＯ𐌱ĘＳ

Her words were flattering, but I couldn't take all the credit. Each of the girls had their own strengths. I was still someone who only gave them a push on the back. Every success that they would achieve would be because of their own effort.

And that's the same for all of my girls, including Miwa-nee.

"Well, I'm just doing what I can," I said modestly, leaning back in my chair. "How about you, Miwa-nee? Have you thought about what you want to achieve with your cafe?"

She laughed softly while shaking her head. "Should I strive for a goal? You know it's only going to be my way of not constraining myself in this house. I love that we're living under one roof, what's next is to prepare for our future. I want that cafe to be another refuge for you and everyone."

I couldn't help but smile at the meaning of her words. In the end, part of the reason was also for me. Or for us.

I guess if I asked her about her dream, it'd be about our future as a family.

I scratched the back of my head, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Thank you, Miwa-nee. We appreciate that. I will make sure to help you out whenever I'm free."

"Oh. I'd love that. You're going to be the main attraction for customers." Miwa-nee teased,

"Anyway, go on and finish your tea. You had a long day. It'll be my turn to pamper you after you settle Akane on your bed."

"I'm looking forward to that, Miwa-nee." I laughed and drank the tea in one gulp. Following that, I leaned in to kiss her which she welcomed fully.

After that, I carried Akane upstairs and gently laid her on our bed. She stirred slightly but didn't wake up. Her lips curled into a faint smile as I adjusted the blanket around her.

"Good night, Akane," I kissed her forehead before leaving the room and returning downstairs.

While waiting for Miwa-nee who said she was going to take a shower first, I sat on the sofa and went through my messages.

Yue had sent a voice recording of another melody she'd been working on, asking for my opinion. She's really too passionate about it.

HIyori and Ririka had sent a link to a Comiket preview, excitedly discussing which booths to visit -- including the ones that sell those dubious doujinshis.

Meanwhile, Mizuki had forwarded some documents regarding the other advisory proposals she's receiving. She wanted to hear my thoughts about it as well.

There were a lot more messages that even when Miwa-nee already returned, she just waited until I finished reading and replying.

Was the day exhausting? I guess it's pretty light today. In any case, their messages always bring me a sense of fulfillment.

Each of them had their own lives, and their own passions, yet they chose to share those parts of themselves with me. How can I not be thankful for that?

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