Stealing Spree

“You’re still carrying a lot of books, Hifumi. Here. Give me that and hold this.” I said after approaching the girl at the waiting shed. I handed her the small bag containing the packed pancake I had set aside for her and grabbed the stack of books she was holding to her chest.

Hifumi blinked up at me, her reading glasses catching the faint morning light as she took the pancake bag like it was a precious gift.

A pout formed on her face while her cheeks became tinted in soft pink as she turned slightly to hide the smile creeping onto her lips.

As always, she’d brought nearly all her textbooks, most of them bristling with bookmarks for the lessons she was reviewing.

“Can’t you make a reviewer instead, Hifumi? Maybe this is why you haven’t gained as much height.” I teased as I fell into step beside her as we headed toward her school.

Her eyes narrowed, and she puffed out her cheeks before glaring at me. “Ruki! That’s mean! My height is perfectly fine, thank you very much! And these books are necessary. You know how I need to stay on top of everything. That’s the only way I can keep up.”

Mhm. She’s probably not going to change. She’ll keep being this hardworking student who, despite not being considered a bright one, could always rank at the top of her class.

Many were envious of her but only a few were aware of the efforts she’s putting into it.

Back then, I never stopped trying to change her way but even after all the years we separated, she remained the same. Of course, I won’t force her into changing this habit anymore. I just want to remind her to give herself a break from carrying these books every passing day.

I let out a chuckle as I shifted the stack of books under one arm. “Sure, sure, my hardworking Hifumi. But don’t you think you’re gonna end up with biceps bigger than mine if you keep lugging these around? How about I carry them for you from now on? You know. Meet up with you like this to help save your energy for outsmarting everyone in class.”

Hifumi’s pout deepened, but the pink in her cheeks spread, and she clutched the pancake bag tighter.

“You’re teasing me again. But… no. How can I ask you to carry it every day? Only on special occasions such as this!” Her voice then softened as she sniffed the sweet aroma coming from the bag, “Uhm… Thanks for this, Ruki. I’ll eat it in the classroom! But really, I get what you’re saying, it’s just that the reviewer won’t cut it.”

“In your classroom? Heh… I never thought you had it in you to flaunt my savory craft to your classmates.” I kept up with a light tone, nudging her shoulder slightly, “Anyway, if the reviewer won’t cut it… Why don’t I buy you another set of these books instead? You can leave one set at school and the other at your house.”

“Eh? No… It’ll be expensive! Besides, these textbooks are not for sale!”

Right. That’s impossible. Even if I have the money to spare from my part-time job, the problem will be procuring the school-exclusive books. They won’t be found in a normal bookstore, after all.

I put a hand on my chin as I thought of another solution.

“What about this? I’ll buy you a printer with a copier. That’s going to be cheaper than a copier, right? You can also use that to print references. Well, let me take it a step further. What about a personal computer? Or a laptop so you can bring it with you instead of these books.”

Hifumi’s eyes widened, her glasses slipping slightly down her nose as she stopped in her tracks. “A laptop? Ruki, are you serious? That’s… that’s way too much! I can’t just let you buy me something like that!”

I grinned as I tilted my head, acting like I wasn’t going to back down. “Why not? You’re my Hifumi. If it makes your life easier, it’s worth it. Think of it as a gift for my girl. Besides, I’ve got some savings from my part-time job. A printer-copier combo or a laptop isn’t gonna break me.”

She shook her head vigorously that the fringes of her hair almost covered her eyes. “No way! I’m not some charity case, Ruki. I can handle my books. And… and I don’t want you spending your hard-earned money on me like that. These pancakes are already more than enough.” She hugged the bag closer, her voice softening. “They smell amazing, by the way. I can’t wait to try them.”

I chuckled, nudging her shoulder again. “Alright, no laptop for now. But I’m not dropping the idea. I swear I’ll find a solution for you to stop carrying these heavy books every day. Maybe I’ll sneak a printer into your room when you’re not looking. Or bribe your mom to let me set it up. Oh. I can introduce myself to her if that happens.”

“Ruki!” she squeaked, swatting my arm lightly, her cheeks now a full-on blush. “You’re impossible. I already informed Mom about you. If you showed up, she’d probably agree just because you smiled at her.”

I flashed her a playful smirk. “Oh? That’s better then. But seriously, Hifumi, you work too hard. Let me help you out a little. Even strategists need to delegate sometimes, right? Let me do it. As your boyfriend.”

She sighed, adjusting her glasses as she glanced up at me, her expression a mix of exasperation and fondness. “You’re not gonna let this go, are you?”

I shook my head. “Nope. I’m going to be stubborn today. Let’s see. We’ll make it even better. Let’s go out on a date and buy that printer or laptop, whichever we find first.”

Hifumi stopped at the word ‘date’. She then turned to me, her eyes widening by the second. Then gradually, she leaned in, pressing her forehead on my chest, “Y-you win, stubborn Ruki. And I… I want that date. I want to spend more time with you.”

Although I wanted to hold her, with the books in my arms, I couldn’t. Instead, I lowered my head slightly, kissing her head.

Hifumi glanced up and pursed her lips, clearly asking me to give her a proper one.

And so I did.

Even in the middle of the street, we somehow found ourselves in this kind of situation.

“Mhm. I also like that. Let’s find an opportunity for it.”

“Hmph. As if you have enough free time this week and the coming week. You have the Cultural Festival coming up.”

“Well, what if I want to buy you that laptop or printer as soon as possible? Tomorrow, you’ll be carrying these again.”

“Idiot. I’ll be fine. I’ll leave half of them in my shoe locker, okay?”

“Promise?”

“Promise!” Hifumi nodded as she acted a little miffed but the blush on her cheeks failed to hide how flustered she still was.

She stepped back, clutching the pancake bag like a lifeline, and adjusted her glasses with a quick push of her finger. “You’re so stubborn, Ruki. But… thank you. For caring so much.”

I grinned, shifting the stack of books to a more comfortable position under my arm. “I love you. How can I not care for you? Now, let’s get you to school.”

She huffed, but her smile widened as we resumed walking.

The streets were starting to fill with other students, their chatter blending with the distant hum of traffic. At one point, we found ourselves in the same alley and… we expanded our time there, even just for a bit. I mean, we missed each other so much that as soon as we found a pretty obscure spot, the same idea popped up in our heads.

After dropping her off at their school gates, I tried to check if I could meet up with the other girls first before continuing to pick up Marika at her house and taking the bus with her to our school.