Stealing Spree

The lively chatter from inside Nami’s house spilled out as we approached the door.

The clear sound of An-rin’s loud laughter and Kushii reprimanding her was the first to register in my ears. Next, Edel’s soft giggles added a layer of warmth to the mix. Looks like her progress in gradually opening up to the others was still going strong. Even though she’d still prefer to either be cuddled by me or Haruko, she’s now not afraid to join the conversation.

Of course, it’s not like she had problems socializing with other girls but she’s just choosing who to open up with apart from her acquired fear from her childhood.

Anyway, the moment Nami and I stepped inside, the scent of home-cooked food wafted through the air, a mix of savory and slightly sweet aromas that instantly made my stomach rumble.

Auntie Kasumi had clearly gone all out, probably because of the unexpected company. The dining table was already set, with steaming dishes of stir-fried vegetables, grilled fish, and a pot of miso soup that looked like it was just waiting to be ladled out.

Chii was helping Auntie Kasumi carry a tray of rice bowls from the kitchen, her fake gyaru persona dialed down to a more natural charm as she chatted animatedly with Nami’s mom.

Meanwhile, Hana was seated at the table, her arms crossed and her lips set in a subtle pout, probably still stewing over Chii’s earlier teasing about our night together. When she noticed me, her pout deepened as her face twitched a little.

Given how observant she was when it came to me, she didn’t miss the subtle sign that Nami and I got our little moment outside. She’s only choosing to behave now because of Auntie Kasumi’s presence. I should expect her to go on the offensive later. After all, she couldn’t stay at our house. Not without her Aunt Tomori’s permission.

Well, I plan to escort her home anyway. Pampering her on the way is in order.

Turning my head to the side, Haruko was seated on the other side, looking calm and collected as always. However, there was that knowing smile on her lips the moment we walked in. Should I also expect to be attacked by her later? It’d be another long night, I guess? Beside her, Edel perked up like a puppy spotting its owner, her silver hair catching the light as she waved at me with a shy grin. She’s also holding herself back from sprinting towards me and taking her most secure place within my arms.

Meanwhile, Kushii and An-rin were sprawled on the couch, still giggling over something on An-rin’s phone. Probably a meme or one of their infamous selfie edits. They glanced up as we entered, and An-rin immediately shot me a cheeky wink. The chaotic gremlin’s playfulness had fully recovered from last night.

“Yo, Onoda-kun! Took you long enough. Did you get lost in Andou’s eyes or what?”

Nami rolled her eyes, tugging me toward the dining area. “Don’t start, An-rin. Ruu’s here now, so behave.”

“Behave? Me? Never!” An-rin stuck out her tongue, but Kushii nudged her with an elbow, muttering something about not embarrassing themselves in front of Nami’s mom.

Auntie Kasumi emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel, her warm smile lighting up the room.

“Oh. Onoda-kun, you made it! I was starting to think you ran into trouble outside and forgot that you still had these girls to escort home.” Her tone was teasing, but there was a genuine fondness in her eyes. I guess the story of me volunteering to send the girls home was bought by her. There wasn’t even a hint of suspicion in her eyes that I was also involved with everyone here.

This is for the best, I guess?

“No way, Auntie. I did get held up for a few minutes, running an errand for Ogawa’s older sister. I quickly made my back after that,” I replied, flashing a grin as I set my bag down by the door.

Naturally, the meaning of my words was taken differently by Auntie Kasumi and the other girls. In her eyes, I sounded like I was just being helpful, but to the girls who knew of my involvement with Kazuha-nee, my words carried a double meaning that sparked a mix of amusement and curiosity in their eyes.

Nami’s grip on my hand tightened briefly, her jealousy resurfacing, while Hana’s pout deepened, her eyes narrowing as if she was piecing together what kind of ‘errand’ I’d been running.

Chii clicked her tongue and once again decided to stir the pot.

“An errand, huh, Kii? Sus. Must’ve been some errand to keep you held back for that long.”

Her fake gyaru accent was dialed up just enough to make it playful as she set the last rice bowl on the table.

Auntie Kasumi, oblivious to the undercurrents, laughed softly. “Well, it’s good to know you’re such a reliable young man, Onoda-kun. It’s rare to find someone like you these days. Come, sit down. There’s plenty of food for everyone. You girls, too. Don’t let this go cold!”

She gestured to the spread on the table, her maternal warmth filling the room and easing the tension that only the girls and I could feel.

Edel, still seated next to Haruko, gave me a small, encouraging wave, as if urging me to join them quickly before she lost her restraint and tackled me for a cuddle.

I shot Chii a glare, promising a playful retaliation later, before guiding Nami to the table. “Thanks, Auntie. This looks amazing. You didn’t have to go all out for us.”

“Nonsense!” Auntie Kasumi waved off my comment. “It’s not every day I get to feed a whole crowd of Nanami’s friends. And you, Onoda-kun, are practically family with how my Nanami cannot stop talking about you.”

Her words sent a ripple of reactions through the girls. Nami’s cheeks flushed a soft pink and she squeezed my hand under the table. Haruko’s calm smile widened just a fraction, while Hana’s pout turned into a barely audible huff.

Kushii and An-rin, who finally came over from the couch, exchanged a quick glance. The former put on a complicated expression as though she didn’t know whether to be envious of it or not while the latter was barely holding back her laughter.

Edel, bless my lovely koala, just looked delighted at the idea of her being able to talk to her mother about me as well.

As we settled around the table, I found myself sandwiched between Nami and Edel with Haruko directly across from me, her sharp eyes watching my every move like she was cataloging them for later. Yep, Edel won the race of who would take the open seat on my other side. Hana and Chii did try to grab it but because they were competing with each other, it gave the silver koala the chance to claim it.

In the end, Chii slid into the seat next to Hana, who was still sulking but trying to hide it by focusing intently on her miso soup. Kushii and An-rin took the spots at the end with their dynamics still the same.

Auntie Kasumi sat at the head of the table, overlooking everyone. With this, we started eating and the dinner table instantly became a lively scene of delight and wonder.

Before long, Auntie Kasumi opened a conversation, her gaze landing directly at me, who was split between checking on my girls and savoring the meal.

“So, Onoda-kun, how’s the cultural festival prep going? Nanami tells me you’re juggling a lot with your club.”

I nodded, swallowing a bite of perfectly seasoned stir-fried vegetables before answering. “It’s hectic, but we’re managing. The Literature Club’s got this interactive story booth planned, and we just expanded it to three branching routes. As for our class’s Haunted Mystery Room, Nami and the others are doing their best to cover for me.”

“That’s good to hear. Don’t juggle yourself too much. Or are you trying to overwork yourself so that when you fall sick, you’ll have my Nanami to nurse you back to health?” Auntie Kasumi teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she leaned forward, clearly enjoying the chance to poke fun at me in front of everyone.

Somehow, this was kind of refreshing compared to the first time I had dinner with them. After all, that was the day Nami and I made love for the first time… and Auntie Kasumi knew what was about to go down.

The table erupted in soft laughter, though Nami’s cheeks flushed a deeper pink as she shot her mom a playful glare. “Mom! Don’t embarrass me like that!”

I chuckled, giving Nami’s hand a reassuring squeeze under the table. “Don’t worry, Auntie. I’m tougher than I look. But if I do end up needing a nurse, I know Nami’s got me covered. Right, Nami?”

Nami huffed but underneath it, she appeared so pleased that her hand dropped on my thigh and crept dangerously close to my crotch. “You’re impossible, Ruu. Don’t encourage her.”

This girl… what is she doing at the dinner table?

Anyway, the dinner table became livelier as Auntie Kasumi started firing her questions at the other girls.