Stealing Spree

Can Ichihara Jun make a comeback from that?

Of course, he can. But what good will it do him? It won’t change the situation.

Marika couldn’t even look at him anymore. Hearing the guy announcing how he considered her as his property, she pretty much lost whatever pity or her last positive concern she had for the guy. Hence, her lack of interest in talking to him more.

When I checked on her, the ringlet girl’s beautiful face was contorted into anger. But as someone who seldom gets angry or pissed, I couldn’t help but find her adorable.

I dotingly patted her head and hugged her tighter.

Time continued to pass and Ichihara Jun remained still in his spot.

He once again looked like various emotions were clashing in his head but even after a few minutes, all that left his mouth was a pained groan as though he was lamenting his lack of courage to confront me physically.

He’s being such a pussy again. No matter how strong he considered himself as, he could never forget the sensation of my fist burrowing into his stomach.

And so, as I didn’t have that much time to spare for him to pick up his balls again, I asked Marika.

“Shall we go, Marika-senpai? Looks like you can skip your club today. I’ll bring you to Shizu and the others.”

Given what happened here, I couldn’t just leave her behind anymore, especially when this guy was here. Furthermore, after considering what she’s feeling today, I doubt she could keep her head straight to act in front of all of them.

I’d rather have her be herself with the girls. And that way, she wouldn’t feel isolated or alone.

Those girls wouldn’t treat her like how her followers were treating her. She’s one of them, after all.

“Un. Let’s go. Take me out of here.” Marika answered as she forced a smile despite still looking adorably pissed.

Seeing that, I couldn’t restrain myself from pinching her cheeks. It made the girl pout before doing the same to me.

And while all of this was happening, the clown continued his silence or rather, his indecisiveness.

He already processed everything I said and most likely, he deemed it impossible to win an argument against me even if he’s supposed to be the one in the right here – he’s still her fiancé in name, after all.

As Marika and I started walking in his direction, he straightened his back and stared at us with a certain conviction.

He’s clenching his fists tightly as though it would bleed at any moment. However, he didn’t have it in him to throw a punch.

I mean, I have been waiting for him to do so since forever. That way, if I beat him up, it would be a legitimate self-defense on my part.

After what I did to Taku, if I added another name to the list of guys I roughed up, it would make Hayashi-sensei livid.

“Onoda... How much do you need to leave Marika alone?”

Ah... This guy. Did he finally lose it? Because his other methods aren’t working against me, he now fell back on trying to buy me out.

Almost instantly, I burst out laughing.

“Heh. Senpai, you’re hilarious. Don’t you think it’s pretty late to bribe?” I started. At the same time, I placed Marika behind me and stepped forward.

I reached for his shoulder and gripped it tightly, enough for him to grimace in pain.

Ichihara Jun tried to evade it to no avail. And even when he attempted to take it off of his shoulder, I simply tightened my grip and he almost collapsed in pain.

I neither blinked nor took my eyes off of him. And seeing his struggle like that somehow satisfied my urge to beat him up, albeit only a little.

“I have no idea what kind of values you put in a relationship but don’t lump me with you.”

It sounded like hypocrisy considering I was worse than him in the past but we’re living in the present. I’ve changed. Or at least, I believed I did.

“You play with women because you think they’re nothing more than objects that you can pick up and own. I’m different. I sincerely fell in love with Marika-senpai. Even if you give me your right to inheritance, I will never give her up.”

As I finished saying that, I turned my head to the girl behind me and smiled.

She smiled back and embraced me. I sensed her happiness being conveyed through it.

On the other hand, Ichihara Jun finally lost strength and collapsed on his knee.

Naturally, I let go of his shoulder, causing a loud thud to ring out when he dropped.

I looked down at his pathetic figure. He’s still reeling in pain from his shoulder.

Somehow, I found this urge to kick him while he was still down. He’d surely be knocked out if my knee hit his chin.

I also couldn’t spare another word with him. He’s the type to disregard everything I said, after all. The best way to make him remember is to etch it in his body.

And so, after deliberating for a few seconds, I let my intrusive thoughts win.

With Marika still hugging me from behind, my knee ejected and landed squarely on his chin. I didn’t put that much force in it but the shock was enough to knock him down.

When Marika peeked from behind me, the guy was already lying prone on the ground, unconscious.

“Let’s go.”

That’s all I said as we walked past his body and left the room.

As expected, even if they’re sent away by Ichihara Jun, the followers and the club members lingered close.

Upon seeing us exiting the clubroom together, they all stared at us not knowing what to say.

Marika only swept her gaze around them, never bothering to talk to them anymore. Instead, she hugged my arm tighter and continued walking alongside me to the exit.

Once we also walked past them, I could hear Ichihara Jun’s followers scrambling to their feet to check on him.

Well, he’s probably going to wake up in a minute and whatever he decides to do next, I’d surely hold it against him.

Anyway, upon our exit from the Theater House, I found Tanaka-senpai at a distance. She looked more impressed than shocked. I guess it’s because she already expected this kind of development.

I walked towards her with Marika in tow.

She must’ve thought I was going to give the girl in her care but when I stopped just a short distance away from her, she awkwardly retracted her stretched arms.

“Onoda-kun...” She cautiously said.

“Tanaka-senpai. Tell Takashima that if he wanted to get revenge on Ichihara Jun, he should do it himself. I’m done playing along with your charades.”

“W-wha... How did you...?”

“It doesn’t matter now, does it? Besides, I have no interest in what beef you both have with that guy. If you pull something like using Marika again, make no mistake, I also won’t hold back against you.”

“... No. It’s not my intention to—"

The girl tried to explain herself but Marika who was just listening at my side cut her off.

“Tanaka... Can I still trust you?” With the tone she used that sounded like she was trying to speak from the heart, she still probably considered Tanaka as the most trustworthy among her followers.

She’s a year younger than her so she’s not always around her and yet, Marika probably found her more dependable than the others who were planted to be by her side.

At least, until I told her that Tanaka could be using her to get back at Ichihara Jun.

“Marika-sama... I... I apologize.”

It took a while for Tanaka to reply but when she spoke again, I could hear the sincerity in her voice. She also didn’t say anything past that. She’s already aware that explaining more wouldn’t really do much in this situation.

Marika only stared at her for a while before tugging my arm.

Understanding her intention, we turned around and started walking away from Tanaka.