Stealing Spree

On my way to the waiting room of the basketball club, I ran into their opponents who were also on their way out.

They all looked gloomy and a few of them had swollen eyes. They probably bawled their eyes out from the frustration of losing that hard. Even though they did their best, it amounted to nothing when the gap between their skills was that huge.

Well, it’s inevitable to feel like that when you know for yourself that you put your all into something and it could only carry you to that point.

I tried to not get in their way, planting myself next to the wall to let them walk past.

Ah. Right. They probably recognized me as the loud idiot from earlier as more than half of them glared at me as though I was a nuisance.

Thankfully, their coach and perhaps, the Captain of the team ushered them forward, leaving me alone.

“I can’t blame, can I?” I wryly smiled as I finished recounting the same event to Satsuki and the entirety of the Basketball Club.

“Pfft. Onoda-kun. It’s probably not like that. We’ve heard your cheers and watched you dance up there. It’s more funny than annoying even if I put myself in their shoes. Maybe they’re envious that you’re cheering for us and not them?” Kawakami-senpai chuckled as she put another perspective on it.

So, it’s funny for them, huh? Surprisingly, the other members of the club agreed to her and the room instantly became filled with their laughter.

Well, maybe being in a cheerful mood was also a factor for this. Having won that game, their smiles were so bright that they could probably lighten up a dark room.

Likewise, the girl cuddled up to me was the same. With her face buried in my chest, Satsuki couldn’t be bothered joining the conversation. On the other hand, I saw Eguchi-sensei smiling from the back.

Unfortunately, she’s still cautious not to approach me so openly.

Ah. Right. Since I was here to pick them up, I already told them about the restaurant that Mizuki and Otoha prepared for them. They asked me about them or why they did that but by bringing up that they’re our close friends who were just as happy for their win, they accepted that easily.

Having gone through a rigorous game wherein they pushed themselves to the limit, those who played couldn’t move that much yet. Or rather, they wanted to rest their legs for more before moving out.

And due to that, they’re all crowded around us, either sitting on the same long bench or at the other one parallel to us.

We’d be here for a few minutes more so… conversing with them was something I couldn’t run from – especially when they all considered me their lifesaver.

If not for Satsuki already occupying her territory within my personal space, I’d probably be swarmed by them to show their appreciation by any means possible.

Uh. Of course, it’s not going to be excessive but still…

Anyway, through these conversations with them, I was slowly becoming integrated into their club. Someone even joked about me being their only male member and no one tried to refute it.

When I asked them if they would like me to visit them again this Thursday, they suggested something else.

As the Captain and Club President, Kawakami-senpai presented it.

“Onoda-kun, why not join us in the morning?”

“What do you mean, senpai?”

Join them, huh? So, instead of just a visitor, they now want me to be there with them right from the start… What a privilege.

“I mean it as is. Skip school and meet up with us in the morning. If you like, we can also bring you with us to our bench when the match starts.”

Looking at their expectant expressions as though they were already anticipating me saying ‘okay’, it became harder to reject.

Really, it’s not a bad suggestion. Just that, I will be missing out on spending that morning with my girls. But on the bright side, it’s also a rare chance to be with Satsuki and Eguchi-sensei from morning up to the end of their match.

Besides, it’s only a day. And with it being a finals match, it’s just as important as their qualification to the prefectural level. It’s an honor to take home a trophy, after all.

Perhaps sensing that I couldn’t decide right away, Kawakami-senpai turned to Eguchi-sensei for support, “Sensei, that is possible, right? Onoda-kun can be excused.”

“Un. It is possible. Onoda-kun, I’ll make the request to Kinoshita-sensei if you agree.”

Eguchi-sensei smilingly answered. Although her expression remained the same, it was easy for me to sense her elation at the suggestion. I mean, she’s also looking forward to any chance that she could spend time with me.

“Then… Satsuki, what do you think?”

“Come and pick me up at home. We can go together.”

And as I expected, instead of answering and telling me whether she agreed to it or not, my grumpy girl had already drawn up a plan ahead for it.

Kawakami-senpai and everyone else burst into laughter and the mood in the room became more welcoming.

Well, what else should I say?

“Mhm. I’ll be in your care then. I don’t know if I will be helpful but you can count on me when it comes to cheering.”

I nodded and bowed my head to them.

Following that, Satsuki reached for my cheeks and pinched it as hard as she could, drawing more laughter from the other girls. Eguchi-sensei also eventually joined up with the celebration.

With this, time gradually passed, and the time to leave arrived.

I escorted all of them outside and into the cars prepared to take them to our destination.

And since she had a car, Satsuki and I rode with Eguchi-sensei and followed the cars to the restaurant.

On the way there, Eguchi-sensei expressed how she’d be out of place there.

While that’s true since we’re mostly students, I told her about Hitomi and Suzuki-san. For sure, even though those two weren’t that talkative, they’d find themselves in each other’s company.

Besides, I also kind of want Hitomi to know more people around her age. That woman didn’t have that much of a relationship with other people. It’s all about Otoha and me for her. Even her family was distant and her grandfather being a stuck-up old man was also not helping.

And so… introducing the two to each other might have a positive influence on both of them. Suzuki-san is a plus.

Naturally, given that it’s not easy to socialize with someone you’re meeting for the first time, I already planned to get in the middle of them and become the bridge that would connect them – in a way, I’m already in that position given our relationship.

Around ten minutes later, we arrived at the venue and parked along with the other cars that already arrived there.

Looking out the window, I could already see the staff of the Japanese restaurant waiting outside, welcoming everyone.

“This… Onoda-kun. Are you sure this is the place?”

As she stared at the establishment before us, Eguchi-sensei couldn’t help but express doubt despite seeing the others entering it without a problem.

“Yes. This is it.” I also looked up to check. There’s no flashy sign above. It’s quite simple, really. But knowing that it’s owned by the Kaneko Empire, there’s no way it will be a simple restaurant.

The same as that breakfast diner we visited before, this would be a luxurious one with dishes that you would not normally see at home. From observing the aesthetic of the place, I could probably call this a traditional Japanese restaurant. It’s a place where the tables are low so the customers are seated on the floor.

“Let’s go. They’re waiting for us.” As I said that, I grabbed Eguchi-sensei’s hand and walked into the place along with Satsuki.