The clubroom was surprisingly normal. Well, what should I say? There were something like scrolls pasted on its walls containing poems. Maybe written by the members or from popular poets.
Ah. I see.
The room was cut in half. Upon entering the door, you’ll be met by a wall on your right that’s filled with excerpts and poems to live up to the name of the club.
Of course, behind that wall is the room connected to the Book Club. But yeah, that room only took half of that walled space. So there’s another room apart from it. Maybe they made it look like a storage room or something. I’ll look at it later and maybe peek inside that other room as well.
Apart from Himeko and Mina, no one else was here. Like Haruko told me, the other 3 were with her.
There’s a long table like the one from the Literature Club and there are chairs around it.
Himeko led me to a corner with a low round table surrounded by pin cushions. There’s a teapot in the middle.
I sat at one of the cushions while the other two positioned themselves on the left and right side.
Mina who’s silent since earlier reached for the teapot to check its contents. She raised it up. From how easy it was to raise, it’s empty. She turned red from realizing that which made her stand up hurriedly to prepare tea leaving Himeko and me alone.
“Uhm. Haru, she told us you’ll come but didn’t tell us what to do.”
“Well, just do what you want to. I’m here to observe what’s happening there, but Haruko told me to accompany you two.”
Himeko couldn’t look at me directly. Scared? What happened yesterday made her more scared of me?
I only kissed her and she even told me that she won’t let me steal her away from Haruko. What happened to her bravery?
“O-onoda-kun, what you did yesterday…”
“Ah. Did that kiss make you conscious of me, by chance?”
“N-no! Haru asked me if you did something and I told her you did that.”
“Then, what did she say?”
Ah. Maybe Haruko already predicted I will do that. These girls of mine, somehow they know more about me than what I realized. Even Satsuki and Kana are like that.
“She asked me what I thought about it.”
“What did you answer?”
“It’s gentle…”
“I thought you would answer her with the same words you told me.”
She was cute yesterday. She shouted how she wouldn’t let me steal her. But to think that’s what she really thought of it.
“If it’s Haru, I can’t lie.”
“Ah. So that’s what you felt about the kiss. I’m moved, Himeko.”
“It’s only that, no other meaning. I still hated it.”
“We can redo it, Himeko. This time, properly. I’ll let you feel how I want you, just like how I feel about Haruko.”
Hearing what I said, Himeko blushed more and she somehow pulled away from me.
I have many girls igniting my desire but it doesn’t show any signs of being enough.
“No. Mina is here.”
“She can watch. Soon I will also steal her so it doesn’t matter.”
I heard a clanking of the teapot from a distance, Mina is listening on our conversation.
“W-why are you like this? Boys in my class are not like you. If they like someone, they devote themselves to that someone.”
“Huh? That’s where you’re wrong. Every guy has his own fantasy and it’s not just on one girl. They fantasize about each and every girl they feel attracted to. The difference between us is they keep it to themselves while I follow what my desire wants.”
Right. There’s no way a guy will only look at one girl. Even if they only devoted themselves to one, they fantasize about other girls in their head.
“Your desire again…”
“Yes. I can’t put a stop to this so here I am.”
“You’re just too greedy.”
“Maybe I am. But I’m being honest here. If someone ignites this desire, I will want to steal her and make her mine.”
Slowly, Himeko settled back to her seat. She’s slowly getting comfortable talking to me. But our topic went back to this. Maybe she wanted to understand my desire. Even I don’t fully understand it. Well, I’ll let her try.
“But we like someone else, it’s Haru, you can’t force us to be yours just because you want to.”
“You’re right. That’s why I’m working hard to steal you.
“Haru, she let us fall in love with her and she also loves us back. But you, you only want to steal us and not our love. That’s twisted.”
“Haruko loves me, right? And I accepted it. Maybe before, I won’t. However, I don’t mind if you also fall for me now. Maybe that’s what I need to do to steal you.”
Accepting their love. It’s a form of progress on my side and I didn’t feel any rejection from my desire when I did that. Akane, Aoi, Ria, Yae and Haruko. They expressed their love towards me and it made me comfortable when I accepted it.
“I don’t understand. Why can’t you love Haru like how she loves you? We’re actually jealous of that. Even if you don’t love her, she’s doing everything for you.”
“We’re back here again. I really can’t feel that emotion. But I care for her, she’s mine. I take responsibility to the girls I steal. If they want to be cut off from me, I will let them.”
“You’re weird. Too weird. I may be an introvert but, what you just described is also a definition of love.”
“Really? But I can’t feel it.”
I can’t really be sure. What is love? Why can’t I feel it? Why was it replaced by this desire? Was it really replaced or I just forgot how to because I was consumed with satisfying this desire?
“No. You just don’t realize it.”
“No. If what you’re saying is true, then doesn’t that mean I’m falling for all the girls who ignited my desire? That’s absurd, right? This is just my desire to steal you. What happens after that is me taking responsibility.”
“You’re hopeless Onoda-kun. You need to think it through. Why do you take responsibility after you steal them? Can’t you just throw them away?”
“No. That’s irresponsible. I’m done doing that.”
That’s what I did before. And look at what happened. I hurt a lot of them, even those who fell for me.
“Then how do you steal before?”
“By any means. Even if it’s despicable.”
“What about now? Are you doing the same thing?”
“I try not to but my means are still despicable.”
Eh? What’s this? Am I getting a lecture now? No. This girl. She’s still trying to understand my desire.
“Can I say something?”
“Go on, Mina.”
Himeko told Mina who just finished making tea. She’s listening on our conversation and now she had something to say. Or maybe ask me like what Himeko did? To understand my desire
“Onoda-kun. You want to steal us right?”
“Yes.”
“What’s the reason?”
“Because you ignited my desire.”
As I thought. She also wants to ask about that. But her voice, it sounded clear and not shy at all.
“What’s that desire?”
“Honestly, I don’t know what it is anymore. It changed a lot.”
“Then let me change my question. What do you feel about us?”
“I want you both to be mine. Along with Haruko and the other girls.”
Hearing that, Himeko and Mina look at each other. Looks like they’re communicating telepathically but I guess they can understand each other just by staring.
“You’re a greedy man Onoda-kun.”
“I guess I am.”
“So if you steal us and we told you we don’t want to see you again, what will you do?”
“I will respect your decision. By stealing you, you already satisfied my desire. What comes after that is me taking responsibility for stealing you.”
I’m back at answering this kind of question. I guess this will always be asked by those in doubt.
“I see. Thank you for answering, Onoda-kun.” .
“What do you think, Mina?”
“We shouldn’t let him hear it, this guy better realize it by himself.”
“Eh? What are you two talking about?”
Huh? What happened? Why does it look like they understood something about me but they won’t tell me about it?
“Here, drink a tea. I’ll leave you two and see the situation there.”
“Where?”
“That room, of course.”
After putting down a cup full of newly brewed tea for both Himeko and me, Mina stood up and walked towards the door leading to the walled space.
“I see. Can I join?”
“No, stay here with Hime.”
“You’re stupid Onoda-kun. Now I also feel stupid for being scared of you.”
“Eh? What really happened? Why can’t I understand?”
Himeko, her tone also changed. It’s like she’s now above me. What the hell happened? Ah. They really did understand something and they’re acting like I’m a dense guy who couldn’t understand it.
“Because you’re stupid.”
“You girls…”
“Won’t you steal me?”
“How can I when you both act mysteriously like this?”
Now, I’m getting confused but they won’t tell me about it. Haa.
“Then all that talk about your desire only amount to this.”
“Huh?”
“I’m calling you weak, Onoda-kun.”
“What’s with this sudden reverse in attitude?”
I’m really getting looked down by Himeko. This former introvert who’s just blushing earlier when we’re talking about that kiss.
“Because you’re stupid. Being scared of you, it’s laughable.”
“This girl. Are you challenging me?”
“Yes! To think Haruko will love you more than us. I also feel stupid. We’ll beat you! You won’t be able to steal any of us. And we will steal Haru from you!”
I stood up and pushed her down where she sat. I don’t feel like answering anymore. This feeling of getting looked down on. I feel like I’m too stupid.
Ah. Damn. I’m also calling myself as stupid. I really am stupid.
“S-so, you can only be forceful. You can’t steal me this way. Maaya is stronger than you.”
“But you’re trembling Himeko.”
She said that but the moment I pushed her down, she started trembling, even her voice. She’s just acting tough.
“I…”
“I want you. Even if you laugh. Even if you call me weak or stupid. I don’t care. You’re igniting my desire. I’m all set to steal you.”
I really don’t care what they think about me. But yeah, the way she looked earlier. I got agitated which led me to push her down.
“You’re just a stupid guy. If you don’t realize things…”
“I will realize those. But right now, I’m focusing on you.”
No matter what that was. What Satsuki said I have to realize or the things Himeko said I need to realize, all of it was put at the back of my mind. My mind was focused on this girl. This is really stupid.