“No. You can’t just cut your focus like that. Don’t put it at the back of your mind.”
“I’m sorry but right now, my mind is full of you. Himeko. Can’t you feel how I want you?”
I reached for her hands and grabbed it. She’s below me and she looks defenceless but she’s steeling herself to meet my gaze.
“Even if you want me, I’m only for Haru. You, you’re just our rival.”
“Then continue seeing me as that. I still want you.”
“You’re really hopeless.”
“I am. So Himeko. Can I steal you?”
I know that I’m hopeless. I’m always this hopeless when it comes to my desire. I stood up from her and pulled her up. This time I put her in my embrace. Her body is resisting but she can’t overpower my arms. I’m really being forceful here. Just like earlier.
“T-try if you can. This is what Haruko wished for. But if you can’t steal me, it will be just your own fault.”
“You’re right. It will prove my incompetence if I fail. Hey, Himeko.”
Her arms started hitting my chest when she couldn’t get out of my embrace. Her scent once again filled my nose. Her sweet scent, it’s igniting more of my desire.
“What?”
“I may be focusing on satisfying this desire. But wanting you to be mine. It’s genuine. Even right now, my desire is getting filled up. Holding you like this, feeling your warmth. It’s satisfying.”
“I see. You’re just a pervert.”
“Maybe. But only to those like you. Someone who ignited this desire.”
She soon stopped hitting me, maybe she became tired or she had just given up when I hugged her this tight.
“So what are you waiting for? How will you steal me?”
“Let’s see. You love Haruko, right?”
“Yes.”
“Haruko, when I first saw her, she’s struggling to keep up from being the Student Council President.”
Himeko looked up when I started talking about Haruko. Right. I suddenly remembered her. This girl and the other four love Haruko so much that they want to beat me to have Haruko’s love all to themselves.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“I don’t know. I’m admiring of your love towards Haruko. I want you to know what I think of her.”
I loosened up my hold on her, it’s already enough. If she still wants to separate from me, I won’t stop her anymore.
“But you won’t steal me this way.”
“Maybe. I’m already quite satisfied hugging you like this. If you kiss me maybe I will be more satisfied.”
I stared at her eyes, she’s blushing again. This girl. I really want to steal those lips again but I guess I’ll refrain for now. I’m really satisfied just having her in my arms.
“You’re really weird, stupid and surprisingly gentle. Ah but you’re forceful too, you forcefully hug me like this.”
“Right. You know, Haruko also told me those words you just said. But yeah I don’t think about the meaning of those before. Since I was only focused on stealing her and satisfying my desire at that time.”
Himeko’s stiff body was slowly loosening up. She’s starting to get comfortable being this close to me.
“What was she like? When we met her, she pulled us out of our shell.”
“I don’t really remember that much. I was much more different back then. Haruko, she’s too thoughtful. She will work herself until she’s dead tired for the betterment of the student body. Being the Student Council President, she worked harder than anyone.”
Himeko stopped talking. She’s waiting for my next words and didn’t notice her whole body already leaning to me. This girl truly loves Haruko.
“When I saw her like that, I wanted to help her relax. Well, my intention back then was to steal her from her boyfriend so I did everything to be recognized by her.”
“After that, her smile that seemed fake at first turned back to genuine ones. Ah. Why am I only remembering this now? Right. That was after I stole her. Whenever she’s stressed out from her work, I will be there beside her. Well, mostly we’ll have sex but there were times where we will just cuddle like what we’re doing right now. She will then fall asleep like that and I will watch over her until she wakes up.”
Weird. These memories. It suddenly resurfaced when I thought about the Haruko from back in middle school.
“You. You’re really stupid. That sounds like someone in love with the other person. Don’t you realize it?”
“Eh? No. That’s just me making sure she’s comfortable. I stole her and I forbid her to be intimate with her boyfriend so I took his place comforting her. Well, I don’t know if he was comforting her before I appeared.”
Then after that, she made sure I will always be by her side. But she couldn’t stop me. Whenever I went to see her again after escaping for a few days, Haruko would look like she’s stressed out again and that cycle continued until she graduated.
“I understand now why she loves you more than us. You stupid guy. Start realizing things you can’t. Maybe it’s not just Haruko waiting for that.”
“I told you. I will soon. But right now, I’m focused on you, Himeko.”
Haa. If it’s that easy to realize those things they’re talking about, I would already.
“Stupid Onoda. Your priorities are twisted.”
“Sorry. This is how I really am.”
Himeko kept on staring at me and I did the same. I slowly tightened my arms that were embracing her then I pulled it up to raise her face to where I could reach.
I’m just talking about Haruko earlier and now my desire is telling me to take this girl in my arms. Haa. I’m still a slave for it. I couldn’t stop.
“Will you really make me yours?”
“Yes.”
“You know, I’m the firstborn of the Itou Family. Have you heard of it? The expectations they had for me, I failed. I succumbed to the pressure so I became an introvert. Maaya, she’s now shouldering what’s supposed to be mine. And I feel really sorry for her but I couldn’t do anything.”
“I see. So being a rich family’s daughter can also be a burden.”
Himeko started talking about herself. Right. I want her but I don’t know a lot about her. Even Mina. Normally I would ask them but now, Himeko is telling me this by herself.
“That’s because I’m weak. If not for Haru, I would still be the same girl cowering from the pressure of my family name.”
“Haruko is like that. She couldn’t abandon anyone. There was once a bullied student back then that she helped even if she only chanced upon it. After getting back to the Student Council Room, she started investigating. That student’s gratitude towards her is unforgettable.”
“You know, Haru said she’s who she is right now because of you.”
“I don’t know about that, honestly.”
I kept getting reminded about how narrow my view was back then.
“But when she said that, she’s smiling and she’s clearly thinking about you.”
“That girl…”
Himeko reached her hand to mine and held it. ．
“To think that this stupid guy made the Haru I love to who she is right now. I guess you’re not just some stupid guy.”
“I am stupid, dumb and every word that has the same meaning as that.”
“So, how will you steal me now?”
“Can I kiss you?”
Himeko shook her head. Instead of answering, she reached her hands to my neck and pulled my face close to hers.
She then pushed her head forward, putting her lips over mine.
She’s the one who kissed me, not the other way around. I responded to her kiss and pulled her closer. Soon her tongue also moved, turning our kiss to a more intimate one. She’s already experienced at kissing intimately like this. There were times when she will let me suck her tongue and then she will do the same to mine. We kept gulping down our mixed saliva when it started to overflow. Then after a few minutes, when we were about to run out of breath, we ended the kiss.
“I understand now what Haru really wanted. She wanted us to be yours as well. That way she won’t feel guilty towards us because we will never be higher than you in her heart.”
“I see. That girl, she only said she’s gifting you to me but in fact, she just doesn’t want to let any of you go.”
“Yes. We’re afraid that with your appearance she will stop loving us and will soon let us to ourselves, to set our own path. That’s why we’re opposed to being stolen by you. I might be accepting of it now, but the others, you have to let them understand it like how you let me understand it.”
“Did this mean I can steal you now?”
Himeko smiled before hitting me cutely with her powerless fist on my chest.
“You’re really stupid. Yes. Maybe I can change too if I become yours. I want to be stronger to lift the pressure from my sister. But Haru is still the one I love, not you, greedy and stupid guy.”
“I don’t know if I have that power though. As long as you’re mine, I will treat you the same as Haruko and the other girls.”
“You’re really greedy but I guess Haru inherited that greediness of yours. She got 7 of us. I bet you have more.”
“Err… maybe?”
“Stupid guy. Don’t forget to realize the things you put at the back of your mind.”
Then a cough sounded from behind us. Mina was standing there watching us cuddling each other.
“Hime, you’ve fallen. Ah. You. Haruko wants you to go there.”
She looked at Himeko first before she said the last sentence to me.
“Ah. It’s not like that Mina.”
“I’ve seen everything. You don’t need to make excuses.”
Himeko blushed and stood up to get away from me. This girl. She was already caught red-handed but she’s still denying it. At least she’s now letting me steal her. Mina should be next but I am being called by Haruko. I wonder what happened?
“Let’s go. Come with us Himeko.”
I pulled her hand and we both followed the sighing Mina into the walled space.