Stealing Spree

Chapter 2399: Stay behind



The Literature Club was as busy as yesterday. And today, there's the addition of Haruko, Aya and Edel who brought a proposal for both the Book Club and the Poem Appreciation Club to assist us in the means of collaboration.

Right. Rather than just simply hiring them as actors, Haruko and the girls came up with that idea.

While it's not compulsory for every club to do something for the Cultural Festival, it was highly encouraged.

The budget for the clubs would actually come from the school, or more specifically, the funds getting funneled to the clubs like the regular club budgets.

It would be unlike the class booths which would only get partial funding while the rest would be shouldered by class contributions.

Soon or tomorrow at the earliest, the Festival Organization Committee will be created by Shizu under the Student Council. Clubs and classes will be sending the plans to them. Then, the committee will call for a deliberation meeting which every class and club president will attend to decide the funds they will be allotting.

And that's where the idea of collaboration came from. The committee will still deliberate a budget for the Book Club and Poem Appreciation Club which we can use as additional funding for our Literature Club's Interactive Adventure Booth.

That's quite smart of them. And because of that, Reira-senpai and Nikka-senpai said they'll do the same thing for their Alchemy Research Club.

Now, instead of just a booth for our Literature Club, it would become a huge collaboration of several clubs. It would turn our booth into a full-blown attraction for the Cultural Festival.

"You're the one who made this happen, Ruki. No backing down. We'll finish the story within this week so starting next week, we can start with the preparation." Rumi said as I took my seat in the middle of the long table.

"Alright. Let's do our best. Thank you, Reira-senpai, Nikka-senpai. Will Enomoto agree though?" I said as I turned to the two seniors from the Alchemy Research Club.

Nikka-senpai was quite out of it as she found me surrounded by new girls again while Reira- senpai looked like she wanted to scold me but she was holding herself back because of the other girls around.

"Don't worry, Onoda-kun. I will talk to him later. I'll find him so he can escort me home." Nikka-senpai said as she tried to ignore her curiosity about my relationship with all of the girls here.

"There won't be a problem but what would you do if he said he wants to participate as well?" Reira-senpai asked.

That's clearly a possibility. Even though I clearly did not have enough information about his behavior, I doubt he'd like to get surrounded by girls or be bossed around by someone else.

"Well, if that's the case, I'll work him to the bone." I playfully smirked, earning me a chuckle from Nikka-senpai and a resigned smile from Reira-senpai, she could tell what I was thinking.

"But in case he gets interested enough to contribute, we can always use an extra hand. Maybe he can help with building some stage props." I continued.

That guy was harmless. Or at least, as long as Nikka-senpai was with us, he wouldn't do something as boring as sabotaging our hard work.

Now that I think of it, I should also tie him to my Disciplinary Office. I can use his thugs to ensure security during the festival. On top of that, Minami Shouko's network will be our eyes and then the three stooges who are now helping clean up the Anti-Ruki Club can patrol the hallways.

Before I knew it, I could already set up total control in this school.

Well, of course, it's not certain that everyone will follow, especially when I'm only connected to the leaders. Still... It was sufficient authority to ensure that nothing would go wrong.

Even if thugs or delinquents from other schools come to make a mess of things, we can swiftly deal with them.

"Look at him, he fell into his habit of overthinking again," From my side, Edel poked my cheek, bringing me back to reality.

I scratched my head and found the girls giggling at my state. At this point, they're already used to this habit of mine but every time it would happen, some would pull me back to reality while some would just wait until I finished arranging my thoughts.

Forcing a cough to regain my composure, the girls' giggles grew louder.

In the end, I stopped acting tough and just pulled both Rumi and Edel in my arms, and waited to be scolded by the former to bring us back to the top of discussion.

And sure enough, that turned out more effective than what I tried to do.

Thirty minutes before the end of the club hours, I went to the clubhouse again to check the state of the garden plots.

I hadn't tried to plow it yet since I was waiting for the seeds and the fertilizers that we'd be using to plant our potatoes and other root crops.

Currently, my goal is to plant something there before the end of the semester and show the bud or something as evidence of our clubhouse's legitimacy to Orimura and Hayashi-sensei. That way, they won't be worried that we won't have any defense if some students catch wind of our clubhouse's existence.

After that, I rehearsed with Misaki for our short play again and then catered to our clubhouse's visitors.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Well, Miura-senpai and the gamer girl followed Maaya again so they might turn into a regular visitor soon.

We then returned to the Club Building before the end of the club hours. And since I hadn't visited yesterday, I went to check the Student Council and found three zombies and a workaholic inside the room.

Yep. They're drowning in their work. Watanabe didn't even have enough energy to greet me. And since Minami Shouka wasn't around, my poor Komoe already had her face planted on the

table.

Shizu was the only one who was still working as she continuously reviewed and signed document after document.

"Numbskull, if you're only here to check on us, go and make us tea or run to the vending machine for refreshments." Without lifting her head from the pile of papers, Shizu mumbled her order, her glasses reflecting the fluorescent light of the office.

"Alright," I said as I quickly moved to the site to prepare the teapot. I didn't even think of running out to buy something from the vending machine. Making tea would be more efficient. On top of that, I could do something else while waiting for the water to boil. "What are these papers? There shouldn't be submissions for the Cultural Festival yet, right?" I asked as I walked over to Shizu. I placed myself behind her to start massaging her temple

and shoulders.

"These are from the recent reports from the clubs. It's only tricky because of the thick stacks of their submission. Your Literature Club also submitted a fifty-page one. Ask Komoe how it

went for her."

Shizu answered with a smirk as she pointed at the girl who partially recovered now. Komoe turned her head to me, her eyes glazed over as though saying, 'Comfort me too.'

Well, I can't split myself so... I'll comfort her after Shizu.

"I see. Are you trying to finish all of these today? There are only a few minutes left. Only enough for all of you to drink the tea I'm brewing."

"I'll stay behind. It's better to finish it today than wait for tomorrow. You know it, right? There's the committee to worry about tomorrow. I've done this before, numbskull." Shizu said as she paused what she was doing. After that, she raised her head to meet my eyes, "You go and enjoy your time with the other girls or... you can stay behind with me after escorting

them."

This girl... Is she giving me a choice? Of course, I only have one answer to that. "Mhm. I'll return to help you finish this after sending them home."

Hearing my answer, Shizu's lips stretched into a pleasant smile as she reached for my neck, pulling me down for a kiss.

After that, she put her focus back on the papers and I resumed massaging her shoulders while

waiting for the tea.