Stealing Spree

Chapter 2379: A dinner before going home

chapter 2379: a dinner before going home



before i could leave for the night, marika brought me to her room upstairs where we cuddled until she eventually calmed down. she was trembling from intense emotion, after all. there was joy, nervousness and also fear. we passed the initial meeting with her aunt with the help of the eccentric old man but we both knew that it was just the beginning.

and now that her aunt would be staying here with her, she'd definitely start monitoring her.

could we turn her aunt into an ally? that's a possibility considering she had that connection to the old man and he's even willing to take over the deal with them. even if the kaneko family didn't have a construction company in their business empire, they would have plenty of connections that could be used for something like that.

"alright, see you tomorrow, marika. do you want me to pick you up or...?"

marika shook her head as she put on a brave and determined smile, "it's fine, ruki-kun. i can do it. i can raise my head in front of aunt kagura. you don't have to worry. you're busy enough as is."

"well, you know how i am. i tend to be a worrywart. remember, you can always call me. i'll come running when you need me."

"hehe. yes, ruki-kun. i love you." marika said as she snuggled further into my embrace, her eyes shining with affection.

i kissed her again and matched her affection for me, "i love you too, marika. now, shall i escort you downstairs to dinner before i leave?"

marika nodded and we made our way downstairs where kagura-san was already seated, her expression unreadable.

"you haven't left yet?" she asked, raising a perfectly sculpted brow.

"i was about to, kagura-san. it's just... i can't leave marika alone yet," i said with a gentle smile as i guided marika to her seat.

looks like the servants she brought with her had also been tasked to help her prepare dinner. before this day, marika was cooking for herself if she was not getting bugged by the invitation by the ichihara. although i haven't tasted her cooking yet, she had long told me that she also made an effort to learn it for ichihara jun alongside her initial plan of fostering their relationship little by little.

after one last kiss that we shared right next to the door, marika stepped aside, her hold on my hand lingered for a bit before i opened the door and stepped out into the night.

before walking away, i glanced back one last time to see marika's expression. she put on her usual lovely smile and waved before mouthing, "safe journey, ruki-kun."

it was a sweet gesture, but the way she said it made it feel like she was sending a knight off to battle. i couldn't help but laugh a little to myself.

i involuntarily bowed and saluted marika as i left, which made her giggle again. it was a strange sight, a modern-day knight in shining armor, or in my case, a sweat-stained school uniform, leaving his princess behind to face the dragon, or in our case, her aunt.

anyway, as i walked down the steps from that entrance, i glanced in the direction of the ichihara compound.

i was expecting ichihara jun to block my way again but i guess he was getting chewed out earlier.

maybe i'll hear an update about it from ichihara-san soon.

going home, i took the bus instead of the train to get more tranquility in my surroundings. marika's issue might be the biggest thing i was facing right now but like she said, i was already busy putting all my attention to it.

there's the incoming cultural festival. the release of yue, akane and miho's collaboration song. the modeling gig that i agreed to for yua and the possible role in the music video for that song. my part-time job. my continued dabbling in the business industry with mizuki. my plan to go to the summer comiket with hiyori and a lot more.

yeah. it would be a long list since i had a lot going on with different girls, not to mention the dates i set up. there's my date with setsuna-nee and the group date while acting as otsuka- senpai's boyfriend. of course, the upcoming birthdays and short dates that i wanted to give the other girls every time there was a chance.

if i were a machine, i would've long ago overheated with the amount of juggling i had to do. but as a human, i just felt a bit... tired. but it was a good kind of tired. the kind of tiredness that came from knowing that i was doing this all for my girls' happiness.

i wouldn't dare show them my tired face though or they'd be the ones worrying about me

again.