Stealing Spree-Chapter 2557: Bringing Umi to the Clubhouse

The late afternoon breeze carried a faint chill as Umi and I stepped out of the Club Building. With our hands still intertwined, the golden light of the setting sun bathed everything in a soft glow, making Umi's crimson cheeks stand out even more against her pale skin.

I glanced at her, catching the way her eyes darted downward, her lips pressed into a shy smile. "Hmm? You okay, Umi? You're looking like you might combust any second."

She squeaked as her grip tightened briefly before forcing herself to relax. "I-I'm fine, senpai! It's just… I can't help but be conscious. Uhm… Holding hands like this, out in the open. I keep thinking someone's going to see us and… and…"

"And what?" I teased, slowing my pace to match her shorter strides. Her stuttering was quite adorable but as always, I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable. "Do you think they'll start gossiping about a quiet junior stealing me away?"

Her eyes widened, and she shook her head so fast her hair whipped back and forth before closing in, her forehead pressing on my chest. "N-no… I mean… I'm not as pretty as Sumire or any of the girls around you, senpai. I'm a plain girl."

I fixed her hair and then cupped her cheek, lifting her gaze to me. As I expected, she's more adorable like this and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Plain girl? Then why do I only see an adorable girl here?"

"B-because it's you, senpai. You can see beyond external appearance." She grabbed onto my uniform, her grip tightening by the second.

"Beyond external appearance, huh?" I caressed her cheek before brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Umi, don't sell yourself short. You're not plain, and you don't need to compare yourself to anyone. The way you light up when you talk to me about your favorite books or songs, as well as how you quietly step up to help everyone without making a fuss… that's not plain. That's you and I find it really special. You may interpret this in any way you can but listen, you're beautiful in my eyes. Those who cannot see it are blind."

Although similar, it wasn't the same case with Rumi, where I first thought of her as nothing but ordinary until I got taken in by her beauty. This girl convinced herself that she's plain, but that's not how I see her. She's like Kana, Aya and Rae. Their beauty is more pronounced whenever they're silently contemplating something or when they're feeling embarrassed like this.

And as I expected, her cheeks flared brighter, prompting her to duck her head again, her fingers still clutching my uniform like it was her lifeline. "Senpai, you're not being fair. Stop saying stuff that makes my heart race. It's not fair…"

I chuckled, giving her hand a gentle squeeze before patting her back as I had us resume walking toward the clubhouse. "I'm just telling it like it is. No lies at all. Besides, don't you also need to take responsibility for making me all flustered too?"

Her head snapped up with eyes wide with disbelief. "F-flustered? You? Senpai, you're always so… so calm and in control! There's no way I'm making you flustered…"

"Oh, you'd be surprised," I said with a playful smirk, leaning in just enough for our shoulders to brush, "You've got this quiet charm that sneaks up on me. One minute I'm fine, and the next, I'm wondering how you make something as simple as holding hands feel like a big deal."

Umi's lips parted, but no words came out. She just stared at me, her expression a mix of embarrassment and something softer, like she was trying to process whether I was teasing or serious.

Finally, she let out a shaky laugh, her grip on my hand loosening slightly as she relaxed. "You're impossible, senpai. How am I supposed to keep up with you when you say things like that? T-these are the most words I've said in a conversation. Even with Sumire, I usually just listen…"

"Well, you don't have to keep up then," I said, echoing the same sentiment I'd shared with Minami Shouko earlier. "Just be you, Umi. That's more than enough for me. After all… holding your hand like this is already making my heart race."

She didn't respond right away, but the way her fingers tightened around mine told me she'd heard me loud and clear.

We walked in comfortable silence for a bit, the crunch of gravel under our shoes mixing with the distant chatter of students heading to their clubs. She stopped being conscious of the gazes being thrown at us as she quietly enjoyed the silence and the comfort our closeness brought us.

Before long, the clubhouse loomed ahead, its familiar outline that many students would mistake for an abandoned place radiating a quiet promise of the sanctuary waiting for us inside.

As we approached the entrance, Umi slowed her steps, her gaze flickering to our joined hands and then to my face as she smiled sweetly.

"Senpai… thank you. For this. For making me feel… I don't know, like I'm someone worth noticing. I know you've got so many people around you, and I'm just… me."

I stopped, turning to face her fully. The sunlight caught her eyes, making them shimmer with a quiet intensity that made my affection for this girl multiply a few more times, "Umi, you're not just anything. You're someone special to me. I may be lacking because of how shameless I am for having so many girls but remember, I notice you and I'm not going anywhere. Got it?"

She blinked her eyes a few times before nodding, her smile sweet and genuine. "Got it, senpai. But… um, can I ask you to keep holding my hands?"

I laughed as I pressed my thumb on her palm, "I won't let you go. Unless it's necessary. Besides… we'll probably be alone for quite a while before someone joins us. Let me show you the place we're all considering as our sanctuary."

Umi blushed but her eyes sparkled the moment I said we would be alone. And with that, I opened the door to our clubhouse and invited her in. As always, the interior couldn't be inferred from seeing the exterior, as it was as cozy as it could be, with almost everything inside clean and without a single speck.

She immediately caught sight of the cozy couch, the low table that was sometimes cluttered with books, papers or snacks, and a couple of bean bags tucked in the corner. The beanbags were newly added by Mutsumi-senpai. That girl… when will I be able to catch her again, I wonder?

Like how I described it to her, this was a space that felt lived-in, a sanctuary carved out by my girls and me, where the chaos of the outside world couldn't reach.

Ah. Right. I should also show her the potato garden. Maybe I'll get another ally on renaming the Secret Garden to Potato Clubhouse.

Umi hesitated at the threshold, her hand still clasped in mine, her eyes wide as she took in the room. "This is… amazing, senpai. It's so cozy. I thought it'd be, like, dusty and creepy, given how the outside looks."

I chuckled, tugging her gently inside and letting the door swing shut behind us. "That's the trick. Gotta keep making it look abandoned. But once you're in, it's home. Come on, make yourself comfortable. Should I get you a drink or snack? Or maybe a tour?"

"A tour… but first." She whispered, her grip on my hand tightening for a moment before she reluctantly let go. Her fingers curled slightly as if she wasn't quite ready to break the contact.

After that, she wandered over to the couch, her steps light as if she were afraid of disturbing the space. Her skirt swished slightly as she sat down, her hands folding neatly in her lap. However, her eyes kept darting around, taking in every detail.

I plopped down beside her, close enough that our knees brushed and leaned back, stretching my arms along the back of the couch and around her shoulder. "So, what do you think? Worth the hype?"

Umi's lips curved into a shy smile, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. "It's… really nice, senpai. Like, I can see why you and the others love it here. It's like… a place where you can just be yourself."