Stealing Spree

“Still, I want to make it up to you. You’ve been too patient, Juri.” I said, leaning in closer and lowering my voice so that only she could hear it.

I know. This is all the result of my having a fickle heart, which cannot be content with just one of them. Furthermore, I am also so greedy that I can’t even imagine letting them go and putting that choice in their hands instead.

Can it still truly be called me loving them? Honestly, that’s always going to be a sour point. And I also cannot just bring this up to them. Because they will deny it. At the same time, I’m also quite helpless.

This kind of trouble must’ve been unique to me and the only one who can truly solve it is me. The problem is… I possibly won’t ever choose to solve it.

“I think it’s a skill anyone involved with you will have to learn, Ruki. If we’re not patient, we’ll only bring you trouble, correct?”

“Not exactly but I can imagine the chaos.” I couldn’t help but chuckle at that, imagining them all acting impatient. That’s a heaven, but a crowded heaven.

“Oh, I can also imagine that. You’ll be buried by our bodies, no? How lucky you are.” Juri placed her hand on my cheek, “But I can tell what you’re thinking, idiot Ruki. Stop overthinking. I may have missed you, and it may seem like I’m settling with our situation but that’s a sacrifice all of us are making.”

Sacrifice, she says. But they’re the only ones sacrificing. Haa… Here I go again. Why can’t I stop overthinking?

Juri caressed my face and gave a quick kiss to the corner of my mouth, soft and fleeting, like she was afraid Setsuna-nee would notice.

But of course, the grumpy girl in the other bed noticed everything.

Before I could respond, Setsuna-nee let out this exaggerated scoff, loud enough to make us both glance over.

“Are you two seriously going to flirt right in front of me?” She grumbled, hugging her knees tighter. “This is my room too, you know. And you, idiot Ruki. Have some shame.”

Despite the clear disdain in her voice, Setsuna-nee still couldn’t hide her ‘caring older sister’ side. She must’ve been thinking of Satsuki and how I am flirting with another girl in front of her.

Well, that’s normal.

However, Juri didn’t even flinch. She just smirked over her shoulder at Setsuna-nee, leaning into me even more deliberately. A little more and we’d plummet into her bed, together.

“Jealous, Setsu? You can join if you want. There’s plenty of Ruki to go around. Don’t worry so much, Satsuki-chan is also receiving plenty of love from him.”

Setsuna-nee grabbed one of her pillows and chucked it across the room, aiming for Juri’s head.

Juri caught it effortlessly with one hand, laughing as she moved behind me.

“See? She’s definitely jealous, Ruki. Go get her.”

“Shut up! I’m not jealous!” Setsuna-nee snapped, but the way she immediately buried her face in another pillow told a completely different story. “I should’ve aimed at that shameless bastard.”

What can I say?

I stood up and spread my arms wide before saying, “Alright, I’m ready, Setsuna-nee-san. Hit me with all you can. I deserve that.”

Setsuna-nee peeked over the top of her pillow, eyes narrowed into slits like she was actually considering launching the whole bed at me.

For a moment, the room went dead quiet except for Juri’s barely contained snicker behind me.

Then Setsuna-nee huffed, yanked the pillow down, and glared daggers straight at my chest.

“You’re really asking for it, huh?” She muttered, her voice sharp and dangerous as if it could truly cut through me. Nevertheless, the way her ears turned pink gave her away completely.

She grabbed the pillow tighter, then… hesitated.

Her gaze landed on Juri, who was practically shaking from amusement, then back to me.

Finally, she let out a frustrated little growl and chucked the pillow straight at my chest with surprising force.

It hit with a soft thump, bounced off, and landed on the floor between us.

“There. Happy now?” She crossed her arms again, chin lifted in that stubborn way that reminded me so much of Satsuki when she was trying not to pout.

I picked up the pillow and brought it over to her side. Stopping just a few steps before hitting her bed’s edge, I tossed it gently back onto her lap like I was returning a peace offering.

“There. Happy now?” I echoed her words with a lazy smirk. “Or do you need a few more throws to get it out of your system, Setsuna-nee-san?”

Setsuna-nee snatched the pillow and hugged it tight against her chest like a shield, glaring up at me through the messy strands of her hair that had fallen over her face.

“Ugh. You’re infuriating,” She muttered helplessly. Her ears were still pink, and the way she clutched that pillow told me she was more flustered than actually angry.

Juri, still lounging on her bed like a satisfied cat, propped her chin on her hand and watched us with that amused glint in her eyes.

“Ruki, come back here. I’m not done flirting with you yet.” She hollered, intentionally dragging out the last part just to poke the bear across the room.

Setsuna-nee’s glare snapped to her best friend, sharp enough to cut glass. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”

“Of course I am,” Juri shot back without missing a beat, patting the spot beside her like she was calling a pet. “He’s finally here after weeks, and you’re over there throwing pillows like a grumpy kitten. Someone has to make the most of it.”

That girl, she could be merciless too, huh? But then again, she probably squeezed out every last bit of Setsuna-nee’s contained interest in me. She already knew how she was gravitating towards me, similar to how it happened to her.

I couldn’t help but shake my head lightly as I glanced between them. The tension in the room wasn’t angry. It was charged playfully, the kind that came from two women who knew exactly how much power they had over me and weren’t afraid to use it.

Setsuna-nee huffed again, burying her face halfway into the pillow. “Whatever. Just… keep it down. Some of us are trying to study.”

“Study what? The wall? Setsu, I’ll give you time with Ruki later, alright? For now… can I keep him to myself?”

Juri’s voice dropped into that low, sultry tone she rarely used. She patted the bed again, slower this time as her fingers curled in a lazy ‘come here’ motion.

Setsuna-nee sighed again before muttering. “You’re really pushing it today.”

The way her gaze lingered on me for half a second longer than necessary indicated that she wasn’t as uninterested as she pretended to be. Perhaps she was on the verge of breaking down, or maybe she was ready to kick me out of their dorm room.

Either way, it was clear she wasn’t completely amused. I suppose I really need to console her later.

I stayed standing between the two beds, letting the tension simmer just a little longer.

The room felt smaller suddenly as a familiar electricity flickered somehow. And those were coming from their eyes, clashing in the middle.

“What’s it gonna be, Setsuna-nee-san?” I kept my tone light and teasing. “If you don’t say anything, I’ll probably just come over to Juri. Or maybe, sit here in the middle and make you both come to me.”

Juri’s lips curved up into a smirk. She shifted on the bed, stretching out like a cat in sunlight, the movement pulling her blouse tighter across her chest.

“Bold, Ruki. I like it.” She crooked a finger at me. “But I’ll be the one choosing this time. Come here. Let Setsu sulk a little longer. It’s cute on her.”

Setsuna-nee made this strangled little sound and chucked the pillow again. This time, aiming for Juri’s head.

Juri caught it mid-air without even looking, laughing softly as she tossed it aside.

“See? Grumpy kitten confirmed.”

A chuckle escaped my mouth, earning me another glare. Really, these two might be the death of me one day, and I’d go happy.

But right now, Juri was winning the tug-of-war, and the way her eyes locked on mine told me she wasn’t planning on sharing just yet.

I took a few steps back to her bed and sat down beside her. The second I was within reach, Juri’s hand slid up my arm, fingers curling possessively as she leaned in for a quick peck.

“You’re not going away this time, Ruki.

Her hand then moved to my face, tracing the line of my jaw before tilting my face toward hers. This time, taking a proper kiss from my lips, savoring every second she’d been denied for weeks.

I kissed her back the same way, one hand settling on her waist, thumb brushing the strip of bare skin where her blouse had ridden up.

Across the room, Setsuna-nee let out her most dramatic sigh in history before turning around to face the wall.

Mhm. I’ll think about how to earn her forgiveness later. Juri takes priority.