After a few minutes, Shio couldn't help but break the silence between us.
"Why did you pick our school instead of that school near your house?"
"Will you believe my reason?"
I am still on my phone, chatting with Akane. I guess this doesn't bother Shio.
"Why will I not?"
"Well, I was running away."
After all that. Running away is still my reason. What would've happened if I didn't choose another school? Will I still realize things I couldn't before?
"You? Running away? From what? From who?"
"You're free to guess."
"It concerned those targets you stole, yes? You're running away from responsibility."
"You became silent. So, it's true."
I couldn't answer. I turned off my phone and put it back in my pocket. I already told Akane I might come home with my teacher. Like Haruko said, Akane accepted right away and she's glad that I told her first.
"After running away, you start anew but your habit of stealing someone continued and now I'm included in your targets."
"Yes."
Shio fixed her rearview mirror, now her eyes could stare directly at me. She's still focused on driving but she will look at me occasionally.
"To think that instead of getting you for my fantasy, I got included in your potential harem. What happened next?"
"I got a realization. I'm fixing it now."
This beautiful teacher of mine. She somehow pieced what happened with a few words from me.
"You better be. My husband, he took responsibility for me. I see. Maybe that's why he accepted when I introduced him to my parents."
"He took responsibility for what he did to you. But what about now?"
For him to neglect her. Did he get tired of Shio? Or is it because she's not a student anymore? But him marrying her meant that at some point he also wanted to be with her. Marriage is such a heavy subject. True, you can just file for divorce in the future but it will cost him.
"I still haven't talked to him."
"I see. Is that why you picked me up today?"
"No. I just found you walking alone and thought of dropping you off. He's probably not home anyway."
"Are you sure it's just that?"
Shio's eyebrows twitched from that, she smiled right after though.
"Maybe I also want to talk to you. It's better if you don't act like a wall."
"I see. Do you want me to start stealing you again?"
I thought of giving her more time, but she's approaching me by herself. This beautiful teacher of mine. No matter what, I still want her.
"I don't know. I guess I only need time to think things through."
"So I am to be the patch for that hole in your heart."
"Isn't this your chance?
"Let's see. If it's before, I will not want that."
Is there really a hole? Just looking at her, she wanted her husband to notice her not wearing her wedding ring.
"What about now?"
"I'll take this chance. I'll make you fall for me and have you forget your husband."
Since she's giving me this chance, I'll take it. I already had her vent her frustrations yesterday. This time, she needs a push. If I can push her to my side then it's good.
"You're really amusing Ruru. Is this the side of me that you wanted? The soft-spoken side, isn't it?"
"I couldn't see the distinction now. Have you fixed it?"
"Yes. When you pointed that out I had to take a look at myself. And you're right. I mixed them up now, I can be soft-spoken or violent at will. Or do you want my commanding side that I show in class? Pick one."
"I'd rather pick you. It's all you anyway, if I made you mine I'll have to deal with the three."
Shio smiled again. Ah. She's really beautiful. This is better than her crying like yesterday. I want to make her smile like this.
"This student... How come you always know what to answer?"
"I don't know. Sharpened through experience?"
They always kept commenting about this glib tongue of mine. Maybe I already got used at talking to various kinds of girl that I can adjust my words depending on her type.
"So how many are there?"
"I don't know. More than 20?"
I honestly don't know. Apart from the six, I don't know who else is there in that group. I can take a guess now but I'm not sure if it's correct so I'll wait for them to message me and make the tally there.
"You. Did you come from a harem anime, manga or light novel?"
"You're surprisingly accepting of that number, Shio."
She didn't react or maybe she chose not to.
"I'm not that easy Ruru. So, you'll need a lot more than what you're showing me right now."
"I just need to let you indulge in your fantasy, you know?"
Shio flinched when she heard that. That's her weakness. Her fantasy. If I let her indulge in it, I might've already gotten her. But I don't want that. I want her to look at me, not as a fantasy outlet.
"Alright. I give up. Do your best."
"I will, Shio."
Right after saying that, I reached in to kiss her cheeks.
She blushed but she didn't take off her eyes on the road.
"That's dangerous."
"I just can't help it. My Shio is this close."
"You behave here, we're almost in your neighborhood."
"Alright, Ms. Miyazaki."
I saw her pouting for an instant. Did she hate it when I went back to calling her Ms. Miyazaki?
A short while later, we arrived in my neighborhood. The sun has already set. I pointed to her where to turn and when we reached my house, I had her park it in the parking space for my parents' car.
From outside, I saw the lights turned on both in the kitchen and the living room.
"Won't you go in?"
"No. I'm just dropping you off. There are people inside. Your parents?"
"No. Just a special silly girl and a target as well."
"Much better to not go inside. I don't know who can be someone you will call special but there's also a target? This student, learn to restrain yourself for a bit."
Err. Do I need restraint? Maybe. But whenever I find a target, I couldn't help but be driven by my desire.
"You'll understand. I already told her you'll be coming with me."
"Alright. I'll just take a look to introduce myself as your teacher."
Shio resignedly got off together with me.
When I opened the door, Akane was there, sitting in front of us. This scene. I know what she will say...
"Welcome home, husband. Do you want dinner? A bath? Or maybe me?"
This silly girl…
"This student, so you're already married?"
"No, Shio, she's that special silly girl. Akane, I'll spoil you later, okay?"
Then three more heads peeked out from the living room.
"Is that Ruki? Oh!"
Miwa-nee expressed her surprise after seeing Shio behind me. Minoru was in front of her, standing on his own.
"What are you doing there Akane? Oh!"
Eh? Why is she here? Akane's mom, Auntie Akemi is here as well.
What's this situation? How should I explain this to Shio?
I took a glance at her and saw her mouth gaping in surprise.
Haa. There's no way to explain this easily. I guess we'll go in.
Picking up Akane from the floor, I also grabbed Shio's hand and pulled her inside.
Auntie Akemi, seemingly lost interest, went back inside while Miwa-nee looked at us interestingly. There's now no trace of what happened last night on her face. She's back to the same Miwa-nee.
I smiled at Minoru who's looking up at me, his eyes shining. What's with this boy's mind? I wonder.
After settling Shio in the living room, I'm now in the kitchen making tea and coffee for everyone.
Shio finally recovered from the surprise she got for seeing three beauties at my house.
They're now discussing something there, three adults talking about adult things. Ah. Akane was here with me, watching from behind. And Minoru, waiting for his chocolate drink at the table.
"Husband, she's that teacher who often indulges in her fantasies, right?"
"Yes."
"You finally stole her?"
"No. She only saw me walking and thought of dropping me off. I invited her to dinner."
Since I was focused on making drinks, Akane kept clinging on my back, her arms circled around my waist. She wanted to be spoiled again. Me bringing Shio here still got to her head even if I already told her. This girl, how can I make her smile?
"I see. It's good that you told me first. We managed to cook more."
"I'll always tell you now if someone will come."
"Thank you, husband. And sorry if I always act like this."
"You're my special silly girl. I should've realized this first. Even if you're accepting my desire and the other girls, it will always bother you."
She will not tell me about this. She doesn't want me to worry about her but if I realized it myself, I have to correct it.
"I have to grow up too. I'll do better not to pull you down like this."
"You're not. I also want to make up for the years I've neglected you."
Akane tightened her hug to me. It's a good thing that I'm not handling the hot water yet.
"Just being with you like this is enough, husband. You keep on making me feel special. This will be the only time when I acted like that. It got you in a tough spot."
"As long as we reflect on it and fix it, it's fine. You can act like that, sometimes. Take that as me spoiling you."
It's really tough earlier. I don't know how to explain it to Shio. It's a good thing that Auntie Akemi is also here, she smoothened things up. She probably guessed that Shio is one of my targets but she never mentioned it to ease Shio's mind.
Miwa-nee was different though, she kept on asking weird questions like it's amusing to her.
"I want to spoil you too. What can I do?"
"Hmm. Help me realize things. They keep telling me to start realizing those and be honest to myself but I don't know where to start."
Right. Akane can help me with those. I want to know what Satsuki was talking about as well as what Himeko and Mina realized by asking me those questions. Then there's also Haruko telling me that I should realize things to accept that passion we had during our sex earlier as not just my desire for her.
"I see. They saw that too. I predicted this when you started accepting them back. I'm actually waiting for you to ask. Let's have a talk later if nothing comes up. We'll have you realize those things slowly."
"But that's not spoiling, right? Think of a way to spoil me, wife. Like that time when you pamper me in your arms."
Maybe I'll also ask Kana and Satsuki to spoil me. Ah. I'm worried about Satsuki's spoiling, it won't be her just throwing insults, right?
"I see. I'll come up with something."
"Thank you. Come and give me a kiss."
"I'm actually waiting for this as well."
"You silly girl…"
Akane reached her head in for a kiss which I responded to. I haven't kissed her earlier, now she's giving it her all. Not minding those three in the living room that may be watching us.
"I love you, husband."
"You two, until when will you keep us waiting? Minoru is also waiting for his chocolate. Stop flirting and come here."
Auntie Akemi's voice rang from behind us. Right. I'm still making those. I guess I got spoiled by Akane just now.
