Stealing Spree

As I walked out of the station, I checked my phone again to see Sumire's new message after telling her that I was minutes away from her. Although I didn't try to rush her, teasing her resulted in the same way that she forewent taking a bath just to meet me sooner.

Imagining her rushing to pick clothes to wear was quite adorable but I felt a bit guilty for making her do that. Nevertheless, I knew Sumire was the type to bounce back quickly. She had the energy of a thousand suns after all.

The incident back then had already been resolved and with her position in her club solidified, with the addition of my gift to her, her enthusiasm got boosted. Maybe that's the reason why she's been so eager to meet me again.

"Senpai, I'll meet you at the same park..." Snapping me out of my musings, I read Sumire's latest message.

That same park, huh? I guess that's good too... We could continue what we started there. Alright. Scratch that.

When I arrived at the park, I found Sumire standing under a tree, wearing a dress that was kinda more girlish than her uniform. It suited her well. A smile crept up to my face seeing how she tried to be more appealing to me. Or maybe I was just overthinking?

In any case, she looked so adorable with those frills.

As I approached her, Sumire noticed me and waved, her lips stretched into a pleasant smile, "Senpai, you're here."

I nodded and continued to close in our distance. There were other people in the park, mostly kids and their parents but there were also a few couples sitting together on the benches. I ignored those and only focused on my adorable junior, "You're early. Did you miss me that much?"

"Boo. So what if I miss you?" Sumire blurted out but almost instantly, her cheeks turned into a brighter shade of red as she realized her slip-up. "I just... I had nothing to do at home. That's it!"

"Ah, really? Alright, I'll believe my favorite junior, "I couldn't help but chuckle at her flustered state, making Sumire fidget even more. "So, can I sniff you now? I told you I didn't mind if you're stinky. My Sumire will always be adorable."

"Geez. You're really...! Stop sweet-talking me, senpai!" With her blush deepening, Sumire protested. I then playfully leaned in to sniff her hair resulting in the girl swatting at me lightly, trying to maintain her dignity.

But she missed.

Her swipe was either too slow or she didn't put that much thought into it. I successfully closed in our distance, my hand reaching for hers, "I'm not doing that though. I just find you so cute when you're like this, Sumire."

"Senpai!"

Sumire's voice was a mix of exasperation and shyness but the sparkle in her eyes was unmistakable. She didn't pull away from my touch, allowing our fingers to intertwine as we strolled deeper into the park, leaving behind the bustling sounds of the other visitors.

I glanced at her side and saw her cheeks maintaining their colors as she attempted to keep up the pretense of disdain despite secretly enjoying my attention. I wouldn't say I could read her correctly but in this case, with her hand in mine, I could at least judge through her pulse and her minute reactions.

This girl... she's getting more conscious of me. Or rather, she was just trying her hardest not to admit it even though she already felt something special with me.

"Sumire, you know what's interesting about you?"

Her eyes shot up to look at me, a question mark practically painted on her face, "What's interesting about me?"

"Well, aside from your being Yue's fanatic, your reactions are really charming. Has someone told you how adorable you look when you blush?" I stopped in my steps, turned to face her and then cupped her cheek, feeling the warmth from her blush. "It's like a rose in full bloom."

"D-don't say that, senpai! I'm not adorable... Not like Umi." She protested, her voice squeakier than usual.

"Umi is Umi and you, Sumire, are another case. Alright. I'll tell you what. I love your energy. Even if you're like a little gremlin, the way you talked about your passion was always a comfort for me whenever we would run into each other during the commute."

Sumire's eyes narrowed at the gremlin comment but she didn't protest. Instead, she nodded slightly, seemingly acknowledging the point I was trying to make. Her hand in mine was tightening and loosening. It was her silent battle between her trying to hide her feelings and her inability to resist the warmth that our touch brought.

"Senpai... I didn't ask for your time to be teased like this."

But as she said that, she gradually leaned onto me, her forehead slotting back to the side of my neck, just like last time.

Her breathing was steady and she was probably trying to calm herself down from her embarrassment. But I could feel her heart pounding through her chest, reaching my ears, giving away that she was affected by my words.

"Alright. Let's count out that 'you missed me'. Can you tell me why you asked to see me?" I whispered teasingly, watching her face closely as my arm slipped to her back, putting her in my embrace.

"N-no... I just thought we could... you know... hang out." She replied awkwardly, her voice muffled by my shirt. "It's the weekend and... I don't have practice. I never thought you'd reply right away."

"Mhm. I see. And here we are," A knowing smile touched my lips as I enjoyed the feeling of her in my arms. I could feel her squirming slightly as she tried to maintain a facade. But every time she shifted, her body seemed to fit more snugly against mine. It was as though she was trying to get closer without actually admitting it. "Shall we go on a short date? I still have time before my part-time job so... Where do you want to go?"

"A-a date?!" Sumire jolted up, her eyes wide with shock. The blush on her cheeks had not subsided one bit. "N-no, that's too much!"

"Why? You're my favorite junior. And a special one at that. Can't I take you on a date?" I tilted my head, acting like I was genuinely confused. "But if you're uncomfortable, I guess we can just call it a friendly outing?"

Sumire stared at me, her usual energetic flair was already buried by her flustered expression. Although I like her like this. That was also something I looked forward to. I guess I should tone down teasing her a bit.

"No... It's a date. No takebacks, senpai!" Sumire finally exclaimed, her voice a mix of excitement and nervousness. She had never been on a date before, and the idea of spending time alone with me made her heart race.

I nodded with a satisfied smile, "Alright, it's a date. Now, where to?" "Batting center?" Sumire suggested, her eyes lighting up at the prospect of showing off her skills. She didn't bring her new gear with her but those places already had something prepared for their customers so it'd be fine.

Besides, it was a place that could accommodate both our interests. A place where she could be herself while also allowing us to bond over a shared activity. Maybe we could also listen to Yue's song while we're at it.

"Alright. The batting center it is," I nodded, "But I will pay for everything. I'm your senpai and I don't want you to spend your hard-earned allowance on this date."

Sumire pouted slightly at that but then nodded in understanding. But before going out of the park, the girl's arms wrapped around my waist, leaning further into my embrace, "Senpai,

hold me tighter. It's cold."

Hearing that, I shook my head inwardly before granting her wish. This was definitely a new experience for Sumire. She had never been in a situation like this before, and it showed in the way she clung to me.

That's why it's up to me to be her guide through this new experience, to help her understand her feelings without pushing too hard. I knew that she wasn't ready to admit her feelings outright, but she was definitely taking baby steps in that direction.

Our relationship might remain as a senior and his favorite junior but... like with Umi, it had already gone past that.

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