Seeing Saki still visibly shaking, instead of just standing in front of her, I pulled her in my embrace.

She just admitted how she was aware of that guy’s infatuation towards her and although I couldn’t read her mind… she’s probably shaken because she hadn’t expected to be caught at all.

While rubbing her back and head, I waited until she stopped shaking before raising her face to look at me again.

“It’s my fault that he caught us. That’s why you don’t have to blame yourself. If that’s what is running inside your mind.” I caressed her cheeks and smiled. “If you want to or if need be, I will let him understand our relationship.”

“No… It doesn’t matter… I might be cruel from saying this but… Taku liking me is… not why I was shaken. I don’t like him as a guy but as a friend, we’re connected through the circle so that’s that.” Saki shook her head while having a self-deprecating smile.

I don’t know if she’s like this to everyone but she’s always been honest and straightforward with me. Starting from how she couldn’t say yes to the kiss trial because Nami was there and how it spiraled down from it until we ended up in that situation. Each time, she was totally honest with her feelings. Furthermore, she’s totally aware that what she’s doing was a betrayal to her friends.

And now, she didn’t even hesitate to tell me what she felt towards the silent guy.

“…I’m just scared that he will talk about what he witnessed. Even if Nanami is already aware of us, the others from our circle aren't yet.” Saki continued.

I see. So that’s what she’s thinking about. The others from their circle to… look down on her upon knowing what she did. Perhaps in her mind, since she’s a friend, they would blame her more than me.

However, Saki didn’t know yet. She didn't know how much influence my existence had already been entrenched in their circle. I would instantly be the one they would blame. Especially by Arisa-senpai or Izumi-senpai. And naturally, Ogawa or Tadano would point their daggers on me.

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“Will he really talk about what he witnessed? You know. I’m also a guy like him. If I am the one in his shoes and I see my crush with another guy, it will definitely trigger something inside me.”

Saki lifted her eyes as she listened to my hypothesis about what the silent guy might or might not do.

“There are two paths that I can tread on. First, I can confront my crush even if I don’t have the right to do so, asking her if what I’ve seen was real. And the second possibility is just to accept it silently…”

I trailed my voice at this point since this was probably the point wherein I would steer away from normal guys like Taku, Sakuma, Ogawa, Tadano and Fukuda.

“… Might I add, if I confronted her and she told me the truth or I accepted what I witnessed as real, I would then plan for a way to steal my crush from that guy I saw her with.”

And before she could raise a comment about that last sentence, I continued. “But that’s me. As for Taku, he probably will not reach the point of thinking about what I said last. Tell me, what path do you think he will choose in the end?”

With our gazes never breaking, I clearly saw from the minute changes in her expression how Saki began contemplating, thinking about the possibility that her friend will take.

After around a minute, she arrived at an answer, “Taku… He will not confront me.”

That’s the one with the highest possibility to happen if his personality is everything that he’s shown in front of everyone.

“Un. That’s the second option. He will accept what he saw and that I—No. That you are already taken by someone else. By me.” At this point, I ended it by planting another kiss on her lips which… as expected, the girl accepted fully.

Once our lips separated, Saki nodded in agreement with what I said.

“I won’t say that what I said will truly be his move. However, if what he’s shown or what I observed from him was true to his character then there’s a high possibility that it will happen.”

What can he do if he talks? It will only make his crush down to the quagmire. If he’s not a vengeful guy then… he will keep it to himself to protect Saki.

“I… I am waiting for him to confess. That’s why I am not confronting him whenever he’s following me.”

“I see. That wasn’t the first time he was stalking you.”

Now I somehow picture the situation between the two. With the silent guy too scared to confess and Saki not wanting to confront him by only waiting unless he finally gathered his courage. They arrived at the situation where it became a stalking case where the girl was clearly aware of why.

Upon hearing the term I used to describe what the silent guy was doing, Saki’s eyes widened in surprise. “Stalking?”

“Isn’t that what he’s doing? If he’s only following your every movement then that’s stalking. You don’t like him. You should’ve told him that right away.”

“No… That’s the reason why I am not confronting him. I want him to confess to me so that I can turn him down properly…” Saki shook her head once more as she explained her side.

However, it was as I had guessed.

“This girl… How long has he been following you around?”

I retracted my voice to not show the slight irritation that I felt. Perhaps because the situation could be resolved easily if she had confronted him by telling him that she knew… I somehow felt irritated with Saki’s decision.

But I guess that’s because I never had any friends to consider. I had no idea how their friendship works.

“… Since our 2nd year in middle school.”

“That long?”

“Un.”

“Then he’s no more than a stalker. Or if you want to tone it down, he’s only content at admiring you.” I succinctly declared.

Even if I hadn’t heard his side yet, what excuse could he give to not be labeled as a stalker? To protect her? That’s what stalkers always said when they were being accused or called out by their stalking habits.

Upon contemplating it for a while, Saki eventually accepted what I said.

However, she remained silent while keeping her head pressed on my chest. Whatever’s going on in her head, only Saki would know at the moment.

“… Ruki. What do you think I should do?”

“Let’s see. First, since you belong to the same circle, do you still want to continue being friends with him?”

“… Honestly, it doesn’t matter if he’s there or not.”

This girl could truly be cruel and brutally honest. If only she could be like this all the time and stop degrading herself by thinking that she’s lower than Nami or any other girl in their circle.

In any case, this was a lot better than acting like she’s fine but deep inside, she loathed him. That’s a lot worse.

“Hmm… then you already know the answer to what you should or what you can do. You’re asking me because you wanted a push in your back, right? Saki… I think you’re belittling yourself too much… Believe in yourself, you get me?”

“Believe in myself?”

“That’s right. You’ll see how easy it can be once you start believing in yourself.”

“I… That’s too cryptic, Ruki. Explain it to me properly.”

“Alright… Believe that you can do what you think you can’t do. For example, you’re not any lower than Nami. Or for a closer connection to our current topic, it’s on you to tell him what you truly feel. That way, you can communicate with him and he will realize what he’s doing…”

I intentionally added that first example, to give her a push on the back. It’s the perfect situation for that. She might not focus on it at the moment but after we settled what’s troubling her mind, she would go back to think about it.

“I… I will talk to him. Can I do it tomorrow?” Saki asked but this time, the troubled expression on her face was already clear. She now had a direction she could take.

“You don’t need to ask me. It’s your decision, Saki.”

“Right. You’re right… I let this drag on.” Saki continuously nodded despite being slightly disappointed by my answer.

To quell that, I added, “But I can help you if you will allow me. Now that he saw me with you, I’m already involved.”

And upon hearing that, her eyes glimmered briefly before acting as if she’s not elated about what I said. “… Then watch over me.”

“Gladly,” I answered her with a smile and for the fourth time this day, our lips pressed against each other.

In the end, talking about myself to her might not happen today. But knowing about the reason behind her reaction and the story behind her relationship with that silent guy as well as, giving her a push on the back, I would honestly say that this came out as fruitful and not a waste of time.

Well, I would never think spending time with the girls connected to me was a waste of time so there’s that. Even if we only talked about her or stared at each other without doing anything, it would still be worthwhile.

“By the way, Ruki… Why did you follow me? Is it because of…?” Saki asked after savoring that fourth kiss that wasn’t interrupted by anything.

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“I want you to come with me. But I can’t guarantee that you will like what you will witness.”

“I am aware of what will happen. You will be with everyone… every girl you have.”

“Un. But truthfully, that’s not the purpose of that meeting. I want to teach all of you some self-defense techniques… Just in case you needed it.”

Upon hearing it, Saki was surprised once again, “Eh? That’s not what I heard.”

Considering most of them would be meeting for the first time, the real reason why I invited them was already buried in their minds…