After taking that selfie, Mei-chan didn't return to her seat. She got so comfortable with squeezing on our side, wedging herself into the narrow space beside us with her shoulders pressed against mine as she scrolled through her phone, giggling at the freshly taken selfie.
Marika, still nestled against me, didn't seem to mind the extra company. Her fingers idly traced patterns on my sleeve as she watched Mei-chan with quiet amusement.
I mean, I get it. She's adorable. However, she also smells like trouble. She's someone who can be dubbed to be terminally online. She was documenting everything around her by posting photos and status updates online.
It's like she's willing to open herself to the public, ignoring scrutiny and chasing clout.
Nevertheless, considering she's not getting in trouble for it yet, she possibly knows what to and what not to post. Or maybe she has a secret account where she's posting those she cannot post on her public account.
Among my girls, even if they have social media accounts, most of them are not that active on them. Other than official group chats for classes and activities, they will only post photos occasionally. At most, they'll scroll through their feeds and leave reactions to some posts.
I once thought that they might've been feeling restricted because of our relationship, but when I brought it up to Yua and Ririka, the ones most active in maintaining their virtual identity, they immediately refuted it by saying that not everyone was interested in putting their daily life or just airing their thoughts in public. Many still prefer privacy.
Because despite being inactive, most of them still garnered a lot of followers. I mean, who will not be interested if they see their photos? I keep falling in love every time I see them.
Anyway, that's that. As for posting our photos together, some of them already did. They blocked my face with an emoji. I don't know if my poses are the same in those photos, but if someone can connect the dots, then props to them. Low chance that it will lead back to me, and even if it does, my own public account still has my photo before my haircut. Furthermore, I have no full-body photo in it..
Of course, I've seen some notifications that tagged me with their stolen shots, especially from students in our school. But I have no time to waste checking them one by one.
Sometimes, I'll find out about it from my girls, either by them sending a screenshot of it or showing it to me when we're together. In the end, we'll just laugh about it, especially when they get their guesses right.
As for those posts about me containing malice or hatred, I don't have to do anything to defend myself. There are already some who's doing it for me.
Namely, my followers like Uchiyama and maybe my 'fans'?
"Senpai, look at this!" Mei-chan tilted her phone toward me, the screen displaying the photo: me in the middle, flashing a half-smirk, Marika leaning into my side with her usual gentle smile, and Mei-chan beaming wide enough to light up the frame.
"This is gold! My friends are gonna freak out when they see I ran into you!"
"Just keep your promise, Mei-chan," I said, keeping my tone light but firm. "No tagging, no hints about my other account. I'd rather not have a swarm of fans hunting me down at school."
She nodded vigorously, her ponytail bouncing with the motion. "Cross my heart, senpai! This is just for me and those I'm close to. No cosplay connection, I swear!"
She tapped away at her phone, likely sending the photo off to her group chat, before glancing up at me with a sly grin.
"Though, you know, you could totally cash in on your charm if you went public. You'd have a fan club in no time."
Marika chimed in with a giggle. "Oh, Mei-chan. Ruki-kun already has quite the following. I'm not sure he needs a fan club to add to it."
Mei-chan's eyes widened, and she leaned forward, practically buzzing with curiosity. "Wait, really? Like, an actual following? Spill, senpai! What's she talking about?"
I pretended to glare at Marika as though I was reprimanding her, "Thanks for that, Marika. Now she's never gonna let it go."
Marika tilted her head innocently, her golden-brown eyes sparkling in amusement. "I only spoke the truth, Ruki-kun. You're rather popular, aren't you?"
"Popular's a strong word," I said, turning back to Mei-chan, who was now leaning so close I could feel the heat radiating off her. "Let's just say I'm this mysterious guy who has now gained the interest of many."
"Even better!" Mei-chan grinned, clearly satisfied with that kind of description.
Thankfully, before she could press further, the bus lurched to a stop. The driver's voice crackled over the intercom, announcing her stop. She sprang to her feet, nearly dropping her phone in her haste, and slung her bag over her shoulder.
"Ugh, already? Time flies when you're with the coolest senpai ever!" She flashed me one last grin, then waved at Marika. "Nice meeting you, Marika-onee-chan! Take care of senpai for me, okay? Oh, and senpai. Don't slack on those updates! I'm counting on you! And don't tell Onii-chan!"
Of course I won't. That guy will be a pain in the ass again. But thinking about it… won't he see Mei-chan's post?
Let's just hope he's not as techie as his little sister.
"Take care, Mei-chan," I smiled and waved as she darted down the aisle, her carefree energy leaving a trail of amused glances from other passengers.
The doors hissed shut behind her, and the bus rolled forward again, leaving me and Marika back in the bubble of relative quiet. The most update n0vels are published on nοvelfire.net
Marika's arms tightened around me as she rested her head against my shoulder. "Must she be so lively? I can see why you attempted to hide, Ruki-kun."
"Yeah, Mei-chan's a handful even at our first meeting. But she's a good girl, I guess?" I said, adjusting my arm to pull her closer.
Marika's lips curved into a small smile, "She is fond of you too, Ruki-kun. It's sweet, in a way. Though I must admit, I'm glad she didn't stay too long. I rather like having you to myself on this ride."
I chuckled, resting my cheek against the top of her head. "Is my Marika getting jealous?"
"Perhaps a little. I never felt this way whenever I saw Jun-kun with other girls before. With him, I only felt hurt that he had more time to chase after another girl than take care of me as promised."
"I see. It's not wrong to feel jealous. It's a valid emotion like love."
"Un. I love you. That's why I can now feel jealous. The others must've been jealous of me as well." Her smile widened and she nestled closer, the warmth of her body a comforting contrast to the cool air filtering through the bus air conditioner.
"Perhaps. Don't bottle it up, alright? If it feels heavy, come to me and let me ease that feeling." I planted my lips on her forehead as I gently whispered.
"I will. Can you ease it now, Ruki-kun?"
Marika playfully smiled as she found a way to cash in on it right away.
"Absolutely." I naturally didn't shy away and before she knew it, my lips found hers as we silently savored our privacy.
The ride settled into a peaceful rhythm, the hum of the engine and the soft sway of the vehicle lulled us into a quiet moment where only our affection and desire for each other held true. Outside, the city rolled by. Rows of houses gave way to shops and then the familiar outline of our school's neighborhood.
As the bus neared our stop, Marika straightened up, smoothing out her skirt with a practiced grace. "Ruki-kun, will you be busy today? With the festival preparations, I mean."
"Probably," I said, grabbing our bags as the bus slowed. "I will see through our Literature Club's project. Maybe help out in the Student Council too. Maybe I can visit you during my patrol and sneak you out of your club. What do you think?"
Her eyes brightened, and she nodded eagerly. "I'd like that. Kagura-san packed me something special today. Pick me up for lunch too."
"Alright. Sounds like a plan. Look forward to it," I said, standing as the bus came to a halt. I offered her my hand, helping her up, and we stepped off into the morning bustle of students trickling toward the school gates.