Chapter 2311: Can we stay here?


    ?


    But thinking about it, this was truly bound to happen. It''s not like everyone was skilled in sneaking into this area. And with more girlsing here, people would start to notice.


    "I guess the cat''s out of the bag. Wee to our Potato Clubhouse, senpai." I said with a grin as I spread my arms open.


    Almost instantly, Sagara-senpai who looked quiet couldn''t help but burst intoughter, holding her stomach "Potato Clubhouse? Okay. That''s hrious."


    "Ruki. It''s not Potato Clubhouse! Secret Garden! Remember?" With reddening cheeks, Maaya tried correcting me as she approached. But it''s already toote.


    Miura-senpai alsoughed at the odd naming scheme.


    "I think Potato Clubhouse suits it better." She said.


    "See. I finally got another vote."


    "Shut up, Ruki. We already decided on the name. It''s Secret Garden, senpai! Only this guy calls


    it that name because he wants to nt potatoes!" Maaya protested, her cheeks reddening


    even more as she yfully smacked my chest. "Get serious, you idiot Ruki."


    "Really, what''s wrong with potatoes?"


    "Nothing! But it''s not a really great name for a clubhouse."


    "Pfft. You two. You sounded like an old couple bantering over what to name their first pet," Sagara-senpai said, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.


    Upon hearing that, Maaya became more flustered. But instead of expressing her embarrassment in words. She nudged my chest with her forehead.


    "Oh. Do we? Anyway, If it''s about a pet, I''ll name a dog a cat, and a cat, a dog. Just for theughs," I quipped, causing Sagara-senpai''s giggle to echo in the room.


    I could see Miura-senpai shaking her head with a bemused smile, clearly enjoying this disy while Maaya eventually slotted herself into my embrace, her cheek still pressed against my chest.


    "Anyway, senpai. What brings you here aside from your curiosity?" I changed the topic while stroking Maaya''s hair. There''s no need to hide our rtionship now. After all my visits to their club, it would be weirder if we still tried to keep it hidden.


    Miura-senpai''s eyes sparkled a little as she said, "Hmm. Now that you mention it, I wonder why we''re here?"


    "Nothing. You dragged me here because you''re curious about our junior." It was Sagara- senpai who answered, rolling her eyes at Miura-senpai''s absurdity.


    "Eh? Is that the case? Anyhow... This became a fruitful trip. Onoda-kun, it''s fine for us to be here, right?"


    "Will you leave if I chase you out?" I returned a question for a question, keeping the yful atmosphere alive.


    Miura-senpai''s smirk grew wider. "Well, I wouldn''t say that. But I''d like to know if you don''t mind having two more members in your... secret garden. Sounds fun. We''ll bring board games and y here with the other members. There are more, am I right? Komoe is also part of this.''


    This... While this ce was supposed to be our private hangout spot, having two unrted girls to ourplex rtionship would definitely either make this ce livelier or more awkward.


    -


    Several minutester, nothing much had changed inside the clubhouse, Miura-senpai and Sagara-senpai settled on the couch, enjoying thefort of it. Maaya was tending to them when she brought out her board game that we left behind here.


    While they were busy on it, I continued finishing my work outside, weeding out thest plot of the garden.


    Naturally, I didn''t ept Miura-senpai''s suggestion of adding them. I used the excuse that the decision wasn''t in my hands. It was all up to the club members. But with the secret already out, chasing them out would just be awkward. So, I let it slide, deciding to talk to the otherster.


    Upon returning, I saw Maaya enjoying the game with her seniors from the Game Club. She looked up and smiled when she noticed me, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she gestured for me to join them. I wiped the sweat from my brow and stepped inside.


    "Ohe on, are you going to sit there and unt your rtionship with us, Onoda-kun?" Miura-senpai mused as she saw me positioning myself behind Maaya, peeking over her shoulder to check on their game.


    Sagara-senpai appeared unaffected but I could tell, she was curious as well.


    As for the girl in question, her ear was gradually turning red, and she was trying her best not to look at me but she couldn''t help but lean back a bit more against my chest as I wrapped my arms around her, giving her a gentle squeeze.


    "What''s wrong with it, senpai? Could it be that you want me to sit down behind you instead?" I teased. The girl had already confessed her interest to me even after knowing how close I was to the girls, including her little sister.


    But instead of Miura-senpai replying, it was Maaya who spoke up, chiding me with a roll of her eyes. "Ruki, don''t tease senpai like that. Knowing you, there''s no guarantee you''re just


    joking."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Miura-senpai only chuckled in response, mischief twinkling in her eyes, "Well, if Onoda-kun insists, I don''t mind having him as my knight in shining armor."


    At that, it was Sagara-senpai''s turn to roll her eyes as she ndly said, "Kotone-senpai, the President will bleed if he hears you saying that. And Onoda-kun, do you have a knack for teasing your seniors? Come here to me instead. I''ll treat you well."


    And here I thought she''d be the voice of reason between the four of us but thatst sentence just added more fuel to the fire.


    Before I knew it, the board game became their secondary focus as they all started to yfully bicker about who gets to sit where and who''s more ''deserving'' of my attention. It was like watching a si unfold before my eyes, except this was real. The Game Club President would definitely cry if he saw Miura-senpai acting like this.


    But then, I could also tell that Sagara-senpai was just in it for the fun of teasing both her senior and junior. It was another game for her. And she was really good at it. She could switch from serious to yful so naturally, it''s like she''s been doing this kind of thing with them for


    years.


    Maaya looked at me with a pout, silently scolding me for causing this. But the girl was getting more rxed, the stress she umtedst weekend was fading away. Her cheeks were red, but she didn''t protest anymore when she felt my hand reaching for her thigh, caressing her


    sneakily.


    "But really, Onoda-kun," Miura-senpai began, cing a hand on her chin dramatically. "What do you think of our little proposal?"


    I nced up and answered, "I already told you, senpai. It''s not just my call to make. However,


    if you want to hang out here sometimes, feel free. Just help us out and keep this ce a


    secret."


    Miura-senpai''s eyes lit up as if she hit the jackpot. "Oh? So, if we don''t tell anyone, we''re all good?"


    "Yeah. I bet Komoe will be happy too if she sees you here."


    "That brat? You wish. I may be her older sister but she''s more like a little gremlin to me who somehow got a few steps ahead of me," Miura-senpai clicked her tongue in mock annoyance. Of course, she was still fond of her younger sibling no matter how troublesome that girl became when she stoppeding to school.


    "Let me change the topic, senpai. I get it that you followed Maaya out of curiosity but are you sure it''s fine to leave your clubroom? Nishimura-senpai must''ve been wondering where the three of you went." I asked out of curiosity.