Stealing Spree

“Kii, what do you think of those? They could really enhance the fortune-teller scene in one of the scenarios and add those mystical vibes we’re going for. You’re going to put Nakanishi-senpai there, right? She’ll look great in it.”

Still clinging to my arm, Chii’s bright eyes roamed over the haphazard assortment of items filling the cramped thrift shop. Her attention quickly landed on the stack of scarves, each one displaying a burst of colors: deep reds, sunny yellows, and ethereal blues. They all swirled together as they were neatly displayed on a wooden shelf.

They had the appearance of being plucked from a festival’s stall, the sort that lured patrons with tantalizing ‘Buy 1, Get 3’ offers, only to leave them feeling tricked by a marketing ploy wherein the enticing phrases were a mere façade, masking the reality that you were still shelling out cash equivalent to their true worth.

As for those particular scarves, they bore the unmistakable marks of neglect. Most likely, leftovers from the very same stall, now abandoned to this secondhand haven.

Their vibrant hues seemed a little faded in places as if they had witnessed two years of lively festivals only to not be picked by a customer.

The price tags hanging off them offered a glimmer of hope, slashed and reduced as they invited shoppers in with the allure of bargains, disguising the fact that they were, ultimately, remnants of yesterday’s fashion trends.

Nevertheless, I could already picture Reira-senpai in it. A fortune-teller role would be someone draped in a hooded robe and a scarf. It could hide her naturally bursting charm that could make a guy lose reason and just thirst for her. With a scarf like that in place, she’d still look great despite her charm being restrained by it.

“Nice call, Chii. Let’s grab a few. Or should I message her? See if she’s good with it?”

Chii nodded. And I immediately took a photo of the scarves before sending them to my favorite senior.

Almost instantly, I received a reply, “Ruki-kun, are you imagining me in them?”

Now, that’s new. I never thought she’d reply like this. Was it because of earlier? Is she becoming more conscious of her feelings for me?

Alright. I better not assume that right away. She might be thinking differently, after all.

“Only if you’re ready to dazzle as the mystic queen of our booth. These will ensure those idiots won’t be able to see past the obscurity. You could interact with them without worrying about their lecherous gazes the moment they see you. What do you think?”

Chii peeked over my shoulder, her lips curling into a playful pout. “Kii, why are you smirking there? Are you planning something with Nakanishi-senpai?”

“Hmm? What will I plan? I’m just making sure our booth’s got that extra sparkle,” I said as I put my phone back in my pocket and gave her a teasing nudge. “Besides, you’re the one who picked these scarves. You’re already stealing my heart with your eye for props.”

Perhaps not expecting that, Chii’s cheeks instantly flushed, “Smooth talker. Don’t think you can distract me that easily, Kii.”

She then flashed me a grin, her gyaru pout softening into her beautiful smile. She started piling scarves into the basket. Her picks were bold. Vibrant reds, deep purples, and a shimmery gold that caught the dim store lights. Perfect for the aesthetic we were gunning for. Reira-senpai would probably pick the vibrant red or the deep purple, but we could find more use for them.

As we walked away from that shelf, I noticed Kushii hovering near a corner stuffed with old books and trinkets, the likes of what old people collect. Porcelain figurines, faded silver spoons, faulty compasses, rusty binoculars or telescopes, wooden music boxes and even Christmas snow globes.

Her dark eyes scanned the shelves like she was on a mission. She pulled out a tarnished brass compass, turning it over in her hands with a quiet focus. “This could be for the explorer scene,” She murmured, almost to herself. “It looks… authentic.”

“Yo, Kushii, that’s dope!” The energetic gyaru, An-rin, called from across the store, her arms now draped with a feather boa she’d found who-knows-where. “You’re, like, nailing the vibe! Onoda-han, tell her she’s a genius!”

She turned to our direction and hollered at us.

I shook my head and Chii pulled on my arm before giving Kushii a nod. “Mhm. She’s right, Kushii. That compass is perfect. Add it to the pile. You’ve got an eye for this stuff.”

Kushii’s cheeks pinked slightly and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before placing the compass in the basket.

“Thanks,” She murmured softly. But then she realized how she was acting and hurriedly turned her head away. She also straightened her back, trying to compose herself.

Really, she’s still too conscious of her confession to me. Where was the Kushii who could even tease me before?

Ah. Right. It’s my fault, no? I mean, what happened inside their tent back at the camping trip must’ve been burned in her mind. Hence, this reaction. She’s recalling it every time she sees my face.

I glanced at Chii, who tilted her head as if she had no idea what was happening to her friend. This girl was the culprit for it. She had the girl stay with us when she and Hana went to try and get more intimate with me.

I flicked her forehead, causing her to pout. She then asked why I did it but instead of answering, I dragged her away, letting Kushii and An-rin explore the store by themselves while we also continued shopping.

Ten minutes later, the basket was starting to weigh a bit, but I didn’t mind. Carrying the load was my job today. Literally and figuratively. I adjusted the prop bag on my shoulder, scanning the store for anything else that might fit our festival booth. The interactive adventure booth needed to pop, and these quirky finds were exactly what would sell the experience.

After these, we still needed to go to those decor shops to buy wallpapers. As for wood. Well. I guess I’ll buy those this weekend and carry them to the location myself.

Predictably, An-rin was already onto her next treasure. Carrying a battered top hat, she plopped it on her head with a dramatic twirl after finding us returning from a corner.

“Onoda-han, I’m giving, like, mysterious ringmaster vibes! Whaddaya think? Should I wear this while I’m hyping the crowd?”

I tilted my head, pretending to size her up. “Ringmaster, huh? We don’t have a circus scenario, An-rin. Where will you use that? If you pair that with the feather boa, you’d look like a circus escapee. But sure, toss it in. We’ll make it work.”

Not backing down, she stuck out her tongue and dropped the hat into the basket. “Haters gonna hate, but I’m slaying this look!”

Chii snorted, tying a scarf around her neck like she was auditioning for a drama club. “An-rin, you’re gonna scare the audience before we even start. Keep it chill.”

“Chill? Me? Never!” An-rin struck a pose, making Kushii roll her eyes, though I caught the faintest smirk on her face.

As we moved deeper into the store, the aisles got narrower, and the dust tickled my nose. I spotted a shelf of old props. Fake swords, a plastic crown, even a dusty crystal ball that looked like it’d been swiped from a fortune-teller’s table.

I grabbed the crystal ball, holding it up with a grin. “Girls, check this out. With this, Reira-senpai’s fit is complete.”

Chii’s eyes lit up. “Oh, Kii, that’s perfect! She can now do the whole ‘I see your future’ shtick!”

Then, she took the ball from me, cradling it dramatically and lowering her voice to a fake-spooky whisper. “Beware… your fate is… crepes for dinner!”

An-rin burst out laughing, nearly knocking over a stack of vintage records. “Yo, Chii-chan, you’re hired! That’s gold!”

Kushii, ever the quiet observer, picked up a fake quill pen from the same shelf. “This could go with the crystal ball. For, like, ancient prophecy vibes.”

“See? Kushii also got the vision,” I said, tossing the quill into the basket. “We’re building a whole cinematic universe here.”

Suddenly, we heard a voice echoing from near the door. We turned around and found the shopkeeper who’d been eyeing us from behind the counter cluttered with porcelain cats.

“You kids making a movie or somethin’? That’s a lot of junk you’re piling up.”

“Nah, just prepping for a school festival booth. Can we get a discount if we buy all of these?”

The shopkeeper grunted, adjusting the glasses perched on her nose. “Well, sure. If your total comes to more than 10,000, I’ll give you a 10% discount. Anyway, that crystal ball’s been here longer than you’ve been alive. They say it’s cursed. You have to pay me if you want to return that another day.”

“Cursed? Whoa. Onoda-han, let’s take it and try it out later!” An-rin energetically exclaimed as she grabbed the ball from Chii.

This girl… I could already imagine what she’s planning for our sleepover. Scaring each other? Won’t they huddle next to me if they all get scared? Wait. That’s… quite an ideal scenario. For a pervert like me, that is.