Stealing Spree

After a sumptuous lunch where Rumi critiqued and praised my cooking simultaneously, we moved to her living room, sitting side by side on her catch.

At the moment, she had my scenario's first draft in her hand. With an impish smile on her lips, she started reading it after putting on her reading glass.

Not gonna lie, her attractiveness went up with that pair of glasses. I still couldn't believe I called her ordinary back then. Am I blind? Now, I cannot get enough of her...

After a while, I watched as she read it silently, her expression experiencing a cycle of change as it reflected everything she felt from what she was reading. In the end, she was left with a furrowed forehead as she turned her head at me.

Well, I told her honestly that I only wrote what came to my mind after reading everyone's scenarios.

"It's... quite interesting, Ruki. But will we be able to tie this with everyone's work?"

With my arm draped around her shoulder, I leaned in closer, "Well, isn't that why I'm here? So we can revise it if it is problematic. Our interactive story is split into three parts, right? The opening act. The middle act. And mine, the climax."

Rumi's cheeks flushed at my choice of words before nodding.

This girl... where does her mind wander? Is saying 'climax' bad? Ah. It's not because it's bad. It's probably because I was the one who said it.

I scratched my cheek and then whispered, "Look who's the pervert now. That's not what I meant, Rumi. I should've said 'closing act'."

Rumi giggled and pinched my cheek before taking off her glasses and placing the manuscript down. "Your word choice is really something else, shameless junior, But let's focus on the story for now, okay?"

Her eyes sparkled so beautifully that I couldn't help but continue to be drawn by them.

"Mhm. I'll hand you the honors of nitpicking what I've written,"

Upon saying that, I kissed her neck as my arm wrapped around her waist. Rumi let me do it for a while but as though remembering we had work to do, she slapped my hand away. Not without a blush though.

Shortly after that, Rumi picked up my draft again as she followed my words, picking out the parts she had questions about.

I answered most of them and explained which truly showcased how lacking my skill was. But Rumi didn't mind it. She's also enjoying this moment.

Just the two of us discussing things related to the club. That's how diligent she is.

"Ruki, I must say. The conclusion isn't exciting after reading it thrice. We have to put that on revision as well. Happy or bad end should make our visitors willing to bring their friends to try our booth as well."

I nodded, taking a sip of the tea she'd made for us. It's not the miraculous tea but still an expensive kind nonetheless.

"That's why I need your expertise, Rumi. I know my draft won't be enough, but I tried to connect every scene to my scenario. That way, it will be a cohesive story even if there are two different paths that our visitors can take."

As I planned before, the main allure of our interactive story will be the freedom of the visitors to choose how they will proceed through the story.

Of course, we cannot really have them choose any path. It's impossible.

From the opening act of Rae where they will be presented with two choices at the end. The subsequent scenarios will also be the same. The middle act will have two parallel scenes and two parts. This means the first two will be responsible for the choice made by the visitor after the opening act while the second part will connect with both scenarios in the first part so there will be a variety of ways to approach it.

As for the closing act or the climax, it will be the culmination of everything that is supposed to happen within the opening and the middle acts. That's why, mine is the one with more choices to consider before reaching an ending.

"Do you think the visitors will like it if we tell them they can see every possible outcome by letting them try again?" Rumi suggested, her eyes clearly showing how deep she was trying to dig at this.

"No. Everyone will only have one chance. Even if they pay for another try, we won't take it. Rumi, we also have to consider ourselves. Can we keep up with the changes every time someone comes in?" I answered with a shake of my head as my hand dropped on her thigh. I stroked her gently to convey my concern.

We shouldn't tire ourselves out for this. It should be enough that they could try it once. We're not searching for profit anyway. It's just to have our club be present during it. To draw more possible members from the visitors.

"But think about it, Ruki. If we do this right, we can make a name for our Literature Club. And it'll be something no one else has done before." Rumi's eyes sparkled with ambition and passion, and I knew she was eager to make a mark in the school's cultural festival.

"That's true. But we can only allow it if there's no one waiting for their turn." I said with my tone pretty much sealing any other argument.

Rumi's face fell for a bit but she nodded. She understood me, of course. But ideas just kept flowing in her head.

"Fine, but we need to make sure every path is worth the experience. No dead ends or unsatisfactory endings."

"Alright. Then, shall we start revising and polishing the scenarios?" I smiled, taking the manuscript from her.

Rumi nodded eagerly with her eyes never leaving the pages.

And with that, we spent the next few minutes working tirelessly.

Rumi's sharp intellect and creative input were invaluable, and we bounced ideas back and forth like a couple of kids playing ping pong. Her suggestions were spot-on, and she had a knack for seeing the story from different angles. We tweaked the plot points and added some twists and turns. Before I knew it, the manuscript of our entire interactive story was starting to look like a masterpiece.

Or at least, that's how it was in my eyes.

At one point, we also started a group call, letting the other girls of our club join in our discussion. Rae, Kana, Hana, and Otsuka-senpai eagerly shared their thoughts and ideas, their voices a mix of excitement and a little chiding. It was clear that everyone was invested in making this interactive story a hit.

Well, among them, I was the one with the weakest writing. So, when it came to revising my closing act and presenting the numerous choices and endings, I got scolded by them for my unrealistic expectations.

I took all those without complaint and listened to their advice with an open mind. Each of them had a unique perspective, and their criticisms were constructive, pushing me to think beyond the obvious. The energy in the room was electric as we collaborated, the air thick with creativity and ambition.

Then right after the storm of scolding, the girls praised me to the point that I felt like I was being spoiled silly.

I mean, they're all my girls. Rae, my knowledge girl. My cute and shy Kana who's also our resident novelist. And my brilliant and confident Hana.

As for Otsuka-senpai... well, we still have that group date pending where I would be presenting myself as her boyfriend.

But what was truly amazing was through this, we formed a new bond working for this Cultural Festival presentation project. Each one of us had our strengths and we complemented each other perfectly. It was like a puzzle where each piece fit so well that the picture was clearer than ever.

In any case, since we still have enough time to continue revising it to fit everything we want in a small timeframe for each visitor, we then focused on ensuring the visitor's experience is memorable, even if they only have one shot.

Two hours later, we finished the initial draft.

The group call ended and the coffee table in front of us became a mess of scattered papers,

scribbled notes, and an empty tea set.

With her mind also a little tired, Rumi leaned back onto my chest, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. "Not bad for a first try, Ruki. But we still have a long way to go."

"Mhm. I know... And I'll continue relying on all of you," I patted her head and wrapped my arms around her, comforting her while I also took comfort in her warmth.

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