All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

"By the way, Kotomi, here's the manuscript for my new manga. I originally planned to give it to you this morning, but I never found a moment to be alone with you all day. I ended up waiting until now. This is Volume 1, and I'm planning for the story to span five volumes… if it gets published," Mashiro Shiina said softly. She glanced around to ensure no one was nearby before taking a thick bundle of manuscript pages from her bag.

Accepting it with both hands, Kotomi felt the weight of the manuscript through the sturdy kraft envelope. The heft alone hinted at a richly packed volume.

I wonder what kind of story she's brought me this time, Kotomi thought to herself, her anticipation evident. Meanwhile, Mashiro eagerly awaited what kind of feedback Kotomi would offer once she read it.

"I understand. I'll carefully read it after I get home. I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing the story you've crafted this time," Kotomi said, smiling as she gently tucked the kraft envelope into her bag. The once light and empty bag now felt considerably heavier.

As the two descended the final staircase toward the teachers' office, Kotomi gestured toward a corridor branching off to the side. "I'll head this way. Megumi is waiting for me."

Hearing Kotomi mention Megumi once more, Mashiro's eyes flickered, her heart trembling as the memory of that day replayed vividly in her mind—the moment she secretly witnessed. The scene of two girls locked in an intimate kiss was the first time Mashiro had seen such a display in real life.

That night, the image lingered relentlessly in her thoughts. Her emotions were tumultuous: she envied Megumi and couldn't suppress the bitter thought, Why wasn't I the one embracing and kissing Kotomi at that moment?

But hidden deep within her heart was a peculiar excitement she couldn't entirely suppress.

Mashiro clenched her fists slightly. As Kotomi turned to leave and head toward Megumi, Mashiro instinctively reached out and grabbed Kotomi's wrist before she could take a step.

"Eh?"

Kotomi stopped in her tracks, her confusion evident as she looked back at Mashiro, whose hand was firmly gripping her wrist.

"Mashiro? Is there something else you need?" Kotomi asked, her tone as gentle as her smile.

"… No, not really. I just wanted to say, be careful on your way," Mashiro murmured, her head lowered.

"Thank you."

Kotomi chuckled softly and reached out to pat Mashiro's head in a comforting gesture. After Mashiro let go of her wrist, Kotomi turned and walked away.

As Mashiro watched Kotomi's figure grow distant, a bold idea began to take shape in her mind. The impulsive act of grabbing Kotomi's wrist had been driven by that very thought, though it had been too vague earlier for her to act further. Now, however, the idea crystallized with clarity.

Mashiro's gaze turned toward the direction Kotomi had disappeared, her eyes filled with determination, laced with an unmistakable sense of possessiveness.

On her way to meet Megumi at the front of the school building, Kotomi made a quick stop by the school's shop. The shopkeeper was preparing to close up, and Kotomi ended up being her final customer, purchasing two cheesy hot dogs.

Her stomach was growling in protest.

Though Yukino Yukinoshita had generously shared most of her steak at lunch, Kotomi's appetite was far from sated. Even with the additional bites she'd scrounged from Yui, Mashiro, and Megumi, she was only about 80% full.

Barely getting through the next two periods and her club activities, Kotomi now found herself famished.

The shopkeeper chuckled softly as she handed over the food, already familiar with this pretty, polite girl whose appetite never failed to surprise her.

With a hot dog in each hand, Kotomi alternated between bites, savoring the melty cheese, tangy pickles, crispy bacon, and plump sausages. She ate with such relish that, for a moment, she seemed to forget decorum entirely.

Meanwhile, Megumi stood waiting at the front entrance of the building, having arrived early from the library. After nearly ten minutes of waiting, she glanced at her phone with furrowed brows. Normally, by now, she and Kotomi would already be walking home together.

Did someone else whisk her away?

The first name that crossed Megumi's mind was Arisu Sakayanagi, causing her to click her tongue irritably. She was about to march into the building when she finally heard the familiar sound of approaching footsteps.

Looking up, she spotted Kotomi walking toward her, holding a hot dog in each hand and munching away without a care in the world.

"Megumi!" Kotomi's face lit up as she saw Megumi, but with her hands full, all she could manage was an energetic bounce, much like an excited little rabbit.

"So this is why you took so long. You went to the shop to grab some food, huh? Didn't you eat enough at lunch?" Megumi asked, her lips curving into a faint smile.

"Only about 80% full."

Kotomi nodded honestly, feeling no need to hide her appetite from Megumi. After all, they'd shared enough meals together for Megumi to already know her secret.

Before long, both hot dogs were devoured, leaving Kotomi thoroughly satisfied.

"Here, wipe your mouth."

Megumi chuckled as she handed Kotomi a napkin. The "little penguin" had been so focused on eating that she hadn't realized she'd gotten cheese and sauce smeared across her lips, resembling a small, messy kitten.

"On Friday, I'm heading to Hokkaido with my parents to attend a relative's wedding. Want to come along, Kotomi?"

"Hokkaido?!"

The invitation excited Kotomi at first, but after a moment of thought, she shook her head. While she and Megumi were dating and her parents seemed to like her well enough, it felt far too soon to join them for a family event like this.

Besides, their relationship wasn't yet public knowledge, and in their parents' eyes, they were just close friends. It would feel inappropriate to attend such an occasion.

And… there was Arisu Sakayanagi, who was planning to visit her house that Friday.

"Thanks, but I'll have to pass. It just wouldn't feel right. Maybe if it were just the two of us…"

Mid-sentence, Kotomi suddenly realized what she was saying and stopped herself, her face reddening slightly. But it was too late—Megumi had heard her loud and clear.

Megumi blinked in surprise, then broke into a sly grin. Wrapping an arm around Kotomi's slender waist, she leaned in and whispered teasingly:

"Are you fantasizing about a honeymoon? What a coincidence—I've been looking forward to ours too."

"H-Honeymoon?" Kotomi's cheeks flushed crimson as Megumi wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Isn't that what you're looking forward to?" Megumi lowered her head, her bright tone suddenly tinged with feigned disappointment.

"It's not necessarily a honeymoon… Though I would love to go on a trip with you, Megumi. But a honeymoon only counts after getting married, right?" Kotomi stammered, her face burning as she tried to explain.

Megumi's delicate face turned a playful red as she grinned. She leaned in closer, her lips dangerously near Kotomi's: "Shall we head to city hall now?"

There was no need for Megumi to elaborate. Kotomi immediately understood her meaning. As Megumi's face drew even closer, Kotomi instinctively leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"You actually initiated a kiss for once?!" Megumi exclaimed, her tone rising in excitement like a child receiving a surprise treat.

"Well… you're always the one who initiates. Even when I want to, you rarely give me the chance," Kotomi muttered, her blush deepening, though her heart swelled with satisfaction. She had finally managed to catch Megumi off guard.

"Then I'll try to leave more openings for you from now on, so you'll have more opportunities to 'ambush' me," Megumi whispered, the mischievous glint in her eyes betraying her intentions. She had long noticed Kotomi's little attempts at sneak attacks but had played along, feigning ignorance. After all, who could resist letting their beloved make such adorable advances?

"Hmph," Kotomi huffed in mock triumph, puffing out her chest.

When they arrived at the Izumi household's front door, Kotomi prepared to say goodbye as usual. However, before leaving, Megumi asked once more, "Are you sure you don't want to come to Hokkaido with me?"

"If it were just the two of us, I'd definitely go. It could even be our first trip together. But since your parents are going too, it wouldn't feel appropriate for me to tag along," Kotomi replied softly.

After considering it for a moment, Megumi realized Kotomi had a point and reluctantly gave up on the idea of bringing her along. She gently flicked Kotomi's nose and teased, "Our flight is on Friday morning, so I won't be at school that day. I've already informed Hiratsuka-sensei. You won't see me for three whole days—Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Try not to miss me so much that you end up crying, okay?"

"I'm not a kid!" Kotomi pouted, swatting away Megumi's mischievous hand.

"I'll bring back a souvenir for you. There are lots of nice things in Hokkaido. Anything you'd like?"

"Hmm… Let me think. How about some Shiroi Koibito chocolate biscuits?"

"You don't even like chocolate," Megumi remarked, surprised. She was well aware of Kotomi's dislike for chocolate and had been racking her brain over what to give her for Valentine's Day. Yet here Kotomi was, requesting chocolate.

"I don't like dark chocolate, but I'm fine with white chocolate," Kotomi explained cheerfully.

White chocolate and liqueur-filled chocolates were the exceptions Kotomi could tolerate. However, since the latter was encased in dark chocolate, she always needed Aimi's help.

Their usual routine involved Aimi biting off half of the dark chocolate shell, allowing Kotomi to drink the liquor inside, and then finishing off the remaining chocolate.

Rum, vodka, limoncello, Cointreau, mojito, absinthe, gin—Kotomi had developed a fondness for all these liquors from liqueur chocolates ever since she first tasted them as a child. Unfortunately, given her age, she couldn't drink real alcohol yet, especially under her strict mother's watchful eye.

Her grandparents, on the other hand, were far more indulgent. Kotomi's first box of liqueur chocolates had been a gift from them.

"It's good for kids to develop a taste for alcohol early," her grandfather had said. "That way, they'll know what to buy for the family when they grow up."

Of course, his sentiment was always met with a stern scolding from her grandmother.

Noting Kotomi's fondness for white chocolate, Megumi mentally filed the information away.

"Shiroi Koibito chocolate biscuits. Anything else you want? Haha, I was thinking of bringing you back some unique Hokkaido crafts."

Megumi chuckled, realizing her initial idea of a romantic keepsake might not suit Kotomi's practical tastes.

"I'm not that into crafts. I prefer food," Kotomi admitted plainly. Compared to a decorative trinket, she'd rather have a collectible figure.

"You little glutton," Megumi teased.

"I'm not a glutton!" Kotomi protested.

"You totally are."

"I am not!"

"You'd better be careful. If you keep arguing, I'll have to 'convince' you otherwise." Megumi leaned in with a wicked grin, her hand bracing against the wall to trap Kotomi. Her other hand twitched playfully, threatening to cause mischief.

"F-Fine! I'm a glutton! Are you happy now? I'm going inside! Don't forget my Shiroi Koibito chocolate biscuits!" Kotomi blurted, her face flushed, before darting into the house like a startled rabbit.

Watching her retreat with a flustered expression, Megumi couldn't help but laugh. Kotomi's shy yet defiant demeanor was utterly endearing—like a bunny always on the verge of bolting. Even in her embarrassment, Kotomi hadn't forgotten to remind her about the biscuits.

Megumi smiled warmly, her heart brimming with affection.

During dinner, Izumi Akina came across a short video on her phone featuring several fluffy Ragdoll cats.

"Oh my! These kittens are so adorable! What breed are they? They look so soft… Ragdoll cats, huh? Honey, can we get one?" Akina asked excitedly, her heart stolen by the video.

"Get a cat? Sure, why not? I remember you've wanted one for ages," her husband Kaneyoshi nodded thoughtfully, supportive of the idea.

Both Kotomi and Aimi chimed in enthusiastically. They were well aware of their mother's lifelong love for cats, though her dream had been delayed time and time again due to various circumstances.

Back in her school days, Akina's mother had been allergic to cat fur, preventing her from getting one. Later, during college, dormitory rules forbade pets.

Even after graduation, when Akina and Kaneyoshi moved in together in a small rented apartment, their landlord prohibited pets. And after they bought a house and had children, Akina became so focused on raising Kotomi and Aimi that her desire for a cat faded into the background—until the video reignited it.

"Do you really want a Ragdoll, Mom?" Aimi asked curiously. She was familiar with pet breeds from watching countless animal videos herself.

"Not necessarily. I just thought Ragdolls were cute. Honestly, I'd love any adorable kitten," Akina admitted.

Aimi breathed a sigh of relief. "Good thing you're not set on a Ragdoll."

"Why's that?" Akina asked, tilting her head.

Taking out her phone, Aimi navigated to a popular pet store's website and searched for Ragdoll cats. She handed the phone to her mother.

"Check out the price for yourself."

Akina's eyes widened as she took in the numbers. Her gasp was audible.

The base price for a single Ragdoll kitten was 300,000 yen?

And the most expensive ones? 590,000 yen?!

This didn't even include the ongoing costs for care and maintenance listed below.

Ragdolls had only one flaw—their price.

With a defeated expression, Akina closed the app and declared resolutely, "On second thought, I think I prefer other kinds of kittens."

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