All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

"I swear, next time something like this happens, I'm charging you for my services," Kotomi Izumi grumbled as she unwillingly helped Yui Yuigahama copy her English homework.

"If you're going to be late again, maybe try not to fake being an attentive student. Just keep your head down and pretend to read the textbook," Yukino Yukinoshita advised while also copying part of the assignment.

"This passage is so simple…" Mashiro Shiina remarked as she diligently wrote, letting out a quiet sigh of disbelief.

For Mashiro, who grew up in England, Japanese high school-level English was child's play.

"You're all angels! I'll make it up to you after school with cake at my place!" Yui Yuigahama beamed, her gratitude overflowing.

The English passage assigned was unusually long, and if Yui had to write it out five times on her own, she wouldn't finish even if she skipped lunch. However, the teacher had insisted the punishment be turned in before the end of the day.

Left with no other choice, Yui had turned to Kotomi and the others for help. Moved by promises of cake—or perhaps out of sheer camaraderie—everyone pitched in. Yui wrote two copies, Kotomi wrote one, Yukino wrote one, and Mashiro wrote another.

"If Megumi were here today, we'd only need to do one copy each," Kotomi mused, resting her cheek on her palm and sighing softly.

"By the way, why isn't Megumi in class today?" Yukino asked, glancing at the empty seat where Megumi usually sat.

"Her family has a relative getting married this weekend, and since the wedding's in Hokkaido, they had to leave a day early to get there. She's probably boarding her flight by now," Kotomi explained.

Mashiro couldn't help but quietly celebrate in her heart: Good!

"Hokkaido? That's so nice! I wish I could fly somewhere, anywhere, just to be on a plane," Yui said wistfully, her eyes sparkling with longing.

Though Kotomi didn't comment aloud, she silently took note of Yui's words. Yui and her little sister, Yuka, have never traveled or flown before? she thought, her mind already working on a plan.

"By the way, after the start of the second semester in our senior year, we'll have a school trip," Yukino added, as though trying to lift the mood.

"A school trip?! Where to?" Both Kotomi and Yui perked up instantly at the mention of the trip.

"Typically, it's Kyoto," Yukino replied calmly.

Kotomi wasn't surprised at all. Kyoto was close to Chiba and had plenty of sightseeing spots, making it a perfect destination for school trips.

But if it's Kyoto, we won't get to fly, Kotomi thought to herself. Well, I'll just have to take Yui on a flight after we graduate.

Just as Kotomi was mulling over the idea, Yukino continued with a thoughtful expression.

"However, the school trip when we're seniors might be a little special. Every six years, Sobu High School organizes an overseas trip instead. I checked the date of the last one. If my calculations are correct, when we're seniors, it'll be six years since the last one. That means—"

Yukino deliberately paused, letting the anticipation build.

Kotomi and Yui immediately clapped their hands in unison, their eyes sparkling with excitement. "Awesome!"

"Do you know which country we'd go to?" Kotomi asked eagerly.

Yukino shook her head. "That, I don't know. It's still too early to tell since we're only in our first year. The school likely hasn't decided yet. But by the second semester of our junior year, they should announce it so we have time to get our passports ready."

While the trio continued their animated discussion, Mashiro stayed silent, her head down as she quietly worked on copying the passage.

A senior year trip... How nice...

Mashiro's hand paused for a moment as her thoughts drifted. No matter where it is, I just want to go. I want to go on a school trip with Kotomi.

"Soon, you'll be leaving Japan…"

The voice of Chihiro Sengoku echoed faintly in Mashiro's mind.

"Yesterday, your parents called me out of the blue. They said they wanted to bring you back to England after spring break in your second year of high school."

Although Mashiro had always known she would eventually leave Japan and return to England, she hadn't expected the time to come so soon—or for the departure date to be so early.

Leaving after spring break… she thought, calculating in her head. The time I have left in Japan doesn't even amount to a full year.

"Do you think the cherry blossoms will bloom when I leave?" Mashiro muttered softly.

"Hm? Mashiro, what are you talking about?"

Kotomi, seated in front of her, turned around at the sound of Mashiro's quiet voice. Although Mashiro had spoken in barely a whisper, Kotomi still caught it. They were seated close enough that every little sound carried.

"It's… nothing…" Mashiro hastily regained her composure and explained, "I was just thinking that I came to Japan too late. I thought cherry blossoms were in bloom year-round, but after I landed, my cousin told me they only bloom in spring. I guess I'll have to miss them this year."

Kotomi tilted her head with a smile as radiant as the sun breaking through after a storm.

"Well, if you put it that way, I suppose you are a bit late. But it's no big deal. Cherry blossoms bloom every year. If you miss them this time, you'll see them next year."

The warmth in Kotomi's words dispelled the gloomy cloud in Mashiro's heart, if only for a moment.

"Speaking of cherry blossoms," Yui suddenly interjected from her seat, "I missed out on seeing them this year too, since our cake shop was so busy. How about we all go together next year?"

"Good idea," Yukino agreed with an almost imperceptible nod. Her rare concurrence made the suggestion feel even more meaningful. "Kotomi and Mashiro, you both must join us. Especially you, Kotomi—you already turned down our invite to the Dengeki Comic Con. You can't refuse a cherry blossom outing too."

"Haha, I promise I'll go next spring!" Kotomi laughed nervously, feeling a bit guilty for declining the convention invitation.

Although she had little interest in anime expos, cherry blossom viewing was an entirely different matter. She had always wanted to enjoy a picnic under the sakura trees.

"Mashiro, you'll come with us, right?" Kotomi asked softly, turning her gaze toward her friend.

The moment Mashiro met Kotomi's eyes, which sparkled like pink gemstones, a flurry of emotions churned within her. Ever since she had learned of her inevitable departure for England, every interaction with Kotomi—every word, every look, and every moment spent together—felt heavy and bittersweet.

I don't want to go back to England… I want to stay with you…

Mashiro longed to confess her feelings aloud, even if Yukino and Yui were there to hear it. But deep down, she knew such a declaration might only cause trouble for Kotomi.

Despite her detached demeanor, Mashiro cared deeply about the people around her.

Noticing Mashiro's prolonged silence, Kotomi reached out and gently poked her friend's forehead with her fingertip.

"You have to come. If you don't, I'll march to your house, carry you out, and make you watch the cherry blossoms with me."

Mashiro blinked, startled by Kotomi's sudden, playful declaration. The dark cloud in her heart seemed to dissipate under the warmth of Kotomi's smile.

Clenching her small fists tightly, Mashiro nodded with determination. "Yes! I'll definitely go see the cherry blossoms with Kotomi!"

"Ahaha, are you two filming a romance movie scene?" Yui teased, leaning over her chair with a mischievous grin as she observed Kotomi and Mashiro's interaction.

Kotomi and Mashiro exchanged a glance.

"Oh no, my hands are so tired… I guess I can't help Yui with copying the English assignment anymore," Kotomi said dramatically, setting down her pen. "Mashiro, what about you?"

"I'm done too," Mashiro replied, her tone calm and resolute.

"Wait! Don't be like that!" Yui wailed, putting on her best puppy-dog eyes. "I'm begging you both—please help me finish this!"

With some playful banter and a lot of teamwork, they finally managed to complete the five sets of copied English assignments by the end of the second break period.

"What kind of cake do you all want?"

During lunch, Yui brought up the topic since she had invited everyone to her house after school for cake. She wanted to know in advance what kind of cake everyone liked.

Yukino said, "I'm not picky. Anything is fine. I prefer cakes with more cheese, though."

Mashiro added, "I'd like baumkuchen."

Mashiro had been craving the baumkuchen from the Dango Cake Shop for nearly half a month.

Kotomi chimed in, "I'd like orange cake. Oh, and no chocolate, please. By the way, does Yui's mom have time to make cakes today?"

"Of course she does! My mom even told me this morning, 'Feel free to invite your friends over for cake.' Even though the shop is still closed, we've been sneaking into the back of the store lately to tidy up the kitchen and prepare for next month's reopening. It's also a chance to note what ingredients and supplies we'll need to restock."

"Got it! In that case, I'll leave the orange cake without chocolate to your mom. Oh, by the way, can I bring an extra person?"

Today was Friday, and as per her arrangement with Arisu Sakayanagi, Kotomi had promised to take her to her house. But before heading home, she thought it would be nice to let Arisu try Yui's mom's cake.

"Of course, bring whoever you like. Is it a boy or a girl?" Yui asked curiously.

In an instant, Yukino and Mashiro's gazes subtly but unmistakably shifted toward Kotomi. They didn't say a word, but it was clear they were very curious about who Kotomi planned to bring.

"Of course, it's a girl," Kotomi replied matter-of-factly. "And you all know her. Her name is…"

Just as she was about to finish, she was unintentionally interrupted by Hibiki Naegi, who suddenly walked in.

"Kotomi! So, this is where you've been having lunch. You have no idea how long I've been looking for you—totally wiped me out!" Hibiki said breathlessly as she approached.

Hibiki had assumed Kotomi would be eating somewhere outside the classroom since that was her own habit. After all, they'd agreed yesterday that she would hand over the art clubroom keys today. Earlier, when Hibiki went to Class 1-F, Kotomi had just left with Yui and Mashiro to grab lunch from the school store, so they'd missed each other.

To make matters worse, Kotomi had left her phone in her desk, which meant Hibiki couldn't call or text her.

After exhausting all other possible places, Hibiki had circled back to Class 1-F, where she finally found Kotomi sitting at her desk eating lunch.

Seeing Hibiki's sweat-covered face, Kotomi quickly pulled out a wet wipe and handed it to her apologetically. "Sorry, Hibiki-senpai. I forgot to take my phone with me when I went to buy lunch."

Hibiki wiped the sweat from her cheeks with the wet wipe and then pulled a set of keys from her pocket, placing them on Kotomi's desk.

"Here, take these. They're the art clubroom keys. After you're done using the room today, give the keys to Sengoku-sensei if she's still around. If she's not, just hold onto them and return them to me on Monday. Don't forget to clean the room before you leave."

"Got it~ You've told me that like a million times already, Hibiki-senpai."

"Alright then, I'll leave you all to your lunch. Later." Hibiki waved as she left.

"Bye-bye!" Kotomi called out, waving in return.

After Hibiki left, Kotomi resumed eating her lunch. But she soon noticed an unusual gaze directed at her.

Her "Queen of All Females" aura, which enhanced her sensitivity to others' attention, kicked in. She instinctively raised her head and immediately identified the source of the gaze—Seiko Kirigiri.

Seiko was seated at her desk, holding up a book that blocked most of her face, leaving only her eyes visible as they peered intently in Kotomi's direction.

When she noticed Kotomi looking back, she quickly lowered her gaze behind the book, pretending nothing had happened.

Kotomi didn't understand what had caused Seiko's reaction but could sense from her expression that it was likely a misunderstanding.

"Please don't let this turn into something troublesome," Kotomi murmured, shrinking slightly in her seat as she continued eating.

After pocketing the art clubroom keys, Kotomi realized something. Since she'd be working on her artwork after school, she wouldn't be able to go to Yui's house to eat cake with the others.

"Yui, I won't be able to make it to your house for cake today," Kotomi announced with clear regret.

"Eh? Why not?" Yui's face fell, her disappointment plain to see.

"Remember that day I missed school because of my cold? I fell behind on my artwork, and if I leave everything until next week, I won't have enough time to polish it properly. So I decided to spend an extra hour painting today," Kotomi explained.

Although Yui was disappointed, she understood. She could tell how much the upcoming art competition meant to Kotomi.

"Alright then… How about this? I'll bring the orange cake without chocolate to your house this evening!" Yui offered enthusiastically.

Having recently visited Kotomi's home, Yui had memorized its location.

"It's fine, really. I don't want to trouble you…"

"It's no trouble at all, Kotomi! Don't worry about it!" Yui assured her.

Lunch break was nearing its end.

Lying face-down on her desk for a nap, Kotomi got up, tiptoed out of the classroom, and headed toward the vending machine to buy a can of juice.

"By now, Megumi should already be on the plane, right?"

Pulling out her phone, Kotomi noted that despite barely using it all morning, the battery had already dropped to 56%.

"I didn't even use it much… What a power drain. No choice, I have to get a new phone this weekend," Kotomi muttered with a sigh, opening her texts to see several messages from Megumi.

Megumi's Messages:

"Finally about to board."

"We're taking off!"

[Photo Attached]

"Airplane meal: mashed potatoes + two slices of bread (with strawberry jam or Thousand Island dressing options) + stir-fried udon noodles + celery stir-fried with beef + sweet and spicy pickled vegetables + a bagged bottle of mineral water (be careful when tearing the corner; it spills easily) + mint chewing gum."

"The main course doesn't even include rice… How can I possibly be full without rice?!"

"By the way, I poured the Thousand Island dressing on the stir-fried udon and topped it with the celery beef. Kind of turned it into a mixed noodle dish. Or maybe stir-fry?"

"Kotomi?"

"You there?"

"Wuu, did I make you mad? Why aren't you replying?"

Seeing the string of messages sent fifty minutes earlier, Kotomi chuckled to herself before quickly typing a reply:

Kotomi's Reply:

"Haha, I had my phone on silent for class, and then I was eating lunch and napping. Speaking of which, Thousand Island dressing on stir-fried udon? What a weird combo—did it taste good?"

After sending the message, it showed as unread. Checking the time, Kotomi figured Megumi was likely preparing for the plane's landing and had turned her phone off.

After feeding a coin into the vending machine and buying a can of orange juice, Kotomi picked it up and started back toward the classroom.

"Kotomi!"

Suddenly, a voice called out to her. Kotomi stopped in her tracks and turned to see Seiko walking toward her.

"Seiko, I just bought an orange juice, and here you are. Coincidence?" Kotomi joked with a playful grin. Of course, Seiko didn't understand the pun hidden in Kotomi's wordplay.

Seiko (诚子) and orange juice (橙汁) had a similar pronunciation.

"Is there some connection I'm missing?" Seiko tilted her head, then quickly shook it off, saying, "No, no, that's not what I wanted to ask. Um, Kotomi, can I ask you something?"

Here it comes... Kotomi sighed internally. She'd already noticed Seiko's suspicious stares earlier and had guessed the girl had misunderstood something. She just hadn't expected it to come up this soon.

And worse, she still had no idea what Seiko had actually misunderstood.

"Of course. What's your question?"

Seiko hesitated for a moment, biting her lip before finally blurting out, "Kotomi, are you secretly dating my sister? Or… do you like her in a romantic way? Or… is it the other way around? Does my sister like you?!"

The more Seiko spoke, the more her voice wavered, and by the end, her nose was tinged red as if she were about to cry.

"Not at all! No way! You've totally misunderstood!"

The second Seiko's words were out, Kotomi flatly denied them with the utmost decisiveness.

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