All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

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Aimi's knife sliced through vegetables with lightning speed. Cabbage, potatoes, beef—she cut everything in a blur of motion.

Even while chopping onions, Aimi moved so fast that the onions seemed unable to fight back, leaving her eyes completely unbothered by their stinging effects.

"Mom, I'm done! I'm heading back upstairs!"

After finishing the mountain of ingredients, Aimi slammed the knife down onto the cutting board, washed her hands quickly, and dashed upstairs straight to Kotomi's bedroom.

"This girl… Why did she cut the potatoes into such tiny pieces? I clearly told her just to dice them!" Akina glanced at the bowl of finely chopped potatoes, her mouth twitching in disbelief.

The pieces were so small that they might as well have been prepped for mashed potatoes.

Slam!

Aimi burst through the door, fully prepared to catch her sister in a compromising situation, only to freeze in confusion.

Inside the tranquil bedroom, Kotomi and Megumi sat cross-legged on the floor, calmly snacking on Shiroi Koibito (White Lover) chocolate biscuits laid out on the table.

Everything seemed… perfectly ordinary.

"Did I overthink it? Was I being too suspicious?" Aimi wondered, momentarily stunned.

"Ah! Aimi, come try these! They're White Lover's New Chitose Airport limited-edition gift box, featuring all the available flavors! Megumi brought them for us." Kotomi waved cheerfully, beckoning her sister over.

Hmph! Aimi sneered internally. A gift from Megumi? No way am I eating that!

Yet moments later, Aimi found herself sitting down, grabbing a piece of dark chocolate-filled biscuit, and nibbling on it like a cautious hamster.

Seeing Kotomi munch on her third biscuit, Aimi couldn't help but offer a gentle reminder, "Sis, dinner's soon. Don't eat too much or you won't have room!"

Almost immediately, Aimi regretted her words. They seemed to insult Kotomi's formidable appetite.

"Don't worry, I'll just have one more," Kotomi reassured her, patting her belly.

"This time, I stayed at a hotel near a department store in Hokkaido. Not only did they have a White Lover specialty shop, but they also sold lots of other great stuff," Megumi chimed in, smiling as she rummaged through her shopping bags.

Pulling out a slightly weighty box, she handed it to Aimi.

"What's this?"

"A souvenir for you! Open it and see if you like it," Megumi said, her smile wide and teasing.

"Huh? Th-thank you…"

Hesitant, Aimi accepted the box. It felt slightly heavy in her hands, sparking a mixture of curiosity and wariness.

The box bore the logo of a niche boutique and was plastered with fragile-handle-with-care stickers.

"Uh… Can I open it?" Aimi asked cautiously, eyeing the box as though it might contain a prank.

She had every reason to be cautious. With Megumi suddenly gifting her something while wearing that sly smile, Aimi couldn't shake the image of a weasel bearing gifts for a chicken.

"Of course you can. What, are you worried I packed a bomb in there?" Megumi retorted playfully, her narrowed eyes sparkling mischievously.

Aimi gulped. Was the room warm, or was it just her starting to sweat?

After mentally preparing herself for every possible scenario, Aimi began slowly lifting the lid, inch by agonizing inch. Her cautious pace was so deliberate that it couldn't even compare to how quickly Kotomi had earlier lifted her skirt while leaning against Megumi's shoulder.

When Aimi finally opened the box, she didn't find explosives, poison gas, animal corpses, or a surprise crossbow bolt shooting out at her.

Instead, she saw a...

Aimi reached into the box and carefully pulled out its contents with both hands. Kotomi, curious about what gift Megumi had prepared for Aimi, also leaned in for a look. While she knew Megumi had bought something for Aimi, she wasn't privy to the specifics.

Plop.

Aimi gently placed the item on the table and removed the surrounding foam board and bubble wrap. What emerged was an exquisitely crafted glass replica of a honeydew melon, complete with a base for display.

Kotomi quickly grabbed the discarded bubble wrap—one of her favorite fidgeting toys.

Aimi stared at the melon-shaped glass ornament for a moment, surprised. She turned to Megumi with wide eyes and asked, "How did you know I like glass ornaments like these?"

"Just a guess~," Megumi replied with a light smile.

Earlier, Megumi and Kotomi had discussed whether they should tell Aimi it was Kotomi who had mentioned her fondness for delicate, shiny ornaments. Kotomi had suggested claiming it was just an instinctive choice.

Megumi and Aimi had always had a tense relationship, with Aimi perpetually finding fault with Megumi. Kotomi had long observed this dynamic and felt troubled by it. Though Kotomi believed she had a good idea why Aimi harbored such feelings, she still hoped the two could find common ground. She dreamed of a future where they didn't constantly clash, metaphorically wielding swords at each other every time they met.

After all, they were going to be family someday.

Megumi, too, wanted to improve her relationship with Aimi and had agreed with Kotomi's plan. When Aimi inevitably asked about the gift, Megumi would attribute it to a hunch.

In truth, when Megumi had visited the craft store in Hokkaido, she had wandered around for half a day after discarding the idea of buying a hat as a souvenir for Aimi. She genuinely picked the glass melon on a whim.

Why she was naturally drawn to it? She wasn't entirely sure.

The vibrant green, the intricate patterns that made it look astonishingly real—when Megumi first saw it on the shelf, she almost thought she had walked into a fruit store and was about to ask, "Boss, is this melon guaranteed to ripen?"

No wonder it had been so expensive.

"Do you like it?" Megumi asked with a smile.

"I like it," Aimi said, captivated by the craftsmanship of the melon replica. She nodded vigorously. For the first time, she thought Megumi didn't seem so unpleasant after all.

And what was Kotomi doing at that moment?

Kotomi was fully absorbed in popping the bubble wrap.

Pop-pop-pop-pop—

"Oh, by the way, the base under the melon can light up," Megumi said, flipping the hidden switch on the stand.

Light radiated from the honeydew melon, casting a brilliant green glow.

"Pfft—"

Kotomi glanced up and couldn't help bursting into laughter.

She didn't mean to, but the way the green light illuminated Aimi's face was just too much for her to process without laughing.

Still, to be fair, the green glow was quite pretty.

Kotomi turned her head to look at Megumi, who was seated beside her. Feeling Kotomi's gaze, Megumi averted her eyes with a sheepish smile and said, "I didn't expect it to glow green either. I thought it would just be a plain white light."

"With that green glow being this bright, add a few more colors, and it could double as an RGB ambient light," Kotomi quipped.

Yet, judging by the sparkle in Aimi's eyes, it seemed she really liked this glowing honeydew melon replica.

...

"Megumi, won't you stay for dinner?"

After delivering the souvenirs to Akina, Megumi sat down to chat with her. After a pleasant twenty-minute conversation, Megumi decided it was time to leave, and Akina extended a warm invitation to stay for dinner.

The Izumi couple adored Megumi more each time they met her. She was well-mannered, understanding, and carried herself with an elegant grace that didn't feel distant. A quiet and refined young lady.

As for the ongoing meal preparation in the kitchen?

The moment Akina spotted Aimi, she effortlessly handed over all the cooking duties. Akina then sat down to chat with Megumi, leaving Aimi standing by the stove, managing several pots. Her face lit with forced joy while a lurking dread gripped the hapless ingredients on the countertop, fearing they'd soon face her wrath.

When invited, Megumi politely shook her head and said with a gentle smile:

"Thank you, Auntie, but my mother is making dinner at home. I wouldn't want to miss it. Next time, though, I'll be sure to come back and enjoy your cooking again. Ever since I tasted the bento you packed for Kotomi, I've been dreaming of your dishes."

The way Megumi spoke always left Akina and her husband feeling perfectly at ease. Such tactful phrasing often gave socially skilled individuals an edge in daily interactions.

"Haha, if you come by often, I'd be delighted! Thank you for the lovely souvenirs, by the way. These gloves are such fine quality, and the tea—you know your uncle will adore it. You're so thoughtful, always thinking of us, even while on vacation. But really, don't go out of your way next time, okay?"

"Of course, Auntie~" Megumi replied sweetly. But in her heart, she already knew she'd bring them gifts the next time, too.

Polite words aside, thoughtful actions mattered just as much.

"Take care on your way home, now. The rain is coming down hard, but it should finally stop tomorrow," Akina added.

Megumi picked up her umbrella and made her way to the entrance to put on her shoes. As always, Kotomi walked her to the door.

"You don't have to walk me any further. Go back inside," Megumi said after stepping out of the house.

Kotomi gave her a playful kick and gazed at her with a coquettish pout, her expression full of teasing reproach, like a wife chiding an unromantic husband. Her eyes were half playful, half yearning.

"Little Megumi, are you playing dumb? Where's that sharp wit of yours gone? You know very well I came out here to send you off so I could—"

Before she could finish her sentence, their umbrellas bumped together.

Without warning, Megumi pulled Kotomi into her arms and kissed her, silencing the mischievous little temptress.

When she finally let Kotomi go, she gently tapped her nose with a finger and smiled:

"You're insatiable, aren't you, my little enchantress? I'm starting to think I need to get a gym membership to keep up with you."

Kotomi's face glowed with contentment, but when she heard Megumi's words, her demeanor instantly shifted into a delicate, pitiable act:

"You were the one who initiated the kiss just now~ Don't blame me for this."

Though Kotomi often behaved sweetly and obediently, there was an underlying mischievous charm to her. When she played her cards right, she could easily outwit even the slyest green teas or white lotuses, leaving them fuming.

Megumi tilted Kotomi's chin with a finger, gazing into her eyes with a gentle yet commanding air.

"My little temptress, if you keep playing these cat-and-mouse games with me, I can't promise I'll be able to hold back. I might just devour you whole, not even leaving the broth behind~"

"By next year, you'll have to learn how to be a mom."

After hearing Megumi's words, Kotomi froze momentarily. Once the meaning sank in, her cheeks flushed a deep red, as vibrant as the hues of a sunset. Even though she had started this teasing exchange, she found herself utterly defeated in the face of Megumi's counterattack. Annoyed and embarrassed, she reached out to pinch Megumi's waist.

Megumi sidestepped gracefully, easily dodging the move, and then grabbed Kotomi's wrist. Taking advantage of the moment, she leaned in to plant a quick kiss on Kotomi's lips, light as a dragonfly skimming water.

Before Kotomi could react, Megumi released her wrist and spun elegantly under her umbrella, as though she were dancing on a rain-soaked stage, evading Kotomi's retaliatory swipe with effortless grace.

"Wife, I'm heading home! See you tomorrow!" Megumi called out, standing a short distance away and waving cheerfully.

"Who's your wife? Did I say so? Hmph, see you tomorrow!" Kotomi, her face still red, stood rooted in place, waving reluctantly as Megumi disappeared into the rainy night.

Once Megumi was out of sight, Kotomi finally turned and headed back into the house.

The moment she walked through the door, she heard Aimi calling her to dinner.

...

"Itadakimasu!"

Kotomi picked up her chopsticks and began eating ravenously. She'd been starving since their time at the hospital, her hunger so intense that it had inspired wild mental images of steamed sole fish. Even now, recalling how her stomach had growled made her want to bury herself deep underground—or leave Earth altogether.

Farewell! I'm Kotomi Izumi, and I can't bear to stay on this planet another second!

In contrast to Kotomi's eager eating, Aimi ate quietly and composedly. Just as she was about to remind Kotomi to slow down, something caught her attention.

Kotomi's shirt buttons—the top few—were all fastened incorrectly!

However, Aimi didn't think much of it. Kotomi had always been sloppy about her school uniform when she didn't have to wear it properly. Whether it was her tie or bow, she often tied them haphazardly.

Aimi chose not to comment, thinking it wouldn't be worth it. After all, if she pointed it out, Kotomi might start paying more attention to whether her buttons were properly aligned in the future. That, in turn, would complicate things for Aimi.

Why? Because if Kotomi became vigilant, Aimi's frequent stealthy "attacks" during Kotomi's sleep—particularly on weekends—might get noticed.

That would ruin everything!

Even though Kotomi didn't wear pajamas at night, she often donned them for weekend naps. And for Aimi, weekends were sacred: they doubled her opportunities for such "raids," turning the usual nightly opportunity into a two-times-a-day windfall!

In Aimi's mind, that extra chance every weekend was like getting a brand-new, unopened 3090Ti graphics card for just one yen. She considered it an absolute jackpot!

Lost in such thoughts, Aimi pretended not to notice the misaligned buttons, quietly continuing her meal while mentally planning her next move: when would be the best time for tonight's raid?

If Aimi had spoken up about the buttons, she might have witnessed Kotomi's flustered reaction as she hurried to cover up what Megumi had done to her shirt. And perhaps from that unusual behavior, she would have gleaned some interesting clues.

But alas, she didn't.

Of course, if Kotomi had known what was on Aimi's mind, she would have felt nothing short of sheer relief.

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