All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

Iroha Isshiki went downstairs and said goodbye to Akina Izumi before leaving the house with Kotomi Izumi.

As they walked toward the Isshiki residence, Iroha Isshiki asked with a mischievous smile:

"Senpai, Senpai, the distance from your house to mine isn't especially far or especially close. I wouldn't have any trouble walking home by myself, so why do you still insist on personally escorting me all the way to my front door?"

I just wanted to use walking you home as an excuse to spend a little more time with you... Kotomi Izumi thought without the slightest hesitation, but what came out of her mouth was a tsundere response.

"I suggest you don't overthink it. I originally planned to escort you only as far as my own front door before turning around and going back inside. At most, I would've stood at the entrance and watched until your back disappeared from sight. But after stepping outside, I figured that since I'd already come out, I might as well treat it as a walk before lunch and escort you home along the way. That's the only reason, so don't overthink it."

"Senpai, have you ever heard the saying that the more someone wants something, the more they insist on denying it? You keep telling me not to overthink it, but deep down, you actually want me to overthink it, don't you?" Iroha Isshiki said with a giggle, her beautiful eyes glittering with the cunning of a little devil.

Having been seen through, Kotomi Izumi blushed and mumbled:

"Th-That's not what this is!"

"Hehe~ Senpai, your cheeks are so red~"

Iroha Isshiki deliberately pointed it out. She wanted to see whether Kotomi Izumi would once again use the same sunset excuse she always relied on whenever someone mentioned her blush.

"I-I'm not blushing! It's because of the sunset! The sunset's glow is shining on my face, understand?!"

Kotomi Izumi hurriedly spoke with a red face. Whenever she became embarrassed, she rarely paid attention to her surroundings. That was why, even though it was clearly noon, she stubbornly insisted that the redness on her cheeks came from the glow of the sunset.

Iroha Isshiki raised her head and glanced at the sun hanging high in the sky. The sunlight was intense today, but unfortunately, the cold weather kept her from feeling even the slightest warmth.

"Today's 'sunset' certainly is unique, Senpai~" Iroha Isshiki said with a smile after glancing up at the sun.

Only then did Kotomi Izumi once again realize that it was not dusk but noon, with the sun hanging high overhead. However, spoken words were like spilled water. Since she had already told Iroha Isshiki that her blush came from the glow of sunset, Kotomi could only continue stubbornly defending herself with a red face:

"The world is vast, and all kinds of strange things can happen. There's nothing unusual about a unique 'sunset' appearing every once in a while."

"Mm-hmm~ Perfectly normal, perfectly normal~" After hearing Kotomi's desperate insistence, Iroha Isshiki could not help laughing aloud as she nodded repeatedly, looking as though she completely agreed. Then, while Kotomi was not paying attention, she suddenly wrapped both arms around Kotomi's arm.

"Hey, you—" Kotomi Izumi's already flushed cheeks became even redder when the little devil hugged her arm.

"Hehehe~" Iroha Isshiki smiled as brightly as a blooming flower. She did not say a word and merely continued holding Kotomi's arm in silence, smiling all the while.

Both Kotomi and Iroha wished that this moment could last a little longer, then longer still.

Ideally, it would stretch all the way to the end of time...

Yet the more they wished for time to slow down, the faster it seemed to pass.

Before long, they arrived at the entrance to the Isshiki residence.

Reluctant to release Kotomi's arm, Iroha Isshiki blushed and quietly asked:

"Senpai, would you like to come inside and stay for a while?"

Kotomi Izumi instinctively wanted to nod and accept, but reason ultimately made her shake her head. She forced herself to speak in a relatively calm tone:

"No. It's getting late, and I should head home too. Um... You should eat lunch soon as well. There are only a few months left before the high school entrance exams, so make sure you work hard. I'll be waiting for you at Sobu High School."

Although Iroha Isshiki felt slightly disappointed when Kotomi rejected her invitation to stay longer, she quickly pulled herself together, nodded, and said with a smile:

"I'll definitely get into Sobu High School! When that happens, I'll be counting on you to take good care of me, Senpai~"

"Sure. Then I'll have to spend this time properly studying how to be a good upperclassman."

As Kotomi Izumi spoke, she could not help joking:

"After all, I might have to take care of so many younger schoolgirls that I won't even be able to count them on both hands. If I don't start learning how to become an exceptionally charming upperclassman now, what will I do if several girls become jealous over me and even start fighting? That would be rather difficult to handle~"

After saying this, Kotomi Izumi pretended not to care as she glanced at Iroha Isshiki's expression. She would have been better off not looking, because the sight nearly frightened her. The moment her words ended, Iroha Isshiki's expression changed instantly. If she had previously been a little devil whose sweetness made Kotomi's heart flutter, she had now become a little devil whose terrifying killing intent seemed capable of freezing the air itself!

Amid an atmosphere so tense that killing intent seemed to have solidified in the air, Iroha Isshiki slowly opened her mouth with a smile. In the confident, forceful, and chilling tone of a murderous little devil, she said:

"Oh? Is that so? If there really are a lot of younger schoolgirls surrounding you by then, Senpai, you'll definitely find it troublesome, won't you? Don't worry. I'll handle it."

At that point, Iroha Isshiki revealed a sweet smile like a cold drink in summer, raised her hand, and made a throat-slitting gesture before continuing:

"Using a somewhat 'unfriendly' method like this."

A cold drink could cool and quench one's thirst in summer, but drinking one in winter... Although Kotomi could still taste its sweetness, its chill also made her instinctively shrink back.

After Iroha Isshiki finished speaking, her smile, which resembled a cold summer drink, faded slightly and transformed into the sweet yet wicked grin of a little devil.

"Hehe, Senpai, why don't you guess what kind of 'unfriendly' method I'll use on those younger schoolgirls who might cling to you?"

I'd rather you tease me with your little-devil smile. When you use that same smile to 'threaten' me, I'm afraid I'll accidentally awaken some extremely embarrassing fetish... Kotomi Izumi thought, though her current pride would never allow her to say such a thing aloud.

At the same time, Kotomi Izumi hurriedly wiped away the frivolous expression that had appeared on her face when she mentioned the younger schoolgirls. She coughed softly and adopted an utterly serious tone.

"Ahem. I only want to help newly enrolled students within the limits of my ability. After all, when they've only just entered the school, they're unfamiliar with everything. Do you know why new students always behave especially obediently during their first few weeks?

"It's because they haven't fully adapted to the surrounding environment or figured out their teachers' personalities yet. As a good upperclassman, of course I have to teach the new students a few ways to adapt quickly to their new environment.

"For example—how many textbooks should they stack on their desks so they can openly play with their phones or sleep without making the teacher suspicious?

"This is an extremely profound field of study. I began researching it in elementary school, mastered it in middle school, and now that I'm in high school, I've reached the pinnacle!

"Naturally, there's also the corresponding technique of calmly slipping a phone from the desk into the desk compartment with the smallest possible movement whenever a teacher or guidance counselor enters the classroom."

Only after listening to Kotomi Izumi's explanation did the cold-drink-like smile completely disappear from Iroha Isshiki's cheeks. She narrowed her eyes with a smile and said:

"So that's what you were planning, Senpai. I thought you wanted to..."

"Stop right there." Kotomi Izumi waved a hand and interrupted her. "How could I possibly use helping younger schoolgirls as an excuse to get closer to them and eventually devour them completely? Do I look like that kind of person?"

"I never said you would do anything like that, Senpai~ You're the one who suddenly described it in such detail. Could it be that you've already had similar ideas before?" Iroha Isshiki asked ominously.

Only then did Kotomi Izumi realize she had let something slip. She hurriedly shook her head and explained:

"Um, you've misunderstood. That's not what I meant. I was just..."

Kotomi Izumi truly wanted to pinch her own cheeks. Why had she insisted on saying so much for no reason?

Faced with Kotomi Izumi's flustered explanation, Iroha Isshiki suddenly reached out and poked Kotomi's cheek, then said with a wicked grin:

"Looks like I successfully teased you again this time, Senpai~"

"Huh?"

Kotomi Izumi froze for a moment before realizing what had happened. She spoke fiercely:

"All right, so you deliberately set a trap from the very beginning just to tease me!"

"Hehehe~"

Iroha Isshiki feigned an innocent smile, but Kotomi Izumi knew that beneath that innocent expression lurked an evil little devil wagging her tail!

"Honestly, I really can't let my guard down when I'm with a little devil like you. The moment I stop paying attention, I fall straight into one of your traps."

Kotomi Izumi spoke irritably before turning around and preparing to leave:

"I'm going home. Bye."

Watching Kotomi Izumi walk away, Iroha Isshiki made a decision at that moment. A mischievous smile appeared on her face, but her tone was utterly sincere when she called out:

"Senpai, I want to go on a date with you next Sunday. Is that okay?!"

After hearing those words, Kotomi Izumi's steps paused slightly. She initially wanted to turn around and answer, but when she felt her cheeks beginning to heat up, she abandoned the idea because she feared Iroha Isshiki would see her blushing if she turned around now.

Even though Iroha Isshiki had already seen her blush countless times...

"Y-You really leave me no choice. We'll talk about it when the time comes..."

Kotomi Izumi was delighted inside, yet she continued maintaining a calm, tsundere facade. However, at the end, she still could not resist adding:

"If I'm free next Sunday, I'll definitely go with you."

"Senpai, could you say that again a little louder?"

After receiving Kotomi's agreement, Iroha Isshiki suddenly felt as though joy had filled her entire heart.

"No way!" Kotomi Izumi shouted with a red face, her back still turned toward Iroha Isshiki.

"Huh~ Senpai, you're so stingy."

"None of your business!"

After speaking with a red face, Kotomi Izumi hurriedly quickened her pace and left. She escaped before her cheeks could become even redder.

Iroha Isshiki smiled as she watched Kotomi Izumi's retreating figure. That tiny change in expression alone revealed a charm surpassing even the most picturesque scenery. Her light orange, shoulder-length hair swayed like the finest silk, and her fair skin resembled a flawless work of art, perfect beyond measure without the slightest need for embellishment. Her bright eyes calmly followed Kotomi, shimmering as though filled with rippling light.

"I really wish the time we spend together could last a little longer, then longer still..."

Iroha Isshiki slowly spoke in a voice only she could hear, as though talking to herself, yet also as though speaking to Kotomi.

Only after Kotomi Izumi had completely disappeared from view did Iroha Isshiki turn around and return home.

...

While walking home from the Isshiki residence, Kotomi Izumi did not notice that she had maintained a rapid pace the entire way. A walk that should have taken more than ten minutes was somehow completed in only nine.

Only after Kotomi Izumi returned home and sat in the entryway to remove her shoes did she happen to notice beads of sweat sliding down her cheeks.

"Managing to work up a sweat in the middle of winter... Even I'm impressed with myself." Kotomi Izumi smiled helplessly as she spoke and unzipped her coat.

Hearing the door open, Kaneyoshi Izumi, who had only just returned home, walked out of the kitchen. When he saw that his precious daughter was back, he happily said:

"You're back? How was your trip to Kyoto these past few days?"

"Dad!"

Kotomi Izumi stood up and said with deep emotion:

"The hot springs were very comfortable. I also feel like a lot has changed."

Kaneyoshi Izumi was puzzled by his daughter's somewhat cryptic words. Then he smiled helplessly and asked:

"Don't tell me you gained some profound insight into life after soaking in the hot springs?"

"Haha, more or less~"

Kotomi Izumi laughed awkwardly. What she had actually meant was that her trip to Kyoto's hot springs had resulted in her gaining two girlfriends all at once. That certainly counted as a major change.

One was Ayani Kika, and the other was Yukino Yukinoshita... However, strictly speaking, Yukino Yukinoshita was not yet her girlfriend. Although Kotomi now understood Yukino's feelings for her, she had not given her an answer.

As for when she would answer? Kotomi Izumi thought it over and decided to wait until school started, then find a suitable opportunity. There should not be anything else keeping her busy for the time being, so she could leisurely enjoy her everyday life.

October was almost over. The only remaining matter she could call important was going to the hospital for a physical examination with Yui Yuigahama in a few days.

The Izumi family had a tradition of undergoing one physical examination every year. Normally, they went to the Izumi family's private hospital for their annual examinations, but Kotomi Izumi felt that since this was only a simple checkup, there was no need to visit the family's private hospital.

The Izumi family's private hospital was in Tokyo, so reaching it required taking the train. Chiba Municipal Hospital was much closer, so why go farther when there was a perfectly suitable option nearby?

"By the way, Dad, I'm planning to go to the hospital for a physical examination in a few days. I was busy preparing for the high school entrance exams during the first half of the year, so I forgot all about it. Now that I finally have some free time, I want to use it to complete this year's checkup."

"Sure. Our family's private hospital is in Tokyo, so I can drive you there when the time comes. When are you planning to go?" Kaneyoshi Izumi asked.

"There's no need, but thanks, Dad. I'm planning to go to Chiba Municipal Hospital. It's only a routine examination, so there isn't any reason to make a special trip to our family's private hospital. I also want to take Yui with me. Going to the hospital alone for a checkup would be pretty boring. I haven't had mine this year, and she hasn't had one in a long time either."

"That works too. Remember to ask the nurses nearby if you have any questions." Kaneyoshi Izumi thought it over, then agreed and gave her a few reminders.

"I know, Dad. I'm not a three-year-old child anymore~"

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