All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

After chatting with her father for a while, Kotomi Izumi followed him into the kitchen and asked her mother whether she needed any help.

"Mom, do you need me to show off my cooking skills?"

"No need. You just got back from Kyoto, so get some proper rest. School starts tomorrow, so remember not to oversleep again."

At that point, Akina Izumi suddenly remembered something and continued:

"Oh, right, Kotomi. While you were in Kyoto, Arisu Sakayanagi came to our house. When she saw you weren't here, she chatted with your father and me for a while. Before leaving, she left a housewarming gift and several large cardboard boxes."

"Large cardboard boxes?"

"Mm. She said they were gifts for you and that you would definitely like them. Those boxes were far too large, so I planned to put them in your small storage room on the second floor and let you open them yourself once you returned. I hadn't gotten around to moving them yet when Arisu's personal maid, Atsuki, carried them upstairs for me."

The Izumi residence had three storage rooms. One was a large storage room in the basement, while the other two were smaller storage rooms on the second floor. Kotomi and Aimi each had one of their own, and they usually stored things they did not currently need inside them.

"Arisu is back?! That's great! I haven't seen her in quite a while."

Kotomi Izumi spoke happily, then asked her father:

"Dad, when Arisu came over, did she say what she'd been doing during her leave of absence? She's an honor student in Class 1-A, yet she suddenly took so much time off. Teacher Yachiyo must have been furious."

Of course it was for you. She went to Yamanashi and Kumamoto to ask your paternal and maternal grandparents for your hand in marriage. After telling the older generation that she wanted to marry you, she came to our house and told us too. And that still didn't even count as a formal proposal. Ah, my precious eldest daughter, you truly have no idea how charming you are... Kaneyoshi Izumi thought inwardly, while saying aloud:

"The Sakayanagi family was rather busy recently, so Arisu Sakayanagi returned to their hometown with her parents. She only came back a few days ago. She missed you too."

"Oh, I understand."

Kotomi Izumi nodded. Seeing that there was nothing in the kitchen requiring her help, she turned around and went back upstairs.

After Kotomi Izumi reached the second floor, Akina Izumi poked Kaneyoshi Izumi in the waist and said with a playful smile:

"Not bad, honey~ You actually managed to lie to our precious eldest daughter. Why didn't you tell Kotomi that Arisu took those days off to visit the Izumi and Hishinaga families and ask for her hand in marriage?"

"Let's not tell Kotomi for now. It wasn't a formal proposal to begin with. Arisu merely wanted Kotomi's paternal and maternal grandparents to know and obtain their approval first. If Kotomi also likes Arisu, then the next visit will be the formal proposal."

"Hmm~ I was hoping to see what kind of expression Kotomi would make after learning Arisu went to the Izumi and Hishinaga families to ask for her hand in marriage."

"Although I don't know how Kotomi would feel after learning Arisu wants to marry her, my guess is that her first reaction would probably be shock."

"That's true. After all, Kotomi has only just started her first year of high school. Being suddenly told that Arisu wants to marry her would obviously be shocking. They haven't even started dating yet, but even if they had, Kotomi would still be surprised. Besides..."

At that point, Akina Izumi rubbed her forehead with a headache and sighed helplessly:

"Kotomi already has so many problems with her love life. It's an impossible mess to untangle! Just a few days ago, she took Yui to have dinner at Third Uncle and Third Aunt's house. When introducing her to them, she openly said Yui was her girlfriend. Yuyu has even started calling Yui her sister-in-law. Kotomi really is outrageously bold."

The more she spoke, the angrier Akina Izumi became. She almost wanted to drag Kotomi back downstairs and spank her first.

Kaneyoshi Izumi patted his wife's shoulder and comforted her:

"When it comes to the children's love lives, it's better for us adults not to interfere too much. Although Kotomi can be impulsive sometimes, she understands how to deal with people and knows where the limits are. I think she should be able to handle her romantic problems... Hopefully... Sigh..."

He had originally said this to comfort his wife, but by the end, even Kaneyoshi Izumi had lost confidence. After all, Kotomi's approach to romance was far too daring. She was dating three girls at once! Although Kotomi had maintained the balance so far and kept them from finding out about one another, if the truth were exposed one day, would Kotomi really be capable of soothing the anger and heartbreak of all three girls?

Akina Izumi's fingers trembled slightly as she counted:

"Megumi Kato, Yui Yuigahama, Iroha Isshiki... If Kotomi were devoted to only one of them, I would be delighted. But who could have expected that girl to be so greedy? She likes all three of them and refuses to give up any of them. I think she intends to keep them all!

"And now Arisu Sakayanagi is being added to the list!

"I only pray that this troublesome little ancestor of ours settles down and doesn't bring home a fifth one after some time!

"Just imagining four future daughters-in-law all calling me 'Mother-in-law' is already enough to make my head spin."

"Daughters-in-law? Isn't that term normally used for a son's wife?" Kaneyoshi Izumi could not help wanting to criticize Akina's choice of words.

Akina Izumi shook her head and gave a perfectly logical example:

"Think about it. The most important part of the word 'daughter-in-law' is 'daughter.' A daughter-in-law has the word daughter in it, and Kotomi is also our daughter. So calling them daughters-in-law is perfectly reasonable."

Kaneyoshi Izumi thought about it, then nodded.

"That does seem to make some sense."

"Right~?"

Akina Izumi smiled proudly. However, her happiness lasted only a moment before she sighed again.

"Sigh... The thought that we might have three daughters-in-law in the future gives me such complicated feelings. I can't exactly say I'm happy, but I can't say I'm unhappy either."

"We might have to call them our daughters instead. After all, what if Kotomi is the one who marries into someone else's family?"

Kaneyoshi Izumi added his own thought regarding the forms of address, but at that moment, his addition felt more like twisting the knife.

Worse still, it was a self-inflicted wound. The moment Kaneyoshi Izumi finished speaking, the thought of his daughter marrying someone else filled him with melancholy.

"Ugh... Stop, stop. My head is spinning even more now. Let's just make lunch."

"Agreed."

After returning to the second floor, Kotomi Izumi decided to check on Aimi first. Instead of going to her small storage room, she entered her bedroom.

She gently pushed open the door and found Aimi sitting upright in bed, leaning against a pillow and staring blankly at the ceiling.

Kotomi Izumi was somewhat surprised. She had assumed Aimi would be sleeping or secretly playing another gal game. She had not expected to find her lost in thought.

When Aimi noticed Kotomi return, she emerged from her daze and said:

"Welcome home, Onee-chan."

"What are you thinking about? It's rare to see you spacing out like this. Are you thinking about how your cold is gone, your fever has broken, and you'll have to go back to school in a few days?"

Kotomi Izumi smiled faintly, removed her coat, hung it on the coat rack, then walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.

After speaking, she did not forget to add with emotion:

"If that's really the case, you can tell me directly. I definitely won't laugh at you. Whenever I'm almost recovered from an illness, I also feel miserable when I realize I won't be able to keep taking sick leave. I always start wondering what I could do to extend it for one more day."

Aimi Izumi shook her head and said somewhat awkwardly:

"I was only thinking about how to say what comes next to you, Onee-chan. When I told Iroha earlier, I was able to say it rather easily. But as soon as I thought about telling you, I started hesitating. I'm worried that what I'm about to say might make you unhappy."

"Oh? What is it? Go ahead and tell me. I won't say something like, 'I won't be angry no matter what you tell me,' because if you truly did something wrong, then as your older sister, I'll become furious and give you a thorough scolding. But after I'm done scolding you, I'll also help you think of a solution."

Kotomi Izumi spoke with a soft laugh.

"Onee-chan, I want to tell you the real reason I could fall asleep while listening to ghost stories. Once you hear it, you'll understand why the Seven Wonders of Sobu High School frightened me earlier when you told Iroha and me about them."

And so, Aimi Izumi slowly revealed the true reason she could fall asleep while listening to ghost stories.

If what Aimi Izumi had told Iroha Isshiki earlier was a slightly modified version of the "true reason," then what she told Kotomi Izumi now was the genuine truth without a single alteration.

By the end, Aimi even revealed the sole reason she had loved listening to Kotomi's ghost stories ever since childhood:

"Kotomi, ever since we were little, the reason I always pretended to enjoy listening to your ghost stories before bed was to achieve one goal. That was my only goal. I wanted to use your ghost stories as an excuse to openly act spoiled in your arms!"

After listening to Aimi Izumi's explanation, Kotomi Izumi finally understood. Aimi had not been able to fall asleep during ghost stories because she was brave, nor because Kotomi's storytelling naturally had some kind of sleep-inducing effect. It was because Aimi had been nestled in her arms.

Earlier, Kotomi had remained seated beside Iroha the entire time, leaving Aimi unable to stay in her embrace. Since Aimi had never been particularly brave in the first place, it was only natural that she had been frightened.

And the reason Aimi continued enjoying Kotomi's ghost stories despite her timid nature was because she wanted to use them as an excuse to openly act spoiled in Kotomi's arms!

After understanding the real reason, Kotomi Izumi stared at Aimi. Feeling Kotomi's gaze upon her, Aimi blushed, lowered her head, and muttered shyly:

"Ugh... Even though I decided long ago to tell you the real reason, Onee-chan, actually saying it aloud is still so embarrassing. Do you think I'm a childish, willful little sister who always wants to act spoiled with you?"

Seeing Aimi's blushing, embarrassed expression, Kotomi Izumi had originally intended to put on a serious face, but in the end, she could not hold back her laughter. She pulled the adorable little Aimi into her arms and hugged her tightly.

"Hahahahaha! I thought it was going to be something serious, but that was the real reason! I remember the first time I told you a ghost story was when you were five, right? In the blink of an eye, ten years have already passed..."

"Onee-chan, don't you find me annoying? I came up with so many excuses just so I could act spoiled with you," Aimi asked uneasily.

Kotomi Izumi smiled and shook her head, then pinched the tip of Aimi's little nose.

"I've never found you annoying. I only think you're silly. I'm your Onee-chan. Whenever you want to act spoiled with me, you can throw yourself into my arms. You don't need any excuse. Isn't it perfectly natural for a little sister to act spoiled with her Onee-chan?"

"D-Does that mean that from now on, whenever I want to act spoiled with you, Onee-chan, I don't need any reason and can just do it?"

"That's how it has always been~ You're just too shy. Even though you could act spoiled with me whenever you pleased, you always insisted on coming up with some excuse so you could do it openly. I honestly don't know what to say about your personality. If I call you awkward, you're sometimes incredibly direct. But if I call you direct, you're sometimes incredibly awkward."

After saying this, Kotomi Izumi laughed several more times while thinking helplessly, Where did all that boldness go from when you forcibly kissed me?

Aimi's cheeks grew even redder. Then she wrapped her arms around Kotomi Izumi with all the strength she currently possessed and said with an almost self-destructive determination:

"I don't care anymore! Since you said I can act spoiled with you whenever I want, I absolutely won't hold back in the slightest! From now on, even if Megumi Kato is right there, I'll throw myself into your arms and act spoiled with you just to infuriate that awful woman!!!"

Kotomi Izumi smiled helplessly upon hearing this and thought, Aimi and Megumi Kato still have such a terrible relationship...

The irreconcilable relationship between Aimi and Megumi Kato had always given Kotomi Izumi a headache.

Megumi Kato was Aimi's future sister-in-law, while Aimi was Megumi Kato's future sister-in-law. Yet ever since they first met, the two of them seemed unable to stand the sight of each other, and every conversation between them became a clash of sharp words.

Aimi in particular looked at Megumi Kato as though she were staring at her mortal enemy.

Kotomi Izumi had always hoped the relationship between Aimi and Megumi Kato could improve somewhat. Megumi Kato also hoped to get along better with her future sister-in-law instead of acting like enemies every time they met.

It seems there is still a very long road ahead before their relationship improves even slightly... Kotomi Izumi thought helplessly.

"Onee-chan, since you said I can act spoiled with you whenever I want, can you feed me during lunch later?" Aimi Izumi looked at Kotomi with eyes brimming with expectation.

"All right, all right. No problem~"

—

—

40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:

Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven