All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

”Izumi, see you tomorrow.”

”See you tomorrow.”

After saying goodbye to the girls from the art club at the school gate, Izumi Kotomi started walking home alone.

It was 5 PM, and walking alone on the street made her feel a bit lonely.

”Has Kato already gotten home by now?” she wondered aloud halfway through her walk.

”Not yet~”

Almost as if in response to her thoughts, Megumi Kato’s voice suddenly sounded from behind, startling Izumi Kotomi.

Izumi Kotomi jumped in surprise, like a startled little penguin, before turning around with wide eyes to see the short-haired girl who had suddenly appeared behind her.

It was none other than Megumi Kato, who had left school with Yui Yuigahama an hour ago.

”Kato?” Izumi Kotomi asked, puzzled. She couldn’t understand why Megumi Kato, who had left school an hour earlier, was now appearing at the school gate.

Megumi Kato smiled slightly, indicating the cake shop bag in her hand. She then pulled out a bottle of ramune soda and handed it to Izumi Kotomi.

”Thirsty? Here, have some soda to quench your thirst. Those cute lips shouldn’t go dry, you know.”

Izumi Kotomi, feeling a bit thirsty, accepted the ramune soda from Megumi Kato without questioning why she had come back.

She eagerly drank more than half of the bottle in one go.

The refreshing taste of the original ramune soda was incredibly satisfying!

Whether in her previous life or now, her love for the taste of original ramune soda had never changed. It was one of those small, simple joys.

As they walked, Megumi Kato casually mentioned, ”Yuigahama and I went to a cake shop she mentioned. Do you know what the shop is called?”

”What’s it called?”

”The cake shop has a cute name—Dango Cake Shop.”

”Oh,” Izumi Kotomi nodded, responding simply.

For some reason, she still felt a bit of a sour emotion in her heart.

Megumi Kato had noticed Izumi Kotomi’s expression from the start; her gaze never left Kotomi’s face as she observed her closely.

”Did something at the art club make you unhappy?”

Megumi Kato’s words were indirect, but Izumi Kotomi understood that she was being asked if she was feeling upset.

Izumi Kotomi bit her soft, pink lips and softly admitted, ”Just a little. I don’t know why, but… I just feel a bit uncomfortable…”

Seeing Izumi Kotomi’s cute response, Megumi Kato’s smile deepened, and she reached out as if she had been planning this all along.

”Does it hurt around your chest? Want me to massage it for you?”

Izumi Kotomi, about to nod and agree out of instinct, suddenly realized what Megumi Kato was suggesting and quickly shook her head, her face turning red.

”N-No, that’s okay!”

”Haha.” Megumi Kato couldn’t help but laugh at the cute, flustered expression on the little ”penguin” in front of her. ”Do you know who owns Dango Cake Shop?”

”Who?”

”Yuigahama’s mother.”

”What? Yuigahama’s mother owns it?”

”Yeah, that’s why she invited us so eagerly after school. I noticed that and decided to go with her. I also bought you a delicious cake. I had just enough time to get to the shop, come back, and wait for you at the school gate.”

Megumi Kato said this while showing off the cake shop bag she was holding.

After hearing this, the sour feeling in Izumi Kotomi’s heart disappeared.

But wait, was that feeling… jealousy?

No way, was I really jealous just now?

”Did you enjoy the art club today?” Megumi Kato asked again.

This time, Izumi Kotomi finally smiled and answered, ”Yes!”

Megumi Kato wasn’t really asking about the art club, and Izumi Kotomi wasn’t really answering about the art club either.

”Kato, your way of asking if someone is happy is pretty unique…” Izumi Kotomi couldn’t help but comment.

”Is it? I don’t know what you’re talking about~” Megumi Kato replied, dragging out her words and pretending not to understand.

As they neared her home, Megumi Kato suddenly remembered, ”Oh, I just realized we haven’t eaten the cake I bought. But I won’t be able to finish this mille-feuille alone. If I put it in the fridge, it won’t taste as good later. Kotomi, do you have time? Would you like to come to my place to share the cake?”

”Go to your house? Is it okay to bother you now?”

”It’s fine. My parents are at a reunion and won’t be home until at least nine o’clock. It’s only five now, so we still have four hours.”

Megumi Kato said this while casually reminding Izumi of the time, though her true intentions were unclear.

Izumi Kotomi didn’t think much of it. She knew she needed to be home by six-thirty, but there was still more than an hour left. That should be enough time to eat the cake.