All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

”You’re really painting me?”

As the art club activity neared its end, Mashiro Shiina put down her paintbrush and walked over to Kotomi’s side. Despite being recognized as a world-class genius painter since childhood, she couldn’t help but let out a gasp of admiration when she saw the figure in the painting.

In the painting, against the backdrop of a sunset signaling the end of the day, Mashiro Shiina stood at a lookout point in the city. This spot was ideal for driving up at night to enjoy a panoramic view of the entire city of Chiba. The scene was as vivid as a photograph taken with an expensive camera.

In the painting, Mashiro was slightly turned, her right hand gently pressing the wide brim of the sun hat perched on her head. The large brim seemed as though it might be swept away by the wind if she didn’t hold it down a little.

She was wearing a summer dress, though the color was still unknown as the character hadn’t been painted yet.

The sun hat with its wide brim, paired with the summery dress, would lead anyone viewing the painting to wonder silently, ”Where did this girl go, or where is she heading?”

Was she returning home after a trip to the seaside at sunset?

Or perhaps she was about to leave the country, standing there to take one last look at the city as the sun set? If one interpreted the painting that way, a wave of parting sorrow would seep into the viewer’s heart.

Appreciating the piece from different angles could evoke different emotional responses. This was one of Kotomi’s goals when creating the painting.

Though the system’s advanced painting skill had been of great help, the key factor was the system’s ability to immerse her in her work. With this sense of immersion, Kotomi had complete confidence that she could captivate any audience with her art.

This painting, Twilight Sky: Sunset, was no exception—it had the potential to stir emotions on a profound level.

”Yes, I’m painting you. Do you see anything that needs to be changed?” Kotomi replied with a smile, stepping aside so Mashiro could fully take in the painting of herself.

Mashiro gazed intently at Twilight Sky: Sunset, her eyes wide open.

She stood there, unmoving, for a full ten minutes before she finally whispered, ”It’s so beautiful…”

It wasn’t clear whether she was talking about the scene or the person in the painting.

If Kotomi had been the subject, she probably would have written an entire novel just to describe how stunning she looked.

”Kotomi, is this painting finished? Is this the final version? After the art competition, can I keep this painting? Please, can you give it to me? In return, I’ll paint something for you and give it to you as a gift,” Mashiro murmured, her voice filled with a deep, almost obsessive admiration.

She was completely entranced.

Mashiro Shiina, the world-renowned painting genius, had become captivated by a mere draft of Kotomi’s oil painting!

Even more shocking was that this was not even the final version. Kotomi had only sketched the figure with pencil to determine Mashiro’s pose, expression, and placement in the composition. She hadn’t even started the final version yet.

For a painting still in its draft phase to have enchanted Mashiro like this was almost unbelievable.

Kotomi, even as the artist, was taken aback by Mashiro’s request.

”Uh… Mashiro, what are you talking about? This is just a rough sketch! You’ll have to wait a bit longer to see the final painting,” Kotomi explained.

Hearing this, Mashiro finally snapped out of her daze, but her excitement remained palpable. She wasn’t willing to let the matter go just yet, and asked again earnestly, ”But after you finish it and submit it to the National Art Competition, can I have it? I’ll give you a painting in return—a painting with you as the main subject.”

Mashiro’s tone carried a seriousness that was rare for her.

”You’ll paint one for me?” Kotomi asked.

”Yes!” Mashiro nodded vigorously. ”Just as you made me the heroine of your painting, I want to make you the heroine of mine!”

If Kotomi remembered correctly, this was the first time Mashiro had ever shown this much excitement since arriving at Sobu High School.

Seeing her expectant yet slightly nervous expression, Kotomi smiled and agreed, ”Alright, it’s a deal. After the competition, I’ll give you this painting, and in return, you’ll paint one for me.”

”Absolutely!” Mashiro promised with fervor.

The school bell rang, signaling the end of the day.