All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

Even in everyday clothing, the years she spent as a geisha showed in her habits. A young woman without geisha makeup using such practiced gestures carried a charm of her own. Kotomi couldn’t help but widen her eyes.

After a few minutes of conversation, Ayani shrugged and said with a smile, ”Miss Izumi, you seem like a smart girl. I trust you already know that the reason I asked to meet today wasn’t just to have a quiet cup of coffee.”

Kotomi nodded. ”If I really believed you invited me just for coffee, I might as well have wasted all these years of life.”

Hearing her blunt reply, Ayani was momentarily stunned—then burst into a soft laugh.

”You little thing... you talk like you’ve lived through forty years of life. I’m 27. I’m at least ten years older than you.”

Eleven, Kotomi silently corrected in her head.

”I’ve been intrigued by you ever since we first met. I wanted to invite you to Gion so we could talk more. But when you saw me, you turned and ran! I’ve been looking for you ever since, even if just to get your contact info.”

”And today, finally, we ran into each other by chance. Though... that blonde girl you were with—is she your girlfriend~?”

Ayani asked with a teasing smile.

Kotomi’s cheeks flushed pink. She couldn’t bring herself to deny it, but she wasn’t ready to confirm it either. Her mind was a mess.

”No need to be nervous. I’ve never been in love myself, but as the top oiran for so many years, I’ve gained some insight into people. When I greeted you earlier, the way that blonde girl reacted—like a cat guarding its food—was unmistakable.”

”She probably mistook me for your lover. Even after that misunderstanding was cleared, she kept gripping your sleeve tightly, still wary, still standing slightly behind you. The way she looked at you... it was different.”

”Come on now, don’t tell me you really haven’t noticed she likes you. If you still think she’s just a friend, I might just fall out of my chair—or feel smug that I, of all people, picked up on it before you. Does that make me smarter than you?”

Ayani giggled as she teased Kotomi but knew when to stop. She smoothly shifted the topic before Kotomi’s blushing face could get any redder.

Kotomi cleared her throat softly and pulled out her phone. ”You invited me out alone just to exchange contact info, right? I’m fine with that.”

”Sharp as ever,” Ayani Kika replied with a smile. ”Back when we met earlier, your little girlfriend was right next to you. If I’d asked for your contact info in front of her, she might’ve exploded on the spot. So I went with a backup plan: I slipped you a little note I’d prepared in advance.”

”Now that we’re alone, we can exchange properly.”

No wonder she’s eleven years older, Kotomi thought to herself, impressed.

She used to like people younger than her.

Then she went through a phase where she liked older types.

Eventually, she realized she just liked pretty people.

After exchanging contact information, Kotomi couldn’t help but ask, ”By the way, why did you have that little note ready in advance—the one that said ’I’ll be waiting at Meigetsu Cafe for one hour’? Don’t tell me you can predict the future.”

Though curious, Kotomi made sure to add a hint of humor to her tone, softening the mood and avoiding the seriousness that often creeps into Q\\A.

Ayani Kika chuckled. ”Of course not. If I could predict the future, do you think I’d still be working in Gion? I’d use that ability to earn some quick money—maybe not to become wildly rich, but at least I’d never have to worry about finances again.”

The two shared a laugh.

Then Ayani explained, ”To be honest, even if we had exchanged contact info smoothly the first time, I still would’ve handed you that note with a handshake. Because... I wanted an excuse to sit down and talk with you, just the two of us.”

”As for my motive—”

”I think life isn’t long, but it’s not short either. Not everything has to be done with a clear purpose. Sometimes, it’s nice to just chat with someone and pass the time.”

”I spend most of my days in Gion. It gets isolating. I don’t really know what’s trendy outside. I have no idea what normal girls are into these days.”

”Even when I do get to go shopping, I just buy some new clothes, pick up a few things for other geisha who asked me for favors... then I’m left with time I don’t know how to fill.”

”So when I ran into you today, I thought—why not use that time to talk to you?”

”Even if we’re just sitting here talking about nothing, I feel happy. Doesn’t that count as a reason?”