All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

But at the moment, she couldn’t. Her hand was still being held tightly by Haruno Yukinoshita, who showed no sign of letting go. Kotomi couldn’t exactly pull away without making a scene. She felt helpless—Fine, hold my hand if you must. When it’s just the two of us, I don’t even mind if you hug me. But at least let go now! Shizuka-chan is coming this way!

Kotomi was already imagining herself pretending to be an innocent girl being harassed by an evil older woman—pitifully begging Shizuka for help once she arrived.

If Shizuka saw that, she’d definitely act on impulse, rush in to defend Kotomi, and smack the ”evil big sister” Haruno away with a single slap.

Although… Kotomi remembered Haruno had mentioned earlier that she’d studied aikido.

It might not be a fair thought, but Kotomi couldn’t help being curious—if Shizuka and Haruno actually fought, who would win?

As Shizuka approached, she called out, ”Kotomi, you’re not with Yui and the others? And…”

Her expression changed the moment she noticed Kotomi’s hand being held by Haruno. The normally calm teacher’s eyes turned sharp, and without hesitation, she reached out as if to pull Kotomi to her side.

And Haruno? Anyone else would’ve let go by now. But not her. She stubbornly refused to release Kotomi’s hand, her grip firm and possessive. ”Scheming” didn’t even begin to describe her—this was obsession laced with mischief.

To an outsider, it might’ve looked exactly like a love triangle showdown: Haruno Yukinoshita and Shizuka Hiratsuka, both in love with the same sinful woman, Kotomi Izumi. Shizuka, upon witnessing Haruno holding Kotomi’s hand, had stepped in—and now the air was thick with tension, like the calm before a lovers’ quarrel.

Standing between them, Kotomi felt immense pressure, half-expecting one of them to demand, Between the two of us, who do you love more?!

If that really happened, Kotomi had already thought up her answer: she’d put her left arm around Haruno, her right around Shizuka, and declare proudly—

”I’m sincere toward both of you. Heaven and earth can bear witness—you’re both the women I love most. We share an intimate bond, and I’m deeply moved by how much you cherish me. But please, don’t ever ask me to choose between you again. For your own good, the two of you should both marry me. And when we have children someday, they’ll all take my surname!”

Perfect.

Although Kotomi Izumi only dared to think these things in her head, she was deeply impressed by her own cleverness. She didn’t really want a day to come when she’d have to say such words out loud—but if it ever did happen, if one day the girls she loved were to ask her, ”Between the two of us, who do you really like?” or even ”Between all of us, who do you love the most?”, Kotomi believed she’d be ready to answer confidently.

At the very least, she was satisfied with the response she had come up with. Because choosing one person meant giving up on another—and Kotomi didn’t want that. Why should she have to choose at all? If she truly had to make a choice, then she’d simply choose to marry them all.

As for whether the girls she loved would actually be happy hearing that answer…

Kotomi wasn’t sure.

Probably… satisfied… right?

Her gaze returned to Shizuka Hiratsuka and Haruno Yukinoshita.

Shizuka was pulling on Kotomi’s arm, trying to bring her to her side, scolding her at the same time:

”Kotomi, what did we talk about during the school’s safety lecture? ’When approached by strangers, maintain caution and keep your distance.’ I remember you were the one who read that line aloud, weren’t you?”

Haruno, on the other hand, was smiling sweetly, her hands resting lightly on Kotomi’s shoulders. Despite her expression seeming friendly, her tone carried a subtle challenge.

”Tsk tsk tsk, now that’s not very fair. We’ve known each other since childhood, haven’t we? We used to play together all the time—and technically, you’re even older than me~ Saying things like that in front of Kotomi is really hurtful, you know?”

”I’m just doing my duty to make sure Kotomi stays safe,” Shizuka replied firmly.