All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

"Aimi," Kotomi suddenly called out mid-sentence.

Startled, Aimi looked up from where she was sitting and instinctively hid the bottle of Coca-Cola behind her. Her heart pounded in panic, thinking she had been caught.

"What's wrong, Onee-chan?"

"Take the bottles of Pepsi in the bag downstairs and put them in the fridge to chill. As for this one in my hand, stick it in the freezer. Once I finish helping you with your homework, we'll have ice-cold soda ready to drink."

"Oh, sure!"

Breathing a sigh of relief, Aimi nodded enthusiastically. For a moment, she thought her sneaky act of hiding the Coca-Cola and pretending there wasn't any in the bag had been exposed.

After Aimi placed the sodas in the fridge as instructed, she returned to her room to find Kotomi had already finished her homework.

"Hmm, I guess I've still got it. Even if I'm a little rusty, solving junior high math problems feels as easy as breathing," Kotomi remarked dramatically, stretching her arms with a smug grin.

With her system-enhanced learning abilities, even the most challenging problems posed no difficulty. The answers practically appeared before her eyes the moment she saw a question, and the solutions seemed second nature.

This little performance, however, was just for show.

"Thank you, Kotomi. Oh, by the way, I didn't see Mom and Dad downstairs just now. What are they up to?"

"They're... well..."

Kotomi had planned to keep the surprise of the new cat a secret until it was back home. Aimi would undoubtedly be delighted to experience the joy of holding a kitten for the first time.

Quickly shifting gears, Kotomi replied, "They said they were going for a walk to enjoy some 'couple time.'"

"Huh... going for a walk this late? Talking about enjoying their couple time... Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they decided not to come home tonight," Aimi muttered with a hint of amusement.

"Well, since it's late, how about you finish packing your schoolbag and get ready for bed? I'm heading back to my room."

As Kotomi stood to leave, Aimi suddenly called out, "Onee-chan!"

"Hmm?"

"How about... we sleep together tonight?"

"Sleep together?" Kotomi scratched her head, momentarily unsure. But remembering it had been a while since they'd shared a bed, she decided to indulge Aimi's request. "Fine, let's sleep together."

"Yay!"

Aimi's face lit up with pure joy. Her smile radiated the same innocent happiness Kotomi remembered from when they were children.

Seeing Aimi like this, Kotomi couldn't help but smile back. Though Aimi was growing up and becoming a young lady, she still had the same endearing habits of a little sister who adored her big sister.

Kotomi decided to skip gaming tonight. Instead, she planned to play a bit of mobile games before going to bed.

As a third-year junior high student, Aimi's school schedule required her to wake up even earlier than Kotomi's. To maintain her health, Aimi always went to bed by 10 PM—sometimes as early as 9 PM.

For Kotomi, whose idea of a reasonable bedtime was 11 PM, this early schedule felt too rigid.

"Pack your bag first. I'll go shower."

After grabbing her penguin-print pajamas from her room, Kotomi headed to the bathroom to take a shower.

As she passed the foyer, she noticed her parents still hadn't returned. Of course, it made sense. Even though the pet hospital wasn't far, getting a thorough check-up and vaccinations for the kitten would take time.

They might not return until much later tonight.

At the Pet Hospital

"How's the kitten's condition, Doctor?" Kaneyoshi asked when the vet returned.

"Very healthy," the vet replied. "Despite being a stray, its health is excellent—no issues to worry about. However... it is a bit overweight. After a bath and its first vaccination, we'll monitor it for an hour, and then you can take it home. Here's the bill for all the procedures."

"Got it. Thanks, Doctor," Kaneyoshi said as he took the invoice.

Even though he was mentally prepared, the total still startled him. A trip to the pet hospital wasn't cheap. Pets didn't have health insurance, after all.

After paying, he handed the receipt to Akina, who gasped when she saw the amount.

"This is so expensive!"

"Ha! That's just how it is with pet hospitals," Kaneyoshi said, chuckling. Then he added, "If you want to get a second cat, I'd still support it."

Akina blinked, momentarily stunned. Back in high school, she had dreamed of owning two cats but had long since forgotten about it.

"How did you know I wanted two cats? The only time I mentioned it was in a conversation with friends in high school. That was way before I met you!" Akina asked curiously.

"We were in the same class for a while back then, even if we didn't know each other," Kaneyoshi replied.

"Oh yeah, I remember we were both made library monitors during that class election fiasco. That still makes me mad—some of our classmates were so disrespectful, it was ridiculous. And one day at the library..."

As she recalled, Akina's expression shifted. She looked at Kaneyoshi, incredulous. "You overheard me talking that day?!"

"Of course," Kaneyoshi said with a teasing smile.

"You sneaky little... I thought you were just standing by the window pretending to read. I didn't think you'd actually hear us! Well, Kaneyoshi, eavesdropping on girls' conversations isn't exactly gentlemanly behavior."

"Sorry."

The two shared a laugh, their minds briefly returning to that distant afternoon in high school.

Back at the Izumi Household

"Should I set the alarm, or will you?" Aimi asked as she crawled into bed.

"I'll set it," Aimi said. After configuring the alarm and playing with her phone a bit, she turned off the lights, leaving only the nightlight on.

When she turned to say something, she realized Kotomi was already fast asleep.

"Geez, Kotomi, you fell asleep that quickly? Not even three minutes..." Aimi muttered, chuckling softly.

Looking at Kotomi's serene sleeping face, her long lashes trembling slightly, Aimi felt an irresistible urge to reach out, just as she used to when they were kids.

Plop.

Just like back then, Kotomi's hand instinctively reached out and caught Aimi's fingers. Murmuring softly in her sleep, Kotomi whispered, "Don't... don't leave me..."

Hearing those words, Aimi's chest tightened, her vision blurred with unshed tears. Her mind flashed with images of Kotomi walking alongside Megumi Kato, their backs turned to her. A sharp pain burned in her heart, an ache that spread through her entire being.

"Kotomi... I won't leave you. Never. I want to stay by your side for the rest of my life! But will you stay with me? I love you—so, so much! I really want to know how you feel about me!"

Tears streaming down her face, Aimi scooted closer and wrapped her arms tightly around Kotomi. Even though Kotomi was fast asleep, Aimi whispered her heart's deepest desires, holding on as if to keep her from slipping away.

The next morning, Kotomi woke to the sound of her alarm. Thanks to going to bed earlier than usual the night before, she felt refreshed as she sat up without the usual urge to linger in bed.

"Following Aimi's sleeping schedule isn't so bad after all," Kotomi muttered with a satisfied stretch. Just as she was about to lean over and pounce on Aimi for fun, she noticed the spot beside her was empty.

"Huh? Where's Aimi?"

Tilting her head in confusion, Kotomi found herself feeling oddly unaccustomed to waking up alone after sharing a bed with her sister the previous night.

Rather than staying in bed pondering, she got up, returned to her own room to change into her school uniform, grabbed her bag, and headed downstairs to see if Aimi was already there.

Halfway down the stairs, she heard Aimi's laughter.

"Aimi, you're up so early today!" Kotomi called out as she entered the living room, only to find Aimi sitting on the floor, cradling the small kitten Kotomi had brought home the previous day.

"Good morning, Onee-chan!" Aimi greeted cheerfully as she gently set the kitten down and turned to face her sister.

"Morning... Wait, you've already met the little short-legged kitten?"

Kotomi was taken aback. She had intended to reveal the kitten to Aimi as a surprise. Now that Aimi had already found out, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment at her failed plan.

"I woke up unusually early today and couldn't fall back asleep, so I decided to go for a walk. But as soon as I came downstairs, I saw Mom feeding the kitten. I asked her where it came from, and she told me everything."

Aimi puffed her cheeks in mock displeasure.

"Kotomi, you're so sneaky! You brought this kitten home yesterday but didn't tell me about it. I ended up being the last one in the family to know!"

"Sorry, sorry! Dad and Mom took the kitten to the pet hospital as soon as we decided to adopt her. I wanted to give you a surprise and planned to tell you this morning. I didn't expect you to find out beforehand," Kotomi explained with a sheepish laugh.

Stepping closer, she scooped up the kitten from the floor. Even Kotomi had to brace herself to lift the surprisingly hefty "little propane tank." A casual scoop was out of the question.

Most people, when seeing a cute cat, would call out affectionately, "Little kitty!" But this kitten's round and stubby appearance elicited a different reaction from the Izumi family: "Little piggy!"

"I gave her a piece of cat food earlier and held it slightly out of reach to see what she'd do. Guess what? She stood up on her hind legs! She looked just like..." Aimi paused, struggling to find the right words.

"A little propane tank," Kotomi offered.

"Exactly! Like a tiny walking propane tank!" Aimi nodded emphatically.

On this point, the entire Izumi family was in unanimous agreement.

"But Kotomi, why does her face look so flat? It's like she doesn't even have a side profile."

"Maybe in her past life, she ate too many pancakes," Kotomi joked.

No sooner had she said this than Akina, who had been standing behind her, gave her a light smack on the head. "Don't say such things in front of our little pig... I mean, kitten. Now go have breakfast."

"Okay, Mom~"

During breakfast, Kotomi's curiosity got the better of her.

"Mom, have you and Dad given the kitten a name yet?"

"A name? Not yet. We got home so late last night that we didn't have time to think about it. Why, have you come up with something?" Akina asked.

Kotomi shook her head. "Coming up with a good name takes time. Even though I really want to name the kitten I brought home, I haven't thought of the perfect one yet."

"How about we just call her Propane Tank?" Aimi suggested out of nowhere.

"Let's not..."

After finishing breakfast, Kotomi went to the bathroom to freshen up. Her hair looked a bit fluffy and untamed—likely because she hadn't fully dried it after showering the night before.

Fortunately, Kotomi's hair was naturally silky, so a quick comb with a damp brush brought it back to its usual sleekness.

"Hey, Kotomi, I'm coming in," Aimi called out as she knocked before entering the bathroom. She found Kotomi combing her hair.

"Why are you being so thorough with your hair before school? Someone who doesn't know better might think you're getting ready for a date," Aimi teased with a sly smile.

Kotomi laughed. "How could that be? I've got a language test today. If I skipped class, the teacher would call my parents for sure."

She set down the brush and glanced at herself in the mirror. No matter the angle, her reflection looked flawless. Since summer vacation, her snow-white short hair had grown slightly longer—not enough to be noticeable without close observation, but just enough to hint at change.

As for whether she should let it grow longer or keep it short, Kotomi hadn't decided yet. She was considering a hairstyle similar to Reset's.

Before her thoughts wandered too far, her gaze shifted to Aimi through the mirror.

"Aimi, what's wrong with the skin near your eyes? It looks a bit swollen."

Caught off guard, Aimi froze for a moment before lowering her head to splash her face with water from the sink.

"Maybe it's because I had trouble sleeping last night and stayed up later than usual. I guess I was a little too excited about sleeping next to you again after so long," Aimi mumbled.

She kept her head down as low as possible, unwilling to meet Kotomi's gaze. The truth was, Aimi had spent much of the previous night crying silently while holding Kotomi.

Although she had hoped Kotomi would wake up and notice her tears—perhaps even ask about them—the girl had slept soundly through it all.

In hindsight, what Aimi hadn't worried about last night now made her feel anxious. If Kotomi found out she had cried while confessing her feelings in whispers, Aimi wouldn't know where to hide her embarrassment.

"Make sure to rest your eyes whenever you can," Kotomi advised. "Even during class, take a quick nap if the teacher isn't paying attention."

"Are you telling me to sleep during class, Kotomi?"

"Of course. Sleeping in class is normal," Kotomi replied confidently.

"True."

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