All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

"Aimi, this is my friend, Arisu Sakayanagi," Kotomi Izumi introduced.

To be honest, every time Kotomi introduced her friends to Aimi, she felt a little nervous. After all, Aimi and Megumi Kato didn't seem to get along very well. For some unknown reason, every time Aimi saw Megumi Kato, she would puff up like an angry kitten ready to pounce and scratch her face off.

However, ever since she saw Megumi Kato trying to buy Aimi a green turtle plush hat at Aqua Park, Kotomi had come to understand why her little sister disliked Megumi Kato.

Thankfully, Aimi didn't show the same guarded hostility toward Arisu Sakayanagi that she usually did toward Megumi Kato. At the very least, for now, her attitude was friendly.

Aimi Izumi gave a slight bow to Arisu Sakayanagi, her lips curling into a gentle smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you for the first time, Sakayanagi-senpai. Please take care of my sister."

"So, you're Kotomi's younger sister, Aimi? Wow, you're just as adorable as Kotomi described. Every time she talks about you, she goes on and on for quite a while."

"That's because my sister tends to exaggerate," Aimi Izumi replied with a calm smile. She then fetched two pairs of slippers for Kotomi and Arisu and stepped to the side to let them in. "Please, come inside. I'll go make some tea."

After entering the living room, Aimi returned with three cups of barley tea, carefully balancing them.

Although the tea wasn't chilled, hot barley tea seemed even more refreshing in warmer weather.

"Please enjoy, Sakayanagi-senpai," Aimi Izumi said as she set a cup of tea down in front of Arisu Sakayanagi.

"Why do you call me Sakayanagi-senpai?" Arisu Sakayanagi asked with a curious smile after taking a sip of her tea.

Aimi Izumi smiled gracefully and said, "Because… after I take my high school entrance exams next year, I plan to apply to Sobu High School, just like my sister. By then, you'll likely be in your second year, so I thought I'd start calling you senpai in advance."

"Oh~ It seems you're quite confident in your academic performance. Good luck! Try to get into Class A at Sobu High School. If you make it, you'll receive a 100,000 yen bonus every month."

"One hundred thousand yen?!"

Even Aimi Izumi, who had been calm and composed up to this point, couldn't help but let her eyes sparkle. A monthly bonus of 100,000 yen—who would have thought that students in Class A at Sobu High School could earn that much money?

100,000 yen… If I stay in Class A for three years, wouldn't I save up enough money to rent an apartment with Kotomi in another city after graduation?

Living with Kotomi… Hehehe.

Aimi was so lost in her daydream that she nearly drooled. But when she remembered Arisu Sakayanagi was still present, she quickly adjusted her posture and cleared her throat lightly before saying, "If being in Class A means a monthly 100,000 yen stipend, it's definitely a benefit too tempting to refuse. I suddenly feel even more motivated to study hard and aim for Sobu High School's Class A."

"Kotomi, your sister has so much ambition—unlike you. When Teacher Yachiyo personally invited you, you still chose to decline," Arisu Sakayanagi said, tilting her head slightly and giving Kotomi an amused smile.

Kotomi's face turned red as she bit into a rice cracker and mumbled, "It's because it's too hard to take time off in Class A. Class F suits me better."

After speaking, Kotomi quickly devoured one rice cracker in three bites before picking up a second one.

"Onee-chan, Mom and Dad are cooking dinner right now, so don't go filling up your stomach before the meal," Aimi Izumi reminded.

Kotomi hesitated for a moment but then still bit into the rice cracker. "Don't worry. Trust your sister's appetite!"

"You're impossible…" Aimi sighed helplessly.

"Are Uncle and Aunt Izumi cooking dinner?" Arisu Sakayanagi asked.

"Yes, because this morning at breakfast, my sister told Mom and Dad that she wanted to bring a friend home after school," Aimi explained.

"So Kotomi mentioned it this morning?" Arisu Sakayanagi seemed a little surprised, her smile deepening.

She glanced at her phone and noticed there were still 17 minutes until Atsuki was supposed to call.

Seeing that Aimi and Arisu Sakayanagi were chatting relatively amicably, Kotomi finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Aimi was still her polite and considerate self—just not when it came to Megumi Kato. But there was no helping that. Some people are just born to rub each other the wrong way, let alone get along.

As long as Aimi and Megumi Kato didn't end up in an all-out brawl, Kotomi would be happy enough to enjoy ten bowls of rice.

Kotomi, focused like a little hamster, continued munching on her rice crackers. Seeing her like this, Aimi guessed that her sister was probably craving them since she hadn't had any in a while. She decided not to remind her to eat less; after all, even if Kotomi finished the entire plate of rice crackers, it wouldn't stop her from eating a full dinner.

Once Aimi learned that Arisu Sakayanagi was a first-year Class A student, she began earnestly asking her about Sobu High School.

Originally, Aimi hadn't been too interested in Class A because her sister had mentioned that Class A students couldn't take more than five days off per semester.

Although Aimi wasn't as eager to take breaks as her sister, who spent all five school days dreaming about holidays and leave, the idea of such a strict limit on absences had made her lose interest in Class A.

However, there was one thing that outweighed the appeal of taking days off—

A 100,000-yen monthly bonus!

Just doing some rough math on the amount of money she could earn from three years in Class A made Aimi very tempted.

She needed money.

Ever since she was a child, Aimi had been quietly saving her allowance. When she was younger, she stashed her savings in cardboard boxes. As she got older, she stored them in piggy banks, and now, she kept her savings in a bank account.

Bit by bit, she saved, although she wasn't sure how long it would take to achieve the small dream she had in her heart.

Her dream was to have a home in another city—a place that belonged to just her and her sister, even if it was just a rented apartment.

Aimi yearned for a little world that she could share with Kotomi, a space for just the two of them.

"Sakayanagi-senpai, to get into Class A, do you have to take another exam when school starts?" Aimi asked.

"No, not exactly. At the beginning of the school year, students are assigned to classes based on their middle school entrance exam scores. Those with exceptional scores are placed into Class A. However, getting into Class A doesn't mean you can relax. On the contrary, the competition is fierce, and the classes aren't fixed.

"Every time there's a major school-wide exam, students can be eliminated from Class A, and others can take their place—or even return to Class A," Arisu Sakayanagi explained.

"Is the competition that intense?" Aimi suddenly looked nervous.

"Not too intense. I think it's manageable. For instance, in last month's exams, six students were eliminated from Class A, and only three new ones entered." Arisu Sakayanagi shrugged and then glanced at Kotomi. "It should have been four, but your sister refused the invitation."

Aimi gave a knowing smile. She wasn't surprised that her sister had declined Class A. "I understand. After all, my sister has been dreaming of summer and winter vacations since her first day of school."

"Hahaha, that's true!"

Meanwhile, Kotomi, still nibbling on her rice crackers, found her face growing even redder.

What could possibly be more embarrassing than sitting there, listening to your younger sister and your friend discuss you?

After finishing dinner, the Izumi couple slid open the door between the kitchen and the living room.

"Oh, Kotomi's already back with her friend? Hello, welcome to our home!"

Akina Izumi had initially thought Kotomi would bring one of her usual friends, like Yukino, back home. However, seeing a new face instead, she realized that since Kotomi had started high school, she had made many new friends. This thought brought a pleased smile to both parents' faces.

They genuinely hoped their daughter would have more friends.

Seeing the Izumi couple, Arisu Sakayanagi stood up with a serious expression on her delicate face. She bowed deeply, respectfully, and gracefully. The formality of the gesture left the Izumi couple momentarily stunned.

Why is this child suddenly being so formal?

This bow was just short of the traditional act of kneeling down to kowtow—a gesture of utmost respect.

In fact, Arisu Sakayanagi had even contemplated kneeling, but she refrained. After all, that kind of gesture was generally reserved for occasions like a marriage proposal, where one would formally ask the parents for their daughter's hand.

Since this was her first visit to the Izumi household, kneeling right away might not only fail to win their favor but could also shock everyone present into silence.

I can't rush this. I need to wait until little Kotomi accepts my confession before I come to formally propose marriage. If I act too forcefully now, it might backfire and make her uncomfortable, Arisu Sakayanagi reasoned to herself.

"Uncle Izumi, Aunt Izumi, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Kotomi's friend, Arisu Sakayanagi," she said politely as she straightened up.

Then, she produced a carefully prepared box of rakugan sweets and presented it.

"A small token of my appreciation. Please accept it."

"Oh, child, you're just visiting; there's no need to bring anything!"

Izumi Kaneyoshi also stepped forward to take the gift box from Arisu Sakayanagi. When receiving a gift from a guest, it was customary for the head of the household to accept it personally to show respect and gratitude.

During dinner, Arisu Sakayanagi happily sat beside Kotomi and chatted extensively with the Izumi couple. Despite being the heiress of the prestigious Sakayanagi Financial Group, she carried herself without a hint of arrogance, instead coming across as approachable and warm.

Her impressive breadth of knowledge allowed her to join in on even the most complex topics.

At least to Kotomi, being with Arisu Sakayanagi gave her a comforting sense of familiarity. It felt as though there was no distance between them, as if they had known each other for years.

"Uncle Izumi, Aunt Izumi, your cooking is absolutely delicious! These meatballs, in particular, are even better than any I've had before," Arisu Sakayanagi praised enthusiastically.

From the moment she sat down, her small mouth hadn't stopped—whether it was eating, chatting, or offering compliments.

What made it remarkable was that every word she said seemed to hit all the right notes with the Izumi couple. Their smiles had remained constant throughout the meal.

While they were talking, Kotomi focused entirely on her food. With a rice bowl in one hand and chopsticks in the other, she ate quietly and attentively.

Kotomi had always been well-behaved during meals, a trait that had saved her parents a lot of trouble when she was younger.

While other parents chased their kids around, coaxing and cajoling them to take a few bites, Kotomi had always sat obediently in her chair to eat.

The only issue was that it took a while to feed her—not because she was picky or uncooperative, but simply because she ate a lot.

Once Kotomi learned how to use chopsticks and a spoon, mealtime became even easier for her parents. She neither fussed nor made noise, and the only occasional sound was her spoon scraping the bowl—a signal that she was still hungry and needed more food.

Midway through dinner, the sound of a phone ringing suddenly interrupted the meal.

Arisu Sakayanagi silently thought, Finally, Atsuki is calling. She then put on an apologetic expression and said, "Excuse me, I need to take this call."

She pressed the answer button, having already turned the call volume to maximum.

"Hello, Atsuki. What's the matter?"

"Miss, this is terrible! I managed to finish up all the tasks at home today, but I accidentally booked the wrong plane ticket! The flight that was supposed to depart this evening—I accidentally booked it for 6 a.m. tomorrow instead. I didn't realize until I got to the airport. When I asked the airport staff, I found out that all the flights to Chiba for today have already departed, and there's no way to reschedule!"

At this moment, Atsuki was lounging leisurely on a beach chair at the Izu Shirahama seaside. On the small table next to her chair sat a delicate cocktail and a novel by Yasunari Kawabata, "The Dancing Girl of Izu," marked with a tracing paper bookmark.

Atsuki was reading through the lines Arisu Sakayanagi had sent her in advance, delivering them with her best acting skills.

It was as though she wasn't enjoying a breathtaking sunset and sea breeze on the Izu beach, but instead pacing anxiously at an airport back home.

Arisu Sakayanagi furrowed her brows slightly, pretending to be surprised and a bit annoyed. "So you're saying you won't be able to come back tonight?"

"That's right! I'm so sorry, Miss! I'll go commit seppuku to atone for my mistake!" Atsuki exclaimed dramatically, raising her voice to a near shout. Afterward, her throat felt a bit dry, so she took a sip of her cocktail.

She glanced around to make sure no one else was nearby. Fortunately, it was nearly sunset, and the beach wasn't crowded. Otherwise, she would've died of second-hand embarrassment on the spot.

Atsuki's shout was loud enough for the entire Izumi household to hear. However, aside from Aimi, the Izumi couple didn't seem particularly surprised. Based on Arisu Sakayanagi's earlier refined demeanor and graceful manners, it wasn't hard to guess that she likely came from a prominent family.

The phone call from Atsuki only served to confirm it—Arisu Sakayanagi was clearly the type of young lady who had maids to look after her every need.

Izumi Kaneyoshi, who had spent years climbing the ranks in the business world, starting from scratch, couldn't help but reflect on the situation. After hearing the conversation and recalling the Sakayanagi surname, he thought to himself, My daughter has truly made an extraordinary friend.

The Izumi couple was briefly astonished but quickly regained their composure.

"I'm currently having dinner at Kotomi's house. Don't interrupt us. Since you can't make it back tonight, don't worry about it. Just return tomorrow," Arisu Sakayanagi said in a calm but commanding tone.

"But, Miss, how will you get home tonight? And what about your bath?!"

Although Arisu Sakayanagi was perfectly capable of bathing on her own, she had intentionally written this line into the script and instructed Atsuki to deliver it with a tone of grave concern.

"You're right…" Arisu Sakayanagi said, pretending to look troubled.

Hearing this, Kotomi immediately thought of how Arisu Sakayanagi needed a cane to walk. The idea of her going home alone tonight without her maid's care was genuinely worrying. Kotomi glanced at her parents.

The Izumi couple had already noticed Arisu's reliance on a cane earlier. Without hesitation, they both gave Kotomi an "OK" gesture, signaling their approval.

With her parents' consent, Kotomi spoke up. "Arisu, why don't you stay at my house tonight?"

Yes! Just the words I was waiting for! Arisu Sakayanagi cheered inwardly. Outwardly, she feigned hesitation. "Wouldn't that be a bit much?"

"There's nothing wrong with it. Besides, it's getting late, and Aunt and Uncle wouldn't feel comfortable letting you go home alone. Why not just stay here? Kotomi's bed is quite large—you two can share it tonight," Akina said with a smile.

"If you're not comfortable with that, I can sleep on the floor instead…" Kotomi started to offer.

Before she could finish, Arisu Sakayanagi interrupted her with a smile. "Really? Thank you so much, Uncle, Aunt. Kotomi, I'll be in your care tonight!"

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