All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

After entering the classroom and sitting at her desk, Izumi Kotomi found that there was still some time before class started. With nothing better to do, she pulled out her usual notebook and began doodling with her pencil.

Recently, whenever she had free time, Kotomi enjoyed sketching in her notebook. Even though the drawings were just rough sketches, it was a good way to practice and improve her drawing skills.

Of course, she didn’t just draw mindlessly. After finishing each sketch, even if it was just a casual doodle, Kotomi would carefully examine it, comparing it to her previous sketches. She would note where she had improved and where there was still room for improvement.

Finding areas of progress motivated her to keep going, while identifying flaws allowed her to focus on areas that needed work, turning those flaws into strengths.

As she sketched, Kotomi suddenly paused, realizing something. She had been using the blank pages at the back of this notebook for her drawings lately, but what was this notebook originally meant for?

Kotomi had a habit of labeling the first page of each notebook with the subject it was designated for. This made it easier to find the right notebook when studying for exams.

She flipped to the first page, and there it was, written clearly in large letters: Japanese.

Flipping another page confirmed it—this was her Japanese homework notebook.

Oh no...

She could only hope that Ms. Shizuka Hiratsuka, her teacher, wouldn’t notice when grading her homework.

”Kotomi-san, are you drawing again?” Megumi Kato asked curiously as she looked over. She was the only one in the class who knew about Kotomi’s drawing skills.

”Yes, I was a bit bored, so I decided to doodle a little,” Kotomi nodded, explaining.

”Let me see… Wow, this character looks so cool! His arms and head are chainsaws! And this cute little animal, is it a dog? But why does the dog have a chainsaw on its head too?”

Megumi was fascinated by the two sketches in Kotomi’s notebook. She occasionally read manga but rarely saw character designs as unique and unconventional as these.

Whether it was the combination of human and chainsaw or dog and chainsaw, these creatures paired with such an intimidating tool created an odd sense of unease. Yet, the way Kotomi drew them, the characters and their chainsaws seemed to coexist in a strangely harmonious way—an absurd yet seamless fusion.

”Kotomi-san, does this character and the dog have names? They look so interesting. Are you planning to turn this into an illustration?” Megumi asked with keen interest.

”The guy is named Denji, and the dog is Pochita. I’m not planning to make an illustration; I want to turn it into a manga,” Kotomi replied.

”A manga? Does that mean you want to become a manga artist, Kotomi-san?”

”Mm-hmm, ever since I was little, I’ve wanted to do something creative, whether it’s writing novels, drawing manga, or making games. I want to try out careers in creative fields,” Kotomi explained earnestly.

”This is the first time I’ve seen you talk about something so seriously, Kotomi-san,” Megumi praised, holding the sketches and looking at Kotomi with admiration. ”I believe you can do it. If you write novels or draw manga, I’ll be your first loyal reader. And if you make games, I’ll be your first devoted player.”

”Megumi-san, you’re making me blush,” Kotomi murmured, her face turning a little red as she shyly looked away.

”Not just classmates but friends! Because we’re friends, I want to see your dream and be there when it comes true,” Megumi smiled warmly. ”So, were you touched by my words?”

”Just a little,” Kotomi admitted quietly.

”A little, or… a lot?”

Kotomi thought for a moment before replying softly, ”A lot.”

As time passed, more students began filling the classroom. When Yukinoshita Yukino walked toward her seat and saw Kotomi, she slightly opened her mouth and greeted her, ”Good morning, Izumi-san.”

Her tone was still as cold as before, but now Yukino was trying to greet others more proactively.

”Good morning, Yukinoshita-san,” Kotomi nodded, pleased with the progress. She wasn’t aiming to melt Yukino’s icy exterior—she had never considered that. She just wanted to grow a little closer to her.

As for melting the ice queen? That wasn’t on her agenda. Besides, why would she want to?

An ice queen has her own unique charm—cool on the outside but warm on the inside, sharp-tongued but soft-hearted. She might be cold to others but sweet to you, creating an adorable contrast. Isn’t that appealing in its own way?

”Um… Yukinoshita-san, what about my good morning greeting?” Megumi Kato raised her hand and spoke up.

When Yukino realized Megumi was in the classroom, a rare expression of surprise appeared on her face.

”Kato-san?! When did you come in?” Yukino asked, genuinely shocked. Had she noticed Megumi sitting beside Kotomi when she walked over?

Apparently not…

Yukino offered an apologetic smile to Megumi. ”Sorry, Kato-san. I must not have noticed you. My apologies. Good morning, Kato-san.”

”Pfft, it’s okay. My presence is often like that of a background character in a novel—easy to overlook. I’m used to having low presence. Good morning, Yukinoshita-san,” Megumi replied with a playful grin.

”Maybe you could change your image a bit, like growing out your hair?” Yukino suggested, offering the first idea that came to mind.

Yukino wasn’t great at giving advice about changing one’s image; she herself wasn’t one to experiment with her own appearance. But she was trying to make conversation with Megumi, so she suggested what seemed logical.

Megumi, understanding Yukino’s attempt to engage in conversation, nodded as if saying, ”I get it, I get it.”

”Long hair, huh? I thought about it in middle school, but I never grew it out. What about you, Kotomi-san? Do you prefer long hair or short hair?”

Kotomi, when asked, answered earnestly without hesitation, ”I like both.”