All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

”I didn’t know premium member tickets were so convenient. You can even enter the first exhibition gallery without handing in your phone,” Kotomi Izumi said as she glanced at the phone in Officer Yukki’s left hand.

Noticing Kotomi’s gaze and knowing full well that visitors to the Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art weren’t allowed to bring phones into the galleries, Officer Yukki just shrugged and smiled casually.

”Even with premium member passes, you still have to hand in your phone before entering the gallery.”

”But as a police officer, how could we possibly let our phones out of our sight? More than that—we always make sure the battery stays above 90%. Not even exaggerating.”

”So, old-timers like me usually carry two phones. One is just for show—completely empty, no important data, no SIM card. It’s basically a prop.”

”The other one is our real phone—the one we can’t hand over under any circumstances. Personally, I like to keep mine in the inside pocket on the left side of my jacket. Who knows, it might save my life someday.”

A detail straight out of a crime drama!

No wonder people who love detective shows always want a cop friend. Art imitates life, but life is always more unbelievable than fiction.

Even the most seasoned drama director can’t cover every detail. And some things can’t be shown on screen anyway—not if you want to pass the censors.

That’s why having a friend in law enforcement lets you occasionally learn about secrets most people will never hear.

”Yukki, I finished my call. Let’s go,” came Officer Hidari’s voice.

As Officer Hidari walked over and saw Kotomi, she couldn’t help but be surprised. Just as Kotomi hadn’t expected to see the two officers here in Kyoto, Hidari hadn’t expected to see her either.

”Kotomi? What are you doing in Kyoto? High school’s not on break yet, is it? Don’t tell me you skipped class to come here?” Hidari asked curiously.

”Do I look like someone who would skip class?” Kotomi replied, brushing her hair behind her ear in a show of innocence, trying to appear like the perfect honor student.

”Very much so.”

Hidari nodded without hesitation.

”...I’m here to participate in the National Art Exhibition. I paint.”

Black lines crept across Kotomi’s face.

”Wow, you’re full of surprises. Never thought you were into painting,” Officer Yukki said, clearly stunned.

Hidari looked equally shocked.

To these two cops, who had zero artistic ability, even someone who could draw a stick figure seemed impressive—so the fact that Kotomi could paint in oils?

The fact they didn’t gasp aloud was already a miracle.

”Now that you mention it,” Hidari added, ”I did pass by an oil painting just earlier. The title was Twilight Sky · Sunset, and the artist listed was Kotomi. I figured it was someone with the same name and didn’t think twice. But it really was you.”

She remembered the sunset painting she had just seen. At the time, she’d assumed it was a coincidence.

Turns out, the mischievous white-haired girl standing in front of her was full of surprises.

Now that Hidari had seen her painting, Kotomi grinned proudly and asked, ”So? Was it good?”

Lacking any artistic sense, Hidari struggled for a response. After a long pause, she finally managed:

”It was... really good.”

Just three words.

But Kotomi was quite satisfied. If her work could impress someone who didn’t care about art at all, then it must truly be beautiful.

Kotomi let out a smug little hum. If she had wings right now, she’d be soaring up to the moon, pinning Princess Kaguya beneath her.

As soon as Hidari saw Mashiro Shiina, her eyes widened in recognition—she suddenly remembered the blonde girl depicted in Kotomi’s painting.

Exactly the same!

If you ignored the texture of the paint and its unique patterns, Twilight Sky· Sunset might as well have been a photograph of Mashiro taken at dusk.

Officer Hidari narrowed her eyes slightly, observing Mashiro the way one would examine evidence during an investigation.

A moment later, she lightly tapped Kotomi’s shoulder and said calmly, ”Kotomi, can you come with me for a moment? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

Not knowing what Hidari wanted to say, Kotomi nodded, curiosity piqued.

Seeing this, Officer Yukki said, ”I’ll head out then. I’ll warm up the car... and grab a smoke.”

”Smoke less,” Hidari reminded him.

”You’ve told me to smoke less at least ten times this month. Hidari, are you my wife or something?”

”Since you know I’ve told you so many times, try actually cutting back.”

”Ah... can’t win against you. I’m out.”

Kotomi told Hibiki and Mashiro that she was stepping away for a moment, then followed Officer Hidari to a quiet corner.

Hidari gave Kotomi a long, meaningful look, then said with a sigh,

”Looks like I didn’t see the real you before. I originally thought Iroha Isshiki was your girlfriend. Now it seems there’s also a blonde girl in the picture. Didn’t expect you to be a two-timer.”

Kotomi had braced herself for something serious—ears perked up, ready to hear something important.

And then Hidari dropped that. Kotomi nearly spit out the orange juice she’d had that morning.

Since when did she become a two-timing scumbag?

More like... way more than just two!

She recalled what Iroha Isshiki had said at the hospital while clinging to her arm.

Then there was the look Hidari had just given Mashiro...

Kotomi suddenly understood—Hidari had cooked up a whole love triangle in her head between her, Iroha, and Mashiro!

”Ahem, I think I get where you’re misunderstanding this, Officer Hidari. Allow me to clarify—I’m not what you think. Mashiro and I are both participating in the National Art Exhibition.”

”Everyone says police have sharp eyes, and I guess I’ve seen it firsthand. The reason I painted Mashiro is because we made a promise: I would make her the heroine of my painting, and she’d make me the heroine of hers.”

Kotomi explained everything in one breath... only to find Hidari watching her with a faint, unreadable smile.

And that’s when it hit her.

Crap—I fell for it!

Old foxes are always the most cunning. This woman was a seasoned manipulator! Hidari had deliberately spoken ambiguously, prompting Kotomi to jump in and spill the beans.

Sure, she corrected the misunderstanding, but in doing so, she had also handed Hidari all the details.

Even more terrifying, Kotomi didn’t realize she’d been baited until after she said the very last word. Someone more naive might not figure it out for years.

Kotomi felt a mix of awe and dread toward Officer Hidari. For someone like her to rise to Inspector Assistant meant she was a master at interrogations. Digging up a person’s truth was probably as easy as pouring a glass of water.

”No need to feel bad. Even adults often don’t realize when I’ve baited them during questioning.

”Flat-out denying or making up lies doesn’t work on me. Unless you’re a genius at thinking on your feet, you’ll slip. Most people do.”

”Which is why I’ve gained even more respect for you. The fact that a high schooler realized what happened almost immediately—right after speaking—that alone puts you above a lot of actual cops.”

”It’s just a shame... you don’t want to be a police officer.”

At the end of her words, Officer Hidari looked somewhat regretful. She had always felt Kotomi was no ordinary high school student.

She might seem naive on the surface, but sometimes her mind worked faster than most adults’. Who knew what went on in that little witch’s head?

If Kotomi ever became a police officer, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department would have struck gold.

—The savior of the Japanese police!

Unfortunately, Kotomi had no such ambitions. And since that was the case, Hidari wouldn’t push it.

Besides, she knew better than anyone that being a cop wasn’t exactly a glamorous job.

”You’ve gotten your answers from me, so shouldn’t you answer one of mine now, Officer Hidari?” Kotomi asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes. ”Officer Yukki said you’re here in Kyoto for a meeting. If the Kanagawa Prefectural Police came all the way here, it must be for something serious, right?”

Hidari raised an eyebrow. ”Knew you wouldn’t let that slide, little witch. You’re not easy to handle. Alright... five days ago, there was a horrific family massacre here in Kyoto. The suspect murdered an entire family of seven. He’s already in custody, but after hearing what he said... most officers involved felt a deep, heavy sadness.”

She sighed heavily before continuing:

”The suspect had been a kind and honest man for most of his life—someone who had saved and helped many people. But his family had long been bullied by their neighbors, the very ones who became the victims in this case. That family used their wealth and connections to oppress others.”

”Eventually, the suspect’s family of three lost their home and struggled just to eat. They ended up living in a tent. In winter, they huddled under blankets near fires. When typhoons came, all they could do was pray their tent wouldn’t blow away.”

”Know how long they lived in that tent? Three whole years. During that time, he kept reporting the abuse—but nothing came of it.”

”No one helped. Even when he tried to press charges, everything got swept under the rug.”

”A year ago, his 78-year-old mother froze to death. That was the final straw. This once gentle man finally snapped and slaughtered the entire neighbor family.”

After that, Officer Hidari fell silent for a long time. Kotomi didn’t speak either—just waited.

Eventually, Hidari continued:

”During his interrogation, the suspect said one thing: ’Back then, the law didn’t protect me. And now, the law won’t forgive me.’”

”Any cop who hears that line... it’s like a dagger straight to the heart.”

”On our way to Kyoto yesterday, I looked into the full details of the case. I listened to the interrogation recording. And when I heard that line... I felt this strange pain and doubt inside me. I started questioning whether the justice I’ve upheld all these years... was really justice at all.”

”Law has never been synonymous with justice,” Kotomi replied calmly.

”...You’re right.”

Kotomi glanced out the window. Not just Kyoto—every bustling city hid tragedies, horror, injustice, and hate beneath its glittering surface.

”They” were terrified of anyone pulling back the curtain.

Kotomi let out a soft chuckle.

”A poet and playwright I really like, Mayakovsky, once said: ’When society corners you and leaves you no escape, remember—there’s still one path behind you: crime. And don’t forget, that’s not shameful.’”

”Officer Hidari, I don’t know how you feel about it. But I’ve always believed: when someone commits a crime for money, they are guilty. But when someone commits a crime for bread—then society is guilty.”

After hearing Kotomi’s words, Officer Hidari fell into rare silence. When she finally spoke again, her voice was a bit hoarse—but her eyes were filled with unwavering determination.

Or perhaps, stubbornness...

She stood up and smoothed out the creases on her pants.

”If I could, I’d love to call you ’sensei,’ little witch. Haha... Kotomi, do you remember what I said when you mentioned the idea of a dark hero before?”

Kotomi nodded.

Officer Hidari took a deep breath. ”There’s something in my reply to you back then that I’d like to change.”

Just as Kotomi was about to speak, Hidari gently patted her on the head and said softly:

”Kotomi, when you and Iroha Isshiki get married, make sure to send me the invitation early. If it’s late... I’m afraid I won’t get it.”

With that, Officer Hidari turned and walked in the opposite direction. Before Kotomi could ask what she meant by that last sentence, she was already gone.

All Kotomi remembered was that on that day, Officer Hidari’s figure walking away in the opposite direction carried the same unwavering belief in justice as always—yet it also bore a subtle, unspoken change.

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