All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

After entering the classroom, Izumi Kotomi noticed that there was a form on every student's desk. Upon picking it up, she realized it was the application form for Sobu High School's clubs.

This form was used to decide whether to participate in club activities, and if so, which club to join.

"It looks like Shizuka Hiratsuka-sensei distributed these application forms in advance," Megumi Kato remarked as she put down her bag and casually picked up a pen, marking "No" on the form.

Just as she had mentioned yesterday, Megumi had no interest in joining any club activities.

"Kato-san also chose 'No' like me," Yukinoshita Yukino, who had arrived early, commented when she saw that Megumi had also written "No" on her application form. It was rare for Yukino to initiate a conversation with someone.

"Yes, I'm not particularly interested in club activities," Megumi replied with a light smile.

While those two opted out, Izumi Kotomi chose "Yes" and selected the art club. Given her current level of drawing skills, getting into the art club shouldn't be an issue.

"Good morning, Yui Yuigahama."

"Good morning, Kirigiri-san."

"Good morning, Yuigahama-san. You almost came late again today."

"Ahaha, I stayed up a bit late last night. Mizuno-san, the manga you recommended to me yesterday was really good!"

...

As soon as Yui Yuigahama stepped into the classroom, she was greeted by several girls. Yui responded to each of them. Even though it was only the second day of school, Yui had already managed to meet most of the girls in the class and seemed to have hit it off with a few.

"Yuigahama-san is really good at making friends," Yukinoshita Yukino said, her eyes never leaving the book in her hands, but her words were clearly about Yui Yuigahama.

Is she hoping she could have as many friends as Yui? Izumi Kotomi glanced at Yukino and thought to herself.

"Yuigahama has a personality that naturally draws people in," Kotomi said, sharing her opinion.

Clumsy, cheerful, or maybe a bit of a healing-type airhead.

Kotomi really liked Yui's personality.

If Yui were to be her girlfriend in the future, facing this somewhat clumsy and adorable Yui, Kotomi would definitely be the... Ahem, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

"Some people are naturally good at making friends, while others seem destined to be alone. Perhaps it's fate," Yukino said, her voice as emotionless as ever, as if she was speaking about herself, yet not quite.

"I don't see it that way. If it were up to me, I'd choose both Yukinoshita-san and Yuigahama-san," Kotomi said, her tone carrying a hint of sincerity.

"Eh?"

Yukino, usually composed and calm, was momentarily taken aback by Kotomi's unexpectedly bold statement, doubting if she had heard correctly.

"Kotomi-san, that sounded like something a player would say~ A flirt, playing with the feelings of innocent girls," Megumi Kato teased lightly.

Seeing Yukino's shocked expression and hearing Megumi's teasing words, Kotomi quickly realized that what she said could easily be misunderstood!

"No, that's not it! You both misunderstood... I just meant I wanted to be friends with Yukinoshita-san and Yuigahama-san. Just friends, nothing more!" Kotomi hastily explained, waving her hands in denial.

Megumi feigned an interested look and pressed, "You only mentioned Yukinoshita and Yuigahama. What about me? Am I not Kotomi-san's friend?"

"Of course you are!"

"Pfft... I'm just teasing you. But Kotomi-san, you look so cute when you're flustered. I hope I get to see more of that in the future," Megumi said with a playful smile.

Watching Kotomi's cute, flustered face, Megumi couldn't help but smile.

Yukino, who had been observing their banter, allowed a faint, barely noticeable smile to touch her lips.

"Then let's try getting to know each other better," Yukino said softly.

Though her tone remained cold, it was clear that a bit of the frost had melted away.

"Does getting along really require an effort?" Kotomi asked.

"Yes. We've only known each other for two days. I need to understand what kind of person Kotomi-san is."

"Are you worried Kotomi-san might be a bad influence?" Megumi joked lightly. It was obvious from her tone that she was just teasing.

Yet Yukino nodded earnestly, agreeing with Megumi's jest: "Kato-san has a point."

Hearing this, Megumi couldn't help but laugh again.

Pfft...

Listening to the two beautiful girls' conversation centered around herself, Kotomi could only offer a helpless smile.

It seemed that becoming friends with Yukino wasn't going to be an overnight affair.

But at least there was progress.

Yes!

At that moment, Yui Yuigahama, having finished chatting with her new friends, came over to sit down at her desk and greeted the three of them:

"Good morning, Yukino, Kotomi-san. Have either of you finished the math homework? Can I... uh, borrow it to take a look? I was reading a novel last night and forgot to finish my homework."

"Not doing your homework on the first day back? That's so like Yuigahama-san," Megumi, sitting behind them, remarked with a light laugh.

"Right? Wait... Kato-san, when did you get here?"

"I've been sitting here the whole time."

"I walked right by and didn't notice you? Maybe staying up late reading novels is starting to mess with my attention span," Yui muttered to herself, a bit frightened by the thought.

Looks like I definitely need to go to bed early tonight!

"Yuigahama-san, were you reading Sword Art Online again last night?" Megumi asked with a smile.

"Yeah. It's just so good that I couldn't help but reread it last night."

Although she had told her classmates earlier that she was reading manga, Yui now admitted she was actually reading a novel, the same Sword Art Online written by Izumi Kotomi.

So that's why you didn't finish your homework, because you were reading my novel...

Kotomi thought, finding it hard not to laugh upon hearing this.

In a way, she had been keeping Yui up late at night.

Kotomi took out her completed math homework and handed it to Yui.

"Here you go, I finished mine."

"Wow! Thanks, Kotomi-san, you're a lifesaver!" Yui said, clutching the notebook as if it were a life preserver.

It's understandable—if it were homework for any other subject, it might not be such a big deal. After all, every high schooler has missed a homework assignment or two. But their math teacher for Class 1-F, Mr. Nakamori, was notoriously strict. Upperclassmen in their second and third years had plenty of stories about him.

For example, there was one time during class when he got so frustrated with the low correct answer rate in the exercise books that he ended up throwing one across the room. It wasn't just a casual toss—the book flew like a shuriken, slicing the light fixture clean off!

Crash—it fell and shattered on the floor.

That throw made Nakamori-sensei a legend.

Though strict, Nakamori-sensei's students often achieved math scores of 180 out of 200 points.

That said, if Yui didn't finish her math homework before class, she'd probably get called out and have to bring her parents in!

For students in kindergarten, elementary, middle, or high school, nothing was more terrifying than being told to bring their parents.

Finally having something to copy from, Yui felt a wave of relief wash over her, thinking Kotomi must be an angel sent from above.

An angel wearing white stockings.