Beautiful girls always have a way of lifting one's mood—especially when Kotomi Izumi spoke in that soft, sweet tone of hers, a mix between innocent charm and quiet allure. No matter who heard her, man or woman, they'd feel their heart start to melt.
The train attendant was no exception.
At first, she was a little confused as to why this short-haired white-haired girl kept staring at her legs. She thought maybe there was something dirty stuck to her stockings, or perhaps she had accidentally torn them.
Not that the attendant minded being stared at by another girl—especially not by a girl as stunning as the one before her. In fact, she felt secretly delighted.
After all, having such a beautiful girl staring at her could only mean one thing—she herself was attractive enough to catch her attention.
And there was something about Kotomi's natural aura—something that made people subconsciously want to be part of her story. The attendant was no different. When she first noticed Kotomi's gaze lingering on her legs, a faint thrill had spread through her chest, like biting into a slice of chilled watermelon on a hot summer day.
Then Kotomi called her "sister," in that gentle, sweet, slightly coquettish voice—and the attendant's knees nearly went weak.
But when Kotomi added, "I'd like a Pepsi with ice, please," all that rising excitement suddenly cooled off.
So that's what she was looking at? The attendant sighed inwardly. Turns out she wasn't staring at my legs—just the drinks cart. Guess this pretty girl's eyesight isn't so great if she has to look that seriously at something so close...
Feeling a bit disappointed, the attendant thought to herself: What a shame. I was almost hoping I might have a little fleeting adventure with this white-haired beauty during tonight's long train ride. Maybe if we clicked, we could exchange contacts after the trip—and if not, we'd just go our separate ways with no strings attached.
She quickly composed herself again, slipping back into her professional demeanor. Glancing down at the drink cart, she smiled politely and said:
"Pepsi? I'm very sorry, miss, but we're out of Pepsi. We still have Coca-Cola, though—would that be alright?"
Hearing that, Kotomi's expression instantly dropped into a pout, like a little penguin sulking. She shook her head slightly. "Then... I'll have a bottle of iced green tea instead."
"I'm so sorry about that. I'll go get it for you right away. Please head back to your seat, miss—it's best not to walk in the aisles while the train is moving."
"Okay~ Thank you, sister~" Kotomi chirped before turning and heading back to her seat.
Meanwhile, Yui Yuigahama was still practically glued to the window, her bright eyes sparkling as she watched the snow falling outside.
Seeing that, Kotomi couldn't help tugging lightly at Yui's collar. "Even if the Shinkansen is built well, you shouldn't sit that close to the window. If I hadn't pulled you back just now, you'd be stuck to the glass already. The window's freezing when it snows, you know."
"Hehehe, this is my first time watching snow from a train, I'm just a little excited," Yui laughed sheepishly, sounding every bit like a kid who'd never seen snow before. Then, curious as always, she added, "You were on the phone for quite a while, weren't you, Kotomi?"
Kotomi twitched the corner of her mouth. Maybe I should've just let this silly dumpling keep watching the snow... Now she's counting how long I was gone.
Still, being thought of so sincerely by her girlfriend filled Kotomi with both warmth and a hint of helplessness. After all, her other girlfriend, Megumi Kato, also cared about her deeply—so deeply that she could go full yandere and bring out a kitchen knife if pushed far enough...
Kotomi glanced at Yui again. Dango's such a sweet, obedient girl... she wouldn't go that far, right? No way she'd ever pick up a knife... right?
"I was calling home to let them know I was safe," Kotomi explained. "But once we started talking, I couldn't stop. My parents and I always have lots of topics in common, so we end up chatting for a long time."
It was true—Kotomi and her parents shared many interests. Not just because they were gamers too, but because whenever Kotomi mentioned a new hobby they hadn't heard of, they'd take the time to learn about it. That way, they always had something new to talk about together.
That was one of the reasons Kotomi Izumi loved talking with her parents. Her father in particular often shared fascinating stories and valuable life lessons that she genuinely enjoyed listening to.
Most kids, once they hit adolescence, grow distant from their parents. It's not that they dislike them—it's that they simply don't know how to talk to them anymore.
But Kotomi and Aimi Izumi never had that problem. Even after entering their teenage years, both of them were just as close to their parents as before, often clinging to them and even asking their help to earn platinum trophies in games.
After all, Kotomi was absolutely terrible at gaming—yet she loved it all the same. She enjoyed watching horror game playthroughs, but when she bought those games herself, she could barely play them.
Once, she tried playing one on her own, but the opening chase sequence alone sent her spiraling into panic. The dim lighting and tight indoor corridors made her lose track of where to go—there was simply no way she could escape the ghost chasing her.
She got caught, saw the gruesome on-screen scene—and quit immediately.
Yet whenever she watched YouTube gamers play, they always seemed so relaxed. Some even turned the game into comedy, strolling casually through intense chase scenes while toying with the monsters behind them.
Even though it was a single-player horror game, the way they played made it feel like watching a Dead by Daylight pro kiting the killer with ease.
After that, Kotomi tried several more horror games, but her pattern was always the same:
Open the game, feeling confident.
Opening cutscene, getting excited.
Gameplay starts, growing nervous.
First chase, panicking.
Caught by the monster, closing her eyes.
Exit game, click refund.
In short—none of her horror game sessions ever lasted longer than an hour.
Meanwhile, Yui Yuigahama had also picked up her phone to call her mother and check in. Of course, Kotomi didn't mention that she had already called Tomoka Yuigahama earlier to reassure her.
Most of Kotomi's earlier call had been dedicated not just to checking in—but also to subtly deepening her bond with Mrs. Yuigahama.
While Yui chatted happily with her mom, Yukino Yukinoshita, sitting beside them, closed the book she hadn't turned a single page of since Kotomi's return. Normally, she could read for hours without distraction, but tonight, she couldn't focus at all.
She poked Kotomi's arm lightly. When Kotomi turned to her, Yukino pointed at her own cheek, motioning for her to lean in closer.
Kotomi tilted her head curiously—a simple, innocent motion that, to Yukino, looked irresistibly cute. Was Kotomi that used to acting adorable toward other girls? Yukino felt a pang of jealousy rise in her chest.
Their seats were separated by the aisle, and since this was a first-class carriage, the aisle was absurdly wide. Kotomi didn't move over immediately—after all, Yukino clearly wanted to whisper something privately. Which meant she didn't want the third person to hear.
That third person was... Yui.
If Kotomi leaned too far across the aisle to listen, it would definitely draw Yui's attention. And though Yui would probably pretend not to notice, she would definitely take it to heart.
And once Yui took something to heart, she'd start overthinking it. Kotomi had even teased her about it before: "Dango, in some ways, you're a lot like a croissant."
Yui hadn't understood what she meant. "Kotomi, are you craving croissants? Hehe, I can make maple croissants! I'll bake some for you tomorrow! You should come to my place to eat them—or better yet, I'll bake them at your place. Croissants taste best fresh out of the oven! Most ones sold in bakeries are either too dense or too small and cold—they're never as good as the real thing."
Kotomi's teasing had flown right over her head, and instead, the silly dumpling had earnestly gone and baked a batch of croissants for her.
Still, Kotomi had to admit—they were really good.
Back to the matter at hand—if Kotomi wanted to avoid drawing Yui Yuigahama's attention, or at least make sure Yui didn't take it the wrong way even if she noticed, then the simplest option was... to sit beside Yukino Yukinoshita.
It might not have been the most appropriate choice, but short of leaning awkwardly across the aisle, that was the only solution Kotomi could think of.
Besides, it wasn't as if she were doing anything wrong. She was just going to talk to Yukino, not betraying Yui in any way. So she moved decisively, with a clear conscience.
I, Kotomi Izumi, have done nothing wrong to Yui! she declared in her heart.
Rumble—!
Just as Kotomi finished that thought, Yukino's phone suddenly rang with a thunderclap loud enough to make her jump. For a second, she thought it was an actual storm outside.
"Why does it sound like thunder?" Kotomi asked, startled.
"My sister just messaged me," Yukino sighed. "She's asking why I haven't called to let her know I arrived safely. I don't remember ever telling her I'd call her, though."
Her tone was laced with a mix of exasperation and affection—the kind of weary fondness reserved for annoying older sisters.
"Of all the possible sounds, why'd you pick a thunder one?" Kotomi muttered inwardly. I nearly had a heart attack...
Yukino, unfazed, explained calmly, "It's not just thunder. It's a real thunderstorm recording—a kind of white noise I saved from a music app. I love reading all day at home when it rains, so I really like this kind of sound. I used to play it at a low volume while reading, but eventually, I set it as my notification tone."
As she spoke, Yukino waved her phone slightly and asked, "If you like it, I can send it to you later through LINE."
"Then... thanks," Kotomi replied with a sheepish smile. Though the thunder had startled her, she actually did enjoy the soothing sound of rain.
After all, nothing in the world felt better than staying in bed under a thick blanket on a rainy day, air conditioner humming softly, scrolling through her phone—or taking a lazy nap. Kotomi slept with thick blankets year-round. To her, the comfort of cool air and warm blankets was one of life's purest pleasures.
After saying that, she moved over to sit beside Yukino. The other girl was already typing rapidly on her phone, replying to her sister Haruno's messages.
Yukino wasn't typing fast because she had much to say—she just wanted to get the conversation over with so she could focus on talking privately with Kotomi.
Kotomi, meanwhile, waited patiently, watching Yukino's fingers dance across the screen. For a moment, she was reminded of how Yukino looked when she played the piano—the same elegance and poise in every motion.
Kotomi had always wanted to tell her: Yukino, when you play the piano, you're the most beautiful sight in my eyes.
Though admittedly, Kotomi had quite a few "most beautiful sights."
Yukino Yukinoshita's phone screen:
Haruno Yukinoshita: Ugh, my little sister's grown up. You've spread your wings, huh? Today's your Kyoto hot spring trip, and you didn't even bother to tell your dear sister. And now you've already left without calling to check in? I'm so hurt~
Yukino: I don't recall ever telling you I'd call to report anything.
Haruno: Oh please, I heard from your homeroom teacher, Shizuka Hiratsuka—we've known each other since childhood. She mentioned she arranged this trip for the three of you. Ugh, I'm so jealous. I want to soak in a hot spring too.
Oh, by the way, what's Kotomi doing right now? I want to see what she looks like during the trip.
Yukino: You're not even close to her. Why should I show you?
Haruno: Tch, fine, don't show me then. But the way you're hiding her so carefully, anyone would think Kotomi's become your private property already~
Yukino: What nonsense! Don't you have work to do? Instead of pestering me, maybe try improving your performance as an editor. Even if Aunt Shizuka got you a spot at Dengeki Bunko because of Mom's connections, you've only managed to land one author since you started, right? And that was only recently.
Haruno: Please, my sweet little sister, it's after hours. Even if I wanted to work overtime, Aunt Shizuka would just complain it wastes the office's electricity. Besides, so what if I only manage one author? That one author's a once-in-a-decade treasure—bestseller, top of the charts, IP adaptation already in negotiation. My job's easy, my pay's great, and I get bonuses big enough to make my hands ache from counting them~
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