After eating and drinking to one's heart's content, one naturally starts wanting to lazily lie down on a bed or a tatami mat.
Not to mention that it could already be considered winter.
And since it was winter, one absolutely had to mention that sacred invention—the kotatsu!
Having eaten her fill and returned to her room, Kotomi Izumi immediately slipped into the kotatsu and sprawled inside it lazily. She had originally planned to go shopping in the afternoon, but the kotatsu was simply too comfortable. Compared to the freezing cold outside, it felt like two completely different worlds. So Kotomi decisively rescheduled the shopping trip from the afternoon to the evening.
Just during lunch, she had confidently declared:
"When we get back to the room, we'll rest for a bit and then head out shopping. Don't get so addicted to resting that you keep delaying it. Do things when you're supposed to do them. We'll rest properly after we come back from shopping."
Yet the moment she returned to her room and slipped her little feet under the kotatsu, this strong-willed Kotomi Izumi instantly changed her tune:
"Mmm... it's so warm, so comfy. Wait, who goes shopping in the afternoon anyway? Evening, evening! We'll go tonight instead. We can have dinner outside too. I remember there's a pretty good skewer place nearby. I haven't had sweet-glazed grilled chicken skin in ages. After we eat, we'll come back and soak in the hot spring."
The speed at which Kotomi switched her stance was even faster than the speed at which the French surrender.
"You're clearly just addicted to the warmth and comfort of the kotatsu, yet you still have to make up a time-related excuse for yourself," Yukino Yukinoshita said coolly.
Compared to Kotomi, who was already lying down and preparing to pull the quilt over herself for a nice afternoon nap, Yukino was at least still sitting upright.
"That's not true. Actually, I'm a hero recognized by the Holy Sword. Right now, I'm fighting against the Evil of Humanity—the Kotatsu Demon!
"The Evil of Humanity, manifest!
"But the Kotatsu Demon's combat power is far too overwhelming. Even wielding the Holy Sword, I was still defeated by its attack.
"Guh... Kotatsu Demon, you're too strong."
Lying inside the kotatsu with the quilt draped over her, Kotomi spoke in a lazy, languid tone.
Yukino looked puzzled. She had no idea what Kotomi meant by "Evil of Humanity."
It was only natural that she didn't understand. After all, Kotomi's game company, Type-Moon Realm, was still only an idea and had not yet begun actual development. The Type-Moon worldview had not been constructed, and FGO had not been created.
But given Yukino's personality—someone who wasn't particularly interested in games—even if FGO were eventually developed, unless someone told her, "This is a game made by Kotomi," she probably wouldn't actively download it even if it were plastered with overwhelming advertisements.
Yukino's lack of interest in games wasn't simply disinterest.
It was because she didn't know how to play them.
Because she didn't know how, she wasn't interested.
Just how bad was Yukino at games? Kotomi didn't quite know how to describe it. She only remembered that once, during a break between classes, she had been playing Azur Lane on hard mode.
Right as she was about to clear the stage, Shizuka Hiratsuka called her to the office to fetch something. Not wanting to pause at such a crucial moment, Kotomi handed her phone to Yukino, briefly explaining the controls before running off.
When she returned, she found Yukino staring blankly at the phone. Kotomi stepped closer and saw that the stage had failed.
Both fleets had been wiped out.
Even though it was hard mode, given the strength of her ship girls, there was no way both fleets should have been completely annihilated.
Later, Kotomi found a few more opportunities to let Yukino help her play and watched her operations.
Only then did she understand how two fairly strong fleets could be entirely destroyed in a mere hard-mode stage.
Returning to the present, even though Yukino didn't understand what Kotomi meant by "Evil of Humanity," she could roughly grasp that Kotomi was simply finding another way of saying: the kotatsu was too comfortable, and she didn't want to go shopping in the afternoon. She just wanted to laze around inside and take a nap.
If you want to be lazy, just say so. Why do you have to dress it up in a different explanation... Yukino thought somewhat helplessly.
Yet the faint curve at the corner of her lips carried a gentle warmth.
"It feels like something's missing..."
Yui Yuigahama stared at the kotatsu, deep in thought.
"What's missing?" Yukino asked curiously.
Kotomi lazily lifted her head and drawled:
"I think something's missing too. It's missing a beautiful girl's lap pillow! Mmm~ So, which of you beautiful girls is willing to let me enjoy a lap pillow? I've been having a bit of insomnia lately. I need a soft, fragrant beautiful girl to coax me to sleep. I won't be picky if both of you—ah!"
Before she could finish, Yukino lightly tapped her on the head.
Thunk.
Nice sound? A nice sound means it's a good head!
"Yukino, stop hitting Kotomi's head all the time!"
Yui protested unhappily. She walked over and sat beside Kotomi, gently rubbing her little head as she asked softly,
"Kotomi, does it still hurt?"
"Mmm... it hurts so much. You have to comfort me."
Kotomi turned over and hugged Yui's thigh, never missing a chance to act spoiled. Her voice was soft and pitiful, filled with exaggerated grievance.
As someone who could practically serve as the spokesperson for green tea tactics, Kotomi was naturally a master at brewing up a tearful tone and playing the victim. It came effortlessly.
How could Yui possibly know Kotomi was pretending? She only thought her future wife looked so pitiful and adorable. Honestly, Yukino was too much—bullying such a weak, helpless, and cute little thing like Kotomi.
"Okay, Kotomi. I'll hold you while you nap. Don't cry anymore, okay~"
Yui said gently. As she spoke, she moved to lie down and pull Kotomi into her arms.
Although when Kotomi and Yui usually slept in the same bed, it was Yui who held Kotomi.
Actually, it was always Kotomi who took the initiative to hug Yui. Not only because holding Yui felt comfortable, but also because Kotomi believed that holding a girl in her arms was a very dominant move. It suited someone who was eighty percent likely to be the top—like herself!
So whether she was sleeping with Megumi Kato or with Yui Yuigahama, Kotomi loved pulling them into her arms and then secretly savoring the thought in her heart:
I'm so dominant!
And then, as she continued holding them, whether half-asleep or fully asleep, Kotomi Izumi would gradually turn into a soft, adorable little wife nestled in Megumi Kato's or Yui Yuigahama's arms.
Looking at Yui, who could dote on Kotomi to her heart's content, how could Yukino Yukinoshita not feel envious? And seeing Kotomi act spoiled toward Yui, the jealousy in Yukino's heart began to surge like rolling waves. The roaring tide of envy seemed to condense into a single sentence:
Why won't Kotomi act spoiled with me?!
Yet her inner pride prevented Yukino from admitting either her envy or her jealousy. She merely tugged at the corner of her lips and said in a rather helpless tone:
"I only tapped her lightly on the head. It wasn't like I actually hit her hard. Kotomi, constantly acting spoiled with other girls is a very... childish thing to do."
She had originally wanted to say it was a very scummy thing to do, but after thinking about it, she swallowed the words.
Yukino's emotions were always in a state of contradiction. At this moment, she hoped Kotomi was a scummy girl—yet she also hoped she wasn't.
If Kotomi were scummy, Yukino felt she could easily snatch her away from Yui. And yet, she didn't want Kotomi to be that kind of person. Yukino was far too proud. So proud that she wanted Kotomi's complete love—wanted Kotomi's heart to belong to her alone.
Yukino Yukinoshita wanted to steal Kotomi away from Yui, and once she did, she would devour her whole, greedily and bloodily, swallowing her into her very being. She didn't want to share Kotomi's love with anyone.
Not even her best friend, Yui Yuigahama.
Kotomi and Yui had no idea what was running through Yukino's mind at that moment.
After hearing Yukino's words, Kotomi didn't respond. She simply continued lying there lazily. It wasn't that she didn't know how to answer, nor that she didn't want to. It was just that the kotatsu was far too comfortable. So comfortable that she felt she temporarily lacked even the strength to speak. All she wanted was to lie there, basking in Yui's embrace, leisurely passing the afternoon.
Kotomi had always wanted to try sleeping an entire night inside a kotatsu, just to see what it felt like.
Compared to the languid Kotomi Izumi, Yui tightened her arms slightly around Kotomi after hearing Yukino's words and said with righteous confidence:
"So what if it's childish? I'd rather Kotomi stay childish forever—always happy, always without worries."
"That's not really what childish means..."
Yukino said helplessly. It was rather strange. When it came to playing with words, she knew she couldn't beat Kotomi—after all, Kotomi was shameless enough to insist the dead were alive if she wanted to.
But if she wasn't comparing herself to Kotomi, Yukino considered wordplay one of her strengths.
She hadn't expected that now she couldn't even out-argue Yui.
More precisely, it wasn't that she couldn't win the argument. It was that, in front of Yui at this moment, she didn't know what to say—like a kitten standing before a lioness, completely lacking confidence.
After Kotomi had finished acting spoiled, she lifted a small hand and gently poked Yui's cheek, smiling as she asked:
"Earlier you said it felt like something was missing from the kotatsu. What was it?"
"Let me think..."
Yui had already figured it out earlier, but her attention had been entirely on Kotomi just now. In less than a few minutes, she had forgotten.
Fortunately, Yui's memory was fairly good. After taking a moment to think, she remembered what the cozy kotatsu was lacking.
It wasn't missing any parts.
It was missing something on top of the kotatsu table.
"I remember now. The kotatsu is super comfy, but it's missing its best companion—a sweet-and-sour tangerine!" Yui said brightly.
Hearing that, Kotomi suddenly realized the same thing. The kotatsu was perfect—except for the absence of that fruit almost inseparable from it in winter: tangerines.
Mention winter and a kotatsu, and you immediately think of tangerines.
Mention winter and tangerines, and you immediately think of a kotatsu.
"That's true. No wonder, even though I just finished lunch, I felt like something was missing after lying down in the kotatsu. Turns out it's not that I didn't eat enough at the restaurant. It's that once you get into a kotatsu, you instinctively want to eat tangerines. But the Japanese-style deluxe room didn't prepare any fruit, since we didn't request it when we checked in," Kotomi said.
Now that the perfect pairing of kotatsu and tangerines had been brought to mind, Kotomi desperately wanted one—preferably the kind that was especially sweet with just the faintest hint of tartness.
"This is where the convenience of a Japanese-style deluxe room really shows itself," Kotomi murmured.
She took out her phone and called Saori Funamoto.
The content of the call was simple:
Kotomi Izumi: "Are you there? I want tangerines. The really sweet kind, with just a tiny bit of tartness. And bring some small mandarins too. I haven't had those in a while."
Saori Funamoto: "Of course! Leave it to me! Miss Izumi, would you like any other fruit?"
Kotomi Izumi: "For now, just tangerines. You can pick a few other fruits as you see fit, but don't bring too much. And don't bring durian—unless you want me to finish eating it and then put the shell on your head."
Saori Funamoto: "Hehe, understood."
A short while later, Saori appeared with a fruit basket filled with fresh produce. Aside from the tangerines Kotomi and the others wanted, there were also apples, peaches, and mangosteens.
If Kotomi hadn't specifically said not to bring too much, Saori would probably have turned the fruit basket into something resembling a miniature Fruit Mountain.
After setting the basket down, Saori tactfully turned and left.
Kotomi picked up a tangerine from the basket and rolled it lightly on the table before handing it to Yui.
"Peel it for me. And remove the white pith too."
"O-okay!"
Yui quickly took the tangerine. Since she had only recently started dating Kotomi, and compared to Megumi—who often peeled tangerines for Kotomi—Yui hadn't had the chance yet.
How could she possibly miss such a perfect opportunity?
Of course, Yui didn't know that other girls had long since peeled tangerines for Kotomi.
Even if Megumi didn't count, there was still Aimi Izumi.
In fact, ever since Kotomi was little, every single tangerine she had eaten had been peeled by Aimi herself, the white pith removed meticulously until it was perfectly clean.
Yukino, who had just been about to reach for a tangerine herself, suddenly lost the desire to eat one after witnessing that scene. Instead, she picked up an apple.
She took a bite.
Hiss—!
So sour!
Before she even swallowed the piece of apple, Yukino had already sucked in a sharp breath.
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