That Kotomi Izumi could draw—and draw well enough to be included in an art exhibition—was no surprise to Reishu Hisada.
Not just rich families—even moderately well-off households often liked to enroll their children in artistic extracurriculars like drawing, dance, piano, or guitar.
These hobbies cost money. Without so financial leeway, it's hard to afford them...
So, to Reishu Hisada, Kotomi learning to draw was perfectly natural. Everyone hopes their child will have so refined talent.
Whether or not it actually improves their temperant, it's always nice to casually bring up during a business partner's gathering: "Oh, my daughter's into painting." If your kids have artistic skills, it's definitely sothing worth bragging about—regardless of whether the listener is genuinely impressed, they'll at least offer flattering complints during the conversation.
Reishu Hisada had both a son and a daughter—the son was three years older. He already had his son learning piano, and planned to enroll his daughter in ballet once she got a little older.
"You've always been outstanding, Little Princess. Of course you'd make it into the exhibition. Who knows, maybe the National Art Award has already decided to make you their 'poster child,'" Reishu said with a hearty laugh.
It wasn't over-the-top flattery, just the kind of praise that made people feel good.
Kotomi loved hearing complints. Every ti soone praised her, her taphorical tail would wag with joy. Still, in front of others, she had to maintain her composure. Even though she was flying inside, she kept a calm face, as if that complint ant nothing to her.
"Uncle Reishu, you flatter ."
Too many words lead to mistakes.
To avoid exposing her proud little heart, Kotomi kept her reply brief.
After chatting a bit more, Kotomi excused herself. Reishu had offered to walk her to the museum's entrance, but she politely declined.
"Little Princess, there are plenty of Snow Deer City shops here in Kyoto. If you visit, it'll be a great honor for us!"
"As expected of !"
Feeling light-headed from all the praise, Kotomi dropped the act—she had never liked being overly modest anyway. With her hands on her hips, she let out a proud little hum and decided she'd drink Snow Deer City's pearl milk tea tonight.
Milk teas had gotten more and more flamboyant lately, and Kotomi wasn't sure if they tasted good anymore. So she just didn't bother trying new ones. She always ordered pearl milk tea.
After leaving the exhibition hall for the first showcase, Kotomi could no longer pretend not to notice the looks from Mashiro Shiina and Hibiki Naegi. With a bitter smile, she turned to them and said:
"So, uh... if I said, let's just move past what happened earlier, would you two agree?"
"Nope!" Mashiro stepped forward, eyes burning. "Kotomi, that little girl was looking at you funny! Don't tell ... she likes you?!"
Why is that the part you're focusing on?! Kotomi scread internally.
She had noticed the way little Jasmine had looked at her too—full of admiration and longing. But hey, she's just a kid. That's totally normal.
When you're young, who hasn't had a crush on soone way older?
Kotomi herself once fell head over heels for an older girl when she was a child—and even boldly proposed marriage!
"You an little Jasmine? It'd be weird if she didn't like , honestly. I've practically watched that kid grow up. Back when she was still a baby, she'd crawl into my arms for cuddles and refuse to get off," Kotomi said with a shrug and a smile.
Little Jasmine had even chased after her before. Every ti they t, she'd show up all dressed up, holding a bouquet of flowers bigger than she was.
Kotomi had kept those flowers at ho. As for Jasmine's declarations, Kotomi just brushed them off as childish nonsense. Besides, she didn't dare take it seriously.
Because seriously? That'd be criminal. A whole new life ahead, only to have it end in prison!
"Mashiro, isn't that the wrong question?! Shouldn't you be asking why Kotomi knows the president of Snow Deer City?"
Hibiki quickly cut in. She had assud Mashiro's curiosity was the sa as hers—but clearly, not even close.
"Eh? You're curious about that, Hibiki-senpai? Well, it's simple. Both my grandparents' families—on my mom's and dad's side—are pretty wealthy. Years ago, my grandfather lent him so money so he could start his business. That's how Snow Deer City ca to be. Naturally, my grandfather beca their benefactor."
Kotomi explained calmly, not sounding like she was showing off. And really, she wasn't. She was just modestly stating the facts.
After all, the Izumi couple had always taught their daughters: Don't flaunt wealth—especially when it's not sothing you earned yourself.
"So money," huh... Hibiki thought to herself, skeptical.
With Kotomi's seamless deflection, both Mashiro and Hibiki dropped the subject. The three of them left the Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art and decided to grab lunch before heading back to the hotel.
After Kotomi left, Reishu continued walking through the gallery with his daughter—but he quickly noticed little Jasmine's mind was no longer on the exhibition.
"Jasmine, are you hungry?" Reishu asked, thinking his daughter might be tired and offered to pick her up.
"Daddy, Kotomi-nee got even prettier."
"Girls change a lot as they grow up. Of course she got prettier. And our little Jasmine will beco a beautiful young lady too!" Reishu chuckled, assuming his daughter was just admiring Kotomi's looks.
"Then when I grow up and beco a beautiful lady too, can I marry Kotomi-nee?!" Little Jasmine's eyes sparkled as she drooled a little, the drool dripping onto her bib.
"Wha—?!"
Reishu almost stumbled and fell, quickly tightening his stance to avoid dropping his daughter. Once steady, he opened his mouth, unsure of how to respond to what she had just said.
Girls marrying girls? Reishu couldn't quite wrap his head around it. And even if his daughter really wanted to marry her...
That wasn't exactly up to them. Kotomi was the little princess of both the Izumi and Hishinaga families!
As for his daughter... well, sure, he ran a company worth over 10 billion yen, and his daughter lived a pampered life with the best of everything.
But compared to the Izumi and Hishinaga families, Snow Deer City still felt like a small fry.
Reishu gently patted Jasmine's head and said in a serious tone, "Dreams are good to have, sweetheart, but you've also got to think about reality."
Jasmine had just been daydreaming about how many kids she and Kotomi-nee might have. Her father's words hit her like a bolt of lightning, bringing her crashing back to reality.
That day, Jasmine lost her appetite. Holding a bottle of AD calcium milk, she sat on the floor, gazing at the gray sky outside the window, muttering:
"My heart has already been taken by Kotomi-nee. Perhaps there will be no more joy or sorrow in this life."
"Jasmine, Mommy made your favorite—cheesy fried chicken legs."
"Yay!"
Staaaaare—
Counting the minute that had just passed, ever since they left the first gallery of the art exhibition, Mashiro had been staring at Kotomi for a full hour!
Even the mapo tofu on her chopsticks was about to fall off, and she hadn't noticed.
After leaving the Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art, Kotomi and the others wandered the area a bit. Once they got hungry, they randomly picked a restaurant for lunch.
By unanimous vote, they decided to eat Chinese food!
There were quite a few Chinese restaurants in Kyoto. Among them, the three highest-rated ones were also the most popular. All of them had long lines in front, and even if you went outside of peak hours, you might still have to sit outside with a number ticket.
And Kotomi's group arrived right at alti—so the line was predictably massive.
They waited for nearly 40 minutes before a table for three finally opened up.
There had been a six-person table earlier, but it required sharing with strangers.
Kotomi and Hibiki didn't mind the idea of sharing a table—it wasn't a big deal to sit with strangers. After all, everyone's got two arms and two legs.
If you got lucky and t soone easy to talk to, you could chat a bit while eating, make a new friend. Being outgoing often brought luck—you never knew, one al might connect you with soone important.
If not, you just exchanged polite greetings and ate your own food without interference. No harm done.
But Mashiro's personality was different. Even though she had been bold at the gallery, she was still, at heart, a quiet girl—not fond of sharing tables.
So they waited 40 minutes for a private three-person table.
Once the food ca, Hibiki Naegi, already starving, eagerly dug in. She ordered Yangzhou fried rice, and the dishes Kotomi picked were the kind that really whetted your appetite. Out of ten dishes, the only hint of vegetables ca from the cucumber and carrot bits in the cashew shrimp.
Mashiro usually ate quickly, but not today. She was moving slowly because she had been watching Kotomi the whole ti. She picked up a piece of mapo tofu with her chopsticks and hadn't eaten it in three whole minutes.
Kotomi was focused on eating, occasionally chatting with Hibiki, trying hard not to glance in Mashiro's direction.
This girl... does she not realize how intense her gaze is?! And with what she said to earlier in front of The Abyss Egg, how am I supposed to keep a straight face if we make eye contact?!
Kotomi cried internally, silently complaining.
"Hibiki-senpai, do you know how to make rice and fried rice taste even better?" Kotomi said, trying to change the subject.
"Huh? How?"
Hibiki looked up. When Kotomi had ordered earlier, Hibiki had already guessed that she was familiar with Chinese food—following her advice was a safe bet.
Kotomi pointed at the spoon. "Scoop so of the minced at and egg custard and pour it over your fried rice. Eat them together. Try it—you'll thank ."
Hibiki followed Kotomi's suggestion. After taking a bite, her eyes widened.
The savory minced at, the silky egg custard, and the fluffy fried rice created a three-part harmony that burst in her mouth—rich, layered flavor that made each spoonful irresistible. Stopping now felt almost impossible.
In no ti, Hibiki had already eaten half her plate of fried rice.
Kotomi was about to pick up a bite of stir-fried yuba with pork, when she accidentally t Mashiro's gaze. That piece of mapo tofu was still on her chopsticks.
It's gonna be cold at this rate... Kotomi sighed inwardly.
They'd made eye contact. No dodging it now. And she was too tired to try anyway. She took a few bites of rice with yuba and pork, set her chopsticks down, and asked:
"Mashiro, don't tell ... are you still bothered by little Jasmine chasing after ?"
Mashiro nodded without hesitation.
Kotomi almost wanted to laugh. Mashiro... she wasn't even her girlfriend yet, and she was already jealous of a little kid.
A true little girl.
Kotomi rembered that little Jasmine was only in her first year of kindergarten.
They only t a few tis a year—easily counted on one hand. Kotomi always saw her as a neighbor's little sister.
Being jealous over little Jasmine was a bit much. Even being jealous over little Yuka would've made more sense.
Just thinking of that tiny bean who always ran after her yelling "Penguin Onee-chan! Penguin Onee-chan!" made Kotomi chuckle.
"Sigh... You probably don't get it. Kids, when they're small and see a cool older brother or sister, might suddenly start admiring them.
Kids don't really know what liking or love is. They just think, 'Oh, I like them,' and that's it.
That's all Jasmine feels toward .
Haha, once she gets a bit older, she probably won't act like that anymore."
By the end of her words, Kotomi's smile had faded slightly. She was reminded of her own childhood.
—Do children really not understand what it ans to like or to love?
Not necessarily.
Kotomi believed that the feelings children held—those pure, instinctive affections—were the most genuine. When they liked soone, it was simple. No overthinking, no expectations.
When she was a child, during a sumr fireworks festival, Kotomi had gotten separated from her parents and younger sister. That was when she t a kind older girl.
In that brief ti they spent together, Kotomi had experienced her first pure feeling of love.
So when it ca ti to part, little Kotomi boldly hugged the girl's leg and cried out:
"Big Sister! I'll eat well and grow up fast, so you wait for , okay?! I'll marry you! You can't break your promise—you even accepted my token of love!"
Kotomi had given her a pair of matching pendants she won from a balloon-popping ga with that girl.
When put together, the two pendants showed a complete picture:
A little bird with wet feathers nestled under a small tree, which shielded it from the wind and rain.
Kotomi kept the pendant with the bird and gave the one with the tree to the girl. She even carefully instructed:
"Big Sister, this is my token of love. You must never lose it, okay?!"
Recalling this childhood mory, Kotomi couldn't help but smile wistfully. But the thought that she had never seen that girl again made her heart sink with a tinge of sadness.
When would the lonely little bird reunite with the tree that once protected her?
After hearing Kotomi's explanation, Mashiro thought it over seriously—and realized it actually made sense.
The little frown on her face relaxed, and she happily started eating again.
Sitting beside them, Hibiki only glanced up briefly before lowering her head, pretending to be oblivious and focusing on her food. At tis like this, her goal was to minimize her presence as much as possible.
Being a third wheel was inevitable—but at least she could dim her brightness to the lowest setting.
...
Chiba City.
Night.
Shizuka Hiratsuka returned to her apartnt, clearly exhausted. With both midterm exams and the sports festival this month, as horoom teacher, her mornings were packed with classes and her days with logistics.
And next month, Subu High School would be hosting the cultural festival.
Even though students handled most of the preparations, it wasn't like college—teachers still had to supervise to so extent.
Naturally, that responsibility fell on the shoulders of each horoom teacher.
"Ahhh... so tired, so tired. I want to sleep early, but I also want to stay up. I'm exhausted and want to sleep, but when I wake up tomorrow, I'll just have a mountain of work waiting again."
After her shower, Shizuka flopped onto her bed, hugged her pillow, and started venting her frustrations.
After a while, Shizuka slowly sat up from her bed and reached for a small box hidden beneath it.
It had a combination lock, tightly safeguarding the item inside.
With practiced ease, Shizuka entered the code. She might occasionally forget her phone's unlock code, but this one—she knew by heart.
Click.
With a soft sound, the lock snapped open.
She took out what was inside—a pendant with a small tree design—and wrapped it around her wrist.
The little tree, standing strong on its own... when would it finally reunite with the lonely little bird?
Every ti Shizuka looked at this pendant, her thoughts drifted back to that sumr fireworks festival many years ago. To the little white-haired girl who had gotten separated from her family, holding two matching pendants in her hands—offering one to Shizuka with a serious expression as a token of her proposal.
The girl's innocent voice still seed to echo in Shizuka's ears.
Every ti she saw this pendant and thought of that child, no matter how tired or discouraged she felt, it would all lt away in an instant.
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