COTE: Collect All the CGs Chapter 137: The Thing Cherished by the Girl

Novel: COTE: Collect All the CGs Author: MikuDayo Updated: Jun 16, 2026

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Now reading: Chapter 137: The Thing Cherished by the Girl from COTE: Collect All the CGs, a Comedy novel by MikuDayo.

Shiki Natsu hardly stopped for a mont, arriving quickly at the school library.

Just as he reached the entrance, he noticed Shiina Hiyori standing at the foot of the library steps at a glance.

She was acting a bit out of character today.

Usually, when the two t, this young girl with long silver hair and an aura like a lily in a secluded valley would be sitting quietly in the most conspicuous spot in the library, holding a book and imrsing herself in the world of text while waiting for his arrival.

But today, she was actually standing outside.

The evening breeze gently lifted her soft silver hair. Standing there, she looked just like a beautiful painting, only the protagonist of this painting seed sowhat absent-minded.

The girl lowered her head from ti to ti to look at the phone in her hand. Those eyes, clear as athysts, held a few hints of anxiety and anticipation, as if waiting for soone's ssage.

Shiki Natsu slowed his pace, then walked over slowly.

Sensing soone approaching, Shiina Hiyori raised her head subconsciously.

When she saw that familiar figure appear in her line of sight, her originally sowhat dim eyes lit up instantly, flashing with a joy that couldn't be concealed.

"Sorry, Shiina-san."

Shiki Natsu walked up to her, speaking with a few degrees of apology.

"I'm late."

"Because so unexpected situations occurred, I was accidentally locked in the gymnasium's equipnt room... and I didn't have my phone on at the ti, so I couldn't contact you imdiately to explain. I made you wait a long ti."

Although he was only twenty minutes late, and the agreed ti was simply 'after school'—practically speaking, no specific ti had been set—Shiki Natsu and Shiina Hiyori had t every Wednesday after school previously.

Look, the girl who should have been sitting inside the library reading and waiting for him had now walked to the entrance; this was no small matter.

Hearing this reason, Shiina Hiyori's small mouth opened slightly, revealing a surprised expression on her face.

Clearly, she hadn't expected such a thing to happen at all. The probability of this kind of event occurring should be said to be extrely, extrely small, right?

Being locked in the equipnt room... it sounded quite arduous. If luck were bad, one might even have to spend the night there.

The girl didn't delve into the details, nor did she show any dissatisfaction.

She just quickly reined in her surprise, revealing a gentle and tolerant smile, and shook her head lightly.

"It doesn't matter, Shiki-san."

"As long as you are alright, that is good."

Looking at the girl's empathetic appearance, a warm current couldn't help but surge in Shiki Natsu's heart.

"By the way, why was Shiina-san waiting outside today?" he asked with so curiosity. "Standing here all the ti must be tiring, right?"

Shiina Hiyori tilted her head slightly, her silver strands sliding down her shoulder.

"Mn... I didn't feel tired at all," she said softly, the corners of her mouth still hanging with that faint smile. "It's just... occasionally I also want to change the way I wait."

"If I stand outside, the mont Shiki-san cos, I can see you imdiately."

Hearing these words, Shiki Natsu couldn't help but feel his 'sin' was great, actually making a beautiful girl stand and wait for him for more than twenty minutes.

However... Shiina Hiyori was looking at her phone just now; was she waiting for his ssage?

Mn... Shiki Natsu had assud Shiina Hiyori would stay quietly in the library reading and wouldn't pay much attention to her phone, so he hadn't sent a ssage. After all, he would definitely arrive very quickly.

"Then let's go inside."

"Mn."

The two walked into the library side by side, passing through rows of tall bookshelves, and arrived at the quiet discussion room they used frequently.

After sitting down, Shiki Natsu noticed that besides the phone in Shiina Hiyori's hand, her other hand was carrying a paper bag.

The bag seed to contain a book; only a blurry outline of the spine could be seen.

Was it a book she wanted to read herself? Or... did she intend to recomnd it to him?

Shiki Natsu didn't ask imdiately. He just swept a simple glance over it, then withdrew his gaze.

"So, what book does Shiina-san intend to recomnd to today?" he asked with a smile, starting their reading club mode as usual.

"Ah, yes."

Shiina Hiyori seed to snap back to reality, hurriedly pulling out a book she had prepared long ago from the bookshelf behind her and handing it to Shiki Natsu.

"Today I want to recomnd this one—Raymond Chandler's 'Farewell, My Lovely'."

"Although it is a relatively early work, the hardboiled detective Marlowe under Chandler's pen is truly very charismatic."

"I think Shiki-san might like it."

Shiki Natsu nodded, taking the slightly thick novel.

"Mn."

It had to be said, Shiina Hiyori's reading taste really seed to lean toward the West, especially these hardboiled style works.

This ford a quite interesting contrast with her quiet and delicate appearance.

Of course, Shiki Natsu himself didn't have any special preferences.

As long as it was a book recomnded by Shiina Hiyori, no matter what genre, he would read it seriously.

After all, this wasn't just reading; it was a unique thod of communication between the two.

The discussion room quickly quieted down, leaving only the sound of the two gently turning pages.

The sky outside the window gradually darkened, and the lights inside the library appeared exceptionally soft.

Shiki Natsu was quickly imrsed in Chandler's unique writing style, following Detective Marlowe's footsteps, shuttling through that Los Angeles filled with conspiracy and violence.

anwhile, Shiina Hiyori, sitting opposite him, although also holding a book in her hands, didn't seem to have her mind completely on the book.

She raised her small face from ti to ti, stealing glances at the young man opposite.

Watching his focused side profile, watching his slender fingers gently turn the pages, thinking about seeing what interesting expressions might appear on Shiki Natsu's face. Unfortunately, Shiki Natsu kept a poker face, always wearing a faint smile.

However... she could see that Shiki Natsu was reading the book she recomnded very seriously. The corners of her mouth then involuntarily hooked up into a shallow smile, her eyes full of gentle mirth, before she lowered her head again and placed her gaze back on the pages in front of her.

This quiet and beautiful ti seed capable of shutting out all troubles.

Shiki Natsu didn't notice Shiina Hiyori's small movents; he was completely imrsed in the world of the book.

Although he possessed the ability of 'photographic mory' and could rember all the content with just a glance, he still chose to read slowly.

Because only in this way could he truly savor the charm behind the text, and maintain the sa pace as the girl beside him.

This slow rhythm didn't make him feel impatient; instead, it made him feel a long-lost sense of peace and calm.

As if in this small corner, ti itself had beco gentle.

Unknowingly, Shiki Natsu had finished reading more than half the book.

He raised his head and glanced at the clock on the wall.

The ti had already reached evening; it was just about ti for dinner.

He closed the book and looked at the girl opposite.

"Shiina-san."

Hearing the voice, Shiina Hiyori also put down the book in her hands and raised her head.

"Ah... is it already this ti?"

She looked at the ti, a small expression of regret appearing on her face.

"Today's reading ti is over..."

The once-a-week ti to et with Shiki Natsu had actually ended so quickly.

She felt her heart was slightly empty.

In the past, she clearly felt that just being able to read books in the library was very satisfying, but now...

She seed to have beco a bit greedy.

rely reading books seed unable to satisfy her anymore.

Shiina Hiyori simply tidied up her things, then stood up and lifted the paper bag that had been placed on the side all along.

Inside was a book, though Shiki Natsu wasn't clear on exactly what book it was, because a book jacket wrapped the entire book. It didn't look like a library book; it was a book the girl had bought herself.

And... it should be a considerably treasured book.

"Um... Shiki-san, have you heard of a writer nad 'Shiina Katsumi'?"

Just when Shiki Natsu thought Shiina Hiyori wouldn't take out that book, Shiina Hiyori suddenly spoke to Shiki Natsu, those purple eyes carrying a trace of nervousness.

This na—Shiki Natsu confird he had never heard of it. If he had heard of it, even if he had seen just a few words online, he would basically have rembered it.

Of course, people who could appear on Shiki Natsu's web pages were basically very famous people. For soone like this, if he didn't deliberately search, it was estimated there was no way they would actively appear on Shiki Natsu's pages.

However...

"Shiina Katsumi" ... "Shiina"...

The structure of this na, as well as Shiina Hiyori's solemn attitude, made him instantly associate it with sothing.

"I haven't heard of him," Shiki Natsu answered truthfully.

"However, this writer... should have so relationship with Shiina-san, right? For example, is he Shiina-san's father?"

Hearing Shiki Natsu's guess, Shiina Hiyori was obviously stunned for a mont.

She hadn't expected Shiki-san to be so sharp, guessing this layer of relationship just by hearing a na.

"Yes."

She nodded, a faint blush surfacing on her face, and said sowhat shyly:

"It's no wonder Shiki-san hasn't heard of him... because he is an obscure writer who hasn't been a bestseller, neither in the past nor now."

"Is your father also a mystery novelist?" Shiki Natsu continued to ask quite naturally.

"No, he isn't," Shiina Hiyori shook her head, explaining with a smile. "Although what he writes aren't mystery novels, I was indeed influenced by my father to start liking reading, and later slowly beca obsessed with mystery novels."

"And... although Father's books aren't bestsellers, I really like the novels Father writes."

She gently stroked the book in her hand, her eyes filled with tenderness and pride.

"This book... I bought a total of three copies."

"The first copy was bought in middle school; it's still displayed on the bookshelf in my dorm room."

"The second copy was bought at the bookstore imdiately after entering this school; it has stayed by my side all along."

Speaking to this point, she raised her head. Those clear eyes looked straight at Shiki Natsu as she handed over the third book in her hand.

"And then... this is the third copy."

Although she didn't say it explicitly, the aning was already obvious enough.

This book, which was of extraordinary significance to her—she wanted to give it to Shiki Natsu.

"If you don't mind... please also read the book written by my father, Shiki-san. Although it isn't so mystery novel, but... I feel Shiki-san should also like it."

"Mn... actually, I didn't intend to tell Shiki-san about my relationship with this writer. I always felt that if I said it, it would affect Shiki-san's judgnt. But... if I didn't say it, I was worried Shiki-san had already read it, so..."

"I hope Shiki-san can take a good look at it, and not view this book with a special gaze because of ."

Her voice was very light, yet carried a touch of expectation. The girl had also understood Shiki Natsu's reading style and knew that Shiki Natsu didn't dislike this type of work.

Shiki Natsu looked at the girl's sincere eyes, his heart moving slightly.

This was sothing the girl cherished.

Now that she was willing to share this precious thing with him, Shiki Natsu naturally couldn't fail the girl's expectations.

"Thank you for being willing to share it with ."

"I will appreciate it properly, Shiina-san."

"Mn, and I won't exaggerate this book just because the writer is Shiina-san's father."

Shiki Natsu took the book from Shiina Hiyori's hands very solemnly. Since Shiina Hiyori had said so much, Shiki Natsu naturally couldn't be a person who would only evaluate with words like '666' or 'aweso'.

After finishing it, he would summarize the pros and cons, and then try to pick the rits to talk about.

After all... this was Shiina Hiyori's father's book. He couldn't possibly criticize it as 'what the hell is written here, it really sucks' after reading it, right?

If he really did that, he estimated he would go directly to a 'Bad Ending' on Shiina Hiyori's route.

Essentially, being able to receive sothing Shiina Hiyori cherished already proved that Shiina Hiyori valued him as a friend quite a lot. If he said the wrong thing and caused a bad ending, then Shiki Natsu might as well commit suicide.

Moreover... this was his future father-in-law's book. He couldn't speak ill of it, otherwise, it would be troubleso if he was given a hard ti later.

"Mn!"

Shiina Hiyori gave a shallow response, appearing as if she had finally breathed a sigh of relief, and the smile on her face blood instantly.

[Ding~]

[CG45: The Girl's Cherished Object (Shiina Hiyori)]

[It would be great if he could like it too]

[Congratulations Host for obtaining Skill Card: Beco a Cherished Object (Can turn any item into a treasure in the eyes of another; each item can only be designated for one person)]

Shiki-san accepted it.

Just when Shiina Hiyori thought today's eting ended here and prepared to bid farewell to Shiki Natsu to eat dinner at the cafeteria,

Shiki Natsu suddenly voiced an invitation.

"By the way, Shiina-san."

"It's also dinner ti now. If you don't mind... do you want to go to my dorm?"

"I want to let Shiina-san try my new cuisine again."

Shiina Hiyori was slightly dazed.

Go to Shiki-san's dorm...

The last ti she went was back in April.

The girl's heartbeat couldn't help but accelerate a few notches.

However, she didn't have the slightest hesitation, nor did she show any coyness.

She raised her head, looking at Shiki Natsu's gentle smile, and nodded forcefully.