All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

After two hours, including a ride on the Chiba Urban Monorail and several train transfers, Kotomi Izumi and Iroha Isshiki finally arrived in Fujisawa City on the JT Tokaido Line.

At Fujisawa Station.

"Yaa—P!!"

As soon as they reached the ground level, Iroha raised her arms in celebration, as if cheering for finally making it to Fujisawa. She looked incredibly excited.

And this was just for arriving in Fujisawa. If they had gone to Yokohama as Iroha had originally suggested, who knew how ecstatic she would've been?

Kotomi thought back to her first trip to an amusement park. She hadn't been much better than Iroha—both were just as excitable, after all.

Opening her map app, Kotomi searched for nearby mobile phone stores. About two kilometers from the station, there was a store that carried the brand Kotomi wanted to buy.

It was a bit far, but that just gave them a chance to stroll through Fujisawa and take in the sights along the way.

As she watched the bustling crowds, Kotomi felt thankful for taking Iroha's suggestion to visit Fujisawa for the weekend. Spending the weekend in Chiba City would've been far too boring.

Iroha caught up to Kotomi in a few quick steps and grabbed her arm, triumphantly exclaiming:

"Safe!"

"Out!"

"Why?!" Iroha widened her eyes in mock shock.

"Because you broke the rules," Kotomi said after a moment's thought.

"Rules? What rules?!" Iroha asked curiously, seemingly unbothered by being "out."

"Guess~" Kotomi teased, clearly enjoying the playful banter.

"By the way, Iroha, what kind of phone are you planning to get?"

"I'm thinking of getting the iPhone 17."

The iPhone series was known for its unique operating system and the bitten-apple logo on its back. Both its design and high price tag were iconic.

"Why not get the 18?"

"Because those idiots decided not to include headphones or a charger with the 18. This will be my first iPhone, and frankly, it's disgusting how they're cutting costs while slapping on a fake 'saving the planet' label. So, the 17 is a better choice. Plus, since the 18 just came out, the price of the 17 must have dropped by now."

Iroha explained patiently, clearly having done her homework before buying.

"The price of the 17 has dropped?" Kotomi recalled how exorbitantly expensive the 17 had been when it was first released, thanks to its significant technical upgrades compared to previous models.

Though many users had later criticized it for being unstable and impractical, the initial hype was undeniable.

"Yep, you can get a brand-new top-spec model for just 130,000 yen now."

Kotomi was momentarily tempted. Back when the 17 first came out, the top-spec model had cost 200,000 yen. Now it had dropped to 130,000 yen?

The volatility of digital product prices was astounding. One moment they were premium-priced; the next, the arrival of a new model sent their value plummeting like a popped bubble.

Still, the iPhone's closed system environment and lack of compatibility with certain games and emulators were enough to kill Kotomi's interest.

Not to mention, she wasn't a fan of the iPhone's default keyboard layout.

"Well, there's a phone store two kilometers away that has the iPhone 17 in stock. Let's head there," Kotomi said after finding the best route. She extended her hand to Iroha.

"Ah—!"

"What is it now?"

"I just remembered something important. Since we're in Fujisawa, shouldn't our first stop be Enoshima?"

"Buying a phone is the important thing!"

"Come on, Senpai, let's go to Enoshima!"

"And the phone?"

"Hehe, we can save the phone shopping for later. If there's no time, I can always buy one back in Chiba City."

"Wasn't it your idea to come all the way to Fujisawa because you thought shopping in Chiba on the weekend was boring?" Kotomi muttered, her lips twitching at the irony.

"Fine, fine, Senpai, let's go have fun at Enoshima! Yaa—P!!"

Iroha's enthusiasm was over the top. Did she wake up this happy every day?

"Wow—so many people!"

The road to Enoshima was bustling with tourists and couples, creating a lively atmosphere. Though Fujisawa City might not have famous attractions like the Red Brick Warehouse in nearby Yokohama, it still attracted those who researched and sought out its charms.

Kotomi herself liked Fujisawa City quite a lot. She had even considered living there after graduating from university.

Her plan was to spend most of her time in Fujisawa City while also buying a small villa in a countryside town like Okukozome for occasional retreats and creative inspiration.

Of course, mentioning Okukozome would probably leave most people confused, as it was a fictional location from Yosuga no Sora. The real-world counterpart of Okukozome was near Ashikaga City in Tochigi Prefecture.

While Kotomi was lost in her thoughts about her post-graduation plans, Iroha snapped her out of her reverie.

"Senpai! Senpai! Everyone's taking pictures!"

As Iroha said, many people were holding up their phones or cameras to take photos. The closer they got to Enoshima, the nearer they were to the beach. Looking around, the sea and distant sandy shores were already visible.

The seaside was always a favorite spot for tourists to snap pictures.

"True, being so close to the beach, people are bound to take pictures and upload them to Twitter," Kotomi remarked.

"Instagram-style photos?"

"Something like that," Kotomi nodded. She didn't deny it—girls Iroha's age were usually most interested in Instagram aesthetics. Kotomi herself was only a few years older than Iroha, likely no more than three.

She remembered being in her third year of middle school and being obsessed with Instagram aesthetics. Now, as a high school student, her interest had waned.

Back then, she even considered setting up her desk in a cool-toned, sea-salt-lemon Instagram style. Now, looking at her actual desk, it was a hodgepodge of every style imaginable, with the standout feature being RGB backlighting.

People change, after all.

"Yay! I want to take Instagram-style photos with Senpai!" Iroha cheered.

"You can take pictures, but don't upload any with me in them to Twitter, okay?" Kotomi warned. She wasn't worried about being seen by others; she just didn't want Aimi to find out.

After all, Aimi still didn't know Kotomi and Iroha were out together, let alone that they were in Fujisawa City—over two hours away from Chiba City.

Iroha took out her phone, only to be dumbfounded: "Oh no! My phone's dead!"

"That's what happens when you spend two hours on the train playing tile-matching games nonstop. Your phone hasn't had a moment's rest," Kotomi pointed out.

Come to think of it, Iroha's phone battery was in even worse shape than hers. Kotomi thought to herself.

"What do I do, Senpai?" Iroha pouted.

"I brought a power bank… but our phones use different charging ports, so it won't work. Did you bring your charging cable?"

"Nope."

"If your battery is that bad, you should always carry a power bank!"

"Hehe, I forgot," Iroha admitted sheepishly, sticking out her tongue.

Kotomi sighed in exasperation. There was no point in lecturing her; Iroha would forget by the next time anyway.

"Then let's hurry up and get you a new phone."

"But I can't wait! I want to take Instagram-style photos with Senpai right now! Oh, I know—Senpai, let me borrow your phone!"

"Borrow my phone? I guess that's fine, but let's agree on this—after the photos, we go straight to buy your new phone," Kotomi said firmly.

Her phone still had 90% battery, but that was only because she hadn't used it much since they left. Even with a power bank, she wanted to conserve as much as possible for any unexpected situations.

As Kotomi pulled out her phone, she muttered, "Though you know, this spot doesn't even show Enoshima's lighthouse. We're still a bit far from it. This isn't a tourist attraction, just a road that happens to be near the seaside."

"Because it's my first time in Fujisawa City! Everything feels so new and exciting—I want to take pictures of everything! Doesn't it feel fresh to you too, Senpai?"

"Not really. I was just here earlier this year, and I've been to Fujisawa many times before. So, it's not that new to me."

"Hmm~ Is that so? But this is the first time you're here with me, right?" Iroha said with a smile.

"That's true."

"Hehe, then there's nothing more to say. Senpai, let's take some pictures!"

"Alright, alright, I'll indulge you. How do you want to take them?"

"Instagram-style photos!"

This little devil likely knew the term "Instagram-style photos" and had seen a few examples, but if you asked her for a detailed definition, she'd probably come up blank.

Honestly, Kotomi wasn't entirely sure about the precise definition of Instagram-style photos either. She decided to just go with her own interpretation.

"Iroha… You know, Instagram-style photos aren't just about snapping pictures. You'll need some post-editing too. Anyway, first, let's pick what to focus on for the photo."

"How about with the ocean in the background? Standing by the roadside with the sea behind us—it'll look amazing!"

"True. Alright, stand over there, and I'll take the picture for you."

Kotomi opened the camera app on her phone.

"But I want to take it with you, Senpai! It wouldn't count as a photo otherwise!"

"I don't think I'm important enough to redefine what counts as a photo. But if it's the two of us, it'll be a selfie. And with a selfie, we won't be able to get the ocean in the background."

Iroha thought about it for a moment, then grabbed Kotomi's phone. "I get it. We'll just have to ask someone for help!"

With that, Iroha confidently approached a couple standing nearby.

"Excuse me! Could you help us take a photo?"

This girl was nothing if not direct. Kotomi sighed internally before walking over to join her.

"Sure! Of course, we can!" The boyfriend readily agreed.

"Sorry to bother you," Kotomi said politely.

The girlfriend waved it off with a smile. "No problem at all! Being in Fujisawa, it's only natural to want to take lots of pictures. How would you like us to take it?"

To be honest, Kotomi hadn't decided how to pose.

But Iroha, as if she'd been planning this all along, quickly grabbed Kotomi's arm and pressed her cheek against it. "Just like this!"

"Hey—"

"Come on, Senpai, look at the camera~"

"Okay, here we go! Say cheese!" The boyfriend said as he pressed the shutter.

Click.

"Thank you so much," Iroha said gratefully as she retrieved the phone and handed it to Kotomi to review the photo.

The picture showed Iroha with a dazzling smile, holding tightly onto Kotomi's arm as if she were claiming her for herself. Their faces were so close it was almost intimate.

Meanwhile, Kotomi's expression had a slightly dazed, clueless look to it.

"Senpai, you look so silly!"

"I wasn't silly; I was startled because you grabbed me so suddenly," Kotomi retorted.

The photo was on par with the "couple photo" they'd taken at the octopus-themed Sukiyaki restaurant last time.

Actually, no—the Sukiyaki photo had been even more extreme, as Iroha had kissed Kotomi on the cheek. At least this time, she showed some restraint and didn't go that far.

For a brief moment, Kotomi had genuinely worried that Iroha might plant a kiss on her in front of everyone. That would've caused quite a scene…

And so, with this latest addition, Kotomi and Iroha now had two "couple photos" together.

Suddenly, the girlfriend from the couple spoke up. "Hey, how about taking one more? Having just one photo seems a little unfair to your girlfriend. This spot may not be a tourist attraction, but the view is lovely."

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