When Kotomi Izumi woke up, she groggily glanced at the time on her phone—five in the evening.
"That nap was way too long..."
Kotomi yawned. Even though she had slept for nearly five hours, she still felt a bit drowsy. The sound of rain outside only made her want to curl back under the blanket and drift off again.
Her movements as she got up stirred Yui Yuigahama, who lay beside her. Just a moment ago, Yui had been hugging her soft, warm little Kotomi in her arms. Now that Kotomi was sitting up and leaving her embrace, even if Yui was still sleepy, she couldn't help but open her eyes.
"Mmm... Kotomi, what time is it? Only five? My family usually eats dinner at six. We can totally sleep for another hour. Actually, since Mom's cooking tonight, that means we can sleep for more than an hour~"
Yui spoke lazily, and as she did, she reached out with her small hands to pull Kotomi back into her arms.
Kotomi didn't resist being hugged again, but she still reminded her softly, "Are you sure that's okay? Didn't I say we still have to help Yuka with her homework today?"
"Ah... right."
"You totally forgot, didn't you?"
"Hehehe, I think my brain can only hold thoughts about you right now."
The silly dumpling giggled foolishly.
Hearing that, Kotomi couldn't help smiling fondly. She then leaned in and kissed Yui's lips.
Kotomi had planned to keep the upper hand—just a short kiss for a few minutes before stopping. But before even a minute had passed, Yui had flipped the situation completely, pressing Kotomi down and kissing her passionately for nearly twenty minutes.
"I—I really can't with you, you little dumpling!"
After the long kiss, Kotomi lay there for several minutes to catch her breath, her face flushed red. She pinched Yui's cheek lightly in mock frustration.
Yui, lying on the bed, looked blissfully satisfied, letting Kotomi do whatever she wanted with her cheeks.
Yui still seemed like she wanted to stay in bed a little longer, so Kotomi didn't push her. After dressing herself, she left the room and went to Yuka's bedroom—after all, she had promised to help her with her homework.
When she entered the room, she saw Yuka lying on her stomach on the bed, reading a fairy tale picture book whose title Kotomi didn't recognize.
Hearing the door open, Yuka looked up. When she saw Kotomi, her face instantly lit up with joy, and she leapt off the bed.
"Penguin Onee-chan!"
Kotomi caught her mid-air, hugging the tiny girl to her chest. For someone with such short arms and legs, Yuka's jump was impressive enough to make Kotomi wonder if she should enroll her in sports someday.
"If you're reading in bed, you should sit up properly, okay? And make sure the room's well lit."
Kotomi held Yuka while turning up the lights in the room. The lamp had been dim before—not bright enough for reading.
As for why Yuka hadn't turned it up herself, Kotomi could guess: she was probably trying to save on electricity.
"Hehehe, it's fine. I've read this picture book so many times, even if it's dark, I still know what it's about," Yuka said cheerfully.
"That's not the point—it's bad for your eyes if you read in dim light."
Kotomi smiled helplessly, then picked up the fairy tale book Yuka had been reading. If she remembered correctly, the last time she saw Yuka reading, it had been this very same book.
It seemed that Yuka had read it over and over again from start to finish.
The story itself wasn't particularly amazing—it was just an ordinary fairy tale. Kotomi remembered hearing a similar story when she was a child.
From her perspective, there didn't seem to be anything in this book that would make someone want to reread it so many times.
"Yuka, do you really like this story?"
"It's... okay, I guess," Yuka replied, her tone not sounding like that of someone obsessed enough to reread a book multiple times.
"If you don't especially like the story in this picture book, then why do you keep reading it over and over again?" Kotomi Izumi asked, puzzled.
"Because among all the picture books on my shelf, this one's actually one of the least read. I've already reread the others too many times. This one I've only read about twenty times, so I can probably read it another twenty or so. When I really can't stand reading it anymore, I'll just wait until the next time I go to the bookstore and ask Mom to buy me a new one," Yuka replied matter-of-factly, a bright smile shining on her face.
Kotomi didn't know what to say for a moment. It wasn't that Yuka loved rereading the same fairy tale book—it was that she had so few of them. So she had no choice but to read the same ones over and over again. She had already read her other books so many times that even she couldn't bring herself to reread them anymore.
As for this one, even though she had already gone through it many times, she hadn't yet reached the point where she couldn't reread it anymore.
Yuka didn't have a phone, so when she was bored, she either watched TV or read fairy tales. But since she thought watching TV used too much electricity, she only watched it on days when her favorite programs aired. The rest of the time, she read her picture books.
However, she had very few picture books...
It wasn't that Tomoka Yuigahama refused to buy her any. On the contrary, whenever Yuka asked for a new book, Tomoka would immediately take her to the bookstore and let her pick out whichever one she liked.
But Yuka never said anything—not to her mother, not to her sister. She just quietly kept rereading the same old books she already knew by heart, waiting until one day when she happened to go to the bookstore with her mom or sister to pick out a new one.
"Why don't you just tell your mom or sister that you don't have enough books to read?" Kotomi asked softly, gently patting Yuka's head. At that moment, she finally understood what Tomoka meant when she once said, 'Sometimes, I wish Yuka wouldn't be so sensible.'
A child who had only just started kindergarten—being too sensible only made people ache with sympathy.
"I don't tell them on purpose," Yuka said seriously. "Because the price of picture books keeps getting higher. So whenever I buy one, I go and pick it out myself. That way, I can look in the discount section and choose the cheapest one I like best. If I told Mom or Onee-chan, they'd definitely buy the expensive ones—and lots of them too! We can't waste money on stuff like that."
As she said this, Yuka gave a proud little laugh, clearly pleased with herself.
"Mom and Onee-chan don't even know where the discount section is in the bookstore! They don't know how to save money at all! You know, the books on the regular shelves are super expensive~ But in that special corner I found, the same books can be so, so much cheaper!"
As Yuka enthusiastically introduced the bookstore's discount section to Kotomi Izumi, her face lit up with the same joy as if she were sharing the discovery of a hidden treasure.
Kotomi's heart softened as she watched her, her nose tingling with emotion. If she could, she thought, she would've adopted Yuka as her daughter right then and there.
When Kotomi went to a bookstore, if there was a limited or special edition available, she would never even glance at the regular version. But now, hearing how Yuka viewed even the standard editions as luxuries she dared not buy, Kotomi felt a pang in her chest.
She knew about the bookstore's discount section too—usually, it was where damaged or slightly defective books were sold at lower prices. That was why they were so cheap.
Yet, looking at Yuka's radiant smile, Kotomi felt something heavy pressing in her chest. Her eyes shifted toward Yuka's desk, where she noticed that the little girl's homework was already done. Of course—if she hadn't finished, she wouldn't be lying on her bed reading a picture book.
"Finished with your homework already?" Kotomi asked with a warm smile.
"Mm! I finished everything!"
"Good girl. In that case, I, your big sister, have a reward for you. And you're not allowed to refuse it~"
Yuka blinked in surprise, tilting her head as if trying to guess what her Penguin Onee-chan would reward her with. After thinking for a moment, she exclaimed—
"Could it be... Penguin Onee-chan, are you going to make curry omelet rice for me again? Yay! Thank you, Penguin Onee-chan!"
Kotomi couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Hahaha, you silly girl! Making curry omelet rice for you doesn't count as a reward. If you ever want to eat it, just tell me anytime. The reward I have for you is something else."
As she spoke, Kotomi discreetly wiped away the tear that had gathered at the corner of her eye.
Seriously... I let my guard down for one second, and this little bean managed to make me cry... she thought to herself.
"Something else?" Yuka tilted her head again, furrowing her adorable little brows. It looked like her whole body was working hard just to figure out what kind of reward Penguin Onee-chan had in store for her.
After thinking long and hard, she finally gave up, shaking her head.
"Mmm... I can't think of it. Penguin Onee-chan, tonight I'll try to get you and my sister to take a bath together, so could you just tell me now~?"
She really is Yui's little sister, Kotomi thought with amusement.
"Since Yuka's being such a good girl, I'll tell you early this time. The reward is... you can go to the bookstore and pick out ten books you like!"
"From the discount section? No way, that's still expensive."
"Not from the discount section—from the regular shelves. From now on, whenever I take you to the bookstore, you don't have to go to the clearance corner anymore."
But this time, Yuka shook her head firmly.
"Mom said I shouldn't let Penguin Onee-chan spend too much money."
Kotomi couldn't help but laugh at the serious look on Yuka's face.
"You silly little thing, listen to yourself. Anyone overhearing you would think we're living in ancient times when commoners couldn't afford books! How expensive can one book even be? Anyway, it's settled—next Saturday, I'm taking you to the bookstore to buy new books. Not fewer, not more—ten in total, got it?"
Her tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. Then she added meaningfully:
"Of course, if you behave even better, next time I'll let you pick twenty books. And the number will go up each time, depending on how well you do~ But the condition is—you have to be a good girl who doesn't make your mom or sister worry, and whenever you want something, you have to tell them, or me, okay?"
Those final words weren't just about giving Yuka ten books—they were meant to teach her that it was okay to ask for what she wanted. That doing so wouldn't make her a burden.
It was a gesture of kindness that could both comfort and encourage her.
When it came to interacting with children, Kotomi Izumi was remarkably thoughtful and patient. Maybe it was because she naturally had a certain warmth that drew kids to her.
Children always seemed to cling to Kotomi wherever she went. And since she genuinely loved taking care of them, perhaps this was what they called maternal instinct.
Every girl has some degree of maternal instinct—it's something they're born with. Some have a little more, some a little less.
Kotomi Izumi was the kind who had a lot.
To be more precise, her maternal instinct had always been dormant—until the day she met Yuka for the first time. From that very moment, it felt as though the dormant instinct within her had been fully awakened.
Yuka gazed at Kotomi, her wide eyes filled with something rarely seen in her—dependence. It was a look that seemed to say she wanted to trust and rely on Kotomi completely.
Yuka opened her mouth as if she wanted to say many things, but after a long pause, the only response she gave was a vigorous nod—so vigorous that her little head nearly bumped against the bed.
"I'll listen to Penguin Onee-chan!"
"No, no, no," Kotomi said gently. "If you want to grow, you can't just listen to one person—or even a few people. You have to learn to judge for yourself when someone gives you advice—to tell what's good for you and what suits you. Even the things I tell you, you shouldn't just accept without thinking, understand?"
"I don't really understand..."
"That's fine," Kotomi said with a soft smile. "You don't have to understand right now. I'll teach you little by little."
"Yay! That means I'll get to see Penguin Onee-chan often!"
Yuka was still too young. To her, the only part she truly understood was that she would get to see Kotomi more often in the future.
...
After dinner, since Kotomi had already promised Yui Yuigahama that she would stay over for the night, she needed to call home first.
When the call connected, her mother, Akina Izumi, answered.
"Hello, Kotomi. What time are you coming home tonight?"
"Mom, I'm still at the Yuigahama house, and, um—"
"Stop right there," Akina cut her off before she could finish. "You're about to say you're staying over at the Yuigahama house tonight, aren't you?"
"Yeah..."
"You're not causing them any trouble, are you?"
"No, not at all."
"Alright then... Honestly, this is getting strange. Every time you go out with Megumi, you somehow end up missing the last train home. And now, every time you visit Yui's place, you always find some reason to stay the night. One of these days, you should bring both Megumi and Yui over here—let them stay the night for a change. They can both sleep in your room. Your bed's big enough."
At that, Akina added teasingly:
"That way, all three of you can share the bed."
"Mom!"
"Hehehe, getting shy now, are we? Anyway, if you're staying at Yui's, what about your uniform for the culture festival tomorrow?"
"The festival doesn't require uniforms."
"Ah, that explains why you dressed up so nicely this morning—you were already planning to wear that outfit tomorrow. Come on, tell me, since Aimi's in the bath right now, which girl are you planning to go on a culture festival date with~?"
"Why did you have to specifically point out that Aimi's in the bath?" Kotomi couldn't help but retort, exasperated.
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