All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

Upon reaching the observation deck, they were greeted by a panoramic view of the city streets below.

The world was bathed in a sacred, silvery light. The vast, radiant full moon sparkled in the night sky, casting a cool sea-blue veil over the vibrant lights of the bustling cityscape.

While it wasn't quite on par with a million-dollar night view, the city streets, shimmering under the moonlight's gentle hue, were undeniably beautiful, as if draped in a translucent sea-blue fabric.

"I suddenly understand why this place is called a sacred site," Iroha Isshiki murmured, her eyes glimmering as she took in the view. Her slightly parted lips betrayed her amazement.

"There are a lot of places called sacred sites, aren't there?"

"But this one is really perfect for a confession~ If my future sweetheart could confess to me here, that would be amazing~"

Iroha spoke dreamily, her hands clasped behind her back. After finishing her sentence, she even threw a playful wink in Kotomi Izumi's direction.

Noticing the glance, Kotomi's cheeks grew warm. She quickly averted her gaze, pretending to focus on the distant horizon and the night scenery.

Can this little devil stop hinting at me all the time? What if I take her seriously? Kotomi muttered inwardly.

Her caution was understandable. After all, Iroha was the type of little devil who acted on whims, especially when it came to teasing Kotomi, with a level of skill that could only be described as expert.

Even after several suggestive remarks from Iroha, Kotomi still couldn't shake the suspicion: Was this just another prank by the little devil? Was she just acting to bait me into taking her seriously so she could laugh at me later and reveal it was all a performance?

Because of that, Kotomi approached all of Iroha's antics with the utmost care.

Though her vigilance had failed her many times in the past, leaving her ensnared in Iroha's traps, this time would be different!

Bring it on, little devil! No matter what tricks you try, I'm ready for you!

I, Kotomi Izumi, am very brave!

Iroha pointed into the distance, a playful smile on her lips, and asked, "Is that the Outlook Lighthouse on Enoshima?"

"Yep, that's right. From here, theoretically, you can see the entirety of Fujisawa City. Otherwise, it wouldn't be called an observation deck, would it?"

"Then~ can you see this observation deck from the Outlook Lighthouse on Enoshima?"

"Probably," Kotomi replied after thinking for a moment.

When they visited the Outlook Lighthouse earlier in the day, she had been too busy looking at the sea and hadn't thought to glance in this direction.

Iroha traced a line through the night sky with her finger, starting from the Enoshima Lighthouse, passing through the observation deck, and ending at a solitary radio tower nearby.

"The lighthouse, the observation deck, and finally over there... If this is the Enoshima Lighthouse, then that must be the radio tower. Am I right, Senpai?"

Kotomi opened the map app on her phone and checked. Iroha was correct.

"You're right—that's the radio tower."

"But compared to the lighthouse, the radio tower feels so lonely. Even though it's surrounded by a lively city, it's shrouded in an indescribable solitude."

"Well, it's a radio tower. I don't think many people live near it."

"It's like a gravestone," Iroha murmured softly.

"A gravestone?"

Why are you suddenly saying something so atmosphere-ruining?

"A grave. A tombstone," Iroha clarified, thinking Kotomi hadn't understood.

"That's not a very auspicious comparison," Kotomi said with a wry smile.

"Does Senpai really care about that kind of thing?" Iroha asked with a cheerful laugh.

Kotomi shrugged. After all, she had experienced both death and resurrection, and naturally held a sense of reverence for the unknown.

"I've always had a sense of awe for such things. Humanity's existence is far too fleeting when compared to the vastness of the universe. In the grand river of time, there may be countless civilizations buried that we have yet to discover or comprehend. For instance, is there life beyond Earth? I believe there is."

"That's true. If humans were the only form of life in the entire universe, it would feel incredibly lonely," Iroha said, her gaze fixed on the massive full moon hanging in the night sky.

"But doesn't that loneliness also mean safety?" Kotomi replied.

"Senpai, when it comes to conversation topics, the two of us really get along well~"

Iroha slipped her arm through Kotomi's and smiled sweetly. The soft pressure of her chest against Kotomi's arm brought a silk-like sensation, and Kotomi froze as if struck by lightning.

Wow, Iroha's development is impressive. Not that it compares to me, of course... Wait! What am I even thinking?!

Damn it! This little devil with her head full of mischief is definitely plotting something!

Kotomi tried pulling her arm back, but... no luck.

Iroha, pretending to act casual, clung tightly to Kotomi's arm and murmured softly:

"Senpai, have you ever heard the story about bodies buried beneath cherry trees? The petals of cherry blossoms should be pure white, like snow, but they're pink because the roots absorb nutrients from corpses buried beneath them. That's why the blossoms are so beautiful, and the petals so faintly red."

"I've heard of it—'Bodies buried under cherry trees,' by Motojirō Kajii," Kotomi said, instantly recognizing the reference.

"Eh? Who's that?" Iroha looked up at Kotomi in complete confusion.

"Uh... you don't know? The phrase 'bodies buried beneath cherry trees' comes from a short story by Motojirō Kajii titled Under the Cherry Trees."

"Ehehe, how could I possibly know that? I saw the phrase in a video. By the way, how do you know about it, Senpai?"

"Because I like reading books."

So that's it—she didn't even know where the quote came from!

"Well, Senpai, all of that doesn't matter now! I'm just curious—do you think there might be something buried beneath the radio tower? Like how bodies are supposedly buried under cherry trees?"

"Ugh... why did I just feel a sudden chill? Hey, you should rein in your wild imagination a bit. If there's anything buried there, it's more likely to be a navy treasure."

"Haha, Senpai, your imagination is just as wild as mine. How about this—we sneak into the radio tower, dig up the treasure, sell it, and then fly to a city where no one knows us to live out the rest of our lives."

"Are you suggesting we elope?" Kotomi asked, raising an eyebrow. "But even if there were a treasure, I'm pretty sure the military would have already taken it."

"That does make sense."

"When I was a kid, I heard a rumor that a lot of bodies were buried in the area around the radio tower. They say if you go there alone at midnight, you might encounter a gateway connecting the past and the future—or even get transported directly to the moon."

"Really?!" Iroha looked at Kotomi with wide-eyed amazement.

"Of course not! If it were true, it would've been all over the news. Besides, that radio tower has long since been abandoned. It was originally a military facility, but now it's in a state of disrepair and under lockdown.

"When people have nothing better to do, they love creating all kinds of rumors. Add in the fact that very few people can access the radio tower, and naturally, it gains an air of mystery. Once something seems mysterious, urban legends spring up naturally."

Kotomi chuckled.

"Oh, I see! No wonder so many abandoned ruins have urban legends surrounding them. It's not that there's really anything supernatural—it's just that the mystery invites people to imagine all kinds of stories?"

"That's about right. When you were younger, didn't you and your friends love hosting courage tests or telling ghost stories when you got together?"

Fear is one of humanity's oldest emotions. People may fear it, but they also unconsciously seek it out.

Like those who are too timid to watch a horror movie without covering their eyes, yet still find themselves drawn to watch horror movies, shows, or gameplay commentary in their free time.

Kotomi herself occasionally watched horror game playthroughs.

Though whenever she did, she made sure to sit very far away from the computer.

"Filled with secrets—whether corpses or treasures—shrouded in unsolved mysteries, the radio tower stands abandoned, hiding its unknown secrets.

"No one will uncover them—not now, and probably not ever. That radio tower... it really does feel like a tombstone. I just wonder what might be buried beneath it.

"Maybe, in a way, that's for the best."

After speaking, Iroha leaned close to Kotomi, pressing against her side, as they both silently gazed at the distant radio tower.

A short while later, Kotomi took out her phone and checked the time. The train to Chiba City would depart in 15 minutes.

"It's almost time for the train. Let's head back," Kotomi said, putting her phone away and preparing to leave.

Once again, their hands naturally found each other as they walked down from the observation deck.

"Hey, Senpai, has it worked?" Iroha suddenly asked.

"Has what worked?" Kotomi asked in confusion. Did Iroha spike the coffee earlier with something?!

No, no, that's too ridiculous. After all, Kotomi had bought the coffee herself. Even if Iroha wanted to add some "computer components," she wouldn't have had the chance.

If anything, Kotomi would've been the one with the opportunity to do so.

Iroha wrapped herself around Kotomi's arm and looked up at her with a gentle gaze, her expression soft and warm as she stared into Kotomi's eyes.

"The effect of the Dragon's Love Bell. After we rang it together... have you started to feel affection for me?"

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