Yotsuba:"Hey! Heeeeey~"
Yotsuba had called out to the boy in the cafeteria, but was completely ignored.
Yotsuba:[Can he not hear me? Maybe if I call him by name…His perfect scoring test!]
Yotsuba looked at the test once she unfolded it to see the name.
Yotsuba:[Uesugi...Fuutarou!? It couldn't be…?]
She looked to see his face. This was a name that had escaped her mind for what felt like forever. But in this moment, she was reminded of a certain boy.
Yotsuba:[Hmm, the name is the same, but he looks way different. I remember him being blonde...Maybe it's just a coincidence...Oh well.] "Uesugi-san."
Fuutarou still ignores her.
Yotsuba:[E-Ehh...Does he really have trouble hearing?] "Uuuesuuuugi-saaaaan!"
Fuutarou looked up to see Yotsuba's face up close and jumped back. Here, Yotsuba could get a good look at his face.
Yotsuba:[He's got the same scary eyes, so maybe it really is him? I wonder... if he still remembers me…] "Ahaha, you're finally looking my way."
Fuutarou:"...How do you know my name?"
Yotsuba:[Eh? He doesn't know who I am? Oh, I really mistook him for someone else!]
…
Yotsuba:[I wonder..why I suddenly remembered him...It's like I had forgotten during middle school...I wonder how he's doing. I remember he had a dream about becoming rich or something...I wonder...what I told him.]
…
Yotsuba:[Uesugi-san is our private tutor!? Is this karma for my mistake earlier? I'll make sure to pray extra hard then!]
…
Fuutarou:"'Rice' starts with an R, not an L! Are you eating lice!?"
Yotsuba:[Wow, this guy is truly committed to having us study, I wonder if I can really get back to where I was before...Nah, it was that mentality that kept me away from my sisters in the first place, there's no point in it.]
Fuutarou:"Yotsuba...Why are you smiling when I'm getting angry at you?"
Yotsuba:[Ah, crap! Now I have to come up with an excuse...]
…
Miku:"Your words got me thinking that maybe, just maybe, I can do it too. So...Take responsibility, okay?"
Fuutarou:"You got it."
Eureka!
Yotsuba:"M-Miku, could it be that...the person you secretly like is actually Uesugi-san?"
Miku turns to Yotsuba, shocked. At that moment, Yotsuba knew what she wanted to do.
Yotsuba:[Miku...Because of me, you suffered a bunch. But, if I can make it up to you in any way, I will! If my sister falls in love, then I'll support her!"
Miku:"No way."
Yotsuba:[O-Or maybe not?]
…
During the fireworks festival.
Yotsuba:"Hmmm."
Ichika:"What's up?"
Yotsuba:"I'm trying to see if Miku likes Uesugi-san…"
Ichika:"I could see that, she's never opened up to a stranger like that."
Yotsuba:[Hm, Ichika also met Fuutarou-kun on that trip, but she hasn't really said anything. I really should stop trying to make a connection with this guy. Man, I should have asked that boy what his last name was!]
…
During the field trip. Yotsuba was looking over Fuutarou's journal.
Yotsuba:[Uesugi-san got sick and I didn't even notice. Even though he's tried his best to help us succeed…But, all of these notes, he really cares about all of us...Huh? What is this feeling?]
…
After the school trip.
Yotsuba:"Really, Ichika?"
Ichika:"Yeah, looks like Miku really does like... Fuutarou-kun."
Yotsuba:"...Do you like him too?"
Ichika:"Ehh, what kinda question is that?"
Yotsuba:"Hmmm, I'm so confused. But, Miku really does like him! I can help them get together!"
…
During Fuutarou's stay at the hospital.
Yotsuba:[Uesugi-san should be in his room right now, I can ask him about his hobbies to help Miku.]
Itsuki:"Please tell me, the reason that you study."
…
Yotsuba:[No way...It really was him...Not to mention, I...I'm the reason he studied so much...But I...I wasn't able to keep my promise. I'm sorry, but I failed you. The least I can do now is help Miku.]
…
After Fuutarou left the hospital.
Fuutarou:"Does anyone here want to tell me she's met me before in the past?"
Yotsuba:[No...Even if I said something, it wouldn't make a difference, there's no point…]
Ichika:"Yotsuba, are you..?"
Yotsuba:"Hm?"
Ichika:"Ah, no. It's...nothing."
Itsuki:"..."
…
During Fuutarou's mission to bring back Nino.
Yotsuba:"Itsuki, why are you wearing that?"
Itsuki:"Uesugi-kun mentioned a girl he met long ago, a girl that came to help him become who he is today. That was you, wasn't it? You did always leave for some reason during the Kyoto trip for six whole days. You didn't tell us his name, but that was no doubt him, it just lines up."
Yotsuba:"Huh!? Nooo, I don't know what you're talking about...Uesugi-san, who even is he?"
Itsuki:"You really are a bad liar. Why won't you tell him?"
Yotsuba:"There's no point, is there? He's already moved on if he doesn't remember me, why bring it back up?"
Itsuki:"It's not good to pretend the past doesn't exist. It's what mother would want."
Yotsuba:[Itsuki...your eyes are scary. You...shouldn't let yourself get caught up in the past…But if she's going to play like that, I'll double down on making Uesugi-san forget his past. I want to...]
…
During the preparation for the Second Year final exam
Yotsuba:"Uesugi-san doesn't understand just how dumb I really am...Are you aware of the reason we transferred schools?" [Uesugi-san would understand why it's pointless to worry about me, right? It wouldn't hurt to let him know...Let him know why I'm so worthless.]
Fuutarou:"I'd heard about it from Ichika before...You guys were close to flunking out, right?"
Yotsuba:"Ahaha…" [Ichika said that? I see...she's still trying to protect me...I have no choice, I'll have to keep what happened a secret after all…]
…
Fuutarou:"You were the only one who failed?"
Yotsuba:"As expected of Uesugi-san. You're always right." [I guess it's fine if he doesn't know…]
…
During their trip to the hot springs.
Yotsuba:"uu~ I'm so nervous. Can I even do this...?"
Nino:"If you've got something to say, then spit it out, Fuutarou."
Yotsuba:[Eh? That wasn't Miku, was it? Nino's started calling him that too, huh…]
…
During the preparation to the Kyoto trip.
Nino:"To walk around with the person I love. I won't take no for an answer."
Yotsuba:[Wow, Nino's really open about her love...How does she do it…?]
Miku:"F-Fuu-kun...I...I also…"
Yotsuba:[Miku's the complete opposite. She's not quite like Nino, huh? That's alright, I just need to help her with this!]
…
Nino:"How I can be so straightforward?"
Yotsuba:"Yep. A friend of mine wanted to ask you for advice on how to deal with her situation!"
Nino:"Well, there's their first problem, they should ask directly."
Yotsuba:"Ahaha…"
Nino:"I need to focus on Fuu-kun right now, so I'll just tell you. Be aggressive! People are way too stubborn! Act first, think later, no matter what!"
Yotsuba:"Got it, thank you."
Nino:"That can also apply to you too, you know?"
Yotsuba:"I-I'll keep that in mind…"
...
Miku:"I appreciate your help taste testing my bread, I really do. But are you fine with this?"
Yotsuba:"What do you mean?"
Miku:"Hm, I've just been thinking, you act similar to Ichika in some ways and I thought...No, never mind, maybe I'm just tired."
Yotsuba:"Ahaha, I really don't know what you mean."
Miku:"Hmm. Well, just know that I want everything to be fair."
Yotsuba:"About what?"
Miku:"That's up to you to interpret."
Yotsuba:"I-Is that some Sengoku riddle you're pulling on me?"
Miku:"Hehe, that would be something."
...
Kyoto
Fuutarou:"Alright, I'm the first one here!"
Yotsuba:"She plans to get in the way of you confessing to Uesugi-san!"
Fuutarou:"Huh?"
Yotsuba:[No, no. What have I done? Why did I say that!?]
…
Fuutarou:"Well...I already knew."
Yotsuba:"Huh? You knew?"
Fuutarou:"..."
Yotsuba:[His face…] "You knew what?"
Fuutarou:"Like...You know….that...M-Miku thinks...fondly of me…"
Yotsuba:"..." [Why was it at that moment, that I felt…]
…
Itsuki:"Yotsuba...What should we do now…"
Yotsuba:"Ah, that's right. Wait, huh? I grabbed Miku's bread, but I forgot it at...the hotel."
Ichika:"It's okay. I just have to hand this off to Miku, right?"
Yotsuba:"You found it."
Ichika:"Yeah, it was in the middle of the hallway on our floor."
Yotsuba:[D-Did I drop it without realizing? That can't be right...I was holding on to it tight, I promised that I'd get it to them, that I would atone for what I did, so then...Was it because of Itsuki still trying to get to Uesugi-san in that costume? No, that's...If it was, then why don't I just tell him it's her? Why don't I just…?]
…
Yotsuba:[I want to help Miku. I want to help her get over her being a shut-in, I want to support her improve her skills, she's already the smartest out of all of us. I want to…]
…
After the Umihotaru trip.
Yotsuba:[Uesugi-san is sick again!? If Nino, Ichika and Itsuki can't go…]
…
Miku:"You can't go either?"
Yotsuba:"W-Well...I wish I could go, but...the track team called me last minute! So, it looks like you'll need to go alone!"
Miku:"...Okay, it might be a little awkward, but I don't want to just leave him like that."
Yotsuba:"You go, girl!" [No matter what these feelings are, I want to help Miku! Please...I just want to see that smile again...the one she showed me that day…I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to...I want to…]
…
Yotsuba:[What...do I want?]
…
…
Present Time.
Fuutarou:"Wait a sec, Yotsuba."
Fuutarou had stopped near the park where the clover field and swings were.
Yotsuba:"What's wrong?"
Fuutarou:"I'm gonna try looking for that damn 4-leafed clover again! Getting a rare flower like that would be great for Raiha's collection. She also believes in good luck charms so this could help her even more. Hell, it might even fix my awful luck."
Yotsuba:"Uh, alright. I'll go wait for you over there." [Man, he really is passionate…]
Yotsuba got on the swings and stood on them before looking up.
Yotsuba:[I'm sorry...I just want to say I'm sorry to so many people...For ignoring them, for forgetting them, for making their lives worse...But a part of me can't help but...be jealous...Even when I tried to become selfless, I only resulted becoming something far worse...I'm sorry, Miku. Through this last year, I've developed something far different than anything I've felt before...It's different from the love of my sisters, my mom...and even the Fuutarou-kun I met on that trip...At some point, I stopped seeing them as the same person...and I've begun to look at Uesugi-san in a different way. I'm sorry. His passion, his stubbornness, his charisma...They took me in the same way they took you...This whole time my mind was trying to block out those thoughts out of fear that it was nothing more than a childhood crush...but my body knew. It knew...that I had fallen in love...I had fallen for this Fuutarou-kun…]
Fuutarou:"Damn, no luck. Hm?"
Fuutarou takes out his phone.
Fuutarou:"Miku's asking why you're not picking up."
Yotsuba:"Ah! My bad, I was daydreaming."
Fuutarou:"Don't do that on the swing or you'll hurt yourself."
Yotsuba:"Right! Say, do you want to try jumping off the swings? I'm sure you can get pretty far now."
Fuutarou:"Wouldn't be a bad idea, but I'm scared of hurting these clovers here, so I think I'll pass on that."
Yotsuba:"You're a lot more considerate now, aren't you?"
Fuutarou:"Oh, please."
Yotsuba:"You also say that like you're sure you would reach the clovers."
Fuutarou:"I've practiced my stamina! I can make those movements with less stress now!"
Yotsuba:"Yeah, you went with…"
Fuutarou:"Oh, Raiha's calling...Yeah, I'm walking with Yotsuba. You want her to stay over?"
Yotsuba:"Oh, I couldn't do that. Besides, if you're really willing, you can invite Miku. She let you use her bed, after all."
Fuutarou:"...That she did."
Yotsuba:"Shishishi!" [I'm sorry, Miku, but while I can't pretend these feelings don't exist, I can at least guarantee I won't act on them...even if you think it's unfair…]
End of Chapter 37
