As the final day of the school festival almost came to a close, a certain vehicle was making its way there, hoping to get there before it was too late.

"I'm sure it will be alright. Today's allotted time is extended thanks to the campfire dance."

The man in a suit that was looking out the window nodded. Then, his phone vibrated.

Maruo:"Could it be an emergency…?"

Maruo hesitated on opening the message, knowing the promise he had made, but he eventually did. In the message was a video file. Upon downloading it, he was greeted with a video of a concert. In this surprisingly well shot performance, Maruo noticed a certain girl front and center.

Maruo:"Nino-kun…?"

Before continuing, Maruo took out some earbuds and listened to the performance intently.

…

Itsuki was looking around for a character that seemed to never stay in the same place. She tried her best to ask around for a girl that had more energy than common sense. With time and luck, she eventually found the culprit. Yotsuba seemed to move in the same way as the day before.

Itsuki:[...Did she really take what Miku and Uesugi-kun said to heart?]

As soon as Yotsuba stopped in a stall, Itsuki came up behind her.

Itsuki:"Yoooooootsuba."

Yotsuba:"Wah!"

Yotsuba almost jumped into the stall before noticing who it was.

Itsuki:"Were you so focused that you couldn't see me?"

Yotsuba:"N-No, you were just hard to see! Don't worry, my jobs are almost done. I'll be with you soon!"

Itsuki:[You fool...I can see how everyone felt when I gave them excuses.]

Yotsuba:"Well, I'll be going once I finish this."

Itsuki then grabbed Yotsuba's shoulder.

Itsuki:"You're not going anywhere. I need to show you something."

Yotsuba:"Is it really so important to-"

Itsuki:"Of course it is!"

…

Yotsuba:"Okay, but make it quick."

Itsuki:"You really want to torture yourself, don't you?"

Yotsuba:"I'm not torturing myself."

Itsuki:"That's nothing but…"

Yotsuba went with Itsuki inside the school building on the first floor.

Itsuki:"Yotsuba. I want you to look at this."

Itsuki took out her phone. She noticed a number of missed calls from Shimoda, causing her heart to stop for a second. After a deep breath, she opened the message she got from Fuutarou, which contained a video.

Yotsuba:"What's this?"

Itsuki:"It's a video that Nino is in."

Yotsuba:"You could have just sent it to me."

Itsuki:"You would have just ignored it…"

Yotsuba:"I-Itsuki, are you okay?"

Itsuki ignored her statement and began playing the video. As it continued, Yotsuba would occasionally look to Itsuki who was watching the video with full focus. Once Nino finished her speech, Itsuki looked towards Yotsuba.

Itsuki:"It was a wonderful video, wasn't it?"

Yotsuba:"Y-Yeah! Nino did a much better job than I did!"

Itsuki didn't respond.

Yotsuba:"Well! Tell Nino she did a great job!"

Itsuki blocked her path again.

Itsuki:"Is that really what you took from this?"

Yotsuba:"Was there something else? She gave a great speech that I'm sure others will follow."

Itsuki:"And you're exempt from that? Even after everything Uesugi-kun and Miku did for you? Did you know that Ichika was there too? That we all cried at her resolve!?"

Yotsuba:"I see...I'm glad Ichika was the-"

Itsuki:"How long are you going to keep running away!? How long are you going to act like this!?"

Yotsuba was taken aback. The last time this happened was before the festival. Like back then, she was surprised at Itsuki yelling at her. But, she came to realize it was because of the lie that she had permeated while dressed as Rena. Yotsuba already experienced this. But while the previous outburst was about coming clean to Fuutarou, this time it was about Yotsuba herself.

Yotsuba:[No, that's not it. She's just trying to get me to tell Uesugi-san who I am, that's all.] "Itsuki. Are you tired of that act you put up again?"

Itsuki:"..."

...

{Itsuki:"Yotsuba...that girl that he met. That was you, wasn't it?"}

{Yotsuba:"W-What? What could have given you that idea?"}

{Itsuki:"You were the only one that kept leaving our group during our trip. Not to mention, after that trip, you changed into wanting to take classes more seriously…You have to tell him!"}

{Yotsuba:"No...I don't…"

...

Yotsuba:"I never told you to do that...As soon as I refused to tell him, you took it upon yourself to dress like that and lead Uesugi-san everywhere you wanted. If you're feeling guilty now, that's not on me! He didn't need to know the girl he met turned out to be such a pathetic loser!"

Itsuki:"...Yeah...You never asked for it...Yeah...I do feel bad! I feel horrible for doing that to Uesugi-kun! All I did was worry him more! Make him hope for someone that didn't even want to be seen! I really should have stopped when I realized my sister was even more pathetic than I am!"

Yotsuba:"I-Itsuki…"

Itsuki:"I was truly awful...I did something that stupid on a misguided attempt to be like my mom...But that wasn't it, I simply felt bad for my sister...My sister who I believed was better than me in every way. But I went about it in the dumbest way possible! I didn't think, I just acted on some self-gratifying journey to try and make Uesugi-san feel better during the time Nino left us! Mother would be ashamed of me...But that's not now...What matters now is what we have to do...Miku, Nino, even Ichika. All of them have begun to take a step closer on who they truly want to become. And what have we done this entire time? We've done nothing but cling to the past!"

Yotsuba:"What do you think you know!?"

Yotsuba had had enough of Itsuki lecturing her.

Yotsuba:"Stuck to the past!? I've done nothing but try to forget it! Why do you think I've tried to make sure Uesugi-san never figures it out!"

Itsuki:"That's not right! Moving on from the past isn't about forgetting! It's about accepting it and moving forward! I...thought I was doing the same with mom's legacy, but all I did was spit on her image! I even thought Shimoda's proposal to become mom sounded good at one point! I...I have to accept it! My mother is dead! And I have to move on, not pretending I'm her...but rather as one of her daughters!"

Yotsuba:"...Where did this come from…?"

Itsuki:"...I already had an inkling this was the case...the reason I insisted on studying this festival was my last ditch effort to become her...But through Uesugi-san, Miku, Nino, and now Ichika...Like Nino said, they've become my ray of light...I don't want to be superior to them...but I don't want to be inferior either...I want to be with them, as equals! I refuse to run away anymore!"

Yotsuba:"...You...and them...I'm...happy for-"

Itsuki:"I'm not leaving you out! We're not quadruplets! But the only way we can truly be equal...is not through me telling Uesugi-kun who you are...that's something you need to decide on yourself...Like Miku told Ichika...It's fine if you don't want to tell him...But the way you are now, it's clear it's eating away at you...Only come to that conclusion when you've grown up, Yotsuba!"

Yotsuba couldn't respond anymore. She couldn't believe the same Itsuki that had stuck with the mindset that becoming their mother was the right thing for so long was giving her such a passionate speech. Before she could say anything else, she ran away. Itsuki stayed there, as she watched her leave.

Itsuki:"With that, she at least won't be able to work with that on her mind. I have an idea as to where she'll go. I'll need to convey that information..."

Itsuki looked at her phone again.

Itsuki:"I'll need to apologize to you too, Shimoda-san. When I get the chance, but for now, I have to trust in Uesugi-kun to finally get through to her heart once and for all!"

Itsuki looked up, letting everything she just said simmer in her thoughts.

Itsuki:"I can't believe I was able to say all that...My older sisters influenced me too much, haha…"

Tears began to swell up in her eyes. For the first time in a long while, these were her own tears.

…

Yotsuba:"Uesugi-san, Ichika, Nino, Miku...Even Itsuki...they've all grown far more than I could ever...They...They…!"

…

Miku's phone rang, a text from Itsuki.

Miku:"It's almost time…"

End of Chapter 88