Fuutarou, Maeda and Takeda were sitting together looking at the final moments of the Sunrise Festival.
Maeda:"Oh, I hear music."
Takeda:"The student band is doing an encore thanks to the popularity of their previous showing."
Maeda:"I think I hear Asano from our class."
Fuutarou:"He asked to join in as a background singer along with other boys."
Takeda:"The second Nakano sister is also on those voices."
Fuutarou:"She didn't expect all that fanfare. Ichika got a little jealous."
Maeda:"Speaking of, have you heard? Apparently Asano started going out with a girl from another class during the festival."
Fuutarou:"Is that so…"
Takeda:"He did seem quite popular. But I must say, it's quite reckless of him to be caught up in a relationship at this critical time before the entrance exams."
Maeda:"Y-You think so…? I guess that's a normal person's viewpoint."
Takeda:"Now, now. I'm not against romance. Don't feel too down, Maeda."
Maeda:"I-I'm not feeling down! But...it is depressing thinking about how it's back to the daily grind tomorrow."
Takeda:"How come? I'm excited that I'll be able to attend classes again!"
Fuutarou:"Same."
Maeda:"You sickos are awful!"
Fuutarou:"Still...I guess...It does feel kinda lonely knowing this is coming to an end."
Takeda:"It certainly was eventful. Was it the same for you, Uesugi-kun?"
Fuutarou:"Way too much happened these last 3 days...I sure won't forget this experience anytime soon."
Maeda:"Anyway. How long are you gonna be sitting? Let's go grab a bite at a stall somewhere."
Takeda:"Actually, I might not be able to. Tsubaki-san has asked me to come with her to the awards ceremony. I accepted, of course. She helped me, after all."
Maeda:"That makes sense."
Fuutarou:"What'd she help you with?"
Takeda:"Sorry, Uesugi-kun, but I can't tell you for now."
Maeda:"Yeah. Top secret."
Fuutarou:"The hell? Keeping secrets from me?...In any case, I still have some things I have yet to do today."
Takeda:"Isn't your shift mainly over already?"
Fuutarou:"Yeah, just now. I had a loooooong talk with the council on managing their staff better. Having multiple people pass out from incompetence is wrong."
Maeda:"Hopefully they won't attempt that shit again."
Fuutarou:"I left them scared out of their minds. That should work at least a little. But what I have to do has to do with certain girls."
Takeda:"Oh, I see."
Maeda:"I've seen some of the sisters sporadically here and there. I did see Ichika outside the auditorium after one of the concerts."
Fuutarou:"Yeah, she was waiting."
Takeda:"I'm impressed you were able to tell her apart."
Maeda:"Hmm. Well, call me weird, but I've usually been pretty good at identifying Ichika-san alone."
Fuutarou:[...He showed a little bit of that back when Miku dressed up her…]
Maeda noticed Fuutarou staring at him.
Maeda:"You got a problem with that, punk!?"
Takeda:"Oh my."
Fuutarou:"I was just listening."
Takeda:"But I'm sure Uesugi-kun can tell them apart?"
Fuutarou:"Hm? Well, I can't say I'm too confident about getting it 100% correct. But I think I can if I really try. At first, it was nigh impossible, especially with how crap I am at remembering faces. On top of that, they used their advantage over me to their fullest. I can't tell how many times I've been fooled...They're a pain to the very end."
Maeda:"Like you're one to talk."
Takeda:"But that does peak my curiosity. Whom among them were you able to tell apart first?"
Fuutarou had a blank look on his face. He looked up for a bit before closing his eyes.
Fuutarou:"I think I'll keep that information secret. That makes us even."
Takeda grabbed Fuutarou's shoulder.
Takeda:"Now hold on a second. Don't try to pull that on us."
Maeda got confused at these events.
Maeda:"Oi, what's going on?"
Takeda:"Let's ask Uesugi-kun!"
Fuutarou:"I have nothing to say to you."
Takeda:"Come now! You mustn't be so cold to your friends! Can't you spare a little girl talk!?"
Fuutarou:"Screw you! I hold my right to remain silent!"
Maeda, despite looking absolutely lost, said the first thing on his mind.
Maeda:"Are you in love with one of the quintuplets?"
…
Fuutarou said nothing. The only thing that could be seen around his body was pure darkness.
Takeda:"W-Wait, let's calm down and think about this logically. That possibility did occur to me, but despite their great friendship, they're still in a tutor-student relationship...With exams right around the corner, it wouldn't be good for them...right?
…
Fuutarou:"I was going to answer honestly, but now you've gone and made it weird…"
Takeda:"Wait, does that mean…?"
Fuutarou nodded with a blush enveloping his face.
Fuutarou:"It's really embarrassing when you try to probe me for information, you know?"
Takeda:"I-I see...Well, that is quite the shock…"
Fuutarou:"...I was thinking of-"
Suddenly, Maeda shot up.
Maeda:"Okay! I'm going to confess right now!"
Fuutarou:"What's this all of the sudden?"
Maeda:"If even someone like you can have these feelings, then so can I damn it! Things are gonna go back to normal tomorrow, so this is the best time to do it!"
Takeda:"...Wait, who are you asking out?"
Maeda:"Matsui-san, of course."
Takeda:"...You weren't already a couple?"
Maeda:"Huh!? Of course not!"
Takeda:"Well, it's just that you two seem to be together quite often. It was safe to assume."
Maeda:"W-Well, there's no doubt I think she's a wonderful friend...But that's where it starts, isn't it!?"
Fuutarou:"That's where it starts, huh?"
Fuutarou looked to the stars developing in the sky. The shines of each slowly filling the sky as the night sun was on its way out.
Fuutarou:"Have you ever heard of this saying…? Well, I don't know if it's a saying per se...rather...an idea...That someone becomes more dazzling when they've fallen in love."
Maeda:"Yeah, I get that idea."
Takeda:"...Hm, more dazzling?"
Fuutarou:"Y-Yeah...I think it's about how a person who is in love is seen by others in a better light...Something like that...I read it in a book. But, I was wondering about the reach of such an effect...I was wondering if the person that they fell for could also notice them becoming more beautiful...more...special…"
Fuutarou pondered.
Fuutarou:"Maybe that's what love is...It's not like anything changed about their appearance...But, for some reason it feels way better being around them…"
Takeda:"Hmm...I think I understand the concept."
Maeda:"...So that whole thing about telling them apart…"
Fuutarou:"Yeah...This is something an old man told me about before...How truly bizarre. Despite me reading about it, researching it...it's simply not something that can be explained with something so simple...It's far more complex than that. To the point where one out of five identical faces can suddenly pop out as being far more different."
Takeda:"You've given quite a lot of thought into this."
Fuutarou:"Probably too much. I almost did something I regretted, but...right as I was about to fade into my own darkness, a ray of light made its way to me...That really was the last push I needed."
Maeda:"This suddenly got heavy."
Fuutarou:"It did, didn't it? Well, it's not like it's all black and white. What I want to do might not go over very well at first. I'd say I'm being even more selfish than before.
…
Suddenly, Fuutarou saw a flicker. He looked towards the source quickly and saw a little bit of familiar hair flowing in the wind.
Fuutarou:"That's…!"
Fuutarou grabbed his stuff and ran towards it. But before he went too far, he turned back to Takeda and Maeda.
Fuutarou:"Thank you for everything, truly."
Maeda:"Of course."
Takeda:"Now go do your thing."
Fuutarou:"Right!"
Fuutarou then continued to run after the source.
…
Takeda:"Well, I should get going."
Maeda:"Good luck, man."
Takeda:"Hm? Well, good luck to you too."
…
Fuutarou, upon going behind the main building, caught up to the person.
Fuutarou:"There you are…"
The person then turned around. She had a familiar dress on, one that he hasn't seen since he went shopping before the trip to Kyoto. But...
Fuutarou:"You're…"
Fuutarou stopped. He then shook his head.
Fuutarou:"So what does 'Rena' want with me?"
The girl now identified as 'Rena' smiled.
End of Chapter 89