The Final Festival had finally come to a close. The last remaining staff, while small in number was trying its best to clean up. Some of the students tried helping as well, doing it out of fear that Fuutarou would come at them again. Atop the main building, the newly formed couple had seen the bonfire as much as they could, although their minds were not particularly focused on that. Fuutarou especially, had been thinking about what Miku said, about how they would go to different places. This caused Fuutarou to think about his future.

Fuutarou:"Say, Miku…I've been thinking about my career path."

Miku:"Have you come to any conclusion?"

Fuutarou:"Well, I know something I really like doing... I kind of want to become…"

…

Miku's eyes widened. She pondered for a bit before smiling.

Miku:"Haha, yeah. You do look like you're having fun when you do that."

Fuutarou:"But…I'm only thinking of doing that as a part-time thing. While I enjoy it, I doubt it will pay the bills all too well."

Miku:"So a minor? Do you have any ideas for a major?"

Fuutarou:"That's still in progress."

Miku:"Well, whatever your decision is, I'll support you no matter what."

Fuutarou:"Thanks. You have my full support with your dream as well."

Miku:"I already knew that."

Soon enough, with the sun and the bonfire finally gone, the Sunrise Festival was no more. As the bonfire was being suppressed, Miku suddenly remembered something.

Miku:"Ah! I forgot about the others!"

Fuutarou:"How so?"

Miku:"We were eating with dad, and I said I was going to bring you along…"

Fuutarou:"So he did come, that's great."

Fuutarou took out his phone.

Fuutarou:"I did get messages from Raiha."

Fuutarou then pointed his phone at the defenceless Miku and took a picture.

Miku:"F-Fuutarou…!?"

Fuutarou:"Don't mind me. That makes one."

Miku:"Honestly…"

Fuutarou:"I'll go meet up Raiha and pops. You should go back to your sisters."

Miku:"Are you sure?"

Fuutarou:"How often does your whole family get together? Go enjoy it a little more while the school is still open."

Miku:"Fuutarou...You're practically family to us too, you know?"

Fuutarou:"Heh, thanks."

With that, Miku got up.

Miku:"Well, I'll see you later."

Fuutarou:"Right, have fu-"

Suddenly, Miku kissed him quickly before she ran for the door.

Miku:"Consider that payback for the kiss earlier."

She left with a massible blush on her face. Fuutarou stayed behind and covered up his mouth as he looked to the stars.

Fuutarou:"...Is kissing supposed to feel that good? And why is my arm numb? They make that whole leaning thing look way easier in movies."

...

Meanwhile, back where the rest of the family was.

Itsuki:"They're taking quite a long time."

Yotsuba:"Maybe they had to go to the bathroom."

Ichika:"Maybe they're just having their moment."

Nino:"Maybe that guy finally slipped on his regret of not picking me and fell face first into concrete."

Ichika:"Or face first into Miku's arms."

Nino:"I prefer mine."

Next to them was Raiha, who got Fuutarou's message to meet somewhere else.

Raiha:"Oh, it's big brother."

Itsuki:"He finally responded."

Raiha:"He said he'll see us at the gate and that Miku is coming back."

Yotsuba:"They're not coming back together?"

Itsuki:"How weird."

Nino:"It couldn't be, he rejected her?"

Ichika:"I find that hard to believe."

Isanari overheard this before looking at Maruo, who was intently listening to the conversation with death in his eyes.

Isanari:"Welp, we should go see him! Come on, Raiha."

Raiha:"Eh? Okay..."

Yotsuba:"Aw, they're not going to hang out with us?"

Itsuki:"That Uesugi-kun…"

Isanari went close to Maruo.

Isanari:"By the way, please don't kill my son."

Maruo:"I will not promise anything."

Isanari:"Ugh, what a doting parent. Please, I need to make sure he graduates from his worthless father."

Maruo:"Hm? Considering his academic prowess, I would assume you did something right. Unlike me, I…"

Isanari:"Yeah, yeah, we're both failures of a father. What matters now is to make sure the next generation doesn't turn out like us."

Maruo:"..."

With that, Isanari and Raiha left while saying their goodbyes to the quintuplets.

Nino:"There they go…"

She turned around to see someone had mysteriously gone missing. Maruo had left while they were all looking away.

Nino:"Oh no! Papa's gonna go after him!"

Yotsuba:"Ahhh! Fuutarou-kun's going to die!"

Nino:"We have to stop- Wait, Fuutarou-kun?"

Yotsuba:"Yeah, I started calling him that."

Ichika:"Isn't that my schtick? Maybe I should sue."

Yotsuba:"I-Ichika!?"

Itsuki:"In any case, I'm afraid for Uesugi-kun. Hopefully he-"

Suddenly, Itsuki noticed her phone vibrate. It had done so for a good majority of the day before stopping for a while. Itsuki took a deep breath and looked at the message.

Itsuki:"Right...I shouldn't run any longer."

Nino:"Huh?"

Nino looked to see someone familiar signaling to come over.

Nino:"Huh, wonder what he wants."

Yotsuba then saw a familiar figure.

Yotsuba:"Ah, it's him! I'm gonna tell him a piece of my mind!"

Then, she ran off.

Ichika:"Eh? Wonder what was up with-"

Then, an announcement was made.

"If Ichika Nakano could please come over to the auditorium."

Ichika:"Huh?"

…

Miku had left the building now, ready to walk back to their meeting spot, when suddenly she saw someone in front of her.

"I'm sorry I can't differentiate you, but are you the third sister, Miku Nakano?"

Miku:"You're…!"

…

Fuutarou:"...Alright, time to go."

Fuutarou went down the stairs and walked past his classroom. As he was continuing his way down, he suddenly felt a chill. For the first time, he thought it was a ghost. But no, this was far scarier than any ghost. He looked to the darkness to see a figure. Fuutarou didn't have to guess too much on who it was. As the figure came out to some light, Fuutarou could only see the blood red eyes of a very doting father.

Maruo:"So this is where you were."

Fuutarou:"I-I'm going to die!"

…

In the front gates, someone was trying to get in.

"I'm sorry, sir. The festival isn't allowing any more entertainment."

The man took out something and showed it to the gatekeeper.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, sir. You can come in!"

?:"Thank you. My little trip to the cemetery took longer than I would have liked."

Once inside, the man looked to his phone.

"According to her, they should be in the main building...Finally, it's time to put my final lifelong ambition to rest."

…

End of Chapter 96