With everything that just happened, the only thing on everyone's mind was to finally rest. Isanari, Raiha and Fuutarou went to see the quintuplets and Maruo right as they were getting on their limousine. As they all waved, Miku went up to Fuutarou.

Miku:"Um, I'll see you again soon."

Fuutarou:"Yeah, that's how that works. I just hope I don't pass out in the middle of the day."

Miku:"Me too. But if you do, I'll help you walk as long as you do the same for me."

Fuutarou:"Hm, I hope my training is enough."

Miku:"You calling me heavy?"

Fuutarou:"Hm!? N-No, I'm calling myself weak."

Miku:"But you're the strongest guy I know."

Ichika:"Oookay, let's go now before our dad commits murder. Nino is already holding him back."

Fuutarou:"Right. See you girls tomorrow. Ichika, hopefully your classes can start again right away. Nino, your career choice is extremely difficult, but we'll work through it. Miku, don't pass out. Yotsuba, you need a good rest. We'll look over what you want to do after graduation. Itsuki, I'm proud of you."

The five sisters smiled at Fuutarou's comments, but they couldn't stay there forever.

Maruo:"I swear I'll...Well, we must go."

Nino:"Say, papa. Can we visit Ebata-san now?"

Maruo:"We could. But are you sure you want to do that now?"

Yotsuba:"Let's do it!"

Miku:"The sooner the better."

Ichika:"He must be lonely."

Itsuki:"He's been looking after us for so long, it's only right."

Maruo:"...Very well."

The Nakano family then set their sights on Maruo's hospital. Meanwhile, the Uesugi family was doing their best to walk in a straight line, constantly bothered by Isanari's teasing.

Isanari:"I saw those eyes! You're like a girl in love, ain't ya!?"

Fuutarou:"Shut up, pops."

Isanari:"You'll need to build memories!"

Fuutarou:"...Like I don't already know that."

Raiha:"Hmm, I wonder when I'll fall in love."

Both Isanari and Fuutarou stopped and turned in despair.

Raiha:"I'm almost at the age my big bro was when he fell in love! Maybe my time is almost here!"

Raiha then felt a hand on her head and shoulder.

Fuutarou:"You're too young. You're still my cute little sister! There's no need for you to think like that!"

Isanari:"Please don't leave me! Why must life be so cruel...If any boy comes close…"

Fuutarou:"We'll make sure he disappears."

Raiha:"Ehh…"

Fuutarou:"In any case, pops, can we go somewhere?"

Isanari:"Hm?"

…

The quintuplets made it to the hospital and visited their butler, who had woken up. They spent some time together, they talked about what they've been up to and some of the details of what happened in the festival. This ended with some teasing about Miku's current situation, which Ebata picked up quickly. They asked about his condition, and once they heard about his expected recovery time, they wished him luck. After about 20 minutes, Maruo decided that he should go back to sleep. He led the sisters out, but before he left as well…

Ebata:"Sir, if I may."

Maruo:"Yes? What is it?"

Ebata:"...I think I will retire after all."

Maruo:"Huh? What's the reason for this change?"

Ebata:"You're already aware that I've become quite old. I've been working with you and the ladies for many years, it's what my life has been for so long. I was a bit stubborn and offended when you suggested I retire."

Maruo:"..."

Ebata:"But it seems I have also lost what I've come to appreciate. As much as I love working with this family, I will simply become a burden if I continue working like this. Not to mention, I'm sure you've noticed. The ladies seem so mature now. It's incredible how much they've grown in a few short years. Their independence is also shining more than ever. To think that they're still in high school is incredible. So, while I understand I will pass on decades before they complete their life, I wish to see them reach adulthood with these aging eyes."

Maruo:"I see."

Maruo smiled before bowing.

Maruo:"I thank you for all your years of hard work."

Ebata:"It was a pleasure."

Maruo:"I'll make sure you're able to see them often."

Ebata:"I look forward to it."

…

Fuutarou was in front of the cemetery. He saw that there was someone manning the gate. Apparently, he was a new employee after the previous two quit suddenly. When he said who he was, he was allowed inside. As he walked through the cemetery, he eventually made it to his destination. In front of this certain grave, Irigaku was there, praying.

Fuutarou:"So this is her grave."

Irigaku:"Yes, this is where Rena is resting. I didn't know her too well, but she certainly suffered a lot."

Fuutarou:"So is there any reason you told me to come here?"

Irigaku took some flowers and placed them on the grave.

Irigaku:"It's common practice for families and such to respect these places. I had previously set a bouquet here a couple months ago. When I came back later, I also saw two others which I presume were from the quintuplets and Doctor Nakano."

Fuutarou:"Right. Those must have been the flowers Raiha picked…"

Irigaku:"But take a look at this."

Irigaku pointed to a flower that wasn't his shining in the moonlight. It was clearly new, only having been there for a day or so.

Fuutarou:"Hm? What's special about it?"

Irigaku:"A daisy. Did you know I also had a sister? I never met her, but according to the information I could find on her, it seems that was her favorite flower. All I know from the information I gathered, it's that she passed away right next to my brother. It seems he was quite fond of her, I couldn't imagine the grief he went through."

Fuutarou:"So you're saying that flower is his?"

Irigaku:"Maybe, maybe not. Just speculating. But if it is, perhaps there was a part inside of him that felt regret for what he had done, but he simply couldn't stop."

Fuutarou:"...Even if he did, it doesn't change anything he did."

Irigaku:"Of course not. His punishment will not be changed."

Fuutarou:"But...I can understand the pain of losing a family member. Not to mention, if I lost Raiha, I wouldn't know what to do with myself."

Irigaku:"Heaven forbid, but if it happened, your friends and family would be there to support you."

Fuutarou:"Yeah…I'm truly lucky to have them."

Irigaku:"That's not a luxury my brother had. Once he lost her, he was completely alone. Forced to grief by himself."

Fuutarou:"...You said you never met her, where were you?"

Irigaku:"I was...running away myself. Having him as my twin, we lived together for a number of years. But, even though we looked the same, he was better at everything than me. Our parents clearly looked at him more than me. That caused a fit of jealousy to consume me. After I graduated from high school, I left my family in order to travel the world. I didn't care where I went, I just wanted to not be compared to my brother anymore."

Fuutarou:"You saw yourself as inferior."

Irigaku:"I eventually got into a college that accepted me and later, I became a lawyer. Despite my best attempts to ignore my hometown, I was eventually sent here for a job. I eventually met a delinquent who thought I was there to arrest him. He was quite violent. I didn't notice during the sports festival since he was so different, but I noticed today that that was your father, Uesugi."

Fuutarou:"Oh, pops…"

Irigaku:"Don't worry, he apologized profusely. I'm more surprised how different you two are."

Fuutarou:"Well, it wasn't always that way."

Irigaku:"He really tried to beat me down, but I didn't care about him. My mind was on how my brother was doing. Perhaps if I visited him then, I could have helped him. But I ran away and ended up not meeting him. Despite my best attempts to forget about him, my past caught up to me years later. On the same day I met Rena, I was framed and thrown in jail. Due to my brother's influence, he falsified records and evidence against me. I wondered during that time if this was my punishment for ignoring what had been happening in my family."

Fuutarou thought back to something he heard six years ago. Yotsuba had told him that Rena knew he was framed, but could never do anything about it.

{Yotsuba:"Before I was born, he apparently went to jail. But my mom swears that he was framed."}

Irigaku:"But, one day, a truly brave lawyer came to my rescue. She explained what had happened with Rena and that she had already passed away, leaving children behind. With time and carelessness from my brother, I was finally freed. That lawyer would eventually become my wife."

Fuutarou:[Was that the woman who came with him?]

Irigaku:"With that, I made it my mission to not only bring him to justice, but to help him see the error of his ways. Due to that, I decided to stay here. Then, one day, I found that a set of quintuplets were enrolled in Asahi High School, all with the last name Nakano. There was an investigation underway for that school as a set of answer sheets for the Nationals went mysteriously missing, leading suspicion to the principal. So I practically begged them to get me on the case. Considering their history, I thought being close to those sisters would get me close to my brother as well. And thankfully, their father was a sponsor of the school, which led me to meet him. What was really lucky was that his family never realized who I was. I assume my brother had already changed his appearance by the time he met them. So they couldn't snitch on me, haha."

Fuutarou:"So that's what happened, that certainly is...Wait, the Nationals were the reason you came?"

Irigaku:"Oh, I guess Ichika never told you."

Fuutarou:"Ichika!?"

Irigaku:"Ah, she'll tell you later."

Fuutarou:"Ugh. Anyway. That's how you became our substitute teacher."

Irigaku:"Yep. And now that both my goals are completed, I won't need to be your teacher anymore. I believe I will leave in about two weeks."

Fuutarou:"I see...Wait, wasn't the reason you became a teacher due to the previous one was pregnant? Shouldn't the kid have been born long ago?"

Irigaku:"Oh, we offered to give her paid vacation and she gladly accepted with her husband and newborn child. She says that she was especially happy that she didn't have to deal with a certain Uesugi being a smartass anymore."

Fuutarou:"Eh…"

Irigaku:"Well, that's about everything I wanted to say. I'm sorry for having you come here despite the time and how long you've been working."

Fuutarou:"It's fine, I was curious about what was happening behind the scenes anyway."

Irigaku:"...I'm glad I was able to reach my goal...before everything ended."

Fuutarou:"You mean your job as a teacher?"

Irigaku:"No...something far worse…"

Fuutarou:"...You...have the same disease?"

Irigaku:"...Nah! I'm just thinking of retiring for good!"

Fuutarou:"You led me on purpose, you asshat."

Irigaku:"Welp! Let's get out of here and let the lovely people rest."

Fuutarou looked at Rena's grave once more.

Fuutarou:"Give me a second."

Irigaku moved so that Fuutarou could be in front of the grave.

Fuutarou:[So this is her. I'm sure she's worried about how her daughters are doing…]

Fuutarou then prayed and bowed.

Fuutarou:"I swear they'll all graduate together. I swear I'll make them happy. So, I hope you can give me your blessing."

Behind him, Irigaku smiled.

Irigaku:[Those sisters are in good hands.]

Fuutarou then turned to the direction of the abandoned flower shop where his mother was.

Fuutarou:[Mom...I've finally found the answers I've been searching for. Watch over me too, okay?]

With that, Fuutarou and Irigaku left the cemetery. After splitting up, the Uesugi family finally went back home. After all the preparation, all the trials and tribulations, and all the challenges that came knocking, the festival was officially closed. Fuutarou went to sleep thinking about everything he needed to do for the sisters come morning. Everything had changed within just a few short days, but he was ready to take on anything that came his way. With his greatest friends and the one he loved. He was ready to see how beautiful those five flowers would look once they bloomed.

Five Blooming Flowers - End

End of Chapter 123