A/N:
Chapter 2 is finally finished so here it is!
If you spotted any grammar and/or vocabulary error and some weird narration in the story, then I'm sorry about it since English is not my native language and I'm still learning on how to write a good story format and writing narration is one of my biggest weakness.
My plan for this story is I try to upload new chapter on 1 week or 1 1/2 week period but it's not guaranteed that I will follow the update schedule since my real life job really taking a toll on my mood and inspiration for the idea on writing this story. I don't want to rush in publishing new chapter because it can impact the story quality and I wanted my story to be the best and not written half-hearted, so it's a sorry in advance if someday the time to update for each chapter took a very long time.
As for the review from Rosalina, Kraft, and Powder sauce:
Thank you so much! Your review is very appreciated and glad that you enjoy the story.
*ps: If there's some of you still confused, the italic and bold text are showing the character thoughts.
No more talking from me, Enjoy the story!
Chapter 2
Happiness and joy… are now filling Ichika heart. She finally had her chance together with Fuutaro after she successfully persuaded him to skip school. In return, she has to score at least 150 points on each subject on national mock exam or she would have to quit her dream as an actress. The risk is high, but she won't lose that bet against Fuutaro because she promised him and she won't disappoint the boy that she like.
Right now, that doesn't matter because today is the only opportunity for her to get closer to Fuutaro. Ichika wanted today to be the most memorable moments together with him, so she's going to make sure to have fun with him to the fullest. But before that, a certain stomach is growling, asking for some food.
"Ughh… I'm so hungry…" Ichika said as she holds her growling stomach.
"Didn't you had a breakfast before going to school?" Fuutaro asked.
"Well… I skipped breakfast. I went out earlier than the other four so I haven't got a chance to even drink a milk." Ichika explained with a chuckle.
"*sigh* Just what the hell happened to you today, huh?" Fuutaro sighed hearing her explanation.
"Hehehe… Just don't worry about it, Fuutaro-kun." Ichika grinned at Fuutaro. "Anyway, let's eat first before we're going right?"
"So, where do you want to eat? Do you know any good place?" Fuutaro asked.
"Hmm… There's this western restaurant that Itsuki told me." Ichika checked her phone for the restaurant info. "She said that this restaurant is very good and has a good atmosphere."
"Itsuki… huh? As expected from that curry drinker monster…" Fuutaro mumbled and chuckled about it.
"The restaurant isn't that far from us, it only took like 5 minutes from where we are." Ichika said as she put her phone back in the pocket. "Let's go, Fuutaro-kun."
"Ahh…" Fuutaro nodded as he follows Ichika.
Both of them walked to the restaurant and after 5 minutes, they reached the place. Fuutaro then looked at the building, feeling surprised and shocked because of how elegant and gorgeous of the building design. He immediately thought this is a very expensive and prestigious restaurant and there's no way his monthly allowance even able to pay a single time meal.
"I-Ichika… This restaurant… It looked very expensive." Fuutaro said depressingly as negative aura envelops him.
"Hehe… It looked like it, right?" Ichika half-laughed as she calms Fuutaro. "Anyway, this meal is on me, okay? So don't worry about it."
"Ahh… Thank you..." Fuutaro thanked her with negative energy as it still hasn't leave him.
Ichika and Fuutaro then entered the restaurant, greeted by one of the employees and showed them to their seat. Fuutaro looked around at the restaurant and he's impressed by the atmosphere and how elegant and luxurious the interior is. Both of them took their seat and the waiters offered them the menu. Looking at the menu, Fuutaro eyes widened as wide as ever as he saw the price on each food and drink.
"W-what is this…!? The cheapest food in here is ¥10.000 and the cheapest drink is ¥1000." Fuutaro eyes scanned every page of the menu.
"There's no way I'll be able to pay even a single drink." Fuutaro still trembles seeing the amazingly expensive price. "I should thanked Ichika for paying my food… But if I remember, Ichika is the one who paid all the living expense of the other four and also if I'm not wrong, they refused financial aid from their father, so if I'm correct then she should be tight on money."
"I should pick the cheapest food available and there's no need for me to order a drink since I have a water bottle in my bag." Fuutaro decided on the menu. "This chicken steak is the cheapest one available at ¥10.000… I'm gonna order this one."
Ichika, saw Fuutaro intensely staring at the menu with cold sweat, she chuckled and stared at him. She thought that Fuutaro is kinda cute being nervous like that and Ichika unconsciously blushed and smiled as she keeps staring at him. Fuutaro then noticed Ichika staring at him and snapped her back to reality.
"Oi Ichika, what's up with that face?" Fuutaro feels annoyed with the stare from Ichika.
"Eh-uh…? No, it's nothing." Ichika said panickily as she averts her eyes back to the menu book. "Well… Fuutaro-kun, are you decided on what you gonna order?"
"Uhh… Yeah… I'm gonna order this chicken steak." Fuutaro pointed at the menu. "Then, what about you, Ichika?"
"Umm… I'm gonna order salad and milk shakes." Ichika said as she called for the waiter. "You only order that, Fuutaro-kun? It's my treat today, you know, so don't be shy about it."
"Nope, I'm good with it." Fuutaro said as he closed the menu book. "Besides, you should be the one who ordered extra food since eating only vegetable can't satisfy your empty stomach."
"Fuutaro-kun, as an actress, I should maintain my body posture and shape or I wouldn't get anymore acting job." Ichika said grumpily.
"Ahh… Is that so? Then my bad."
"Geez… You really don't have delicacy for a woman." Ichika continued to pout as she gives the menu book to the waiter.
The waiter then took their order and left them alone again. While waiting for the food, Ichika asked where they should go after breakfast. She has some plan for where they should go, but she wanted to know where Fuutaro want to go.
"Hey, Fuutaro-kun, where should we go after we eat?"
"Hmm… I don't know, because I rarely go anywhere other than school and home."
"Hehehe… You're such a shut-in person aren't you, Fuutaro-kun?" Ichika laughed. "But I did notice that you definitely changed since the first time we meet."
"Hmm… What do you mean?"
"Well… Since you become our tutor, you've been to other place that you never go, right?" Ichika said. "So, there must be some place on your mind. Then pick a place, I'll happily go wherever you want."
"Hmm… Let's see…"
Fuutaro then thought about the place he ever been other than school and home. Shopping mall, amusement park, arcade, cafe… it's rolling through his mind and where should he choose from all of it to have fun. After some hard thinking about it, Fuutaro chose arcade for the next destination because he's been to arcade last year with Raiha and Itsuki and he did have some fun playing in arcade.
"Arcade… How about arcade, Ichika?"
"Arcade huh? It's not a bad choice…" Ichika thought with her hand in the chin. "It's been a long time since the last time I've been to arcade. Then, I'm looking forward to it." She said with a grin and smile.
"Yeah… Anyway, our food is finally here. So, let's eat because we're going to have a long day, right?" Fuutaro looked at the waiter who finally arrived to deliver their food.
"Yeah!" Ichika said cheerfully.
"Ittadakimasu."
"Ittadakimasu."
Fuutaro then ate his chicken steak and he's very impressed by the food taste. The taste, texture, and the finishing, it's all perfect. For him, this is the best chicken he ever ate in his life.
"This chicken steak… It's one of the best foods I ever eat." Fuutaro said as he continues to eat the chicken eagerly.
"Well… As expected from this kind of restaurant. This salad taste pretty good too." Ichika praised the food too. "There's a review in the net from a famous food critic named M.A.Y, that this restaurant is worth 5-star rating."
"M.A.Y, huh?" Fuutaro mumbled while chewing his food. "That Itsuki… Not gonna lie, even though she's a food devouring monster, she did have a taste for good food." He grinned with a cold sweat in his head.
After eating their breakfast, they headed straight to arcade. Arriving at the arcade, they looked at the variety of arcade machine to play. Both of them took a walk around the arcade to decide which game they should play first. Ichika then pointed at the air hockey and dragged Fuutaro to play it.
"Hey Fuutaro-kun, let's play this!" Ichika said enthusiastically, pointing at the air hockey machine. "It's been a long time since I played this and if I remember, the last time I played air hockey was when I'm still in elementary school."
"So I guess, playing in arcade is not your thing huh?"
"Ahh… Yotsuba and Nino are the one who still playing at arcade regularly with their friend." Ichika explained. "As for me, I don't have much time going to arcade anymore since I'm on tennis club and the acting job really took most of the time."
"Ahh… Is that so?" Fuutaro nodded as he grabbed the strikers "Then get yourself ready, Ichika, I won't hold back even in playing game." He said with a fiery spirit.
"Hehehe… Then, I won't hold back either. Here I go, Fuutaro-kun." Ichika responded with a great spirit as she starts to hit the puck first.
Both of them played intensely, but in the fun way, for a lot of rounds. Smile, laughs, and joy are visible in their faces as they already forgot their own problem, especially the mental weight of the mock exam. Between each round, Ichika thought of how fun playing arcade game especially with the person she likes. Her hearts started to thump faster and faster, it's not because of how intense the match is, it's because of her suppressed feelings for Fuutaro.
"So this is how it feels huh?"
"This feeling is different compared when I play with the other four or my friends."
"Is my feeling for Fuutaro-kun this strong? Well, I don't object to it, in fact I'm very happy about it.
In the end of the air hockey round, they both play equally well and ended up in tie. They took a seat in nearby chair to rest for a while because of how intense the matches was…
"Wahhh… That was fun!" Ichika said, stretching her arm.
"Hmmm… You did very well for someone who hasn't played in long time."
"Thank you! Fuutaro-kun, you did good too at air hockey for someone who almost never play in arcade."
"Well, I did play in arcade for a few times with Raiha, so I know how to play some of the games in this place."
"Ehh… Is that so?" Ichika mumbled. "Then, what should we play next?"
"How about that racing game right there?" Fuutaro pointed at the racing game machine not far from them. "I've been wanting to play that game since the last time I accompanied Raiha here."
"A racing game huh? I never play it before." Ichika said. "So please go easy on me, Fuutaro-kun." She stood up and drag Fuutaro to the machine.
"Yeah… but don't blame me if you're losing, okay?" Fuutaro said with confidence.
"Geez… Fuutaro-kun…"
They both play the racing game for some rounds, but not as many as air hockey before. At first, they're both kind of confused of how the game works because they never played this game before. But for Fuutaro, he quickly learned how to play this game because he knew how to drive motorcycle and he can quickly apply it to the game. As expected, Ichika only won once and that only win because Fuutaro purposely losing to her in pity. But in the end, it's Fuutaro total victory on each round.
"Geez… Fuutaro-kun, that was a dirty play in the last match, you rammed me just before I can pass the finish line." Ichika frowned at Fuutaro because of the outcome of the last round of the racing game.
"Well, that was the game core mechanic to ram your opponent in order to win." Fuutaro said with a cheeky smile, satisfied with the racing game. "So it's not entirely my fault right?"
"Humphhh…" Ichika mumbled with a pout.
"Hey, hey… Don't get angry okay." Fuutaro grinned at still pouted Ichika. "Here's some cola for you to cool down your temper." He put the cold cola can to Ichika cheek.
"Woahhh…!" Ichika surprised by how cold the can of cola is in her cheek.
"Geez… Fuutaro-kun, please stop teasing me…" Ichika took the cola can and drinks it.
"Well, you're the one who always keep teasing me. So this is the payback right?"
"Ugghhh…" Ichika felt embarrassed with blush is visible in her face.
As Ichika still drinks the cola, she noticed the crane game and quickly drag Fuutaro to it. The crane game prize is a lot of variety of stuffed animal, but there's this one cute hippo plush that Ichika keeps on looking and she wanted it. She told Fuutaro to play it and hoping they can win the hippo plush
"Hey Fuutaro-kun, look at that hippo plush!" Ichika said with a happy tone. "That hippo is very cute, let's try to get that one."
"I never thought you're that type who like a stuffed animal." Fuutaro said with a flat tone as he looks at the stuffed animal. "Even if you win it, I bet it will drown in that pile of things in your room."
"Ugghhh… Stop talking like my room is some kind of uncivilized land." Ichika said with irritated tone. "Anyway, let's get that that hippo plush, we still have lot of coins left right?"
"Yeah… yeah… Let me try it first." Fuutaro preparing to put the coin in the machine to start the crane game.
Fuutaro then inserted a coin in the machine and starting to get to work. As he pressed the button and controlled the stick, the claw grabbed the hippo plush. Fuutaro then moved the claw back slowly to the drop-off, but as soon as the claw nearing the drop-off, the stuffed animal fell and Fuutaro gets irritated by that.
"This cursed machine… It's the same result just like the last time I played this." Fuutaro said with anger, cursing the machine.
"Well, well… Calm yourself down. Here let me try it." Ichika tried to calm Fuutaro down with a half-laugh.
It's Ichika turns to try the crane game. She carefully controlled the stick and the button for the claw, but this time she didn't even successfully managed to grab the stuffed animal and instead the claw only grabbed the air and it returned to its starting position. Just like Fuutaro, she got irritated by the result.
"This machine… I finally remembered why I stayed away from this game years ago." Ichika said with irritated tone. "But, I won't give up yet, that hippo plush is very cute and I want it!" She said with a confident spirit as she pulls out another coin.
"Fuutaro-kun, let's take a turn on playing this until our coins ran out! I definitely won't give up until our last coin."
"Such determination from Ichika… But well, that's one thing that I like from her." Fuutaro thoughts with chuckles seeing Ichika determination. "Yeah… Let's defeat this cursed machine!"
Fuutaro and Ichika then taking a turn trying to win the hippo plush from this crane game. Coins after coins are inserted to this machine, as both of them starting to get more and more frustrated at this game and they starting to think that this machine is rigged. Angry veins are visible in Fuutaro forehead and Ichika eyes are twitching after each failed attempt as they looked at each other with sarcastic laugh. After so many failed attempts, Fuutaro then looked at their last coin in his hand and sighed.
"This is our last coin… After so many failed attempts, I don't even want to try anymore…" Fuutaro said as he sounds defeated.
"Well… Might as well plays it right?" Ichika said, feeling defeated too as she took a seat on nearby chair.
"*sigh* Here I go…" Fuutaro sighed as he inserted their last coin.
Fuutaro then carefully moves the control to get the right position for the hippo plush. He positioned the claw right above the stuffed animal and he pressed the button to grab the hippo plush and the claw grabbed it tightly and starting to go upward. Ichika are surprised seeing this, eagerly got up from her seat and joined Fuutaro looking at the claw. The claw then makes it way to the drop-off and it looks like doesn't have any sign of letting go the stuffed animal. Both of them are looking at the claw with big hope and wide eyes, but unexpectedly the claw dropped the hippo plush just a millimeter away from the drop-off hole. Both Fuutaro and Ichika can only gasped and looked at each other about this unpredictable machine.
"Ehh…?" Both of them gasped from this unbelievable situation.
"WHAT THE HELL WITH THIS CURSED MACHINE!" Fuutaro screamed in anger and he slammed his fist into the machine.
"Calm down Fuutaro-kun, other people going to look at us weirdly." Ichika said with a weak laugh, trying to calm down Fuutaro by grabbing both of his shoulder.
"THIS GAME IS TRULY MADE BY THE DEVIL!" Fuutaro still infuriated and continued his ranting. "I SWEAR THIS MACHINE IS RIG-"
The hippo plush is slowly leaning towards the drop-off hole and finally fell into the hole and it's ready to be collected in the other end. Fuutaro and Ichika then looked at each other in disbelief and they starting to chuckle and that chuckle turns into big laugh.
"Ahahaha!" Fuutaro laughed.
"Ahahaha!" Ichika laughed too.
"WE FINALLY DID IT!" Both of them shouted in unison.
Ichika then collected the hippo plush and looked at it with a happy smile. He then showed the stuffed animal to Fuutaro, asking his opinion about it.
"What do you think about it, Fuutaro-kun?" Ichika happily asked to Fuutaro, still showing the hippo plush. "Isn't it looked cute?"
"Yeah… It looked cute." Fuutaro agreed. "Be sure not to lose it in your room, it's the reminder for our struggle and hard work getting it."
"Yes, yes…" Ichika said with a smile as she hugged the plush.
Fuutaro suddenly felt something strange in his chest from seeing Ichika smiling and hugging the hippo plush. This is the same feeling as before when Ichika said "Fuutaro-sensei" to him. At the same time, his heart beating faster than usual while he tried to process this unexplainable feeling.
"What's with this feeling…?"
"I never have this feeling before and this is the first time I felt this."
"Also, my heart is beating faster than usual and I can feel it."
"No, No… It must be because of the tense and relief from winning the crane game. I must not think anything weird."
Ichika then noticed the quiet Fuutaro and checked on him.
"Fuutaro-kun, what's wrong?" Ichika asked the quiet boy.
"Eh-huh… No, it was nothing." Fuutaro responded with a startle.
"Ehhh… Is that so? Then, there's one final machine that I want to check. Let's go." Ichika said enthusiastically.
"Yeah…"
Ichika, followed by Fuutaro walked to the photo booth not far from them. They both stood outside the booth and Fuutaro looked at Ichika with unenthusiastic face. This is the same photo booth that he took a picture with Itsuki and Raiha last year and the memories of awkwardness flooded back to him.
"Really…? Photo booth?"
"Well, isn't it okay?" Ichika happily said to him. "Then let's go in and take a photo together!"
"*sigh* Yeah… Whatever…"
"But wait, didn't we used all of our coins for the crane game?" Ichika asked to Fuutaro, stopping just before she entered the booth.
"Since you mentioned it… Yes, we did use all of our coins for that crane game."
"Ehh… No way…" Ichika said, feeling disappointed. "I've been looking forward for the photo booth since we arri-."
Ichika eyes suddenly spotted a single coin in the floor and she picked it up. Feeling happy again, she turned to Fuutaro with an evil smile in her face.
"No running, Fuutaro-kun." Ichika said with a grin, showing the coin that she just found. "This coin is enough for the photo booth. Let's go!" She dragged Fuutaro inside the photo booth.
"*sigh* I'm really tired…" Fuutaro sighed in tiredness.
Inside the photo booth, Ichika inserted the coin and choose the filter for the photo. She then turned around to Fuutaro and noticed that his shirt collar was messy.
"Fuutaro-kun, your shirt collar… Let me fix it for you." Ichika said with a blush, fixing his collar.
"Ahh… Thanks."
"Then, get ready for the photo." Ichika said as she starts to pose with her hippo plush. "Don't give that usual dead and blank expression of yours, okay?" She teased Fuutaro.
"Yeah, yeah…"
Fuutaro then gets his face ready for the photo shoot. He's not used to smile for photo shoot except for family photo with his dad and Raiha. Even in the yearbook, he never smiled and only showed a blank expression. But as he saw Ichika smiled and laughed again, an unexpected laugh and smile unconsciously formed in his face.
After the photo shoot, Fuutaro then exited the booth first to buy a drink from vending machine because of the exhaustion from playing the crane games.
"Ichika, I'm going to buy a drink. You want something too?" Fuutaro asked, as he keeps walking.
"Ahh… I wanted a cold sweet coffee."
"Got it."
Ichika then took the results of the photos. There are 5 photosin totals, she then takes a look of it. She looked at the first two photos and there's a picture of her laughing with Fuutaro blank and annoyed expression. She giggled seeing that expression of him even though she told him earlier not to show that face expression.
"As expected from Fuutaro-kun, I guess he's that type of guy who won't smile for a photo." Ichika giggled seeing the first two photos. "Then, next photo… Ehhh…?" Ichika surprised seeing the third picture.
Ichika then looked at the third photo and unexpected for her, there's her laughing and also Fuutaro laughed happily in the picture. She's impressed on the result and it's rare for Fuutaro laughing like that other than when she and the other four quintuplets joking with him.
"Hehehe… I guess even a guy like Fuutaro-kun can laugh in the photo."
She then looked at the fourth photo and it's more or less the same like in the third photo. As she saw the last photo, Ichika is surprised even more and immediately blushed seeing it. The photo shows Ichika genuinely smiling with her embracing the hippo plush, but what surprised her the most is the gentle smile on Fuutaro face. This is the second time she saw Fuutaro smiled like that, last time she saw this gentle smile was when Fuutaro saved her from the falling wooden log back in the school trip last year when they got locked in the warehouse. The sweet and gentleness in his smiles makes her heart thumping even faster. As she keeps staring at the photo, a smile also formed in her lips.
"That smile…"
"That gentle smile of him… It makes my heart warmer just from seeing it."
"Fuutaro-kun..."
Fuutaro returned with a water and a sweetened cold coffee. He saw blushing Ichika staring at the photo, it makes him curious so he tried to peek at the result.
"Hmm… How's the result come off?"
"Eh-uh! Fuutaro-kun!" Ichika surprised by Fuutaro suddenly appearing as she hide the photo away from him.
"Here's the ice coffee." Fuutaro gave the coffee cup to Ichika.
"Ahh… Thank you."
"So… Did the photo comes off good?"
"Uhh yeah, it's pretty good. You want to keep some of the photos?"
"Ahh… Just give me one of the photos. You can keep the rest."
"Okay, here's for you." Ichika gave Fuutaro the first photo.
"Hmm… It looks okay for me." Fuutaro nodded as he saw the photo and put it in his pocket. "Anyway, let's go, there's nothing we can do in arcade anymore."
"Yes, let's go!" Ichika happily nodded as she follows Fuutaro from behind.
Ichika then looked at the photo again, she wanted to stare at each photos as long as she can. The laugh of him makes her wanted to laugh... and for that gentle smile of him, it truly warmed her heart. She then put the photo in her school bag and looked at Fuutaro from behind.
"That gentle smile… I can't stop thinking about it."
"We still have a long day to go ahead of us."
"I hope you can give me more of this unforgettable experience… Fuutaro-kun…"
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