Chapter 5

It's already evening when they finished their karaoke session. It's a fun and enjoyable karaoke session mixed with some seriousness between it. Leaving the karaoke place, Fuutaro suggested that they should go to the park he usually goes to chill and relaxing after this long day. Ichika agreed to go with him and as they walked to the park, she teased Fuutaro about his terrible singing performance back in the karaoke.

"Ahaha…! What's with your singing, Fuutaro-kun!" Ichika laughed, remembering Fuutaro terrible singing. "Pfft… Even the speaker can't withstand your voice and it made a buzzing and those strange noise!" She covered her mouth with her hand to hold the laugh.

"Oi, oi… What's with that insult coming from you." Fuutaro sighed, with a slight annoyance is visible in his face. "Just like I said, I never sing before so this should be normal, right?"

"Hehe… I can't be the judge of that. But that speaker definitely told you that you're a terrible singer." She continued to tease Fuutaro as she still laughing.

"*sigh* Whatever you said, Ichika."

They both keep walking, as Ichika still laughing and joking about Fuutaro singing. For Fuutaro, he still annoyed from Ichika teasing but he's fine with it and he then joked back with her. It took some amounts of minutes to walk to the park, but it doesn't feel like that long for them because of the talking and joking. Arriving at the park, Fuutaro then took a seat in the swing while Ichika went to the vending machine to buy them a drink. After a while, Ichika joined him, taking a seat in the other swing next to him and gives Fuutaro a water bottle.

"Ahh… Thanks." Fuutaro took the water bottle, opens and drinks it. "I can't believe it's already this late, it feels like it just an hour ago when you asked me to skip school."

"Well… When you're having fun, time feels to flow faster without you noticing it." Ichika said with a grin. "It's still much faster than when you tutoring us, because it can be boring sometimes." She started to swinging.

"Oi… Remember what I always said, that as long as you're still a student, studying is important." Fuutaro said. "Also don't forget that I will guide all of you through this final year until you all graduate with satisfying score." He also started to swinging too.

"Yes, yes… Then, I'm counting on you to keep tutoring us!" Ichika responded with a smile and laugh.

Both of them keep swinging for some moments in silent. Ichika can only saw Fuutaro swinging in silence because she doesn't even know what to talk anymore, so she enjoyed this moment of silence, closing her eyes, and enjoying the breeze of the wind created from the swinging. It's the same for Fuutaro, because he ran out of topic to talk to Ichika and he's not good at starting conversation other than studying related-topic. Just like her, he closed his eyes and enjoying the breeze with a smile. He felt nostalgic from the swinging because he always went to this place to relax himself when he was a kid and to remember all his childhood. As for Ichika, this also brought back an old memory, when she and the other four also likes to play in the park when they were a kid. She especially loved to play in the swing because of the swinging sensation and the gentle breeze created from the swinging, the other sisters who always accompany her in swinging is Yotsuba, who also happened to love swinging too. Unbeknown to them, they have the same thought when they keep on swinging as nostalgic thoughts filling their heart and mind.

"This feelings…"

"It's surely nostalgic…"

"That time when everything is simple and I don't have anything to worried about…"

"It's truly an enjoyable time…"

After some moments of swinging, there's a thought popping in Ichika mind and suddenly she thought about the future. Still swinging, Ichika then asked to Fuutaro about what's in his mind about the future.

"Nee… Fuutaro-kun, do you have any plan about your future?"

"Hmm… What makes you said that?" Fuutaro wondered about Ichika question.

"I don't know. It suddenly popped up in mind." Ichika said. "Do you have any plan after we graduates from high school?"

"Well… I do planning to apply a scholarship to Tokyo University." Fuutaro said his plan after graduating. "But I still don't know which faculty I'm gonna take since I haven't thinking that far ahead."

"Heeehhh…? Tokyo University, huh?" Ichika slightly surprised about Fuutaro university choice. "I always heard Tokyo University is very difficult to apply. If I'm not wrong, their acceptance rate is very low and it's one of the hardest universities in the country."

"Yeah… I know about that. That's why I won't stop studying until I graduated from the university." He said about his seriousness of studying and education. "Also, this national mock exam is a good opportunity for me to measure my capability if I'm good enough for Tokyo University."

"Hehe… Do your best to achieve that, Fuutaro-kun." Ichika giggled, giving encouragement to him. "Then, I guess you still don't know about your future career, huh?"

"Yeah… Even after the career counseling last year, I still don't know about what career I'm gonna take."

"Well… I'm sure you will find your career as time goes by and I will also help you to discover it!"

"Hmm… Thank you, Ichika."

They continued to swing for a long time as they talking about the next school trip and how they're looking forward to it. The two talked about it for a long amount of time and an hour has gone by because they've been absorbed in talking how fun it will be for the school trip. Fuutaro then stopped his swinging and followed by Ichika, because they noticed it's already late and school time is already over for some time and it can be shown by the color of the sky already turned into dark orange with a shade of black color which also visible in some parts of the sky. Fuutaro then grabbed his school bag and put it in his shoulder.

"Well… I have to admit that today is pretty fun." Fuutaro said with a smile, pleased about today experience. "I didn't expect that skipping school can be this fun and enjoyable…"

"Hehe… How about we do this more often since you enjoyed it, right?" Ichika giggled as she picked up her school bag from the ground too.

"Oi… How many times I told you that school is important…" Fuutaro said, kinda annoyed from Ichika teasing.

"Yes, yes… I understand about it. I'm just messing with you." Ichika continued to giggles and she's also grinning after the giggles. "Besides, I never knew you can be such a fun guy, Fuutaro-kun. I always thought you're a boring and cold type of guy, but I guess even that type of guy did have some fun in them."

"Heh… I'm certainly that type of guy that you just mentioned. But thanks to you, I guess I did have some fun today." Fuutaro chuckled hearing Ichika statement about him.

"Thank you! I guess Fuutaro-kun will always be Fuutaro-kun."

"Oiii… You two, where the heck you've been this all day!"

A familiar voice is heard not far away from them and it shocked both of them. With a cold sweat, Fuutaro and Ichika turned around and they saw Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, and Itsuki coming towards them. The two looked at each other with a sarcastic-laugh, knowing that they've been caught by the other four. The four sisters finally came up to them and scold them for skipping school today.

"Hmm… I can't believe someone like Uesugi-kun dare to skip school knowing he's that kind of person who are study-maniac." Itsuki said crossing her arm with a frown, seemingly disappointed in Fuutaro.

"Anyway, Where the hell have you been Fuu-kun!? Did you have a date with Ichika or something?" Nino said irritatingly, moving forward to Fuutaro pointing her finger at his chest.

"Is that true, Fuutaro?" Miku said with a pout. "Since Ichika is here with you, this can't be coincidence." She then looked at Ichika who stand near to Fuutaro.

"Uesugi-san, I'm kinda worried why you did not come to school today. But I guess you've spent your time with Ichika just like what Nino said." Yotsuba said with a frown, annoyed because of Fuutaro skipping school today.

Fuutaro is nervous being bombarded by the other quints. He thought to himself that they must not know that he skipped school because of Ichika request and it can create a problem if he said the truth. So, he decided that he needed to lie to avoid an unwanted situation.

"O-Oi… It's not like that." Fuutaro panickily said to the four sisters in front of him. "I just felt I didn't want to come to school this morning because of the pressure your dad gave me yesterday. So, I took a day off to cool my mind from that pressure and coincidentally, I met Ichika an hour ago while I'm relaxing in this park." He said with a slight panic tone, looking at Ichika hoping she knows what he means.

"Hmm… Is that so?" Nino doubting Fuutaro explanation, and then turn to Ichika for her explanation "Then why did Ichika doesn't come to school too? Do you have anything to say, Ichika?"

"Eh-uh…! It's because of a sudden call from my manager when I'm on my way to school this morning, telling me to come to the studio because one of their actress fell ill. So, I have to replace her because my manager said it's an emergency and last-minute shooting situation." Ichika said with the same panic as Fuutaro, explaining her "reason" why she didn't come to school today. "After the shooting, I took a walk in this park and I don't know how, I met Fuutaro-kun sitting in the swingset, so I came to say hello to him." She continued to explain with a weak laugh to the other sisters.

The four sisters looked at each other and they sighed hearing their explanation. They give them a pass for today school skipping and reminding the two of how serious Fuutaro bet with their father is. Both of them, still with cold sweat nodded and apologized to them. The four sisters then told Ichika to come home with them because it's already late, but Ichika told them to go ahead first because she still has something to say to Fuutaro.

"You all go home first. I still have some things to say to Fuutaro-kun."

"Don't take too long, Ichika. We'll wait you for the dinner together." Miku said to Ichika reminding her not talking too long and waving goodbye to Fuutaro with a smile.

"I'll keep my eye on you, Fuu-kun! So don't ever skip school again, okay?" Nino said pointing her finger at Fuutaro from distance.

"Then, see you tomorrow in school, Uesugi-san!" Yotsuba said waving her hand to Fuutaro.

"Don't forget about the school and remember about your responsibility, Uesugi-kun" Itsuki said reminding the responsibility to Fuutaro.

The four sisters then went home first, leaving both of them alone again. Ichika then said her gratitude, thanking Fuutaro for joining her to skip school today.

"Thank you for today, Fuutaro-kun." Ichika thanking Fuutaro and there's a cheerful expression in her face. "Today is really fun and enjoyable for me, I haven't felt this fun in a long time."

"Yeah, me too, Ichika." Fuutaro responded back with a smile of his own. "Thank you for today. It's a new experience for me, so today is a very enjoyable day."

"Hehe… Then, see you tomorrow, Fuutaro-kun." Ichika said with a grin as she walks away and waving goodbye to Fuutaro.

"Ahh… I'll see you tomorrow, Ichika." Fuutaro nodded back with a smile at Ichika.

As Ichika walked home, she then reflects today experience and it made her smiles and blush because she successfully spent her time with Fuutaro without any interference from the other sisters. With a mix of fun, happiness, seriousness, and some sadness, this is truly the best moment she ever spent with Fuutaro and she's hoping she can repeat this moment again in the future. Also, she's hoping her relationship with Fuutaro can move forward from being a friend and student-tutor to something even more "special".

"Today is surely a fun experience with you…"

"I definitely won't forget this day…"

"I'm hoping we can have this moment again in the future…"

"Now I just need to fulfill my bet and keeping my promise to you…"

"I'll never give up… It's just for you… my love…"

After seeing Ichika walks away, Fuutaro just smiled as he goes home too. He also reflected about today experience of skipping school and who knows that it's such a fun and enjoyable experience. With a mix of fun, happiness, seriousness, and some sadness, today is definitely a new experience for him because he never had this kind of experience before. He also thought about this mysterious feeling that he felt today and he still doesn't know about it, but he makes sure to figure out about this unexplainable feeling later because it keeps bothering him. As he keeps walking, he thought about Ichika and her bet and promise.

"Thank you…"

"You give me another perspective on how enjoying life…"

"I won't forget about today…"

"I will also figure out this unexplainable feeling about you…"

"As for your bet and promise…"

"Do your best and don't give up… Ichika."

"I'm counting on you!"

A/N:

So here's chapter 5, hope you enjoyed it!

I know it's a short chapter. Originally I planned to combine this chapter with chapter 4, but I feel this chapter has some specialness to it, so I decided to split it into two different chapters.

As for the next chapter, I will give a hint about it and it will took place at national mock exam day. I can only describe that because more of it will be too much spoiler, so you all have to wait for it :)

As for the usual review response:

-Rosalina:

Haha I'm glad that you're always the first to leave a review because it means much to me knowing you always look forward for the next chapter. Well, I made Fuutaro terrible at singing for the comedic purpose. But I agree his voice actor is very good at voicing him.

-Faf1:

Thank you! I really appreciate it.

-Guest:

Another thank you and appreciation from me!

-Powder Sauce:

Thanks mate! I'm glad you're enjoying the interaction between those two.

-Tsubaki Lover:

I'm glad you're enjoying the chapter! Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

-Kraft:

So here it is! The other four reaction of Fuutaro and Ichika skipping the school, is finally here. I hope it can meet your expectation! and also thanks for the compliment!

If you like the story feel free to review, follow, and favorite it