Chapter 5: Four-Leaf Clover
19 May (Friday) 6pm
Class 3-1, Asahiyama High School
The sun was starting to set, dyeing the sky orange - the colour of her hair.
For hours, they sat in the classroom, facing each other, arranging files and tickets to be distributed for the coming school trip. She had her hands full coordinating the arrangements, and as her assistant and designated helper, he had naturally stayed back to support her in her duties. After all, she was neither particularly sharp nor conscientious, having left most of her work till the very last minute, and if he had not been with her, they may not have been able to meet their deadlines together.
"That's the fifth time you've put an extra coupon into the envelope," he chided as she stared absent-mindedly out the window, drifting off into space. "Is everything okay? You don't seem to be yourself today."
"Yeah, of course– I mean, I'm all right!" she gave him a smile and a salute before burying herself in her task. But soon enough, she slipped back into a blank daze, fumbling clumsily with the papers, until she finally slowed and stalled, seemingly deflated and out of energy.
"Yotsuba," he sighed, venturing a guess as to what was bothering her, not that it was supposed to be tough or complex. "If it's about the grouping, I'm more than happy to swap with you so that you can be with your sisters."
Perhaps the rom-com gods had decided to play a prank on him, but he had somehow landed in the same team as the other quintuplets who had kicked the guys out, to the envy of all the boys and even a few girls who had crushed on them since the start of the year. Sure, academics was everything, but social standing could not be ignored, and he would gladly trade his seat on the shinkansen for a less-dangerous alternative if he wanted to survive and graduate in one piece.
Besides, it just did not feel right for her to be left out in such a way. If anything, he was intruding on their kinship by not withdrawing or turning them down, allowing the rest to congregate and establish themselves around him amidst his indecision.
"It's okay, I'll be calling in sick for the trip, it's that time of the month, you know," she laughed, unable to look him in the eye as it was clearly a lie. Save for the one big truth that she had been painstakingly concealing, she had never been good at hiding, being the seeker in her childhood games - yet she had laid bare her emotions, wanting him to notice for once, to save her from the hopelessness and despair that was eating her alive.
"I need to go, girl stuff," she threw her books into her bag, detesting herself for not having the strength to endure to the end. At this point, she just wanted to run away and cry, escaping what she knew would be a cruel rejection that she simply could not face. She was an idiot, and always would be - she was the black sheep, the one who had gotten her siblings expelled from their previous high school, far from the mature, dependable, indispensable person that she had promised to be.
That was why she did not deserve to be with him, nor did she have the right to be jealous or angry when they boasted and bragged about their escapades with the boy who could not even recognise her when they met. That was why she had stayed on the side-lines all those months, trying to forget the silly encounter as a kid while her sisters were having adult romances with him as pretty, young swans while she remained an ugly duckling.
That was why she was ready to give up on the past, to no longer hold him back, to accept the consequences for failing to live up to her vows, to liberate him for a future with the rest. She would retreat to the background as she always had, quietly huddling into the corner where she belonged, in no place to stand tall with the others or share in their joy.
"Fuutarou-kun," she called his name, possibly for the last time ever, her rabbit-ear hairband drooping in untold hurt and dejection, "I pray that the charm we bought would bring you bliss. I'm proud of you for turning your life around. I know you'll go on to do great things, and I'm content to have played a role in your journey, to create a happy memory to remember when I'm down. Take care of my sisters, they really love you, but please forget about me when you have fun in Kyoto."
With that, she sprinted away, knowing that he could never catch her, just as she could never reach him, warm tears streaming down her cheeks. She hated this, she hated herself, but the result had been decided, and she just had to accept the verdict. She wanted him to console her, to comfort her, to tell her that she still had a chance, but she could sob alone and calm herself over the weekend, to be back to normal in time for their return from the place that would only bring her pain.
"Stop!" he nearly shouted as she hit the wall, having not noticed where she was heading. Grimacing, she sat on the floor as he held her hand, preventing her from scrambling away and injuring herself any further. Bruised but otherwise unscathed, she glanced at him in speechless silence, only to see him falling to his knees in anguish, tears streaking down his face.
"Is this karma?" he asked, releasing his grasp, "You're the one I've been seeking all these years. The girl who saved me and made me into who I am. And to think that you've always been by my side. If only I could turn back time and start over again–"
"You can't, Uesugi-san," she sobbed. "It's the past, it doesn't matter anymore. I'm not the only one you met back then. You interacted with the others too. But it's my fault for not fulfilling our promise, for failing you and us."
"I used to have the best grades, but I lost it when Mom passed away. I thought I could be different by wearing accessories and cutting my hair, it even made Grandpa worry. And yet I was still the same, I didn't grow up, I didn't manage to become someone who was important to others."
"I caused so much trouble, I nearly ruined everyone's futures by dropping out from Kurobara. That's why I figured I should just be there for their smiles, even if I'm really crying inside. That's why I asked Itsuki to dress as Rena, to ask you to move on and leave the bygones behind."
"How can we be happy knowing that you're sad?" he questioned as soon as she was done. "How can we go about enjoying our lives when you're suffering like that? Stop tormenting yourself, you're breaking my heart, and you'd only make your sisters feel guilty when they inevitably learn the truth."
"I love you, Yotsuba. You may not realise it, you may desperately try to deny it, but you changed my life for the better - then and now. Fate is a strange thing, the motivation you gave me during our first meeting allowed me to become your tutor, and here I am to return that favour, to complete our journey which began five years prior. The past may be immutable, that's true - but it created the present, a gift that I'll always treasure."
"The future is open, and what it holds is for us to decide. I really hope that you'll be there with us, with me and your sisters, because we'll all be there for you, for the next five years and even the decades to come. So quit putting yourself down and holding yourself back. We've both made mistakes, but please be honest with yourself and with me for once."
"I-I love you," she stammered for the first time in forever, her lips quivering over the words and the emotions behind each syllable. It felt good to let out the truth, even if it was just a whisper, even if she feared the consequences - the chain reaction, the dominoes, the storm that would arise from the butterfly's wings.
"Louder," he clasped her palms to give her the courage she needed to break through herself.
"I've always loved you, Uesugi-san!" she declared with all her breath, and before she knew it, she had kissed him, only for him to reciprocate with equal passion, their pent-up desires and longing for each other burning in the crimson dusk. Trembling in anticipation and anxiety, she tugged on his buttons, letting out a soft moan as he slipped his fingers below her cardigan, even as a rational voice screamed at her to stop, to not get them both expelled if they were ever to be discovered.
Alas, a greater part of her relished the forbidden excitement, the adrenaline and suspense biting at her toes, the gnawing risk only serving to arouse her further. The path ahead was uncertain and full of dangers, but that was why it was worth traversing, to find a way past the jungle of thorns to reach the happy ending. She let him take the lead, indulging in the kisses on her neck as warm hands caressed the skin beneath her uniform, her shirt hanging loosely from her shoulders. He nibbled the tips of her chest through her top, and as much as she did not want to admit it, she could feel herself growing a little wet, the moisture soaking through her panties even as he had barely touched her skirt.
Moments later, she found herself shuddering as he traced a line from her legs to the damp spot between her thighs. Grunting, he pulled her to her feet and brought her to her table, where she made herself comfortable while he pleasured her below the navel. Grasping the edges of her desk, she arched her back as he teased her through her underwear, stirring her temptation to remove the final barrier, to feel his ministrations on her damp lips.
Sensing her eagerness, he pulled the divider aside to give her some respite, exposing her clean, shaven folds glistening with honey and sweat. Licking her folds and lubricating her walls, she nearly protested as he teasingly let the fabric snap back into place, only to moan as he turned his attention back to her chest, unbuckling her straps to reveal her pink ends and her toned, slender body in the dim light.
"Uesugi-san," she stuttered as he gripped the hem of her skirt. "I want you to feel good too."
With that, she unzipped his trousers and pulled down his briefs, taking a moment to stare at his rod before pushing it between her lips. Having played the occasional eroge with the sengotaku, she was not as innocent as she let on, though she was as inexperienced as a newbie. Nonetheless, she made up for it with her enthusiasm, sliding her tongue over his member and slathering it with saliva, his erect stick prodding the inside of her cheek, seeking to fill her in a moist crevice.
"I should be safe today," she assured, settling back on the table. "Let's go all the way, okay?"
"If that's what you want," he nodded, pulling off her panties, "I'll take responsibility."
Inhaling deeply, she winced as he entered her, grateful for her secretions which made the task easier. Somehow, the agony that she had prepared for did not come, and she nearly wept when she did not see the signs of red that she had been expecting. Strangely, he did not seem to mind, and was more relieved than anything that she was not in discomfort as he kept up his pace.
"I-I swear, I-I've never done this before, it's my first–" she spluttered in a panic, only for him to steal her words away with a kiss.
"I know, but it really doesn't matter even if it isn't," he patted her head, "I mean, it pains me to say this, but it isn't mine either. You could've torn yourself by accident during sports practice and mistook it for the regular thing. Whatever it is, Yotsuba, it doesn't make any difference because I love you all the same."
"Uesugi-san," she sniffled, wiping tears of relief from her face, "I love you too."
Ruffling her hair, he ramped up the rhythm, thrusting harder and deeper as she drowned in the pleasure surging through her spine. He clamped a hand over her mouth as he felt her muscles tensing in the tides, tightening around him as bare skin rubbed against naked flesh with ever-increasing fervour. Before long, the pressure grew too much to bear, straining the limits of their willpower, and he came in her, emptying in her soft, warm insides as she groaned helplessly through her restraints, fluids trickling down her thigh.
"Let's do it again," she panted, gasping for air as she ran a finger between her legs to lick up the mess. "Without the skirt this time."
Standing before him in nothing but her socks and sneakers, she let him take in the view, wanting him to remember her full, uncovered form. Having found her reason to love again, she no longer wanted to be forgotten or cast aside as she strived for her place in the world, to be necessary to someone and appreciated as the kind, caring soul that she had always wanted to be.
Bending over, she glanced at him invitingly, stroking him back to attention. Playfully pinching her rear, he inserted himself into her, pushing from behind, his thighs slapping into hers as she bit her lip to hold in the exhilaration, until finally crumbling in a growling climax, his arms cupping her mounds and grasping her tightly as he finished in her, his foam mixing with the slippery liquid between her legs. Spent, she collapsed on the desk as he wiped the perspiration off her back, her hair dripping with sweat from the intense exertion over the past half hour. She clung onto him, cuddling in his embrace until it was time to put on their clothes and clean up before the night guard would come to make his rounds.
"I think we should go out on another date," she suggested when they stopped by her favourite swing, mustering her resolve to be forward for once. "A real one, away from the books and desks."
"Yeah, I kinda prefer the bed," he yawned as she turned red. "Oh wait, did I just say that?"
"Mou, sleepyhead," she huffed, punching him lightly before bursting out in an impish giggle. "Shishishishi, seems like I'll need to train you in your stamina."
A/N: And we've finally come full circle with Yotsuba. She's the last quintuplet to be featured, with lots of hurt/comfort and love - but being the OTP, she's the one who got a proper kiss with two happy endings, so I guess it all worked out in the end.
Thanks to the support that this fic has received, I've decided to include two bonus chapters where I'll be dialling up the spice before the finale and epilogue. Nino and Miku fighting for dominance over Fuu-kun with their feet? Or Yotsuba playing 4-D chess with Itsuki and Ichika?
As always, favs/follows/reviews highly appreciated! Don't be shy, I'd be glad to hear from my readers if I'm doing lemons right, and where I can improve moving forward.
P/S: I'll be updating Chapter 6 of The End of the World is Wrong as Expected (Oregairu AU). In the meantime, feel free to check out my earlier completed post-apocalyptic crossover Reality Offline (SAO x Oregairu AU - needs more love), as well as the ongoing Blessings on This Floating Castle (Konosuba x SAO) and The Holy Grail War of Chiba (Oregairu x Fate/Stay Night).