IF THERE'S STILL ANYONE DOUBTING ME ABOUT MY POSITION AS THE ACE OF THIS ARCHIVE, I DARE YOU TO SAY THAT NOW, HAHAHAHAHA! I HAVE BEEN MORE CONSISTENT AND ACTIVE THAN ANY OTHER WRITER HERE! Yes, indeed, the Ace is here again with another update just like I promised! Anyway, last chapter, we actually got some Maruo backstory through a flashback with Isanari after hearing Fuutarou staying true to what he feels for Itsuki. Like what some reviewers have deduced, Maruo and Rena did experience the shock, meaning that they were soulmates too! Damn, must he the work of fate, eh? It ended with Isanari persuading Maruo to ask Rena out, but Maruo is just stubborn, and now Isanari is pissed. What is he going to do? Let's find out in this chapter!

Heads up, I'm gonna be busy for the next few days with some school stuff, but I will deal with them as fast as I can so I can get back to writing. That's all.

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Disclaimer: I don't own the Quintessential Quintuplets, or any of its characters...

Maruo slowly turned towards Isanari out of nervousness, who looked uncharacteristically serious while crossing his arms over his chest as he walked towards him. This was the same guy who saved him from those bullies months ago, and it was that moment that showed it would be a bad idea to cross him in any way due to how he beat up those bullies from Horikoshi High School single-handedly. For that reason, Maruo became wary of his words and actions around Isanari, until he learned that the guy was a lighthearted idiot who was rarely pissed and would rather mess around than start a fight with another person.

It really brings in the question of what could have caused him to beat up those students from Horikoshi, honestly…

Now, it looks like he pushed the guy too far.

Maruo gulped to himself and tried his best not to look scared, but he couldn't help it! Isanari was perfectly capable of beating him to a pulp, and he can't do anything about that because he was just a scrawny teen! He was almost about to fall off his chair out of fear, until Isanari stopped about a meter in front of him, still having a serious look on his face.

"If you think love and relationships are a distraction, then you're just one of those dumbasses who go through school spending their whole time reading books and not giving a fuck about anything else. I honestly expected more from you, since you're the smartest nut in the class," Isanari stated with no hesitation.

So, Isanari wasn't going to beat him up and was just going to resort to insults instead. Pretty anticlimactic, but at the very least, he's safe in a physical sense. Maruo released a sigh of relief to himself while listening to the next words that came out of Isanari's mouth.

Wait a second, what did he just say? Was Isanari comparing him to other students out there who study all the time? What exactly is the difference then? He expected more from him? Surely he's not talking about being an oversized buffoon who only laughs around and doesn't care about studying, right? No, even if Isanari and him don't really click well due to their conflicting personalities, they did respect one another that they have never asked nor forced the other to change just because they were too different.

In some way, they were both looking out for the other's well-being.

"E-Excuse me?" Maruo frowned in confusion, feeling that there's more to this than being a jab to him after thinking about it for a few seconds.

Isanari sighed, before he began pacing back and forth to explain his words in detail. He wasn't usually like this, but he'll have to act as the smart one in order to educate his friend!

"Buddy, school and stuff like that are always gonna be there. Even after you graduate, school will still be there. Heck, I can drop out of this place right now and I can come back anytime I want because this school won't go anywhere even if I leave!"

Maruo raised an eyebrow, unable to comprehend what his friend was trying to say. This is exactly what happens as a result of not studying! Phew, it's a good thing he was willing to hear Isanari out this time… but it still nearly gave him a heart attack because he thought he was in deep trouble.

"Isanari-san, I'm afraid I have no idea what you are trying to imply."

The blond teen released a deep sigh, realizing that his attempt to act like his broody friend didn't go as well as he had planned. Oh well, he'll just have to explain in his own way to make this guy understand the weight of his own emotions.

"Maruo, all I'm trying to say is why don't you let go of that stick up your ass for once and let yourself enjoy life? Give yourself a break and get some happiness! School's always there, and it's not some runaway bride who'll avoid you as soon as it sees you. What kind of guy even ignores his own urges as soon as he notices it? You even know to yourself that you blushed while being around Rena-senpai!"

"How about the kind of guy who doesn't want to be distracted by anything?" Maruo deadpanned, insisting in his sole intention to study instead of doing anything else.

"Yeah, and good luck with that, because I can already tell that you can't get senpai out of your mind, no matter how hard you try," Isanari retorted, earning a glare from his friend. This reaction caused Isanari to smirk, because that was the exact sign he needed to know that he was right. "What you're feeling right now for Rena-senpai won't always be there, you know? Do you think I've been going out with girls just for the fun of it?

Maruo continued to glare at him, before keeping his head down as if he was in deep thought. It was clear that those last words from Isanari got to him, and it made him think about his actions for the next few moments.

"Jackpot!" Isanari said to himself in triumph, seeing that he got his friend right where he wanted him.

Deep down, Maruo knew Isanari was right. Even though they only met literally three hours ago, the young man couldn't get Rena out of his mind and he was only lucky that their teacher earlier didn't call him out or anything, otherwise he would've seen his current dilemma and things would definitely end on a bad note for him.

As a student who places his grades on high regard, Maruo was already worried about this development and he wanted it to end before it gets any worse. Unfortunately, he couldn't just bury himself in his studies and hope that he forgets her, because his mind was saying the opposite. He was trying to do just that right now, but it seemed like an impossible task with how his mind was going back to that moment in the hallway, when he and Rena locked eyes.

"…shut up."

Isanari grinned smugly at Maruo's weak attempt to make a comeback, because it was obvious that he's just trying to deny it. "If you can't even let out what you feel, then you're even dumber than I am. If you ignore 'em, then it makes you no less than a damn robot. Plus, aren't you the smartest kid around here? I'm sure you can handle going out with senpai and studying all you want. She's also smart too, right? You can even hit the books together if you wanted to! All you need to do is ask her out, and you'll be fine!"

Maruo gritted his teeth, becoming more and more irritated as this argument dragged on for much longer. This was the last thing he needed right now, especially when he was already trying his hardest to direct his attention into studying alone.

"I told you, I can't do that!"

Isanari retained his smug look whilst folding his arms, getting under Maruo's skin even more. "And why not, nerd? Because you just met her? Because you love your books more? Because you wanna graduate as the student with the biggest stick up his ass?"

The broody teen didn't answer that time, and simply clenched his fists tightly from both irritation at his teasing and frustration from feeling this way. Isanari noticed this and predicted that Maruo was about to blow up at any moment, but it wasn't enough. He had to push more buttons to get the reaction he wanted to see from his friend.

"You know how you feel for Rena-senpai, anyway! It's so obvious, and you're not denying it at all! Why don't you just go for it? I can bet you all the money I have right now that she'll want to go out with you when you ask her! I know the look on her face, buddy! She likes you too! Come on, what's stopping you from talking to her?!"

That was the final straw for Maruo, who finally had enough of the pestering and teasing from the blonde delinquent. However, instead of looking angry at Isanari, it seemed like he was mad at something else. He stood up from his seat and slammed his fists down on his desk loudly, causing Isanari to become silent afterwards.

"Because studying is all that I know!" Maruo shouted, which was something that no one has ever seen him do, not even Isanari himself. "Even if I do as you say, I have no idea what to do afterwards! What do I say to her? Do I buy her something? Do I take her out somewhere? Will she accept me? Does she even like me at all? I don't know the first thing I should be doing, Isanari-san!"

Isanari looked at him in surprise, taken aback with the reaction that he got from his friend. Okay, he did want to push the guy into admitting what he really thought of their senior and get him to confess, but he didn't see this coming. For someone who's always calm and collected most of the time, Maruo reacted quite harshly right now, and Isanari couldn't help but wonder what exactly can cause his broody friend to be like this. Nonetheless, he shifted his full attention towards Maruo, listening to his next words carefully just as his friend began to speak once again.

Maruo took a deep breath before speaking, calming down completely after his outburst just now. "I haven't the slightest idea about these things and I fear that this may affect my studying if I continue to stress myself while thinking of what to do. It's why I can't do what you ask of me, no matter how tempting it may be, Isanari-san. You may be right in saying that I am infatuated with Imamura-senpai, but that's it. I cannot do anything that has any possibility of my grades being compromised," he explained with a conflicted look on his face, unable to figure out what he should do to deal with this situation.

For someone who was almost like a genius in the eyes of everyone else, he had no idea how to resolve a problem that required social interaction… goes to show how much of a loner he is.

After taking a few moments to further recompose himself, Maruo sat back down and breathed into his hands. He had never felt like this before, all frustrated and confused because he was always cool and collected. He ended up surprising even himself because of it, and he needed a moment to calm down because it's something that he would honestly not want to happen once again.

"Is that it?"

Isanari's voice rang in his ears, causing Maruo to turn his head to look at his friend, who had that smug look on his face again before he gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"Heh, you are in luck, buddy. Leave it to your good pal, Isanari, and I'll help ya score senpai's heart! I have a plan, and it's gonna work. You won't have to worry about your grades at all if you follow what I say."

Rule #1 of the Bro Code: Have your bro's back, no matter what. You're no friend if you cannot watch out for him.

What a true bro Isanari is.

Instead of outright declining the offer from the blonde delinquent, Maruo decided that this may be what he needed to do if he wanted to get this over with immediately. Right now, it doesn't matter whether he'll get rejected or Rena will start going out with him. His attention was simply directed on releasing the feelings that he's been experiencing until now, because if he doesn't deal with it now, it will only continue to bother him and it sounded as the worse of the two evils he was facing.

"What makes you so sure that it will? For all we know, I might fail before it even starts… not that it matters. I only want to let out this strange feeling I'm experiencing inside me, and everything will be— OW!" Maruo tried to explain, only to get cut off in his words when he got smacked with a paper roll, causing him to look at Isanari in pure confusion while holding the region on his head where he got hit.

Isanari dropped the paper roll in his grasp, before giving the broody teen before him a deadpan look. What the hell is he saying? It doesn't matter whatever answer he would get from Rena after he confesses? That's not how guys are supposed to work! They have to look forward to going out with the girl, no matter what!

It seems like he'll be educating this poor soul a lot more than what he already had in mind, but it doesn't matter! What matters is that Maruo must confess his feelings to Rena Imamura and then they go out together! That's his role as a bro, and Isanari will make sure of it!

"Oi, have you forgotten who you're talking to? You may be the expert in reading books and all that, but when it comes to things like this, I'm the master! Just trust me on this, and you'll be fine! Don't say stuff like 'none of this matters', by the way. You're gonna go out with Rena-senpai, no matter what. Are we clear?"

Maruo returned the deadpan expression with one of his own, not really caring about it either way. As long as he deals with this bubbly feeling of sorts inside his chest, everything will be alright!

"Fine, whatever."

And it was at that one moment, where he would feel grateful that Isanari was there to help him with that dilemma, although, he would never admit that out loud, of course.

~~XoXo~~

"It's like that moment…" Maruo said to himself, remembering that particular conversation between him and Isanari Uesugi years ago, back when they were still in high school. It was after that moment where he would talk to Rena and ask her out, which didn't really go as well as they initially hoped, though it did end up in him scoring a date with the most popular girl in the school and the rest was history.

However, that was a story for another time and right now, Maruo had his full attention on Fuutarou after that declaration he made about his feelings for Itsuki. Even after asserting his point and asking the boy for a legitimate reason about why he should be entrusted with his daughter's future, he wasn't wavering.

He almost wanted to tell the boy to leave and never return, because Fuutarou was acting like Isanari at this very moment, and he didn't like it one bit. However, he couldn't bring himself to do such a thing after seeing his own self in the young man…

"I have feelings for your daughter. It would be foolish of me if I didn't act on what I feel. If I ignore these feelings that I have, it doesn't make me any different from my own father."

…a version of himself who followed Isanari's principles. Fuutarou wasn't a complete loner like him who only focused on studying above all else, or a total buffoon like his father. But most importantly, he took Itsuki's feelings into consideration and even held them in high regard. He couldn't deny how his daughter looked enamored with him, and it's so obvious that she didn't want him to go away from how she tried to speak up for him. Oh, if only he knew about how Fuutarou used to be before the past week...

Plus, it almost felt like he was seeing the younger him talk to Rena herself!

Nonetheless, these were the things that helped Maruo reach a decision regarding the boy, as much as he didn't really like it…

Would you look at that? Looks like no matter how Maruo can be broody and be an emo, it ain't gonna stop Isanari from being a bro, hahahahaha! This is just the first of the Maruo flashbacks we will be seeing, because there will be more to come. Trust me, this is also going to be an important part of the story, especially in later chapters. Anyway, the flashback is over and it seems like he's made some interesting thoughts regarding Fuutarou. The guy is literally him but follows Isanari's principles? Damn, that's deep but you gotta give it to our boy. He ended up accepting his fate as someone who has five soulmates to the point that he doesn't want to let go of that anymore. Plus, his soulmates happened to be the girls who changed his life. What will be Maruo's decision? See ya in the next update!

Goodbye... and good night! BANG! *too sweet gesture*

-Lance