Chapter 9
Try To Find Out Your Way Home
Yusuke had really gone out of his way to cheer up Miku that day when he invited her to go to the arcade with him. She had never had so much fun in her life and she found herself wishing she had done more of it instead of sitting in her room most of the time playing games and reading history books.
When they entered the arcade they discovered there were other couples high school couples there. They were immediately noticed and were invited to join them. Yusuke advised Miku to play along of them being boyfriend and girlfriend for it would raise less questions. While she embarrassed at the idea, she couldn't argue with his logic. She did her best to play along and was grateful that Ichika wasn't there, for she would laughed on how atrocious Miku's attempt at acting would have been.
On the plus side, she got to see a side of Yusuke she'd never imagined him having. Apparently he wasn't afraid to put himself out there. When the guys started a dance to show off in front of their girlfriends just for the fun of it, he jumped right in. It surprised Miku so much surprise she couldn't stop laughing, to the point that she started recording it.
Afterwards they played some more arcade games before she checked the time and announced that she needed to head home. Yusuke went ahead and escorted her home. In the end Miku went ahead and gave him her phone number in exchange for his. Seeing how far he'd went this far for her, she felt that he'd earned it. When they reached the apartment building she was just about to ask a question that had been growing on her mind when her sisters suddenly came running out. When they informed her that their grandfather was dying everything inside her froze.
Yuusuke stayed by her side until Ichika returned and the quints went to the hospital together in the limo. She'd been very grateful that he had remained for she was certain she would have fainted the moment she'd heard the news. She'd promised him that she would get in touch with him later. Of the five of them Miku was the closest to their grandfather for he'd always told her that she bore the closest resemblance to their mother. His passing the following morning had affected her deeply. When they had returned home the quints all went to to their separate rooms to grieve over their loss.
Miku had cried herself to sleep and was later awakened by one of her sisters knocking on her door. Together the quints ate a light dinner for none of them had much of an appetite. Afterwards they quietly went to bed and Miku saw that Yusuke had text her, letting her know that he was here if she wanted to talk with someone. Touched by his concern for her she went ahead and called him despite the late hour and spent a whole hour talking with him about the memories of her grandfather before thanking him for yesterday and saying goodnight.
On Monday, two days after Grandpa's funeral, Yuusuke asked her she'd like to go see a movie with him. She only thought about it moment before she agreed. She didn't want to stay in her room depressed like Nino was.
After school was over she and Itsuki announced they were going to hang around town for a time while Ichika and Yotsuba went back. Nino had recovered a fair deal from her depression following the funeral but she still wasn't ready to return to school. However, she was coming out of her room more often and interacting with them more, so that was a good thing.
The movie Yuusuke took her to see was a comedy. It was average at best but it still made the two of them laugh and they enjoyed it overall. On their way back Miku decided to ask him her question. She stopped in her tracks and waited until Yusuke turn to look at her.
"What's up?" he asked with a little frown, "Is something wrong?"
"Yusuke..." she took a breath, "I need to ask you something. Something important."
Her heart starting to beat faster as he stepped closer.
"What is it?"
Holding herself steady, she asked, "Why have you done so much for me these past few days? You came to my aid when I was in danger, gave me gifts, showed me support, cheered me up whenever I was sad or depressed, and overall... just... being there for me even when I didn't ask for it. What drove you to do these things? Can you tell me why?"
A long minute passed as he stood there quietly. His eyes drifted away from her as though he was trying to figure out what exactly he would say. Then he gave a long sigh, like one who was dealing with a lot of pressure.
"Well, Miku..." he took out his wallet, "It's a bit of a long story, but since you've asked it's only fair to tell you."
He pulled out out something and handed it to her. Miku took and saw that it was a picture. Of Yuusuke, when he was a little boy, and his mother. Surprised, she looked at it more closely.
His mother had been the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Her smile was dazzling, her features were flawless, and her eyes were filled with genuine happiness. She held her son tightly her arms, cheeks pressed together. Miku almost giggled at the awkward smile little Yuusuke was giving and wondered if he'd been camera shy at the time. Then she noticed that one side of of the photo was taped to another that was folded behind the other. Slowly she unfolded it and saw... a picture of herself.
Her mind went completely blank. A million questions started to form as she tried to figure out why he had a picture of her. From the look of it it had been taken not long after she and her sisters transferred school for she saw she was were still wearing her old uniform at the time.
She was also smiling in the picture. She couldn't recall exactly when this picture was taken or who might have taken it, but she was surprised by just how... beautiful she looked. Considering how shy and timid she had been back then it really was a surprise and she wondered what had happened that caused her to smile like this when the picture was taken.
More importantly though, why was her picture taped next to the one of his mother?
She glanced back and forth at the two pictures and with a start she realized something. The smile she was giving was exactly like the smile of Yuusuke's mother. Dazzling. Now completely baffled she looked up at Yuusuke, who had been standing there queitly.
He saw the questions through her eyes and with a nod he took her over to a nearby bench. After they sat down he took the pictures from her fingers. He took a moment to look at them before he began to speak.
"My mother was like the shining light for me and my dad. When she died a piece of us died with her. As you know my dad and I have had a very strained relationship since her death. Dad has been living in sorrow for the last decade while I... have been doing my best to cope with it. Much of the bravado you've seen me give out is mostly to keep me from going into a deep depression. I think you can understand that, seeing what happened to your sister and having lost your mother too."
Miku nodded her head, knowing it all too well.
"Over the years I've tried to stay positive and optimistic while having to live with such a broken family," he continued, "It hasn't been easy. The worst part of it all is that I've had no one to support me outside of my house. There is my mother's side of the family but there's very little they can do to helpme. You have your sisters, but I've had to deal with this all on my own."
Her heart go to him again. She had no idea just how difficult his life had been.
"You've seen that I'm relatively popular with the girls," Yuusuke's said almost sarcastically, "based on my good looks, and the fact that I'm rich, but have you ever wondered why I've never had a girlfriend?"
She shook her head, having not noticed until he mentioned it.
"Well, there were two reasons why, both having to do with my dad. First, it's tradition for the Takeda family to find a spouse who can stand with them and take up the reins when needed. In other words, we prefer strong women, not a meek mild miss. No offense to you."
"None taken," she assured.
"The other reason is that..." he suddenly clench his fists, "My worst fear is letting her down. I want to pursue my dream, and I intend to take over as head of the family when the time is right, but I'm scared of what will once he steps down. You remember what I said before? At the same time though I'm scared to go against him. Pathetic, isn't it? I'm the heir but I am a complete loss of what I should do. Sometimes I wonder if I should just leave it all behind and go somewhere else."
Miku grabbed his arm and squeezed.
"Please," she gently begged, "don't beat yourself up like that. I know perfectly well that going against your parents isn't easy and it's often selfish. My sisters and I defied our stepdad numerous times for Fuutarou, only to discover that he was right in the end. But you have a perfectly good reason to be defiant. What your dad is doing is wrong and you know it, but you feel trapped. You want to save your dad from the misery you've both had for so long but you don't know how I don't think you're a coward, Yuusuke. You've had deal with this for so long without ever backing shows how brave you really are. I think any girl who saw that, one who bore that same courage as you, would be very proud."
He sat there silently for a moment while Miku felt her cheeks warm a little. She had never spoken like that before. Had she really changed that much? Then he turned to her and gave a warm smile.
"Thank you. That's very kind of you to say. Getting back on topic, over the years I've gotten along with many different girls. There were some I did like but never approached partly for the very reasons I stated before, but mainly because I just didn't feel anything towards them. It wasn't because they were bad people, it was just how I honestly felt. But then..." he turned his head and looked into her eyes, "You walked into the classroom, and everything changed."
Miku's lips parted in shock and she thought back to that day. When the quints first arrived she and her sisters had placed in different classrooms. Itsuki was placed in Fuutarou's while the rest were placed in others. She and Ichika had been assigned to Takeda's classroom and she only vaguely remembered a certain blonde boy looking at her curiously. She had paid him no mind but she had caught him glancing at her from time as the months went on.
"I didn't know what it was at the time," Yuusuke explained, "but something about you immediately caught my attention. I thought of you from time to time since that day but I never tried to approach you," he held up the two pictures, "My friend Maeda took this picture of you and your sister not long after you arrived. As you might recall he had a crush on her and wasn't interested in you, so when he cut away your picture I snatched it for myself. The way you were smiling in this photo instantly reminded me of my mother, and when I actually met you for the first time I saw some her spirit in you. Maybe it was sign, but that when I realize that I had feelings for you. But by the time I realized it you were already interested in Uesugi. Out of respect for your feelings I kept my distance. I didn't want to interfere, which is part of the reason why I acted the way I did when your stepdad tried to hire me as your new tutor. I was prepared to accept never having a chance with you, but when we met again in the bookstore everything changed again."
She smiled a little, recalling that time.
"That was first time I ever really talked to you, and the more I did the more intrigued I became. Because of that, my feelings grew stronger," his face turned dark, "And then when I saw you being attacked by that girl it made my blood boil that someone wanted to harm you I was already angry with Uesugi for the way he was treating you and your sisters. When I saw how down you were after the fallout with him, I just couldn't walk away without at least trying to comfort you. The desire to protect you, to help you, to show that you weren't alone, made me realize just how much I came to care for you."
He took a deep breath and stared directly into her eyes again. She could see that he was nervous.
"So what I'm trying to say, Miku, is that the reason why I've done all these things for you in the past few weeks... is because I like you. I've liked you for a long time, but have not acted on it until now. You don't have to give an answer right now. If you still have feelings for Uesugi I'll understand, but I want you to know that I consider you more than a friend. To me, Miku, you're the most beautiful person I've ever met, and nothing will ever change that."
Miku was speechless and her heart pounded furiously. She would have never imagined getting such an honest or heartfelt confession from a boy who greatly cared and respected her, the very things Fuutarou haven't been able to give. It made her so happy to know this that tears came to her eyes.
"Miku?" she heard him say, sounding alarmed.
Without hesitation she placed her arms around him and placed her cheek on his shoulder.
"Thank you for telling me, Yusuke," she whispered, "It makes me very happy to know that someone was looking out for me. I'm very grateful for all you've done. You're right though. I can't answer your feelings right now, but I'll know who to look for whenever I need someone to talk to."
Yusuke reached over and patted her hand, content with her answer.
When Itsuki returned home she was met by an unpleasant surprise.
As she approached the sliding doors a large man stepped out from behind the pillar. She stopped in her tracks, immediately sensing danger. He stepped closer and she cautiously took a few steps back. His face became visible and she saw with a start that it was the perfume shop owner.
"Who are you?" she demanded, "What do you want?"
The big man hesitated and he looked hurt by her words.
"Now, now, Itsuki," he waved his hands to show he meant no harm, "No need to get upset."
Her jaw dropped as she recognized his voice. It was her biological father, who she had not seen since the school festival. He had shaven off his entire beard, which was why she hadn't recognized him at the shop. Now she knew why he had been staring at her so intently.
"What are you doing here?" she gasped.
"I just wanted to talk to you again," he said.
His voice was sincere, but his eyes told a different story and Itsuki felt a chill go down her spine. When he stepped forward again she stepped back.
"Stay away from me!" she snapped.
"Itsuki, please," he begged, "I just-"
"I'm not interested in what you have to say! You took advantage of our mother and then you abandoned her, all for selfish reasons!"
"I know I did horrible things, which is why-"
"What the hell are you doing here?"
The cold voice made both of them jump and Itsuki saw the man's eyes go wide with fear. She whirled around to see Fuutarou's father Isanari standing there, his eyes hard and face deadly. She hadn't seen him since that day their parents confronted them. If he was angry then he was angrier now, and he looked ready to kill. The big man stuttered as Isanari placed himself between him and Itsuki.
"The young lady made it very clear the first time that she wants nothing to with you," he said, "So I suggest you take a hint and clear out."
"Sir," the big man swallowed, "I am only trying to make things right-"
"The hell you are. You just want to use her the same way you used her mother. You don't care about the rest."
"She is my daughter!"
"That doesn't mean jack as far and I and their stepfather are concerned. If you cared for them that much, you never would have abandoned their mother. Instead you ran away like the very coward you are. Now get out of my sight you sick, perverted loser, and don't let me catch you again. If you ever approach her or any of her sisters ever again, you so much as touch them, I will hunt you down and kill you."
Itsuki was shocked by his words. She always thought Fuutarou's dad as a kind, laid back sort of person. To see him like this was frightening. Her real father stood there glaring at him for a moment, his eyes showing conflict. If a fight broke the man was bigger, but it was clear at a glance that he was no fighter like Isanari. Without another word he scampered away like a dog running with his tail between his legs.
Isanari watched him go until he was out of sight before he turned to the girl behind him, "You okay, kid? Did he hurt you?"
"N-No, I'm fine," she took several breaths to calm herself, "I'm just a bit shaken. I didn't think I would see him again so soon."
"He had the look of a desperate man. I advise that you and your sisters be very careful from now on. You should also tell your stepdad about this."
"Yeah, I will," Itsuki composed herself and said, "But why are you here, Uesugi-san?"
"Oh, yeah, I forgot," Isanari laughed before his expression turned serious, "I bring a message from Fuutarou. Except for Nino he wants speak with all of you. He intends to speak with her personally at a later time but he wants to speak with the rest of you first. He says it's about Nino and that it's important. Can you come to the restaurant after school tomorrow?"
Itsuki took a moment to digest the words before replying, "Why didn't he come himself?"
"He didn't believe you would want to see him, and I agree. I'm not speaking in his defense or making excuses, but he is my son and it's my job to help him. He understands now that what he did was wrong and he wants to make it up to you, and personally I don't want to see you going on with your lives with this rift between you guys. It's not right. Things need to be patched up between your guys. Everyone deserves a second chance. If nothing else, do it for Nino."
It was true. None of them wanted to see Fuutarou, but if what their stepdad said was true then they couldn't ignore his request. They knew him well enough to know that he was not a cruel person, just a ignorant one. Isanari was right, this rift that hand been created could not continue.
She looked up at him and said, "Alright. I'll talk to my sisters. We'll go see him tomorrow."
"Thank you," Isanari patted her shoulder, "He is a good kid, Itsuki. He just needs to learn."
Maruo called Isanari that night.
"Thank you for protecting Itsuki," he said, "We'll need to keep a watchful eye from now on."
"Not a problem. Fuutarou will be having a talk with the girls about Nino tomorrow. He's finally learned his lesson. I don't think you'll have to worry anymore."
He gave a slight pause, "That's good to hear. I'm reluctant to put in faith in him but it may be for the best. I better return to work."
"Hold on, Maruo," Isanari quickly said before he could hang up, "I need to ask you something. How much longer do you intend to keep it a secret?"
Maruo's hand clenched. He knew what Isanari was talking about.
"They deserve to know, especially Raiha."
Maruo let out an uneasy sigh, "I know, I know. I intend to tell them once this whole mess is resolved."
"Fair enough, but don't wait longer any than that. It's time to let the past go."
"I know," Maruo said again, "Just... just trust me on this."
Itsuki told her other three sisters about the meeting with Fuutarou after they'd left for school. It wasn't easy trying to convince Miku, Yotsuba, or even herself, but when Ichika told them they would only make things worse if they didn't at least what he had to say they reluctantly agreed. They too knew that this couldn't go on forever. Once school was over they headed straight to the restaurant.
When they first entered they didn't see him right away. Just as they wondered they had came at the wrong time a figure seated on one of swivel chairs at the bar turned as the manager pointed at them.
"Hey," he waved to them.
Recognizing his voice, the four sisters stepped closer... and stopped in confusion.
"Hey," Ichika blinked several times, "You look... different. Did you get a haircut?"
At a closer glance it appeared Fuutarou had indeed changed his hairstyle. His thick hair had been trimmed to a military style buzz cut. His clothes were also different. While he still wore his trademark white shirt and blue jeans he was also wearing a black leather jacket, and the sneakers had been replaced with thick brown leather shoes. It took some time before the four sisters could accept that it really was their former tutor.
"Yeah," Fuutarou nervously ran a hand through his shortened hair, "My dad cut it for me this time instead of my sister. How does it look?"
"It looks..." Ichika shrugged in exasperation, "Great! I'm just really surprised. We so used to seeing you wear the same outfit all the time."
"Yeah, well... I figured it was time for a change," Fuutarou took a breath, "Anyway, thank you all for coming. Let's sit down over there."
He led them to one of the window seats. Ichika joined him on one side while the other three took the other, Miku at the window, Yotsuba in the center, and Itsuki to her left. The manager came by after they'd settled in and offered them free drinks. Once they were delivered, Fuutarou waited until he had all of their attention.
"I know you didn't want to see me, and I understand. If you don't want to have anything to do with me anymore I won't hold it against you, but at least hear me out first before you make any decision. First things first, I want you to know how deeply sorry I am for the way I treated all of you. It was completely unfair and I deserved every bit of hatred for it. It was wrong and totally selfish. I was only looking at the outside part of you instead of looking for what was inside of all you. What my dad said about me living under my mom's shadow was true. I was trying to to find a replacement for her instead of trying to find someone I could love and cherish. I should have told you more of my past but... like Yotsuba told me, I was too ashamed of it."
Yotsuba nodded in acknowledgement.
"I understand now that I completely broke your hearts and your trust, but I'm being sincere when I say I want to make it up to all of you. Despite what you might think, I still think of you as my friends. You're the first real friends I've had, something I didn't fully appreciate. I don't want to leave high school with things being left like this, and I know you don't want to either. I promised that we would graduate together and I intend to keep that promise one way or another. So please, all I ask is that you give me a chance to prove it."
For a while there was only silence. Fuutarou could almost hear their conflicted thoughts running their minds. It was Itsuki who spoke first.
"I think I should apologize too," she said with a heavy voice, "I took advantage of all your feelings by setting up that stupid meeting after the festival. It was such a dumb idea. I really don't what I was thinking at the time. I'm really sorry."
Yotsuba reached over patted her shoulder before she shifted her eyes to Fuutarou.
"I owe you guys a big apology too. I never should have kept everything a secret from you guys. I had no good reason to. What I did was completely selfish and I hurt everyone because of it, Nino most of all. I should have just came straight you guys the truth instead of worrying such much about how you would feel. After all," she nodded to Fuutarou, "You said it yourself when you told me you wouldn't have gotten upset for breaking that silly promise we made as kids."
Fuutarou nodded, forgiving her.
"I'm sorry we didn't tell you the real reason why we transferred," Ichika said to Yotsuba, "So many things happened we just forgot."
"It's okay," Yotsuba smiled.
"Maybe I should apologize too," Miku blushed, keeping her eyes away from Fuutarou, "For... for how aggressive I got with you during the festival."
Her sisters looked at her.
"Aggressive?" Itsuki frowned.
"Oh," Fuutarou recalled what she was referring to, "Are you talking about that time when you tackled me to the floor and kissed me? Don't worry, I'm not bothered by that anymore."
Yotsuba choked on her drink while the jaws of the other two dropped.
"You did what?!" Yotsuba sputtered.
"Wow, Miku," Ichika grinned devilishly, "I didn't know you had that side to you."
"Oh, shut up!" blushing to her ears Miku sipped her own drink, "It was a spur of the moment kind of thing. Any of you would done it too!"
"Not me," said a flustered Itsuki, "I'd die of embarrassment."
All them laughed, and Fuutarou was happy to see they were on friendlier terms now. Then Yotsuba's face suddenly fell.
"Speaking of kisses..." she looked up at Fuutarou, her face filled with guilt, "Did you ever figure out who kissed you under the bell?"
Everyone now looked at her.
"No," Fuutarou thought back, "Not that you mention it I haven't thought about it once. Was it you?"
"Yeah," Yotsuba sighed heavily before looking at Itsuki, "You remember? We were at Grandpa's inn dressed like you at the time. When we left Fuutarou at the bell tower you advised me to go speak with him."
"Yeah, I remember," Itsuki eyes widened, "You didn't actually speak with him? You went straight for a kiss instead?"
"I did. It was actually an accident because I suddenly lost my balance and fell on top of him, but that doesn't matter. The fact is I went back there with the intention of doing it, and it was wrong, very wrong, because before I had made a promise that I would give you guys a fair chance to win Uesugi-san's heart. Then I went behind your backs and stole a kiss from him," she sniffed, "I really turned myself into the villain, didn't I?"
Miku and Itsuki placed their hands on her shoulders while Ichika and Fuutarou reached for her hands.
"It's fine," he told her, "It's all in the past now. Let's just forget about it and move on."
Wiping her eyes she nodded happily and smiled.
Smiling back he removed his hand and his expression turned serious.
"Now for the main reason why I asked you here. All of you are really worried about Nino right now. I am too, but for much bigger reasons. Yotsuba, my friend told you about the girl I rejected back in junior high, right?"
"Yeah."
"Well, the thing is she didn't tell you the entire story, and for good reason. I didn't know myself until I came across her after you left me behind that night. That girl, the one I rejected, she committed suicide not too long ago."
All of them stared in shock, "What?"
Taking a deep breath, Fuutarou told them the remainder of the story. When he was finished, all four had looks of utter disbelief.
"My God..." Miku shook her head.
"That poor girl," Yotsuba started to cry.
"I've heard of people doing crazy things for love or out of anger, sometimes both, but..." Ichika blew out her breath, "That's a new one for me."
Itsuki, however, was dead silent. Only she understood what Fuutarou was trying to imply.
"Uesugi-kun..." she fought to keep her voice steady, "You don't think that Nino would... I mean..."
Fuutarou nodded, confirming her fears.
"That's what I want to talk to you about. Ichika told me about Nino's previous romances and how they went. With the way she is right now she could end up going down that same path. Maybe not today, but perhaps in the future. Since you think I'm the only one who could help her at this point, that makes it even more important. I don't want see Nino end up the same way that girl did. I don't think any of us do," he clenched his fists, "If something were to happen to her, I could never forgive myself for it."
"Fuutarou," Ichika clutched his arm, "What happened to that girl wasn't your fault. You did something that was really mean, yes, but you had no way of knowing that was going to happen. From the way I see it, she created her own destruction."
"I know," he nodded, "I realize that I didn't directly cause her downfall, but the fact that it started because she took my advice seriously... I can't help but feel I share some of the blame. If the same thing were to happen to Nino, I would be responsible for it this time because I was one who caused it to happen. I can't just say I'm sorry and hope that she'll forgive me. I need to find a way to reach her. To bring her back."
There was a long pause.
"Even if you do manage to reach her she may never forgive you for the pain you caused," said Yotsuba.
"That's fine," he declared, "I can live with that. All I really want is to see her smile again. To be full of life again. If I can do that, what happens next won't bother me."
The four quints looked at him, amazed by this new determination they saw. Fuutarou was no longer concerned with doing everything correctly. He just wanted to do the right thing regardless of what the final result was. It amazed them so much that they were deeply moved.
"I want to help Nino more than anything, but I can't do it all by myself," he looked at all of them, "I need your help. Please, you know her better than I do. Tell me what I need to do and I'll do it. I don't care if it makes me look silly."
At that moment all of them smiled.
"You really have changed, Fuutarou," said Miku, "I honestly wish Nino was in a better mood so she could see it for herself."
"Yeah," Yotsuba chuckled, "She probably think you'd gone crazy."
Fuutarou snorted, "Thanks."
"Okay," Ichika softly slammed her hands on the table, "Seriously talk, guys. How do we get Nino out of her depression?"
"Actually, before we get into that..." Itsuki pointed at Fuutarou's jacket, "What's with the getup? I understand the haircut but the jacket and shoes?"
"Oh, this?" Fuutarou laughed, "My friend told me that I was lot more sociable when I was bad kid back then. So I decided to embrace my old wild side again. I decided to stop to taking everything so seriously and start living a little. If your worried about how it will affect my studies don't. They can wait. It won't matter anyway since school's almost over."
Yotsuba started laughing hysterically, "Wow, you really have changed! If Nino heard you say that right now she'd probably have a heart attack."
Miku suddenly gasped, "Wait! That's it!"
Everyone looked at her.
"What is?" asked Yotsuba.
"What you just said," Miku pointed to Fuutarou, "Think about it. What if Fuutarou were to show up in front of Nino right now? In a way she would never expect? Imagine just how surprised she would be. Enough to..."
Yotsuba's eyes went wide, "Oh! I get it now! Surprise her in such a way that it would make her forget everything that's happened before!"
Itsuki frowned, "You really think that would work?"
"If we came up with an elaborate plan it would," said Miku.
"Okay, but how do we do that?" said Ichika.
"Well," Yotsuba pointed to Fuutarou again, "For one, he could take her on a date."
"Yeah, obviously, but it can't be just any date."
"I agree," said Itsuki, "It needs to something special, something solely meant for Nino."
"Does she like cherry blossoms?" said a new voice.
All of them looked up to see the manager standing there.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but since Nino is my employee I would like to help too."
"No, it's fine," Ichika waved, "We appreciate it. What do mean by cherry blossoms?"
"There's a cherry blossom festival happening outside of town this Friday. Music, picnics, shops, everything there is to have fun and let loose."
"Oh, yeah. I heard about that," said Itsuki, "Some of our classmates are going. That's actually a good idea. We all love cherry blossoms, but Nino loves it the most."
"And with Uesugi new style, he's bound to make an impression on her," Yotsuba pointed out.
"Yeah, but..." Ichika grimaced as she looked over his outfit, "I don't think that's enough. We need to add more to it. Make it more elaborate. Since it's just going to be just the two of you, I wouldn't recommend taking the public bus. It should be just the two of you, alone and without any interference. You need to do something more... personal. Like... I don't know, something that Nino would really like. Something..."
From the corner of her eye Ichika spotted something that the manager was holding in his hand.
"Hey," she pointed to the image she saw, "What's that magazine you're holding?"
The manager looked down, "Oh, this? It's a biker's mag. Motorcycles."
Ichika eyes suddenly went wide, "Motorcycles? Let me see that!" she snatched the magazine from his hand and scrolled through a few pages. Then her face lit up as a light bulb seemed to go off above her head, "Guys! I've got an idea! In fact, it's the perfect idea! Fuutarou, you a have a motorcycle license, right?"
"Yeah," he nodded.
She turned back to the manager, "And you have a bike out back that you let him use for deliveries, right?"
"That's right."
She motioned everyone closer, "Let me tell you a little secret Nino shared with me recently."
When she finished everyone had a silly grin on their face.
"Oh, this is gonna be fun!" Yotsuba giggled in delight, "I can't wait to see the look on Nino's face when Uesugi-san shows up like that."
"It will definitely take her by surprise," Miku agreed.
"Right!" Ichika clapped her hands and went over the plan, "We'll provide the food for the picnic and get Nino all dressed up while the manager provides the bike-"
"Actually, no," said the manager, "I need that bike for deliveries. Plus, it's not suited for what you have in mind."
"Oh," everyone's face fell.
"However," he made a huge grin, "I do have something perfectly suited for the job. Wait one moment."
He signaled at one of his waiters and asked him to mind the restaurant while he stepped out, then ordered everyone to follow him. Together the group the manager down a few blocks down the street before stopping at a personal storage unit. The manager took off the lock and lifted the steel door. Inside was a motorcycle that was covered along with several tires and other accessories.
"Is this where you live, Boss?" Fuutarou asked curiously.
"Yep. My apartment's right upstairs. Now, how does this suit you?"
He flung the cover off, revealing the bike underneath.
The girls all oohed in delight. Fuutarou himself had never seen such a beautiful bike.
The manager inserted a key before switching it on and everyone jumped when the engine came to life. After letting it run for a few moments he revved the engine a little. Everyone froze at the little roars it made.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"Oh, this is perfect!" Ichika squealed like a little girl, "Better than I expected!"
"I didn't know you had a bike like this," Fuutarou said to his manager, unable to take his eyes off it.
"I've had it for a while, but I don't get to take it out often. For this special occasion I'll let you borrow it. After we close up I'll teach you how to ride it. Shouldn't be hard for you to adapt."
"Great!" Ichika clapped her hands again, "Thank you very much, sir! This means the world to us."
"My pleasure."
From behind his shoulder Ichika saw a movie poster depicting a classic Hollywood movie. The image she saw gave her an idea.
"Hey, Fuutarou-kun. I think we can add a few things to spice up your outfit."
And so Fuutarou and the four quints commenced Operation: Cheer Up Nino! The sisters went back to their apartment to figure out their plans while Fuutarou stayed behind to finish work before Wakamura took him back to the storage unit.
For the time being Wakamura simply showed him how to operate it. It actually wasn't much different from the other bike. It was a bit slower but much smoother. At first Fuutarou only took it up and down the street so he could get the hang of it. Once he did he then took the bike around the block a few times before they turned in for the evening. For the next two days Fuutarou was comfortable enough to take it for spin around town so he could get used to riding it in traffic. Afterwards, Wakamura spent the evening before the date making sure that his motorcycle was in full running condition so that Fuutarou didn't have into any problems.
Meanwhile, the four sisters got in contact with Maruo and told him of their meeting with Fuutarou before informing him of their plan. They then asked for permission to leave school early on Friday so they could prepare. To their relief he agreed.
From there they assigned their tasks. Yotsuba and Itsuki would give Nino and nice hot bath while Miku, with the help of Ebata, would make the picnic basket. Sandwiches were easy to make so Miku took on the task herself while Ebata would handle anything that needed to be cooked. Lastly, Ichika would pick out what kind of outfit Nino would wear and apply the cosmetics herself.
When everything all set it was time to put the plan into motion.
Nino had noticed her sisters sudden enthusiasm in the last two days but had paid it no mind. Ever since their grandfather's passing she'd been too occupied with trying to figure out what to do with her life now that the things were the absolute worse for her.
Deep down she wanted to see Fuutarou again, but at the same time she didn't. It was for this same reason why she hadn't returned to school. She was afraid of running into him. She wasn't sure what she would say to him or he to her, and the last thing she wanted him to see was her breaking down again. Simply put, she was just too scared to see him after what happened.
She knew she was being a coward, this wasn't like her at all, but she couldn't help it. The pain Fuutarou had caused her that day was something she couldn't easily forgive. And yet... she still loved him. She hated herself for it but it was true.
On Friday morning she came downstairs two hours after her sister left for school. Ebata made her a simple breakfast and she ate in silence. As she did she noticed that Ebata was cooking before she spotted the picnic basket sitting on the counter.
At the sight of that she frowned. Were her sisters planning to go on a picnic together? That would explain why they were so excited lately. It would be a nice change of pace, perhaps it was time for her to get out of the apartment.
She finished her breakfast and went back to her room to prepare for a bath, but as she came back down the front door opened and to her astonishment she saw three of her sisters stroll on in, excited looks on their faces.
"Ah, good," Yotsuba exclaimed when she spotted her, "You're about to take a bath. That saves us some trouble."
"What are you guys doing here?" Nino frowned at them, "Did school end early?"
"Nope," said Itsuki, "We left school early. Don't worry, we got permission from Papa."
Nino blinked several times, not even she had done something like that before.
"Why would you come home early? And where's Ichika?"
"She had to go somewhere first," replied Miku, "She'll be back soon."
Nino looked at them all, utterly confused, "I don't get it. What's going on?"
Yotsuba led the trio to the foot of the stairs. She placed her fists on her hips and looked up her, the other two grinning broadly.
"Nino," her voice took a commanding tone, "It is time for you get out of the apartment. And it's time that you and Uesugi-san spoke face to face."
A wave of uneasiness washed over her.
"I don't want see him right now," she said automatically.
"Well, girl, you don't have much choice this time," said Itsuki, "We all met with Uesugi-kun the other day."
"Y-You have?"
"Hm-mmm," Miku grinned, "And we can all tell you that he's changed. A lot."
"He has?" Nino didn't believe it even when the others nodded, "What did he say?"
"That he now knows what he did was wrong and that he hurt you the most," said Itsuki, "He wants more than anything to make it up with you."
It took a moment for her to acknowledge those words.
"What if I still don't want to see him?"
Yotsuba stepped closer and crossed her arms, her expression going from excited to downright serious.
"Nino," her voice almost sounded deadly, "I spent this whole time feeling sorry for myself. I'm not about to let you do the same. Uesugi-san may have been an idiot but so was I. We all were. We all screwed up in this and we all paid for it. If he's is willing to go out of his way to make up for his mistakes, then so can we. That includes you, Nino. We all want to graduate together like we promised, but we can't do that if you're going to be gloomy for what's left of high school. This rift between you and him can't go on and you know it. We've all forgiven him, it's time for you to the same. If nothing else, do this for us, because we've all been worried sick about you."
Nino stared at her, and the other two grinned proudly at Yotsuba. She had never spoken like that before. It showed how much she had mature in the past few weeks.
"She's right, Nino," Itsuki pointed, "And you're standing in the exact same spot of when I slapped you that time. Don't make me come over there and have to do it again."
Nino looked at her sisters again and realized that nothing she said or did would change their minds. They were determined to see this through for and this is what sisters did. And they were right. This couldn't continue. It was time that she and Fuutarou sat down and had a talk.
Taking a breath, she looked at them and said, "Alright. If that's the way you feel, I'll do it."
She flinched as they let out a cheer.
"Right!" Yotsuba clapped her hands and came to her side, "Now, let Itsuki and I give you bath!"
"Wait, we're doing this now?" Nino stared at her.
"Yep," Itsuki took her other arm, "Uesugi-kun is taking you out on a date today. He'll be here at eleven."
Her jaw dropped, "A date? Today?!"
"That's what she said," Yotsuba laughed as she led her to the bathroom, "Now quit being over dramatic and get in the tub."
"We want you looking you're very best when he arrives," Itsuki winked at Miku before she slid the bathroom door closed.
Chuckling, Miku spun around and went over to help Ebata in the kitchen, "Well, so far so good."
Nino soon found herself being treated like a little princess. The way Yotsuba and Itsuki were giggling as they gave her a bath and it made her think they had gone crazy. They weren't even concerned that their uniforms were getting wet. Together they scrubbed and washed and scrubbed and washed until her skin glowed and her hair shined. Since they were doing this for her she didn't make a single protest, but she couldn't but wonder what her sisters were planning.
She was actually going to go on a real date, with Fuutarou. She recalled the picnic basket she called and wondered just what kind of date Fuutarou and her sisters had in mind. One part of her was nervous while the other was excited. However, she didn't want to get her hopes up too much, for she was still uncertain what would happen the moment Fuutarou arrived.
Finally satisfied with their work, her two sisters dried her, slipped on a robe, and led her out of the bathroom.
"Ichika's on her way back," Miku told them as they came out, "She should be here any minute."
Nino had time to see that Miku was making sandwiches while Ebata was wrapping the hot food and then placing them into the basket before her sisters took her upstairs to her room. From there they had her step aside before they opened up her closet.
"Okay," Itsuki start pulling out some of Nino's fancy dresses, "Let's see what you're going to wear today."
"Shouldn't we pick out her lingerie first?" Yotsuba grinned.
Nino choked and went red.
"Yotsuba," Itsuki scowled at her, but there a touch of humor in her eyes, "That's not funny, and Uesugi-kun knows better than that."
"I know, I know," Yotsuba giggled, "I'm just kidding!"
Nino stared at her as she put her underwear on, "You're awfully cheerful today, Yotsuba. What about you and Fuutarou? I mean, don't you think-"
Yotsuba waved her hand, "Our relationship can wait. You are more important right now."
Her voice took that authoritative tone again and Nino was amazed once more. Before Yotsuba would be too embarrassed to say or even make such jokes. Now, she didn't seem to have a care in the world.
"Knock! Knock!" came a familiar voice, "Anybody home?"
Ichika came into the room, holding a pair of tall boots in one hand, a wide brimmed hat with a thick black ribbon in the other, and there was a thick leather jacket draped over one arm.
"Hey, Ichika!" Yotsuba grinned, "You're just in time!"
Istuki pointed to the clothes lying on the bed, "I picked out a few clothes but... you're the real expert on this."
"Not a problem," Ichika put the boots on the floor and left the jacket and the hat hanging on the bedpost, "Hey, Yotsuba? Can you go to my room and get my two make up kits? One's square and the other's round. They're both sitting on my dresser."
"You want me to wade through that jungle?"
"I cleaned my room last night. You'll be fine."
"You cleaned your room?"
"Will you just go get it?" Ichika slapped Yotsuba's bum out of the room, the fourth quint laughing as she went, before turning to Nino, "All right, let's get you all dressed up. We got less than an hour before Fuutarou-kun gets here."
"What's with those?" Nino pointed to the the things Ichika brought as her sister started sorting through her outfits.
"They're for to match with Fuutarou-kun's new style. The boots are also to protect your legs so they don't get burned on the way there."
"Burned?" Nino's frowned, "Fuutarou's new style? On the way there? Just what are you guys planning?"
"Just be patient, girl," Ichika grinned at her, "Trust me, you're gonna love it. Fuutarou-kun's got a real surprise for you. Now, let's see what we got here."
One by one she looked over Nino's clothes.
"Nope... not this either... too childish... too formal... hmm, maybe... nope... nope... none of these are right," Ichika went to Nino's closet, "Where is that one... Aha! Here we are!"
Protected in its plastic cover she pulled out one of Nino's favorite dresses, a thick white skirt with black pinstripes and a black top had crisscrosses across the upper chest.
"Perfect!" Ichika beamed and took the cover off, "Okay, Nino. Go ahead and put this on. Oh! Itsuki, bring her perfume bottles over, will you please?"
Yotsuba came back with the makeup kits. Ichika took the them from her hands and opened them up.
Once she was ready Ichika began working her magic. First she applied a rouge to bring out a blush on Nino's cheeks, then applied mascara to her eyelashes. Next she took out several lipstick tubes. She tested each by opening one at a time and placing the tip next to Nino's lips to see how they looked before going to the next one. She did this several before going with the natural pink color. Once she was done, she did the same with Nino's perfume bottles. She sniffed each one before going with the lavender scent, which was one of Nino's favorites. Dabbing her fingers, she applied the perfume to Nino's neck, throat, shoulders, and behind the ears. Last but not least, she put Nino's ribbons on for her.
"There," a proud smile came to her face as she stood and looked down at her creation, "Why do you guys think?"
Both Itsuki and Yotsuba gave big nods of approval.
"I think you've outdone yourself," said Yotsuba.
"I think Uesugi-kun will be stunned when he sees her," said Itsuki.
Nino turned around to look at the mirror and found herself was stunned by the image she saw. When she looked back she noticed that Yotsuba was looking at her strangely, almost with a sad expressions.
"What's wrong, Yotsuba?" she asked.
"Oh, nothing," she gave a little smile, "I was just remembering the time when your hair used to be long. I kind of miss those days."
"I know what you mean," Itsuki agreed, "I think out of all of us you had the prettiest hair when it was longer."
"Really?" Nino chuckled a bit, "I always thought you did, since it's so wavy."
There was a knock on the door and they turned to see Miku standing there.
"Fuutarou's manager just called. He's on his way here."
"Good, just in time," Ichika pointed to Nino, "What do you think?"
"Very nice," Miku nodded and quickly gestured for them, "We're better get downstairs. Picnic basket's all ready."
"Right," Ichika picked up the boots and handed them to Nino, "Go ahead and put these on. You can change into your shoes after you get there."
Giving a slight nod she put on the boots while Ichika placed a pair of heels into Nino's purse. Once she stood Ichika took the hat and placed it on her head. Making a quick final inspection, she nodded in approval. At her instruction Nino put the jacket and then the five quints left the room together. Nino led the way downstairs, her heart pounding like crazy. She felt more like a bride heading to her own wedding rather than a girl going on a her first big date.
Ebata stood there with the picnic basket and he smiled fondly as Nino approached, "You look very beautiful, Nino-chan."
"Thank you," she gave him a sweet smile.
He handed her the basket and she placed over one arm while tucking the sweater in the other. The next thing she knew she was standing on the sidewalk in front of their apartment waiting for Fuutarou to arrive. It was a beautiful day, perfect for a date. She couldn't decide whether she be excited or scared.
Ichika noticed her uneasiness and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Nervous?"
"Should I not be?" she set down the basket, "I still don't know what's happening."
"Don't think about it, okay? We're doing this for you. Today is your day. No matter what happens afterwards, this will the best day of your life. For now, go and enjoy yourself. Forget about everything and have a good time with Fuutarou-kun? Okay?"
"Okay."
"That's my girl," Ichika's head turned when she heard something and grinned, "Here he comes."
Nino listened to see what Ichika had heard. Then she heard the sound of a motorcycle approaching. It wasn't the high pitch squeal like the manager's bike, but a deep low rumble.
A moment later a blue and black Suzuki Boulevard C50, with a custom installed back seat and windshield, came around the corner and rolled up to the quints. The rider seated wore a black leather jacket that was completely zipped up, sunglasses, gloves, and boots. After switching off the engine he removed his helmet, revealing a light blue cap underneath.
Nino's jaw dropped. It was as if Marlon Brando from The Wild One had rode right out of the silver screen and into the real world. When the rider removed his sunglasses she found herself looking at a familiar pair of eyes.
"Fuu-Fuutarou?"
It was indeed Fuutarou, but instead of the always serious expression he usually wore he instead had the face of someone who was born with attitude and there was a cocky smirk on his lips. Placing his arms on the handlebars he leaned on his bike and grinned at her. It took several moments for Nino to finally realize that it really was Fuutarou. She never imagined him to look so... cool.
"Hey there, pretty girl," he said in a cool voice before pointing his thumb to the backseat, "Would you like to go for a ride?"
Nino stared at him, mouth agape, while everyone else waited with held breath. They didn't know what would happen in this crucial moment.
Then it did.
Nino made a noise, then another. It soon sounded like she was coughing. When she raised her hands to her lips, it turned into giggles.
Then her body doubled over, with fits of laughter.
