NOTICE: Please read author's note at the end before making an reviews. Enjoy!
Chapter 12
Tonight Is Nice And Lovely
The clothes that Takeda had brought over all fit Fuutarou just fine, but the only pair of shoes there were was a size too big. The only other thing Fuutarou was able to find was a pair of sandals that were also too big, but it was the only thing that would fit. Seeing this, Yusuke offered to take him to the shoe store tomorrow.
It wasn't until eleven that everyone finally went to bed after throwing a welcoming party for the two boys that went from noon to the evening. The quints went to their bedrooms while Fuutarou and Yusuke slept on the couches. The next morning Nino came down early again as the boys were getting up and made them both a Dutch Baby pancake, reminding Fuutarou of that time when she and Miku held a cooking competition for him.
"Who won?" asked Yusuke when he brought it up.
"Miku did, partly because I was being nice to her. Her cooking attempt was far from perfect but you could definitely tell the amount of effort she put into. She knew she didn't have a chance against Nino's cooking but it didn't stop her from trying. So in the end..."
"Yeah," Nino agreed, "Looking back on it I lost because I let my pride got the better of me. I was showing off instead of trying to show Fuu-kun just how good of a cook I was, which he did acknowledge. Miku, in all honesty, deserved that win and it made her very happy."
"Has her cooking improved since then?" asked Fuutarou.
"No, but she is trying," she chuckled, "I think she's still afraid she might accidentally poison someone."
Fuutarou laughed, "Well, can't say I really blame her. Tell her that if she wants to make something I'll be happy to taste it."
"I'll do the same," Yusuke volunteered.
"I'll do that," Nino grinned at them, "I'm sure she'll appreciate it. Speaking of which, Takeda-san. I'm going to give Miku that cook book you gave me. Crock pot cooking is pretty simple to do so I think it will help her gain confidence."
"Hmm," Yusuke nodded in approval, "That's a good idea. My mom started out the same way," he finished his breakfast and slid the plate towards her, "That's was very good, Nino-chan. Thank you. I've never even heard of a Dutch Baby pancake until today."
"You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it."
He turned to Fuutarou, "You want to head out now?"
"Yeah, the sooner the better."
"What time you think you'll be back?" asked Nino.
"Shouldn't be any later than noon," Fuutarou grinned at her, "Have lunch ready for us when we get back."
His heart quickened when she smiled back, "Will do."
Just over an hour later they emerged from the shoe store inside the mall. Fuutarou wore one of the new pair of shoes while he and Yusuke carried the rest in bags.
"Thanks very much, Yusuke. I'm sorry that you have to pay for all this."
"Don't worry about. Like I said, I'm helping a friend."
"What's the time?"
Yusuke glanced at his watch, "It's... just turned eleven."
"Good. We got some time. Let's find a private spot. I want to talk to you for a bit."
They went over to a secluded area. Yusuke got a pair of drinks from a nearby vending machine and handed one to Fuutarou. The boys took a few moments to settle down. Taking a swig, Fuutarou turned to his friend.
"First things first," he said, "I want to thank you for looking out for Miku. Ichika told me about what you did for her after what happened between us. I'm really grateful for that. Miku really looks up to me. It's only natural she would have been really disappointed after she saw me for who I truly was. Thank you for being there for her."
Yusuke gave a nod.
"Ichika also told that you confessed to Miku recently and that you've had a crush on her for some time," Fuutaro grinned, "Is that true?"
"It is. I never told her until now because she was only interested in you at the time."
"Has she given you an answer yet?"
"No, and I think I know why. She wants to talk you first before she makes a decision."
"Hmm," Fuutarou nodded, "Makes sense."
He took another swig before taking a moment to gather himself.
"Do you know why I had a fallout with them?"
"Just from what Miku told me. I don't know the full details, including your side of the story."
"Ah," Fuutarou blew out his breath, "Well, it's a pretty long story, but..."
He told Yusuke everything, from his childhood to the death of his mother, from the day he'd met Yotsuba to the girl he'd rejected in junior high, from the moment he'd first met all of the quints to everything that had led to now.
"Wow..." Yusuke was thoroughly amazed, "That is quite a story. And I thought my childhood was rough. That must have been a huge shock for you when you found out that girl had killed herself."
"It was."
"So after you mom died you lost the will to live. You became a delinquent so you wouldn't think about her and you were virtually lost until you met Yotsuba."
"That's pretty much it, although I didn't know it was her at the time. I didn't figure it out until recently."
"And she you gave a reason to live."
"Yes and no. I did start taking my studies seriously, but I never developed as an individual. I became a selfish asshole who thinks too much, was obsessed with success, and runs and hides whenever I'm faced with personal issues. I was only thinking about myself all the time and not about the quints. When I told to make a choice, I chose Yotsuba for all the wrong reasons. I didn't want her, I just wanted someone who was always nice to me and could cling on to."
"And the others didn't meet those requirements," Yusuke shook his head, "It's no wonder Yotsuba punched you in the face. You treated them like they weren't even worth your time."
"I don't think I would go that far, but I did disrespect them. There's no denying that," he leaned back and sighed, "Sometimes I wonder if I had been better off by not taking the job as their tutor in the first place."
"If you had done that, you wouldn't be here now as a new man," Yusuke pointed out, "You would still be that selfish jerk."
"That's true," he agreed, "I suppose I owe them for that."
"Out of curiosity, why did you take the job? From what you've told me it's clear you guys didn't get along at first."
"My family needed the money, so I stuck with it. They were very rude because they didn't want anything to do with me. Ironically, I was very rude to them for the very same reasons. Overtime we warmed up to each other, but..." he shook his head, "we both got selfish at some point. Not once did I ever try to understand their feelings for me while they openly defied their stepdad so they could keep me around. In the end, their emotions got the better of them while my incompetence got the better of me. That's how this whole thing turned into a disaster."
"I see. Well, you've pretty much made up with them now, haven't you?"
"Just with Ichika and Nino. I haven't had a private talk with the rest yet. I'm still trying to figure who to talk to next."
There was a pause before Yusuke asked, "Were all five really in love with you?"
"They were, including Itsuki, which came as a huge shock."
"Itsuki... she's the youngest, isn't she?"
"Yeah, the one who always wear those star decorations in her hair and the bookworm of the bunch."
"And a glutton."
He laughed, "That too."
"Huh, that is a huge shock. I thought the two of you were nothing more than friends."
"So did I, as did her sisters. When we found out that she had picture of me on her phone... I didn't know what to think."
Yusuke paused for a moment, "Was she the one who came up with idea of you choosing one of them?"
"She did."
"Ah," Yusuke bobbed his head, "In that if I were you I would talk to her first. Since she was the one who came up with that plan she must feel real guilty about what happened afterwards. Seeing how Nino-chan broke down she likely feels partly responsible and is reluctant to speak to you. Her confidence as the mother figure for her sisters has been shattered and she's left wondering what she'll do from here."
Fuutarou thought it over, "Yeah, you have a good point there."
"Do you know why she's in love with you?"
"No, I don't."
"Well, now would be a good time to find out because until she gets some kind of closure she's never going to be able to move past this."
He thought it over again before he nodded, "I see what you mean."
"If not Itsuki, then Miku. I think she's ready to move on, but like Itsuki she also wants to have some kind of closure."
"Yeah, I'll definitely talk to her for your sake, for you've definitely done a lot more for her than I could," he suddenly grinned as he remembered something, "You know, if you two do start dating in the future I might as well give you an early warning."
His friend frowned, "Early warning?"
Leaning in Fuutarou told Yusuke about Miku's sudden aggressiveness with him during the festival.
"You're kidding me," Yusuke's face was a mixture of amazement and mild horror, "She really tackled you to the floor?"
"She did, and there was total lust in her eyes."
"Wow. I never thought she had that kind of side to her."
"Neither did I," Fuutarou laughed, "It really scared the hell out of me. Thankfully it didn't go any further than that. So if you're ever in a room with her alone, be cautious."
"Oh, I definitely will be," Yusuke grinned, "Actually, I'm really eager to see it for myself."
"Careful. You might get more than you bargained for."
"Eh, if the worst happens I'll at least die happy."
Both boys burst out laughing.
"Getting back on topic," Fuutarou said afterwards, "In regards to Yotsuba..."
"Yeah, about her," Yusuke turned serious, "Are you still in love with her?"
It was a while before Fuutarou could answer.
"To be honest, I'm not really sure anymore. I thought I was, but after everything that's happened the past few weeks I don't know where out relationship is at now. I think Youtsuba feels the same way too. She just isn't ready to talk to about it yet."
"Hmm," Yusuke nodded, "That's definitely something you two are going to have to sort out. I would definitely save talking to Yotsuba for last," he paused for a moment, "Tell me something. How do you feel when it comes to Nino and Yotsuba? Do you feel any difference when you're with one or the other?"
Understanding what he meant by that Fuutarou thought it over.
"With Yotsuba... she's always fun to be around. She always finds a way to make light of the situation, to make people laugh. With Nino... it's much different. In the beginning I was always uneasy whenever I was around her. But now, seeing her happy again makes me... very happy. Does that make any sense?"
"It makes perfect sense," a slow grin came to Yusuke's lips, "From the way I see, Fuutarou, you already have the answer. You've just haven't fully realized it yet."
He frowned, "What do you mean?"
"If there's one thing I learned about relationships, it's this. Best friends will always make you laugh, but the ones you truly love will always make you smile. Take me for instance. I get along with the other quints just fine. I enjoy being around them as much as you do, but when it comes to Miku... just seeing her is enough to make me smile. That's how strongly I feel about her. I was watching you before we left. You couldn't take your eyes off Nino. And when she smiled you just froze right there."
Fuutarou gaped at him, realizing it was true.
"Is it really that simple?" he asked.
"I say it is," Yusuke clapped him on the shoulder, "Don't think about it too much. You'll come to understand you're true feelings soon enough."
Thinking it over one last time, he nodded once again.
"I see what you're getting at," he grinned at his friend, "Thanks for listening to me, Takeda. I'm grateful."
"Don't mention it."
"I'll definitely talk to Miku and put in a good word for you. It's the least I can do."
Yusuke laughed, "I don't think that's necessary, but thanks," his cell phone suddenly beeped, "Oh, speak of the devil. Miku says that lunch is ready and that Nino's getting impatient."
Fuutarou blinked, "What time is it?"
"Just about noon."
He stood and grabbed his bags, "Then we better get going. I've seen how angry Yotsuba can get. I don't want to see what Nino is like."
After lunch was over a study session was started, the first one they've had in quite a while. Because their studies had been put off due to Nino's depression they had a lot of catching up to do. Luckily they had Takeda with them now.
The group quickly discovered that he was as good of a tutor as Fuutarou, arguably better. In fact, he seemed to be natural at it.
"I've been tutoring others in private sessions both during and after school since junior high," he said when they asked him about it, "It's nothing new to me."
After the session was over Nino announced, "Hey, Fuu-kun. I was thinking about inviting your family over for dinner tonight. I thought it would be nice to treat them after you guys lost you home. Is it okay with you?"
"Sure," he smiled, "I think that's a great idea."
"Thanks," she smiled back, "I also invited Papa too but..." she shrugged, "I have no idea if he'll actually show up. I do want to meet your sister though."
"Oh, that's right. You've never really met her have you?"
"Nope, and I would like to thank her for the bracelet she made for me."
"Actually, I think she'll be eager to meet you. She's been very curious about you lately."
Nino grinned, "In that case I'll be looking forward to it!"
After she went into the kitchen to start making dinner Fuutarou looked around and to his dismay he found that Itsuki had already gone to her room. He'd noticed earlier that she seemed to be keeping her distance, even avoiding eye contact, confirming Yusuke's suspicions about her guilt. He considered going up to her room but thought better of it. It wouldn't be a good idea to try and force the issue on Itsuki right now. He would have to wait for a later opportunity.
He looked around to see what the remaining quints were doing. Ichika had gone to her own room to have a private online meeting with her agent, but it wasn't necessary to see her since there was nothing to really talk about. That only left Miku and Yotsuba, both of whom were in Miku's room at the moment. Miku and Yusuke were preparing to play a few games together online. Seeing that there was nothing he could do right now he sat down next to his friend and watched.
For the next hour Miku and Yusuke really went at it. Fuutarou could only watch in amusement. It was interesting to see two gamers who shared the same interests having fun. Plenty of exciting moments happened between them. Miku would win one game easily before Yusuke would make a dramatic comeback in the next. Soon it was back and forth between them as it went on and on.
When they decided to take a break, Yusuke glanced over at Fuutarou and jerked his head upstairs. Taking that as his queue, Fuutarou silently nodded his thanks and quickly made his way to Miku's room.
Yotsuba was chatting with her when he walked in.
"Hey, Uesugi-san!" she greeted cheerfully, giving him that goofy smile he'd always known.
He kept himself expressionless. It was strange that Yotsuba was acting as her usual self after everything that had happened the past few weeks. He wasn't sure if she was really acting normal or was simply faking it. However, unlike Itsuki she hadn't been trying to avoid him, but he certain she had very mixed feelings about how the way things were now. They would definitely need to have talk sometime, but as Yusuke said it was best to save her for last. Yotsuba was the most delicate of the quints at the moment so for now...
"Hey, Yotsuba," he turned his gaze to Miku, "I need to talk Miku alone for a bit. Is that okay?"
One thing he was grateful for was that Yotsuba understood the current situation and was letting him do things his way.
"Sure," she moved to the door before glancing back, "I'll make sure no one interrupts you."
"Thanks, Yotsuba."
She quietly closed the door and Fuutarou turned to Miku again. The third quint watched him curiously as he sat down on her bed. Seated in her computer chair she folded her hands on her lap and waited. He was sure that she had a pretty good idea what he wanted to talk about.
"How are you doing, Miku?" he began, "How have you been so far?"
She paused for a brief moment before giving a little shrug, "I'm doing fine, better than the others have."
"Probably thanks to Takeda?"
She blushed a little, "Yes, there is also that. About that... I'm sorry, Fuutarou."
He blinked, "Sorry for what?"
"Me and Yusuke, I don't how it happened, but-"
"Hey," Fuutarou interrupted her, "You got nothing to apologize for. I'm glad Yusuke that helped you when he did. You were actually very fortunate that someone like him was around when he was. So don't go thinking that you betrayed me or anything because you didn't. It's makes me happy to see that you're in a more positive mood thanks to him."
Her blush deepened a little and she realized that his words spoke truth and she had to agree.
"You're right, I don't know why I thought that," she hesitated before saying, "Still, I did treat you rather disrespectfully. To be perfectly honest I was already moving on before you even made you're choice."
"You were?" somehow he wasn't entirely surprised.
She nodded, "When I waiting in my chosen room I started thinking about everything that's happened between us since the day you became our tutor. Then I suddenly realized that I had already lost. I lost when I put you over myself. You remember when I asked who you're type was and you gave us those three answers? Well, I wanted to become exactly that. I wanted to become your ideal girlfriend."
"And that's why you suddenly wanted to go to culinary school?"
"Yes. Truthfully I did want to improve my cooking skills, but I only ended up using it as excuse to get closer to you."
"I see. I guess you saw me as the big brother you've never had."
She shook her head, "No, it was more like... a master and his student. When I first met you I really didn't think much of you. Over time that steadily changed. I'm more opened and confident with myself thanks to you. I was able to break out of my shell because of you. You taught me many things, showed me a new path in life. I learned how to accept myself without any regrets. You came to mean a great deal to me Fuutarou. I admired you the same way a student admires his master."
Her head lowered and she sighed.
"However, like the rest of us, I got selfish. I threw everything you did for me away because I didn't want to let you go, like a student who didn't want to leave his master when the time came. Instead of being my own person I wanted, just as you said, to be someone I simply wasn't."
Fuutarou grimaced, "I still feel really bad about saying those things. They may have been true but it was still wrong for me to say them."
"I'm actually glad you did."
He looked up at Miku, surprised to hear her say such a thing.
"It sent a very clear message that it was time for me to let you go," she made a little shrug, "I'd already realized it on that night. When you made your choice... I was more relieved than disappointed. I had nothing to worry anymore. I wasn't as upset about it as Nino was."
"How did you know that she would be?"
"I went straight to her room after you went into Yotsuba's," her face suddenly fell, "I still haven't forgotten how devastated she looked when I saw her. When I hugged her, she didn't say anything. She just stood there and cried silently in my arms, not making a single noise. I don't think I've ever seen that way before."
Fuutarou's lips twisted, "Yeah, it was like that too when I went to see her. I never thought she could look so defeated after I explained everything to her."
"It shows how much she loves you."
"But weren't all of you in love with with me?"
Miku hesitated, "You know, when we were playing Yotsuba and I were talking you and what our relationships were with you."
"You were?" he was surprised that she could talk about such an important subject while playing a game at the same time.
"We realized there was a big difference between us and Nino in terms on how we felt about you. While Nino loves you for who you are, we admired you for very different reasons. Ichika sees you as a loyal friend, Yotsuba treasures you as her childhood friend, and Itsuki admires you as a fellow academic. We saw you as something we wanted to take for ourselves. However, it doesn't change the fact of how much of an impact you've had in our lives."
"I see," he nodded before twisting his lips again, "Still, you guys must have been really disappointed when you saw me for who I really was. Especially you, since you held me in such high regard."
"I'd be lying if I wasn't, but..." a blush came to her cheeks and she smiled, "I had Yusuke to cheer me up."
He grinned, "Yeah, I know. He's really quite a character, isn't he?"
"He is," blush deepening she straightened in her chair, eyes lowering, "Since we're now on the subject, I wanted to talk to you about him."
"I figured you would," Fuutarou leaned a little closer, "What did you want to talk about?"
She took a deep breath before lifting her gaze to him.
"Is it... all right?" she said, "Is it... too soon for me to interested in another guy? Is it all right for me to even date another guy when you're so important in my life?"
Fuutarou straightened himself as he thought about on what to say.
"Honestly," he took a breath, "I would much rather have you find your own happiness than still be stuck on me several years from now."
She looked at him in surprise, then gave a soft laugh.
"Ichika said something similar to me, and you're right. I do have to move on some point," she paused again, "What do you of think of Takeda-san?"
He hesitated for moment, "Well, let me ask you this. How do you feel when you're around him compared to when you're around me?"
A minute passed as she thought it over.
"With you, I'm always comfortable. You easy to talk to and fun to hang out with. I enjoy being around you and I like having you with me because of how kind and supportive you can be. With Takeda..." she placed a hand over her heart, "It's very different. Whenever we first discovered that we share many of the same interests I got very excited. Ever since then..." her smile deepened and her cheeks warmed, "Whenever I'm around Yusuke my heart starts beating rapidly. That had never happened before, even when I was around you. You made me blush, smile, even embarrassed, but I never felt... connected with you as I do with Yusuke. Does that sound strange?"
"No," he shook his head, "I think that makes perfect sense. When I was with Yusuke earlier today we had a talk about you guys and he said something very interesting. Best friends will always make you laugh, but the ones you truly love will always make you smile. Having thought it over myself, it's true. You get along with me easily because I'm someone you could relate to. The same goes for me, and that's what makes us friends. When you're with Yusuke, I noticed that you smile a lot more, and it's a very happy smile. Honestly, the two of you hit it off so well it feels so natural. All of us can see it."
Miku looked amazed, "You really think that's the case?"
"Well, I can only tell you what I see. It the end, it all depends on how you feel. If you really feel that way about him, then I see no reason why you can't at least give him a chance. He's shown more than once that he cares very much about you, has openly admitted that he's in love with you, and most importantly, he's honest. I wasn't. He also respects you, something I didn't do. I may not have known him for long, but from what I've seen so far in the past few weeks I know this much. Takeda... he's a good man. A far better man than I can ever hope to be. Your stepdad also highly approves of him and for good reason. He was there when you needed someone to talk and he hasn't left your side. That's more than I could say for myself. Above all, he makes you very happy, something I can never do."
As this Miku gave him a warm smile, "That's not entirely true. It made me very happy when you helped me believe in myself.
He smiled back, "That is true, and I appreciate it, but in terms of true happiness..." he slowly shook his head, "I don't think I can give you that, Miku. I've come to the conclusion that I will see you as nothing more than a good friend. You're a good girl with a pure heart. Any man would be lucky to have you as his girlfriend. Yusuke has a long road ahead of him of him. Between his relationship with his dad to him hoping to accomplish his dream he's going all the support he can get. I think you being by his side would mean a great deal to him, even if it's at a distance. To answer your question, Miku, whether it's okay or not is entirely up to you. But if you want an honest answer from me, then yes. It's okay. Like I said, I want you find your own happiness. Whatever decision you make I'll fully support. Just be honest with yourself and everything will be fine."
He watched as Miku slowly digest his words before she closed her eyes. After a moment she blew out a great breath, as though she was finally freed from something that had been holding her for a long time. Then she opened her eyes and smiled at Fuutarou. Getting to her feet she bowed.
"Thank you Fuutarou, for coming to speak to me. I know what I need to do now. I'm very glad to have met you. I'll always cherish you as a special friend."
Standing up, Fuutarou went over and hugged her, running a hand up and down her back. She placed a soft kiss on his cheek as she hugged him back. She didn't cry, for they weren't saying goodbye. They were celebrating her first big step into the outside world.
"I'm very proud of you, Miku," he whispered, "I really am."
When he went back downstairs he gave Yusuke a thumbs up. His friend raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he and Miku resumed their gaming session.
Settling himself down Fuutarou looked around the room again. Itsuki was still in her room while Ichika, Nino, and Yotsuba were gathered around the TV watching a program together. He considered joining them but once he saw that the show didn't interest him he gathered his notebooks and passed the time but studying anything he had missed recently. The activity around didn't bother him at all and later on Ichika joined him.
As evening approached Itsuki finally came out of her room, looking as though she had just woken from a nap. Around the same time Fuutarou's family arrived. Both Yotsuba and Itsuki were happy to see Raiha again. His little sister also made quick friends with Ichika. In the meantime Fuutarou introduced his dad to Yusuke, having not properly met despite seeing each other in the hospital.
"So you plan on becoming an astronaut, huh?" Isanari nodded in approval, "I wish you luck, kid."
"Thanks," the blonde boy smiled proudly.
"But if you plan going into the Air Force, I advise you to get a haircut first. Not to sound rude, but that hair of yours makes you look like you're twelve."
Yusuke ran a hands through his rather long hair and frowned.
"Yeah, you're right," he agreed, "Now that you mention it it's been far too long since I last had a haircut. Hey, Fuutarou. Where did you get your haircut at?"
"Dad did it for me," he pointed to Isanari
"Oh, really?" Yusuke turned to him, "You think you could do the same for me?"
"Sure, it's the least I could do for helping my son out. However, I no longer have my hair clippers. I lost it in the fire."
Nino overheard them and said, "Papa has one. I'll send him a text asking him to bring it."
"Thank. I would appreciate it."
"Although..." Nino pursed her lips, "I still don't know if he'll actually come for dinner or not."
"He will," Isanari assured her, "Maybe not for dinner but he'll definitely come tonight."
Both Fuutarou and Nino looked at him curiously. He sounded very convinced that Maruo would show up tonight. Why he was so certain they didn't know.
Itsuki was watching Raiha play a video game with Yotsuba when she sensed someone approaching. Her chest tighten, not having to guess who it was.
"Itsuki?" she heard him say.
She bit her lips. She had known for a while that Fuutarou would want to speak with her. She knew that, so why did she feel so scared?
"Itsuki?" he said again.
Forcing herself to breath, she turned to face him. His face was unreadable and she couldn't be sure what he feelings. However, Fuutarou was looking at her with honest concern. For her well being, she assume.
"Can we talk alone for a bit?" he gestured to the balcony outside, "Please?"
Knowing that she could no longer avoid this she silently agreed and stood.
"What's going on between them?" she heard Raiha ask as she followed Fuutarou outside.
"Just something two teenagers needing to have a talk," said Ichika, "Nothing to worry yourself with."
The sun was started to set as they went out. Fuutarou placed his arms on the rail while Itsuki leaned her beside him. A few minutes of silence passed as they watched the sun lower into the horizon.
"How do you feel right now, Itsuki?" he asked.
She didn't look at him. She only stood there and shrugged.
"Not all that well," she answered.
"I can understand why. Might as well talk about it while we're out here."
Another few minutes of silence passed between.
Sniffing, Itsuki let out a long sigh, "I really messed up as a mother figure didn't I?"
She sensed Fuutarou look at her.
"None of us are perfect, Itsuki," he said, "We all make mistakes."
She shook her head, "But I made the biggest mistake of putting myself above my sisters. I developed feelings for you when I should have stayed out of it. I let those feelings get the better of me. I share just as much of the blame for what happened to Nino."
"But you did help bring her out of her depression," he reminded.
"I know, but it still doesn't make me feel any better."
He was silent for moment before he asked, "When did you realize that you had feelings for me?"
It was a while before she answered.
"To be honest... I'm not really sure," she sighed, "When you showed me your test sheet to me on the day we met, it really got under my skin. I've always envisioned myself as a model student, even if my grades weren't the best. I never met anyone who got perfect scores for every subject until I met you. Seeing that test score and listening to you brag about really hurt my pride."
He let out a soft chuckle, "Can't say I blame you. I felt the same way when my grades started slipping."
"Hmm," her lips lifted a little, "From there I saw you as my rival. I couldn't stand that there was someone who was someone who was on whole new level above when it came to school. The last thing I expected was you being our new tutor."
This time he laughed, "Well, I never expected to be tutoring five girls at once either. Even now I'm amazed I was able to get through those first few weeks with all the trouble you guys gave me."
"You were resilient, I'll give you that," she agreed, "You showed more patience than any of our previous tutors did."
"That was because I didn't have a choice. We really needed the money at the time."
"I know, and when I met your family for the first time and saw for myself how poor you were, my opinion of you began to change. I no longer saw you as a rival, I saw you as a man who was doing what he could to support his family. Then there was also Raiha," she smiled fondly, "Since we were all born around the same time, I came to see Raiha as the little sister I've always wanted so that I wouldn't feel like the little sister anymore."
"Yeah," Fuutarou nodded, "Raiha thinks of you as the big sister she's never had."
She looked at him in surprise, "Really? I always thought that was Yotsuba."
"Nah, for some reason she sees her as the super cool aunt."
"Aunt?" she started laughing.
"Yeah, I know. I don't know where she got that from but it's true. She does like you very much though. In fact, I say she adores you."
"As do I. I really do love your sister. The time I spent with your family after the fallout with Nino really had an impact on me. It also brought me closer to you. The more time I spent with you the more I came to admire you. Seeing how devoted you were to your studies and to your family, it was hard not to because I could relate to you so much. Then, somewhere along the way, I fell in love with you."
At this her head lowered and she sighed.
"Since there's no point in hiding it anymore, I'll tell you the whole truth. In the beginning I saw you as nothing more than a tutor, a classmate, and a friend. Over time, that steadily changed. Every time I was around you I felt... different. Whenever I was alone with you my face would start to burn, talking became difficult, and my heart would start beating like crazy. No matter how many times I tried to deny, it only became more apparent that I had feelings for you. What was worse... was that I was jealous that my sisters also had feelings for you. I couldn't stand that."
"How come you never said anything?"
"Because..." she sighed again, "I thought it would be better if I stayed out of instead of getting involved. At the same time I also wanted to help Yotsuba confess her feelings to you."
"You knew, didn't you? You knew that she was the girl I met before."
"Not until I made her tell me. I got suspicious when I noticed the way she kept her distance from you. She had never acted that way before. I eventually cornered her and had her tell me the truth. Afterwards, I offered to help her in return of keeping it a secret."
"Is that why you appeared as Reina?"
She nodded before banging her fist against the guardrail, "She should have been the one to speak to you that day. She watched the whole thing from behind the trees. I should have been a lot more firmer with her, pushed her into telling you the truth, but..." she suddenly sniffed, "I was consumed by my own feelings for you."
Head lowering again she started crying.
"That night, after the festival, when I told you to go after Yotsuba I thought if was for the best. But as I watched you go, my chest started hurting and I fell on my knees crying. I was virtually saying goodbye to you without ever telling you how I felt," she started laughing between sobs, "I'm really pathetic aren't I? I'm as stubborn as Nino but just as cowardly as Yotsuba. I couldn't be honest with my feelings because I wanted to remain as the mother figure for my sisters. And yet... I went and messed up that up too."
Unable to stop herself, she cried even more.
"I'm sorry," she tried to regain her composure.
"It's okay," Fuutarou reached over and rubbed her shoulder, "Take your time."
She flinched but didn't move away. After a couple of minutes she finally calmed down.
"When Mama first became ill I took it upon myself to be the mother figure for everyone," she went on, "I placed that responsibility over my feelings for you. I wanted Yotsuba to be honest with herself and not feel guilty about the past anymore. But no matter what I tried, I just couldn't get through to her. Every time I suggested it she would immediately shoot it down. Eventually I had to give up on her. When I did that I thought that maybe I could reveal my feelings towards, but I never found the courage. And then when it came down to the last minute I came up with that stupid idea of having you choose one of us because we were all tired of waiting," she shook her head, "We never should have put you through that. It was so selfish and disrespectful."
"It's all in the past now."
"Not for me it is," she vehemently returned, "I didn't do my job looking after them. I thought I was doing the right, responsible, thing except I made things worse because I didn't think things through. I realized now that I should have been protecting Nino instead of trying to help Yotsuba."
"Because of what happened to her before?"
"Not just that," she let out a heavy breath, "Nino... from the moment she was born she has not had an easy life."
She sensed him frowning at her, "What do you mean?"
Hesitating, Itsuki looked behind her and saw that Raiha had joined Nino in the kitchen. The little girl was talking with Nino while also helping to prepare dinner. Eyes lowering, she turned back around and looked at Fuutarou.
"Has Nino ever talked to you about our mother?"
He blinked, "Not really. Why?"
Pausing again, she looked back out towards the setting sun.
"I don't know if this is important but I may as well tell you. I think there was a time that Mama hated Nino."
Nino had decided to make lasagna for dinner. Since there would be nine people tonight, well... ten if Papa showed up, a big dinner was necessary. She had just finished making the lasagna when Fuutarou's family arrived.
She placed it in the oven. It would be a good two hours before it was ready. She was just starting to prepare the garlic bread when a little voice reached her.
"Can I help?"
She looked up to see Fuutarou's little sister standing there across the kitchen counter.
"I always make dinner at home," she said, "I feel like I'm being lazy if I don't."
Nino stared at her before she laughed. She had finally spoken to Raiha and already she reminded her of herself.
"Sure," she gestured behind her, "There's an extra apron back there along with a stool."
"Thank you!" Raihe beamed and went to retrieve them.
"Since you're Fuu-kun's little sister," Nino spoke when Raiha joined her, "I'll doing something special. What you would like for desert?"
"Could you make cream puffs?!" Raiha all but bounced on the stool.
"Cream puffs?"
"Big brother said you made some for him one time and it was really good!" her eyes sparkled, "I've always wanted to make some myself but I don't know how. Maybe you could teach me?"
The little girl's cuteness made Nino want to hug her all of sudden. Why hadn't she associated with Raiha before?
"Alright, if that's what you want," she opened a drawer and pulled a little sketchbook filled with her recipes, "Here are the ingredients. Why don't you gather them while I finish making the garlic bread?"
Raiha nodded and happily went to do her task. She had the ingredients all ready and on the counter by the time Nino placed the garlic break in the other oven.
"Okay," she rolled up her sleeves, "Cream puffs are very easy to make. First thing we do is..."
Nino showed her the steps and the girl quickly learned. She felt very happy at the moment. She had never made anything with anyone before.
"I see you're wearing the bracelet I made for you," Raiha pointed to the very object on Nino's wrist as they made the cream puffs together.
"Oh, yes," she smiled, "Thank you so much for making this. It's very beautiful."
"You're welcome," there was a pause before Raiha asked, "You really like my brother, don't you?"
Nino looked at her, wondering what she was going on about.
"Yes, I do," she answered, "I like him very much."
She glanced over at the balcony. Fuutarou and Itsuki had been talking for a while, but she knew it was important. Nino was well aware how bad Itsuki had felt after seeing her sister breakdown. It was good the Fuutarou was talking with her, for she needed to get it out of her system.
"That's good," Raiha interrupted her thoughts, "Big brother likes you very much too, and I'm glad. He's needs someone like you in his life."
Nino looked at her again, stunned at her words.
"What makes you say that?"
Raiha grinned at her, "He's my brother. I know him better than even Dad does."
When she saw that Nino didn't looked convinced she chuckled.
"Ever since I was little, I've always been watching him closely," she explained, "When he first became your tutor, you were all he ever talked about. Oh, he would mention your sisters from time to time, but the moment he came through the door you were always the first one he mentioned. He talked about you more than anyone else."
Nino blinked several times, "Well... of course he would. I mean, I gave your brother a very hard time in the beginning."
"There were plenty of others who did the same, but he never complained about them. With you though, it was different," Raiha chuckled again, "I've never seen him act that way before and it made me and Dad very curious about you."
"Curious?" Nino almost laughed, "You do know I did some pretty bad things to your brother, right?"
"Like putting him to sleep?" Raiha smirked at her, "I'm aware of that, but that was then. I'm seeing you as you are now. I've just met you for the first time ever and already I approve."
Nino stared at her, open mouthed.
"You've really got me going in circles. You're quite intelligent for a... ten year-old?"
"I just turned twelve," the little girl corrected, "And you're right. I pretty much had to be when Mom died. You know... you kind of remind me of her."
Nino blinked again, "I do?"
"Dad would always mention how hard she was on him from time to time, but that's what he loved for. Always keeping him in check."
"And you think I could do the same for your brother?"
Raiha grinned at her again, "You already are."
A long moment of silence passed between them.
"He must have really taken your mom's death badly, didn't he?" Nino whispered.
"He did. I was only five when it happened, but I remember it clearly. He couldn't stop crying as he held her hand. He kept saying, 'Please, don't leave me!'"
Nino froze, suddenly remembering that time when Manager had been hospitalized after injuring his leg. After she and Fuutarou had paid him a visit, she had clutched Fuutarou's arm and had said the same thing. She couldn't remember why she had said that all of sudden, perhaps out of desperation, but she did remember the look she saw when she said it. It was the very same look he gave when she confessed to him.
Had she unintentionally brought back a horrible memory with her words? Just as she had when she confessed to him? If so, she felt very bad about it now. While she didn't know it still showed careless she had been. Mentally shaking away those negative thoughts she changed the subject.
"I still don't understand why you think he likes me as much as you say, and that he needs someone like me in his life."
Raiha gestured outside, "Look at him right now. Do you see something?"
She looked over at Fuutarou and saw...
"He's smiling," Raiha happily said, "Have you noticed that he's been smiling a lot lately? I haven't seen him smile like that since the day Mom died. And it all started the moment he came out of his room and said that he wanted to change so he could help you. He was like that after he his date with you. I almost didn't recognize him."
Nino's mind was in a whirl. She honestly couldn't believe what Fuu-kun's little sister was saying.
"That can't be true," she automatically denied, "We see him smile all the..."
Her voice died on the last word when she realized... that wasn't true. At all. She looked at Fuutarou again and realized... she had never seen him smile like that before either. In fact, now that she thought about it, neither did her sisters. Before he had changed Fuutarou always carried and a stern and impassive expression. He never smiled. The only times he so much as cracked a grin was when something ridiculous happened or when he was being very smug. He was nothing like he'd been before. She didn't realize until now just how much he really changed.
She looked back down at Raiha, who was quietly watching her.
"Are you saying that I'm the cause of that?" she hesitantly asked.
"I am," the little girl replied, "You did what my Mom never had a chance to do, Nino-chan. You've changed him. Forever. You turned his life upside down before turning him into the very person Mom hoped he would be. She loved my Dad for who he was, you love my Big Brother for who he is. That's why I hope that the two of you will be together one day."
Heart beating rapidly, Nino was unable to find words. Seeing her distress, Raiha laid a small hand on Nino's wrist, running her little finger across the bracelet.
"He really does love you, Nino-chan. He just can't say it right now because of things he has to take care of first. But don't worry. I told you, I know my Big Brother. When he's ready to confess his feelings to you, he will."
Fuutarou couldn't believe his ears. Nino's mother hating her? This was the last thing he expected to hear.
"Hated her?" he repeated, "Nino?"
"Maybe not hate," Itsuki amended, "More like resented her. You see, Mama was a hero to all of us. The fact that she was able to raise all five of us on her own made it so. But... she didn't do anything right as an adult. She never meant to get pregnant. To her we were mistakes, but she loved us all. When she did get pregnant, she didn't do the usual things, like seeing a doctor or going through prenatal care. She didn't think her unusual size was unusual. She thought she would do just fine as a single mother since it's a pretty common thing. She literally didn't know that she was having five children until the moment we were born, when it was too late."
"Ooooh," Fuutarou saw where this was going.
"Hm-mmm," she nodded, "So first comes Ichika and she thinks it's over, but then the doctor tells her there's more. Then comes Nino and right there she realizes that any hope for a normal life is gone and that it will never be the same. Then comes Miku, then Yotsuba, and finally me," Itsuki smiled fondly, "I think that's why she loved me the most. I was the sign of the end. It's probably why I'm so much like her. But for Nino... she never gave her the same kind of love as she did with me. I noticed it when we were little. I would sometimes catch her glaring at Nino, most likely wondering what her life would be if she hadn't been born. I think Nino saw it too but she never said anything. I knew Mama didn't mean it, for she never treated Nino badly, it's just that..."
"She couldn't help it sometimes," he finished for her, "No, I totally get it. It's perfectly natural given the life she had to live in order to support all five of you. Ever since I've changed, I often find myself wondering what my life might have been like if my mom hadn't died. Would I continued being a Mama's Boy? Or would she have disciplined me into a better person?"
The sun finally disappeared as silence passed between them.
"How did your mother die?" Itsuki suddenly asked, "If you don't mind me asking."
"Lung cancer."
She frowned, "She was a smoker?"
He shook his head, "Her family had a history of it. She, unfortunately, got it."
"Oh, I see," she was was silent again, "You know, I too find myself wondering what Mama would say if she saw me now."
"I think she would be very proud of you," he said.
She didn't look convinced.
"You really think so? We broke our promise to her because I didn't keep my sisters in check."
"Itsuki," his voice rose a little, "Stop beating yourself up. Everything's fine now. No more harm has come out of this."
"But I still can't forgive myself," she cried, "How can I face them, or even you, when I failed so terribly?"
"Have they blamed you for anything?"
"...No."
"Then you got nothing to worry about. But... if you do feel you need to apologize, especially to Nino, then you should do so the first chance you get. I don't want to see you leaving school with a bunch of regrets."
She looked at him, then sighed and turned away.
"You're right. Maybe I am worrying too much. Still, I'm not like my sisters. They're all special in the their own way. Ichika is an aspiring actress, Nino is the perfect housewife, Miku is passionate about everything, and Yotsuba is the number one athlete. As for me... I'm just a plain, boring nobody."
Fuutarou scowled, "Itsuki..."
"I was shocked when I realized all of them had feelings for you," she went on, "At first I wanted to talk them out of it, but then I thought of how nice it would be if I had someone like you. Someone who could love me for who I was. But the chances of that happening are now gone, because no one would ever look at me-"
He heard enough. Gently grabbing Itsuki's shoulders he turned her to face him,but she kept her eyes downward.
"Itsuki," he said more firmly, "Look at me."
He saw her take a few deep breaths before she finally looked at him, eyes brimming with tears.
"That is not true and you know it," he stated, "Don't ever talk that way about yourself. You are far from plain and boring. I was far more pathetic person because I never grew up. It was hard to confront the truth about me, but once I did I made a turn for the better," he paused before adding, "You want to know something, Itsuki? If I had chance to do it all over again, if I wasn't as stupid as I was that night, I would have chosen you in a heartbeat."
She blinked, stared, jaw dropping and eyes wide with shock. He may as well had spoken an alien language.
"What? Ch-Ch-Chosen... me?"
"There were two reasons why I chose Yotsuba," he explained, "I wanted to feel needed and I believed Yotsuba always support the most. In truth they're not bad reasons, but my reasons for them were totally wrong. It wasn't fair to you guys and it was totally disrespectful. That said, when I thought it over I realized that it wasn't Yotsuba who supported me the most. It was actually you."
He watched her take that in. His deepening, he continued.
"You've done more to support me than Yotsuba did, more than the others combined. You said multiple times that I changed you and your sisters, told me that I was needed, that I was a necessary to all of you. You showed me I wasn't just a smartass, but that I was a hard worker, a caring person, a friend that meant something to you. Whenever I was uncertain about my relationship with you guys you were always the one who reminded that we were friends. You even went out of your way to make sure I got along with everyone, made sure my family doing alright, and helping me through my personal issues. Overall, you guided me, Itsuki. You made me feel like a human being, and like the others I never thanked you for it. So I'll say it right now. Thank you for everything, Itsuki. You're kind and strict, but that's because you care. That alone makes you a very beautiful person. Anyone who doesn't see that is a moron. So I'll say it again. If my choice was based on who supported me the most, then it would have been you."
There were tears now streaming down her cheeks. It wasn't a real confession, but she didn't look sad. She looked very happy and relieved.
"You're only saying that to nice," she sobbed.
"No. I'm saying it because it's the truth," he jerked his head to the people inside, "Look at Takeda. He's a rich kid from a famous family, yet he's also a good honest person. He has a dream that he wants to pursue and he's one of the most popular guys in school. And yet, he's been in love with Miku for a long time. A shy, timid girl that no one else looked at but him. He cares very deeply about her and is willing to risk his life to protect her. Miku feels the same way about him. What I'm saying is, if a guy like him could fall in love with a girl like her, then the same thing can, and will, happen to you. Nino once said to me that there's only one girl who would love a guy like me, and she was right. There is a guy out there who will love a girl like you. You just haven't met him yet."
"You really think so?" her face fell, "I guess I have to accept defeat for now."
"Itsuki," he squeezed her shoulders, "I can't return your feelings, but that doesn't mean I like you any less. I also admire you greatly. You've done things I couldn't do. You made mistakes but you made up for them. You're very special in you own way, but you are right about one thing. You're not your sisters, you're Nakano Itsuki. Don't ever tell yourself otherwise."
She stared at him for a while, then she sighed deeply as though a huge weight had been lifted from her.
"Thank you," she said, "I can't tell you how happy that makes me feel. Still, I do wish I could make it up to you somehow."
"Well..." Fuutarou looked inside again, "Are you planning to move out of town after graduation?"
She looked at him in surprise, "No... I was actually planning on going to college here."
"In that case," he pointed to his sister, "Do you think you could look after Raiha? Since I'll be leaving the house and Dad will be busy working she'll pretty much be on her own. In fact, would you also be willing to be her tutor? She's going to need a good teacher in the future, and I can think of no one better."
He grinned at her as she gaped at him. It took a moment for her to realize that he really meant it. Then she smiled, the very one he knew.
"Yeah. I can do that. For you, I can definitely do that," she stepped closer and hugged him tightly, "Thank you for talking to me, Uesugi-kun. I feel much better now."
He patted her back, "Just stay positive, Itsuki. You'll find your own happiness one day. I'm certain of it," he suddenly shivered, "We should get inside, it's getting cold out here."
"Yeah, we should," releasing him, they started to make their way inside when she suddenly said, "You know, there's one thing about all this that I still don't understand."
He turned to her, "What's that?"
"Papa," she looked at him closely, "Why does he hate you so much?"
Fuutaoru stopped in his tracks. With so much going on he hadn't thought about Maruo's unexplained hatred of him since the day he openly declared it.
"Yeah, you're right. I don't know either," he looked inside one last time, "Dad did say that he would come tonight. Maybe we'll find out then."
As it turned out Maruo did come, just as Isanari said.
They had just finished dinner when Maruo suddenly arrived, followed by Ebata.
"Hey, Papa," Nino was just as stunned as the others, "I didn't think you would come. I saved some lasagna for you. I could heat it up for you."
"Thank you, but I'll eat it later," he said.
Fuutarou frowned, could sense the others doing the same. Maruo didn't seem like his usual self. Only Isanari wasn't phased by Maruo sudden appearance or odd behavior. Then he noticed that Maruo was looking at Raiha. His sister was also staring back, but she seemed very confused.
"Is something wrong Papa?" asked Ichika.
As if stirred from a trance, Maruo came out of his daze and looked at the others.
"Can you gathered around in the living room please?" he said, "There's something I need to tell all of you."
He sounded as though his was suffering, like he didn't want to be here but he had to. Overwhelmed with curiosity, the group to the couches, bringing a few chairs with them. Fuutarou and Raiha sat down next to each other in chairs at one end while Maruo took the lounge chair at the other. Takeda and the quints took the couches. Isanari and Ebata took either side of the quints' stepfather.
After everyone had settled down Maruo pulled from his coat what looked to be a picture frame. Everyone sat their silently as Maruo stared at it for several moments. His behavior was odd. The usual stiffness he always had was gone, replaced by someone who looked exhausted. As though he been running for a very long time.
"Fuutarou..." he lifted his gaze to him, "Have you wondered why I said that I hated you?"
Blinking, Fuutarou glanced over at Itsuki, who looked back at him in surprise.
"Actually... Itsuki and I were talking about that earlier and no. I still don't understand why you resented me so much. I don't know what I said or did that caused you feel that way."
The older man bobbed his head and looked back down at the picture. He took several breaths before he stood and held it out to Fuutarou.
"Take a very close look at this. You too, Raiha. Tell me what you see."
Reaching out, Fuutarou took the frame and held it to where he and his sister could see.
It turned out to be a family picture. A mother and father and their two children. A boy and girl. It was Raiha who first noticed something.
"Hey!" she pointed, "Is that Mom?"
Looking closer, Fuutarou felt his heart stop, "I think it is."
The others came over to see for themselves. The girl in the picture was the spitting image of Raiha and looked to be around the same age. The face, the hair, the eyes, and even the bright smile were unmistakable.
Fuutarou shifted his gaze over to the boy and saw instantly that it was a teenage Maruo. Unlike the girl his smile looked forced and he looked frightened.
The mother stood behind the girl and Fuutarou saw what he believed was a broken woman. Their was no light in her eyes and there wasn't even a smile. Her appearance was worn, beaten, and overall... miserable. She also looked like someone who had taken to drinking in order to deal with the sorrow she'd been suffering.
But when Fuutarou looked at the father he suddenly froze and a cold chill go down his spine. He thought he was staring at a perfect image of himself twenty years from now. The resemblance that he bore to this man was uncanny. He wore the same stern expression Fuutarou once had, but... it was much colder.
When Fuutarou looked at him more closely he felt another chill. There was no love in the man's eyes. Only... cruelty. He also looked impatient, like he would rather to be somewhere else instead of standing here, wasting his time to take this family picture he did not care for.
The others had looked at the picture in full and were just as confused as Fuutarou and Raiha. As one they turned to look at Maruo, who sat there quietly. His eyes had become distant as though he was looking at the past.
"Raiha..." it was Isanari who spoke, "Do you remember when you ask me how your mother and I met? Do you remember, after you learned that you had an uncle, when you asked why you had never met him?"
"I do," she nodded, "You said that he was always away on business."
"Well, that was lie. The truth is..."
Isanari bobbed his head to Maruo. It took a moment for Fuutarou to realize what he was indicated. Looking back, the truth hit him like a truck. On a gasp, he jerked his gaze back to Maruo, at the same time the others realized it too.
"Wait a minute..." the room spun as he tried to breath, "Are you saying that..."
"Yes," Maruo forced out with a broken voice, "Your mother, Fuutarou and Raiha, was my younger sister."
AUTHOR'S NOTE
It's been a while since I did an author's note but since I'm at it I wanted to clarify a couple things.
First, if been wondering why it takes me so long to update it's because of two things. For one, I do have a personal life outside of fanfiction that I have to prioritize and sometimes it can get very busy. I can only write whenever I actually have the time. More importantly, however, every chapter that I write requires strong attention to detail. The quintessential Quintuplets is one of those stories where you have to pay attention to every single little detail there, from visuals to dialogue. This is especially true when it comes to the manga. For this fanfic though it is vastly different since it must heavily on dialogue for there are no images to see. You virtually have to use you imagination for that. I do apologize that these chapters take longer than expected but consider this. Would have you rather a rushed and uncompleted story compared to the opposite? Patience is a virtue my friends.
The second thing I want to talk about is that you've might have noticed that I lifted some dialogue from both Qwib Qwib's famous Burning the Midnight Oil fanfic and LanceSennin's The Quintessential Maids! and revised it for my story, specifically Nino's relationship with her mother and Itsuki's internal conflict.
For Midnight Oil the scene where Fuutarou and Nino talk about their mother and how Nino believed her mother might have hated her for a very specific reason. It's something I had never thought of before and it really adds to Nino's character because it's very believable. I wanted to incorporate that into my story for those very reasons and I'm sure Qwib Qwib wouldn't have minded since I am honoring his fanfic in this way.
SIDE NOTE: For those of you wondering whatever happened to Qwib Qwib I honestly don't know. I have sent several messages to him over the months but with no answer. All I can say is that he's completely disappeared from the internet. I have my own theories on why in regards to his story but I won't share them here. Until we actually hear from him, we're just going to have to accept the possibility that his story may never be completed. A sad thing to be sure, but that happens pretty often when it come to fanfics.
In regards to LanceSennin's fanfic I really what he wrote when it came to Itsuki's turn. As you well know Itsuki's character was completely butchered in the manga thanks to Negi's selfishness. There was simply no good reason for him to treat her that other than he just didn't like because she wasn't part of his original plans. Thanks to fans like Lance Itsuki's character and her feelings were finally given justice. I really liked how he portrayed Itsuki by showing how torn she is between her feelings for Fuutarou and her responsibility of being the mother figure for the quints, along with having a low opinion of herself because of how she doesn't shine like her sisters do. Despite Maids! being written as a smut fic it has some really well written moments.
So if you happen to be reading this LanceSennin please know that I wasn't trying to plagiarize or steal a piece of your work. If you still want to remove it I will, but I simply want to thank you for giving Itsuki the development she deserved and I wanted to honor that through my story. While Itsuki fans are still bitter of how badly she was treated you gave more justice to her character than Negi ever did. Keep up the good work!
One last thing. I want to give a shout out to Andr Le Ntre for a wonderful PM he sent me offering suggestions of what I could do for this chapter. While I didn't follow them to a tee he did give me a few ideas of where to go from here. So again, thank you Andr.
So now the final secret has been revealed and we're approaching the closing of the second act. Things are going to be very interesting from her. Stay tuned!
