Chapter 13
Darling, I Need Your Moonlight Now
Eight years ago...
Maruo sprinted down the hallways the moment the elevator doors opened. It was deja vu, running through the halls of this hospital. The very hospital he worked in.
The last time this happened was only few years ago when he father died after drinking himself to death. It was honestly a fitting end for him after all the pain and suffering he had caused in everyone's lives. Maruo had shown no remorse when he stood at his father's deathbed. The hell he had gone though with him had erased whatever love or sympathy he could give.
This time, however, it was completely different. It was his sister who was dying. Dying from the same disease that had taken the grandfather he never knew. Tomoko was dying because...
He felt hot tears form in his eyes and he angrily blinked them away.
God damn it! Why did it have to be her?! Why?!
He reached the room where his sister was and he skidded to a halt. He had to take several deep breaths to slow his rapidly beating heart. Ever since their fallout he hadn't spoken to her in over decade. Would he even recognize her after so many years? Especially in the state she was in?
He shook his head. This would most likely be the last time he would ever see her. He had to see Tomoko for she had specifically asked for him to come.
Placing a trembling hand on the handle he opened the door and stepped into the room.
"No, Mom! Please! Don't leave me!"
He felt his heart stop. That would be her son, Fuutarou. He'd been told that he had always been very close to her. Obviously he would be taking this very hard. He could see him kneeling by her bed, crying shamelessly, while his sister rubbed his little head. Beside him was her daughter Raiha. The little girl had her hands on her brother's shoulders, trying to calm him down, but he could tell she was on the verge of crying herself.
Tomoko's husband and his old classmate Isanari stood at the end of her bed, looking very worn and pale. Even though they had never been friends, Maruo still felt sorry for the man who was about to lose his wife.
Isanari spotted him from the corner of his eye. For a moment they looked at each other before they both gave a nod. Isanari then went to his children.
"The doctor's here, kids," he said softly, "He needs to speak to mom alone."
"No!" Fuutarou screamed, shaking his head rapidly, "I won't leave her!"
Tomoko rubbed his little head, "I know you don't want to, but it's important. Please, Fuutarou."
It took a while but eventually Fuutarou released her and Raiha led him outside. Neither child looked at Maruo as they passed. Isanari gave him one last look before stepping outside himself. Tomoko settled into the pillows as he stepped closer.
His worst fears came to light when he closely looked at her. She was so thin he almost didn't recognize her. The cancer had really done a number on the beauty on her face and it had shrunk to the point that he could actually see her cheekbones. He knew just how devastating lung cancer could be, but it was still hard to see, especially when it was someone he knew and loved so much.
Swallowing, Maruo pulled up a chair and sat down, taking one of her hands in his. It had been almost thirteen years since they last spoke to each other. His father had forbidden him to make any kind of contact her after she walked out. Even after he died he hadn't been able to approach her because of his own personal reasons.
"Maruo..." she whispered happily and squeezed his hand, "You came."
He lifted her thin fingers to his lips.
"Did you really think I wouldn't?" he smiled, trying to hold himself together.
"I was a little worried," Tomoko smiled back, "I wanted to see my little brother one last time."
Maruo laughed, the memories coming back to him. Despite being three years older than her Tomoko had always treated him like the little brother and she the older sister. She pretty much had to given how horrible his childhood had been.
"This can't be happening," he moaned when he looked over her again, "Why you? Out of everyone in the family why did you have to be the one to get lung cancer?"
Her shoulders lifted to make a little shrug, "Perhaps this is Father's revenge for going against him."
"Don't joke about this!" Maruo fought to lower his voice, "This shouldn't be happening to you. It's not fair! It's not right! You had your whole life ahead of you! You had everything you wanted! A home, a loving husband, children, everything! Why did this have to happen?"
Unable to stop himself anymore the tears came down and he placed his head against her hand. He was that little boy again, scared of everything around him. He sobbed until he felt her other hand touch the top of his head. Breath catching, he lifted his gaze to see his sister sitting up despite her weakened state, smiling just the way she used whenever he was sad or hurt.
"Don't cry, little brother," she whispered.
He sobbed even harder. Tomoko let him cry, running her bony hand over his scalp.
"All things have to come to an end. My time just came sooner than expected."
He rubbed his forehead back and forth across her hand.
"I can't forgive myself for what I said that day," he sobbed, "I've never forgotten the words you said to me. I completely let you down. I didn't stand up for you or for myself. The disappointment, the hurt I saw, it still haunts me to this day. We haven't spoken to each other since then. I'm sure you must have hated me, a pathetic excuse of an older brother who always had to rely on his little sister to help him."
A minute of silence passed as Tomoko rubbed his head again.
"Maruo," she whispered, "Lift your head."
Gathering himself Maruo forced himself to look up. His sister's eyes held both sadness and regret.
"I may have been disappointed, but I never hated you, little brother," her smiled deepened, "I know that... going against father was too much to ask of you. If you had, it would have made life a lot more difficult for you. And yet, you still defied father's wishes by pursuing your dream. You become a doctor, just as you said you would."
He sighed deeply, "You still lost your home."
"Sometimes in order to gain something you have to sacrifice something. You were the one who taught me that, Maruo, when you told me to go after Isanari. I gave up that life to be with him, because that's how much I love him. It may have caused me to be cast out of the house, but I have no regrets. It was worth the sacrifice."
"And now your life is about to end before you even begun to live it!"
"We all die at some point, Maruo. It's just of question of when," a long minute passed before she said, "Can you promise me something, Maruo?"
He looked up at her, "Anything."
She took a breath, "Can you watch over them? Especially Fuutarou? He will take this the hardest and he'll need someone to guide him."
Maruo stared at her before jerking away, "He has Isanari."
"But I want you to be part of his life, and for Raiha. They still don't know about you."
"And it should remain that way."
Tomoko's lips parted, "Maruo-"
He vehemently shook his head, "I can't do it, Tomoko. I can't."
"Why not?" when he didn't answer she reached over and touched his cheek, "Tell me, Maruo. Please."
He noticed that he was breathing heavily and forced himself to calm down. It took a while before he could.
"I can't watch them because..." he couldn't bring himself to look, "Every time I see them... Whenever I see how happy they are... it angers me. It angers me to see them so happy when our childhood was filled with so much pain and sadness. With Fuutarou it's even worse. He reminds me of too many things. Of you, of me, of..."
He went silent on the last word.
"Of Father?" she said.
Still unable to look at her he slowly nodded.
Tomoko sighed softly, "I can understand why. It's true that I had spoiled Fuutarou, but you must know that he isn't father."
He grunted, "Right now he isn't, but he could still become someone just like him when he grows up."
"Only if you allow it to happen."
Blinking, he finally looked at his sister.
"That's why I want you to keep an eye on him," she smiled, "That way he won't turn into Father."
He was silent again before shaking his head, "I'm not capable of raising a child, Tomoko."
She suddenly chuckled, "So you say, and yet you're raising five girls right now."
Maruo flinched as though he'd been clobbered on the head and his jaw dropped.
"How did you..."
His sister grinned at him.
"You're a naughty little boy, keeping you're marriage a secret from your sister," she chided, wagging a bony finger at him before she laughed, "I must admit, I actually fainted when Isa-kun told me about it. Even he was in a state of shock."
Maruo frowned as he tried to figure out how his sister had learned about his recent marriage.
"He must have learned it from Onishi," he grumbled, "He was one of our classmates and I asked him to stand as a witness. Bastard never could keep his mouth shut."
"I understand why you would have been reluctant to tell me," Tomoko grinned again, "Not only did you marry our homeroom teacher but you're helping her raise her five girls. Quintuplets, from what I've heard."
Maruo blushed a little, "Heh, yeah."
"They must be quite a handful."
"They are, but they're very sweet girls. I wish you could have gotten to meet them. You would have liked them all, for they all resemble you in different ways."
She chuckled in response. A moment passed before she asked, "Whatever persuaded you to do such a thing?"
He pondered whether or not to answer her. However, since this was very likely the last time he would talk to her he decided to tell the truth.
"After you walked out on Father I was very fearful of what may happen to me now that I was alone, having to fend for myself. The next few years was hard for me to get through. Even after he passed I wasn't sure how my life would go even after I became a doctor. Then I met Reina-sensei again," he started laughing as he remembered, "You can imagine how shocked I was when I saw that she had five girls with her. None of us at school knew she had a family at home. We never even imagined it because of how intimidating she was."
"I remember," Tomoko giggled, "She definitely wasn't someone you wanted to mess with."
"She really helped me overcome my fears," Maruo explained, "She listened to all my troubles and gave me the advice I needed. I wouldn't be here today if it hadn't been for her. When I saw for myself the poor conditions she was living in... I had to help her."
"Whatever happened to the father?" Tomoko asked the obviously question.
"He ran away the moment she told him," he spat, "The bastard was also her homeroom teacher who got her pregnant while she was still in High School."
She gaped at him, "You're kidding me. Wow, I'm glad I didn't make that mistake when I got together with Isa-kun."
"Yeah," he nodded, "When I saw just how poor she was living despite being paid well as a teacher I knew I had to do something. I couldn't bear to see someone I admired so much living in such poor conditions."
"So you married her."
"Well, that wasn't the plan at first, but yeah. It eventually led to that. However..." he suddenly sighed heavily, "Her raising her five girls alone has taken a heavy toll on her body. I'm amazed she was able to manage it for this long."
"Is she ill?"
"Not at the moment, but she is getting weaker and weaker by the day. I honestly don't know if she'll be able to recover."
Tomoko squeezed his hand again.
"Well, if the worse happens, at least her daughters will be in good hands."
He shook his head, "I'm not sure if I'm ready to be a father. I'm don't know if I can be a father."
She squeezed a little harder, "You'll have to at some point, for if they suddenly lose their mother you will all they have left. Do they get along with you?"
He nodded, "For the most part."
"Then you shouldn't have any issues," she caressed his cheek again, "I know you well enough to know that you're a good man and you will do the right thing. That's why I want you to look after my children after I'm gone, for should something happen to Isa-kun you'll be all the family they have left."
He growled in frustration, "You're asking a great deal of me, Tomoko, but I'll try."
Maruo leaned back, remembering how they childhood was with their parents.
"I still feel guilty that we never did anything to help Mother."
"I know..." she sighed before shaking her head, "But there was nothing we could have done for her. She was too far gone at that point. Once she lost the last thing she held dear she fell into that pit of despair, and nothing-not even us-could have pulled her back out. We should be happy that she doesn't have to suffer anymore."
"That's what scares me about Fuutarou," Maruo sighed again, "I don't want to see the woman who marries him suffer the same fate as Mother did."
"I understand why you're concerned, Little Brother. I am too," Tomoko admitted, "That's why I want you to be a part of Fuutarou's life. I know it's hard for you, but I want him and Raiha to know about their uncle. And I want you to be there to help them whenever they need it, for Isa-kun will have his hands full trying to pay off the debt for my therapy. Can you not at least promise me that? For old times sake? Please, Maruo. I can't stand seeing you suffer like this even now. I don't want that to be my final memory of you."
There was a long minute of silence as Maruo pondered her words. Then he nodded and smiled at her.
"I promise. I'll do what I can for them."
"Thank you," with a bright smiled she pulled him into her embrace, "I love you, Maruo. Never forget that."
He squeezed her thin shoulder as his vision blurred, "I love you too, Tomoko. I'll never forget."
Later that evening, Maruo received word that his sister had passed away. He spent the entire night crying.
Present Day
The apartment had gone dead silent.
Maruo's revelation had shocked all of the teenagers and the young girl.
No way!
Our stepdad...
...is Fuutarou's...
...and Raiha's...
...Uncle?
Of all the things life could throw at them, this one was simply too much to take in. Now that they looked closely they could see that there was a resemblance, but that only added to what was already a million questions running through their minds.
Why was Maruo saying this now? Why had it taken him so long? What more did they not know about their stepfather?
They could only sit and wait to hear what Maruo had to say. He sat there quietly with his eyes closed, hands on his knees and breathing deeply. He seemed to have lost himself in the past and he seemed to be in pain.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he opened his eyes. He took a moment to look at them all before he let out a huge breath and began to speak.
"Our Father... was not a nice person. You can see for yourself in that picture. There was no kindness, no warmth, not a single trace of love in his heart. All he cared about was money, power, and status. He would use whatever tools available to succeed and expand. But... he was brilliant. Everyone could see it and no one could deny. He possessed what was arguably the greatest mind in Japan, perhaps even the entire world. He could solve any question you could throw at him. He was greatly admired by both his classmates and those within his family's circle. But while he was brilliant, he was also utterly ruthless. Anyone who stood against him, even in a friendly competitive manner, he would destroy without mercy. It's how the student council president. He would identifying his opponent's weakness and use it to his advantage. He treated everyone like they were nothing more than a obstacle that happened to be in his way. It really makes one wonder how anyone could admire someone who never treated them as another human being."
With every word Maruo spoke Fuutarou found himself growing increasingly uneasy. The grandfather that he never knew was starting to sound too much like his old self.
"When my father married he expected his son to inherit all of his qualities. To be a perfect replica of himself," he suddenly laughed, "I was anything but that, and because of it I endured one of the most abusive childhoods ever imagined. Ebata can tell you. He saw it all."
Everyone turned their attention to Maruo's chauffeur, who slowly bobbed his head. He was looking at Maruo like someone who'd taken in an abandoned child.
"Did you know, that in the first few years of his life, Maruo couldn't speak?" he said.
Everyone blinked in surprise and glanced back at Maruo, who's eyes were closed again.
"He wasn't able to until he was four, and then it was nothing but stutters and stammers," Ebata sighed and shook his head, "It was really heartbreaking. Deep down there was a bright little boy. He just couldn't get the words out. It took him several years to finally be able to speak properly, but that was only because his father took matters into his own hands."
"Yes," Maruo opened his eyes once again, "When he saw that I wouldn't meet his expectations he made my mother give him another child so he could replace me. During that time he pretended that I never exist, that I was already dead and buried. He expected to have another son, but got a girl instead."
"Mom," Fuutarou whispered.
"Yes... Tomoko," Maruo swallowed, "She was a godsend to me. She saved my life by protecting me from Father's wrath. It's thanks to her that she gave me the strength to get through all those years of hell," he closed his eyes yet again before continuing on, "After Tomoko's birth my mother refused to give him another child, threatening to leave him if he forced the issue. Knowing that a divorce would be humiliating he instead turned his attention to me, declaring that he would turn me into his successor no matter what it took. And that's exactly what he did."
His fists clenched as his eyes closed once again. They could see his body shake, as though he was seething with rage at all the pain he'd suffered as a child.
"He become my personal tutor because he felt that anyone else would be too soft on me. To his credit he did a good job, but anyone would agree that his methods were barbaric. Whenever I got a wrong answer he would punish me by striking me with a stick. He would do it again and again until I finally got it right," his back stiffened as he remembered it, "I can still feel that stick even now. It was even worse whenever the exams came around. He expected me to get a perfect on every subject, and when I didn't he would punish me by first giving me a the stick followed by not letting me have dinner that night. The very worst of it came when I took my high school entrance exam. He wanted me to go this high class school he had chosen for me. I tried twice and failed both times, although not by much. To anyone it wouldn't be such a big deal since I did my best, but to him that was unacceptable. It infuriated him to no end that nothing had gone the way he'd planned. As punishment he took the stick to me again before locking me in refrigerator for an entire hour. At least he was generous enough to let me put some warm clothes on first."
The teenagers and Raiha could only gasp in horror. They couldn't believe what they were hearing. It was Ichika who finally asked the question.
"Why didn't anyone ever report him? Especially your mom? Or Ebata?!"
"We were too scared of him," Ebata answered, "We were afraid of what he might do. Maruo's house nurse tried to, was fired for it, and was never seen or heard of again. We were also too loyal to the Nakano family. I myself served three generations of them. Unlike Maruo's father his grandfather was good man who took good care of us. We did, however, did whatever we could to help Maruo get through those difficult times until he was old enough to manage by himself."
"My mother was also too loyal to my father," said Maruo, "Despite all the hell he put her through she was still in love him. She wanted to keep the family together forever. She was determined to make it a happy marriage no matter what. That blind love and obsession ended up destroying her as time went on. Eventually she became so depressed she started to become ill. Then she had an affair with another man. Father was aware of it but didn't care enough to make a point. To him she was already useless. Then she became pregnant. I don't know if she had plans to take me and Tomoko with her but I'm certain she planned to run away with her lover and start a new life. But then he was killed in a car accident. She took it so badly she ended up losing the baby. After that she just lost the will to live and died of grief. Father never came to her funeral. He was too busy to attend," he spat in disgust, "I still regret it to this day that I wasn't able to help her."
A moment of silence passed before Yotsuba suddenly asked, "Why... why did your mom marry your dad in the first place?"
Fuutarou looked at her, surprised by her question.
Maruo laughed again, "You know, I asked her that very same question one time. Her response was, 'My dream was to become a bride. I wanted to have a happy ending. Instead it became my nightmare'."
Yotsuba went pale and for a brief instant she swayed. Fuutarou stared, his curiosity soaring. Now that he thought about it he still didn't know what Yotsuba's dream was. Did she also wish to become a bride above all else?
"In other words," Maruo went on, "she became so caught up in her fantasy she refused to accept reality until it was too late, when the damage was already done," he straightened in his chair, "Around that time, after her death, Tomoko and I were entering our teenage years. Father was already making plans for her to marry into a wealthy family so he could form a business alliance."
"Yeah," said Fuutarou, "Dad told us all about it. Her fiance was also Dad's best friend."
"He was a good man and he loved Tomoko, not that Father cared. He was only interested in the business side of it. She was lucky because it could have been worse. He could have given to someone who was twice her age. Then her fiance was killed in a skiing accident. Tomoko took it very hard."
From the corner of his eye Fuutarou saw Nino stiffen and he remembered how she had lost her first crush so tragically. It was strange how she and his mother had gone through the same experience.
"Thankfully your father came back from America right afterwards," he turned to Isanari, "I never did thank you for being by her side."
Isanari shrugged with a grin, "You don't need to. I was always in love with Tomoko. Your dad sure gave me hell though, especially when we started dating."
Maruo chuckled, "I'll admit, I didn't think every highly of you either, but you were far better suited for Tomoko then the men Father chose for her. You gave her the love she deserved, and you loved her to the very end. For that, I'm eternally grateful."
Isanari gave a small nod. It was clear that weren't the best of friends, but they did share a mutual respect for each other.
Maruo turned his attention back to Fuutarou, "When my sister declared that she wanted to marry your father after graduating high school, all hell broke loose. I was in college when that happened. Father demanded that she do what she was told but she wouldn't budge. It finally came to a head when I came back for a visit. Tomoko announce that she was leaving the house and swore to never come back. He threatened to disown her if she did, then ask me what my stance was. I said to her... that she shouldn't go against Father because I didn't want to see her living like commoner," his face fell into his hands and he sobbed, "It was the most cowardly thing I ever said. I'll never forget how disgusted she was. She did so much to protect and that was how I repaid her. She didn't saw anything to me at first. She just turned away and walked out, ignoring Father's screams of fury. I chased after her, wanting to explain myself, but she turned around and said, 'I'm disappointed with you, Maruo. I thought you were much stronger than that'."
Lifting his head he stared unseeingly into the distance. It was so shocking to see him like this. He always stood proud and stoic, even when he was arrogant. They were saw what had been a broken man for many years. This was the real Maruo.
"Those words... shook me to my very core. To hear her say that and know that it was true... was something I couldn't stand. I let her down that day. All because I was too scared to go against my father. She forgave me years later but I haven't been able to forgive myself," he swallowed, "I wouldn't see her again until the day she died, when she ask me to come to her. She want to see her brother one last time."
Raiha suddenly gasped, "It was you. I remember her saying something that she wanted to see a certain doctor. It was you who came into the room."
Maruo nodded, "You and Fuutarou never saw me. You were too occupied trying to comfort your brother while he was crying, refusing to leave her side and begging her not to die."
Fuutarou shivered at the memory. He only vaguely remembered another man entering the room his mother was in. He never saw the man's face. If only he'd known that man was his uncle.
"After my sister walked out I became very depressed," Maruo carried on, "Not standing up for her at that crucial moment was killing me inside," he suddenly turned his attention to the quints, "And then I met your mother and everything changed. I never did tell you this, but I actually one of her students during high school."
The quints's eyes all widened at once. They never knew how their mom and stepdad knew each other beforehand.
"She became essential to me. She helped get me through my depression and she gave the courage I so desperately needed. Because of her I was able to make the decision to follow my own path in life. I went to see Father one day and told him I was going to become a doctor instead of inheriting the family business. You can imagine how angry he got. He couldn't stand that his only son was refusing to follow in his father's footsteps. You may think I was insane at the time, and perhaps I was, but the truth was I wanted nothing to do with the family business for it had brought nothing but misery for me, my sister, and my mother. He threatened me, struck me, but for some strange reason it had no effect on me. When he realized that he got even angrier, so much that he actually had a stroke. He recovered, but he went into a depression of his own. The future he had always envisioned never came true and he eventually drank himself to death. Neither I or Tomoko attended his funeral. He didn't attend our mother's, so why should we attend his?"
Ebata handed him a glass of water and he took a huge sip.
"Thank you, Ebata," he handed back the glass and returned his gaze to the quints, "I noticed early on that your mother was growing weak from the stress of raising all five of you by herself, so I offered to marry her so I could help take care of her," he suddenly laughed rather heartily, "You should have seen the look on her face when I first proposed to her. She thought I had gone insane. Naturally she refused but I was persistent because I knew she needed help. Eventually we came to an agreement. She would agree to marry me only if I graduated from college. So I did."
Then his face fell, "However... shortly after we married I realized there was very little I could for her. Her health had deteriorated too much and eventually she passed," he let out a deep sigh, "It's always bothered me to this day that I was never able to save the two most important people in my life despite being a doctor."
Sniffing, Nino said, "I'm sure she would have been very proud and grateful to you for taking care of us."
"Yes, I know," Maruo turned his gaze to Fuutarou, "I know what you're thinking. Why didn't I tell you this until now? Well, there are several reasons why, but it was simply because I could stand the sight of you. While I didn't see my sister again until she died, I did see you with her several times over the years. It always made my blood boil whenever I saw how happy you were when my childhood had been filled with nothing but pain. It only got worse as the years went on."
Itsuki reached over and took the picture from Fuutarou. Looking at it closely she said, "I think I understand now, why you despised him so much. You hated Uesugi-kun because he reminded you too much of your father."
"Yes," Maruo admitted, "Not just in looks but also in personality. Fuutarou's lust for knowledge was exactly like my father, and like him he couldn't stand to be second. He had to be first in everything. Emotions, enjoying life, having friends, those meant nothing to him. With Fuutarou I saw the first signs of it when that incident with the girl in junior high happened."
Fuutarou blinked, "You knew about that?"
Maruo gestured to Isanari, "You're father told me about it. Your grandfather did something similar back then."
Fuuatrou shivered again. Learning about who his grandfather was hitting too close to home.
"I see," it was all clear to him now, "That's why you didn't want me associating with the quints anymore after that exam. It wasn't because you were trying to control them. You were trying to protect them. From me. I was turning into the very person you hated and if I started a relationship with any of them you feared I would treat her the exact same way your dad did with you mother. You were afraid of the cycle repeating itself."
"And it definitely would have if I hadn't stepped in," Maruo looked at the quints, "That's why I kept trying to warn you girls not to get too involved with him. Yes, I could have told you the truth back then, but would any of you believed me? You made your choice, you wanted to keep Fuutarou, and you paid the price for it."
The quints could only lower their heads in shame, knowing that he spoke the truth. How wrong they had been about everything.
"If I may?" Yusuke suddenly spoke to Maruo, "When you tried to hire me as their new tutor, was part of it because you wanted to help me?"
Maruo grinned, "Yes. I guess you could say you reminded of myself."
"I see," Yusuke scoffed at himself, "You were trying to do me a favor and I screwed it up by trying to show off."
Fuutarou shook his head, "I don't understand. If you knew all this, if you knew that this might happen, why did you still hire me as their tutor?"
Maruo sighed, "Before your mother died I promised her that I would look after her children by helping them in any way I could. Your father didn't want to approach me but when he made it clear that he wouldn't be able to pay off the debt by himself I had to fulfill my promise. Believe me, it wasn't easy for me to ask you to be their tutor, but after everyone else had quit I was left with no other options. So... I bit the bullet. I also thought that perhaps you interacting with them would help you grow and open up more instead of being cold and serious all the time. At first it seemed to be working, but then you both got selfish and one thing led to another."
"Ah, I see," Fuutarou slowly nodded, "Looking at it now it's perfectly understandable why you hated me. I honestly can't blame you. If I had gone through life the way you did I would have felt the same way. My very existence is why you went to great lengths to avoid me."
To his surprise Maruo stiffen.
"Actually... no," he said, "If it had just been you I could tolerate it. But whenever I saw..."
When his voice drifted away Fuutarou saw that he was no longer looking at him. Following his gaze he turned to see that Maruo was looking at...
"Raiha..." then it struck him, "She's just like Mom, isn't she?"
"She is," Maruo replied in a broken voice, "Whenever I saw her I always want to cry, for she's so much like my sister. Full of beauty, life, and innocence. It was more than I could take. Just... just seeing her was painful. I didn't want anyone to see me like that."
He took a moment to gather himself before turning to the quints, "It's also the reason why I never got close to any of you, for you all reminded me of my sister in different ways. Especially you, Nino. Do you remember that time when you kept pestering me to teach you how to make pancakes? My sister did the exact same thing at the very same age. Whenever I wasn't allowed to have dinner the cooks would teach me how to make my own meals. Any one of them could have taught her, but she wanted me to teach her. She wanted to share a special memory with her brother."
He then look at them individually, seeing the looks of tremendous guilt.
"I know I haven't exactly been a good father to you, and I'm sorry," he confessed, "I also admit that I've spoiled all of you, but that was because I didn't want to see you living a life of misery. Your mother's death was untimely and I simply wasn't ready to raise you on my own. I was also afraid of raising you like my father did. But everything I've done was to protect you. I promised your mother that I would and I've done that to the best of my ability. I won't ask you to forgive me for how I've handle things when it came to you, but I want to know that I love every single one of you. I want all of you have to live good, happy lives. That is all I wish. That... is the honest truth."
The quints were all trying to hold back their tears. Then Nino stood up and with a sob she ran forward and threw her arms around Maruo's neck.
"I'm so sorry, Papa!" she cried into his shoulder, "We treated you so unfairly because we were only thinking about ourselves! You went through and suffered so much and not once did we ever try to understand you! You were only doing your job as our guardian and we resented you for it! You've done so much for us and we've never even thanked you for it! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
"I'm sorry too!"
"So am I!"
Before he knew it the quints had completely surrounded Maruo and were hugging him, kissing him, thanking him, and saying how sorry they were again and again. He only sat there stunned before he finally responded in exasperation.
"You girls..." he started to say, then he smiled fondly, "Quints really are annoying."
Fuutarou laughed, unable to help himself, "You won't get any argument from me on that."
After a while the quints finally calmed down and let go of their stepdad. When they gave him some space Fuutarou stood and approached.
"I guess I should apologize too for letting you down so many times," he held out his hand. When Maruo only looked at it he said, "I won't fault you if you refuse."
Maruo looked at him then back at his hand before standing up himself. Taking Fuutarou's hand he placed the other on his shoulder and pulled him closer.
"No," he said, "I realize now that you're not like your grandfather. You accept defeat and you were willing to walk away after that first exam. Your grandfather would never have done that. You've also gone out of your way to make up for your mistakes. It takes a very brave man to change who you are, to confront yourself, but you did it. You did it and you showed it. And for that..."
He pulled Fuutarou into his embrace and hugged him tightly.
"I'm proud of you, Fuutarou," he said, "I'm proud to have you as my nephew. Your mother would be very proud of you too."
Feeling his own tears come, Fuutarou hugged him back.
"Thanks... Uncle Maruo."
After a moment they released each other. Patting his shoulder Maruo shook his nephew's hand again before he saw Raiha, standing just behind her brother. He smile deepening he knelt down and held out his arms. She immediately came to him and he hugged her tightly.
"I'm very happy to finally meet you, Raiha. Let me look at you," he looked into her face and ran a hand over her hair, "You are just like your mother. You're as beautiful as she was. I'm sure you have a lot of questions for me."
Smiling brightly Raiha eagerly bobbed her head. Grinning in returned Maruo sat back down on his chair and lifted her onto his lap before glancing at Nino.
"I'll go ahead and have that lasagna now."
"Oh, sure!" Nino quickly wiped her eyes and turned to the kitchen, "It will just take a few minutes!"
Smiling, he turned back to Raiha, "So, what would you like to ask me?"
She paused for an instant before saying, "Tell me about Mom. What was she like?"
"Well, Raiha..." he ran a finger down her little nose, the very same thing he used to do with Tomoko, "She was just like you when she was your age."
Fuutarou laid there on the couch staring blindly at the ceiling. So many things, so many revelations, had happened this evening it was impossible to go to sleep.
Learning that Maruo was actually his uncle and hearing his entire story was unlike anything he had gone through before. It had left him with a great deal to think about, mostly where he would go from here now that he knew the whole truth about his family.
Raiha learned a great deal about her mother from Maruo, and after he had his share of Nino's dinner the entire family including Ebata watched a movie together. Afterwards Isanari gave Takeda his haircut, making him look very mature before he went to take a quick shower. During that time Fuutarou heard Yotsuba asking to speak with Maruo in private and he watched them go to her room. He noticed how upset she looked and he wondered if Maruo's story had affected her.
It made him very curious about what Yotsuba was going through right now. If he were to guess it was the exact same thing he was. She most likely needed a little more time to sort out her problems herself before finally speaking with him. He could wait. He didn't want to rush her.
Later, when they came back out, Nino asked Maruo about her and Miku's jobs. Understandable since Nino had been absent for the past few weeks and she didn't want to lose that job. After talking it over Maruo gave her and Miku permission to keep their jobs on the condition that they remained together with Fuutarou on the way there and back. Afterwards Fuutarou's family went back home with Maruo while he and rest got ready for bed. Tomorrow would be the start of exam week and they needed to be ready.
However... the exams were the furthest thing on Fuutarou's mind. He laid there wide awake as he went through what he had just learned tonight.
Maruo's father had been a twisted bastard who expected far too much out his son. It had left a deep emotional scar in Maruo's soul that hadn't fully healed until tonight when Maruo finally revealed the secret he had held for so long.
The teen let out a heavy sigh.
Just how close did he come to being just like his grandfather? More than he would like to admit. The more he thought about it the more it scared him. He went over all the different interactions he had had with the quints from the very first day he had met them all.
In the beginning he had been very rude to them, but so had they. Neither had wanted to have anything to do with the other. He had found the tutoring job as nothing but a distraction while they had seen him as nothing but unwanted outsider. However, like his uncle had said, him being forced to interact with the quints had done him so good. He had soften a bit as he got to know them more. It was thanks to them that he started to live a little and not take everything so seriously.
It was that way until the mid-terms came along. His job as their tutor had ended right there and he had been ready to move on, but on the moment when quints made it clear that they wanted to keep him as their tutor everything changed.
All for the worst.
Neither him or quints ever realized just how selfish they had been until their parents confronted them. The quints defiance against their stepfather was only been the beginning, but it was Fuutarou's incompetence and refusal to deal with problems that made things worse over time. They had totally acted like typical teenagers, thinking that they knew better only to learn otherwise in the harshest way possible.
It all started with him not standing up for himself and telling the quints not to sacrifice their home and their lives for him, but then he backed down when they refused and he never brought it up again. From there he just went along whatever they wanted without ever questioning or even challenging them. At the same time he himself had started to care less and less about them and become more obsessed with making sure they all graduating together so he could feel proud of himself after it was finally over.
The irony of it all that it was never about school, grades, or studies. It was all about them. The quints competed against each other for Fuutarou's affections, hurting each other it the process and all but breaking their bond, not to mention the promise they made to their mother. He on the hand had never taken the time to understand or respond to their feelings because he had been so caught up in his own ambitions. In fact, he had outright ignored them because those things didn't matter. In the end he had treated them the same way his grandfather had.
All of this had led to the disaster between him and the quints, from the fallout to Nino completely breaking down.
Fuutarou mentally shook his head at himself. If he hadn't been such a moron, if he had just been a lot more firmer with the quints and not allowed them to act so selfishly, none of this would have happened. Instead he did nothing because, like his dad had said, he didn't want to hurt their feelings. He let the quints control him without ever realizing it.
That said... it did bring out a number deal of good things for them all.
Maruo finally telling the whole truth to his stepdaughters and explaining all of his actions made them realize just how wrong they had been about him. He truly loved them all and he wanted them to happy. He didn't want to see them living lives of misery like his mother, or their mother, or even his sister had. He also didn't want to see Fuutarou become exactly like his father, something he had gone dangerously close to becoming. Either scenario, or both, would have broken his heart.
Being the quint's guardian after their mother had died was no easy task, but he did it. While it was true that he hadn't been heavily involved in their lives and had spoiled them, he still took good care of them. He kept his promise to their mother. That alone made him a good father.
But it was him embracing Fuutarou, acknowledging him, accepting him, telling him that he wasn't like his grandfather and was proud to have him as he nephew that Maruo was finally able to let go of the past and all the pain with it. It gave Fuutarou a new feeling of hope and he himself was proud to have Maruo as his uncle. He was also happy for Raiha, finally being able to know more about her mother through her uncle.
There was also a much bigger thing he realized. Finally realized.
When Maruo had gone with Yotsuba to talk privately Fuutarou had pulled Raiha aside and asked her about her conversation with Nino. He knew that she had been very curious about her and he himself was curious to know what she thought about Nino after talking with her.
"She's a bit like Mom," she had told him, "She's also very kind, very loving, and a good person all around despite her faults. I can see why you fell for her."
"What makes you so certain?" he had ask.
"Because you're smiling," she replied, "I've been watching. Whenever you're around her your face immediately lights up. It's because of her you're able to smile again. You can't deny anymore, Onii-chan. You're in love with Nino. You have been for a long time, maybe from the start. It's just taken this long to finally realize it. So you better not let me down!"
A smile crept to his lips as he replayed Raiha's words. Takeda had said the same to him this morning, and his statement about the ones you love will always make you smile was true. Throughout the entire day, even when he was around all five quints, his gaze would immediately lock on Nino. Every time he saw her his pulse would quicken. Every time she looked at him his cheeks would warm. And every time she smiled or laughed his heart would skip a beat.
Fuutarou couldn't deny it anymore. He loved Nino. He truly, deeply, loved her. She was everything to him, just as he was everything to her.
He understood, accepted, and appreciated the very person she was, just as she did with him. She was the only person in his life who truly understood and accepted him for who he was.
He finally accepted the fact that Nino's love for him was truly genuine, and he didn't want to see it go to waste. He wanted to give her the love she deserved after suffering through so much heartbreak and disappointment. He didn't want to see her spend the rest of her life without love. He didn't just want to have her by his side. He wanted to be by her side. Forever if possible.
He wanted to see if they could have a future together, perhaps even create a family together. On that thought Fuutarou quietly chuckled to himself. He knew he was getting ahead of himself but he couldn't get the image of little Fuutarous and Ninos running around out of his head. He knew deep down that Nino would make a great mother. All the quints would be once they were ready. He then found himself wondering what his own children would be like.
Fuutarou now knew what he wanted and what his true feelings were. There was only one thing left to do. However... there was still the matter of Yotsuba to resolve. He had to speak with her first before he could confess his feelings to Nino. He had to make it clear to Yotsuba that they just weren't meant to be together. Whatever feelings they may have had as children had completely changed. They couldn't keep clinging onto something that simply never existed. Things had changed too much between them over the years.
That said, he wasn't too worried about Yotsuba. He had a good feeling that Yotsuba herself knew all this and was ready to accept it and move on. That's what he wanted the most for her. He wanted to see her go on with her own life without any regrets and not be haunted by the memories of the past. Yotsuba had been through a lot these past few weeks. She'd learned a heavy lesson and had matured greatly. He was confident enough to believe that she would be fine when all this was over.
There was one thing though that had been nagging his mind recently. What was he going to do once he graduated from high school? It was almost over and he still didn't know what to do with his life. He could go to college, but for what? Unless he had some idea of what kind of life or career he wanted to pursue he'd be just going to college for the same reason as before. To obtain knowledge. Knowledge that would be useless if he didn't know where or how to use it.
The only thing he did know was that he wanted to have some excitement is his life. He wanted to do something that was fun. Adventurous. He wanted to so something that his family, his friends, his future wife and children, and even himself could be proud of many years from now when he was old and retired. He'd spent too many years in solitude and he certainly didn't want to go into the direction as his grandfather. Cold and lifeless. He wanted to do the exact opposite.
The question was: What could he do to fulfill that goal?
A certain noise from outside caught his attention and suddenly it struck him. He turned his body to its side and looked out the window to where the noise was coming from, listening until it faded away. Then he began to think.
Yeah... why not? Since he embraced his old wild side why not step it up to the next level?
A moan snapped him from his thoughts and he looked over to see Yusuke rolling onto his back, rubbing his eyes.
"Can't sleep?" Fuutarou kept his voice low.
Blinking for a moment his friend looked at him.
"Not really," he grinned, "You can't either?"
"Nope, not after what happened tonight."
"Heh, can't say I blame you," Yusuke sat up and made himself comfortable, "Did you want to talk about something?"
Fuutarou paused, "Actually... yeah. There is something I want to ask you about."
