Chapter 2 - Blue Hydrangeas
A brave heart that is not hesitant of its feelings can not be exempt from regret, the guilt and torment of its impulsive actions in the name of love and happiness for oneself and the person it cherish the most.
The midnight weak breeze whispered nothing, in a lonely and cruel forest that knew no equal. Only a key could shift a moment filled with the warmth of an improvised fire and young, unexpirienced feelings into nothing more than a profound wish for time to go back at the moment before both students desired everything.
"I-Itsuki-chan!, Miku! It's not what you think-" Ichika rapidly stood up, rasing both involuntarily-shaking hands at their direction.
"Ichika… we'll talk about this tomorrow" replied Itsuki, leaving no room for further discussion.
Ichika's troubled face then turned to Miku. No words came out of the third sister's mouth, the loud silence was enough for Ichika to bend her head down.
Fuutarou's hands still felt the concrete floor, the gap between his lips and his shrank golden pupils in his aimless gaze gave Miku and Itsuki a close idea of how far they've crossed the line of their tutor and student relationship.
"Let's go back, now." said itsuki as turning around and walking, Miku followed her and so did Ichika quietly with her head still down.
"Uesugi-kun, stand up already." said Itsuki as she looked back at her tutor.
Fuutarou without saying anything stood up and quietly followed the three girls' pace.
Quiet steps filled the atmosphere of that 10 minutes-long walk that felt like an eternity. Occasionally interrupted by the sound of presumably wild animals wandering around and moving bushes.
Itsuki had to hide her shaking hands and small tears dripping down her face for the sake of accurately follow her mother's steps.
"Uesugi-kun, go to your dorm. The boys dorm is in the other side of the building." Instructed Itsuki.
Fuutarou turned his face at the direction Itsuki pointed and walked his way ou. Without exchanging a word and keeping the same aimless gaze he had ever since the door opened, disappearing once the moonlight couldn't reach him anymore.
Itsuki, Miku and Ichika walked together. Miku finally arrived to her dorm room.
"Good night girls." monotonously said.
"Good night Miku."
"Good night… Miku."
As itsuki changed her path to go to her own dorm room Ichika stopped her and said "Itsuki-chan, it's not what you think, I promise I-"
"When I asked Uesugi-kun for help with studying three months ago I never thought we'd get to this." Itsuki interrupted her.
"W-what are you talking about, Itsuki-chan?"
"Ichika, We need to be careful with the men we let into our lives, just remember what happened with mom and dad."
Ichika let a relived smile. "Does Fuutarou-kun look like such a bad guy?"
"It's not that, I just worry about what things like this will lead us to." replied Itsuki with her motherly voice.
"Whatever Ideas you have in mind are wrong, I can assure you that." expressed Ichika.
"How can you be so sure of what I'm thinking?"
"We are quintuplets, remember?" responded Ichika, feeling like the tension had finally vanished.
"I will trust that you know what you're getting yourself into, Ichika, do as you please, I'll keep an eye on Uesugi-kun myself."
"Do as I please... that's exactly what Miku told me" thought Ichika as her brows were drawn together and her lips tightened.
"Wait, you have to get dressed to sleep, go to the bathroom and put on your gym clothes."
"Ahahaha, thank you Itsuki-chan, I'll go now, Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Ichika."
After coming back from the bathroom, Ichika finally lay down on that cold, hard bed that felt like concrete and heaven at the same time, mentally and physically tired, her eyelids felt heavier and heavier, giving in and falling into a deep sleep.
Sleeping is one of Ichika's favorite hobbies, she'd able to sleep up to 10 hours in an ordinary day, but today… well, yesterday, was not an ordinary day.
Coming in and out of her sleep, the sound of her teeth grinding woke her up even more tired than before.
The sun hasn't came out yet, and her classmates are still sleeping, some even snoring pleasantly.
With an eye closed and the other halfway through, she checked her phone clock. It's 6:30 in the morning.
Slowly getting out of bed her cold feet quietly tucked inside her shoes, not wanting to wake up anyone sharing the room with her.
She calmly walked towards the closed window and carefully opened it. Without having to look too much into the distance she spotted some teachers and volunteers working on the preparations for the camfire that will take place the same night.
"The camfire…" mumbled Ichika to herself. Sliding her right hand inside her red gym sweatshirt, the warmth of her heart relieved the cold of the hand Fuutarou grabbed to create that now bittersweet momory.
After a moment, she slid it out and a long sigh came out of her mouth as she placed the same hand on the cold window frame, melting some leftover snow.
She leaned her elbows on the window frame, the same question that's been popping up in her mind ever since that kiss occurred appeared in her mind once again.
"What have I done?"
"Is this really what I want?" Her tired eyes quickly closed tightly, shaking her head.
"No, I don't have the right to regret it, I've done what I've done and there's no coming back…" thought Ichika with determination "I'm sorry Miku." A long yawn left a trail of steam.
That fresh mountainous air had never felt as comforting and forgiving as it did now.
"What a nice view, I wish the 6 of us could see it together." mumbled to herself quietly, the passing of time started to blend in with her thoughts.
One by one, the other students in the room woke up to do their assigned chores, but Ichika stayed in the same position until there was no one but her left inside.
The sun arised over the high snow-capped mountains of the school camp, the clouds disperse, giving its fair space to an almost clear blue sky, if it weren't for the few ones that stubbornly maintained their spot.
Voices from outside the room could barely be heard through the thick layer of wood blocking their way to ichika's ears.
Nobody seemed to care enough to break her odd position for such long time until someone opened the door and Ichika heard the voice of her younger sister.
"Ichika, are you alright?" said Nino, making Ichika turn her head around after 30 minutes of staring at nothing but trees covered in snow.
"Nino, good morning" Ichika waved at her.
"I brought you some flowers I bought from a local flower shop. I hope they make you feel better." said Nino, pulling a small flower pot with a couple of blue flowers on it from behind her back.
"Nino, I'm not sick." said a confused Ichika.
"What? You're not? Itsuki told me you might've gotten sick because you've worked at the campfire preparations very late at night."
Ichika sighed. "Itsuki-chan, she is always taking care of us huh?"
As Nino walked besides Ichika's side she handed over the flower pot to her "keep the flowers, even though you're not sick."
After a quick glance at them her eyebrows lifed and said "Blue Hydrangeas… don't these only blossom in summer?"
"You know what type of flower it is? I just picked the prettiest one" said Nino surprised by Ichika's words "they were surprisingly cheap" she added.
"I know a little bit about them, Yotsuba always made sure I was aware of every update on her new plants." Said Ichika smiling "and yeah, they're beautiful, thank you… Nino."
"You're welcome Ichika, you're one flower after all." said Nino as she cracked up in laughter at her own bad joke.
Ichika laughed through her nose and before Nino left the room. "Wait, there's a flower shop in the camp? Aren't we in the middle of nowhere?"
Nino turned around "There's a small town 15 minutes away from here, some girls and I decided to wake up early and check it out to buy some gifts and get breakfast."
"Oh, some girls? Or did you bring a boy with you and don't wanna tell me?" said Ichika with her teasing voice.
"N-no… but for your information, I have a date with a boy tonight, he's tall, he's blonde and handsome." Nino confidently smirked.
"I see, my little sister is finally getting her first boyfriend?" Ichika continued teasing.
"Ha ha Ichika, aren't you going to dance with Uesugi? Out of all the good-looking guys you chose the bland bookworm? is he your type huh?
A little bit of steam came out of Ichika's ears.
"N-no, it's ummm, it's not that. And believe it or not, Fuutarou-kun actually has a very manly side."
Nino dropped her teasing voice. "Y-You do know i'm just bothering you, right?"
Struggling to keep eye contact. "Y-Yeah, Nino."
"Id you don't have anything else to say I'll get going, bye bye" said Nino waving back and walking out.
Ichika turned back to the window but this time her eyes were locked on the flower pot Nino had left her at her right side, admiring its beaty. " Blue Hydrangeas…" mumbled Ichika. Reaching her right hand closer to it she ripped one of its petals to feel its texture. Only to realize they're made of plastic.
"Oh… how ironic…"
She chuckled at the world's cruel way to tell her what she already knew.
"I see."
Her uper eyelids lowered and Ichika kept staring at the fake petal, after a moment she let the wind take it, disappearing into the white landscape.
"Ichika…" a voice from behind shifted her calm expression, she turned around and saw the person she struggled to look at the face to.
"M-Miku? Hi, good morning" the first daughter waved nervously, it was the moment she had feared since that big door closed on her, the moment her judgment will take place, in this very room.
"Ichika, are you alright?" asked Miku.
"Yeah, yeah, tell Itsuki-chan that I'm not sick." replied Ichika, relieved of the fear of an awkward conversation.
"I'm glad to hear that." said Miku as she walked closer to her older sister.
"Look at these flowers Nino brought me, aren't they beautiful?" Ichika said pointing at the flower pot, trying to compose herself.
"They're ugly, and you can perfectly tell they're made of plastic" said Miku with her usual monotone voice.
"Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming, Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For those there is hope. They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only Beauty." expressed Ichika.
"What on earth are you talking about, Ichika?" asked Miku stranged by her older sister's weird words.
"I just quoted something I read somewhere." said Ichika, laughing through her nose at her sister's reaction.
Both sisters turned their heads back to the white landscape. After a short moment admiring it, Miku broke the silence.
"If you're not sick then let's go outside, breakfast time starts in 30 min-"
Miku is interrupted by a distant bell ringing and teachers awakening the few students still asleep in the other rooms.
"Girls, breakfast time will begin in 30 minutes, make sure to eat well for today." said a teacher to the two quints.
"Thank you Fushihara-sensei" Miku politely replied.
"Let's go, Ichika."
"You know that I don't eat breakfast Miku." Ichika replied.
"I'll see you later then." Miku turned around and walked out of the room.
Before Miku passed through the door Ichika called her name to address the elephant in the room. "Wait Miku!"
Miku stopped and looked back. "hm?"
"Nothing happened between Fuutarou-kun and I yesterday, I promise." said Ichika with a little bit of red on her cheeks.
"What are you talking about, Ichika?" replied Miku, after a short pause she added "I told you it's fine if it's you, we have to be equals."
Miku's words made it harder for Ichika to look at her face.
"T-Then why didn't you say anything yesterday."
"I really don't know, I'm sorry for that."
"No, It's fine, I'll catch on later."
"Alright." Miku responded, walking out of the room.
Ichika once again turned around and her lips formed a mischievous smile as her eyes looked further into the distant mountains which she could barely see the top of.
"What face would Fuutarou-kun make if I told him I had my phone on me the entire time." Leaving out a small laugh. "I guess I'll never get to know, I wonder what he is doing right now."
"Nakano-san" said unknown voice from behind.
Ichika was taken by surprise and turned around "Oh, H-Hi unmmm…"
"My name is Nishizawa Chiyu, we're in the same class." Said the girl with long black hair and bangs, wearing a red gym sweatshirt with red pants, exactly like Ichika, holding a clipboard on her hands.
"Ahahaha sorry Nishizawa-san, I'm not really good remembering names." running her fingers through her hair with a nervous laugh.
"We need you for the camfire preparations."
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that, I'll go right now." Said Ichika walking pass Chiyu.
"Are you gonna leave that flower pot there?" Chiyu pointed at the window frame.
"Yeah, I don't need it anymore, you can keep it if you want." Said Ichika, walking out of the room with a smile.
In the boy's side of the dorm Fuutarou is waken up by the loud bell announcing that breakfast hour will begin in 30 minutes.
"Hmmm, ugh." mumbled the top student, tucking his feet on his shoes and staring at the wooden floor.
"What the hell was I thinking about???" thought Fuutarou as cringe and regret flooded his mind.
"Did I really kiss Ichika? I kissed Ichika… no, she kissed me, no, we kissed each other." trying very awkwardly to process what happened.
"My tutoring job… if Nakano-san finds out about this I'll be fired on the spot, what the fuck was I thinking about." his grip on the sheets tightened, clenching his teeth.
The few students that were still in the room left after hearing the bell, but Fuutarou kept staring at the floor like if he was appreciating the most cultivating piece of art he's ever seen.
This floor-staring circle was broken by the voice that came out of the door.
Fuutarou did a little hop on his bed and rapidly turned his head up to confirm what his ears heard.
"Fu… Fuutarou-kun?" Mumbled Ichika red to her ears.
Fuutarou's eyes grew wide open. "I-Ichika, Good morning" said Fuutarou as he drew his right hand into his mouth.
"W-We have to talk…" said Ichika, still flustered.
"…"
"Wait, what am I doing? Play it cool Uesugi Fuutarou, play it cool!"
He straightened his postuse and flashed a smirk.
"Yeah, Ichika, what's up?"
"D-Did you tell anyone what happened yesterday?" said Ichika with a serious voice.
"N-no, I didn't" his smirk faded away.
"Not even Itsuki?"
"I-Itsuki…? no, I didn't tell her."
"And Miku?" Ichika kept questioning him.
"No, I didn't tell her either."
"D-Did… did you like it?" Ichika asked with a broken voice.
Fuutarou grew red to his ears.
"W-What is this about Ichika? Is this an interrogation? Quit asking weird questions like that…"
Fuutarou turned his head to the right and closed his eyes, still not letting go of his palm and responded. "K-kind of…"
He turned back at her.
"Ichika, it was a mistake, I got carried away by the moment and I'm sure you were as well, so please let's just forget about this, it'll be better for both of us."
"I see…" Ichika's expression stayed the same.
"I'll see you later, Fuutarou-kun." Ichika turned her head around to leave.
"Ichika! hold on a second!" extanding his right arm to stop her, but she didn't listen and left anyway, closing the door.
"What is up with her? It felt like she completely switched her personality. Maybe I just didn't know her when she is serious… goddamn it"
Both of his hands were drawn to his face, squishing it.
"What do I do now?
Fuutarou placed the tip of his thumb on his chin in an attempt to compose himself.
"Only Itsuki and Miku know what happened, if I get to talk to them it won't go any further. I assume Ichika wants to keep it a secret as well but… did I hurt her feelings? Human relationships really are a pain in the ass. Itsuki is clever and I know she'll try to reach me before Ich…"
Fuutarou's pupils shrank, not even the black hole in the center of our universe could be compared to the void he felt inside his stomach.
"No… i-it can't be-"
His heartbeat raised and small drops of sweat dripped down his forehead, disbelief floored his golden eyes.
All of his senses were overshadowed. His efforts to process the magnitude of what just might've happened did not allow him to hear the rapid footsteps that echoed in the hallway getting closer and closer by the seconds.
Suddenly, the sound of someone abruptly opening the door broke his bubble.
"UESUGI-SAN!" shouted Youtsuba.
"You won't run away from this one only because it's opt-"
Her sentence was cut short after she noticed his head still lowered, completely indifferent to her sudden appearance.
"I-Is something the matter, Uesugi-san?" her tone completely shifted.
"… I am not in the mood right now, Yotsuba. Can you give me a few minutes alone?" he mumbled.
"What happened?" the ends of her ribbon lowered.
Fuutarou's mouth stayed closed.
"I know I'm stupid but if you need someone I'll try my best to cheer you up." offering him a smile.
Fuutarou's head finally got up.
"You're always trying to help everyone, Yotsuba. Your ribbon is down, let me fix it for you." grabbing her ribbon and straightening it once again.
"Shishishi, thank you Uesugi-san." Offering him another heart-warming smile.
"I was checkmated."
"Hm, What are talking about?"
"Something really bad happened yesterday between someone and I, and I think there's no way I can fix it anymore."
"O-Oh, I-I wonder what it is" Yotsuba stood up and started waving her arms around.
"What the… are you hiding something?"
"N-no, w-why would I…"
Yotsuba's troubled expression shifted into a weak smile with half closed eyes.
"I really can't lie to you, can I? Uesugi-san." A long breath coming out her mouth afterwards.
"I knew it, now tell me what you know."
The tip of her right index finger met her lower lip, small tones of red glew on her face as she couldn't keep the eye contact. "When… When I… When I closed the door and turned around to leave I heard something inside… and I leaned my ear onto the wall and I heard you two and-"
"Why didn't you open the door?!" Fuutarou stood up and grabbed her by her ribbon with a flush that creeped across his cheeks.
"I'm sorryyy I was going to! But…"
Yotsuba backed down a bit and raised her palms to create a barrier between her and Fuutarou's intimidating gaze.
" Sigh. There's no point on this." Fuutarou sat down on his bed once again.
"So the sounds of moving bushes was you, sneaking around to hear all the gossip." looking at Yotsuba with a smile of relief.
"I was there until I heard Itsuki and Miku shouting your names coming closer to where I was, I ran to the dorms as fast as possible after you and Ichika got caught."
"Good grief, I need to find Itsuki as soon as possible."
"Don't worry Uesugi-san!" Yotsuba's posture straighten and placed her fists on her hips.
"I'll go get Itsuki!" she turned around and before her legs could take the first step she felt fuutarou's hand gripping to her wrist.
"You don't need to be involved. I'll handle this on my own."
"Oh, alright, if you need anything just ask me, or do a little sign if it's a secret." Yotsuba smiled and Fuutarou let go of her hand.
"Let's go skiing! I'll teach you how to, you might be lucky and come across itsuki!"
"Fine, I'll do your thing, I just know how to move forward though. " Fuutarou stood up once again and started to follow Yotsuba's lead.
"That's why I'll be there to teach you." Yotsuba replied.
Fuutarou's sight was lost in between yotsuba's ankles and the floor. The morning sunlight passed through the dorm's windows over and over again, window after window, with each turn he took the beautiful white landscape went unnoticed, left, right, stairs.
"N-Nino, I'm supposed to dance with her."
A sudden thought shortened his breath.
Drawing his eyebrows together his mind started working at its full capacity.
"Find Itsuki and Miku, dance with Nino. Got it." his head went up and a smirk formed on his lips.
Yotsuba and Fuutarou managed to reach the skii area, Yotsuba obviously loaded their equipment when climbing the mountain.
"Alright Uesugi-san, put these on…"
"Use the skii poles to…"
"It's important to use…"
Fuutarou's fixation on trying to spot the quintuplets took all his attention.
"UESUGI-SAN!" Yotsuba shouted and hit Fuutarou's head with the skii pole.
"Ouch, That hurt." Fuutarou covered his head with his palm.
"Everything I'm teaching you enters throught one ear and leaves through the other." Yotsuba pouted.
"That's exactly how it feels like to be your tutor."
"Hahahaha" Yotsuba laughed out loud.
A mysterious skier stopped by them.
"There she is!" shouted Yotsuba.
"Who?"
The mystery skier raised their googles. "I am Itsuki."
"I-Itsuki? This is my perfect opportunity."
"Hi itsukiiii, how are you doing?" Fuutarou friendly greeted her.
"Hi, Uesugi-kun." Itsuki coldly replied.
Yotsuba raised both hands holding her skii poles "Alright guys! Let's do it!"
Itsuki turned around and adjusted her googles back on.
"W-Wait a second Itsuki!" his fingers tried to reach Itsuki's hand but his feet struggled to walk on skiis.
"You're not getting away from me!" Fuutarou skied down the hill chasing her.
"Wait Uesugi-san!" said Yotsuba, rasing her left arm with her skii pole.
Itsuki outsmarted Fuutarou in terms of skii skills, flawlessly dodging every obstacle.
Trying to keep an eye on Itsuki and avoid crashing against the many people was a task harder than he could've imagined.
After a persecution down the long mountain Itsuki finally stopped.
Fuutarou smirked. " I got you curry-devouring monster."
His smirk faded away quickly.
"Oh no, how do I stop…?
"May God forgive my soul." Fuutarou covered his head with his hands and tried to find a way to roll and slow down the speed.
Roll after roll after roll, he crashed against the wooden cabin Itsuki stopped by.
"It could've been worse" thought Fuutarou, inhaling through his teeth.
"Are you alright???" Itsuki bent down, the crash aparantly made Fuutarou's ear not hear well.
"Itsuki, I need to talk to you." trying to get back on his feet.
"Itsuki? I think you got the wrong person."
"Fuutarou's face turned red.
"W-wait, you're not Itsuki???"
"No, my name is Ryougawara Yui"
Fuutarou rapidly stoop up. "I-I'm sorry for this misunderstanding."
"Hmm" the girl skied away.
"Shit, that was really embarrassing."
Fuutarou kept his right hand on his head. Now trying to brush the embarrassment off his forehead as well as relieve the pain, still looking out for where Itsuki might be.
"Kintarou-kun?" a voice from behind made Fuutarou rapidly take his right hand off his head, freezing on the spot.
"Is that you, Kintarou-kun?" Nino looked up with a smile.
"Who? I'm not that person, What a strange name." Fuutarou responded with a weird voice.
"I know that's you Kintarou-kun!" Nino stood up.
"Nino is a liability I cannot afford right now."
Fuutarou closed his eyes and mouth tightly, looked up and prepared to make the safest decision, run.
"Wait Kintarou-kun! Why are you running!?" Nino chase him.
Their persecution led Fuutarou from the cafeteria at the base of the mountain to the dorms, using all his energy to scape but Nino was catching up to him, he stopped for a moment to think of his next move.
"Fuutarou~" he didn't have enough time to turn his head before a mysterious arm came out of the gap between two cabins and dragged him in.
"Fuutarou~" whispered the mysterious voice.
" Huff Who- huff Who are you? Huff" fighting for air.
"I'm Miku." The mysterious quintuplet replied.
"Miku… it's already hard to tell you girls apart by faces, let alone wi-" Miku covered Fuutarou's mouth with her right hand from behind.
"Stay quiet, Yotsuba might still be there."
"Yotsuba?" Fuutarou mumbled between Miku's fingers.
After 5 minute of silence Miku finally let go of Fuutarou's face.
" Sigh Thank you for helping me hide, Miku."
"Was Yotsuba also chasing you?"
"Y-Yeah, it was Yotsuba." Fuutarou lied through his teeth.
"Say, Miku. Did Ichika or Itsuki tell you anything about yesterday?"
"No, I didn't talk to Itsuki today and Ichika clarified what happened." Miku replied.
"Ahahaha Thank God." Fuutarou's right hand was drawn to his head and laughed nervously.
"I- I think I should get going, Miku." Fuutarou took the first step outside but felt the grip of Miku's hand pulling him back in.
"D-Don't go yet-" Miku said between pauses.
"hm?" Fuutarou turned around.
"I- I don't know what I want anymore." She loosened the grip and looked down.
"Is something the matter, Miku?"
"I- Yotsuba might still be outside."
"Maybe… I'll wait a little more." Fuutarou sat down on the ground and so did Miku.
"it's my opportunity… but I don't know what to say."
"Fuutarou, have you ever had to compete against someone for something only one person can have?"
"What's up with that oddly specific question?" Fuutarou looked at her.
"J-Just answer."
Fuutarou couldn't grasp what the question was about but it was another chance for him to form bonds with the Nakano quintuplets.
"Well, I don't really pay attention to second or third places, but four years ago I was struggling with my studies, I was climbing spots in the top and there was this "perfect charming prince" looking dude who I don't remember the name of. He was the best students at my school, and I had to beat him in order to get my hands on the top."
Miku carefully listened and nodded.
"I pulled all-nighters for weeks in order to beat him."
"And what happened???" Miku eagerly asked.
"I got a 100 test and he got a 93." Fuutarou smirked.
"Oh, lucky you, what a surprising ending." Miku pouted.
"ahahaha" Fuutarou laughed.
"I still don't understand how you are so good at studying and I can barely get a passing score."
"Don't beat yourself like that, If you really want something you have to put on the work and eventually your efforts will be rewarded, success lies at the end of failure."
"Are you trying to tutor me?"
"I-I don't know, I figured you wanted an advice." Fuutarou covered his face from her sight with his right hand.
Miku chuckled to herself. My efforts will always be rewarded someday."
Fuutarou stood up. "I think I should go now, have you seen Ichika or Itsuki?"
"Nope, I did not." Miku Smirked.
"Damn it." Fuutarou looked both sides to make sure Nino isn't there and walked away.
Miku's smirk haven't faded away yet as she grabbed her phone and stared at her older sister's contact info. "Nakano Ichika."
Calling… Calling… Ringing…
"Ichika, where are you?"
"Oh, Hi Miku, I'm almost finished with my chores with the camfire team, once I'm done I'll get ready to have some fun skiing haha."
Miku looked up to the sky between the two roofs beneath her. "Let's meet up soon, I need to talk to you."
"Sure, but can't we talk about it now? Itsuki-chan and Yotsuba are skiing right now and I'll join them soon, would you like to join us too?"
"I'd prefer to talk to you in person." Miku's lips curled up.
A bad feeling went through Ichika mind. "If you say so, once I'm done you can cone here and we'll talk."
"I see, that's all Ichika."
"Alright, Goodbye Miku."
"Goodbye, Ichika."
Call ended.
Miku hit the back of her head with the wall she was leaning on, her woolly hat absorbed the damage.
"I'm staring to see a peek of light at the end of the tunel" Miku smiled.
"Uesugi-san!" Yotsuba's voice come from the other side of the other side of the dorm.
"H-Hi, Yotsuba." Fuutarou awkwardly waved from a far.
"I'm coming!" Yotsuba quickly ran towards him.
"Come here Uesugi-san, Ichika and I were looking for you."
"I-Ichika?" Fuutarou felt a tingle on his back.
"Hello Fuutarou-kun, nice to you see you here." Ichika waved with a smile as she approached Yotsuba from behind.
"Ichika… H-Hi."
"Let's go up the mountain now, You won't run away this time Uesugi-san." Yotsuba pointed her skii pole in his direction.
"Yotsuba, have you seen Itsuki around here?"
The tip of Yotsuba's index finger touched her chin.
"Hmmm, the last time I saw her was when she went down the mountain and you chased her."
"The last time I saw Itsuki was in the cafeteria." Ichika added.
"itsuki…" Ichika's words sticked in his mind like a post it note.
"Ichika… would you like to help me find her?" Fuutarou turned to her.
"S-Sure"
Yotsuba raised her hand. "Can I go too?"
"Just Ichika and I, when I find Itsuki we'll skii all you want." Fuutarou winked at her.
The ends of Yotsuba's ribbon straightened. "Oh, I get it, I'll get going." and skied away.
Fuutarou took a few steps forward and turned around.
"Ichika, do you know where the cafeteria is?"
"Y-Yeah." Ichika stuttered.
"Would you guide me there?"
"S-Sure, I-I think it's over here." Ichika pointed at some place in the woods.
"Alright, I'll follow you."
Ichika started walking and fuutarou followed her.
Fuutarou didn't beat around the bush. "Say, Ichika, can we finally talk about what happened yesterday?"
"Oh… Fuutarou-kun, what is there to say about that?" Ichika responded with her eyes still looking at the pathway.
"It was a mistake and I think it's better if we forget about that."
"You told me the same thing this morning, why telling me again?" Ichika still held her head facing forward.
Fuutarou sighed in relief. "You didn't respond back then."
"Oh Fuutarou-kun, if I'm being honest I admit I didn't know you had the balls to do such thing."
"Don't tease me like that Ichika." Fuutarou chuckled.
"Aren't you afraid of what my father would say if he knew what happened?"
"I'm willing to take responsibility for my mistakes." Fuutarou firmly replied.
"I see." Said Ichika with a serious voice.
…
"I want to tell Itsuki the truth."
"Why would you want to do that, Fuutarou-kun?" Ichika turned around just a little to peek a glance at her tutor's face.
"I have nothing to hide. I couldn't say anything yesterday, I don't know what happened to me, but now it's time, Ichika. I suppose you don't oppose to the idea, right?"
"Do as you please, Fuutarou-kun."
"I see." Fuutarou smirked
The quintuplet's bad sense of direction led them in the middle of the dense white forest that surrounded the camp. The sounds of people skiing and talking slowly faded away with every step they took.
"Are you sure this is the right path?"
"I-I'm sure it's in the other side of the forest, I remember it."
Fuutarou clunched his teeth. "Of course you don't know where we are."
"W-What?" Ichika stopped and turned around.
Fuutarou walked towards Ichika and tightly grabbed her wrist, his eyebrows were drawn closer to each other and his tone deepened. "I found you, Itsuki."
"I-I think you got the wrong idea Fu-Fuutarou-kun." Ichika tried to free herself from his grip.
Fuutarou let go of her hand and pulled her woolly hat, revealing long locks of red hair underneath it.
"I knew it, only you have such bad sense of direction."
"U-Uesugi-kun-" the fifth quintuplet's face matched colors with her hair now flying with the cold breeze.
"I wasn't sure back then, but your terrible sense of direction was more than enough proof."
"I-I'm really sorry." Itsuki lowered her head.
"I assume you're the Ichika I talked to this morning as well."
"Y-Yes."
Fuutarou sighed. "Good grief, you always leave things halfway through."
"I-I just wanted to make sure…" Itsuki couldn't finish her sentence.
"I'm sorry this turned into such a big mess Itsuki." Fuutarou looked up.
"Uesugi-kun…" Fuutarou words echoed in Itsuki's mind.
"Even though I've known you were impersonating Ichika all this time, I told you the truth from the beginning."
"Even the…?" Itsuki flustered.
"Y-Yes, even that awkward question." Fuutarou covered his mouth with his palm.
"H-How long have you known it was me?" Itsuki stuttered.
"I thought Ichika's behavior was odd, and she normally use the honorific "chan" when addressing you, I might not be able to tell you girls apart but I've picked up some of your quirks."
"I'm sorry for butting into your business."
"I hope this clears up everything."
"Not everything." Itsuki straightened her posture.
"Uesugi-kun, you know my stands on relationships between students."
"What are you trying to say? I-I'm not planning on dating Ichika!" Fuutarou's right hand touched his chest.
"I just wanted to remind you, I suppose we have the same ideas about it."
"Y-Yeah, you already know that I always keep the distance between us."
A creep of red ran through Fuutarou's ears. "But I'd be lying if I tell you Ichika was the only one at fault for what happened."
"What is up with this creepy talk?" Itsuki raised an eyebrow.
Fuutarou turned away from Itsuki's sight. "I-I'm just trying to be honest, give me a break."
Itsuki chuckled. "I see. I told Ichika this and I'll tell you now, do as you please."
"Huh?" Fuutarou couldn't hide his surprise.
"Is that what you expected me to say?" Itsuki chuckled.
"S-Stop playing with me, Itsuki, be serious."
"I trust your judgment, Uesugi-kun."
"So you're not gonna tell dad?"
"Is that the first question that comes to mind? And you have no business in calling him dad."
Fuutarou looked away and held his fingers close to his lips. "I-I can handle the rest… that was the only part that was not under my control."
"No, I won't tell dad, Ichika would hate me if I did."
"She would?"
"I-I mean… I think she would."
" tsk, let's go back to the camp." Fuutarou turned around and tugged his arms together.
"Keep in mind that you're still our tutor."
"Huh?" Fuutarou turned back.
"You are our tutor and we are your students, I'll keep an eye on you, I hope you know where the line is drawn."
"That's what I've always said, and didn't you just tell me you trusted my judgment?"
"Did I just ruin some of your future plans with Ichika?"
"N-No, I just think it's contradictory."
Itsuki chuckled. "Do not let me down."
…
"I-I'll keep that in mind." Fuutarou stuttered.
"She sounds just like Nakano-san."
"Let's go now, Uesugi-kun."
"Yeah, let's go." Fuutarou started walking and Itsuki followed him from behind.
A sincere smile formed in Itsuki's face as she looked up to the now cloudy noon sky in the gaps between the thick layers of snow on the treetops.
"You're not like our father, Uesugi-kun."
"Uesugi-san! You finally found Itsuki!" Yotsuba waved at the two students from the distance.
"Come here Yotsuba! We can't hear you well!" Fuutarou shouted.
"Coming!" Yotsuba skiied down the hill.
"Hi Yotsuba." Itsuki waved at her.
"Hm, where is Ichika now?"
"Uhhhh, s-she needed to help around the campfire preparations." Itsuki stuttered.
"It's not fair, we were supposed to skii together!"
Fuutarou looked at the sky, covering the sun with her palm. "Let's skii now the three of us, it doesn't seem like we have a lot of sunlight left."
"I'm down for it." Itsuki smiled.
"Alright! Follow me you two!" Yotsuba turned around and Fuutarou and Itsuki followed her up the mountain.
"Nakano-san, thank you a lot for your help! I'm sorry it took you so much of your day." Chiyu said as she wrote something down on her clipboard.
"You're welcome Nishizawa-san, I'll go to skii with my sisters now."
"Have fun!" Chiyu smiled.
"Ichika…" Ichika heard her sister's voice from behind.
"Oh, Miku, hi, do you wanna talk now?" Ichika smiled.
"Yeah, let's grab a drink." Miku's monotone voice never changes.
"Sure."
Miku and Ichika walked to one of the bending machines close to the cafeteria.
"I'll sit down here." Ichika sat down on the concrete stairs.
"Do you want a drink?" Miku looked at her.
"A frappuccino soda would be nice."
"Got it."
"Hm, what did you choose, Miku?"
"Matcha soda, room temperature."
"I didn't know they sold room temperature soda in here. I guess you never go to sleep before learning something new." Ichika took a sip.
Miku opened her can. "Ichika… I have not been the most honest with you."
"Hm? What are you talking about?" Ichika stopped drinking for a moment to pay attention to Miku's next words.
A smile formed in Miku's face. "I'm in love with Fuutarou."
Ichika opened her eyes wider and her heartbeat accelerated. "About time you said it out loud huh."
Miku continued. "I know that if I put on the work, my efforts will be rewarded. I want to become the woman Fuutarou would fall for."
"So what are you going to do Miku." Ichika took another sip.
Miku stood up. "I will Fuutarou to dance with me tonight."
Ichika almost choked on her drink. "So you want to switch places tonight?"
"No, you don't need to do anything, I will ask him myself and I will dance with him tonight!"
"That's… great Miku." Ichika half-hearted smiled.
Miku turn her head towards Ichika. "I don't want you to hold back, Ichika."
Ichika's heart skipped a beat. "W-What?"
"Yeah, I don't want you to hold back, because I will not hold back either, so be prepared." She smiled and pointed at her older sister.
"Hahaha, fine, I'm rooting for you, Miku."
"Thank you, Ichika." She extended her hand to help Ichika stand up.
Ichika grabbed her hand. "Thanks to you, Miku."
"It's getting late, let's have lunch together." Miku took a step forward.
"Just the two of us?"
"Yeah, the others have probably eaten already."
Ichika looked at her phone. "Jeez, we're kind of late for lunch now, let's head to the cafeteria asap."
"Yeah, let's go, Ichika."
"After you, Miku."
Both sister walked into the cafeteria. Ichika picked shiokara, Miku picked a vegetable sandwich and sat in a table close to the window facing the mountains.
Miku took a bite off her sandwich. "Ichika, do you know about the bindinglegend?"
"Hm? Binding legend?"
"Yeah, Yotsuba talked about a legend that says that the couple who holds hands at the end of the camfire in the last day of the school trip will be bound together for life."
"Ichika's mind lost direction for a moment. "W-What? No, I didn't hear about that."
Miku glanced at her older sister. "Really? I thought Yotsuba told you about it as well, she was really verbal about it."
Ichika tried to collect her thoughts. "So, how long have you known about this legend?"
Miku smiled. "It was in the school's hallway a few days before the trip. I was with Fuutarou and Yotsuba and she brought it up."
"Oh, I see."
Miku nodded. "That's why I wanna dance with Fuutarou tonight, to show him my conviction."
"Ahahaha, Good luck Miku." Ichika smiled and turned to her plate.
"I don't believe in that kind of stuff but Miku does… does Fuutarou-kun believe in that stuff?"
Ichika's fingers tightly gragged her utensils.
"If Fuutarou-kun was with Miku when Yotsuba talked about that legend it means Fuutarou-kun is aware of it."
Ichika's cheeks grew a little red.
"Is that why he wanted to dance so eagerly?
A playful smirk formed on her lips.
"Oe Fuutarou-kun, you really are playing with all your cards huh?"
Ichika leaned on the wooden wall.
"But what if he just doesn't believe that type of thing?"
Ichika grabbed her chopsticks once again.
"We kissed… that means something… right? He leaned to kiss me at the same time I did… does that mean we feel the same?"
Ichika peeked a glance at her sister eating her sandwich.
"Miku is going all out tonight… can I do the same? Would it be okay if I take Fuutarou before…?"
Miku noticed Ichika staring at her.
"What is it, Ichika?"
"Oh nothing, nothing, I was spacing out."
"hm."
"I'm sorry Miku, in love and war anything goes, I'm sure you'll understand."
Ichika smiled.
"Let's see who finds Fuutarou-kun first."
Author's note:
I want to thank the reviews from the first chapter for giving me helpful feedback, I think i've improved a lot with them, let me know what you guys think, I also want to thank the author of the Ichika x Fuutarou fanfic "everything" called Bobalon for being an amazing friend and guiding me through the past 2-3 weeks writing this fanfic, he's been really helpful beta reading and giving me his thoughts.
also, I wrote a murderer fanfic if you wanna check it out, it was a joke I haf between some friends and I said "why not?" (Bobalon's one of those friends)
Alright that's it, Happy 2022 everyone