DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything regarding The Quintessential Quintuplets /五等分の花嫁 / 5-Tōbun no Hanayome


Lemon-A1DE presents...

~Heat~

"Let's just forget about it."
"Huh?"
"That promise about dancing together at the bonfire; let's pretend it never happened."
"Sure..."
"But in exchange… we're gonna dance here. It'll be our own little bonfire tonight!"

I stood behind the tiny, crackling pile of flaming wood and reached my hand out to him like a princess to a prince. There wasn't anything wrong here, just enjoying the newfound time we had gained from being stuck in this shed.

This isn't selfish, right?

Fuutarou-kun blinked, looking like he was mechanically deciding what his next action would be. Did he always look so robotic? Nevertheless, he let out a single breath and propped himself up to stand, not making direct eye contact with me.

"No one else is watching, so…"
"So you do get embarrassed; that's pretty cute."

"Why wouldn't I be?" He placed a hand on his hip and spoke with a strange sense of reason and calm. "So many people are hyped up on that legend. So much so that anything remotely resembling some form of romance looks serious. The dance is just the icing on the cake, really. I bet they're freaking out over little details as we speak."

Legend? I've been hearing some excited people gossiping about something along those lines. I guess Fuutarou-kun is assuming I know what he's talking about. He even mentioned as much earlier before I… well, before we got trapped.

I guess that's pretty common for a high school trip. It's probably like one of those Seven Mysteries that all of those stories talk about. People definitely have their fun, don't they? I don't blame them. Something about dancing by a roaring fire in the cold, being close to touch and sharing someone's warmth. Who wouldn't get some exciting thoughts from that?

Though I have to say, I kind of expected something along those vaguely judgmental lines… never change, Fuutarou-kun.

"Be careful who you say that to." I grinned, walking a little closer to him. "Isn't it fun to have just a little bit of superstition in your life?"

"Um, no?" He stated incredulously. as if it were obvious.

"I pity the poor girl who falls for you..." I shook my head and looked at his eyes once more. "This is all the more reason to dance!"

"What?"
"Someone's got to beat your mind into shape; come on!"
"W-Woah, hey Ichika!"

Without too much thought, I grabbed his wrist and pulled him in and started walking around the fire with him with me being the one leading and moving forward.

For someone who doesn't do much manual work, his hands are surprisingly… rough, and big. Just a guy thing maybe? Still… so interesting.

His movements were confused and uncoordinated, he looked down at the ground to check our feet while not managing his upper body at all.

"What are you doing?" He darted his head around and around.

"I wanna dance with you. You don't like it?"
"Clearly. I don't even know what I'm doing."
"Ouch… do you not like being around me?"
"Oi, don't take that the wrong way."
"Well, then just imagine me as someone else; how about you pretend I'm Miku?"

He squinted his eyes and looked at me inquisitively.

Really? Poor Miku…

"Well, fine! I'm appointing myself to be your teacher for tonight, Fuutarou-kun. Follow me!"
"What is going on…"

I stopped moving for a moment, and he followed as he was very much unfamiliar with everything going on. Everywhere I mentioned a direction for him, he looked and tried to familiarize himself with it.

"This isn't a formal event." I said in hopes to calm him down. "So you don't really have to worry about coordination and moves. So just put your hands…"

I moved his hands carefully, trying to get them to find my hips. I didn't judge the distance correctly, and he was still unfamiliarly awkward with the placements, so right as our arms went a bit lower, he gripped and closed the span of his arms.

"Fuutarou-kun...?"

He latched on to the narrow part of my waist, and his hands filled and cupped around into the small of my back. They… filled them up. His hands, clumsy and clammy, are holding me so tightly. The tips of his fingers dug lightly into sensitive areas. Even through my clothes and the coat he lent me, why does it feel like he's holding onto more?

"Like this?" He cluelessly questioned.

"Y-You're pretty bold, huh…? These dances are typically more intimate, so…"

I didn't need to put my hand over my heart to tell something was going awry… this isn't a good situation.

But I can't- don't want to back out from this. What? This is just practice… practice for… his dance with Miku.

"Ichika?" He confusedly called out. "This is the correct way, right?"

"H-Huh?" I gave my head a little shake to attempt to snap out. "Well, if you were already dating… you could leave your hands there, but to be safe… go a little lower; o-on my hips."

Fuutarou didn't comment on that, but instead was muttering to himself 'her hips' softly as he looked at the position of his hands. For whatever reason, instead of removing his hands from my body and replanting them on my hips, he slowly dragged them down and unintentionally caressed me.

Bad… This is bad… Just scold him! Tell him that's no good!

"Hey… that tickles."
"My bad… is this fine?"

Breathe, Ichika… Breathe.

"Better…" I chuckled, trying to lose the nerves and tingles in my body. "You oughta be careful next time you place your hands on a girl's hips, Fuutarou-kun."

"Eh? What gives? Did I hold you too tight?"

"Well there's that… but more importantly, don't move your hands by dragging them on someone else's body."

"Huh… alright, I'll take note of that."

That didn't fluster you? You focus on the weirdest things, don't you?

"And now I'll put my arms around… here." I placed my arms loosely on his shoulder. "Now come a little closer; our arms are too tensed up."

"Closer… here."
"Yeah…"

His breath barely hit the side of my cheek when we closed the distance. I almost looked away completely when we stepped in so quickly, but I had to be a good teacher. I had to.

"Face here, Fuutarou-kun." I whispered. Since when did my voice suddenly become so silky?

I took a hand and held his chin, bringing his face directly in line with mine. Things looked so different up close; despite his small frame, his shoulders are still obviously broader than mine, and the shape of his face was… surprisingly sharp and handsome, even. I always knew that, but seeing it up close… it really drives the point home.

"...Anything else?" He questioned as he looked somewhere past my face, partially hiding his expression from my prying eyes.

"Mmm, yeah."

I stared at him, waiting for him to notice, but decided it was just easier to spell it out for someone like him.

"Keep your eyes on me."

Surely enough, he turned his head and gave me a good look at his face. Based on the inconsistent light source we had, I couldn't get a good look, but if I wasn't just seeing things… he looked shy, flustered even. His cheeks were a bit red from what I saw, and he couldn't properly focus.

"...do I always have to look directly at you?"

Honestly… why do you have to be so cute right now?

"Yeah."

I felt my lips curl up into a smile unconsciously. I wonder what my face looked like to him right now? If he even noticed that is.

"A-And now." I continued abruptly. "We just… move around; circle the fire."

"Alright."

We had begun to move carefully around the fire. I took the lead and pushed forward where he moved backwards, all in tentative, semi-relaxed movements. Occasionally, I'd move in a circular fashion and we traded movements. His gaze remained stiff, but not harsh. The eyes he showed to me right now were unlike what he usually had. Where they were typically harsh and confident, now they were uneasy… and harsh. I guess that's just his eyes' resting state.

"And how long are we staying like this?" He said.

"Hmmm, it depends. Will there be music at the bonfire tomorrow?"
"I wouldn't know."
"It's probably safe to assume there will be. So for now… just get comfortable with me."

He scoffed. "Easier said than done."

"It's not that hard…"

Or so I say, at least.

"It's just weird being this close to another person like this." Fuutarou commented shyly. "In fact, the last time I was in a position like this was with you."

"W-With me?" I racked my brain for the memory. "Right… when we were hiding from Oda-san during the festival."

"The way you say that makes it sound suspicious, you know?"

Probably the first time I was ever hugged by a boy… by him no less.

"C-Come to think of it," I pressed on with very little regard. "I've seen your sleeping face twice now."

"Twice… wait, when was the second time?"
"I wonder… ehehe. Isn't it weird that I've got experiences like that with you?"

Where am I going with this…?

"Right… at this rate, let's hope I don't end up accidentally walking in on you in nothing but a towel."
"E-Eh? Fuutarou-kun…?"
"Like the incident with Nino early on."
"O-Oh."

I giggled, feeling stupid for misunderstanding some part of that sentence.

This guy… He's gonna be the death of me. Wait… no. Don't think like that now.

"To be honest," He said as he sighed. "I'm really at a loss when it comes to dealing with her."

Changing the subject now, huh? I don't want to sound crazy but… come on.

"You really don't hold back, huh… I told you already though, right? Be firm like she is."
"Uh, that's pretty much what I've been doing. I don't think it's gotten me very far."
"Then maybe there's something that even I can't grasp about her."
"There is?"

"We're sisters, not mind readers." I softly shrugged. "Well, that's part of the thing with growing up, I guess. Sometimes that also means growing a bit apart."

We are quintuplets, we aren't the same person. We have personalities that grow, change and develop independently of each other. It's just a fact of life that we will end up differently. But it doesn't have to be all bad.

"...Does that bother you?"
"I've... always been thinking about that lately, you know? Ever since I got the role that night. Eventually, I'll be taking role after role trying to make a name for myself in the industry. I won't be able to stick around with them for as long as I used to. And it won't just be me, eventually everyone's gonna go somewhere else in life."
"Right."
"So I guess it does hurt a little to know that, but separation doesn't mean we'll stop loving each other. There's no way we could."

"And um… I don't think I could ever forget you too."
"Me?"

Suddenly, we stopped moving, but our hands remained where they were.

The fire illuminated the left side of his face, showing me a curious, and now slightly more relaxed expression. The effect produced by the light gave an almost movie-like glow to him; his eyes popped out more tenderly, and his lips… they had a charming shine to them. It truly felt as if we were the only ones existing in this moment.

There's no taking back that just now. I've really done it,

I clicked my boot against the ground and looked at it briefly before returning to face him earnestly. "I mean it; when I become a bigshot celebrity, I won't forget what you did for me that night."

"You're way too confident about that becoming true."

"Oh, you…" I rolled my eyes. "And well, maybe even if I didn't make it, I'd still remember you."

"Do you plan on failing?"
"No."
"Then there's no need to think about that."
"Didn't you just scold me for being overconfident?"

I chuckled and he followed through lightly. I hung my head down for a moment and turned the giggle into a simple smile.

Hold on, somehow it only occurred to me right as I was saying it, but if I'm going away…

"Huh… you know, it just hit me that I won't be around often in the near future. Like, I'm actually feeling… kind of sad right now because of it."
"Because of your job you mean?"
"Yeah…"

For some reason, it was getting harder and harder to look straight at him. Though that didn't mean I didn't want to; the opposite was true, in fact. But I tried. As best I could, I maintained eye contact amidst my second, third, and fourth thoughts.

"I might not be able to spend the last parts of high school with my sisters, or you."
"I was thinking maybe you'd appreciate not getting tutored and drilled to death by me."
"Well…"
"You can't even deny it!"
"Ahaha! Okay fine, but can I not miss you?"
"Eh?"
"Not the tutor. Uesugi Fuutarou; you."

Come on, Fuutarou-kun…

He clearly wasn't used to this. "Well, thanks…"

"Is that all you have to say?"

Am I just wishfully thinking, I wonder? Just maybe...

"More or less." The manner in which he said it made it like the end of a conversation, whether he thought so or not.

"Eh?" I felt myself pouting at his stubbornness. "Then give me the more part; compliment me."

This is going a bit over just simple teaching… In fact, it has been for a while now. Ichika, what are you doing?

"Even if you weren't the most cooperative at the start, I really appreciate that you were always kind. And I'm thankful that…" He paused to form the words. "That you're always helpful and caring when I or even any of your sisters need it."

"Ehehe. I try my best."
"I guess what I want to say is I'm glad I got to tutor you. More than that, I'm glad to be more than just a teacher to you because I… enjoy being around you."
"Aww… you're sweet when you try, you know?"
"Don't get used to it…"
"Ahaha, are you saying this because I said I might be leaving soon?"
"A bit, but I guess it reminded me that you needed to hear that from me."

Needed to hear that from me, huh…

"I feel the same way about you, Fuutarou-kun."
"Hmm?"
"I'd always insist you see me as a big sister, but nowadays I don't think that cuts it."

"What do you mean?"
"Never forget how much you helped me as well. I'm saying that we help each other out really well. For as harsh as you are sometimes, you really pull through when someone needs you."

"Huh…" He steadily accepted the praise. "I never thought I'd hear that about me."

"Well there you have it. I'm glad to be… close to you."
"Close, huh?"

No matter how you slice it, an atmosphere like this was just weird. Sure, it was nice to know how much you mean to someone, and vice versa but… where does that go? Maybe me and him just aren't used to this kind of praise.

I could feel my cheeks warm up in the silence. "Aha, um let's keep talking."

"Alright, then about what?"

"Hmmm…" As I looked up momentarily, I tapped one of my fingers on his shoulder, getting a slight reaction. "How about we take turns asking each other questions? I've always wanted to know more about you."

I peeked at our immobile legs. "While dancing, that is."

"Huh? Oh, right."

This time, Fuutarou-kun managed to take the lead and start moving. We swayed slowly, side to side like field grass in a gentle night breeze. There was nothing else important going on. After all, we were going to be stuck here for quite a while.

"Did you forget this was practice?" I teased. "Maybe you were charmed?"

"If it makes you feel better." He dismissively said as he looked to the side for a moment.
"What if I say it does?"

"...who's going to start asking questions?"

This guy…

"Pfft… you start."

"Let's see..." He looked up to the right for a moment while humming. "How long have you wanted to be an actress?"

"Since I could remember. I don't really know what started it." I pondered for a bit before I opened my mouth. "What are your dreams?"

"Get out of debt as soon as possible. I don't want my sister to keep living like we are now."

I nodded silently. His expression softened even more, almost looking a bit wistful. Maybe that question and his answer touched a sensitive spot?

"What memory of your mom sticks out the most?"
"Huh… me and the others surprised her with a handpicked bouquet of flowers. She hugged us and said that watching us live well was what made her the happiest."

"May I... ask about your mom? Itsuki never mentions her even after spending time with your family."
"She uh, passed away."

"Oh…" I lowered my head, feeling a bit dumb for going there. "I'm really sorry."

"Don't worry; it was a long time ago."

Him too?

Noticing my slight discomfort, he spoke up thoughtfully. "I'll let you ask another question."

"Then what's a strong memory you have of her?"
"She ran a bakery, so the smell of pastries always leaves an impression on me."

His family's in debt… His mother ran a bakery but she passed away? Maybe now isn't the time...

"Which of your sisters do you get along with the most?"
"Well that's not nice, isn't it?"
"I'm not asking for your favorite or anything. Come on."
"Then, I guess it'd be... Miku."

Crap

"Which of us sisters do you think is the most attractive?"
"Wha- what kind of question is that?"

I laughed, enjoying his squirming. "Don't leave me hanging, Fuutarou-kun."

"You're quintuplets though… how do I answer that?"
"Attractiveness means more than just looks, you know? Fine, who's the first one that comes to your mind?"

He spent a few seconds thinking to himself. Suddenly, he directly faced me once more, much to my surprise.

"Then it's… you." He darted his eyes a bit and covered his mouth with his hands before dropping them. "I think you're the most attractive."

"…"

Calm down… it's hot enough with the fire going.

"A-Are you saying that because you're talking to me?"
"I wouldn't lie like that."
"O-Oh…"
"So now you get flustered when the tables are turned, huh… Y-You asked for my opinion though."
"D-Don't start with me…"

Just how long has it been since we got locked in here? How much time was passing?

"Y-Your turn, Fuutarou-kun."

The thoughtful pondering of his silence was a bit unnerving. I know he was just trying to think, but what about it was making me so nervous? Did I want him to… ask what I wanted to ask? No, I shouldn't hope for that.

"Ichika, why'd you cry earlier?"

"That's not fair…"

No… don't do that, Fuutarou-kun.

"What did I say that upset you?"

We weren't supposed to end up this close together…

"It's nothing, r-really."

I shouldn't do this behind Miku's back… I'm getting too carried away by the mood and the accident!

"There you go again…" Fuutarou muttered under his breath. "Come on."

I felt one of his hands leave my waist and felt a new, warm presence almost aggressively cupping my cheek.

"A-Ah!"
"Don't smile when you don't mean it."

"!"

"You shouldn't have to bear it alone!"

I want to but… not this issue. It's not the same.

"It's…" I tried to speak, but through the sound of my heart beating and the fire, it seemed to come out as a whisper. "What are you doing?"

"Tell me what's wrong. I can… I can be there for you like you are for me."

Dammit… why'd you have to be so cool and sensitive now?

His face is too close; too determined and serious to be this close. And the way his hand was placed from my perspective was giving me a growing list of bad ideas.

What's wrong? How am I supposed to say the things you're doing to me are putting me in a bad spot? And you don't seem to even realize what you're doing!

"I-I don't want to lie to you, Fuutarou-kun." I stepped backwards, slowly trying to break away from his loose hands. "So I can't answer that."

"What? What are you even talking about?"

I tried to remove myself but he held on even tighter around my waist, earning a gasp from my end. Only then as the noise escaped my lips did he finally seem to have some second thoughts about the way he was holding me and he suddenly loosened up.

Now you're embarrassed...

"S-Sorry…"
"Ah…"

With one final tug, I tried to step back even more but I felt my thigh growing much hotter than it should've been. And at that moment, I felt my shoe crush wood.

I looked behind me. "E-Eh…?!"

"Ichika, watch out!"

What?

What just happened?

"Ichika, are you okay? Did it burn you?"

Why am I… what's holding me up?

In my brief state of panic and shock, I could only look forward as my body froze. Fuutarou-kun's face was the only thing in my focus. He was bent over and… it feels like his one arm was now entirely around my waist and the other was supporting my upper back. Trying to register where my hands were, I spotted them draped over his shoulders and clasped onto the back like a vise digging into his sweater. It looked like we had just finished a high octane dance performance with me clumsily missing my mark.

No way…

Each time my heart beat, an anxious breath flowed out my mouth. I swear I could feel it thumping my ears and my wrists. It was so intense.

And he was just standing over me like that, his breathing slightly out of sync with his body, his chest rising and falling as his mouth made way for oxygen. But still, it didn't look real.

"Are you okay?"
"Y-Yeah…"

The air was silent, static. The only remaining things I could process were his face, our breaths, and the fire under my back, and the sound of my thumping pulse.

"Wait," Fuutarou mentioned as he looked behind me slightly. "We're still pretty close to the fire."

I attempted to move my foot, which as I found out too late, was not even touching the ground and restricting his own foot.

"T-Then let me move out then- ah!"
"Woah woah woah!"

Our movements clashing in opposing directions caused us to lose balance once more. Luckily, we fell forward and away from the fire. We now lay parallel to it, our sides facing the source and with me on my arms and knees.

Wait…

"Seriously…" Fuutarou chuckled, throwing his arm over to cover his eyes before removing it again to look at me. "You're pretty clumsy, aren't you?"

"!"

That was just… why did that get to me? He never looked like that before.

The way his eyes looked into mine so full of relief, his smile and the way his lips turned up to meet me. How many of my sisters can say they've seen this many faces of him?

I looked down and found our position was even more compromising than earlier. My knees propped me above his stomach and the placement of my forearms ensured my face was as close to his as possible without us touching. Our hot breaths mixed with this absence of a distance. As intrusive as it was, my body didn't want to move away.

I don't think it even could.

"I-Ichika?"

He's right there. I'm looking right at him. His cheeks are flushed red.

"Y-You're breathing really heavily."

His lips… is he looking at mine like I'm looking at his?

"Am I…?

I'm really sorry, Miku… I'm a terrible sister.

My tense hands unwittingly found their way to his upper chest, near his shoulders. Immediately as they did, I could feel the trembling and pounding emanating from his heart even from there. His body was getting warmer… hotter. There's no doubt about it; he was feeling it too. Just as I was.

"F-Fuutarou-kun, would you l-listen to me?"

He didn't speak a word. A terse nod was the only affirmation he gave me. His head stayed facing lower than my face, and I chalked it up to the fact that he couldn't look me in the eye right now.

I was only partially right; I caught him peeking down my shirt. From where he was, he had an unobstructed view of my chest from a top angle.

Good to know...

I smiled even more. "Eyes on me…"

He complied.

But then he also raised a shaky hand and brought it up; right to my cheek.

That's as good a sign as any.

Quicker than I could think my next thought, I moved my head down and brought my lips against his, and kissed him. They were slow, immature, and messy, but I couldn't have cared less at that moment; what mattered more to me was that he was reciprocating my kisses like we were in tune.

Each peck I gave was answered back, and with it each ounce of my inhibitions were being thrown to the wind. My hands remained firmly planted on his shoulders, almost pinning him, and his hands held and my face and waist tenderly.

I didn't know he had this in him. But here he was. There was no way this wouldn't wouldn't have happened, right? Stubborn and focused as he is, this is just… us two, alone together, for who knows how long?

I always knew the truth; ever since the festival, but I had to push it down for such a long time:

I'm in love with him.

With a final tug on his bottom lip, I let go; gasping for what breath I could take. My mind was still in the mood but my body couldn't keep up.

"Mmph-ahhh… hahhh."
"Haahhh… hahhh."

We were so out of breath from the moments leading up to this and our own inexperience. I wanted to go back in, to close my eyes and lose myself more but Fuutarou-kun raised his body and sat up straight while I remained straddling him.

"I-Ichika…"
"Yes…?"

He looked like he was taken aback. Was it because I still looked very much eager to resume making out?

"I uh... what the hell just happened?"
"A-Are you really gonna make me spell it out?"

"Yeah…" He scratched the back of his head. "Nevermind."

In an attempt to soothe myself, I ran my fingers through the side of my head and brought some hair behind my ear. Something was clearly still off; we had no other plans for anything else. No conversation, game, or topic would ever distract us from what just happened.

"Fuutarou-kun…?"

He startled into attention. "Huh- Yeah?"

Peeking through my peripheral vision, I mustered up the courage to look at him again. "Should we um, continue?"

A single nod.

What else was there to do? We couldn't just leave that as it was. That's impossible.

As we began again, Fuutarou-kun placed his hands gently on my sides and straightened up his posture to support our endeavors. The grip evolved into a rather right hug around my waist as my arms reeled him in and locked around his neck.

My hands and nails trailed along the back of his head to his nape, and each inch I dragged through made him shiver delightfully. And almost like he wanted to respond back through his kissing, he ran his open hands across my back in circular motions. I giggled softly in delight, it was so strangely pleasant. Our bodies listened and reacted accordingly; every action is a reaction and every feeling was answered with something easily interpreted as desire.

The place around us only grew quieter and quieter until eventually, once more, the only things present was me, him, and the crackling fire that somehow seemed to pick up more heat.

Just me and him.

"-kun…!"

"...ika?"

"...where a… you?"

"...you here?"

"Uesugi-kun?" A distant voice started to get stronger and stronger. "Where are you?"

"Ichikaaa?" And another, more breathy one.

Was that… Huh?

Fuutarou-kun abruptly pulled back and looked in the direction of the giant door, startling me. "Did you hear that?"

"Huh? O-Oh yeah…"
"Sounded like one of yo-"

Some loud knocks shook the wooden doors and had us both freeze in surprise.

"Ichikaaa? Are you there?"

Itsuki?

I sluggishly sighed and turned to him. "I guess we gotta go, huh?"

Slowly, he prepared his response. "Yeah."

We probably both subconsciously knew that it'd be stupid to just… stay here overnight like this. We'd probably end up getting sick eventually after the tiny fire died out. Not only that but, what else could have happened? Would it have… escalated? I'm not sure I should be thinking of that.

I stood up first, and then offered my hand to my conspirator which he took. As we dusted our clothes clean, I called out.

"Itsuki?"
"There you are! Miku! She's here!"
"Could you open the door? Fuutarou-kun's trapped here with me too!"
"Eh?! Sure sure! Hold on!"

Miku came shuffling towards the door and it sounded like she was working with Itsuki to unlock the door. As they were doing that, I looked back at Fuutarou but immediately went to look down; we were holding hands.

"Um, Fuutarou-kun?"
"Hmm?"
"We probably shouldn't let them see us leaving hand-in-hand."

"Eh?" His eyes widened but remained cool overall and quickly dropped his hand first "Oh, crap."

That was a bit quick, don't you think?

I feel stupid being even a little hurt over that.

We walked over to the door in no rush. It'd only open when the two figure it out. Lots of jiggling and wiggling wood and metal noises decimated the small world we left ourselves in, and suddenly everything else seemed to come into color. Even the dimming fire was slowly turning into a pile of used embers.

And now I'm made more aware of what we just did.

"Ichika." He said softly.

"Yeah?"
"What should we tell Miku?"

Miku… I'm… I'm really sorry. Maybe I at least should've told you how I felt. I'm horrible, aren't I?

But I can't take that back. There's no resetting this, even if everything afterwards is a mess I have to push. So there's really only one thing to do.

"We'll… talk about it. Between me and you first."

I began to quickly remove the jacket he lent me. "You can have this back now. Thanks for being a gentleman."

"Uh… it's alright."
"Eh?"

When I looked at him, he held the bottom half of his face in one hand; it must be a habit of his when he blushes.

"Keep it. Give it back to me tomorrow." He tentatively looked at me. "You look great in it."

"Oh… thank you."

"Then… maybe I can hold onto it for longer."

The knee-jerk, stupefied reaction caught me off guard but it later simmered down into a calm smile relative to our predicament.

"Alright."

~Heat~

-END-


A/N

Did I ever mention that Ichika was my second favorite quintuplet? Well now you know.

Well, idk what else to say. I just felt like writing this in place of my other QQ story. How'd you find it? I don't think it would turn out like this but it is what it is. I always thought that scene in S1 EP10 might've turned out in a similar fashion given some changes in the dialogue (i.e. the bonfire legend being omitted in favor of Fuutarou complaining).

Also judging from evidence in S1 and S2, Ichika doesn't seem like the type to initiate romantic moves in such a direct fashion like Nino would. So I wrote it in such a way that it was her just losing control. What do you think? Anyway, I'll return back to Crossroad Milestones next week! This was just a little detour. Take care and peace out.