"Mutsumi. What're you doing here? How did you know where I lived?" Fuutarou opened the door to let the morning sunlight in. The birds were chirping and a small stray cat was napping beside the redhead's feet.
"I asked dad." She lied. "There's just something that's on my mind. Would you mind if I come in?"
"I would, actually. The thing is..." Fuutarou could barely speak as Mutsumi stepped past him.
"Itsuki. This is about you too. Come out here." She called out. The three teens sat at the table, the fifth sister holding a bowl of food. "So, let's talk about this whole scenario then."
"Itsuki. Go home." Mutsumi's voice was steady, calculated. "Nino won't come home unless you go home first."
"No. I cannot. You must already know that I won't go back until Nino apologizes to Uesugi-kun." Itsuki put down the bowl. "You should tell Nino to give up."
"Why must you both be so stubborn? Alright then, to the next point." She turns her head. "Fuutarou-san. Resign and Nino will come home willingly."
"What?"
"Fuutarou-san. It's quite logical. You resign, then Nino comes home, and Itsuki's conditions will be fulfilled and she will also return." Again, her voice seemed inhuman. "This is the only way my sisters will pass the next exams, with me tutoring them. I assume Itsuki already told you about Yotsuba."
"Yotsuba? What's up with Yotsuba?"
The three of them headed for school, the tutor fuming as he stomped towards the track team. "Mutsumi. You're still trying to get him fired, even with everything that's happening."
"It's the fastest way to get the both of you to come back. I don't care. I just want you two back." Mutsumi talked with her sister as the two of them left Fuutarou to his own devices.
"Mutsumi. What do you think of Uesugi-kun? He's trying his best to fix this too."
"I..." She paused. She paused for an unnerving amount of time.
"Mutsumi. He's not as bad as you think he is. I think even Nino..."
"If I'm to be honest, I'd say that I'm a bit apprehensive now." Mutsumi said as Fuutarou arrived to the classroom. "But it's the only way Nino would come back."
"Mutsumi. Try to find another way. Maybe if you let him help-"
"I work better alone. Itsuki, let me take care of this. Let me take care of everything." They go to their seats, the youngest sister glancing at her elders' tutor. "Fuutarou-san. You don't seem like a bad guy." She thinks. "I'm sorry."
Day after day, she follows Fuutarou around as he went to each of her sisters. "Mutsumi. I'm going to get them back. Can you tutor your sisters while I work on this?"
"Fuutarou-san. Please, just give up. You're not getting anywhere, so save yourself the trouble." Watching him move about, she felt sorry for what she would be doing for Yotsuba in a few days. She started seeing him in a new light ever since that night, his genuine kindness and concern making some headway. "This is a family matter. I can take care of it." Mutsumi tried to stop him from hurting himself.
"Mutsumi, I can't do that." He looked off, taking his things as he leaves the classroom. "I have to do this."
"Fuutarou-san." Mutsumi clenched her fists. "Stop. It's hopeless. You can't do anything about this. Let me handle it." She grit her teeth, trying to bargain with him. "You doing this, you trying to help, is unnecessary."
"Unnecessary?" Fuutarou paused. "No. That's wrong. I'll get them to come home. Just watch me." Mutsumi stepped back. She had struck a nerve within Fuutarou, who now exuded an aura of immense pressure.
"You're overstepping yourself. Fuutarou-san, do not forget that you are just a tutor." She stepped up to him. "Stop."
"Where's Fuutarou?" Miku asked as she and Ichika clean up their notes. The sun was setting outside just as Yotsuba came through the door.
"You should know where. He just won't listen when I tell him to quit." Mutsumi sighed.
"Why do you want him to give up?" Yotsuba set her things down, walking to the kitchen to get some water.
"I still want him to quit being your tutor. That's all I'll say for now." The sixth sister went to her bag, looking at herself in her mirror. "I'm going to try talking to Nino again."
"Am I really choosing the best option?" Step by step, Mutsumi kicked around a pebble as she passed through the lake. The moon was half covered by a cloud overhead that night, the people around all covered head to toe with clothing thick enough to cause her to sweat. "It's too late to give up now. I...have to commit." She looked down into the water.
"I feel sorry for him now? Great!" She sighed in annoyance. "What am I doing?" She turned around, kicking a post on the nearby railing.
"Mutsumi. How's Nino?" Yotsuba's voice was behind her.
"I haven't gone yet. Why are you here?" She didn't look back to face her.
"I wanted to ask you. Why do you still want him to quit?"
"I...I kinda feel bad for him." Mutsumi said honestly. "It just feels kind of unfair to him; everything that's happening is too much."
"I'm worried about Uesugi-san too."
"That's why we're doing this right?" Mutsumi asks. "Make him forget about you, then...something. What exactly do you think will happen after that?"
"I hope that he just forgets and is able to move on. That might help him get everything done, without the promise weighing him down."
"What promise?"
"Ehhh. It's...it's private." Yotsuba fidgeted with her fingers, kicking the dirt. "Let's just do it soon. Uesugi-san needs a break."
"Maybe you should quit the track practice. That'll give him a break." Mutsumi joked. "You know what, let's just go home. I can talk to Nino another time."
"Today? Are you sure about this?" Mutsumi asked as heard the intruder in her room. The bunny of the Nakanos was halfway in the door, walking in and taking a seat beside her sister's bed.
"Yeah. Let's go. I got a call from Itsuki last night. Uesugi-san was giving off a weird vibe, apparently."
"Itsuki? Right. Alright then. I'll get ready after school." The day went by, as usual. Fuutarou, however, was on auto-pilot. His face was always in thought and his stare distant. "Fuutarou-san? You okay?"
"Huh? Oh...Mutsumi. I'm fine. I'm just thinking of..." He paused as he looked at her, a somber smile suddenly forming on his face before it turned into a wistful, forlorn frown.
"Riight. Okay. Well, I'm teaching them like you said. Fuutarou-san. Please just give up. If you resign as a tutor, then everything will go back to normal. Please, don't make this harder than it needs to be." Mutsumi danced around his desk, trying to get inside his head. "Why? This is clearly beyond you. Why are you doing this? Why does Yotsuba mean so much to you?"
"Uesugi-kun?" Itsuki asked as the two of them approached the house. "Are you okay? You look unwell."
"I'm alright. Let's hurry home so we can review for the exams. The sooner we finish that, the sooner we can try to get Nino to come home." Fuutarou's voice sounded irritated, desperate. "I...you're all relying on me. I have to do this."
"Perhaps you should take a break today. A time to clear your mind might help you think of a new plan." The cold wind began to pick up, blowing her hair aside as the sunlight shone down on them cast a shadow that masked his eyes.
"Itsuki. Can I ask you something?" His voice was empty this time. His body relaxed, almost too much, as he let himself be vulnerable for the answer.
"What is it?"
"Do you think it would've been better if somebody else was your tutor?" Fuutarou stopped. His head turned up, letting Itsuki see the listless look in his eyes.
"Uesugi-kun?"
"No. Nevermind. Go ahead, tell Raiha that I'll be late. I'm going for a short walk." He hands her his bag as he brushes his hair down with his hands. His listlessness had turned sour and sorrowful. "I have to find a way. I'm necessary..." He mumbled on his way back to the lake.
"Mutsumi?" The redhead pulled out her phone as soon as she lost sight of her tutor. "He's heading for the lake now. Change of plans."
"Fuutarou-san. He doesn't look too well." Mutsumi said, holding the hat of her disguise. "Are you sure about this Yotsuba?"
"Yeah. It's better this way." Yotsuba turned away, hiding her face away as her ribbon seemed to shrivel up.
"Then take this." Mutsumi held out a small earpiece. "You deserve to hear this." Hiding a microphone underneath the coat, Mutsumi follows as Yotsuba hides herself in the bushes.
"Alright. Let's go save Uesugi-san." Yotsuba excitedly whispered as her sister struggled to move in the disguise
"You could've saved him a lot of trouble by saying no to that track club." Mutsumi grumbled, stumbling in the heels.
"If I drown here, everyone would get worried and come together..." Fuutarou rested his arms on the wooden fence that lined the lake. "Ah. That's a dangerous line of thinking." He caught himself. "But what if..."
He sat down on a set of steps behind him, thinking silently as Mutsumi approached. "Fuutarou-san? I'm sorry." She thought as she got within earshot.
"No, in fact..."
"I wish you had never come!"
"Stop. It's hopeless. You can't do anything about this. Let me handle it. You doing this, you trying to help, is unnecessary."
"If I show him this, do you think Fuutarou-san can keep his job when someone as capable if not more, is in a better position."
"...I'm unnecessary to those guys." His head bowed as the memories haunted his thoughts.
"You're all depressed again." Mutsumi said, hearing everything he said aloud. "You really don't change, do you?" She slowly stepped towards him, mostly due to her being a novice when it came to heels. "What do I call him?" She thought for a moment, trying to remember what her sisters use to refer to him. "Uesugi Fuutarou-kun." She decided, looking up to see his dumbfound face.
"Long time no see."
A/N: Shorter one this time. This one was hard since in canon, this would've only taken place in a few panels with how I ended the previous chapter. I wanted to save the Rena stuff for it's own chapter.