"Impressive. That's the only way to describe it, yeah?"
"As much as I hate to admit it, you win this round, Fuutarou-san." Mutsumi and Takeda walked around the rowdy park, the former showing off a snake-like robot to the children that were there while the latter placed himself on the swings. "But I knew you could do it. Congratulations."
"We all managed to get into the top ten. I went in with the intention of defeating both of you, so being in eighth place is quite a favorable spot to be in." He began swinging, slowly building up his momentum as his body continued to move back and forth. "But both of you went above and beyond. Congratulations are in order, for both of you."
"Thanks, Yuusuke-san. But...now what? Next on our itinerary is the school trip, right?" Mutsumi asked, leaving the robot with the kids while controlling it with her phone. She walked over to the swings, leaning her body against the metal frame that held up the swings. "I'm excited. I never really had the chance to go on school trips before."
"Well, we still have some time before..." Fuutarou's voice finally came out, the sound strained by the movement of his body on the other swing. "Hold on! I understand why you're here, but why are you here Takeda?" He turned his head at his company, Mutsumi grinning back at him while Takeda's face was moving too fast to see his expression.
"Yesterday's enemy is today's friend, right?" Takeda answered his question as Fuutarou ejected himself from his seat; he landed a few meters away, but his footing was wobbly. "Now, don't be so hasty. We were all called here, remember?" Takeda brought everyone's attention to the black car that arrived at the park, and to the man that emerged from it.
"My apologies for making you wait." The doctor said, taking a seat on one of the benches in the park. The students soon joined him, Mutsumi sitting beside him while the others sat nearby. "I'd like to begin by congratulating you, Takeda-kun. I'm sure placing eighth, a monumental task, has made your father proud to have a son as capable as you." Maruo turned his head, facing the light-haired teen seated on the bench to his left. "I was told that you were aiming to become a physician. What do you think about joining my hospital? Having someone as exceptional as you-"
"I am deeply sorry. While your offer is an incredible honor, I..." Takeda paused, glancing at his two rivals. "I mean no disrespect by this, but that is no longer my dream. I'm sorry." He bowed his head, placing his hands on his knees.
"I see. While that is unfortunate, I wish you the best for whatever path you choose." The doctor straightened his posture. "Mutsumi-kun, placing sixth nationally is an incredible feat."
"Thanks..." Mutsumi stood up, taking a few steps away to lean against a lamppost.
"I'm proud of you, but I have to ask, what is it you want to do next? Perhaps you'd like to join me in the hospital, if so then-"
"Don't put words in my mouth dad. I'll answer you once I've decided." Mutsumi replied coldly, looking away from Maruo and pocketing her phone.
"...Uesugi-kun." The doctor cleared his throat staring at the two boys on the other bench. Fuutarou and Takeda's faces both showed stunned expressions. She just showed a great deal of disrespect to her father, the chief physician of a hospital. Not only that, her words carried open animosity with them, as if she was inciting a fight by uttering them. "I would once again like to offer you the job of a home tutor. You will be compensated for six times the normal amount. The workplace is a fun and homely environment." He paused, breaking his gaze from the young Uesugi to stare at his daughter. Mutsumi glanced back at him before scoffing, walking away to retrieve her robot from the kids since she had a feeling that they wouldn't be staying for much longer.
"I know that job all too well..." Fuutarou said, leaning back against the backrest of the bench.
"Quite frankly, I am...reluctant to hire you again. This is a job that would give professionals trouble, however, it seems that you are the only one capable of doing it. Will you accept?" All eyes shifted to the tutor, awaiting his reply.
"Of course, I do. I was going to do it even if you didn't ask, but getting paid for it makes it even better." Fuutarou exploded, smiling wide.
"I'm pleased to hear that. Then, like before, until graduation." Maruo held back his reaction to Fuutarou's outburst, instead focussing on the facts of the matter to move the conversation along.
"Ah, if education is all you're concerned about, then they're already more than capable of reaching graduation," Fuutarou said as a reflex, the thought of losing his job since he wasn't needed anymore did not cross his mind. Maruo took this information and thought of it as Fuutarou prepared his next statement. "But, there's something else I'd like to put on the table. Before, I thought that simply graduating was enough. But after hearing out Takeda and Itsuki, I've changed my mind. I'll help those guys graduate with their next path in sight. I want to help them find their dreams!" He shot a glance at Mutsumi, who looked back at him with a hopeful smile mixed with a hint of shock.
"Uesugi-kun..." Both Maruo and Takeda looked up at him with curious looks. "What a change. From how you begrudgingly fulfilled your role in the beginning, that is." Maruo commented, attempting to make a joke; it seemed too serious to be a joke. "You are free to use whatever method you see fit. I don't believe you'll make the wrong choices. But make no mistake, you are just a tutor. Remember your place. If I hear anything about you overstepping your boundaries then-"
"Alright. Are we done here?" Mutsumi interrupted, arms crossed and brows furrowed at the doctor. "Everyone here is busy, let's not prolong this if we don't have to."
"...You're right. Takeda-kun, Uesugi-kun, please enter the car. Mutsumi-kun, can I have a word with you?" Maruo straightened his tie, gesturing with his other arm toward the car where Ebata was standing in wait. Mutsumi sighed, nodding as she watched her classmates enter the vehicle.
"Fuutarou-san might've forgiven you, but I won't; not so easily." Mutsumi said, standing shoulder to shoulder with her father as to not make eye contact. "Pulling the strings from behind all of our backs just to get Yuusuke-san into our class, then attempting to force us into accepting him as our tutor, all just to spite Fuutarou-san." Her anger was bubbling up, coming out in her words as she balled her fists.
"It was not to spite Uesugi-kun, I can assure you. All I wanted is for the brightest of your peers to be the one tutoring you. You'd do well to reevaluate your position on this matter, Mutsumi-kun. Disrespecting me is unbefitting a daughter. Have you forgotten the lengths I went for you during your vacation to your grandfather's." Maruo retorted, adjusting the sleeves of his clothes.
"I haven't, and I'm thankful. But that is an entirely different matter. Leaving aside your hatred for Fuutarou-san, by attempting to hire Yuusuke-san you made your stance clear. You don't trust that I can handle teaching my sisters, don't you?" Mutsumi's legs twitched slightly as she started walking toward the car.
"Mutsumi-kun, you get ba-"
"Mom would've believed that I could do it." Mutsumi silenced her father with one statement and paralyzed him with the next. "And parents don't threaten their children." She entered the car, looking out the window as Maruo slowly collected himself and rode in the front beside Ebata. The tension between father and daughter was palpable enough to silence everyone on board. They first drove to the Nakano's apartment, dropping off Mutsumi and Fuutarou before driving off.
"Mutsumi? Uesugi-kun? Was that not...father's car? What were you three-" Itsuki ran up behind them, catching them off guard. Fuutarou looked at her, smiled, then said.
"I'm officially back to being your tutor." Fuutarou climbed up the stairs, pushing away the smile as he tried to keep his distance.
"Congratulations! Your accomplishments have finally been recogni-" Itsuki tried to congratulate him, but stopped once she noticed that he paid her no mind. "Hey! Why are you ignoring me!" She pouted, feeling Mutsumi place her hand on her shoulder.
"Dad was being overprotective...again. Don't mind him." Mutsumi pointed out Fuutarou's face, which had turned into a greedy leer as if he was ogling at a pile of money that stood in place of the two sisters. "Let's get inside." Mutsumi smiled, looking away before her face returned to its resting state: frowning in annoyance.
"Right..." That action didn't pass by Itsuki unnoticed, her ahoge acting like an antenna that picked up any suspicious activity. "What did you talk with father about?" Mutsumi didn't answer the question, instead, she walked up the stairs to knock Fuutarou out of his trance. Itsuki sighed, heading toward the door to open it for the three of them.
"Ah, Uesugi-san! Watch your step!" Yotsuba called out to him just in time, his foot resting right beside a box full of old books. The writing on the box showed that it was Yotsuba's, only reinforced by the fact that all of the books were manga volumes and monthly magazines.
"You're late, what took you so long?" Nino asked not noticing Mutsumi behind Fuutarou until her sister walked further into the room.
"Dad. Anyway, what's going on?" Mutsumi looked at the floor, finding most of her things stuffed into the corner haphazardly.
"We're cleaning around the house now that everything is settling down," Ichika said, holding something behind her back.
"Weren't we supposed to review the exam today?"
"Hey did you try the scented candles?" Nino completely ignored Fuutarou, asking a question that stumped him for a few seconds. "You know the ones I gave you for your birthday." His widened eyes answered her, as well as informed the rest of the Nakano.
"Yeah. They smelled great! I really liked how the tallest one smelled! You have to tell me where you got them! They were so good." He replied in a monotone voice, unable to fake enthusiasm great enough to convince the second sister.
"You definitely didn't try them yet, did you?"
"Fuutarou-kun, about my present?" Ichika intervened before Nino started to berate him.
"Yeah. Are you telling me to buy my own damn present?" Fuutarou scratched his head, carefully stepping around the boxes to find a place to sit down.
"Yeah, maybe you can buy something for Raiha-chan with that. I'm sure she'll be very happy." Ichika smiled, suddenly giving additional meaning to her gift. Fuutarou instantly brightened up, blissfully thinking about what to get his sister while unpacking his studying materials.
"Hey, Yotsuba, can I have a chat with you?" Mutsumi asked, looking at the notification that just appeared on her phone.
"Coming!" The fourth sister yelled, following the sixth as both of them had their chat out of everyone's hearing range. The two of them sighed as a gentle breeze blew their hair back. Their shared solitude didn't last long, the door creaking open as Itsuki glared at both of them.
"Itsuki? Is something wrong?" Mutsumi asked, inviting her sister to join them.
"What did you talk with father about?" She asked again, garnering an annoyed eye roll from the sixth sister.
"I just gave him a piece of my mind, is all." She muttered into the wind. "Is that all?"
"...what did Father tell Uesugi-kun?" Itsuki asked a second question. Mutsumi smirked at this one.
"Why don't you ask him yourself? That'd be easier, no?" That simple response got her what she wanted: privacy with Yotsuba. The ribboned sister tilted her head curiously, unsure of what Mutsumi wanted to discuss with her.
"So..."
"We're going to Kyoto again." Mutsumi got straight to the point, fearing another interruption. Itsuki was surely pestering Fuutarou for an answer, while Ichika and Nino were still cleaning, but she didn't want to take chances. "Do you have anything planned for him?"
"Eh? Me? Well, the two of us will be together since we're the class representatives..." Yotsuba scratched her head, still not sure of what exactly Mutsumi wanted with her.
"No...just. Be careful okay..." Mutsumi leaned against the railing, letting her head hang as the memory of Ichika's actions came rushing back to her. She had to do something, or at least help her sisters prepare. She wondered if she should just call Ichika out, but that would only cause trouble, and everyone is in high spirits after getting their results back; now wasn't a good time. "Because I won't be holding back! I'll win him over during the trip for sure!" She decided to get them to prepare for her, and by proxy prepare for everyone else.
"Ah! It's on! I won't lose to you or anyone! It'll just like that day all those years ago, just me and him! I'm going to win!" Yotsuba's eyes burned intensely as Mutsumi issued her challenge. The sixth sister smiled, this was what she wanted.
"Hahaha! Well, we'll have to wait and...see. Hey, Miku!" Mutsumi called out to the third sister, who was walking home from her job with her headphones over her ears. "Ah, she can't hear us. Hold on." Mutsumi fiddled with her phone, wirelessly connecting to Miku's headphones before she adjusted some settings.
"Aaaaahh!" Miku's scream was bloodcurdling, her arms moving up to quickly remove her headphones. "Mutsumi!" She pouted, stomping up to the sixth sister. "Don't do that!" She jokingly slammed her hands against Mutsumi's shoulder.
"If you can't handle that much, then my plan for the school trip is unstoppable." Mutsumi lied, leaving Miku with Yotsuba as she entered the house in search of a specific sister. Ichika met her in the entrance, the most cunning she'd looked in a while. "What are you planning, onee-san?"
"Wouldn't you like to know, Mutsumi-chan?" The two walked past each other, Mutsumi going to the pile of her things that her sisters threw together. They finished their cleaning, sending Fuutarou away since they didn't want to waste his time by having him wait around doing nothing. The house cleaned and their things reorganized, the six of them retired to their futons earlier than usual.
"Alright!" Mutsumi muttered to herself, setting aside some of her materials as her sisters slumbered in the other room. "Just be quiet, it's late. But...I have to do this a lot..." She sighed, putting some goggles on her face as she tinkered with her things. "I need six before we leave for Kyoto. Here I go!" She worked tirelessly for a few hours, calling it off for the night once the clock struck three. Most of the Nakano sextuplets started to move things into place for their agendas, each one having the entire school trip planned; only Itsuki had no scheme in place...currently.