Burning the Midnight Oil

Chapter 8

Two Steps Forward

~Nino~

She looked at her reflection. Nothing strange about that, right? It was the centerpiece of her personal morning routine, everything else was either an afterthought or a sub-bullet. She always kept a pocket mirror handy in case she needed a touch up. There shouldn't be anything odd about staring at herself before breakfast, except this time her reflection came from the floor.

The floor tile was beige, it had been that color since they moved in. So how had it become white!? Not just cheap, off-white either, these things sparkled like dishes at a Michelin-star restaurant! She got on her hands and knees and took a closer look at herself. She scratched the tile as if this was only a thin layer of paint covering the ugly truth like a prison blanket. It was so clear, like her skin after a day at the spa. She could do her makeup with this floor.

Yotsuba ran her hand along the bathtub and said, "Wow, this is incredible! I never knew this place could get so shiny!"

Itsuki nodded as she lowered the toilet seat, "No kidding, it's so clean we could eat off this."

"Huh? So we're eating breakfast in here?"

"Be my guest, Yotsuba."

Miku looked at the sink and said, "You finally did it, Nino."

Yotsuba said, "Yeah, it's like a whole new bathroom. It's sparkling like the paparazzi!"

"Thanks," she said like the fraud she was. This wasn't her work and she deserved none of the credit. She'd stormed the battlements of grime and neglect and battered their defenses countless times, but they'd stood firm like the Great Wall of China against the Mongrel hordes. She'd scrubbed until her fingers reddened and her muscles pleaded for mercy and she'd barely scratched the dirty surface!

But then Futaro waltzes in one night and practically seduces the mess away like a Pied Piper of filth. How had he done it? Was all that studying actually worth something, like he concocted a secret chemical that battles grime like a glutton battles a plate of hot dogs? How else could he have done it when she'd failed so miserably? This was supposed to be her specialty! She took pride in her homemaking skills and ensured they had a damn good place to call home.

And...he'd done it better. His cleaning put her to shame. How?

"Nino," Ichika cooed from the door. She curled her finger, inviting Nino to follow. She joined her sister in the hall as she said, "Nice work, you've been busy. In more ways than one."

"What are you talking about?"

Ichika smiled sweetly and pulled out her phone, reading, "Hey Nino, it's Kevin."

Kevin? Where had she heard that name-oh! Oh! From the cake shop! Darn, she wished she'd been there when Ichika opened the email!

"So glad to meet you. I'm back in the States, but I wanted to-"

"Your English is much better."

"Thanks, I practiced extra for this. Now, but I wanted to tell you that I had a great time at the shop with you, and I want to keep in touch. Let me know if you ever want to come to the states sometime!" Ichika paused, then showed her an attachment, "Here's a picture, he's not wearing a shirt. Think he wants one back?"

"Probably. Americans take their sweet time, don't they."

"Seems so, but we're missing the point. Why is this in my inbox?"

"Come on now, use your brain."

"Don't be coy, Nino."

"Fine, I gave it to him."

"Uh-huh. And why?"

"I think you have terrible taste in men, so I'm doing my part for my dear sister."

"Aw, that's sweet of you. But if you think my taste is bad, you should worry more about yourself."

"I've resigned myself to my ideal type, but it's not too late for you."

"Yeah, not gonna happen."

"I know, you made that clear when I met papa at the bell."

"Don't tell me you're still upset about that."

"I'm not, I rang it with him in the end."

The slightest twitch in Ichika's cheek was Nino's victory, and it was oh-so-satisfying, like popping your back after a nice stretch. She waltzed past her sister to the kitchen, "Hungry?"

"Starving," Ichika said merrily, she never stayed down for long. She eyed Nino carefully like a marksman and said, "I'm not giving up."

"Neither am I. Rolled omelet and sausage good for you?"

"Sounds perfect."

Nino moved into the kitchen and let the subject drop to the floor. She thought it would stay there, as if it were something she'd vacuum up later with the dirt of the day. She didn't think anything else needed to be addressed, it was a harmless prank, Ichika used to pull them all the time. As for Futaro, it was just their latest sibling squabble, they'd clear everything up once Futaro agreed to date her.

Yotsuba appeared and smelled her cooking, "Rolled omelet, my favorite!"

Miku said, "You have dozens of favorites."

"And I love them all equally."

Nino carved the rolled omelet into five parts and plated their meals. Five equal portions, just like mom used to make. Always five, never six, she realized. Her mom worked herself to the bone to keep her five daughters happy and well-fed, even if it meant skipping meals herself. She wondered what went through her mother's mind as she readied five plates while knowing none were for her. It's not as if having quintuplets was a choice, she couldn't imagine any woman setting out to carry five children at once, let alone someone without the wealth they have. Or had.

She didn't know if she could make that same sacrifice, and thankfully she never had to find out. But once, early on, when they were planning their budget, she'd wondered if they only had enough for four, would she give up her plate so quickly?

She chewed on the question with her food, realizing halfway through their meal how silly it was. There was plenty for everyone, no one was going hungry in this home.

She cleaned the dishes and got ready for school. As she put on her makeup in the mirror, which was markedly clearer than last night, she noticed the smell for the first time. Gone was the lingering musk of decay, it was banished by a new stench of industrial cleanser mixed with mild citrus. It frustrated her how easily Futaro had cleaned this mess. Had he fixed the appliances too? She wouldn't put it past him, she'd have to test them later. If they cooperated, she'd get him a medal of the Order of the Miracle Workers. Was he trying to show her up? If so, he succeeded.

She walked to school with her sisters and reminisced about the easy days with a daily chauffeur. They marched into the halls of learning that were no longer as daunting as they were six months ago. Stepping into their classroom, they saw their glorious leader at his desk and staring intently into the future-was he snoring?

Yotsuba gently rocked him, "Futaro, are you alright?"

"...Futaro?" Miku asked, looking at Yotsuba. When had she started using his first name?

Futaro's head lolled back and forth as if it was trying to keep up with his body. Yotsuba let go and he fell forward, his head following like a slingshot and slamming into his desk.

Yotsuba recoiled and screamed, "Oh my god I killed him!"

"You're being dramatic," Miku chided.

Ichika said, "I dunno, he looks-" she was interrupted by the loudest, most ear-splitting buzzsaw in the history of cutting technology. Futaro's head rolled to the side, licked its lips, and snored easier.

Nino mused, "Wow. Just, wow."

Itsuki said, "No kidding. What'd he do last night?" Nino had an idea. It hadn't been that easy after all. In an instant, all her frustration, her embarrassment at being outclassed, it didn't matter anymore.

"Look at this," someone said behind them. Takeda eyed Futaro and mused, "Studying till the last, as expected of my rival."

Nino sneered, "Go eat a dictionary."

"No can do, I'll be needing it when I begin tutoring you five."

"Plate it, carve it up and eat it bite by bite."

Takeda gave her a smile so dazzling it would be considered a safety hazard at an airport. Before he could reply, Yotsuba slapped Futaro on the back and he shot up, "Forty-two."

Ichika asked, "What, Futaro?"

"Answer. Forty-two."

"Ah...to what question?"

Futaro looked around, Nino wasn't sure he knew where he was. "...Is it important?"

Before anyone could delve into Futaro's unconscious world, their teacher arrived and demanded everyone take their seats. Now came the time for Futaro to lead the class in their morning respects. He called them to attention and instructed them to bow. He bowed low, then lower, lower...lower...until his head hit his desk and he shot back up like memory metal.

If Nino was asked to describe Futaro that day, she'd say Miku's cooking. If his vitality were a health bar, it'd be closer to her test average than his, and maybe even below that. If Death were to mythically manifest in front of the class to take one of them into the next life, it'd be-okay, point made. She wasn't sure if he belonged in a bed or a casket, he looked like he had one leg in both and was deciding where to commit.

So much for laying off him to reduce his stress. He looked worse than ever. Had he even slept last night? She admitted he hid it well during class, maybe their routine set his limited mind on autopilot through the end of the lessons. But on any other day the first hand ready to answer a question was Futaro's. Today, his hand didn't leave his desk once. Even Tadeka was looking at him strangely, as if he was disappointed he wasn't getting a challenge.

His first and only burst of energy came with the lunch bell. He stormed out of the class as if he guzzled the last fuel in his tank. Nino didn't spot him in the cafeteria with his barbeque-less barbeque combo. Lunch was one of his favorite times of the day, it was a cheap meal and self-study time, two of his favorite things. Did he pass out on the way?

The five sat and opened their lunch boxes, her handiwork from the night before after her first disastrous attempt. She might have stumbled, but she stuck the landing for a near perfect score. Her sisters would eat without comment, and she expected none. Once again, this was her place.

Itsuki sighed as she opened her lunch, "Finally, sweet relief."

Nino grinned, "Don't tell me the would-be teacher can't stand the classroom."

"My stomach's been grumpy since second period, I need this."

Yotsuba said, "I can't believe it, I couldn't focus at all today."

Ichika quipped, "And that's abnormal...how?"

Yotsuba shrank, "Haha, got me there."

Nino said, "No, I'm right there with you. I need the weekend."

Miku swallowed and said, "Don't forget, Futaro said he'll have extra remedial work for us on Saturday."

Itsuki said, "I dunno about that. Did you see him today? I was this close to taking him to the nurse."

Ichika said, "He didn't look sick, just exhausted. Like, I've never seen anyone that tired, even on night shoots."

Nino said knowingly, "He probably didn't sleep, doing something stupid." She missed Yotsuba's sudden glance.

Miku said, "I wonder what kept him up so late."

Yotsuba fidgeted, she didn't mean to draw attention to herself, but she was a woman of energy, pure and barely contained and always searching for an outlet. So the moment a gap appeared, it burst forth in uncontrolled action as loud as a steaming kettle, or a popped balloon.

Ichika pried, "Yotsuba, you know something about this?"

Yotsuba shot up as stiff as a board, "Who, Futaro? Nope! Not a thing!"

Nino rolled her eyes, "And the award for worst liar in the history of mankind goes to..." she froze. What did Yotsuba know? And how?

Ichika said, "Come on, spill the beans."

Miku eyed Yotsuba carefully, "I'd like to know, too."

Yotsuba waved them away like a windmill, "I'm serious, it's nothing!"

Itsuki sighed, "Just get it over with, you know they won't stop."

Yotsuba scanned each of her sisters searching for support and found none, she was trapped like a puppy in a snare. She sank, "Alright...well, it's not what you think."

Miku said, "With Futaro?"

Yotsuba pulled a note out of her pocket, "This was in my desk this morning. I forgot about it until now."

Itsuki lit up, "Oh my god, is that a love letter!?"

Nino exclaimed, "It looks like one!"

Yotsuba leaned away, "I don't know, I haven't opened it. See-"

Ichika leaned in, "No way! Who's it from? Come on, you gotta tell us!"

"It's not for me. I, well, I think someone got us confused," she showed them the name on the front. Nino. No hearts or flowers or color of any kind. Just Nino.

This wasn't her first time seeing her name on an anonymous letter. The five of them had been well received at their former high school and each garnered their share of attention. And she, being the most outgoing of the five, was the first to receive a love letter. It had been sitting in her locker, squeezed through the envelope-sized slot that some designer must have crafted intentionally to fuel high school romance. The words had been sweet as your average high school boy could arrange, which wasn't saying much. This boy in particular was a year above her, a member of the baseball team with a reputation for masterful free throws and locker room shenanigans.

She might have considered him if he hadn't thought she was an idiot. See, it was common knowledge that their grades were universally pathetic. That never bothered her and she never let it define her. And being the social butterfly she was, she couldn't help but overhear how this particular young man once said he thought the stupid ones were the easiest to...well, that last bit won't bear repeating. Needless to say she told him off in a very public and very humiliating setting that knocked him right off his high horse into the muck.

She must have scared any other would-be-suitors off because she never got another letter, save one. But that one was an accident, it was addressed to Miku. Nino had thrown it in an incinerator. If the guy couldn't even tell his crush apart, he wasn't worthy of her sister.

So that would make this letter number three, and the handwriting gave away the writer in an furious instant. She snatched it from Yotsuba before the others could catch the same clue and opened it in front of her, denying her sisters' attempts to pry it away.

'Nino, meet me on the roof at lunch. Let's talk again. Futaro.'

"I gotta go," she said before her sisters could bombard her with demands. She closed her lunchbox and slipped into her cardigan.

Ichika grinned, "Your taste in guys changing?"

"None of your business," Nino said before storming off.

"Sorry I forgot!" Yotsuba shouted as she walked out of earshot.

These old schoolhouses were built for maximum efficiency, a utilitarian's architectural wet dream. So why were the rooftops so open and liberated? Who knows, who cares, it was a small slice of freedom from teachers and the stresses of academics in a busy day. Normally students would be crowded along the rails enjoying the sunshine. Only today there were no people because there was no sunshine. Plenty of rain, though.

She cursed and took out her umbrella. She stormed out and scanned the rooftop. Not a soul in sight. Crap, had he given up when she didn't come here immediately? It was his own fault for putting the note in the wrong desk!

She turned to leave, but then she noticed legs sticking out from beside the entrance. She rounded the corner and found Futaro sitting against the wall, his head rolled onto his chest in deep slumber. The wall just barely shielded him from the rain, but not enough to keep him completely dry. Great planning there, genius.

Nino frowned and squatted next to him, refusing to let her skirt touch the wet ground. She tried to cover both of them with her umbrella, but it was small, the kind that would fit comfortably in her purse. She scooted closer to Futaro until their shoulders touched and tried again, satisfied when they were both safely covered.

She shoved him firmly enough to jiggle him but not enough to knock him over, "Wake up."

Futaro's head shot up and hit the wall. He moaned and rubbed his head, then turned to her, narrowing his eyes, "You're late."

"You put the note in the wrong desk, smart guy."

"I did not."

"Did too."

"I know I gave it to you."

"So why was it in Yotsuba's desk? Was it for her? Wait, who am I?"

Futaro was less certain as he checked her ears, "Nino?"

"Bingo. So again, why was it in Yotsuba's desk?"

Futaro scowled, "Okay, I may have messed up."

"Not may. You did. Twice. Ever hear of a weather forecast?"

"My phone doesn't have data."

"You're a clever guy. Just not today."

Futaro glared at her, but looked away and chastised himself, "Fine. My bad."

Nino leaned in, "So how'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

"You know what. Our bathroom looks like it belongs in a suite."

Futaro laughed haughtily, "You may have no trouble keeping your old high-rise clean, but nobody knows how to clean a dump like the destitute!"

"You're too proud of that."

"Tell me again how nice your place looks."

"You want a thank you?"

"No, just a little acknowledgment."

Nino scowled and turned away, it hurt her pride to say this, "Fine. It looks nice and I like it. Good work."

Futaro sighed with the praise, "Ah, it was-"

"But I won't forgive you for drugging me."

Futaro went rigid, "What?"

"I wonder what they'll say when they find out you drug helpless girls."

"Don't. You. Start."

"I still don't know how I got to bed-"

"No! You have no ground to stand on here!"

"I hope we have a random drug test today, I'd love to explain how that got in my system!"

"You! You...oh forget it," Futaro sighed and slumped like a wilting flower.

Nino looked him over cautiously, maybe she'd been too harsh. He looked ready to fall over and never get up again. "What time did you get to bed?"

"I'll tell you when I do."

"You haven't slept at all? How long did it take?"

"I managed to get home for breakfast at least. I said I could do it, it was still a lot of work."

Nino saw his hands and noticed they were raw and missing a few layers of skin. They were pink as a newborn baby. She said, "Well, thanks. For your hard work, thanks."

Futaro looked up and gave her a small smile, and oh, why was he suddenly so handsome? Was he doing this on purpose? Did he know how stupidly attractive he was right now? He said, "No problem, Nino."

She looked away when he said her name, hiding her blush in her frustration and ignoring her stomach's giddy backflips, "You think, you can show me how to do it sometime?"

"Are you asking for extra tutoring?"

"Please don't push it."

"Alright, anytime."

Nino tapped his arm with her hand clutching the umbrella, "Hold this."

"Why?"

"My arm's getting tired." Futaro took it from her, shifting it just too far, "Careful! I'm getting wet!"

"Sorry," he said and shifted it back. He finally noticed their shoulders touching, he stared at the connection, then looked away without moving. He shifted to get comfortable, rubbing her shoulder like flint on steel.

Nino asked, "So I'm here. What did you want?"

"Huh?" Futaro sounded lost.

"The note, the one you failed to put in my desk, what is it?"

"Oh. That. Hold on," he pinched the bridge of his nose and concentrated, it looked painful, making his mind move when it wanted to stay still as stone. He snapped his fingers as it came to him, "Oh yeah, got it now. This past week, I couldn't stop thinking about us. And I realized something."

Nino straightened. Futaro had been thinking. About them. Nonstop! She dared to hope, "What about us?"

"It's not working."

And deflation. That was fast. And he thought she whiplashed, the hypocrite. She asked, "Oh. And?"

"So, I think we need a change."

"What are you talking about?"

Futaro pinched his nose and tried finding the words, but his tired mind struggled to bring them together. "I just, nothing we do is working, even when we try and help each other. It's like...I don't know, but I'm tired of seeing things go wrong. For both of us. So I though, what I thought is, maybe we should change directions. Go with the flow and see where that takes us."

"And what flow is that? I have no idea where you're going with this."

"Hear me out. What if we just go for it? Let's see if we can make something work together. And then, whether we do or we don't, we can move on."

"Futaro, are you asking me out?"

He looked at her pointedly with tired eyes and said, "Yes."

If she had to choose a place, time and person to ask her out, she'd choose the following, respectively: a castle, sunset, and Futaro. All things considered, one out of three wasn't bad. This was Futaro after all, a man with the romantic sense of a bag of manure. So she gave him the only answer she could.

"No way."

Futaro jerked, "What?"

"I said no."

"...Why?"

Nino glared, "That, right there. That's why."

"What where? That doesn't..." Futaro growled and gripped his hair. "You said you love me!"

"I do. And still no."

"But that doesn't make any sense!"

"Oh really," Nino began, and Futaro shrank from her glare, "Because every girl dreams of being asked out by the man she loves so they can 'get it over with'."

Futaro blinked away his confusion and caught her anger like a bad comedian catches rotten tomatoes, "Wait, that isn't what I meant!"

Nino turned away, "Forget it, I don't want your pity. I'm not one of your experiments."

"I know that, I just…I said it wrong."

She gazed over the railing while Futaro waited for her response, she gave him nothing, exactly what he deserved. She wondered if he realized how insensitive he was, and how much it hurt her.

He sighed and said, "Can I try again?"

Nino mulled it over a minute longer, letting him sweat, then said, "I suppose."

Futaro started again, more cautiously this time, "First, I'm not suddenly in love with you."

"Okay."

"And I'm also not doing this as an experiment."

"You just said-"

"I want to see if we work, that doesn't mean I'll be wearing a lab coat and taking notes during dates. I don't love you, but lately, I think something changed. And I've been beating my brain with both spurs trying to figure it out. But I think, maybe I'm only spending so much time trying to get a grip on this because it's important to me," he said, then looked to her. His cool stare was like fire in her stomach. "And you, I think you're important to me too. I don't know how, but you've become someone I care about. More than other people.

"I never thought about dating, not even after high school. Those things just never seemed like they'd matter. But lately, just last night in fact, I realized..." he looked away, she followed his face and caught him blushing like a blooming rose. He glared and asked, "Can you not look at me? This is hard enough already."

When Nino imagined prince charming opening his heart to her at last, his eyes would sparkle into hers with assurance that she was the only one he wanted to see. She wanted to see that devotion when her prince said those words that would change their world into a single road they'd walk together. So she wanted to protest and force him to show her that sparkle of promise. But this was Futaro, his eyes were empty as a well in the heart of the Gobi.

Only something was there now, and it was spreading. She heard it in the softness of his voice, she saw it in the tapping of his fingers. Something was pulsing in this indomitable boy that vibrated through him like a drumbeat. Its very presence embarrassed him. Not because he was ashamed, but because he couldn't understand what this was, only that it had to come out somehow. But if she reached for him and pried him apart to see it, he might sew himself up and stifle this glorious new rhythm. He would only show her when he was ready for her to see. So she looked straight ahead and crafted an image of her prince to play to his speech. And as she listened to his words, she heard the feeling that was still so foreign to them, like water and oil trying to mix for the first time. She felt their sparkle.

"I realized that, this might sound silly, but we have the same dream. We both want to be relied on and support the people close to us. When I see you, I see someone I admire, and I think I see myself. So if I want to date someone, and I think I might, then I...want that to be you," he paused for a moment and she dared to breathe, "And we'll see what happens from there."

She turned and found him staring at her. Had he been watching her reaction the entire time? What had she shown him? She'd been so focused on his words she hadn't paid any attention to herself. But he was waiting on her answer, he looked at her lips like they were a gateway to another world. She liked it. All of it.

Nino said, "That was one hell of a recovery, Fuu."

"So…?"

Nino closed her eyes and said, "So let's do it. But!" she turned, raising a finger, "This better be for real."

"Do you trust me?"

She opened her mouth, paused, and said, "I want to."

"Then it is," he leaned back and sighed.

Nino felt rain on her shoulder and shouted, "Hey! Watch the umbrella!"

"Ah, sorry," Futaro straightened and corrected his grip.

Nino wiped her hair and shoulder and said, "Honestly, try to be reliable."

"This thing is tiny, there's no room for error!"

"So practice, you'll be doing it again if this happens while we're out."

Futaro chewed on that for a moment, then said, "Yeah, got it," he paused, "We need a bigger umbrella."

"I like this one. It's cute."

"And impractical for two."

"Works fine right now."

Futaro sighed, "Yeah, guess so."

Nino said, "Tomorrow. You can take me out tomorrow."

"Why then?"

"Because you're getting some sleep tonight. No studying, got it?"

"Yeah, no worries there. My brain is barely firing." He paused, then asked, "Hey, did you check my assignment?"

"I've more than answered the question."

"Look again, there's-"

The door behind them slammed open, Itsuki shouted, "Nino! Are you up here!?"

Futaro shifted, "Itsummph!" Nino clapped her hand over his mouth and drew him close.

"Quiet," Nino said, sounding calmer than she actually was. They could not be caught like this!

They heard Miku say, "There's no one here."

Itsuki said, "Guess you're right. Let's check the auditorium."

Nino waited for the door to close before she let Futaro go. She said, "Listen, I don't want my sisters knowing about this. Not yet."

"What? Why not?"

"It's...I don't want to say right now. Please?"

She wondered if his eyes softened to match her own, because he relented and said, "Alright, sure. A secret."

"It's not like I'm embarrassed, I'm happy I'm going out with you. It's just-"

He smiled slightly, "You don't need to explain. I want to trust you too."

There he goes being charming again. She wanted to staple his lips into a line so he couldn't exploit her weakness. "Thank you."

Futaro said, "Alright, tomorrow night after group study. I'll make plans after lunch," he said and got ready to go.

Nino asked, "Where are you going?"

"Cafeteria, I'm starving."

Nino showed him the time on her phone, "Cafeteria's closed, lunch ends in fifteen minutes."

Nino waited for Futaro's weary mind to process the information like a librarian forced to use old punch cards. He slumped in despair and said, "Great. Wonderful."

Nino rolled her eyes and showed him her lunchbox, "Here, we'll share."

Futaro looked at the food curiously, "But it's yours."

"And?"

"...It's yours?"

"We've been dating for at least five minutes, we can share a lunch."

"Do you have extra chopsticks?"

"No. Now stop complaining and eat," she scooped a chunk of meat and rice and almost shoved it in his face, she would have if he hadn't opened his mouth in surprise at the last moment. She watched him chew and waited for him to realize she expected a response, "Er, it's good."

"Of course it is," she said and took a bite of her own. She closed her mouth and tasted the food, and the chopsticks, and realized this is what people call an indirect kiss. This wasn't like sharing chopsticks with her sisters or her parents, this was a boy. A boy she was dating, who wanted to date her. The same chopsticks that had been inside his mouth were in hers. Her tongue flicked the tip of one curiously, it was startling how much it excited her.

She chewed and readied another bite for Futaro. She watched his mouth close around the food and the thin bits of wood and wondered if he felt that same inquisitive buzz. Back and forth the sticks went, from food to boy mouth to food to girl mouth and repeat until her lunchbox was clean. A lunch meant for one left two with room for more, but lingering hunger was the last thing on either of their minds.

Nino caught Futaro checking his phone for the time, they had seven minutes to class. He slipped it into his pocket and continued staring into space, thinking about whatever his sluggish mind could manage. Whatever it was, it didn't include leaving. Futaro wasn't a man caught lingering, he shifted from one task to the next with cold execution, almost like a computer. If he stayed, he had purpose. And with nothing besides class to worry about and a mind too slow for serious thinking, she dared to hope that was her.

Gosh he was hot. Not physically, though. Well, maybe that too, she thought as she noticed the water glistening on his face. He scratched his hair and freed a few droplets, they raced down the curves of his cheek to meet at the bottom of his chin, bulging into one bulbous drop that tore itself free. Okay, he was hot, but he was also warm, her shoulder was burning at their touch. Her whole body felt like a bonfire, but her shoulder was practically scorching.

Futaro checked his phone again and saw two more minutes had passed. He said, "Maybe we should go."

Nino said, "Probably," they got up and carefully walked through the door under the cover of the umbrella. Futaro shook it off and closed it before shutting the door. She offered her hand for the umbrella. Futaro blinked, then grabbed her hand with his own. It felt like grabbing a handful of embers. Nino stuttered, "I-I meant the umbrella, of course!"

"Oh, here," he said without awkwardness, how could he be so calm?

Nino blushed as she took the umbrella, then said, "I'll go first. In case my sisters are still looking."

Futaro said, "Ah, good idea. I'll see you in class."

"And tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you then. And check my assignment."

She took the stairs two at a time and made it back to class with time to spare. Calling her sisters' inquiries a barrage would be reserved, but Nino brushed them aside and said she'd given the guy a piece of her mind. It wasn't a lie, not technically. The devil was in the details, and her sisters weren't ready for that level of hell. She'd tell them when things were more stable between the six, and the two of them.

She settled into her desk and took out Futaro's assignment like he'd told her to. She'd flipped to the last page and found her answer circled correct in bold red, almost like a kiss sealing an envelope. Her heart fluttered and she wanted to smile, but Ichika was right beside her and would pounce on any hint of unexplained joy. So she slouched over her desk and smiled secretly in her arms.

It was all happening at last. They had a date tomorrow night!

~Futaro~

Hey, got a minute?

In classroom, what's up?

I'm at the roof. Can you bring me a towel?

WHAT!? What are you doing outside!?

Nino.

Omw!

If futaro had counted the minutes he'd have been generous, Yotsuba was there in twenty-three seconds with a towel she snatched from...he was too sleepy to care. It looked clean, that was enough.

"Thanks Yotsuba," he said as he toweled himself off, or tried, the towel felt like an anvil in his hands. How exhausted was he that even drying himself was a trial? His pathetic constitution didn't help. He blinked and noticed Yotsuba staring at him like she expected him to break into interpretive dance. "What?"

"Don't play dumb."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Tell me what happened?"

Ah, of course. How had he not seen that coming? "It, uh, went okay...better than I expected." He blushed and tasted the remnants of the food she fed him. With her own chopsticks.

Yotsuba giggled, "Ah, it's so sweet! A good ol' fashioned rooftop confession!"

"Wish I'd checked the weather," Futaro said as he dried his hair again. Two classic confessions, rooftop and rain, did not mix together. Well, on second thought, maybe they did.

Futaro said, "She doesn't want me saying anything to the rest of you. What's up with that?"

"Oh! Nothing! Nothing at all!"

"So you know."

"No! I don't!" Yotsuba's face was a projector displaying everything on her mind in high definition. Hers was the most righteous face in the world, for if the mind demanded it process a lie, it met the falsehood like a cheese grater and gave the recipient the shredded remains. "Really! It's nothing, I swear!"

"Don't, you'll damn whatever you swear by!"

"Please, Futaro, don't push it! I know I can't lie to save my own butt and I really don't wanna have to try but if you keep pushing I'll have to spill it all and no one's gonna like that so please-"

"Okay! Okay! Just stop, please," Futaro said, he stopped following after she sped up like a jockey at the starting gun, it hurt just trying to keep up. "Alright, I'll drop it. Still, can't keep it a secret forever."

Yotsuba softened, "Yeah, heh. It'll come out eventually..." Futaro saw the signs on Yotsuba's face like a roadmap he was too tired to follow. She blinked, then lit up, "Ooh! Secret dating, it's so scandalous! Look at you, being sly with my own sister! I think I should be upset but I'm just so excited!"

This woman was a bottomless fountain of honey! Where did her energy come from? He felt like he should invent a device that harnessed Yotsuba's boundless intensity to solve the world's energy crisis.

He chuckled, there was an idea.

Yotsuba recoiled, "Futaro, what's up?"

"Huh?"

"Your laugh, it's weird."

"It's been a weird week," Futaro quipped. He rubbed his arm, it was tired from holding the umbrella so long. Where had Yotsuba found this endless energy? Stupid, he figured that out a long time ago: she grew it herself with years of hard work. A million steps and gallons of sweat. That was the price to pay. He wondered, was it worth it?

His body was a sack of meat for his mind. Nothing special. But this feeling he had, it was expanding. He's been wrong about so much until now, maybe he was wrong about his body too. He wanted more.

"Hey, can I ask a favor?"

"Sure!"

"I think I want to push myself. I want to get stronger. Can you, er, help me? Maybe take me running sometime?"

Futaro's optimism took an ominous turn when she accepted his request far too quickly. Yotsuba's grin split like the Cheshire cat, "Are you asking me to tutor you?"

"I guess I am."

She punched the air, "Alright! Morning run time it is!"

For the second time that day, Futaro wondered just what he was getting himself into, and once again he couldn't stifle that glimmer of excitement he felt. Things were changing. He was changing. Into what, he still didn't know. But even if it all came crashing down, it'd be exciting to find out.

A/N

I had a good time writing this one. Not only because it was a pivotal moment for each character after seven chapters of sidestepping each other, not only because each of them is showing interesting growth, not only because I've been waiting to write about actual dates, but also because I wrote half of this drunk. The kind of drunk you wake up regretting. And it was a blast. Turned out okay after editing too, I was surprised. I should write drunk more often.

I want to take a moment and explain some stylistic decisions. I am American, which means I can't share the same background as the original author, despite the story being set in Japan. So if somethings come off as appropriation or amalgamated, this is me doing my best to draft a story in an unfamiliar setting. I intend to inject my own background into the story, and so if it comes off as more western than the canon, I suppose it's inevitable. Regardless, I hope the humanistic elements that transcend those boundaries and take center stage.

Chapters will continue bi-weekly for some time, not only because I'm avoiding burnout, but because these ones will be longer than what's come before. I'm actually worried about the next chapter being too long, and may even separate it in two if need be. But updates will come, as regularly as I'm able.

You blew me away last chapter with your responses. I wanted to nail it as best I could, and from your reactions some of my intent came through. I want to write something meaningful, something that isn't immediately disposable. If this can have any lasting impression, if it makes you think, if the story means something, I'm on my way to meeting that goal. So thank you for sharing, and please continue reviewing. I'll write again soon.

Chapter published May 2nd, 2019.