Chapter 2

"Here, Fuutaro-kun…"

"Yeah, thanks…"

It had been around 15 minutes ever since Fuutaro and Ichika been sitting on the bench, waiting for Raiha and Itsuki as they still browsing for some clothes. While waiting, Ichika went to a nearby coffee booth to buy her and Fuutaro a drink, a frappucino for her and a non-caffeine beverage for him, which was a barley tea.

While drinking their beverage, Ichika brought up the upcoming school trip to kill some time while waiting for their siblings.

"Hey, I didn't expect that you grouped up with Takeda-kun for the school trip knowing your bad history with him recently," Ichika said to him, drinking the frappucino.

"Well, I actually didn't want to, but he insisted to form a group with me." Fuutaro took a sip of the barley tea. "To be honest, I rather go solo than being in anyone's group. I prefer going by myself so I can enjoy my time sightseeing and looking around without other's interrupting me."

"Ahaha… I guess you're still loner as always, huh?" she chuckled, putting the frappucino cup beside her on the empty part of the bench. "Also, I'm surprised that Maeda-kun is also part of your group. I didn't expect someone like him joined your group."

"Ahh… Yeah, about that… I have to ask him to join our group," Fuutaro weakly smirked as he recalled that day where Takeda asked to form a group with him. "Since I knew him from the last year school trip, I thought that Maeda was a good enough acquaintance to consider, knowing that Takeda will get all annoying and attracting unwanted attention from other students. Surprisingly, Maeda agreed to join because there were no one asking him to form a group." he then took another sip of his barley tea.

"Well, it's good to know that Fuutaro-kun is finally not lonely anymore and has some friends other than us," Ichika smiled, feeling happy for him. "You know, I originally wanted to ask you to form a group with me. Since you are fun to hang around with, I thought that we can go around together looking and sightseeing landmarks in Kyoto."

"Yeah… Sorry about that," Fuutaro said with a faint smile, putting the barley tea cup next to Ichika's frappucino cup. "I thought that you must've form a group with your sisters knowing you five always go everywhere and doing anything together."

"Fuutaro-kun, even though we are quintuplets, we don't always do anything and go everywhere together, you know?" Ichika responded with a slight pout expression. "Still, it's good to know that you finally have some friends to count with. Especially that you are a class-rep, you need someone to back you up and a person like Takeda-kun is good to befriend with since he's very popular in school."

Fuutaro let out another smirk hearing her statement. "Heh! That's what Takeda said to me when he offered me to form a group with him." He then leaned backward on the bench. "Well, I guess it's acceptable because I'm a class-rep… Next time if you wanted to group up with me, make sure to ask me as soon as possible, okay?" A gentle smile appeared on his lips as he looked at Ichika.

"Hehe… I'll make sure to remember that," Ichika chuckled and a blush was also visible on her cheeks from seeing Fuutaro's smile and hearing his kind words. "But don't be too quick to form a group with someone before I asked, okay?" she gave a playful wink to the boy beside her.

"Ahh… I will also make sure to remember that." he nodded and the gentle smile of him still lingering around for some seconds.

Both of them grabbed their beverage again and continued to drink it. It had been a few minutes ever since their last talk and a silence was now filling the interaction between them. Even though the silence was separating them, the two didn't mind about it and they feel no awkwardness between them as they kept on drinking their beverage while also checking their phone occasionally.

While still waiting, Ichika thought that Raiha seemed to be closer to Itsuki than any other quintuplets. She noticed it on the spring break vacation, where Raiha always went and hanging around with Itsuki more than her and the other sisters. Ichika also noticed that Raiha had some fun and enjoyable moments with Yotsuba, but she still preferred the fifth sister's company more than anyone else.

She then decided to ask Fuutaro about it and as well as the start to ask him about his opinion of Itsuki. It was also to find out about more information of her recent infatuation to their tutor.

"Hey, I noticed that Raiha-chan seems to really enjoy Itsuki-chan's company," Ichika said, turning her head to look at Fuutaro. "Did you notice that too?"

"Yeah, it can't be helped since she was the one who Raiha first met," Fuutaro responded to her as he put the cup of barley tea again on the empty space of the bench. "Add that Itsuki also stayed at our house for a week after that fight between her and Nino. Raiha really enjoyed her company and they had a good time together in that period of time, doing house chores, hanging out together, and many other things that I probably didn't know," he recalled that event with a smile. "Raiha even got all sad when Itsuki was going back to the penthouse, even asking her to stay longer with us."

"Hehe… It's good to know that Itsuki-chan can get along with your little sister," she let out a chuckle and started to lean back on the bench. "Besides, knowing that both of them are the youngest sibling, I guess they can connect well to each other."

"Hmm… I never thought of it. Maybe you have a point."

Now that Ichika already brought up Raiha and Itsuki, she thought that it was now a good time to ask Fuutaro's opinion of Itsuki without making it awkward.

"Fuutaro-kun, what do you think of Itsuki-chan?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Since you've been our tutor for almost a year, I wanted to know about your opinion of each of us," she said and there was a playful expression as she kept talking. "This time, I wanted to ask you about your general opinion on her."

"Is that so? Where should I start…" Fuutaro held his chin and closed his eyes, thinking about what he should say. After some seconds of thinking, he opened his eyes and crossed his arms as a smirk was forming on his face. "First thing first, she is definitely a curry-eating monster that never cease to amaze me."

"Huh? Really…?" Ichika raised her eyebrow, looking at him with a baffled face.

"Well… That was definitely the first thing I had in mind about my opinion of her because she always has a food or snack on almost every occasion," Fuutaro answered as his smirk slowly faded away and turned back into his usual bland expression. "Other than that, she's definitely a stubborn girl and always annoyed me with that attitude. But behind that stubbornness, Itsuki is very hardworking in studying and she is also kind, caring, and understanding. She showed all of that trait when she stayed in my house, which made Raiha and my old man impressed by her attitude."

"Hehh? Is that so?"

"Yeah… I kinda like those attitudes when she didn't go all stubborn and annoyed at me," he nodded. "You remember last year when Itsuki was acting all suspicious and not accepting me as her tutor? It was because I called her fat when I first met her at her first day at school."

"*sigh* So Itsuki-chan was not exaggerating about it," Ichika sighed, shaking her head from hearing her tutor insensitiveness. "You know Fuutaro-kun, that word is very taboo for girls, especially if it's said by boys. It's definitely a no-no words to said to any girls."

"I didn't expect she got offended by that word. Besides, she took my table and interrupted my review while we're having lunch," Fuutaro weakly smirked, again, as he remembered about that time, especially Itsuki's pouting face after he said that word to her. "Now that I think of it, I kinda regretted saying that."

"Well, you should be. Remember you called me heavy when you lifted me up last year? That's not a very nice thing to say, you know?" she picked up her frappucino cup and drank it again.

"Yeah, yeah… Sorry about that."

"Hmm… Just like I thought…"

"Itsuki really enjoyed Fuutaro-kun and his family presence ever since that time…"

"But he seems to not notice about her infatuation to him though…"

"I guess he really need to work on that sensitiveness and delicacy…"

Lots of minutes had passed and lots of people had been coming out from and into the clothing section and there was still no sign of the two girls coming out from the section. Ichika already finished her frappucino and went to threw the cup away into the nearby garbage bin, while Fuutaro still drinking his barley tea, in a slow pace. There was a bored face on Fuutaro's face and he yawned for a few times in that period of time. For Ichika, she was stretching her arms and legs from sitting on the bench for so long which made her arms and legs stiffened, before sitting back again.

After it seems for so long, Raiha finally came out from the clothing area, but there was no sign of Itsuki around her. She then walked towards the bench where her brother was sitting.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Raiha greeted them with a smile and took a seat between Fuutaro and Ichika.

Knowing Itsuki was not with his little sister, Fuutaro then asked to her about the fifth quintuplet whereabouts. "Hmm? Raiha, where's Itsuki?"

"Ahh, Itsuki-san said that there were still some things that she needed to be done in the clothing section," Raiha said. "She said that it will take a bit long and told me to catch up to you and Ichika-san so I won't feel bored while waiting for her."

"*sigh* I don't understand why girls took a very long time browsing and shopping for clothes," Fuutaro sighed and shook his head at the same time. "How long should we wait for her, huh? It's been like half an hour…"

"See… That's the kind of talk that shows you still have little delicacy to girls." Ichika showed a slight annoyed face after hearing Fuutaro's complain. She then pointed her finger at him. "You really in need some lessons about it. Onee-san can teach you a thing or two. Free of charge for our tutor."

"Yeah… I guess I can hear some from you," Fuutaro responded with unenthusiastic voice about her offer and picked his barley tea cup. "But not now because I'm really bored from waiting your sister to come out from the store." he then took a big sip from the cup.

"Yosh! The lesson will start after Itsuki-chan finished her shopping, okay?" she nudged Fuutaro's shoulder and gave him a wink. "She can be your talking partner while I teach you some good manners and how to be more sensitive towards a girl.

"Yeah, yeah… Whatever you say, Ichika."

A growl was heard from Raiha's stomach. Fuutaro can saw that his little sister was holding her stomach and there was an uneasy expression on her face. He looked at the clock on his phone and it was already mid-afternoon. Fuutaro knew that Raiha always ate three times a day; morning, afternoon, and evening time. So this time, she should have her lunch and knowing that she walked around the clothing section without a rest, she must be feeling tired and hungry.

"What's wrong, Raiha? Are you hungry?" Fuutaro turned his head to his little sister, asking to her about her condition.

"Y-Yeah… I'm feeling a bit hungry," Raiha answered with a weak laugh. "But I can hold it! I can't wait to go home since dad promised to cook with us!"

"Ahh, Yeah, that's right," Fuutaro muttered and slightly nodded. "Raiha, remind me to go to the supermarket after this. There are things that I need to buy for the later cooking," he said and Raiha answered with a nod.

Seeing the younger girl getting hungry, without much thinking, Ichika's treating habit immediately came out and she offered to buy Raiha some food. "Raiha-chan, how about I buy you some snacks while we're waiting for Itsuki-chan?" she looked at her with a kind smile.

"Ehh… Is it okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine. We still don't know how long she will be. Besides I'm also starting to feel a bit hungry," Ichika responded to the hesitated young girl.

"It's okay, Raiha. Just accept the offer from her," Fuutaro chuckled and followed with another smile. "Besides, Ichika is always like this and she will not stop offering until you accept it."

"Yup, That's right! You know, I've been buying and treating your big brother foods and drinks, but he seems to be unappreciative about it and always refused my offer." Ichika told Raiha about her big brother "ungrateful" attitude and then looked at him with a frown, but in a playful way. "So I hope Raiha-chan can be more appreciative towards some treat than her insensitive big brother."

"Ehh… Is that so, onii-chan? It's bad to always refuse a treat from a friend, you know?"

"Oi, oi… It's not like that!" Fuutaro got annoyed from hearing Ichika's teasing and glared back at her, in which she responded with an innocent smile. "Anyway, just go with Raiha. I will catch up to you once Itsuki is finished."

"Got it! Give us a call when you're done, okay?" Ichika stood up from the bench and followed by Raiha. "Then, Raiha-chan there is a Takoyaki booth outside of the department store, should we go there?"

"Unn! Let's go, Ichika-san!" Raiha nodded and grabbed Ichika's hand as they headed outside the department store together.

Fuutaro looked at them walking out from the department store and there was a smile on his lips as they started to disappear from his sight. Even to his little sister, Ichika still showed her treating habit and there was no single hesitation in her words when she offered it to Raiha. Even though Fuutaro still feeling uneasy about her treating habit, this time, he had no complaint about it because it was for Raiha's sake. It will make Raiha happy and Fuutaro was glad every time he saw his little sister getting cheerful.

Minutes later, Fuutaro finally finished drinking his barley tea. He then stood up from the bench and headed to the nearby garbage bin to threw the cup away. Before heading back to the bench, Fuutaro headed to the clothing area entrance to take a peek inside, to see if Itsuki was still in there. His eyes scanning every corner and parts of the clothing section, and there was no sign of her.

Fuutaro then sighed and shook his head, thinking that maybe Itsuki went to the other part of the department store and was not in here anymore. He then opened his phone, planning to call her as he walked back to the bench where he sat earlier. As Fuutaro about to press the call button, he noticed that there was someone who took a seat on the bench and his eyes immediately went wide when he set his sight at that person who occupied that bench.

"That person…"

"That long red hair…"

"That white clothes that she wears…"

"It's just like the last time I met her…"

"Could it be really you…?"

The person who caught Fuutaro's attention was a girl around his age with a long straight red hair. She appeared to wore a white sun hat with a silver ribbon around it and the clothing that she wore was a long-sleeved white coat. That girl and her appearance… Fuutaro knew very well about her and in fact, he already met her before and this was the third time they met with each other.

After freezing in place from the shock, Fuutaro shook his head to gain his composure and put his phone back to his pocket, making his way to the bench. He then took a seat on the bench, next to this familiar girl and with his usual bland face he started to talk to her.

"I didn't expect to meet you again…" Fuutaro said without looking at the girl next to him. "Rena…"

"It's been a while… Uesugi Fuutaro-kun…" The girl with red hair answered. Just like what Fuutaro said, she was indeed Rena.

"Why are you here?" he asked to her, closing his eyes. "I thought you said we will not meet again."

"Yes, that's true," Rena nodded, looking at the boy beside him. "But I guess I had a thought change and here we are, we meet each other again."

"Hmm… Is that so?" Fuutaro did a little nod, still with his eyes closed after hearing her response and went quiet for a few seconds. After those seconds passed, he opened his eyes and slightly turned his head to look at his childhood friend beside him. "You know, there's no need to do that since we already see each other for every day, right?"

A surprised expression was visible on Rena's face and clearly, she didn't expect that answer from Fuutaro. "E-Ehh…? What do you mean?"

"There's no need to pretend anymore, Rena…" Fuutaro said with a monotone voice. "Also, why did you borrow your mother's name?"

A weak chuckle came out from her mouth. "Hehe… So you even know about that, huh?" she said as the surprised expression starting to went away. Rena then stood up from the bench, now facing towards Fuutaro. "You're correct and I'm one of the quintuplets. Since you said that we already see each other for all times, can you tell who I am?" A faint smile now appeared on her lips as she waited for the boy's answer.

"No… I don't know who you are," Fuutaro answered to her, closing his eyes again for the second time. "Even though we did see each other for everyday and all times, I still can't differentiate each of you if you all don a different appearance than usual." He opened his eyes and directly looked at the red-haired girl in front of him.

"Is that so?" Another weak smirk replaced the smile from before as she insisted for him to answer. "Could you just take a guess? I just want to hear an answer from you."

"No, I still can't. Even though your grandpa already taught me how to tell each of you apart, I still can't get the grasp of it." He was starting to get uninterested with her little game. "Just tell me who you are and get this over with."

"Ahaha… I insist…" Rena said and now, her expression starting to get more nervous after hearing Fuutaro losing interest towards her. "Just pick a guess, follow your instinct and do what our grandpa taught you."

Fuutaro crossed his arms and he kept looking at Rena for some seconds. After a while, he sighed and shook his head. He then showed an uninterested face, with a trace of seriousness to her.

"No… I refuse."

"Ehh…?"

"I already tried to guess one of you back in spring vacation and I totally failed," Fuutaro told her his reason, saying it with a serious tone. "I ended up hurting her feelings and I didn't want to repeat the same mistake again because of lack of my knowledge to differentiate each of you."

"…" Rena fell silent and her face was all nervous and uneasy after hearing his words.

"You should stop pretending to be someone else and stop taking your mother's name," he continued to said. "But I swear that someday, I will learn to tell each of you apart even if you all don the same appearance just like that time."

"…"

Fuutaro then stood up from the bench and started to walk away from her. But before he walked too far from her, he stopped and slightly turned his head to look at her before he kept going. "Before I go, I wanted to say thank you for what you said last year. Your words once again opened my mind and I have to focus on the present and look into the future for me to become a better person."

"…"

"Thank you for appearing in my life. But now, I already set myself to look into what the present and future has to offer to me. I will not dwell in the past and be held by it," Fuutaro said and he showed a faint smile to the still quiet girl. "This will be the last time I see you, Rena… Goodbye." He then walked away from the red-haired girl, leaving her standing alone in front of empty bench.

Rena, who was still frozen in place, finally moved and took a seat again at the bench. She took of her disguise, which were the hat and the wig, and the person who was acting as Rena all this time was… Itsuki.

There was a disappointed and uneasy expression all over her face as she kept staring at the ground, feeling all down after Fuutaro refused to guess her identity.

"*sigh* So I failed huh…?"

"Now that he already left all of that memory behind…"

"I guess this disguise won't work anymore…"

"What all he said was true…"

"What the hell am I doing, huh…?"

The reason why Itsuki don this disguise was to get Fuutaro's attention. Recently, her feelings towards Fuutaro were getting stronger, where she was easily flustered and embarrassed whenever he was near to her, whether it was in school, tutoring session, or free time, especially when he was joking and teasing her. Itsuki had no idea why this feeling suddenly starting to get more intense and she was feeling uneasy every time she thought about him. She always saw him as a supportive friend and helpful tutor, and this sudden change of feeling made her confused and uneasy.

To solve this uneasy feeling, Itsuki decided to use the Rena disguise again and hoped that Fuutaro responded well with this appearance, knowing he enjoyed her company when wearing this disguise last time. But now, her apparent words last year have backfired, which made him partially knew about the disguise and how he did not want to see her again. Itsuki concluded that this disguise was now useless.

She then thought to herself, that if she wants to gain his attention, she needed to be her true self. Also took an example from the other four; be bold, like Nino, be easy-going, like Ichika and Yotsuba, and be calm, just like Miku.

"I guess I don't need this anymore…"

"Uesugi-kun said that I need to stop pretending to be someone else…"

"Then I need to be myself…"

"I also need to take note from the other four on how they interacted with him…"

A ringtone notification was coming out from her phone and when Itsuki looked at it, a message came from Fuutaro.

Oi Itsuki! Where the hell are you? If you're still browsing clothes, I'm just telling that right now, I'm in the front of the department store with Raiha and Ichika, buying a Takoyaki while waiting for you.

If you're finished, make your way here and we'll be waiting for you on the bench near the Takoyaki booth. I already bought you two large portions of Takoyaki knowing that you're a food devouring monster. Consider this as my thanks for buying me those clothing.

A smile appeared on her lips after reading Fuutaro's message. She then closed her phone and put it back in her bag. Itsuki thought that even though he can be insensitive and had that no-delicacy attitude, sometimes he can be kind and sensitive enough to make her happy and pleased. So just like Ichika said, she might need to spend more time with Fuutaro, to know about his interest outside of studying and to bond with him, so he can notice her and improve the relationship between them beyond friend.

"Insensitive as always huh…?"

"But you seemed to know about what I like…"

"I guess you're not that worse like I thought…"

"Now that the school trip is nearing…"

"I will make sure to use that chance to spend time with you…"

"So I can know more about you and improve the relationship between us…"

"Ahh! Itsuki-san is finally here." Raiha pointed at the fifth quintuplet who was walking towards them."

"Sorry for the wait…"

Itsuki finally finished her clothes shopping and she also finally caught up to the three persons who had been waiting her for like an hour. There was a shopping bag on her right hand and it looked like she did not buy many clothing like Fuutaro expected, considering she was taking so long browsing the clothing section. She then took a seat on another bench not far them and Raiha immediately went and sat next to her.

Raiha then asked to her about the clothing that they saw earlier in the department store, especially about the underwear since it took them a long time to decide which one Itsuki wanted to buy. "So Itsuki-san, did you finally buy the one that we were seeing earlier?"

"Y-Yeah… I decided to buy it," Itsuki nodded and there was a slightly embarrassed expression when Raiha asked about it, getting what the little girl meant. "Even though it feels weird when I saw it, turns out it feels okay when I tried it. I had to admit that it feels better than the one that I have in home," she let out a weak chuckle, recalling the image of the underwear that she bought, which was intended for an adult age.

"Well, since you're about to be an adult age next year, I say that underwear will fit right away for you."

"Ahaha… I guess you're right…"

Meanwhile, not far from them, Ichika nudged Fuutaro on the shoulder, seemingly wanted to tell him about something. There was also a playful expression on her face as she repeatedly nudged him. "Fuutaro-kun, now that Itsuki-chan is here, this is the perfect time to do what I taught you!" She looked at her youngest sister, who was still talking with the other youngest sister. "Remember to not say anything that can upset her, okay?" Ichika gave him a wink, wishing him a good luck on the "test" for his sensitiveness.

"Yeah, yeah…" Fuutaro answered with an unenthusiastic voice and then stood up, heading towards Itsuki. There were two Takoyaki on both of his hand as he made his way towards her.

These Takoyaki were the one he bought earlier while waiting for her, as a sign of gratitude for buying him a clothing. Earlier, Ichika told Fuutaro to bought a Takoyaki for Itsuki as a part of his lesson to be more sensitive towards girl, knowing the fifth sister fondness towards food. He thought that this "lesson" should be fine because he did not like to owe someone a favor and based from Ichika's advice, he should treat a girl on what she likes once in a while.

Fuutaro was now in front of the bench where Itsuki and Raiha were sitting, and he gave the Takoyaki to her. "Here… here's the Takoyaki that I said earlier."

"Ahh… Thank you." Itsuki accepted the Takoyaki and put the other one on the empty part of the bench. She then ate the Takoyaki, and as expected, she really enjoyed the snack and a blissful expression was all over her face as she continued eating. "Mmm… It's really delicious! The timing couldn't be perfect because I'm starting to get hungry."

"Heh! As expected from you. I guess any food or snack could make you drool, huh?" Fuutaro smirked from seeing the fifth quintuplet's eager expression of eating the snack. "Here's also some water for you to drink after you eat all of that." he then pulled out a bottle of water from his pocket, which barely fit in it.

"Thank you!" Itsuki accepted the water bottle and immediately drank it. "It's rare seeing you being nice like this, Uesugi-kun. Did you hit your head or something while waiting for me?" She let out a teasing expression, in which Fuutaro immediately recognized thanks to his experience of seeing countless of Ichika's teasing face.

"Yeah… About that…"

"Onii-chan said that he didn't want to owe you a favor from buying him a clothing." Raiha was the one who said the reason instead of the person himself. "I already scold him about it, but he seemingly didn't care about it." She looked at her big brother with a frown, seemingly dissatisfied about his reason.

"Hmm…. Is that so?" Itsuki muttered as she finished the first Takoyaki and then moved to the second one.

"That's not really it… It's also my way to thank you for buying me a clothing," Fuutaro said with a slight panic voice, trying to not offend her just like Ichika taught him.

"Hehh… I guess it's fine." She then took another sip of water. "Anyway, thank you again, Uesugi-kun. This Takoyaki is really good." Itsuki showed him a gratitude smile and continued eating.

"Yeah, no problem about it." Fuutaro said. "Also Itsuki, do you want to come along with me and Raiha to the supermarket after this? We wanted to buy some stuffs for our dinner and it would be good for you to come with us…" he said with an awkward tone and face, in which Itsuki noticed.

"Huh? Why did you suddenly become nice? It's not really like you…"

"*sigh* It's because Ichika wanted to see my attitude on how to be nice to a girl and she gave me a few advices about it." Fuutaro's awkward face starting to turned into a more embarrassed one as he covered his flustered face with his right hand. "She said that my attitude needs to be improved. So yeah, you know the rest."

"Ichika, huh?" Itsuki muttered and looked at the direction where the eldest sister at, where she replied back with just a wide smile. "Such an Ichika thing to do… Just like last time."

"Well, I guess Ichika's advice worked and you pleased me," Itsuki responded with a smile of her own as she finished the second Takoyaki. "Be sure to treat me again some other times, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah…" Fuutaro let out another sigh. "So, you want to go with us?"

"Unn… I'll go with you," Itsuki nodded and stood up to threw away the empty Takoyaki's boxes. "I also need to buy some things at the supermarket and maybe some food supplies for Nino."

"Yeah… Then, let's go." Fuutaro started to go back to where Ichika was, followed by his little sister and Itsuki.

The four made their way to the supermarket where they usually shop. Itsuki, who was quiet on their way, was thinking about Fuutaro's act of kindness earlier. Even though it was kind of awkward for him, based from his face expression, she was sure that act was by his own will, even though Ichika kind of forced him to do it. Also, his words directed to her when she was donning Rena disguise, made her thinking that she needed to be bolder if she wanted to improve the relationship between them and be noticed by him.

Now that the school trip was nearing, Itsuki thought that she needed to seek an opportunity to spend some alone time with Fuutaro and get his attention.

"The school trip is nearing…"

"I guess I can use it to spend some alone times with him…"

"I have some places in mind…"

"And that place should be perfect…"

"Because he had a good memory with that place…"

"Uesugi-kun…" Itsuki finally let out a word after being quiet for some times."

"Hmm… What's wrong?"

"You know that school trip is nearing, right?" Itsuki said with a bold tone and looked at him directly in face. "How about my group and yours goes to Kiyomizu-dera?"

"Huh?"

"You heard about it. If I'm not wrong, Kiyomizu-dera is available to visit on the second day of the trip." A serious expression, full of confidence were all over her face, hoping for him to agree with her suggestion. "I heard that place has a good scenery and had a lot of historical value, so it will be good for our trip report, right?"

"Uhh… Yeah... You have a point…" Fuutaro somehow felt uncomfortable from seeing Itsuki's expression and her pressure of wanting to go to Kiyomizu-dera. "I will think about it…"

Ichika got surprised and her eyes went slightly wide after seeing her youngest sister suddenly went all bold and suggested to Fuutaro about a school trip destination out of sudden. The sudden boldness from Itsuki intrigued Ichika because she rarely saw the youngest quintuplet getting all straightforward towards their tutor and the look of her face when she suggested him to go to Kiyomizu-dera, it was really a rare sight from her. Was it because of her words earlier when she suggested her to be closer to Fuutaro? Did those words really pushed her to be this bold, immediately asking to Fuutaro without any hesitation?

"Hmm… So Itsuki-chan is starting to make her move, huh…?"

"It's going to be interesting to see…"

"Let's see about the others…"

"I bet they're going to do the same…"

"Especially Nino and Miku…"

A/N:

So here's chapter 2 and this chapter kind of focused on Itsuki and her newfound confidence to spend a time with Fuutaro in the later school trip. This chapter might be weird since this story is supposed to be a Fuutaro and Ichika story. But don't worry, I will explain on what you will expect from this story on the next chapter A/N.

As for the next chapter, it will be released on last week of the December or the first week of the January. I will be on a vacation next week and I want to take my time relaxing my mind from all the steam of irl work and many other things. Besides, December is always a relaxing and resting month for me, so I hope that after the vacation and the Christmas holiday, I can continue writing this story with that "fire" because it's hard to keep that going on with splitting my time on work and writing this fic.

Anyway, thank you for reading this chapter and I hope you enjoyed it!

If you enjoy the story, feel free to review, follow, and favorite it!