Artist: 子木享水 . ?id=12284224
Translator: Warrenchen (Project Miku no Hanayome)
On the last eve of the School Festival, the bells of decision have been ringing...
The short-haired young lady is leaving where she was supposed to be bound to, due to the event that happened last night, while the one who she waits for did not choose her. She is heading for her sisters now.
"Oops..."
Just in front of the classroom where Nino stays, the short-haired lady saw her sisters, Nino and Miku, hugging each other while sobbing sadly. She recalls how many tricks were played for competing with the sister for his heart, but he doesn't only ignore her even now, her initiated sisters get seriously hurt by her behaviors.
Although she told her before that there is nothing about sisters that decided to apply to leave school, the real reason is she cannot forgive herself for hurting them so much, the guilt roars in her inner self. The lady tends to leave there so as not to disturb them, after she lets her voice out unintentionally. Just when she tries to turn her back, one of her sisters calls her.
"Ichika?"
Nino noticed her since the position and vision is clear, therefore she calls the name of the short -haired lady.
"!"
Miku trembled slightly, and her back was turned on the entrance of the classroom.
"?"
Although Miku's reaction was very gentle, Nino noticed that in her way.
"Ha ha... I'll come later; just have your time, Nino and Miku."
Exposed Ichika who laughs hollowly, and she expresses that she does not intend to disturb them.
"Ichika...I was comforting Nino only because I saw her crying..."
Miku leaves Nino gently, and turns to Ichika to explain what was happening.
"You...Miku... yeah yeah, thanks to you indeed..."
Nino was trying to make complaints to Miku, but after seeing her face, Nino changed the lines with a certain reason. Then she tells Ichika.
"Take good care with this girl, Ichika. You're feeling sad already, how come you ask yourself to care for others...? I'm going to see how Itsuki is going."
She pushes Miku to the side of Ichika after her words, and walks through them without hesitation.
"You can cry if you feel sad, Miku. You can cry on the chest of your big sister! "
"Ichika... I'm not..."
Without letting Miku finish her words, Ichika embraces Miku's face into her arms, and Miku doesn't struggle too much.
"..."
"I know the girl who Fuutarou has been watching isn't me, while I was in the Ryokan of grandpa...but I was still unrequited to believe he recognized me... during the school trip in Kyoto, I confirmed there is a girl in his heart. I know it's impossible for this love to bear fruit even though, but I want to try until the last moment..."
"I thought I could accept the result with calm and peace, but it really hurts when I become a lovelorn. Ichika... I..."
The emotions which held up deeply for a long time burst out as Miku's words, after a moment of silence with Ichika.
"..."
Ichika sees her shaking junior sister couldn't finish her words and crying like a baby, she runs her fingers to Miku's hair, then patting softly on her back.
"Uh... I didn't expect you to be here..."
Nino ran into Itsuki lying on the wall while she was going to the stair for the lower floor.
"Sorry, I didn't peep at you on purpose, but it's just not the time to interrupt them..."
Itsuki makes her words out and sincerely apologizes.
"Well, never mind. But since you are here, it means Fuutarou chose her, right?"
"Yep..."
"It's a little bit surprising, but let's congratulate her after we are prepared?! Oh, by the way, I have something asking for your help. I don't know how to face Fuu-kun now, and I guess Ichika or Miku shall be the same. So..."
Nino tells Itsuki that the three of them would like to have some personal time and space, and don't want to see Fuu-kun for a while. She hopes Itsuki can bring him a message that they are returning home.
Few days later, on the rooftop of school.
"Glad to have you there a few days ago, Nino... Since the School Trip in Kyoto, I feel Ichika is hiding from me somehow... It's my last year in senior high school already. But I think it's weird to be initiated with sisters at this age, right?"
Miku invited Nino to the rooftop for chatting, and she is asking Nino for her doubts.
"We're quints! That's the truth. No Matter how long it has passed, no matter how far we are. She is the same as me, hoping to be recognized by sisters... (But she is a dump in picking a timing)"
Nino recalls the sister who was trying to be recognized with an undue haste. Miku continues her words, specifying the reason she calls Nino here.
"However, I found myself admiring Ichika recently... not the one as sister, but something that feels like what I think with Fuutarou...but it's not totally identical...I guess it's my illusion since I just broke my heart...what is that called... Two Factor Theory of Emotion?"
"Hmm... do you really think so? But I think your feeling is not an illusion anyway, Miku."
Nino pauses and ponders for a while, then she replies to Miku. And Miku feels a little bit surprised.
"...I don't know what to say for your calm response... I thought you would be mocking me..."
"Because you wouldn't call me up for just saying thank you, right? I guess what happened that night shall be confusing or even troubling you, thus you're calling me here. And... I have some experience like you anyway."
Nino explains her reason to react calmly very directly.
"?"
"...I have been adoring you for a long time before I liked Fuu-kun."
Seeing the confused face of Miku, Nino says what she hid beneath her heart for decades.
"..."
"..."
"Hey, say something please!? It makes me feel like an idiot after I confessed to you..."
The silence is too long to have Nino bear to mock herself.
"Uh, I'm sorry...I don't know which way is the best to react since I confessed and broke up with the same people at the same time..."
Miku replies with a stunned and shocked expression on her face.
"Har har...I bet you do. What I try to tell you is do what you want to do, there is no need to care about me."
"Well, I have a vague feeling with something special between us, but I don't understand why you became a sister who likes to mock her junior sisters after mom passed away...oh, it seems you were only focus on me, so I even thought if you don't like me "
After hearing what Nino said, Miku replies to her with what she feels from her childhood.
"...that's because of my envy and jealousy of Ichika, I guess?"
Nino turns around, looking to the blue sky.
"Uh?"
"Because you cried as something brood over in your heart but the way Itsuki cried out loud when mother died. You even used the earphones to protect your heart from the external world."
"!? Why would you know my reason to wear the earphones? "
Miku is a little bit shocked when a never told secret was disclosed by Nino.
"Why? Because I Like you, Miku. So I understand everything about you."
Nino has an expression of "why are you asking such a question taken for granted?" And she continues to say.
"Although I've tried to pull you up from sorrow but in vain, Ichika who as the eldest sister noticed you, then helped you out from the abyss of sadness. I was glad to see you were getting better, but you prefer to stay with Ichika since then. That's why I want to catch your attention in a different way;"
"I never thought that would make our relationship even worse than before, and even let you misunderstand my purpose... ugh... it's a little bit late to say this, but I'm sorry for that, Miku."
Nino makes a bitter smile at Miku and apologizes.
"...No, I'm the one who shall say sorry. I haven't noticed the real thinking of Nino until now...but after I liked Fuutarou, it seems I can understand the feeling now. Sorry, Nino."
Miku replies to Nino with a similar smile.
"Alright then, if there are no more misunderstandings between us, then no more apologies for the past since now. If you really like Ichika, or even something more than just like, I will support you."
"Nino..."
"After all, you would really let Fuutarou go that way, Miku. What I have to do is to make Fuu-kun like me more than that girl!"
Nino grins. And Miku replies to her with a helpless tone.
"Ugh...I thought you mean you gave up already, Nino"
"Why should I? Being a couple doesn't mean they will be married in the end. There are futures with opportunities, and I will definitely have a chance! Ah, but I don't mean I would grab him from her. What I want to do is to make Fuu-kun think I am the better girl for him."
And Nino explains to Miku in her way.
"That's Nino's style... and I also like that part of Nino..."
While she sees Nino with confidence, Miku gives an affirmative smile to her.
A few more days later. Ichika's room, Nagano's mansion.
"Ichika... I heard that you might have too many days of absence, don't you?"
Miku confirms what she heard from the conversation of Ichika and her teacher occasionally, and she visits her room at night.
"Well, you've known that already, Miku. That's right, I can't graduate with you because of that reason, due to the fact that I decided to play a few more films which weren't on my agenda. It's a pity that my scores shall pass the final exam because of Fuutarou-kun's tutoring..."
Ichika replies to her with a bitter smile. And Miku makes a serious proposal seriously.
"So here is my plan...while you were out for filming, I could pretend to be you for the attendance."
"...You don't have to do this for me, Miku."
Ichika shakes her head, refusing the proposal from Miku which doesn't seem to be a joke. Miku asks her with a sorrowful face.
"But I want to graduate with Ichika, could we? Or you don't want to graduate with us, Ichika?"
"No, I want to attend the graduation ceremony with you girls for sure, but I am not worthy of you to do so, as a failed senior sister..."
"Are you still tangled with that event, Ichika? There was nothing wrong with you... It was me who caused it..."
"But as a result, I pretend to be you to stop you from confessing to Fuutarou-kun. It's an undeniable truth. I just couldn't forgive myself, Miku."
Ichika tells her sadly. Miku weeps with a bitter smile as it was mocking to herself, then tells Ichika what she really feels deeply in her mind.
"I like Ichika very much. I couldn't overcome the gray days after mommy died without your accompaniment. So I've been always relying on you since then... You're the first one I want to share how much I like Fuutarou. Not only I hoped to be recognized by you , but I realized you like him too, and I don't want you to give up by holding your true thoughts inside. I didn't know it could make you more stressed... I'm sorry for that, Ichika;"
"However, when I see how you hit on Fuutarou with your true face and take actions, I am the one who gave up instead, even though I am the one who said to have a fair competition... then I ran away, made you sacrifice the time to be with him. I'm sorry for that too; I've been always like you, Ichika, but what I did was merely being affectionate with you or being self-willed..."
"I wasn't aware of my true thoughts until a few days ago. You must be tired to have such a young sister like me, right, Ichika? I'm really sorry, Ichika... and, I like you, Ichika."
"Miku... I will never be tired of you, Miku. I like you too, but I chose Fuutarou between you two. I..."
After hearing what Miku confessed, Ichika cannot help but tear up, replying to her confession.
"Ichika... I feel the same as you, so let's just let it go, ok?"
While Miku sees how Ichika looks, she moves forward and holds Ichika gently around.
"..."
"...trust me, Ichika. I will help you with the required attendance for graduation."
Miku's eyes are determined, and she makes the same proposal just a while ago. Even though Ichika doesn't want her sister doing that for her, she compromised not only because she wants to attend the graduation with her, but hopes not to fail Miku again.
"...Alright, I understand now. But there is a condition for this. Don't affect your attendance, Miku."
"Yes, of course... because I want to graduate with Ichika~"
Miku smiles while she has the affirmative answer from Ichika.
The next day, Nakano's Mansion
Ichika isn't at home today for filming even though it is the weekend, so Miku tells her other sisters about her plan for Ichika's attendance. Itsuki is the first one to respond even though she doesn't want to cheat the teachers, since she wants to graduate with Ichika more than other things.
"I'm not sure if it's right or wrong, but I am in on your plan to pretend Ichika."
"Thank you, Itsuki, but you should focus on your score for being a teacher as your career... but please help in converging us from teachers and classmates."
To think of the distance between Itsuki's goal and current score, Miku prefers her sister to pursue her dream as her first priority. Then Yotsuba raised her hand to show her will for helping Miku and Ichika.
"I've already passed the selection for the enrollment, Miku. I can help in pretending to be her..."
"Thanks to you too, Yotsuba, but I would like you to drag Fuutarou away. He should feel something wrong after a few times. Instead of this, I hope you can help in this way..."
"Uh? We are excluding him from this plan?"
Yotsuba asks doubtfully while she realizes that Fuutarou isn't in the plan.
"Yes, because he has done so much for us already, and the score of Ichika was raised due to his tutoring. So I don't want him being troubled by us, and just leave this issue to us."
Miku replies to Yotsuba with a bureaucratic tone. Even though that wasn't the true reason, she didn't lie to Yotsuba either. Yotsuba accepts the answer Miku gives her, but another question is aroused.
"Okay, I'll do my best. But what if Fuutarou-kun asks me about your absences..."
"...If he really begins to doubt and ask you about my leaves to school... just tell him I was still in the process, and prefer not to see him for a while."
Miku bites her lower lip as she has made her mind, then tells Yotsuba the solution with a gentle deep breath. Nino suddenly realized that Miku wanted to help Ichika alone, so she supported her decision.
"...! ... You really think so, Miku? It seems you're determined, Miku. But I will share your burden if you're holding too much, keep this in mind, my girl. "
"Thank you, Nino. But I hope this will be settled by me."
Miku is also aware of what Nino's words actually mean and she understands what Miku wants to do, so she gratefully replies.
One day after the plan was executed... In the classroom
"Ichika, do you know if Miku was getting sick or something for her increasing absence?"
Fuutarou notices Miku has been absent for a while, and Ichika comes to school to make up for her low attendance. He tentatively asks about Miku.
"What a greedy playboy, Fuutarou~ you're dating Yotsuba now, and you still can't forget Miku?"
The short-haired lady replies to him with naughty grins as what he used to see. Fuutarou explains in an awkward predicament while feeling being tricked.
"Uh... it is normal caring as a tutor and student, right?"
"Har har~ I was making fun of you. She ate too much Matcha ice cream and had a running belly~"
The short-haired lady replies to him with a comforting answer. And he takes a relieved breath from it.
"Ah, does she? But if she is fine, then it's okay..."
He turns around and leaves. The short-haired lady watches his back without saying anything. And Nino comes to her side, then whispers to her.
"Are you OK? If it's hard, I can take over from here."
"Thanks, I'm fine... and he wasn't able to recognize who I am..."
The short-haired lady replies in a peaceful tone, but there is no expression on her face.
"..."
Maeda who sits beside the windows watched that scene, thinking something happened a few days ago.
"...and that's the whole story. Please don't tell Fuutarou or teachers, Mr. Maeda"
Because Maeda knows how to distinguish Ichika from her sisters, Miku asked Maeda out and told him her plan.
"That's why. I'm fine with your plan, since I hope to graduate with Miss Ichika Nakano. And I can help with nothing in your plan but this. Nevertheless, I think you are the one who is stressed and working hard."
Maeda was relieved after Miku explained the plan to him, while he found Ichika seemed to be a little different since a few days ago.
"Why are you looking at Miss Nakano, Maeda –kun? Don't tell me you like her!"
Matsui jokes around with her boyfriend, questioning with a naughty tone to Maeda, who confessed to her after the last School Festival.
"...Miss Matsui, I decided to tell you this after my second thought. I once had a special feeling with Miss Nakano. But she denied my confession, and I let her go already."
Maeda considered for a while and decided to let his current girlfriend know his past. Matsui asks him with worry, without knowing the real reason for telling her.
"...! Why do you mean by telling me these right now, Maeda-kun?"
"Because I want to treat you seriously in our relationship, so I don't want to hide that I've once liked Miss Ichika, and got refused."
However, Maeda considers Matsui in his way. Matsui is also relieved from realizing how important her boy thinks she is.
Few days later, in the rooftop of the school
"You've been absent for a while, Miku. Are you okay? You can feel free to discuss with me at any time for anything you might need a hand with."
Because Miku was sick too often, Fuutarou invited her to the rooftop to have some talk while she goes to school normally. Miku knows he will come to her sooner or later, so she replies with her answer prepared a long time ago.
"...Thanks for your care, Fuutarou, but I'm fine. It's just because I was too tired practicing cooking, and I was exhausted. It's better for you to care for Yotsuba more, since we are just students and tutors now..."
"Miku... the talk we didn't finish at the aquarium, maybe it's a little bit late now, but I've prepared my answer for you."
By hearing what Miku says, Fuutarou decides to tell her the answer which has missed the timing. But Miku shakes her head, refusing him to say with no expression on her face.
"Fuutarou... my sisters and I already knew your answer THAT night very clearly. And Yotsuba told us what happened that night... we are tutor and student now and after, that's all."
"I..."
"If there is nothing more, I'm going back to the classroom. Please take good care of Yotsuba, UESUGI-KUN. Farewell."
Miku just has a glance for his reaction, then she leaves the rooftop afterwards.
Few months later
Under the tutoring of Fuutarou, passed her attendance by Miku's perfect makeup skill, and the assistance by her sisters and classmates, Ichika graduated successfully with the other quints. She devotes her career, and becoming a world famous actress in just a few months.
Even in Taiwan, a south island of her country, creates fan pages for her. The popular director "Captain" hired Ichika to be the main actress in her new work, "Gotoubun no Hanamuko." It's in theaters now, and the audiences from Japanese and Taiwan loves the show.
Nino majors in business management with a colleague near her place, and she runs a coffee shop with Miku, as owner and partner.
Miku helps Nino to run her shop after she graduated from cooking school. She is creative and innovative in developing new products, and she runs the fan page of Ichika privately.
Yotsuba goes to grandpa's hot spring Ryokan as an intern of the future owner, after she graduated from college.
Itsuki gets her license as a teacher by passing the qualification exam after she graduated from college, and she enjoys the curry set menu in Nino's cafe, which was cooked by Miku.
Few years later... In a cafe which provides curry set menu
The owner checks the clock, and reminds Miku of the time.
"It's almost time for you to leave, Miku."
"I wasn't aware it's so late now... but we have so many guests now, is it okay for you, Nino?"
Miku looks around the seats in the cafe, and asks Nino who is the owner with worries. Nino ponders, and asks Itsuki who just finished her meal.
"Hmm... in this case... Can you help me, Itsuki? This meal is a compliment then, and I will give you desserts afterwards."
Even though Nino never thought about charging from her family, as someone who lives in earnest, she insists on paying for her part. So Nino sometimes finds excuses to refuse her sister's money. Knowing the mission of Miku, Itsuki accepts the request from Nino without hesitation, and she pushes Miku forward.
"Sure. There's just 30 minutes left until the end of today, I shall be fine. Just relax and pick Ichika here, Miku. Nino and I will take care of the rest."
"Thanks, Itsuki. See you later."
Miku rides her bike to the station to pick up Ichika.
Outside of the station
"Welcome back, Ichika."
Seeing disgusted Ichika walking from the station, Miku hugs her with a smile. Ichika greets her with a question, but feels cozy in her mind.
"How long have you been waiting here, Miku? I can just get a cab to your cafe."
"No. Even though they're sisters, I want to be the first one to see you. It's my red line."
Miku is smiling and staring at Ichika.
In a cafe with "closed" sign outside the entrance
Itsuki is chatting with Nino when eating the dessert which Miku just developed recently.
"Even though we watch Ichika a lot on TV shows, it has been a while since we last met, Ichika..."
"Yep. Even Miku lives in your place, she hasn't seen you for a long time either, Ichika. That's too long for you to film in Sapporo. Miku mumbles 'I want to see Ichika' during her working hours in the last two weeks"
Nino explicates Miku's secrets. Miku blushes and pouts with complaints.
"Uh... we had a deal to keep that as a secret from Ichika, didn't we?"
"Ha ha, you are so lovely, Miku, still the way you are. Your senior sister has no more shots after, so you can do whatever you want with me during this long vacation~"
Ichika tangled Miku's face gently with her index finger. Miku lowered her head and whispered.
"So... so, just the same way..."
"Sure, sure, we'll do that after we return to our place~"
Ichika pats on Miku's head very gently. Even though Itsuki knows the relationship between Ichika and Miku is very close, she just can't get used to the air filled with such sweet and pink bubbles, so she tries to change the topic.
"Uh...right, it's a pity that Yotsuba has to accompany a foreign tourist group, or our families could reunite together."
"Yep, dad just texted me that he is on the way here."
Nino reads the message her father just sent to her. And Ichika makes a proposal.
"Then we shall have a reunion in grandpa's hot spring Ryokan next time, okay?"
"""Agrees!"""
Her sisters all agree with her, except Yotsuba who isn't there.
*Ding-dong-*
"It must be dad, I will open the door."
Maruo had dinner with his daughters, which haven't done for a long time, later this evening.
After the family dinner is finished, they return to their place one by one. Ichika and Miku are heading the same way, since they live together.
"I'm back~"
Ichika jumps to her bed and can't remember when is the last time to do this, after they return to their place. Miku does her room neatly while she isn't at home, so she can have a nice sleep whenever she returns. Miku is looking at Ichika lying on the bed with a comfortable expression on her face.
"You should take a shower at least, Ichika."
"Sure sure~ since I promised you already, so it's better to be clean for that~"
"...I'm fine anyway, but I hope you can sleep well, that's all I want."
After they finish taking a shower, Miku holds her pillow to Ichika's room, and speaks with the pillow covering her face, embarrassed.
"May I come in, Ichika? You promised to sleep together."
"Come here, I'm ready for a while, Miku. And why are you blushing? We've been sisters for our whole life~"
Ichika grins and mocks Miku while she sees how Miku behaves. Miku pretends to be unhappy, and she pouts.
"...I feel some kind of hurt since you know my will already..."
"No matter how they see us, we are siblings anyway. It's our privilege to do this. And we are just sleeping under the same blanket, are you thinking of something else?"
Even though their special relationship might not be recognized in the country they live in, or other countries with an open attitude, it's a normal and common happiness for them as sisters supporting each other under the same roof. After understanding what their situation is and what Ichika means, Miku smiles, and makes herself under the blanket, holding her beloved Ichika in her arms.
By seeing how relaxed and lovely Miku is, Ichika can't help but hug her back with a smile.
They had a nice dream afterwards.
(fin~)
[Author's words]
Right, the story of Ichika /w Miku is finally done (It took me several days separately...) I felt like I was writing a soap drama, but whatever. And the interactions between Nino and Miku in the first half are a little bit more than I expected. So the topic includes Nino as well.
Because she is identified as an actress for Ichika, her private life shall be kept low. And since the differences in personalities and interactions, I don't write a revolting plot like Miku and Nino. As a result, the last relationships are different among these plots.
By the way, some of my paintings done before are also inspirations of this creation. I tried to draw a simple sisterhood between Ichika and Miku (PS. I refer my Ichika to Negi's version), but the fans on Pixiv added a "レズセックス" (Lesbian sex) tag. So I decided to use that as the ending of the story. *lol
Additionally, I always like the couple of Ichika-Miku, but I like Miku-Nino since the Kyoto arc (and Negi excluded Ichika-Miku directly) too. I never give up the possibilities in Ichika-Miku, but it's hard to create another fanfic than Miku-Nino.
And if we speak about a fanfic of Ichika-Miku, one of my favorites is the following work done by yukari8 (鴞) .cc/bbs/C_Chat/M.1576507199.A. (Miku x Ichika) The emotion Miku desires to be protected by Ichika, and the expression Ichika let Miku has what she want, really give me the touch from Negi's version.
So, here is the end of my word. (I wrote too much crap again...)
Congrats for a happy new year~