Everything

by bobalon

An alternative route to the ending of the manga. The distant chimes of wedding bells signal the end of a long journey, but what of its many beginnings? Before that fateful day are five long years spent at the cusp of adolesence and adulthood, and Uesugi Fuutarou begins his life with the one who will always stay by his side, Nakano Ichika.

25. For These Feelings Acquiesced

Chapter 25 — For These Feelings Acquiesced

Four corners to a frame. Blurred, centered, then focused. Attend to every detail with care and capture every moment in its best light. Take a few steps closer to shrink the vast blue sky that filled the frame, and closer so that her smile and his lens aligned. The curled corners of her lips, chin rested between her palm and knuckles. A slight bend to her hips and turn to her shoulders, as if her body knew every way to flirt and flatter with the camera. With a slight tug to his arm and a hand wrapped over his wrists, another memory would be captured amidst the bright revelry of the amusement park.

One photo here. Another photo there. One in front of the revolving carousel; one leaned against the railing of the large fountain with statues of well-renowned cartoon characters. With a bundle of colorful balloons, and another as she fed him cotton candy, presented right in front of the lens. Each photo minimized to tiny squares on his gallery, extending even further as he scrolled through. Fuutarou sighed. It could not have been more than an hour since they first arrived, but he felt as if he had enough captured memories to make for an entire day. And enough exhaustion to make for the rest of his stay in America.

Of course, no visit to the—as Fuutarou had been repeatedly told—'Happiest Place on Earth', would be complete without a visit to the iconic castle placed right in the middle of the park. Its white and blue spires speared the skies, grandiose in every aspect and angle that there was hardly a soul out there who would not recognize it. Raiha had continuously pestered him that every couple should have at least one photo taken in front of the castle, as if it were some unwritten law taken straight from the romantic story plots the young high school girl found herself recently obsessed over. Still, it truly was a wonderful sight. And once more he took out his camera, pointing the front-facing camera their way.

"How's it look?" Ichika asked, leaning her cheek against his shoulder.

"It's… alright, I guess," Fuutarou replied as he glanced over the photo. "But it's a bit difficult to get us and the castle in the shot. Not with the selfie camera, at least."

"Why don't we ask my sisters to take one for us then?"

"Sure. That's fine and all but…" Fuutarou narrowed his eyes, marking the details of the woman's face beside him. Just like the countless pictures he had taken that day, Fuutarou found his eyes fixated to every part visible to him. Her eyes, her lips, her cheeks. The curls that made her smile; the eyes looked back at him. Everything about her, as if there were some answers buried within a single glance.

"Hmm?" Ichika raised a brow. "Something the matter, Fuutarou-kun?"

"I would like it if I took this picture with my girlfriend—no, my fiancée. With Ichika."

"What are you talking about? We just took the picture, silly!"

"You know exactly what I mean…"

There was an impish smile on her face as she turned, making her way back to the group. Including Fuutarou himself, there should have been six of them here. The Nakano sisters had been going on for the past couple of days about how they needed to end their overseas trip with something big. Something so grand and so adventurous that they all could do together, capturing that sense of awe and wonder that seemed so few and far between now. It hardly took any time at all for the five sisters to come to an agreement, and with the last weekend of their trip, they had planned for one truly unforgettable day.

But no matter how long he may have thought about it at the time, Fuutarou could not at all prepare himself for what these five girls had in mind.

There should have been six of them here, and without a doubt, the six of them were here together. Himself and the five Nakano quintuplets—Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, Itsuki—

… dressed in a way that made them virtually indistinguishable between one another.

The lengths of their rose-colored hair were tied to ambiguously shaped buns, tucked neatly into the various hats they wore and occasionally switched out of throughout the day. Their clothes were gathered from the countless articles that littered the depths of Ichika's closet. Fashion from many renowned brand's Spring collections, hand-picked and pieced together to charming outfits that perfectly suited Nakano Ichika's body and face. And with four others just like her, the lines that distinguished between sister-to-sister had vanished. Most importantly, they had chosen to not wear the familiar accessories Fuutarou had come to permanently associate amongst them. No green ribbons could be found atop any of their heads, no butterfly ribbons to lace between strands of hair, no headphones wrapped around their neck, and neither shine nor twinkle to denote star-shaped clips.

"Alright…" He approached them, crossing his arms. "… this has gone on long enough. Could you girls just knock it off already?!"

"Whatever do you mean, Fuutarou?" One of the sisters remarked, lifting the brim of her straw sun hat. "We're the same as we've always been, right, sis?"

The one beside her nodded, fixing the rims of her sunglasses. "Mhm! What's gotten you in such a sour mood, Fuutarou? Come on! We're in the happiest place on earth! Smile!"

"Leave it to Fuutarou to find an excuse to be all grumpy," the quintuplet on the furthest end said with a laugh. "It's a special skill of his."

"Don't give me that…" Fuutarou replied. "It's been like this all morning. None of you have been referring to each other by name, or wearing those accessories you always have on. And no one else but Ichika has pierced ears—are you all wearing clip-ons or something? Are you just messing with me?"

"We told you already, Fuutarou." The quintuplet he was first with stepped forward. "It's the Quintuplet Game! All we did was change our hair a little. Don't tell me that's all it takes for you to mistake your future bride, hmm?"

"That's not—"

"And besides," another quintuplet interrupted. "This is the best compromise we can make, given the circumstances. It's not the best idea for the real Ichika to be seen walking around. Remember what happened with Miku? How she was swarmed by all those people, thinking she was Ichika?"

Fuutarou clicked his teeth, annoyed. Of course he remembered, and regretfully, what she was saying made a lot of sense. The surprise proposal still generated a bit of buzz in the area. Nothing quite like the first days the videos went viral, but more than enough to cause a stir while out carelessly in public. Including then, he and Ichika had been out on several more occasions—each time warranting the use of some form of disguise for the young actress, no matter where they were going. When Fuutarou thought about it, it made sense that a large and crowded place like an amusement park would be no exception.

However, what Fuutarou was not expecting that very morning was opening the door and being greeted by the other four Nakano sisters wearing disguises of their own. Just like that, Fuutarou found himself caught in another one of the five sisters' antics. A familiar game that he had never once won in the five years he had known them—The Quintuplet Game.

"I understand avoiding the paparazzi…" Fuutarou said, begrudgingly, "but keeping me out of this is plain unfair. Why do we have to play this silly game, too?"

"It's not like you have to guess all of us correctly," said one of the quintuplets, perfecting a wink that seemed like only Ichika could do, and at the same time, peculiarly unfitting of this quintuplet in particular . "Today's Quintuplet Game has a generous passing grade of only twenty percent! Surely, you should at least be able to tell apart your future wife from her sisters, can't you?"

"Besides, even if we did tell you," another quintuplet added, "it would make it pretty obvious to other people which one is the real Ichika. All they need to do is find the quintuplet the fiancé is flirting with, and that'll be that! No one can mistake that lovey-dovey look that comes with newly engaged couples."

Fuutarou hated to admit it, but there was actually some sense behind that logic. It had become more of a well-known fact among fans—following the proposal—that the rising actress, Nakano Ichika, was a quintuplet. Someone who had four other sisters that looked just like her. The short time they had spent in the amusement park had already brought them a few intrusive encounters with fans and onlookers that recognized Nakano Ichika—or rather, they simply recognized the face of Nakano Ichika. With the five of them together, it acted as a strange sort of barrier—something to dissuade fans from approaching them, as they would never truly know if they were speaking to the real actress or one of her sisters.

And consequently, that applied to Fuutarou himself as well.

"I've never won in any of these things. You know that." He loudly sighed. "And either way, you girls play dirty. It always comes down to lies and tricks so that I can mess up and make a fool of myself. Forget it. I'm not suffering through an unwinnable game."

One of the quintuplets snuck behind his shoulder, playfully leaning over. "I wouldn't be so sure about that, Fuutarou. Weren't you able to figure out that Miku was the one who was in trouble the other day?"

Fuutarou scrunched his brow. "Did I?"

"You really don't remember?"

After a while, he shrugged. "It was probably obvious. Ichika might have said her name first, Or maybe I recognized Miku's headphones. Yeah, that was probably it."

She shook her head, as if she were unconvinced before he even began. "Mm… no, I don't think that's it. Miku wasn't wearing her headphones that day. She left them back in the hotel room. Even if she did have them, you wouldn't be able to see it so easily in that kind of crowd, unless you were a lot closer. But you recognized her from a distance. Why do you think?"

"That…" Fuutarou mulled over the thought. Did it really happen in the way she said it did? He could recall the details, but whatever was running through his mind at the time was nothing more than a vague recollection. "It was just… a hunch or something. No, it was more like dumb luck."

Another quintuplet had snuck her way to him—closer so that he could see the flutter of her eyelashes that came with the starry look in her eyes. She pointed a nail against the left side of his chest, and with a blithe tone, she said, "You know exactly what it is, Fuutarou. All you need is—love. That's it."

Fuutarou stood there, puzzled. There it was again—that enigmatic answer that always left more questions than it answered. Still, after all these years, he could make neither sense nor reason over the words their late grandfather had taught him. He remembered pestering him; he remembered insisting over and over, and still, the answer would always be the same. If he were still alive, Fuutarou would have tried everything in his power to piece together the secret to telling the quintuplets apart with as little as a single glance.

He recalled one of their last conversations together, some time ago.

"That doctor was just like you, boy," the quintuplets' grandfather said with an amused chuckle. They sat on old fold-up chairs along river bank, dully watching their fishing lines as it swayed in the water. "It shouldn't be this hard."

"Doctor?" Fuutarou had asked. "You mean Nakano Maruo-san? He couldn't get it either?"

"Mm… but he learned much faster. Much faster than you. How long have you known my girls?"

"How long? Er… about…" He stalled time by reeling the fishing line, prompted only by the vague twitch of the rod. He sighed, looking at the empty hook. "…about three years now, sir. Almost four."

Again, the old man chuckled. "My, that is quite a while. The girls are always talking about how smart you are, but you still can't tell them apart without any help? That Nakano boy only took one year."

"Well, that's because—" Fuutarou stopped himself. What good would giving an excuse do now? Just what was he trying to prove? "Never mind. I just don't really get it. What did Maruo-san figure out that I couldn't? There had to have been something, but I don't know how he'd respond if I asked him that."

"No one tells a bird which way to fly," the old man began. "No one tells the fish which rivers eventually flow into the ocean. They simply know. That's all there is to it."

Just how it was then, and just how it was in the present, Fuutarou could only respond after a short silence with a single, "Huh…?"

The quintuplet beside him patted him on the shoulder, breaking him away from his short remembrance. "Well," she said, stepping back and joining the rest of the sisters as they had already begun their way to the next attraction. "You have the whole day to figure it out! For now, just focus on having fun. Come on!"

---

There were a few special rules that came with this version of The Quintuplet Game. A couple of nudges in his favor—much to his surprise—that shed the bits of mischief and trickery Fuutarou was always wary of, whenever the quintuplets agreed with something. A promise to fairness. The first rule was that he only needed to guess one of them correctly. His partner; his fiancée. In their own words, it should have been obvious years ago, but with the time they had spent apart, the Nakano sisters hardly had the chance to put his skills of recognition to the test.

Of course, 'test', carried an ugly ring to its name, as would any method of provoking the loyalty of one's partner, which is why they quickly addressed the second rule. For right or for wrong, there shall be no reward nor penalty for Fuutarou's final answer. After all, it was only fair. It was a game, and games were meant for fun. What better memory of a day if it were not enjoyed to its fullest? For that reason, Fuutarou had partially conceded some of his suspicions over foul play. In a way, he wondered if they all wanted him to succeed, and this was all some roundabout way of expressing that.

Regardless of those unknowns, the game itself was still a far stretch from what he would consider'easy'. True, he had been with the Nakano sisters long enough to know what parts made for their own personalities, but the further he dwelled on the idea, the more Fuutarou began to doubt himself. He had always differentiated each sister by the appearance traits that they themselves had placed upon their individual, whether it be the length of their hair, or the accessories and clothes that they wore. It was essentially second-hand nature; he hardly thought hard over it. Looking differently—or rather, thinking pessimistically—their personalities could be seen as a second confirmation, for lack of a gentler term. He would see those traits first, and recognize, then associate their personalities afterwards. Now that the five of them hid behind the same mask, it all became so apparent to him how much he relied on those small nuances.

As if expecting that doubt, the quintuplets established the third special rule to the game. Fuutarou would have the rare pleasure of spending some quality time with each and every one of them. A short date, if they would so loosely use the term. One amusement park attraction to be spent with each of them at a time. A special moment that made the lines between each quintuplet a little less blurry, and surely, the real Ichika would be unquestionable in his eyes.

"Hmm…" Fuutarou hummed, staring at his first partner, that looked at him with a crooked brow.

"You okay there, Fuutarou?" the quintuplet responded, touching her fingers to her cheek. "Do I have something on my face?"

"I'm just trying to figure out who you are…" His eyes narrowed further. The quintuplet he was with wore a white oversized t-shirt, which she tucked into her denim shorts. On top of her head, she wore a black baseball cap. "There has to be something that gives it away. How can your grandfather and your dad be so sure just by glancing at you…" He mumbled to himself again. "There has to be some secret or something I'm not getting…"

"I don't think staring at me that intensely is going to give you answers," she said with a halfhearted chuckle. "Honestly, It just makes you look like a creep, Fuutarou…"

"Quick, what does that sign say over there?"

"Wha—"

"The line is moving, quick!"

"It's umm… I—I don't know? It looks like it's English, but the way it's written is all—"

Fuutarou snapped his fingers, startling her. "Aha! That narrows it down! Nino or Ichika would have been able to read that; they both know English! That means you aren't—wait, no." He scowled at himself. "No, that doesn't answer anything. Nino also has bad eyesight, and if you aren't wearing your contacts today, then that means I can't rule out that you're Nino. And if you're Ichika, then it's possible you could…"

"Fuutarou…" she shook her head. "You're not seriously thinking of using that kind of method to narrow it down, are you?"

He threw his hands up as he shrugged, as if already giving up. "What else can I possibly work with? It's not like I'll suddenly figure it out, after all of these years of getting you all mixed up."

"Still, I don't think going at this with brute force is any better. We're here to have fun, remember? Look! It's almost our turn in line." She excitedly gestured forward. Colorful teacups over saucer plates scattered over a revolving floor, sculpted to a shape that could fit groups of two to five in a circle. A staple to the amusement park—the famous, and possibly nauseating, Spinning Teacups. Her finger traced the outer brim of her baseball cap, tilting it ever so slightly to obscure the secrets her eyes could reveal. "The answer should be undeniable to you by the end of the day. I am sure of it, Fuutarou. You truly do love Ichika so—"

"Look! Over there! Are those Giant Churros?!"

A short silence fell between them. Stiff, just like the pose of Fuutarou's extended arm and finger, left pointing to a random food stall in the distance. Their eye met once in narrowed gazes, picking apart the other in face and expression, until they both came to a conclusive answer. One step ahead, the participants in the line moved. One step backward, the quintuplet marched up to him.

"Fuutarou…" Her thinned patience crept into her words as she scolded. "Are you even taking this seriously? Like, at all?!"

"I—I am!" he replied. "I was just thinking that—"

"Thinking what? Let me guess—you were thinking that the real Itsuki would be so easily fooled that she would react if you pointed out food? Do you really think it would be that simple?" She crossed her arms, leering at him. Before he could move his lips, she continued, "Well, I'd hate to disappoint you, Fuutarou, but all of us are taking this just as seriously. If you think that you can worm your way through this by using cheap tricks like that, then…"

She cut herself off with an abrupt groan between her teeth, turning back. Her voice dropped to a mumble, barely able to reach his ears as they slowly moved towards the front of the line. "…then it feels like you hardly know us at all. Do you really think we're that stupid…?"

Slowly, they made their way to the ride, towards the directed teacup the operator gestured to. The quintuplet tugged the collar of her shirt, mumbling short sounds to herself. She thanked the fact that they spoke in Japanese, but that could not completely erase the embarrassment she felt for getting a little too heated over their disagreement. She told herself that she should have been more level-headed, more composed. This was only Fuutarou's first interaction that day, and it was not as if he would comply so effortlessly. Would it not set a bad precedence if she were to ruin the game this early in? Perhaps, she thought, that she should apologize. Or, at the very least, she should say something—anything—so that their last words for the rest of their time together would not just be her and her harsh words.

She reached the top-most step of the teacup, just before the opened door to their seats. Fuutarou trailed behind her, placing one foot onto the ceramic-like step. Though it was short, the seconds that were spent in silence behind this quintuplet had stirred something inside of him. Her anger was justified—that much he could fault himself for. And he knew that he should have apologized, but for some reason, Fuutarou felt her words entering the further parts of his mind, instead replaced with something he could only surmise as an illusion. Something that drew the back of his palm over his eyes, as if he really was just seeing things.

But if he were to throw away any doubts, then it looked as if the hair she tucked so neatly into her baseball cap had suddenly shown to long strands, curling as it reached far down her back. He saw the rims of her glasses that floated above her nose.

"You…" Fuutarou stared. "You really are… Itsuki, aren't you?"

The quintuplet's eyes widened.

She quickly reached above her head, believing that somehow her disguise had slipped. No, it was still there. Then, how did he—

"How did you—?!" the thought leapt from her mind and out of her mouth, so suddenly, that the youngest quintuplet could not think of a quick enough excuse to refute him. "I—I—I mean, that isn't—I, err… I didn't—"

He entered the teacup, sitting opposite of her as the employees locked the door behind him. That flushed look on Itsuki's face was enough for him to confirm it, and for the first time that morning, Fuutarou felt as if he could relax. He leaned back, letting out a deep breath. "So, I was actually right."

From the opposite end of his teacup seat, the young woman met his look with a deeply fixated glare, the sides one of her cheeks puffing out along with the twist of her lip. Slowly she took off her baseball cap, and while doing so, pulling off the mesh wig liner that held back the bulk of her long, rose-colored hair. Lock by lock, the strands cascaded past her shoulders and down her back, turning to curls as she undid the bothersome hairpins, until one last lock naturally curled on top of her head.

"How did you know…?" Itsuki asked, guiltily.

"I'm not quite sure," answered Fuutarou, pressing a knuckle to his chin.

"Was it just a lucky guess then? I was sure I didn't do anything that gave it away. There shouldn't have been any…"

"It wasn't a guess. I can't really explain it right now, but somehow… I just knew?"

Nearby, the last of the teacups had their doors locked, and the ride operators had assumed their positions. Itsuki twiddled with the ends of her newly unshackled hair, unsure of what to make of these next few moments they had together. "The, um… the purpose of this," she muttered, "the point of this game was to figure out who was Ichika between the five of us…"

"Mhm? Yeah, I understood that already."

The ride slowly came to a start, bringing the central revolving belt to a steady speed. Again, Itsuki distracted herself—anything to keep her from looking directly at the eyes across her seat. A strange, yet deeply curious thought, had somehow surfaced amidst these short seconds they were together. Something she would consider unlikely, unwelcoming, and unpalatable to some sense, yet the thought kept replaying over and over, until it came back in the sound of her own voice.

"All you need is love!"

Fuutarou raised his brow, watching as the youngest quintuplet kept shaking her head. "You okay…?"

"There has to be some other reason!" Itsuki blurted out. "How did you figure it out? Tell me!"

"I, um, I told you. I just had a feeling."

Itsuki flinched. "Wh… what kind? What kind of feeling?!"

"What kind? How am I supposed to know?"

"I refuse to accept that! It had to have been a lucky guess! There's no other way."

"What's gotten into you?" Fuutarou said. "Why are you so persistent with this?"

"Because I know you're hiding something! You've been looking away since the first time I asked. See? You're doing it right now!"

Fuutarou rolled his eyes. "You know what? Fine! Since you won't get off my back, I'll admit… something tipped me off."

"See! I was right!" Itsuki pumped a fist. "Of course, there had to have been something. You're still incapable of telling us apart, after all these years. I guess you really did get lucky. Nothing else about it."

"I didn't say that," Fuutarou interjected. "True, I was confused at first. I came in expecting that you could have been Ichika, but after a while, I realized there was no chance you could have been Ichika."

"Hm? And what was that, Uesugi-kun?" Itsuki stared at him. "What made you so sure?"

"It was… after you told me to start taking this game more seriously. You were right; I was approaching this all wrong. I realized it's been too long for me to still be mistaking all five of you. It was like, a wake up call for me, I guess. And so I kept thinking about what you said, and it made me realize something. When I saw you, I suddenly… felt something." He stopped himself. "And I guess that was it."

"Huh? Wait, that's it?!" Itsuki leaned forward. "You were about to say something else! Spit it out!"

"Look, it was a lucky guess then. There, you happy?"

"No! You're avoiding it now! That's the complete opposite of what you said!"

"What? Now you won't take that as an answer? Can you please just make up your mind? It's so damn annoying."

"A—Annoying?" Itsuki leaned even further, standing over her seat and grabbing. "How rude! I'm only asking you because I have some suspicion. I just need you to admit it!"

"Well if you know it then you don't have to ask me. Now, sit back down, before you make fools out of both of us."

She puffed her cheeks. "That is so like you, Uesugi-kun! Can you answer one thing without coming off as a tactless, insensitive, and completely lacking in any sense of decency at al—"

Fuutarou clicked his teeth, and to Itsuki's surprise, the young man had slammed his hands down, as one would when angrily standing up from their desk. "There! That right there is why! That is how I know it's definitely you, Itsuki! No one else could possibly piss me off more than you!"

Itsuki reeled back, stunned. "H… H—HUH?! Pardon me?!"

"You heard me! You annoy the hell out of me! It's been like that ever since the day I met you!"

"You sure have a lot to say, Uesugi-kun!" Itsuki tightly gripped the steering wheel and turning their teacup a few revolutions faster. "Well, let's hear it, you fat-headed bookworm!"

"Oh, you bet I do, you curry-eating she-demon!" Fuutarou leaned closer, turning the wheel even faster. "I've got a lot of things to get off my chest with you! It's because of you my life became a living hell! You're my own personal pandora's box, and every moment I spend with you brings nothing but disaster!"

"Oh, well isn't that a relief!" Itsuki turned the wheel even faster, tipping both of them off balance. "The way you say it makes it sound ALMOST as bad as spending another minute—no, another SECOND—with someone of the likes of YOU! In fact, being stuck in the same ride with you makes me absolutely sick to my stomach!"

"You sure that isn't because you're too weak to handle a kiddie ride like this?" Fuutarou gave one final, powerful twist of the steering wheel, sending them both plopping down onto their seats, yet neither of them were willing to be the first to let go of the wheel. "Well? Ready to give up, meatbun monster?"

"Th… this?!" Itsuki's fingers twitched over the wheel, letting go of one hand to press back the long strands of her flailing hair. "This is nothing! You're the one who should—whoa, whoa! Hold on!"

"Give up already, Itsuki!"

"Not before you do, Uesugi-kun!"

Outside, the four other Nakano quintuplets watched a peculiarly fast spinning teacup as it neared, breaking apart pieces of a churro between themselves. The teacup would only spin faster and faster, muffling the bantering of the two participants inside, turning their shapes to a misshapen, chaotic blur.

"Well." One of the quintuplets laughed. "Those two sure look like they're having fun!"

---

As the minutes trickled by, the world around him had slowly regained its form. Blurs settled back to shapes, tinted to the bright shades and hues of a festive wonderland. The sounds of shouts, hollers, and music had become less of a rattle to his brain, and for once he felt well enough to drag his sight further from the asphalt beneath his shoes. Steadily, so as to not disturb that unpleasant feeling gathering at the back of his throat.

"Here."

A bottle of water was held out in front of him. Fuutarou's eyes slowly traced the sleeves of her collared argyle sweater, finding the concerned look of this hour's Nakano quintuplet. She wore a dark pleated tulip skirt with her pastel pink sweater partially tucked, and she carried around a designer clutch handbag. On her head, she wore black beret, with gold-toned embroidery on the side. "Is your head feeling alright, Fuutarou?" she asked.

"It's gotten better. Thanks," he replied, pressing a finger to his temple.

"Did you still need a few more minutes?" She took a seat beside him, leaning her neck to catch a glimpse of the look on his face as she chuckled. "You and Itsuki looked awful after you stepped out of that last ride. Just what were you two going on about?"

Fuutarou groaned. "Don't look at me. She was the one who started it."

"What are you two? Kids?"

"What the hell is wrong with that girl?" He looked past the thinning parts of the crowd beside their bench, towards the outside of one of the park's many souvenir shops. The park-themed merchandise spilled out of the opened doorway, hosted on racks and tables with thousands of goods to choose from, and the four other Nakano sisters happily perused each and every one for the perfect souvenir. Though, one in particular found that the best way to savor the memory of the trip was between savory bites and sweet treats, fixated only on the corndogs and cotton candy of the nearby food vendor.

"How can Itsuki still have an appetite after all of that?" Fuutarou grimaced, still feeling a twist in his belly. "Her stomach is not human. I mean, what the hell is that?!" He watched as the ravenous quintuplet was handed a large leg of turkey, wrapped in parchment paper, that required both her hands to properly hold.

"Don't act like you're surprised, Fuutarou." The quintuplet beside him laughed. "You should know Itsuki enough by now. That girl will always have room for something tasty, no matter what. And speaking of that.." She paused for a moment, brushing aside the strands of hair that poked from underneath her beret. Nothing slipped from her disguise, and surely, there was nothing on her right now that could be a dead giveaway. "Though, we were all pretty shocked. No one was expecting you to recognize someone who wasn't Ichika."

"Compared to your father, I'm behind a couple of years," Fuutarou replied with a hint of bitterness. "To be honest, I still don't get it. It almost feels like dumb luck."

"Hmm… well, do you think it was just luck?"

He mulled it over, then shook his head. "No. No, I wouldn't say that. At the time, I was confident it was Itsuki. Though, I can't explain why…"

"Then, you admit it's love?"

"You know, it feels really weird saying that about my fiancée's sisters. Actually, it feels weird saying that about anyone's sisters. Especially while I am talking to them."

She laughed, amused by the thought. "We won't hold it against you. After all, it is the only way you can know for sure."

"There's that answer again…" He sighed. "And I still have as many questions as I did the first time. But before I go answering that…" He stood, facing the quintuplet on the bench. "I'll have to figure out who you are first."

"Oh? And who do you think I am?" She smiled, tilting her neck. "Surely you realize by now that you made this game a lot harder for yourself, didn't you, Fuutarou?"

He forced something like a smirk, a few heartbeats excessive of complete confidence. "Well, unlike some girls I know, a score of twenty percent is downright pathetic. I've never received anything that low in my life, and I'm not about to let your silly little game be the first."

The quintuplet stood, getting a walking start to their next location. "Leave it to you to figure out how to say something so dorky, yet somehow a little cool at the same time. Well, then let's find out. Let's see for sure if it wasn't just you being a little lucky, or…" She turned, a mischievous grin lining her lips. "…or if you happen to love Itsuki a little more than me."

"Don't start telling those nausea-inducing jokes now. I can already feel it coming back…"

With a quick farewell wave to the others, Fuutarou and his mystery partner journeyed through the immediate area of the amusement park. Because of their delayed start, the two found themselves running short on time, with many of the nearby rides crowding up in their waiting lines. Adding in their hesitation, the minutes continued to trickle, and with it, their options could only narrow.

She dangled a small phone charm. Three simple circles to silhouette a cartoon mouse, tied to a thin string. "You bought one for me too?" she asked, surprised, as they walked out of the store. "You didn't have to go through the trouble."

"It's no big deal. I was already getting one for Raiha," said Fuutarou. "And besides, it looks like your sisters were doing a little souvenir shopping before we left. You'd be missing out because of this game, so I figured you'd want to have something too."

She smiled. "Oh. Well, that really was thoughtful of you, Fuutarou. Thank you. Though…" She took a glance around the crowded area. "Besides that, we have a bit of a problem. Look at all these people that showed up! That place is swarming!"

"It can't be helped," replied Fuutarou, checking the time. Fifteen past noon. "It's peak time right about now. The park is going to be a lot more crowded from here."

"We should still ride something, but look at the wait times. They're over thirty minutes long."

"The only thing I see with short enough lines are the kiddie ones. Maybe if we check in a different side of the park, there might be—"

There was a tug at his sleeve. "No time! Anything is better than just standing around doing nothing. How about that one over there?" She asked him, already beginning to move them in the direction. From the outside, the line seemed to have one of the largest crowds they had seen yet. That much was further confirmed as more guests continued to line up behind them, eventually inflating expected wait times to almost twice as long compared to when they first queued up. To their luck, the line for this attraction seemed to move a lot faster than the others, constantly loading park guests into small boats that gently meandered along a lazy river.

Before long, it was their turn. Their boat bobbed along the narrow canal, nudging them shoulder-to-shoulder as they entered the entered a dark tunnel. The clamor of the busy amusement park was slowly drowned out, with a short lapse of their boat splashing along the gentle current, until the delightful sounds of a fanciful melody echoed along the tunnel walls. In only a few short seconds, these mellow waves had carried them to another, smaller world. A world that felt far away from the troubles of their day-to-day lives. A happy sort of place where problems felt the smallest they could ever be as they returned to that peculiar sense of wonder and awe of bygone juvenescence.

The melody played on and on. A cadence that commanded the up-and-down, back-and-forth motions of the mechanical puppets. They sung and they spun; they danced and they twirled. Just as they started to become familiar, another wind of the river would bring them to a new corner of the tiny world, with new sights and sounds that still attached themselves to that same tireless melody. And on and on it went.

In the short interlude, where the song fell its most silent, transitioning between settings, and before the next loop, Fuutarou finally glanced at his partner. "You've been pretty quiet this whole time, Nino."

He saw how suddenly her shoulders tensed, and just like her sister before her, there was no hiding the fluster that filled her face, visible even within the dimmed tunnel. She spared herself a few moments, then sighed. "Hmph. So, I guess it wasn't just luck after all…"

She pulled off her beret, flattening out the fabric as the loosened bun of her hair came unfurled, falling shortly past both shoulders. From underneath her sleeves, the quintuplet rolled out two dark-colored scrunchies, which she then fixed through her hair to medium-length pigtails. With a short flick of her fingers behind her neck, she continued, "Yeah, yeah. You're correct. Good for you, I guess. Congratulations."

Their boat traveled through another section, silent.

Fuutarou scratched the back of his head. "It's a little… umm… how do I say this…"

"A little awkward now, huh?" Nino finished. "You don't have to tell me that. You know, you could have waited until after the ride was over. What? Are you disappointed after you found out it was me?"

"It's nothing like that."

"Then what? Were you expecting me to be more shocked? Or were you just waiting for me to ask how you figured it all out, so you could explain your big, oh-look-how-smart-I-am plan to me?"

"Actually… I had a feeling it was you before we got on the ride."

"And yup, there it is." Nino leaned on her elbow. "Then go ahead and explain what that 'feeling' is, or maybe what you think it is. After all, you were so insistent that it wasn't love."

"Maybe I was wrong…" Fuutarou said bluntly. The look in his eyes fixated only at her, sending a sudden chill down her spine. "Or at least, something similar to that. I think I understand it now. What it really means…"

Nino tried to respond, but realized there were no words that could quickly form. How strange. She was so sure of herself. From their mother, to their grandfather, to their father and amongst themselves, there should have been no other answer when it came to telling them apart. Perhaps, deep down, Nino was expecting—no, she was relying—on the possibility that all of this was the result of some stroke of luck, or some slip-up from her part, that gave it all away.

Love.

That rose-tinted word that attached itself to the youthful fantasies in her head, seeping its way to her cheeks. That visceral word that stamped the ones she held dearest to herself, unwavering, no matter the years that had would and will go by. It was that simple word, spewed on and on, as if it were never foreign to her. But, as the bare reminiscence of feelings long buried began to resurface, she would be reminded that it could become the harshest feeling of all. That painful, bittersweet word.

And just as Nino feared, they both were thinking the exact same thing.

"Nino…" Fuutarou began. "Back then… I—"

"Stop…" She bit her lip. Anything to stop the tears that slowly gathered in her eyes. She placed the beret back on her head, tugging the front. "Why now? At a time like this? No one asked you to do this. All you had to do… all you needed to do was figure out which one of us was Ichika."

"I know. And I'm sorr—" He stopped himself, slowing shaking his head. "No, there is something else I should apologize to you for. It's something that's been bothering me all this time. When I started spending time with you, I finally realized what it was. Why I knew it was you."

Nino slowly glanced his way, saying nothing. She already knew, yet, she could not find the will to stop him again.

"Back then, I wasn't able to find an answer to give you. I'm sorry."

'It's… fine." She wiped a tear from her face. "I don't have any regrets. Not a single one."

"Nino…"

"This is closure." he took one long look at the happy little world that encompassed them. The little mouse-shaped keychain wrapped tenderly over her fingertips. "Now that I think about it, I never had anything like this."

Fuutarou raised a brow. "Hmm? Had anything like what?"

"What else? A date with just the two us!" Nino chuckled. "Back then, I was just chasing after you without any kind of plan at all. It was all so new to me, and I realize now that I never had a moment like this. Maybe if I had done things differently, or maybe, if I hadn't even bothered trying at all. Maybe that way, I wouldn't have to go through with this awful feeling…"

"Nino…"

"I'm joking!" She laughed, flashing a strong grin. "I told you already—I don't have any regrets. Especially not after today. You finally owned up and gave me your rejection, so now, I can finally put that all behind me. Behind us." She sat up, stretching her arms far over above her head. A loud groan pushed out of her lips, as if her shoulders felt lighter. "A—Ahh! That's a relief!"

"R—Right!" Fuutarou nodded. "It's all in the past now."

"Exactly! Ancient history! Like, could you imagine how weird it would be to just leave it like that? It's already been like four years."

"Better late than never, right?"

"You said it. Honestly, you're a real piece of work. I can't believe I let someone like you cause so much trouble for us—trouble for me. You're blunt, egotistical, and so full of yourself sometimes. You don't know the first thing about being delicate with a girl, and you can be so painfully awkward sometimes. Like right now."

"Yeah, yeah…" He turned away, leaning his elbow against the side of the boat. That way she spoke to him could only come from Nino, and for once, Fuutarou did not mind it. It was strangely comforting, like how tough love should be. And just as his eyes once more became captured by the whimsical world around him, he felt a gentle nudge against his shoulder, as Nino's head leaned his way.

"It's okay if it's this much, right?" she asked, so quiet that he was surprised that he could hear her voice buried within the blissful melody that surrounded them. "At least, until the ride is over?"

"Yeah…" he responded. "That will be fine, Nino."

"Thanks… Fuu-kun. Thank you for everything."

---

Further into the afternoon, the brightest lights of day had crept onto the quayside, carrying with it a temperate wind that coursed through the pier bridge. The heavy tread of a thousand footsteps sounded off the dense wooden bridge, replaced by a thousand newer ones every passing minute. She had not been to many theme parks in her life, and with the ones that she had visited, neither of them could compare to the world they managed to create in this corner of California. No pictures could capture it; she had to stand here, taking in the sights and sounds surrounding her. The buildings, the bridges, even the emerald-tinted waters and the algae-covered rocks, all carefully constructed as if this place really did touch the sea.

Late. The Nakano quintuplet pouted, glancing at the time on her wristwatch. Fuutarou was running late. She had been standing here long enough that the scenery around her had grown mundane. That was one issue they overlooked when it came to this special version of the Quintuplet Game, among many other things. She scrolled through her phone. Texting or calling was a dead giveaway, and all she could rely on was the schedule they had set.

She switched to her front-facing camera, taking one last look at her outfit for the day. The wide brim straw sun hat she wore saved her against the from time she spent waiting in the sun. Her slender arms fit comfortably through her sleeveless turtleneck, and she had the shoulder bag to match it. A sash belt wrapped around her waist, tied neatly to a ribbon as it held together her maxi skirt, the shapes of the hibiscus print swaying evenly with the passing breeze.

"Okay." She reassured herself with a nod. "Looks good."

As she put away her phone, the lone quintuplet caught a glimpse of a man hopelessly scanning through the crowd, just opposite of her. From where she stood, she could make out the heft of his breathing, clearly showing that he had just arrived to the meeting spot.

"Fuutarou!" she called out. "Over here!"

She held up a hand, and in that short moment, they both had finally laid eyes upon the other.

Strangely, that moment felt as if it existed in a separate part of time. A lapse, formed the moment their eyes met and when the heads of all passersby had coincidentally strayed, leaving nothing but a straight path between them. In that short moment, she felt strange. Disoriented. As if that one simple look from his eyes had seen more than she had initially thought. Past this kind of attire she would not normally wear, the way her voice sounded words as it called out to him, and down to the little habits of hers that went by without a second thought—clicked together piece by piece the moment he met eyes with her.

Only when the quintuplet realized just how familiar of a feeling it all settled to, did she finally step across the bridge.

"Ah. I see. So that's how it is..." She slowly shook her head, drawing one hand over the sun hat above her head. Her eyes peeked from underneath the wide brim of her hat, the look on her face turning into a satisfied smirk. "It looks like you've finally found your answer, Fuutarou."

Despite still being short a few breaths, Fuutarou tried his best to stand tall and firm before her. "Yeah..." He grinned. "Sorry I'm late, Miku."

"It's alright. The one you were with was Nino, after all." As she pulled down her hat, she simultaneously undid the hair ties that bundled her long, flowing hair, letting it all fall neatly down her back. A few loose strands found their way between her eyes, which Miku casually brushed to the side so that it may not obscure any part of her face. "I knew the moment I saw you that I had already lost. I had a feeling it would end up like this, but still, congratulations, Fuutarou."

He breathed a loud sigh of relief, leaning his back against the bridge railings. "You have no idea how stressful all of this has been. I feel like I've aged ten years since this morning."

"Is that so?" She laughed, joining beside him. "But you seemed so confident just now. What would you do if you were wrong and I've been lying the whole time?"

"Not a chance. You're undoubtedly Miku."

"It was worth a try." She shook her head, and after a long stretch of her arms over her head, Miku turned back to Fuutarou. "So? What happens now?"

"What do you mean?"

She showed him her wristwatch. "Counting your tardiness, we still have a little less than an hour until you meet with either Ichika or Yotsuba next. You already figured me out, so the rules we made earlier are kind of pointless now."

"Oh, I see…" Fuutarou thought to himself for a moment. "Now that you mention, I haven't really thought about it."

"Well, the way I see it, there aren't a lot of options. We can always split up. I'll go back to my sisters, and you can have the rest of the time for yourself." She placed the sun hat back over her head, taking a few steps back towards the bridge before turning back on her heel. The thin fabric of her maxi skirt swept along with the breeze, ever so slightly tugging his gaze, as if invited to follow. "Or, we can play this game a little longer. It's all up to you, Fuutarou. Let's have the winner decide."

"Play a little longer, huh?" Fuutarou said, and after a few seconds to lift his back from the railings, he then joined the place right beside her. "Why not? This game isn't over yet, and what game would it be if we weren't having fun?"

The two of them began strolling along. "Any ideas of where you want to go?"

"Seeing the rest of the park is a good start." He held up his phone. "I haven't taken nearly enough pictures like I promised Raiha. Before that though, I am starving. Let's get something to eat first."

"Looks like you finally got your appetite back." She chuckled, then pointed somewhere towards the other end of the plaza. "Then… in that case, I passed by a place earlier that looked pretty tasty. Should we start there, Fuutarou?"

"Lead the way."

It was not until a while later, as Miku and Fuutarou stared down the mountainous scoops of creamy mashed potatoes, the crisp and crackling skin of fried chicken, and the long stretch of mozzarella of a pizza that looked more'shareable' than'personal'—did the two of them realize just what kind of mistake they had made.

"This…" Fuutarou hesitated, lifting up his fork halfway.

"…is quite a lot of food, huh?" Miku finished for him.

"I keep forgetting how large the portions are in America. Do they all eat like this?"

"I'll need to ask Ichika how her figure has survived this long. Or at least, it looks like it has. Fuutarou, you'd probably know, right? Has it changed since she was in Japan?"

"There is absolutely no way I'm answering that question, Miku."

"Come on, I won't snitch on you. I promise."

"Not gonna happen. Now come on; we already paid for these so we might as well get started."

Fuutarou picked up the first piece of fried chicken, wondering if just smelling it somehow carried a calorie count. Meanwhile, Miku pulled the first slice of her pizza, watching as the toppings sliding down like the slow start of avalanche. They took their first bite. And then another. And then another, until the taste turned equal parts guilty as it was savory.

For Fuutarou, that was marked with the sound of the last chicken bone hitting the edge of his plate, followed by the louder clang of his silverware. There was still a slight puff to his cheek as he slowly forced the last of it down. "Finally…" he muttered. "I feel like I'm about to—wait, you didn't finish yours yet?"

"Hm?" Miku glanced down at her plate. There was still more than half of it left. "Oh. I gave up a long time ago. I'm surprised you didn't"

"It's against my principles to waste food."

"You could have packed it to-go. That's what I'm doing. I'll probably give it to my sisters later, if they haven't eaten yet."

"That wouldn't work for me." Fuutarou held a hand to his gut. "I don't think I'll be able to eat another piece of a chicken for a while. Damn, I honestly think I'd prefer having no appetite at this point."

"Well, if that's what you want, we passed by a couple of those spinning rides earlier."

"No!"

Miku giggled. "I'm joking! How about we have you walk it off a little? We still have a lot of time left."

"That works… just… give me a second, okay? I don't think I can move yet."

"Take your time." Miku leaned on one hand, trying not to look too amused.

Some minutes later, they both continued on their aimless exploration across the theme park. One curious sight led to the other, transforming towns and cities to exotic rain forests, and old western buildings to lush gardens and lustrous waters. At some point, Fuutarou remembered to bring out the map that he had kept in his back pocket, only to realize that they had traversed through a large portion of the park already, never once thinking if they should stop. It all blended together so seamlessly—so effortlessly, just as their footsteps effortlessly followed their curiosity to no end. One moment they would be crouched over to squeeze through rocky, prehistoric tunnels, and then the next moment would find themselves staring upwards at the large grizzly mountaintop that intertwined the tracks of a roller coaster. All the while, Fuutarou remembered to capture a shot with his camera.

"I think you're forgetting something, Fuutarou," said Miku as she watched him align a shot across the high-ground view of the park's Hollywood-themed subsection.

"Hm? What would that be?" he asked.

"Here. Hold your phone like this…"

Miku walked over, guiding his hand high above his head. As they looked at the screen, Miku tapped the button that would switch to the front-facing camera, revealing the surprised and unprepared expression on Fuutarou's face, just beside Miku's wide and brimming grin, one hand held to a peace sign beside her cheek as she took the picture.

"There!"

"Hey!" Fuutarou said. "I wasn't ready for that one."

"Really? It looked like it turned out fine." Miku tapped the gallery of his phone, bringing up their most recent picture. "See? You look like you've finally started to have fun!"

"Finally?" He gave an odd look, glancing between Miku and the awkward expression his camera managed to capture of him. "What do you mean? I've been having fun."

"I know, but compared to this morning, you seem more… relaxed. It probably has to do with us springing this game onto you last-minute. To tell you the truth, we felt a little bad about keeping this a secret from you. We were worried it might be too stressful and that you wouldn't have any fun because of it."

"If you all felt so bad about it, then you probably shouldn't have done it in the first place." He sighed. "But, you girls and my headaches practically go hand in hand. I shouldn't expect any less when you five put your heads together."

"We're not always up to no good, you know?" She pouted.

"Yes, I know." He chuckled as they resumed their way through the park's Hollywood-themed district. "You girls are a lot of things, but through it all, all of you are still 'you'. You, Itsuki, Nino—this entire game of yours. I think I finally get it now. That's why I'm determined to—no, I will—make this the last one." He triumphantly pointed a thumb to his chest. "This will be the final Quintuplet Game."

Miku quietly nodded, watching every part of him as if there were any room to doubt his confidence. She already knew. Just as it was on that fateful day, many years ago. Because they were all family, it all made sense that their mother, their grandfather, and they themselves as sisters would never mistake anyone for the other. The same thing taught over and over until it was ingrained into the walls of their heart.

But on that fateful day, many years ago, they learned just what it meant to be loved unconditionally. They were about thirteen, perhaps fourteen years old. Miku was not quite sure of it at the time, but Itsuki had an important favor to ask of her. It was only meant to be a small lie. A harmless little lie.

"Wait, why me?!" Miku had then asked. "No way, no way! He's way too scary! Ask Ichika or Yotsuba to do it!"

"Come on! I promise I'll make it up to you!" Itsuki insisted. "You're the best at impersonating any of us. It has to be you! Please?"

"But—"

"Please, please, please! I can't stand needles! I'd rather die!"

"Don't say that Itsuki. Look, I just don't think it's a good idea—"

"Please!" Tears began to fill her eyes. "I won't ask anything from you again! I—I—I'll—"

"Okay, okay! Fine, but only this one time, okay?"

Itsuki's eyes lit up. "You will?! Oh, thank you, thank you! You're the best, Miku!"

But as the then thirteen-year-old Miku had approached the man in a lab coat, he said something to her that she would never forget.

"You are… Miku, aren't you?" Nakano Maruo knelt down, looking at his third-eldest daughter with absolute certainty in his eyes. "Why are you pretending to be Itsuki?"

Back then and to the women they grew up to be today, Miku and her sisters learned just what it meant to be loved. It was never something like sharing the same blood.

Love needed no reason at all.

"Then…" Miku smiled, taking slow and steady strides to match with Fuutarou's. "I wish you the best of luck, Fuutarou. Oh! And I almost forgot to tell you something!" She took a few quick steps—enough so that she stood right in the center of his view, surrounded by the many strangers that strolled in every direction. It should not have been for long, but there was just one last thing she wanted to say to him. One last thing, while they were just like this.

She took off her hat, placing it squarely over her chest, and with one hand, she carefully brushed aside the long strands of hair that fell over her face, so that there would be no mistaking her sincerest feelings.

"Congratulations on your engagement, Fuutarou!"

---

Round and round, the carousel turned. A steady revolution of whimsy, enveloped in the vibrant colors and bright lights of a kaleidoscope. The music chimes and spirits lift. From the carved wooden seats of carousel horses, two of the Nakano quintuplets sat closely beside each other. One had her phone in her hand, held loosely in between both their horses so that they both could see the most recent text message sent to their group chat.

「Uesugi Fuutarou 」(sent 4m ago.): "Alright, I think it's about time we wrap this up."

「Uesugi Fuutarou 」(sent 4m ago.): "Ichika, Yotsuba. You two are the last remaining in this game."

「Uesugi Fuutarou 」(sent 3m ago.): "This game will finally be over after the next one. Let's have the three of us all meet together and be done with it. I'll be at the plaza near the front entrance, 20 minutes from now."

"Uh oh." Ichika laughed. "Looks like Fuutarou-kun got us, Yotsuba. He managed to pull it off."

Yotsuba leaned over, trying to balance the up-and-down motions of their seats as she tried to read. "Wow! Uesugi-san got Miku right too? That's amaz— whoa!" She leaned a little closer, nearly slipping off her seat.

"Careful! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" She gestured to the message on the phone. "But what does Uesugi-san mean with that last message? How will it all be over after the next one?"

"Well, there's only two of us left. There wouldn't be any point in going one-by-one anymore, because whether Fuutarou-kun gets it right or wrong, there would only be one answer left for the last one remaining."

"Ahh, that makes sense." Yotsuba crossed her arms, firmly nodding. "Oh, but now that I think about it… that basically means Uesugi-san has pretty much won already, huh?"

"How so? Both of us are still in it."

"I mean… it's you, Ichika." She stared towards the mirrored ceiling of their carousel, watching their heads go round and round. A little further behind, Yotsuba could spot Nino and Itsuki conversing amongst themselves, laughing over something. Beside her was Ichika, turning a curious gaze towards the ceiling, as if Yotsuba had found something odd with their own reflections. But it was the same sight it had always been—the same faces, indistinguishable to everyone else. "Uesugi-san would never mistake the person he's going to marry. I mean, the hardest part would be trying to tell the rest of us apart, and he's already done that. Uesugi-san won."

"Mm… I see you what mean…" Ichika thought to herself. "And it would be cruel to try and trick him, after he's come so far."

"It wouldn't work on him either way, right?" Yotsuba shook her head. "You said before that Uesugi-san can always see through you. He'd be able to tell when you're lying, and he'd recognize you the moment he laid eyes on you. Maybe even before that—I don't know. He's already done enough; he doesn't need to prove anything else." She chuckled quietly. "And besides, even if we did, I'm a terrible liar."

"Yotsuba…"

"Ah! Looks like the ride is ending." She glanced back down, watching the rest of the carousel come to a steady halt. "Come on! We wouldn't want to keep Uesugi-san waiting!"

"Wait, Yotsuba. Is there something on your mind?"

"No, no! I'm just rambling, ha ha! Hey, I'll meet you outside, alright?"

She offered little room for Ichika's concern, hopping off the carousel horse and joining the flow of exiting riders. Again, Yotsuba found herself muttering something under her breath. She never could just keep quiet. There was always something. Something that would make her sisters look at her that way, as if there was something bothering her, even if she herself did not know. Doubts would suddenly form to words before she knew it, slipped off her tongue in the clumsiest of ways, as if a part of her took pleasure in making a mockery of herself and the lies she poorly told.

And those thoughts had brought her to the still screen of their group chat, down to the last message.

'This game will finally be over after the next one.'

Her own reflection appeared on the screen as she locked her phone. It felt pointless, but Yotsuba still made sure her disguise was still kept together after such a long day. Her ribbons were always the most obvious things about her, and having it replaced with a pair of over-sized sunglasses already made it feel like she was a different person. She never wore makeup all that much, so she never knew her eyes could carry that sharp, sophisticated, and somewhat sultry look that always felt a little too far from of her reach. The clothes as well, but that much made sense, considering it came from Ichika's wardrobe. A white sweetheart neck longsleeve, tucked neatly into black glossy and high-waisted spandex pants that contoured the shape and length of her legs as it trailed down to beige ankle booties. She never saw herself carrying around an expensive purse like this either—it would normally be a heavy gym bag that slung over her shoulder like this.

It was different. One look at her could already tell she was not used to walking around in these clothes. In fact, Yotsuba remembered the first time they played the Quintuplet Game with Fuutarou. Back in Toraiwa Hot Springs when they were still high schoolers, Yotsuba was the easiest for Fuutarou to figure out. All it took was one leading question, and her entire facade crumbled. It was just that easy.

She clicked her teeth. If only her heart was never worn so clearly on her sleeve. If only she could understand herself a little bit more. Because right now, Yotsuba did not have the faintest idea about this bothersome feeling, tugging her from the corner of her lips and pushing from the back of her throat as if commanding her to speak. If only she could stop being so confused all the time.

To her relief, Ichika did not look like she was going to press on. They waited a few minutes until Miku rejoined them, and they stared at their sister with wide eyes as she told her story.

"He found me out before I could say more than three words. It was a complete and utter defeat," Miku said in the most delightful tone.

"Fuutarou-kun's really outdone himself this time." Ichika laughed. "Who would have thought?"

"It was about time," Nino said, crossing her arms. "If anything, we've been too lenient with him. It's been over four years now. Papa only took one."

"You know how he is. Probably too stubborn to finally admit it."

"Are you two going with what he said," Itsuki asked, turning to Ichika and Yotsuba. "Will you both go and meet him next?"

"Of course!" Yotsuba answered. "Uesugi-san said it himself. There's no point in continuing. He's practically won already, and besides, that means we have even more time to spend together! In fact… ah! Ichika, we're already running late! Come on, let's go!"

"Wait, Yotsuba!" Ichika called after her. "You're going the wrong way! The front entrance is towards here!"

It was early sunset by the time they neared the promised location. The bluish hues they all frolicked and sauntered under had been slowly daubed in steaks of twilight, bled to amber and rosy shades as the sky neared the horizon. Across one fantastical zone to the other. Swept along the current of fellow parkgoers. A few turns too early and too late, the two Nakano sisters had eventually found their way back to the familiar entryway that resembled a turn-of-the-century American street. Sometime during their walk, the street lamps and store signs had flickered on, glorifying the brick-paved road in golden light.

"We're a little late, aren't we?" Ichika laughed. "Who knew it would be that easy to get lost. It's like this place grew even bigger on the way back."

"I wonder how we'll be able to find Uesugi-san among all these people." Yotsuba drew one hand parallel to her brow, scanning left and right through the busy street. The front entrance made for a poor rendezvous, as guests funneled towards the entrance and exit of the park. "Do you see him anywhere, Ichika?"

"Hold on, let me check… ah. He texted us a few minutes ago. He should be sitting somewhere closer to the plaza, on one of the benches. It should be this way, but before that, here…" Ichika reached over her sister's head, adjusting the lifted over-sized sunglasses the same way she would adjust the ribbon that normally adorned this spot. "There! It was slipping a little. Now, how do I look?"

"Thanks, Ichika. And yours is fine," said Yotsuba. "Though, it's not like the disguises will do much at this point anyway. Uesugi-san will see right through us."

"Probably." Ichika nodded then began walking forward. "But it's our responsibility to see this through until the very end. And when it's all over, we'll be there to congratulate him."

"…or have to deal with his yelling." Yotsuba forced a laugh, then straightened herself. "Okay! Time to get this over with. Look! I think I see him over there."

"Serious-looking as always. Oh, I think he noticed us too."

They both waved towards him, and eventually, the three of them met halfway. By now, all the evening lights had turned on, surrounding the central plaza in the luminance of tall street lights. Here, they found a place for just the three of them. A little place away from the passing strangers and noise, where they could stand face to face and turn every last lie over on its head.

"Okay…" Fuutarou loudly sighed, placing one hand on his hip. "One of you is a huge pain in the ass, and the other is a pain in the ass who also happens to be my fiancée."

"What's the matter, Fuutarou? You didn't have any fun?" Ichika asked.

"Yeah. It's called the Quintuplet Game for a reason!" Yotsuba followed, carrying a loose air to her tone. Perhaps she was a far cry from passing off as Ichika, but the least she could do was attempt to stay anonymous. She had ran over the scenario over and over in her head and would not allow something stupid like blurting out 'Uesugi-san!' ruin the finale to this game.

"A game played one-against-five with rules made by you all—somehow'fun' isn't the first thing I think of," said Fuutarou.

"You say that, but you're clearly smiling!" said Ichika.

"Admit it, you had a lot of fun today," added Yotsuba. "I'm sure you found your answer, didn't you? How you can tell all of us apart?"

"And it's exactly what we've been telling you all this time! Do you finally get it?"

The thought entered Fuutarou's head, turning his cheeks the slightest tinge of red. As he looked away, Yotsuba had snuck a glance to her sister. Just as she thought, an actress as talented as Ichika should have already considered how awful of a liar she was, especially since they were sisters. Ichika knew the habits that made for a bad liar and was doing things she normally would not do either. The way their eyes shift about and the way their words hasten to rambles, to name a few. One final push to the game—enough to make sure Fuutarou could not fully relax with his final decision until the very end. Ichika could have been herself, she could pass off for Yotsuba, or she could teeter on that fine line that separated them both, making anyone second-guess themselves. It felt strange to think about, considering they were quintuplets, but it truly was like looking in a mirror.

The least she could do, Yotsuba thought, was to try her best as well. Until the very end.

She opened her mouth.

And before she could say a single word, Yotsuba found herself at the end of one finger, pointed shortly before her nose.

"You." Fuutarou glared at her, the golden shades in his eyes reflecting the surrounding street lights.

Yotsuba paused, mouth still agape, short of any words to immediately say. It was just like Miku had said, but being caught like this still sent a shock through her body, no matter how much she was expecting it. She was a terrible liar, after all. Perhaps there was somewhere she slipped—some habit or blunder that only she could say or do.

All she could do at first was force a laugh. "Ha ha! Just as I expected…" She reached for her old ribbon, hidden some lengths up her sleeve. At the same time, she undid the knot in her hair, letting the locks of her hair cascade until the ends barely scraped her shoulders. "You got me right away, Uesugi-san. Congratu—"

"You are that girl I met in Kyoto. Nine years ago."

And just like that, a second jolt struck through her body. Fiercer—harsher—than anything she had ever felt before in her entire life, coursing through every fiber of her being. Her muscles felt stiff, as if every part of her was telling her to run—to be anywhere but here—but could not agree on which direction.

"Wha—" Even her lips felt stiff. Quivering. The words jumbled in her mouth, quickened like the beat of herown heart. "W-what do you—h-h-how did you—no, I am not—why—?! How?!"

Again, Fuutarou sighed, as if the heaviest weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "Bingo."

Yotsuba's eyes darted all around her before finally settling upon her sister. "I-Ichi—Ichika! Did you tell him?!"

"N… No!" Ichika said, just as speechless as her sister. She had never seen Yotsuba's eyes as wide as it was now. It was the complete look of betrayal—utter disbelief, brought to the brink of tears. "I didn't tell him—"

"She didn't tell me anything," Fuutarou interrupted, looking between both sisters. "In fact, I'm surprised you knew too, Ichika. Guess everyone has been keeping secrets from me."

"That wasn't our intention, Fuutarou-kun. It's… it's complicated. Yotsuba didn't want…"

"I know. You must have your reasons." As his gaze returned to Yotsuba, it was as if it had sent another minor shock through the dazed quintuplet. One look, and it seemed as if she wanted to run, and the more those golden eyes narrowed, so too did these unseen walls that surrounded her. Trapping her.

There was nowhere she could run.

"Yotsuba…" Fuutarou stood, patient.

She squeezed her eyes shut. Why now? Why now, of all times, had Fuutarou seen her? All he needed to do was find the one he was going to marry—to find Ichika. Even if it that was too simple for him, then surely he should have been satisfied with telling apart her and the rest of her sisters as well. That was enough. That should have been enough. But what was it about his eyes that stirred such painful and bittersweet memories Yotsuba had long since tucked away, deep within her heart. She sewed that hole shut; she buried it in a place where she would one day eventually— hopefully— forget it. And if she could not forget it, then all that was left was to run from it.

Just like she always had.

"I…" Yotsuba hesitated.

Faced with the vestiges of her old self—of the kids they once were, and the people they wanted to be—Yotsuba could only muster one single thought. If she could not run, then she shall concede to those feelings that haunted her. She was just tired.

Wiping the tears with her sleeve, Yotsuba finally began to straighten herself. She pulled the last of the green ribbon from underneath her sleeve, then tied it over her head in the same fashion she always did. She smiled that same smile, with every part of her feelings laid bare.

"Are you disappointed, Uesugi-san?"

Fuutarou raised a brow. "Disappointed? What are you talking about?"

She quietly chuckled, gesturing towards herself as if it were obvious. "Nine years, you said? Wow… it really has been that long. You know, I said some pretty irresponsible things back then, huh? I really did, ha ha…" She shook her head. The tips of her nails dug into the strap of her purse as she fidgetted. "Tell me, Uesugi-san, what would you expect that girl back then to be like now? Would she have been a doctor? A lawyer or a businesswoman? How much yen do you think she would have tossed into that box by now? A million? Ten million? Do you think… that all of her wishes finally came true?"

They stood silently amidst the plaza, the endless motion of their surroundings reminding them that time had not yet stood still. Yotsuba's grip over her wrist tightened, the same way she bit her own lip. "… or did she become that silly, foolish girl you found in the school cafeteria, with nothing but a big fat zero next to her name? Someone who could barely make it past high school, and even then, is still confused all the time, running around in circles." She lifted her hand over her chest, trying not to swallow the words. "Aren't you disappointed that person ended up being… me, Uesugi-san?"

Quietly beside them, Ichika fought the urge to step in. More than anything, right now, Ichika wished to be there for her sister. To be the shoulder she could cry on, and the first to say that everything will be alright. This was her own sister, and yet, the way these two faced each other felt so far out of her reach. Far beyond anything she could say or do, and all that she could rely on was the man beside her.

Without any of their notice, Ichika gave them their space.

Finally, Fuutarou sighed. "Is that really what you've been doing this entire time?"

Yotsuba flinched. Her words came off with a laugh, if only to numb the pain of her doubts finally being affirmed. "Heh… yeah, it's really pathetic, isn't it? That's why I didn't want to face you again—not like this. The truth is, I haven't changed a bit since—"

"Ah. Stop." Fuutarou held up a hand. "That's not at all what I meant."

"H—huh?"

"I see… it all makes sense now." He slowly shook his head. Images flashed through his mind, and he vividly remembered that day of their second year of high school. He remembered being on a boat, exhaustion in his lungs as he rowed through the lake. He was not alone. On the other end was a girl, dressed in white with long flowing hair., smiling at him from underneath the wide brim of her hat. "And here I thought that Rena that visited me back then had finally disappeared..."

"Uesugi-san… I'm sorry, but I don't think I understand. What are you talking about?"

"Back then, one of you disguised yourself as Rena and visited me. I don't know who it was, but she took the photo from handbook and left me with a charm. She told me two things that day. One was that she was'holding me back, so she needed to disappear', and two, that when I was finally satisfied myself, I should open that charm she gave me. At the time, I didn't understand what she was saying, and ended up falling into the lake chasing after her."

He grimaced at the thought and all the foolishness and shortsightedness that made up his past self. "But now, I get it. Everything I stood for could be traced back to that one promise. Every decision I made, and the way I saw myself—it all amounted to how closely I kept that promise. I kept thinking that, as long as I was able to face that girl again, then everything would be okay. It's the same with you, Yotsuba."

"But that…" Yotsuba hesitated. "That is different, Uesugi-san. I mean, just look at you! Compared to back then, you were the one who actually fulfilled your part of our promise. You're a lot smarter, you go to Tokyo U, and you'll become even more successful—"

"No, you just don't get it, Yotsuba," Fuutarou said bluntly. "I only fulfilled half of that promise. Don't you remember? I said I wanted to become someone people needed. Someone people could rely on."

"And you did, didn't you? We relied on you as our tutor. I relied on you! So how can you say that? Is it just to make me feel better about all of this?"

Again, Fuutarou sighed. "No, you're wrong. When we met again, I was the complete opposite of that. I kept everyone else away and couldn't go two sentences without someone getting upset over something. I studied hard, but threw what I thought didn't matter. It was more than a promise, Yotsuba. For both of us, it became an obsession."

Yotsuba reeled back. "H—huh? Obsession…?"

Fuutarou slowly nodded. "If I kept things the way they were—if I kept following that warped promise I kept in my head—then I would have never accepted the five of you into my life. The ones that taught me what it meant to be relied on." He reached into the pocket of his cardigan, as if expecting something to have appeared in that empty space. "And that charm'Rena' gave me back then—I ended up losing it in a river. I never got the chance to open it, and you know what? That is just fine with me. I don't care anymore. I've already said my goodbyes, and now, it's your turn."

There was a twisting feeling in her throat. Yotsuba wanted to refute. She wanted to find something to say that bared an inkling of doubt, but it was as if it were more than just her feelings that been laid bare, but instead, her entirety. "So… you're saying that I should say goodbye too?"

"Yes." He stepped forward, as if he were ready to grab Yotsuba if she were to run again. "Just like how Rena needed to disappear for me, that boy you met nine years ago needs to disappear too. That part of you that is still clinging onto the past."

"But, what if I can't?" Yotsuba asked, almost pleading. "Even if it's holding me back, do I need to forget all of it? Can't I hold onto something? I don't want… I don't want to throw it away like all it was is some bad memory—like it's some kind of poison or disease that I need to get rid of. Uesugi-san… I… I treasured that memory we had. I cherish all of it! I…" She bit her lip. She could not lie, even if she desperately wanted to. That promise and that boy she had met in Kyoto—it meant too much to simply throw away. It was a spark to a now-dying flame, its smoke carrying the scent of yearning and guilt with every feeble flicker. It was everything to her, and somewhere within his eyes, Yotsuba wished it could mean something to Fuutarou as well, even if it were only a sliver. If she would look into his eyes one more time, would it be the same as meeting a stranger for the very first time?

Fuutarou placed his hand over her head. "And I do too, Yotsuba." He smiled. "And I always will. Somewhere, we are still those kids who thought the whole world would eventually make sense. We are just… a little older now."

"But… I don''t think I can," Yotsuba said, her eyes still locked to her hands that fidgeted with her sleeve. "I'm scared. I'm scared of leaving that part of me behind. It's the closest thing I've ever had to a wish, and if I abandon it, then it feels like I'm losing a part of myself."

"You won't be losing anything," Fuutarou reassured her. "All it is is just moving forward. The past will always be a part of us, no matter what kind of people we become. We learn from it. We grow up. That's why I'm grateful I met you, Yotsuba. I'm grateful that we made that promise."

She swallowed. "You… are? But, earlier you said that it was something you needed to move on from. Something you needed to throw away."

"Who said anything about throwing it away?" He imitated a scolding chop over her head, just like how he always did when she was nothing more than a troublesome student. "Moving on and throwing it away are completely different things. Really, do I have to explain it to you?"

For some reason, Yotsuba only thought to laugh. It was a dry laugh, but it at least forced something reminiscent of a smile on her face. "What's with that? It's like you're back to being a big and scary tutor again."

"It was the only way to get things through that thick skull of yours." He sighed. "But… I never threw any of it away. I still cherish it, just like how you do. I just learned that I can't let it hold me back from accepting the person I am now."

"Even if that person is someone who feels like they haven't changed?"

"Especially that. If you want to be satisfied in the future, then the last place you should look is in the past."

Again, Yotsuba chuckled. "Heh… since when did you start saying things like that, Uesugi-san? You sound like an old man. In fact, you sound a lot like grandpa…"

"Wha—what?" Fuutarou pulled back his hand from atop her head, grumbling under his breath. "I'm just saying how I feel! Besides, your grandpa was actually right about a lot of things. Like about—ugh, nevermind. Just…"

Yotsuba closed her eyes. Somehow, she had lost all desire to disagree. Perhaps she was being a bit of a pushover again. Perhaps it was because everything Fuutarou was saying was the truth, and she had been too hesitant to see it. And if it were all lies, then let this gullible smile of hers savor both the bitter and sweetest taste that words could bring.

"I see…" Yotsuba began, wiping the tear from her eye. "Then, would you give me a little bit of time? Just a tiny bit, before I say goodbye?"

Fuutarou nodded. "If that's what y—"

He felt a sudden drive at his chest, almost like a tackle, and if he had not reached for the nearby street lamp, then the two of them would have been sprawled across the plaza floor. He looked down, spotting the green ribbon poking at chest. "Goodbye, Uesugi-san… Fuutarou-kun." She buried her nose deeper. In that darkness, muffled between his cardigan and the soundness of her own embrace, she watched the remnants of that memory fade where it belonged. She saw those two kids, their hands clasped to a prayer under the starry sky. She remembered the rattle of their coins, and the whistle of the evening breeze at it blew beside her hair. In that short, dreamlike moment, she felt as if she had taken one long turn on her heel, listening to the last of their voices as they faded behind her. One step at a time.

"What did you wish for…?"

"You're not supposed to tell wishes…"

Yotsuba looked up, smiling at Fuutarou the only way she knew how to.

"Thank you and… goodbye."

---

And there came the dusk. The dimmest hour of the halycon days, bathed in the glow of the surrounding lights. Weariness made the cold in air feel mending, drawn in with slow and steady breaths, and within that lull came a long gaze towards the evening sky. These fleeting minutes served as a reminder that—just as the world would never hurry, then so too shall you who nestles within it. The accustomed-to sounds of a hundred passing footsteps, and the endless chatter that filled between them, had become like the push of the evening breeze—barely noticeable as it brushed alongside. An idyllic parade of passerby, quickened and quietened with each passing minute.

She loved the calm. She loved her days off from work, the lengthy breaks between shoots, and the allure of her bedsheets that surely loved her all the same. Within those tranquil moments, those patterns and trails carved out throughout this busy life of hers had become that much more apparent, recited step by step like chapters until she found herself looking at where she stood now. It was a single leap of faith that brought her here, and every lesson learned had refined her to the woman she was today. As long as this world she carved her place in kept moving, Ichika would follow. As tiresome as it may have been, Ichika followed.

But here, the calm felt different. It was the kind that brought a sense of carelessness she had not felt in a long time. Alongside those she cherished most—her sisters and the one person she could call her dearest—the world had become a much simpler place, where the thoughts in her head could truly be at peace. And she so desperately missed it. She missed their laughter, their trifles, and their quips. She missed the days she would sleep the earliest and wake the latest, knowing that one of them would never be too far.

The cold air seeped between her lips once more as she leaned back, staring at the sky as if she could somehow find any stars above.

A voice came shortly after, "it's gotten pretty cold out, hasn't it…?"

They stood beside the amusement park river, in their own little spot beside the railings. From here, the famous castle could be seen in the distance, illuminated with colorful lights whose pigments seemed to have been plucked straight from a dream. Though, even the brightest lights would slowly fade into the backdrop, dimmed in the distance until it would all meld among the silhouettes of the trees and park constructs, until all that remained was the one in front of him. Wherever he may go and whoever he may be with, nothing would draw his gaze more than the woman in front of him. Her cordovan trench coat was loosely worn off her shoulders, slipped to embrace the grazes of the cool night air against her skin. The collar fell low; the lapels pulled to almost complete horizontal lines as it drooped down her collarbone and chest. Underneath she wore a black scoop neck tank-top, its thin straps the only markings to otherwise bare shoulders. Knee-length boots ran up her legs, and the length of her trench coat tapered down like a dress. Her hair was braided from the side to the back, with an indistinguishable length scrunched up to a messy side bun.

He placed a hand on his hip. "…Ichika."

Ichika glanced over at him, grinning as if there were any doubt her lover could lose this game now. "You got me, Mister Overachiever. Congratulations." The extensions of her hair came loose as she pulled, revealing short and slightly disheveled hair, which she clutched, then brushed along the lengths of her fingers. She invited him to the space beside her, overlooking the river and the bright lights it reflected off its surface, and he gladly accepted. "Wow, you look worse for wear. What happened to you?"

"Don't start with me," Fuutarou sighed. "You know exactly what kind of day I've been through; you're even grinning right now. Though, what else can I expect, after not being around the complete package for so long? You girls drive me crazy when you're all together."

"We try our best." Ichika stuck out the tip of her tongue. "No one said for you to play the game this way. We even made it easier for you, but you just love making extra work for yourself, don't you?"

He quietly grumbled, realizing he did not have a proper answer to that question.

"Well, I don't mind that part of you at all. In fact, you're at your cutest when you're a little distressed." Ichika leaned closer, her eyes drawing upward so that she could catch that expression she adored so much about him. Her head tilted as she asked him, "Did you have a lot of fun today, Fuutarou-kun?"

"Yeah…" He nodded. "It was a pain in the ass, and I've never had to deal with that much stress in one day, but… I didn't hate it. My only regret is that I couldn't spend most of it with you."

"Mine too," she said, gently resting her head against his shoulder. "But… thank you. You're always so full of surprises, and it keeps reminding me just how amazing you are. I honestly feel like the luckiest girl in the world. It's like we're all a family now."

"There's something I haven't really thought about. Once we're officially married, that will mean I have to start calling those four my sisters. I've spent the entire day being dragged around by all of you, and now, it looks like that's going to be a lot more common. I wonder if I'll even survive."

Ichika laughed. "You know exactly what you signed up for when you got down on one knee, Fuutarou-kun. Don't think I'll let you get away now."

"I wouldn't even dream of it," he replied, and took another glance upward. The night sky seemed all the same no matter where he went. In Tokai, Tokyo, and now Los Angeles, under the same moon and the drifting clouds that partially obscured it. Light polluted the ever distant stars, with the only thing reminiscent of a twinkle would be the lights of an airplane.

"Everyone's flight is tomorrow, huh?" Ichika asked, as if thinking the same thought. "I wish you all could have stayed longer. It always feels so short whenever I get to see you."

"It'll be easier if you just back came with us."

"You know it's not that easy."

"I know, I know. It was just a thought." He placed a hand over her head, stroking his fingers lightly over it. "We're all waiting for you to come back. It can't come soon enough."

"And it won't be much longer," she said. For a while, they quietly watched the gentle flow of the river. They watch the movements of the water—the distorted lights that wavered and crinkled on its surface. They watched and listened as the world around them continued to move. For just a while longer, they wanted to pause—to remain still amidst the song and dance, the music and the meander. A minute longer they waited, then another more.

"Attention park guests," the loudspeakers announced across the plaza. "Thank you all for visiting today! We hope you've all had a wonderful and magical time here. The fireworks show will begin momentarily. We ask that all guests make sure to…"

Fuutarou tiredly rolled his shoulders, expelling some of his weariness under a light groan. He checked the time on his phone. Almost half-past nine. "The day is finally coming to an end."

"Looks like it is," Ichika agreed. "Ahh… t's been a while since I've seen fireworks up close."

"You haven't gone to view any here?"

"Not really. They always make me think of home. I've always watched it with all of my sisters, and with mom, when she was alive. They're sort of… special to me."

"That takes me back…" Fuutarou remembered that night of their second year of high school. It felt so long ago, but then again, what exactly did that mean in these twenty-one years he called his life. Back then, they were just classmates. Strangers with an unfavorable relationship that—when compared to the people they were now—seemed like it was all part of a different lifetime. "The Autumn Fireworks festival, wasn't it? Nino told me the same thing, back then. I'm sure they must be looking for us too, so we should decide on somewhere to meet."

"Now, why would we do that?" Ichika asked.

"'Why…?' What do you mean? Aren't the six of us going to meet somewhere and watch the fireworks together? Look, it's already starting to get crowded near the castle. If we don't hurry…"

Ichika crossed her arms at him, and when Fuutarou's brow had only raised a little higher in response, the young actress let out a disappointed sigh. "I see how it is, Fuutarou-kun. You aren't simply satisfied professing your love to all my sisters in the same day—you also want to leave me out of my own special date with you too. That is hardly fair."

"Wa—wait a second." Fuutarou reeled back. "Where did that come from? Who is professing what now to who?"

"Hmph." She turned, pointing her nose upward and folding her arms across her chest. "If you can tell us all apart now, then you admit it's from all the love you have in your heart. A girl could get jealous, hearing her own boyfriend say something like that so shamelessly."

He rolled his eyes. "Ichika… come on…"

She giggled, turning back to him. "You know I'm joking, Fuutarou-kun."

"If you wanted it to be just us, then all you needed to do was say so. Besides, I don't even know why you're complaining..." Fuutarou reached over and took Ichika by the hand. His thumb gently traced the dainty lengths of her fingers, ending around her ring finger. An adoring warmth clasped between his palm and the fold of her fingers, brought closer to his lips as he whispered the words, "You'll have the rest of my life all to yourself."

In that moment, pierced by the glimmers of gold that shimmered deeply within his gaze, the world around her grew brighter. Like a flicker to the night sky, announced far and wide with a deafening boom that shattered across the air. A light that warmed her for an instant, felt from her chest up to her cheeks, as she stared ardently at her lover's face, shone briefly in the amber colored spark. Only then, did Ichika remember the fireworks. Her head tilted just in time to catch the shreds of golden embers dispersing across the night sky, leaving nothing but trails of smoke in memoriam to its ephemeral life. The cold that came with the evening air had sneaked in its way into her lungs, and she realized just how long her mouth had been held agape.

The warmth wrapped between her fingers reminded her that the world was still in motion, even if she was only enthralled for a moment. If there were words she needed to say, he already knew it. If there were feelings she wished to impart, then he already knew it. One after the other, in tandem and in tremors, the lights burst across the night sky. The timeless music and the narrator invited their imagination, pulled from the deepest memories of their childhood, to wander and frolic without care, for this moment alone shall be one unburdened by troubles. In peace and with those dearly beloved, the reverie would never end.

The fireworks orchestrated a show—an illustrious parade of a thousand shapes and colors in a world far above them. Fuutarou watched as new colors birthed within Ichika's eyes, like the twinkle of stars adrift—like the ones he could never find amongst the sky back home. Brocades like bouquets, peonies for passion, comets to count their blessings, willows for every wish. To Ichika, it would mean the same wish, made over and over again until the final flares painted the night sky. It remained with her then, and it would for the days to come, just as the scent of matches lingered under her nose. She tightly wrapped her fingers around her lover's, and with all her longing, gazed deeply into the spark that warmed her long after the last embers faded amidst the haze.

"I'll be home soon… okay?"

---

Author's Note

I want to strangle my past self for storyboarding this point of the story.

Hello, hello! Whew, that was probably the LONGEST I've ever gone without updating this fic, and if you've made it all the way down to this note, then I sure hope you can guess why. With only five chapters left (now four!), it was fitting that I dedicate one chapter to the climatic "Final Quintuplet Game" that concluded Fuutarou's feelings for all of the quintuplets. I always expected to try my own spin on it, rather than have it all take place during the wedding in canon—which I still find a little odd, by the way, if it were not meant to be so poetic—and this form was not originally in the storyboard I drafted at the beginning of this fic. All I can say after writing this is: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

My GOODNESS this chapter was the most difficult thing I've ever had to write. I've cursed my past self with the blood of the present, stained over the 'BACKSPACE' key of my keyboard. Seriously, this chapter was basically FIVE chapters, which means FIVE times the storyboards and FIVE times the writer's block. Not only that, but I actually scrapped the first draft partway through because I felt like I wasn't liking the direction this chapter was going, and even thought about scrapping the whole idea in general. Though, I'm glad I stuck with it until the very end. I hope it excuses the time it took for this chapter to come out, as well as for putting up with my bitching (I appreciate you dearly, by the way)

Anyways, for this chapter… well, I'm kinda out of words to say how I feel about it. I think I've poured enough individual feeling into every quint that I could let the narrative do all the talking. It was a concept I had simmering in my mind for a looooooong time, and this one probably required the most delicate care in its execution. I'm happy with how it turned out, and I'm even happier that it's all over!

Anyways, thanks to those who left reviews on Chapter 24 and any recent chapters. There have been a good chunk of messages left for me during this small hiatus, so I will be sure to get back to everyone. Thank you to— JNTF1QQ , codywhite ,Thien Truong, Random Reader Guy, Inaho1906, Fox McCloude, chloetuco, TheMist33, Quintaphract, segft, XGoGame, Tombsie26, MiniCalvin, and any other guest review(s)!Thanks also to the reddit commenters—Small_Ruin_648, chloetuco, Nekunutz, and BlueStratrock!

_φ(。。) "I must scream."