You know what happens next.
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To be a family. Family means having someone to love you unconditionally in spite of you and your shortcomings. Family is loving and supporting one another even when it's not easy to do so. It's being the best person you could be so that you may inspire your loved ones. Family is unrelenting, it's secure and reliable. Family isn't just important, it's what is most important. Nakano Itsuki takes this to heart.
She has always thought that family is what's most important in life. It gives you a place to belong, and it's a source of warmth and happiness. For her, family is worth more than all the money in the world.
To be sisters. Although it also implies being a family, it's also different. It's a special connection, something only those who were raised together can share. A special bond exclusive for them.
Sadly, what strengthened the bond between the Nakano quintuplets was the death of their mother. It was a devastating blow for Itsuki and her siblings. Injustice from the destiny itself. Since that day, Itsuki decided to become their new "mom".
Needless to say, such a thing is not possible in every sense of the word. It was just the attempt from a child to put on a brave front for her sisters. Deep down, Itsuki knew that something like that, would never come true.
"Haa..." Itsuki sighed while watching the festival ending from her window. She's currently sitting at her own desk.
She couldn't help but to worry about her sisters. Itsuki knows that three of them are going to be heartbroken, but she decided that she will be there for them.
"Although... I can't say I am not curious about Uesugi-kun's decision..." She pondered for a while.
'Yeah, probably Nino. She has been really aggressive when it comes to Uesugi-kun.' She nodded for herself.
'I feel bad for Ichika, but I don't think Uesugi-kun will choose her after what happened in Kyoto...' She felt her mouth falling into a sad smile when she thought of her older sister.
'But... Maybe it could be Miku...? I know how much she likes Uesugi-kun... even before Nino did.' Itsuki tapped her desk with her index finger while deep in thought.
'Yotsuba... You never told him anything right? M-Maybe I should—' She shook her head.
'—No, that was Yotsuba's decision and I have to respect that.' She noticed how much thought she was giving to the matter, making her blush.
"I-It can't be helped! I'm also a girl!" She raised her voice, almost shouting at nobody while raising from her seat.
"Jeez, what am I doing...?" Itsuki proceeded to sit down once more. Deciding to not think too much about it, she took out her phone.
*GROWL~*
"..." Suddenly, her stomach made it's act of presence.
"Ugh... Eating karaage and popcorn is not enough..." She couldn't try most of the stands because of the whole ordeal with Mudou-sensei. When she thought of her biological dad, she couldn't avoid thinking about her former tutor.
'You're my ideal too! I just wanted ta tell ya that.'
"Ahhhh~!" She slumped over her desk, her hands grabbing her head.
'Why did I said something so embarrassing!?' She could feel her own cheeks burning out of embarrassment.
"I mean... I do mean it, but still...!" She couldn't deny the fact that she thought of the raven haired boy as someone special to her. Her friend.
"..." She didn't knew why, but she felt weird when she thought of the word "friend".
Itsuki knew this wasn't a lie. She considered Fuutarou as one of her best friends. They've been through so much together (along her sisters, of course). But, for some strange reason, the word friend didn't seemed to fit Fuutarou. She couldn't put her finger on what was it, but it just didn't feel right.
'My brother-in-law... perhaps...?' Yes, that must be it, right? Still, why do I feel concerned about this?
Suddenly, she remembered she has been daydreaming for a while.
"Must be time to go. Maybe the girls are already waiting outside of the building?" She decided to check the time with her phone. When she held her phone, which she took out moments ago, she noticed the small picture glued to her phone case. It was the picture Raiha, Fuutarou and her took at the purikura machine.
"..." She rubbed her thumb against the little sticker, as if it were a precious object. Although, in fact, it was for Itsuki. While doing so, a question she didn't expected came.
'What if...?'
She shook her head once more. 'What? What does—'
'What if—'
She wasn't sure why, but she couldn't help wondering—
'—What if I was chosen?'
"Hahaha, as if. I must be really hungry..." She chose to brush off such thoughts.
"Even if that were the case, I don't see Uesugi-kun that way." She nodded, as if to convince herself, that unknown feeling lingering on her mind.
"I should go look for the others... I guess I'll search for Ichika first." She apologized to her sister in her mind.*
Deciding what to do next, Itsuki stood up and, with phone in hand, went out of the classroom, where she was supposed to be waiting.
'Huh? It's open...' Itsuki entered the room where Ichika was supposed to be waiting. It was empty.
'This is weird... I thought Ichika was here? I suppose she already went back home.' Itsuki wondered.
After that, she decided to visit her other sister's rooms, but the result was the same. Nothing.
"Eh? D-Did I missed out on something? W-Was I left out!?" Her cheeks started getting red.
"I can't believe it! Not even a single message or a call or anything!" She puffed her cheeks in annoyance.
Her rumbling stomach, plus her newfound anger irritated Itsuki to no end, leading to not being able to think critically.
"Hmph! Then I'll just go and eat a super luxurious dinner by myself, see if I care!" With small droplets of water at the corner of her eyes, threatening to come out, she went out of the building and started walking towards her favorite restaurant. Not forgetting to turn off her phone, so she won't be "disturbed" during her pleasant dinner.
.
.
.
"...H-How do I get there, again...?" Sighing, she decided to let her phone guide her there. 'B-But I won't answer calls or texts!' Unbeknownst of what was really happening that day, Nakano Itsuki left the school.
"..."
"..."
"...Yotsuba?"
"Y-Yes, Fuutarou-kun?" Yotsuba replied meekly.
"Are you absolutely sure that Itsuki was supposed to be waiting here?" I asked her again, seeking confirmation.
"I swear! Nino, Miku, Ichika...!" Yotsuba turned the conversation to her sisters.
"Indeed, I'm sure Itsuki should be here... I wonder where did she went?" Ichika pondered.
"She's not answering her phone too." Nino frowned while putting away her phone.
"...Maybe she went to the restroom?" Miku suggested, hoping it wasn't anything bad.
"I doubt it. It's already been a while and she's not anywhere to be seen." I replied to Miku's idea.
"M-Maybe we should ask someone if they have seen Itsuki?" Yotsuba said a little nervous.
"That's actually a good idea, Yotsuba. Let's go outside." Nino nodded at Yotsuba's suggestion.
We decided to move outside first, confessing to Itsuki comes later.
"Ah yeah, I saw Nakano-san going out a while ago. I think she said something like 'I'm going home' or something like that." A classmate of ours said as he was in his way to clean up his stand. The festival ended a few minutes ago.
"Dammit, that eating-monster woman!" I couldn't help stomping my foot on the ground several times in exasperation.
"...Does he really like Itsuki?"
"Don't mind Fuu-kun, Miku. They have always interacted like this."
"Certainly, that's so like them, fufu~"
"That's Fuutarou-kun for you!"
The girls where saying something between them, but I couldn't hear what was that. I took a deep breath, and exhaled loudly.
"Well... I guess I'll have to do it tomorrow. No harm in that, I suppose." I didn't liked the idea, but there wasn't much I could do about it.
"...There, there." Miku patted my back, trying to comfort me.
"Now, now. You got yourself four cute girlfriends today, a fifth one can wait until tomorrow, Fuutarou-kun." Ichika said accompanied with a wink.
"Yes, you're right, Ichika." I replied, giving her a smile. Ichika's cheeks tinged red almost in a instant.
"M-My... Fuutarou-kun, such a casanova~" She held her cheeks with both hands. Nino snickered.
"What was that, little sister?" Ichika smiled intensely to Nino in response. Nino just shrugged.
"Oh, nothing at all, big sister. Just that it's kinda cute how you try to act like a grown up, but still got flustered." Nino hid her mouth with her sleeve, but her laugh could be heard.
"Oh~? I don't want to heart that from you either, little sister. You act all nonchalant but you still get embarrassed too, don't you~?" Her smile never left her face, but I could tell that this was a battle between sisters.
"Oh, that so~?" Nino replied.
"Yeah, that so~" Ichika stood her ground.
"...Here we go again." Miku sighed in defeat.
"Okay, okay, that's enough you two. We need to go home, it's getting dark." I mentally thanked Yotsuba for being the "straight man" here.
"I guess that's true. Then, if that's the case... Ei!" Nino, in a swift movement, took a hold of my right arm.
"I want my brand-new boyfriend to walk me home~" Miku followed her.
"...Me too. Please walk me home, Fuutarou." After Miku, Ichika came next, taking a hold of my right hand.
"It can't be helped then. Mr. boyfriend, please walk me home too~" Yotsuba looked at us for a couple of seconds, but after nodding to herself and full of resolve, she took a hold of the back of my shirt.
"P-Please, Fuutarou-kun...?" She offered me a nervous smile. Looks like she's still not used to this, not that I mind though. Still...
"Hell no." I firmly said, obtaining a look of disbelief by the four sisters.
"So cold, Fuu-kun! Aren't we a couple now?" Nino crossed her arms in annoyance.
"...Do you dislike this, Fuutarou?" Miku just looked to the ground, like a scolded puppy.
"Of course not, but I'm not walking you guys to your apartment. I have been helping all day long with the festival, I'm exhausted." I replied to the girls statements.
"Ah. Now that I remember..." Yotsuba scratched the back of her head. You were also helping, you talking ribbon!
"Tsk. A shame but it can't be helped. Let's call for Ebata-san." Nino replied and immediately after, called their personal chauffeur.
"...Did she just clicked her tongue?" I think I heard something at the beginning.
"No..." Ichika nervously said.
"Well, whatever. It has been a great day girls, you don't have an idea of how happy I am right now. Thank you." I decided to show them some appreciation. Ichika, Miku and Yotsuba just blushed at my words.
"N-No... It was my pleasure, Fuutarou-kun! To think you could like someone like me, I'm happy beyond words." Yotsuba replied with a sheepish smile.
"...I'm happy too, Fuutarou. Being able to be by your side, there's no greater happiness for me." Miku said while playing with a strand of her hair.
"It's the same for me, Fuutarou-kun... Not even in my wildest dreams I thought I was going to be able of being called your girlfriend. I'm the one who feels grateful to you. Thank you for loving me—" Ichika tried to maintain a neutral face, but the the corners of her lips betrayed her, slowly curving into a gentle smile.
"—And I think the same can be said for Nino." She finished.
"Yeah... I think it's time to return the favor." I decided to take the offensive for once.
"—!" I took a hold of Yotsuba's face and went for it.
"Hmhh!" Yotsuba's eyes widened when her brain processed what was happening. A kiss, that is. Not an experimented kiss like the ones you see in the movies. Just a chaste kiss on the lips, one that didn't even lasted 3 seconds, but for us, it felt like an eternity.
"A-A-Ah—" Yotsuba couldn't reply. Her face was all red and her eyes looked like they were spiralling. I think that was too much for her. Maybe.
"Thank you, Yotsuba." I moved and walked until I was face to face with Miku.
"..." She was fidgeting with her fingers. After watching me kissing Yotsuba, she could tell what was going to happen now.
"Miku." I said her name as I cupped her cheek in my hand. 'G-Girls sure are soft, huh?'
"...Yes, Fuutarou." She closed her eyes and raised her face, waiting to receive the same treatment Yotsuba received.
This time, being my second time kissing someone*, kinda got the hang of it. I closed my eyes too, after making a mental image of Miku's face, and kissed her. A quick kiss, but I tried putting my feelings in it, hoping that somehow she would understand them.
"Thank you, Miku."
"...Yes." I received a small nod from Miku. When I turned my head to look at Ichika, I noticed she was looking at me. When our eyes met, she quickly turned to her left, pretending not being staring at me.
"Ichika." When I was in front of her, I called her name.
"A-Ah, yes. A k-kiss? S-Sure~ Oh you, Fuu—Hmm!" Before she could continue talking in her nervousness, I tilted my head and kissed her lips too.
"Thank you, Ichika." I genuinely thanked her, for being a part of my life too.
"...Yes, you're welcome, and thank you, Fuutarou-kun." Perhaps more calm after we shared a kiss, she replied calmly, like her status as the "older sister" sugggested.
I turned to look at Nino. She was still in a call with Ebata-san. 'Maybe should I wait for her...? No, that would be too unnatural. I'll just go with the flow!'
I made my way towards Nino, who distanced herself from us to attend to the call. She didn't noticed the moments I've shared with her sisters.
"—Yeah, we're waiting at the—Mhhm?!" Taking her by surprise, I quickly kissed Nino's lips, using my hand to turn her head so her face met mine.
"Thank you, Nino." The bewildered look on her face was priceless. She was covering her mouth with her free hand, while the other held her phone against her ear. I could see her face become more red with each passing second.
"Hello?" I could hear the voice of Ebata-san from the other side of the line.
"A-Ah yeah, sorry Ebata-san, it was nothing." She replied with a gentle smile adorning her face. After I finished with this... "farewell", I noticed how embarrassing everything I did and said was, so I decided to take my leave.
"See you guys tomorrow, g-good night." Leaving those words behind, I left the school and made my way towards home. The last thing I saw before turning around was my four girlfriends waving at me in the distance.
"Ah! F-Fuutarou-kun!" Yotsuba finally came back.
"Too late, Yotsuba. Fuutarou-kun already left." Ichika replied to her sister with an apologetic smile.
"...Was it that amazing?" Miku asked her younger sister, judging by her reaction.
"Y-Yeah, I mean—No! I was just surprised!" Yotsuba flailed her arms in the air, trying to deny it.
"Ebata-san is on his way." After a her lengthy talk on the phone, Nino came back.
"Did he drove Itsuki to our apartment?" Ichika asked.
"Yeah, he said he picked her up at the restaurant Itsuki liked to visit." Nino sighed, earning a nod from Ichika.
"Ah, I see. It certainly makes sense why she didn't replied to our messages." The other sister nodded in agreement.
"Let's wait for Ebata-san and get a good night of sleep." Nino said while sitting on a near bench. Her sisters followed suit.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Say..." Nino broke the ice once again.
"Hmm?" Ichika looked towards Nino.
"Fuu-kun's kiss tasted like karaage." Nino stated with a serious face.
"Pffft!" Her sisters couldn't contain their laughter. A quartet of girls laughing could be heard during the end of the school festival.
In the meantime, the missing Nakano sister was pouting in her bedroom.
"Hmph! I better sleep, I need to go to cram school anyway..." With those last words being heard by no one but herself, Nakano Itsuki went into a deep slumber, ignoring what was going to happen the next day.
*1: Itsuki apologized to Ichika in her mind, because she thought there was no way she could be chosen, hence, she should be in her room alone, not with Fuutarou.
*2: Fuutarou refers of him being the one to initiate the kiss. He has been kissed by every Nakano sister (Except for Itsuki).
Edit: Join my discord server now: www. discord .gg/yWrR89RMmy (Just remove the spaces before and after "discord") we have mudae bot... and, well... J-Just join already!
What!? Itsuki is not part of the harem!? Was this even on the script...?
Ah, yes. It is.
Fourth chapter, done! (Again, I'm updating on Sunday at 08:46 PM, may as well change my Update dates...)
Preview: 5-toubun no Hanayome - True Five Equal Brides, Chapter 5!
[Newfound Feelings]
See you next Monday (Sunday)!
~Neru-san