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Chapter 22

A New Beginning

Eighteen Years Ago...

The Girls Tennis Team of Kurobara had their first match of the season shortly after New Years.

Despite the setback of losing their team captain and their coach the team had managed to remain strong and determined thanks to Izumi's leadership. After having dinner the team headed for the station for the trip home.

However, they were about to receive the biggest shock of their lives.

Miyu was in high spirits and ran ahead with the rest following, Izumi and Lita bringing up the rear. The two of them discussed today's match as Miyu rounded a corner. Suddenly there was a commotion.

"I am so sorry, Miss!" they heard her cry, "I didn't see you there!"

The others quickened their pace. Izumi and Lita rounded the corner to see Miyu and Ichinose picking up the contents that had fallen out of the paper bag a young woman was carrying, the others trying to help.

"I don't anything damaged," said Ichinose.

Miyu placed a can back into the bag, "I'm really sorry about that! I wasn't watching where..."

Suddenly she stopped and looked closer at the woman.

At that instant Lita grabbed Izumi's wrist.

"Izumi!" she hissed, gesturing to the woman.

Izumi looked, saw, and cursed.

But it was already too late, for at that they heard Miyu say, "Rena?"

Everyone else froze. They stopped what they were doing and looked up at the woman carrying the grocery bad.

"It is you Rena!" Miyu exclaimed.

Everyone moved closer while Izumi and Lita tried to shove their way forward. They could see Rena standing there, fear in her eyes. She had cut her hair short and she no longer wore her white headband, but her face was instantly recognizable.

"Where have you been?"

"Why did you suddenly leave?"

"What happened to you?"

Izumi finally broke through, but it was already too late. Rena turned, as if she was about to run away, and it her fatal mistake. For that was when everyone saw her enlarged belly. Everyone went dead silent as they stared in disbelief.

Then Rena let out a cry of absolute pain.

"Why are you here?" she sobbed, "Why did I have to run into you?"

Hissing another curse Izumi rushed to her friend's side and wrapped an arm around her heaving shoulders while Lita placed herself between them and their teammates.

"Everyone calm down," she held up her hands, "Everything will be explained."

Their teammates blinked at them before their jaws dropped.

"Wait a minute!" Ichinose's shock turned into anger, "You knew about this?!"

"You kept it a secret from us?" said an incredulous Ninoko.

"How could you?!" cried Miyu, "Do you have any idea what we went through that day?"

"Stop it! All of you!"

Everyone jumped at Rena's commanding voice, the very kind she used when she had been their captain.

"Please..." she exhaled, "Don't take it out on them. I made them promise not to tell you. I didn't want the rest of you to know."

A long moment of silence passed as the poor young woman lowered her head in shame.

Izumi looked around and saw that they nearby a small park.

"Let's go in here," she pointed, "We can talk in private."

She led Rena inside and the rest followed, still bewildered. She set Rena down on a bench while the others gathered around at various spots. Reaching into her bag Izumi took out one of her unused water bottles, opened it, and handed it to Rena. Her friend thanked her and took a long drink. The others quietly waited, their gazes locked on the proof of Rena's condition.

"As you can see, I'm pregnant," she confirmed for them.

From there she told them what she had told Izumi and Lita months before. Then she broke down crying.

"I'm sorry!" she sobbed, head down in shame, "I know I shouldn't have left you guys the way I did but I... I just couldn't bear to see the look on your faces! I knew how devastated you would be, but if you knew about my condition-if the whole school knew-it would've destroyed you and everything we accomplished as a team! It would've been the scandal all over again! I couldn't let that happen! I hated myself for doing what I did, but I had to do it in order to protect the team. Then there was the knowledge that I had let all of you guys down! How could I go on with my life knowing how you would've thought of me if you knew? The fact that I'm pregnant would've been bad enough, but you certainly would've thought of me as some... as some..."

She couldn't bring herself to say it, but they all knew what she was implying. Then she felt a pair of hands take hold of hers. Startled, Rena opened her eyes to see Miyu kneeling before her with her own eyes brimming with tears.

"Please, don't talk like that," she gently begged, then smiled through her tears, "We would never think that way about you."

Rena turned away from her, "Don't lie to me just to make me feel better, Miyu. I know what all of you are thinking."

"No! We're not!" Miyu insisted, "Honest we're not."

"She's right, Rena," said Ninoko, "We wouldn't think that at all."

Startled Rena looked at all of her other former teammates. She expected them all to be angry with her. Instead they were all looking at her with happy smiles, as though they were relieved to finally see her again, but she could see the sadness in their eyes. It was all because of her condition. It meant that she could never be with them ever again. That was the biggest tragedy of all.

"We were upset, even furious, that you suddenly disappeared without a word," explained Ichinose, "But now that we see why, I can't really hold it against you."

"We're just really glad that you're alive and well," Sushi smiled, "Even in that condition. We were really worried about you after you suddenly left."

Rena looked at them all, trying to see any indication that they were lying, but she saw none. Her old teammates, her friends, were all being sincere.

They really had missed her and had been worried about her, just as she said.

She started crying again, "How can you say that? How can you be so happy to see me when I let all of you down? I broke my promise. We swore that we would go to nationals together, and I broke that promise! I let this happen to me! How can you be nice to me when I failed as you leader?"

"You still are our leader, Rena," Miyu's older sister came and knelt beside her, taking one of Rena's hands, "You'll always be our captain, but more importantly, you will always be our friend. That will never change."

"She's right," Ninoko smiled, "You've done so much for us since the day we all first met you."

"That's right," Miyu beamed at Rena, "I wouldn't be alive today if it hadn't been for you. I was on the verge of giving up completely."

Her sister reached and patted her head, "And it was because of you, Rena, that I was able to reconnect with her again. I couldn't have done it on my own."

"When my Dad was transferred here you helped me connect with my classmates," said Lita, "I wasn't sure how I would fit in, being a foreigner and all."

"I was also in a crisis of my own," added Ninoko, "About what I should do with my life and if I should pursue my dream. You helped me make what was probably the most important decision by not giving up my goals and dreams and to keep pushing forward."

"And I was a real pain in the ass when I first joined the team," Ichinose said with a grin, "Back then I had only joined for very selfish reasons, but after spending whole years with this team I came to see them as my friends, teammates, and I became a better person. Someone who wasn't driven by selfish desires. You played a huge role in that, Rena."

Rena stared at them all, unable to believe what she was hearing, but she still wasn't convinced.

"You just saying all these things just to make feel better," she sighed.

"No, we're not," Izumi wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "Before I even came along we were all strangers, each struggling to find our place in the world. You brought us all together. Rena. We all found something that we had in common, that being tennis. Your dream to go to nationals became our dream, Rena. We wouldn't be where we are today if it hadn't been for you. I wouldn't have decided to pursue a professional career if it hadn't been for you."

Miyu squeezed her hand again, "You've helped us in more ways than one. It's what you do, Sempai. It's what you're gifted with. I got a feeling your child will do the same one day."

Rena looked at them all again. Every one of them had love in their eyes. Love for her.

"You're really not mad?" she whispered, "About what I did or how I ended up this way?"

"Well..." Yoshi hesitated for a brief second, "to be honest, any one of us could've made the very same mistake. What happened to you has happened to many other girls before. You're just handling it a lot better than most would have. You have to be ashamed of, Rena. It was an accident. Plain and simple."

Lita reached over and touched Rena's other shoulder, "You did what you had to in order to protect the team, even though it hurt you to do it. You're actually far braver than any other person I've met. My own Marine dad would be very proud of you despite your mistake."

"We're going to win National Championship Rena, just as we promised," Izumi declared.

"That's right!" Ichinose grinned, "Izumi kept us all together after you left, just as she promised. We're going to win that championship even if we have to take it by force!"

The others agreed wholeheartedly and Rena suddenly found herself laughing. She couldn't be sad anymore. She was overjoyed to know that all her efforts hadn't gone to waste and that her former was determined to accomplish their goal. She couldn't be anymore proud.

"Thank you," she smiled at them, tears rolling down her cheeks, "I love you. All of you. You make me proud to be who I am. Even if I'm not there with you, even if you don't succeed in winning the championship, I'll always be proud of you. And I'll always cherish you. As my friends, and as my teammates."

Present Day...

When Miku received word from Itsuki that their grandfather had been hospitalized after his heart attack it had devastated her. Of all of the quints Miku had been the closest to him ever since he first said that she often reminded him of his daughter. She was so grateful that Yusuke had been by her side at that very moment. She would've fainted if she had been all by herself.

After receiving the news Yusuke stayed by her side all the way until she returned home. He continued staying by her side until Ichika returned. She promised him that she would get in touch once they knew more.

Normally it would've been awkward to have Yotsuba with them after they had just kicked her out, but none of them were thinking of that at that time. The only thing on thier minds was their grandfather. They knew he was getting old, but they didn't want to lose him. Things had been bad enough as they were. The loss of their grandfather was the last thing they needed. Thankfully he had pulled through for the night, but there was no guarantee that he would wake up again. At that point all they could do was go home and pray that he would.

They hadn't noticed that Yotsuba had left before they did. They had just assumed that she had stayed behind to go home with their stepfather.

When they returned to the penthouse they went to their rooms and stayed there for the rest of the day. Nino later came out and made a light dinner, for none of them had much of an appetite.

When she returned to her room Miku saw that Yusuke and his friends, having been informed themselves, had texted her. They were letting her know that they were here for her if she needed to talk with someone. She was deeply touched. This must be what it's like to friends who look out for you.

The thought made her pause.

Friends?

Yes, she realized it now. For the first time in her life she had made friends. All of her sisters had friends, but not her. Except for her sisters she had associated with anyone else. Her shyness had prevented her from doing so because she was both nervous and afraid that she would be made fun of, especially when they were at Kurobara. It was thanks to Fuutarou that she was able to come out of her shell, but now she realized that it was thanks to Yusuke that she was able to make friends for the first time in her life. He really had helped her in more ways than one.

Smiling, she thanked them all for their support and for all the fun she had today.

Then, to her surprise, Yusuke asked her if she would like to play a game, "To help her get her mind off things," as he put it. Initially she was going to politely refuse, but then she found that she wasn't tired. Her mind was too occupied. So she agreed instead. They just played some casual games instead of their usual ones. Yusuke would chat with her every now and then while also praising her whenever she won a game.

Every time he did it made Miku smile even more. She really was grateful that he was looking out for her. She also felt sorry for him considering that his earlier efforts had all gone up in smoke when she received news about Granpa. After an hour she announced that she was getting tired and decided to go to bed. Yusuke responded by saying goodnight and wishing her well.

She shut her computer down and went to bed with a smile on her face. At the same time she had a feeling that Yusuke wanted to say something else but decided not to.

The day after they met Izumi Himuro, Yusuke came to her between classes and said that he and his friends were going to see a movie and asked if she'd like to come along. Under Ichika's encouragement she agreed and after school was over she left with Yusuke while Ichika went home with Itsuki.

The movie they took her to see was a romantic comedy between a strick student council president and a carefree gyaru girl. It turned out to be much more enjoyable than they imagined. The group had fun watching it and they left the theater in a good mood.

As they did, she overheard Yura and Ririko talking.

"I really liked the ending," said Yura.

"Me too!" piped Ririko, "Especially when he said he would suspend her if she went out wearing that bunny outfit. That was a cute way to express his love!"

"It actually gave an idea for my story."

"Oh, really? Tell me!"

"I'll tell you when we get home. I think you might even be able to draw an illustration of it."

Curious, Miku stepped closer to them.

"Excuse me," she waited until they turned to her, "I didn't mean to overhear, but what were you talking about? Are you writing a story?"

"Oh, we never told you?" Yura laughed, "I guess not. Well, to put a simply, I want to become a writer while Ririko wants to become a manga artist."

"Oh, really?" Miku grinned excitedly, "That's very neat. What are you writing?"

"Well, nothing yet," Yura sounded embarrassed, "That is... I haven't really written anything down. Just little ideas and scribbles. The story I'm currently working on is a romance story, like the movie we saw. However, that's not really what I want to do. I want to write a fantasy epic."

"Same here," said Ririko, "Problem is, neither of us are really good right now. We intend to go to college together after we graduate so we can improve our skills. Our real dream, however, is to form a manga group."

"A what?" Miku was confused.

"You know that most manga is usually done by one person, right?" explained Yura, "Often with an assistant and an editor."

"Yeah."

"Well, a manga group is basically a group of manga artists working alongside a writer or two. One group does the writing while the other provides the artwork. Together they create a story in the form of a manga."

"Oh," Miku was intirgued, "I didn't know groups like that existed."

"They're rare, but they do exist. The most famous manga group is CLAMP. Ever heard of them?"

"No," Miku shook her head, "I don't believe I have."

"Have you seen the anime Cardcaptor Sakura?" asked Ririko.

"Yeah!" Miku eyes brightened as she remembered that show, "My sisters and I grew up watching that when we were little."

"They were the ones who created the original manga of that show. It's what made them famous."

"We're hoping to meet other artists who would like to join our group," said Yura, "but for now we've settled on me writing light novels with Ririko doing the illustrations for me."

"I see," Miku smiled cheerfully, "That does sound very neat though. I hope you two succeed."

"Thanks," they both said.

"Why do you want to do a fantasy epic?" Miku asked Yura.

"Well," the girl laughed, "It's probably because of all the RPG games I play online."

"Really? Which ones?" when Yura told her she got excited, "Oh, I play those too!"

"You do?" Yura beamed, "We should play together sometime. Maybe we can form a party too!"

"Hey, guys," Yura's boyfriend Yuichi waved to them, "How about we go hang at the mall for a bit?"

The mall they went to was the same one Miku and her sisters visited all the time. This was, however, the first she had ever gone to the mall with friends instead of her sisters.

After they had some ice cream Yura and Ririko announced they wanted to visit the bookstore. Yuichi went with while Miku and Yusuke decided to go to the electronics store. Since the day her headphones had been destroyed Miku had been trying to buy a new pair online. Unfortunately the stores that carried them were either sold out, didn't have the right color, or were too expensive. The electronics store she visited did carry the model she wanted but didn't sell them in blue, but the clerk said that he can order them for her. Seeing that she didn't have any options she agreed. After being told they would arrive next week they left the store.

They went over to the rendezvous point where they would meet the others but found they weren't there yet. It was here that Yusuke suddenly spoke to her.

"Is something on your mind, Miku?" he asked, "You've been glancing at me a lot today. Is there something you want to talk about?"

Miku looked at him, trying not to blush in embarrassment. She had been looking at him a lot, for there was a question she'd been wanting to ask.

"Well..." she took a breath, "Yes, there is actually. There is something I've been wanting to ask you."

Yusuke gestured to a bench, "Why don't we talk about it while we wait for the others?"

She followed him to the bench and sat down next to him. Once they were settled he looked at her and waited.

Taking a deep breath this time she asked, "Why have you done so much for me these past few days? You came to my rescue when I got assaulted, defended me," she touched his headphones hanging around her neck, "gave me your headphones after I lost mine, bought me a book, stayed by my side when my grandpa was hospitalized, introduced me to your friends, and cheering me up when I was sad or depressed. I never asked for your help but you gave it to me anyway. I... I just want to know why. Can you tell me why? Why have you done all these things for me?"

She remembered what Ichika had said to her about Yusuke possibly having feelings for her. Deep down she suspected it herself but she wanted to hear it from Yusuke himself. She wasn't sure what she would do if he did have feelings for her, but she still wanted to know.

For a long minute he sat there quietly. It seemed as though he was trying to figure out what to say. Then he reached behind his back pocket and pulled out his wallet.

"Well, Miku..." he took something out, "It's a bit of a long story, but since you asked I think it's only fair to tell you."

He handed it over to Miku took and she saw that it was a picture. Of Yusuke, when he was a little boy, and his mother. Surprised, she looked at it more closely.

His mother had been one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. It was clear where Yusuke got his features from. Her smile was dazzling, her features were flawless, and her eyes were filled with genuine happiness. She held her son tightly her arms, their cheeks pressed together. Miku almost giggled at the awkward little smile Yusuke was giving and wondered if he'd been camera shy.

Then she noticed that one side of the photo was taped to another and folded behind it. Slowly she unfolded it and saw... a picture of herself.

Everything went silent around her. This picture pretty much confirmed her and Ichika's suspicions, but she still wanted to know. Why did he have a picture of her?

Looking closer she realized that the picture must've been taken right after she and her sisters transferred schools, for she was wearing her old uniform. She then noticed that the picture looked like it had been cut away from a larger one, for one edge was jagged and uneven. She thought back to the day they first arrived at Fuutarou's school and recalled that she and Ichika were placed together in the same classroom. From the background of the picture, someone must have taken it while she and Ichika were being introduced.

However, that still didn't explain why Yusuke had a picture of her. And why did he have it taped next to his mother?

She looked back and forth at the two pictures and with a start she realized something. The smile she was giving in her picture was exactly like the smile of his mother. Dazzling. Now completely mystified she looked over at Yusuke, who sat there watching quietly.

He saw the questions going through her eyes and he took the pictures back. He then took a minute to look at them before he began to speak.

"My mom was like the shining light in our lives. She brought so much joy into the world. Not just for me and Dad, but for everyone who knew her. When she died a piece of us died with her and a dark cloud has loomed over all of us ever since she faded away with the light."

Miku nodded, remembering how it had been the same for her and her sisters after their mother died.

Yusuke sighed deeply, "As you know my dad and I have had a strained relationship ever since her death. He's been living in sorrow for the past eight years while I have been virtually living my life without my parents. Much of the bravado you've seen is mostly to keep me from becoming depressed. You were fortunate to have your sisters with you after your mother passed away. Whereas I, being an only child, have had no one. Over the years I've tried to stay positive and optimistic while living with such a broken family, but... it hasn't been easy.

Her heart went out to him. She could only imagine how difficult life must have been and how lonely he was.

"I was very fortunate to meet them," he said, referring to Yuichi, Yura, and Ririko, "By the time I entered middle school I was very depressed. I was even suicidal. The three of them saved my life by taking me under their wing and persuading me to join the dance," he chuckled, "I really had fun in that club. I wished I could've stayed at that school, for I was happy there, but once I entered high school my dad had me transfer to Asahiyama. I was right back to where I started. A new school, unfamiliar faces, and a strange environment. There wasn't even a dance club. The only thing that kept me going was my dream of becoming an astronaut. At the same time my Dad started introducing me to girls from prestigious families, hoping that I would marry one of them one day."

Miku found herself thinking back to that girl who assaulted her and was secretly glad that Yusuke had broken off his engagement to her.

"I've always been popular with the girls and I did like some of the girls my dad introduced to me, but not enough to pursue a serious relationship with them. Despite my popularity I've never had a girlfriend. Ever wonder why?"

She shook her head, but she was now curious.

"Well, there were two reasons. While some of the girls were very nice they weren't really interested in me. They were more interested in the fact that I'm the heir of the Takeda Clan and the fact that they could be the next Lady Takeda if I marry them. That's not what I want at all. My mom married my dad not just for love, but for the man that he was. That's what I want too. I want to marry for love, not because it's my duty, and I want to marry a girl who can love me for me, not because of my heritage."

She saw him suddenly clench his hands.

"The other reason is... my worst fear is letting my wife down, being seen as a coward. I want to pursue my dream, and I want to uphold the family name, but can I actually do that? Do I have to defy my dad to the day he dies? Will I have to give up my dream in order to uphold the family name? What if I fail entirely? What if I lose everything in the end? Will my wife ever look at me the same way again? Will she leave me because I failed?"

Unable to help herself, Miku reached over and touched his arm.

"Please, don't beat yourself up like that," she said, "I know what it's like to be afraid, to not want to leave your comfort zone. I was once like that. It was thanks to Fuutarou that I was able to come out of my shell. I also know what it's like to go against your parents without looking selfish. My sisters and I defied our stepdad numerous times for Fuutarou, only to discover that he was right all along. You have a perfectly good reason to be defiant. What your dad is doing is wrong and you feel trapped. You want to accomplish your dream but you're afraid of losing something dear to you. If there's one thing I've learned, sometimes we have to sacrifice something in order to achieve something. Your fears are very understandable, but it shouldn't stop you from pursuing your dream. I don't think you coward, Yusuke. You're one of the bravest guys I've ever met. I think any girl who saw you the way I do would be very proud to be your wife. She would want to stand by your side."

He looked at her in surprise and Miku felt her cheeks warm. She had never spoken like that before. What was with her? Had she changed that much?

Yusuke looked at the hand and her blush deepened, but she didn't remove it. He reached over and patted it, giving her a warm smile before he allowed her to remove it.

"Thank you. That means a lot to me. What you described is exactly the kind of girl I want to marry. Someone who's willing to stand by my side through the good and the bad, but none of the girls I met were like that because they weren't interested in how I felt. For that first semester in high school I began to wonder if I should give up my dream and just concentrate on being the next head of the Takeda Clan. But then..." he turned and looked into her eyes, "You walked into the classroom, and everything changed."

Miku's lips parted and she thought back to that day. When she and her sisters first arrived they had been placed in different classrooms. She recalled that Itsuki had been placed in Fuutarou's class while she and Ichika had been assigned to another. Now that she thought about it she only vaguely remembered a certain blonde boy looking at her from time to time. She didn't realize until now that it had been Yusuke all along.

"I didn't know what it was at the time but something about you immediately caught my attention," he explained, holding up the two pictures, "My friend Maeda took this picture of you and your sister, Ichika-san when you being introduced. He used to have a crush on her, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," Miku also remembered when Ichika had her disguise herself as her in order to get away from that guy.

"I took that picture after he cut away yours and have kept it ever since. The way you smiled in this picture... it instantly reminded me of my mom. Whenever I saw you I felt... different. It was like I didn't have anything to worry about anymore. And whenever I saw you smile I felt like I could do anything. Anytime I was sad or upset with my dad I would always pull these two pictures out and I would feel confident again," he then sighed, "I soon realized that I had feelings for you, but by the time I realized it you were already interested in Uesugi. Out of respect for your feelings I kept my distance. I didn't want to interfere, and when I finally did get to speak with you as your potential new tutor I had to put that stupid act. I hated having to introduce myself that way, but thankfully I got a second chance when I saw you at the bookstore."

She smiled a little, recalling that time.

"That was the first time I really got to talk to you as myself and not having to pretend, and the more I talked to you the more fascinated I became. Because of that my feelings for you grew," his face turned dark, "And then I saw you being assaulted by that girl it made my blood boil. During that time I was talking with Uesugi about you and your sisters in the library. I was already angry with him because of the way he was talking about you. I really wanted to hit him."

Miku couldn't blame him.

"Finally, when I saw how down you were after the fallout with him I just couldn't walk away. The desire to comfort you, to protect you, to help you smile again, to show that you weren't alone, made me realize just how deeply I care about you."

He took a deep breath and stared directly into her eyes again. She could see that he was nervous.

"So what I'm trying to say, Miku, is that the reason why I've done all these things is because... I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you for a long time, but have not been able to express it until now. You don't need to give me an answer right at this moment. I know you and your sisters have a lot of things to deal with right now, but I want you to know that I consider you more than just a friend. To me, Miku, you're the most beautiful person I've ever met, and nothing will ever change that. Your very existence has given me the courage to pursue my dream. Even if you don't return my feelings I'll always cherish you for the beautiful person you are."

Miku couln't find words to say. Her heart pounded furiously. She never imagined getting such an honest or heartfelt confession from a boy who she hardly knew a week ago. The love in his eyes showed that he really cared for her. Cherished her as more than a friend. These were the very things Fuutarou hadn't been able to give, but she realized it didn't really matter to her anymore. She was suddenly so happy that tears came to her eyes.

"Miku?" she heard Yusuke say, alarm in his voice.

She looked up at him and smiled.

"Thank you for telling me, Yusuke," she said, "It makes me very happy to know that you feel that way about me. I'm very grateful that there was someone looking out for me," she then sighed, "You're right though. I can't answer your feelings right now, but I'll know who to look for whenever I need someone to talk to."

Yusuke seemed surprised by her words but he smiled in return, content with her answer.

"Hey, guys!" they heard Ririko's voice, "Sorry it took so long."

They stood as their friends approached, Yura and Ririko both carrying bags.

"Were you waiting long?" asked Yura.

"Not at all," said Miku.

What they didn't know was that friends had seen and overheard their entire conversation. They were secretly glad for them and hoped that their relationship would work out for them one day.

"Oh! By the way Miku..." Ririko spoke up suddenly a short time later while Yusuke and Yuichi paid a quick visit to the video game store, "I think I might have seen one of your sisters yesterday."

Miku turned to her, "Are you certain?"

The girl nodded, "She had the same face as you. Same eyes and the same smile, although hers a kind of goofy looking."

An uneasy feeling grew in her, "What about her hair? What did it look like? Was she wearing anything distinctive?"

Rirko thought back for a moment, "Yeah. Her hair was short and she wore a green bunny style ribbon."

"Oh..." Miku's face fell, "that would've been Yotsuba."

Yura saw her uneasiness, "Is she the one who..."

She nodded solemnly.

"Oh!" Ririko pressed a hand to her lips, "I'm sorry, Miku. I didn't mean to-"

Miku waved it away and smiled at her, "It's alright, you wouldn't have known. Where exactly did you see her?"

"Actually..." Ririko turned and pointed to a place across from them, "She came into my dad's tennis shop yesterday right before we were about to close."

Miku looked over in that direction and recognized the shop as a place they always passed by whenever she and her sisters came here.

"A tennis shop?" she couldn't have been more surprised.

"Yeah, and apparently he was expecting her. It seemed like she just started taking tennis lessons and her coach told her to come to Dad's shop to get some new gear and a new racket. He later told me that her coach was someone he knew back in high school."

Miku was now curious, "What was Yotsuba like? Was she... cheerful?"

"Excited actually, and eager to learn it seemed. When my dad started explaining to her about tennis rackets and how to find the right one she listened with of fascination on her face. She even bought a couple books about strategies and practice drills before she left."

Miku was stunned, "That's strange."

Yura raised a brow, "How so?"

"Well, Yotsuba has always been the most athletic of us. She's been involved in a lot of sports, but she's taken a real interest in them. At least, not to the level Ririko described."

"Oh," Yura nodded, then said, "Well, maybe she changed. Maybe she's found something that she really wants to do."

Miku could only nod in return, "Maybe..."

Later that evening, after dinner was finished and Nino had gone back to her room, Miku mentioned it to the others.

"You're sure it was her?" asked Ichika.

She nodded, "Her description matched Yotsuba. I mean, who else do we know wears a green bunny-style ribbon?"

"That's so weird," Itsuki looked perplexed, "Someone asked me about Yotsuba during school today."

Ichika turned to her, "And?"

"It was that track team captain who kept bothering her last year. She asked me if Yotsuba had started taking tennis lessons?"

"You mean she saw her practicing?"

"No, not practicing. She told me that she had seen Yotsuba in the library on one of the computers. She was watching videos of tennis matches and players. She also said that Yotsuba would move her arm around sometimes, like this," Itsuki moved her arm to give them an example, "as though she was trying to copy the very same arm movement. She even said that Yotsuba was taking notes and had a serious expression on her face, something she had never seen before. She honestly thought it was someone else who was sitting there and not Yotsuba."

There was a long pause.

"Huh, that is weird," Ichika rubbed her chin, "You know, something similar happened to me too. After school was over I had to stay a little longer because one of the teachers wanted to discuss something with me."

Itsuki nodded, "Yeah, you told me to go on home."

"After they were finished I ran into some of Yotsuba's basketball friends and they had told me they had seen her with the tennis team. It looked like some of the players and even the coach were giving her some kind of lesson on footwork. They almost didn't recognize her because she wasn't wearing her ribbon like she usually does."

Both sisters blinked, "Really?"

Except for when taking a bath Yotsuba always preferred to wear her green ribbon no matter what she was doing. For her to not wear was just unusual.

"Yeah, I was surprised too," Ichika went on, "So much that I had to go see it for myself. Believe it or not, she was there," she then pulled out her phone, "I was even able to get close enough to record this without her noticing."

The other quints leaned in close as Ichika played a video. They saw their sister, although they had to take a moment to make sure that it really was Yotsuba. Just as Ichika said, she really wasn't wearing her distinctive green ribbon. Instead she was wearing a visor. She was also wearing what looked like a tennis outfit of dark and light blue, a white skirt, and white shoes instead of the PE clothes the school provided.

In the video Yotsuba was hitting a tennis ball back and forth against a solid concrete wall. An older man, presume the tennis coach, was standing nearby. At some point he had Yotsuba stop and showed how to properly move her feet. Towards the end of the video they caught a glimpse of their sister's face.

"Wow," said a surprised Miku, "She does look serious."

"Yeah," Itsuki agreed, "She doesn't have that goofy look at all. The last time I saw her like that was in junior high."

"Yeah, when she was on the badminton team," recalled Ichika, then she thought of something, "Miku, you friend said that she went to that tennis at the insistence of her coach, correct," Miku nodded and she rubbed her chin again, "I wonder... could it be that woman we met yesterday?"

"The one who was Mama's closest friend?" said Itsuki.

"She did look familiar," added Miku, "I feel like I've seen her somewhere before."

Ichika picked up her phone and went on the internet.

"Izumi... Kurobara... Ah-ha! Look at this this."

She placed the phone back down to reveal the woman they met yesterday on a magazine cover holding a tennis racket.

"Izumi Himuro," she explained, "She's a retired tennis player and was one of Japan's best."

"Ah," Miku nodded, "That's where I've seen her."

"Was she pro?" asked Itsuki.

"She was until two years ago when she suffered a career ending knee injury and had to retire. She's been living in America with her family since then," Ichika scrolled down further, "She graduated from Kurobara and was captain of the tennis team. They won the national championship back in the year 2000, not long after we were born."

A moment passed as the newfound knowledge sank in.

"You know..." Miku suddenly spoke up, "I've been wondering lately. What did Mama do when she was our age?"

The other two paused.

"That's a good question," Itsuki stated, "She never did talk about what her life was before we came along."

"We never asked her about either," Ichika said sadly, "Did she have a dream that she never got to fulfill before she got pregnant with us?"

The doorbell suddenly rang and they looked at each other in confusion.

"Are we expecting someone?" asked Ichika.

"Not that I know of," Itsuki got up and went to the intercom.

The other two stayed where they were. When Itsuki pressed the button they heard a male voice.

"It's Uesugi-kun's Dad!" she called over to them.

Both sisters stood up in surprise.

"You're sure?" Ichika called to her, "What does he want?"

A moment passed before the youngest quint said, "He wants to speak with me. It's about Uesugi-kun."

She hesitated for a second before turning to the turn and slipping on her shoes.

"I'll be right back," she said, and was out the door before they could say anything.

As they waited for her returned Miku looked at Ichika's phone.

"Can you show me that video again?"

"Sure," Ichika pulled it back up and handed it to her.

A minute passed as Miku watched the video again, pausing a rewinding at certain moments.

"She's changed," she whispered.

"Pardon?" Ichika wasn't she heard her correctly.

"Yotsuba. She doesn't just look different, she is different," Miku paused for a second, "That woman, Izumi-san, yesterday she said that she would be speaking to Yotsuba later that day. I wonder what they talked about."

"I don't know," Ichika said thoughtfully, "Whatever it was, it must have had a real big impact on Yotsuba. Maybe she really has changed. Maybe she's found something she wants to do."

Miku nodded, "That's what my friend said to me too."

Itsuki finally returned. She kicked off her shoes and came over to them, pausing to look up at Nino's room for an instant before moving.

"Uesugi-kun wants to speak with us tomorrow," she informed them, keeping her voice, "He said to meet him at the restaurant he and Nino work at. He also said to bring Yotsuba with us."