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Chapter 27

Reforging Old Bonds

Having Yusuke in their home proved to be much more fun than expected. After lunch was over the group went ahead and played a game of Mario Party 7 with Fuutarou joining right in, having revealed that he used to play the games himself when he was little.

Their gaming session was both fun and crazy at the same time, complete with the usual shenanigans Mario Party games were notorious for. At one point Yusuke tried to "distact" his opponents by showing off his dance moves. Fuutarou joined him in the hopes of doing the same, resulting in them both performing a very goofy dance that had the quints roaring with laughter.

Later, Fuutarou went through the rest of the clothes Yusuke brought for him. The shirts and even the school uniform jacket were a tad big, but the pants fit him just fine. The shoes, however, were a size too big. Ichika decided to take him to the mall to get new ones the next morning after breakfast.

That evening the group had their first study session in two weeks. Yusuke proved to be a far better tutor than they thought, for he was able to provide help in areas even Fuutarou had struggled in with the quints, such Nino with her math and Yotsuba with her English.

"Out of curiosity which one of them gave you the most trouble when it came to tutoring?" Yusuke asked Fuutarou.

"Yotsuba," he answered right away, "She failed in every subject you can think of, especially in science and English."

The fourth quint held up her palms, "Science was never my strong suit."

"Your English isn't that much better," Fuutarou reminded her.

"For instance..." Nino giggled, "She would always spell the word daughter as D-O-T-T-E-R."

"That's right!" Yotsuba pumped her chest proudly, "With two T's!"

Yusuke laughed, "One of my nieces used to do that too."

Fuutarou just shook his head, "Sometimes I think she would do that on purpose just to piss me off."

"Well, you always had that same serious expression," Itsuki reminded him, "and you took everything just as seriously."

"Yeah, yeah," he rolled his eyes.

They went to bed that night in a very cheerful mood. Fuutarou and Yusuke volunteered to sleep on the couches instead of borrowing one of their rooms. The next day, right after lunch, Yotsuba received a text.

"It's Izumi-sensei," she announced, "She says that she can give me another lesson today at one o'clock if I like."

She looked at her sisters, almost pleading with her eyes.

Nino laughed, "Go on. You don't need permission."

"Tell Izumi-san we said thank you for all her help," said Itsuki.

"I will! Thanks guys!"

Yotsuba sprinted straight to her room to change and get her gear.

Fuutarou was confused, "Lessons? Izumi-sensei?"

"Oh, yeah. We didn't tell you," Ichika explained, "Yotsuba is taking tennis lessons with Izumi-san as her coach."

"Tennis?" Fuutarou couldn't contain his surprise.

"Yep," Miku smiled, "And she's really enjoying it. She's never been this excited about a sport before."

"Huh," Fuutarou crossed his arms, "So Izumi Himuro really is a famous tennis player."

The others looked at him.

"You met her?" asked Itsuki.

"She came to see me at my place, when it still existed. She knows my Dad. She lived in the same neighborhood that my Mom did and she was a guest at their wedding."

"Oh, I see."

Fuutarou nodded, "She had a long talk with me, about the things I had done and that I needed to change for the better."

"She had a long talk with us too, along with Yotsuba," Itsuki explained, "She was once a close friend of our mother's."

Before Fuutarou could say anything Yotsuba came out of her room.

He stared in disbelief. Instead of her usual street clothes Yotsuba wore a tennis outfit and jacket, but what really surprised him was instead of her ribbon she wore a visor. In took a moment to realize that it really was Yotsuba. She was a completely different person than the one he knew.

"Okay! I'm heading out," she slung on her backpack, "I should be back at around five or six."

"Try to make it five," Nino gestured to Fuutarou, "We're inviting his family over for dinner tonight, remember?"

"Five it is then. See you later!"

She gave a salute and was out the door in a flash.

"Was that really Yotsuba?" Fuutarou asked soon afterward, causing everyone to laugh.

"That was quite a transformation," said Yusuke.

"Yeah," Ichika agreed, "We were just as shocked too."

"Just like Miku said," added Nino, "I've never seen her that excited before."

"It is unusual to see her without her ribbon though," said Miku.

"Yeah, no kidding," Fuutarou let out a little laugh, "Raiha would be so jealous right now."

Itsuki looked at him, "Why's that?"

"Well, I had forgotten that she's a big tennis fan and that she's a fan of Izumi Himuro. When I told Raiha that she had come to visit she ran to her and showed me a picture of her to confirm that it really was her. When I said yes she got really upset."

"Why?"

"Because she missed an opportunity to get her autograph."

"Oh," everyone laughed.

"Raiha hard started to play tennis herself when she was five but stopped when Mom got sick. As far as I can remember she hasn't really played since she died. I know she's been wanting to get back into it but was never able to find the time, and Dad couldn't afford to get her new equipment or the lessons she needed. She still had her old racket and gear, but they were all destroyed in the fire."

"Oh, no."

Everyone's heart went out to his little sister. Raiha really had lost everything she held dear.

"We should take her to that tennis shop over at the mall," suggested Miku, "Maybe we can help get her equipment if she still wants to play."

"That's a good idea," Itsuki agreed.

A moment later Nino suddenly asked, "Do you think Yotsuba wants to pursue a professional tennis career?"

Everyone looked at her, the question catching them off guard.

"I mean..." she shrugged, "You said it yourselves. She's never shown this much interest in a sport before, and she's changed a great deal."

"Yeah, she has," Ichika nodded, then grinned, "Maybe she will go pro. She's got the skills for it."

Then Yusuke said, "I hate to break it to you but... I don't think that's possible, especially at her age."

Everyone looked at him, startled.

"What do you mean by that?" Ichika frowned, "She's young, athletic, and in perfect condition. Why couldn't she go pro?"

"That's true, but in the tennis world she would be considered too old to go pro."

Now they were all frowning.

"You're not making any sense," said Fuutarou, "Explain."

"Well, I'm not a tennis expert but... the majority of tennis players who went pro all started at an early age, some as young as four, and most of them made their professional debut when they were still in high school."

All of them blinked in surprise.

"The reason is very simple. Anyone can pick up a tennis racket and learn how to play, but to play at the professional level? That requires years of rigorous training and day after day of non-stop practice. They start at an early age in order to build up their bodies, hone in their skills, and develop their techniques. Ultimately, it's to create their own play style, or game style as they call it. It's all about muscle memory. It's not something that can be done overnight. The sooner they start the better chance they have at going pro and perhaps making it to the top one day. Now, for Yotsuba, she's starting right before her eighteenth birthday. If she were to go to any tennis club in the country and say, 'I want to go pro. Can you help me?' they'd probably all laugh and say, 'Sorry kid. It's way too late for you'."

Just like that the excitement died down.

"So what you're saying is that... there's no chance for Yotsuba to go pro if she wanted to?" asked Itsuki.

"At her age, no. I just don't think it's possible."

A long and heavy pause filled the room.

"Does Yotsuba know that herself?" Nino asked in a mere whisper.

"Probably not," Ichika sighed, "And she finally found something she really enjoys and wants to do."

"Why is Izumi-san giving her tennis lessons then if she can't go pro?" asked Miku.

"Well, we don't yet if she actually does want to go pro. We'll just have to ask her at some point."

"If nothing else, at least she'll have something to do after she graduates high school," Yusuke pointed out.

But then Fuutarou said, "Yotsuba would never be satisfied with that."

Everyone turned to him.

"If there's one thing I know about her it's that when Yotsuba really wants something she'll do whatever it takes to get it," he explained, "I mean, look at me. Look at the lengths she went to get me. Who's to say she wouldn't put that same kind of effort into trying to pursue a professional tennis career?"

"He's got a point," said Itsuki, "I agree with him. When we were making Raiha's new clothes yesterday in my room Yotsuba herself told me that she wouldn't be satisfied with just living a normal life. She said that she would feel unfulfilled, that she hadn't done enough, that she was missing out on something."

"Yeah," Ichika nodded, "Yotsuba never was the type who could sit still and do nothing. She's always been the active and energetic type."

"Did she say anything about what she wanted to do in her life?" Fuutarou asked Itsuki.

"Just that she wanted to do something that she could be proud of and look back without any regrets," she replied, then shrugged, "But sports is the only thing she's ever been really good at."

"How good of an athlete is she?" asked Yusuke.

"Very good," said Nino, "If fact, all of her friends, teammates, and everyone else we know have all said that her athleticism is on a totally different level."

"It's true. We've seen it ourselves," added Miku, "When we were kids we played soccer all the time and Yotsuba always dominated the field."

"No one could keep up with her," Ichika grinned as she remembered, "Not even us."

"Then even said that if she just stuck to one sport she could really make a successful career out of it," said Itsuki, "Now that she's taken up tennis, she would want to at least have a shot at going pro."

"Is there really no chance for her?" Miku asked Yusuke, "There must be a way."

"Well..." he took a moment to think, "The only thing she could do, at this stage of her life, is to go to college and play tennis there."

"College!" Ichika gasped and slapped her forehead, "Of course! The scholarship!"

Fuutarou frowned, "What scholarship?"

"That was the other thing we forgot to tell you! Did Yotsuba ever mention to you that she'd gotten a scholarship from an American university?"

He blinked, "No. She never mentioned that to me," then he blinked again, "Hold on... she got a scholarship? From an American university?"

"Yeah," Ichika explained how Yotsuba got it.

When she finished he sat there for a long while, unable to believe what he'd just been told.

"Well, I'll be damned," he said.

Yotsuba, the one pupil who had given him the biggest headache during his tutoring sessions, the one quint who had the worst grades of them all, had actually gotten a scholarship. From an American school too. He couldn't decide on whether he should be stunned or impressed.

"What kind of scholarship was it?" asked Yusuke, "An academic or an athletic one?"

"An athletic one."

"And her coach sent it?"

"Not directly. She just persuaded the school to send it to her. Yotsuba also said that Izumi-san had been following her sports career throughout school and had hoped that the scholarship would motivate her."

"In that case..." Yusuke thought again, "Himuro-san herself must know how good of an athlete Yotsuba is. She must see something in her and believes that she can go all the way if she really wants to, otherwise she wouldn't be giving her tennis lessons. If she went to college to play tennis she can gain both the experience and the skills she needs to go pro. And under the right coach... if Yotsuba puts a tremendous amount of effort into it then maybe, just maybe, she might have a chance, but that's a very big maybe. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for Yotsuba pursuing a tennis career, but I just need to lay out the facts."

Silence passed as everyone considered the possibility and the reality of Yotsuba's situation.

"She can do it."

Everyone looked at Ichika, who said with serious expression.

"She can do it," she said again, "If anyone can do it, it's her. Yotsuba has always had the habit of doing the unexpected."

"But the scholarship is for basketball, not tennis," Itsuki pointed out.

"That's not a problem," said Yusuke, "The school can just change it once Yotsuba speaks to one of their counselors."

"Is she actually thinking about going to college?" Fuutarou asked Itsuki.

"She has," she replied, "But I think she wants to talk to you first before she makes a decision."

Fuutarou nodded, understanding it completely. He and Yotsuba were still technically boyfriend and girlfriend, but a lot of things had changed between them in the last couple of weeks. It was clear that they were going to need to have a talk pretty soon.

Then there was Nino.

He glanced over at her but found that she was lost in deep thought, obviously wondering what Yotsuba would ultimately decide what to do with her life.

He soon found himself wondering that too. If Yotsuba did decide to go to America it would change the status of their relationship dramatically. Granted, he could go with her just so she wouldn't be alone, but he would be a complete stranger in a land he knew nothing about. Unless he had gotten some kind of scholarship himself there was no reason for him to go to America, and he still didn't know what he wanted to do with his life.

Right away he was conflicted and he knew it was the same for Yotsuba. On one hand he wanted to encourage Yotsuba to accept that scholarship as any tutor should, but at the same time he wasn't sure if he was ready to let her go just yet. Yotsuba was undoubtedly in the same exact situation. On one hand she had finally found something she was passionate about and most likely wanted to pursue, but it would mean leaving Fuutarou behind along with her country.

Then, of course, there was Nino.

He almost sighed in frustration. Why was it always this complicated?

He loved and admired all of the Nakano Quints, but only two of them have had such a profound effect on him in his life. One from several years ago and another most recently.

Yotsuba and Nino.

He almost sighed again. In the end it was still the same. He had to make a choice between the two.

However, things were now different. Now that he had embraced his humanity again after finally letting go of the past his feelings towards the two had changed.

Especially towards Nino.

Yes, he and Yotsuba definitely needed to have a talk sometime soon.

Itsuki's cell phone beeped, distracting him from his thoughts.

"Ebata-san's coming over to pick the rest of Raiha's clothes," she announced and glanced at Fuutarou, "I was going to go with him to see how your family's doing. Do you want to come along?"

"Yeah, I think I will," he got to his feet, "In fact, why don't we take Raiha over to the mall? Get her mind off things? She really misses you and I promised that I would take her out for ice cream, along with a trip to the arcade."

She grinned, "Sure, we can do that."

"Do you still want to get some new shoes?" Ichika asked him."

"Yeah, I do. Do you want come with us?"

She shook her head, "I have to see my agent today, but I can meet you there later."

"Okay, sounds good."

Raiha was overjoyed to see Itsuki again, even more so with Fuutarou. She was doing a lot better now and was very grateful for the new clothes she and Yotsuba had sent.

Isanari no longer had his arm in a sling. It was now wrapped in a large bandage and, according to Maruo, was healing nicely.

Raiha instantly agreed to come along with them to the mall. Itsuki invited Isanari too but he declined, saying that there were some things he needed to discuss with Maruo. Apparently he had volunteered to help them find a new place to live. Maruo then gave Fuutarou some money for him, which surprised them.

Perhaps it was her imagination but Papa seemed... different. He was rather nice for a change and he hadn't treated Fuutarou with any kind of disdain like before. Even Fuutarou was mystified by his sudden change in behavior, but they just assumed he was being nice for Isanari's sake.

The trio left in good spirits and just as he promised Fuutarou took his sister out for ice cream. Raiha then chatted up a storm with Itsuki as they ate.

Itsuki hadn't realized until how much she missed the little girl. Even before the last festival she hadn't seen much of her. She had been busy trying to convince Yotsuba to confess her feelings to Fuutarou. She felt guilty that she hadn't come over to see Raiha like she used to before, for she could tell that the little girl had missed her just as much.

She glanced over at Fuutarou and saw that he was smiling happily at the sight of his sister. She smiled too. It warmed their hearts to see that Raiha was back her cheerful self, even though she had just lost her home to a fire just yesterday morning along with everything she had left in her possession.

After finishing their ice cream they went to the arcade and spent a good while playing as many games as they could, even though they were bad at it. Ichika joined them so time later and together they went to the shoe store. Fuutarou used the money Maruo gave him to buy his own shoes while Ichika bought the ones Raiha chose.

Ichika then offered to take Raiha to the clothing store to see if she liked to get any new outfits. Itsuki was grateful since it gave her the chance to do something she needed to do. She told Ichika she and Fuutarou would wait outside the store for them.

"Thank you for doing this," Fuutarou said to her after the pair went inside, "Raiha really needed it."

"You're welcome," Itsuki took a breath before saying, "Can we talk? There's something I need to tell you."

He looked at her for a moment before bobbing his head, "Sure."

She led him over to a resting area. She went over to the guardrail and leaned against it, looking down at the people walking around below her on the first floor. Behind, Fuutarou set down his bag containing his new shoes and came over to her side. She could tell that he had noticed that there was a lot going on in her mind, but instead of pressing her he allowed her to take as much time as she needed to gather her thoughts. A minute passed before she finally spoke.

"I didn't tell you this back at the apartment but... I think Yotsuba is serious about going to America for college and pursuing a tennis career."

He paused for a while, "What makes you so certain?"

She told him about their entire conversation yesterday, from Yotsuba wanted and her concerns for her.

"Have you told anyone else about this?" he asked.

"Not yet. I wanted to tell you first."

"Hmm," he nodded, "I totally get what you mean. If it were Raiha I'd feel the same way."

"How do you feel about it?" she asked him.

He lifted his shoulders, "How I feel about it doesn't really matter. I may be her friend, her tutor, and even her boyfriend, but in the end it's her decision. I have to respect it regardless of how I feel about it. Like you I'm also proud of her. I'm glad she's taking responsibility. As her tutor I want her to make her own decisions even if I don't agree with it. As her friend I would want her to pursue her own life without anything to hold her back. As her boyfriend..." he shrugged again, "Like I said, it's her decision in the end."

Itsuki took a moment to see if he was sincere, and he was.

"Are you still her boyfriend?" she asked next.

He hesitated, "To be honest I'm not really sure. A lot has happened since we had our date. I think it's clear that she and I are going to have a talk soon."

She slowly nodded, "She said the same thing to me, but I think there's another reason why she hasn't made a decision yet. At the apartment I told everyone she's waiting to see what you think, but I think there's another reason."

She took a deep breath and looked at Fuutarou directly in the eyes.

"I think what she's really waiting for is to see what happens between you and Nino."

He blinked, the conflict clear in his eyes and she saw him shift uncomfortably.

"What makes you so certain?" he asked.

She took another breath, "When Izumi-san spoke to us she said that one of Yotsuba's defining traits is that she's very observant of others. She pays attention to what's going on around her. She notices things that we never do. It's how she was able to take advantage of all of us. It's how she was able to push Ichika into doing what she did in Kyoto. She's a lot smarter than we've given her credit for."

She saw him thinking back, possibly to the time when Ichika had gone to see him after Nino's breakdown and telling him everything about Yotsuba and all the things she did.

"When we were told about the fire Nino was frightened. She didn't show it we could see it. When we arrived at the hospital you were really happy to see her when we arrived. She was the first one you looked at. Since you've come back to live with us we've noticed how the two of you look at each other. You couldn't take your eyes off her and neither can she."

He shifted his foot, "You think that..."

"I think deep down Yotsuba knows, but she's waiting to hear what you have to say," she paused for a moment before asking, "Do you actually love Nino?"

It was a while before he answered.

"I don't really know yet but... she has come to mean a great deal to me. More than I would've liked to admit," he looked at her, "You think I'm being a coward because I'm still hesitating?"

She shook her head, "Not at all. You've got a lot on your mind and a lot of things to deal with. Yotsuba understands that too. That's why she's not pressuring you or anything because she wants you to figure it out yourself."

"Is that how is with the rest of you?"

"It is."

He was silent for a for a time, turning to look down at the crowd.

She remained where she was and watched him, wondering what was going through his mind.

Then suddenly he asked, "Itsuki, when did you realize that you had feelings for me?"

Her heart skipped a beat. She honestly hadn't expected him to ask her that. Not right of the blue. Then again... maybe she should have. Especially after seeing that picture.

As though he had heard her thoughts he turned and looked at her, "Until now I honestly didn't believe you felt that way about me. Yet that picture you carry, the one with us and Raiha, it totally took me by surprise. I knew how much you loved Raiha, but not once did I ever think you were in love with me. So what caused it? Can you tell me?"

Fuutarou quietly waited for her response. It was clear she hadn't expected him to ask her that. He watched as she struggled to find a way to answer him properly. It was a while before she did.

"To be honest... I'm not really sure," she sighed, "Before I met you I always considered myself as the most intelligent of my sisters, even if my grades weren't that great. When you showed me your test results on the day we met, it really got under my skin. I always pictured myself as a model student. Until that day I never met anyone who had perfect scores for every subject. Seeing those score and listening to you brag about it really hurt my pride."

He let out a soft chuckle, remembering that day. Itsuki had been the very first of the quints that he would meet. An event that would change his life forever.

"Can't say I blame you," he replied, "I felt the same way when my grades started slipping."

"Hmm," her lips lifted a little, "From that day I saw you as my enemy. I couldn't stand the fact that there was someone who was so much smarter than me. Then you became our new tutor, the last thing I expected."

He chuckled again, "Well, to be fair, I never expected to be tutoring five girls at once either. Even now I'm amazed I was able to get through those first few weeks with all the trouble you guys gave me."

"You were resilient, I'll give you that. You showed more patience than any of our previous tutors did."

"I didn't have a choice. We really needed the money at the time."

"I know, and when I met your family for the first time and saw for myself just how poor you were, my opinion of you began to change. I no longer saw you as a rival, I saw you as a man who was doing whatever he could to support his family. Then there was also Raiha," she smiled fondly, "Since we were all born around the same time, I came to see her as the little sister I've always wanted so that I wouldn't feel like the little sister anymore. Sometimes I would even see her as my own little girl."

"Raiha thinks the same way about you."

She looked at him in surprise, "She does?"

He nodded, "Whenever she's around you she feels like she's with Mom again. She loves being with you. In fact, she adores you."

Itsuki looked over to the clothing store where they could see Raiha trying on a new dress.

"As do I," she smiled fondly, "I really do love your sister."

She looked at her for a minute before turning back to him, her eyes now sad.

"Since there's no point in hiding it anymore I may as well tell you everything," she swallowed and took a deep breath, "In the beginning I saw you as nothing more than a tutor, a classmate, and then later a friend. As the days passed my feelings began to change. The time I spent with your family after the fallout with Nino really had an impact on me. It brought me closer to you. The more time I spent with you the more I came to understand and admire you. Seeing how devoted you were to your studies and to your family, it was hard not to because I could relate to you so much. Then, somewhere along the way, I fell in love with you."

She lowered her head and she sighed.

"Whenever I was around you I felt... different. Whenever I was alone with you my face would start to burn, talking became difficult, and my heart would start beating like crazy. No matter how many times I tried to deny it, it only became more apparent that I had feelings for you," her gaze suddenly darkened, "Then everything changed when Yotsuba approached me and asked for my help."

"She told you then she knew me from before."

"She did."

"And then you appeared as Rena the next day."

"I did," she banged her fist against the guardrail, "She should have been the one to speak to you that day. She was watching the whole thing from behind the trees. I should've confronted her, pushed her into telling you the truth, but... I just wasn't brave. I thought if I did I would push into doing something reckless."

She looked unseeingly into the distance for a time.

"When Mama became ill I took it upon myself to take care of the family. I placed that responsibility above all else, including my feelings for you. I wanted Yotsuba to be honest with herself, to not feel guilty about the past anymore, but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't get through to her. Every time I brought it up she would immediately shoot it down. She didn't want to talk about it. I could see how much it was tormenting her. Or at least, I thought I did. When the festival came I decided to take matters into my own hands. I knew the others were tired of waiting for you to make a decision and I took advantage of that. I had you make a choice in order to make Yotsuba face her feelings for you. I gambled with my own feelings along with the others, hoping that you would choose her, because I thought I knew what your feelings were," she shook her head, "We never should've put you through that. It was so stupid, selfish, and disrespectful. And it was torture for me."

She paused again. Fuutarou could see how difficult it was for her to admit all this, but she had to.

"That night, when I told you to go after Yotsuba, I felt my heart break. I watched you go and my chest started to hurt. I fell on my knees crying. I was virtually saying goodbye to you without ever telling you how I felt. I kept telling myself that it was for the best, that I was doing it for Yotsuba," she started laughing sarcastically, "I'm really pathetic, aren't I? I'm as stubborn as Nino but as cowardly as her. And then everything else happened and..."

He saw her clench her fists very tightly.

"The way Yotsuba betrayed us, the way she tricked me, the way she used me, still angers me even now. Not because of what she did, but because of how easily I fell for it. I blindly believe everything she said. I didn't even question her motives. I caused my sisters so much pain because I was unable to see right through it. I should've realized long ago that Yotsuba was hiding more than she gave on, but not once did I think that she could be... such a monster. In truth, I'm the one who really caused Nino to break down."

"It's all in the past now, Itsuki," he said.

"Not for me it is," she vehemently returned, "I didn't just betray them, I betrayed myself. I sacrificed my feelings along with others for the sake of Yotsuba's happiness. Worse of all, I realize now that I should've been looking after Nino instead of Yotsuba."

He was surprised to hear that, "Because of what happened to her at your previous school?"

"Not just that, but..." she let out a heavy breath, "Did Ichika tell you that Nino believed she was cursed?"

"Yeah, she did. She also said that you guys had been unintentionally treating her as the black sheep of the family and that I had to ask you for the details."

She slowly nodded, "Since she told you all of that you may as well know the rest. I think there was a time that Mama hated Nino."

Fuutarou felt his heart stop and for a moment he was convinced that he had misheard her.

The quints' mother hating one of her own daughters? That was the last thing he expected.

"Hated her?" he repeated, "Nino?"

"Maybe not hate," she amended, "More like resented her. You see, Mama was a hero to all of us. I mean, who else could've raised five girls all by herself? But as an adult... I don't think she did anything right. She never meant to get pregnant, and when she did she didn't do the usual things, like seeing a doctor or going through prenatal care. She didn't think her unusual size was unusual. She believed she would do just fine as a single mother since it's a pretty common thing. Whether she didn't know or was in denial until the last second it seems that she didn't realize that she was having more than one child. Not until we were born. When it was too late."

"Ooooh," Fuutarou now saw where this was going.

Itsuki continued on, "So first comes Ichika and she thinks it's over, but then the doctor tells her there's more. Then comes Nino and it's right there that she realizes that any hope in still having a normal life died at Nino's birth. Then comes Miku, then Yotsuba, and finally me," she smiled fondly, "I think that's why she loved me the most. I was the sign of the end. It's probably why I'm so much like her. She loved us all equally, but for Nino... she never gave her the same kind of love as she did with the rest of us. I noticed it when we were little. While she wasn't mean or abusive she would treat Nino coldly at times. Other times I saw her glaring at her, probably wondering what her life would been like if she hadn't been born."

"Did Nino herself know how she felt about her?"

She paused slightly, "I'm not sure. She might have, but if she did she never said anything. I do know that Mama didn't really mean it. It's just that..."

"She couldn't help it sometimes," he finished for her, "No, I totally get it. I think that was only natural, given what she was going through.

He leaned against the guardrail and looked out into the distance

"You know, ever since I've changed, I myself have been wondering what my life might've been like if Mom hadn't died. Would I have continued being a delinquent? Or would I become a better person as I got older?"

Both of them were silent for a time.

"How did your mom die?" Itsuki suddenly asked, "If you don't mind me asking."

"Lung cancer."

She frowned, "She was a smoker?"

He shook his head, "Hereditary. Her family had a history of it. She, unfortunately, got it."

"I see," she was silent again, "You know, I too find myself wondering what Mama would say if she saw me now."

"I think she would be very proud of you."

"You really think so?" she didn't look convinced, "I'm not so sure. All of this happened because I didn't keep my sisters in check. We broke our promise to Mama because we all got selfish over you and I did nothing to stop it. How can I call myself their sister when I failed so miserably?"

"Have they said anything to you? Blamed you for anything?"

"...No."

"Then you got nothing to worry about. You're forgetting that we all screwed up on this, so please stop blaming yourself. It's not going to get you anywhere."

She looked at him, then sighed and turned away.

"Yes, you're right. Still, I'm not like my sisters. They all have something going for them. Ichika is an aspiring actress, Nino has her cooking skills, Miku's a history geek, and Yotsuba is a super athlete, whereas I... I'm just a nobody who's trying too hard to be like her mother."

Fuutarou scowled, "Itsuki..."

"I was shocked when I realized I had feelings for you," she went on, "I couldn't understand why you affected me so much, but I knew there was no chance for me. You would never see me as anything more than a friend and colleague. The way we argued all the time made it clear that we weren't suited for each other. There's no way you would want to be with a plain, boring, nobody like me."

Fuutarou had heard enough. He grabbed Itsuki's shoulders as gently as he could and turned her to face him, but she refused to look at him.

"Itsuki," he said more firmly, "Look at me."

He saw her take a few deep breaths before she finally did, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Don't ever talk that way about yourself. You are not plain, you are not boring, and you're definitely not a nobody. You're much more than that."

She didn't seem to believe him. She probably thought he was only being nice to her.

Then his expression softened and he grinned.

"You want to know something, Itsuki? If I had chance to do it all over again, if I wasn't as stupid as I was leading all the up that night, I would have chosen you in a heartbeat."

Itsuki felt her jaw drop, instantly remembering what Yotsuba had said to her yesterday.

"Ch-Ch-Chosen... me?" her heart pounding in her ears, "You would've chosen me?"

"When I made my choice it was originally for two reasons. Who supported me the most and who made me feel necessary. In truth they are good reasons, but I went about it very selfishly. What I really wanted was a loyal follower who would never challenge or question me. I chose Yotsuba because she didn't give me any problems like the rest of you had, and that was totally unfair. I realize now that it wasn't Yotsuba who supported me the most. It was you."

She stared at him in disbelief, unable to believe her ears. She tried to see if there was any indication that Fuutarou was lying or simply trying to make her feel, but his eyes told her otherwise. He really meant what he said.

He seemed to have noticed the conflict within her and with a little smile he squeezed her shoulders.

"You've done so much for me since the day I became your tutor, Itsuki. You said multiple times that I was a necessary person to you and the others. You showed me I wasn't just an anti-social asshole, but a friend that meant something to you. Whenever I was having difficulty with your sisters you never hesitated to help, to remind me that I was your friend. You went out of your way to make sure I got along with everybody. You took the time to visit my family to see how they were doing. Most importantly, you tried to guide me, every step of the way. No matter what was going on or how much we argued you never hesitated to help me, and not once have I ever thanked you for it. And... if I'm being totally honest, you're one of the prettiest girls I've ever come across. Even your glasses make you look cute."

Itsuki felt her cheeks burn, then the tears finally came and she turned away.

"You're only saying that just to be nice to me," she sobbed.

"No. I'm saying it because it's the truth," he sighed heavily, "You say that you've been a terrible sister? Well, I've been a terrible brother. Remember the last time we took Raiha here? I said that one of my goals was to make sure she would always be happy. Well, I haven't done that, and I also failed as her brother. I haven't been there for her as I should have. I brought her nothing but misery, but you being involved in her life has brought her so much joy. She barely got to know our mom, and you filled that emptiness in her heart without even realizing it. That is what makes you special, Itsuki. You did what I was unable to do, and you did it naturally. So I'll say it right now. Thank you for everything you've done, both for me and my family. You may be stern and temperamental, but you're also kind and loving because that's how much you care. You truly are a wonderful person, Itsuki. Anyone who doesn't see that is an idiot. So I'll say it again. If I had the chance to do it all over again, if I had been a much better person leading all the way up to that night, you would've been my choice."

Itsuki was at a loss for words. Yotsuba had been right all along. Fuutarou meant every word he said. She was so happy to hear him confess how he felt about her, but now... it was too late.

"I guess I blew it then," she said remorsefully, "I missed my chance to find happiness."

"Itsuki..." he squeezed her shoulders for the third time, "Just because I can't return your feelings doesn't mean I like you any less. I also admire you greatly. I think you're going to become a great teacher and an equally great mother. You've just got to be more considerate of others. You are right about one thing though. You're not your sisters, you're Itsuki Nakano, and a very good friend of mine. Don't ever tell yourself otherwise."

She stared at him for a while, then she sighed deeply as though a huge weight had been lifted from her.

"Thank you, Uesugi-kun," she said, "I can't tell you how happy that makes me feel."

"You're more than welcome. And one more thing."

"What?"

"Stop calling me Uesugi-kun. We're friends now, right? No need to be so formal."

She laughed, "You're right. Sorry about that, Uesugi... I mean, Fuutarou-kun. Still, I wish there was some way I could make it up to you for all the mistakes I made."

"Well... actually there is. Are you planning to move out of town after graduation?"

She looked at him in surprise, "No. I was going to go to college here. Why?"

"In that case," he gestured to his sister, "Do you think you could look after Raiha? Since I'll be leaving the house soon and Dad will be busy with work she'll be by herself. In fact..." he looked at her with a grin, "Would you be willing to become her tutor? She's going to need a good teacher in the future, and I can think of no one better."

She gaped at him, stunned that he would ask such a thing. Then she smiled brightly.

"Sure. I can do that. For you, I can definitely do that," she then stepped closer and hugged him, "Thank you for talking to me and listening to what I had to say. I feel much better now."

He patted her back, "Just stay positive, Itsuki. You'll find your own happiness one day. I'm certain of it," a moment later he said, "Looks like they're finished."

She looked over and saw that Raiha and Ichika were at the register about to purchase the new clothes.

"We should head back soon," releasing him they started to make their way inside when she suddenly stopped, "You know, there is one thing that still bugs me about all this."

He turned to her, "What's that?"

"Papa," she looked at him "Why does he hate you so much? I mean, he just said it without ever explaining why. It's like your very existence offends him."

She saw Fuutaoru go into deep thought. With so much going on they hadn't thought about Maruo and his unexplained hatred of Fuutarou since the day he said it.

"You're right," he shrugged, "I haven't been able to figure that out either. Dad did say that he would come for dinner tonight. Maybe we'll find out then."