Chapter Eighteen: Spring
~Yotsuba~
Yotsuba's heart pounded in her chest as she helped Futaro up from the cold, concrete stairs of the stadium. It was definitely Futaro. No doubt. She fought her instincts to run in the opposite direction. For a split second, she worried that he'd immediately begin to shout at her. He didn't want to see me again. What am I doing here? She didn't know what had gotten into her. Something in her gut urged her to pursue who she thought was a creep or a pervert trying to take pictures of herself and the team. I have a bad habit of getting too involved, she chided herself. The scent of plastic from the chairs and her own sweat mingled in the air, filling Yotsuba's nostrils as she quickly checked if Futaro was okay.
"Sorry about that," she said, brushing dirt off of Futaro's clothes. "I thought you were some creep trying to take pictures of me and my teammates…"
His cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "What on earth made you think that?!" Futaro mumbled. "And even so, that's not something you should be doing on your own anyway. It's dangerous…" He looked away, avoiding further eye contact. Something about Futaro still showing concern about her welfare made Yotsuba's heart flutter. She had imagined a thousand different ways that would have made it so that she and Futaro would be in the same place and talking with one another. But she never imagined that tackling her boyfriend because he was some kind of pervert, would have been the one reason that would finally get them to talk. She almost laughed in spite of herself.
Still, curiosity got the better of her. Yotsuba walked over and grabbed his camera, which had slid down the hallway. She inspected it for damage, and returned to Futaro. "I should probably check."
"Check what? The photos?" Futaro frowned. "Suit yourself." He seemed almost offended at the suggestion, but still reached over and flicked a button on the side of the camera. The lens instantly extended and the camera seemed to whirr to life in Yotsuba's hands. She didn't know much about cameras, but she could tell it was an older, secondhand model and that she should probably be careful with it. Yotsuba inched her body closer to Futaro. She felt him stiffen, but she pretended not to notice. "And how do I get to the–?"
Futaro grunted, reaching over again to press another button, clicking the screen to the gallery. To her surprise, there were no shots of the athletes. Instead, she found images of autumnal flowers in full bloom, sunsets over the city skyline taken in what looked like some tall buildings in Shinjuku, and various candid photos of unnamed groups of students roaming the campus grounds. Yotsuba blinked. "Your pictures are...beautiful," she admitted, handing the camera back to him. "But I saw you holding up your camera and pointing it at the girls."
Futaro hesitated, his eyes darting around the stadium as if searching for an escape route. When he finally spoke, he pulled on a tuft of his hair on the side of his head just like how she remembered. "I, um...was just pretending."
"Pretending? Why?"
Futaro cleared his throat. "I guess…I just wanted to see you in action."
Her face instantly went red, warmth spreading across her cheeks like wildfire. "M-me?" Oh my goodness! She stumbled over her words, feeling like a bumbling idiot in front of Futaro. All the witty remarks or snide comments she had rehearsed disappeared from her brain as she struggled to form a coherent sentence. It was like meeting him for the first time all over again. Should she bring up everything that happened last September? Should she ask why he's been avoiding her for so long? She had so many questions, and at this very moment, words failed her.
"Yeah, I saw. You're much faster than before—not that I'd know anything about track," he said while awkwardly shifting his feet back and forth. "But also, it's been a long time since I've seen you compete at one-hundred percent. I can tell that you're in your element."
"Oh, I see," she managed to say lamely. "I've become a much better runner since you last saw me. Maybe you should've gotten some good photos of me." She was unsure what compelled her to say that, but the truth was she just wanted to talk to him again after all this time. "But you really shouldn't be bringing a camera here for no reason," Yotsuba managed to squeak out, trying and failing to hide her boiling cheeks.
"Look," she managed to say, her voice shaking. "Our coach is really strict about unauthorized photography. He might have already noticed you and could call security. Actually, he already might have."
"I should probably leave then." Futaro held his hand out for his camera. Just as Yotsuba was about to hand back the camera to Futaro, her eyes widened as an idea popped into her head.
"Hey, Futaro," she said, trying to sound nonchalant but failing miserably. "Since you're already here with your camera, why don't you take some pictures of me? You know, as an alibi."
"An alibi?" Futaro blinked in confusion, his eyebrows knitting together.
"Uh-huh," Yotsuba nodded vigorously, her ponytail bobbing up and down. "You see, the team thinks there's a stalker sneaking into the gym by pretending to be a press photographer." She waved her hand dismissively. "I don't think it's a big deal, but if they see you with pictures of me, they'll just think you're my personal photographer or something."
Futaro's face paled at the mention of a stalker. "Is that true?" He looked like he wanted to reach out and hold her hand. And she wanted him to do so, so badly.
"Sort of," Yotsuba admitted, scratching her cheek. "But I don't know if they suspect you or anything. Anyways, my thinking is that if we go somewhere else to take these pictures, your name will be in the clear. There's a beautiful lake on campus I visited before. It's perfect for outdoor shots!" Yotsuba handed the camera back to him.
"Alright, I think I know the lake you're talking about. If you think it'll help," Futaro agreed reluctantly, fidgeting with the settings on his camera.
Yotsuba turned back to the field and asked Futaro to wait for her outside the stadium. She quickly excused herself from practice, just as Coach Ueda had instructed, and beelined for the locker room. Inside, she quickly slipped off her sweaty clothes and after a quick rinse, changed into fresh track shorts and a team jersey, and then joined Futaro at the entrance. His sunglasses were pushed up onto his head now, revealing his sharp features and pushing back his hair. He looked effortlessly attractive in his worn hoodie and with his camera slung around his neck.
"Hey, thanks for waiting. Shall we?" She said, trying to catch her breath.
Futaro's gaze lingered on her wet hair. "Did you shower?"
Yotsuba's face flushed with embarrassment. "Shall we?" Yotsuba said again, more forcefully.
The sun was setting when they finally reached the lake, casting warm, golden light across the water's surface and dappling the ground with leafy shadows. It was a breathtaking sight, and Yotsuba couldn't help but feel a little proud of her choice of location.
"Woah," Futaro breathed, raising his camera to capture the scenery. "I can see why you like it here, Yotsuba."
"Right?" Yotsuba beamed, posing playfully by the water's edge. Futaro at once snapped a series of photos. "Now, no one will suspect you of being a weird stalker or anything!"
"Thanks, and shut up," Futaro murmured, his eyes never leaving the viewfinder as he continued to document their impromptu photo session. "Never mention that again," he said, though she could tell he was stifling a laugh.
"No problem!" She said brightly. Was Futaro really not going to say anything about what happened? Yotsuba wondered. He seemed just as content as she was to ignore all of that for now. Maybe they did understand each other a bit better than she gave them credit for.
He took a few more photos. Yotsuba noticed how Futaro carefully adjusted the focus on his camera as Yotsuba stood by the water's edge, her reflection rippling gently in the lake. The sunlight filtering through the trees cast patterns on his face. His focus encouraged her to be a little more serious.
"So then...How's work been?" Yotsuba asked, looking to fill the silence.
"It's been okay," he said flatly.
"Really? Just okay?"
"Hmm…I guess with the benefit of hindsight, I miss selling Christmas cakes in a Santa suit."
Yotsuba laughed, remembering the one winter when they were in high school where she and her sisters had caught Futaro fully dressed up as Santa Claus for part-time work. The camera shutter flickered rapidly, which somehow only made her laugh more.
"Hey, Yotsuba," Futaro said, lowering his camera for a moment. "How did you find this spot, anyway? I thought Olympic candidates didn't spend much time actually wandering around campus."
Yotsuba hesitated, her cheeks tinting pink as she fiddled with her fingers. "Well, uh... I kind of ran into Takebayashi here one day–"
She watched Futaro's face closely, trying to discern a reaction. "Totally by accident, so it's no big deal or anything. But this lake became pretty memorable."
"Wait, you seriously talked to Takebayashi?" Futaro asked, a hint of surprise coloring his voice.
"Y-yeah," Yotsuba stammered, taking a step back and waving her hands dismissively. "Like I said, it was just a coincidence, really."
"What did you two talk about?"
"You, mostly," Yotsuba shifted her gaze. "She really cares about you and wanted to make sure you were safe."
Futaro's expression turned serious as he processed this new information. Yotsuba could practically see the cogs turning in his head. As she reflected on her interaction with Takebayashi, the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She had assumed that Futaro was still her boyfriend, but could it be that Takebayashi had feelings for him? Or maybe that they were already dating? How could she have been so presumptive to believe that Futaro would simply wait for her to figure out that he'd broken up with her before dating another girl? The thought sent splinters through her heart.
The camera clicked again. Futaro checked the image on the display, and unexpectedly, he frowned. He turned the display towards Yotsuba. "You look sad in this one."
Yotsuba's cheeks flushed as she stammered, "I, well...I wasn't ready." She felt like a popped balloon, her confidence deflated as she struggled to come up with an excuse. "I don't know," she finally said, her voice flat with disappointment.
Futaro's dark, piercing eyes locked onto Yotsuba's as he studied her intently. His gaze made her feel shy, but not in a bad way, but rather in a way where she couldn't make out if she was annoying him, or he was resisting an urge to kiss her. "I need to clarify something," he finally spoke, his voice ringing with authority. "There is nothing going on between Takebayashi and me." If there's one thing that was very clear to Yotsuba, it was that in the time that they'd been apart from each other, Futaro had found his 'teacher voice.'
Hearing Futaro say that made her heart swell. Miku was right all along. Takebayashi was just trying to get in my head. She chided herself for letting that woman get the better of her. Yotsuba glanced away and focused her attention on her duffle bag. She took her time taking out her track jacket as the weather had turned even colder now that the sun had crested over the horizon. She threw on her jacket and zipped it up to her neck. "I guess I could sense that she's really defensive over you," she admitted quietly. "But of course, I have no right to speak on that…" She tugged on the hem of the jacket. "So hey, can I see the photos?" Yotsuba asked suddenly, her usual bright smile returning as she tried to change the subject. She watched him hesitate for a moment before handing her the camera.
Yotsuba shifted through the photos that Futaro had taken. She admired how he had captured her in different moments–laughing, gazing at the sunset. Somehow, Futaro had angled the camera so that her eyes twinkled against the setting sun and illuminated her hair despite its matted flatness caused by her locker room shower. She couldn't believe it was herself in those photos; she looked almost ethereal. "You have such a talent for finding my best angles," Yotsuba said with wide eyes, a smile spreading across her face. Something tightened in her chest. "I'm really glad you're taking pictures again," she blurted out before she could stop herself.
"Yeah, me too," Futaro replied, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. "It was my dad's idea," except he wasn't looking at her, or even at the camera. He was staring out into the water, watching the last vestiges of the sun fade away into darkness. This is the first time she managed to look at Futaro up close. The bags under his eyes had seemed deeper than ever and the angles of his face had gotten sharper. She didn't know if it was just because he was growing up, or if he was losing weight.
"How's your dad? And it's been a while since I've heard from Raiha-chan," Yotsuba said softly, finally breaking the silence that had settled between them.
"He's okay," Futaro replied, meeting her gaze with a genuine smile. "He and Raiha are just doing their best and trying to make due. I help out wherever I can, but I'm sure you've noticed by now, Tokyo is kind of expensive."
"That's true. I got a beef bowl the other day and it was nearly 1600 yen. Can you believe that? It didn't even taste as good as Nori-san's cooking," Yotsuba scoffed. "Remember him?"
"The loud guy from the beef bowl place? Yeah. He was nice."
"He was," Yotsuba could hardly believe they were just having a conversation. Talking like normal. Like nothing had ever happened. "I know that your dad and your sister will make it work. You're all really smart and capable."
Futaro nodded. Yotusba turned her attention back to the camera which had already turned off automatically. She didn't want this moment to end. Strangely enough, she felt like a photographer from those nature channels Itsuki liked to watch–where they had to lay perfectly still so as they wouldn't startle the animals they wanted to photograph. Just then, another idea came to her. "So, these pictures are great," she started, "but you know what would be even better? If we could capture some shots of me when the sakura trees are in full bloom."
Futaro glanced up at her, slightly taken aback. "You mean, like a photoshoot under the cherry blossoms?"
"Exactly!" Yotsuba nodded vigorously, her ponytail bobbing with every movement. "I think it'd make for a more colorful and lively athlete roster this spring. What do you say?
Futaro took the camera back into his hands; his fingers subconsciously tracing the edges of the camera. For a moment, Yotsuba worried that she had pushed the delicate balance too far. This meeting was by chance. She had no idea how he'd react to something planned. "Well, I'm not sure if I'm the best person for the job," he admitted. "Maybe you should get a professional to do it instead."
Yotsuba shook her head, her expression resolute. "I don't want a professional, Futaro. I want you," she stressed. " You already know all my good angles, and I feel comfortable with you." She reached out and placed a gentle hand on his arm, her eyes meeting his. "Let's just try it out." She was willing to do whatever it took to bridge that gap. She could sense that it was now or never.
Futaro's shoulders stiffened and he frowned the way he did whenever there was a difficult test question he was trying to figure out. "Alright," he said finally, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I'll do it."
"Really?" Her face broke into a wide grin, the corners of her eyes crinkling with delight. She reached out and shook him by the arms. "Thank you, Futaro! I promise it'll be fun!"
"Wait wait wait," he gently pushed her back. "What's all this for anyway? Don't you think we've skipped several steps?"
Yotsuba's thoughts quickly sobered up and she exhaled deeply. "Maybe," she replied, a touch of sadness in her eyes. "But let me ask you one thing: have you been taking care of our plant?"
Futaro's lips twitched into a smile. "Yes."
That was all she needed to know. She felt as if the boulder she had been carrying around since September had been miraculously lifted from her shoulders. Yotsuba nodded, her ponytail bobbing with the gesture. "Then that's all I need for now, Futaro. I know my feelings. And now I know yours– I think. I know you're not ready to talk about what happened, so let's just keep moving forward, one step at a time. I'm sure we'll find the answers to everything." She could feel that her voice was shaking, but at this moment, she felt more confident than ever. This was her chance to share what her heart had been screaming out to herself since September. "I told Takebayashi very clearly that I wasn't giving up on you."
Silence fell between them once more, the air thick with unspoken words. Yotsuba fidgeted with her hands, unsure of what else to say. Suddenly, Futaro closed the distance between them. His hands cupped her cheeks gently, and she felt his gentle pull asking her to lean forward. Their lips met. It was a soft, scared and insecure kiss, but she found herself running her hand through his hair just as she used to. Her heart was beating in her ears as she enjoyed the warmth of their bodies pressed together.
As they pulled away, Yotsuba's heart continued pounding in her chest. "Now, who's skipping several steps?" She sighed with a small smile.
Futaro chuckled. "Don't get me wrong. I'm still mad at you."
"I know," Yotsuba replied with a playful glint in her eye. "And I'm still mad at you too."
Yotsuba leaned in and whispered into his ear. "I'll let you know when the cherry blossoms are in bloom." She scooted back.
There was a moment of silence between them, but this time it wasn't an awkward one. The air around them was still cold, so cold that she could already see her own breath. But for the first time in months, she felt a warmth in the pit of her stomach that filled her with hope. Spring brought about delicate flowers that needed to be cared for and nurtured if they were to blossom. And Yotsuba felt determined to make it work this time.
~~Ichika~~
"You kissed?! You and Futaro-kun kissed!?" Ichika found herself standing in the doorway of Itsuki's new apartment, in shock. She was surrounded by an odd mixture of old and new staring back at her. The drab walls and worn floor contrasted sharply with the gleaming furniture their father had bought for her.
"Yotsuba, could you hand me the toolbox?" Itsuki called from inside the cramped living room, her voice muffled by the cardboard boxes that surrounded her.
"Sure thing!" Yotsuba cut through dust-filled air to hand Itsuki the tool box. She wiped sweat from her forehead, undoubtedly a result of lifting up the furniture to arrange it for Itsuki's needs.
"Wait, seriously, Yotsuba." Ichika stepped in to make sure she was out of the way. "Are you sure you're explaining it properly? How did it happen?"
Yotsuba knelt down to help Itsuki lift up a couch so she could screw in the legs. "It was exactly like that. I tackled him because I thought he was some creep taking pictures of the runners, then I offered to clear his name, and well, one thing led to another."
Ichika watched as her sisters worked together, her mind spinning. Surely there was something that Yotsuba wasn't sharing with them. This all happened too fast. What's Futaro-kun thinking? Ichika thought. She half-considered picking up her phone to text him, but she knew there'd be no way to hide it from her sisters.
"At first, I thought I was upset. I felt like he was a little too–what's the word?" Yotsuba tapped her chin. "Not worried about it?"
"Do you mean cavalier?" Ichika suggested.
"Yes, that," Yotsuba snapped her fingers. "But I just decided to let whatever was going to happen, happen and…I'm so glad that I did," Yotsuba let out a snort of laughter, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, I can just imagine the look on Nino's face when she finds out!"
"Yotsuba," Itsuki said firmly.
Yotsuba cleared her throat. "Yeah, yeah, I'm just playing."
"Right, I know. But still… Come on," Itsuki chided gently. "We still have work to do."
Yotsuba and Ichika nodded and knelt down to unpack a box of instant soups and curry roux that Itsuki had bought specifically for the apartment. As she carefully stocked them into her small pantry, Ichika made a mental note to offer cooking lessons to Itsuki as a birthday gift. Yotsuba then ripped off the top of another box with one hand and pulled out a pair of matching carpets.
"Can you put those in the bathroom?" Itsuki asked, gesturing towards the hallway. "I want one by the bath and the other under the sink. I don't have heated floors here like we did back home." Ichika watched as Yotsuba made her way down the hallway towards the bathroom. She and Itsuki locked eyes for a brief moment. Ichika knew exactly what she wanted to ask. How did things fix themselves so quickly? Ichika held up a finger to her lips, signaling for Itsuki to be quiet as Yotsuba returned from the bathroom.
"Speaking of Nino, maybe we can find a way to get Miku and Nino to join us in Tokyo," Yotsuba joked, dusting off her hands playfully and reaching for the small step ladder, settling it below the light fixture. "You know, to have all five sisters back together again."
"Ha, we could always try getting them expelled," Ichika chimed in, allowing herself to get swept up in Yotsuba mood and the absurdity of the suggestion. It's like Yotsuba's aura has changed entirely, Ichika thought. In fact, it was refreshing to have the old Yotsuba back, that Ichika was more than happy to simply let her be.
"Having all five of us somehow end up here would be impossible," Itsuki scolded playfully, trying to hide her own amusement. "But I'm glad that you seem better, Yotsuba."
"I'm just happy." Yotsuba could hardly contain her grin.
Ichika's gaze was drawn to the sun-dappled leaves of a nearby tree. In a way, she envied how close to the ground Itsuki's apartment was. The warm spring breeze carried the scent of persimmon and freshly cut grass, which was something that couldn't carry up to the balcony of her own high-rise apartment. Even the weather seems to be celebrating Futaro-kun and Yotsuba-chan reconnecting…
"Say…Did Futaro-kun mention anything about us?" She asked, trying to hide her curiosity behind a casual tone.
Yotsuba balanced on her tiptoes, trying to reach the top of the ornate light fixture she was dusting. She peeked over her shoulder at Ichika. "Not particularly. But it's not a secret that everyone was still talking to Futaro. I just sort of assumed," Yotsuba dragged the dirty wet rag over the fixture, capturing dust and grime that had likely been there for ages. "I know this all seems sudden," Yotsuba said, pausing to catch her breath. "But I have hope that we can work things out. I know that we'll have to talk about Nino and all that, but right now I just want to enjoy my luck. And really, I appreciate everyone's efforts in smoothing things over."
Itsuki helped Yotsuba come down the small ladder. "I know he likely has his own reasons for this, but doesn't that just sound like Uesugi-kun anyway?" She said, with a hint of skepticism in her voice. "He's not one to dwell on things."
Itsuki's probably right. Ichika wondered if he simply grew tired of being angry. A strange part of Ichika felt just a little lonelier for that fact. It was that same anger that kept him from reconcile with Yotusba.
It was that same anger that kept him to herself.
As they continued to unpack Itsuki's belongings in her new apartment, the lively chatter gradually faded into a somber silence.
"Yotsuba, I know it's been a while...but how do you really feel about Nino now?" Itsuki asked cautiously, watching her sister's face for any reaction.
Yotsuba's expression sobered, and she hesitated before speaking. "Honestly, Itsuki, I don't know. Between training and running, I'm either too busy or too tired to think about her much these days." She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "I feel like I should still be upset, but... I just don't have the energy for it anymore."
Ichika nodded solemnly. "Maybe that's what Futaro-kun is thinking too. We're in February, and March is just around the corner. Four or five months is a long time to hold a grudge. Plus, it gets lonely in the city."
Yotsuba nodded, staring pensively at the floor. Itsuki reached out and squeezed her arm reassuringly. With a deep breath, Yotsuba put back her usual smile–a sign to Itsuki and Ichika that she was shutting the door on that topic.
Ichika's gaze lingered on Itsuki. She wondered if Miku had had the same conversation with Itsuki. "We're on damage control. Futaro is off-limits."
Ichika's heart pressed into her chest. What's wrong with me? I should be happy for Futaro-kun and Yotsuba-chan.
"Some more time will smooth things out, I'm sure," Ichika said to no one in particular. As if the sound of her own voice would stifle the voice inside her own head.
"Time..." Yotsuba murmured, as if tasting the word. She straightened up, shaking her head as though dispelling her doubts.
Ichika thought now was as good a time as any to drop the conversation. She sat on Itsuki's new couch and turned towards her. "Anyway, enough about that! Do you have a list of places you'd like to visit in the city? Because if you don't," Ichika's eyes glinted with mischief as she continued, "let's hit up my favorite cafes in the city. They have the most amazing sweets!"
Itsuki's face lit up at the thought. "Yes, please! I do have a list, but I'd rather go to the ones you like the best first."
Yotsuba grinned and playfully poked Itsuki in the side. "You can borrow my gym membership too!"
Itsuki playfully swatted Yotsuba's hand away. "Hey! Not everyone can be an Olympic athlete, you know."
Yotsuba chuckled and admitted, "Fair enough, I do burn off all the calories I eat."
Ichika eagerly nodded, happy for the change in topic. "And when we're not at work, you can come and sleep over at my place–you both can!" She reached out and squeezed Yotsuba's arm. "Speaking of which, how are your preparations for your new job going, Itsuki? Are you feeling nervous?"
A faint blush appeared on Itsuki's cheeks as she admitted it. "Of course I am. The atmosphere at this new school is so different from anything I'm used to. It reminds me of a richer version of Kurobara, if you remember."
"Oh, we remember," Ichika reassured her with a grin. "But you'll have Futaro-kun to help you out if you need anything." Unexpectedly, Itsuki's expression soured.
"Yeah, I'm sure we'll have to work closely together," she forced out a small laugh.
"How does it feel to be working alongside him?" Yotsuba asked, taking a seat opposite Ichika.
Itsuki paused for a moment before answering, her expression thoughtful. "It's definitely different from being his student," she said slowly. "In a way, I'm glad to have the opportunity to work with him as an equal."
"Equal, huh?" Yotsuba murmured, her gaze drifting around the half-finished living room.
"An equal," Itsuki stressed. "I won't hold him back."
Seeing her sisters' strained expressions, Ichika coughed and leaned in closer to Yotsuba. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Don't let Itsuki-chan get the upper hand on you now," she teased. "You should try hanging out with Futaro-kun on campus more often. Maybe being in the same space will help bring back your old connection." Her lips curled up into a sly smile, and all the while, she ignored Itsuki's protests.
"Maybe," Yotsuba murmured, her blue eyes clouded with uncertainty. "I don't want to move too fast."
"Give it a shot," Ichika nodded approvingly, reaching out to give Yotsuba's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Just remember, you deserve to be happy." The words felt true, but they still made Itsuki squirm.
"I'm not sure if campus is the best place though," Yotsuba finally spoke up. She played with the fabric of Itsuki's couch. "I mean, with my status as a visiting Olympic athlete trainee, I tend to get a lot of attention around there."
Ichika considered her words for a moment. "I know that feeling. At least you won't have any waitresses from family restaurants acting out your most embarrassing roles in front of Futaro-kun." She laughed in spite of herself. "Actually," Ichika continued, a sudden spark of inspiration lighting up her face, "why don't you join me at a cast party next month? I've been trying to get Futaro-kun to attend one of my events for ages, but he's always been too busy or just flat-out said no. I think he would definitely come if he knew you were going too."
Yotsuba mulled over her sister's suggestion. It was very much like her baby sister to hesitate to commit, and Ichika wondered if she would have to push her sister a little harder. "Come on, Yotsuba," she pleaded. "It'll be good for you both." After a moment of hesitation, Yotsuba nodded, her voice barely audible. "Fine, I'll go to the party with you, Ichika." A wide smile lit up Ichika's face, surprised at Yotsuba's determination. "I promise you, Yotsuba. It'll be a great time!"
Yotsuba hesitated, her fingers tapping rhythmically against her thigh. "But, Ichika... I don't want to trick Futaro into doing anything."
"Yotsuba, it's not tricking him," Ichika insisted. "He'll know you're coming, and it'll be his decision if he wants to go or not. We're just giving him the opportunity."
Ichika caught a flicker of sadness behind Itsuki's eyes. Oh baby sister. Ichika felt like hugging her. I know how you feel.
"Alright," Yotsuba said, pulling Ichika's attention away from Itsuki. "I'll trust you on this one."
"Great!" Ichika layered on her excitement to match Yotsuba's earlier enthusiasm. "I promise, Yotsuba. It's going to work out. You deserve to be happy too, you know?"
Before Yotsuba could respond, her phone began to vibrate in her pocket. She glanced at the screen. "Sorry, I have to take this. It's coach," she murmured, stepping away from her sisters and exiting the apartment.
Ichika waited until the door had fully closed. She pushed herself off the couch and quickly moved to the front door, locking it and turned to face Itsuki. Ichika was surprised to notice that the sun was much lower than before. It cast long shadows across the worn wooden floor of Itsuki's tired apartment. Itsuki's eyes were downcast, but she couldn't completely hide the hurt that flickered through them.
"Look–" Ichika began, her voice gentle yet firm.
"Whatever you're going to say, keep it to yourself," Itsuki's hands clenched into fists on her lap as she looked up, meeting Ichika's gaze.
"I know it hurts. It hurts me too. But we have to put our own feelings aside for the sake of Yotsuba and Futaro-kun," Ichika stressed. Though, even to her, her own words sounded shallow and insincere.
"I know! Ichika… It worked. I made an ass out of myself in Uesugi-kun's apartment… Exactly as we planned… And we got what we wanted. It. Worked. Everything went just as planned, and Uesugi-kun and Yotsuba are together again. Everything is right. Everything is as it should be," she said, her voice wavering slightly. "Please back off and let me sort out my feelings on my own."
Ichika took a deep breath, wanting to say more, but knowing it would only make things worse. Her sister was already on the brink of tears and she knew Itsuki wouldn't be able to hide her true feelings from Yotsuba if things continued any longer.
As if on cue, Yotsuba returned, rattling the handle of the locked door. "Hey! What's going on? Is this some kind of trick? Is there a lockdown?!" She panicked from behind the door. Ichika and Itsuki locked eyes one last time, before Itsuki pointed at the door with her chin and turned back to face the window to watch the sunset. Ichika flicked the lock back and opened the door. Yotsuba rushed through, face flushed red with worry. "Sorry about that, Yotsuba," Ichika shrugged. "I was just testing the security in the place."
"Ooo! That sounds fun. Want me to shoulder tackle the door a few times to test how strong it is?"
Itsuki cleared her throat loudly. "That will not be necessary!"
"Aww," Yotsuba said with a pout. "It's just as well. I'm starving! I didn't realize how late it'd become," she announced, rubbing her stomach. "What do you say we grab some food?"
Itsuki's antenna-like tuft of hair seemed to twitch at the mention of food. "I could eat…" She said sheepishly.
"Alright, let's go eat!" Ichika declared, reaching for her sister and helping her to her feet. Silently, she gave Itsuki a gentle squeeze of the hand, the soft expression in her eyes promising Itsuki that everything would be alright.
~Futaro~
One Month Later
Sunlight filtered through the gently swaying sakura branches, casting shadows on the high-rise apartment's full-length windows. The Koda's had decided to bring in live sakura trees for the balcony, just in time to watch them bloom, right from their own apartment. Futaro thought the idea was ridiculous and made the balcony utterly unusable. but who was he to question his employer. The Koda family's luxurious living space was also filled with more cherry blossom-themed pottery. Someone must have told Koda-san's interior designer that cherry blossoms bring good luck for the new semester. Futaro sat at an elegant wooden table, focused on the workbook spread out in front of him.
"Kotaro-kun, you've come a long way in just a few weeks," he said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Your last year in junior high is off to a great start."
"Really?" Kotaro asked, his eyes wide with surprise. "I didn't think I was doing that well."
"Trust me, you're making excellent progress." Futaro smiled reassuringly and gestured toward the workbook. "Just look at how much you've improved since we started tutoring sessions."
Kotaro glanced down at the math problems he'd been struggling with earlier, then back at Futaro. He blushed a deep crimson and seemed to shrink in his seat. "I…well thanks, I guess, Uesugi-sensei."
Futaro nodded, feeling a swell of satisfaction at seeing his student's growth. Perhaps getting into a top school wasn't outside of his abilities after all.
At that moment, the balcony doors opened and Takebayashi and Azuha-chan entered the living room, their footsteps muffled by the plush carpet. Takebayashi took note of Futaro and Kotaro's study session and approached them with a confident stride. "Okay, you called it, Uesugi-sensei. It's impossible to work out there." Takebayashi plucked a cherry blossom petal out of Azuha's hair.
"But I got some really cute photos of Takebayashi-sensei next to the trees," Azuha grinned. "Do you want to see, Uesugi-sensei?"
"Ah, maybe later, Azuha-chan," Futaro said. "We've really got to see if we're on the right foot first with your math."
"Oh!" Azuha skipped to the couch and pulled out a folder from her backpack. "I got a perfect score, Uesugi-sensei. Look! My teacher said so!" She waved the paper in front of his face.
He took it in his hands and carefully scanned the test, confirming that it was indeed perfect. "Wow, Azu-chan! Why are we even here then?" He marveled, patting her head proudly. She beamed up at him before taking his hand. "Let's take some photos with the cherry blossom trees outside, Uesugi-sensei," she suggested eagerly. Futaro laughed awkwardly. "Actually, I still have Kotaro-kun's work to grade. How about you take my camera and snap some pictures with him instead? You can show them to me later."
Azuha considered his offer for a moment before agreeing. "Okay, but you have to grade all of them too, Uesugi-sensei," she playfully negotiated.
Futaro handed her his camera which he had left on the far end of the table along with the rest of his stuff. "Sounds like a deal. You and your brother go enjoy your break."
"Finally," Kotaro said. He stood up, closing his workbook and leaving the table. "Thank you, Uesugi-sensei, Takebayashi-sensei."
"Keep up the good work," Futaro encouraged him as he left the room. "He seems like a completely different kid from the student we met a year ago."
Takebayashi settled into the seat Kotaro had just vacated, her expression serious. "Right. But more importantly, Futaro, we need to talk about how things are going with this internship. Are you managing alright?"
Futaro leaned back in his chair, considering his response. "Things have been challenging, but I'm doing my best," he admitted. "I can't afford to fall behind on any of my responsibilities."
"That's not what I mean," Takebayashi frowned. "I'm talking about if you talked with Emili-sensei about switching departments."
Futaro shook his head. "No go. I was brought on as a science teacher. They don't need other teachers for the freshmen."
"Ugh, that's ridiculous," Takebayashi crossed her arms. "What kind of school doesn't need more teachers? I'm telling you, that wouldn't happen in a public school. It's not too late to transfer out, you know."
Futaro flicked through Kotaro's papers; there were very few corrections that he needed to do. "I actually think I like it," he nodded absentmindedly. "Besides, don't you think that Koda-san's wife would be offended if I backed out at the last second?"
Takebayashi huffed, clearly annoyed, but she didn't press the issue further. Instead, she returned to her own work with a resigned sigh.
Futaro began to feel guilty for dropping the conversation. He cleared his throat. "So, how's your new internship going? Are you enjoying it?"
Takebayashi glanced over at Futaro, considering her words before answering. "You don't need to placate me."
"I'm not. I genuinely want to know."
Takebayashi watched his face closely in a way that made Futaro feel very aware of himself. He couldn't tell if she was holding something back or not. Finally, she let out a deep sigh. "It's going pretty alright. I'm already quite swamped with work. I can't believe we've only just started the new year. I feel like I've already been working for ages."
Futaro felt a twinge of guilt. Technically, the Kodas offered both of them the internship. And Takebayashi was the one who brought him on board. Realistically, he wouldn't have had the opportunity to work at a prestigious high school if it weren't for her. Maybe I should be a little more grateful, he thought to himself
"You'll be fine," he tried to reassure her. "You're pretty brave for choosing a public school." He tilted his head and watched the twins play outside on the balcony. They took turns using his camera to take extreme close-up pictures of the cherry blossoms. Futaro couldn't imagine that those photos wouldn't come out blurry and unusable. Maybe I should actually teach them how to use it? He pondered if the Koda's would accept photography lessons as part of an extracurricular activity for the twins. "A change of scenery would be nice too," he tapped the table absentmindedly.
"You say something, Futaro?," Takebayashi perked up from her stack of papers she had pulled out to grade.
"No, nothing really," Futaro shook his head. "I was just thinking out loud."
"Well, that's serendipitous," Takebayashi put her grading pen down and closed her notebook. "I was thinking too...since we're both done for the day, why don't you come over to my place to watch movies? You know, just to relax a bit. Or we can get some work done together, too."
Futaro grinned apologetically. "I appreciate the offer, but I still have another tutoring job to get to. Maybe some other time."
Takebayashi pouted slightly, her gaze drifting away from him. "You know, if you keep rejecting my invitations like this, I'm going to start suspecting that you hate me or something." Her voice held a teasing tone, but there was an underlying tension that made Futaro wonder if she was serious.
"No, no, it's not that at all!" Futaro fumbled his words. "I really do appreciate your offers, but I just...I have a lot on my plate, and I need to prioritize my work right now."
"Hmm…" She looked unconvinced. Takebayashi glanced at Futaro, with a glint in her eye. "How about this? Next week, the cherry trees will be in full bloom. Why don't we go see them together? It'll be beautiful."
Futaro hesitated for a moment, his mind racing with excuses. That weekend, he had already agreed to take pictures with Yotsuba. And he didn't particularly like the idea of having to explain himself to Takebayashi. Between tutoring Ichika, working with Itsuki, and spending time with Yotsuba, there's no way she wouldn't be pissed.
"I—I can't. I'm really busy," he stammered.
"Busy?" She repeated, her playful demeanor vanishing as hurt flickered across her face. "You're always busy when I invite you to do something, Futaro."
"Look," Futaro said, trying desperately to keep his voice steady. "I'm just busy. There's nothing going on, and we're not a couple or anything, so please relax."
Takebayashi's eyes widened at the mention of them not being a couple. A wave of anger washed over her face, but she quickly suppressed it. "Of course, you're right. You're right. We're just friends, after all. Coworkers, right?" She said, her voice laced with sarcasm. She stuffed her notebook in her bag along with the rest of her belongings. "I'm not stupid, you know."
Futaro gulped. "I'm not sure what you mean."
Takebayashi shook her head. "I know Yotsuba being here has you all twisted in the head. And I know you're trying to sort your feelings out all on your own... And now with her sister working with you? You're probably more confused than ever. But you're not alone, Futaro. I'm here. And I'm worried–I worry that Itsuki is just going to make work hostile for you. It can't possibly be comfortable working alongside her." Her voice had turned softer and tender, as if she had forgotten all about being upset just a moment ago.
Futaro shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to respond. "I don't think that's the way it is."
"Of course, you don't see it that way. You love hard. You love so hard that it's not just Yotsuba. But also her family. And that's why I worry about you."
Futaro felt a knot form in his stomach. He knew she was right, but something about her words didn't sit well with him. "I don't think it'll be an issue," he said defensively. "Itsuki's not doing anything wrong. She's just trying to get through her internship, just the same as I am. And if I ran into Yotsuba on campus–well I don't know what I would do, but it's not like I hate her or anything."
"Futaro, you really should," Takebayashi's eyes narrowed. "We need to tell Koda-san that you're withdrawing from the internship before it's too late."
"Excuse me," Futaro raised his eyebrow. He chose to ignore her snide comment about Yotsuba. "You know I can't do that," he said firmly. "I already had orientation and I start tomorrow. How do you think that'll look to everyone? I'll be blacklisted from ever working as a teacher again."
Takebayashi's eyes softened as she squeezed his hand gently. "You don't have to worry about that. You can come work at my school instead. They're desperate for more teachers." Takebayashi's eyes seemed tender, yet her tone remained urgent. "I'm just looking out for you."
Futaro's hand twitched. He immediately regretted his tone that he'd taken with her. Futaro slowly withdrew his hand. "I'm not changing my internship. I'll let you know if anything changes at my internship—Azuha-chan?"
A sudden noise interrupted Futaro's words. They both turned towards the balcony as Azuha-chan walked in looking worried. She held out the camera, her hands shaking. "Uesugi-sensei, I...I was just trying to look at the photos I took and I must have hit the wrong button...and now all of your pictures are gone," her voice shook with emotion as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to..."
Futaro's expression softened as he took the camera from her hands. He turned it on and checked the gallery. "Don't worry, Azuha-chan. All these photos are saved to my computer automatically. Nothing is lost," he said, his tone gentle and reassuring.
Takebayashi stood stiffly, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she avoided making eye contact with Futaro. "Well, I should get going then," she said in a curt tone. She quickly slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed for the door, but not before Futaro caught a glimpse of tears glistening in her eyes as she glanced back at him.
The next morning, Futaro arrived at his school internship, doing his best to push aside the lingering discomfort from the previous day. As he entered the staff room, the strong scent of freshly brewed coffee hit him, and he saw Emili and Itsuki chatting animatedly at a nearby table. Both had steaming cups in their hands.
"Good morning, Uesugi-kun!" Itsuki chirped. "Come sit with us! We're going over the plan for the day." She stood up and poured him a cup of coffee. "Black, yeah?"
Futaro nodded. "Yeah, that's morning, Umeda-sensei," Futaro bowed to his supervisor. "I'm looking forward to working with you."
"Don't be so formal just yet, Uesugi-sensei." Emili smiled. "I was just talking to Nakano-sensei and she was sharing a few stories from your hometowns. Just take a seat here for now and listen in on our staff meeting." Futaro took a seat next to Itsuki and Emili, sipping his coffee as the principal began his morning announcement. The man's voice was deep and commanding. Futaro's gaze flickered towards Itsuki, their eyes meeting in a moment of surprise. She quickly averted her gaze. I suppose it would be a bit awkward for her right now. After all, they were essentially blackmailing each other, and now they would have to work together side-by-side. In the flurry of the morning rush and starting their day, Futaro had never considered this possibility until now. He wondered if they could even pretend to be normal under these conditions. It's fine. She doesn't have any leverage over me, Futaro reassured himself. I already talked to Yotsuba. And things went better than I expected them to go. She doesn't seem to know anything about Itsuki and I kissing either... As he mulled over these thoughts, he suddenly felt a gentle tug on his sleeve. It was Itsuki, trying to get his attention with a soft smile. Following her gaze, Futaro noticed the principal watching the two of them with an expectant expression.
"The principal is offering you and Nakano-sensei a chance to introduce yourselves," Emili said, with an awkward smile. Emili stood up and gestured for Futaro and Itsuki to join her at the front of the room. She cleared her throat. "It's my pleasure to introduce Uesugi Futaro-sensei and Nakano Itsuki-sensei. Uesugi-sensei and Nakano-sensei both come from Aichi and they even attended the same high school together," she said, with a nod toward Itsuki. "Nakano-sensei is the daughter of one of our esteemed board contributors, and Uesugi-sensei has been a private tutor for the Koda family for some time now." This was met with a murmur of ahhs and nods of approval. Futaro could tell the staff interest in their introduction greatly increased at the mention of the Koda family.
Futaro felt his cheeks grow warm. He glanced at Itsuki, who seemed equally uncomfortable with their connections being highlighted. But he had quickly come to understand that connections were probably the most important thing about this school and he needed to be malleable to its culture. They bowed to the other teachers who already looked to be sizing them up.
"Excellent. We're glad to have you both," the principal bowed. "Shall we then?"
Futaro shifted uncomfortably as he stood alongside Itsuki in the high school's auditorium, feeling the weight of hundreds of eyes on them. The air was heavy and stifling, a stark contrast to the crisp morning breeze outside. His hands felt clammy, and his heart raced in his chest, only adding to the awkwardness he already felt.
"Next, we have our new first-year science and homeroom co-teachers, Uesugi Futaro and Nakano Itsuki. They will be hosting homeroom for Class 1-A," announced the principal from the stage, beckoning them forward with an encouraging smile.
"Are you ready?" Itsuki whispered, her voice steady despite the nerves that were undoubtedly swirling within her too.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Futaro muttered in response, straightening his tie one last time before stepping onto the stage with Itsuki beside him.
The bright stage lights made it difficult for Futaro to see the faces of the students and faculty in attendance, but he could feel their gazes piercing through him. He cleared his throat, trying to find his voice as he began to speak.
"U-um…ello, everyone. My name is Uesugi Futaro and this is Nakano Itsuki. We're very excited to be joining the teaching staff here at Kaisei High School and look forward to getting to know all of you throughout the semester."
He mentally cursed himself for not being able to maintain a strong composure in front of the students he was supposed to be teaching.
Itsuki, however, seemed to be completely unfazed by the pressure. She offered a warm, genuine smile as she took over the speech, her voice confident and reassuring. "Thank you, Uesugi-sensei," she said, turning to face the crowd. "We are both thrilled to be part of such a prestigious institution and to have the opportunity to work with such talented students as your new science teachers. We hope to create a welcoming and engaging learning environment for everyone in Class 1-A, and we can't wait to embark on this journey with all of you."
The student body cheered politely as the third-year student body president handed them each a bouquet of flowers and took the microphone.
"Thank you," Futaro said quietly to Itsuki as they stepped off the stage together, the weight of the moment finally lifting from his shoulders.
"Teamwork, right?" She replied with a wink, giving him an encouraging pat on the back. "We've got this, Uesugi-sensei."
As they exited the auditorium and prepared for their first day of teaching, Futaro couldn't shake the feeling that he had made a series of missteps already. From his awkward morning in the staff room to his unconvincing performance on stage, it seemed as though he was constantly struggling to find his footing. It didn't surprise him that Itsuki would be perfectly comfortable in a school setting. Up until now, he'd only ever done private teaching, while she had already been working as a teacher at one of their local cram schools back home. Futaro eyed the hallway lined with colorful posters advertising various clubs and activities. Have I fallen behind? He wondered. Emili led them to the classroom where they would be teaching their group of high school first-years, her heels clicking on the polished floor as she walked.
"Here we are," she announced cheerfully, pushing open the door to reveal a room full of eager young faces. "Class 1-A, please give a warm welcome to your new teachers, Uesugi-sensei and Nakano-sensei."
The student's chatter quickly died down as Futaro and Itsuki stepped into the room, trying to shake off any lingering nerves as they faced their new class. Taking a deep breath, Futaro stepped forward and smiled at the students.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Uesugi Futaro," he began, fighting the urge to fidget with his tie. "I'm excited to be here, and I'm looking forward to getting to know each and every one of you."
Itsuki followed suit, her voice steady and confident. "And I'm Nakano Itsuki. We'll be working together to make this year successful and enjoyable for all of you. Let's do our best!"
As they finished their introductions, the students erupted into applause, their energy and enthusiasm infectious. Perhaps it was best that they were teaching first-years. Most of them still looked young, like Kotaro and Azuha, and didn't strike Futaro as particularly intimidating. It helped that he was up addressing the class alone, and the students seemed too excited to be starting high school to pay them much mind.
"As you can see, this class has been chosen to have the honor of having homeroom with some of the best up-and-coming teachers in the country. Just as you all are a group of highly talented, highly motivated students, they too fought hard to be here today," Emili said in a confident and powerful way. Futaro almost believed her. "They are to learn from you just as much as you'll learn from them. And you'll have the honor of representing our lovely school to them. Reputation carries you far in this world kids, so please treat them with dignity and respect. As is customary in our school, the first class is more informal than the others. We want our students to get to know their teachers on a more personal level," Emili explained. "Yes, Umeda-sensei," the class said in unison.
Futaro watched as Emili walked to the side of the room, leaving him and Itsuki standing in front of the eager first-year students. He noticed that some of them looked nervous, fidgeting with their hands or giggling amongst themselves. A few hands went up, and Itsuki pointed to a girl in the front row.
"Uesugi-sensei," a girl with short hair called out. "Are you dating Nakano-sensei?" The class erupted into a fit of giggles.
Futaro's cheeks warmed slightly as he shook his head. "No, we're not dating," he replied, trying to maintain a professional tone despite feeling a little embarrassed by the question.
A murmur passed through the group of students, accompanied by a few more laughs. He could see their curious gazes flicking between him and Itsuki, who was standing a few feet away, cheeks flushed as well.
"Then," another student chimed in–this time a tall boy with narrow glasses, "do you think Nakano-sensei is attractive?"
Caught off guard, Futaro stuttered for a moment before managing to form a response. "W-Well, I suppose Nakano-sensei is…conventionally attractive," he stammered, keenly aware of Itsuki's presence beside him. "But, uh, I'm not attracted to her in that way."
He glanced over at Itsuki, hoping she wouldn't be offended by his words. Her expression was unreadable, but Futaro could feel the weight of her gaze. He shifted uncomfortably, wondering why Emili was letting them ask these types of questions. But she seemed to be smiling and enjoying the situation.
"Alright, everyone," Itsuki interjected, "Does anyone else want to know about my relationship to Uesugi-sensei?" The way she said it sounded more like a dare than anything else.
The commotion in the classroom seemed to reach its peak as a third girl, her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, leaned forward in her seat with interest. "Uesugi-sensei, what kind of girl is your type?"
The question hung in the air like an unwelcome cloud, and Futaro felt his face grow hot once again. He opened his mouth, but before he could utter a single word, Emili-sensei strode back into the center of the class, her heels clicking against the wooden floor in sharp, authoritative bursts.
"Okay, okay!" She grinned, her eyes sweeping over the students. The room fell silent, each student suddenly engrossed in their textbooks or fidgeting with their pens. "I can tell we all have a great interest in Uesugi-sensei's thoughts on romantic partners, but we'll have to pause the Q&A here. I will ask you to apologize to both your teachers."
"Sorry, Uesugi-sensei. Sorry, Nakano-sensei," the students murmured in unison, their heads bowed in contrition. Futaro nodded stiffly, relieved that Emili-sensei had intervened before he'd been forced to answer the invasive question.
With the class under control, Itsuki and Futaro led the homeroom session. As they started with attendance, Futaro noticed how effortlessly Itsuki managed the task–her voice was firm yet warm, prompting even the shyest students to respond with confidence. She was really in her element. He was genuinely impressed.
"Alright, now that we're all present, it's time to assign our class representative," Itsuki announced, her gaze scanning the room for potential candidates. "We'll need one boy and one girl to fulfill these roles. Any volunteers?"
One hand shot up quickly and confidently. "Yes...Sakamoto Ririn-san" Futaro said, briefly checking the seating order to confirm her name.
"Yes, I nominate myself." The class murmured in agreement.
Itsuki wrote down Ririn's name in her journal. "Alright, if there's no other contenders for the girls then–"
"–and I also nominate Uria Umi-kun," Ririn interrupted. The class turned to a lanky bespeckled boy near the back of the class who looked just as shocked to be nominated as everyone else.
Futaro held back a smile. "Umi-kun, do you want the responsibility of being class representative?" Futaro watched Ririn give him a shy thumbs up as if to encourage him. He finally nodded and sat back down in his seat.
Itsuki exchanged a quick glance at Futaro before writing the boy's name down. "Glad we got that settled quickly." Itsuki continued. "We'd like you all to work together on choosing a theme for our class this year. Something that represents your goals and aspirations as a group."
The bell signaling the end of class echoed through the room, and the students began to gather their belongings, chatting animatedly about their new theme ideas. Futaro couldn't help but feel a sense of pride; despite the rocky start, they had successfully navigated their first homeroom session.
"Alright, we'll discuss your theme ideas more next time," Itsuki said as she dismissed the students. The classroom emptied quickly, leaving only Futaro, Itsuki, and Emili behind.
"Great job today, both of you. I'm surprised that our newest staff member turned out to be such a Casanova with the students," Emili elbowed Futaro playfully, her eyes twinkling with approval. "I think we're off to a strong start."
"Thank you, Umeda-sensei," Itsuki and Futaro replied with gracious bows. "We couldn't have done it without your guidance."
"We're looking forward to learning from you," Futaro added, his voice tinged with genuine gratitude.
As their supervisor left the room, Itsuki turned to face Futaro, her eyes shining with excitement. "Casanova, huh?"
"Drop it," Futaro warned. He packed away their notes and student rosters.
"Yes, Uesugi-sensei," Itsuki smiled. "Did you notice those two kids? Sakamoto-san and Umi-kun? Remind you of someone?"
"They did, Nakano-sensei," Futaro said stiffly.
"Itsuki, please," she insisted. "We're friends first, coworkers second. And I'll support you, no matter what." She said it in a way that made him feel like she wasn't precisely talking about teaching. He realized that he genuinely enjoyed being around Itsuki, and despite all the twisted emotions from the last time they were together, he still genuinely enjoyed being around her. And they seemed to make a good team.
"Let's give it our all," Itsuki declared, her enthusiasm contagious. She looked around the now-empty classroom. "You know, it feels just like yesterday that we were the ones sitting at desks just like these–"
Futaro frowned. "Itsuki, you can stop. We're just coworkers. Let's keep it to that."
Itsuki looked like all the air was punched out of her. Her smile disappeared and her shoulders sank slowly as if it took her a moment to realize what he had said. "Yeah, okay. Got it," she said. "I'm sorry I got ahead of myself." She headed towards the exit, Futaro following along behind, stopping only when he felt his phone vibrate. Without thinking, he pulled it from his pocket, the message stopping him in his tracks.
Nakano Nino started a group chat with Uesugi Futaro & Nakano Yotsuba
Nino Nakano: [1:49pm] "Hi, you two. Long time no talk. I hope you're doing well and Tokyo Spring is treating you kindly… Ugh… Okay, I'll stop with the formalities. That's more of Itsuki's thing… I…want to share something with you both. I hope it's something you can accept. I'll be visiting Itsuki next weekend, and I just got my time off approved from work. I'd like to meet you both.
Nino Nakano: [1:50pm] "Please."
Author's Notes: Hi everyone Miimbot here! Winter is in full swing here in the northern hemisphere and I hope everyone is doing their best to stay warm. If you're on the southern hemisphere, good luck and do your best to stay warm! This chapter came a few days late because my editor and I had a private discussion over the overall pacing of the second arc, and we determined to shift some things around that would've appeared in this chapter, and put it in the next chapter (yay more content?) It's all in service to give the readers as best experience as possible and I trust my editors opinion more than anything when it comes to trying to actually make a quality product. (i'm just the baboon brain with the ideas)
Anyway! Thank you for your patience last month as I was working on Nanowrimo, and I apologize for that. My very first side project Itsuki fic, Lesson Five is on it's way! And I'm starting the editing process for that immediately! I hope to have Chapter One published at the top of the year 2024.
I want to give a very special thank you to QuantumLatke otherwise known as Gazara12 on FFN. They're the authors of How We Met Again and Four Drowned Leaves (and a hoste of other projects for other fandoms). He's been such a wonderful support and resources over the past few months and I'm thankful we did our projects together. If you haven't read their fics, I strongly recommend you do so, as they're both electric, enthralling reads and we are lucky for Latke's abilities to put down stories onto page. I'd like to also suggest everyone to check out their own Itsuki fic, A Sonata of Solitude also. we worked along side together, and we're sure to share some similar ideas. But I'm confident that we both took it in interesting directions, and I very much vouch for their abilities as writers.
Until next time! Happy Holidays! And I'll actually be dropping a small Christmas gift to my readers in about four days too, so please look forward to that.