Chapter Two: Hawaii Part 2

~Futaro~

They returned to the hotel with a strong, healthy tan and sand everywhere. The girls had a large beach towel wrapped across their bodies, and Futaro had found the chance to change into clothes that weren't wet. They entered the lobby and made their way to the elevator, quickly followed by a pair of concierges. They cleaned the errant sand that sprinkled from their bodies with a broom in hand. Futaro felt slightly bad, but there was nothing that could be done. Perhaps this was just routine for them. He tried thanking them in broken English, but he was unsure if they understood him.

All five of the sister's hair was sandy and split with salt and sun, and no amount of scrubbing with fresh water would help them. They needed showers, and Futaro knew better than to get in between a Nakano and her shower.

"Oh, man! I'm tired! Hope you don't mind if I shower first!" Yotsuba rushed in before the others. It was just as well. Futaro and the rest were struggling just to get through the door.

"How does she have so much energy!" He cried out.

Nino and Itsuki giggled, "that's right, Futaro. You haven't been around us all the time during vacation. She's always like this." She smiled warmly as a mother would.

"As a matter of fact, I'm glad that we were able to go on this trip. We all barely graduated."

"No, you barely graduated," Futaro corrected her. "You other sisters were perfectly on track to graduate, and we all stayed behind from our senior trip to help you study some more."

Ichika scratched the back of her head, "Aww! Why do you have to say it like that! It makes me feel bad."

Miku shook a finger at her eldest sister, "You have to take things seriously now, Ichika. With your career? This is what you care about after all, isn't it?"

Nino dried her hair with a soft purple towel, "Hey Futaro, would you mind getting me my drink?"

"Ah, me too, Uesugi-kun," Itsuki poked her head inside from the balcony. "Actually, might as well just get all of ours, please? There's one in there for you too."

He paused. Futaro? What's her angle? He tried to catch her eye, but whenever he did, she'd turn around to face away from him.

"Sure," He hesitated.

Five drinks were inside the fridge, a canned frappuccino, green tea, two orange juices, and a latte.

"Okay, so, Ichika, Miku, Yotsuba… ah, here's Itsuki."

I'm surprised Itsuki didn't just bring a package of curry roux to mix with water. He decided to keep his mean-spirited joke to himself. He noticed that one drink was missing.

"Where's Nino's drink… Oh, right," Futaro talked to himself. He reached for the bottle on the countertop where he'd placed her drink the day before—room temperature. Of course.

He returned to the living room and distributed the drinks amongst the four girls.

"Thank you, Futaro," Miku smiled, "It's nice that you remember our drinks."

He waved the compliment away, "Well, I've been trying better at noticing more than just your study habits. Besides, it's Itsuki was the one that brought them."

"Well, it's better late than never, Futaro," Nino took a deep swig from her drink, then she slammed it on the center living room table with a hard thud. "I can't do it."

"What?" Miku raised an eyebrow.

"I can't call you 'Futaro.' It's weird!" Nino frowned, staring at her bottle of water.

Itsuki poked her head inside again. She met Futaro's eyes.

She wants me to say something…

"I—Nino?" He hesitated, "I want you to call me whatever feels most comfortable to you."

He laid it out simply.

"I know what you're thinking. That you have to keep some kind of distance away from me… I'm not dumb. I've noticed that it's especially hard to do things with just one of you these days. Especially you, Nino." Futaro held his breath. "I told Yotsuba that I can deal with it for a few months as the rest of you got used to the idea of Yotsuba and I dating. But I'll be honest. I'm starting to get a little worried. After this trip, I leave in a month. Don't you get that?" He spun around, trying to make eye contact with the four remaining Nakano sisters. "I want to make the most of the time that we have together. I don't want to make things awkward. I am on this trip with everyone, not just Yotsuba. And I have made memories with everyone. And each and every one of you has a place right here," He jabbed at the center of his chest with this index finger. "What's important is that we are together, right? So can we just be happy together and enjoy that we are all here?"

The room fell silent for a moment. Futaro's heart skipped a beat, thinking that he may have overshared his feelings and broke the delicate balance that had been established. As long as they understand that they're just as important to me, then that's enough. Futaro pleaded quietly.

Ichika was the first to react: by bursting into a deep belly laugh.

Nino soon followed. the seal had been unbroken. Four girls in the living room were clutching their sides, laughing themselves into hyperventilation.

"Why are you laughing!" Futaro's ears flushed red.

"I can't believe you went and said that," Ichika said, hiccuping between laughing fits, "you really are a selfish guy. Irredeemable, really! The type of scum of the earth guy that wants his cake and eat it too. I bet you like those harem mangas don't you!" she said in between fits of giggles.

She tossed her arms around him and gave him a tight hug.

"Thank you, Futaro-kun," she said with a smile. Tears of laugher on the corner of her eyes.

Nino recomposed herself, wiping her tears from her eyes, "Fuu-kun is so lame."

"I'm glad that he said something," Miku added.

Itsuki met Futaro's eyes again, mouthing the words thank you.

He returned a discrete nod.

Just then, the bathroom door opens, "Hey, sorry for going first. Who's next?" Yotsuba grinned. Her skin, glowing from the heat of the shower. "What's everyone laughing at?" she tilted her head, waiting for an explanation.

Futaro walked over to her and offered her the can of orange juice in his hand, "I was just sharing the story about how I proposed to you as a joke on our first date, and you took it seriously."

Yotsuba's eyes widened, "I did not take it seriously! I knew you were joking!" Even though her skin was already flushed pink from the steaming shower, her cheeks still managed to become an even deeper shade of scarlet.

"I didn't want to be a bride or anything," she muttered under her breath.

"Yup, that settles it," Ichika said with a nod, "Futaro-kun is officially the lamest guy in the world. Who proposes on the first date."

"Okay, okay! Take it easy," Futaro held his hands out.

"And he also had a coupon," Itsuki chimed in.

"And he also had a small memo pad for all his date plans and what to say," Miku added.

Nino tapped her chin, "though I kind of like that. I like it when a guy fully plans out our special day."

The vein in Futaro's head was beginning to throb, "Are. You. Guys. Done?"

"Eep!" Itsuki excused herself and rushed into the bathroom to take a shower next.

Yotsuba rubbed his shoulders in consolation. "Thank you for remembering my drink," she said.

Futaro stepped out of the bathroom and into the living room, fully dressed in his sleep pajamas. He rubbed his hair dry with one of the premium towels that the hotel had supplied them. It was arguably better than anything Futaro had ever used to dry himself with back at his home. These were the kind of towels that stayed fluffy for years. A small note on the living room table caught his attention:

Uesugi-kun, we were starving and couldn't wait. We went downstairs to the buffet. Join us when you're done getting ready.

P.s. I'll have a talk with Yotsuba about taking off without letting her boyfriend know where she's going.

Futaro studied the neat penmanship. Itsuki, for sure. He smirked at this useless little talent of his and set the note down.

Futaro opened the clear, sliding door that led into the balcony to let fresh air into the hotel room. Six people in one place makes the air stale. Honolulu in the evening was just as loud and vibrant as the daytime. In the distance, several different drum beats could be heard echoing throughout the city, and dozens of small bonfires dotted the landscape. Cars were still backed up the Main Street and clogged the city's primary arteries, slowing them to a crawl. The wonderful scent of fire-roasted pork, sweet pineapple, honey, and salt filled the air. It was inescapable. Futaro wondered if Itsuki was struggling with constant hunger with all the dangerously delicious scents and smells wafting up to their balcony. He glanced at his watch, cursing that he was the last one to take a shower. It was getting late, and he was sure that the staff was getting ready to close the buffet soon. Or maybe not?

Do Americans ever go to sleep? Futaro thought. He stepped outside onto the hotel room balcony. The air was fresher at night, though the humidity still clung to his skin. Visiting Hawaii is nice, but he probably couldn't stand living nearby such a noisy beach. Futaro never liked to admit it, but one of his favorite things to do was to travel. To learn and to see and explore, he admitted that there were just some things that one couldn't understand solely from a textbook. Some things needed to be experienced. This vacation was probably the best he'd ever had, but it was doomed to end. And then, shortly after, Futaro will be going to Tokyo to begin his new life.

A wave of sadness washed over him. The sisters had told him months ago that it was okay that he was going to leave.

Hell, they expected it.

They had said that if he had stayed in Nagoya, they would have disappointed him. Tokyo University was always the goal, even if he didn't know it at the time. Futaro was a little bit backward like that. He always thought that university acceptances were a product of good grades and not the result as most normal high school students thought.

It's not like they didn't know this change was coming.

So then why was he feeling so guilty about leaving?

Perhaps it was that Futaro had been too busy with his duties as a class representative, working and trying desperately to save Ichika's grades. Maybe he was having too much fun to care at the time. But it was in this balmy Hawaiian night that Futaro first truly appreciated how much things were going to change for him in the next month.

Ichika was making tremendous strides in her acting career, and she's recently finishing up some big gig too. Miku and Nino were going to begin their culinary program around the same time he starts school, so they'll be busy too. Itsuki is starting at a local university, and Yotsuba is moving to Osaka to attend a sports-focused university as well. He should be happy. This was every tutor's dream: everyone was working hard towards their goal.

"Looks like things won't always be like this," he said with a deep sigh. "But this has been nice."

He closed his eyes and tried to listen to the waves of the ocean below.

"Talking to yourself?"

He spun around and was met with the image of a beautiful woman bathed in moonlight. Clad in a long white dress, a similarly white hat and long, vibrant red hair. He held his breath, afraid that she'd disappear if he moved too suddenly.

"Rena?"

"It always feels like I catch you in your most miserable moments, Futaro," She smiled at him.

"I brought you some food. Since you never showed up for the buffet." She held out a pair of roundish circular disks of bread. "The locals call it a manapua," she said. "It's delicious."

She forced the treats onto his hand. He clumsily took them and set them down on the table next to them.

"What are you doing here?"

"You should really eat those soon. They're best when they're warm." Her appearance in the moonlight gave her an almost radiating flow.

"Don't ignore me," Futaro huffed, "what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same," She flashed a loving smile. "Are you sick of us already? Were we too much during this vacation? Maybe you are having doubts?"

"I—no. I have no doubts. What's the point of all this?" Futaro gestured towards Rena's attire. Futaro clenched his jaw. A confusing potion of irritation and awe stewed inside him. He had already said goodbye to Rena, so then why was she here?

"You know that I won't be able to face you like this much longer. Soon you'll be able to tell us apart too easily."

"Well, I figure that's the point," he scoffed. "That's what happens when there is love, right?"

Rena's eyes sparkled, "so you finally admit it?"

"Why did you come back?" He pressed, ignoring her question.

"Because you lied to me."

Futaro blinked, "what?"

"And you hurt me."

He took a step towards her. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Rena stepped even close to him and cupped his face with her hands. They were cold despite the warm air.

"You have scary eyes when you're mad. I don't like it. But I have to know… Why did you choose Yotsuba?"

Futaro focused on her eyes as if he was trying desperately to search for some clue as to Rena's true identity within them. But it was hopeless. No clue was going to help him.

"Because I love her," he collected himself.

"You said you loved us all," She rubbed his cheek with her thumb. She looked so much like Yotsuba that he couldn't force himself to back away. Her touch felt so familiar.

"I do," he admitted.

"I think you've been lying, Futaro," she scowled much like the way that Nino does, "you told me you didn't care about me anymore when you clearly do. That's why you picked Yotsuba. Because you think she's me."

He pushed her hands away from his face. "That has nothing to do with it. It doesn't matter if Yotsuba is the Rena or not. It's been nearly seven years now. It doesn't matter."

Rena's eyes teared up and a slight pout formed on her face, the same way that Miku's face does when she's trying to hide her hurt. She quickly pulled herself together.

"Are you in love with Yotsuba? Or are you in love with me?" She cooed quietly, taking several steps towards him.

She pressed her body up close up against him. She was soft like a pillow, it reminded him of Itsuki, and she smelled faintly like spiced coffee—Futaro's eyes wandered to her lips. They had the exact same shape as Ichika.

Futaro wondered if the rest of the quintuplet's lips were the same. She inched her face closer to his.

He closed his eyes and let their lips connect. The softness of her lips felt gentle and tender, the way that Yotsuba would kiss him.

What am I doing?

What is she doing?

Futaro's mind raced.

He opened his eyes when their lips parted. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on the tips of her toes, "I need you to let me go. Don't love Rena," She whispered in his ear.

A quiet tear rolled down her eyes.

Before Futaro could process her words, she shoved him back against the balcony railing and ran into the hotel room, shutting the sliding door behind her in one fluid motion.

"Hey!" Futaro said, grabbing and the handle of the door and yanking hard. The door wouldn't budge.

She smiled and pulled the blinds, obstructing his view inside. He heard the stomping of someone rushing away.

Did she lock me outside!?

What a colossal pain in the ass! Futaro banged on the glass in vain. He pressed his ear against the glass door to check if he could make out any voices or sounds coming from inside. After a few seconds of silence, he heard the door to the entrance open and close.

She's gone.

He groaned and slumped into one of the reclining seats outside on the balcony.

"I can't believe this!" He reclined the chair into an almost flat position and covered his eyes with his elbows for a few moments.

Grummmmmmble.

His stomach protested his position just as much as the rest of him did. It had been several hours since he had eaten, and the smell of food coming up from the street below wasn't helping. Futaro sat up and looked around the empty balcony. She spotted the two breads on the table that Rena had brought to him. Reluctantly he grabbed one and tore it in half, revealing a steamy, savory stew of delicate pork. The sweet smell invaded his nostrils, and it wasn't long before Futaro gave in and bit into the fluffy white bread. It was sweeter than he expected but still rich and filling. He inhaled both of them like a desperate man enjoying his last meal. Licking his fingers clean, he dusted the crumbs that fell on his lap and settled back into his reclined seat, feeling satiated.

"They taste like meat buns."

Authors Note: If you made it this far, first and foremost I want to say thank you for taking the time to read my story. This is my first foray into storytelling, and I know that I have a lot to learn. The objective of this fic is to practice my narrative voice and to hopefully establish a bit of an identity as a writer. This is both incredibly exciting, and terribly scary for me. So please be kind. Going forward, I hope to take this fic into some interesting places and explore some unique ideas that I hope you will all like. This fic is going to be my part fluff, part drama, all Nakano extravaganza into adulthood with actions that have consequences. I'll try to limit my author's notes to only a few per chapter to not ruin the immersion of the narrative. Once again, if you made it this far, thank you! I hope you'll stick around.