Chapter Eight: In the Company of Fools

~Yotsuba~

Yotsuba craned her head up towards the sky—towards the relentless summer sun. She closed her eyes, wishing for just a tiny little cloud for some relief. Her body screamed, for it had long since reached its limit.

More!

More!

She willed her legs to push, one after the other, like a perfectly rehearsed dance or a well-oiled machine. Yotsuba swung her arms and imagined they were wings propelling her into the sky. She felt her muscles tighten in protest, her legs felt like fire. The wind zipped past her cheeks; her bright neon yellow Nike cleats pierced the bouncy synthetic track field, catapulting her into the air with each strike. She really did feel like she was flying, yet her lungs seared in agony. But it was okay—it didn't matter. She was almost there. She just needed three more seconds, only then would her body have permission to complain.

She lowered her head just before crossing the finish line, hoping to shave off precious microseconds.

A funny thought came to Yotsuba just as she crossed the line. Would they count my old ribbons if I had them on?

The usually deafening pop of the track gun sounded like it was a mile away, and the cheers of her teammates felt dull and just as distant. The spell had been broken; gravity was going to clip her wings now. She collapsed down to the bouncy synthetic track. Yotsuba felt as if someone had thrown a soaked futon on her. The team managers rolled her onto her back and stretched an oxygen mask around her head, securing the mouthpiece over her mouth. She felt a slight breeze on her face.

Oxygen!

She gulped up alkaline gas into her lungs, shivering with relief. Yotsuba's body slowed and relaxed. Her breathing steadied. Her friend—Yuna, face came into focus as the team of aids, and sports medicine managers crowded around Yotsuba. They got to work handing her towels, electrolyte tablets, and water and picking her head off the track field while rubbing and massaging her legs.

"Easy, easy, Nakano-san," Yuna urged. "You're a real demon! But now you just need to relax and listen to the sound of my voice," Yuna said. Her familiar Osakan twang comforted Yotsuba. She instantly felt a wave of relief wash over her upon realizing her friend was by her side.

"Inoue-san," Yotsuba groaned. "How'd I do?"

"You were ah-mazin', Nakano-san," Yuna cheered. "I think you outta pace yourself, though. If you show off too much, the coach will think that us first years need to try harder to keep up," she whispered in Yotsuba's ears, forcing Yotsuba to laugh. "So slacking off mo—"

"Inoue-san!" Maenaka-senpai appeared behind Yuna, interrupting her. "Go back with the first years. Coach has some drills ready."

"Oop," Yuna yelped. "Good luck, Nakano-san," she whispered before sprinting off to join the rest of the third years. Maenaka-senpai locked eyes with Yotsuba. "Thirteen-point-ten. Nakano-san, you were slower this time," Maenaka-senpai said with a hard look. She knelt next to Yotsuba. "That was about twenty milliseconds slower than your last. But I can tell that all that running during the rain this week helped straighten out your form. You did good for today, but you're gassed. Pack up and let the other girls get some reps in, okay?"

"No," Yotsuba wheezed. "Sorry, Maenaka-senpai, I can do one more. One more rep, and I can hit that PB."

Captain Maenaka shook her head. "Absolutely not, Nakano-san. You need to learn when to stop. It's no use to have one of our up-and-comers crashing and burning during practice. Save the hero stories for the actual competitions," she said. "Get her water, get her some more salt tablets and whatever else she needs, and then send her to the sports med doctor," she barked at the managers.

"Wait!" Yotsuba stretched out her hand, knocking down a trainer trying to stretch her leg. A fresh wave of embarrassment washed over her, she felt like the center of attention, and that was the last thing she wanted.

Her captain winked at her. "Don't sweat it; I'll check up on you later, Nakano-san. I have to get the rest of the first years some reps too. Don't think I've given up on improving Inoue-san's time just because I'm focusing on you now. She's gonna have to match you rep for rep," Maenaka-senpai guffawed away from Yotsuba before joining their coach, who was already yelling instructions at the rest of the first-year runners.

The managers were patient with Yotsuba as she recomposed herself. She drank water slowly and stretched cautiously. Shortly after, the sports managers guided her to the sports doctor, who checked for torn muscle fibers, her lungs, and her joints' resiliency. Yotsuba felt strange being stretched and contorted as the doctor checked.

"Looks like you're fine, Nakano-san. You could have done a number on your legs today, though. How many reps did you say you did again? Eight? We'll have to speak with your coach to keep you on limited practice for the rest of next week," the doctor finally concluded. "Drink some water, stretch, take a day off practice, and rest up. The humidity is no doubt getting to you, too. You're from Aichi, right? Do they build them the same as you over in Aichi, Nakano-san?"

"I don't know," Yotsuba scratched her cheek. She was slightly embarrassed at all the commotion she caused. "Can I still finish practice today?"

"Not unless you want to collapse on the track again," the doctor said. "Go home, Nakano-san."

Yotsuba slumped her shoulders. "I suppose if I have no choice." She excused herself from the office and returned to the track team locker room. When she arrived, she was surprised to find that someone had packed up her duffle bag and arranged her tracksuit, towel, and snacks neatly in the cubicle of her locker. She even found a couple of 'get well soon' notes from her teammates. Yotsuba smiled and set about changing and collecting her things.

Why do I always cause problems? She scolded herself, feeling an uncomfortable stone settle in the bottom of her stomach. Yotsuba ran a finger over her name on her sports bag. She fought a strong urge to rip it off all her belongings. She felt like a fraud—like a burden. "Maenaka-senpai is probably really upset right now," she groaned.

"Hey! Nakano-san! You in here?" A loud voice echoed through the locker room. It was her captain.

Yotsuba cleared her throat. "I'm in the back," she shouted back. Yotsuba checked her eyes in the mirror before closing the locker. Maenaka-senpai joined her at the back of the locker room. Her hair was clean and freshly washed, and she was dressed in tights, a skirt, and a burgundy dry-fit polo that reminded her of a tennis player. Yotsuba was still shocked at how different she looked when she wasn't beet red, drenched in sweat, and had matted hair.

"You clean up nice," Yotsuba grinned.

"You do too, Nakano-san. What'd the doc say?" Cutting straight to the chase.

"Nothing, just that I need to rest," she said. "But don't worry, I'll be at practice tomorrow."

"There is no practice tomorrow Nakano-san. It's Friday. You should consider getting some rest along with the rest of the girls. Everyone is pretty tired from today. I think they were inspired by your courageous display of self-sacrifice today. They were breaking PBs left and right! Coach and I thought we should allow more recovery time and begin the tapering process for the fall competitions."

Yotsuba frowned. "I can do better. I just need to be given more reps, and I can prove that I'm worth it."

"I'm sure you can," Maenaka-senpai said. "You can try again after you come back after the weekend."

Yotsuba hung her head down, feeling like she was rejected. "I'm sorry I let you down."

Her captain laughed and put her heavy hand on Yotsuba's shoulder.

"Listen, Nakano-san, I don't know what makes you act like the Kansai Universities' entire athletic program rests on your shoulders but let me remind you that it does not. So cut the punished sad-girl act and come with me."

Yotsuba blinked, overwhelmed by Maenaka-senpai's straightforwardness. Her attitude was like a blunt instrument that knocked Yotsuba back to her senses.

Quickly packing away her belongings into her sports bag, she joined Maenaka-senpai at the entrance of the locker room.

She and Yotsuba quickly exited campus, with Yotsuba struggling to keep pace. Eventually, they arrived at the mouth of a nearby alley full of restaurants and bars where students usually gather. It was still early, so most places were closed, but there were signs of the street coming to life from some students who had decided to get their weekend started early. The captain eventually pulled her into a small beef bowl restaurant. Inside was cramped and dingy, and the floor was sticky from last night's sloppy drunk patrons. Still, the atmosphere was welcoming, and the smell wafting from the kitchen in the back was enchanting. Yotsuba's stomach started to grumble seconds after she entered the restaurant demanding to be refilled.

A large man with a large belly poked out from behind a thin curtain that Yotsuba assumed led to the kitchen. "Ma-cchi! Pleasure of seeing you here!" in a cheerful, throaty voice. He reminded Yotsuba of a frog.

"Hi, Nori-san doing well?"

"Day's just gettin' started," The shop owner grinned liked the Cheshire Cat. He shifted his eyes to Yotsuba. "This the rookie all-star, the one you showed me?"

Maenaka-senpai jabbed Yotsuba in the ribs. "Oh! Yes. I guess I am," she quickly said, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically shy.

"Girl, you look about ready to keel over," he frowned. "Ma-cchi, you're not pushing her too hard, are you?"
"Oh no," Maenaka-senpai said, with a casual wave of her hand. "She does that all on her own."

"I see. Then, I'll get you both Ma-cchi's usual. Outta fix her right up," his accent reminded Yotsuba of Yuna.

Wow, do I look that bad. Maybe I should have changed out to my tracksuit? Yotsuba complained to herself.

"Yeah, the usual is fine, please. Extra rice. I need the energy," Maenaka-senpai said, and thumped Yotsuba's back. "And get some gyoza for my friend here too. She could use the fuel. On me, of course," she grinned at Yotsuba.

The two sat down on a pair of creaky stools at the center of the long wooden bar counter. Nori-san returned a few moments later with water and large bowls of warm, fluffy white rice topped with cuts of beef, chicken, and even pork coated in a savory-sweet brown sauce. This wasn't your standard beef bowl. It was a monster beef bowl.

"Woah!" Yotsuba said. "It's huge! Where do I even start!? How do I eat this?"

"With a spoon?" Maenaka-senpai laughed. "You can be gutsy and try to use chopsticks."

Nori-san smiled at Yotsuba's reaction. "It's always nice to see such a small girl eat well. I put extra spicy fried garlic under the meat. Make sure to give it a good mix."

Maenaka-senpai and Yotsuba thanked Nori-san, and they began their meals. Yotsuba shoveled spoonfuls of rice, meat, grilled onions, and garlic into her mouth as fast as she could, discarding all notions of manners of modern society out the window.

The resulting explosion of flavor left her speechless. The rice was lightly salted, soft, and fragrant. The savory juicy steak made her salivate more with each bite, and the crunchy, fiery kick of the garlic, combined with the sweetness of the onion, brought out the savoriness of the sauce and rounded out the charred bits of chicken in the bowl as well.

"Sooooooo good!" Yotsuba hummed with a mouthful of food, feeling her mood improve instantly. Never before had she understood why Itsuki loved the food so much until this very moment.

"You're really putting that away, aren't you, girl," Nori-san returned, setting a plate of steaming hot fried dumplings in front of Yotsuba. "Are you one of those female competitive eaters that look like twigs but can actually eat like eight kilos of curry or something?"

Yotsuba tried to answer Nori-san, but she choked on her rice. Reaching her water, she quickly gulped its contents and sighed. "No, I'm not that talented. I'm just very hungry. And your food is delicious."

" Ah, well, I'm real glad you like it, Yo-cchi. Welcome to real Osakan cuisine. We are the food capital of Japan, after all!"

The captain nodded in agreement. "Yo-cchi huh? That means he likes you," she said, grabbing a piping hot gyoza with her fingers and popping it into her mouth. Maekana-senpai refilled Yotsuba's water cup and returned to her food. The girls finished their bowls quietly, occasionally muttering 'delicious!' and 'It's amazing!'

With her bowl now empty, Yotsuba dropped the metal spoon inside the ceramic bowl with a satisfying clang.

Maenaka-senpai reclined back in her seat. "Feel better?"

"Yeah, much better," Yotsuba rubbed her belly. "I think I'm about to burst."

"Good. To both things. I know that gloomy look of despair you first years get when you're hungry. Nothing like good food to soothe the soul," Maenaka-senpai tapped her belly. "Now to business. I want to talk about that thirteen-point-ten second run you had."

Instantly Yotsuba's heart sank like a stone down to the pit of her stomach. She suddenly understood the reason behind Maenaka-senpai's incredible generosity and kindness. She now saw her empty bow for what it was: the last meal before her execution. "I'm sorry for my performance today," she said, quickly bowing in Maenaka-senpai's direction, hoping she would show her mercy now that the other shoe had dropped.

"Let's see," Maenaka took out her dusty notepad that Yotsuba recognized it as the notepad Maenaka-senpai used to keep track of the team's personal bests. "Your last five PBs today were… twelve-point-fifty-five, twelve-point-forty, twelve-point-twenty-one, thirteen-point-five, and thirteen flat. And I'm not counting your last run because technically, you collapsed. At the university level, we consider that a DNF," she slammed her notepad shut for emphasis. "What does that tell you?"

"Maenaka-senpai…" Yotsuba racked her brain. What's she even trying to say to me?

"I don't know. Can you please dumb it down for an idiot like me," Yotsuba said, swallowing her pride.

"This means that your running is good, Nakano-san," Maenaka-senpai shook her notebook in front of Yotsuba's face. "Really good. But you know that already. You were in the school paper, and in case you haven't noticed, there's been a bit of a buzz about your performance with some of the other first years."

"I haven't noticed," Yotsuba lied.

"I'm trying to say that at the rate you're going, and with the small incremental improvements you've been making, I believe you'll break twelve by the end of the year. Maybe you'll be even faster than that... Your running has the potential to be elite. Like, Olympic caliber elite."

Yotsuba gulped. Despite her insecurities, she knew she was performing surprisingly well. Kansai University was known for shaping elite-caliber athletes. They wouldn't have offered her a spot if they didn't think she had potential.

"You always put in your best at practice," Maenaka-senpai continued. "And the tutoring seems to be helping a bit. Inoue-san has been reporting small improvements in your grades, but," she paused as if she was carefully choosing her next words. "How come I get this feeling that you just don't want to be here?"

Maenaka-senpai's question felt like someone splashed cold water in her face.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Yotsuba hesitated.

Maenaka-senpai sipped her water. "Your heart, Nakano-san. I can tell you're faking it. Your hearts not in it."

"I try very hard every day at practice."

"I know that. You're the first one at practice and nearly the last to leave. You even help the managers clean up around the track when that's their job. You seem to try hard at everything, Nakano-san. But after today, I suspect you have a habit of doing that with everything, regardless of what that thing is. You seem like the kind of person to burn the candle on both ends."

Yotsuba's words got stuck in her throat. She felt naked in front of her team captain. Are people in Osaka that much better at reading people? Surely, they're just nosier.

"I've been doing this captain thing for a while now, and I've picked up a few things. You didn't play sports very long in high school, did you?"

"Well, I played a lot of sports. And I enjoyed being in some teams and helping out when I could."

"Let me rephrase," Maenaka-senpai shook her head. "You didn't have to try very hard to get into your high school's sports club, did you?"

Yotsuba nodded wordlessly.

"I kind of figured. You know that our university has a certain reputation to uphold, right? Not that I care much about it, but I recognize how hard the athletes in our team worked to get to this level. And even so, I can see the pain in their eyes when they know they've reached a wall they can't overcome," Maenaka-senpai took a sip of water. "That's just the way it goes. Not everyone gets to be the next Uchimura Kohei, you know? But I think this is the first time I've ever seen someone try hard to phone in trying hard. I couldn't make much sense of it."

"W-why do you think I'm not doing my best, Senpai?" Yotsuba said, holding onto herself tightly.

"You're a track athlete. All track stars are selfish. It's a selfish sport."

"A selfish sport? I guess that makes sense."

"It makes perfect sense. We're a team, sure, but in the end, all those records and times are yours and yours alone. The only person you're competing against is yourself. Basically, what I'm saying is that I've been seeing you quietly sulk for a while now. You fake smile, and you do your work. You even go above and beyond what people expect from you as a first-year. I don't question your work ethic. But I don't sense that fire I do from the other girls. You only do things for others to not bring attention to yourself. Not to mention, I have a fleeting suspicion you don't know anyone's names yet— besides Inoue-san and myself."

Yotsuba's shoulders sank. I am a fraud, and everyone can see. The words spun around in her head, making her feel dizzy. "The truth is, I-I've been thinking of dropping out school. I like the team, and I like competing. It's just all that school stuff... I don't think I care for it."

Maenaka pursed her lips and nodded, trying to hide her disappointment. "I guessed as much."

"I feel like I'm just taking the place of another, much smarter girl who truly wants to be here. I came to Osaka thinking that this was the best plan for me. A way for me to find my own path. But everything since coming here has felt like a mistake. Even my sister said something like that too."

"Your own sister, huh?" Maenaka-senpai pinched the bridge of her nose. "That's harsh."

"Yeah..."

"Do you want to know what I think?" She poured Yotsuba more water. "I think it doesn't matter what others think, Nakano-san. You should do as you'd like."

"I can't quit on the team like that," Yotsuba sulked. "You are all depending on me."

Maenaka nodded solemnly. "You have another tutoring session with Inoue-san tonight, right? I propose a challenge for you," she grinned. Her eyes twinkled with intent. "Keep up your studying. Try your absolute hardest in class. Ask Inoue-san for all the help you can get. And also compete in the All-Japan Championship Qualifiers this fall. Don't worry. You don't have to do good—compete against yourself. Try to reach that twelve seconds flat in the hundred-meter dash you've been practicing. Do that, and I grant you full control of your destiny. You can decide to continue track or quit. Hell, I'll even talk to the coach. You'll be free to go home and do whatever you want. No hard feelings, I promise."

"Is that really okay?" Yotsuba asked, struggling to keep up.

"That's up to you to decide. You get to choose which road you'll travel. Your sister, boyfriend, or whoever ain't got no say," the captain smiled. "Whatever you choose, face it head-on. You're an adult now, and you must live with your decisions. I like you, Nakano-san. I've got your back. Here, I'll do you one more solid," Maenaka-senpai reached into her bag and pulled out a glossy folder with a Kansai University logo printed on the front. "These are your formal withdrawal papers from the team and the school. I already signed them. You have all the leverage."

"Maenaka-san," Yotsuba fought to hold back tears. "Are you sure?"

"Of course! I want you to be confident with whatever decision you make."

Yotsuba felt strangely relieved that Maenaka-senpai had interrogated her. Yotsuba felt lighter and perhaps actually a bit happy. Yotsuba took the folder from Maenaka-senpai's hands and quickly stuffed it into her duffle bag.

The girls thanked Nori-san, paid, and exited the shop. The sunset had turned the sky into a brilliant array of orange and purple.

"Next time, the beef bowls are on me, Maenaka-senpai," Yotsuba waved as they split up at the station. It wasn't long before Yotsuba was left alone on the crowded Osakan train bound for home.

Kachunk kachunk. Kachunk Kachunk. Kachunk Kachunk. The train moved along.

The combination of the heavy meal she'd just eaten, and the rhythmic clacking of steel wheels on steel rail lulled her into a drowsy state. For the first time she was now feeling aches and pains she had not noticed before.

Ow! How did I get a bruise there?

She smiled, watching the evening sun creep behind the skyline. Twelve seconds is Olympic-caliber running. Do I even really have it in me?

Yotsuba wondered what Futaro would do in her situation. She found comfort in knowing that he would probably face the challenge head-on, the same way he had confronted her father when he doubted Futaro's ability to instruct Yotsuba and her sisters properly.

There's no way he'd back down from this.

She brought out her phone and scrolled to their messages together, quietly musing at their pointless conversations over the past few days. It was small things. He'd ask what she ate; she'd say she forgot to eat. She'd ask if he was getting rest; he'd say no and complain about some test or work he had to do. It was so small and so pointless… But it made her so incredibly happy.

She rushed home, occasionally breaking into a jog. Or the closest thing to a jog she could muster without agitating her sore ankles. She cursed while fumbling to insert her apartment key into the keyhole. Once she was through the door, she knocked off her sneakers and dropped her backpack and duffle bag on the floor of her living room. She took off her sweaty clothes, clicked on the fan, and pushed the kotatsu she had begun to use as a living room coffee table to the far wall so she could lay directly underneath the fan. Sighing with relief, she rested her arm on her forehead. Living alone is kind of great. No one can walk in on me.

For a few moments, she laid still, letting the day's exhaustion wash over her. "I wonder if Futaro would do things like foot rubs?" She thought out loud. "Nah, that would never happen."

Ding, Dong. Her front door ran.

Oh crap! Inoue-san! "J-just a minute!" Yotsuba panicked, bolting upright and scampering to her bedroom. She quickly threw on a plain oversized t-shirt and fresh shorts and rushed to open the door, swinging it open to greet her friend.

"Hi, Inoue-san! Sorry for the wait," Yotsuba said, slightly frazzled. She pulled her hair back behind her ear in an attempt to seem aloof. "I didn't realize you'd get here this early."

"Early?" Yuna checked her phone. "I thought I was fifteen minutes late."

"Oh. Well, whatever, welcome in!" Yotsuba stepped aside and greeted Yuna into her apartment. She stepped in and removed her shoes, entering the narrow hallway.

"You were doing that thing where you lay under the fan in your underwear, again. Weren't you?" Yuna smirked. "I don't blame ya! It was a scorcher today!"

"Hey! I told you that in confidence!"

"And who am I telling?!" Yuna teased. "I do it too! My boyfriend gets a kick out of it."

"You walk around in your underwear in front of your boyfriend?" Yotsuba flushed red.

Yuna laughed. "What? Don't you?" Yuna proceeds through the hallway and into her living room, past the tiny apartment kitchen. "Nice place you have here, Nakano-san! So many plants!" She bent over to inspect a nearby potted plant on a coffee table. "Hey, these look familiar? Where have I seen these?"

Yotsuba peaked around Yuna's shoulder, "oh, that's a Hosta plant! Kind of a pain to grow indoors, but I love them."

"Yeah, Nakano-san, but these look super familiar! Maybe my mom grew them?"

"I… may have stolen a few saplings from school," Yotsuba said, a little sheepishly.

"Nakano-san! You're so bad!" Yuna laughed. "Alright, you nearly-nudist thief, where shall we start studying? Ooo! I also brought snacks!" She said, holding up a convenience store plastic bag.

After offering her some water, Yotsuba welcomed Yuna to join her in her tiny living room, where they laid out their computers, textbooks, and other assorted study materials on the kotatsu that Yotsuba had previously pushed aside. Together they reviewed all the assigned English readings for class and snacked on various treats that Yuna had brought to eat. Yotsuba felt relieved that her friend was smart but not Futaro-level smart. They could more easily work out problems together instead of feeling like she was taking cram courses. Even so, some strange part of her missed how he'd yank her ribbon whenever she got a question wrong.

"Inoue-san, can I check my translation with you?" Yotsuba asked.

"Sure! In English… this would mean that they involuntarily lost their minds, but it was romantic because they did it together. Or something. Wow, this one is hard," Yuna yawned. "But I think your translation below is mostly okay! Good job, Nakano-san! So…" Yuna curved her back and stretched across Yotsuba's tatami floor. "I heard that Maenaka-senpai waited for you after practice."

"Oh. Yeah, she just wanted to check that I was okay."

"Of course, she's going to check that her first-year track star is okay," she said nonchalantly. "Soooo, did you get the invitation to the All-Japan Championship Qualifiers?"

"Yeah, I guess I did."

"Ah, I knew you would! —I got invited too," Yuna smiled.

"Congratulations, Inoue-san!" Yotsuba clapped her hands together, cheering for her friend.

"Yeah, I barely made the cut. Do you realize how crazy it is for first-years to get invited? They're Olympic pre-qualifiers. That means we'll be running against some of the best in the country."

Yotsuba exhaled, tilting her head up to the ceiling. "I suppose that never crossed my mind."

"Let's just give it our all, Nakano-san! Let's go to Tokyo and show them how we do it here in Kansai!" Yuna sat up, picking up her phone. "Duuuuude, how's it already 11? I should have left an hour ago!" She rushed to pack up her things. "Same time tomorrow, right?"

Ding, Dong. Yotsuba's front door chime rang. Yuna and Yotsuba froze.

"Nakano-san, you weren't expecting company at this time, were you?"

Yotsuba shook her head. "No. And I don't get visitors besides you."

Ding, Dong.

Ding, Dong.

"Oh my god! What if it's some type of criminal! What if they're armed," Yuna said in a hushed tone. "You should call the police."

"Calm down, Inoue-san!" The two girls stood up and inched their way across the living room and into the hallway.

Yuna hid behind Yotsuba as they shifted across the dark narrow hallway.

Ding, Dong. Ding, Dong. Ding, Dong. The person on the other side rang the bell more rapidly.

Yuna yelped, "oh my god, they're not going away!" she gripped the back of Yotsuba's sleeve. "Should we call the police?"

"No… I don't know?… I'm just going to open it."

"What are you stupid?" Yuna hissed.

"It's probably just the landlord or something," Yotsuba insisted, trying to reassure herself more than Yuna. She reached out her apartment entrance gripping the lock between her clammy fingers.

"Wait, wait!" Yuna said, pulling out one of Yotsuba's spiky cleats from her duffle bag, spilling all the papers she had stuffed inside in the process. "For protection."

Yotsuba nodded and released the deadbolt of her door. She pulled the door open slowly, peaking through the crack.

"M-Miku!" Yotsuba shrieked, immediately realizing who it was. Yotsuba swung the door open. "Miku, what on earth are you doing here? What are you doing in Osaka?"

"I came to see you," Miku said, a matter of factly.

Yotsuba stepped out of her apartment, throwing her arms around her sister in a tight embrace. "You are way too careless! I thought you were a robber or a monster! My friend was going to hit you with my track cleats!"

Miku turned her head to the side, entirely devoid of discernible expression.

"Nakano-san, don't joke like that to your sister. She'll get a bad impression of me," Yuna fidgeted. "Woah, you totally do look the same. Nakano-san never mentioned that she was a twin."

"Quintuplets, actually," Miku said plainly. "I'm coming in. It was a long train ride down."

"Oh—um, yeah! Please do. Welcome!" Yotsuba exchanged an awkward glance with Yuna. Somethings up, her sister alarm was blaring.

They followed Miku back into Yotsuba's apartment. She passed the hallway and welcomed herself into the living room. She glanced around the room the same way a mother would to her messy sons' room. Suddenly Yotsuba felt a little self-conscious about her cleaning.

"Do you like my place?" She offered, trying to fill in the silence. "I finally got around to decorating the place the way I wanted. I even put some of our photos around," she gestured to a corkboard on a nearby wall which was filled corner to corner with pictures of their graduation and Hawaii trip.

Miku noted the corkboard wordlessly and continued to her bedroom. Yotsuba rushed to get in the way, "Ah, Miku, I haven't cleaned my room, really, and it probably stinks from my sweaty track clothes. Maybe you don't want to go in there."

Miku stared at her sister blankly, turned around, and touched a few potted plants that Yotsuba had pushed against the balcony window. "You have too many plants. And your place is too small."

Yotsuba gulped. The room felt like a shaken bottle of soda on a hot summer day. It was bound to explode.

"I— I guess I'll get going," Yuna chuckled awkwardly. "I'm sure that you sisters have a lot to catch up on," Yuna quickly threw all her books and study materials into her bag and hurried to the entrance. "See you at practice Monday morning, Nakano-san, I mean… the Nakano-san with short hair. Nice to meet, you long-haired Nakano-san!"

"Inoue-san, wait!" Yotsuba started. Don't leave me here with her alone! She pleaded. But Yuna was already out the door. Yotsuba turned to face her sister. "M-Miku, is everything ok—"

"pfft-hahaha!" Miku erupted into laughter. "It was so hard to keep a straight face," she threw her arms around her sister. "I missed you, Yotsuba."

"Ehhh! What a total personality change," Yotsuba shrieked incredulously. "I thought you were mad at me or some kind of doppelgänger."

"I wasn't expecting you to have company so late. I'm sorry. I felt awkward. I feel bad for your friend—Inoue-san you called her? Please apologize for me."

"Umm, sure, I will," Yotsuba said. "I don't get what's going on right now. Why are you here? How did you get here."

"I came to see you. And I took a train."

"But the bullet train is expensive!"

"I work."

"But—"

"But nothing, I just wanted to see my sister. Can you offer me some tea or something? I'm really thirsty."

"S-sure," Yotsuba said, taking out a bottle of barley tea from her refrigerator. She joined Miku back in the living room, offering the bottle to her. Miku took several deep swigs of the bottle, early emptying it in one motion.

"Ah, it's so hot outside, even at night," Miku sighed with relief. "Thank you," she pulled out one of Yotsuba's photos from the corkboard. Yotsuba noticed it was one she took with Futaro on the day he left for Tokyo. Miku laid it on the table between Yotsuba and herself. "So I came to propose an invitation."

"An invitation?"

"Yes. An invitation. Come with me to Tokyo tomorrow morning to see Futaro."

Yotsuba mused at how pushy her sister had become in recent months. "You came all this way just to invite me? You could have just called."

"I wanted to show you how serious I am," Miku said. "Futaro needs to see you."

"Is something wrong with him?"

"Not exactly, but I'm sure you know how he's been acting."

Yotsuba tapped on the table. "I know he's been having a hard time, Miku. But I have to stay. I've got responsibilities here, and I can't just drop them suddenly.

"Yotsuba, he misses you— I think he misses all of us. Don't you think he'd be happier if we could just see him for a day or two? You can even be back by Monday morning. Don't you want to see what we can do to spruce up his apartment? He'd probably love having a plant or two of yours."

"You wouldn't understand. I can't. I just can't."

Miku sighed. She picked up the photo of Yotsuba and Futaro, tapping its edges on the kotatsu. "You two make a good couple. I don't think I ever told you that. Futaro has this hard look about him that only a person like you can reach. And that's why I think you're the person he needs to see the most."

"Well, thanks," Yotsuba said, pursing her lips slightly, not meeting Miku's eyes. The room fell silent, Yotsuba wanted nothing more than to come up with some excuse to get Miku out of her apartment.

"Hey, what's this?" Miku said, stretched across Yotsuba's tatami mat floor, pulling closer a blue folder. Its contents spilled across the floor. Yotsuba recognized it instantly. "Is this…What I think it is?" This is a school withdrawal form, Yotsuba. Are you… Are you thinking of quitting school?"

Yotsuba's jaw clenched shut. Her carelessness entirely paralyzed her.

Miku held out the papers to Yotsuba. "Look, I know you were having a hard time, but is it really that bad?"

Yotsuba swiped the papers from Miku's hands. "It's none of your business Miku. And don't tell Futaro," she said coldly.

"So then Nino wasn't exaggerating. You are thinking about dropping out."

"I never talked about it with her. She just assumed because she heard about my grades from Itsuki."

The air around them had gotten dense. Yotsuba lamented not having a large apartment. There was nowhere to go, nowhere where she could hide.

"You know Futaro would help you if you asked," Miku finally said. "Come with me. You two can have a heart-to-heart. He might be upset for a little, but there's no way he'd reject you."

Yotsuba shook her head. "This is my responsibility. What kind of girlfriend would he think I am if I constantly relied on him for help. No, I have to pull my weight, which means I have to figure this out on my own."

"That's stupidly hardheaded of you, don't you think? Have you been spending time with Nino?" Miku laughed mirthlessly. "He tolerated teaching five stupid girls for more than two years. I think one should be easy by now— wait, that makes no sense," Miku stopped, her eyes wide as she put all the pieces together. You wouldn't have these forms if you were still trying your best in class."

Yotsuba felt Miku's intense stare bore into her heart. There was no way to lie to Miku. Whether it was because she was a lousy liar or because Miku is a stronger person now, Yotsuba's truth was painted all over her face.

"You've… You've already made up your mind, haven't you?" Miku finally asked.

Yotsuba's lip quivered, and her eyes moistened. "I— I can't face him yet, Miku."

Miku crawled across the tatami and embraced her sister tightly. Yotsuba wept silently into her sister's arms. Her bangs stuck to her forehead with sweat, and she buried her head deeper into Miku's chest. Wordlessly, and despite their awkwardness, the two middle sisters finally understood each other.

~Futaro~

Futaro fussed with the computer that Takebayashi had given him, furiously clicking, trying to get his computer to react. Nothing happened except for a frustrating little spinning pinwheel that appeared.

"You've gotten a lot better at using that," Takebayashi teased. She sipped her canned milk tea as she overlooked Azuha's assignments. "You look like a regular computer user these days."

"Does this look like I've got a handle on it?" He grumbled.

Takebayashi grinned, "of course. Everyone knows the worst part of using a computer is trying to use it when you need it most." She giggled.

They were in the middle of what Futaro had decided to call Rigorous Remedial Re-learning week, A patch-worked curriculum that Takebayashi and he had worked on to target all the Koda twins' weaknesses across all their subjects. The siblings benefited from the extra instruction, but it was mostly born from the Futaro's guilt over being paid for doing practically nothing during their summer break. It did not escape Takebayashi that Futaro was also relieved not to have to spend time in his apartment, where all he'd do is increase his electricity bill from blasting the AC at full power.

Azuha looked up from her piles of notes. "Uesugi-sensei, maybe try restarting it," the young girl suggested, watching him tinker with his computer.

"Aha! Good idea, young one!" Takebayashi patted her shoulders. "Maybe she should be tutoring you."

Futaro shot a look at Takebayashi. "It wasn't anything important anyways." I'll have to message Miku and Yotsuba later then.

He stared out the Koda family living room window. Their high-rise apartment gave Futaro a good view of how bleak, gray, and humid their overcast afternoon was.

"Is something bothering you, Uesugi-sensei?" Azuha asked. She pulled her long black hair to the side, clearly struggling to tie it into a neat bun.

"Ah, it's nothing," Futaro said, staring out the window. "I was just thinking about how back home you would be able to hear the cicadas buzzing like crazy right now."

Takebayashi finally showed mercy to Azuha and helped her tie her long hair. "But we have cicadas here, though. You can hear them outside," Azuha continued after briefly thanking Takebayashi.

Futaro nodded his head, "Yeah, I know."

Takebayashi caught his eye. "You might be onto something, Uesugi-sensei. I've been thinking about it for a while, too," she said. "Cicadas here sound different from where we come from. In Tokyo, cicadas are quieter. They have to compete with all the other sounds of the city: the cars, the trains, the tourists. Back home, the cicadas took their rightful place as the noisiest thing in the city. You knew it was summer."

Futaro watched her closely as she mused about home. Her eyes sparkled slightly. Futaro wondered if she felt a similar dreadful grip wrap around her heart whenever she thought of home too.

Even Kotaro had peaked up from his worksheet, curious about their conversation. "You two aren't from Tokyo?"

Takebayashi giggled, "come now, Kotaro-kun. Does Uesugi-sensei look like he's got Tokyo Boy energy?"

Kotaro eyed Futaro up and down. "I suppose not. He's got the attitude, but the look is all wrong."

"Don't be rude," he said sternly. "Have you finished your work?"

"Yes, sensei," Kotaro whined. "Can you please check?" He held out his heavy erased, blotted answer sheet.

Futaro scanned the boy's worksheet with his red pen highlighting small mistakes. Kotaro was a lot more open to being tutored these days. Futaro may have won the war of attrition with the young junior high school student, but it was not easy. Luckily, making rent has been a good motivator.

He handed back the paper to Kotaro. "Recheck two and four, please. Otherwise, good work."

"Only two wrong?"

"Only two wrong," Futaro told the boy, who looked quite pleased with himself. Kotaro bounced back to his chair.

"Uesugi-sensei, Takebayashi-sensei, can you tell us about your hometown? Was it super rural?" Kotaro-kun asked abruptly.

Takebayashi met Futaro's eyes again, almost as if to say, well, after you. Futaro ran his hand through his hair. "Well, there's not much to say. It was a suburb in Aichi. Near Nagoya. In some ways, it's even less interesting than living somewhere rural. But it was nice." He said. His mind flew back to the memories of his friends and family. "The people are mostly nice, and the schools are decent. We have a nice aquarium across town, and Kyoto isn't too far away."

"Sounds kind of boring," Kotaro said, taking a sip from his water bottle.

"It kind of was," Futaro agreed. "It wasn't flashy like Tokyo or full of delicious food like Osaka, but it never mattered. We made our own fun. Going into nature was always my favorite."

Azuha handed in her worksheet and joined her brother's side of the table. "Did you and Takebayashi-sensei go to the same schools?"

"We did in elementary," Takebayashi smiled. "But we lost track of each other shortly after junior high school. We didn't reconnect until our third year in high school. I visited his old high school and ran into him entirely by chance. By then, Uesugi-sensei was a totally different person than the boy I knew in elementary school."

"Ooo! How was sensei as a kid?!" Azuha's eyes twinkled.

"He was a troublemaker," Takebayashi said, shooing away Futaro's protests. "He was rude, careless, mean, and he didn't much care for school. Kind of like you, Kotaro-kun."

The boy scratched his cheek and mumbled something Futaro could not discern.

"I cannot see that, Takebayashi-sensei. You're lying." Azuha pressed.

"Nope, no lie."

"What changed?"

Takebayashi gave Futaro a knowing look. "a girl."

"How romantic!" Azuha squeaked. She leaped from her chair and cupped Futaro's hands in hers. "Was Takebayashi-sensei the girl, Uesugi-sensei?!"

Futaro didn't have the heart to crush his student's spirits, but he did need to clear things up. Otherwise, it may cause trouble for Takebayashi. Futaro wanted to avoid anything that may compromise their ability to work with the Koda family.

"Well, no. I mean, kind of," Futaro said. "Takebayashi-sensei is the girl that set me on the right path to be where I am today. She was more like an older sister to me." In his eyes, without her, Futaro wouldn't be the student he is today. I owe her a lot more than I give her credit for.

He caught Takebayashi looking in his direction. She smiled warmly.

"If you think about it, if it weren't for Takebayashi-sensei, I wouldn't have made it to Tokyo at all. She's one of the girls responsible for saving me." Futaro finished.

Azuha seemed satisfied with the story and returned to her seat. "Uesugi-sensei is so cool," he heard her say under her breath.

"So Uesugi-sensei might not be aware because he's still computer illiterate, but there are warnings that a storm is coming this weekend," Takebayashi said, changing the subject.

"Not another typhoon," Kotaro groaned.

"Yeah, it seems that way, so I thought it would be a good idea if we cut our study session short today, so you can spend the rest of the day relaxing."

"It's actually so that you don't have to walk home in the rain, huh?" Azuha grinned.

"Well, I am wearing a white blouse, little one," Takebayashi said. "So pack up. I think this is a good place to stop."

Takebayashi and Futaro waved goodbye to Kotaro and Azuha and exited the cool, air-conditioned apartment. The sun was beginning to lower, darkening the steely sky even more.

"Want to go to the cafe?" Futaro asked.

"That's the first time you've invited me for a change. But no, I have to get home. There are some errands I have to pick up before settling in for the weekend. I should be ready to tough it out if the typhoon comes this way. I have tons of studying to do anyways. How else can I keep up with you?"

"You're ranked two in our program. You're fine."

"I want to be ranked one, though," she winked at him. "I'm on your tail Futaro! Be safe!" She skipped away towards the station.

Futaro waved goodbye and walked in the opposite direction. He'd gotten into the habit of walking most of the way home to save money. He pulled out his phone from his pocket. He secretly looked forward to catching up on his messages every afternoon on the way home from work. Usually, it was just the Nakano's and maybe an email to two from the school. Sure enough, there was one from Ichika, One from Nino, and another from Miku.

And…None from Yotsuba. He had messaged her 'good morning' when the day had started, but she didn't reply. His heart sank a little, feeling embarrassed for getting his hopes up.

[Ichika] (sent at 4:47 p.m) "Fuuuuuutaro-kun! Hope you're well. Are you taking care of yourself? Are you hydrating? It's pretty hot and sticky today, even with the clouds. Don't stress out big sis, you hear! I know you're very busy and don't have to reply to this, but I wanted to tell you that we have to do some reshoots tomorrow because of the storm. So I'll be working through the weekend. Eeeek! Sorry to cancel our plans last minute. I already let Miku and Nino know. I hope they're not too upset. Maybe next time? Take care, Futaro-kun!

Just Nino and Miku huh? That should be fine, he thought. Technically it didn't change their plans much, but since it was so impromptu, Futaro didn't have the chance to plan out well.

"We're coming to visit you on Saturday," He remembered Nino say over text.

"What? Who's we?"

"Miku and I. Ichika might join us too. We already bought the bullet train tickets. So whatever plans you had before, cancel them! We want to see you." Futaro was essentially bullied into this outing, but he was still a bit excited to see them.

Climbing up a narrow series of stairs, he arrived at his building. He swung the door open of his dingy apartment lobby. The stairs creaked as he ascended to his floor.

"Oof"

Futaro's body bumped into the belly of a large man. His phone slipped out of his hands and tumbled screen side down on the dirty burgundy carpet floor.

"Watch your step, kid!" A huffed the big belly man.

"Sorry," Futaro said, not meeting his eyes.

"Hey! You're my tenant, aren't you?"

Futaro looked up. It was indeed his landlord. He'd only met him once when he first moved in, And even then, his dad dealt with him mostly. But it was definitely him.

"Well! Where's the rent money?" He snarled.

"It's not due until the end of the month," Futaro said, a little taken aback by his landlord's tone.

"I decided to move the date forward. Consider it an asshole fee."

"You can't be serious."

"Yeah, you're walking in here stomping up my fragile stairs like you own the place?" The landlord got in his face. He was close enough to Futaro that he could smell the stale alcohol on his breath. He also noticed the drops of stained liquid on the landlord's shirt collar.

"Okay. Okay! I'll get you your money. Just let me go to my room to get it." Futaro said through gritted teeth.

The landlord wobbled, his legs buckled, and he fell lamely to the floor, landing on his rear. The landlord clutched his lower back.

Futaro gasped, noticing that his drunk landlord had tripped on his phone. He quickly picked it up and knelt beside the man.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked. "Do you need me to call an ambulance?" Futaro asked again.

After a few moments of no response, Futaro wondered if he should check for a pulse. One second later, the man started snoring.

He knocked himself out.

A fresh wave of annoyance bubbled within Futaro. He scoffed and stood upright, choosing to leave the man there. Surely someone would come and get him. He walked away.

And I'm the asshole?

Once inside his tiny box apartment, Futaro quickly locked the bolt on his door and exhaled loudly, hunching over his tiny kitchenette. He glanced at his poor phone. The screen bits of sharp glass rose through the surface of his broken screen. He tried to navigate the messages carefully, but it was impossible to read behind the spiderweb fractures on his phone. He couldn't read what Nino or Miku had written. He couldn't even reply to Ichika. After a dozen mistypes and a small cut on his thumb, Futaro gave up. Defeated by the day, he dropped his phone on the small kotatsu near his bed. He laid his head on his stiff mattress and closed his eyes, where he quickly drifted to sleep.

~Nino~

Nino entered the small yellowing apartment complex with slight apprehension, followed shortly by Miku. This couldn't possibly be the right place, could it?

She walked over to the front desk and rang the bell several times. "Hey, is anyone there? Hey! Hey!"

"Nino, maybe you shouldn't yell," Miku urged.

Out from the back, a large man with an even larger gut roused to consciousness, rising to his feet. Nino heard several hollow aluminum beer cans rustling in the back office.

"Damn it, little missy, why are you so loud, so early?"

"Early?!" Nino huffed. "It's practically noon! We just want to know if Fuu-kun— I mean, if Uesugi Futaro lives here."

"Oh, that punk? Yeah, he lives here. What are you, his girlfriends or somethin," the man said. Nino resisted the urge to plug her nostrils from the scent of stale alcohol that wafted from his mouth.

"I don't think that's important, mister," Miku said, forcing an especially demure tone. "We just want to check how he is since there's a storm coming and everything."

"Ah, you must be his sisters or something. Second floor, room 202." The man said gruffly before returning to his office.

"You're way too good at that," Nino said. "Come,"

They ascended the creaky stairs. Nino noted the various stains and cigarette burns on the carpet. Is Fuu-kun really okay here?

"I wonder why Futaro hasn't answered our messages?" Miku asked, her worry painted plainly on her face.

Nino quickened her pace. "Only one way to find out." Finally arriving at room 202, they realized there was no electronic doorbell. Nino knocked and waited. After about ten seconds, she knocked again.

Miku and her exchanged looks. "Maybe he's still asleep?" Miku said.

"Oh, this is ridiculous!" Nino sighed in exasperation. "Fuu-kun! Fuu-kun! Good morning!" She shouted while banging on the door. This time the two girls could hear the sounds of someone bolting upright and stomping around. "Yeah, one second!" Futaro shouted through the door.

"Futaro, are you okay? Take your time," Miku said through the door.

After another minute or two, he poked his head out. Nino was shocked by his appearance. His hair had gotten so long that his bangs almost covered his eyes. There was a cool, unruly punk aura that emanated from him. He looked so much older. Nino's heart skipped a beat.

"Good morning," he said, trying to seem casual. " I didn't know what time you'd be coming."

Nino and Miku had dressed in matching sundresses anticipating a hot summer day. They looked out of place in front of Futaro, who had the appearance of a guy the police would probably follow around.

"Futaro, is that you?" Miku inched closer to get a better look.

"Fuu-kun! Your hair! It's gotten so long!" Nino said, covering her mouth. Oh crap! He's so hot! She felt her pulse accelerate, and her cheeks grow warm.

"Ah, yeah. I haven't found a good barber yet," Futaro sighed.

"A-anywho, Fuu-kun. You're not even ready. Seriously did you not read our texts from last night?" Nino playfully scolded him. "You see this, Miku? He's already a mess. He doesn't even reply to messages anymore."

"Oh, sorry about the messages. I had an accident. My phone broke, and I couldn't reply to Ichika either."

"An accident?" Miku took a step forward, scanning his body for signs of injury. "Are you okay?"

"You weren't out doing anything reckless, were you?" Nino asked, the news also raising several alarms.

"Yes, I'm fine," He said in a way that didn't satisfy Nino's worries.

"How do you even know where I live?"

"I have my ways," Nino grinned.

Miku gave her a soft look. "She begged Itsuki to ask Raiha."

"You have no appreciation for the mystery!" Nino rolled her eyes. "Well, are you going to let us in or what?" She said, turning to Futaro.

"I—actually," he hesitated. "Why don't we head out now? Huh?"

More alarms.

"Shame on you, Fuu-kun, not offering ladies a drink on a hot summer day. Come! Let us in! We're not Yotsuba, but you should be grateful to have two beautiful girls come and check on you. The least you could do is give us a tour." Nino pressed. She gently pushed him back. He resisted for a moment before letting up. He stepped aside, letting her through. Inside was not what she was expecting. She always knew that Futaro struggled with money, but his apartment was so far removed from her experience that the small apartment still managed to surprise her. Even the few months when she and her sisters did not compare to how cramped his Tokyo apartment was. The entrance led straight into his cramped living room, which contained his bed, desk, kotatsu, and a strangely low ceiling. The peeling yellow wallpaper in his small living room was accented by the single overhead light fixture and an even smaller kitchenette that was likely unsuitable for making anything beyond the simplest of one-dish meals. "Your place is… Nice, Fuu-kun," Nino said

, struggling to find the words to say.

"It's a piece of crap," Futaro dismissed her compliment. "But it's home."

"At least you keep it clean," Miku offered lamely. An uncomfortable silence filled the small space. Nino was suddenly unsure what she was doing.

"Oh! No one's had breakfast. Fuu-kun, do you want some? I'll whip something up. You got eggs, right?"

"You don't have to, Nino," Futaro started.

"Nope!" She interrupted. "Remember when you left, you promised to eat whatever I made up, and it just so happens that I want to try something out."

Miku tiled her head. Nino prayed that her graceless sister picked up a hint or two.

"Futaro, give me a tour of your place," she finally said, seemingly understanding what Nino was trying to do. Futaro guided her way to the tiny bathroom.

Nino entered the kitchenette and popped open the fridge, recoiling slightly at the mildewy scent wafting from the refrigerator. She covered her nose with her dress and quickly pulled out eggs, old rice, and a few extra condiments. You don't make this easy for me, do you, Fuu-kun. Nino complained.

She quickly chopped half an onion and some sandwich ham. She tossed it into a piping hot pan with the old rice along with some butter, half a diluted bouillon cube, and other spices. She was quite pleasantly surprised to see that Futaro had a decent selection of spices for her to choose from. Maybe he does try to cook now and then; she smiled at the idea of watching him fumble around in the kitchen. Once the rice was nice and fried, she squeezed a heaping spoonful of ketchup into the rice and mixed it thoroughly before shaping the rice into egg shapes on three separate plates. Then she cracked a few eggs into a spare bowl and mixed them until velvety smooth with a pair of chopsticks.

"Hey, Nino? What are you doing in there? Please don't go out of your way for my sake," Futaro protested.

"Your sake?" Nino laughed. "I'm hungry too, you know."

Lowering the temperature on the pan, she eased the egg mix into the pan, seasoning lightly. She gently coaxed the mixture to coat the pan and eased soft sheets of egg into the center to allow more liquid to fill the gaps. After a few seconds, she lifted the pan and cooked the rest of the egg in the residual heat from the pan. Bumping the pan with her palm a few times, she eventually formed a soft cocoon of egg that she gently laid on top of one of the dome-shaped piles of rice. After doing that two more times, she had three fully formed omurice omelets. She admired her handiwork before putting in the finishing touches.

She drew a heart shape on one of the omelets with 'Fuu-kun' across the center.

Too much?… She drew her's and Miku's names on the remaining two. Nino sighed. Definitely too much. She smeared the ketchup on Futaro's omurice so that it just resembled coated demiglaze.

She brought the three plates to the kotatsu and set them at the center.

Futaro frowned slightly at the very obvious smear job done on his omelet. "What happened to mine?" He asked.

"Oh, I-I messed up your kanji, and I didn't like how it came out. I blame you for having such a stupid name," Nino huffed.

"You could have used hiragana. Or the Fuu-k— you know? Never mind," he said. Nino watched Futaro pout ever slightly. Was he disappointed that his came out ugly?

"I assure you it tastes every bit as good as the others. I am an expert," she stressed.

Futaro shrugged and thanked her for the meal, spooning a mouthful into his mouth. He hummed softly. "Yeah, it's delicious, Nino."

It was peacefully quiet for the first few minutes as they enjoyed the savory-sweet breakfast. Miku met Nino's eyes a few times. It slightly annoyed Nino how easily Miku could read her now. Their eyes met once again.

So, you wrote something weird on his omelet, didn't you? She imagined Miku asking.

Nino scowled. What's it matter to you anyway!?

"Nino, Futaro's omurice reminds me of that one we had back in Hawaii. Remember? The overdesigned one that some waiter brought Ichika? What did it say again?" Miku said innocently.

"It said 'I love you, please marry me,' but they used the wrong kanji for 'marry.' Ichika just smeared the message on the omelet and pretended not to have noticed," Nino said, grateful for the slight change of subject.

Futaro chewed and swallowed another piece of his breakfast. "I don't remember that. When was this?"

"Oh, it was that one time you didn't join us for dinner because you got stuck outside the balcony. Itsuki and Yotsuba weren't there either because they went everywhere looking for you."

Futaro blinked. "What were you planning on doing today?" he asked, shoving a large spoonful of rice and egg into his mouth.

"I want to go shopping," Nino said with an air of finality.

"And I wanted to go to the Tokyo National Museum," Miku grumbled.

"Fuu-kun, you alright? You look kind of pale," Nino added. "Did I underseason your plate?"

"... No, no! It's fine! Nevermind that. This turned out to be good timing, actually," he said hurriedly. "I need a new phone, so how about we go to the department store so Nino can do some shopping, and on the way back from the shopping, we can go to the museum. It's going to rain some more today, and who knows how the weather will turn out later. We should stay indoors. But first, let me take a quick shower. I still have yesterday's sweat on me, and I feel gross." His proposal seemed to satisfy the girls. Futaro excused himself to the restroom, leaving Miku and Nino alone in the living room.

They waited until they heard the showered, and the two sprang into action. Miku stood up and picked up the now empty plates. "I'll do the dishes. Thank you for breakfast, Nino."

Nino sat back up and admired the rest of Futaro's apartment. "You know? It's not that bad," she concluded. "Nothing like a home-cooked meal to make a place feel like a real home," Now that she thought about it, the apartment was crappy, but it was cozy too. She could easily imagine two struggling lovers working hard every day to make ends meet in the big city. They didn't need many possessions. As long as they were together, that was enough.

"So, was it a heart?" Miku snickered, ruining Nino's fantasy.

"What?"

"Did you draw a ketchup heart or something?"

"I will end you," Nino said without missing a beat.

Nino glanced around the room. Dozens of notes and memos for lesson plans, mixed with schoolwork and textbooks, littered his desk, and even pinned to the wall. Highly detailed lesson plans that he's been for his next tutoring day.

All handwritten.

A brief pang of guilt bit into Nino, "He always works too hard," she muttered.

"We're here to help him feel better, remember?" Miku from the kitchen.

Nino nodded wordlessly. She ran her hands through all the shirts in his closet. If she was going to snoop, this was her chance to do it. Something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. A familiar-looking bracelet was hanging amongst a pair of ties on a small hook. It was frayed, weathered, and slightly discolored, but it was definitely the same one.

She plucked it from its hook to get a better look. It was Kintaro's bracelet.

You kept it all this time, Fuu-kun?

She also noticed something else among the ties, another familiar object. A bright, garish, overly obnoxious, tacky, cheap-looking green ribbon. It was unmistakable. Nino grimaced at her pettiness.

"Is this even helping?" She wondered out loud. Why didn't she come?

"Well, looking through his things won't help. I just think that— What are you doing? Miku asked as she finished up in the kitchen."

"What if I just—" Nino pulled Yotsuba's old ribbon and tied it around her head, but the end flopped down over her face. Nino could never figure out how Yotsuba got the ribbon ends to stand upright.

"You just look like a sad bunny," Miku laughed. "I know how you feel, but we can't be Yotsuba. We can only be ourselves. And hope that that's enough."

"She should have been here."

Miku shrugged, walking to Nino and tugging at the ribbon ends to make them stand up straight. "She'll come when she's ready. We should trust her."

The bathroom door unlocked, and Futaro stepped out, with only his lower half covered by a white towel.

"Ah, much better," he said, his hair towel dried and messy, and his skin slightly pink from the water. He caught a glimpse of Miku and Nino, who stood in the living speechless. "I— oh shit! Sorry guys! rushing quickly back into the restroom, shutting the door behind him. "I'm not used to having guests!" He shouted through the door.

"Looks like we got a little treat too, huh, Miku," Nino said, snickering with her sister.

Just then, Nino's phone began to buzz in her purse.

"I bet she's calling because she wants to ask for some Tokyo souvenir or something," Nino rolled her eyes.

"Hi, Itsuki," she said.

"Where's Uesugi-kun?" Itsuki said sharply.

"What?"

"Raiha-chan has been trying to call Uesugi-kun all day, but she says she can't get a hold of him."

Nino felt her smile drain from her face. Itsuki's tone warned her to brace herself. "He said his phone broke. What's wrong?"

"Nino, it's Uesugi-kun's dad."

Authors Note: Its been a swelting, busy summer lately. Thank you so much for your patience as I wrap up personal affairs, I found myself really excited about this current section of the story that I'm starting. I hope you enjoyed and as always, thank you so much for your constant support and the time you take to read this.

Special thank you for the following people who took the time to leave reviews on my fic.

Sennay, Bobalon, Segft, Bazzo, Chloetuco, and The Mist33.

On Reddit I want to thank JOA20, Ubberr, CaptainBalster, and JGrimshaw 123