Chapter 8 — To Your Bliss, Cried the Heart

Light, whimsical air. Remnants of a warm floral scent that teased its way to the very ends of the nose, inviting careless, senseless desires. Sweet, soothing—and once it eventually faded—faintly cruel. If only for a short while longer, the arms that tightly wrapped around the thin shoulders of her body wanted nothing more than to remain like this. To savor what looked like a cordial exchange, but felt like a long-awaited reunion.

And maybe, if it were not for the abrupt cough beside them, the two lovers would not have minded doing exactly so. Instead, they were promptly reminded that they stood outside the entryway to a Tokyo apartment complex, and they promptly left each other's embrace. Two pinkish-reddish haired women, and the mildly-flustered university student at the doorway. "Sorry to... interrupt," Itsuki said slowly. "Ichika and I had quite a long drive up here. Do you mind if we come in first, Uesugi-kun?"

Fuutarou faltered a cough. "Yeah, sure. Go right on ahead and make yourselves comfortable."

When he had received the phone call shortly after their conversation some weeks ago, Fuutarou had never expected things to turn out like this. Ichika was a talented actress—that much he never doubted—but going as far as to be invited to take part in a coordinated group interview here in Tokyo was monumental for her career. Her lucky break. A complete two-hour reserved time slot on Tokyo Stars Live, a popular talk show hosted in the evenings. In the time between the phone call and the actual interview date, public interest in the acclaimed independent-film, The Vermllion Riddle, had been kept at an all-time high. Movie lovers, theater enthusiasts, and most importantly, film studio agents, all across the prefecture would most likely tune in for the details concerning the production of the now-popular film and the mysterious newcomers of the industry.

"Sorry to intrude, Fuutarou-kun." Ichika waved to him as she stepped in, then turned to the side to cover a long yawn.

"Tired?" Fuutarou asked.

"A little. Had to wake up pretty early to get here, and the seat of a car can't beat a nice warm bed." Ichika took a glance inside Fuutarou's apartment. Not much could be made from just the front hallway. "You do have a bed, right? Or at least a comfy futon? I'd like to close my eyes for just a..."

"No, Ichika!" Itsuki retorted. "You can't stay long, remember? Your manager will be here soon to pick you up."

"I was only joking." Ichika yawned again. "Mostly..."

"Have you thought about what you're going to say? Is there anything wrong with the dress we brought? What if something—"

"She'll be fine, Itsuki." Fuutarou sighed. "Now hurry inside. You're clogging up the entire doorway."

"C-c-clogging? How dare you! Are you trying to call me—"

"Now, now..." Ichika laughed, gently beckoning her younger sister inside. "Get along nicely, you two. Come on, let's go inside. I'm really excited to see what the inside of Fuutarou's apartment looks like!"

Greeting them at the entryway was a small lower platform, followed by a slightly narrow hallway that led to a closed door. Lined against the walls of the hallway was a fridge connected to a long counter-top, which had an electric stove, a sink, and a microwave. A kitchen, to say the very least. The closed door on the opposite wall lead to the bathroom, which made the door at the end of the hallway the one that would lead to the main room. To the Nakano sisters' surprise, the full extent of the apartment had ended with that room. A single bed lined against the wall, a study desk, a dresser, a couple of floor pillows over a rug, a tiny bookshelf, and a tea table placed right in the center. A plastic fixture hung over the rail of the curtains, where some drying shirts spread to face the sun. Simple and efficient, albeit a little dull.

"It's really... how do I put it..." Itsuki struggled to find the words. She did not want to say it, but each of their own individual rooms probably had more space than the entire apartment. "...charming?"

"I think it's really cute." Ichika smiled. "Like your own tiny little world. It's kind of fitting for Fuutarou-kun. Look, you have everything you need right next to you. Is this your closet over here?"

"Like I told you before," Fuutarou said as he closed the door behind them. "It's nothing that special. It's Tokyo we're talking about here, and I'm just a student. Studio apartments are the norm."

"Studio...?" Itsuki repeated, completely unfamiliar with the type of housing. Now that she thought about it, there were a lot of young adults that they passed by. For such a large, populous city, Itsuki had a bit of trouble wondering why such cramped spaces were so common. Though, there was no need to pursue the thought, as Itsuki instead noticed something peculiar about Fuutarou's room. "Come to think of it, a lot of this reminds me of your home back at Tokai, Uesugi-kun."

"Does it?" He thought for a moment. "Like how?"

Itsuki nodded, then pointed to several corners of the room. "I'm sure of it. See? If you replace the desk with that tall bookshelf, it's practically the same layout. If I sit right over here like this... it's like I'm having dinner at your place again. Don't you think so? There's your father's seat, Raiha-chan's seat, and yours." She lightly sniffed the air. "Ah... for some reason, I'm craving a nice, hot serving of curry right about now."

"Hmm... I never thought about that, but you're kind of right. Guess I kind of put things where I'm used to. Never paid much attention to it."

"Oh, did you bring that framed drawing Raiha made from home too? That one on the wall looks really familiar."

"Raiha gave it to me as a housewarming gift," Fuutarou replied. "I'm surprised you remember."

"Because Raiha-chan told me all about it. Don't you remember? You got upset when she explained that she drew you with a big frowny face on purpose."

"My, I sometimes forget how close the two of you are." Ichika's voice playfully interjected itself into their conversation. Innocent enough of a tease as they would normally think, although, the cold delivery of that statement had made the two of them quickly clasp their lips shut.

Ichika lightly stepped over, leaning in between both their shoulders. "Out of all of us, Itsuki is the only one who has ever stepped foot inside Fuutarou-kun's home. Oh! And Itsuki also spent the night there before, wasn't that right? Ahh... it's a good thing your big sis isn't the jealous type." She placed one hand on her cheek and her other arm across her chest, carrying her gentle malice to their ears. "Right, Fuutarou-kun? Itsuki-chan?"

Itsuki fumbled over her words as she turned to the side. "I-I-I... no, tha-that was... that was...b-because"

"I'm only joking! Joking!" Ichika broke into a fit of laughter. "Come on, it wasn't that convincing, was it? What did you two think I was gonna do?"

Itsuki returned a laugh, but it came out more as a breath of relief. No matter how much she knew about her own sister, there would be times Itsuki would forget just how convincing of an actress Ichika could be. Or maybe, a small part of her was easily intimidated by that peculiar nature of her elder sister, no matter how far behind them it seemed. "Oh, was that it? You scared me there a little, Ichika."

"Remind me that I wouldn't want to stay on your bad side, Ichika." Fuutarou sighed, then looked across the table. "Was she really like this when you were kids, Itsuki? Can't imagine growing up on the receiving end."

"Hey!" Ichika glared with a quick puff to her cheeks. "You're being mean, Fuutarou-kun... I'm not like that anymore. Don't hold that against me..."

After a bit of back and forth, the three of them eventually found themselves exchanging laughter over cups of freshly-brewed green tea. It was at this time Fuutarou had learned a bit more about what the other sisters were up to and why only Itsuki was able to make it with Ichika today. Nino, as part of her major in business management, had swallowed the disappointment of missing out on a second trip to Tokyo, in favor of a new apprenticeship in tandem with her studies. As it turned out, her declared field had become a lot more competitive trending over the recent years. Grades alone were not enough to be ahead of the game, and if it was one thing that everyone of them knew, it was that the second eldest quintuplet had a knack for things when it came to competition.

For Miku, she was now entering her second week of culinary school, and has since spent each and every day preparing as if there were an important examination on the following day. Diligence that would make any former tutor proud.

As for Yotsuba, no one was quite sure what the fourth quintuplet was up to these days. Going in and out of the house was not outside of normal behavior, but the energetic girl could hardly answer their questions before the door clicked shut. All they knew was that Yotsuba had expressed her deepest apologies for not being able to make it to Tokyo a second time so soon, and that she would be joining Miku and Nino back at home as they watched the interview live on TV.

It almost seemed as if no amount of time could ever be enough to satisfy a conversation, especially not now. The droning sound of Ichika's phone had interrupted their conversation about Ichika's recent auditions, and the look on her face was equally as disappointed as it was for Fuutarou.

"You're leaving already?" Fuutarou slowly stood back up. "Feels like you only just got here."

"I don't want to go either." Ichika slowly shook her head. "A small part of me really wishes I could just blow off this interview completely. There's so many things I want us to catch up on, and you still haven't gotten the chance to show me around Tokyo, like you did with Miku and Yotsuba."

"Yeah..."

"I mean it, Fuutarou-kun!" Ichika leaned closer, pointing a finger as if she were trying to scold him. "You owe me a nice, romantic date somewhere in the city, okay, City Boy? When I get the chance to come back here, you're going to be all mine for the whole day."

"I promise." Fuutarou returned a smile. "And I'll count the days."

A wide grin formed on Ichika's face, before the elated actress planted a quick kiss on his cheeks. "I'll hold you up to that."

"Ahem." Itsuki broke in with another cough. "I'm uh... still here. I'd offer to move to a different room so you two can... talk, but uhm..."

"Oh lighten up, Itsuki." Ichika stepped around her younger sister, then wrapped her arms tightly around her so that their cheeks pressed against each other. "We're all adults now. Adults don't need to be shy about their feelings, especially when it comes to the people they love very very much."

Itsuki quietly groaned. "Okay... okay, okay! I get it, Ichika, but you're smothering me!"

Ichika laughed. "Alright! I wouldn't want to keep my manager waiting. I'll see you all after the show, alright? Fuutarou-kun, take good care of Itsuki for me."

They both saw Ichika out to her car, wishing her the best of luck as she prepared for the evening's interview. It was still reasonably early in the day, but to their surprise, a lot of arrangement was in order when it came to an actress, no matter how novice they may be. Makeup, dressing, and making proper introductions with her hosts. Between both Itsuki and Fuutaoru, it seemed almost inexplicable how someone their own age could stay so calm and composed, but Ichika reassured them that things would go well.

Now, however, there was a slight situation. As they had known, there were still hours in the day before evening, and the small Tokyo apartment now housed two individuals who were not exactly the most compatible. Uesugi Fuutarou rummaging through random parts of his kitchen, Nakano Itsuki seated at one end of the tea table, and a lengthy silence that hardly befitted a single occupant, let alone two.

Itsuki was the first to speak up. "So... Uesugi-kun, how... have things been? Is school going... well?"

With a raised brow, Fuutarou turned to Itsuki. Small talk was not exactly something the two of them often shared. "It's going well, I suppose. And you?"

"Good. And good. Good to both. Both are good."

Another short silence. It would be a bit rude on Fuutarou's part to not contribute a little more to keep things going, and it only took one look to Itsuki's fidgety motions to surmise something. Itsuki wanted something, and this girl had a bit of trouble when it came to wording her exact thoughts. "Have you been keeping up with your studies? You haven't slacked off just because I'm not around to scold you, right?"

"Of course I haven't slacked off!" Itsuki quickly retorted. "In fact, I'll have you know that I've been doing quite well in my classes. Don't expect a miracle or anything; I'm not acing all of my assignments, but I'm off to a much better start than I was in high school."

"Good." Fuutarou acknowledged. He leaned against his palm, smiling. "Good on you. Looks like my strict tutoring worked its way into you somehow. So? Was there something on your mind?"

Another good look at her face was enough to further confirm it. Dodged looks and lips fighting back her own mumbling. Finally, Itsuki took a deep breath. "You know, it really was a terrible experience having you be my tutor... but, regrettably... I have to admit that it was thanks to you that I'm attending college. I don't mean to flatter you or anything... it's just that... I wasn't sure if... well, if you remember graduation. Our little graduation you threw for us, I mean. I uhm... I requested something from you... and...and... ugh! Will you just say something already? Anything? It's weird only hearing my voice the entire time!"

Fuutarou gave a half-amused chuckle. "Just wanted to see how long you would go until you made a point. Yeah. I remember. Aren't you working part time with Shimoda-san as well? Isn't she helping you too?"

"I'm grateful for Shimoda-san's help. Really, I am. She's been a great teacher so far, but she teaches at a cram school. Shimoda-san told me that cram students are a lot different than regular students. It's hard to explain, but it's also good that I broaden my horizons a little more, as they say." A clicking sound escaped Itsuki's teeth. "And as awful, awful, as it was of an experience... I still have a lot to learn from you. About what it means to teach someone. I just never knew when was the right time to bring it up. And the reason why I'm bringing it up now is because of... something that happened the other day."

"Something that happened?"

"I... accompanied Yotsuba to a friend's house from high school. They've apparently been keeping close in touch, and Yotsuba mentioned something about needing help with something, though, Yotsuba didn't answer when I asked. While the two of them were talking, I was just waiting in the living room with her little sister. Apparently, our friend's little sister needed some help with her homework, and I thought I could pass the time by offering to help..."

Before she continued, Itsuki had suddenly lowered her head in shame. "She couldn't have been older than seven years old, but when I tried to explain simple multiplication to her, she looked at me like I was spouting nonsense! I did my best to help her; I took my time trying to explain, I gave examples, but it didn't do any good. Even I started to get confused over my own explanations, like I couldn't even solve them myself. These were second-grade concepts, Uesugi-kun! Second-grade! It was humiliating!"

There was a short moment in between when Itsuki had finished and when Fuutarou had gotten off his seat and to the small bookshelf. He scanned through the titles before pulling out one, two, then three books. "These are the one's I brought with me to Tokyo," Fuutarou said as he took a seat opposite of Itsuki. "Could you clear the table a little?"

"What are these?" Itsuki picked up some of the titles. "'How to Become a Better Tutor'... 'The Comprehensive Guide to Tutoring' ... 'Making Your Students Succeed: The Defining Qualities of a Great Teacher'... Uesugi-kun, these are..."

"You're free to borrow those as long as you return them," Fuutarou said. He slid her a spare notebook and some pencils. "I haven't forgotten the promise I made to you when we graduated. But remember what I told you, it's not always going to be easy. Neither will I. I'm a strict teacher and we hardly ever see eye to eye. You sure you're up for it?"

"I..." Itsuki looked over the contents of the table. These were not new books either. Some corners of the pages were curled ever so slightly, showing the meticulous back and forth of reading and re-reading. Tiny colored flaps peaked out of different sections of each book, carefully organized. Uesugi Fuutarou was smart, that much Itsuki had no trouble admitting. But just intelligence alone was not all there was to a great teacher. No, that much was something different. "Of course," she finally replied. "If you would be so kind... please teach me, Uesugi-sensei."

"We got a lot to cover before Ichika's interview." He lifted a pencil, and Itsuki did the same. "Let's see here..."

Truthfully, Fuutarou still had a bit of adjustments to be made when it came to the grand scale of Tokyo city. Trains twisted and turned into a complex network, spread across dozens, perhaps hundreds, of kilometers, with an equivalent abundance of cityfolk crowding in between. Even if he had spent every day of his current life in this city, Fuutarou would have his doubts on just how much he knew his way around. Nothing like back home, at least. And certainly not this deep within the heart of downtown.

By the time evening had approached, Fuutarou and Itsuki had found themselves cautiously entering the decorative foyer of a rather extravagant theater. Evening dwellers and late night observers gathered past the featured marquee, where the bold letters proudly highlighted the night's guests.

Though there was quite a turnout for the show, Ichika told them they were at least lucky that it was not a featured night for any larger, more famous celebrities, instead of, they quoted, 'some lucky newbies'. Still, it was a completely new experience for either of them. For starters, because they were friends and family of the talk show's invited guests, they were surprised to find out that they would be professionally escorted to their specially reserved seating, right in the front row.

"We finally made it." Itsuki let out a sigh of relief, then slunk into the cushions of her seat. Exhausted after the relentless hours of studying, Itsuki began to question just what part of her missed having this guy as her tutor. It was as if a single thing had not changed between them; Fuutarou was as strict as ever and did not hold back when it came to his expectations. "We would have been here a lot sooner if you didn't pull a pop quiz on me at the end. It was only the first lesson!"

"And if I didn't you wouldn't have learned anything." Fuutarou retorted. "And you were the one who kept asking questions at the end. You got most of it right the first time, so we could have left it at that."

"Well, it's not my fault the way you worded those questions was confusing. I could have gotten them all right, plus, I thought we had plenty of time. You were the one who took us aboard the wrong train."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Itsuki." He quickly returned a glare. "You always were slow to learn new things the first time around; don't flatter yourself into thinking you'll ace it the first try. And hey, cut me some slack, I've only lived here for four months, not four years. I've hardly been this far into the city before. You should have been helping me look at the map instead of just complaining about how hungry you were."

"I studied for so long, of course I'd start getting a little hungry! We were in such a rush, I couldn't even grab anything on the way here. And I find it hard to believe you don't have at least some snacks lying around your pantry."

Fuutarou gave her a quizzical, somewhat irritated, look. "Really? Out of everything I had just said, that was what bothered you?" He shook his head. "Whatever. There's really no point arguing over it. The important thing is that we made it here on time. When does it start?"

Itsuki took a look at her phone. "Uhm... a little over five minutes. Wow, the place is really starting to pack up, huh?" She placed a hand on her stomach, feeling light flutters along the walls of her insides. "Ah... I'm so nervous! I'm not even the one being interviewed; I can't imagine how Ichika can be so calm in front of all these people!"

Something about the audience had prompted Fuutarou to take a look around. He had almost forgotten. A talk show like Tokyo Stars Live had a sizable following in the Tokyo night scene, and a ticket to just one show can easily be worth tens of thousands of yen. A reserved seat was something he had never expected to receive; he would have had no troubles watching it from home like the rest of the sisters. When Ichika had jokingly mentioned to the studio agent that she had a family of four other sisters, they had disappointingly said that with the large number of cast members being interviewed tonight, they could only allow three guests per actor or actress. With Itsuki being the only sibling whose schedule allowed a trip to Tokyo at this time, and Fuutarou himself being a sensible choice, that left one more ticket for—

"Sorry, I'm late." Despite the murmurs and mumbles of the surrounding audience members, the profound depth of his voice carried every word directly to Fuutarou's ears. One that thought carefully over every word, especially to those he stood over.

"Father!" Both Itsuki and Fuutarou replied in unison, albeit a little more hesitant from Fuutarou. Stood in front of them was a tall man in a slim-fit suit, with dark hair that parted down both sides of his crown. His eyes were sharp and narrowed, carrying a look of indifference as he glanced at the two of them. Nakano Maruo. Stepfather of the quintuplet sisters, and the previous employer of Uesugi Fuutarou, who Fuutarou had last seen at their high school graduation.

"—You have no reason to call him 'Father.'"

"—You have no reason to call me 'Father.'"

Clenched in Maruo's hand were two plastic bags which he offered to his youngest daughter. "Here, Itsuki," Maruo said, "I had to stop by a second convenience store along the way. Two croquette buns, a curry bun, tuna onigiri, unagi onigiri, and I also got you a container of karaage. Just like you asked."

A delighted smile beamed across Itsuki's face as she had already begun unwrapping the first item. "Thank you, Father!"

If not for the crinkle of plastic, and the light sounds of her munching, Fuuarou would have thought this situation was a little too uncomfortable to handle. He thought of it as convenient, but that hardly mattered when Maruo had purposely taken the middle seat between him and Itsuki. With his back straightened and legs patiently crossed, Maruo sat without much idle conversation as the short minutes ticked by.

Fuutarou quietly let out a sigh of relief. The worst thing that he thought of was if they were to somehow bring up—

"It's come to my attention, Uesugi-kun, that you and Ichika have started dating." His words were stone cold, accompanied with an insightful gaze without the need to turn his head.

If Fuutarou had not expected this exact scenario, then he was a fool. He had enough days to anticipate it, and nothing felt more suitable for him to do than to respectfully say, "Y-y-yes, Nakano-san. We are."

"I see." Maruo paused. "Well, I have never been one to question my daughters' decisions. Certainly not Ichika's, either."

"You have my gratitude." Fuutarou politely bowed. "I can assure you that I—"

"However," Maruo interrupted. "I could not say the same for you, Uesugi-kun. I trust that we, as previous employer and employee, upheld our professionalism under our contract as best as we possibly could. Of course, I am familiar with how many times you've overstepped your bounds as their tutor. As their father, I was shocked to find out that it extended romantically. Could I at least trust that you, as their tutor, had not misbehaved or crossed any lines, in any way while under my arrangements?"

At times like this, Fuutarou wondered why he even sought after courage to speak. Those years were perhaps one of the hardest times he had ever gone through, but not once did he regret it. Not once for the friends he had made, not once for the memories he treasured, and not once for the one he admired the most. He straightened his posture, equal to Maruo's. "As their tutor?" Fuutarou began. "I've done nothing but what you had asked for, Nakano-san. However, if I may, I speak as someone of their age, who considers all five of them as his closest friends. There is nothing I would not have done if it meant their best interests at heart, whether it be their grades, their troubles, or their dreams. Surely, you could understand, if it was their own decisions."

"As for my relationship with your daughter..." Fuutarou continued. He looked onward to the set, where several of the film crew had started to position themselves. A stage befitting someone he had now put all of his faith in over her talents, and the light that shined bright whenever he would look her way. How he longed for those moments he could spend with her, resonating louder in his heart. "...I had already fallen for Ichika before I ever I knew it. That's why I cannot say for certain whether I had crossed that line first as her tutor, or as her friend. Though, maybe I should be the one questioning her decision, and what Ichika saw in a study-obsessed loner like me."

He chuckled, leaving behind a warm smile. "But I know for a fact that Ichika would get upset at me if I ever did something like that."

"I see." Maruo slowly returned his gaze to the stage. He closed his eyes, offering nothing more between them than a contemplative silence, before the dim of the audience lights drew the curtain over their conversation. "Ah. It's starting."

Lights drew attention to the decorative center stage, accompanied by the loud chorus of the live band. Patters of applauded hands and the turn of cameras welcomed the suited man who energetically ran up the stage, waving both of his hands to the audience with light kisses spread out from his palm. He looked to be no older than his late thirties, with short, slicked black hair, frameless glasses over his nose, and a brimming smile to welcome his audience. Confidence and charisma marked every grand one of his gestures, a quality unsurprising for that of a famous talk show host in Tokyo. Haga Ryushi, host of Tokyo Stars Live. An evening show that specialized in their repertoire of specially invited guests and performers.

As the music eventually faded and the audience quietened, the host began his introduction. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! This is Tokyo Stars Live, and I'm your host, Haga Ryushi. How are we all doing tonight?" His voice was both amiable and powerful, drawing lighter applause before he continued with the rest of his opening lines. Nothing too extravagant, but subtly intricate to easily lead in to the flesh of the night's show.

"...alright, enough about all of that," Haga lead on, "we got some special guests here tonight. I'm sure you've heard their names buzzing all across the web—Or! Or, maybe you have not! Because on tonight's show, we learn to expect the unexpected. Names can crawl out from under the woodwork, from seemingly out of the blue, and you might want to stick around to see how big it gets. I am of course talking about the unsuspected superstars, the creator behind the camera, the fresh blood of film—whose independent movie, The Vermllion Riddle, had taken film-lovers across the country by surprise—please welcome the director of The Vermllion Riddle, Masaki Yusa!"

The audience cheered as the thirty year old woman made her appearance the stage. To many viewers, the little gestures the young director made could be seen as oddly cute and quirky, though if anyone from the front seat had the suspicion, they could get an inkling of a feeling that Masaki Yusa was a little nervous over the whole ordeal. That did not come off as too much of a surprise; it was perhaps her first time facing such a large crowd, which would be broadcasted for all to see. All at the young director age of thirty. To her own relief, she was able to take a seat on the guest's couch after politely shaking hands with the host.

"...and joining Masaki-san tonight," continued the host, "we got quite a package deal in store for us. Please, a round of applause, for the rest of the main cast—Morioka Misako! Yuuma Misao! Nagisa Tarou! And Nakano Ichika!"

Though it was hard for Ichika to tell, there was quite a bit of excitement that followed her name. If she had noticed, she would have brushed it off as simply being the last name called. She and her colleagues entered in a staggered order, in accordance to the short five-to-seven seconds between each of their names being introduced.

Breathe, straighten your posture, pause, and go. Nakano Ichika had made her appearance to the public with a proud smile across her face. Dressed elegantly on the young actress was a black halter sheath dress with a light brown belt tied high above her waist, with a classy chandelier earring, and black ankle-strap heels.

Like lightning piercing through him, Fuutarou felt his heart stop the moment Ichika gave a perfect wink toward their seat in the crowd. A look as beautiful as it was irresistible. A flirtatious tug to the strings of a suddenly quickened heartbeat that would not easily go unremembered.

And if that did not kill him on the spot, then perhaps it might have been the sudden feeling of a sharp, sudden gaze from a protective father.

Politely, Ichika offered her greetings and formalities with their amicable host, before seating herself with the rest of her colleagues. One leg crossed over the other, patiently waiting as they all took turns introducing themselves and their respective roles in the film.

Hundreds of kilometers away, eagerly awaiting eyes fixated themselves to the living room television. "Are they done with that director person yet?" Nino's voice called across from the kitchen. Pantry doors opened and closed as she assembled light snacks. "I'm sick and tired of hearing about her the whole time! Masaki Yusa this, and Masaki Yusa that! Don't people get tired of it?"

"Well, she is the director. " Miku crumbled a rice cracker in between her lips. "They're the ones in charge of the whole thing practically. Of course they'd pay more attention to that."

"Hmph. I think she's had enough attention to last her a lifetime."

Bright little stars formed in Yotsuba's eyes and the excitable quint crawled closer to the television. "I don't think I could ever wear something that grown-up in front of so many people. Ah! Ichika pulls it off so well! Look at her, she's famous!"

"Not exactly 'famous' yet," Miku said. "But it's a big milestone for her career. I'm so proud."

Nino joined her sisters on the couch. "Those are the other actors, huh?" Her knuckles propped up against her chin as the interview carried on. "They really do have that aura to them. They stand out a lot."

"Nino! Did you get me some—"

"Yeah, yeah. Here." She chucked the bag of chocolate at Yotsuba, almost hitting her in the face if the fourth sister did not have such quick reflexes.

"I get what you mean, Nino," said Miku. "We're so used to seeing Ichika shine, it's pretty interesting to see her among her equals. Good news though, it looks like they started to segment things over to the cast now."

"Finally."

"Hey, you guys," said Yotsuba, somewhat muffled by the piece of chocolate still in her mouth. "You think we'd be able to see Uesugi-san, or Itsuki, or Dad the next time the camera pans to the audience? I'm gonna take a closer look!"

The interview had carried on from the focus of Masaki Yusa's vision and the inspirations she took to bring the film to life. Admittedly, the young director was a lot more humble than some would expect from one claimed to be a prodigy, but Masaki would always defer much of her received praise to the actors and actresses that sat beside her. She held that without their unpolished talent and raw potential, the film would not have been what she had envisioned it to be.

Naturally, the interest of the host had taken its turn to hear the voices of the cast. Morioka Misako, a 23 year old university student who played the role of Natalia Rustfield, the widowed wife that set the stage and overall tone for the hit mystery-thriller movie. Nagisa Tarou, a 24 year old recent university graduate who played the role of Gregory Hughes, an amateur detective and one of three childhood friends of Natalia. Yuuma Misao, a 21 year old trainee actor, who played the role of Vincent Chambers, the second childhood friend and romantic interest to both Natalia and Charlotte in their youth.

And Nakano Ichika. 18 years old, fresh-blooded trainee actress and recent high school graduate. Her character, Charlotte Lilia, was an aspiring photographer and the unsuspected pivotal force of the movie. With such a driving role in the film, a good amount of questions and topics had come the young actress's way. In fact, the attention she had received may as well earn Ichika the sole responsibility of carrying the entirety of the film all the way to its success.

"...I must say that is quite impressive," praised Haga, the live show's host. "You're only 18 years old and you managed to pull off quite the performance. I myself have seen the film twice now, and if you had told me that this girl had JUST got out high school, I wouldn't have believed you! My youngest niece is older."

"...Nakano-san was such a huge pleasure to work with," answered Yuuma, Ichika's colleague. "Everyday she gave it her best, and I think I speak for all of us when I say she was such an inspiration to us all."

"...There you go again with Nakano-san," followed Morioka, the other actress, "We get it, Yuuma-san. You're a big fan of your junior. You wouldn't believe the number of times he's cheered her on when we were filming. And he ALWAYS brought her coffee, even when she didn't ask for it."

"...She is the 'baby' of the cast, after all." Nagisa, the oldest of the actors, chuckled. "And as cute as a button. Doesn't she look like the kind of junior you would want to dote on and encourage?"

"Oh stop it, you guys." Ichika laughed. Being in the position of the youngest in the group was quite a different position than what most others had normally seen her. She would find herself on the other end of teasing from her senior colleagues, but it was not hard to play things off casually. "You all, including Masaki-san, took such great care of me. I am truly honored to be beside here with everyone of you."

Nino continued to watch the screen. "You know, it's hard to remember that we're all quintuplets. We're the same age and we look exactly alike, but seeing Ichika on the screen like that... it's really something else, huh? Ichika is a damn natural."

"I'd be so nervous..." Miku said, squirming a little in her seat. "Ichika really gets along well with anybody."

"Yeah, well this Yuuma guy seems to be getting along with her too well..." Nino leered, as if her threat could somehow be sent through the television. "She's got a boyfriend, pal! Back off!"

Interest in the lives of the young actors and actresses had become the center of attention following the lengthy discussions of the film. Haga, the host of the night show, had expressed his interest on the subject. He believed that the inner works of a smaller studio film was an unexplored subject that never lead to the same kinds of answers, as he had often invited the more renowned actors and directors of the film industry.

Light gossip, to put it simply. As it turned out, the humane blunders and behind-the-scenes interactions of a young cast was a refreshing perspective. With so many of them being relatively unknown to the public, it made sense that a lot of their personalities were left to be discovered.

Shortly after, there was a brief intermission for the staff, guests, and audience. Itsuki tucked her handkerchief back inside the pockets of her coat as she stepped out of the restroom. There was still some time left before the show would resume. Perhaps somewhere in the lobby offered some snacks or maybe—

"Nakano-san!" a random passerby had suddenly turned at his heel. "Oh my, it's really you!"

"Eh?" Itsuki gaze a quizzical look at the stranger. "Do I..."

"I'm a huge fan of your performance! I know you must be busy, so I won't take up much of your time, but I just want to say that I'll be cheering you on!"

Something finally clicked in Itsuki's head. "Oh, I'm sorry. You must be mistaken, I—"

"Wait, is that Nakano-san?" A passing couple had overheard their conversation. "It's really her! Excuse me, if it isn't any trouble, do you think we could get a photo with you? We understand if you're busy."

"I-I-I'm not..." A few more heads had turned their way.

"My friends and I loved your performances, Nakano-san!"

"Are you starring in any more movies soon?"

"Marry me, Nakano-san!"

The commotion had built to an overwhelming level for the confused redhead. Combined with the exhausting lectures of that morning, Itsuki could hardly handle her scattered thoughts. How exactly does she answer any of these questions? How does she clear up this weird misunderstanding? How—

She felt at her wrist, and she could hardly process the thought to fight back before she found herself pulled from the crowd and slipped around a vacant corner in the lobby. By the time Itsuki had realized it, Fuutarou had prompted her to keep her voice down. "Should have seen that one coming, Itsuki..."

"Thank you, Uesugi-kun..." Itsuki mumbled. "Honestly, how does Ichika handle that kind of stuff? It's just too much..."

"We can duck here for a little bit until the show starts again. That fine with you?"

"That's fine but..." Still carrying that puzzled look, Itsuki stiffly started to scratch the back of her head. "How have you been holding up, Uesugi-kun? Everything okay?"

"Huh? Where did that come from?"

"I'm just trying to be nice! You looked like something had been bothering you during the show."

"That was probably because your dad is scary as hell. Wait, you were glancing at me? That's... kind of weird."

"No it's not that, I figured that it was—" Itsuki sighed, then waited before she began again. "Look, we all know about... that talk you and Ichika had. It's been on a lot of our minds too. I... don't know anything about being in that position, but I'd imagine it must be a little difficult. It seemed like it was for Ichika as well, and she normally doesn't show it."

"Oh, so she told you guys, huh?" Tiredly, Fuutarou leaned his back against the wall, then closed his eyes. "Well... that shouldn't surprise me that she did. It's not like I expected her to keep it a secret or anything. That's just... the way it is, I suppose."

"You've... changed a lot Uesugi-kun."

"Huh?"

Itsuki looked off the corner of her eye. "I don't know why I thought it would be appropriate to ask about any of... that kind of stuff going on in your life, but if I did, I'd have figured you would have told me to just mind my own business. Again, I don't know why I'm asking you, but... if something is on your mind, I cant guarantee I'd be of any help, but I could at least hear you out. That is, if there isn't anything... then... well, then I guess..."

Her rambling was interrupted by an amused chuckle. "You're really awkward, you know that, Itsuki?" Fuutarou said.

"Excuse me for trying to be considerate!" Itsuki crossed her arms, looking away with a puff to her cheeks. "Whatever. If you say it's no big deal then it's no big deal. This will be the last time I try and—"

"Thanks, Itsuki," Fuutarou said. He still carried that amused smirk as when he had laughed at her, although, there was a strange resolution behind it. Like her words offered a brief respite over the troubles in his mind. "I mean it. It's kind of hard for me to talk about this kind of stuff, and I didn't know I was making it that obvious. The truth is... I don't know I should feel about it. Ichika and I have been dating for a few months now, and with her career and how fast things have been going... I should have expected something like this eventually. I just never knew when."

"Go ahead, Uesugi-kun."

It had all happened a little over the week before. Popularity had not only surged over the ingenuity of The Vermllion Riddle, but also for the young pink-haired actress making her grand debut. Followings had surfaced, and although it was small, fans of actress, Nakano Ichika, was steadily increasing. Number of search hits, view counts of older films, online discussion threads—all increasing as the days went on. Oda—being the ever so assiduous manager—had quickly seized the newfound opportunity, and had begun advising the eldest quintuplet over how to handle growing fame. And an interview was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lay the foundation.

Public relations.

Namely, a public relations advisor. With his extensive connections across the industry, Oda had brought Ichika to one of his most trusted advisors, who in the past, had worked closely with renowned celebrities in the early stages of their career before they became the pop-culture titan they were today. Everything that Ichika now knew about interviews was thanks to their extensive sessions and advice. Little things from body language, to tone, to posture, and to technique. Ways to calm nervousness, tricks to sound more appealing, confidence to inspire support. Of course, Ichika was a natural through and through. The actress had perfected nearly every component there was to charisma, every word that would woo her viewers, and every gesture that embodied glamour and grace.

Almost everything.

An actress like Ichika was compelling in many different ways. Talented, charismatic, earnest, and beautiful in every single way. There were two sides of building public relations with fans—maintaining a good image and avoiding a bad one. When Ichika had answered that she was in fact actively engaged in a romantic relationship with someone, the professional advisor could only remark expectingly. Fans would not be too thrilled to learn that. Some would immediately lose interest. Idealistic and inspiring, yet not impossibly attainable, even if the chances were astronomically low, the perfect image of her should remain exactly that. Perfect.

"I'm not saying that you should go through with all of my advice," the advisor had said to Ichika. "But going off data and popular trends, it would be the best PR move, and best for your career, if you would strongly reconsider your private romantic relationships. Dating scandals are a harsh reality in this industry. Between relationships and careers, I've seen it end one or the other. Sometimes both. I know nobody wants to hear that, but that is just my advice to you."

There was not much else to be said following that final advice. All that Ichika could really do was closely tug the wool of her sweater, smiling that fake smile. "I understand," she had finally said. "I will remember your advice, and take it into consideration. Thank you for all of your help."

"...so in the end, you two still haven't resolved it?" Itsuki said after listening to his troubles. The look on her face carried mixed emotions, yet none of it could form to conclusive thoughts. "That's... I... I thought you two seemed pretty normal this morning, but I had no idea. Does that mean the two of you are..."

"No," Fuutarou cut her off. "There's just been a lot on Ichika's mind lately. This is a big night for her and for her career; I did not want to trouble her by adding more to it. We've just never had the chance to talk about what we should do. Before we knew it, tonight had already come." He was quiet for a moment, then straightened himself back. "Now come on. It looks like they're letting everyone back in. We should go before—"

"Uesugi-kun." There was not much Itsuki could think of saying at this moment. Nothing more than a few honest words. "You... don't have to always be so considerate. Not all the time."

"I don't understand what you mean, Itsuki. I already told you, I don't want—"

"What do you want to tell her, Uesugi-kun?" She gently tugged the cuff of the beige cardigan Fuutarou wore. Stitched virgin wool of the highest quality, far too expensive for his abstemious self, yet stubbornly gifted by the one he cherished most.

"You don't have to always wear it...", Ichika had told him on that brightly-lit night. The cold of the evening breeze that taunted the space between them, and the warmth of her smile that made it all go away. "...but whenever you see this, I want you to know that I always am thinking about you. Always."

He wanted Ichika to focus on her career. He wanted what was best for her dreams. And more than anything else, he selfishly wanted his own place at her side for every single moment.

"Would that be... alright?" Fuutarou muttered to himself, far too quiet for Itsuki to hear him. Yet, the look on his face said more than enough.

"Be honest with your feelings, Uesugi-kun. I'm sure it will reach Ichika."

Lights refocused center stage. In an all-out battle of charisma and chatter, the show had quickly resumed to its seamless pace. Four actors accompanied by a bashful director, and the energetic host that never failed to draw laughter from those who surrounded him. Before they had left off, Haga had expressed keen interest in the behind-the-scenes during the film's shooting. Stories of what had happened after the cameras stopped recording after a dramatic scene, the shared camaraderie that sprouted from strangers to colleagues, the silly bloopers that no one really gets to see.

"...actually, believe it or not, that part was improvised by Nagisa-san! I was just so inspired by it that I thought we should keep it in the final product..."

"...and Yuuma-san had forgotten to tell us he was allergic to shrimp! We had to stop shooting and rush him to the..."

"...we would meet up a few times after the day and go bowling and karaoke. Morioka was the most familiar with the area, so she brought us to some of the best places. I would love to go back and..."

"...we actually got a little scared of Nakano-san after the final shot of a certain scene with Charlotte. She just played it so well! Especially when—wait, I shouldn't be giving out any spoilers—but let's just say that we didn't go to any restaurants that served their entrees with a fork for the rest of that week..."

"...one time, during a scene during the middle of the movie, one of the special effect machines had a malfunction and it triggered the sprinklers. Thankfully, none of the equipment was damaged, but all of us were soaked. We were so close to finishing a key scene with Charlotte, and I would have hated it if Nakano-san caught a cold at such an important moment. I've got a pretty good immune system, so I ran all the way to my car in the parking lot to get her my coat. You remember that, Nakano-san?"

"...oh, of course I remember that, Yuuma-san. It was really sweet of you..."

"You know, I'm sensing a bit of chemistry here between the two of you here," Haga said after yet another cordial story between the actors.. "The other two weren't kidding; the two of you look like you get along really well."

"Told you," Nagisa commented, "those two were practically inseparable during the film. They're both the youngest, so it makes sense that we'd catch them goofing off a bit before the cameras started rolling again."

"Not youngest by that much, Nagisa-san," replied Morioka. "It was more like Yuuma-san was distracting her, anyways. He's always been a bit of a goofball whenever he's on the set and it's even distracted me a couple of times."

"You're being mean, Morioka-san," Yuuma whined. "I take my work very seriously, I'll have you know! But, you know, it is kind of true though. I've been really inspired by Nakano-san's talent, I even jokingly mentioned that the two of us should go on a date sometime, but Nakano-san never gave me a straight answer."

"Oh you have?" Haga curiously leaned from the sides of his desk. He knew what parts made for a bit of teasing and a little light banter, and nothing seemed as interesting right now then a little mischief. "Nakano-san, is that true? You would turn down such a handsome gentleman. What is it? Is it his hair? Too scruffy?"

To some, the thought of these two dating would not come off as a surprise. Like Ichika, Yuuma Misao was an aspiring young actor, a little under three years her senior, with his own smaller accomplishments in the field. A strong charismatic presence was no unfamiliarity between actors, and Yuuma had gained his own following that praised his good looks and playful, fun-loving personality. Rumor had it that his cousin was a famous actress, and he had received special training among the best of the best.

"Oh no, it's not that." Ichika laughed. "Yuuma-san is definitely a handsome man. Don't worry."

"I don't mean to pry too much into her private life.," Yuuma commented. "It was all in good fun."

"Don't lie now, Yuuma-san," Morioka said. "We all know how much you were dying to take Nakano-san out on a date. You even got on your knees at one point, and wouldn't stop until you got a yes or a no."

"What's wrong with that? I thought at least Nakano-san would tell me if she had a boyfriend or not! Is that too much to ask?"

"There it is," Nagisa said with a chuckle. "Is it that suprising to find out that your pretty boy charms don't work on everybody? Maybe it's time to give up on Nakano-san."

"Oh come on now, you heard her admit that I was handsome, right?" He flashed a smile. "That means I have at least a bit of a chance, right? We all haven't gotten together as much after we finished filming, so I never got the chance to ask Nakano-san. What do I need to fix? What do I need to do to get you to go on a date with me?"

Ichika forced a smile. She had forgotten that tact was not something that was shared between all actors and actresses, especially not to fellow newbies like herself. She could not blame it entirely on Yuuma though. Not all had the luxury like her to have been professionally consulted. Someone like Yuuma Misao—who relied a lot on his overwhelming confidence—might have a bit of trouble drawing that line.

But what was she to say? The time she had spent with the public relations advisor had always hung in the back of her mind since that day. Being an actress had always been her dream, and of course, she had lived every day of her life working as hard as she could. At some point in her life, she would have thought of this to be an easy decision. It probably would have been simpler to drop out of school, to focus on pursuing her acting career, and to keep telling lies.

And she hated every second of every thought of it. Every last one.

"It's not you at all, Yuuma-san..."

It could be something simple. Like she had rehearsed before, she thought. Deny to answer. Dodge the question. She could say something along the lines of, "I've just decided to pursue my true love—acting. I don't think I have time to dedicate myself to a relationship."

Would that not be another lie? Should it even matter to an actress, whose forte was her ability to uphold a convincing facade? Surely, there would be no trouble in saying that.

And that would only be lying to herself.

She would be lying to the love she felt from Fuutarou, no matter how distant they may be. She would betray that turbulent beating of her own heart that came whenever she saw the one she loved. What sort of face would Fuutarou be making right now? Would he smile, placing a gentle hand over her head, telling her to stay true to her dreams, and to march forward without any regrets?

What reason was there for her to hesitate? The answer was obvious.

To the longing feelings inside of her, too exhausted to tell anymore lies. To the one person who held her heart and her pride. To their blissful lives, and to hell with anything after that.

"...it's because I'm happily in a relationship with someone I love very, very much." Ichika poorly covered the enamored smile on her face with her fingers. A single moment of lovestruck innocence, followed by blushed confidence as the proud actress continued, "...and every moment I'm with him fills my heart with so much joy. I couldn't ask for anyone better."

Author's Note

Well, well! Looks like you found your way down here again. That would mean you conquered that colossus of a chapter up there? With the authors note here, Chapter 8 has reached a total of 10,012 words, and what a grueling experience that was! Over 10k words! I even thought of putting all of this in the previous chapter, but ultimately ended up splitting it and it STILL got this out of hand. I never even stopped to consider whether or not this direction would be entertaining to read, or if the development was good enough.

Enough of that nonsense! About this chapter, I ended up juggling a lot of different plot points at once, but I'd like to think of it as a necessary responsibility for the direction I've always planned on taking this story. Like mentioned on previous Author's Notes, I really wanted to make this story a reasonable extension to the ending of Gotoubun, adopting all of the flaws it had and leveling it out rather than ignoring it. On top of a developed relationship with my preferred pairing, there is also the matter of further developing the endings of the other quintuplets alongside everything. I could have kept things in the background, but I'm so glad to read the reviews that are pleased with the current developments! You guys are all wonderful!

In unrelated news, this week I have finally received my GoodSmile Ichika Nenderoid in the mail! ╰(▔∀▔)╯ Been SUPER excited to get it ever since preorders, and onee-san has a permanent spot on my desk (maybe that's the exact encouragement I need to stop myself from procrastinating). Which faceplate suits her best? No, that's a ridiculous question, of course it's the winking face.

With that said and done—as usual, thank you all and glory to Ichika! Now, where is my rock?

_φ(。。) "Look, I know it's a completely arbitrary deadline, but nothing is more inspiring than the days closing in on one. And the slight panic. Oh yeah, that's it alright…"