Chapter 17 — Cusp of Adolescence

Steam over spring water. Ripples across a still water's surface, widened with the dips and sways of submerging skin. First, was the heat. The bite and sting of heated groundwater, fierce and feverish as it sunk into skin and stimulated the blood underneath. And so readily would it seek elsewhere. Wherever the waters could turn the most wearisome flesh supple, and all the troubles that burdened it to fade along the swirl and haze of steam. It all would fall into place so easily. So effortlessly. When the last parts of the body finally gave in to the temptation and fervor, all that was left was pure, comforting bliss.

Bliss—even if it were only ephemeral.

"Yotsuba," Miku nudged her absent-minded sister by the shoulder, leading her gaze to the dampened ends of her hair that crept out of her towel. "Your hair is touching the water."

"Huh…?" Yotsuba slowly blinked. Without realizing it, she had slouched so far into the water that her chin hovered above the surface. "Oh, you're right! Sorry."

She quickly lifted herself above the bath, taking one long look between the bamboo walls that encompassed them. Rows of tightly wrapped bamboo chutes; the same as they had always known, stretched high above them. Polished rock composed the perimeter of the spring bath, which she now pressed her back against. A thin layer of steam clouded the space, as if she basked in the comfort of a pleasant dream.

Toraiwa Hot Springs. It had probably been a little over two years since they had last paid a visit to their grandfather's hot springs. As children, they often frolicked through the wide hallways of the inn as they accompanied their mother. Thinking back on it now, the comfort that came within these walls must have been a sanctuary for their mother. A place that offered respite from the harsh reality that wiped away her smile, the moment Rena had to be apart from her daughters.

Now—after the many years that turned it all into wistful memories—the family inn had finally begun to show its age. Or rather, it had always looked this way. Once their eyes saw past the point of nostalgia, the wrinkles and tears would become a lot more clear. From the old paint and wallpaper that had always been the same as they could remember. To the wilt and droop of plant leaves, untended by their aged owner. And the scattered petals and dead leaves that littered the floorspace.

From her end of the bath, Nino tiredly stretched her arms above her shoulder, letting the bits of her fatigue drown with the spring water. "This place has really gotten old, hasn't it? It's funny. I feel like I am just noticing it now."

"I was just thinking the same thing." Yotsuba let her head lean back against the stone, watching the steam slowly drift upward. "It almost seems a little more different every time we visit. When we were here with Uesugi-san and his family, it was like no one else had been here for a long time. It makes me a little sad…"

"Unfortunately, it does make sense," Miku said. "Grandpa has always looked after this place all by himself, ever since Mom and Grandma passed away. It must have been hard, all this time." Her voice trailed to silence, and neither of them could find the words to continue. For a short while, the three sisters sat quietly within the bath, letting the sedation of the springs replace idle conversation.

Yotsuba was the first to perk her head up. "That must be them!"

"Huh?" Nino raised her brow, then turned her ear. There was hardly anything that caught her ears, and she listened more closely. Faintly, she could pick out a distant muffle. Something like the scoot of indoor slippers against the hardwood floors and the slide of the furthest door within the women's changing room.

Then came a voice. A familiar voice, benign with a light, cheerful air to her words. "Whoa, I think it's stuck or something?"

The three sisters attentively turned towards the door.

"It does that sometimes," Itsuki's voice came next. "Here, you need to be a little careful, but if you just do it like…"

With a hefty noise and a disorderly rattle—loud and sudden enough to suspect something actually had broken—the old door slid open. Standing at the doorway were two figures. First to stick her head through was Itsuki, mouth held agape as the fingers of her hand pinched the tip of her loosely-held towel. Her other hand, however, guiltily held onto the door's handle, with the rest of its wooden frame bent to a crooked angle. A drop of sweat fell from her head as she looked at what she had done.

"Well…" said the person beside her, blatantly amused, "it might be broken now…"

"I-I—" Itsuki quickly scanned over it. "Can we fix it somehow? Is it bad?! Can I—"

"Don't worry, I'm sure it's just caught on something. It is pretty old, after all."

Peeking her head through the door was a woman in white button-down collared shirt, tucked into black high-waisted pants. Her fingers pulled down the rounded sunglasses passed the bridge of her nose, swaying the silver chain-earring beside her right ear.

"Hey." Ichika gave a single, carefree wave. "It's been a while."

The first words stalled from their mouths For months counting, they all had closely kept up with Ichika as she made her waves across the American film scene. They saw every film and clip she was featured in, shared shots and photos of her professional modeling gigs, and even engaged in heated arguments with overly lecherous fans on the internet. She was their sister—their oldest sister they had known their whole lives—but in that brief moment their eyes met, it was like they were looking at a different person. Starstruck.

Eventually, Yotsuba was the first to greet her sister. Her legs shot straight up, splashing bits of spring water over Miku and Nino. "Ichika! It really is you. Long time no see!"

"Welcome home, Ichika," Nino said. "Hope you had a good flight. Come take a bath with us; you must be exhausted."

"It's good to see you again, Ichika," said Miku. "You're looking well. A lot… different, somehow."

"Different?" Ichika said as she began to undo the top buttons of her shirt. "How so?"

"Not in a weird way or anything. You just seem like you're a lot older now, I guess." Miku chuckled at the thought. "Though, I guess saying that does sound a little weird too."

"Tell us all about America!" Yotsuba eagerly said. "We've got so much to catch up on since you've been gone. Nino and I were wondering the other day if it was true that they—"

"Careful, Yotsuba. Don't hurry on out like that."

"But we haven't seen you in so long!" She spread her arms and puffed her chest. "Come here and give me a hug, Ichika! I've missed you so much!"

"We've all missed you," Miku added. "Things really aren't the same with you gone."

"I could say the same for all of you, too." Ichika pleasantly laughed to herself. She carefully began to unhook her earrings, letting the thin silver chains trail between her fingers. "Give me a minute, alright? The plane ride was really long, and I could really use a shower right now."

"Then let me help wash your back." Yotsuba grinned.

"Could you? That'd be great."

After slipping off the last of her traveling clothes, Ichika made her way to the nearby showers. Creaks of the old shower handles came with every twist, and Ichika could not help but curiously raise a brow when no water would come out. She tried again with the nearby shower and again, not a drop of water.

"Oh, right," Nino called back. "Forgot to mention it, but the showers are all broken here."

"Broken? Oh, you're kidding me…"

"Wish I was. There's only two working ones and they're on the men's side. You'll have to go there."

"That so? Well, then I guess I will have to—Hu… huh?!" Ichika quickly turned. "Wait, what do you mean 'go there'? The men's bath?!"

"Don't worry, we all did the same thing." Yotsuba gave a thumbs up. "Don't you remember? Since Grandpa is in no condition to work, the inn is closed. It's just us here."

"Right…" Ichika breathed a sigh of relief. "That explains why the place looks so empty. Well, I'm guessing it's been empty even before then, huh?"

"Yeah…" Itsuki replied. "Without Grandpa, there would be no one left to watch over this place…" Not wanting to continue the thought, Itsuki shook her head. "Anyways, Ichika and I should shower first. We'll be right back."

"Take your time, you two." said Nino.

After a short detour through the empty inn and another small handful of minutes later, Ichika and Itsuki returned to the women's bath. They welcomed their sisters back, but quickly noticed the looks of displeasure in both Ichika and Itsuki's eyes. Drips of cold water trickled from their skin and a shiver struck through their shoulders as they marched closer.

"Did I forget to mention that the hot water isn't working either?" Nino smirked.

"You might have…" both Ichika and Itsuki replied with a slight rattle to their teeth. They had no room for conversation, immediately seeking refuge within the warmth of the spring bath. It was almost paralyzing. Overwhelming. The moment their feet touched the water, the rest of their bodies followed, as if it absorbed their entire being, until the only thing they could control was the long-desired groan that spilled from their lips. Ichika more so, as the young actress had endured hour after tiresome hour tucked within the tubular confines of the soonest flight she could find back to Japan from California, and all of the fuss that came with.

And yet the feeling of home was enough to make all those troubles melt away, dipped within spring waters that felt downright heavenly as it poured over her skin.

As much as Ichika would have loved to remain just like this, she would eventually remember that this was not exactly some vacation. Nothing so carefree where she could keep that smile on her face for more than a brief moment. She thought of the handful of days that separated this morning from the day she had received that phone call. Somewhere, deep down, the five sisters knew that the days would eventually narrow for themselves and those around them. The clock stopped for nothing and no one, and no seconds, minutes, or hours could ever replace the ones that had been lost. There just was never enough time for everything.

Perhaps it seemed like too much to ask, but they all wished the days would come a little slower. Just a little.

"How is Grandpa doing?" Ichika asked. "Has he… I mean, is it alright if we all visit him at once? A few of you have already paid him a visit, right?"

Miku nodded. "Nino, Yotsuba, and I arrived two nights ago. The hospital is a bit of a walk away, but we called and they said it would be alright if we went and saw him. We weren't able to stay long though. He seemed really… tired. Happy to see us, but… tired."

"I see…" Itsuki muttered, looking down at the faded tinges of her red hair that made for watery reflection. "Do you think Grandpa has a lot on his mind? He's always loved this inn, and for as long as I can remember, he's worked here. I wonder if he'd worry about how the inn is doing right now."

"Knowing how Grandpa is," Nino said, "he's probably waiting to be discharged so that he can come back and fix the place up. Honestly… he is no condition for any of that. Not at his age, and not all by himself either."

Quick as the thought had crossed her mind, Yotsuba stood back up. "Hey, I got an idea!"

"What?"

She quickly wrapped her towel around her body, making her way out of the bath. "I think I'll do some cleaning up around the place! That way, Grandpa won't have to worry about it while he's in the hospital." Yotsuba took a valiant stop forward, feeling a small surge of gratification as the chores began to pile up in her head. "Now, where can I find a mop? I'm sure there's got to be one here somewhere…"

"Hey, Yotsuba! We're supposed to go see Grandpa right after this," Nino called after her, but the fourth sister had already set her mind. "What's the point of getting yourself all dirty again? Hello?"

"Ah ha…" Ichika laughed, but it was quickly followed with a yawn. "What I would do for at least ten-percent of Yotsuba's energy. I could really use that right about now."

"Are you experiencing any jet lag, Ichika?" Miku asked. "It's probably pretty late back in California. Maybe we can pick up some coffee for you before we go."

"Ha, sorry for the trouble. Thought I could make it through just fine, but I guess I overestimated myself." She quietly groaned to herself as she carelessly sunk deeper into the water. "That aside, let's talk about some of the good news! Nino, Miku! I couldn't believe it when I heard, but you two really decided to take up Fuutarou-kun's family bakery? That's amazing! How did you manage to convince them?"

To Ichika's surprise, Miku sank much lower into the water, muttering something like a response within the bubbles between her puffed cheeks. "Did I say something weird…?" Ichika asked as Miku's face turned bright red.

"She been like this ever since we made the deal," Nino remarked. "Every time I ask her, it's the exactly same thing."

"That's because…!" Miku immediately interjected. "I… I didn't know what came over me, okay? I mean… I'm happy that we did. And that they placed so much trust in us, but when I think about all of it… I just… the things I said were…" Miku hid her face, not wanting to remember her brazen attitude from days prior.

"I… I see…" Ichika halfheartedly chuckled. "Sounds like I missed out on something."

After a short while, Miku hesitantly continued, "The truth is though… I'm a little overwhelmed…"

"Overwhelmed?"

"We both are," said Nino, huddling her knees to her chest. "Miku and I seemed so sure of ourselves whenever we would talk about the future and the cafe we'd open up, but… it's a lot different when it's this… close. I'll be honest, it's kind of scary." Her fingers drew out of the water, and Nino expressed the troublesome thoughts with every finger she counted down. "'Building a Business plan'… 'Budgeting'… 'Market Research'… 'Legal work'…"

Nino let the back of her palm fall back into the water. "There is just… so much for us to do. So much for us to think about. We don't want to—no, we can't mess anything up."

Miku nodded. "Not after Fuutarou, Isanari-san, and Raiha-chan trusted us this much. Nino is right. It is scary to think about. It's like the more I think about it, the more I find out how much I don't know." As if shaking away her misgivings, Miku shrugged. "But what can I say? It's not like being stupid is anything new to us. We'll just have to do it and hope for the best, like we always have."

Miku's dry sense of humor and deadpan honesty was something that never failed to make her sisters laugh. Combined with the rejuvenation of the spring bath, moments like these felt long overdue within their busy lives. Once they settled again, Ichika looked beside her. "And you, Itsuki?"

"H-huh?" Itsuki stuttered. "M-me? What about me?"

"That's what I'm asking you, silly!' Ichika playfully nudged her shoulder against hers. "Have you and Fuutarou-kun been getting along lately?"

"Me and Uesugi-kun? Getting along? Yeah right."

"But hasn't he been helping you prepare for your teaching certification?"

"Yes, he has, but it's far from us getting along." Itsuki sighed. "I never once missed being Uesugi-kun's student, and it just seems like he's even harsher than ever before. I'm pretty sure he does it for personal reasons…"

"Are you sure the two of you aren't getting closer?" Ichika innocently smiled, but the distance between them grew shorter. "Because Fuutarou-kun has been telling me all sorts of good things about you. I can't help but think that my cute and adorable little sister and my boyfriend are getting a little too friendly…"

"I-I-I-Ichika!" Itsuki stuttered again, more profoundly than before. "That—I mean, did Uesugi-kun really say that we—no, I mean, Uesugi-kun and I are just—"

"Ah, I missed this so much about you, Itsuki-chan!" Ichika reached her arms around her youngest sister, hugging her tightly as Ichika's blithe laughter filled the room. "Come on, you know your big sis is just joking! Don't try to run from me!"

"Still, joking like that isn't funny…" Itsuki pouted.

"Sorry, sorry! It's just been so long, I couldn't help myself. Here, I'll make it up to you, but you gotta promise not to tell Fuutarou-kun, okay?"

"Not to tell Uesugi-kun? About what?"

Ichika nodded. "You know when I said Fuutarou-kun was saying all sorts of good things about you? Well… I wasn't lying, you know."

"I find that hard to believe." Itsuki rolled her eyes.

"You don't have to believe me." Ichika smirked. "But, you know, ever since Fuutarou-kun found out that Raiha-chan got accepted into Kurobara, he's been thinking about a way to express his gratitude."

Itsuki raised a brow. "Oh. I see."

"We both know how hotheaded Fuutarou-kun can be," Ichika continued, "he's not very good at things like that. Whenever I ask about your lessons, he says that you've improved a lot. Though… since the two of you always end up arguing, he doesn't know how to do it without starting a fight." Ichika laughed, remembering that it had always been this way between them. From the first day her youngest sister marched back to Ichika, furiously complaining about running into, 'the rudest, most thoughtless boy she had ever met,' and the stubborn days that would eventually follow. Perhaps it always looked as if things would never change between them, but neither Ichika, nor her other sisters would consider that to be true. Not entirely, at least.

"You've been tutoring Raiha-chan for a while now," Ichika continued. "She's made it into Kurobara thanks to your help. Their family has never been able to afford a private tutor before, and with Fuutarou-kun being so busy now, they all couldn't be happier that they met you. That includes Fuutarou-kun too. So… just for a little bit, be patient with him, alright? He'll come around."

She gently rested her hand over Itsuki's head, careful not to drip any water over her. "You've really been doing your best. Great work, Itsuki."

Itsuki turned away. It was as if she purposely sought such attention. She had thought that turning twenty years old would have put her past her childish desires, but the youngest quintuplet quietly reserved her gratification. Between the anxiety and ambiguity that made for all of their diverging lives as adults, moments like these served as delicate reminders that they were all still the same. And for those reasons, Itsuki would eventually realize just how much she missed having her oldest sister around. Sometimes, it was simply nice to be coddled.

"If Uesugi-kun really felt that way," Itsuki muttered, "then he has a really poor way of showing it. I'll admit that it's because of him that I was able to make it this far too. I… suppose I can put up with him. Just for a little longer."

"It really is like you never left, Ichika," Nino said with a smirk. "If it weren't for your California tan, no one could have guessed."

"Tan?" Ichika promptly stood up. Her neck, chest, and hips turned as she looked across her whole body. "No I do not! I hardly look any different from the rest of you."

"No, it's there. The rest of you see it, right?"

"You're lying. Tell Nino that she's lying, Miku, Itsuki. There's nothing, right?"

"Quick, while Ichika is still standing! Let's see if she gained any weight in America."

"I—I did not!" Ichika wrapped her hands over her bare waist. "You're just making stuff up now! Miku, Itsuki, quit laughing!"

They bantered back and forth. A short while spent in laughter and the heat of spring bath, until eventually, they began to get dressed. As they slipped on their bathrobes, they all could hear the sounds behind the door as Yotsuba quickly paced around the old inn. "Yotsuba must really be going at it," Ichika said as she fixed on her earring.

"I don't know what she's hoping to accomplish in such a short time," said Nino as she tied two butterfly scrunchies down either ends of her medium-length pigtails.

"Even so, I'm sure it would make Grandpa happy," said Miku, unwrapping the towel over her hair and letting the long strand fall over her face. After a few strokes with a nearby brush, the third sister finished by moving aside the remaining strands that fell over her face.

"We should go tell Yotsuba to get ready," Itsuki said, putting on her red glasses over her eyes. She opened the door.

Past the bright light of the midmorning sun, the four sisters stared with widened eyes across the courtyard. The wide, hardwood floors were cleaned of every litter of leaves, petals, and dust, wiped thoroughly down so that sunlight could faintly reflect off its surface. The wall-mounted lamps had been cleaned of any spiderwebs that spun around its fixture. In those short moments, the clouds seemed as if it parted, breathing new life into the Toraiwa Hot Springs.

And there, stood at the center of the courtyard, was Yotsuba, with her bright orange hair tied to a short ponytail. A mop propped against a nearby tree and a pail of water held in her hands, as the spirited quintuplet carefully tended to the nearby plants. Her fingers gingerly brushed over the wilted leaves and hunched flowers, as if they were all as beautiful as the day they sprouted from the earth. Compassion guided her hand and the pensive look in her eyes as her water pail poured over the plants.

"Oh?" Yotsuba noticed her sisters standing outside the courtyard. "Are we all getting ready to leave soon?"

Echoes along the halls. Bright walls of white and bespeckled beige, stretched widely as their steps trailed after them. Nothing quite like the well-renowned hospital that their father oversaw, the island of Himakajima served hospitals and clinics befitting of its humble size. Small and accommodating. Few rooms to hold fewer patients. Even finding an available hospital worker took a while longer than any of the five sisters had expected.

Room 06. A hospital room tucked along the outer bend of a curving hallway. A place that pleasantly faced the bright, risen sun, and the distant horizon that split two shades of blue. With the long hours that accompanied these short days, the five sisters could not help but draw upon the memories they had long since tucked away. Old thoughts that painted vestiges of their younger selves, and the innocence buried within naivety.

They had been here before. Once, during one of their visits, these halls once carried the echoes of their juvenile selves. Themselves, and the wearisome mother that carefully rested on the hospital bed. During those naive days, neither one of them could have expected their mother had already shown signs of sickness. "It's just a bad headache," Nakano Rena would have said to her daughters that cautiously peered from the doorway. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

"Are you doing alright, Itsuki?" Ichika looked over her youngest sister, gently resting a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm… fine," Itsuki replied after a deep breath. She had not realized it, but her chest had grown a little stiff since they had entered.

"We can wait a bit if you want. Maybe get you something to drink?"

"No, that won't be necessary. Thank you. I'll be fine."

Ichika slowly nodded, then turned to her other sisters that waited a little ahead. "Are you sure Grandpa will be okay with this? We always showed up dressed as each other. If we were to shock him now…"

"He said that was all he wanted right now," answered Miku. "Before we left, Grandpa said that he wanted to face all of us for who we really are."

Ichika giggled halfheartedly. "So, he knew that we were wearing disguises the whole time, huh? I guess that shouldn't surprise me. Grandpa really does know all of us."

"That should be his room up ahead, right?" Yotsuba pointed ahead of them. "The nurse said we're allowed to see him, right?"

"Yeah," said Nino. "He should be waiting for us. If we're all ready, we can go ahead."

A few more thoughts stalled them as they neared the door. It was a short memory—almost unnoticeable as it faded into ambiguity over when and where it all ended. Somewhere, sometime after their mother's passing, the five quintuplet children had developed a regrettable fear of hospital rooms. After all, a hospital bed was their mother's final resting place, and the fear set far deeper for some of the sisters more than others. When Nakano Maruo had taken them under his care, he was surprised to find that the girls were apprehensive whenever he brought them to his hospital. One way or another, and a great deal of patience later, they all would eventually find the courage to step through one again. Perhaps it was all a matter of growing up. One single step at a time.

But now as they stood before this door, they could not help but passively hold onto their breaths. The first hand hesitantly reached out before gently pushing the door open.

"Ah."

A withered face greeted them. A slowly settling smile, widest whenever he saw the faces of the ones he held dearest to his aged heart.

"There you girls are. You all look so well right now."

One by one, they entered the room. "Hello, Grandpa," they all began to greet him, taking up nearby chairs and leaning against the nearby windowsill.

"Have you eaten already?" Nino asked, tugging the strap of her bag. "We brought you some food. It's your favorite. Fried fish and rice, with edamame."

"There's even some tea to go with it," Miku added, holding up a thermos. "Shall we pour you some?"

"Oh?" The smile on their grandfather's face had not dwindled. "Thank you, Nino, Miku. Yes… I think I would love some. You can set the food down right here, please."

He took a slow, careful sip. Slowly, the old man panned over the five faces of his granddaughters. Five identical faces—cherished since the day he first laid eyes upon their sleeping faces, tucked in the warm blankets of the hospital infirmary. And finally, he shook his head. "Sorry for making you girls worry. I hope your old grandpa didn't cause too much trouble."

Ichika gave a carefree wave. "It really is no problem, Grandpa. It means so much to us that we're all able to see you."

"Ah, Ichika." Their grandpa turned to his eldest granddaughter, carefully looking at the lighter strands of her shortly cut hair. "You… look a lot like you do on the TV."

"Eh?" She gave a surprised look. "You've seen me on TV before? Where?"

He pointed to the old-looking television set propped on the table behind her. "One of the nurses said she was familiar with some of your movies. I asked her to bring me some." He quietly chuckled. "I did not get some of it, but… you looked beautiful, Ichika. All of you girls do. You've grown up so much and you all have turned out so… beautiful."

There was a feeling. Subtle, but hardly unnoticeable within the five of them. Something that weakly held back an honest smile. "Thank you, Grandpa." Ichika smiled. "You're always so kind to us. Really. The five of us owe you so much."

"Nonsense. You girls owe me nothing."

"O-oh!" Itsuki slightly stuttered. "We helped clean up the inn before we came. Well, I mean, it was pretty much all Yotsuba, but you'd be surprised at how spotless it looks when you get back! Isn't that right, Yotsuba…?"

"Huh? O-oh! Right!" A little slow on the uptake, Yotsuba then puffed out her chest and placed her knuckles on her hips. "I gave the floors a good scrub down! I'm going to finish the second floor when we head back."

"Did you?" Their grandfather said. "I am grateful, but you didn't have to trouble yourself with that, Yotsuba."

"It was nothing." Yotsuba widely grinned. "Don't worry about it. Just focus on getting your rest, Grandpa!"

"Still… it must have been a lot of work. It's a very old inn. Very… very old, indeed. When I am no longer around, it probably won't last any…" He did not need to look up from the still surface of his teacup to know what sort of faces his granddaughters were making. How tightly their lips must have clasped between their teeth, and the solemnity that clouded their faces, thinning them down to the last reluctant smile.

Another slow sip of tea. Another bitter taste for all the misgivings that blemished this long, wearisome life of his. "Would you girls like to hear a little more about your mother?"

They all stared. Past the grayed hairs that fell over their grandfather's face and buried deep within his bleary eyes was a gaze that saw well beyond the four walls that enclosed this room. Every part meditative as it was melancholic. Blissful and bereft. As if he had thought about this very moment for a very, very long time.

"About… Mom?" Itsuki eventually asked. "What do you mean?"

"As a parent," their grandfather continued, "it hardly seems right for me to say. Rena was my daughter, but more importantly, she was your mother. That's why I must beg for your forgiveness when I say—your mother was not perfect."

Though they faced their grandfather earnestly, neither of them could ignore the smallest, most faint tinge of enmity that came with those words. Perhaps their grandfather was the only person who could say something like that and still be met with five faces that attentively waited for more.

"Rena… was a miracle in my life. She was hard-working, smart, and kind. Those things, I'm sure you all know very well. She wanted nothing short of what was best for all of you, and she held onto that belief until the very end. She was a strong woman. A woman of principle. However…" He slowly shook his head. "If there's one thing I know about my daughter is that she was too proud. Too stubborn."

"Proud?" Miku asked. Their mother had taught them all many things. To be careful with the kind of man they let into their lives. To share everything as five parts to one whole. Though, as unpleasant of a memory as it may seem, their mother would sometimes repeat those words as if it stemmed from shame. Words that fell so easily off her tongue, as if it were the exact opposite of pride. Faults. Regrets.

"Please make sure you don't become like me," their mother had then said. "My life… was full of mistakes."

Their grandfather nodded. "Though she had many regrets in her life, Rena wanted to be strong until the very end. For her daughters, and, for herself. She was always one who thought every mistake shall be corrected for. Every failure to be buried with even greater feats. Like she tried to erase everything."

He looked to each one of them again. "You all remember your mother for all that she has done for you. Perhaps you even worship her. But, a parent's flaws is what makes them human. What makes them someone you could truly look up to. Before she passed, Rena told me her biggest fear was if her daughters would grow up to become just like her."

"I just don't understand," said Nino. A bitter tear had formed under her eye, which Nino stubbornly wiped away. "Why would Mom think something like that? All this time, I just never understood Mom. She did so much for us, and yet, it's like she wants us to forget about her. I don't…"

"I will tell you more about your mother," their grandfather continued. "Everything that made for her strengths, as well as her flaws. Is it right to remember her only for her sacrifices and the pain she silently suffered? Is there not more to the person you all call your mother?"

"I…" Yotsuba fiddled with her grasp, tightening one hand over the other. She remembered their mother as a gentle, loving person, but there would be times where the person behind those eyes looked hollow. A stone-cold visage that she, nor her sisters, could ever read. "I think you are right, Grandpa."

"Yotsuba?" Itsuki asked.

"We never knew Mom, right? We were just kids back then. We believed everything she said, like when she told us she was getting better. Like when she was only going to be in the hospital for a little bit. I just… I wish that we…"

She felt a hand rest gently over her shoulder. With a careful smile that knew just when her sister's heart felt uneasy, Ichika reassured her. "I think the same way too, Yotsuba."

Yotsuba spared the moments to calm the heaviness in her throat.

"You all are Rena's children. I can see it so clearly; remnants of the woman Rena was lives on within all five of you. And while you all still sit at the cusp of your adolescence, I want you all to know just who Rena was."

They listened closely.

With short moments to collect his thoughts, and another pour of green tea after, their grandfather told him their mother' story. A story neither Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, nor Itsuki had realized some chapters had been missing. Like the pages had been crudely torn off—one for each of their ailing mother's countless misgivings.

Nakano Rena was born on a summer day in Minamichita—a town on the southern tip of the Chita Peninsula, which administered the island of Himakajima. Her mother passed a few months after giving birth to Rena—a result from her already poor health that only worsened after childbirth.

To the quintuplets' surprise, they discovered that Rena was considered to be quite the tomboy in her youth. She butted heads with many older kids in the neighborhood, often ending in bouts of skill. Rena would sometimes come home carrying dirt and a few bruises, sulking. Other times, Rena would come with a gratifying smirk, claiming that she had won another game against some boys from the neighboring school district.

Frequently, they would ride the ferry over to Himakajima. Toraiwa Hot Springs was a place that their grandfather and their late grandmother had established all on their own. With the arrival of his first daughter and the passing of his wife, their grandfather had faced many difficulties in managing the inn all on his own. Just when it seemed like he was ready to close the place down once and for all, Rena had spoken to him.

"It was the first time in a long time that Rena had mentioned her mother to me," their grandfather said.

"She normally didn't?" Miku asked, puzzled. "How come?"

"Truthfully, I never knew myself. Rena seldom asked about her mother, but everyday I would see her pray at the altar. I was surprised when Rena pleaded with me not to sell the place. Her words stuck with me, even to today…"

"If this place is gone, I don't think I'll ever be able to face Mom."

They fell silent. Deep down, it seemed as if Rena truly harbored guilt for the death of her mother, and they both cherished before Rena had been born. No words that their grandfather tried could ever completely erase that doubt.

"I couldn't understand why she said that back then," their grandfather continued, "and maybe if I was a little better of a parent, we wouldn't have slowly drifted apart. Perhaps that was my biggest failure."

"She never told us that…" Itsuki said. "Drifting apart? It just sounds so strange to me. Mom has always told us how much you meant to her, Grandpa. She never…"

Their grandfather slowly shook his head. He continued the story, confirming that he ultimately decided to keep operating the inn. For the sake of his and his wife's dreams, as well as their daughter who found herself at peace laying on those tatami mats. He would have to quit his job in order to operate the inn full-time, and because of that, he began to see his daughter less and less. During the busier holidays, they would go days on end without so much as seeing each other.

"I hadn't noticed it then, but we were already drifting apart. She had her own friends, her own life. I thought I was doing what was best for her as a parent, until…"

There was a pause.

Before either of them could question the dismal look on their grandfather's face, they realized just what part of their mother's life he had remembered.

"…I found out Rena had fallen in love."

They all held back a grimace. Sooner or later, they had expected things would lead to here. As much as they dreaded to so much as picture that man's face, they continued to endure the silence. Now was not the time and they quietly listened.

"Of course, as a father, I was alarmed when I found out," the old man continued. "But because we had drifted so far apart, Rena had become difficult for me to understand. Difficult for me to read. Maybe that was why the two of us had a falling out when I discovered that the man she had fallen for was her homeroom teacher."

"A falling out?" Nino asked. "You… and mom?"

The bitter memories surfaced as he retold his regrets. "She was utterly infatuated with that man. Inspired by everything he said. I couldn't stomach the idea of someone taking advantage of my daughter. I demanded that she stop seeing him at once. I confronted them when they were alone together. I blamed her naivety; that he was a bad man. I thought I was doing my responsibility as a father, but Rena… she screamed at me as if I were a stranger. Maybe to her, that might have been true."

"It was the first time Rena ever looked at me that way. It took me so long, but I realized just how much my daughter had changed. She had grown out her hair when she normally kept it shoulder-length. She had pierced her ears when she always said she was scared of needles. That man was already romantically engaged with another woman, you see. And Rena took after her, lying to herself so that he would choose her instead."

"Grandpa…" Miku muttered. "I… don't know what to say. I never thought that things had turned out that way."

"Forgive me. It must not be pleasant to hear this about your mother. I understand if you girls are upset with me."

"No, I don't think any of us are," said Ichika as she looked to her sisters. They all quietly nodded. "Please, we want you to continue."

He spared a few more moments to collect himself. Rena was already eighteen years old when their grandfather had found them out. Like the flicker of a tiny candle flame—moments before it dissipated to smoke—he felt as if his world had suddenly grown darker when he returned home to find Rena was no longer there. In a letter left behind in the room of her childhood, Rena explained that she had decided to move to Tokai with the man she had fallen for. He had found new work and a new city, and Rena would follow after him. As his girlfriend.

For years, their grandfather was separated from his daughter. He had conceded his responsibilities, for his daughter was now an adult and he had no right to control her life. That was what they were. Rena would send letters back home to let her father know that she was well. She had started a job as a teacher, had moved into a new home, and gone on trips with friends. That was enough to ease their grandfather. That should have been enough.

"The next time I saw my daughter," their grandfather continued, "it was like a storm had fallen over her life. She appeared just as suddenly as the day she had left. And she… was pregnant with five children. Quintuplets. And she was all alone."

The thought had never sickened them more. A few almost looked as if they would vomit. Others, as if they were ready to smash the nearest thing into the tiniest of pieces. "Just thinking of his face makes me fucking sick…" Nino muttered through her clenched teeth, and Miku and Ichika had to calm her down.

The old man slowly nodded. "I was just… happy to see her come home. That night, I let Rena sleep in the same room she grew up in. I didn't ask her any questions, or scolded her, or just anything. She just looked so… tired. I knew it must have taken a lot of courage for her to come home. And in the morning, I was happy she was still there. We had the same breakfast we always had—steamed rice with grilled fish. And after, she prayed again to her mother. Like she had never left."

He remembered the next morning, clear as it was on that summer day.

"Hey, Dad," Rena had asked him over breakfast.

"Hmm?" he replied. "What is it, Rena?"

"Do you think… maybe, we could go to the inn today? To Toraiwa…?"

"Toraiwa? But it isn't the season for travelers right now. I haven't prepared the baths for reopening, so…"

"That is alright," Rena said. "I just want to visit there. It's been… a long time."

Their grandfather pleasantly smiled. "Your mother always felt at peace when she was there. Like it was the only place that provided her comfort. After the five of you were born, she would always ask to come back here, and I would always reopen whenever she asked. Eventually, I moved there permanently and kept the inn running all year round."

He looked at all of them once more. "I will never forget the day your mother brought you five here for the first time. You were like little angels. I always pestered your mother when would be the next time I get to see my grandkids, and Rena would eventually cave in to my selfish requests. Though… a part of me thinks that she mainly did it for herself."

"For herself?" Yotsuba asked.

The old man nodded. "Every time Rena would come, she always would look more and more exhausted. But, for a moment, it looked like all her troubles were gone. Like she could finally smile, after such a long time. And I think…" He slowly shook his head. "No, I know it's because of the five of you."

"U-us?" Itsuki said. "I don't really understand. From what you've told us, it almost sounds like… like we were…"

"Like we were burdens?" Miku finished reluctantly.

And just the same, Itsuki nodded.

"I think I can understand why any of us would think that," said Miku. "She sacrificed so much for us. That man left her because he found out about us. Sometimes, it's hard not to think what more we could have done for her…"

"Maybe if we got along better at times," Ichika added, "it could have relieved some of her stress too."

Quietly, their grandfather laughed. "No… no, that hardly is the case. In fact, I would say it's the opposite."

"The opposite?" Yotsuba asked.

As far as the old muscles to his withered face could widen, their grandfather joyously smiled. "You five… saved your mother."

Like a hole had formed in their hearts, the feelings inside themselves had become rivers. Streams that carried away their qualms, their doubts, all along the endless flows. For a moment, it felt almost weightless. "We… saved her?" Itsuki asked.

"The last time I spoke to my daughter," their grandfather continued. "She had this to say to me…"

A gaze that saw well beyond the line where oceans met skies. That day, eight years ago. The gentle breeze of a late summer's day entered through the open window, carrying with it the stray petals of the outside flowers. One of the stray petals carefully rested upon Rena's lap, as the sickly mother sat up from her hospital bed.

"I think… I can finally understand now." Rena quietly said to herself.

Her father was beside her, setting down a few pieces of food that he had brought from home. "Understand what, my dear?"

"Why Mom would have wanted me to be born." Her tired eyes fell over her lap. "You, and Mom. Maruo too. And now… Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, Itsuki… I never realized that… I really could be wanted after all. "

Her father stood silently, listening to every last word from his daughter.

"I guess… this whole time, I really was worrying over nothing. It really took this long." Rena turned, smiling at her father. A picture so clear in his mind, he would remember it for all the time he had left in this world. "Sorry, Dad for being such a troublesome daughter all this time."

He slowly sat down beside her, offering her some of the peaches he freshly cut. "That is nonsense, Rena. You don't have a single thing to apologize to me for."

And now, eight years later, he now rested within a room so similar to the ones he had visited. Through every tear-filled eye that looked his way, he told his granddaughters, "Love everything. All of her sacrifices, all of her deeds, and all of her flaws are what made her Rena. Your mother and my daughter."

"Be true to yourselves, my dearest granddaughters."

Time had eventually crept through the windows of the hospital room. Long shadows cast from the window pane, slicing through the walls of the room. How quickly the time must have gone for them to realize just how many hours had past since they first entered the room. After the last tear had shed and the long silences that fell after it, the six that remained within the room had slowly learned that the ephemeral things in life were things meant to be cherished. They all knew that if their grandfather did not have much time left in this world, then the memories left behind from moments like this would last a lifetime.

And for this moment in particular, the five of them commemorated it with a single photo.

A photo where all five of them huddled around the blissful smile of their grandfather.

"You're looking a little tired, Grandpa," Ichika said as brought him another pillow. "Shall we let you rest for the day?"

"I think you're right, Ichika," their grandfather said.

"The day really has slipped by," Miku said as she looked out the window.

Itsuki nodded. "It really has. I guess it is time for us to take our leave then, Grandpa."

"Thank you all for visiting me like this," their grandfather said as he settled back into bed. "I love each and every one of you."

"We love you too, Grandpa," Nino said, leaning in to place a quick kiss on her grandfather's cheek. The rest followed after. They shared long hugs and gave quick kisses, telling each other how dearly the other meant to them in this life they had lived. And one by one, they all began to gather their things.

All, save for one.

"We're heading out now, Yotsuba." Nino waved a hand over her sister's face, snapping her away from her reverie. "You okay?"

"Is something wrong, Yotsuba?" Their grandfather raised a brow. "Are you not feeling well?"

Her sisters that gathered by the door curiously looked over as Yotsuba stood straight up off her chair. Her hands wrapped over each other, tightening with the sharp draw of her breath. Before anyone could ask her again, the fourth sister asked, "Grandpa. What will happen to the family inn?"

The look on their grandfather's face settled peacefully. "Ah. You're wondering what will be of it when I am gone?"

Reluctantly, Yotsuba nodded. The rest of them listened closely.

"Ha… well," their grandfather said, "I suppose it will still be there. For a while. It hasn't been in any state to accommodate any guests for months now. The assets and estate will be liquidated and what's left will be given to you girls. It might not be much, but I hope it shall help you out now that you're all grown up."

"Liquidated…?" Nino muttered. "As in, everything will just be sold off?"

"No way…" said Itsuki. "I-I hadn't thought about that at all. Does that mean Toraiwa will be gone for good?"

"It might still be there," said their grandfather, "but it most likely will not still be named Toraiwa. Now, now girls… there's no need to make that face. It's to be expected."

"I know, but… after everything you said about you, Grandma, and especially Mom…"

"It's alright, Itsuki," he reassured her. "Do not fret over it. Your grandmother, Rena, and I have all made our peace with that place. There is no point in being concerned with our pasts when you all have your own futures ahead of you."

"But…" Yotsuba suddenly said. "But what happens if that's what we want too?"

"Hm?"

"We love that place too, Grandpa. I love that place. I loved running through the halls when we were kids, and taking care of the flowers with Mom. It was… fun. I'm sure that was the first place I ever watered a flower and watched them bloom. I'll never forget it."

"Yotsuba…"

Again, Yotsuba sucked in the air over her nose. Loudly and lengthily, as if the air in this room buried the answer she had long sought after. "I think… I think I've finally found something I want to do. I'm sure of it!"

They all stared at Yotsuba as she politely bowed forward. "Grandpa… will you entrust Toraiwa to me?"

Author's Note

Guess who made in on time to the 05/05 party?! (」ロ)」

It's crazy to think that the 5toubun movie comes out THIS month! The PVs and trailers have me absolutely eager to see some more of my favorite girls on the screen again, and of course, a little fearful in how well the scenes will be adapted. I've reread the festival chapters recently to go over some details with the story, and I don't think I'm fully mentally prepared yet!

Anyways, I should also mention that this year will be similiar to last year. May continues to be another busy month for me. There will be no update for the month of June! To make up a little for it, and to no real surprise, the next chapter will be a long-overdue Fuutarou x Ichika chapter! Can't expect her to come all the way to Japan and NOT pay a visit to her special someone, right?

Now, onward to a few thoughts over the current chapter. It feels great to fill another hole in the story. I always found it a bit strange that the fate of their grandfather's inn was never really explored or mentioned in a lot of discussions. It took me a bit of brainstorming to figure out how to dedicate a chapter to it, and overall, I'm pleased with how things turned out. (also I have no idea how businesses work, so it'll be really embarrassing if I got some details terribly incorrect). It's also tough to write all five of them in the same scene, but I figured the final photograph of their grandfather was a moment where they all could reflect on the kinds of grownups they've become. A final point that always stuck with me was how Rena is often portrayed as miserable through every flashback/memoir of her throughout the series, but I like to imagine that she found happiness in her life during her final days, and left the world without too many regrets.

Anyways, thanks to those who left reviews on Chapter 16 and any recent chapters—Fox McCloude, Quintaphract, TheMist33, Bob19248, segft, chloetuco, XGoGame, and any other guest review(s)! Thanks also to the reddit commenters—SyrinxCounterparts1, OkinaNeko7, chloetuco, vonin7 and cassethf03!

_φ(。。) "Boy is it fun to make stuff up…"