Shape of the Heart – Four-leaf Clover
By Fox McCloude
Disclaimer: The Quintessential Quintuplets and all related characters belong to Haruba Negi. All rights reserved.
Extra: Itsuki, her mother, and her future.
At a certain middle school…
"… and so, the graphs' intersection will give us the solution to this inequality system. Alright, that's all for today. For tomorrow, please read from pages 247 through 259, and we'll continue from there on in. Stand up, everyone!"
"Thank you very much!"
The noise made by the students as they left the classroom echoed across everywhere. Itsuki felt relieved it was finally over. This job as a teacher assistant for cram school was really tough, even though she was mostly in a supporting capacity.
Today it'd been a bit different; Shimoda had put her to give the class almost entirely. Fortunately, it was middle school material, so she had it well-internalized, and not too hard to deliver for the other students.
"Oof, my God, that was so tiresome," she said as she held her chest.
"You did pretty well, Itsuki-kun," Shimoda congratulated her. "Not bad for the first class you deliver by yourself."
"Oh no. I would have never done it without you, Shimoda-san. I really appreciate how much you've been helping me."
"On the contrary, I should be thanking you," the bespectacled woman replied. "Having an assistant really lightens my workload, even more with one so dedicated as you."
Itsuki smiled. Shortly after they met, Shimoda had hired her as a part-time assistant, helping middle school students who needed to recover. Today, she put her to impart a class by herself, and despite feeling a bit nervous at first, she managed to calm down with a single question: "What would Mom do right now?"
"Well, it's almost five o'clock," the woman said as she checked her watch. "It's not too early for dinner, so do you want do go eat something?"
"Sounds good to me," the redhead replied. "Actually, how about I treat you today? I know a good place."
…
Minutes later, the two were at a table in a certain Italian food restaurant. It was lucky for Itsuki to have befriended the owners, and had become a regular customer there since the last month.
"Hmmm! I'm no Italian food expert, but this is divine," Shimoda said, still holding a fork in the hand.
"I told you," Itsuki replied. "Food here is great, and the chefs in charge are really nice."
They'd asked a huge plate of what, according to the menu, was called "Naporitan Curry Fettuccini". A pasta dish that used curry as opposed to a traditional Italian sauce, plus it also used pasta prepared in Yokohama Naporitan style, details that made it an excellent combo of Japanese and European cuisine. One of the best Itsuki had tasted in her life, and it made this restaurant her favorite in record time.
"I'm surprised they're so young," the woman said. "They've just graduated from high school, and they already run their own restaurant?"
"I know," Itsuki said, before sighing. "I must admit, I'm a bit envious. They're real professionals, even though they're just a couple years older than me."
The youngest Nakano couldn't help but feel a little sad. Despite how hard she worked, sometimes she barely felt she was moving forward in her dream. In fact, until she met Shimoda, she'd never felt having anybody willing to support her, or believed in her enough to encourage her.
"Hey, please don't be sad," Shimoda placed a hand over hers. "We all move at our own pace. And you're doing pretty well so far; I wouldn't have hired you otherwise. I can see a lot of your mother in you."
That brought a smile to the redhead's face. Shimoda was one of the few people she could talk to about her mother that way, and being compared to her so positively meant the world to her.
"You know, I'd like it if you could tell me more about her. I already told you a lot from when she was my teacher, but I'd like to know more about her other face. The Rena Toraiwa who was a mother."
Toraiwa. She hadn't heard anybody refer to her mother by that surname in years. Now everybody remembered her mostly as "Rena Nakano" due to adopting that surname after marrying their current father, just like the rest of them. It seemingly was a way to distance herself from the man who abandoned them before they were born.
"Mom… I truly don't know how she managed to handle all five of us at once," Itsuki said with a nostalgic tone. "I'm sure it wasn't easy, she had to work very hard to support us all. But despite everything, she'd always smile at us, reminding us how much she loved us, and how happy she was that we were always healthy."
"I would have loved to see that smile on her face," Shimoda commented. "You and your sisters were very lucky."
"I know," Itsuki nodded. "I remember one time she came back home. She looked so tired, so I asked if she was alright. She told me yes, but… there was something in her eyes cluing me she was lying. I think that's when she started getting sick over working too much.
"I would often ask myself what I could do for her. I was always the youngest, the baby of the family everyone had always to look out for. And I never liked that role. I wanted to be something else. I wanted to do something to alleviate Mom's loads, so she wouldn't suffer so much from worrying about us. But I didn't know how I could be as strong as she was."
Even after her mother died, her sisters were always looking out for her one way or another. Ichika was the leader who watched over everyone by virtue of being the eldest, Nino would take care of the housework and preparing meals for everyone (and for her especially), Miku was the one to offer an ear to listen to her troubles without judging, and Yotsuba would be the one to step up and defend her when someone bullied her physically.
But what could she, Itsuki, do? All she could think of was to try and emulate her mother, to think about how she would act if she was still around. To try and keep harmony between them when there were disagreements or spats. But had she succeeded?
"Shimoda-san, you said before my mother was strict, but fair with her students," Itsuki said. "Do you really think I can become like her?"
"I've already told you; it's good that you take your mother as your role model, and to follow her footsteps," the woman said in a serious tone. "But you must not lose your identity in the process. Look at me; I became a teacher just like her, but I never tried to copy her. And you shouldn't do it either."
"I know, you've told me that since day one," Itsuki replied, trying not to pout. Admittedly, she was a bit annoyed at the constant reminder.
"Well, I'm just making sure you get the message," the woman defended herself. "I'll say it again; it's pointless to try and become a second-rate version of someone else, even if that person is your own mother. You must find your own teaching niche and methods. Remember you are not Rena Toraiwa, you are Itsuki Nakano."
Itsuki stared at the woman again. It seemed like she always knew what to tell her, and making it sound like what she wanted to hear. At the time, it was very much clear she'd been her mother's student.
"Besides, you're still young; don't force yourself to mature too fast," she continued. "Just because you want to think about the future, it doesn't mean you can't enjoy the moment."
"Yeah, I guess you're right on that."
Itsuki relaxed a bit in regards to that. Admittedly, one of her biggest issues was how she constantly forced herself to act like her mother, or tried to think of how she would act in different situations. That was reflected in her manners of speech and behavior, even if she'd occasionally let slip outbursts of her true personality. Deep down, she too wanted to have fun, dating boys, and enjoy life. Would she be able to balance both aspects?
"Mi scusi?" a nasal voice suddenly spoke. A tall, and rather chubby young man with spiky brown hair had just approached their table. "Forgive me for intruding, I just came over to ask if you enjoyed your food."
"Why of course, Isami-kun," Itsuki assured. "Exceptional as ever, I wouldn't expect any less from you guys."
"That's good," the boy said. "Do you wish for anything else, maybe a dessert or a drink?"
"Oh, no, I'm really stuffed as is," Shimoda replied, rubbing her stomach. "This is a great place; I'll be sure to recommend it for my colleagues."
"I'd like to try some cannoli today. If you were so kind to pack me a few for the go?" Itsuki begged.
"Right away. Niichan, an order of cannoli!"
As the young man left, Itsuki stared back at Shimoda, who had already dropped her serious demeanor to smile jovially at her again.
"Well, I guess I can take my leave now," she said, standing up and grabbing her bag. "Can I count on you for next week?"
"Um, I'm really sorry, but I don't think so," the girl apologized. "The end-of-year exams are coming up and I need to study. I may have to ask for help with my sister's tutor, on top."
"I get it." Shimoda accommodated her glasses seriously. "Then do your best. And thank you again for treating me today."
"It was nothing. After I made you spend so much on me that time, it's the least I could do."
The woman chuckled, waving it off. She'd always do it whenever Itsuki mentioned it, as right on the day they met, she'd eaten every dessert in the menu and the bill must have not been cheap. That was why she decided to make it up today by treating her.
Itsuki saw how Shimoda left the restaurant, and waited for her dessert before asking for the bill. As she did so, she couldn't help but think of the woman's words; about how she shouldn't try to become her mother, whether as a person, or as a teacher. She had to be more herself.
'To be myself… will it be enough to be a great teacher one day?'
The youngest Nakano was certain that her current self wasn't up to par to the teacher she aspired to be. That meant she had to work hard, mature and grow more. But as Shimoda said, she had to do it at her own pace.
After all, she was not exactly a prodigy on her field, like the twin brothers who ran this restaurant.
…
Having left the place, Itsuki headed to the bus stop to take the ride back home. It was a bit late to walk and she didn't want to go alone through the streets, so as she waited for it she decided to enjoy some cannoli. She still hadn't been able to try the full menu at the restaurant, and today she learned they'd added even more dishes to the menu.
'At this rate I'll never get to taste it all,' she thought amused.
Having a full stomach made it easier to sort out her thoughts. The end-of-year exams at school were around the corner, and she had to be ready. She knew Yotsuba was very close to return to their school with them, and she didn't want to be the only straggler who got held back one year once she did.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly she had a chill. The street was rather lonesome at the moment, barring the occasional passerby here and there. But Itsuki had the strange being of being watched by someone… and she didn't like it one bit.
Discreetly, she packed the rest of her cannoli in her bag, clenching it tightly. The few pedestrians walking by were seemingly uninterested in her, but Itsuki couldn't shake that feeling off her back. Inside, she started wishing for the bus to come quick so she could get out of there.
'Could it be… there's a ghost lurking around here?'
The redhead gulped. They already made fun of her for being a scaredy-cat and "superstitious", but anyway, she couldn't shake that feeling. And if she had it, it probably because there was something out there. Human, ghost, or whatever it was, she didn't want it close.
'Hurry up, bus, I want to get out of here fast!' she thought, rubbing her hands so fast they started getting really hot.
Fortunately, the bus arrived in that moment, and Itsuki could get in quickly. She sighed in relief once she sat and the vehicle drove, although it stopped at a crosswalk a few seconds later, due to a red light. Having nothing else to do, Itsuki took a glance out the window to the street. There was nothing out of the norm; just the street, a bush fence over the sidewalk, a lamp post, and a lonely pedestrian who stopped near the corner.
For some reason, Itsuki looked at this pedestrian. He looked like a rather elderly man, judging by his bright bald head and his thick white beard. He had a lollipop in hand that he seemed to eat slowly. She wouldn't have minded having one herself, even when told they were for kids, but seeing an older man eating that kind of candy… it was weird, to say the least.
And for a brief moment, he seemed to glance in her direction. It was just for an instant, since right after the light changed and the bus continued, fortunately for her. She didn't want to be in that place anymore, all alone.
'I must be losing my head.'
She rubbed her arms, trying to relax. She'd better not tell the others about it. They'd probably think she was going insane. It'd been a tiresome day and that, coupled with the stress over her final exams, was probably making her minds play tricks on her.
She'd never be a great teacher if she continued to act like a scared child.
To be continued…
Author's notes:
How's it going, people? Okay, first things first, happy birthday to me!, and while I originally wanted to post this mini-chapter by the month's end, I got so many congrats today I finally caved and said "Aw hell, let's just post it!". You may thank it to the support of the other writers at the QQ Discord server I'm currently frequenting, it's because of them I decided to post ahead of schedule. Consider it a present from me. Now, let's get down to business.
Before anything, for those who read my crossover oneshot with Food Wars!, remember I said they weren't on the same continuity? Well, I lied, I admit it. Just wanted to see if there was anybody who'd read it independently. In fact, one reviewer apparently didn't get the gist: I meant that I gave no hints that it would fit here, but now you know it does. So, just to be clear, that oneshot takes place in parallel with the last chapter, and this is a small follow-up to it. If you're wondering, yeah, I will give the Aldini twins occasional appearances in this story, but not quite that big to turn this into a full-blown crossover. I'm also not discarding the possibility of having characters from other series cameo, and I'd be open to suggestions of it.
But well, leaving that aside, this mini-chapter is more or less aimed to set the base for Itsuki's subplot. It's kind of pointless to repeat her first encounter with Shimoda as we can infer it must have happened more or less the same as in canon, so I felt like writing another where they already know each other and speak more about Rena. I know I didn't dig too deep, but I wanted to touch a little about Itsuki's relationship with her mom so as to bond a little more with her new mentor. For the record, and in case anybody is wondering about it, the "Toraiwa" surname is taken from the ryokan inn where the Scrambled Eggs arc takes place, the one owned by the Nakanos' grandpa. I did some digging and turns out it's a legitimate Japanese surname, and going for the marriage laws (in Japan, it's common for the spouse of lesser standing to take their partner's surname), I figured that could have been Rena's maiden name. In fact, looking back I find it weird Negi didn't use it: if the girl Fuutarou met didn't want to say her given name, she could have gone by her surname, and assuming the quints switched their surnames when their mother married Maruo, that would have helped keep the girl's mystery without having Fuutarou forget her name (something that wouldn't make sense, given how important that encounter was to him).
Lastly, I'm sure everybody took notice of the old man in the last scene and realized who he is, right? Maybe you're not happy to see him, and while I hated the guy (and still do) I feel Negi didn't use him well. He just showed up to give Itsuki some drama, he's confronted, and then *poof*, he's gone as fast as he came, not having any lasting consequences whatsoever. So much wasted potential wasted for the sake of a rushed ending, and I'm sure I'm not the only one upset about it. So there, I'm hoping I can use him better than canon, even though there's still quite a while before that and I haven't even thought yet how I'm going to do it.
That's it for now. Thanks for the reviews to Honored Oak, SolarHistorian, The Mist33 and The Exiled Darkness. See you next time for the conclusion of the "End of 2nd Year arc", sayonara!