Chapter 21

The hotel room carried a pleasant fragrance and wafted through the air, mingling with the soft glow of bedside lamps and ceiling lights. The central air-conditioning provided a welcome respite from the oppressive summer heat outside, maintaining a comfortable temperature even in the late hours. After a day of travel, the quintuplets found themselves settling into their temporary abode, ready to unwind.

Ichika sank into her bed, relishing the relaxation that followed a refreshing shower and a satisfying dinner. Among her sisters, Miku and Yotsuba had succumbed to fatigue, already lost in the embrace of sleep after a day of adventure at Toei Studio Park. Nino, perched on the sofa, was absorbed in her phone, while Itsuki watched TV with the volume turned down, mindful of her slumbering siblings, enjoying snacks she had bought from the theme park.

For Ichika, the day had been nothing short of exhilarating. Exploring the theme park, trying out its various attractions, and witnessing entertaining shows of Ninja and Samurai had filled her with joy. The ambiance of the Edo period had left a lasting impression on her. Trying on a traditional kimono had been a highlight, a unique experience that surpassed the usual theme park fare. However, the pinnacle of her day was witnessing the live filming of a TV show towards the trip's conclusion. Observing the intricacies of professional acting and witnessing the interaction among the crew had offered her a unique perspective for the craft.

Sitting up on her bed, Ichika raised her arms in a lazy stretch. "Wahh... That shower felt amazing." She massaged her shoulder and turned her gaze to Itsuki, who seemed to be munching on some candy. "What are you eating, Itsuki-chan?"

"Here, you want some, Ichika?" Itsuki tossed over a half-opened package of a sweet treat. As Ichika caught it, she recognized it as Konpeito candy, a traditional Japanese sugar confection popular with kids and still enjoyed by adults. "This candy is great! I think the last time I had it was back in elementary school. The souvenir shop had a few packs left, so I might as well buy them all!" she said, smiling as she popped another piece into her mouth.

"It's been so long since I had this candy too," Ichika said, grabbing a few candies from the package and quickly taking a bite. "They taste just as good as I remember! Nino, do you want some?" She hopped off the bed and joined her on the sofa, offering the pack to the second sister.

"No, I'm good. I'm still stuffed from dinner—not like that food-eating monster over there," Nino replied with a blunt expression as she set her phone down on a table next to the sofa, earning a quick annoyed glance from Itsuki. "I can't believe tomorrow's the last day of the school trip. The past two days have been so much fun... I wish the trip would extend for a few more days." She let out a sigh and leaned back on the sofa.

Ichika chuckled at her sentiment, knowing exactly what she meant. "Ahaha… You know what they say, time flies when you're having fun, and it's true," she said, popping a few more candies into her mouth and placing the package on the table beside Nino's phone. "This year's school trip was definitely the most exciting compared to last year. Today was my favorite—I got to watch a live filming, and seeing a professional production in action was thrilling," she said with a big smile, recalling the fast-paced scenes filled with action and suspense. "What about you, Nino? Which day was your favorite?"

"For me, I'd say yesterday when I got stuck in that café-souvenir shop with Fuu-kun for a couple of hours," she replied. A small smile spread across her face as she remembered how that dullest moment turned into the most memorable experience filled with insightful, excitement, and wild experience. "It started off a little boring, with nothing to do other than drinking tea and waiting for the rain to stop—but we ended up having a great conversation. We even did some quick shopping before going back to the bus."

"Hmm… I am surprised to hear you actually enjoyed that crazy stunt. You and Uesugi-kun looked like you had taken a dive into a lake when you got back on the bus," Itsuki commented, looking over from the TV with a raised eyebrow. "If I were you, I would have just waited it out, or asked someone to bring me an umbrella. Getting drenched in the rain is not exactly my idea of fun." She turned back to her show, munching on her candy.

"Honestly, I didn't enjoy it as much as it might seem. I almost slipped and fell, you know?" Nino admitted, her cheeks flushing a bit as she remembered a particular moment with Fuutaro. "It was kind of fun being a bit reckless for once. You know, when we ran through the rain, Fuu-kun unexpectedly did something cool, and I was in awe of what he did… I wish he would do more wild stuff like that—it really suits him," she added with a gleeful, slightly dreamy expression.

"Hehe… It was quite the sight to see you two come back looking like drowned cats. Everyone on the bus thought you two were crazy; even sensei was shocked and had no clue what happened," Ichika chuckled. She was pleased that her plan to bring Nino and Fuutaro together in that café-souvenir shop had worked out so well. She then shifted her attention to Itsuki, posing the same question to her, "What about you, Itsuki-chan?"

Itsuki paused to think, closing her eyes as she considered the moments from the past two days. It did not take long for a smile to form on her lips as she reopened her eyes. "These past two days have been a lot of fun. But if I had to pick one favorite, it would be the first night when I was at the hotel's café with Uesugi-kun," she said, glancing at her sisters who were lounging on the sofa.

"Ohh… That, huh?" Nino responded with an unimpressed expression, rolling her eyes as she propped her cheek on her knuckle.

"Hmm… Really?" Ichika said, adopting an expression opposite to Nino's, feigning curiosity even though she already knew the outcome of the situation she orchestrated. "So, did you really have a romantic dinner with Fuutaro-kun? You even joined him for curfew attendance, and when you came back, you were all smiles!" she teased in a playful tone.

"N-No, it was not like that!" Itsuki stammered, shaking her head so quickly that the TV remote slipped from her hand and clattered onto the floor. There was a brief moment of silent before she picked it up, her cheeks turning a faint shade of pink. "I will not deny that I enjoyed that nighttime dessert with him. We talked about a lot of things, exchanging thoughts on various topics, and it was really nice. It might sound simple, but it was definitely my favorite moment of the school trip," she explained with a faint smile.

"I see..." Ichika nodded with a satisfied expression, content to hear that the youngest sister had taken her advice and became more honest about her own feelings. She then turned her gaze toward the other two sisters, who were sleeping soundly even with all the chatter and the earlier noise from the TV remote hitting the floor. "Looks like Miku and Yotsuba had a great time on this trip too. Miku seemed to be having way more fun over the past couple of days compared to any of our other school trips. And Yotsuba was just beaming at Kiyomizu-dera, smiling and grinning the whole day."

Ichika also felt a sense of satisfaction and delight as her plan to help Miku and Yotsuba spend some one-on-one time with Fuutaro worked out even better than she had hoped. Miku had been more upbeat and enthusiastic since her confession to Fuutaro at Fushimi Shrine. Yotsuba was brimming with energy and excitement after visiting Kiyomizu-dera, just like she had been six years ago when she shared her first meeting with Fuutaro with Ichika and their other sisters.

"I agree about Miku, but isn't Yotsuba always like that? Just look at her—she's even smiling in her sleep," Nino said, pointing at Yotsuba, whose sleeping face had a weird mix of a smile and a grin.

Ichika chuckled quietly at the statement, covering her mouth to avoid waking the two sleeping sisters. "No, this is different. Can you see it too, Itsuki-chan?"

Itsuki's eyes briefly shifted upward as she contemplated before responding. "Yes, I would say that Yotsuba was definitely happier than usual when we were at Kiyomizu-dera and afterward."

"Well, that's just sounds like her. Yotsuba's always full of energy and smiles whenever we're on a trip," Nino said with a shrug. "But if what you both are saying is true, then I would also agree. This year's school trip has definitely been the best one I've ever had," she added with a slight smile.

"Yes, same here. None of our other school trips could compare to this," Itsuki added, echoing the sentiment with agreement.

A radiant starry night adorned the black sky, with a gentle night breeze caressing Ichika's face and tousling her hair as she admired the nighttime panorama of Kyoto. The city's lights emanated from towering buildings, numerous stores along the sidewalk, stationary street lamps, and moving vehicles on the road, collectively contributing to the illumination of the night sky.

It had been approximately twenty minutes since Ichika stepped onto the small connecting balcony outside her room. Since the first day of the trip, she had made a habit of stepping onto this balcony every night before bed, cherishing the moments of solitude while taking in the city view and feeling the cool night breeze—just like back home. However, on this night, sleepiness eluded her, and her eyes remained wide open, as if daytime persisted, an invisible weight pressing upon her chest.

Her arms rested on the safety railings as she leaned her chin on them, still gazing at the shimmering city lights. She remained silent, not uttering a single sound.

"The school trip is almost over, huh…?"

"It really was a fun trip…"

"But still…"

Ichika released a small sigh and then buried her face in her arms.

"I haven't had any alone time with Fuutaro-kun on this trip…"

"Everyone else got their moments with him…"

"I was too focused on helping them get it, and I ended up forgetting that I want it too…"

"I really envy them…"

She was undeniably glad that she had managed to defuse the potential conflict among her sisters and helped them each spend some alone time with Fuutaro. The awkwardness and tension that had been building since the announcement of the school trip had vanished, like it was never there to begin with. The shift in mood was evident as they strolled through the theme park today, the mood light and relaxed, without any lingering signs of rivalry. Whenever their tutor's name came up, they reacted with easy smiles instead of awkward glances, with no trace of jealousy or possessiveness. By the end of the trip, when they were taking pictures with him in kimonos, everyone seemed genuinely happy and at ease, with laughter and jokes filling the air.

However, in the process, Ichika had overlooked her own wish to spend some quality time with him. After conversing with Nino and Itsuki earlier, this realization hit her, and an invisible, uncomfortable weight immediately settled in her chest. While she had shared a few moments with Fuutaro, such as watching a live filming production and taking a few pictures together in kimono, it was not enough.

This desire remained unfulfilled, and Ichika yearned for more.

Lifting her head, she drew in a deep breath as her expression showed seriousness and determination. She casted one more final glance at the cityscape before heading back inside.

Upon entering the room, Ichika's earlier expressions had vanished, replaced by her usual calm demeanor. The TV and ceiling lights were off, leaving the room lit by a single desk lamp, giving the room a dim ambiance. Itsuki was already asleep, and Yotsuba and Miku had not moved from their sleeping positions. Nino was the only one awake as she was still on the sofa, now with earphones in, absorbed in her music.

Ichika went to her suitcase near her bed and pulled out a white and blue jacket along with light-blue jeans. She changed out of her casual shorts, put on the jeans, and draped the jacket over her gray T-shirt. Heading to the front door, she put on her running shoes, the same ones she had been wearing for most of the trip.

Nino, noticing the eldest sister's action, removed her earphones and asked, "Hey, where are you going, Ichika?"

"Just going to get some fresh air," Ichika replied casually, tying her shoes. When she finished, she grabbed her wallet and a spare room keycard from a counter near the bathroom. "I won't be gone long. If you're sleepy, just go to bed. There's no need to wait up for me."

Nino eyed Ichika for a few seconds, then nodded. "Alright, but don't stay out too late, okay?"

"Yeah, got it," she nodded in return before reaching for the doorknob and exiting the room.

As Ichika closed the door behind her, she headed straight for the elevator. Luckily, it was already on her floor, and she stepped in without delay. Pressing the button for the lobby, the hum of the machinery could be heard as the elevator descended.

Reflecting on her situation, Ichika acknowledged that she had indeed missed some opportunities to spend time alone with Fuutaro during the trip. She remembered the second day when the evening trip got canceled, leaving plenty of free time before curfew. It would have been a perfect opportunity to ask Fuutaro to hang out at the hotel's café or take a casual stroll with him around the hotel. Instead, she got caught up in her excitement about visiting Toei Studio Park the following day. She spent that evening researching the place on the internet and continued her research at the café, where some of her schoolmates joined her. They ended up spending the rest of the night together, missing out on her potential chance with Fuutaro.

Another opportunity arose earlier today when Fuutaro personally invited her to explore the theme park together. Unfortunately, Takeda intervened, pointing out that he needed to spend the afternoon with his group since he had already been hanging out with the four sisters quite a bit over the past couple of days. Although it bothered her, Ichika knew it was the right call. Fuutaro needed to connect with other students and expand his social circle to gain more friends and support at school. Even if it meant passing up a rare opportunity, she understood his need for balance.

The elevator chimed, signaling its arrival at the lobby floor. Ichika stepped out and surveyed the nearly empty lobby, which held just a handful of people. A few schoolmates were lingering in the area, while a couple of teachers stood near the hotel's entrance, keeping watch for students who might try to sneak out or catching those who had disregarded the warning on their way back in.

Retrieving her phone, she checked the time; it was 8:57 PM, meaning she had just about an hour before curfew. Ichika realized her choices for spending time with Fuutaro were limited—she could only spend time with him in the lobby or the hotel's café. But she did not mind about the location, as long as they had some private moments before the school trip ended. With that in mind, she planned to call Fuutaro and ask him to meet her in the lobby. Once he arrived, she would suggest spending the next hour together, either in those two places.

Taking a moment of quick deep breath to settle her nerves, Ichika refocused on her phone before proceeding toward the lobby area.

"Now then…"

"Fuutaro-kun's number…"

"I'd better call him now, there's not much time left..."

"I hope that he will answer it right away…"

As Ichika took a step forward, ready to press the call button, her gaze instinctively shifted back to the lobby area in front. There, she spotted the very person who had occupied her thoughts for the past half-hour. Halting abruptly, she found herself frozen in place, a mix of anticipation and excitement slowly enveloped her entire being. Ichika then focused her gaze on that person, hoping her eyes were not deceiving her out of hope and desire.

Indeed, it was true—there Fuutaro was. He sat alone on one of the lobby sofas, jotting down something on the table in front of him. Every now and then, he paused for a few seconds before resuming.

Whether this encounter was a coincidence or a twist of fate working in her favor to grant her the alone time she desired with the person she loved, Ichika happily embraced either possibility.

The feelings of anticipation and excitement immediately went through the roof, sending her heart racing even faster. The invisible weight that had burdened her chest for the past half-hour vanished in an instant. A joyful smile now graced her lips, and her eyes sparkled with delight, much like a child accepting a gift on New Year's Day.

"There you are…"

"I've been wanting to be with you for this whole time…"

"Just the two of us together…"

"Fuutaro-kun…"

Without any hesitation, Ichika started toward Fuutaro, thrilled at the thought of the moments they would share.

A/N (Warning, a bit longer than usual):

Chapter 21 is finally finished, and here it is!

In this chapter, we shift our focus to Ichika and explore her reflection on the school trip and eventually, her desire to spend time alone with Fuutaro. Now that her grand plan of helping her sisters spend time with him is complete, it's only natural for Ichika to want to be with Fuutaro, even though there's limited time left on the school trip. Given her somewhat possessive nature and obsession with him, which is toned down in this story compared to the main series, Ichika couldn't help but to use every moment available so she can be with him. In the next chapter, you'll see more of their interactions and activities together, which I'm sure you'll enjoy.

Regarding chapter updates, Chapter 19 of "Our Promise and Bet" has been finished and updated, bringing the story closer to my original vision when I created this story with better grammar, storytelling, and minimal writing mistakes. Additionally, I went back and fixed Chapter 1 of that story, as I noticed a fair amount of writing and grammar mistakes upon re-reading it. This should provide a better reading experience for those who want to revisit from the beginning or just finds out about the story.

I may do some minor improvements on several chapters of "Our Promise and Bet" and possibly "I Still Remember You" since I've noticed small errors that could disrupt the reading experience. I won't post updates for these improvements, and it might take some time, as I'm still focusing on this story. However, it will definitely happen in the future.

If you haven't heard, Fanfiction . net is currently experiencing some technical issues with email notifications, so you won't be notified when a new chapter is released. To keep track of story this story, I suggest downloading the official Fanfiction . net app and enabling app notifications, which still work reliably and will alert you when a story is updated.

Regarding the next chapter's release schedule, I need to take a short break from writing. It's not a long hiatus like the previous one, but more of a quick pause. There are several reasons for this:

1) An unpleasant family issue that happened a few days ago, affecting my mood and making it hard to focus on writing. I don't know how long this will last, but it's impacting my mood to the point it's not possible for me to write.

2) I've been dealing with constant migraines and a severe toothache since the past week, causing lightheadedness and nearly a fever at worst. I need this break to recover my health and avoid viewing writing as a chore.

3) After posting the last chapter, I worked on fixing Chapter 19 of "Our Promise and Bet," which was taxing because it's one of the longest chapters in that story. Then, followed with fixing Chapter 1 and finally writing this chapter. Combined with the migraines, toothache, and that family issue, I need a break for my overall well-being.

Given these reasons, there will likely be no new chapter next month. If all goes well, I hope to release the next chapter in early June. Keep an eye on that month for updates, as I'm aiming to return by then.

I'm really sorry for the abrupt break, especially as we've reached such an exciting point with Ichika and Fuutaro, and I know many of you have been looking forward to this moment. But I hope you'll continue following this story and stick around for the next chapter, as I'm just as eager to continue when the time is right.

As always, thank you for reading this story, and I'll see you in the next chapter!

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