Pre-chapter notes: This chapter was sitting mostly finished for a few weeks now, but I decided to get over it and post it.

The Vancouver Central Library has an odd shape. It's an oval at its core, but a round taller structure on one side of it gives it an illusion of being a coil to the untrained eye. It vaguely resembles the Roman Colosseum. In his conversation with Miku, Futaro had inadvertently ended up right across the street from it. It was the perfect place to gather intel for his next battle, while also getting some studying done. However, he had a call to answer first.

"Uesugi-san!"

Yotsuba's voice was distinctly cheerful even over the phone.

Futaro asked, "Yotsuba? Why did you call me? Do you need something?"

"As a matter of fact, I do! I have this math assignment that I don't fully understand, so I thought I'd ask you about it."

"Well, what don't you understand?"

"…everything! I was hoping you could come over to our apartment and help me out."

Futaro raised an eyebrow. "Our?"

Yotsuba was caught off-guard and chuckled nervously. "Eh, I meant as in me and my sisters. Saying 'my' just feels weird because we all live there together."

"I don't know if it's a good idea to have me over."

"Now that I think about it, they might not be too happy with having to see you when it's not a tutor day."

"Not like they're happy to see me even when it is one," Futaro deadpanned. "You are in luck, though. I know a place where we can meet."

This piqued Yotsuba's interest. "Where is it?"

"It's only a few blocks away from where you live." Futaro gave her the directions, then Yotsuba headed on her way.

Futaro continued to wait in the same place Miku had left him. Soon enough, he saw a distinct green ribbon in the crowd rapidly approaching him.

"I found you, Uesugi-san!"

"Of course you did, I gave you exact directions. And again, it's just Futaro."

"So, where are we going?" Yotsuba asked.

"There." Futaro pointed across the street.

"This is the city's main library," Futaro explained, as they entered after crossing the street. "I come here every once in a while."

Yotsuba rapidly shushed Futaro. "You're supposed to be quiet in a library!"

Futaro chuckled at Yotsuba's innocence. "This isn't a school library. You can talk here."

"That's awesome!" Yotsuba said, a little too loud, which turned some heads.

"Not that loud," Futaro groaned. "Just talk normally and you'll be fine."

Yotsuba nodded. She then took in the sheer size of the library. The atrium was illuminated by the large windows that let in plenty of natural light. It seemed a bit more like a train station than a library.

"This is really pretty! I didn't know libraries could be this cool!"

"There's an even better one in Calgary, I hear. But aren't there some libraries like this in Japan?"

"I dunno," Yotsuba admitted. "At least not in Nagoya. The one we had wasn't nearly as fancy."

Futaro led Yotsuba to the non-fiction section, and found them a place to sit down. Futaro took a look at Yotsuba's assignment, and as he did, he asked Yotsuba a question that had been bugging him.

"I'm surprised that you went out of your way to get my help. After what happened this weekend, why did you?"

Yotsuba shrugged. "Well, I know my sisters might be a tough crowd, but I know how great you are, and I want to do better. Plus, I'm the worst at studying out of us all, so it's just easier to ask you to help than to waste time figuring it out myself or bothering the others."

"If only the others understood that," Futaro sighed. "I thought I was getting somewhere with Miku today, but it fell flat."

"Miku isn't as stubborn as the others. You'll be able to convince her in no time. I know you can do it!"

Futaro smiled, realizing he already had the trust of one of the quints. "Well, thanks for the vote of confidence. Anyway, function operations, eh? Here's what you need to do…"

After a few minutes of Yotsuba working through her assignment, Futaro was providing fair, reasonable, and constructive criticism.

"Yotsuba?"

"Yes?"

Futaro pointed to a particular location on the paper. "What is this sign?"

"…a plus sign."

"Okay. You understand that."

Futaro then yanked Yotsuba's head up with her ribbon. "Then why did you multiply here? In what world are those two the same thing?"

"Sorry, sorry!" Yotsuba apologized.

Futaro let go of her ribbons, and Yotsuba smiled. She spent two minutes fixing her mistake, and then showed her work to Futaro. "Here!"

Futaro gave it a quick scan. "Well, it looks like we've covered every mistake. You can go home now. I have some, er… studying I need to do."

"I'll keep you company. It's the least I can do to thank you for helping me."

"Are you sure? You don't have to."

Yotsuba's ribbon drooped down. "Well, if you don't want me to, I'll go…"

Futaro shook his head. "No, that's not it at all! If you want you can stay."

Yotsuba beamed. "Then of course I will! I want to see how a genius like you studies."

"Okay then. But first, wait here. I have to get some books."

Futaro walked away and soon came back with a huge stack of books on 20th century geopolitics. Yotsuba's jaw dropped.

Futaro said, "It's for a test, of sorts."

Yotsuba was barely able to speak. "D-Do we have to study all that?"

"Oh, no, you don't have to worry about it. I like being ahead of the curve, even if this stuff won't come on a test."

Yotsuba's expression turned to awe. "No wonder you're so good!"

Her remark gave Futaro an ego boost, but then remembered the challenge before him.

"Thanks, but to be honest, I'm a bit nervous about this one."

"Don't worry, I'll cheer you on!"

With Yotsuba's encouragement, Futaro spent the next few hours reading through all those books, absorbing as much information as he could. He may have lost his battle with Miku today, but he was determined to win the war.

After a long evening of studying, the next day had finally arrived. Futaro confronted Miku after school.

"Miku, I challenge you to another battle." It'll be a quiz on what you're best at: 20th century geopolitics. I'll answer every question you have this time."

Miku scoffed. "Not gonna happen. You never learn, don't you?"

"Don't just callously assume I'm the same Futaro Uesugi you knew yesterday. Or could it be you're afraid of losing at the one thing you're good at?"

Miku made a comically angry face at Futaro. She quickly composed herself and spoke.

"In his famous speech, Winston Churchill said, 'we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds', and…"

"We shall fight in the fields and the streets."

Miku smirked. "Exactly." She ran off.

Futaro followed soon after. The chase was on.

Futaro ran after Miku across the grounds, but lost sight of her. He made it to the school's track, where he ran face-first into someone's chest. She was wearing a green ribbon.

"…Yotsuba? Sorry about that…"

She blushed lightly. "It's fine, just watch where you're going next time."

"Anyway, I'm trying to find Miku. Have you seen her?"

She thought for a second. "Uh, Miku, I saw her coming here. Then she turned that way."

"Oh, thanks."

"Anytime, Futaro!"

Being referred to by his given name was something that didn't register for Futaro in that moment, as he ran back towards the school. Over there he encountered… Yotsuba? She was wearing gym clothes and was holding a water bottle and fanny pack.

"Hey, Uesugi-san, how's it going? I thought I'd go for a jog around the track today."

Futaro was confused. "…Yotsuba? Listen carefully to what I have to say. I saw your doppelgänger over there."

Yotsuba began to panic. "I'm gonna die! I don't wanna die!" She turned her head and saw the doppelgänger. "You're right, it is there. What should my last meal be? Maybe I should ask Itsuki…"

Futaro, largely unfamiliar with Japanese superstitions, stared blankly at Yotsuba's statement. Before he could say anything, he noticed something.

"Wait a moment," Futaro said. "Isn't her hair a little too long? Oh, she got rid of the ribbon. And now she's putting on headphones…" Futaro gasped. "Miku! Gotta go Yotsuba, bye!" He quickly ran off.

Yotsuba sighed in relief. "I'll live to see another day."

Futaro ran off after Miku again through the field, and explained himself while chasing her. "I'm sorry I lied to you! But I read all the books on 20th century history I could! I can talk to you on equal terms now!"

"Lies," Miku said.

Futaro was hitting the limits of his speed, but he kept going. Miku called out to him.

"Fine, we'll play Shiritori. I'll go easy on you, names and events both count."

Shiritori? "What––"

Futaro thought to himself for a second. Oh, right…

Miku said the first word. "Alfred von Schlieffen."

Something with N…

"Neville Chamberlain! The British prime minister that signed the Munich Agreement that ceded the Sudetenland to Nazi Germany!"

Miku briefly looked back, as in disbelief. Then she said the next name. "Nestor Makhno!"

After a second, Futaro yelled his response. "Otto von Bismarck!"

"Kronstadt! The rebellion!"

"The Tehran Conference!"

Futaro began to lose his breath. "N again? Ugh… the Nuremburg trials!"

Miku was frankly worse off. "…Guevara. Che… Guevara."

"Last name? That's… not fair."

"I never said… anything… about which name."

"Okay then… uh… Atatürk. Mustafa… Kemal…"

Miku was exasperated. "Why are you so desperate?"

Within a few moments, she ran out of energy to keep going, and promptly collapsed onto the ground.

Futaro, even through his exhaustion, was concerned. "Miku, are you okay?"

"I'm exhausted. Give me water."

Futaro hesitantly handed her his water bottle. She undid the cap and proceeded to empty the bottle on herself, soaking her clothes.

"Ah, that feels so much better."

Futaro stared at her blankly, as she proceeded to take off her leggings. Futaro had no idea how to react to this, so he decided to make an exit before things got any weirder.

"I'll go get something to drink, now that I have no water."

With that, Futaro walked off in search of a beverage, leaving Miku behind.

Miku was on a bench, waiting for her clothes to dry out. Although it felt good in the moment, she had realized just how bad of an idea it was to pour all that water on herself in retrospect. Luckily, her headphones were left unscathed. That did nothing to quench her thirst, though.

"I should have at least drank some of it," Miku told herself.

Suddenly, she felt a cold sensation to her cheek, and yelped. "Eek!"

Futaro stepped back. "Oh my, sorry about that." Miku pouted as Futaro continued to speak. "I got some water bottles, but I also got these." Futaro raised a cup of matcha yogurt in his hand. "You like matcha, don't you? It was a bit pricey, but who cares?" He handed it over to Miku, but before she could take it, he pulled it back and said, "it's better than Ernst Thälmann Island."

Miku looked at him in awe.

Futaro continued. "You were talking about the island that Cuba gave to East Germany, right? It was just a symbolic gesture of goodwill. I think actually getting to have this is better."

He handed it over. Miku took it and sat up.

"You actually looked it up," she said.

"That was pretty hard to find for me. I had to go through so many books. But ultimately I ended up asking Yotsuba to look it up on her phone."

Miku's facial expression went dark. "Yotsuba? You told Yotsuba about the things I like?"

"I didn't bring you up at all. But why keep this a secret still, anyway? You should be more proud of it, if anything." He paused for a moment before adding, "wait, is it because you like the Allies but you lived in Japan?"

Miku buried her head in her knees.

"That's not really it. It's just that I can't tell my sisters."

"Why not?"

"It's because out of the five of us, I'm the big disappointment."

At this point, Futaro realized an important thing about Miku. She doesn't have any self-confidence.

"Are you sure about that, though? From what I've seen so far, you stand out the most. You did get the highest score on my practice quiz."

Miku sighed. "You're too kind, Futaro."

Taken aback by the sudden compliment, Futaro deflected his embarrassment. "Well, there wasn't that much of a difference anyway."

Miku continued. "It's just that anything I can do, the other four can do as well." With a sad smile on her face, she turned to Futaro. "We're quintuplets, after all. Just give up, I'm a lost cause."

Futaro's response was firm. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Miku. I'm tutoring you all, and I'm not leaving a single one behind. That includes you. I'm going to make sure all five of you graduate with smiles on your faces."

Miku's face slightly flushed at this, but she blew it off. "Dream on. It took the five of us combined to score 100 on your quiz, remember?"

"Yeah, that was a major curveball. I'll be honest, I was just about ready to give up. But thanks to you, I realized something."

"Huh?"

"You say that since you're quintuplets, whatever you can do, the other four can do. But if you look at the converse, anything the other four can do, you can do too."

Miku was taken aback. "I never thought about it that way."

"Now, let me show you something." Futaro fished in his bag and pulled out his notebook on tutoring the quints, open to the marking key for their practice quiz. He placed it in the space between himself and Miku. "You all got an average score of 20, but averages never tell the full story. Do you notice anything?"

Miku glanced at it, and then her eyes widened. She picked it up to get a closer look. "None of our correct answers were on the same question."

"Exactly. In this chart, I saw an opportunity. If one of you can do something, all of you can do it. Ichika, Nino, Yotsuba, Itsuki, and you, Miku. You all have the potential to get a perfect score."

Miku stared in wonder at this declaration by Futaro, a faint blush appearing on her face. She deflected by taking a bite out of her yogurt, and then half-heartedly scoffed.

"That's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. You're probably putting too much faith in this quintuplet theory." She paused for a moment. "Well, it's getting late. See you later, Futaro."

With that, Miku walked off, yogurt in hand.

Although he was a bit uncertain, it looked like for now that Futaro had won.

Post-chapter notes: This chapter was my first major deviation from the original story. I really wanted to write the scene with Futaro and Yotsuba, as I wanted to establish their friendship a bit more. I also finally got to put my high school social studies knowledge to use to come up with the shiritori, which was puzzling but quite fun.

In case you're wondering about the title, Kerrisdale is the neighbourhood their school is in. It's also the name of the park by the school where the chase happens.

The next chapter could take some time to come out, but that one will likely be a bit more original. After all, a different country means a different school system, which means a different layout for what their year will look like. I still have to figure that out.