Chapter 3

The day of the Kyoto school trip had finally arrived, marking four days and three nights of school events for the third-year students of Asahiyama High School. Most of the students were eagerly looking forward to this trip as a much-needed break from the stress and pressure of their final year, especially after enduring the national mock exams a couple of months prior.

The morning sun bathed the scene as the students gathered at the train station, ready to board the Shinkansen bound for Kyoto. The teachers organized them near the station entrance, taking attendance, assigning seat placements, and providing a brief overview of the four-day school trip. When the scheduled time arrived, the students boarded the Shinkansen in an orderly manner, guided by their teachers. Some of the train cars were reserved exclusively for the students and school staff, while others had to be shared with regular passengers.

Within each passenger car, an atmosphere of liveliness and chatter filled the air. Students conversed and joked with friends, indulged in meals or snacks, and engaged in playful games.

Meanwhile, Fuutaro sat quietly in his seat, reading the itinerary book and examining the schedule for the four-day trip. His focus lingered on today's plan, which involved each group deciding on a destination upon arriving in Kyoto.

Fuutaro's group had chosen to visit the Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine, renowned for its Senbon Torii, a breathtaking arrangement of thousands of traditional red gates stretching from the base to the peak of the mountain. The group's decision was driven by the shrine's rich historical significance, dating back thousands of years—a compelling choice for their trip report. Additionally, the shrine was a popular tourist attraction, offering Fuutaro an opportunity for sightseeing and enjoyment.

While absorbed in the itinerary book, Takeda, seated next to Fuutaro, noticed the boy lost in thought and decided to break the silence. "You've been staring at that itinerary book for the past fifteen minutes, Uesugi-kun," he teased with a playful expression. "Can't wait for the school trip, huh?"

"Yeah... you could say that," Fuutaro responded, closing the book in response to Takeda's interruption. "I've been eager to visit Kyoto again, and this school trip is the perfect chance."

"Fushimi Shrine, huh? Why the hell did we choose that place?" Maeda, the third member of their group, seated in front of Fuutaro, complained irritably about the chosen destination. "There are plenty of other interesting places to explore, and you two pick this boring one? Unbelievable..." He reclined in his seat, crossing his arms behind his head.

"Maeda-kun, Uesugi-kun and I chose this place because of its rich historical background, which would make for an excellent trip report," Takeda explained, glancing at the disgruntled Maeda. "Moreover, the shrine is a popular tourist spot due to its torii gates, and it holds a significant place in Kyoto. Isn't that right, Uesugi-kun?" He shifted his position, resting his arms on his knees, and glanced back at the quiet Fuutaro.

"Yeah... I've been wanting to visit that place ever since I missed the opportunity during my last trip to Kyoto," Fuutaro replied, resting his cheek on his left hand, momentarily shifting his attention from his groupmates to the scenery outside the window.

Still wearing a frown, Maeda added, "I don't really enjoy visiting spiritual places. I've heard that there are countless shrines there, and we have to climb to see all of them. Ughh... I hate climbing."

"Maeda-kun, consider it a privilege to visit the Fushimi shrine. I read online that there's even a shrine dedicated to the God of academics within the complex," Takeda said, moving to the empty seat next to Maeda. He spoke in a hushed voice, the earlier teasing expression returning. "I've noticed your grades have been quite abysmal lately. This could be a good opportunity to improve your academic standing."

"Yeah... My grades are at an all-time low," Maeda mumbled, seemingly agreeing with Takeda's observation and contemplating the shrine. "I guess I can't help it. I'll go along and see if it really works."

"Heh! I'm glad you've had a change of heart," Takeda smirked, feeling satisfied to have persuaded their seemingly delinquent classmate. "Just remember not to rely too heavily on the shrine and then neglect your efforts afterward. God might punish you for slacking off and not staying committed."

"Yeah... Whatever..." Maeda responded dismissively.

While his two groupmates continued their incessant chat without any sign of stopping, Fuutaro remained fixated on the window, pondering the peculiar behavior of the quintuplets over the past week. He sensed an underlying restlessness among them, particularly Nino, Miku, and Itsuki, who were behaving strangely and unlike their usual selves.

Nino, in particular, seemed brasher and more forceful than ever. It all started a few weeks ago when she attempted to coerce him into forming a group with just the two of them. However, he had informed her that he had already formed his own group, much to her displeasure.

"Fuu-kun and I will form a group together…"

"And you don't get to refuse…!"

"You should be grateful for the opportunity to go on a date with me, okay?!"

"Oi, listen to me…!"

"I have already formed a group with some guys from class…"

As for Miku, she appeared quieter than usual, resembling their initial encounter last year. Whenever he attempted to engage her in conversation, she grew easily flustered and sometimes avoided him altogether. Additionally, she had been skipping several tutoring sessions in the past few weeks, which was highly unusual, even for subjects like History.

"Hey Miku, is something wrong…?"

"Ehh...? N-No, it's nothing…"

"So today's tutoring session will cover History and Math. There's a lot to go through, and..."

"Sorry, Fuutaro, I can't attend today's tutoring session…"

"Huh...?"

"I have more important things to take care of. I'll make it up during the next session…"

Observing Itsuki, Fuutaro noticed she had become bolder and more forceful, reminiscent of the time she distrusted him the previous year, though without the hostility.

"You know that the school trip is approaching, right…?"

"I have a proposal. How about my group and your group visit Kiyomizu-dera together…?"

"Huh…?"

"You have heard of it, right? I believe it would be a wonderful addition to our trip report, don't you think…?"

"Uhh... Yeah... You make a good point. I'll think about it…""

Lastly, regarding Ichika and Yotsuba, he had not noticed any significant changes in their behavior; they seemed to be acting normally, as they usually did. However, he could not be entirely sure, as a disturbance or change in even one quintuplet could potentially affect all five of them.

"I don't know if it's just me…"

"I'm pretty sure those three were acting weirdly…"

"Although Ichika and Yotsuba seems normal…"

"What could be the reason behind it…?"

"Is it because I did not form a group with them…?"

"Whatever it is, I hope it's just my imagination…"

Somewhere in another passenger car, the Nakano quintuplets sat together, playing a card game of five-card rummy. While it was usually a casual game for fun and to pass the time, the atmosphere between them was unusually competitive and intense.

Nino and Itsuki wore fiery and serious expressions, focusing on their own cards while also keeping a sharp eye on each other. Miku remained motionless, seemingly fixated on her cards for the past few minutes without uttering a single word. Ichika and Yotsuba, on the other hand, appeared to be enjoying the game, smiling and occasionally giggling. Because of the over-competitiveness mood of the game, the eldest and fourth sister tried to reduce the tense between them by cracking some jokes and bringing up the school trip topic. Sadly, their attempts were futile and it made the situation even more awkward.

Several moments later, the round finally came to an end, and they revealed their cards to determine the winner.

"Hehe… A full house for me," Ichika joyfully declared, revealing her cards with a calm expression. With her final combination, she emerged as the victor.

Yotsuba let out a sigh as she compared her own cards to Ichika's. "I lost again," she complained about her ongoing losing streak. "Four rounds and still no win for me..."

"Ughh…" Nino grumbled softly, frustrated by her poor card combination compared to the eldest sister. Not only was she losing two rounds in a row, but her frustration was slowly building up.

Miku remained silent, showing no reaction and staying still for the past few minutes.

A frown and held-back frustration were visible on the fifth sister's face as she immediately let out a roar, "Let us play one more round!" Itsuki exclaimed to her sisters in an annoyed tone, snatching the cards from their hands. She then roughly shuffled the cards in a quick pace. "I swear I will win the next round!"

Yotsuba glanced at Miku, who was sitting next to her, and noticed something was amiss. Upon closer inspection, she realized that Miku was asleep. "Hey, Miku, the game is over," she gently shook Miku's shoulder to wake her up.

"H-Huh...?" Miku slowly opened her eyes, drool trickling from her mouth.

"You seem sleepy... I noticed you woke up very early this morning and went somewhere, didn't you?" Yotsuba whispered to her, making sure the other sisters would not overhear.

Miku weakly nodded. "Y-Yeah..." she quietly replied, rubbing her sleepy eyes. "I went to my workplace and asked my boss if I could use the kitchen for that bread..." She then took the cards that Itsuki had placed on her lap.

"So, you finally made the bread, huh?" Yotsuba offered her support in a hushed tone. "You've been working hard all week, so I'll be cheering you on until the very end! Let me know if you need any help!"

"Thank you, Yotsuba..."

The new round of the card game began, and the atmosphere among them remained unchanged, much like before. As the round progressed, Itsuki suddenly had something in her mind that could make the game more fun and interesting. An unusual, sly smirk formed on her lips as she realized this idea might give her an advantage when they finally reached Kyoto. "Hey, I have an idea. How about, for the next round, whoever the winner is, gets to give any order they like and everyone else has to follow it?"

Nino cast a skeptical glance at Itsuki. "Huh? What's with that idea?" she questioned with suspicion. But within a few seconds, a mischievous smirk replaced her doubt, mirroring the one Itsuki had moments ago. "Any order, you say? Interesting..."

Ichika chuckled, seemingly in agreement with the proposal. "Well… If it can make the game more lively, I accept."

"I won't lose..." Miku said in a monotone voice, but her determined expression showed her acceptance of the fifth sister's offer.

With the introduction of this new condition, the atmosphere reached its peak, and a fiery competitive spirit radiated from all four of them.

Yotsuba was taken aback and sensed an intense aura from her four sisters, something she had never felt before. She felt overwhelmed by the situation, which had already been weird and awkward ever since Fuutaro told them that he had formed his own group with other classmates for the school trip. This new intense situation only added more fuel to the lingering awkwardness and tension of the past few weeks.

"Woah…"

"Somehow. the situation has escalated even further..."

"This could be bad…"

But among them, there was one sister seemed to be unaffected by the situation. Yotsuba had observed each of her sisters closely over the past week, and she concluded that Ichika remained unchanged, acting as she always had. Unlike the other three, there was nothing strange or different about her behavior.

Yotsuba then thought, to help Miku's effort to be noticed by Fuutaro, she might need a helping hand for this seemingly escalated situation. Based on her observations of the second and fifth sister's recent behavior, she was quite certain that those two would set their sight on Fuutaro once they reached Kyoto. And that person who could help her to do this was the eldest sister that she always depends on.

"If my observation is correct…"

"Ichika hasn't acted much differently, just like usual…"

"She seems to be enjoying herself and just having fun in this card game…"

"If it's true, then I need her help…"

"For Miku's sake…"

Luckily for Yotsuba, Ichika was sitting in front of her, allowing her to signal without alerting the other three sisters. She then nudged the eldest sister's leg with her foot to gain her attention.

As expected, Ichika felt the nudge and glanced at her leg, where Yotsuba's foot was repeatedly tapping her. "Hmm…?" She immediately lifted her head, meeting the sight of the nervous-looking fourth sister in front of her. Yotsuba also rapidly shifted her gaze toward the aisle, seemingly wanting to talk about something to her. "It seems Yotsuba wants to talk to me, alone… and judging by her expression, it must be something important."

Ichika understood the signal from Yotsuba and immediately put down her cards. "Hey Yotsuba, can you accompany me to buy some snacks from the food trolley?" She stood up from her seat and walked to the aisle. "The trolley seems to be in the next car, so let's catch up before it goes too far."

"Y-Yeah...!" Yotsuba quickly stood up from her seat and ran to the next passenger car.

"So, does anyone else want some snacks or foods too? Maybe you, Itsuki-chan?"

"Yeah, can you buy me a cup of ramen and a soda? I am starting to get hungry," Itsuki said to Ichika without looking at her, too focused on the card game. "Also, get me a Pocky. I have been craving for it for a while."

Nino cast a bemused and unimpressed gaze at her. "Huh? You just had breakfast one hour ago," she mocked. "Just how much can your stomach hold?"

"S-Shut up, Nino! Let us just focus on the game," Itsuki snapped, showing an annoyed frown towards the second sister.

Ichika nodded with a faint smile. "Okay, got it!" She then went to catch up with Yotsuba to the next passenger car.

Ichika entered the other passenger car where Yotsuba had gone earlier and spotted her younger sister standing near the restroom, still wearing a nervous expression. She also noticed Yotsuba release a big sigh, indicating that she was troubled by something.

Approaching Yotsuba, Ichika gently tapped her sister on the shoulder to help calm her down. "There, there... What's wrong, Yotsuba? Do you want to talk to me?" Ichika asked with a warm, comforting smile.

"I-Ichika... Umm... Yeah, there's something I want to talk to you about," Yotsuba stammered, her voice mixed with hesitation. She fell silent for a few seconds, gathering her thoughts. Then, with a deep breath, she found the courage to continue. "Have you noticed that the mood between the five of us has been kind of weird recently?"

Upon hearing this, Ichika closed her eyes and let out a soft chuckle. "About that, huh? Yeah, I've noticed it..." She opened her eyes and continued the conversation. "So, you've noticed it too? It's been really awkward for the past week, especially during dinner, where we've been eating in almost complete silence."

Yotsuba let out another sigh, this time more as an affirmation. "I'm glad I'm not going crazy... It was super awkward being in that kind of situation," she admitted, relieved that she was not imagining the tension among her sisters. "Anyway, Ichika, there's something I want to talk to you about, and it's about Miku."

"Hmm? About Miku?" Ichika asked, tilting her head with curiosity.

Yotsuba nodded and explained anxiously, "You see, Miku told me that this morning, she went to her workplace and baked a bread. And the bread she baked is for Uesugi-san."

"Huh? For Fuutaro-kun?" Ichika was slightly taken aback by Yotsuba's revelation.

"Miku... she really worked very hard for the past couple of weeks, practicing to make the perfect bread for him," Yotsuba shared Miku's situation. "So this morning, she was finally able to make an acceptable bread and wanted to give it to Uesugi-san when they have some alone time together on this school trip."

"I see..."

"The thing is, knowing the situation between the five of us and how it can escalate at any moment, I'm afraid it might discourage Miku and prevent her from giving him the bread," Yotsuba expressed her concerns. "I promised to help her, and seeing that you seem to be 'normal' and not like the others, I thought I could ask for your support in helping her getting through this situation."

Ichika put her right hand on her chin, assuming a thoughtful pose with a slightly serious expression. So, it seemed Miku wanted to spend some alone time with Fuutaro, just like Nino and Itsuki. Ichika had been aware of Miku's feelings for him since last year, and it seemed she was now displaying more courage and confidence in gaining his attention. By baking the bread and giving it to him, Miku hoped to capture his notice and develop their relationship beyond friendship. Yotsuba's statement confirmed Ichika's suspicion.

"Hmm... Looks like my guess was right..."

"Even Miku is seeking a chance to spend some alone time with him..."

"This whole situation is intriguing..."

"But it can also be troublesome..."

Ichika also contemplated the awkwardness of the situation. Just as Yotsuba mentioned, it could hinder Miku from giving her bread to Fuutaro, and the outcome could potentially lead to even more awkwardness and unease. The recent brash and bold behavior of Nino and Itsuki would only add fuel to the fire and further discourage Miku from pursuing her plan.

"I guess I'm going to help her..."

"After all, she has been trying so hard..."

"So, Ichika, can you lend me a hand in helping Miku?"

Ichika lowered her hand and displayed her trademark calming expression. "Yeah... got it. I'll do what I can to ensure Miku can give the bread to Fuutaro-kun without any problems."

Yotsuba's face immediately brightened, sparkling with joy upon hearing Ichika's response. "Wahh...! Thank you so much!" she exclaimed joyfully. "I'm glad I asked you. I was afraid you would refuse, considering how tense the situation is."

"Hehe... Don't worry about it. I can't just ignore any of my sisters when they're in a pinch."

"So, do you have any plan, Ichika?" Yotsuba asked, her bright expression beginning to fade. "I'm pretty sure once we arrive in Kyoto, Nino and Itsuki will look for every opportunity to be with Uesugi-san."

"Hmm... About that..." Ichika crossed her arms and closed her eyes once more. "We should find out where Fuutaro-kun's group is heading. Once we know their destination, we can look for an opportunity to distract Nino and Itsuki-chan, and separate him from his groupmates." Opening her eyes, she raised her index finger. "If we can meet those two conditions, it's up to Miku herself to seize the opportunity. But I'm confident she will be able to do it, considering how hard she has already worked and how determined she is to bake that bread just for him."

"That's a great plan!" Yotsuba beamed, impressed by Ichika's strategic thinking. "As expected from our eldest sister. I guess in the end, I have to rely on you," she praised her cleverness.

"Good. It's decided then," Ichika nodded. "Anyway, let's find the food trolley. I want to buy some snacks and make sure Itsuki-chan's mood doesn't get any grumpier."

"Ahh, yeah, that's right. If I'm not mistaken, the trolley has already moved to the next car."

"Then let's go." Ichika proceeded to the next car, with Yotsuba following closely behind.

Around 15 minutes had passed, and Ichika and Yotsuba finally returned to their seats, each holding a plastic bag.

"Here, Itsuki-chan, a flavorful tonkotsu ramen for you," Ichika said, handing the ramen cup to Itsuki. Yotsuba took out a soda can and a Pocky from the plastic bag and placed them on her lap.

"Ahh, thank you," Itsuki replied, taking the ramen cup and blowing on the hot broth.

"What took you two so long? We had to stop the card game, you know?" Nino complained, taking a sip from her water bottle and putting it back into her bag. "I was about to win, and now we have to wait for Itsuki to finish her food."

Ichika chuckled. "Ahaha... Sorry about that. We bumped into our homeroom teacher and asked him for more details about the school trip," she explained, skillfully masking the real reason for their absence as she settled back into her seat.

"Speaking of school trip, I can't wait until we arrive in Kyoto," Nino said eagerly, a big smirk on her face. "I will ask him to go somewhere fancy, maybe like a souvenir shop or shopping district... Walking together, just the two of us…" Her face took on a dreamy expression as she imagined it.

Itsuki, who was still focused on her ramen, shot Nino an irritated and jealous glare, clearly vexed by her sister's desire to monopolize their tutor's attention. "You know, this is a school trip, not a vacation. We should visit places with historical value or interesting locations for our school report," she stated, her voice laced with a tinge of displeasure. "And if we want to meet Uesugi-kun, the best place is at the hotel since all the students will gather there after the trip."

"Well, it would be boring to just stay at the hotel with nothing to do," Nino countered, crossing her arms and dismissing Itsuki's suggestion. She then boldly proposed her own solution to Itsuki's argument. "Instead of your boring approach, we should follow wherever his group is going. Don't you agree?" The second sister wore a cheeky expression, challenging Itsuki's stance.

Itsuki paused with her ramen halfway to her mouth, her hand freezing in mid-air. "Umm... Y-Yeah, you have a point," she hesitantly replied, reluctantly agreeing with Nino's statement, much to her own displeasure, and resumed eating.

"Then it's settled. We'll follow wherever Fuu-kun's group is going," Nino declared boldly. "If any of you don't want to, I'll go by myself, and you can go wherever you like." She opened her phone to pass the time while waiting for Itsuki to finish her ramen.

Ichika and Yotsuba exchanged glances and let out a weak laugh, observing their two sisters competing for alone time with Fuutaro.

Ichika reached into her plastic bag, taking a coffee can, and popped it open while stealing a glance at Miku, who sat next to Yotsuba. She noticed a nervous and troubled expression on Miku's face, her left hand clenched tightly as she listened to the back-and-forth conversation between Nino and Itsuki.

"Poor Miku..."

"If this continues, she won't have a chance to give that bread to Fuutaro-kun..."

"But I can't ignore Nino and Itsuki-chan either, as they also want to spend time with him..."

"This situation is guaranteed to be bad for everyone if it continues like this..."

As Ichika sipped her coffee, she realized that the escalating situation was detrimental to everyone, not just Miku, and it had the potential to create conflicts among them. A long-awaited school trip that everyone supposed to have fun, but filled with a tense and unpleasant situation that can ruin everyone's mood, this kind of situation was the last thing she wanted. She already experienced a similar situation when Nino and Itsuki fought last year and it was not a pleasant experience to go through.

Ichika recognized the need to intervene and prevent the worst outcome, where they would end up fighting and creating a rift among themselves.

"It's not just about Miku..."

"I also need to help those two have their alone time with him..."

"It's my duty as the eldest sister..."

"And it's part of my promise to become a better person..."

"I'm going to help each of my sisters in need..."

A/N:

Here it is, Chapter 3! After a month-long wait, Happy New Year to all of you!

Just like in the main series, the awkward and tense atmosphere between the quintuplets is still present, but it has its own twist and changes in this story. Based on Ichika's thoughts at the end of the chapter, this story will not only focus on Fuutaro and Ichika, but also on the other quintuplets, each having their own moments with Fuutaro. However, for you Ichika fans, rest assured that this story will still revolve around Fuutaro and Ichika, and they will have their own special moments together at certain parts of the story.

If you've already read "Our Promise and Bet," you'll understand why Ichika decided to help her sisters instead of participating in the fiery competition like in the main series. Considering her supportive and eldest sibling personality, along with what happened in the prequel of this fic, it makes the most sense for her to take such action. Once again, I highly recommend reading the prequel if you haven't already, as it will boost your understanding and enjoyment of this story.

I also noticed that Takeda and Maeda didn't have prominent roles or appearances in the main series outside of the Summer Vacation and School Festival Arcs (If I remember correctly, hell, Takeda didn't even appear in the wedding chapter, and I didn't watch the movie, so forgive me if he appeared in the wedding scene). So, they will have a larger presence in this story, interacting with Fuutaro and the quintuplets. It's a shame they didn't appear more after the Kyoto School Trip Arc, as they have great potential for a bigger role and interaction with Fuutaro outside of the quintuplets.

The next chapter will be released in the last week of January, as long as there are no issues that prevent me from writing. Keep an eye out for that week, as I'll try to release it as scheduled.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and one of my New Year's resolutions is to see this story through to its completion. See you in the next chapter!

If you like the story feel free to review, follow, and favorite it!