—Futaro POV—

After finishing my call with Raiha, I found the quintuplets.

There are four of them, but who’s missing?

Futaro: "I’m coming again today, and this time all of you are joining the study session properly."

Itsuki: "I’ll handle my own problems myself."

Miku: "I can study on my own."

Nino: "Exactly. In other words, it’s none of your business."

Futaro: "I-Is that so? Then answer this. Question one. At the Battle of Itsukushima, which warlord was defeated by Mōri Motonari? You know the answer, right?"

They all look away.

Itsuki is just trembling.

They ran.

Futaro: "I knew it."

They hate studying.

And they seem to hate me and Kiyotaka too.

Thinking about the future makes my stomach hurt.

Hm?

Looking back at yesterday’s results—

Futaro: ‘Miku got this one right... Why didn’t you answer earlier?’

I want to ask her about that too, but—

Ah, I forgot the book I borrowed from the library.

I need to go get it.

I retrieve the book and return to the classroom.

Hm?

There’s a letter on my desk.

To Futaro, from Miku.

No way!

Is this a love letter!?

Me!?

Miku likes me!?

We haven’t even known each other that long.

Kiyotaka: "Why are you grinning like that? You look gross."

Futaro: "I-I’m not grinning. My face is so neutral it hurts."

Stay calm, Uesugi Futaro.

There’s no need to get worked up over this!

* * *

And yet, here I am.

Futaro: ‘See? I fell for such a low-level prank. Though it’d be a problem if she actually showed up.’

Click.

Miku, who I thought wouldn’t come, appears at the door.

Futaro: "M-Miku, it wasn’t a prank?"

Miku: "I’m glad you read the letter."

T-This is bad.

Futaro: "We have entrance exams next year, you know."

Miku: "I wanted to say it in the cafeteria, but I didn’t want anyone to hear."

Wait.

This isn’t bad?

Miku: "Futaro, I’ve been wanting to tell you. Ta... Ta... Sue Harukata."

Futaro: "Sue Harukata..."

Miku: "Okay. I said it. I feel better."

Futaro: "W-Wait. That’s not some twisted confession, right? What are you talking about!?"

Miku: "It’s the answer to the question."

Futaro: "Why now!? Ah! Sorry."

Her phone drops and I catch a glimpse of the screen.

That’s—

Futaro: "The Takeda diamond crest... Takeda Shingen’s."

Miku: "You saw?"

Futaro: "Y-Yeah. Do you like history? Any particular reason?"

Miku: "It started with a game I borrowed from Yotsuba. I was drawn to ambitious warlords and read lots of books. But the people my classmates like are handsome actors or beautiful models. Compared to that, I like bearded old men... It’s weird."

It would be easy to call her strange.

But—

Futaro: "It’s not weird. Believe in what you like. I’m actually pretty knowledgeable about warlords too. I even got a perfect score on the last Japanese history test."

Miku: "Really!?"

She bit.

This is my chance.

Futaro: "That’s the power of the top student in the grade. If you take my lessons, I’ll tell you about warlords you’ve never heard of."

Miku: "So you know more than me? Then here’s a question. It’s famous that Nobunaga called Hideyoshi 'monkey,' right? But did you know that anecdote isn’t accurate? What was his real nickname?"

She’s talking a lot.

Hideyoshi’s nickname...

I think the history teacher mentioned it...

The history teacher...

Futaro: "Bald... rat."

* * *

We talk a bit more about the anecdote.

Miku truly loves history.

Futaro: "Let’s center the next tutoring session around history. Will you attend?"

Miku: "If you insist that much, fine."

Victory.

From here, I can manage the rest.

As I head back to the classroom—

Miku: "Here. A symbol of friendship. Drink it."

Matcha soda?

What is this?

Miku: "You said you were curious. Don’t worry, there’s no snot in it. Just kidding."

Snot?

What?

Miku: "You don’t know that story? I see. So being smart only goes that far. I guess there’s nothing for you to teach me. Bye."

Unforgivable.

I’ll make sure to teach her properly.

The rest follows the original exactly, so if you’re curious, read the original.

* * *

—Tutoring Day—

Futaro: "What is this? Sensor, react!"

It’s obviously not opening because there’s no password input, but it’s amusing, so I watch.

Miku: "What are you doing there?"

When Futaro explains the sensor isn’t reacting—

Miku: "You don’t even know about auto-lock systems..."

She enters the password and turns around.

Miku: "What are you standing there for? You’re here to tutor, right?"

When we reach the quintuplets’ room, they’re all gathered.

Yotsuba: "Good morning! We’re all ready."

Ichika: "I might watch too."

Itsuki: "I’m only self-studying here. Don’t misunderstand."

Miku: "Teach me Japanese history like you promised."

Promised?

Did Futaro do something?

Well, thanks to that, everyone except Nino is here.

We can finally proceed properly.

Nino: "Oh? You came again without learning your lesson? Hope you don’t fall asleep like last week."

Futaro: "You were the one who drugged—"

Surprisingly, he’s calm.

I expected him to snap immediately.

Futaro: "How about it, Nino? Join us—"

Nino: "Over my dead body."

Futaro: "Fine. We’ll just do it ourselves today."

It’s improving, but Nino is still the biggest obstacle.

Nino: "Oh right, Yotsuba. A friend from the basketball club is looking for a temporary member. You’re athletic, so I recommended you."

Futaro: "There’s no way she’d go."

Yotsuba: "I’m sorry, Uesugi-san. I can’t ignore someone in need."

Futaro: "You’ve got to be kidding."

Miku: "She can’t refuse."

Nino: "Ichika, didn’t you say you have a part-time job at two?"

Ichika: "Oh, right."

Nino: "Itsuki, why not go to the library instead of staying here?"

Itsuki: "That’s true."

Back to square one.

We need to raise Nino’s favorability at least a little.

Futaro: "Alright, everyone, gather up! Let’s begin!"

Miku: "Look at reality. No one’s here."

Nino: "Huh? You’re still here? Go buy me the juice you drank by mistake."

Miku: "I already did."

Nino: "What? Since when did you two get so close?"

A pleasant miscalculation.

If Miku has accepted tutoring, then—

Kiyotaka: "I’ll head home."

Futaro: "Huh? Why?"

Kiyotaka: "There’s only one student now. You don’t need me. I’m not good at Japanese history anyway."

Futaro: "I-I see."

I say that and forcefully leave the room.

Now then.

Should I go see Itsuki, Ichika, or Yotsuba?

* * *

Author’s Words

This time felt like a Futaro-focused chapter.

From here on, I’ll start writing Kiyotaka’s relationships with the quintuplets more seriously.

Since the routes split here, this one is shorter.

So who will Kiyotaka go see—Itsuki, Ichika, or Yotsuba?

Try to guess.