Today I came to Futaro’s house.

We’re studying together and discussing the tutoring situation.

Kiyotaka: "By the way, what do you think will happen with our pay?"

Futaro: "Huh?"

Kiyotaka: "I mean, so far we haven’t really done any work."

Futaro: "True... Actually, isn’t most of it my fault? The first time I fell asleep, and the second time I got falsely accused..."

Kiyotaka: "It’ll probably be fine. I found it interesting, at least."

Futaro: "Hey..."

Given their personalities, they’ve probably had tutors before.

I doubt anyone succeeded right away.

Compared to that, we at least have Miku and Yotsuba on board, and Ichika seems somewhat willing too.

That’s already a better environment.

We continue solving problem sets and picking good questions when the doorbell rings.

Futaro answers it.

Futaro: "—"

He closes the door.

For a split second I think I saw Itsuki.

He shut it almost reflexively.

Itsuki: "Why did you close it? Open the door."

Futaro: "S-Sorry, it was a reflex..."

Itsuki: "Whatever. I came to give you something."

Raiha heads to the entrance and greets her.

Raiha: "Itsuki-san, welcome! Please come in."

Itsuki: "Well, it’s not something to hand over outside anyway."

She steps inside and makes eye contact with me.

Itsuki: "You’re here too. Perfect timing. This is your salary from Father."

She hands Futaro and me envelopes.

Raiha: "Wow! You worked hard!"

Futaro: "We only went twice this month. Better not expect much."

We open the envelopes.

There’s 50,000 yen inside.

Itsuki: "5,000 yen per person per day. Five people, two days. That makes 50,000."

Futaro’s bills are already wrinkled from his sweaty hands.

Maybe I’ll buy some books.

Before I know it, Raiha has dragged the four of us to an arcade.

I don’t have anything urgent to do, so I go.

Futaro: "That defies physics. One more hit and it’ll fall."

He’s completely fired up at the shooting game.

Just earlier he was calling Raiha childish for getting excited.

Futaro: "Itsuki, Kiyotaka, you still have shots left. Aim for that. Expose the fraud."

Maybe don’t shout about fraud in front of the shop.

I load the cork and fire.

Miss.

The first shot is fine.

But the corks are unevenly worn.

Even when I hit, it doesn’t knock anything down.

After that, we follow Raiha around and enjoy the arcade.

Finally, Raiha insists on taking purikura.

As we’re about to leave, I suddenly grow curious about purikura myself.

Without thinking, I grab Itsuki’s hand and head to the booth.

Itsuki: "W-Wait! What are you doing!?"

Kiyotaka: "I’m curious about purikura."

Itsuki: "Fine. But we’ll take it quickly."

Inside, neither of us changes expression.

This will look like an ID photo.

So I press couple mode.

Itsuki: "Couple!? What are you doing!? We’re not even dating!"

Kiyotaka: "I like you."

Itsuki: "Huh!? W-Why would you suddenly say that!?"

This will be annoying to explain later.

Kiyotaka: "Relax. It’s a joke. It’s more interesting if your expression changes."

Itsuki: "Whaaat!?"

She’s angrier than expected.

Just as I consider escaping, the shutter clicks.

* * *

Later, as I follow Futaro to retrieve our study materials, we run into the other quintuplets.

They’re wearing yukatas.

They must be going to a festival.

They finish their weekend homework and head there.

Futaro wasn’t planning to go, but Raiha convinces him.

I go out of simple curiosity.

They’re unusually excited.

Itsuki: "What’s with those faces? That’s not festival-appropriate."

She addresses Futaro and me.

Futaro: "Who are you? It’s confusing enough with identical faces. Don’t change your hairstyle."

Kiyotaka: "I agree... That hair accessory is Itsuki’s, right?"

Itsuki: "What’s your problem? I can style my hair however I like."

That was unreasonable.

Ichika: "If a girl changes her hairstyle, you’re supposed to compliment her~ By the way, aren’t you curious whether girls really don’t wear underwear under yukata?"

Kiyotaka: "That’s an old myth. I know."

Ichika: "Really~? Just kidding. Did your heart race?"

She throws off my rhythm.

Nino: "Ichika, stop lagging behind."

Ichika’s phone rings.

Ichika: "Sorry, I need to take this."

Futaro: "Where are you going?"

Nino: "Does it matter?"

They clearly don’t welcome us.

We walk through the growing crowd.

Even so, I don’t feel anything.

Raiha appears with goldfish and fireworks.

Futaro: "Where’d you get those?"

Raiha: "Yotsuba-san won them."

Futaro: "That’s too many... And fireworks are the last thing we need."

The crowd thickens.

Futaro: "Let’s push through."

We quicken our pace.

Nino: "Hold on. You’re not leaving without buying anything."

Quintuplets: "We didn’t buy that yet." "Wasn’t there a stall?"

FuuKiyo: "What’s that?"

Quintuplets: "One, two— shaved ice! yakisoba! candied apples! ningyoyaki! chocolate bananas! Let’s buy everything!"

Futaro: "Are they really quintuplets?"

Kiyotaka: "I’m starting to doubt it."

I spot Itsuki and Ichika at a stall.

I buy something too.

Itsuki: "I can’t accept this. The vendor gave Ichika extra because she’s cute, but nothing for me. We have the same face!"

I watch them while eating.

Kiyotaka: "Here. You can have the rest."

Itsuki: "Huh? Why?"

Kiyotaka: "Apology for earlier. And thanks for helping me."

She hesitates, then smiles and eats.

* * *

Nino: "You’re slow!"

It’s almost time for fireworks.

I grab Itsuki’s hand and follow Nino.

We push through the crowd to a rooftop.

Only Itsuki, Nino, Futaro, and I are there.

Nino: "Oh no. I’m the only one who knows where the stall is."

Itsuki and Nino try calling the others.

No answer.

Kiyotaka: "We can’t fix this."

Nino: "We have to!"

Itsuki: "When our mother was alive, we always watched together. After she passed, the five of us watched together."

That explains their excitement.

Kiyotaka: "I’ll go look."

Futaro: "Me too."

Kiyotaka: "No. If you find them nearby, bring them here and call."

I run through the festival street.

A message arrives.

They found Miku.

Ichika appears behind me.

Ichika: "Good. They found her."

Kiyotaka: "Let’s go to Nino. You want to watch the fireworks, right?"

Ichika: "I can’t watch with everyone."

My phone vibrates.

But Ichika is the priority.

Kiyotaka: "Explain. I heard the fireworks matter to you."

Ichika: "Why? Why are you doing this? Because you’re our tutor?"

Why am I?

I don’t care what happens to them.

Ichika: "That’s why— Oh no."

She spots a middle-aged man outside.

Kiyotaka: "Who is he?"

Ichika: "My coworker. I slipped away from work. He’ll be angry."

Kiyotaka: "Then run out the back."

Ichika: "No time."

We end up embracing to hide.

The man sits down nearby.

We whisper.

Ichika: "Do we look like a couple?"

Kiyotaka: "There’s no hugging greeting in Japan. Probably."

Ichika: "Feels wrong, even though we’re just friends."

Kiyotaka: "We’re friends?"

Ichika: "A hug doesn’t cross that line."

Kiyotaka: "I don’t have many friends. I guess we are. I’ve been dragged into enough trouble."

Ichika: "Sorry."

Maybe this is how friendships form.

Man: "Found you, Ichika-chan."

Kiyotaka: "So we’re found."

He runs in another direction and drags someone away.

Ichika: "Miku!?"

Futaro: "Partner."

I don’t catch everything.

Apparently he mistook Miku for Ichika.

Ichika steps out.

Ichika: "Sorry. I’ll be right there."

Kiyotaka: "What about the fireworks?"

Ichika: "Sorry. I’m going."

Futaro tries to follow.

Kiyotaka: "Leave Ichika to me."

I chase her.

Kiyotaka: "What about that man?"

Ichika: "He’s getting the car."

Kiyotaka: "Last chance. You’re not coming back?"

Ichika: "Then answer me. Why are you doing this?"

Kiyotaka: "Because I was entrusted. And because you’re my first female friend."

Ichika: "You’re really a loner."

Kiyotaka: "Yeah."

She hands me her tablet.

It’s a script.

Ichika: "Practice with me."

Kiyotaka: "I can only read stiffly."

* * *

We rehearse.

Her aura changes.

The final scene arrives.

Kiyotaka: "Congratulations on graduating."

Ichika: "Thank you, sensei. I’m glad you were my teacher. I’m glad I was your student."

The car arrives.

Ichika: "Looks like it’s here. I’ll go win that role."

Kiyotaka: "Wait."

I grab her arm.

Kiyotaka: "Drop the fake smile."

Ichika: "What?"

Kiyotaka: "It’s obvious. You’re pretending to be fine. At least complain a little."

Ichika: "You noticed something so small."

Kiyotaka: "I’m confident in my observation skills. But this time, your smile felt different from your sisters’."

She lowers her voice.

Ichika: "Guess I couldn’t fool you."

Kiyotaka: "Seeing you now, I wouldn’t call you talented. You’ll fail if you go like this."

Ichika: "No. This is my dream."

Man: "Ichika-chan, let’s go."

Ichika: "Coming."

Kiyotaka: "By the time you return, the fireworks will be over. I’ll apologize to them for you. You’re my friend."

The car drives away.

Kiyotaka: ‘As I thought.’

I’m glad I made some friends.

But that’s all.

No matter how much information I process, my emotions remain unmoved.