"Aoyama-san, you seem very good at taking care of people. Do you have any siblings?"
"Huh? No, I'm an only child."
Nanami chatted with Ichika while selecting ingredients for dinner. Ichika, walking beside Nanami, had her empty cup held behind her back, her steps light and happy, and a smile unconsciously played on her lips. Ichika and Nanami had only known each other for a little over a week, but talking to Nanami felt like talking to an older sister who also had four younger siblings like herself.
"Aoyama-san is like an older sister... no, like a mom!" Ichika teased with a playful smile.
"I'm not like a mom!" What kind of mom has parties with her daughters... Wait, she actually did. The videos Suzu sent included Ai Hayasaka and her mother. Although Rin Ito hadn't "eaten" Ai Hayasaka yet, it was surely only a matter of time.
"Nakano-san, do you have any younger brothers or sisters?" Nanami asked casually.
"I do." Ichika nodded, her smile widening a bit more. "I have four younger sisters. We are actually quintuplets."
"!?" Quintuplets? Nanami was genuinely shocked. To be able to give birth to so many at once, Nakano-san's mother must be amazing.
"Hehe, were you startled? And we look exactly alike, too. If we try to disguise ourselves, the classmates in our class can't tell the difference."
"Exactly alike? Even the bust size?" Nanami's mind flashed with the image of Kaede and Suzu. If they intentionally dressed up, it would be hard to tell them apart at first glance. But if they stood together, a closer look would reveal that Suzu's chest was slightly larger.
"Bust size... pretty much. I'll introduce them to you if we get a chance, but you have to promise to keep my signing with the agency a secret from them." Ichika put her index finger to her lip, winked, and gave Nanami a charmingly cunning smile.
"Huh? Why keep it a secret?"
"Because ever since we were little, we five sisters did everything together... Although signing with an agency doesn't mean I'll get to act—I still need to pass auditions—but...." Ichika's expression looked complicated. "Well, it feels like I'm leaving them behind."
"No problem, I'll keep your secret!" Although Nanami thought Ichika's sisters would be happy if they knew, if Ichika didn't want them to know, Nanami wouldn't say anything more.
"Aoyama-san, just call me Ichika. Otherwise, we'll have five Nakano's, and you won't know who to call."
"Then Ichika, you can just call me Nanami... Right, Ichika, do you want to come over and have dinner at my place and try Ito-kun's salted fish?" Ichika just said she would introduce her to her sisters, and Nanami had just bought the salted fish Ichika liked, plus... it would be hard for Nanami to carry all those bags back alone.
"Can I? Then I won't hold back, okay?"
"No problem." Nanami smiled. "Kaede also has a twin sister named Suzu. Since you're both older sisters, you should have plenty to talk about. Ichika, is there anything else you'd like to eat?"
"Yes~~~"
The two chatted and bought groceries at the supermarket. Nanami had already told Kaede, Suzu, Rin Ito, and Mashiro that Ichika was coming over for a visit. Besides asking if they needed her to bring anything back, she also reminded them not to have a party... It wouldn't be good if Ichika walked in on one.
After leaving the supermarket with several large bags, Ichika immediately hailed a taxi on the street. Nanami was about to say that they could just take the train, but before she could say it, Ichika, knowing Nanami was very thrifty, insisted on paying. Nanami usually took the train to and from class, and although Mashiro gave her a decent "salary," she had retained her thrifty habits.
Soon, the two, laden with bags, arrived at Rin Ito's house.
"Kaede and Suzu's house is on the left, and Mashiro and I live in Ito-kun's house on the right."
"I see..." Ichika frowned slightly, finding it a bit strange. According to Nanami, Rin Ito and Kaede Hoshizuki were childhood sweethearts, but... why would Kaede Hoshizuki let two girls live with her boyfriend? Although she was puzzled, Ichika didn't want to say too much about other people's household matters.
"We usually cook at Ito-kun's house. Kaede and Suzu should be there, too."
Nanami took out the key and opened the door. The smell of cooking immediately wafted into their noses.
"I'm home~"
"Excuse the intrusion~"
Hearing their voices, Kaede, wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen near the entrance. Rin Ito, who was in the living room, also came to the entrance when he heard the sounds. Ichika introduced herself with a smile, her hands naturally clasped in front of her.
"Excuse the intrusion~ My name is Ichika Nakano. Since I have four younger sisters, please just call me Ichika~"
"My name is Kaede Hoshizuki, and she's my sister, Suzu... If you call us Hoshizuki, we'll get confused, so please call us Kaede and Suzu. And him... Hey, why are you staring at her? What's going on?" Kaede poked Rin Ito's soft spot near his waist with her elbow. He had never stared at girls she brought home before. Why was he staring at a friend Nanami brought back now!?
Kaede's movement brought Rin Ito back to his senses. Although Ichika was very cute and had a large chest, that wasn't why Rin Ito was staring.
"Hello." Rin Ito smiled. "I just thought Ichika looked familiar, like a big star. Ichika, have you been in any movies or TV shows?" Rin Ito asked inconspicuously. Show business, let alone the "underworld," was chaotic even in the "overworld." But judging from Ichika's appearance, she was still in school. Although Rin Ito remembered that the head of the agency Ichika signed with was a decent person, and Ichika's family owned a hospital, so she wasn't poor. But... it was hard to say.
Kaede's lips twitched nearby... What does he mean by that!? Is he interested in her? But... Ichika did look very cute and had a mature aura.
"Huh? Like a big star? No." Ichika smiled somewhat shyly. "Although I've signed with an agency, I'm still in the training stage right now... Ah, Nanami must have told Ito-kun beforehand, right?"
"No, no. Nanami didn't even mention your name, only that a friend who likes salted fish was coming over for dinner." Hearing Ichika say that, Rin Ito smiled, then looked at the bags in their hands.
"You've bought the groceries? Leave the kitchen to us. You two must be tired after a day of classes, so go rest in the living room, or you can go play with Mashiro."
Nanami handed the bags to Rin Ito, but her eyes looked at him strangely... Is he trying to turn Ichika into one of his "blood-bound sisters" too?