While Rin was "feeding" his pet girl, Ichika Nakano was lying in her room—which was even messier than Mashiro's old place, filled with posters and piles of dirty laundry. She received a message from the President of Oda Talent Agency.
Ichika: [President! Is there an audition tomorrow?]
President: [Yes, Ichika-chan. It's a film shooting over the winter break. Can you make it?]
Ichika sat bolt upright. She'd thought she'd have to wait much longer for an opportunity. The only problem was that tomorrow was Monday—the first day of school.
Ichika: [No problem! I'll take the day off. What should I wear?]
President: [School uniform and light makeup. The role is a high school girl; just play yourself. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning.]
Excited, Ichika kicked her bare feet in the air, a grin plastered on her face. Skipping school was fine, but she had been hiding her acting dreams from her four sisters.
Skipping school and hiding it from them... wait, if I skip, the teacher might call Dad, she thought. I need a plan.
She smirked. She had an idea.
...
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Pounding on the door woke Ichika. She reached out from under the duvet, stretched, and instead of getting up, she grabbed a thermometer she'd prepared the night before. She pressed it against her warm skin under the covers and called out weakly, "The door's unlocked..."
The door swung open, and a girl wearing an apron and a tracksuit—looking almost identical to Ichika—stood there with an annoyed expression. It was Nino, the second sister.
"Ichika! How long are you going to sleep? I made breakfast and you're still in bed!"
"Nino... I think I have a fever," Ichika said, showing her the thermometer. "Look."
"Eh? A fever?" Nino's annoyance vanished instantly. She stepped into the messy room. "Seriously... clean your room once in a while. 38°C (100.4°F)? Are you okay?"
Nino reached for Ichika's forehead, but Ichika "struggled" away. "Don't... I'll give it to you."
"Oh... right," Nino retracted her hand. "Wait here, I'll tell the others."
Nino ran into the hallway. "Ichika is sick! Come here!"
Miku, Yotsuba, and Itsuki joined Nino at the door.
"Don't go in, she's worried about infecting us," Nino said, looking at the "weak" Ichika with a frown. "Should I take the day off and bring you to Dad's hospital?"
Their father ran a private hospital, so medical care was just a phone call away.
"No need, it's just a cold," Ichika smiled. "I probably caught a chill last night. Just let me rest. Don't worry Dad."
"That's what happens when you sleep naked," Miku said quietly.
"Hehe~ I can't help it! I just naturally take everything off when I'm sleeping," Ichika giggled. Under the duvet, she was indeed stark naked.
"Are you sure you don't need me to stay?" Nino asked. She then smirked and pushed Yotsuba forward. "Idiots don't catch colds, so Yotsuba can stay!"
"I'm not an idiot!" Yotsuba pouted. Itsuki, meanwhile, was already munching on a meat bun.
"Fine. We'll tell the school you're sick. Just rest."
"Wait, don't tell the school!" Ichika panicked. "If you tell the school, the teacher will call Dad. If Dad finds out, he'll nag us and say we can't take care of ourselves and make us move back... How about you guys take turns covering my classes?"
Because they were identical, they often pulled the "Quintuplet Switch." As long as they wore the right wig, nobody except their closest family could tell.
"What a pain..." Nino grumbled, but she didn't refuse. She felt something was off about Ichika today, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
"Fine, fine. We'll take turns being 'Ichika.' Rest up. Do you want me to bring breakfast up?"
"No, I can manage. I'll come down later. Go on, don't be late for the first day."
Once the door closed and she heard them leave, Ichika sprang out of bed. She stood naked against the cold door, listening. Her nipples hardened in the air-conditioned chill. Pink hair ruffled by the draft, she waited until the heavy thud of the front door signaled they were gone.
She quickly pulled on her socks, bra, and panties, then threw on her white shirt and green pleated skirt. She tied her blue blazer around her waist, rushed through her makeup, and ate the breakfast Nino left.
She looked in the mirror. Perfect!
She didn't even know what the movie was yet. A high school girl role... probably a school drama. I know it's probably just a three-second extra role, but it's a movie!
With her school bag in hand and a heart full of hope, Ichika walked out the door.