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"The midterms will begin next week. I hope everyone has already started preparing."
The homeroom teacher made the announcement as soon as he entered the class, making sure no one was caught off guard.
"I'm sure you all know this already, but I'll remind you anyway. Scoring below thirty in any subject will be considered a failing grade. However, there's no need to worry. If you've been paying attention in class and reviewing the material we've covered, you should be fine."
'So, it's finally getting close.'
Ren couldn't help but think as he glanced at Miku from behind.
The others were hearing this announcement at this very moment. But their situation was already considerably better than it had been in the anime. There, the sisters had failed their first midterm exam and ended up having to take supplementary tests.
Hopefully, things would be different this time.
Futaro was the most worried about the upcoming midterms.
Not for himself, of course.
His concern was entirely focused on the Nakano sisters.
Thankfully, they had at least started attending his tutoring sessions and, surprisingly enough, had become somewhat cooperative. But would that really be enough?
What if they failed?
Would he lose his job as their tutor?
Those questions had been weighing heavily on his mind when his phone suddenly began to ring.
Futaro glanced at the screen.
Speak of the devil.
He quickly answered the call.
"Hello?"
A deep, resonant voice came from the other end.
"Futaro. I'm sorry I haven't been able to call you often. Is this a good time?"
It sounded like a question, but Futaro knew better.
He had called right at the beginning of lunch break, a time when he knew Futaro wouldn't have any excuse to avoid the conversation.
In other words, he wanted to talk.
"Of course, Dr. Maruo."
Futaro answered with a nervous smile, though he made sure none of that nervousness reached his voice.
Maruo Nakano.
A fairly famous doctor who owns a large hospital, an accomplished businessman, and a wealthy, successful man. More importantly, he is the father of the Nakano sisters.
"Good. I just spoke with Itsuki and found out that the midterms are next week."
Maruo's calm voice carried through the phone.
Futaro silently gulped.
He already had a feeling about where this conversation was heading.
"How is the tutoring going? Are you confident that they can pass?"
That was the question Futaro had been dreading.
Even if he wasn't entirely confident in the sisters' academic abilities, there was no way he could let their father know that.
"Of course," Futaro replied confidently. "They've been surprisingly cooperative recently. With me as their tutor, there shouldn't be any problems."
He couldn't help but puff out his chest slightly as he said it.
"That's good to hear. I had my doubts about having someone the same age tutor them, but if you're confident, that's a relief."
Hearing that, Futaro felt a wave of relief wash over him.
"Of course. You can rest assured—"
"However."
The single word immediately killed his relief.
Maruo's voice turned cold, "If that's not the case, and they end up failing even a single subject, you're fired."
"But, sir, isn't that a little harsh?" Futaro complained, though he carefully kept the desperation out of his voice.
"I want to see what you're capable of," Dr. Maruo replied. "And what seems to be the problem? Was all that confidence you showed me earlier just a lie?"
Futaro forced a nervous grin.
"Of course not, sir."
"Good. Put in more effort if necessary. We'll stay in touch."
With that, Maruo ended the call.
Futaro slowly lowered his phone and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
His worst fear had just become a reality.
If the sisters failed even a single subject, he would have to say goodbye to this job—and the pay was far too good for him to simply let it go.
He needed that money for his family.
There was no way he could afford to lose it.
Thankfully, the sisters had actually started cooperating with him. Compared to how things had been when he first became their tutor, their current attitude was practically a miracle.
So, all he had to do was figure out a way to get all five of them through the exams.
Simple.
...At least, that's what he hoped.
There was another problem, though.
He absolutely couldn't let any of the sisters find out about his conversation with their father.
Knowing them, they would probably try to get him fired by deliberately failing the exams.
And if there was one sister Futaro was especially worried about doing that... It was Nino.
Sitting behind the large desk in his office, Maruo slowly lowered his phone, leaning back on his luxury chair. The room was dimly lit, with the primary source of light coming from behind him, leaving most of his face hidden in shadow.
"Now that I think about it..."
His expression remained unreadable.
"Itsuki mentioned a boy who has been helping them. I'll have to look into that."
He made a mental note to investigate.
It wasn't that Maruo was an overprotective father who refused to let any boy get close to his daughters. He simply believed that anyone who entered their lives deserved to be tested first.
As their father, it was his responsibility to make sure no one with ulterior motives approached his daughters, nor allowed anyone to hurt them.
More than anything, Maruo wanted his daughters to live comfortable, happy lives and have a bright future ahead of them—one where they could smile without worry.
That was all he wanted.
It was the promise he had made to their mother.
And Maruo intended to see that promise through.
Meanwhile, in the cafeteria...
"What do you guys think? Excited?"
I asked about the upcoming exams, which were now just around the corner, adding a playful tone to the question.
"Of course I'm excited about the school trip," Ichika replied with a bright smile.
"Yeah! School trip!" Yotsuba cheered, raising her voice like an excited child.
I couldn't help but chuckle before mercilessly ruining their excitement.
"But, ladies, there's one little wall you need to climb before you can enjoy that trip."
I paused for dramatic effect.
"The midterms."
"Booo!"
Ichika and Yotsuba booed me in unison.
"Honestly, I'm not feeling very confident now that it's close..." Miku muttered from beside me, her voice noticeably discouraged.
The other four sisters let out similar sighs.
None of them had ever been particularly confident when it came to academics, and with the midterms fast approaching, their lack of confidence was becoming apparent.
I clapped my hands once, drawing their attention and breaking through the gloomy atmosphere that had begun to settle over the table.
"Don't overthink it. You guys are doing just fine, and I know you've been putting in more effort than ever. So be confident. You still have a whole week left—just keep up the good work."
I gave them an encouraging speech.
"Besides, there's nothing to be afraid of. This is only the midterms for the first semester, not the finals."
I added a few more reassuring words to ease their tension, but my praise wasn't empty encouragement. I genuinely meant every word.
By this point, Futaro had probably received his little challenge from their father.
I'd done my part.
So, if you don't want to lose your job, Futaro, you'd better do yours.
"You know, you're pretty good at giving speeches," Nino remarked with a teasing grin. "Have you ever considered becoming a politician?"
The others laughed, and the gloomy mood around the table finally began to lift.
"I don't think I'd be a good fit," I replied, matching her playful tone. "You see, I'm not very good with the lying part."
That earned another round of laughter from the girls.
"Really?" Nino raised an eyebrow. "Then tell us, where did you meet us for the first time?"
Her tone was playful, but I could tell what she was doing.
She was testing me.
She wanted to see whether I'd tell the truth or come up with some convenient lie.
Unfortunately for her, she had underestimated me.
"In Kyoto," I answered honestly.
Technically, it was true.
I had only ever watched them through the anime, and if I followed the logic of the first episode, the first time I actually encountered them was here at school.
But if I traced their lives back to their earliest appearance—the memories I had seen through the anime—then it led all the way back to Kyoto.
So... that counted, right?
Or should I just tell them I'm not even from this world?
"Kyoto?" Itsuki murmured under her breath.
"That's where we used to live!" Yotsuba suddenly revealed, "What were you doing there?"
The others looked at me with similar curiosity, clearly waiting for my answer.
I chuckled awkwardly.
"Actually, forgive me. I was lying. The truth is, I'm actually &@#$π©#$@&!"
The moment I tried to say it, a sharp pain shot through my head.
"Ugh..."
I instinctively brought a hand to my temple as my vision blurred for a moment.
A high-pitched ringing filled my ears, drowning out every other sound around me.
W-What...?
I tried to steady myself, blinking rapidly until my vision began to clear.
I hadn't been planning to lie or trying to make up some cover up story so I had genuinely intended to tell them the truth—that I wasn't from this world. Believing they probably wouldn't believe me. In fact, they'd probably think I was joking.
But I had still wanted to tell them.
Yet the moment I tried to say it, the words had somehow been replaced by complete gibberish.
Why?
Was there something preventing me from revealing the truth?
Some kind of force? I truly believe that could be the case.
I felt a hand gently rest against my back.
"Are you okay?"
Miku's worried voice reached me.
Only then did I realize I was sweating quite a bit. I looked up and found all five sisters staring at me with the same worried expressions.
"If it's something you don't want to talk about, then don't force yourself," Nino said with a soft huff.
Apparently, none of them had heard the gibberish i spoke.
"A-Ah... no, I'm fine. I just felt a little light-headed."
I quickly composed myself.
"Let's just say I was there on a trip."
A trip down memory lane, that is.
For now, that explanation would have to do.
They probably assumed they'd accidentally touched upon something sensitive, which was why none of them pressed me for an explanation.
Still, Ichika seemed unable to let go of one particular detail.
"You first saw us in Kyoto?" she asked, a hint of surprise in her voice. "How long ago are we talking about?"
"Maybe... when I was twelve?"
I sounded a little uncertain as I answered, mostly because it wasn't actually true.
When I was twelve, I was probably too busy establishing my dominance over the jungle gym at some playground—climbing to the top and refusing to let the other kids come up.
Then again, why should I have been nice to them?
Everyone kept their distance from me because of my family situation. If they'd already decided to treat me like an outcast, I saw no reason to go out of my way to be friendly.
"Ehh? That was like five years ago!" Ichika's eyes widened in disbelief. "How come I don't remember you?"
"That's really strange," Itsuki added, clearly unable to make sense of my story.
Neither of us noticed the brief change in Yotsuba's expression.
Her eyes widened for the briefest moment before she quickly composed herself. For some reason, she fell silent, simply staring at me for a moment.
"Heh."
Nino suddenly grinned.
"You guys have no idea, this guy is totally a stalker."
She pointed at me accusingly, though the smug look on her face made it obvious she was trying to mess with me.
"He just watched us from afar without ever approaching us. That's why we never knew he existed until now."
The mocking smile she gave me practically said it all.
'Let's see how you handle that one.'
"What?! Is that true, Miku?"
Ichika, Itsuki, and Yotsuba stared at Miku in shock, clearly taking Nino's accusation seriously.
After all, Miku was my girlfriend, so they naturally assumed she'd know more about me than they did.
Miku nodded with a small sigh.
"That's what he told me. Apparently, he knows quite a lot about us."
"L-Like what?" Itsuki asked hesitantly.
"I don't know how much he actually knows myself," Miku admitted.
The three of them slowly turned their attention back to me.
Their expressions had changed.
They were looking at me like I was on trial.
I immediately raised both hands in surrender.
"Hey, I never said I was a stalker."
"Then how do you explain watching us from afar all that time?" Nino asked, crossing her arms.
I placed both hands on the table and lowered my gaze.
I decided to tell them what I had actually felt back then.
"I'm not really sure myself."
The girls fell silent.
"Miku once asked me the same question. The truth is... I'd never really had a bond with anyone. Not even my own parents seemed to want me."
I paused, searching for the right words.
"So when I first saw the five of you together, I immediately envied the bond you shared."
The teasing atmosphere disappeared as they listened intently.
"I became curious about it. What made the bond between you five so special? Was it because you were siblings? Or because you were quintuplets?"
No one interrupted.
They simply listened.
"Before I knew it my eyes just... automatically started following you."
I gave a faint smile.
"That envy eventually turned into fascination. And then admiration."
I looked at the five of them.
"Even though I couldn't understand what made your bond so special back then, I realized it was something beyond me. And honestly... that uncertainty scared me."
My fingers tightened slightly against the my own.
"I thought that if I got involved with you, if an outsider like me suddenly forced his way into the bond you five shared, I might somehow damage it."
I let out a quiet breath.
"That was one of the reasons I never approached any of you back then."
I straightened slightly before giving them a small, sincere bow.
"But in the end, I'm glad I followed you."
I raised my head and smiled.
"Because you guys ended up showing me the right path to live."
My words lingered over the table.
"T-Then why did you suddenly change your mind and decide to approach us now?" Itsuki asked curiously, seemingly eager to understand the rest of my story.
"Did you fall in love with Miku during that time?" Ichika asked with a teasing smile.
Miku immediately glance at me, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.
"Ugh! When you put it like that, you don't sound like a stalke but you also kind of acted like one! I don't even know what I'm supposed to call you anymore." Nino groaned, clearly frustrated over the confusion.
"Erm... the bond between us?"
Yotsuba muttered under her breath, pressing both thumbs against her temples with her eyes closed, as though trying to process an impossibly complicated equation.
Come to think of it, Miku was the only one who hadn't asked me anything. She had remained strangely quiet, almost as if she were deliberately saving her curiosity for later.
Wait... Was she waiting for that promise I made?
The one where I promised to answer any question she asked if she passed the midterms?
An interesting idea suddenly crossed my mind.
I pressed a finger against my lips and gave them a mysterious smile.
"That's enough about me for now. If you really want to know more, pass the midterms, and I'll answer any one question you want."
I offered them the same deal I'd made with Miku.
Hopefully this would give them an extra reason to study harder.
-------
As usual, Futaro headed to the Nakano residence after school for his tutoring job.
This time, however, he arrived carrying a thick stack of notes in his bag, he'd spent the past few days preparing them. He looked noticeably more exhausted than usual, as though the upcoming midterms had been weighing heavily on his mind.
He dropped the stack onto the table with a heavy thud.
"There's only one week left. That's not much time, so I put these notes together for all of you. Memorize them, and you shouldn't have any trouble with the exams."
"Uesugi wrote all of this?"
Yotsuba stared at the mountain of notes in disbelief.
"Is it just me, or does he look more desperate than usual?"
Nino rested her cheek against her palm, watching Futaro with a suspicious yet bored expression.
One by one, the sisters each took a set of notes from the pile and began looking through them.
Futaro's eyes eventually settled on Itsuki.
He hadn't expected her to use his notes at all.
Ever since their first encounter, Itsuki had made it abundantly clear that she had no intention of accepting Futaro's teaching.
Ironically, she had been the first one to ask for his help with her studies that day, only for Futaro to coldly turn her down.
And now, somehow, he had become her tutor.
From their very first meeting, Itsuki had developed a distinct dislike for him. Whenever the two of them spoke, their conversations seemed to inevitably end in an argument. As a result, Itsuki had simply chosen to avoid speaking with him whenever possible.
To make matters worse, Futaro still hadn't apologized for his earlier rudeness.
So why was she willingly taking his notes now?
The answer was simple.
Ren's sudden promise.
All five sisters now had questions they wanted to ask him, and passing the midterms was the only way they could get access to the privilege.
That alone was reason enough for Itsuki to endure Futaro's tutoring.
'Unless he apologizes for what he said, we won't ever speak face-to-face.'
Itsuki made a stubborn mental note of it.
"Alright, guys! Let's do this!"
Yotsuba pumped herself up, her enthusiasm almost infectious.
"Yay!"
The other sisters joined in.
Though not everyone matched Yotsuba's energy, and some of their responses were noticeably more awkward, at least they were all willing to give it their all.
Futaro, meanwhile, could only stare at them in disbelief.
Those troublesome, idiotic girls... Were they actually willing about studying?
That's a good thing, right?