The Quintessential Quintuplets: Marching Forward

Chapter Six: Our Priorities

~Futaro~

The sounds of loud cicadas pierced through the large, tinted window panels of a sleek modern high-rise apartment. It was the kind of apartment where the table was mahogany, the carpets were Persian, and the kitchen bar was real marble inlaid with silver. Futaro understood from the moment that he stepped into the complex situated at the top of the hill in Aoyama ward, just west of world-famous Shibuya central, that this family was loaded. He marveled at all the exquisite decorations that lined their walls and living room. When Takebayashi had introduced Futaro to his new employer, the Koda family, they were polite enough and nothing like the Nakano's father. They asked dozens of questions and wanted proof of his success as a teacher—the one time where he could freely gloat that he practically dragged five stubborn sisters to graduation. And even so...

All this money still can't silence the damn cicadas outside.

Futaro pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed quietly, "Okay, let's review this one more time, Azuha." He said to a young girl who, despite being fifteen, appeared about two years younger with her thick glasses and long braided black hair. He hovered over the young girl guiding her through her personally curated study sheet.

It had been nearly a month since he had started working with Takebayashi as a private teacher for the Koda Family. Their father was some fancy, big shot board member of one of Japan's largest phone service providers, and their mother had strong ties to some minister of something or other at Japan's National Diet; a detail Takebayashi had neglected to mention.

"How come they don't just hire actual certified teachers?" Futaro remembered asking Takebayashi.

"It's because it's all supposed to be real hush-hush," she told him. "You know how these rich types are! It's all about keeping up appearances. If they hire official teachers, someone from their social circle is bound to notice. Trust me, Futaro, what they're paying is very generous."

How do all these wealthy families with frustrating kids keep finding me? Futaro wondered.

"Uesugi-sensei, are these better?" Azuha showed him her results. They were better, but Futaro could tell that she was mostly guessing her algebra work.

"Can you show me how you got this answer here?" He asked.

"Do I have to?"

"Yes," He said. "Part of understanding the problem is understanding the process."

"But it's right. Right?"

"If you aren't sure of that, then you need to double-check," He handed the paper back to her and pulled out his textbook. Azuha craned her head over the back of her chair, groaning in protest.

The material wasn't what was holding her back. She had a problem with her confidence. She kind of reminded him of Miku in that way.

"Hey, Uesugi-sensei," Takebayashi called out from across the table. "Can you check Kotaro's work here? You're way better at Sengoku era history than I am, so I defer to you." She said, overlooking the shoulder of a young boy with a neat, military-style buzzcut.

Futaro walked over, scanning the boy's work.

"Well," Futaro started. "Two and three are wrong. Also, you might want to check number one too."

The boy sucked his teeth. "This blows, man," he grumbled, rubbing the sleepy from his eyes. "Can't we take a break, Bashi-neesan?" The young boy said with a slight crack in his voice.

"No," Futaro jabbed the textbook in front of Kotaro. "You have to get these three done before we finish."

"You're not my tutor, Uesugi... san. You're Azuhas," Kotaro's nostrils flared.