The Quintessential Quintuplets, Eternal Hearts

Chapter Twenty-Five, A Parents Wishes

-Futaro-

After Christmas, Futaro didn't see the quints or Rokuro for a week up until New Years, he had gotten himself a full week of studying and he couldn't be happier, up until New Years that is. His New Years started off with the revelation that he wasn't receiving any money from his grandparents for the new year, and then Raiha and his dad dragged him to the shrines, where he ran into the quintuplets, but strangely he didn't see Rokuro.

"Why do we always run into you!?!" Nino exclaimed.

"Ask that yourself!" Futaro retorted.

"Rokuro-kun was just talking about you before we parted ways." Itsuki said, looking back behind them.

"Where is Kazuhiro?" Futaro questioned.

"He's working." Miku said simply.

"Already? It's barely past nine in the morning." Futaro said with surprise, Ichika laughed nervously and looked off to the side.

"He decided to take on more hours, he's been working extra hard for us!" Ichika said awkwardly, Futaro sighed and looked away, wondering why Rokuro was working so hard.

"Anyways, Uesugi-san, Raiha-chan! Do you wanna come back to our house?" Yotsuba asked excitedly.

"I have things I wanna-" Raiha cut off Futaro.

"Let's go!!!" She said happily, after weak attempts to resist, Futaro was dragged back to the girls' new home. It was a small apartment, one bedroom, one bathroom, a tiny living room and small kitchen, but it was livable, they sat there for most of the day, watching tv..

"It's hard to believe that six people live here, especially girls like you." Futaro said with a scoff as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.

"Hey, we manage! Though Kazu-kun is the biggest concern.." Ichika muttered.

"What, is he being loud and you all can't sleep?" Futaro asked.

"Not that, he hasn't gotten much sleep lately, with the two jobs he has, not counting the one with us, he's rarely home anymore. It's slightly worrying." Yotsuba said.

"We know how Kazuhiro-kun is, and what he's capable of, if he couldn't handle it, he wouldn't do it. Let him be for now." Nino said, nonchalantly waving off the matter, but for once, even Futaro could tell that Nino was worried, she was keeping up appearances because she didn't like showing concern.

"Well as long as it isn't affecting your studies I don't care." Futaro said, sitting down.

"Why are you sitting over there?" Nino suddenly asked, Futaro looked up at her.

"What are you talking about?" Futaro replied, Nino looked at him as she raised the cover for the kotatsu she was under.

"Aren't you cold? You can come sit under the kotatsu." She said simply, Futaro got a sudden chill, something felt off. He hurried Raiha over to the kotatsu and placed her next to Nino.

"You can sit there Raiha." Futaro said.

"Awww come on, don't be a stranger. Here, let me give you a massage, I got your shoulders." Ichika said from behind him.

"Hey no fair! I'll massage his left arm!" Yotsuba said suddenly.

"I have his left leg." Miku said simply.

"I suppose I have to...I'll take his right arm." Nino muttered.

"Th-then I shall massage his right leg for him." Itsuki said as her face flushed red. The quints swarmed him and began massaging him all over, squishing him between all of them.