The Quintessential Quintuplets, Eternal Hearts

Chapter Twenty-Six, The Day of One

-Rokuro-

Exams were coming up, and Rokuro was nervous, the girls had been working hard, and they were improving, but he and Futaro were questioning if it would be enough.

"Will they be able to do it? You heard what their father said." Rokuro warned.

"I know I know..I hope they can, they have to. They've improved bit by bit on each exam, on the first one they all passed one subject, on the second test, they passed all but one. With this growth at the pace they're going at...they should be able to do it." Futaro said sternly, clenching his fist. Rokuro looked down, the girls were all still sleeping, so he and Futaro had a bit of time to themselves, he suddenly thought of something and sighed.

"Futaro, do you ever just spend time with the girls? Like outside of school and tutoring?" He asked, Futaro stared at him and looked up in thought, furrowing his brow after a moment.

"Once, if you could call it that, the girls took me shopping for clothes before the camping trip, and there was labor day when I went places with Yotsuba..but beyond that I don't come see them for anything outside of school, I see no reason to. Why worry myself with someone else when it doesn't benefit me in any way?" Futaro retorted.

"You say that, but you're still tutoring them for free, how does that benefit you at all besides satisfying your own inflated ego?" Rokuro asked, crossing his arms. Futaro stared at him for a moment before putting a hand on his chest and looking at him with a pained expression.

"That hurt my soul.." Futaro muttered.

"Yea it should, these girls go out of their way to talk to you, Miku-rin and Ichika-nee wanted to spend time with you for labor day, but you wanted to stay inside, the only reasons you went with Yotsuba-chii is because Raiha-chan forced you to. They care about you, they don't want to move back to their apartment because of you, don't be mean to them." Rokuro scolded, Futaro looked away and sighed.

"Fine...I'll try to take more interest in them, but I'm not promising anything." He replied flatly.

"I guess that's the best I can get out of you." Rokuro replied, suddenly he heard footsteps and out the bedroom walked Ichika without a shirt on.

"Okay time to leave!" Rokuro said as his face flushed red, he pulled Futaro out of the house and down the stairs, walking down the street.

"I did not need to see her in a bra.." Futaro muttered.

"I didn't either! I have to live with that uncertainty, it's so stressful.." Rokuro muttered.

"I'm gonna go home..I don't want to go back and see...that." Futaro said, Rokuro nodded and they both went their separate ways, with Rokuro walking back to the house warily, he gave it roughly thirty minutes before walking back inside. All the girls were at the kotatsu talking when he walked in, Miku was in the kitchen trying to cook something and failing miserably.

"Rokuro-kun? Where did you go so early?" Itsuki asked.

"Well I was talking to Futaro in here, but Ichika-nee decided to walk out in shorts and a bra so we had to cut our conversation short." Rokuro explained.

"Futaro was here? Why didn't you tell me?" Miku asked.

"So that's the noise I heard when I walked out.." Ichika muttered.

"Why are you so nonchalant about this?! Exhibitionist!" Rokuro scolded.

"Awww, nervous about seeing some skin?~" Ichika teased, making his face flush red.

"Well when I can almost see all of your boobs, yes I'm gonna be nervous!" Rokuro retorted.

"You worry too much." Nino said as she crossed her arms.