Back to the future with five Nakano kids!

Chapter 22: Jealousy and Drama

It’s supposed to be a normal day. Futaro and his five wives are out enjoying a quiet afternoon at the park, taking in the crisp air and the vibrant colors of autumn. The sisters are scattered across a picnic blanket, talking and laughing, while Futaro sits nearby, his eyes drifting fondly over them. It’s moments like these that remind him how lucky he is, how much he loves the life they’ve built together.

But peace has a way of being interrupted.

It happens when Futaro gets up to grab drinks from a nearby stand. He’s just made it to the counter when he notices a woman standing beside him, her gaze lingering a little too long. She’s attractive, dressed casually but with a confidence that makes her stand out. At first, Futaro doesn’t think much of it. People stare sometimes—he’s gotten used to that since marrying the quintuplets. But then, she speaks.

“You know, I’ve seen you around here a few times,” she says, her voice light and flirtatious. “Are you always this handsome, or is it just today?”

Futaro’s eyes widen, caught off guard. His first instinct is to politely excuse himself, but she leans in slightly, her smile growing more daring. “I’m surprised you’re out here alone. A guy like you must have women flocking to him.”

It takes him a second to find his voice, and when he does, it’s firm but awkward. “Actually, I’m married.”

The woman raises an eyebrow, her smile never faltering. “Married, huh? I don’t see a ring.”

Futaro stiffens. Of course, they’d all agreed not to wear rings—there were five rings involved, after all, and that would have only raised more questions. But now, standing here, with this woman’s gaze heavy on him, he suddenly wishes he had something tangible to show for his commitment.

Before he can respond, though, Nino’s voice cuts through the air. “There you are, husband.” The emphasis she places on the word isn’t lost on anyone.

Futaro turns to see Nino striding towards them, her eyes flashing with irritation. Behind her, the other sisters are watching closely, their expressions ranging from mild annoyance to outright displeasure. Nino reaches his side, slipping her arm through his with a possessive air. “We’ve been waiting,” she says, her smile sweet but clearly edged with warning as she glances at the woman.

The flirtatious stranger’s smile falters. “Oh, I didn’t realize...”

“Yeah, well, now you do,” Nino snaps, her eyes narrowing. She doesn’t wait for a response before turning on her heel, practically dragging Futaro back towards the picnic area. The woman leaves without another word, but Futaro can feel the tension in the air as Nino leads him away.

Once they reach the others, Nino releases him, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. “Unbelievable,” she mutters under her breath, still fuming. “Some nerve, hitting on a married man.”

Miku looks up from where she’s sitting, her face a mix of concern and uncertainty. “Did she really hit on you?”

Futaro scratches the back of his neck, feeling the eyes of all five sisters on him. “It wasn’t that serious,” he insists, trying to diffuse the situation. “I told her I was married.”

Ichika raises an eyebrow, always the sharp one. “And yet she kept going?”

“It’s fine,” Futaro says, but he can already see the effect it’s having. The air feels charged, the sisters exchanging glances with each other, as though silently communicating their thoughts. Nino is still visibly upset, while Yotsuba offers him a sympathetic smile.

“You handled it well,” Yotsuba says, ever the peacemaker. “I’m sure she just didn’t know.”

But before Futaro can even take a breath of relief, the tables turn.

A group of men walking by catches sight of the sisters, and one of them whistles, his eyes raking over them in a way that makes Futaro’s stomach churn. “Hey, ladies,” one of them calls, smirking. “You all free, or is someone lucky enough to have all of you?”

It happens so fast, Futaro barely registers his own rising anger before Nino stands up, her fists clenched. “What did you just say?” she demands, her voice dangerously low.

The man doesn’t back down. In fact, he steps closer, his smirk widening. “Relax, sweetheart. Just admiring the view.”

Futaro can feel his temper flare, but before he can say anything, Itsuki is on her feet, her eyes blazing with a mixture of fury and indignation. “We’re married,” she states firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

The man laughs, clearly not taking the situation seriously. “All of you? To one guy?” He glances over at Futaro, and for a moment, the tension shifts again. “Damn, man, I didn’t think anyone could be that lucky.”

Futaro steps forward, his protective instincts kicking in. “Back off,” he says, his voice cold and firm. He can see the way the sisters tense beside him, ready to defend themselves, but the man waves them off with a dismissive shrug before walking away with his friends, still chuckling.

The aftermath of the encounter leaves a heavy silence in its wake. Futaro’s jaw is tight, his hands still clenched at his sides. The quintuplets are all visibly rattled, their earlier irritation with him now eclipsed by the anger of being objectified in such a way.

“I hate guys like that,” Nino mutters, her arms crossed tightly. “Like we’re just something to stare at.”

Miku nods in agreement, her usual calm demeanor shaken. “It’s so frustrating.”

Yotsuba looks at Futaro, her eyes soft with concern. “Are you okay?” she asks, noticing the way his shoulders are still tense.

Futaro takes a deep breath, forcing himself to relax. “I’m fine,” he says, though the anger still simmers beneath the surface. “But I hate that you all have to deal with this.”

Ichika smiles, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “We knew what we were getting into,” she says, her tone light but tinged with a hint of bitterness. “People are always going to make comments.”

Nino, however, isn’t so quick to let it go. She turns to Futaro, her expression unreadable. “Do you ever wonder if... if this is too much? All the attention, all the judgment?”

Futaro meets her gaze, feeling the weight of her question. “No,” he says firmly, stepping closer to her. “Never. I don’t care what anyone thinks. All I care about is you. All of you.”

Nino blinks, caught off guard by the intensity of his words. The other sisters are watching, their earlier frustrations melting into something softer as they see the sincerity in Futaro’s eyes.

“We’re in this together,” Futaro continues, his voice steady. “People are always going to have opinions, but they don’t matter. What matters is us.”

There’s a moment of silence as the words sink in, and then, slowly, Nino’s expression softens. She sighs, her shoulders relaxing as she steps closer to him, leaning her head against his chest. “You’re right,” she admits quietly. “I’m just... I get jealous, okay?”

Miku, standing nearby, gives a small smile. “We all do.”

Yotsuba grins, always the one to lighten the mood. “At least we know we’re all in this together, right? No matter who hits on who, we’re not going anywhere.”

Ichika laughs, the tension easing out of the group. “Yeah, good luck to anyone who thinks they can come between us.”

Futaro looks around at the quintuplets, his heart full. “No one could ever take your place,” he says softly, meaning every word.

And with that, the sisters relax, the jealousy and drama fading into the background as they draw close to him once more. It’s not perfect—nothing ever is—but as long as they have each other, they know they can face anything.