I'd gotten used to juggling my part-time jobs, and with Itsuki's help, the surprise of inviting Ichika, Nino, and Yotsuba to Chacha had been a huge success!

Nino teased me about the maid outfit, but she'd been seriously shocked to see me singing too, so—totally worth it.

I'd cleared the final exams without trouble, and last month I'd even gotten to do a study session with Fuutarou.

Things were going so well it was almost scary.

So why couldn't I sleep?

"Get it together."

This was no time to give in to drowsiness.

Today's date was August 15th.

The sky was a picture-perfect clear blue. Zero percent chance of rain. High of thirty-six degrees. A scorcher of a day, no complaints.

August's "Quintuplets' Day."

Smack in the middle of summer break, the five of us had come for a day at the beach.

"Amaaazing!"

Yotsuba, changed into a vivid orange tie-side bikini, raced across the sand on her slim, toned legs.

"There's really nobody here but us?!"

"Obviously. We've got the place to ourselves."

Nino answered, dressed in a purple halter-neck bikini.

Her weight had blown up for a while there, but thanks to hitting the gym with Itsuki, she'd pulled off her diet.

She was showing off a waist cinched tight like an hourglass.

"I can't believe we actually got to come to a private beach."

Maybe it was the gym, but Itsuki was toned too, in a way that made it hard to believe she usually ate as much as she did.

A frilly red bikini suited her well.

"It's so nice not having to wear a disguise here. Oh, everyone, reapply your sunscreen, okay?"

Under a parasol set up on the sand, Ichika snapped a photo of the sea with her phone.

A real actress. With a swimsuit this gorgeous, the offers for a gravure shoot would come flooding in right now.

The cross-design black bikini was sexy and grown-up.

"We have to thank Father later."

Over my swimsuit I wore a white shirt, and I held down my hair as it stirred in the sea breeze.

What brought us here was a present Father had given us for our birthday.

Happy 19th birthday. You should use these once the final exams are over. I have every confidence you girls will get good results.

Tucked into the envelope that came with that message were five tickets.

Vouchers to rent out the private beach of a resort hotel in Mie Prefecture.

A shore so open and free, with no one but us.

A calm, beautiful August sea—"ocean blue" was the perfect phrase for it.

Under the midsummer sun, a pleasant sea breeze carried the scent of the tide.

A marine resort, through and through.

How many days of my part-time pay did those tickets cost, I wonder...

"That's Father for you."

"Giving us a present like this—he really gets a maiden's heart."

"That hotel's probably one of Father's regular haunts, don't you think?"

"I think you're right about that, Ichika."

"It'd have been nice if Uesugi-san could come too, but... ahaha, guess that's a bit much to ask."

Yotsuba gave a wry smile.

Come to think of it, Father had said something like—

If Uesugi-kun would like to come along, I'll cover the entire cost of the trip, tickets included. I will, personally.

Or words to that effect.

When we passed that along to Fuutarou:

Ngh, a beach trip with you guys sounds fun, but tell him this for me. I won't be in your father's debt!

For the record, Father had already factored in Fuutarou answering exactly like that.

He'd said up front, "Tell Uesugi-kun he's in no position to be calling me Father."

"As terrible as ever, those two."

"Now, now. Fuutarou-kun said he's coming back home over summer break, so let's hang out then."

"With Raiha-chan too, please."

"Agreeeed! Let's buy souvenirs for both of them!"

After Ichika rubbed sunscreen on her back, Yotsuba dashed toward the water's edge, the ribbon on her head fluttering.

As the Nakano family's vanguard captain, she charged into the shallows.

It's cold! It's salty! It's the seaaa!—boundlessly thrilled, she went wild.

"Yotsuba, hasn't she gotten even faster?"

"From what your onee-san can see, her core and everything seem stronger too."

"She gets trained every day at sports university. Apparently, on top of club activities, her practical classes have her throwing herself into all kinds of sports. Basketball, soccer, dance..."

"Speaking of which, the other day she was doing an I-pose balance in the living room going, 'A girl from the rhythmic gymnastics club taught me this!'"

Her new life seemed to be smooth sailing.

Living on her own looked like no problem either.

After the final exams ended, I'd dropped by Yotsuba's apartment, and the place was clean.

She seemed to be cooking for herself properly, too.

The reason I'd dropped by was to put together the plan for this trip.

Something I'd figured out after a few "Quintuplets' Days":

When all five of us plan together, our tastes are all over the place, so it takes forever.

So this time we drew lots, and it fell to Yotsuba to make the plan.

Both Nino and Itsuki had said they were packing their summer with part-time work.

Ichika's starring movie had finally hit theaters, and she seemed busy every single day.

I was supposed to work too, but wouldn't you know it, the manager at Komugiya was hospitalized with acute appendicitis—your classic burst appendix.

Thankfully his life wasn't in danger, but when I went to visit, he said, looking apologetic, "We're closing for a while, so could you take a break from the job too?" I had no choice but to nod.

I thought about picking up more shifts at Chacha, but...

"Maybe it worked out, actually."

Yotsuba has this habit of trying too hard.

So I decided to help her think up the trip plan.

Sure, everyone besides Yotsuba was worried—"Miku and Yotsuba are the planning team?" "You sure? Tell us if you two clash, okay?" "I'm anxious about whether an indoor type and an outdoor type can agree on a direction"—but

it's fine. This is part of a new challenge too.

I'd cleared the final exams without trouble, and this time I was going to make it a trip all five of us could enjoy!

"Ichika, I'll put sunscreen on your back."

"Really? That helps."

After answering me, Ichika lay face-down on the leisure sheet spread out on the sand.

Then, as if she'd just remembered something, she reached her slender arms back and undid the strings of her bikini.

"Okay. Ready to go."

Take care of it, please?—Ichika murmured, and I spread the white sunscreen over her body.

A back so beautiful even her own little sister couldn't help admiring it.

Smooth, fair-skinned—like a ski slope just after fresh snow had settled.

She'd untied the strings so the sunscreen wouldn't go on unevenly, I figured—a real actress. So on top of it.

Even though the state of her room was a lawless wasteland that put the deep jungle to shame.

"Done."

"Thaanks. Want me to do your back too, Miku?"

"I'm fine. I've got my shirt on."

Listening to Yotsuba, Itsuki, and Nino splashing water at each other and shrieking in the shallows, I gripped the hem of my white shirt tight.

"Don't tell me—you forgot your swimsuit?"

"Ugh... sharp as ever."

"When we got to the station, you checked through your bag and went pale, so it was bugging me."

"I thought I'd packed the blue swimsuit I bought the other day, but when I checked, it was a bra in the same color..."

...A total blunder.

Maybe I was spacing out from the lack of sleep. I forgot the pareo to tie around my waist, too.

"Oof. Is that why you stopped at the convenience store earlier?"

"I figured a convenience store near the beach might have swimsuits. Except..."

"You don't have to say it. You probably did buy one, but it wasn't very cute, huh?"

"Th-that's about it. It's summer break, so maybe the cute ones were sold out. I put it on, just in case, but I don't want to take this shirt off. Ichika, to everyone..."

"I'll keep it a secret! Let's just say you don't want your shirt to get a tan either, okay?"

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it. You and Yotsuba did make the trip plan for us, after all!"

A miracle of a smile, summery innocence and an actress's grown-up poise living side by side.

She's been getting even prettier lately.

For a while there she really did seem busy, and a little troubled, but ever since the live performance back in June, her expression had brightened. She'd been enjoying her work more than ever, and I was really glad.

"Hwaah."

"Sleepy again? You can nap a little if you want."

Sitting down on the leisure sheet, Ichika patted her smooth thigh.

"Your onee-san will give you a lap pillow."

"It's fine. We finally made it to the beach—it'd be a waste not to play."

"Hmm, but I'd say dozing off in the sea breeze is a pretty luxurious way to spend the time, wouldn't you?"

"That's... true, I guess."

I wavered, but passing out from sleep deprivation would be no joke, so I decided to take her up on it.

In the shade of the parasol, I rested my head on Ichika's thigh.

"Brings me back. We used to do this at home when we were kids, didn't we?"

"'I'll give you a lap pillow! I decided I'm going to be a proper big sister!'—you forced it on me, Ichika."

"Hehe, back then I was only beginner rank in the big-sister certification."

"You're a full black belt now."

The palm of Ichika's hand felt nice as she gently stroked my head.

Maybe because the humidity wasn't so high today, it was surprisingly cool once you blocked the sunlight.

The scent of the sea breeze.

The sound of white waves softly brushing the sand.

Somehow it put my heart at ease.

"Oh, right, Fuutarou said something once."

The sound of waves has a relaxing effect on the brain—I started to tell Ichika, but.

"Zzz..."

Ichika had fallen asleep sitting up, her eyes closed.

Her chest, drawing its full curves, rose and fell as she slept peacefully, looking happy.

"Honestly. You'll get your black belt revoked, you know?"

Even as I smiled wryly, I thought.

The one with the busiest schedule this time, the hardest to coordinate, was Ichika.

Her starring movie had been a bigger hit than expected, and her name recognition had gone nationwide.

Lately she often stayed at a hotel over there to appear on Tokyo programs. There'd even been rumors on social media that next year or the year after, she'd seriously move her base of activity to Tokyo.

Chances like this, getting a lap pillow from her—maybe those would go away too.

If so, then just a little longer, I wanted to savor this laid-back summer time.

"Good night, Ichika."

After setting an alarm on my phone so I wouldn't oversleep,

I slowly closed my eyelids, as if to take back the sleep I'd lost at night.

I dozed long enough to have a short dream—I don't remember what it was about—and afterward.

Under a sun that had climbed nearly to its peak, all of us were in the sea, taking it easy.

If my shirt got wet and my swimsuit showed, that'd be no good, so I sat on a float-type ring I'd borrowed from the hotel, dangling just my feet in the water.

The coolness of the seawater felt nice.

"When you smell the scent of the tide, it really feels like you've come to the sea, doesn't it?"

"Yotsuba. There are seas that don't smell of the tide, you know."

"Huh?! Now that you mention it, Okinawa on our graduation trip barely smelled at all."

When Yotsuba tilted her head, going But why?, Itsuki—drifting along the sea with her behind tucked into a round ring—answered.

"Uesugi-kun taught me this in Okinawa, but the scent of the tide mostly comes from plankton."

"That's Fuutarou for you. So knowledgeable."

"So could it be that areas with less plankton don't have the smell?"

"Seems so. The president was saying that when they went on a location shoot in Guam, it barely smelled either."

"I seeee."

At Ichika's words, Yotsuba nodded, looking impressed.

"Then is the sea not salty either, maybe?"

"That's a separate matter entirely."

"The sea's salty everywhere, isn't it? Like this!"

"Eek?!"

From who knows where, Ichika took aim at Yotsuba with a hand-sized water gun.

"Ichikaaa."

"Heh heh heh. I'll be turning you into seaweed for the Pacific, Yotsuba."

"Um, doing a water fight right next to where I'm floating is... huh?"

"Itsuki? Something wrong?"

When I asked, Itsuki said, in an oddly tiny voice, in a mutter—

"Um, well... my behind won't come out."

"If Ichika's a gun, then I'll use Itsuki!"

"H-hey, making me a weapon is...!"

"Itsuki's right. Heavy-class weapons have high lethality and they're dangerous."

"Yotsuba! Charge! Not just Ichika—Nino too!"

"You got iiit!"

Like a bulldozer, Yotsuba pushed Itsuki—wedged into her ring—and stormed forward.

After all of us went wild and made the most of the sea,

today's lunch was a lavish seafood barbecue.

The equipment and ingredients had been prepared by the hotel staff who owned the beach.

"Looks delicious!"

"Agreed. Just..."

"That's a pretty big portion."

"Maybe it's a service from the hotel? Or maybe they thought Father was coming too."

"No need to worry. It'd be a waste to leave any, so I'll have whatever's left over."

Faced with fresh seafood, the Nakano family's youngest was running at full throttle.

"This spiny lobster is a five-star, no complaints!" she said, her face shining with happiness.

Good.

There's no way we can finish this. I should've said something to the hotel staff—I'd been quietly fretting about that, but that's Itsuki for you. She covered for me nicely.

Letting out a relieved breath, after we ate lunch—

Ichika, you said you've got volleyball coming up for work, right?

Was it the CM shoot for car insurance? You wear a uniform and say, "We'll receive any request you have, swiftly!" or something.

Then how about we play beach volleyball?!

Nice. It might be good reference for getting into character.

Just as we'd planned at Yotsuba's place, we held the Nakano family beach volleyball tournament.

The teams split into Ichika & Nino & Itsuki versus Yotsuba & me.

The physical monster Yotsuba paired with athletically hopeless me.

This was supposed to even out the sides nicely, and the losing team would treat the others to drinks, but—

"Here I go!!"

We were naive.

The instant I saw the relentless speed of Yotsuba's serve—the other team not even able to receive it, not one of them able to so much as move—I understood.

This wouldn't be a match.

What was about to begin was a one-sided battle that allowed no resistance whatsoever.

It was a death game disguised as a sport!

"All right! First point's ours!"

"...Yotsuba? Were you ever this good at volleyball?"

When I asked, Yotsuba struck a smug victory pose.

"We do it in practical class. There's a girl from the volleyball club on my team, and she taught me all kinds of stuff."

"Hold on?! Your university—wasn't the women's volleyball team ridiculously strong...?"

"Yeah. U20 national team candidates everywhere. And I got those techniques passed down to me, too."

The ball came to Yotsuba again.

She launched it high, timing the moment the sea breeze died down.

The unstable footing of the sandy beach was nothing to her.

As if to put her core—trained even harder than in high school—on full display, Yotsuba leapt in her swimsuit.

"I call it! The U20 Serve!"

Isn't that name a little too on the nose?—just as I was thinking it, Yotsuba grandly snatched her second service ace, and... huh?

"Nino? Why are you dragging me—"

"You're on this team too."

"You saw that serve just now, didn't you?"

"I don't even know if we can win four-on-one..."

Past losing the will to fight and into outright terror—Nino, Itsuki, and Ichika.

"But, Ichika. If we're scared, it won't help you get into character..."

"You're right, Miku. Why don't we just send a disguised Yotsuba to the shoot?"

"No way! If we slip up, someone could end up—dead!"

"Nino, stop it with your body. If you think of the ball as Uesugi-kun, you can do it."

"You're the one who should show your usual competitive streak, Itsuki! If you think of the ball as Fuu-kun, you two could go at it tooth and nail, right?!"

"Um, can we get the game going again soon?"

At Yotsuba's question, Itsuki let out a short shriek—"Eep."

Maybe because the second serve had landed thirty centimeters away from her, Itsuki was clearly in a panic, and—

"Itsuki?"

"I-I'm sorry. If I don't hold on like this, my legs will give out..."

She wrapped both arms around mine and clung to me tightly.

What is this, some development out of a cheap rom-com manga...

If I were a rom-com protagonist, I might've gotten worked up over the softness of Itsuki's chest.

Still, it was nice to be relied on.

It was practically unheard of for athletically hopeless me to be counted on in a sport.

"It's fine! Just like before, I'll hit at sixty percent power!"

So that wasn't even her full strength...—as we trembled at the thought,

Yotsuba went into her serve motion.

To live up to Itsuki's trust, I wanted to take at least one point off Yotsuba somehow.

So I decided to pull a clever trick.

"Yotsuba! Your swimsuit top's about to come untied!"

The instant Yotsuba tossed the ball overhead with her left hand—not a strike but a verbal jab!

Huh?!—right after Yotsuba clapped both hands over her chest, the ball dropped onto the sand with a plop.

"Amazing, Miku!"

"Wah."

Itsuki, overjoyed, hugged me, and I got pushed down onto the sand.

Yotsuba checked her swimsuit strings, flustered.

She finally seemed to catch on to my bluff, her face flushing with frustration.

"Y-you tricked me!"

"Hehe. Everyone, let's keep up this pace."

"Hah! Don't tell me, Miku—you heckled me to launch a psychological attack...!"

"You're cute, Yotsuba."

"Athletically gifted and so amaaazing!"

"I envy how cinched your waist is."

"A beauty that'd make even a mermaid swim away crawling!"

"It's a death by flattery out of nowhere!"

What a kind world...!—as Yotsuba got bashful,

"Now's our chance!"—Ichika, shouting with a smile, deftly drove home a jump serve.

After the heated beach volleyball.

We swam, drifted lazily on our floats, watched Yotsuba take a crack at a surfboard she'd borrowed from the hotel staff—we made the most of the sea at our own pace.

It was a shame I was the only one who couldn't swim, not wanting my shirt to go see-through... but I switched gears and headed to the next destination with everyone.

"We finally got in..."

The time was 3:45 p.m.

After we stepped into a café by the shore, I wiped the sweat running down my cheek with a handkerchief.

I think it'd be fine to take a little break before we head to the inn.

Riiight. Want me to look for a place Nino would like?

Let's do that. Somewhere stylish, maybe.

Before the trip, Yotsuba and I had pored over reviews and menus of all kinds of restaurants.

We'd zeroed in on a café we figured Nino would like, but...

"Sorry, Miku... I should've suggested we make a reservation."

"No, I'm sorry too. I had no idea it'd be this crowded."

"Ahaha, it really was something, huh."

Wearing her black-rimmed glasses for disguise, Ichika smiled as she took her seat.

There'd been an unbelievable line out front of the café.

When we asked the people waiting, apparently two days ago a famous Instagrammer had featured this café as a recommended photo spot, and its popularity had shot up.

Thanks to that, it had taken a full thirty minutes just to get inside.

Under the parasols Ichika and Nino had brought, basking in the breeze of our handheld fans, the five of us somehow toughed it out.

"Ahh, that feels good."

After sitting down at a table in the back, Yotsuba lifted the hem of her parka and cooled off by aiming her handheld fan at her stomach.

"Hey, Yotsuba. That's unladylike."

"It's fiiine. From this seat, nobody but you guys can see."

"Honestly. We finally came to such a nice café."

"The interior's done up Hawaiian style... oh, look, look! The menu's stylish too!"

"It looks delicious!"

Nino and Itsuki had been five seconds from mummifying earlier too, but the heavenly air conditioning brought them back to life.

"I'll have an iced café au lait. And the raspberry mille-feuille."

"I'll have iced tea, and these Hawaiian pancakes."

"I'll have hot green tea. And then the blueberry shaved ice."

"I'll have orange juice, and the fully ripe banana muffin, please."

"I'll have a coffee float, and one of these rare cheesecakes, please."

The waitress took the order from five identical faces with a startled nod.

And when the sweets and drinks were carried over, we all dug in with relish.

"Mmm! This cake is high-level."

"The pancakes are pretty good too! They're loaded with fruit, and there's a little something extra done to the cream."

"The sweets are great, but hot green tea drunk in this freezing AC is the best, too."

"This muffin's amazing!"

"The cheesecake is exquisite too! The sweetness of the cheese is mellow, yet it's not heavy—I could eat any number of them."

Good. Everyone's enjoying it.

And this café was a hit. The sweets were delicious.

I'm not Itsuki, but I almost wanted to try a different one too.

"Here, Miku."

Just as I was thinking that, Nino held out the plate of pancakes in front of me.

"You had a 'I want to try the others too' look on your face, didn't you? I'll spare you a bite."

"Nino giving me something—that's rare."

"Hmph. You found us a good café, so I just want to pay back the debt."

"Not honest with yourself, as ever."

"H-hey, that's too much!"

"This much I can eat in one bite."

"In return, hand yours over too!"

Maybe meaning to take back what I'd taken, Nino crammed a spoonful of my shaved ice into her mouth.

Watching her give herself a brain freeze from the cold, I crammed the pancake into mine.

Nino and I clash a lot, but maybe this kind of thing is nice once in a while?

Maybe Nino was in a good mood too, getting to come to a stylish café.

"Ow, ow... Y-Yotsuba, I'll give you some cake too. You helped make the plan as well."

"Wah, really?"

"Mmgh, just the two of them, no faaair."

"I'll give Ichika a bite of mine. In exchange, would you give me a bite of yours, Ichika?"

"Of course! While we're at it, why don't we all share?"

"It's the usual pattern."

After saying that, I took a bite of the muffin Yotsuba had shared with me.

Like quintuplets should, the sweets got divided five ways too. Sharing each other's separate flavors, five smiles bloomed.

"You know, this is nice. This kind of thing."

Nino clinked the ice in her iced tea with her straw, then smiled, satisfied.

"When all the customers are smiling, that alone tells you it's a good shop. This kind of thing—it's really wonderful."

Murmuring it as if savoring the words, she snapped photos of the inside of the shop and of us with her phone.

Maybe Nino's dream for the future was starting to take shape.

Opening her own shop.

If coming to this place ended up being a push toward Nino's dream...

"Hehe."

"Hey. What are you smiling about? It's creepy, you know?"

To Nino, who stared at me with narrowed eyes, I answered, still bashful, "It's nothing."

At 4:40 p.m., we checked into the inn we'd reserved, not far from the café.

A Japanese-style inn by the shore.

Beyond a single road stretched a white sandy beach.

From the large tatami-floored room, you could see the August sky and the Pacific colored in sunset hues.

"The resort hotel was too expensive, so I went with this place—what do you think?"

"Good choice for you, Miku! The sea's close too! This view is picture-perfect!"

"The room's so biiig! We could totally have a pillow fight!"

"Lately it's been a lot of hotels at location shoots, so tatami feels fresh. It reminds me of Grandpa's inn."

"Uesugi-kun was there when we went last year too, wasn't he."

Let's send him a photo—Itsuki said, taking a quintuplet selfie with the sea visible from the window in the background.

"We did it, Miku."

"Yeah. The time we spent searching paid off."

Exchanging the words in low voices, I lightly high-fived Yotsuba with one hand.

We all changed into the inn's yukata and relaxed in the room for a while.

After that, where we headed was the souvenir shop on the first floor.

This inn's souvenir shop looks pretty well-stocked!

Then how about we buy our souvenirs here?

Isn't it a pain to sightsee while carrying souvenirs around?

We can just ship them home by courier. If we split it five ways, the shipping comes out cheap too.

Miku, so smaaart! Then maybe we should buy them early!

Just as I'd discussed with Yotsuba, we went souvenir shopping.

Maybe because everyone's new life was going well, we all had a lot of people to give to.

I wanted to give some to the people at my jobs and to Rose. To Father and Raiha-chan, too.

And, of course...

"For Fuutarou-kun, maybe I'll go with this. Apparently it's a local specialty around here."

A set of Matsusaka beef simmered in soy¹, in one hand, Ichika smiled.

"For a boy living on his own, you go with food. I figure he's about sick of pasta by now, too."

"That's kind. He'll definitely be happy with something to go with rice."

"Indeed, Miku. Still, isn't it a little expensive? It's a full six thousand yen."

"It's fine. I do plenty of work for times like this."

"Must be niiice, working adults."

"We saved up a lot of part-time pay too, but between this trip and the souvenirs, it's looking like it'll drop a fair bit."

"No need to worry, Miku! When push comes to shove, just rely on Ichika Finance, okay?"

"...Um, you mean Ichika lends money?"

"Somehow that's scary. The interest sounds like it'd be outrageous."

"Yotsuba, be careful. She might seize Fuu-kun as collateral on the debt."

"...Ichika?"

"Geez, Yotsuba. Don't take Nino's jokes seriously."

"Ahaha, right. There's no way she'd go that far."

"The money I lent Fuutarou-kun last year, I'm still getting it back in installments. Even without using it as collateral, I could at least take custody of his person."

"She's a loan shark!"

"And souvenirs that cost too much are heavy, too. Here, we should prioritize the mood over the price."

Nino puffed out the chest wrapped in her yukata, as if in triumph.

What she gripped in her hand was a small glass wind chime.

"Look at this clear, watery blue. It's like the surface of the sea—romantic. Just listening to the sound should make Fuu-kun feel light, too. And besides..."

"What?"

"If he displays it in his room, every time he sees it, he'll remember me."

"If he knew what Nino was really thinking, his mood would probably get heavy..."

"Hgh, what's that supposed to mean? And what are you getting, anyway?"

"Mine's this, I think."

What I picked up was a fan painted with lots of vivid, colorful flowers.

"It's called a Hinaga fan—seems it's a traditional craft of this region."

"Ooh, the design has a Japanese touch. Very tasteful."

"Knowing Fuutarou, he's probably not using the AC to save money, so I want him to cool off at least a little with this."

"That's such a Miku-like present!"

"Thanks. Yours is that, Yotsuba?"

When I asked, Yotsuba—holding a small green charm—nodded happily with an "ehehe."

"They say there's a tiny pearl inside it."

"Huh. That's got good taste, for you."

"Pearls are a local specialty around here too, it seems."

"And, look! Look here."

Yotsuba pointed at the charm's description posted on the shelf.

"It says, 'The gemstone meaning of pearls is purity, wealth, and health.' I was thinking I want Uesugi-san not to get sick."

"I see. Wealth being in there suits Fuutarou too."

"And 'purity' fits perfectly, don't you think?"

"Fuutarou-kun's got a pretty naïve side to him. That's the cute part, though."

"And, I just looked it up."

Looking at her red phone, Itsuki continued.

"It seems pearls also carry the meaning of 'a symbol of love.'"

"Whaat?!"

"Ohh? Could this be on purpose?"

"It's not?! I'm..."

"My. Then won't you let me have it? I'll give it to him as a set with the wind chime."

"A-absolutely not!"

Yotsuba, her cheeks faintly reddening, hugged the charm to her chest like a treasure.

And then, as if squeezing the feeling out, one line.

"This one... I'm giving to Uesugi-san."

"Yotsuba, cute."

"M-Miku, don't tease me too."

As if to cover her embarrassment, Yotsuba changed the subject—"Itsuki, have you decided yet?!"

"Let me see... ah, how about this one?!"

What Itsuki picked up was a small penguin plushie.

"Uesugi-kun's room was a little short on color."

"Why a penguin?"

"Raiha-chan loves them. I thought I'd give the siblings matching ones."

"A plushie might be something new for Fuutarou."

"Yes. And this plushie has a ribbon around its neck similar to the one Raiha-chan wears. I'm sure Uesugi-kun is lonely too, not being able to see Raiha-chan."

And so—

hugging the penguin plushie tightly, with a gentle smile, Itsuki said,

"I want Uesugi-kun to think of this one as Raiha-chan and dote on it."

"......"

In spite of myself, I imagined it.

A single room in a wooden apartment.

There, with a beaming smile, Fuutarou—

—Good morning, Raiha! I made breakfast.

—Listen to this, Raiha. Something funny happened at university yesterday.

—I'm off to my job! Be a good girl and wait until I get back, Raiha!

—Good night, Raiha. Sweet dreams, okay?

—to a penguin plushie.

Talking away cheerfully, all by himself...

"Pfft?!"

Maybe thinking the same thing I was, Ichika burst out laughing.

"Ichika? Is something wrong?"

"S-sorry, it's just..."

"I-I understand how Ichika feels..."

"Th-the mental image is too chaotic...!"

"I-Itsuki's idea is cute... ahaha."

"H-honestly! Everyone, please stop laughing!"

After soothing the offended Itsuki, we bought our souvenirs.

We were going to head back to the room, but I had the rest of the plan worked out too.

Beach volleyball for Ichika.

A stylish café for Nino.

And of course, a surprise for Itsuki was prepared too.

"I did it! First place!"

After we'd filled our stomachs with the lavish dinner,

in the large room with the futons laid out, we hooked the game console we'd brought up to the big TV for a gaming tournament.

An event for Itsuki, who'd gotten into games lately.

What we were playing now was a party game where the characters roll dice and advance across a sugoroku board².

"Itsuki-chan, you're so worked up your yukata's coming open."

"Wah, thank you."

"Was Itsuki ever this good at games? I can't win at all."

"Heh heh heh. Shall I give you a handicap?"

"Then let's do a horror game next."

"Nice! How about we each play one at a time and compete to see who can beat the most ghosts!"

"Hehe. Miku, Yotsuba, great idea. With a horror game, it's a sure win for Itsuki-chaan."

"Wait, Yotsuba. When did you even buy a game like this?"

"I borrowed it from a friend on the track team."

Maybe they were close, because Yotsuba spoke happily.

"The manager girl I told you about before. Her family plays games a lot, so she's got tons of controllers too."

"I see. Make sure you thank her, Yotsuba, okay?"

"Of course!"

After answering with a smile, Yotsuba switched out the game.

"I-it's just a game in the end, it's not that scaaaa—aaaah!"

Shrieking, Itsuki desperately fought off the ghost-type monsters lunging at her.

Every time a ghost on the screen swung its arm to attack, Itsuki herself would lean her body back—controller still in hand—going "Watch out!", trying her hardest to dodge, and it was somehow adorable.

"Itsuki, so cute."

Maybe thinking the same thing, Yotsuba was recording Itsuki struggling against the ghosts on her phone.

Nice, I'll get her to send me the video later—just as I was thinking that,

"? Nino, Ichika?"

"Shh."

Sneaking up behind Itsuki as she focused on the game, the two older sisters crept—tiptoe, soft-step, silent-step.

And then, the instant Itsuki cleared the game and let out a breath, the two of them smacked both her shoulders with force—

"Boo!!"

"Hyaah!"

"Ahaha! Itsuki-chan, you scared too easy!"

"You fell for an old trick."

"Geez! Ichika! Nino! Please don't do childish things!"

"H-hey, throwing pillows is a foul! Not the face, not the face!"

"What is it, Itsuki. You wanna go?"

At Nino's words, Itsuki grinned fearlessly, then,

"You two were the ones who started it, weren't you?"

declared war in casual speech.

Maybe she remembered what she'd practiced with me in May, or maybe her fighting spirit had caught fire,

"The two-dimensional battle is on hold—from here it's a three-dimensional real fight!"

After shouting it on high, Itsuki raised a pillow.

Yotsuba and I sided with Itsuki too, and the Nakano family pillow fight broke out.

Throwing pillows, sometimes using a pillow as a shield, and on top of that smacking with pillows.

Of course while taking care not to break the borrowed console or the room's furnishings—a grand melee worthy of Sekigahara³.

All of us with smiles on our faces.

—Fun.

It's too much fun. It turned into a really great "Quintuplets' Day"!

The drowsiness from how poorly I'd slept the night before got blown clean away.

Strange how I couldn't fall asleep easily lately.

Even though right now I don't have a single worry.

"Ah—"

That was when I finally realized it.

The reason I couldn't fall asleep. It was, surely...

After the pillow-fight tournament, all of us sweaty, we headed to the big communal bath.

The complimentary shampoo was a little sad, but Nino lent everyone the shampoo and treatment she'd brought along, saying, "The seawater's left your hair all stiff, so use this."

When I thanked her, Nino whispered in a low voice as she washed her hair.

"Hey, Miku. What's the plan for tomorrow?"

"It's all decided, of course."

"Make sure you grant Yotsuba's wishes too, okay? You two thought up events and places we'd be happy with, didn't you?"

"So you noticed."

"Are you making fun of me? We're quintuplets."

"So this much is a given, huh."

"We came to a Miku-style inn, so now it's Yotsuba's turn. I'm a little worried that girl's overthinking our feelings, like she did in high school."

True. Maybe because we were the ones who set off her transferring out of Kurobara Girls', back in high school Yotsuba always put us before herself. But...

"She'll be fine."

Yotsuba had changed.

She'd learned to value her own feelings properly too.

"What, what? You two having a secret talk?"

"It's nothing like that."

I answered Yotsuba, who'd come over like a police dog that had picked up on something off, and all five of us enjoyed the hot spring.

Maybe because we soaked lazily in the nice atmosphere of the open-air bath, steam rising amid the scent of sulfur, the exhaustion from a full day of playing hit all at once.

We got out of the bath, put our yukata back on, and did hair care together.

Yotsuba lent everyone the hair oil she'd gotten as a birthday present.

On top of that, we moisturized thoroughly with the lotion and milk we'd brought.

What with one thing and another, it was already midnight.

After heading back to the room and brushing our teeth, in the pleasant exhaustion, we turned off the lights.

We'd decided to sleep with the futons lined up side by side, but...

"...Haah."

The time was a little past 1 a.m.

Maybe because I'd had a slightly unpleasant dream, I woke up and slipped out of the room without anyone noticing.

Still in my yukata, with my headphones around my neck, I walked down to the shore and sat on the sand.

Before me was a pitch-black sea. Only the sound of the waves echoed.

The starry sky was more beautiful than the one you'd see in the city, but somehow a loneliness welled up deep in my chest.

"Is this what you'd call wabi-sabi⁴, I wonder."

As I sat on the empty sand gazing at the sea, the dream from earlier suddenly came back to me.

A memory of summer break from my elementary school days.

The day the whole family went to the inn Grandpa ran on a remote island.

I'd changed into my swimsuit and was swimming in the sea when I got a cramp in my leg.

Luckily, Mom—in her swimsuit—rescued me right away.

When I got back to shore, Grandpa and everyone were worried about me.

Miku, I thought you were going to drown!

Itsuki, you're panicking too much. Miku, you be careful too.

Mom was so cool.

I want to be able to do the crawl like that too!

That was the kind of conversation we had.

It's a funny story now, and it's not like I actually drowned, so it doesn't really feel like a trauma either.

But ever since then...

"I feel like I sort of came to hate exercise."

I'd play soccer and the like if everyone invited me, and I could have fun with it, but I stopped doing it on my own much.

Come to think of it, Fuutarou said something at the outdoor school.

You five were probably born with the same physical ability. You're quintuplets, after all. Which means that athletic ability of Yotsuba's is something she acquired after the fact.

Right. Yotsuba got good at sports because she worked hard at all that exercise.

Logically, the reverse held for me.

Because I'd come to avoid exercise, I became the worst at sports of all the sisters, and my stamina dropped too.

And as a result...

"Boo!"

"Hyaah!"

My shoulder got smacked from behind with full force, and a shriek flew out of me.

When I turned around, Yotsuba was standing there. In a yukata, without her trademark ribbon.

"Surprised?"

"Even if it were Father, I'd be flat-out stunned."

"Sorry, sorry. But I was surprised too. You snuck out of the room, Miku."

"...Sorry."

I'd meant to slip out killing every sound I could, but it seemed I'd woken her.

As I felt apologetic, Yotsuba, in a somehow excited tone, hummed it out almost like a song.

"Don't apologize. Sneaking out like this, just the two of us—it's kind of fresh."

"Now that you mention it."

"By the way, are you okay?"

"Huh?"

"You couldn't sleep, right? Don't tell me you had a bad dream?"

At times like this, being quintuplets is a bit of a problem.

What you're thinking gets found out pretty easily. Yotsuba had probably been worried about how short on sleep I'd been lately.

When we made the trip plan at her place, I'd let out some big yawns a few times, too.

"A little."

Even as I answered, a different memory from the dream earlier came back in my head.

Excuse me. What floor do you sell headphones on?

One day in my first year of middle school, I went to a big electronics store to buy headphones.

The trigger was the fitness test held in May.

Bad at exercise, I had the worst score of all the sisters, and it was kind of embarrassing.

Even though we were quintuplets, I couldn't do what everyone else could.

After that, I gradually came to think this way.

Ichika's dexterity and sociability, Nino's strength and her hard work at cooking, Yotsuba's energy and athletic ability, Itsuki's earnestness and the courage to decide to become a stand-in mother... I had none of it.

A me like that—I didn't like.

Maybe because of that... somehow, I started wanting to keep my distance from people outside my family.

Maybe I figured there was no way someone else could come to like a me even I couldn't like.

If I listened to music on my headphones during breaks at school, fewer people would talk to me. But I was fine with it.

I had everyone.

Ichika. Nino. Yotsuba. Itsuki.

Back when I'd just met Fuutarou, even when I'd lost so much stamina and so much of my ability to connect with people that I went and said "I'm the biggest dropout of the five of us"—even when I'd lost my confidence too.

As long as I had everyone, that was enough.

But—.

"I figured it out. The reason I couldn't sleep lately."

Under the starlight.

Listening to the sound of the pitch-black waves, I confided the answer I'd finally found to Yotsuba.

"Having no worries was the worry."

"......! I see..."

Yotsuba, with a terribly grave expression—

"Meaning, what exactly?"

"If you don't get it, don't make a meaningful face..."

Pulling myself together, I spoke.

"At first I was anxious about the new life. Whether I'd make new friends, whether I'd fail another exam, whether I'd be lonely being separated from everyone and Fuutarou, who I'd always been with."

"......"

"But lately it's different. Everyone's made new friends. I got close with people at my job, too."

"Hehe, I was so surprised when I saw you in a maid outfit, Miku."

"Juggling jobs is hard, but I've gotten used to it."

"I picked up more shifts at my job too, so it's tough! University students cost more money than you'd think."

"I get it. There are times we go out to have fun, like today, too."

It seemed everyone besides Ichika was picking up more shifts in between their schoolwork.

But I think it's a good thing.

This is part of learning about the world, too. A step toward independence.

"Back to what I was saying. I managed to clear the final exams, too."

"I'm glad you dodged a failing grade!"

"Yeah. I got to talk with Fuutarou at the study session, and when he comes back home next time, we can hang out together. Right now, I don't have a single worry."

Surely it's the same for everyone.

Each of us took on a new challenge, grew properly, and our circles of friends widened too.

"But having no worries is a good thing, right? Thanks to that, 'Quintuplets' Day' is super fun, too."

"It's precisely because it's so fun that... I get anxious."

Because someday—this time will end, too.

Just like night gives way to morning.

The seasons, the time, the months and days, flow equally for everyone, turning us into adults.

"Right now we still have time to come to the sea together like this, but starting next year it might be different. There's a rumor Ichika's moving her base of activity to Tokyo next year or the year after. If that happens, I think she'll move to Tokyo."

"That's..."

"And if that happens, even doing 'Quintuplets' Day' once a month like this will be hard."

"Miku..."

"Culinary school is a two-year program too. The year after next, Nino and I will be working adults. Once that happens, the chances to hang out will drop even further. And after you graduate university, you'll get a job too, right, Yotsuba?"

"Ahaha, I'm anxious about whether I can pass the national exam, though."

"You'll be fine, Yotsuba. And I'm sure Itsuki will become a teacher. It's just—I think the time we have to hang out will run out."

"I hear teachers are really busy. Grading tests on their days off and all."

"Yeah. And when that happens, we'll all be scattered apart."

Right—it's precisely because right now is so fun that I'm more scared than before.

Of not being able to be together with everyone anymore.

"Of course the trip you and I planned is fun too, you know? Enough that I want to treat you to a meal sometime as thanks."

"Really?! It's summer, so I'd love something like pork shabu salad. Light and refreshing with ponzu!"

"I'll think about it."

Even as I nodded with a smile, I steered back to the point.

"It made me realize all over again how precious the time we spend with everyone is."

That's why I couldn't sleep.

Somewhere in my heart, I'd been scared of tomorrow coming.

A blue mood, like watching the sand of an hourglass dwindle little by little.

Step by step, we're getting closer to independence.

But that also means the time spent alone increases—.

"Miku."

Out of nowhere, Yotsuba called my name in a serious voice.

And she looked up at the night sky with perfectly clear eyes.

"I've been wondering this whole time. That one—what star was it again?"

"Huh?"

Suddenly pointed up at the night sky, I got flustered.

At the tip of Yotsuba's slender index finger was the constellation Cygnus.

"You don't remember? We learned it in elementary school. The first-magnitude star of Cygnus."

"Was it Altair?"

"Deneb. Then, do you know this one? The first-magnitude star of Lyra—the so-called Orihime star of Tanabata⁵."

"This time for sure, Altair!"

"Vega. What about that one? I think you'll get it this time. The first-magnitude star of Aquila, Tanabata's Hikoboshi star. So, the name?"

"Hmm, I know it's not Altair, at least."

"That one's Altair."

"A trick question!"

"You're the one who shot yourself in the foot, Yotsuba..."

"You remembered them well, Miku."

To the impressed Yotsuba, I explained.

"I'm not as good at science as Itsuki, but I was into horoscopes for a while. I worked hard to memorize the names."

"Come to think of it, checking the morning horoscope was your daily routine, wasn't it, Miku."

"But why'd you suddenly care about the names of the stars?"

"Hehe. When we were kids, we looked at the stars with Mom, didn't we?"

"We did."

In elementary school, there was a stargazing assignment for summer break science homework.

We borrowed the telescope the apartment's landlord had and looked at the night sky together.

"There was only one telescope, so I think we fought over who got to look first."

"Classic quintuplets. And so, that's when Mom said something."

The stars twinkling in the night sky.

Yotsuba simply gazed at that glow—the light that long ago served as a signpost for travelers.

"She said, 'The stars floating in the night sky are many light-years away from Earth. So the light we're looking at right now is light that shone long, long ago.'"

"That's Mom for you. Such a teacher-like line."

"Is it really that long ago?"

"For example, the light from Deneb in Cygnus, the one I just mentioned—they say it shone more than a thousand years ago."

"Whoa?! It's strange, isn't it. I get that it takes a long time for a star's light to reach Earth. But I can't believe that light is from a thousand years ago."

"But in reality, the light is reaching us."

"Yeah. And I think that's probably the same. The same as the time the five of us spent together."

In spite of myself, I shifted my gaze from the starry sky to Yotsuba sitting beside me.

Yotsuba made her big eyes sparkle, enough to rival the stars.

"Like you said, Miku, we'll be scattered apart in the near future. Because that's surely what becoming independent means. The memories of spending time together like this will become memories of a far-off day, too."

"......"

"But—memories don't disappear! If anything, they give us strength! Just like the sparkle of stars that shone long ago takes time to shine down on us!"

"Yotsuba..."

Silence.

With only the gentle sound of the waves echoing on the night beach, I said it.

"Um... are you aware you're saying something pretty embarrassing?"

"...Yeah. I realized it as I was saying it. My face is probably bright red all the way up to my forehead!"

"Pft, ahaha. It's fine. It's night, so you can't really tell."

The cheeks that had gone stiff loosened in spite of me.

Thank you, Yotsuba.

Memories shine down on us even as time passes.

When I thought about it that way, maybe this wasn't the time to be fretting.

Just watching the sand of an hourglass dwindle away—that would be far too much of a waste.

"So we won't be lonely even after we're scattered apart, we should make more memories."

"Right, right! We've gotta enjoy the now!"

"A positive way of thinking, just like you, Yotsuba."

"Ehehe. Then, let me say one more thing I've been thinking. About tomorrow's plan—want to change it?"

"Change it?"

"Tomorrow we were supposed to sightsee all kinds of places everyone would be happy with, right? But I think it'd be fine to go to a place you want to go to, Miku. It's okay to value your own feelings more."

"That's..."

"I get the feeling everyone's got the wrong idea that you picked the Japanese-style inn because it's your taste—but that's not actually true, is it?"

Right.

The reason I thought about staying at an inn was that Yotsuba said, "I want to get in a hot spring with everyone again!"

My own wish was to go, during the day today, to a big shrine near here.

It's a place connected to a Sengoku warlord, and the internet said the shaved ice at the shop was delicious too. Except...

"I didn't think the café would be that crowded."

"That's where the plan fell apart. Sorry, Miku. We really should've made a reservation."

"Don't worry about it. Trouble comes with travel."

"Then a change of plans comes with it too!"

Yotsuba beamed a friendly smile.

"Miku, you said it when you came to my place, didn't you? That you wanted to make it a trip all five quintuplets could enjoy."

"Yeah."

"Then let's go where you want to go tomorrow. Let's make it a trip with no regrets!"

"Yotsuba..."

"That'll make it the best memory! Everyone will be happy too! Because you, Miku, are also—"

"A member of the quintuplets."

Spoken to suddenly from behind, Yotsuba and I both whirled around in a fluster.

Standing on the beach were Nino, Itsuki, and Ichika, in their yukata.

"Everyone, what's wrong?"

"Heh heh heh. That's our line, Miku."

"When I woke up and you two weren't there, I got curious and went looking."

"Both of you left your phones in the room, too."

"...Hey, all three of you? How much did you hear?"

To Yotsuba's timid question, the three answered with beaming smiles.

"The part about the sparkle of the stars! Wow, it was too good a talk—the sleepiness wore right off."

"Saying something romantic, for you, Yotsuba."

"Getting all the star names wrong was a failing grade, though."

"That's not fair?! Don't listen in secret—talk to us!"

Yotsuba stood up and protested, puffing out her cheeks.

She herself was embarrassed, but... I was happy. Really happy.

Come to think of it, in high school Yotsuba often put the sisters before herself.

And that same Yotsuba had told me it was okay to value my own feelings more.

If it had been the me who'd just bought those headphones.

The me from when I couldn't have confidence in myself.

I might not have been able to say let's all go to the place I like—but.

I couldn't become Yotsuba, but Yotsuba can't become me either.

I remembered.

After last year's school festival, when I went to the seaside with Yotsuba like tonight.

When I flung my ribbon high, high up toward the water's surface sparkling in the morning sun.

I finally came to like myself enough to think that way.

Back then, that's what I thought.

Ichika. Nino. Yotsuba. Itsuki. And of course, Fuutarou.

Because I had everyone, I could work hard at all sorts of things.

Because I had everyone, I was able to change!

"Hey, Miku."

Reaching out a hand to me as I sat on the sand, Yotsuba spun her words with a soft smile.

"Where do you want to go tomorrow, Miku?"

"——"

After taking the hand the same size as mine and standing up, I answered.

An August night, with stars that looked ready to rain down at any moment.

Just like a child making a wish on a shooting star racing across the night sky.

I simply, honestly, and straightforwardly confided my true feelings.

"I got back late."

I walked the dim sidewalk that led from the university to my apartment.

The clock on my phone read 8:34 p.m.

After practice ended, Eba-senpai had said, "We really should put Nakano-san in as a starter for the upcoming meet!" and I'd talked it over with the coach about all that.

In the end it was decided I'd be a starter, but it pushed my time getting home later than planned.

"The starry sky really is different over here."

The memory of the starry sky I'd watched with Miku at the sea two days ago came back.

I'd said all that wanting to cheer Miku up, but... the loneliness, I felt it too.

When I thought about going home to a place where I lived alone, my chest tightened just a little.

But it's fine!

"Heh heh heh."

After passing through the apartment entrance, in the little while before the elevator came, I gazed at my phone screen.

What was displayed was a photo from the beach trip.

On the second day of the trip, Miku suggested, "Let's gather all the photos we took together in the group chat."

Thanks to that, an album of all five quintuplets came together!

And of course, it had photos from when we all played on the second day, too.

"That surprised me."

What Miku wished for was to play at the sea.

I'd been so sure she'd pick a shrine or a temple, but—

Because playing at the sea with everyone was super fun. It's just, I really regretted not being able to swim... so this time I want to swim too! With everything I've got!

An active declaration that wasn't like indoor-type Miku at all!

A smile, like savoring her happiness, surfacing through her usual mysterious expression.

I knew it wasn't her being considerate of everyone—it was her true feelings, no lies or pretense.

Wanting to do the same thing from day one all over again is something that'd normally be a little hard to say, I felt, but for us it's no problem!

And so, that's exactly why we played.

The private beach tickets were already used up, so it was a public beach packed with people, but—

Mm. A quiet beach is nice, but this liveliness feels like summer, which is nice too.

Ichika. Be careful not to get found out. Don't take off your hat.

Hehe. You seem like you'd stand out too, Miku?

I'm surprised! I couldn't tell yesterday since you had a shirt on, but you had a swimsuit like that!

I bought it at the convenience store yesterday.

Looking at the photo on my phone, I remembered the conversation from back then.

What Miku wore was a beautiful blue bikini that "ocean blue" was the perfect word for.

What's more, it was a grown-up, fairly sexy design, like the kind Ichika wears.

According to Miku, "This was the only one left, so I had no choice but to buy it, but yesterday I was too embarrassed to show it off. And I didn't have my pareo."

It's true Miku often wrapped a pareo around her waist when playing in a swimsuit, but...

I thought about buying a different one or a pareo at the beach house, but I figured a grown-up one like this is nice once in a while. This is a new challenge too. ...Does it look weird?

Not at all! It suits you so well!

Good. Because I actually liked this swimsuit.

I was glad Miku got to dress the way she liked, and she looked happy!

Although, maybe drawn in by the charm of her grown-up swimsuit, she got hit on at the beach after swimming.

Nino tried to drive him off with a smile, but Miku turned him down properly.

As if putting to use the communication skills she'd honed at the maid café, with a smile, clearly,

Today, I've decided to make memories with my family.

"That made me happy."

A smile slipped out naturally.

Strangely, I had a feeling everyone was gazing at the beach-trip album this very moment, too.

Ichika at a hotel near her shoot location.

Nino and Miku each on their way home from their jobs.

Itsuki probably studying for her driving at home. She'd recently started going to driving school with Date-san.

Apparently she wants to get her driver's license as part of a new challenge. University students get a long summer break, so during that time.

So all five quintuplets were in different places.

But I'm not lonely or anything, you know?

Because we're—

"Huh."

When I unlocked the door of room 401, my surprise leaked out of my mouth.

The lights were on. Did I forget to turn them off when I left this morning, maybe?

"Oh."

When I went through the kitchen and into the six-tatami room with the bed, the mystery was solved.

The familiar interior of my home. The slim bookshelf holding manga and books on physical therapy. The houseplants I'd brought from home. My favorite camel plushie. The cushion cut in the shape of an orange. Photos with my sisters and Uesugi-san displayed on the wall.

And the small, square, wood-grain table.

On the table was a dinner carefully covered with plastic wrap.

Miso soup with daikon cut into fine, thin strips.

Gleaming germ-rice.

And the main dish was the pork shabu salad I'd said I wanted to eat the other day.

The vivid vegetables and boiled pork whetted my appetite. The sudachi ponzu⁶I love was set out too.

And on the table was a small message card with words written in blue.

Thank you for cheering me up at the sea. Good work at club this late.

There was no sender's name, but I knew who it was from the handwriting alone.

"Miku..."

I see.

Before we went on the trip, when the two of us worked out all kinds of plans in this room, I'd lent her a spare key.

So that on days like today, when I got back late from practice, she wouldn't have to wait in front of the room.

"Geez, she doesn't have to be so considerate."

I just went and said something like that.

I'd heard a rumor that you talk to yourself more when you live alone, and maybe I'm exactly like that now.

It made me too happy that Miku had been kind to me.

As if to hide my embarrassment, I spun words in the empty room.

"Thank you, Miku. —I love you."

I hugged the message card tight to my chest.

To go out of her way to come all the way to my place and treat me to a home-cooked meal!

Maybe she'd even meant to be here to welcome me back.

She probably went home first because I was late from practice. Leaving the lights on by accident.

"I have to thank her in the chat!"

Even as I said it, I took a photo of the meal Miku had made.

It's an embarrassing way to put it, even for me, but memories are like stars.

Even when they become memories of a far-off day, they shine down on us.

Just like we made an album of the trip, let's keep gathering the photos we take on "Quintuplets' Day" from now on too!

Surely in the near future, we'll be separated apart.

Even so, as long as I have memories with everyone...

"I won't be lonely even on my own."

I murmured it with a smile, but even I couldn't write this part in the chat.

But it's fine. Even without putting it into words, it gets across.

Even if we're in separate places...

"Because the five of us are quintuplets who've shared the same time⁷equally."

"Yotsuba."

The instant I called out from behind in my casual clothes, Yotsuba's back—she'd been talking to herself—jolted with a start.

"M-Miku?! Didn't you go home...?"

"I was about to. I just thought I'd use the bathroom first."

I'd gone into the bathroom beside the kitchen, and Yotsuba came home right then.

All right, let's surprise her.

Luckily, Yotsuba was preoccupied with the lights being on and didn't seem to notice my shoes in the entryway.

Perfect for paying her back for the "Boo!" scare at the shore!

As I held my breath and watched for the timing to step out, what reached my ears was some too-honest talking to herself.

"Um... I like you too, you know, Yotsuba?"

I said it meaning to smooth things over, but it seemed to backfire.

Yotsuba flushed all at once, right up to her forehead.

"Th-that's not it?! Living alone, I just talk to myself more...!"

"It's fine. I know the feeling."

"Huh?"

"Because the five of us are quintuplets who've shared the same time equally."

Embarrassed Yotsuba was cute, so I went and teased her.

At that, Yotsuba buried her face in the orange cushion and let out a stifled scream—"Wraaah."

That's five months of living alone for you.

Even when screaming, she's careful not to let it carry to the neighbors.

"Mikuuu!"

"Sorry, sorry."

I apologized to Yotsuba, who feebly bopped my shoulder with her small fist.

"I'll make it up to you somehow."

"Then stay over at my place tonight!"

"Huh? Why?"

"If you go home like this, you'll probably blab about my embarrassing moment to everyone! So before that, I'll shut your mouth!"

"Is today the anniversary of my death or something?"

She seems to be blurting out things one step away from being a murderer.

She's probably panicking from the sheer embarrassment.

But, well, sure.

When we made the trip plan, I didn't get to stay at Yotsuba's place either, so it's kind of fresh.

"This is making precious memories too, right?"

"Huh."

"Like you said that night, Yotsuba—if memories are stars, the more of them the better."

"...Hey. Are you saying nice things on purpose to tease me?"

"It'll light up the dark night sky better that way. Right, Yotsuba?"

"Stoop?! It's gonna flashback the summer-night trauma!"

I patted the head of Yotsuba, who'd started bopping my chest again, going there, there.

I went and teased her because I wanted to cover up that I was embarrassed too, but... hehe. Well, it's fine.

I got to see cute Yotsuba.

"I haven't had dinner yet either, so I'll go buy something."

"Oh, then I'll make your portion, Miku!"

"You will, Yotsuba?"

"I'm in cooking training, even like this. Look forward to it!"

"Okay, I'm counting on you. Actually, do you have a guest futon? If not, I'll sleep on the floor."

"No way! You might hurt your back! Once you wreck your back, it's serious, you know?!"

"Are you that scared of it?"

"In my anatomy studies, I learned about the importance of the back more than I'd care to. And the manager girl I told you about before said she got a herniated disc from overdoing club activities in high school... and her story about it was way too much of a horror..."

"A scary story of a different type than the ones Itsuki can't handle..."

"So tonight let's sleep in the bed together, okay? I'll lend you sleepwear and underwear, too."

"Huh."

"Why are you making a face like you hate the idea?"

"Yotsuba, you toss and turn in your sleep. I'd literally get kicked off the bed mid-sleep and slam my back."

"It's fiiine. I'll sleep on the floor side, and I'll put a cushion next to the bed."

"So you're assuming you're the one who falls off..."

"I'm used to it! Ehehe, a sleepover, huh. It's my first time letting anyone stay in this room... oh, I know, let's go brag to everyone."

"Are you going to message the group chat?"

"Of course!"

Yotsuba nodded with a smile, but her expression froze right away.

"Something wrong?"

"I sent it to the group with Uesugi-san by mistake..."

"Ah..."

She pulled up a group chat named "5+1" on her phone.

Maybe everyone was on their phones since it was night, because Yotsuba's message—"Tonight's a sleepover in my room! We're sleeping in the same bed~"—got immediate replies.

Really?! Nice going, Fuutarou-kun.

That's impure! You're both still students!

Huh? Wasn't Fuu-kun's trip home still a while off? Then who's staying over?

"What do I do... it's marked read on Uesugi-san's end too, but no reply's coming..."

"He's probably panicking right about now. He messed up with the birthday present, and maybe he's wondering if you got tired of long-distance and fell for a guy on the track team."

"N-no way..."

Yotsuba went pale, eyes glued to her phone.

She had the look of someone worried that, since Fuutarou had panicked, he might doubt her even if she explained I was the one staying over.

Honestly, nothing for it.

I said "I won't give you a push" at karaoke after the school festival, but.

Just for tonight, it's special, okay?

At the shore, Yotsuba gave me courage too.

If it weren't for Yotsuba, it never would've become a trip that good—one all five quintuplets were happy with.

And besides,

Where should we do the inn...

Here, want some? Sugar for your tired head.

Wah, pound cake?! You made it and brought it?

The recipe was in the book Fuutarou gave me. The secret ingredient is rum. A slightly grown-up taste.

Thank you! Let's think it over with some tea? There's matcha soda chilling in the fridge too!

Thinking all sorts of things in this room, fretting, laughing together, the two of us making the trip plan—

that became an unforgettable memory too.

*Swift to plunder, like fire.⁸Tonight, Yotsuba's bed is my territory.*

Along with that message, I uploaded a room selfie I took with Yotsuba to the group chat.

A reply came from Fuutarou at once.

I knew that, obviously!

"You definitely didn't know."

After I went and muttered it, a smile slipped out.

With Yotsuba beside me tonight, I had a feeling I'd sleep soundly.

My hunch was right.

But there was one miscalculation too. In the deep sleep, I had a dream.

In the dream I was an elementary schooler, wearing the school-issued swimsuit.

Clinging to a ring all by myself, I drifted across the midday sea.

Maybe the current was fast, because the shore kept getting farther away. I was being swept out to sea.

What do I do.

Even in a dream, I don't want to drown.

The mom who'd save me wasn't there anymore...

"Miku!"

Just as I was getting anxious, who appeared was Yotsuba riding a big surfboard.

I was a child, but Yotsuba's form was nineteen.

Under the sun, an orange bikini glittered dazzlingly.

A short white pareo was wrapped around her waist.

Yotsuba reached out a hand and pulled my young self up onto the pure-white surfboard, then,

"Hold on, okay? Here we gooo!"

She surfed brilliantly atop a big wave.

Amazing—this is like a dream!

"I mean, it is a dream, though."

"Heh heh heh. It's fine, a dream like this once in a while."

"True. In a dream, maybe I can get good at sports like you, Yotsuba."

"Forget dreams—you can in reality too. You were swimming at the sea, after all."

"You think?"

"Of course! We're quintuplets."

Yotsuba laughed, her expression free of any worry.

Maybe Yotsuba's right.

Sports university now is obviously out of the question, but maybe I'll take up jogging or something to train my body.

"That's great! I'll lend you stylish workout gear and shoes!"

"Don't casually read my mind just because it's a dream."

Geez—I murmured, and thought.

I was taught at culinary school. The food and beverage industry is basically standing work. For part-timers maybe not, but full-timers sometimes do food prep from early in the morning.

So you need a certain amount of stamina.

I used to hate exercise, but from now on, training my body would be nice too, right?

I can't become Yotsuba.

But I already know. Fuutarou taught me. That you can change yourself.

So I can come to like myself more.

So everyone can come to like me, and I can be everyone's strength.

Even while fretting over all sorts of things, I can choose to move forward.

"A good wave's coming!"

"Huh, h-hey, Yotsuba?!"

Before I knew it, my body had turned nineteen too.

All I had on was the grown-up ocean-blue bikini I'd worn on the beach trip.

My usual headphones were gone.

"Eek."

It was the instant I clung hard to Yotsuba's slim waist with a small shriek.

The surfboard rode the big wave and jumped unbelievably high.

A floating sensation, like my stomach going cold.

It's just like flying.

Or rather—

"We're flying?!"

The surfboard Yotsuba and I rode glided through the clear summer sky.

Making the seawater on the board glitter under the sun, with no wings at all, as if tracing the endlessly continuing coastline, it took off on high.

"Wh-where are we heading?"

"No idea!"

"Are you a dummy even in dreams, Yotsuba...?"

"Ahaha, kidding, kidding. Let's go to where everyone is, okay? Ichika, Nino, Itsuki, Uesugi-san—they're all waiting for us!"

Surfing through the summer sky, Yotsuba hugged my waist tight with one hand.

Warm. The feel of her smooth skin was strangely real. Maybe in the real world, I'm being hugged by Yotsuba on the bed. Yotsuba does toss and turn in her sleep.

But thanks to that—

"Thank you, Yotsuba."

Maybe that's how I got to have a dream like this.

A dream that made me wish I'd never wake up, that made me want to stay in this world forever.

"I want you to shift your weight well too, Miku, so we don't lose altitude. Can you?"

"I'll try!"

I nodded with a childlike, innocent smile.

The surfboard the two of us steered rose in altitude, light as the wind.

Ah, a dream this fun—maybe it's my first.

Enough that it'd be a waste for morning to come and wake me.

But it's fine. I won't be scared of tomorrow anymore.

Because even when this dream ends, surely we'll—

"Get to spend even more fun days together!"

With a smile as cheerful as a sunflower blooming in midsummer, Yotsuba shouted.

...Uh-oh.

Maybe because it's a dream, she's reading my mind again.

As if to pay me back for teasing her at the apartment, Yotsuba smiled mischievously this time.

And she began voicing what was inside my heart.

And for some reason, in musical style.

"Even after we wake uup~, let's live days as thrilling as a dreeam~"

"H-hey, Yotsuba?"

"We won't forget even as grown-ups~, just remembering it makes everyone smiile~"

"W-wait? I'm thinking something pretty embarrassing, influenced by you, Yotsuba—"

"The everyday that starts again tomorrow! We'll divide it five waays~!"

"Yotsubaaa!"

After shouting to cover my embarrassment, I laughed.

On the blue August sea, where the laughter of the two of us echoed,

the pure-white surfboard flew high into the sky.