"All right."

Done with all of it! I thought, looking over the move-in application for my new place in my room.

Seeing the characters spelling out "Nakano Yotsuba" written in the name field, it hit me all over again that I was really going to be living on my own... oh, wait.

"Stamp, stamp."

I pressed my personal seal¹into place, and now it was finally complete!

The place I'd rented was an eight-story apartment building about an hour by train from the Nakano house.

Unit 401. The layout was a six-tatami one-room with a kitchenette. Separate bath and toilet.

Nino had told me, "A girl's home absolutely has to have security," so the entrance had an auto-lock.

The rent was exactly sixty thousand yen, management fees included.

The interior wasn't fancy like this house, and the building was on the older side, but it had been carefully renovated and was plenty clean.

Fifteen minutes on foot from the university — the perfect place for me!

"Morning practice starts early, apparently."

The school I'd be attending was Shido University, a private school here in the prefecture.

It was an hour and twenty minutes by train and on foot from our current house.

A sports-focused university that had produced loads of athletes who'd gone on to big things in the sports world.

Among the students you'd spot the occasional elite — Olympic training-squad designees, U-23 national team members, that kind of thing.

The women's volleyball team in particular was top-tier nationally.

Of course, it wasn't only people who specialized purely in sports — there were also folks who wanted to study sports-related subjects, aspiring trainers and physical therapists and so on.

Having competed in the Inter-High²across various clubs back at Kurobara Girls' High School, and then having won the ekiden³at Asahi High, I'd been recognized enough to join the track-and-field team.

Shido's ekiden team was a powerhouse that had placed near the top in the national collegiate women's ekiden.

I was getting in on a sports recommendation, so I had to deliver results!

"That's why I decided to live on my own."

Covering the full rent was impossible even using my cleaning (part-time) money, so I'd be relying on Dad.

Spending over an hour every morning commuting would be way too much of a waste of time.

And the faculty I was entering was Rehabilitation Sciences.

There were a lot of science subjects I was bad at, so on top of training, I wanted to lock down even a little study time.

"I'm aiming for both academics and athletics."

So I'd decided to live near the university, but...

"Haah."

The moment the clock's hands rolled past nine at night, a sigh slipped out of me before I could stop it.

My first time living alone.

When I thought about leaving this apartment I'd grown so used to, somehow it felt lonely.

Ichika. Nino. Miku. Itsuki.

I'd be living apart from everyone I'd been together with ever since we were born.

And Uesugi-san would be moving up to Tokyo in April too...

"No, I can't get down about it! I'm gonna give my new life everything I've got!!"

I pumped myself up.

I'd keep in close touch with Uesugi-san!

Morning practice wasn't every single day, and I could come back to this house pretty often.

Besides, we had "Quintuplets' Day."

Making chocolate together in February had been so much fun, and if we hung out like that every month, I wouldn't be lonely!

...At least, that was the idea, but...

"........."

My eyes drifted, almost on their own, to the Asahi High uniform hanging on the rack by the wall.

I'd heard a lot of other schools held their graduation ceremonies on March 1st, but Asahi High's was a little later, on March 15th.

Today was March 11th.

It was less than four days until our graduation.

"This is the last time we'll get to eat from this cafeteria's menu, isn't it."

March 12th, a lunch break still chilly enough to be rough without the heating on.

In Asahi High's cafeteria, Itsuki sat in her uniform, looking glum.

"This lingering attachment might just send me back into a loss of appetite."

You're probably fine, though?

She'd literally just finished off a large curry, two croquettes, and a cake for dessert.

"It's very Itsuki to get all sentimental over the cafeteria."

"I get the reluctance to leave, though. The food here was on a high level."

Nino and Miku chimed in, both also in their uniforms.

Today, during the free-attendance period, we'd come to school for the graduation chorus practice.

Ichika, who was on leave of absence, had a location shoot and couldn't make it, though.

"By the way, was my singing all right? I went off-pitch about three times."

"You're overthinking it."

"It's fine. If you sing it in the atmosphere of the ceremony, the audience gets moved even if you miss a little."

Maybe because she wasn't all that good at singing in front of people, Miku explained.

"That's the trick to why a chorus you can barely get practice time for has become a graduation-ceremony staple. You can paper over it with momentum."

"Well, what we're singing is the school song and a total standard graduation number anyway."

"Don't be all dry about it. Let's practice so Nino and Miku can sing it perfectly too!"

For the record, the one handling piano accompaniment for the chorus was the pride of our Class 3-1, Takeda Yusuke.

The honor student who'd gone head-to-head with Uesugi-san on the national mock exams last year.

Takeda-san was the son of Asahi High's chairman, and apparently he'd taken several lessons since he was a kid.

Piano was one of them, and it seemed he was pretty skilled.

Top grades, a fresh, clean-cut look, and — a bit of an eccentric streak aside — basically a really good guy, so he had solid standing even with students outside Class 1.

"Honestly, as class president I was surprised they picked the conductor from Class 1 too."

"You mean Matsui-san?"

"She's the right pick, isn't she. That girl conducted for the chorus club. There was apparently a bit of a scuffle when they were deciding the graduation conductor, though."

"Why?"

When I asked, Nino went, "Huh? You forgot?" while fiddling with the phone in her bunny-ear case, and—

"I mean, it's because the accompanist... no, never mind. Not exactly a cafeteria topic."

"Aw, now I'm curious."

"There, there. With Matsui-san, the real thing will go smoothly too. I believe she conducted the chorus club's a cappella piece at the school festival as well... ah, by the way, did you all know?"

Letting her wavy hair sway, Itsuki's voice bounced with excitement.

"Matsui-san is apparently dating Maeda-kun from our class!"

"...Itsuki. That's been the case for a while now. They started dating around the time of the school festival, actually."

"Wha?! Is that so?"

To the startled Itsuki, Nino replied while propping her chin on her hand.

"They became aware of each other thanks to the nature camp⁴the year before last, supposedly."

"That happened, didn't it. The legend of the knot and all that."

"Brings back memories, that campfire. Uesugi-san got sick that time."

I'd quietly stayed by his side back then, hadn't I.

Just like Mom used to do for us, I'd held the hand of Uesugi-san where he lay sick.

All five of us quintuplets, together.

"Maeda-kun's close with Fuutarou, right? He's eating with him today too."

Miku shifted her gaze, the blue headphones still around her neck.

At a table a little ways off was Uesugi-san, eating lunch with Maeda-san and Takeda-san.

"It's a surprise, Fuutarou getting to be friends with him. Even though his uniform's all sloppy."

"Oh? He may look like a delinquent, but he's apparently all lovey-dovey with his girlfriend. I heard a friend happened to see her feeding him a homemade lunch up on the roof."

"Eee, young love!"

"I heard a rumor Matsui-san and Maeda-san are going on a skating date after school today."

Nice, skating. I was a teensy bit jealous.

Uesugi-san and I had started dating last year, but it wasn't like we'd gotten to go on tons of dates.

Up until recently Uesugi-san had been an exam candidate, and I'd had all kinds of stuff going on with the new-place hunt and everything, so there wasn't much we could do about it — but still.

—Come to think of it, this cafeteria was also where I reunited with Uesugi-san for the first time in five years.

"Uesugi-saaan."

I remember calling out to him like that, deliberately cheerful, to hide my shock at the reunion.

Unlike me, who caught on right away, Uesugi-san didn't realize I was the girl he'd met in Kyoto back in elementary school.

I was even more surprised afterward, when Uesugi-san became our tutor.

Well, Uesugi-san was super surprised too, when he found out we were quintuplets!

"To bring the topic back to the chorus, will Ichika be all right? She hasn't been able to join a single full practice."

"She's practicing at home, so it'll work out somehow."

"Good thing the soundproofing's solid. If she holds her voice down a bit she can sing with everyone, and Fuutarou hears her too when he comes to tutor."

"Yeah! It makes me happy to get feedback— ah-choo."

"Yotsuba, are you okay? Please don't catch a cold right before graduation."

"I'm fine, I'm fine! Just got a little chilly. Cold for March, huh?"

"They say today's a special case."

"Since the start of March we've had a sudden run of warm days, so apparently the cherry blossoms have started blooming down south."

"Itsuki, is that for real?! I hope the cherry-blossom front makes it in time for graduation. It'd look better with them in bloom."

After nodding, Miku let her smooth cheeks soften into a faint smile.

"I might've mentioned this to one of you somewhere, but back when I'd just met Fuutarou, he told me, 'I'll get all five of you to graduate with smiles on your faces.'"

"He said something similar to me too, Fuu-kun did."

"Ichika alone will graduate after taking the special exam, but I'm sure it'll be fine. As we are now, all of us can graduate smiling."

That's right. Ichika couldn't graduate on the day of the ceremony.

If she took a leave of absence while securing a certain number of attendance days, and scored well on the test, she could graduate without a hitch.

That was the plan Uesugi-san had laid out, but in the end her attendance days fell a little short because of work, putting her at risk of being held back.

But it seemed Asahi High's chairman was concerned about that.

Our dad was the director of a big general hospital.

If his daughter couldn't graduate, it might sour the relationship between him and Dad in the grown-up world.

Of course, Dad was worried too about Ichika being the only one who couldn't graduate.

As a result of Dad and the chairman talking it over, the deal became that she'd graduate by special exception if she passed a special exam held a few days after the ceremony.

That said, being a special exam, it apparently had a higher difficulty than the tests at this school, where we'd racked up failing grades one after another.

But still...

"Ichika will be fine, right."

Lately she'd been cutting into her sleep, studying late into the night.

Uesugi-san, now done with his own exams, was tutoring her, and we were each teaching her our best subjects too!

"With the double— no! The five-tutor formation, she's absolutely guaranteed to pass!"

"Yotsuba? Isn't 'five' wrong? Just as two is 'double' and three is 'triple,' there should be a way to say it for five as well."

"Ah! Now that you mention it. What is it? Fivele?"

"It's too simple to even bother teaching."

"That's right."

"Nino, Miku! You're totally bluffing like you know, aren't you?!"

When I shouted it with a grin, Nino and the others laughed and admitted, "Caught us."

It was just our usual, casual back-and-forth, but it warmed me up inside.

It's a cliché thing to say, but I wished this time could go on forever.

...No, I mustn't think like that.

I wanted to make Uesugi-san's goal of "all five graduating with smiles" come true.

I wanted to make Uesugi-san happy!

And I think the goal Uesugi-san showed us was all of our goal too.

This is no time to be feeling lonely! I had to be smiling on the day of the ceremony too!

"I've been invited to karaoke after this, but it's hard to go alone, so do you all want to come?"

"Are you going with everyone from class?"

"Yeah. Except I don't have many songs I can sing, and 'Love☆Vacation'⁵overlaps with Nino's."

"I'll go, but I'm not singing that song, okay? I still love it, but ever since the school festival that's all anyone requests and I'm sick of it."

"Your stage was magnificent, after all, Nino. I'll come along too. You're going as well, right, Yotsuba?"

"Sorry! I've got something to do, so you go enjoy it without me, okay?"

That's right — so I could graduate smiling.

There was something I wanted to do at school first.

After school.

I killed time in the library reading sports-related books until evening, then decided to walk around inside the school building on my own.

I couldn't tell everyone, but I figured if I took one last good look around the school, the loneliness of graduating would fade a little.

"At this rate I'm scared I'll start crying partway through the ceremony."

I told myself this while walking down a hallway with few people around.

There'd been all kinds of trouble, but life after transferring to Asahi High had truly been fun.

But that high school life would be over in three days.

"I've got to get my head in the right place while I can."

For the sake of Ichika, Nino, Miku, and Itsuki, who'd studied so hard to graduate.

And so I wouldn't waste the effort Uesugi-san had put in, supporting us all along as our tutor!

As I was walking down the hallway thinking that, a brown-haired girl student walking ahead of me pulled her phone out of her skirt pocket.

In the process, her key dropped out of the pocket and... hm? She didn't notice?

"You dropped this!"

I picked up the key and called out, but the girl kept walking.

She had earbuds in, so it seemed she couldn't hear.

If that's her house key she'll definitely be in trouble — let me catch up to her! And the moment I rounded the hallway corner chasing after the girl's back—

"Huh?"

At first I thought there was a mirror.

Because the person right in front of me was — me.

Asahi High's black blazer and green skirt. A bob cut trimmed at about shoulder length, with a big ribbon.

Yep, it's me.

None other than Nakano Yotsuba.

The other one seemed startled too, mouth dropping open in a small, blank "oh" just like mine.

But this is weird. There shouldn't have been a mirror here.

Which means...!

"It's a doppelganger?!"

The instant I tried to flee, my wrist got grabbed.

Not good! I got off to a slow start because I was so surprised! No choice!

Nino had told me, "If you ever run into a creep at a college drinking party or something, take them down without mercy," so the thing I'd just been reading was a judo techniques manual.

This thing isn't of this world! I'll throw it with the ippon seoi⁶I just studied and then run— huh?

It's wearing makeup?

And carefully, too.

The thin eyebrows were balanced out nicely with an eyebrow pencil. Eyeliner that looked totally natural. Long, curled lashes. Lips glossy with a faintly cherry-colored lip color.

Textbook natural makeup.

And this face was...

"Ichika?"

"You finally noticed."

Ichika let out a soft breath.

"Come on, we're quintuplets, aren't we? Pick up on it from the face right away."

"...Ahaha, sorry. I was so surprised I couldn't think about that— ah, hold on?! I was in the middle of returning a lost item!"

I kicked off the hallway floor and accelerated!

Cutting through the air, I got up to speed in the blink of an eye.

After closing the distance to the faraway girl in one go, I handed over the key.

She turned out to be an underclassman, and she bowed her head with a "Thank you, you really saved me!"

"Nice work. You run with such a clean form as ever."

When I ran back, Ichika patted my shoulder with a "Go easy on the helping people, okay?"

Why was Ichika here, I wondered?

Disguised, even down to a wig and ribbon.

"Filming wrapped earlier than scheduled. I had a little errand at school, so I came to take care of it."

Quick on the uptake, Ichika read my train of thought and launched into an explanation.

"I'm a public figure of sorts, so I figured it'd be a pain if people made a fuss, and disguised myself."

"Come to think of it, you disguised yourself as Nino at the school festival too."

"That time was a failure, so today I went with Yotsuba — but to think I'd run into the real thing. What were you up to, Yotsuba?"

Um, what do I do.

I couldn't say something so embarrassing as that I'd been walking around the building because I was lonely.

"That face. So, you decided to walk around the building because you're sad about graduating, didn't you."

Does it show that much on my face?!

"Nope! I was just fishing there. Looks like I hit the mark, though."

After smoothly deducing my thoughts, Ichika smiled mischievously.

Her intuition was too sharp, no matter how you sliced it...

"You were always perceptive, but you weren't this much, were you?"

"Reading the expressions of co-stars and staff on set has gone up a lot, so maybe I got trained. Anyway — mind if I walk around the building with you? Same as you, I'm feeling a little lonely too."

"You too, Ichika?"

"It's not even decided yet that I can graduate, you know. I want to shake off the loneliness so I can give the special-exam studying my all. Is that okay?"

"Of course!"

Always the considerate one, Ichika.

"Lonely" was just a front to look out for me.

So that I wouldn't feel lonely, she'd decided to stay with me.

"I'll switch up my disguise, okay? Two people with the same face would stand out."

Pulling blue wireless headphones and a semi-long wig out of her tote bag, Ichika did a lightning-quick change into Miku.

After smiling proudly, she set off through the building with a "Shall we go?"

The after-school air was somewhere between quiet and noisy.

The shrill ring of the baseball team's metal bats echoing from the schoolyard.

The brass band's ensemble in the middle of practice.

The soccer team's coach shouting to fire up his players.

The laughter of girls chatting happily in some classroom.

The after-school hours that had been everyday life for us.

Listening to those familiar sounds, the first place we headed, on Ichika's suggestion, was the library.

"We studied a ton here, didn't we."

"With Fuutarou-kun teaching us. Remember? It turned out that, without our knowing, there was this whole thing where if we got failing grades on a test, Fuutarou-kun would be fired as our tutor."

"Of course I remember!"

We'd worked hard, but every one of us had only managed a single subject without a failing grade.

"The five of us avoided failing grades across all five subjects."

But in this very library, Nino told a lie to Dad over the phone.

"Nino really saved us back then. And to think Nino was trying to get Fuutarou-kun fired at first."

"Heh, she's not honest with herself, is she."

But thanks to Nino, Uesugi-san got to keep being our tutor, and I'm so glad!

After thanking Nino again in my heart, we left the library.

The next place we headed was the schoolyard.

"This is probably where you've got more memories, isn't it, Yotsuba?"

"Yeah~. Oh, that reminds me — back during track practice, Uesugi-san once told me, 'I'll run with you.'"

"Huh?! Fuutarou-kun, who has no stamina? Did someone take Raiha-chan hostage or something?"

To the surprised Ichika, I told the story.

"If I'm such a nuisance, then I'll be the one to leave!"

There'd been a time before when Nino and Itsuki fought, and Itsuki ran away from home.

And then Nino left the house too.

"Around that same time, there was a problem where the track team's outside helper was busy and my study time was getting cut down, but Uesugi-san worked hard to bring us together. That's when he ran with me."

Thanks in part to Uesugi-san's efforts, the problem got solved.

"Is that around when Nino cut her hair too?"

"Think back, Ichika. It was the day she made up with Itsuki."

"That's right! That time really surprised me. When I got to the hotel, Miku was just standing there frozen, holding a pair of scissors."

"Ahaha, just hearing the words, that's a little bit horror, huh~."

Nino, who'd come to help me, had cut her hair short.

I heard about it a while later, but afterward Nino and Itsuki apparently had a conversation like this.

"You're not wrong. I'm the one at fault. Sorry. If there's anything you got wrong... it's just how hard you swung. It really hurt."

"Ninooo."

Itsuki cried, supposedly, she was so happy.

I was happy too that Itsuki and the others came home safe and sound.

Steeping in the memories, we left the schoolyard behind.

The next place we came to was the rooftop of the school building.

Gazing out at the cityscape dyed orange, Ichika murmured.

"At the school festival, I hear Miku gave it her all up here."

"I heard that too!"

A classmate who'd run Class 1's school-festival pancake stall told me about it.

Back then, the Class 1 boys had been running the other stall, a takoyaki stand.

That had made things tense between the girls and the boys, but—

"Get! Along! Already!"

Miku, who'd summoned the leaders of the boys' and girls' stalls, apparently laid down the law right here on this rooftop.

After that, she desperately worked to persuade the leaders.

The leaders seemed to get anxious about whether they could make the other boys and girls make up, but—

"Leave it to me. I'll convince them. Believe in me."

Of all people, that Miku said that.

And she brought the class together as one, and Class 3-1 was splendidly chosen as the school festival's best stall!

"Miku's changed, hasn't she. You think so too, right, Ichika?"

"Of course! Her expressions have gotten so much richer than before we came to this school, and she's come to have confidence in herself."

It's partly thanks to Fuutarou-kun too, she added with a smile, and then Ichika left the rooftop behind.

The next place we'd head was Class 3-1's classroom.

"At first I thought being alone was fine, but I'm glad I got to walk around school with you, Ichika."

The lemon tea Ichika had bought me from the hallway vending machine was warm in my pocket.

A small bit of warmth you could buy for 140 yen.

And the many memories that had come flooding back made the loneliness of graduating fade.

Of course it wasn't all fun memories, but there's no way it was nothing but painful ones, either.

All kinds of things happened, but life at Asahi High was fun.

I was really, truly glad we transferred to this school!

—Really?

But suddenly a voice rang out in my head.

The voice of my own self, clad in Kurobara Girls' black sailor uniform, back when my hair was still long.

—Do you really think it was a "good thing"? And your sisters too?

I reflexively tried to drown it out, but.

Triggered by the voice, even my memories from before the transfer came back.

"Track-and-field team members, please come up to the stage. Congratulations on advancing to the Inter-High!"

In my Kurobara Girls' days, I'd joined tons of clubs and produced results.

From the gymnasium stage I'd climbed up onto to be praised, I'd looked down on Ichika and the others.

I'm different from my other sisters.

I wanted to prove that I was the best among the quintuplets, that I was special.

"Failed the supplementary makeup exam. Nakano Yotsuba, you are hereby held back a year."

But because I'd neglected my studies, too focused on club activities, I alone had to transfer schools.

That's when everyone helped me.

So as not to leave me alone, they'd decided to transfer too.

...It's okay.

The guilt from back then was still sending down roots deep in my heart, refusing to disappear.

But everyone thinks it was a good thing we came to this school.

That's absolutely got to be true — it has to be—

"Yotsuba. Hang on a sec."

Suddenly Ichika stopped in the hallway and took off the wig and blue headphones.

"Ichika?"

"Somehow I felt like walking around school as Nakano Ichika."

Ichika gave a teasing, bashful sort of smile, but my sisterly intuition picked up on it.

She'd probably sensed that my mood had sunk.

She likely didn't figure out the cause, but to change the air, she'd deliberately undone her disguise.

"Ichika-senpai?!"

But, with terrible timing—

At the top of the stairs leading to the classroom, we ran into a group of boys and girls who looked like underclassmen.

"No way, it's Nakano Ichika! Her looks are exploding!"

"Hey! Use polite speech! Ichika-senpai lives on a whole different dimension from us..."

"I watched your drama! The one about girls falling in love with each other! I love the original manga too, and thanks to it I became an Ichika-senpai stan! I'm a fan! I love you, I love you so much!"

"Take a two-shot with me! I'll treasure it as a family heirloom!"

"No fair?! Ichika-senpai, please, with me too! O-o-or rather, how about karaoke together after this?! I want to talk with you, Ichika-senpai!"

Fervent cheers, like in an anime where they welcome the hero who's appeared in a country ruled by the demon king.

In contrast, Ichika went into cool-beauty mode.

With total composure, she gave a grown-up smile and a "Thank you."

Ichika really is amazing.

I knew she was on the verge of breaking out nationally as a young actress, but it made me feel her popularity all over again.

Besides, this was Ichika we were talking about.

At school she hid her at-home laziness, so she got called a perfect superhuman, and she'd surely give the underclassmen fan service without getting nervous at all.

Except, if she went to karaoke, our time walking around school together would... no.

That kind of thinking is no good, right?

I'm her sister, so I'll get to see Ichika plenty from here on, but everyone here is different.

I shouldn't be hogging Ichika all to myself, and...

"Sorry."

And then Ichika abruptly took my right hand.

She pressed our palms together and laced her fingers between mine, joining hands.

Just like a pair of lovers.

And then, after holding up our joined hands as if to show them off, with a smooth, cool smile—

"I'm on a date with this girl right now."

"Ichika?!"

What are you suddenly saying?!

And anyway, a date...?!

"Kyaaaah?!"

But the girl who'd called Ichika her stan let out a cheer that was nearly a scream.

"Th-that just now — it's Episode 4 from Volume 1 of the original, right...?"

"Hm? What's that?"

"Haah?! And you call yourself a fan?! The drama I mentioned just now has the exact same scene! The lovers' finger-lacing between girls is a perfect copy of the original too!"

"For real?! You mean she recreated it for us?"

"So cool, she's practically a goddess of acting..."

"No, no. More importantly — karaoke's a tough one, but a two-shot's no problem."

"Really?! After getting to see your acting, a photo too... you're the best, Ichika-senpai!"

And then.

When Ichika quickly took the photos, the underclassmen left with smiles and a "Thank you so much!"

"Amazing..."

To brilliantly put smiles on the underclassmen's faces and properly leave them satisfied, like that.

And on top of it she casually showed off her drama acting too!

"That just now was seriously amazing! I could never do something like that!"

After we reached the empty Class 3-1, I shouted at Ichika all over again.

The acting, sure, but — just between us, even the lovers' hand-hold was still something I...

"I've gotten used to fan service, after all... huh, Yotsuba? Is something wrong?"

"N-nothing!"

I covered for myself even as I felt my face go hot with embarrassment.

Beyond the classroom's glass windows stretched a sky the color of the space between dusk and night.

"Your line delivery, Ichika — it was so cool, like a pro actress!"

"Not 'like' — I am an actress."

"I'm saying I was impressed all over again. How do you pull off acting like that?"

"Hmm. This is just my personal take, but acting is kind of like math."

Ichika sat down on top of a classroom desk.

Swinging the slender legs that peeked out from her skirt, she pressed her fingertip squarely against her chin.

"The flow of the script, the director's intent, the co-stars' acting, the camera position, and on top of that the thematic nature of the role I'm playing... I calculate all sorts of factors."

"Calculate?"

"From there I derive the optimal acting solution, and perform it. While also factoring in what the audience is expecting, of course."

"That's..."

"See, one of those girls said just now that she was a fan of mine, right?"

"So that's why you recreated the drama scene?"

"I calculated that if I did that bit of acting, she'd go home satisfied. Sorry to those kids, but I wanted to walk around school just the two of us, you and me."

"I see. You're good at math, after all, Ichika. That's why you could be an actress even while racking up failing grades because you're hopeless at Japanese! That's a pro for you!"

"Geez, I don't really feel complimented by that."

But thank you, Ichika said, and patted my head.

Feeling the warmth of her palm, I thought.

Ichika really is amazing.

She was a little tomboy boss when we were kids, but she's completely changed.

"The way you held hands was natural too."

"When I went out to eat with some senior actresses, they taught me natural ways to hold hands with someone you like. So it'd be a reference for my acting, they said."

"Ohh, like what?"

"There were a few, see?

1. Join hands silently, for a cool effect.

2. While walking, tap your fingertip against the back of their hand to hint that you want to hold hands.

3. Convey it casually with your eyes.

4. Appeal straight out with words.

5. Make up a pretext to hold hands, like 'because it's cold' or 'so we don't get separated.'"

"I see~."

"Do feel free to use them as reference."

To Ichika, who was teasing me with a grin, I replied, "What could you possibly mean?!"

And, fiddling with the tips of my hair to cover for my flushed face—

"We've looked around all kinds of places, but any regrets?"

"Hmm, maybe I should've gone to the cafeteria. I wanted to try the ramen there."

"Oh right, the ramen. You'd never had it, Ichika."

"People would give me funny looks, wouldn't they? If I were eating ramen."

That's true, I guess.

At school, Ichika had built up her cool-beauty image like a medieval castle.

"Did you like ramen that much, though?"

"Not really, but I get a craving for it once in a while. And that ramen looked delicious."

"You could've just disguised yourself as one of us and eaten it."

"I don't want to go that far for ramen!"

"You're so particular in the weirdest places... ah, the other day, didn't you say you'd be doing a food-tasting segment on a variety show for a movie promotion? Maybe you'll get to go to a ramen place."

"True! I'd better ask the company president what I'll be eating."

"A variety show, huh~. You've really become a star."

"Doesn't feel real?"

"Heh, it feels like ages ago we transferred to Asahi High. I used to be on edge worrying you'd doze off in class and start taking your clothes off. This school's co-ed, after all."

"Like I said at New Year's, that habit's strictly limited to inside the house."

"Hm? Did you tell me that?"

"Eh, I did~... ah, sorry, I told that to Itsuki-chan."

"Geez, don't mix us up just because we're quintuplets~!"

It's like this that she shows her sloppy side in front of us and Uesugi-san.

But Ichika is perceptive, cool, and kind — the ideal big sister.

Yes — just like

—the person the pre-transfer me wanted to become.

Again.

My own voice rang out in my head.

—The best, most special existence among the quintuplets.

Maybe it was the influence of the long-haired Nakano Yotsuba talking inside my head.

Before I knew it, I couldn't hold my feelings back.

"...Ichika, you really are amazing. So completely different from the old me."

The instant the true feeling that spilled out dissolved into the air, I immediately realized it was a slip.

"Sorry! Saying something weird..."

I corrected myself in a fluster, but somewhere in my heart I thought those words just now were right — that they were justice.

Ichika is completely different from the old me, and from the current me too.

It's not decided yet whether she can graduate, but Ichika will surely pass the special exam.

She'll graduate smiling.

Unlike me, walking around school like this, desperately trying to shake off the loneliness so I won't show tears at the actual ceremony...

"You okay? Your face is clouded over."

"Wah."

Ichika poked my cheek with a slender finger.

And then, after thinking for a moment—

"Hey, Yotsuba."

Quietly, Ichika got down from the desk she'd been perched on.

Against the backdrop of a twilight sky painted in orange and black.

With a serious expression, totally different from the smile she'd shown the underclassmen a moment ago, she spun her words.

"There's something I want to tell you, Yotsuba. Something I've been meaning to say for a while now, but could never get out."

"Mngh..."

The alarm on the phone by my bedside woke me up.

March 15th. Today was Asahi High's graduation ceremony.

"...Get up."

I muttered it to rouse my half-asleep mind, then climbed out of bed.

The clock on my phone read 6:15 a.m.

I fixed my bedhead with a comb like always, tied the ribbon on my head nice and tight, then changed into my track suit.

After lacing up my favorite lightweight shoes, slightly scuffed, I went for a run near the apartment.

Once I'd run thirty minutes bathing in the morning sun, I came home for a quick hot shower.

When I finished, I went back to my room with a bath towel still wrapped around me and dried my hair with the dryer.

Unlike when it was long, drying short hair was a breeze.

After this, I'd change into my uniform and eat breakfast with everyone. Just like the usual routine.

But.

When I looked at the black uniform hanging on its hanger, my eyes went the faintest bit misty.

Today's the last time I'll wear this too, huh...

"No, no, my tear ducts are way too weak, seriously."

After laughing it off, I buttoned up the blouse Itsuki had carefully ironed for me.

I stepped into my skirt one leg at a time.

I slid my legs into the navy-blue knee socks.

After that I put on the yellow vest, then slipped my arms into the blazer I'd grown so used to.

Once I'd fastened the ribbon to the collar, I launched the mirror app on my phone.

Anything off about me?

I checked with the front camera, then made one last little adjustment to the angle of the ribbon on my head — and done!

Reflected in the mirror was the same old Nakano Yotsuba.

The same old me, seen on the last day of high school life.

"I'm off."

For no particular reason.

I said goodbye to the houseplants I was growing in my room, then opened the door.

"Mornin'~."

Exactly 7:20.

When I came down to the open-ceilinged living room, Nino was getting breakfast ready in her apron, but—

"Ichika?!"

"Heya, Yotsuba. What's up, yelling first thing in the morning?"

"You always sleep until I wake you up..."

"I'm the big sister! I can at least get up properly on the morning of the graduation ceremony."

Seated at the dining table in her uniform, Ichika thrust out her amply curved chest dramatically.

"I wonder if it'll be okay. Won't the weather turn nasty today?"

"The cherry blossoms that finally bloomed will scatter."

"Ichika. I'm begging you, don't summon a divine wind, okay? Let's not repeat the Mongol Invasions."⁷

"Ahaha, I don't have the power to recreate a major historical event~."

Talking together, all five quintuplets in our uniforms, we took our seats at the table.

"Fried eggs — I don't put anything on mine, but do you all want something?"

"Ketchup for me!"

"Soy sauce."

"Yakiniku sauce. Rice too, please."

"Salt and pepper... yaaawn."

"Geez, Ichika. Please don't yawn in the middle of the ceremony."

"It's 'cause you got up early for once."

"Miku's right. Think you can sing the chorus properly?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I practiced a fair bit at home, so relax, Yotsuba."

"Let's trust the eldest's word here, shall we? A lot happened, and there was a point where I really didn't know how it'd turn out, but I'm sure the real thing will be perfect."

What Nino was talking about was, of course, the big incident the day before yesterday.

That something like that could happen — no one at school could have imagined it!

"Let's eat."

After matching our voices, the five of us, we savored breakfast properly.

After that everyone brushed their teeth with their differently colored toothbrushes, then did the finer parts of getting ready.

We left the penthouse⁸we'd grown so used to and all five took the elevator down to the ground floor together.

We passed through the entrance and, under a blue sky like it had been painted with brand-new paint, were about to set off down the school route leading to Asahi High when—

"Young ladies."

—just as we were about to start walking, I noticed a big black foreign car parked at the roadside in front of the apartment.

The instant the figure standing beside the car caught my eye, every one of us lost our words.

A crisp suit and necktie. The leather shoes on his feet polished to a shine.

Lovely romance grey⁹hair. A deeply lined, gentle and kind-looking expression.

"Ebata-san?!"

I shouted it without thinking.

Yes — Ebata-san, who was both Dad's secretary and his driver.

The person who'd looked after us in all sorts of ways ever since we were in elementary school.

Lately he'd often worked in casual clothes, but today he was in a suit like he used to wear.

Maybe because I saw Ebata-san like that, a memory suddenly came back.

"I have come today as your temporary tutor."

I'll never forget it. In our second year of high school, there was a time when Uesugi-san quit being our tutor.

The one who came to tell us about it was Ebata-san too, wasn't it.

When we panicked and tried to go to Uesugi-san, Ebata-san stood in our way.

Even so, when all of us begged him, "Please. Help us," he smiled at us, just like a grandfather who'd watched his grandchildren grow up.

"You've grown so much."

Saying that, he cooperated with the plan to get Uesugi-san rehired.

"Good morning."

To us, startled as we were, Ebata-san greeted us with the same kind smile as back then, then bowed deeply.

After keeping his head lowered for a long while.

Raising his face again, he announced with that unchanging smile—

"Congratulations on your graduation."

"Honestly, Ebata-san!"

At the gentle, warm blessing, Ichika cried out brightly.

"Don't go making us all weepy before the ceremony! And, you know? I'm the only one who can't graduate today, you know?"

"Oh? Is that so?"

"Come on, you knew, didn't you? That face — you knew and congratulated me on purpose, didn't you~?"

"Ho ho ho. My apologies. I simply thought that you, my lady, would surely graduate without incident at a later date."

"Heh, thanks. I'll do my best on the exam so I can live up to your expectations!"

"I want to say thank you too. Thank you, Ebata-san."

"Truly, thank you so much! To think you'd come to celebrate with us...!"

"H-hey, Itsuki?! Don't get teary before the ceremony! And it's all Ebata-san's fault! Preparing a surprise like this — take responsibility, would you?!"

"Understood. So that you do not stumble with your vision blurred by tears, I shall drive you to Asahi High myself. Would that be all right, young ladies?"

"Of course!"

I nodded with a smile.

Honestly, that's just not fair, Ebata-san.

We have to graduate smiling, and yet here you go springing a sneak attack like this.

Ebata-san was also Dad's driver.

So I thought Dad might already be in the car, but there was no sign of him.

"It's all right."

Maybe she was thinking the same thing as me — Nino spoke up.

"He'll definitely come."

"Yeah!"

I answered inside the car as it started off with that familiar quiet hum of the engine.

Because the relationship between us and Dad wasn't like it used to be anymore.

As it turned out, Nino's and my guess hit the mark dead-on.

After arriving at school, I exchanged words with everyone in Class 3-1 in the classroom.

"Nakano-san, would you write a message in my graduation album?"

"Thank you so much! For pulling the class together along with Uesugi-kun as class president!"

"Thanks to you, this turned into the most fun year of my whole life!"

Takeda-san, Matsui-san, and Maeda-san thanked me with their graduation albums in hand, and I got embarrassed.

Of course Uesugi-san, the other class president, was getting asked for comments in albums too.

It was the same for the other quintuplets.

Ichika, begged by the whole class, signed albums with the practiced ease of someone used to it.

Nino wrote a friendly message in the album of a girl she'd been a little at odds with before the school festival.

Miku looked happy getting a comment in her album from a friend.

Itsuki spent about three minutes thinking over each single comment as she wrote it, looking like she was having a bit of a hard time.

My phone had congratulatory messages arriving from the basketball-team members I'd once helped out, the drama-club members I'd assisted at the school festival... and lots of other people too, and my chest grew warm.

The track team's former captain sent congratulations too. It was about four thousand characters long and made me laugh in spite of myself.

And then, after we finished the last morning homeroom in the classroom.

At last — the curtain rose on the graduation ceremony.

"We will now begin the 29th Asahi High School Graduation Certificate Conferral Ceremony."

The announcement reached us where we waited outside the gymnasium, from within.

The third-years... no, the graduates filed into the gymnasium.

As we walked across the crimson carpet, the underclassmen seated in folding chairs welcomed us with lots of warm applause.

When I checked the guardians' seating, I saw Uesugi-san's father in a suit, holding an expensive-looking black camera, taking photos for us.

On the graduates' chests were small white flower decorations.

Ichika alone, though, wasn't wearing one.

Our homeroom teacher had told her, "Why not wear it just for form's sake?" but she'd smilingly declined with "It's not decided that I'm graduating yet." That's so Ichika.

"Conferral of graduation certificates."

At the microphone's call, the conferral began, and each class's representative received theirs.

The graduates' farewell address was set to be read by Takeda-san, top in the whole grade for popularity, but that was in the latter half of the ceremony.

Come to think of it, yesterday there'd been an incident where Takeda-san started insisting, "Surely the one fit to give the graduates' farewell address is Uesugi-kun! You're the one ranked first in grades!"

Uesugi-san had declined, though, with "Sorry, Takeda. A farewell address really isn't my style."

"Graduates, congratulations on your graduation! I celebrate you from the bottom of my heart!"

On the stage, the chairman read out his congratulatory speech.

He was apparently Takeda-san's father, and he put on a frank smile like someone used to giving speeches.

After the cheerful sort of congratulatory speech ended, it came time for the guardian representative's speech, but...

"No way."

A faint sound of surprise leaked out of my mouth.

At the same time, a clatter!, like a folding chair shaking, echoed through the gymnasium.

It was a hunch, but I think Uesugi-san was probably startled.

Because the name called as guardian representative was — Nakano Maruo.

Our dad.

"Ichika, did you know?"

"Nope."

When I asked in a whisper, Ichika, seated next to me, gave a small shake of her head.

It being a graduation ceremony, she hadn't casually undone her blouse buttons and had them properly fastened.

By attendance number my neighbor should really have been Miku, but right before we entered the gymnasium Ichika had asked, "Miku, would you switch seats with me? We're quintuplets so it won't be noticed."

She'd probably decided to stay by my side so I wouldn't cry during the ceremony.

The guardian representative's address looked to be given not on the stage but down below it.

I wondered if she'd been asked to speak because she knew the chairman and couldn't refuse?

Dad, dressed in a black suit, left the guardians' seats and bowed once to the teachers.

Then he stood in front of the microphone and bowed once again.

He should be used to talking at academic conferences and the like.

Maybe he'd give an upbeat speech with a big smile like the chairman...!

"On this fine spring day, when the early cherry blossoms have come into flower. I extend my thanks to Chairman Takeda and to all the teachers for holding such a warm graduation ceremony."

Yeah! There was no way that'd happen!

Dad's as stiff as always~.

He's like one of the enemy executives from that death-game anime a friend recommended to me the other day. He's got the kind of face that'd say, "What begins now is a killing game. Please graduate your friends. From this mortal world," and... ahaha.

It's that expressionless face I've gotten completely used to.

The people in the gymnasium might think Dad's a scary person.

We were on awkward terms with Dad for a long time too.

"This is the first time I've spoken with you all like this. We must have met face-to-face a few times, though."

But I remember.

On the day of Mom's funeral, Dad spoke to us, his young children, as we cried.

"I will take responsibility and take you all in."

It's okay! I understand perfectly! Dad isn't just an unfriendly person.

He's just a little clumsy.

The same as us quintuplets.

Even him not being in the car this morning was his consideration, to make time for Ebata-san and us to spend together without holding back, wasn't it?

Well, his expression and tone are always stiff, so he gets misunderstood easily.

"Graduates. Congratulations on your graduation."

The low, calm voice moved into the address to the graduates.

"By rights, I am hardly qualified to say anything to you all. But if I may offer a few words... over these three years, you have devoted yourselves to various events here at Asahi High, made friends, and applied yourselves to your studies day after day. That experience and effort will become a foundation that supports you even after graduation."

What is this?

The content of the speech was extremely proper, but as his daughter, I felt just a little strange about it.

Somehow, rather than a guardian representative, his tone was like a teacher sending off his students—

"And it is not only you who have learned all sorts of things over these three years. We guardians, too, have been taught many things by you. Watching our children learn and change day by day, we too have learned and changed."

Seated in the same row, Itsuki, Nino, Miku, and Ichika quietly caught their breath.

Me too, of course.

For all that it was a congratulatory address, for that Dad to say something like this.

"Just because high school life has ended does not mean the days of learning are over. We adults, too, have come to understand that truth firsthand."

The other students and teachers might think it was a stiff speech.

Dad stayed expressionless the whole time, and to an outside observer he was honestly almost scary.

But we sisters know, because Nino told us.

The night of the second day of the school festival.

When Nino and Uesugi-san delivered the class's pancakes from their stall to Dad at his workplace—

"Next time, let's eat as the whole family."

—that's what Dad told them.

In the past he almost never came to the house, but lately it's different. The time we spend all together as a family has increased too.

Surely that's because Dad changed.

Just like the way we were able to change here at Asahi High.

"I was able to feel, anew, the bond between parent and child, and between family. We will go on learning many things from here forward as well. Please, all of you, keep on learning too."

As proof of that, Dad offered words to us.

It was his usual stiff expression, but in his black eyes he kindled a kindness fitting for a guardian representative.

"That very endeavor will become the wind that pushes you forward. It will become the tailwind on the journey leading to your radiant futures."

Frustratingly enough.

I didn't have the composure to listen to Dad's speech to the end.

Tears ran down my cheeks.

I desperately tried to hold them back, but no good — they wouldn't stop.

I was past the point of listening to the speech.

It was a stiff talk with zero humor, but for us quintuplets it was the best speech there was, and yet.

In the end the goal of "all five graduating with smiles" wouldn't come true either, and... no, not yet!

If I wipe the tears, stop crying, and put on a smile, it'll be okay!

I knew that, and yet—

—Still, are you lonely?

The other me's voice rang out.

Yeah, that's right. The reason I'm crying isn't only that Dad's words shook my heart.

The journey leading to the future.

Hearing those words, I felt all over again that I was graduating, that I was setting off from Asahi High.

I have to say goodbye to the high school life I spent with everyone.

Ichika. Nino. Miku. Itsuki.

And then—.

"You've supported all kinds of people through high school, Yotsuba — you can do it!"

It came back.

Uesugi-san's voice, the one I heard throughout high school.

"How do you know my name?" "The midterm covers five subjects — Japanese, math, English, science, and social studies. For the next week, we're drilling thoroughly." "What the?! Stop! Don't come! Stay back!" "Yotsuba. Your careless mistakes are glaring." "Shut up! I can't sleep!"

Curt, a little clumsy, but really, deep down, very kind.

A voice I love, one I want to keep listening to forever.

"Hahahaha. Did you see that?! What just happened?" "Yeah. A rematch." "Ah! I had it wrong! Not half-baked — one-fifth-baked, huh!" "What's the thing you most want to treasure?" "I'm going to do this my way too. Go along with my selfishness. To the very end."

But, I'm sorry, Uesugi-san.

Just for right now, I don't want to hear your voice.

Because too many things come overflowing out.

"Pay me back once you've made it big." "I'm free, so let's do it — one-on-one lessons. Keep it a secret from the other four." "Class president or not, it's all just grunt work." "You and I are dating?!" "I have the conviction that this is a job only I can do!!"

It won't stop.

The tears, the feelings, the voice I love, the memories with Uesugi-san.

All of it comes overflowing out.

"Come with me! We're going to ask around for data on last year's stalls!" "Yotsuba. Thank you. I'm glad you were here." "Yo. Sorry to keep you waiting." "I'm happy when you're beside me." "Brings back memories. You loved this beat-up old swing, didn't you." "If I can jump that high, there's something I want you to hear."

"Just watch."

"Watch me."

"Yotsuba! I'm an immature guy who can't even pull off a single date like this, but even so, I'll work to become a man who can stand beside you as your equal. The right path, the wrong path — let's walk them together. So if you're okay with it... with me... I..."

"I love you."

"Please marry me."

I can say it with certainty.

A lot happened, but the high school life I spent with Uesugi-san and everyone—

—it was a time I love, an irreplaceable, meaningful time, for me.

But that, too, ends today.

We have to graduate.

"Ngh."

I don't want to, I don't want to cry any more than this...!

Pressing the tears down with a handkerchief embroidered with just a single four-leaf clover, I screamed inside my heart.

Pathetic — at this rate I'll come to hate not just my past self but my present self too.

This is bound to make Ichika and the others worry.

Not just me — I'll end up robbing everyone of their smiles too...

"Ah—"

In that instant, Ichika, beside me, silently took my left hand.

The warmth of a palm the same size as my own.

Maybe because I felt Ichika's body heat, deep in my eardrums a voice other than Uesugi-san's came back.

The words Ichika had told me three days ago, in the after-school classroom.

"I never told you because I thought I'd hate for it to become a burden on you, Yotsuba — but the reason I aspired to be an actress is partly your influence, you know?"

In the twilight classroom with no one but us, Ichika confessed.

"The thing that got me into acting was being scouted by the company president. But it wasn't only that."

"Wait!"

Pat.

I tapped Ichika's shoulder with my right hand.

"This is a prank, right?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, it's way too sudden! Ichika becoming an actress because of my influence and all. You're definitely planning to say something sentimental first to make me cry, so I won't cry at the graduation ceremony, right? Like if I start bawling, Itsuki comes in holding a sign that says 'Prank success~!'"

"It's not that."

"Don't tell me Nino and Miku and Uesugi-san are in on it too?! Holding party poppers and a cake!"

"It's way too early for a graduation party. Geez, I really don't get any trust, do I. Well, in a sense, lying is an actor's job."

The story I'm about to tell isn't a lie, though? And.

With a gentle smile, Ichika went on.

"After Mom was gone, I decided I'd become more big-sisterly. How could I hold my head high in front of everyone like an eldest daughter should? Thinking like that, one of the things I came up with was producing results in a middle-school club."

True.

Ichika had been in the tennis club in middle school.

"But it didn't go well. I did put in effort in my own way, you know? I even cut my hair short and everything."

"Huh?"

"And even so, the prefectural tournament was my limit. Unlike you, Yotsuba, who started subbing in for all sorts of clubs partway through middle school and putting up amazing results at the national tournaments."

"........."

"I'll say it now since I can — around when I was in my second year of middle school, I'd secretly decided you were my rival, Yotsuba."

"R-rival?! No way, I'm nowhere near...!"

"Heh, don't be so modest? I really wanted to put up amazing results in tennis that wouldn't lose to you. But... no matter how hard I tried in my own way, I couldn't become like you, Yotsuba. So I ended tennis in my third year of middle school."

At Ichika's confession, my heart went cold all the way down to its depths.

Because the me of back then was a really awful person.

I was drunk on a twisted sense of superiority, on being the best, most special among the quintuplets.

And I committed a mistake I could never take back.

Maybe Ichika hasn't forgiven the me of back then...

"Thank you, Yotsuba."

But.

What Ichika said was an unexpected line.

"The reason I quit the club is that, thanks to you, I was able to realize tennis wasn't right for me."

"Thanks to... me?"

"Just because we're quintuplets doesn't mean everything's the same. The way our hairstyles differ. You and I have different strong suits. Because I could think that way, I decided to look for a new path. And then—"

I came to look up to you, Yotsuba. And.

Ichika colored her grown-up face with an innocent smile.

"I looked up to you, Yotsuba, the way you joined tons of clubs at our old high school and put up amazing results! I was so proud of you, standing on the gymnasium stage being celebrated by the whole student body!"

"R-really?"

"Of course! It's just, I looked up to you so much that I also thought I could never become like that... But, when the company president scouted me. I thought, if I become an actress, maybe I can shine on a stage like you, Yotsuba — and then I'm sure I'll be able to hold my head high as the eldest!"

Geez, it's a pretty heavy story, huh~? Ichika said, scratching her head bashfully.

I kind of get it.

Ichika's feeling that she couldn't tell me because it would become a burden.

But the fact that she's telling me now means...

"Hey, Yotsuba? You said it to me a little while ago, right? 'I'm so completely different from the old me.'"

"...Yeah."

"You might still hate your old self, Yotsuba. You might not be able to forgive her. But the effort of the you from back then was never wasted, you know? It wasn't meaningless either. That much, at least, I can prove right now, by being an actress."

Before I knew it, the sky beyond the window had been dyed completely the color of night.

In the darkened classroom, Ichika confessed.

"Because thanks to you, Yotsuba, I was able to have a dream of my own."

As if conveying, just as it was, the greatest expression of love within her.

With a gentle smile like lighting a single ray of spotlight in the darkness—

"You're a little sister I'm proud of, Yotsuba? I love you from the bottom of my heart. I'm truly glad I got to come to this school with you."

In the middle of the graduation ceremony.

Having remembered Ichika's confession, I stopped wiping away my tears.

The current me hadn't achieved the goal of graduating with a smile.

I was spilling tons of tears. I was terribly lonely.

Just like my old self's voice had said.

But I wouldn't come to hate the current me.

I wouldn't totally reject myself the way I did when I transferred schools.

Ichika had acknowledged me.

She'd said that she looked up to the Nakano Yotsuba I hated so much, that thanks to me she'd been able to have a dream!

Of course it wasn't like I'd become able to forgive my entire past self.

But even so, I—

"Ah..."

Onto my shoulder, as I cried, Ichika beside me slowly leaned.

Ah, thank you so much, Ichika.

To not just hold my hand but lean her body against me to cheer me up while I cried.

"Mmm~."

But.

What sounded by my ear was a remarkably contented sleeping breath.

When I fearfully turned my eyes to my neighbor, there was Ichika, eyelids closed, sleeping like she felt absolutely wonderful.

...Wow.

That's our Ichika!

To pretend to be asleep just to make crying me laugh!

You really are an actress! I was so surprised the tears pulled right back in! So, hey, you can stop the sleeping act soon, okay? Your sleeping breaths are kind of loud, and I'm worried the other students will notice.

Right, Ichika?!

"Mngh~."

Letting out a sleeping breath slightly louder than before, Ichika was dead asleep.

Huh? Eh? You've got to be kidding?

Sure, she'd let out a big yawn this morning, but there's no way this is real, right?

Even Ichika wouldn't actually doze off in the middle of a graduation ceremony!

"...Excuse me... one ramen... ah, salt."

There was a reason!

What do I do! She's ordering ramen in her sleep! And salt flavor, no less!

"I-Ichika."

I nudged Ichika's side with my elbow in a fluster, but there wasn't the slightest sign of her waking.

Before I knew it, with the words "I have heard the graduates' chorus is of a very high level, so I am greatly looking forward to it," Dad's speech had ended. Congratulatory telegrams from all sorts of people started being read, but this was no time for that!

Eyelids still closed, Ichika beamed. "I... can't come to a ramen shop alone... mmm, yum."

She's definitely eating ramen in her dream. Look at that happy sleeping face. If you uploaded it to Instagram, pillow or bed commercial offers would come flooding in without a doubt.

Was she dreaming about doing a food-tasting segment for work, maybe?

Except, drool was about to drip from her glossy, tinted-lip lips, and... not good!

This is a face an actress must absolutely never let people see!

"Help me."

Thanks to her sleep-talking being quiet, the people around probably hadn't noticed, but it was only a matter of time now!

I sent an SOS in a whisper to my sisters seated in the same row.

But Miku, face dyed with embarrassment at a relative's disgrace, was holding her head in her hands and didn't notice.

Maybe because of Dad's speech, Nino's eyes were bright red, but she was pressing her mouth with her left hand while pinching her own thigh with her right, desperately holding back laughter. So it hit you — the sleep-talking, right in the funny bone!

Itsuki had a face so close to crying that I, who'd been bawling until a moment ago, almost felt sorry for her. Except, no matter how you looked at it, the cause wasn't being moved — it was sheer nervous panic.

That everyone would notice Ichika dozing off.

...But, maybe we can pull this off?

Maybe she ate her fill of ramen in her dream, because the sleep-talking died down.

If she just stayed quiet like this, she'd surely wake up before long!

"Mngh..."

Along with a biggish sleeping breath, Ichika let go of the hand she'd been holding with mine.

And then.

Ichika's slender fingertips slowly, from the top, began undoing the buttons of her uniform blouse.

From the widely opened pure-white collar, fair skin and a deep cleavage said hello — that was the instant.

Every quintuplet except Ichika sprang into action.

Screaming "Waaaah" in our hearts, eight arms pinned down the eldest daughter of the Nakano house, who was on the verge of exposing not just cleavage but her underwear.

At the worst possible timing, Ichika's bad habit — "undressing while asleep" — detonated!

Why?!

She'd been fine dozing off in the classroom this whole time, so why at the very, very end?!

"Wah, what's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"

"Should we call a teacher?!"

To the graduates who noticed the commotion and grew worried, we launched into a whispered excuse.

"We're fine! Please don't call anyone!"

"Ichika just felt a little unwell, that's all...!"

What's going on? Amid the murmuring graduation ceremony, Itsuki and Nino put on iron-wall defense worthy of pro basketball. Miku, while locking down both of Ichika's hands as she tried to undress, made desperate eye contact with me — "Hurry! Button it up!"

"...Mngah? Yotsuba? Something wrong?"

The thing that's wrong is your sleeping posture!! — I'm sure Uesugi-san would've shouted that.

I somehow fixed the blouse of Ichika, who'd finally opened her eyes.

When I glanced up, I saw Uesugi-san in a seat a little ways off, smiling wryly with a "What are you all doing," and... aah, geez~!

We'd been having such a tender moment, and now it's gone and turned all us-like!

To shake awake the still-half-asleep Ichika, we decided to slip out of the gymnasium in secret, hauling along our caught-in-the-act public-indecency offender.

"Run!"

"Ah!! Wait!"

Thanks to that, came another flashback — who knows how many times today.

A memory from when Uesugi-san had just become our tutor, the day he first made us take a test.

"Ahaha, this kind of reminds me of our old school."

"It was a strict place, huh~."

"I don't even want to remember it."

"That's weird... I'm sure I studied..."

"I wonder if that guy knows? That we transferred here because we were about to flunk out."

We'd spectacularly racked up failing grades and dashed away from a fuming Uesugi-san, hadn't we.

To go and run away from a graduation ceremony — we're just as much problem children as we were back then!

Even as that reality troubled my mind.

Maybe because the lively memories with everyone and Uesugi-san were replaying more vividly than ever before—

"Heheheh."

Before I knew it, I was able to forget my tears and break into a smile.

"Maaan, everyone. I'm really, truly sorry!"

After the graduation ceremony ended.

Outside the school building, beneath the early-blooming cherry blossoms, Ichika pressed her palms together and bowed her head.

They weren't in full bloom, but the cherry blossoms flaunting themselves at eighty percent open scored a perfect hundred on the photogenic scale.

All around, graduates holding the thin tubes containing their diplomas were taking commemorative photos with friends and family.

"It's fine, really. We managed to cover it up somehow, and the ceremony ended without a hitch. It's just..."

"Make the same mistake again and I'm cutting our sisterly ties."

"We're quintuplets! Ichika's naked body being seen is basically the same as our naked bodies being seen, you know?!"

"Ahaha! There, there, everyone. Ichika's apologizing too, so let's forgive her? There's no more high school graduation ceremony, so she can't make the same mistake again!"

By the way, after the five of us escaped the gymnasium.

"You lot?! Where do you think you're going?!" — the student-guidance teacher had come chasing after us with the face of a bloodthirsty hound.

Not good — if my graduation gets revoked here I'll never be able to face Uesugi-san! As we cowered in fear, as if to shield us—

"Hic... I-I'm sorry."

"N-Nakano?!"

"I was so lonely I couldn't bear it, and I ran out on impulse... Please! I'll accept any punishment, so please forgive my sisters! Everyone just came along because they were worried about me. They've done nothing wrong. The one at fault is entirely me!"

The finally-awakened Ichika had covered for us with actress-trained tears.

Her performance was so brilliant I was moved inside, thinking, "An actress really can cry anytime!"

The teacher was convinced too — "I-I see. If that's the reason, I suppose I could let it slide. It is a graduation ceremony, after all. However, write a thorough letter of reflection and submit it later."

After that, hearts pounding, we returned to the gymnasium.

We safely sang the chorus as graduates.

Maybe thanks to how great the conducting and accompaniment were, we got tons of applause!

"Everyone. Let's go take a photo with Fuutarou."

"The photo session with Takeda-kun and the others should be wrapping up soon too."

"Dad and the rest should still be here, so let's look for them?"

Buffeted by a slightly strong spring wind, amid the dancing cherry petals.

Behind Miku, Itsuki, and Nino, who walked side by side, I quietly spoke to Ichika.

"Hey, Ichika."

"What?"

"You falling asleep in the middle of the ceremony — was it because you couldn't sleep last night?"

That's right, Ichika had gotten up early this morning, which was unusual.

To be precise, it wasn't getting up early — maybe she hadn't slept a wink?

She'd let out a big yawn at breakfast too.

The reason I thought so was — because I figured Ichika might be the same as me.

"Mind if I walk around the building with you? Same as you, I'm feeling a little lonely too."

Three days ago, after school.

Ichika's words back then hadn't been a lie to look out for her little sister.

"I want to shake off the loneliness so I can give the special-exam studying my all."

That's right.

Ichika was probably...

"So you caught on, huh."

Keeping a bit of distance so the three walking ahead couldn't hear, Ichika smiled wryly.

"I understand it, you know. I chose my dream over school. I decided to take a leave of absence in order to prioritize acting work. I thought it through myself, steeled myself, and made the decision. Including that, as the cost, the high school life I'd spend with everyone and Fuutarou-kun would shrink."

But taking the leave made me realize it all over again, she murmured, and then.

"At first I hated studying and places of learning... I thought school was boring. So I figured I could quit it easily. But after taking the leave, I realized it again."

Ichika squeezed out a voice tinged with wistfulness.

"That before I knew it, I'd come to love this Asahi High, where I spent time with everyone and Fuutarou-kun."

"Ichika..."

"When I thought about that, I couldn't sleep at all last night. Besides, I'm the only one who can't graduate today. The goal Fuutarou-kun talked about, 'all five graduating with smiles,' won't come true either."

"Th-that's not...!"

"I didn't get handed a diploma in the classroom like everyone else. Even though you and the others and Fuutarou-kun cheered me on so much..."

Pathetic, isn't it, she murmured, and then.

As if to change the mood, Ichika laughed brightly.

"Sorry?! For the gloomy talk. Of course I intend to clear the special exam! It's just, right now, being the only one empty-handed makes me feel a little forlorn."

A little while ago, I thought.

An actress can cry anytime.

Maybe the reverse is also possible.

An actress can smile anytime.

No matter how big the tears she's spilling in her heart.

I'm sure Ichika is smiling.

There were lots of underclassmen in the schoolyard too who'd come to see the graduates off, and popular Ichika would surely give everyone perfect fan service if they begged. Presenting a top-notch smile to the fans who were sad to part with her. With the composed, grown-up attitude she'd shown three days ago after school—

—while hiding the loneliness deep in her chest.

"Your sisters are all good people, amazing people, people I love."

Suddenly.

The words Uesugi-san had told me on the last night of last year's school festival flashed back.

"I'm proud that I got to be their tutor."

Even though I'd thought I didn't want to hear his voice during the ceremony.

What rang out was the voice that fit the current me the best.

You're the best, Uesugi-san.

Your words always become the wind that pushes me forward when I'm lost!

And I agree wholeheartedly with what you said back then, too.

Ichika might think it's pathetic of herself to be carrying loneliness. Like me, who hates my old self.

But even so, I'm proud, you know?

That I'm so glad to be Ichika's little sister!

"Hey, Ichika? It's true you're the only one who's not holding a diploma in your hand like everyone else, huh."

And that's exactly why, I told her with a smile.

Three days ago, Ichika had taught me.

The five options for naturally holding hands with someone you like.

1. Join hands silently, for a cool effect.

2. While walking, tap your fingertip against the back of their hand to hint that you want to hold hands.

3. Convey it casually with your eyes.

5. Make up a pretext to hold hands, like "because it's cold" or "so we don't get separated."

And then—

"If you're empty-handed. Just for now, mind if I hog it all to myself? Your right hand, Ichika."

What I chose was number 4 — appealing straight out with words!

Because on five-choice problems, the fourth option has a high probability!

That's right — the old me would've yielded Ichika to her fans, but now it's different.

I'll properly do the thing I want to do!

This is what the current me truly wants to do!

"Yotsuba..."

Ichika was startled for an instant, but right away she smiled brightly. "Oh man, you're making me blush."

But I wasn't satisfied.

Somehow, a sense of defeat...

I thought she'd at least be a little embarrassed...

What floated on Ichika's face, in contradiction to the line she'd just said, was a perfect smile without a single millimeter of bashfulness.

In middle school Ichika apparently saw me as a rival, but three days ago I got pretty flustered just from holding hands, and... that's it!

"Hey, Ichika."

"Hm?"

"I-I love you."

"Huh...?"

Ichika was clearly surprised. But I wasn't stopping. I won't stop!

"I love you... love you so much. You're a big sister I'm proud of, Ichika? You slack off at home sometimes, but you're a kind, good girl to your little sisters, an amazing girl who made her dream of becoming an actress come true, and I'm proud of you for being like that!"

Holding back the welling embarrassment, I fired off straight-up pitches one after another.

I wanted to see Ichika's embarrassed face, so I kept hurling honest words.

And then, feeling even my forehead grow hot, I returned the line Ichika had said to me three days ago!

"I love you from the bottom of my— ah, I lo—"

"Stop!"

Looking just a little flustered.

Ichika pressed her index finger right against my lips and held my words in check.

"Save that line for Fuutarou-kun, okay?"

"Wha?!"

"My last piece of big-sister advice of high school."

Counter-hit with a beaming smile, I ended up embarrassed instead.

No good, I really can't beat Ichika yet at all...! Or so I thought, but—

"Thank you, really, Yotsuba."

Ichika colored her cheeks faintly and lowered her eyes.

Right away she lifted her face and, as if to hide her embarrassment, smiled innocently, like a child.

As if to answer that smile, I gripped Ichika's right hand with my left, the one not holding a diploma.

Finger-laced, tight.

"Heheheh. You're welcome, Miss Salt Ramen."

"Eh? What? That nickname?"

"You don't remember?! Then I'm not gonna tell you!"

"Aw, c'mon, tell me~."

Along with smiles, our back-and-forth chatter bounced lively too.

It was embarrassing, but the palms pressed together were warm.

From our laced fingers, I felt like I could faintly sense Ichika's heartbeat.

A thump, thump ringing out, a gentle melody that made you want to close your eyes just feeling it.

Somehow I felt incredibly calm.

I'd be happy if Ichika felt the same way.

Maybe she fell asleep in the middle of the ceremony because holding my hand put her at ease. Like the thread of her tension snapped clean through.

But surely.

Just like she said a moment ago, Ichika's loneliness still hadn't cleared.

And I hadn't completely shaken off the loneliness of graduating... or my past mistakes, the guilt, the sorry feeling toward everyone, either.

But even so, that's okay, right?

As long as I have the memories of the time I spent with everyone, I'll be fine!

Just like how I was able to forget my tears and smile a moment ago.

Even carrying my weakness, I'll surely be able to set off from this loneliness someday!

Me, and Ichika, and everyone, and Uesugi-san too.

"Way too many people! I can't find Fuu-kun like this."

"We've got a promise to take photos, so we'll meet up. When we do, I want to talk. A lot."

"I want to properly thank him for being our tutor, and for today's matter too."

"Let's tell him how Ichika nearly graduated out of society for the crime of a nude unveiling, too~!"

"Yotsuba?! Spilling it to Fuutarou-kun is against the rules~!"

Lively, boisterous voices ringing out across the schoolyard.

Beneath the cherry petals dancing up on the spring wind, we set off to look for Uesugi-san, to take a graduation photo together.

A few days later.

A warm day in March, when the cherry blossoms had come into full bloom.

While I was running alone along a row of cherry trees in town, a message hit my phone.

When I stopped and looked, it was a result report from Ichika in the quintuplets' group chat, about the special exam.

"Yes~!"

Congratulations, Ichika! When I threw a big, flashy victory pose in the middle of the sidewalk, a golden retriever a woman walking nearby had on a leash barked at me — woof, woof.

After apologizing to the owner and the doggy with a "I'm sorry!", I pulled myself together and looked at my phone.

The content of the message was just a single line.

A customary phrase that signals passing, for an exam candidate.

A flower with the same name as the song we sang in the graduation chorus.

A flower with five small petals, heralding the arrival of spring.

A phrase using that name—

[The cherry blossoms bloom!]¹⁰

At the news of graduation, arriving even later than the cherry-blossom declaration, I felt like all of us quintuplets were smiling in unison in our separate places!

The same expression as when we took the graduation photo with Uesugi-san.

With our natural, equally divided quintuplet smiles.