Uesugi-kun received a letter. The contents were…
"Come to the rooftop.
I have something I want to tell Fuutarou.
These feelings… I just can't suppress them anymore."
Fuutarou: "..."
Gohan: "..."
Fuutarou: "Wait, it's me!?!?"
(The world sure is small…)
Itsuki: "Son-kun, this problem… By the way, Uesugi-kun, that smile of yours looks really gross."
Fuutarou: "I-I wasn't smiling! And I'm not happy at all!!"
Gohan: "…Right. I just thought of a good idea…"
Fuutarou: "What idea?"
Gohan: "Let's say Uesugi-kun gets confessed to. Then Uesugi-kun should reply like this."
Gohan (imitating Fuutarou): "'Me, huh? Doesn't matter if your grades are good or bad. As long as you're someone who studies seriously and works hard, that's my type——'"
Gohan: "Like that."
Fuutarou: "Eh!? Will that even work!?"
Gohan: "It may feel a little cruel to take advantage of someone's feelings, but if things keep going like this, even graduation will be in danger…"
Fuutarou: "Choosing the lesser of two evils… No choice then, I'll just go quickly and come back!"
(After school, when Uesugi-kun left the classroom, for some reason, he seemed a bit happy…)
(Uesugi-kun, maybe he doesn't actually hate romance…?)
Itsuki: "What's with Uesugi-kun… He's been grinning since lunch break ended."
Gohan: "Maybe something good happened…?"
Itsuki: "I see… Ah, before going to the cafeteria, want to study a little?"
Gohan: "Ah, now that you mention it, I'm also a little hungry…"
Itsuki: "R-Right! Actually, me too! It's a rare chance, let's go together!"
Gohan: "Eh? Uh… yeah, sure…"
(I don't really get it, but Itsuki-san seems pretty happy…)
And so, they went to the cafeteria again…
Itsuki: "Then I'll go buy a melon bread over there."
Gohan: "Okay, got it! …Huh?"
(Noticed there's a matcha soda in the vending machine.)
Gohan: "…Should I try it?"
(Out of curiosity, he bought a can of matcha soda.)
Miku's perspective
(Tch. He made such a big deal about Sengoku warlords, but turns out it wasn't that impressive after all…)
(I thought Fuutarou's lesson might be useful, but I'm kinda disappointed…)
(Well, Itsuki's probably in the cafeteria again, so I'll just meet her there.)
Gohan: "…Eh? Miku-san?"
(Ah, it's Gohan. What he's holding is…)
Miku: "…That is…"
Gohan: "Ah, this? I bought it out of curiosity to try the taste."
(…Come to think of it, Gohan, like Fuutarou, is also top of the grade, right? Maybe he knows…?)
Miku: "Does that tea… have snot in it?"
Gohan: "Huh? Snot?"
Miku: "Yeah."
Gohan: "Uh, uh…??" (confused)
Miku (inner thoughts): (Knew it, no good… Boring.)
Gohan: "Wait… tea with snot? I feel like I've heard that somewhere before…"
Miku (inner thoughts): (…! No, he probably just asked randomly. That must be it.)
Gohan: "Ah! I remember now! You mean that story about Ishida Mitsunari drinking the tea after Ōtani Yoshitsugu's snot accidentally fell into it, right?"
Miku: "…Amazing…! You actually knew…!"
Gohan: "Well… Since I didn't go to regular school until middle school, I studied a lot of things on my own."
Miku: "…I see."
(What does he mean by that? Could it be… he dropped out? But his grades are way too good…)
Gohan: "Why did you suddenly ask that?"
Miku: "Th-that's because…"
(I can't say it… Too embarrassing, I can't say it…)
Gohan: "Oh yeah, in yesterday's test, Japanese history, especially Sengoku questions, you did really well…"
Miku: "W-well, kinda…"
Gohan: "Could it be, you like it?"
Miku: "…What if I said yes?"
Gohan: "Eh?"
Miku: "If I'm obsessed with Sengoku warlords, what would you think?"
Gohan: "? There's nothing wrong with that, is there? Everyone has their own interests."
Miku: "…That's surprising. You don't think it's weird?"
Gohan: "Why would I?"
Miku: "Because ordinary girls around me all like idol groups and handsome guys. But me… I like old men with beards… Isn't that weird?"
Gohan: "Then, what even is 'ordinary'?"
Miku: "Eh?"
Gohan: "What kind of boys do 'ordinary' girls like?"
Miku: "Th-that's…"
(Come to think of it, some like cute types, some like cool types, some like useless types, some like carnivore types, some like herbivore types, some like mature handsome types…)
(Wait…? What is 'ordinary' anyway…?)
Gohan: "'Ordinary' or 'weird' depends on the environment. Then let me ask you this: among Sengoku warlord fans, is liking warlords weird?"
Miku: "I don't think it is…"
Gohan: "Right? So I don't think you need to worry about it."
(At first glance, it sounds totally different from what Fuutarou said. But… the meaning they want to express is probably the same…)
Miku: "…You really are…"
Gohan: "Eh, eh!? Am I weird!?"
Miku: "Yeah. Most people say my hobby is weird. But you and Fuutarou both say 'it's not weird.' That makes you and Fuutarou both weirdos."
Gohan: "A-ahaha…"
Miku: "…But, don't tell the others, okay? Especially my sisters…"
Gohan: "Eh? Your sisters don't know about your hobby?"
Miku: "Nope. Exactly because they're my sisters, it's even harder to say…"
Gohan: "R-really? I'd think sharing secrets with family is easier than with strangers or friends…"
Miku: "No. Because I'm the worst among the five, so I can't say it."
Gohan: "The worst…? Why? At least in yesterday's test, you did the best, Miku-san."
Miku: "Yeah. But if even I could manage it, then the other four could easily do it too."
Gohan: "…Why do you think that?"
Miku: "Because we're quintuplets. So Gohan, you should give up on me too…"
(If I say it this clearly, he should give up, right? If he still doesn't, then he's either a complete idiot or…)
Gohan: "…Alright then, let's assume Miku-san is the worst."
Miku (inner thoughts): (…? What's he suddenly saying?)
Gohan: "'Worst' just means there's lots of things you don't know, right? You get that?"
Miku: "Y-yeah…" (nods)
(Why ask something so obvious…?)
Gohan: "But if you flip it around, it means you have the most room to grow."
Miku: "…Eh?" (…!!)
Gohan: "Like you said, if you're the worst, that also means you have the greatest potential to improve. So, even if you're the lowest now, you might become the best in the future! Get it!?"
Gohan: "That's why I can't just ignore someone with so much potential. It'd be a waste. And since I already accepted this tutoring job, I won't give up halfway. I'll see it through to the end."
Miku (inner thoughts): (I get it now. This guy's a big idiot.)
Gohan: "Miku-san, you're underestimating yourself too much. I think you can have more confidence."
Miku: "…Gohan, are you often called an idiot?"
Gohan: "Eh, eh!? I don't think so…" (confused)
Miku (inner thoughts): (Yeah… He's 'idiotically' kind to the core…)
Miku: "…Then, can you make me the best among my sisters?"
Gohan: "…I'll do my best."
Miku: "At times like this, you're supposed to say 'I'll definitely make you number one.' Not very cool."
Gohan: "Ehh!?"
Miku: "Hehe…" (smiles)
...
Fuutarou: "...Hm? Why do I suddenly feel like I lost out on something just now…? Why?"
(End of Chapter)
[Check out my Patreon to read more]
[[email protected]/Zukooo]
[Thanks for your support!]