Fuutarou: "That's the most unnecessary thing today!?"
It seems they even bought a fireworks set for Raiha-chan. Honestly, there was no need to buy it specifically today...
Raiha: "Thank you, Yotsuba-oneechan!" (hugs tightly)
Raiha-chan clung tightly to Yotsuba, who clearly couldn't withstand such a direct attack...
Yotsuba: "Ahh—Raiha-chan is too cute! I wish she could be my little sister! Wait… if I married Uesugi-kun, wouldn't that legally make her my imouto…?"
Nino: "…Do you even realize what you just said? …Uesugi! Don't you dare have any weird thoughts about Yotsuba!"
Fuutarou: "Of course I wouldn't!?"
But there were just too many people… At this rate, a moment of distraction and someone could get separated.
Thud!
Miku: "...!?!" (surprised)
Ah!? I bumped into Miku…
Gohan: "Sorry! I got pushed by the crowd…"
Miku: "N-no, it's fine!"
Gohan: "But seriously, there are too many people. At this rate, we won't be able to watch the fireworks properly, right?"
Miku: "Don't worry about that. Nino rented the rooftop of a shop. As long as we follow her, it'll be fine."
Gohan: "W-whoa, amazing…"
As expected of a rich ojou-sama…
Gohan: "Then, let's head there quickly…"
Nino: "Wait! Since we came to the festival, we can't just leave without buying that, right?"
Gohan: "Ah… that?"
Miku: "Come to think of it, we haven't bought that yet."
Ichika: "Ah, could it be you mean that?"
Itsuki: "Do they sell that at one of the stalls?"
Yotsuba: "I really want to eat that—!"
Fuutarou: "W-what the heck is that supposed to be…?"
"""""Ready—"""""
Ichika: "Yakisoba!"
Miku: "Kakigoori (shaved ice)!"
Nino: "Ningyou-yaki (shaped cakes)!"
Yotsuba: "Choco Banana!"
Itsuki: "Ringo Ame (candied apples)!"
Goten: "Whoa… Onii-chan, the answers are totally all over the place…"
Gohan: "Y-yeah…"
Yotsuba: "Let's just buy them all—!"
Fuutarou: "I'm seriously doubting if you're even quintuplets right now…"
Gohan: "I think I heard that siblings close in age tend to grow in different directions compared to others…"
Fuutarou: "There's a saying like that…?"
Though honestly, it sounded baseless.
Ichika: "Itsuki-chan~ don't be mad anymore~"
Itsuki: "But it's so unfair! That stall owner told Ichika, 'Since you're cute, I'll give you extra,' but didn't give me anything!! We have the exact same face!!"
Miku: "The complicated psychology of quintuplets…"
Goten: "Eh, isn't she just mad because she didn't get food?"
What a blunt remark from Goten…
Ichika: "Here, have some of this and cheer up."
Yotsuba: "Raiha-chan! Let's go play ring toss!"
Raiha: "Wow—! I want that one!"
Nino: "Hey! You're all too slow!!!"
Gohan: "…Nino-san seems unusually fired up. What's going on?"
I asked Miku tentatively.
Miku: "…Fireworks are our memory of Mom… She really loved them, so every year she took us to watch. Even after she passed, we always gather to see them together…"
I see… so their mother isn't around anymore…
Miku: "For us, fireworks are something special like that…"
Gohan: "…Did I ask something I shouldn't have?"
Miku: "N-no. It's fine…"
Now I understood. Nino truly treasures this memory. That's why she worked so hard to finish her homework—so she could watch fireworks together this year too…
Nino: "Seriously, you're so annoying… Huh? Wait, where's Yotsuba and that little sister…?"
『We apologize for the wait. The fireworks will begin shortly.』
Ah… The fireworks are about to start. The crowd was getting even more packed…
…Wait, Nino was being pushed by the flow of people. At this rate, she might get separated…
Gohan: "Here, hold on to me."
Nino: "…What for?"
Gohan: "If we just stay here, you'll get lost in the crowd. Let's at least head to your reserved shop."
Nino: "…I didn't invite you."
Gohan: "A-ahaha…"
When will Nino-san finally open her heart a little?
Gohan: "But still, watching fireworks with all five of you—that's something you can't give up, right?"
Nino: "..."
Maybe it was just my imagination, but it felt like Nino lightly tugged on my sleeve. The crowd was too thick to tell for sure.
Nino: "Finally, we squeezed through! This is all your fault for taking the wrong path!"
Gohan: "It couldn't be helped, there are just too many people…"
Nino: "The rooftop's here! Everyone must already be upstairs!"
Shooo—BOOM—!!!
Nino dashed up the stairs just as the fireworks exploded in the sky.
The show had begun, but…
Nino: "Wh-what should I do… Now that I think about it, only I know the location of this shop this year…"
Gohan: "…Hah!?"
Nino: "…What should I do…"
Gohan: "…Let's try calling them first?"
Nino: "Yeah… You help too."
Gohan: "Of course!"
I pulled out my phone. At some point, Goten's number had been saved, but among the people here at the fireworks tonight, the only contacts I had were…
Son Goten.
Uesugi Fuutarou.
…I'll have to ask Itsuki and the others for their numbers later.
Gohan: "…Let's call Goten first. He's probably with someone."
I dialed Goten.
『Onii-chan? Why are you over there?』
Just to note, Goten could also sense ki, so he already knew where I was.
Gohan: "I'm at the shop rooftop we reserved for the fireworks. Is anyone with you?"
(End of Chapter)
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