Nino: "I feel like you two are kind of dangerous…"
Goten: "Spare me. I'm my brother's little brother. And you're pressing too close, I can't breathe…"
Miku: "…Hey."
Gohan: "Hm?"
Miku spoke with a small smile.
Miku: "…Goten is really cute, isn't he?"
Gohan: "I-is he? Well, I suppose…"
In that moment, Goten's favorability among the five sisters rose sharply.
When the first fireworks ended, I explained to Fuutarou about holding our own second fireworks gathering.
He agreed, and said he would bring Ichika over once her audition was done.
And then, after her audition, Ichika said she'd be coming now…
Yotsuba: "Okaaay! Then let's get started!!"
Nino: "Wait a second. We should start when Ichika's here."
Miku: "…Save the sparklers for later."
Itsuki: "Anyone bring candied apples?"
Raiha: "Ah, I've got some! Here!"
Itsuki: "Waa～…!! Raiha-chan, you're such a good girl!!"
Everyone seemed eager to start with fireworks, and it began sooner than expected. But wasn't the whole meaning supposed to be "all five together"? Just as I thought that…
Yotsuba: "Ah! Ichika and Fuutarou!"
Fuutarou: "Here you go, Ichika. It's not the big display in the sky, but it's too early to give up, right?"
Ichika hadn't known beforehand, so she was surprised, but she also looked happy.
Yotsuba: "Fuutarou! Everything's ready! We couldn't wait, so we already started!"
Fuutarou: "…Thanks for buying these fireworks. You really helped."
Yotsuba: "Ehehehe!"
What was with that laugh of hers…
Nino: "Haa… There's something I just have to say to you!"
Fuutarou: "Eh? W-what?"
Nino: "Good! Job!!"
Fuutarou: "That's way too easy to misunderstand!!"
Itsuki: "Come on, Ichika, play with the fireworks too!"
Ichika: "Itsuki-chan…"
Itsuki: "Miku, hand me that firework."
Miku: "…Yeah."
Good… It looked like the goal of "all watching fireworks together" was finally being fulfilled. Just as I thought that, Ichika started apologizing to the others…
Ichika: "Everyone! I'm sorry! It's all my selfishness that caused this… I'm really sorry…"
Itsuki: "N-no need to apologize that much…"
Fuutarou: "Well, Ichika knows it was wrong too…"
Nino: "Seriously. Why didn't you say something sooner? You have responsibility for this too."
Gohan: "N-Nino, maybe you don't have to put it so harshly…"
Nino: "…And also, it was my fault for forgetting to tell the meeting place."
Itsuki: "And I'm despairing over my hopeless sense of direction too…"
Goten: "If not for me, you'd probably have starved to death by now."
Itsuki: "That's way too exaggerated!!"
Goten… you really need to learn to read the room sometimes.
After Nino and Itsuki, Miku and Yotsuba also apologized to Ichika.
Miku: "I kept failing this time too…"
Yotsuba: "I-I don't really get it, but I did wrong too… I got distracted by the stalls…"
Ichika: "Everyone…"
Nino: "Here, this one's yours." (hands a firework)
…I had thought they might fight, but thankfully it ended peacefully, and I felt relieved.
Itsuki: "Mom used to say this, you know…"
When one of us fails, all five overcome it together.
When one of us is happy, all five share it together.
Whether joy…
Or sorrow…
Or anger…
Or affection…
Itsuki: "All of us are equal fifths."
As soon as Itsuki finished, all five lit their fireworks at once.
The sight of the five together was unmistakably that of a close-knit family.
Gohan: "…Eh? When did Raiha fall asleep…"
Fuutarou: "Probably wore herself out from being so satisfied. Speaking of which, Goten, aren't you sleepy?"
Goten: "…Now that you mention it, maybe a little… haaa～…"
Gohan: "You're hopeless. Come on."
Goten: "Mm…" (gets carried on back)
I carried Goten. When he got tired outside, usually Mom or I carried him. Otherwise, he'd throw a fit… I know it's spoiling him, but I always think, "Oh well, just this once."
Goten: "…snore…" (asleep)
Fuutarou: "He fell asleep so fast…"
Gohan: "He must've been tired out."
Bzz bzz (phone vibration)
Gohan: "…Hm? A message from Mom…? Ah! I forgot to report when we'd be back!?"
Fuutarou: "What is it? You've got a curfew?"
Gohan: "Not me, Goten… I'll call real quick!"
Fuutarou: "Oh."
…Looking at Raiha sleeping peacefully, I felt sleepy too…
Ichika: "…Fuutarou-kun. I still haven't thanked you. You cheered for me, so I need to help you too…"
Ichika: "We're partners, right? I'm not that easy to handle, so be prepared, okay?"
Fuutarou: "..." (asleep, snoring)
Ichika: "Sleeping with your eyes open… seriously!"
Ichika went to his side, and laid him properly on a bench by the road.
Ichika: "You worked hard. Thank you. Rest well tonight…"
Goten: "Ah, Fuutarou-san is sleeping with his eyes open."
Gohan: "When did you wake up, Goten…?"
(End of Chapter)
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