บท 776: Ichika’s Thoughts

At the end of October, the weather turned colder. Even after changing into winter uniforms, leaving the warm student council room, Ichika shrank her neck and breathed warm air into her hands.

"So cold~"

"Whose fault is it for not wearing clothes anymore?" Wearing a wool coat, Nino glanced at her, then looked towards the darkening sky outside the corridor.

"The temperature will drop even more at night, so hurry home."

"Hehe, Ichika, let me warm you up!" Yotsuba appeared with a smile, holding both of Ichika's hands, and warmth like a stove immediately surrounded Ichika, making her comfortable.

"Wow~ Thanks, Yotsuba, you're like my little ray of sunshine~"

"Hehe, that's an exaggeration..." Yotsuba smiled, and Miku also approached, hugging Ichika from behind.

"Um, this is really warm... Just as expected from someone who's been exercising."

"Is that so? I'll give it a try too..."

"Why don't you... move aside? I'm also cold, okay!"

In front of the student council room door, the quintuplets gathered like a big dango family, huddled together with Yotsuba at the center. Their bodies pushed and rubbed against each other, causing the girls' cheeks to pale from the cold wind, and soon a red flush appeared, symbolizing warmth.

After Shinichi locked the door, he turned around and saw a scene that made him smile. Fumino and Rizu seemed to want to get closer and feel Yotsuba's warmth, but due to the lack of space and the sisters playing with each other, they couldn't join. So, they watched with envy.

Shinichi simply watched the lively and warm scene with warm eyes and listened to the clear laughter of the girls.

"Shinichi-san, I also want to try this heat transfer method."

Rizu pulled the sleeve of his shirt and suggested this seriously.

"Try it?" Shinichi hesitated for a moment, and Fumino coughed, walking over to his side.

"Ricchan is right, everything must be done with the spirit of experimentation... And they are playing over there, it's not wise for us to watch them in a daze here!"

Although she couldn't answer that question herself.

Shinichi looked at her reddened face and Rizu's clear eyes. He didn't utter any words of refusal, thinking it over, and was about to extend his hand.

"Alright, we shouldn't let Shinichi-kun and the others wait, let's go quickly~"

Ichika's voice suddenly sounded, and as Shinichi felt the half-smiling gaze coming from her at the same time, and the four gazes directed at him one by one, Shinichi stopped his movements and took a step back.

"There are only a few minutes left until the school closes. If you don't leave, you'll be locked in the school."

"...Makes sense."

Fumino and Rizu exchanged glances, following without saying anything, and looking at Ichika with a little resentment.

Ichika turned around, blinked, and showed a slightly embarrassed apologetic smile.

"As a substitute, for the time being, I'll lend you our Yotsuba!"

After saying this without any hint, she pushed the confused Yotsuba towards Fumino and Rizu.

"I-Ichika?!"

"Yotsuba, they're asking you to amuse me!" Ichika requested very seriously. Yotsuba hesitated for a few seconds due to embarrassment, and finally nodded.

"I understand... Actually, just say it directly. Fumino and Rizu are my friends, so it doesn't mean I disagree..."

Turning to Fumino and Rizu, a bright smile appeared on Yotsuba's face as she held each of their hands one by one, then shouted loudly.

"WARMTH POWER, injection——!"

Fumino and Rizu couldn't help but exclaim, "Oooh, it's so warm! Your hands are really hot!"

"This is not scientific at all!"

Yotsuba raised her nose and proudly said, "Hmph, this is one of the secret skills taught to me by the old men in the park. I heard it can withstand cold and heat, enhance my recovery ability, and have a special effect on vampires!"

"It feels like holding a hot can of coffee... Thank you, Yotsuba-san!" Fumino smiled, and Rizu looked at Yotsuba in admiration.

"As expected of Yotsuba, she can even do something like this."

Although she was a little pleased, Yotsuba immediately shook her head after hearing this, "No! You two are much smarter than me..."

Seeing the happy scene, the three chatted joyfully. Ichika nodded satisfactorily. If Yotsuba were a boy, she might be Shinichi's biggest love rival.

Or maybe both of them just had an interest in the same gender, unrelated to other girls.

Ichika hid a broken smile in her heart.

Yotsuba always had high masculinity, a friendly and cheerful personality, and just the right feminine traits. There were junior girls in the athletic club who had confessed their feelings to Yotsuba... If she wasn't interested in Shinichi, she might become the most popular female student at Shuchi'in Academy.

Thinking about unimportant things, Ichika looked towards Shinichi walking ahead. Itsuki and Miku replaced Rizu and Fumino, walking towards the school gate beside him.

As for Nino, although it seemed like nothing was happening, she still kept her distance from him.

Nino has been like this since the new student council was formed.

Without the fear of bold advances in the past, and the active actions that always captured his attention, it seemed there was a barrier of doubt in her heart, allowing her to unconsciously maintain her "past."

Just like she was before the school forest.

As her older sister, Ichika could see it clearly.

Half a year had passed, Miku, Yotsuba, and Itsuki had gained a new understanding of their own feelings. They all continued to recognize themselves step by step. Only by doing so could they naturally become close to Shinichi.

But Nino stepped back.

She seemed to want to observe from a distance first, but she didn't understand that she was not suitable at all to be an observer.

Nino had always been someone brave in love and hatred. If it was difficult to move forward in any way, she would give up easily and no longer obsess over this path. Despite many love rivals, the chance to monopolize Shinichi was very small. Ichika wasn't sure if Nino could let go of Shinichi.

Because they were quintuplets, Ichika understood that if she couldn't let go, the other sisters might not be able to let go either.

(Oh, I still have to push them...)

Smiling helplessly in her heart, Ichika put on her usual calm and quick smile, and walked past Nino towards Shinichi, Itsuki, and Miku.

"By the way, Shinichi-kun, did you know that I'll be an exchange student for a week?"