Actually what because of dark skin...
After those words, the glint in Yotsuba's pupils gradually disappeared.
"Asada-san, you know…When I went for my morning jog in the park, an old man taught me a boxing trick, I heard that it can seriously injure people without leaving any scars. "
Under her lifeless gaze, Shinichi felt the danger to his life.
He gulped and asked: "Then the name of the trick is..."
Yotsuba slowly pressed her fist against Shinichi's waist, and let out a bright, unsmiling smile.
"The ultimate trick, the tiger climbs the mountain hard."
Shinichi spoke at the fastest speed of his life.
"Actually, I couldn't see your skin color clearly under such a dark sky, so I guessed based on your eyes and voice."
Her fist lowered, Yotsuba's eyes became warm again, Shinichi could only take a deep breath.
"Eyes and voice? Anything special?"
Yotsuba still didn't feel that she was any different from other people.
Shinichi shook his head.
"From a performance standpoint, no."
When Shinichi said this, Yotsuba became even more confused.
"Since that's the case, how could Asada-san guess that it was mine? Do you rely on intuition?"
Yotsuba turned to look at him
The two looked at each other, and for a few moments, neither of them spoke.
Shinichi poked the green hair tie on Yotsuba's head and smiled lightly.
"Because there was a rabbit chasing me behind me, saying things like, 'Asada-san, come on, run ahead!', and I could see its encouraging eyes as I turned around..."
"This has happened several times, how could I possibly confuse it with someone else?"
"Just because of that?"
"Just that."
Shinichi smiled and looked at Yotsuba: "I guess I didn't mean it seriously, did I? Thank you for your training during this time, you have helped me a lot, thank you, Yotsuba."
After a long time, Yotsuba didn't make a sound.
Shinichi looked back.
Sensing his gaze, Yotsuba pressed her chest and spat out the words in a somewhat erratic voice.
"...Right now, please keep looking at the stars, don't look at me, I don't look good."
Staring at his red ears for a moment, Shinichi looked away again.
Like him, Yotsuba was also the type who wasn't good at receiving thanks from others...
When Shinichi was almost enthralled by the stars, Yotsuba spoke.
"Me too, I've been meaning to say it— You're welcome, Asada-san!"
A bright and energetic smile returned to her face again.
Shinichi said: "Then the second question is..."
"About this... Asada-san, can I make a request for the second question?" Yotsuba tugged at her sleeve.
Shinichi did not immediately agree.
"Tell me about it."
Yotsuba smiled at him.
"I hope you can tell Itsuki and Miku how you recognize them!"
"Don't give perfunctory answers like dark skin, like you told me, Nino, and Ichika. Asada-san has been observing us and gathering bits and pieces during the time you spent with us."
"Please tell them all this!"
Because she heard those words and felt very happy.
So she wanted Miku and Itsuki to feel this kind of happiness.
Yotsuba believes that if it is Shinichi, as long as she wants to, she can definitely bring the same feeling of happiness to her sister.
She always remembered the teachings her mother once told her.
—"One person's happiness, five people share together."
Miku's sadness back then, Itsuki's happiness… this should all be the happiness she felt right now.
"...Okay, I promise you."
Shinichi nodded in agreement.
He didn't ask why, if it was for the sake of his family, then there was no need for a reason, or this was already the reason.
Just talk to them in private, and it's not as embarrassing as saying it in front of five people.
"Then I'm relieved."
Yotsuba let go of Shinichi's hand, and stood side by side with him, looking up at the starry sky together.
"Then Asada-san will ask a question. Except for weird questions, I will answer you very honestly!"
Weird question? Size?
Sorry, he already knows...
Shinichi re-sealed the memory, and asked the unanswered question earlier.
"Are you afraid of messing up Forest School?"
"Yes." Yotsuba nodded, "Asada-san doesn't know, right? The real reason we moved here."
Without waiting for Shinichi's response, she continued talking to herself.
"The school where we go to has a follow-up examination system. No matter how bad the previous exam was, as long as we pass the follow-up exam, we can advance to 2nd year. Back then, everyone studied hard for it, even if they were all stupid, they worked really hard."
"In the end, everyone passed. "
"All these people, not including you?"
Without waiting for her to interrupt, Shinichi said.
"Among the quintuplets, only you failed the follow-up exam."
Yotsuba were silent.
"Obviously, they wouldn't leave you alone and go to school like this. Either repeat the class together, or immediately move to another school. Your father chose the latter option and spent a fortune to send you to Shuchi'in Academy. He hopes you can grow up in that kind of environment."
Shinichi sighed: "...That's why during the midterms, you cared more about your grades than I could have imagined."
What Yotsuba cared about were not grades, but the consequences of low scores.
Whether it's her sister's transfer, or Shinichi's efforts are in vain.
Be it academia, or forest school.
She was afraid of this... Afraid of repeating the same mistake, afraid of dragging everyone down because of her carelessness.
"...As expected of Asada-san, you really do know everything."
Yotsuba smiled bitterly: "Yeah, I was really scared! I'm so afraid that everything will be messed up like a test, and everyone will pay a price. Everyone here including you, Asada-san. "
Yotsuba bit her lower lip.
"Obviously I worked hard with everyone, and I definitely worked harder than the exam."
"I don't want to be everyone's bottleneck anymore."
The second thing she was afraid of now was that Shinichi would look down on her after hearing these words.
"...I don't know everything, I only know what I know." Shinichi said.
"…Does Asada-san know of a way to ensure that Forest School can run safely and smoothly, so that everyone can graduate safely?" Yotsuba asked quietly.
"If you have, please tell me, no matter what the price is, as long as it can help everyone, I am willing to do it."