"Big bro, I wanna try this!" Raiha pointed at a machine called 'King Of Hammer', a strength-testing machine where players use a real or attached mallet to strike a sensor pad.
"Are you sure, Raiha? That hammer looks kinda heavy." Itsuki pointed out. Raiha didn't listen and went and grabbed the hammer.
"I take that back..." Itsuki muttered, finding her mouth agape as Raiha held the hammer with one hand like it was just a feather. Fuutarou inserted a couple of coins as the machine activated. Raiha steadied herself, now holding the hammer with two hands.
With a swing, the hammer slammed against the pad with a resounding boom. Almost immediately, the meter went to it's highest limit. Itsuki stared in disbelief as Raiha broke the high score without a sweat. Raiha cheered as tickets fell out of a slot.
"That was easy! Let's play some more!" Raiha snatched the coins from her brother's hands, finding more games to play on her own. Fuutarou smiled at her, happy that she's enjoying herself. Itsuki silently went and picked up the hammer.
She winced as she could barely hold it with her two hands, the weight being a burden on her. She wasn't even sure Yotsuba could reach the top meter. So how did Raiha get there with such ease?
'Maybe there was a glitch.' Itsuki's mind thought rationally, unaware that supernatural strength does exist in this world. She looked at Raiha, grinning happily as she tried a zombie shooter game.
"Raiha-chan is having the time of her life..." Itsuki couldn't help but be infected by the little girl's happiness. She glanced at Fuutarou who had a smile watching his sister play.
"Not to ruin the mood or anything, but if I'm not mistaken, this is Raiha's first or second time going to an arcade. It's not because we don't allow her to. It's just our circumstances were different back then." Fuutarou muttered, standing with Itsuki near the wall.
"Really..." She whispered. "If you're fine with me asking, how was it like back then?" She asked him. Fuutarou hummed.
"Difficult. Before the house we currently live in, we lived in an apartment that's barely liveable. The furniture's crappy, the water heater doesn't work, there were cockroaches running around, and the roof looks like it's about to collapse. There was a period of time where we went without electricity and water because dad didn't have enough money to pay the bills." Fuutarou recounted. Itsuki listened, feeling horrified deep down.
"Actually, when I was in elementary school, I was already working as a motorbike mechanic. I busted my ass off balancing studying and working, but thankfully it all worked out in the end." He pointed at Raiha.
"Raiha had to mature fairly quickly. She's smart, ya know? She demanded that my father teach her how to cook so she could lessen mine and his burden. When we were out working, she was taking care of the apartment, balancing chores and doing homework. Me and her childhood was different than most. But..." He ran his fingers through his hair.
"If there's one thing I grateful for from that part of my life, I'm the person that I am now. The hardships, the planning, the effort, it taught me a lot." Fuutarou looked down at her.
"You crying, Itsuki?" He asked, a small smirk on his face. Itsuki shook her head, wiping her eyes.
"N-no, just some sand..." Fuutarou laughed at her lame excuse.
"Sure, whatever you say." Raiha walked over to them, tugging on both their shirts.
"Big bro, big sis, can we try that photobooth?" Raiha requested. Fuutarou looked at Itsuki.
"I'm okay with it. How about you?" He asked her. Itsuki smiled and nodded.
"Of course, let's take a picture to remember this day." Raiha all but dragged them to the photobooth. As she was dealing with the machine, Fuutarou glanced at Itsuki.
"I don't know about you, but it looks like we're taking a family photo." Raiha laughed as she stepped back, getting close with the two teenagers.
"Yeah, it does doesn't it? Big sis has to give a big smile okay?" She muttered, ignoring the fact that Itsuki was bright red.
Fuutarou chuckled. "Lighten up Itsuki, there's nothing embarrassed about taking a picture." He advised.
" W-well. I'm not used to taking pictures with you and Raiha-chan. " Itsuki stuttered out. Fuutarou chuckled and gently wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling a now flustered Itsuki closer to him. They were standing behind Raiha whose smile brightened.
"Hihi! Yeah , now that you mention it big bro, we kind do look like a family!" Raiha commented cheerfully. Fuutarou smirked and blushed a little with Itsuki's blush reddening.
"It really does doesn't it?"
"U-Uesugi-kun! D-don't entertain her!"
" Oh! Countdown's starting! Cheese! "
" W-wait I'm not ready!"
...
"Pfft! What's that face you're making, Itsuki? It's really funny." Fuutarou joked while standing behind Itsuki, looking down at the printed picture she was holding. In the picture, Itsuki had a flustered expression, Fuutarou was grinning at the camera while Raiha was smiling cheerfully while holding up a double peace.
Itsuki pouted and looked up at him. "I wouldn't have made that face if your hand wasn't around my waist, pervert!" She stuck her tongue out at him. Fuutarou chuckled and stared into her dark blue eyes.
"We should do this more often Itsuki. I've had a lot of fun with you..." Fuutarou whispered to her, suddenly changing the topic. She just stared silently.
"Hihihi! I'll consider this as my treasure for the rest of my life!" Raiha meanwhile was giggling at the picture they took and held it close to her chest.
"Y-yeah, me too." Itsuki replied, smiling at him. Fuutarou then smirked at her.
"But the next time we go on another date, it's just gonna be the two of us alone with each other." Fuutarou added. Itsuki widened her eyes at him and gasped.
"Y-you..... You tricked me, Uesugi-kun!" Itsuki declared, gathering Raiha's attention at why she was shouting. Fuutarou raised an eyebrow at her.
"Tricked you? What do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb with me! This is a date disguised as just ' friends hanging out'! You just want a date in your record! Mmmm!" Itsuki crossed her arms, pouted before she looked away from him. Fuutarou laughed nervously.
" But friends can also go on dates. It ain't just limited to married couples or those who're in a relationship. Unless... you're implying that we should take our relationship to the next step." Fuutarou smirked at Itsuki's increasingly flushed reaction.
"N-no I did not, Uesugi-kun! Next time just be honest with me or else...." Itsuki then glared menacingly at him.
"I'll ban you from entering the PENTAGON building itself. " She threatened Fuutarou who chuckled in response.
"Chilll... Fine then, if you want me to be straight with you, then that's what you'll get. I'll ask you this, do you wanna go on a date with me again? " Fuutarou asked Itsuki as they left the arcade. Itsuki blushed, thinking about what her reply should be. She didn't have to think for long.
" Yes! Yes I will!" Itsuki replied with a warm smile and blush on her face. Fuutarou grinned at her.
"Nice one big bro!" Raiha grinned as she elbowed Fuutarou in the stomach, making him chuckle at her antics.
He offered out his hand. "C'mon, let's go back to my place. I'll drop Raiha off and then I'll drop you off at you home. " He suggested. Itsuki blushed shyly, having to hold his warm hand again. She held it, Fuutarou intertwined it. Raiha held his other hand before holding itsuki's hand as they started walking back to the Uesugi Residence together.
It was then Raiha suddenly stopped, staring at a certain direction.
"Big bro, am I gonna die?"
"Huh? Why would you say that Raiha?" Fuutarou looked at his little sister with a confused expression on his face. Raiha pointed at the people before her.
"There's four Itsuki in front of me." Raiha explained as Fuutarou looked at the direction she was pointing at.
"O-oh. Hey girls." Fuutarou muttered as he smiled a little nervously. The people in front of them were the rest of the Nakano quintuplets dressed in gorgeous yukatas.
Ichika was giggling, looking at the Fuutarou's and Itsuki's intertwined hands. But inside, she was jealous as hell.
'Oh Itsuki you sneaky girl. I send you on a simple paycheck delivery and this is how I caught you. I should've known you would take the chance to go out with him. That should've been me holding his hand, not you.' Ichika thought to herself, a dark aura surrounding her. Yotsuba had a similar train of thought as Ichika did. She was showing her dissatisfaction by pouting at him.
"Mmmm!!! Fuutarou-kun! I'll never forgive you!" Yotsuba huffed at Fuutarou who chuckled and shook his head.
"Fuutarou, I didn't know you were that kind of person. Guess I misunderstood what kind of person you truly are. Mmm!.... " Miku commented straightforwardly with a pout, making Fuutarou's heart shatter into pieces.
But on the inside, Miku was wondering how it would feel like holding Fuutarou's hand. She blushed at those dirty thoughts and tried to shake them off, but the thoughts became stronger in the process.
"Oi Uesugi! Hands off Itsuki!" Nino shouted while pointing at their handholding. Itsuki suddenly gasped, noticing the yukata her sisters were wearing.
"Ah! The Musashi Festival! I forgot about that!! Oh what do I do?!" Itsuki panicked, that's when Ichika put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Itsuki. We can just go back to the apartment and let you change there. It's not far from here. " Ichika reassured, calming Itsuki who sighed in relief. Yotsuba happily went and crouched in front of Raiha.
" Oh my god!! Who's this cutie pie?! You must be Raiha that Fuutarou-kun keeps mentioning! Let's go to the festival, come with us! " Yotsuba offered. Raiha looked up at her brother.
"Can we go with them, big bro?" Raiha asked him. Fuutarou nodded silently.
"Well, you already finished your homework, so yeah I guess we can go. But let's go back to our place first though, we need to look the part during the festival." He replied, noticing that the Nakano quintuplets had lit up at his reply, excitement all over their faces, even Nino had a hint of it, though she was trying hard to keep it cool.
"Looks like you're getting that date after all Ichika." He whispered to Ichika who winked at him in response.
"I'll be in your care then. Ufufu~" She smiled sweetly at him. Raiha waved at them.
"See you later!!! "
To be continued...