Both spring seasons each year I've written this story I've gone MIA. Sorry about that.

Here's Chapter 40 after a long wait, hope you enjoy :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The month of May had rolled around and the Quintuplets' birthday was only a couple of days away now, the ever-looming presence of the upcoming May field trip was something to be excited about too.

Like a smart and responsible young man, you had already made sure to get gifts for the girls ahead of schedule so you could just take it easy until their day came.

Currently, in the class, the teacher was talking about something but you weren't paying too much attention and were instead focusing on the mother bird feeding its young outside in their tree nest, the noise of the classroom was background to you, that was until...

"KYOTO!?" The class erupted in unison which made you flinch"

"Yes... Kyoto is where this field trip is taking place" the teacher confirmed, pushing up his glasses as if the shockwave of excitement almost blew them off of his face.

Immediately, my eyes shifted a few seats forward to Fuutaro, who noticeably perked up slightly at the announcement. Kyoto was special to him after all so while he might not show it, you knew he was happy with this choice.

"Kyoto huh..?" Nino turned around on her desk to face you. "Excited?" she was trying to gauge your reaction.

"Why wouldn't I be? It's a field trip"

"Last time we had one you confessed. Maybe this time you'll propose?" Nino grinned like she was seriously expecting something"

"Not happening" you shook your head. "Don't get your hopes up. I might buy you a cool hat if you're lucky though"

Nino pursed her lips. "Hmph, suit yourself" She turned around to face the front again.

"Nino... I'm not gonna-"

"I don't wanna hear it" she ignored you. "You can get on your knees and beg for an apology later"

This girl...

"Mmm, maybe..." you heard Miku say besides you, she seemingly was staring off into space and mumbling to herself.

"You thinking of the next plan of action?" you leaned over to her desk. She quickly snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of your voice and vigorously shook her head.

"I don't have any plans like that..."

"Sure you don't..."

"Don't look at me like that" Miku sighed and flopped onto the table, resting her head on her arms and turning so she could face me while lying down. "I want to... y'know... soon. I think"

"Make up your damn mind!" you snapped at her.

"Excuse me?"

"You're gonna lose the race if you keep playing the tortoise. You think if I just let my feelings for Nino linger, another guy wouldn't have eventually come along?" you asked rhetorically, "Look at her!" you pointed over towards Nino who was pouting from earlier while twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "She's literally the cutest thing in this entire world, someone else would have definitely tried to make a genuine move on her sooner or later if I didn't step up"

"I doubt it. She was really into you after all" Miku stared into your eyes.

You felt a blush coming along. "A-Ah... Well maybe so. But you can't be submissive forever"

"S-Submissive!?" Miku recoiled.

"No! Not like that ugh..." you sighed. "I meant like, take action"

Miku scowled at you.

"Oh, come on you know I didn't mean it like that"

Miku's eyes shifted past you towards Nino. "I know, you prefer more feisty types, don't you? Dominant types?"

"...Sure" you rolled your eyes.

Miku smiled and laughed to herself.

The class went by relatively quickly and soon enough the bell rang.

You stood up from your desk and gathered your things together. Footsteps made their way towards you and as you looked up, Yotsuba was the only thing in your vision.

"AH," you jumped back, startled by her being so close. "Yotsuba... that's bad for my heart you know"

Yotsuba let out a hearty laugh "Ahaha, sorry Y/N. I just wanted to talk to you"

The two of us made our way out of the class together, walking through the busy school hallways towards the cafeteria.

"So what was it you needed?"

"Well..." Yotsuba timidly tapped the tips of her index fingers together and her face was cast with a troubled expression. "I was just wondering if... to you... things seemed a little... off lately?"

"Off?" you raised your eyebrow. The first thing that came to mind was Ichika and Miku subtly fighting for Fuutaro's attention. "Is there anything in particular that's making you say that?"

"Hmmm. Not really anything specific but the general vibe feels sort of strange. It's hard to describe"

With two girls in the Fuutaro camp, one girl in your camp and the other two being seemingly neutral, no wonder for Yotsuba it seemed odd.

"I guess I can kind of see it, is it bothering you a lot?"

"N-No!" Yotsuba reassured as she clutched her hands against her chest. "I was just curious if I was the only one feeling that way"

"Yotsuba, this Is kind of unrelated but I wanna ask you something" You looked at her as you subtly pulled her shirt to make her dodge the other kids running through the hallway.

"What is it?"

"Have you ever liked someone? Love wise I mean"

Her face immediately changed from that of her usual smile into one of shock. She even raised a hand to her mouth.

"What! Oh! Y/N.." Yotsuba's eyes frantically darted about and her pace of speech increased dramatically. "O-Oh. I didn't know you felt that way! Sorry, but you're dating my sister so I cannot return your feelings. Have a good day! Bye bye!!" She spat out as she briskly walked away from you leaving you confused and stun locked in the hallway.

"That's not what I..." you sighed, knowing she couldn't hear you anymore. "What the hell was that..." you muttered to yourself as you shook it off. Her dismissive nature was unlike her so that told you immediately that love was somewhere on her mind even if not at the forefront.

For now, worrying about that wasn't of concern so instead you made your way on your lonesome to the cafeteria.

----

The Next Day

"Group up with me!" Nino demanded as you walked into the classroom.

"The Nino fan club doesn't assemble on Wednesdays, sorry" You sipped your juice as you watched her reaction as you often loved to do.

"S-Shut up you idiot!" Nino barked. "I meant for the Kyoto Trip!"

"The groups are of 5, aren't they? I thought you'd go with your sisters"

Nino looked as if she also had come to the same conclusion that one of them would be left out of the group in that instance. "Ah..."

"Smart thinking" you playfully poked her head. "Go with your sisters. I'll just group with Fuutaro or something"

The pout on her face told you she wasn't exactly satisfied with this outcome but realistically it was the one that would work best.

"Don't look so down" you hugged her. "Your birthday isn't too far away now. That's something to look forward to!"

"You sound more excited for it than I am, tell me. Is there any particular reason?" Nino looked you up and down and licked her lips as she looked back into your eyes.

"No comment"

"Have you already gotten everyone's presents?"

"Yeah, a 'Happy Birthday' and a head pat is all you guys are getting" you widely smiled at Nino.

She lightly stomped on your foot as she donned an unpleasant expression.

"Hey! Watch the shoes...." you whined as Nino removed her foot from yours and made her way back to her desk.

Class proceeded as usual but with the pressing issue of finding a Kyoto group on everyone's minds. With only 5 in a group, it was the quintuplets getting together as one meanwhile you were likely joining Fuutaro and Takeda's group.

---------------------

"The quintuplets are grouping up together huh?" A boy in your class said as a small collection of guys had gathered around your desk after class ended.

"I guess so," you replied.

"Hey, Y/N. You're dating that Nino girl right?"

"Sure am"

"Damn, I can't lie I'm a little jealous."

You couldn't help but crack a confident smile. "Yeah. She's pretty great. I pretty much hit the jackpot."

"Dude, way to be subtle about rubbing it in..." another boy said.

"My bad. I'm just happy is all" You laughed it off. Through a gap in the group of people formed around you, you made out Nino and Ichika packing up their things and getting ready to leave the classroom.

"Sorry fellas, but I gotta get going," you said as you abruptly stood up from your desk.

"Oh wait Y/N!" one of them called out. "Do you wanna join our group for the Kyoto trip?"

You turned to face him and looked at him a little confused. "Me? No offense man but... we've barely spoken, what do you want me in the group for?"

They all darted their eyes at each other. "W-Well... We were kinda hoping you would... maybe play wingman for us..?"

Your facial expression told them that wasn't going to happen.

"Oh come on Y/N! There's 5 of them, you have one so share the rest!"

"I don't have a harem. Unfortunately. But I don't know you guys, sorry" you turned and waved.

"Well, what about Uesugi?" one of them called out again. "You're close with him, right? Would you let him take a spin with one of them?"

"What's it to you? They can decide who they want to 'take a spin' with." you mocked them, finally exiting the classroom.

To catch up with Nino and Ichika you had to briskly pick up the pace.

"...Probably not. I'd imagine he has no clue what to get"

"You really think so?"

Finally, you caught up to them. "Yo!" you said as you put an arm around each of their shoulders, standing between them.

"Oh, hey handsome" Ichika smirked.

"You've already used that one" you smirked in return.

"Oh, hey Darling~" Nino exaggeratedly leaned into you.

Ichika sighed. "Always the show off"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nino challenged her sister"

"Nothing!" Ichika smiled back at her. "By the way Y/N, I saw those group of boys huddling around you, are you getting bullied?"

"No, I'm not getting bullied" you sighed. "They were just..." You debate internally to even repeat what they are saying. "They just wanted me to be in their group for the Kyoto trip, but honestly I don't know any of them well enough"

"Now that you mention it" Nino peeled away from you for a moment. "You don't have many guy friends outside of Fuutaro do you?"

"Why are you guys attacking me all of a sudden..? Did I do something to piss you off?"

"No. But we do get some enjoyment out of it" Ichika laughed.

"Thanks. That makes me feel very loved" you rolled your eyes. "Glad my girlfriend and her sisters see me as a human Piñata when it's convenient"

"Aww, don't sulk" Ichika poked you in the cheek. "I'll get you something from the cafeteria"

"Done Deal" you smiled. The three of you made your way to the cafeteria and it seemed as busy as ever.

"Doesn't this place make you nostalgic Y/N?" Ichika turned to you as you all lined up for lunch.

"Nostalgic? I come here every day"

"I mean for us! The first time we talked was in this lunch line!"

"I guess it was" you reminisced, "You were always a flirt even back when you first talked to me. You immediately dove right into the topic of my love life"

"She did?" Nino asked.

"Yeah. He said he didn't like you" Ichika laughed.

"I didn't say that!" you tried to defend yourself as you could feel Nino's piercing gaze beside you, making you aware that she may beat you over the head with her lunch tray if you didn't manoeuvre out of this situation carefully.

"It's okay Y/N, Nino came back to the table super flustered anyway, she tried to put on a face but the others told me later she was overheating when she sat down"

"I-Ichika!" Nino snapped at her sister.

"When you get a boyfriend, we're ripping you a new one for the way you've been teasing us this whole time," you told Ichika.

"He's right, we won't forget will we Y/N?"

"Damn right we won't"

Ichika laughed nervously. "When you team up it's hardly fair..."

"All's fair in love and war... right?" you winked at Ichika.

"Ew..." Nino winced. "That was super cringey" She didn't even understand my double meaning on that line as Ichika was still fighting her own love and war.

"Oh shut up you" You lightly pushed Nino with your tray as the line finally allowed you all to collect lunch.

------------------

A few days later... May 5th

The air buzzes with nervous energy as you stand outside the Nakano apartment. Today is the quintuplets' birthday, and you're tasked with bringing the cake. You glance at the box clutched in your hand, decorated with a dozen tiny candles, and a delicate strawberry perched atop the creamy frosting. It's your first time celebrating their birthday together, and you want it to be perfect.

"Five presents..." Fuutaro groaned, looking down at the bag he was holding filled with 5 neatly wrapped gifts of different sizes. "I'm going to have to eat bread and rice every night for the next two weeks."

"Hey, cheer up man" You gave your best friend a reassuring pat on the back. "Think about seeing the girls smile and how happy they'll be!"

Fuutaro scowled at your meagre attempt to lift his spirits. "Why would I care about that?"

"Harsh..." you pouted.

"Can you blame me? I've never done this sort of thing before..."

"What? Buying birthday gifts?" you asked.

"Well no but for girls... you know?" Fuutaro's voice trailed off in a rare showing of embarrassment.

"Dude, it's not that big of a deal"

"For you maybe not but..."

Fuutaro's self-doubt is interrupted as you ring the doorbell, and a chorus of excited giggles washes over you. The door swings open, revealing a whirlwind of pink and blue.

It's Nino, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint. "Y/N, you're here!" she exclaims, pulling you inside and into a tight hug, forcing you to raise your arms above her to stop the cake from being squashed. The living room is a chaotic explosion of decorations and balloons, a testament to the sisters' vibrant personalities.

You hand Nino the cake, its sweet aroma filling the air. "Happy birthday, Nino," you say, your voice barely audible over the excited chatter. She gives you a shy smile, her cheeks flushing with a delicate pink.

The other sisters, each with a distinct aura, swarm around you, their greetings a flurry of words and laughter.

"You brought the cake, Y/N? You're a lifesaver!" Miku says, her usual composure momentarily forgotten as she claps you on the back.

"It looks delicious!" Itsuki chirps, her eyes glued to the cake.

"He better have gotten us the best one!" Ichika chimes in, her voice laced with playful teasing.

"We let Y/N handle it so I'm sure it'll be a super yummy cake!" Yotsuba cheered as she too was glued to the cake.

"HAHAHA! Happy Birthday!" Fuutaro laughed heartily trying to assert himself in the situation.

"Thanks, Santa Claus" Nino sarcastically rolled her eyes. "Still, I'm glad you guys were both able to make it"

"We wouldn't miss it for anything right Fuutaro?"

"Well... maybe if it was Raiha's Birthday"

"Mmm... True..."

"Hey!" Nino protested against the idea of her being second priority.

"I'm only joking... probably" You looked away from your girlfriend's piercing stare. Trying to move the topic of conversation on, you addressed the rest of the girls. "Are you girls really fine with just spending your birthdays here?"

"Of course!" Yotsuba answered you. "We've always spent it here, but now with you guys, we can have even more fun!"

The other sisters echoed her sentiment, their voices a chorus of agreement. A wave of warmth washed over you, a feeling of belonging you hadn't expected to find.

"So, what do you girls want to do? We have a whole day to celebrate!" you announced, holding up the cake box like a trophy. You could already see the excitement brewing in their eyes, a mix of childish joy and anticipation.

"Y/N, you really don't need to do anything special. Just being here is enough," Nino said, a rare hint of vulnerability in her voice. "I mean... it's been a while since we've celebrated with anyone else, let alone two others" Her eyes danced between both you and Fuutaro.

Both you and Fuutaro shared a quick look.

"But we want to make it special for you," you insisted, meeting Nino's gaze with a playful smile. "Besides, it's not every day that five beautiful girls turn a year older. We can't just let that slide."

Nino let out a huff, but the corner of her lips twitched upwards. "Fine," she conceded, her voice a playful grumble. "You can make it special with the five of us right here"

You looked around the room and it seemed the rest of the girls were firm in their decision to spend the day in the apartment.

"Alright..." you rubbed the back of your neck.

The girls seemed glad to see you give in, they immediately ushered you and Fuutaro onto the sofa. Nino jumped onto your lap and Yotsuba squeezed beside Fuutaro. The displeased faces of Miku and Ichika were a comedic sight.

"Now that we're all settled" you began, your arms wrapped around Nino as she settled comfortably on your lap. "We'll have a grand, in-apartment celebration. But first, cake!"

You carefully placed the box on the coffee table, the lid revealing a beautiful multi-layered cake decorated with five candles, each a different vibrant colour. The girls gasped in unison, their eyes wide with excitement.

"Wow!" Itsuki exclaimed, her fingers tracing the intricate frosting designs. "It's so pretty!"

"Did you two make this?" Ichika asked.

"Sorta...."

"We came up with the concept, but some people in Y/N's job helped out with baking" Fuutaro explained.

"My manager is a total sweet tooth, never would have guessed" you chuckled to yourself. "Hopefully it tastes good..." you muttered under your breath.

Ichika quickly fetched a knife and handed it to Nino.

Excited and determined, Nino leapt off of your lap and crouched down beside the cake, her eyes focused on the treat sitting before her. With precise movements, she expertly sliced through the fluffy layers of the cake, creating perfect, evenly sized-slices.

"That's our Nino" Yotsuba cheered for her sister.

"Mmhmm!" Itsuki's mouth was practically a waterfall as she watched Nino carefully distribute the slices onto plates with ease. The sweet aroma of the cake filled the room, making everyone's stomachs rumble in anticipation. Nino made sure each plate had a generous slice before looking up with a beaming smile.

"Dig in, everyone!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. The girls wasted no time grabbing their forks and taking their first bites, letting out satisfied moans at the delicious taste that exploded in their mouths.

You couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth wash over you as you watched the quintuplets enjoy the cake you had prepared. It was a small moment of happiness amidst the chaos of your lives, but it was moments like these that made it all worth it.

As the girls continued to eat and chat happily amongst themselves, you caught Fuutaro's eye and shared a knowing smile. Despite everything that had happened, you were grateful for this moment of peace, at the end of the day the thing the two of you wanted most was to see the girls happy, not that Fuutaro would ever admit that of course.

Suddenly, Itsuki's phone chimed, breaking the joyful atmosphere. She glanced at the screen and her eyes widened in surprise. "It's from Dad," she announced a hint of uncertainty in her voice. With a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, the other sisters gathered around as Itsuki read the message aloud.

"Dear girls, I hope this message finds you well. I would like to meet all of you tomorrow for lunch at our favourite restaurant. There are some important matters we need to discuss. Please let me know if you can make it. -Maruo."

The room fell into a heavy silence as the weight of their father's message hung in the air. Yotsuba finally broke the silence, her voice sounding small and uncertain against the stillness. "Well, at least he wished us well."

Miku furrowed her brow in deep contemplation, her mind racing with questions and doubts. "What could this even be about?" she pondered aloud, hoping for some kind of answer from her siblings. But they were all equally puzzled and clueless about their father's mysterious announcement.

In a matter of a minute, the seams of this neatly wrapped birthday party seemed to be falling apart. "Hey, come on guys." you attempted to divert their attention but the look of uneasiness spread across their faces told the whole story.

"Papa hasn't come for our birthdays in years" Nino began to explain. "Usually it's just a text message or a card through the door"

You didn't want this to ruin the mood so you decided to take charge of the situation. Clearing your throat, you stood up and placed a comforting hand on Nino's shoulder. "It's okay. Whatever it is, we'll face it together," you reassured them, your voice firm and unwavering.

The girls looked at you with a mixture of gratitude and uncertainty, finding solace in your words.

Fuutaro stepped forward, his usual serious expression softening slightly as he addressed his students. "Make sure you go to this meeting prepared. But let's not let it overshadow the time we have now. Enjoy the cake and each other's company. We'll tackle whatever comes our way, just like we always do."

"Well, look at you," you joked. "You've turned into quite the motivator."

"Not the time" Fuutaro scolded you.

With a new sense of determination settling over the group, the tension in the room began to ease. The girls returned to their seats, resuming their chatter and laughter, albeit with a newfound sense of awareness lingering in the background.

"The Kyoto trip is just a few days away now" Nino brought up. "It's gonna be so fun!" She firmly grasped your hand. "Right?"

"Of course, you know unless our bus driver decides he wants to drive like a GTA character halfway through the journey"

Nino struck the back of your head. "Don't say stuff like that Idiot!"

"We'll be fine, don't worry," you reassured Nino, rubbing the spot where she hit you. "We'll have a great time in Kyoto"

As the conversation shifted towards the upcoming Kyoto trip, excitement began to bloom in the room like a delicate flower opening its petals to the sun. The Quintuplets' faces lit up with anticipation, each one eagerly sharing their visions of what adventures awaited them in the historical city.

"I can't wait to visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine and see all those beautiful torii gates," Ichika exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"And we have to try all the delicious street food Kyoto has to offer!" Itsuki added.

"When is it not about food with you?" Nino frowned, saying exactly what you were also thinking.

Miku nodded in agreement, her mind already wandering to the bustling streets filled with traditional tea houses and ancient temples. "I heard there are bamboo forests we can explore. It must be so serene and magical," she mused dreamily.

Yotsuba's excitement bubbled over as she bounced on her seat. "I want to try on a beautiful kimono and maybe even spot a geisha walking gracefully by!" Her eyes shone with childlike wonder at the prospect

Fuutaro observed the girls with a fond smile, their anticipation infectious. With a gentle clearing of his throat, he interjected, "Remember, the trip is not just for fun. We also have to focus on studying and preparing for the upcoming exams." His words were met with a collective groan from the quintuplets, who had momentarily forgotten about the academic aspect of their Kyoto excursion.

Nino pouted, crossing her arms. "Can't we just enjoy ourselves without thinking about exams for once?" she complained.

"It's important to find a balance," Fuutaro insisted, his tone firm but understanding. "We can explore Kyoto and have fun, but we must also make time for our studies."

"Even on a day like this, they're arguing about studying..." Itsuki shot a knowing look in your direction as if to say, "Here we go again."

The hours passed by in a flash as the seven of you celebrated the girls' birthdays. The rest of the cake got absolutely devoured, presents were handed out and overall everyone just had a good time.

"So are you guys going to stay over?" Ichika asked you and Fuutaro.

"If that's what you guys want" you replied, shifting your gaze to Nino who bashfully looked back at you with a slight blush dusting her cheeks.

"I mean, it's easier than travelling back home this late," she mumbled, trying to play it off cool but you both knew what was going to go down tonight...

As the evening wound down and the girls settled in for the night, you found yourself sitting on the sofa. Nino was currently in the shower, and Miku, Ichika, Yotsuba and Fuutaro had all gone to bed. Fuutaro took Miku's room again and Miku slept with Ichika.

"Itsuki... are you really going to eat every cake crumb left on the tray?" you laughed, looking back over the sofa towards the gluttonous girl in the kitchen.

Itsuki turned towards you, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she popped one last cake crumb into her mouth. "Hey, a girl needs her fuel for the inevitable all-nighter cram session," she quipped, waving a fork playfully in your direction.

Chuckling, you shook your head in mock exasperation before Itsuki joined you and sat beside you on the sofa. The room was bathed in a soft, warm glow from the dimmed lights, creating a cozy atmosphere that contrasted with the seriousness of the day's events.

As Itsuki continued her late-night snack raid on the leftover desserts, you couldn't help but feel a sense of peace settling over you.

Itsuki nudged your arm lightly, a small smile playing on her lips. "You know, for someone, we only met about 8 months ago, we've all become pretty close, haven't we?" she remarked casually, her tone teasing yet genuine.

You turned to her, meeting her gaze with a soft smile of your own. "I guess I've grown rather fond of this chaotic bunch," you admitted, your voice laced with affection.

Itsuki chuckled softly before leaning back against the sofa, her eyes reflecting a rare moment of vulnerability. "Thanks for looking out for us, even when things get tough. It means a lot to all of us," she confessed.

"If birthday cake makes you this honest I should get some more often" you laughed. "But thanks, I appreciate it. It's nice having a place I fit into"

Itsuki chuckled at your comment before her expression turned thoughtful. "You know, I think we all found a place where we belong when you came into our lives. Each of us is so different, yet you manage to understand and support us in your own way," she mused, her eyes flickering with gratitude.

"You guys have also had a huge impact on me, you know," you replied sincerely, your gaze drifting to the framed picture on the nearby shelf of you and the quintuplets from one of your earlier adventures. "I never imagined I would find such a unique group of people, you've all become like family to me."

Itsuki's eyes softened at your words, a warm smile gracing her features. "Family, huh?" she echoed softly, the word carrying weight and significance in the quiet room. "I like the sound of that." she smiled. "But I'm not calling you big brother" she pouted.

You burst into laughter and reassure her, "Don't worry, I'm not expecting you to."

Soon after, Nino emerged from the shower, her hair still damp and a towel wrapped around her shoulders. She paused in the doorway, a curious expression on her face as she took in the scene before her.

"What are you two whispering about over here?" Nino asked with a teasing grin, as she leaned over the upstairs balcony.

"Looking good up there" you smirked at the sight of Nino barely covered in her towel.

"I know" she flipped a hand through her hair and walked into her room, loudly shutting the door behind her.

Itsuki grew quiet, her previously animated demeanour shifting to one of nervousness. She began fidgeting, twirling a loose strand of hair around her finger and darting her eyes away whenever you looked at her.

"Itsuki?" you said, noticing the change in her behaviour.

"U-Um... can I ask you something...?" she finally spoke up, her voice small and hesitant.

"Suuuure?" you replied, curious as to the sudden change.

"Are you and Nino going to..." she trailed off, unable to finish the question but her eyes pleading for an answer.

Just then Nino's door opened again and she began descending the stairs with purpose in her steps. She wore a casual oversized T-shirt that fell off one shoulder, short shorts that did wonders and her hair was left loose and slightly tousled.

Nino sauntered into the living room, fixing you with a sly smile as she approached. "Going to what, Itsuki?" she inquired, her tone laced with playful mischief.

Itsuki blushed furiously, her cheeks turning a shade of pink that matched her hair. She stammered, searching for the right words as she tried to backtrack. "I-I was just asking about the...uh...um..."

You couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Itsuki's flustered state. "Itsuki was just wondering if you and I were planning on studying together tonight," you interjected smoothly, coming to her rescue.

Nino arched an eyebrow, clearly amused by Itsuki's embarrassment. "Studying, huh? Well, if that's what you want to call it..." she teased, winking at you with a grin.

Itsuki let out a relieved chuckle, thankful for your quick wit in handling the tense situation. She jumped up from the couch and said, "Well, I'll leave you to yourselves. Goodnight!" before bowing and quickly making her way upstairs to her room.

You and Nino both couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Looks like Itsuki's got quite the imagination," Nino chuckled as she settled down on the sofa next to you.

"Well, she's not too far off the mark right?" you looked at the subtle hunger in Nino's eyes.

A devilish grin spread across her lips as she leaned in, whispering tauntingly into your ear. "Not entirely," she purred, her voice dripping with seduction. "I'm going to rock your world tonight." Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she ran a finger down your arm, sending shivers down your spine.

"Whatever you say ribbons. Now how about we get the show started?" you stood up and held out a hand.

"S-Stop calling me Ribbons already, Idiot!" she firmly grasped your hand and began to drag you upstairs.

You both paused outside of her bedroom, taking a deep breath before giving each other's hands a reassuring squeeze. With a nod, you opened the door and entered the room together...

-------------------------------------

Yes, The lemon chapter is next. Yes, it is also pretty much finished already, a few tweaks needed but it shouldn't be too long of a wait. Don't set your expectations too high, I don't write that stuff ever so I just did my best.

I thought my IRL work would slow down so I'd have more time to write, turns out it only increased but besides that I just felt a bit de-motivated to write in recent months. I'm kind of getting back into a groove though so I'm hoping to get a couple of chapters out this summer.

Regardless I hope you've all been well and again sorry for the almost 4 month wait. All I've done during this time is Work, watch Frieren and work more.

(Forgot to add) Has anyone played the QQ visual novels? I bought them on steam but haven't tried them yet. I'll play them eventually but just wanted to know if anyone's been through them.

Enough waffling, I'll see you guys in the next chapter, take care kings :)