Vehemence - an Original Quintessential Quintuplets Story

19b - ...or Maybe, Just for the Weekend

A/N: 3k reads!! thank you all so much, I really, really appreciate it.

just so you know, this chapter is kinda short, but it's almost completely original! it's kinda just a filler for between their arrival and the hot springs (which are 19c, coming soon!).

without further ado, enjoy!

- = + = -

"Wow. The landscape is so beautiful covered in snow."

The arriving day had passed. It was now the second day of the trip.

"(L/N)-san! Take a photo of me!" Yotsuba passed (Y/N) her phone. "Make it look like I'm jumping off the cliff!" She balanced herself on one foot and held her arms over the guardrail.

"Say 'cheese', or whatever." (Y/N) snapped a picture. He quickly added a motion blur effect to Yotsuba to enhance the off-the-cliff look she was going for.

"*gasp!* It's perfect! You're the best, (L/N)-san!"

"My pleasure."

The seven were taking a scenic walk through the surrounding forest. Everything was covered with snow from a recent storm. The trail was fairly long, but the Quints had told (Y/N) that there was something special at the end of it, so he was determined to reach the end.

Ichika put one hand on (Y/N)'s shoulder and pointed to a valley in the distance with the other. "(Y/N)-kun, that, in the distance, is a river. That river runs through the valley that you see. I want to tell you a story about it...

"Once, we came here to visit our grandpa, as we are now. And one of the days we were here, he took us to the river. He said he wanted to teach us how to fish. We caught a couple, actually. But then, Yotsuba flung her rod a little too hard, and it fell in the water. She felt so bad about it – since it was one of Grandpa's rods – that she dove into the water to get it back. Being a lightweight little girl, she was naturally swept into the current."

"Hehe, I remember that. It was fun," Yotsuba noted.

"Anyway... Thank God she knew how to keep herself afloat, otherwise, she would've been long gone. Nino ended up diving after her and brought her ashore, where she quickly recovered. That was very Nino-y of her to do – assume leadership when the actual eldest sister is too lazy to do anything. I guess that's how she's developed to how she is now."

"Ichika, you're making me sound like a loser with no friends that has to resort to controlling her sisters to fill her internal void."

"I'd say that's a bit of a stretch... But I assume it was this situation that inspired you to become a lifeguard, right?"

"That's correct."

"Whoa, Nino, you're a lifeguard?!" (Y/N) looked at her with sparkling eyes.

"Yes, but don't get any ideas – imagining me in a swimsuit, or anything."

But his mind was elsewhere. To clear it of potential thoughts, she flicked his forehead.

"Oww..."

The seven continued their walk along the mountainside path. They eventually came to a clearing with a single bell. The bell was suspended by a pole on either side, with a rope to ring the bell hanging under it.

"What's this for?" (Y/N) pointed at the structure.

"It's a symbol of love!" Ichika put her hands together.

"Love...?"

Yotsuba jumped in front of them, to the bell. "Legend says partners that ring the bell will end up getting married!"

"Fuutarou wouldn't believe in that. 'Superstitions are for dummies', you know?" (Y/N) walked to the railing next to the bell and leaned on it. He looked into the snowy, undulating mountains and valleys. "Dang, this is so stunning."

Ichika joined (Y/N) in leaning on the rail. "Isn't it? I love this part of Japan."

"It is very nice, yes. I've been thinking that Ally and I should really go for some trips around the country. So much to see; it'd be a waste not to see what we can while we're here."

"Hey, maybe Big Sister can take you!"

"If you want," (Y/N) shrugged, "but I doubt Nino would let you go on trips with a boy, alone."

"Good intuition." Nino leaned on the railing next to Ichika.

"(L/N)-san!!" Yotsuba called. "You should come ring the bell!"

(Y/N) walked over to her. "By myself?"

"Unless you want to ring it with me!"

(Y/N) weakly smiled. "Thanks, Yotsuba, but I'm good."

"You're not gonna ring it?"

"If it's for love, and I'm not in love, ringing it would be without reason, right?"

She looked disappointed. "Okay..."

"Hey, if you want to ring it, go for it! I can even call Fuutarou over here if you want."

Yotsuba gasped. "(L/N)-san, how did you know I like Uesugi-san?!"

"To be honest, I assumed all of you liked him."

"Yep," Ichika, Miku, and Itsuki confirmed.

Nino stuck out her tongue in disgust. "Ew, all of you? You're grosser than I thought."

"Hey, Nino," (Y/N) walked to her, "why are you against your sisters liking Fuutarou?"

She stood up straight and crossed her arms. "Because I want to make sure that none of us end up with a total moron!"

"But I don't see any of them objecting to you liking me."

Nino turned bright red before turning away from him. "I don't like you! I-Idiot..."

"Ah, so I'm an idiot, not a moron? That's good, I guess."

"Idiot is still bad!"

(Y/N) sighed. "Sometimes, you can't win."

Ally was a few metres away from the rest of them and was pretending to eat popcorn. "Romcoms these days are so good," she said with a mouth full of fake popcorn.

(Y/N) took her shoulder and led her back to the path. "C'mon, Ally, let's leave these lovers alone."

Yotsuba (and the others) raced after him. "Hey, (L/N)-san, wait up!!"

- = + = -

hello great people.

hot springs are next, and I have a good idea in mind— ...actually, I take it back, it was mostly YaBudLessi's idea (thank you!!), but I give myself a bit of credit for the development of it (and actually writing the thing).

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. ideas and feedback are always welcome. thanks for reading!

- Niko-kun