The Same Day
The Balcony
(Y/N) POV
Me: You're Mr. Nakano, right?
Mr. Nakano: Yes, I am. May I know who I'm speaking to?
We were speaking through a phone call.
Me: The name is (Y/N) (L/N). A friend of your daughters' tutor.
Mr. Nakano: I see. Do you need anything from me, (L/N)-kun?
Me: Yes. I'd like to be your daughters' tutor, too.
Mr. Nakano: Care to explain more?
Me: You see, I pity my dear friend. He now need to tutor five people while keeping up with his own study, too. That's a lot of burden right there, if you ask me.
Mr. Nakano: I'm sorry, but-
Me: I won't ask for payment. But if you want to pay me, feel free to do it.
Mr. Nakano:... How good you are?
Me: My strongest subject is English. And I am much better at that subject than Fuutarou. If you want to pay me, just pay for the price of one subject but don't cut off Fuutarou's payment if you do so.
Mr. Nakano: I see. You really care about your friend, it seems.
Me: He's like family.
Mr. Nakano: Well then, (L/N)-kun. I'm delighted to hire you. But I'll need a proof of how good your English is. So until you give me-
Me: Oh yeah, try to find an essay named "Right or Wrong" on google. It was written by me. University of Greenwich post it on their webpage.
(A/N): Don't do anything stupid like searching that on google.
Mr. Nakano:... Give me a minute.
Me: Sure.
Silence filled the air. After about three minutes, Mr. Nakano spoke again.
Mr. Nakano: I see. You're indeed excellent at English Literature. I'll be more than happy to hire you.
Me: Thought so.
Mr. Nakano: I'll let the fact that you entered my daughters' house without my permission slide and hire you.
Me: Thanks, I guess...?
Mr. Nakano: I'll just pay you 5000 Yen per session.
Me: That's... a lot...
Mr. Nakano: I know what kind of people my daughters are. I hope with this much money will able to pay back for all the troubles my daughters will make.
Me: I see.
Mr. Nakano: I need to go now. Have a good day, (L/N)-kun.
Me: You too.
He ended the call.
Me: Well, now that settled.
I turned around and walked back into the living room only to see Fuutarou was unconscious. The quintuplets, except for Itsuki, were all there.
Me: What the hell?
Nino: Damn it, I completely forgot about this guy.
Me: What do you mean by that?
Nino: Oh, nothing. Your friend over here fell asleep. It seems like he's too tired. How about you leave and bring him home?
Me: Yeah, like I'd believe that.
I noticed there was a cup filled with ice on the table and it was near Fuutarou.
I blinked for a few times.
Nino: There's nothing to see here!
She quickly took the cup.
Me: Hmm, she said she forgot that I am here. Then...
Me: I'm gonna get myself a drink.
I said and walked into the kitchen.
Ichika POV
Nino: Phew.
Me: Uhmm... Nino.
Nino: What?
Me: You said that you forgot (L/N)-kun is here, then...
Miku: Did you hide the sleeping pills?
Nino blinked for a few times.
Nino: Crap!
Then, (L/N)-kun entered the living room while holding a bottle filled with sleeping pills.
(L/N): Want to explain this?
Nino: W-What? I have insomnia, that's why I have that thing.
(L/N): I would believe that if it wasn't left open beside the sink.
He sighed.
(L/N): You girls really are troublemakers.
Me:...
Miku:...
Yotsuba:...
Nino:... Who are you to decide that? You're just an outsider!
(L/N): You're telling me you have the rights to drug a high school student, then?!
He put Yotsuba's phone and went to Fuutarou and picked him up. Before he could left, we heard Itsuki's voice coming from upstair.
Itsuki: What's with this commotion?
(L/N): Oh, nothing. Your sister just drugged my friend. That's all.
Itsuki looked at Nino for a few seconds and sighed before looking back at them.
Itsuki: You're leaving right? Wait for me, I'm about to go out, anyway. I'll call for cab.
(L/N): Thanks.
Little Timeskip
In front of their apartment
(Y/N) POV
We were waiting for the cab.
Itsuki: Say, (L/N)-kun. Do you think Uesugi-kun will come back again after this.
Me: He will. Trust me.
Itsuki: Why?
Me: You'll know soon enough.
The wind blew as we stared into nothingness.
Itsuki: You have a better communication skill than your friend over here, at least.
Me: I'll take that as a compliment.
Itsuki: It is. I mean, you managed to convince our father to hire you in just a short amount of time.
Me: How do you know that?
Itsuki: He texted me earlier saying that you'll be helping Uesugi-kun to lighten up his burden.
Me: I'll try my best to teach you guys the other subjects.
Itsuki: I see.
Silence then filled the air.
Itsuki:... I'll apologize on my sister's behalf. Sorry for earlier.
Me: I'm not gonna say, "it's not a big deal at all".
Itsuki: I know you won't. Anyway, I want to ask you another question.
Me: Go ahead.
Itsuki: You said you're the photographer for our school.
Me: Yes, I did say that.
Itsuki: Then that must mean you have a deep interest in photography, right?
Me: Yes.
Itsuki: Then... Do you think with just having interest in something will make you good at it?
Me: Hmm, how should I say it?
Itsuki: It's fine if you don't want to answer it.
Me: I guess I can put it like this. Itsuki, what do you like?
Itsuki: D-Desserts.
Me: Okay, imagine. There's this one dessert that you love. But you have no money to buy it. That sounds impossible but nevermind. Will you just give up or find a way to buy it?
Itsuki: Find a way, of course.
Me: Well, that's the answer to your question, then. Interest with no effort is the same as letting your dream end without letting even it start. No matter how small the effort, it will bring you a step closer to your dream. And asking for help is also considered as an effort.
Itsuki:... I see.
Me: There's nothing wrong to be born as an idiot but it's wrong to stay like that.
Itsuki: The last one is kinda rude.
A cab stopped in front of us. I put Fuutarou in the car and closed the door.
Itsuki: You're not coming?
Me: Nah, I'm gonna walk to my house.
Itsuki: Are you sure?
Me: Yeah. Take care.
Itsuki: You too.
She got into the car too.
To be continued...