It wasn't a surprise to see that Rize was a ghoul. Most of them saw that one coming.
It's not like there was anything to worry about. Kumagawa even admitted it wasn't even his worst date. Going by the fact that Najimi was the only other relationship he had, this was very plausible.
Bill:We have a new one. But, it's uh...Different.
Zenkichi:Different how?
Bill:You'll see. Heh, he's got protagonists beat.
Usually, at some point in the life of a person, they would find the one that they love, and if everything goes well, one of them will propose to the other and would be engaged before they are truly married. Then, they would have children and live forever happy... The typical cartoon bullshit. Many people didn't believe in these things but many did too.
*tinkle* *tinkle* *tinkle*
Dear readers, you are surely asking why am I talking about people believing in that or not. If you've read the story of Medaka Box and Quintessential Quintuplets, you can probably guess why.
Right here and right now, while the wedding bells ring in the air around the building... The self-proclaimed "villain" of Medaka Box is sitting in a chair in the middle of a room. He was looking upwards but he wasn't looking at the ceiling, his eyes seemed to be looking at something far away.
Kumagawa: [... Life sure is strange. The man that was rejected by all the girls that he loved... The perfectly imperfect... The man that crawls from chaos... The Good Loser... How come I am in this kind of situation?]
While he was talking alone, someone knocked on the door. Probably the person that shall bring him to the altar.
?: Mister groom, it's time to go. The brides are waiting for you.
Kumagawa: [Well, at least I don't have to go out with 100 soulmates that will die like me if we don't become a couple. But still, Jiraya and Master Roshi would be jealous or proud of me if they could see me.]
He said that while looking at his hands, which had a few things that a normal shouldn't have on his hands... Well, he wasn't normal to be fair. The few things on his hand, more precisely around his fingers, were rings... Too many rings, 20 to be precise. Well, as I said, he is abnormal, and The Strongest Minus, you shouldn't be surprised. He looked at them with a bit of nostalgia and a genuine smile on his face.
Kumagawa: ... It's not so bad. I guess my dear brides were right, they managed to make me fall in love with them and marry me.
Abnormals and specials alike were flabbergasted, beside the not-equals who know so much. Myouri was the first to recover, tipping an imaginary hat in respect.
Myouri:Now that's a feat.
Zenkichi:Well...I guess that's a way to win, right?
Kujira:He does get to beat many protagonists in a sense like this. Now all he needs to do is not be a shitty father.
Medaka:I don't think we need to worry about that. Kumagawa is surprisingly good with children.
He got up from his chair and went out of the room. He followed the woman that came to lead him to the hall, in which his future wives were waiting for him. When he arrived, a lot of people that he knew were there, the Kurokamis siblings, the Hitoyoshis, his fellow Minuses, and many more. There were also the families and friends of his brides.
However, he focused his attention on the front of the room, at the altar. He could feel a smile coming on his face while looking at the ones that chose him as their lover, also the ones that made him fall in love with them. All the brides had a smile on their faces... Different types of smiles: smug, curved-up lips, full-teeth out, grin, shy, scary.
All the brides: Darling/ Misogi/ Miso-kun/ Dear/ Misogi-chan/ Misogi-kun/ Hubby/ 12:15:22:5, hurry/ 8:21:18:18:25!
Myouri:Wait, was that...
Zenkichi:Eh? Is something wrong, Unzen-senpai?
Myouri:...Nah, forget it.
Kumagawa: [Well, well, aren't I popular?]
-oOo-
10 years ago
Five girls that looked the same but with some differences were on the phone with their father in a complex apartment. That's right, that was the Nakano quintuplets and their father, Maruo Nakano.
Maruo: Girls, I'm going to hire a new tutor for you.
Nino: Dad, I already told you that we don't need one.
Ichika: Huh? What happened to the last woman that you hired?
Maruo: She resigned. I wonder why? Every tutor that I hired for you did the same thing.
The girls could hear the sarcasm in his voice. They felt a bit bad for what they did but they still thought that they didn't need one.
Miku: It's always the same thing, Dad. Just stop hiring them.
Yotsuba: I did my best, I promise, Dad. It's just that...
Itsuki: They belittle us when they see our grades and when we can't answer a question, they get angry at us. Who would want to be taught by someone who mocks them?
Maruo: I understand but while they didn't fully explain to me why they resigned, I heard that some of you would prefer to go out with their friends, never got out of their rooms when the tutors were here, or weren't even at home.
When he said that, all the girls tensed a bit but they didn't want to admit it. Everything that the former tutors taught them was that they were stupid and a lost cause. They never tried to understand the 5 sisters.
Nino: Even though, we don't need one again! We can study alone! Besides, school isn't the most important thing for girls our age...
She said the last part about school with less volume than before. Their dad didn't hear it.
Maruo: I believed you when you said that before but did it change anything?
No answers from his daughters. Utter silence. All of them were looking down and biting their lips, frustrated.
Maruo: ... That's what I thought. I want to believe in you but the results that you showed me... *sigh* The tutor that I'm going to hire is different than the formers.
Quintuplets: Different? How so?
Maruo: You could say that... He is a former patient of mine, but that was a long time ago.
Itsuki: A former patient?
Nino: Probably, a creepy old man.
Miku: Nino, stop judging people before you meet them.
Nino: Huh? What's your problem, Miku? Do you like creepy old men?
Miku: No, I don't. I'm just saying that you're bad-mannered. As to be expected from someone who likes delinquents. How lucky, you're becoming what you like. Not everyone has that chance, generally, they become what they hate.
Nino: You little... You're talkative for someone that can't even talk to others except us.
Yotsuba: N-nino, M-miku, I think you should stop.
Yotsuba tried to calm the situation but it didn't work at all. Both of them looked at Yotsuba with anger and glared at her.
Nino and Miku: Yotsuba, stay out of it!
Yotsuba: HEEEEEE!
Maruo: Nino, Miku, you're both 18, be mature and stop fighting.
Nino and Miku: Hmph!
Zenkichi:Is that how sisters act?
Kujira: That's why I left home.
Kouki:Wasn't it something about finding hell to birth true genius?
Kujira:That too.
Ichika, Yotsuba, and Itsuki looked at their sisters with embarrassed smiles on their faces while sweatdropping.
Ichika: So what's the guy you're hiring like, Dad?
Maruo: He is only two years older than you. I don't know how he is now, but I heard that he graduated from Hakoniwa Academy.
Quintuplets: Hakoniwa Academy!?
Itsuki: Isn't that the famous school that a lot of important people graduated from? I heard that they give many scholarships and the students have the opportunity to polish their skills, no matter what it is.
Ichika: Someone that graduated from there... He must be really good then. I wonder what he looks like.
Maruo: I don't have a picture of the actual him but I have one of him as a child. I'll send it to you if you want.
Ichika: Sure, why not?
Ichika waited for a bit but her sisters weren't focused on the phone anymore. Miku and Nino were still glaring at each other while Yotsuba was scared for her life and Itsuki was... well thinking about food. After a few seconds, she received the picture and opened it.
Ichika: Wow, he's so cute! It makes me want to see what he looks like now!
When the other sisters heard Ichika shouting, they became interested in what she saw. All of them leaned a bit over the phone to look at what she saw.
Yotsuba: So cute! Blue eyes and light gray hair, he's smiling! I have never seen someone with light gray hair before! (I feel like I already saw him somewhere...)
Nino: *blush* W-well, he's kind of cute... (He's a total cutie! I prefer the bad boy kind but... If he was so cute as a child, I wonder how he looks now?)
Zenkichi:He's that too...Somehow?
Najimi:Indeed, he's Medaka Box's original bad boy!
Miku: Hmm, cute.
Itsuki: Such a cute kid!
Maruo: (If you knew his life, you wouldn't call him cute anymore... While he's not a bad guy, he isn't a good guy either.) It's still not sure that he would accept but by knowing him, if it's me asking him, I think he would.
Itsuki: Why would he accept if it's you?
Maruo: It's nothing that concerns you... Well, I'll contact him soon enough, I'll send you a message when I have his answer.
-oOo-
Flashback
On the rooftop of a hospital, you could see a young man with black hair and black eyes talking with a little boy with light gray hair and blue eyes that was holding a weird bunny plushie. The young man had just become a doctor and the little boy was one of his patients. Both of them were eating sandwiches.
Young man: So, how was your day?
Little boy: [I lost again, as usual. And the other doctors and nurses were talking about me behind my back, again.]
Young man: I see, but that's okay you can win another time.
Little boy: [I wonder... I never won anything since I was born, my parents don't care about me, I have no friends, I'm weak and girls don't like me. Nobody seems to care about me. But that's okay.]
The little boy said that with a smile on his face. The young man looked at him with a hint of pity and sadness in his eyes, he had never seen the boy crying or angry before. Always had a smile on his face, no matter what happened to him. It was as if he accepted that what he said was an irreversible truth. However, the young man flicked the little boy's forehead.
Little boy: [Ow... Why did you do that, Sensei? Are you taking your anger out on me? I heard that you got married recently, your wife must be difficult if you have to take relieve your anger on me.]
Young man: Rena is not difficult at all. I'm angry with you, that's all. Let me tell you this, I care about you. And you seem to think that you only have bad aspects.
Little boy: [Well, you have to care of me, I'm your patient, that's all. I don't think that I have good aspects.]
Young man: While it's true, that you are my patient... I think more of you as a son figure. That's why I care about you, and I know a few good aspects about you.
The little boy widened his eyes at the declaration of the young man. He who never genuinely cried since he was born, felt tears coming out of his eyes. The young man was surprised to see him crying. The little boy wiped the tears off his face and talked with the man again.
Little boy: [You have a mean face but you're nice, Sensei. So what are my good aspects, then?]
Young man: You little... Compared to a lot of people, you're really determined and don't seem to give up. Before you ask what I mean about not giving up, let me explain. It's been a long time since I met you and every day you play against others but you said that you never won, at some point, most would have stopped playing and tried to do another thing but you don't. When you meet an obstacle, no matter how many times you fail, you get up afterward... And that's something that not many can do, it's okay to fail but what's more important is what you do after. You act like you don't care about others but you actually do if they are close to you at least. You say that people talk behind your back but I know what they are saying to you, especially the nurses. I always hear them talking about how cute you are, aren't you lucky?
The young man looked at the boy to see that his cheeks were red and he seemed embarrassed. The young man smiled at this display but the boy quickly looked away.
Young man: Moreover, you like to tease others but when they tease you, you turn all shy and cute. That's something some girls like, you know? At least, I think I saw that among certain couples. So stop saying that you have no good aspects.
Little boy: [Stupid Sensei...]
Zenkichi:Wait...When he was a kid Kumagawa-senpai was a tsundere?
Mogana:It does seem like that...
Hanosode:Good thing he changed. No one would survive that!
Young man: Don't call me stupid. That's rude.
After that, there were a few minutes of silence but it was comfortable for both of them. They were looking at the sky, the clouds, and the birds that passed by. At some point, the boy decided to talk.
Little boy: ...Thank you, Dad.
The young man was shocked to hear that from the boy. He turned his face quickly towards the boy to see that his face was red from embarrassment. While the man wasn't his biological father or his adopted father, but just his doctor, he was glad that the boy looked at him as a father figure.
Young man: You're welcome, Son.
Little boy: [How is your wife?]
Young man: Are you curious about her?
Little boy: [If you're my "dad", that means that she's going to be my "mom", right?]
Young man: Haha, I'm sure that she would like you. Let's start, she's a great and kind person...
-oOo-
*RING* *RING*
In an abandoned building at night, the song of a phone ringing reverberates through the rooms of this place. The song stopped when the owner of it answered the call.
Kumagawa: [Moshi moshi, Kumagawa Misogi on the phone, who is calling?]
Maruo: Hello, Misogi. It's been a while.
That's right, Kumagawa Misogi was the one that answered. He wasn't alone, his partner was looking at him upwards with an emotionless face.
?: 23:8:15:0:9:19:0:9:20 ?
Kumagawa: [An old acquaintance! It's been a while, Maruo-sensei! About 10 years, if I recall correctly? How did you find my number?]
Maruo: Misogi, you've been using this number since you were a child...
Kumagawa: [Ah, that's true, my bad. So, how are you?]
Maruo: I'm fine, it's been hectic these days at the hospital but it's fine.
Kumagawa: [At home?]
Maruo: I don't really have time to go home but I think my daughters are living a good life even if they fight a bit sometimes, two of them more precisely. And you?
Kumagawa: [That's no good, Maruo-Sensei. They'll start to hate you if you don't pass enough time with them. But, I'm fine too. Thank you for asking.]
Maruo: ... Do you think so?
Kumagawa: [It's important to do it, otherwise they'll turn into bad kids. I know what I'm talking about.]
Maruo: I see... I'll try to pass more time with them, thank you. But, I didn't call you for advice about my daughters.
Kumagawa: [What is it, then? Hmm?]
Maruo: ... Misogi, I have a favor to ask you.
Kumagawa: [I'm all ears. Ah, Myouga-chan, be careful with that! We might need it.]
Maruo: Myouga-chan? Who is that?
Kumagawa: [Hmm *holding his chin*, my work partner, you could say. So, what is that favor?]
Maruo: I see, you're working then, that's good. About that favor, I need you to tutor the quintuplets.
Kumagawa: [Ah, tutoring? I'm not academically good, Sensei. You know that, right? I don't think I'm suited for that.]
Maruo: Misogi, your lies may work with others but not me. I know that you're smarter and more knowledgeable than you let on.
Kumagawa: [Hahaha, I forgot that... You were the first person to be able to know when I'm lying... But, I still don't want to do it. There are other tutors, you know?]
Maruo: I already tried other tutors but all of them resigned... I know that you won't fail me.
Kumagawa: [How many?]
Maruo: Too much.
Kumagawa: [... I never teached anyone before.]
Maruo: That's okay, there is always a first time for anything.
Kumagawa: [...]
Maruo: Please, Misogi. I'm asking that to you, not as a stranger but... as my son.
Kumagawa: [*sigh* That's dirty... Well, I can't refuse when you ask it like that.]
Maruo: Sorry... and thank you. I'll send you the details right away.
*ding*
Kumagawa: [Oh, you're lucky. I'm already in Tokai, right now. Asahiyama High School? That's good, I already know what to do. Besides, a few people that I know are there.]
Maruo: That's good, if you were away, I would have paid the transport fees for you. If you want, we can arrange a meeting to talk, both of us. It's been a long time since I last talked with you.
Kumagawa: [Okay, I'll contact you another day.]
Maruo: And Misogi... Thank you again. I appreciate it.
Kumagawa: ... You're welcome, Dad.
Maruo: See you soon.
Kumagawa: Hmm...
Kumagawa hung up, he looked at the ceiling and sighed. Him, tutoring? That was something that he never thought, he would do. Well, if it's for his father figure, he'll try.
Kumagawa: [I wonder if she's looking at them from where she is, right now. Such a good and kind person...] (Rest in peace, Mom...)
Myouga: 19:15:0:23:8:1:20:0:8:1:16:16:5:14:5:4:?
Kumagawa: [It seems like life has chosen to make me lose, again.]
Myouga: 19:20:15:16:0:23:9:20:8:0:20:8:5:0:22:1:7:21:5:0:16:8:18:1:19:5:19:0:19:20:21:16:9:4:0:13:9:19:15:7:9
Kumagawa: [Hmm? Are you angry at me? It's rare for you to call me stupid, Myouga-chan... Ah, don't tell me that you're angry because I called you my work partner?]
He looked at her with a teasing smile and she looked away quickly with red cheeks. How cute. Myouga Unzen was such a gem and cute girl to tease.
Kumagawa: [Hehe, you're so cute. I'm sorry, I didn't want to tell him about our relationships, at least not now.]
Myouga: 25:15:21:0:2:5:20:20:5:18:0:3:15:13:16:5:14:19:1:20:5:0:13:5:0:15:20:8:5:18:23:9:19:5:0:9:0:23:15:14:20:0:20:1:12:11:0:20:15:0:25:15:21:0:1:14:25:13:15:18:5:0:2:5:19:9:4:5:19:0:19:20:15:16:0:19:9:20:20:9:14:7:0:15:14:0:20:8:5:13:0:9:20:19:0:4:9:19:7:21:19:20:9:14:7:0:25:15:21:0:23:9:12:12:0:7:5:20:0:4:9:18:20:25
Kumagawa: [Ah, you're right, I should get down or I'll get dirty. And, don't worry, I'll make sure to pamper you a lot.]
Kumagawa jumped from where he was and landed next to Myouga. She looked at where he was again, a mountain of corpses. Not dead but unconscious.
Kumagawa: [Well, let's go. Ah, don't forget to call your little brother and tell him that we did our job.]
Myouga looked at him and nodded. Her little brother, Myouri Unzen, would sometimes call them to ask them for a job. Tonight, it was to take care of a gang that was selling illegal drugs and weeds. Not, a really exciting job. Well, her little brother paid them well, so it was a win-win situation.
-oOo-
Maruo was in his office when he finished talking to Kumagawa. He was looking outside of his windows with a bit of nostalgia.
Maruo: Dad, huh... That makes me happy...
?: Doctor, a patient he's getting violent with the staff! Please come!
Maruo: I'm coming... What a way to ruin my mood.
Zenkichi:Unzen-senpai? Are you...Okay?
Myouri:Haaah...Ya' know, I kind of expected that to happen at some point.
Zenkichi:Eh?
Myouri:At least I know Kumagawa-senpai well enough to be sure she's gonna be fine.
Myouga:3636328824814!
Myouri:Heh, look at the hikikomori getting all agitated!
Kouki:Although this Maruo-san had done a bold move.
Gagamaru:Emotional blackmail, huh?
Medaka:That does remind me of someone...
All eyes fell on Najimi when those words were spoken. The not-equal found this a proper time to look away and whistle innocently.
Bill:Now...Woah, that's rare.
Everyone else had mixed feelings about this. However, Najimi had a rather serene face.
Kouki:Huh...
Najimi:What? Haven't seen a girl taking care of her man when ge's sick?
Zenkichi:I think you're just making it worse...
Najimi:Ara? Speaking from experience, Zenkichi-kun?
Zenkichi:Unlike Medaka-chan, you know exactly what you're doing!
Najimi:Hehe!