"Well, we're heading out then."
"My boyfriend and I are going on a date now~"
It was the weekend, and Rin and Ichika were heading out together to look at apartments.
Ichika's stay at Kaede's house was only meant to be a week-long temporary arrangement, not a long-term stay like Mashiro's. Since she was still in school, she could only hunt for a place during the weekend.
Over the past few days, although they had helped Nanami and Ichika with their practice, it was mostly normal acting exercises without the kissing. However, since that first kiss, Ichika had become much more open.
For instance, today she deliberately announced they were going "apartment hunting as a couple." But they weren't alone; her four sisters had tagged along.
"Why is this guy coming too?"
Nino looked at Rin standing next to Ichika, her brow furrowed in annoyance. After a few days, her anger at Ichika for abandoning them had cooled slightly.
Despite previously claiming she didn't care where Ichika lived, as soon as she heard from Yotsuba that Ichika was choosing an apartment today, she dragged the other sisters along.
They were sisters, after all. They had fought countless times since childhood, but they always made up in the end.
Rin, however, was not Nino's sister. The moment she saw him, her expression soured, and her words became sharp and prickly.
"I've been busy with school, so he's the one who made the appointments with the agents and landlords. Don't be mad~"
Ichika giggled, reaching out to ruffle Nino's hair, but Nino slapped her hand away.
Actually, Nino's impression of Rin hadn't been terrible—she even liked his cooking—but since Ichika was essentially kicked out of the house because of him, she viewed him as the culprit. In her eyes, if Ichika had just apologized to their father, the five of them could have stayed together. Why did he have to talk back to Maruo?
"He found the landlords? Hey, why are you making Ichika live in such a dump?" Nino pointed the finger directly at Rin. Miku and the others chimed in, agreeing that the building looked ancient.
"Hmph... making your girlfriend live in a place like this? You don't love Ichika at all!"
Seeing Nino puffing her cheeks out like an angry kitten, Rin almost laughed.
Calling it a "dump" was an exaggeration, but the apartment Rin picked was indeed old. It was a two-story building with at least twenty years of history, the outer walls showing the wear and tear of time.
It wasn't that Rin couldn't afford a better place. Maruo, like the Tanakas, had given Rin plenty of money. Renting a luxury penthouse like their old home was unrealistic, but a nice modern studio was well within budget.
However, Rin couldn't say the money came from her father. And if he said he was paying for it, Ichika would be too proud to accept. Since Maruo had cut off her credit cards and her talent agency pay was a pittance, she had to settle for something cheap.
Ichika tried to defend him, but Rin stepped forward first, nodding seriously at Nino.
"You're right. This place is pretty run-down. Maybe she should just move into my place instead."
"You... you want to move in together!?" Nino froze. If they lived together, wouldn't they be doing "lovey-dovey" things every single night?
"A-actually, it's not that bad here," Nino stammered, offering an awkward smile. "We lived in a similar place before, right? Let's just go inside and look."
Nino had backed down verbally, but internally, she hated Rin even more. I will never let this guy be my brother-in-law! I have to do something!
As Nino plotted, Rin contacted the landlord. Soon, an elderly woman in her seventies emerged from the first unit. Seeing five identical girls, she squinted through her spectacles and gasped.
"Ma'am, I'm Rin, the one who visited earlier."
"Hmm... do they all want to rent? I don't have that many rooms."
"No, no, just her. Her name is Ichika. These are her sisters."
As they toured the building, Nino was surprisingly sweet to the old woman, a stark contrast to her attitude toward Rin.
"I've lived a long time, but I've never seen quintuplets so identical. Can your friends even tell you apart?" the old woman asked.
"Hahaha," Yotsuba laughed energetically. "Besides Dad and Grandpa, no one can tell us apart!"
"!!!!"
Hearing Yotsuba's words, Nino's eyes sharpened. A triumphant smile crept onto her lips. A stray comment had solved her dilemma. Yes! That's it!
No one could distinguish them. Their grandfather had once told them: if someone truly loves them with a sincere heart, they will be able to tell the five of them apart.
It wasn't a formal vow, but as children, they had promised that their future husbands must be able to recognize them individually.
If he can't tell the difference, it proves he doesn't truly love her. He just wants her body!
She wasn't trying to break them up; she was "testing" his love. If their father and grandfather could do it, why couldn't her "boyfriend"?
Ichika was currently too infatuated to agree to such a test, and she might even cheat to help him. So, I'll do it myself. I'll dress as Ichika and test him.
If he fails, I have every reason to chase him away from her! Then Ichika will apologize to Dad, and we can all be together again. Perfect!
As for him seeing through it? Impossible. Absolutely impossible!