Lend me your hand

So, that night.

"To avoid more trouble, and for Kirisu-sensei's sake, I'll keep this issue between you and me for now, and don't tell anyone else yet."

On the upright phone screen, the long red hair of the girl spread behind her head, and her face looked as red as an apple after a bath.

The video call lasted for ten minutes, Itsuki leaned forward slightly and spoke seriously:

"May I? Asada-kun."

"It's fine, this isn't something to discuss outside."

Turning his face away from the desk to the computer, Shinichi glanced at Itsuki's apple-red shirt pajamas. The white collarbone was visible at the neckline. It seemed that if the angle were lower, he could see the natural scenery between the two deep peaks formed.

All five Nakano quintuplets had similar voluptuous figures, and their thin pajamas couldn't cover most of their springtime beauty. Itsuki, who was focused on business, wasn't too cautious. Fortunately, Shinichi could still see the touch of red within the gap between the buttons of the corset fabric.

Itsuki still had common sense and knew there shouldn't be any voids when doing a video call with a guy.

Even so, Shinichi dared to swear he only glanced at her once, then averted his gaze back and kept busy with his own affairs.

Because he had been too busy with many things lately, he wasn't lazy when chatting with Itsuki. He typed with one hand and flipped through books with the other.

"So, Kirisu-sensei's past..."

His typing fingers on the keyboard paused for a moment, and Shinichi murmured.

He had noticed Mafuyu's oddities earlier than Itsuki, and he knew more than her, including Mafuyu's inferiority complex about talent and her past as a skater.

He had made guesses, but he never investigated them, nor did he want to dig up the past that others didn't want to revisit, so he buried his doubts and curiosity in his heart until Mafuyu was willing to speak for herself.

Shinichi just didn't expect Itsuki to take the initiative to search for it before that and make a request.

"Maybe she's injured, or maybe she made a mistake accidentally... It doesn't matter. I just want Kirisu-sensei to stop showing such a sad expression."

Itsuki stared straight at Shinichi and said firmly:

"Sensei has done a lot for us, and I can't just watch her suffer without being moved. So I want to know first what happened to her in the past, and then comfort her in my own way!"

Shinichi wasn't moved by her enthusiasm.

"Whether cheerful or not, it's up to Kirisu-sensei, right?"

If Itsuki were the male protagonist in a light novel, he would surely be scolded for being mischievous.

"No matter how worried we are about her, we can't investigate her past on our own. And Kirisu-sensei is an adult, so she doesn't need high school students like us to comfort her."

Shinichi stared at her from across the screen, his eyes rational, making the atmosphere a bit chilly.

Itsuki bit her lower lip and slowly lowered her head.

"You're right..."

After the momentum cooled down, she could understand this if she thought about it carefully.

In other words, if someone wanted Itsuki to let go of something today, she would try hard to investigate when her mother was sick and dying, then stand in front of her and take the right position, saying a series of words that sounded loud, using a tender name to reveal the unhealed scars.

After experiencing the same thing, she could understand how excessive it was. She disregarded others' feelings and only acted to satisfy her own selfish desires.

Even so, Itsuki had a reason to do it.

"I know this is just my own whim. No matter how many times I apologize to Sensei afterwards, it won't be enough. I'm also ready to be scolded by her."

Itsuki raised her head, no longer avoiding Shinichi's gaze.

"Asada-kun, at that time... I saw shadows of myself and my mother in Kirisu-sensei."

"Your mother and your shadow?" Shinichi looked at her in astonishment.

Itsuki nodded slightly.

"Kirisu-sensei is dignified and strong like my mother. She always educates us in the right way. Although sometimes she's a bit strict, we can still feel her gentleness everywhere. That's what I admire the most."

"But when Kirisu-sensei said, 'There's no point in talking to me,' I felt like I was seeing the past, me hiding my fear, constantly failing, but could only force myself to keep going."

She smiled: "Yes, standing at the bottom of the cliff and not having the courage to stand up again, I always failed in the past, so I can understand."

If it weren't for Shinichi, Itsuki would still be a loser.

She didn't know how to study well and didn't have any skills other than eating. As the youngest sibling in the family, she wanted to take care of her sisters like her mother, but she always got their attention.

The word "helpless" accompanied Itsuki until now, making her understand many truths and giving her the courage to rise again.

"No one wants to stand at the bottom of the cliff all the time, Asada-kun."

She looked at him and spoke softly.

"I want to reach out, but I'm not brave enough."

"I want to stand, but it turns out I'm already hurt."

"I console myself by saying, 'It's okay, tomorrow will be better.' I don't want to be pitied by others, but I feel so uncomfortable that I want to cry in the middle of the night, hoping for a miracle."

"I anticipate it every day, and I disappoint myself every day. Even so, I have to pretend to be strong."

(Is she talking about herself or about Kirisu-sensei?)

Although he didn't understand, Shinichi didn't divert his attention from the girl on the screen.

He silently stared at her, listening to the conversation.

"Is there anyone who can help me? Although it's difficult, take me away from the cliff... It's embarrassing to say that, but I think so."

Itsuki looked into Shinichi's eyes, and a faint smile appeared in hers.

It was precisely because she met him that she was able to express her feelings clearly.

"For Kirisu-sensei—it's too cunning to say that, so I don't want to make excuses anymore."

"I just want to do this for myself." Itsuki said calmly.

Shinichi showed an expression as if he were laughing.

The child who was sometimes awkward, sometimes straightforward, and had a personality that was too honest, could now confidently say such intentional things?

Indeed, time would unconsciously change a person.

"Helping Kirisu-sensei out of the shadows of the past is like helping myself in the past... I also want to see my mother's smile without any clouds on Kirisu-sensei's face."

It's all for herself. Itsuki said it without embarrassment.

In this process, she might be able to find answers to her "dreams and aspirations" – she didn't tell Shinichi about this.

Although she didn't want to lie, there was still a way to hide some facts, she learned it from him.

Itsuki stared straight at Shinichi.

"I know I can't do these things alone."

"So, Asada-kun, is there anything you can help me with?"

After a few seconds of silence, Shinichi deliberately showed a disappointed expression.

"How shameless, do you consider me as a tool?"

Itsuki pouted.

"...I'm sorry, I made a mistake."

Then, a bright smile bloomed on the other side of the screen.

"Please let me rely on you, Asada-kun!"

"Lend me your hand."