Missing Home

Kotatsu are short wooden tables covered by a large blanket, which covers the top of the table.

In the living room, Akira with Nino, Miku, and Itsuki enjoyed the warmth brought by the kotatsu while watching TV.

"It's already 9:30 at night, Yotsuba still hasn't come home."

Looking at the wall clock, Itsuki who was eating tangerines, couldn't help but worry.

"No need to worry. Yotsuba is dating Fuutarou, maybe she'll be home soon." Miku rested her chin on the kotatsu and looked lazy.

The conversation between the two of them made Nino glance at Akira, who looked normal.

"Actually... I saw Yotsuba when I went to Disneyland with Akira."

"Disneyland?! Why not invite me? It's cheating just you having fun." Itsuki complained.

"Itsuki is right. It's unfair for Nino to secretly monopolize Akira." Miku puffed out her cheeks, looking at Akira dissatisfied.

The two of them only found out that Nino and Akira were not at home when they left the room to go to the toilet. Never thought that older sister and younger brother would have fun without taking them along.

"Hmph, don't blame me. Itsuki, you yourself said to study in your room and not to disturb you. And Miku, you're taking a nap. So, it's not that I don't care, but you two can't."

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Nino looked at the two of them and stated an irrefutable reason.

Miku and Itsuki: "😐"

The two sisters couldn't say any rebuttal.

Next to Nino, Akira did not participate in their discussion. According to him, men should not interfere when women argue.

"Ah, sorry Nino, I misunderstood you." Itsuki admits her mistake. If think about it, she is indeed a bit unreasonable.

"Sorry. But next time, invite me if you want to go play." Miku looked at Nino with firm eyes.

"Okay. Then let's visit the temple together on the first day of the new year." Nino suggested.

It was only a few days before the year ended, so she wanted all the family members to visit the temple.

"That's a great idea! This is our first time visiting a temple with little brother." Itsuki said, very happy she was no longer the youngest.

"Little brother from a parallel world… Even light novel authors wouldn't write a story like this."

Miku looked at Akira who had been silent for a long time. If not for that memory, she would not have believed the absurd things her little brother explained.

(It's been almost three months, huh... I'm afraid the Cultural Festival will have finished long ago. It's a shame, even though I wanted to act as a pocong to scare the visitors. Time flies so quickly...)

Akira felt helpless. He has the strength of High Rank 4-C, and 2-A if he uses [Aurora Pillar].

High Tier 4-C has star-destroying power, and Tier 2-A can destroy an infinite number of separate space-time continuums (multiverse+).

It was all thanks to [Gift: Last Future Embryo].

However, no matter how strong Akira is, he has no means of traveling between different worlds. Moreover, parallel worlds.

It couldn't be that he used the [Aurora Pillar] to destroy countless parallel worlds, right?

Every night Akira is always active in visiting temples and museums in search of the only item that allows him to return to his home world, namely the Jewel of Four Souls.

And also, the intensity of dealing with the Japanese military is getting higher and clashes cannot be avoided.

In the past three months, Akira has inspected temples and museums in two prefectures.

The number of prefectures in Japan is 47, there are still 45 more prefectures that he has to check.

"Akira, are you okay?"

"Huh what?"

Called by Itsuki, Akira noticed the three of them looking at him with concern.

"You were spacing out. Something happens?" Miku asked.

"Here, eat an orange."

Itsuki handed a tangerine that had been peeled to Akira. But her expression seemed reluctant.

"If you don't want to give it, don't give it. You don't seem sincere."

Nino pushed away Itsuki's hand which was holding the orange, then took a new orange, peeled it, and put it in Akira's mouth.

"We are a family, just talk to us about your problems, it will make you feel better."

"What Nino said is right, Akira doesn't need to look tough in front of us, there's no harm in showing your vulnerable side. After all, we are family." Miku said softly.

"Yum... Yum... Glup... Tell me about your problem, Akira-kun. Maybe we can help."

Swallowing an orange, Itsuki said while patting her plump chest.

"Thank you for your concern, Nino-Nee, Miku-Nee, Itsuki-Nee. Really, I'm fine. Just missing home."

"Uh..."

Hearing Akira's reasons for being in a daze, Itsuki who had previously promised to help, didn't know what to do.

"Stupid, this is your house too."

Nino pulled Akira into her arms and buried his head into her chest.

Miku stood up and gave Akira a hug on the other side.

Seeing the actions of her two younger siblings, Itsuki also did the same thing, because there was no room left, she hugged them all.

"Try to feel, is there a difference between us here and us there?" Nino whispered.

"It's very warm, like they used to do when I was little." Akira enjoyed hugging his three sisters.

"I'm going home... Eh, what happened? Having a cuddle party? I'm coming too~"

Ichika had just come home after work. She is stunned to see them hugging, then she joins them.

"Mhm... It's a little hard to breathe." Akira said weakly.

After the warm family session was over, Ichika sat in the kotatsu, listening to the reason they hugged.

"It turns out Akira-chan misses home. You're quite a sentimental guy. Onee-san is glad you are such a man."

Ichika stroked Akira's hair until it was messy.

"Stop, Ichika-Nee. I'm not a kid."

"Come on, Akira-chan. I haven't spoiled you enough."

"Up to you."

Finally, Akira let her do whatever she wanted.

"By the way, Yotsuba isn't home yet?"

After being satisfied with 'spoiling' her little brother, Ichika felt that the quintuplets were one less person.

"She's not home yet. Let me ask when she comes home." Itsuki took out her cell phone and prepared to write a text message.

"Most likely Yotsuba won't be coming home tonight."

"How did Nino know?"

Miku looked at her in surprise.

"Onee-san also wants to know~" Ichika narrowed her eyes, wondering why Yotsuba didn't come home.

"It's Christmas Eve, what else can a couple do but do 'that'? I'm sure Yotsuba was in a love hotel with that guy and spent a passionate night."

"Lo-Love hotel?!" Itsuki was stunned to hear that, even forgetting to chew the orange in her mouth.

"Yotsuba couldn't possibly go to such an immoral place, right?" Miku asked doubtfully.

"That's not necessarily true. Don't forget, Yotsuba is already an 'adult'." Ichika reminded Miku and Itsuki, then asked Nino: "How do you know about this?"

"Akira, show them the scene this afternoon?"

Nino turned her head and saw Akira next to her.

"Alright."

Then, Akira shook [Memory Control] and sent memories to Ichika, Miku, and Itsuki.

Their reaction was predictable. Their faces flushed with embarrassment with disbelief evident on their faces.

The person who reacted most severely was Itsuki. She repeatedly says 'shameless' and blames Fuutarou for what happened to Yotsuba.

After that, Their impression of Fuutarou dropped drastically to the level of mere acquaintances.