Two more weeks passed in the midst of the hustle and bustle. On the third Monday in May, the seventh episode aired right on schedule.
The ratings climbed another notch during the broadcast.
That was because the previous week's sixth episode had ended on a devilish cliffhanger: Yuzuki had just discovered Hikari-chan's identity.
So the seventh episode was highly anticipated.
In the seventh episode, Uesugi Yuichi finally revealed the secret he'd been protecting for so long. Yuzuki Sasaki found it hard to believe, but Hikari-chan's superpowers were real, and she had no choice but to accept it.
Using that as an excuse to help look after Hikari-chan, Yuzuki Sasaki even managed to get a key to Uesugi Yuichi's dilapidated house.
Yuzuki Sasaki began visiting Uesugi Yuichi's home regularly. While looking after Hikari-chan, she also started taking care of Uesugi Yuichi.
At the end of part B,
while cleaning, Yuzuki Sasaki smiled shyly and said, "Ehehe, somehow, this feels like we're newlyweds!"
But Uesugi Yuichi responded with a baffled look.
"Huh? No way! I'd never get involved with a student."
Yuzuki Sasaki: "...Y-You're right! I was just joking!"
She put on a brave smile.
Uesugi Yuichi was startled. "Hey, hey, that's not funny. If anyone else heard that, I'd end up at the police station eating pork cutlets!"
Yuzuki Sasaki pouted.
Then Yuzuki Sasaki spoke.
Her voice carried the youthful awkwardness and hint of capriciousness that came with her age. Clearly displeased, she said, "Is that so? Is that so? If it's such a bother, then for your sake, Sensei, I won't come to your house anymore!"
Yuzuki Sasaki turned her back to Uesugi Yuichi and pretended to leave. She seemed decisive, but inside she was panicking like crazy.
"Come on, stop me!"
Her back said it all.
Uesugi Yuichi panicked too.
He didn't want to go back to the chaotic days of looking after Hikari-chan on his own.
He glanced at the now-tidy room and thought of the delicious-smelling meal from yesterday.
Without thinking, Uesugi Yuichi blurted out a plea for her to stay. He took a determined step forward and grabbed Yuzuki Sasaki's hand.
"Sasaki, don't go! I can't live without you!" (He meant looking after Hikari-chan.)
"Ah..."
Yuzuki Sasaki blushed bright red.
She lowered her head so Uesugi Yuichi wouldn't notice and murmured, "O-Okay..."
End of episode seven.
"Uwaaah—"
Shuya couldn't help squirming all over in front of the TV, hugging himself as the interaction made his skin crawl.
That was way too much sweetness!
He'd been busy lately, and this was his first time watching the finished episode. He hadn't expected it to hit so hard.
Rena and the Quintuplets were sitting beside him, watching too.
After the episode, the Quintuplets picked up their handheld consoles and started playing. Rena turned to Shuya and said, "Mr. Inoue's anime is really good. Today's story was great, too."
Looking at Rena, Shuya suddenly remembered her job and asked, "By the way, how are the students reacting to the anime? Do they like it?"
Rena was a high school teacher, so she should know something about that, right?
"I heard they like it, too. Quite a few of the girls have even started taking drawing lessons."
Rena shook her head with a smile, clearly not optimistic about their passing enthusiasm.
Not every art teacher was a handsome older man like Uesugi Yuichi. Most were middle-aged men or old guys.
Some might even be bald.
And drawing wasn't exactly easy, either.
Still, students taking art lessons was better than wandering around getting into trouble, so the teachers didn't mind.
Shuya felt relieved to hear the reaction had been positive.
"Hey, hey, Shu-chan, are you going to play the guitar today?"
Miku sidled up to Shuya and asked expectantly. She seemed to have recently discovered an interest in music, though she was the type who only listened and never learned.
"Do you want to hear me play, Miku? Then I'll go get my guitar."
Shuya didn't refuse. Showing off his talent in front of Rena was a good thing, too.
Itsuki looked up. "Shu-chan's going to play the guitar?"
"Oh, great!"
Yotsuba tossed her game console onto the sofa and threw both hands up, waving them around.
Seeing how excited they were, Shuya went back to get his guitar. He played a few songs, then decided it was time to head home and sleep.
As he was about to leave, Rena said, "Shu-chan, neither of your parents is home today, right? Why not stay over?"
Shuya was delighted. "Sure!"
It wasn't the first time he'd slept at Rena's place. When Inoue Hikoo stayed overnight at the company to work on the anime, Hanazawa Sakura would go keep him company. His irresponsible parents knew Shuya would be fine alone and had no qualms about leaving him at home by himself.
After Rena found out, she invited Shuya to stay over at her house.
Inoue Hikoo and Hanazawa Sakura were both at the company today, so Rena invited Shuya to stay over, just like before.
After agreeing, Shuya hurried home, took a shower, put on his pajamas, then went back to Rena's house.
When he returned, the Quintuplets were taking a bath. Ignoring their noisy chatter, Shuya settled down beside Rena.
She was grading papers, so it seemed she still had work to do for school.
Rena gave off a unique charm when she was focused on her work—one that those little kids couldn't resist.
That included Mai-chan, but not Senior Sister Seisen.
Senior Sister Seisen's aura was too otherworldly. She was a different type entirely.
Shuya didn't disturb Rena as she worked. He just sat beside her and watched.
For him, simply watching her, sharing the same space, and enjoying this moment of peace was enough.
What else could he want at his age?
Well, that last sentence wasn't meant to imply anything special, and there wasn't any deeper meaning to it.
Shuya picked up his guitar and provided some gentle background music.
Love didn't have to be intense. It could be soothing and subtle, like a quiet rain nourishing the earth.
Living a peaceful life.
Then, one day, looking back,
you'd realize
the whole world was already filled with you.
Yeah, Shuya thought he'd summed it up pretty damn perfectly.
Unfortunately, that brief moment of peace ended when the five little huskies finished their baths and burst out of the bathroom.
"Shu-chan, Shu-chan, help me dry my hair!"
"Do mine first!"
"Me!"
"Me, me, me!"
"I was first!"
Shuya: "..."
He was completely overwhelmed by the little huskies.
Shuya agonizingly helped the five long-haired Quintuplets dry their hair.
After finally finishing that, he had to play with them, too. He was completely exhausted.
After a grueling wait, it was finally bedtime. Rena, in her pajamas, made the beds in the room and told everyone to sleep.
Rena's pajamas were just an ordinary long-sleeved top and long pants. They were ridiculously modest.
Not a hint of fanservice.
After sleeping over with them so many times, Shuya had long since stopped expecting any.
He and Rena slept far apart, with the Quintuplets between them.
Shuya closed his eyes in despair, enduring Itsuki biting his arm in her sleep and drooling all over his clothes.
Shuya slowly drifted off. He dreamed that he and Rena got married and lived happily ever after, but then someone suddenly kicked him right out of the dream.
Shuya opened his eyes helplessly. Without changing expression, he switched places with Itsuki, then turned Yotsuba upside down so her feet were at the top, held her tightly, and stopped her from kicking or hitting him again.
What a difficult life. He couldn't even get a peaceful night's sleep...
Section 31: 31. Looking for Little Hikari... No, Looking for Yuzuki
Shuya had plenty of experience dealing with the Quintuplets.
The problem was that he couldn't handle them while he was asleep. Every morning, he woke up squeezed tight in someone's arms, barely able to breathe.
Shuya woke early because he was short of breath. With great distaste, he shoved Nino, Miku, and Itsuki away and escaped the little-girl hellscape.
He had to wash his pajamas, too, since they were soaked in patches.
Honestly, Shuya felt uncomfortable all over.
He didn't have time to think about anything else. He ran home, took off his pajamas in the bathroom, and showered. Only then did he feel better.
If he hadn't wanted to sleep in the same room as Rena, he wouldn't have slept with the five little huskies even if someone had killed him.
Either they got him wet, kicked him, or whacked him in the face with their steel-plated chests. They were a real nuisance.
After washing up, Shuya ran back next door. Rena was already up and making breakfast.
Of course, Shuya went to help, hoping to raise her affection for him.
Breakfast was simple: bread, fried eggs, ham, sausages, and the like. But with love's magic, Shuya ate it with relish.
After breakfast, the Quintuplets would play for a while, then go back to bed.
Rena left for work, and Saori drove Shuya to the company.
They were recording Shuya's scenes for episode ten of Alien Baby Hikari-chan today.
Shuya didn't have many scenes in this episode, but he was really looking forward to it.
The story of Alien Baby Hikari-chan had reached a major turning point.
The eighth and ninth episodes had been warm, funny slices of everyday life.
But the plot took another turn at the end of episode nine. Yuzuki Sasaki's parents had noticed that their daughter had been acting strangely lately, and assumed she'd gotten a boyfriend in her drawing class.
The two old-fashioned parents spoke up over dinner, forbidding Yuzuki Sasaki from going to the drawing class anymore.
Yuzuki Sasaki was in a serious crisis.
"Good morning!"
Shuya walked into the company, greeting everyone energetically as he went.
Social niceties were important, too. A lot of people got into trouble over them.
Before you continue