A Troubled Heart

"Yeah."

Shuya remained noncommittal, watching Yuigahama Yukino to Yukino's arm, becoming affectionate.

Section 376, Chapter 358: A Disturbed Mind

He walked slower and slower, and was about to disappear around the corner.

Where do you want to go?

"Tsk."

Shuya was stopped by Yukino and had no choice but to follow her to the clubroom.

Yuigahama kept talking to Yukino, Hikigaya came over a while later and buried himself in his novel.

The atmosphere was peaceful, Shuya casually started playing on his phone.

Yuigahama and Yukino chatted for a while, then a message came in on their phones, so they focused on that for the time being.

After a while, it was quiet.

"... Do you have something to say?"

Shuya had already noticed that Yukino was glancing over from time to time.

Seeing that she had been discovered, she made up her mind and asked, "Have you... seen the Quintuplets recently?"

"..."

Hikigaya, immediately sensed that the atmosphere had changed.

Shuya, however, showed no outward sign of surprise. "I've never seen it before, what's wrong?"

I think you should go and meet them.

I don't care what you think.

Shuya shrugged:

"Don't worry about me, I have my own plans."

"You have plans? You've been saying that for six years. What else could your plans be besides running away?"

Yukino was displeased with his perfunctory attitude.

"What's the point of seeing them? They probably all hate me right now anyway."

Shuya impatient with the local customs.

"..."

Yukino's eyes showed sadness. "I hate you... Do you really mean it?"

"If that's the case, then they are truly pitiful."

Who isn't pitiful?

Shuya leaned back in his chair, his mind drifting back to his interactions with the Quintuplets when he was a child.

He hadn't seen them at all during those six years.

Shuya flashed his signature smile, "Mr. Nakano is a good man, and I believe he will fulfill his responsibilities as a father."

"Yeah."

Yukino's eyes showed disappointment, and she sighed.

"Okay, I understand... Excuse me, could you please leave early? I don't want to see you right now, and I don't think you want to answer me anymore."

"That's true. Goodbye then."

"... Um."

Shuya picked up his schoolbag and left with a smile.

Only after he left did Yuigahama and Hikigaya dare to speak.

"Xiaoxue, you and Shu-chan..."

"Well, Yuigahama, I personally think it's better if you don't ask any further questions."

Hikigaya offered a word of advice.

Then he looked at Yukino: "Quintuplets... Your past with Inoue is just too interesting."

"It was far more exciting than you imagined, and also far worse."

Quintuplets are actually nothing special.

Have you ever seen someone let Quintuplets overhear him confessing his love to their mother?

Could you have imagined that the Quintuplets would grit their teeth and ask their mother out on a date?

Can you imagine them completely cutting off contact with their mother after her death?

No... my stomach hurts a little.

I should have kept stomach medicine on hand like Miss Mai did.

After Yukino finished speaking, she rubbed her forehead and said:

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say those things at this time. Something happened yesterday that made me lose my composure."

"If this has caused you any discomfort, I am very sorry, I am truly sorry."

Yukino looked out the window, reflecting on her words and actions just now.

She shouldn't be in such a hurry, but the book she saw yesterday was so impactful that it made her momentarily flustered.

Shuya walked out of the school alone.

He went home and lay down on the sofa without even changing his clothes.

"Quintuplets...?"

"They should be doing well now, after all, their adoptive father is rich, and they no longer have to live in poverty."

"Mr. Nakano... he's such a good person."

Shuya sighed.

He didn't want to see the Quintuplets, because it would definitely bring back memories he didn't want to recall.

Moreover, he never reconciled with the Quintuplets until the very end.

Now that things have come to this, the misunderstanding is definitely deeper.

"They must hate me."

"Besides, I didn't even attend the funeral..."

Shuya felt somewhat guilty towards them.

I sat there for a while, Ayase didn't come over.

Of course, she never planned to come today. What she said earlier was Shuya casually said to Yukino.

He had just thought of Ayase when her best friend messaged him on Line.

Kirino: "Shuya- senpai! Shall we go to Akihabara?"

Shuya: "..."

He replied, "Want to buy games again?"

This game refers to adult games.

Kirino: "Hey!"

Shuya: "Okay, I'll come pick you up."

Kirino: "Long live Shuya- senpai!"

Then there was no further news.

Shuya felt that playing with his cute juniors helped him get over his bad mood.

He knew Kirino's purpose very well; she mainly needed a means of transportation and Strange Arts ability to conceal her identity.

It's not that she wants to go on a date or anything.

That girl... is a hardcore otaku with a serious sister complex.

Shuya quickly finished preparing to leave and flew to Kirino's house.

He knew that Takaita Daisuke and his wife wouldn't be home at that time, so he simply rang the doorbell.

"Huh? Shuya, what brings you here?"

Kyousuke opened the door; he was off work today.

"I'm going out to play with Kirino later."

Shuya didn't mention going to Akihabara either, because Kyousuke didn't know his sister's true identity.

"Tsk, going out with that guy... She's probably getting ready in her room. Come in and have a seat."

"Alright."

After Kyousuke brought Shuya into the house, he opened the refrigerator and poured him a cup of barley tea.

Shuya said, "You don't need to take care of me, I should be leaving soon."

"Alright then, I'm going back to my room."

Kyousuke nodded and decided to go back.

Not long after he returned, Kirino, dressed in a short skirt and stockings, came downstairs in a fashionable outfit, looking so radiant that she didn't seem like an otaku at all.

It's still quite cold in April, is this outfit really okay?

"Shuya- senpai! I'm sorry to have kept you waiting!"

"Kirino- chan is so cute today... Shall we go?"

Shuya casually offered a compliment, and Kirino beamed with joy.

To Kyousuke, his sister was a demon.

But Shuya thought Kirino quite cute.

She's never been irritable with Shuya, and even if she has a willful side, it's within acceptable limits.

Shuya flew her to Akihabara, and the two quickly landed safely near Akihabara Station.

There are many people; they come from all over the world.

Shuya asked, "Where do we go first? Shall we go buy the game right away?"

Kirino shook her head. "Let's go check out the Radio Hall first."

"Alright."

Kirino took the lead, with Shuya behind.

This wasn't her first time in Akihabara, being a shut-in; she, Shuya, had been there many times.

Kirino hides her true feelings well from her family and friends.

Shuya knew about her otaku tendencies because she had asked for his autograph.

Shuya also somewhat surprised.

At first, he thought she just liked watching anime, but one day at the agency, Kirino accidentally bumped into him, and a bunch of adult videos from her bag scattered all over the floor...

The situation became quite awkward.

She almost became withdrawn.

But Shuya's attitude was very normal, and he even recommended some adult games to her, which gradually brought Kirino back to normal.

She confessed to Shuya that she had been using the room assigned to her by the agency as a collection room, moving things that didn't fit in her own room or that she had already finished reading there.

The first few moves went smoothly, and we didn't run into anyone.