Bonus Story: The Quintuplets and the Album (Part 2)

Where did Yotsuba go again?

Itsuki's doubts.

Nino was too lazy to even think about it, "Anyway, she probably joined some club. Haha, I really admire her energy!"

Ichika laughed and said, "That's one of Yotsuba's strengths."

Miku continued listening to the music without joining the conversation, happily eating her food.

Nino glanced at her but didn't say anything.

Miku's behavior is quite common; she does this whenever she hears a good song, which is why Nino is too lazy to talk to her anymore.

After finishing their lunch, they returned to their respective classrooms and chatted with their friends.

For Nino, sitting around with a few close friends, chatting and joking, has always been a way for her to relax.

Yes, that's how it should be.

However, everything changed after someone announced the release of an album.

When Nino saw her friends' infatuated smiles, she could only think helplessly: They're at it again...

As expected.

Friend A grinned foolishly. "Hehehe, let me tell you, I couldn't sleep last night because I was so excited! I was just waiting to pick up the album after school. But it must be Shu-chan's power, I feel so light and comfortable all over right now!"

No! You're about to faint! Get to the infirmary right now!

Nino looked at her friend A's dark circles and mentally ranted.

Friend B chuckled, "I spent a whole day and night looking at Shu-chan's photobook yesterday, and I felt like my whole body was filled with spiritual energy. And when I greeted Shu-chan's poster before leaving the house today, it seemed like he responded to me!"

Dad! There's a patient here who's hallucinating!!!

Nino is absolutely going crazy.

However, friends CDE all posted comments like, "That's so nice!" "I'm so envious!" "Hmph, even my Shu-chan pillow is greeting me!" and so on, without any clear explanation.

That's terrifying! Is he the founder of some religion?!

Nino forced a smile, inwardly roaring with rage.

After friends A, B, C, and D finished discussing their illnesses, friend A jokingly said to Nino, "Speaking of which Nino, how many doses did you order?"

B: "Of course, three portions, right?"

C: "And there are three of them as a special gift for each store!"

D: "Is that even a question?"

Nino, sweating profusely under their fervent gazes, stammered, "I... I didn't make an appointment..."

Friends ABCD: "..."

Oh no, this is terrible... Is this the end of our friendship?

Nino thought pessimistically, her heart filled with resentment towards someone.

He's the one who caused me to lose my friends!

However, ABCD's faces were full of sympathy. "Oh, I knew it."

I knew it.

"After all, Nino didn't say much when we talked about these things~"

"Yeah, I knew it..."

Friend D said, "So, Nino, you couldn't get a reservation, right? That's why you're so silent!"

Nino was stunned. "Huh... huh?"

Friend A patted her on the shoulder and said, "It's okay, we all understand. Shu-chan's album is so popular, not everyone can pre-order it."

B comforted him, "It's okay, we guessed it already, so we'll share some with you after we get it."

C smiled and said, "Then it's decided! After school today Nino will come with us to line up for the album!"

Nino said urgently, "Wait, wait! Haven't you considered that I might not have made an appointment because I don't like him?"

Upon hearing this, ABCD were silent for a second, then burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, Nino is really joking. What girl in this world doesn't like Shu-chan?"

"Hey!"

A, B, C, and D laughed simultaneously, then high-fived.

"Hahahaha..."

I'm telling you guys! You're terrifying!

Nino wiped away her cold sweat, not daring to argue with them at all, and could only agree to go with them to queue up for the album today.

(Damn it... I didn't even want to buy it, how did I end up getting it anyway...)

Nino's eyes were dead.

On the other hand, the Ichika, Yotsuba, Itsuki all encountered the same situation.

Aside from Ichika declining her friend's invitation because she had something to do after school, Yotsuba and Itsuki were both persuaded by their friend.

As for Miku, she was rather quiet, and her friends all had similar personalities, so they all went to queue up alone and didn't invite Miku.

After school.

Miku went home, Nino, Yotsuba, and Itsuki reluctantly went to queue up.

Ichika secretly went to her dance class.

She kept it a secret from her sisters, but in fact, she had signed with an agency called "Oda Talent Production Company" a long time ago and become a trainee entertainer...

The term "preparatory" is used because she hasn't officially debuted yet.

But it will be soon.

Even though she's about to debut, she still needs to study.

Dance, vocal music, and acting are three very important subjects, and it's impossible for Ichika to skip classes and buy albums instead.

A little while later, Ichika arrived at the dance studio where she had her class and joined the other girls in taking lessons with the teacher.

After working hard for more than an hour, it was finally time to rest.

The girls were all chatting with the teacher.

The teacher was a woman in her forties, but she was still very trendy and could chat with the girls.

... It cannot be ruled out that some girls deliberately catered to them.

In short Ichika also joined in the conversation.

People usually talk about makeup, clothes, or gossip about celebrities.

But today's focus is undoubtedly on Shuya's new album.

Even middle-aged people like dance teachers made their reservations well in advance. Needless to say, everyone else bought multiple tickets.

When they asked Ichika, she honestly said she hadn't made an appointment. Like Nino's friends, they assumed she hadn't been able to get one.

"... It's alright, I have some here."

The teacher smiled and handed Ichika a new limited edition Ichika album.

The girls went wild. "Ah! It's autographed... and besides Shu-chan's, it also has Seisen's autograph!"

"Ahhh! Teacher, teacher! How did you get started?"

"Aaaaaah! I'm so envious!"

The girls have gone crazy.

The dance teacher smiled smugly, "It's nothing. I used to teach Mai- chan dance, so she sent the album over. I received it early this morning."

"Oh, thank you, thank you teacher..."

Amidst the predatory gazes of the girls Ichika her, Ichika forced herself to thank them.

I didn't want to buy it at all, but I ended up getting it anyway.

She sighed inwardly.

As for why the teacher still needs to pre-order even though they already have an album, Ichika doesn't need to ask; the answer is simple: it's purely to contribute to sales.

The girls were drawn to the teacher's words and surrounded her, asking her about teaching Mai back then.

"Speaking of Mai- chan, she's a very talented and hardworking girl..."

The teacher reminisced about those days.

Ichika listened silently.

It wasn't until she joined the agency that she truly understood what kind of presence Shuya and Mai held in the entertainment industry.

That's someone you can only look up to but never reach...

Ichika gripped the album tightly in her hand, refusing to think about anything else, and resolved to work even harder.

A while later, they resumed their training.

Night.

When Ichika returned home, she unexpectedly ran into her sisters at the apartment entrance, each carrying a large bag.

She exclaimed in surprise, "Nino, Yotsuba, Itsuki, what's going on with you...?"

"No, it's nothing..."

Nino awkwardly tucked the bag behind her back and then tucked away the protruding painting.

Yotsuba scratched her head and laughed, "Hehehe, this is a gift from my classmates, Inoue- kun's album."

Itsuki said helplessly, "Me too... and Nino too, right? I saw you while I was in line."

Nino pouted and resignedly said, "Fine, fine! I give up! But let me make this clear first, my friends forced this on me, I didn't want it!"

"Hahaha, hahaha... hahaha!"

Ichika burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. "What the heck! So you all got them too!"

"Oh... oh? Ichika, you went to buy an album today?"

Yotsuba was surprised.

"No, no. Me too, um, it was a gift from a friend."

Ichika shook her head, not wanting to reveal the fact that she was taking dance classes.

Yotsuba laughed, "Haha, what a coincidence!"

Just then, Itsuki saw someone trying to enter the apartment, so she pushed her sisters inside, saying, "Alright, alright, let's talk about it when we get home. Don't keep others from coming back."

Yes~

"All right."

"That's true."

The three replied.

The four of them took the elevator upstairs and soon returned to their home.

We're back!

"I'm back!"

Ichika opened the door, and then the four people greeted each other from the front and back.

Welcome back.

Miku, who was sitting on the sofa watching TV, turned her head and naturally saw that they were carrying a lot of things.

Miku exclaimed in surprise, "Nino...? What happened to you guys...? Did you... did you leave me behind and go shopping?"

Hmm---!

Miku puffed out her cheeks.