The next day, at the airport.
"Rita... is gone."
Watching the airliner take off, Mashiro murmured with her head lowered, her mood visibly depressed. She had specially taken a leave of absence today to see Rita off at the airport, but Rita avoided Mashiro's gaze the entire time, not looking her in the eye even once.
Mashiro had hoped Rita would change her mind at the very end.
Contrary to her wishes, Rita still boarded the flight back to her home country.
Rin Ito didn't try to stop her or persuade her. He didn't believe she could let go of Mashiro that easily. After all, despite having such a massive psychological trauma, she still came all the way here to find Mashiro and did so much for her.
Rita probably just needed some time to cool down. Even though it was a 'doujinshi world', not everyone's mental fortitude was invincible.
"Let's go back," Rin Ito said, gently patting Mashiro's shoulder.
"Mmh..."
The two turned and left. Meanwhile, on the plane, Rita stared through the window at the shrinking airport and let out a helpless sigh.
"Honestly... if he had just said it straight out, I might have accepted. But after doing so many shameful and perverted things, how am I supposed to face them like nothing happened?"
Recalling the various plays from last night made Rita's brain tremble. She didn't even know what expression to make when facing Mashiro... so she could only buy the earliest flight out the very next day.
Since she couldn't move to another planet, she had to settle for moving to another country.
She needed to calm down and figure out how to face Mashiro first!
After offering some simple comfort to Mashiro, Rin Ito took her back home.
In the past, when the others went to school, Rin Ito was the only one home. For the month Rita had been here, there was always the lively Rita around while the others were at school. Now that she was gone, it was unusually quiet, and Rin Ito wasn't quite used to it.
However, once he sat down at his computer and started drawing, he quickly put these thoughts to the back of his mind. He was fully absorbed in his work until the vibration of his phone snapped him back to reality.
Rita: [I'm home.]
Rita: [Tell Mashiro I'm safe.]
Rin Ito: [Why don't you tell her yourself? She's been down in the dumps ever since you left.]
Rita: [I... I don't know what expression to make when facing Mashiro.]
Rita: [Just let me calm down for a bit.]
Rita: [Tell Mashiro I'm safe.]
After a brief chat, Rin Ito put down his phone. In the next room, Mashiro was sitting in front of her computer, staring blankly at the screen. She barely seemed to have drawn a few strokes all afternoon.
Rin Ito stood behind her chair and gently wrapped his arms around Mashiro's neck.
"Rita says she's home safe."
"!!!!"
Hearing Rin Ito's words, the dazed Mashiro finally snapped back to reality.
"Don't be too sad. She just needs some time to cool off."
Hearing Rin Ito say this, Mashiro finally breathed a sigh of relief... I thought Rita hated me now.
After being comforted by Rin Ito, Mashiro resumed drawing. As long as she could still draw, Mashiro was fine!
...
By the time Rita left, final exams were approaching. After school, Rin Ito paid a long-overdue visit to the apartment Ichika and Ryo rented. As soon as he walked in, he saw the five Nakano sisters sitting around the low table, heads bowed in serious study.
Nanami and Nijika were studying at another table nearby. Whenever they had a question, they would go over and ask the quintuplets. As for Ryo... she had completely given up and was leisurely scrolling through her phone.
Rin Ito didn't interrupt them. He waited until their break time to speak.
"Final exams are next week. How are your preparations coming along?"
"No! Prob...lem." Yotsuba initially wanted to answer energetically, but the moment she thought about her grades, even the ribbon on her head seemed to wilt. Ichika and the others also guiltily averted their eyes.
Rin Ito smiled and ruffled Yotsuba's hair. Instead of being strict, he offered encouragement.
"The grade requirements for sports universities aren't that high. As for you, Nino, and the others... if you want to test into a university, you have to study hard. But don't stress too much. You're only in your second year of high school right now. If you can maintain this serious attitude towards studying, getting into an average university shouldn't be a big problem."
Rin Ito paused, his gaze mischievously shifting to Nijika and Ryo.
"You still have a year left, but Nijika and Ryo will be graduating next semester."
"Uu!!!!" Nijika let out a short wail, turning sideways to look at Rin Ito with a grievance. "Ito-kun, you're so mean!"
"It's fine," Ryo said with a straight face, pretending to be serious. "If you can't get into university, just play in a band with me for the rest of your life!"
"Ryo, don't say things like that! I'm definitely going to get into university!!!"
Nijika clenched her fist and delivered a solid drummer's punch to Ryo.
Ever since finishing the recording for their first mini-album, Nijika had thrown herself entirely into studying. Bocchi and Kita were still second-year students, and Ryo had already decided not to take the university entrance exams.
Nijika was the only one in the band nervously studying... and the most infuriating one was Ryo.
Not only did she not study, but she also frequently made snide remarks like "If you can't get into university, just join me."
"That's right, that's right. How could someone as smart as Nijika not get into university?" The punched Ryo rubbed her shoulder and chimed in with a wicked smile. "If you don't get in, you can just become his mistress and let him keep you. Or you can let him be your 'Papa'."
"!!!!"
Nijika's face instantly turned bright red. Although she did occasionally call him 'Papa' when they were together, she only did that when they were alone with no one else around!
Although Ryo found out because she accidentally let it slip once, Ryo knowing about it and Ryo using it to tease her were two completely different things!
Nearby, Ichika and her sisters also blushed deeply upon hearing Ryo's teasing... They had also called Rin Ito 'Papa', and had even played a game where the five 'daughters' stuck their butts in the air to compete for his favor.
"Papa~" Ryo shamelessly mimicked Nijika's tone.
"Ryo!!!! Ugh!!! I'm going to kill you!!!!" The Archangel of Shimokitazawa instantly transformed into an Archdemon, lunging at Ryo and mercilessly tickling her. Nino and the others exchanged a glance and joined the fray.
Nijika, being a drummer, was already physically stronger than Ryo. Now, with the addition of the five sisters, the battle was completely one-sided.
Ichika and Nino pinned down Ryo's arms, while Yotsuba and Itsuki held her legs. As for Miku, she locked Ryo's head between her black-tights-clad thighs. The five sisters immobilized Ryo completely.
Nino tightened her grip on Ryo's struggling arm. "Nijika, tickle her, quick!"
"Guh..." Ryo struggled to speak. "W-Wait a minute!!! Why are you guys joining in!? Wouldn't it be better to tease Nijika and make her embarrassed together? Wait... don't tell me you guys also..."
Seeing the expressions on the five sisters' faces, Ryo knew she was doomed today.
Instead of tickling Ryo herself, Nijika turned her face toward Rin Ito, who was suppressing a laugh nearby.
"Papa... Ryo is a bad girl. Come punish her, Papa."
"W-Wait!!" Ryo's face was filled with terror. Rin Ito was already reaching for her waist, preparing to tickle her, while Yotsuba and Itsuki reached for the soles of her feet.
"Papa Papa Papa Papa spare me Papa Papa Papa ahahahahahahaha!!!!!"
Rin Ito paused for a moment.
"You actually called me Papa just to beg for mercy. Someone with so little dignity deserves an even harsher punishment!"
"Ohohohoguhguhguahahahahaha!!!!!"