Mash-Up: Anything for Money

Itsuki was still holding onto her own opinion, unaware that Nino had already been taken by Hakuto… 

Oh wait, it should be that Hakuto had taken Nino.

"Just wait, maybe in a while Nino will come to us looking all dejected…"

But Ichika retorted, "Eh? What if Nino actually succeeded?"

As soon as Ichika said that, the light that had just returned to Miku's eyes faded again.

Seeing Miku like that, Itsuki instinctively frowned. "Ichika!"

"Don't take it seriously… I was just saying, that's all…"

Even if that possibility was real, you couldn't say it in front of Miku—wasn't that just rubbing salt in the wound?

"It's okay, Miku. Ichika was just joking…" Itsuki comforted her. "By the way, Yotsuba, where are you going?"

Turning her head, she saw Yotsuba sneakily inching toward the door, her hand already on the doorknob.

"I… I just want to secretly see what Teacher Shiratori is talking about with Nino…"

"Well… fine," Itsuki nodded. Judging from the situation, Hakuto had probably already wrapped things up, so she just let Yotsuba be.

Seeing that Itsuki agreed, a smile appeared on Yotsuba's face. But just as she was about to turn the doorknob, the previously closed door suddenly opened.

Yotsuba didn't even have time to react before inertia sent her tumbling backward.

"Oww! That hurts!" Yotsuba, now on the floor, rubbed her butt.

"Yotsuba? Why are you standing in front of the door?"

"Nino? Why are you back upstairs?"

"Obviously I came up after finishing the conversation… Anyway, what are the four of you doing standing around here?" Nino crossed her arms, her face still tinged with a faint blush.

"You're done talking?" Itsuki frowned. Why didn't she see any trace of sadness on her sister's face…

"Yeah, he's in the kitchen cooking now…"

Looking at Nino standing there with her arms crossed and a radiant look on her face, Itsuki had a bad feeling.

Unlike her, Miku and Yotsuba just wanted to know what Hakuto and Nino had talked about.

Itsuki glanced at Ichika and gave her a look, while she herself quickly pulled Miku and Yotsuba aside.

"Nino, did you—mmpf!" Before they could even finish their sentences, Itsuki silenced them.

At the same time, Ichika stepped forward and grabbed Nino, her face showing a sudden realization.

"I just remembered I have something private to discuss with Nino. You guys go ahead and talk."

"Something with me? I don't remember that."

"Well, now you do…"

Without giving Nino a chance to respond, Ichika dragged her out of the room and into her own.

"Itsuki! Why did you pull me?" Yotsuba, now free from Itsuki's grip, questioned her.

"Teacher Shiratori is just in the kitchen. If you've got questions, just go ask him yourself." Itsuki shrugged. 

She figured Hakuto would know what could and couldn't be said.

Actually, Itsuki didn't even need to say that—Miku had already rushed downstairs to the kitchen as soon as Nino left.

She had never intended to ask Nino anything. She only wanted to hear Hakuto's explanation.

Yotsuba dragged Itsuki along and followed quickly. Due to Yotsuba's athletic physique, Itsuki was practically dragged downstairs.

"I swear…" Itsuki felt like she was worrying herself to death over her sisters. 

She was curious too about what had just happened between Nino and Hakuto.

But now, she had to look after her two sisters who had eyes only for Hakuto.

"You guys… Why are you out of breath like that?" Hakuto, standing in the open-concept kitchen of the five sisters' home, could clearly see the three of them hurrying down the stairs.

"Shiratori…" Seeing Hakuto, Miku instinctively felt at ease.

"Teacher Shiratori, what did you just say to Nino?" Yotsuba asked eagerly.

"Huh? Nothing much…" Hakuto shook his head. "More importantly, do any of you want to come with me to buy some groceries?"

"Eh? Nothing much?" Yotsuba's bunny-ear headband twitched. "Teacher Shiratori, didn't you accept Nino's confession?"

"Wait—Yotsuba, why would you think Nino confessed to me?" Hakuto frowned and asked.

"She didn't…?" Yotsuba let out a sigh of relief. "That's good, then!"

Miku also breathed a sigh of relief. Standing beside Hakuto, she held onto the corner of his shirt with a look of relief on her face.

Just now, Miku had truly thought that Hakuto was leaving her. Now that everything seemed fine, she couldn't hide her joy.

"So? Are you coming to grocery shopping with me or not? If not, I'll just go alone."

"I'll go! I'll go!" Yotsuba raised her hand excitedly.

"What about Miku and Itsuki?"

"Hmm… I'll go too."

"Well, there's nothing else going on now anyway…"

To be honest, Itsuki was very curious about what had just happened between Hakuto and Nino.

And judging from Hakuto's calm demeanor, it really didn't seem like anything major had occurred.

Itsuki frowned. Could she have misjudged the situation? Did Nino not succeed? But then what was with that flushed expression on her face earlier?

Was she happy even after being rejected? Did she become a masochist?

Itsuki couldn't shake the feeling that something was off here, so she decided she'd ask Hakuto about it privately later.

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