The Quintuplets Are My Neighbors

Chapter 11: Chapter 10: Renji's Deduction Skills



"Pooh!"

Kenji grimaced, crossing his arms as he scrutinized the quintuplets lined up before him. His gaze darted between their identical faces and outfits—each one clad in Itsuki's signature style. "How is this 'tailing'? It's clearly just tracking and observing. Get your terms straight."

The five identical girls stood confidently, their expressions ranging from smug to mischievous, as though daring him to falter. It was a game of cat and mouse, but the mice seemed far too amused by the challenge.

One of the Itsukis tilted her head, her sharp eyes sparkling with playful menace. "Kenji-san, you only get one chance. Don't guess carelessly."

Kenji smirked. "Fair enough." He raised his hand, pointing decisively. "You're Miku."

The girl in question blinked, her confidence briefly faltering as her lips parted in surprise.

"What?" one of the other Itsukis interjected, her tone laced with suspicion. "Why would you think she's Miku?"

"Do you have some secret connection with her?" another teased, leaning forward.

"Be honest, Kenji-san!" chimed a third. "Confess now, or face judgment!"

Their teasing voices overlapped, playful but relentless, as if they'd rehearsed their synchronization beforehand. Kenji raised a hand, silencing them with a calm but firm gesture. His gaze locked onto the flustered girl.

"It's simple," he said smoothly. "Only Miku avoids looking me in the eye when she's nervous."

The girl's composure crumbled instantly. Her face turned as red as her ribbon, and she puffed out her cheeks. "Guilty! Seppuku!"

Kenji deadpanned. "I refuse."

The absurdity of the moment settled over them, but Kenji wasn't finished. He gestured toward the others. "You started this game, but now you want someone to commit seppuku for losing? Dictator much?"

One of the other sisters crossed her arms, arching an eyebrow. "Kenji-san, we need you to guess who the real Itsuki is."

"Yeah!" another chimed in dramatically. "If you don't, Itsuki will cry!"

(Somewhere in the back of her mind, the real Itsuki silently fumed: What does this have to do with me? I'm not crying!)

Kenji scratched his head, the corner of his mouth quirking as realization struck. "Actually, Itsuki's the easiest to guess."

Before he could explain, his eyes flicked downward, causing all five girls to simultaneously cover their skirts with indignant gasps.

"Obscene!"

"Shameless!"

"Pervert!"

"Damn it!"

"Frivolous!"

Kenji groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as he waved off their accusations. "Calm down. It's not my fault you wanted to play this game. This is supposed to be a 'find the differences' challenge, right? Every detail matters, even legs. And Itsuki's are…"

He paused, his voice even but confident. "Her legs are fuller."

The real Itsuki's face turned beet red. Her pigtails swayed as she stepped forward, her voice a shrill mix of indignation and embarrassment. "Kenji-san, stop staring at me like that!"

"Relax, Itsuki," he said, his tone steady. "It's you."

"Wrong!" she shouted, her face flushing deeper. "I'm not Itsuki!"

Kenji tilted his head, his expression unreadable. "Yes, you are. I can smell the faint scent of meat buns."

The room went silent. Itsuki's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as her face reached new shades of crimson. Finally, she jabbed a trembling finger at him. "I do not smell like meat buns! If you don't believe me, smell again!"

Her words hung in the air, and time seemed to freeze. Kenji blinked, clearly taken aback by her sudden outburst. The other sisters stared in stunned silence, exchanging wide-eyed looks.

Itsuki's mind raced. What am I doing?! Her ears burned as she realized how close she'd leaned in.

From an outsider's perspective, the scene looked ripped straight from a romance drama: the flustered girl leaning toward the calm and collected boy, their faces mere inches apart. Even Itsuki's heart skipped a beat as she realized the implications.

Kenji broke the tension first, stepping back slightly. "I was wrong."

"Huh?" Itsuki's voice wavered, her emotions swirling between relief and confusion.

"You don't just smell like meat buns," he continued, his tone softening. "There's another scent—pleasant and sweet."

The collective gasp from the other sisters was almost deafening. Even Nino, the most critical of the group, was rendered speechless.

Itsuki's face went pale, then flushed even deeper. "W-W-What are you talking about!?" she stammered, her voice cracking as she stumbled back a step.

Kenji's smirk melted into a gentle smile. "Relax. I'm just saying you smell nice, that's all."

Her blush deepened as she glared at him, clutching her bag as though it were a shield. The four other sisters exchanged knowing looks, their amusement barely contained.

For once, Nino didn't have a single snarky comment.

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