The Quintuplets Are My Neighbors

Yotsuba jumped in front of Kenji, her arms clasped behind her back, her green ribbon bouncing as she tilted her head and stared at him with wide, curious eyes.

"Staaare—"

Kenji raised a brow, slightly annoyed. "What is it?"

Yotsuba's expression grew serious, her bright demeanor softening. "It's just... you're the first person outside our family to tell us apart so quickly. I'm curious, Kenji-kun. How did you do it?"

Her sudden shift in tone caught him off guard, but before he could answer, Yotsuba broke into a radiant smile and playfully slapped his arm. "Hey, you weren't secretly stalking us all this time, were you?"

From the side, Miku raised her phone to her ear, her expression unreadable. "If he was peeping, I'll call the police."

Kenji groaned, pressing a hand to his temple. "Miku, put the phone down. Please."

A chorus of laughter erupted as Yotsuba clutched her stomach. "Haha! Sorry, sorry! We're just messing with you. But seriously, Kenji-kun, you're something else." She puffed out her chest, then crossed her arms with mock authority. "But I'll have you know—peeping is strictly prohibited! Got it?"

Kenji sighed. "Who's peeping? You're all so full of yourselves."

The quintuplets were giving him a headache, each one a force of nature. Their distinct personalities shone through, clashing and harmonizing in a way that made his head spin.

"By the way," he said, eyeing Yotsuba, "what's your name?"

Yotsuba blinked, then smacked her forehead dramatically. "Ah! I almost forgot! I'm Yotsuba. Nakano Yotsuba."

"Nice to meet you," Kenji replied dryly.

Yotsuba grinned and leaned closer, her curiosity rekindled. "Hey, hey—rumor has it you're a top student. Like, a legendary genius. Is that true?"

Kenji pinched the bridge of his nose. "I guess, but don't call me 'legendary.' That's just embarrassing."

"Got it!" Yotsuba gave a cheerful thumbs-up. "As expected of an excellent student."

Kenji stared at her, unamused. "What does that even mean?"

Meeting the Nakano Sisters

After some back-and-forth teasing, the quintuplets finally revealed their identities.

Kenji's gaze swept across them as they removed their disguises.

Ichika, the eldest, stood out with her asymmetrical short hair and a single earring. She exuded an effortless, mature charm, her demeanor playful yet calm.

Nino, with her waist-length hair tied in a princess style and adorned with black butterfly clips, had a sharp, commanding presence. She folded her arms and shot him a glare. "Listen up, Kenji. You'd better not mess with itsuki!"

Itsuki, flustered, pulled Nino back. "Nino, stop saying weird things! Kenji-kun, I'm so sorry about her."

Miku, quiet and reserved, adjusted her headphones and avoided eye contact. Her shoulder-length hair and long bangs gave her an air of mystery.

Then there was Yotsuba, vibrant and full of energy, her bright smile and green ribbon adding to her cheerful aura.

Finally, there was Itsuki—her burgundy hair tied neatly, her star-shaped clips catching the light. She puffed her cheeks, clearly still upset about something.

Kenji's thoughts drifted. Each sister had a distinct personality, but together, they were chaos incarnate.

After some final chatter, the girls prepared to leave.

Ichika lingered at the back, her schoolbag casually slung over her shoulder. She glanced at Kenji with a teasing smile. "See you tomorrow, Kenji-kun. I'll make sure your reward is worth the wait."

"Snort!" Nino turned, glaring at him one last time.

Yotsuba waved enthusiastically. "Bye-bye, Kenji-kun! See you tomorrow!"

Itsuki shot him a sharp glare before stomping off.

Miku, bringing up the rear, hesitated for a moment. Her lips parted as if to say something, but she quickly turned away, her cheeks tinged pink.

Kenji watched them go, each one moving in their own way but staying close as a unit. As they disappeared down the street, Miku, the last to leave, glanced over her shoulder briefly.

Kenji smiled faintly and waved.

Miku's gaze lingered for a moment before she quickly turned back, her face reddening as she hurried to catch up with her sisters.

Trouble in the Sky

As the sisters faded from view, Kenji's eyes shifted to the sky.

A crack split the blue expanse, faint but ominous, leaking tendrils of dark energy. The black mist seemed to weave its way toward the Nakano sisters, binding them in ways Kenji couldn't yet understand.

"So it's true," he muttered, narrowing his eyes. "The critical zone is targeting them."

The critical zone—a breach between worlds where monstrous entities emerged—was growing more active. And now, it was entwined with modern humans.

Kenji sighed, pulling out his phone. He quickly texted Kirisu Mafuyu: Things are complicated. Keep an eye on the situation at school. I'll handle the rest.

His phone buzzed almost immediately.

Kirisu Mafuyu's voice came through, cold but tinged with concern. "Kenji, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he replied calmly, though his head throbbed from the day's events. "Just... don't drink. You get weird after a single beer."

There was a brief silence before her voice softened. "...I haven't had anything to drink. But be careful, okay? If it gets dangerous, come back."

Her sudden gentleness caught him off guard, but he shrugged it off. "Yeah. Don't worry about me."

Kenji hung up, his gaze returning to the sky. The crimson glow of the sunset reflected in the ominous crack above.

"Whatever's coming, it's not going to be easy," he murmured.

With that, he followed the Nakano sisters from a distance, his mind racing with strategies to protect them from the unseen threat.