The Quintuplets Are My Neighbors

Kenji was once an ordinary guy. He cherished peace and quiet. Even when he awakened extraordinary powers, saving the world was never his goal.

He wasn't a hero. He just enjoyed testing his limits.

Until the Void Demon appeared.

It crushed him.

That was the first time Kenji saw the cracks in the sky widening, the harbinger of catastrophe. He realized how fragile their world truly was.

Kenji had a family—divorced parents who had moved on but still cared for him, and two troublesome sisters who constantly hovered around.

He couldn't stand by and let it all fall apart.

---

The bell rang.

Kenji sat back in his classroom seat. Another dull class ended.

His stomach growled. He stood, planning to grab a drink to refuel. Using powers drained physical energy, and even small fights left him hungry. Staying sharp was essential—anything less could lead to fatal mistakes.

A gust of wind blew through the window, sending his math test flying off the desk.

"Got it!"

The girl seated nearby snatched the paper mid-air. She glanced at it as she handed it back to him.

"Kenji, this is... your test results?" she asked, her eyes widening.

Nakano Itsuki was staring at the score.

"A perfect 100?"

Her disbelief was obvious. She looked at Kenji like he was a mythical creature.

"Thanks," Kenji said casually, taking the paper from her.

Itsuki waved her hand quickly. "No need to thank me." Her expression changed to one of awe. "You're amazing, Kenji! This test was so hard, yet you aced it!"

Kenji scratched his head, unsure how to respond.

Itsuki's gaze sparkled, and she suddenly leaned in. Her proximity caught Kenji off guard—the faint scent of her perfume, her shining eyes.

"Um, Kenji," she said hesitantly, clasping her hands together. "I… I really suck at math."

Kenji's mind flashed back to yesterday's test. Itsuki had barely scored a single-digit. It wasn't just a lack of skill; she was utterly hopeless.

He held back a smirk and nodded. "What do you want?"

"Could you… tutor me?" she asked, her tone laced with embarrassment and hope.

Kenji considered it. Tutoring her wouldn't be too hard, and it gave him a chance to figure out the dark aura that occasionally surrounded her.

"Sure. Let's meet at the library after school," he said.

Itsuki's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, Kenji! You're the best!"

She skipped back to her seat, a newfound bounce in her step.

---

Kenji sat down again.

"Aren't you heading out?" Itsuki asked, tilting her head.

"Not enough time to buy anything now," Kenji replied.

Itsuki fidgeted with her bag before pulling out a wrapped bun.

"Are you hungry? Here, take this," she offered.

Kenji's eyes lit up at the sight of the meat bun.

"Thanks, Itsuki!"

"No problem," she said, blushing slightly as Kenji eagerly bit into it.

---

Afternoon arrived.

Kenji left the classroom, heading toward the cafeteria. On the way, he spotted Itsuki leaving another room.

Her appearance made him pause.

She had changed.

Her usual tidy hairstyle was now shoulder-length, with her bangs partially covering one eye. A pair of headphones rested around her neck.

The cheerful, awkward girl from earlier was gone. In her place was someone cold and distant.

Kenji frowned. "Itsuki? What's with the new look?"

She didn't reply immediately, instead brushing past him with a disinterested glance.

Kenji caught a faint trace of the ominous aura he had noticed before.

Something wasn't right.

---

In the classroom earlier, she was her usual self—awkward but kind. Now, it felt like he was looking at a stranger.

Kenji followed her, keeping a distance. His instincts told him something was wrong, and his instincts were rarely wrong.

Itsuki walked toward the edge of the school grounds, where the shadows seemed to grow darker.

Kenji's hand clenched. His powers surged faintly, ready for whatever came next.

"It's not over yet," he muttered to himself.

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If you like, you can read up to chapter 20 and more of this fanfic on my Patreon.

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