A/N. Hey, I'm back to this series from trying out other stories. I just wanted to release some ideas I had before I continued this. Feel free to read them and write a review. (Caution, there's a lemon in there. Not NTR, but its plot has a focus on cheating. And yes, I differentiate NTR from cheating. I like a sense of realism, and I can't/don't want to write a story with NTR, so it's about cheating instead.) Anyway, please enjoy the story.

Yotsuba pulled out an album under the coffee table. It was small and looked cheap. In one motion, Yotsuba flipped the page to a picture displaying a young girl. She had flowing red hair, wore a white dress, and had a big smile on her face.

Fuutarou thought long and hard. Her face seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't figure it out. "Hmmm..." He looked closer at the picture, trying from different angles. "Haaah... I'm sorry, I just can't seem to remember."

"That's alright Uesugi-san." Yotsuba showed him a smile.

"She seems familiar though. I feel like I've seen her before. Is she Raiha's friend or something?"

"I wouldn't know, Uesugi-san. That's up to you to figure out." Yotsuba closed the album and stood up. "Let's get you to bed, shall we? You'll start school tomorrow, so you need to get some rest."

"Good point." Yotsuba assisted him up the stairs, but he went to his room on his own. "Good night, Yotsuba."

"Good night, Uesugi-san!" [Get some rest, Fuutarou-kun. We... I miss you...].

Fuutarou slept soundly. At first he was nervous about going to school, only staring at the ceiling for a good five minutes. When he sat up and turned on the lamp beside him, he saw a mug that was labelled Drink if you can't sleep filled with milk. He promptly chugged the glass down, his insides filling with a sweet, viscous, and calming liquid. He knew why it was sweeter and thicker than usual, since he recognized the honey from the french toast they ate earlier. Five minutes of calm passed, and by then he promptly fell to sleep.

Yotsuba on the other hand was quite restless. Lots of thoughts were racing in her mind. [Why did I say that? Now he'll think I'm weird! It's not like I wanted to see it again...] Yotsuba's eyes focused on the picture frame on top of her desk. [Fuutarou-kun... Will you still remember?] A single tear rolled down Yotsuba's cheek as she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Fuutarou was driven to school with the Nakanos along with Ebata. Itsuki guided him to their room, where he was noticed by everyone. Before they got the chance to talk to him, however, the teacher started the lesson. Once lunchtime started, Itsuki led him to the cafeteria, where she paid for his food of a tempura and karaage set. He sat along with the rest of the Nakano sisters, and chatted while eating.

"So, how's your first day so far?" Ichika asked Fuutarou, who sat across her. She bit down on a dorayaki, preferring a quick lunch for more sleep.

"It's going fine, I think. No one seems concerned about me being absent for more than a week, so I'll leave it at that." Fuutarou started eating one of the tempura as he lifted his bowl of rice.

"I don't think it's like that, Uesugi-san, they probably just didn't have the chance to talk with you yet." Yotsuba sat beside him, and split some of her pickled vegetables with him.

"The teacher came in right after we entered the room, and he didn't get to enjoy any breaks after they gave him the material he missed. Plus, I might have dragged him here in a hurry." Itsuki sat on his other side, and was flustered so she started on a meatbun.

"Whatever it is, at least no one's bothered him. It would be troublesome if they asked questions and he had no idea what to answer." Nino surveyed her surroundings while drinking a canned coffee.

"Don't worry. Fuutarou doesn't have any friends. The most they would probably ask him is the answers to the problem sets." Miku opened a can of soda, and began drinking,

"Is that so?" Fuutarou looked dejected. He started on his rice before suggesting something. "By the way, I got the problems sets for last week. I figure we can use them to study later." He wanted to change the topic to avoid being called friendless again.

"Is that so? Maybe we can go for some textbooks as well later." Itsuki seemed interested at the prospect of studying. She didn't want to get in the way of Fuutarou's efforts this time around.

"I don't think I have money for textbooks..." Fuutarou remembered he hasn't handled any money ever since waking up in the hospital room.

"That's okay, I can buy them. We need them anyway, so this is a good chance to get them." Yotsuba reassured him, pointing at the vegetables he hasn't touched yet.

"Really, that's great then. Sorry for bothering you like this." Fuutarou noticed Yotsuba's gestures and started on the vegetables.

"Don't worry about it. Just make sure you teach everyone as payment." Yotsuba flashed him a smile as she started on her vegetables too.

After classes, Itsuki was about to lead Fuutarou outside before he was swarmed by his classmates.

"What happened to you, Uesugi? You were absent for a week!"

"And now you're all chummy with the transfer student."

"I think I saw you getting out of the same car as them too."

"Really? What's up with that?"

"Hey, tell us, tell us! Is she your girlfriend or something?"

"Wait, so you guys actually live together? Don't tell me you were gone because you moved out or something."

Fuutarou was swarmed with questions asked by people he did not recognize. He didn't know how to answer and looked down at his feet instead.

Itsuki cut through the crowd and grabbed Fuutarou. "Sorry about that. Uesugi-kun was sick. We just gave him a ride this morning because he's getting treatment from my father." She gestured for him to grab his bag.

"Oh really? What happened to you man?"

"Sorry, but only my father knows. He asked not to put Uesugi-kun under stress though, so I would appreciate it if you guys just calmly asked him instead of mobbing together like this."

"Huh? Oh yeah. This situation's kinda scary if you think about it."

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"Our bad Uesugi, we were just curious. Classes were so demanding this was the only time we could talk."

"Don't worry about it. We have to go soon, though, we have an appointment to go to after school. I don't want to keep her waiting." Fuutarou and Itsuki grabbed their bags and cut through the crowd to head outside. "See you guys tomorrow."

Ebata wasn't available, so they were forced to walk. Ichika, Nino, and Miku had already gone ahead, leaving Fuutarou with Itsuki and Yotsuba to go out shopping. Yotsuba had been waiting outside, constantly texting Itsuki because she wanted Fuutarou to have a long time to select the books he wanted. When Fuutarou and Itsuki met up with her, they immediately went to the train station to get to the city center.

"Hey, Uesugi-san, what kind of books do you want to buy?" Yotsuba asked Fuutarou as they went inside a train.

"Hmm, something light I guess. I can't carry a lot of books right now, the handouts they sent me are heavy." Fuutarou eyed the inside. He was guided by Itsuki since he wasn't familiar with trains.

"That won't do. We need a lot of study material you know?" Itsuki sat beside him, her long hair tickling his side. "Don't worry about the costs or carrying them, we'll help you. Besides, it's the first time I see Yotsuba buying books."

"I buy them too you know?" Yotsuba tried to save herself from being embarrassed. She held Fuutarou's hand and eyed him. "Ehehe, does manga count?"

"What's manga?" Fuutarou was genuinely curious, ignoring Yotsuba's grip.

"What? You don't know what a manga is? I thought you remembered everything you've read?" Itsuki changed the topic, not wanting to argue about Yotsuba's choice of literature.

"I guess I never read them before." Fuutarou faced Itsuki and held the back of his head in embarrassment. "What are they?"

"It's like a story, but with drawings!" Yotsuba spoke up, eager to start a discussion.

"So like a children's book? I see..." Fuutarou analyzed Yotsuba's face, which had no sense of shame from her earlier statement.

"No. It goes much deeper than that! The art and dialogue work together to tell a story!" Yotsuba was embarrassed, since Fuutarou kept looking at her like she was a child.

"That's true. In manga the art is also important, it helps the reader form ideas that you just can't get from dialogue. What's more fun, looking at a picture and finding the hidden details the artist left behind, or reading a long passage just to know that a room has a blue curtain?" Itsuki joined the conversation, remembering that a new volume of her favorite manga just released.

"I guess that's true. So, what kinds of stories are in manga?" Fuutarou wanted to learn more. His other hand went to his chin in intrigue.

"Lots! There's romance, action, mystery, slice of life, isekai, and whatever combinations you can think of!" Yotsuba finally released his hand, holding up her fists close to her chest.

"Isekai? As in different world?" Fuutarou wanted to know the genre. He knew of fantasy stories before, but he never compared his world to those.

"Yeah. Kind of like being in an unfamiliar place, and moving on from the sudden change in your surroundings. The protagonists basically do whatever they can to adjust, and by the end of the story they usually succeed and end up happy." Itsuki suddenly let out her knowledge. She was wearing glasses before she realized.

Fuutarou can relate. He felt that he met the conditions, save for the happy ending. "Do they return to their worlds?"

"That depends on the writer. Sometimes they do, but usually they're stuck there, so they do their best to adjust. Why do you seem so interested in isekai? Other people hate on it you know?" Itsuki wondered, preparing her bag.

"Is that so? I was just curious, since I've never read stories like that before."

"You can read my manga later. Come on, we're here." Yotsuba ended the conversation.

As the three went inside the store, Fuutarou immediately took note of the many types of books available, from test booklets to review materials, nonfiction and fiction, even a manga section. Yotsuba immediately grabbed onto him and led him to the textbooks.

"Just pick out what you want, Uesugi-san. Don't worry about anything else, I'll pay and help you carry them as well." Yotsuba pointed to the textbooks.

"Then, thank you for the offer." Fuutarou remembered all the relevant materials he wanted to learn and teach them, so he bent down and picked out five textbooks in Math, English, History, Japanese, and Science. The textbooks were small, but together they were heavy. He needed to put them in a basket.

"That's a lot huh?" Yotsuba questioned him, afraid of the five textbooks he so casually picked up.

"I think these are enough for all of us. Is that okay with you?" Fuutarou stood up, trying to carry the books in vain.

"Yep. And as a reward, I'll let you buy a manga for your troubles!" Fuutarou had no chance to reply, as Yotsuba had already dragged him into the manga section while carrying all the books with one arm. "Just pick one okay? We don't want you getting addicted. Don't worry, it's still on me."

"Really? Thank you then." He eyed the shelf, unsure what to pick.

"I'll buy my own book also, so stay with Itsuki okay?" Yotsuba headed for another aisle.

Fuutarou looked beside him to find Itsuki picking out a book. "Itsuki, you were here?"

"Uesugi-kun? Yeah, I also went to buy a manga." She hid the manga behind her, and all Fuutarou could make out was Food, and the cover seemed to have chefs and food on it. "Go ahead, pick one you like."

Fuutarou scanned the shelves again, finally picking an interesting one. It had the word Learn in its title, and when he read the summary he saw it was about a tutor and his genius students. "Hmmm, this one then?" It felt like an oxymoron, which fueled his curiosity more.

"Good one. I've been meaning to start on that series, so maybe you'll let me borrow it sometime. I'll let you borrow mine in exchange." Itsuki smiled at him.

"I'm back! Let's pay and get home. Nino will be mad if we're late."

"Good idea. It looks like it might rain too."

Yotsuba paid for the five textbooks, Fuutarou's and Itsuki's mangas, as well as her own. Fuutarou didn't get to read the whole title, only reading for Dummies as Yotsuba covered the book with her hand and held it upside-down.

The three headed to the train station to get back. As soon as they got on the train, Fuutarou took out the manga to look at it again.

"Wow, good choice. I've heard about that series." Yotsuba noticed him taking out the book. "What about you Itsuki?"

"I..." Itsuki tried to dodge the question. Yotsuba took the book in response.

"I knew it." Yotsuba returned the book. "Figures."

Itsuki pouted.

They then saw an advertisement. It was about Fuutarou's book getting a second season.

"Oh yeah! Uesugi-san, you should also watch some anime. I'm pretty sure they just advertised a second season for your manga."

"Anime?" Fuutarou didn't know what anime was, since his house never had a television.

"Yeah! It's used to promote mangas and light novels. It's so unfair, you know your manga got a second season earlier than my favorite show? Even though my show released in the season before. I wanted my show to get a season 2 earlier too!" Yotsuba complained.

"What's the show about?" Fuutarou was curious on what Yotsuba liked.

"I won't tell. It might spoil you. Read the story for yourself, it has a great chessmaster!"

"Is that so? Some time then."

"Buuuut, I highly recommend this other series! It's a harem, with a mystery element to it. It kind of dragged out a bit, but I won't complain. Ribbon girl won, even though I liked the orange-haired girl." Yotsuba looked it up on her phone and showed Fuutarou.

"And you were just talking about spoilers..." Itsuki sighed as she held her head.

"Oh Itsuki, look, your manga's getting a new season!" Yotsuba read the related news displayed on the side of the article.

"I already knew about that." Itsuki took pride in being updated about her favorite manga.

"What's yours about, Itsuki?" Fuutarou wanted to know about Itsuki's manga next, and poked her.

"It's about a young redhaired chef that keeps breaking through any barriers to create more and more delicious food." Itsuki's normally calm demeanor was completely broken by now. "Now that I think about it, your voice sounds just like his, Uesugi-kun."

"Really? I wonder why that is." Fuutarou looked up.

They happily chatted about this and that until they got back home. They got caught in the rain on the way, but they had fun running the rest of the way. Nino wasn't so pleased, however, to see them soaked when they got back.

Meanwhile, in the Uesugi residence, Raiha was preparing dinner for Isanari and herself.

"Raiha, you seem happier these days." Isanari drank some coffee to help him with work.

"That's because Onii-chan will come back soon. I'm sure he won't want to see me sad by then." Raiha smiled, hopeful of Fuutarou's recovery.

Isanari's phone flashed. {I still need to look after Fuutarou-kun for the rest of the year. I hope you're fine with that.}

[You'll be back soon, right, Onii-chan?] Raiha served Isanari some egg noodles.

A/N. Were there too many references? I originally had other scenes planned out for this chapter, but as I was writing I wanted the train scene to be longer, and I said, yeah, let's get them to talk about anime, why not? Yotsuba likes anime right? As you can see, that section ended up being longer than I expected, and now the chapter's too long compared to the rest, so I'm planning to write the other scenes in the future.

On a side note, what do you guys think the favorite genres of each quint is?