Nino wondered aloud what Futaro's group would do while Yotsuba asked her sisters where they’d like to go.

Naturally, each sister had a different answer, prompting a burst of laughter. They had expected as much.

Nino, stubborn as always, decided they should follow Futaro’s group and started walking purposefully.

Itsuki turned and called out, "Kids! We’re leaving!"

"Wait for us!" and "We’re coming!" echoed back from their five children.

Miku giggled at their enthusiasm.

They decided to walk in pairs, arranged by age: Ichika and Aiko, Nino and Ren, Miku and Haru, Yotsuba and Sora, and lastly Itsuki and Rina.

Together, they reached a temple and began ascending its toriis.

"Woah!" Yotsuba and Sora exclaimed in unison, their eyes sparkling with admiration.

"Do these toriis go on forever?" Yotsuba asked as they climbed the stairs.

Nino snapped pictures with her phone while Itsuki spoke.

"I've seen pictures of them, but they’re stunning in person," she said. Her sisters and the kids nodded in agreement.

Nino, in awe, declared, "This is so grammable." She then turned to face her sisters. "Come on, everyone, peace signs."

The kids quickly stepped out of the frame as their mothers complied, and Nino captured the moment.

"It's kind of rare that we get a picture of just us sisters, huh?" Yotsuba remarked.

"Oh, don't we have any of the five of us?" Itsuki asked.

"We didn’t take one at the fireworks festival?" Ichika wondered.

"We haven’t taken one since our field trip back in elementary school," Itsuki reminded them.

"Let’s get a picture of all of us this time, then!" Yotsuba suggested, handing Ren her phone. "Would you be a dear?" she asked, joining her sisters.

Ren nodded. "Say cheese!"

"Cheese!" they chorused.

He took several pictures, and immediately after, Nino hurried over to inspect his work. She examined the photos critically, then hummed with satisfaction. She grinned and ruffled Ren’s hair.

"These look great! Oh, but of course they do, you’re my son, after all!"

"Mom! My hair!" Ren whined, trying to fix it.

Nino giggled, and they continued climbing the stairs.

The scent of incense wafted through the air, mingling with the fresh, earthy smell of the moss-covered stones. Birds chirped in the distance, their songs creating a peaceful backdrop to the vibrant colors of the cherry blossoms dancing in the gentle breeze.

Suddenly, Miku asked, "Do you think Futaro is at the top already?"

"I haven’t seen him," Nino replied, sounding disappointed.

"Guys are fast," Ichika noted.

"All right, we need to keep up!" Yotsuba declared with her usual enthusiasm.

They turned around, confused, as laughter erupted behind them.

Itsuki pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "What's so funny?"

Aiko was the first to calm down, while her half-siblings clutched their stomachs from laughing so hard.

"It's just, you're all so smitten with Papa!"

"Yeah, it’s funny to see you like this!"

"Not that it’s any different in our time!"

At that, they laughed even harder.

The quintuplets blushed, thoroughly embarrassed.

"But getting back to what Aunt Ichika said—" Rina started.

"Papa has no stamina whatsoever!" Sora continued.

Aiko and Haru shook their heads, both saying, "So we doubt he'd be at the top already."

Ren was still laughing. Nino hit him over the head, blushing furiously.

"Ow!" Ren whined, rubbing the now sore spot on his head.

"Hmph! That's what you get for laughing at your own mother!"

Together they continued to climb the stairs. Everyone, except for the two athletes, was out of breath.

They reached a plateau with shops and from which two stairways continued to the peak.

"It's already noon. Let's have lunch at that shop over there," Itsuki suggested, pointing at the shop. Her daughter eagerly agreed.

Realization dawned on Miku's face at the mention of lunch. She looked down at the paper bag she was holding. "Wait, lunch..."

"What? Is there something else you want?" Nino asked her.

Haru, realizing her mother's plan, spoke up for her. "U-Um... Let's split into two groups. Mama, Auntie Yotsuba, Sora, and I will take the right route. Auntie Ichika, Auntie Nino, Auntie Itsuki, Aiko, Ren, and Rina will take the left route."

The others looked confused at first.

"Those aren't equal numbers..."

To convince them, Haru used her trump card, the cherry on top!

"That way, we'll run into Papa at some point."

At that, everyone agreed.

Haru giggled triumphantly as she dragged her mother along. Yotsuba and Sora shrugged and followed them.

On the left route, Itsuki and Nino decided to take a quick bathroom break. Aiko, Rina, and Ren agreed to wait outside, but they watched in perplexity as Ichika continued onward.

"I'll go with Mom. She had a weird expression on her face..." Aiko said, turning to the other two.

Ren and Rina nodded, understanding her concern.

Meanwhile, on the right route, Miku and Haru were struggling, out of breath from the climb. Yotsuba and Sora exchanged determined looks. Before Miku or Haru knew what was happening, Yotsuba and Sora had hoisted them onto their backs.

Ichika was practically sprinting up the stairs of the left route, making it difficult for Aiko to keep up. Ichika was so focused on reaching the top that she didn't even notice her daughter following her. Confused, Aiko watched as her mother put on headphones and a wig.

At the peak, they came face to face with none other than Yotsuba and Miku, along with their kids. Ichika's face went pale at the sight of her sisters. Yotsuba and Sora gently set Miku and Haru down.

"Ichika, why are you dressed as me?" Miku asked, her tone a mix of confusion and suspicion. "If there's a reason for this..."

Yotsuba interjected, her voice filled with disappointment. "Ichika, this isn't what I meant. Is this what you really wanted to do?"

Ichika visibly shook with terror as Aiko stood next to her, wanting to comfort her mother.

Miku turned to Yotsuba. "Yotsuba, what do you mean?"

"Ichika is trying to get in the way," Yotsuba said, glaring at Ichika.

Aiko looked at her mother, realization dawning on her. "Mother, is this true?"

Ichika was too terrified to speak.

Miku still looked confused. "Get in the way of what?"

"In the way of—" Yotsuba began, but Ichika noticed Futaro walking up behind them.

"Yotsuba, wait!"

"—your confession to Uesugi-san, Miku!"

"Okay... I made it first."

Ichika ripped off her wig and headphones as Miku's body stiffened. Yotsuba's eyes widened, and she quickly turned around.

Futaro lifted his head, panting out of breath. "Huh? What did you just say?"

"Uesugi-san, did you hear that?" Yotsuba asked hesitantly.

Tears welled up in Miku's eyes as she dropped her paper bag and sprinted back down the stairs.

"Mama!" Haru cried out, hurrying after her mother. The two passed Nino, Itsuki, Ren, and Rina.

"Miku! Haru! Wait, please!" Itsuki called, running after them. "Where are you going?"

Nino saw Ichika, wig and headphones in hand. Angrily, she stomped toward her. "Ichika, you crossed a line! I'm getting fed up with you!" She grabbed her sister roughly by the shirt collar. "Are you happy about making her cry?!"

"Wait, Nino, that was my..." Yotsuba tried to de-escalate the situation, but Ichika held up her hand. "Yotsuba, it's fine. No matter the result... this is more or less what I was trying to do."

Aiko, Ren, Sora, and Rina watched helplessly, listening. They were all mortified that Ichika would go so far.

Futaro then stepped in. "Girls, take it down a notch."

"Shut up and stay out of this! You'll make things even messier!" Nino yelled at him. "Go chase after Miku!"

"What?"

"Hurry up!"

Futaro sighed. "Fine." He ran in the direction Miku had gone. Yotsuba, Nino, and Ichika followed.

Ren groaned. "What a mess!"

Aiko was the most shocked out of all the half-siblings.

Sora turned to her. "Are you okay, Aiko?"

Aiko didn't know how to answer and just walked after her father and aunts.

Ren, Sora, and Rina looked at each other worriedly before following as well.