"All right, girls! To the board! You heard Papa, we have thirty minutes!" Aiko declared with a dramatic flourish.

"Yes!" Haru and Rina chorused, their enthusiasm palpable.

Out of nowhere, Aiko, Haru, and Rina stood around a whiteboard, each donning a pair of sunglasses, looking like mini strategists in a secret mission.

Aiko turned to Ichika. "Mama!"

"Yes, Aiko?" Ichika replied, curious about her daughter's next move.

"Tomorrow is the last day of the trip, right?" Aiko confirmed.

"Yes, it is," Ichika nodded.

"So, it's our last chance for you to each spend alone time with Papa!" Rina added, her eyes serious behind the shades.

"On this trip, anyway," Haru noted, her voice thoughtful.

"So, what's the program for tomorrow?" Aiko asked.

Ichika opened their class trip's program booklet. "We have elective field trips on our last day," she explained, showing the booklet to the planners.

Aiko, Haru, and Rina nodded seriously, like seasoned generals planning a battle.

"I see..." Aiko mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

"There are five courses, each going to different places with different durations," Haru noted, scanning the booklet.

"The longest would be Course E. It goes from 8:20 to 9:30," Rina stated, pointing at the schedule.

"70 minutes," Aiko clarified. "That would make 14 minutes for each of our moms if we divide the time equally."

"But we don't even know if Papa is choosing Course E!" Rina stressed, her worry evident.

"Hah! That's easy! Ren, go ask Dad which course he'll choose!" Aiko ordered him with a confident grin.

Ren saluted. "Yes, ma'am!" and dashed off like a soldier on a mission.

Futaro was walking down the hallway, informing other students about the assembly, when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps thundering towards him.

"Rooaaaaahh!!!"

"Huh?" Futaro turned, bewildered.

"PAPA!" Ren shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Ren?" Futaro replied, confused.

"PAPA!"

"Ren!"

"Papa?"

"REN!"

Ren watched in terror as his father sprinted toward him with a look of murderous intent. Futaro tackled him to the ground.

"I told you not to call me that in public!" Futaro hissed, his face bright red.

"Waahh! I'm sorry!" Ren yelped, flailing dramatically.

"Boys!" a teacher yelled, "Quiet down!"

"Sorry, Sensei!" they both responded in unison.

Futaro sighed as he helped Ren back up. "What is it you need?"

"Which course are you choosing tomorrow?" Ren asked, still catching his breath.

"Why do you want to know?" Futaro asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I can't say. Aiko, Haru, and Rina would kill me! Just tell me!" Ren pleaded.

"Okay, okay, calm down. I'm choosing Course E," Futaro answered.

"Got it, thanks, Papa!" Ren grinned and sprinted back towards the room.

"I told you not to call me that!" Futaro yelled after him, blushing furiously.

The door to the quintuplets' room slammed open as Ren stood in the doorway, panting heavily.

"Papa... Papa E!" was all he managed to wheeze out before collapsing dramatically on the floor.

"Ren!" Nino hurried over, worriedly checking on him.

Haru waved off her concern. "He's fine, just a drama queen. Don't worry, Aunt Nino."

"All right!" Aiko cheered, throwing her arms up in victory.

Rina turned to the quintuplets. "Mama, Aunties, choose Course E!"

"But you have to be okay with each having only 14 minutes with him so it's fair and you all have equal time alone with him," Aiko stated seriously, her sunglasses glinting in the light.

The quintuplets nodded eagerly, their competitive spirits igniting.

"That's totally fine!" they chorused.

The room erupted in cheers and high-fives, the earlier tension forgotten in the excitement of their plan.

The next day, the quintuplets and their children eagerly awaited the start of the excursion. They had all agreed to choose Course E, each secretly thrilled at the prospect of spending alone time with Futaro.

They boarded the bus with everyone else who had chosen Course E. Once they arrived, the daughters put their plan into action.

"Remember," Aiko whispered, "Mom goes first."

"Then my mom," Ren said.

"Then my mama," Haru added.

"Then my mama!" Sora chimed in.

"And lastly, my mom, in order of their ages," Rina finished.

"I'll go!" Aiko said and darted off to her Mama and Papa.

"Mama! Papa! I read there's a place here where you can study scenes, a movie set of some kind. Wouldn't that be perfect?" Aiko said, not subtly at all.

Ichika nervously turned to Futaro. "What do you think, Futaro-kun?"

Futaro shrugged. "Sounds like a good idea for you to practice. I'll accompany you since we've done this before."

The two started walking, Aiko secretly tailing them, winking at her half-siblings, who gave her confident thumbs-ups. Once Ichika, Futaro, and Aiko were out of sight, the others each led their moms to their places, and each half-sibling prepared to come up with excuses to drag away their dad after 14 minutes.

Ichika and Futaro, with Aiko secretly following, arrived at the quiet movie set designed to look like a traditional Japanese garden. The setting was serene, with a gentle breeze rustling the cherry blossom trees and a koi pond reflecting the sunlight. The soft sound of the water and the fragrance of flowers created a peaceful atmosphere.

Ichika led Futaro through the garden path, pointing out various plants and decorations. They found a secluded bench and sat down.

"This place is so beautiful, isn’t it? It reminds me of those peaceful moments we’ve shared," Ichika said, her voice soft and reminiscent.

"It is. I can see why you like it here," Futaro replied, looking around appreciatively.

Ichika took a deep breath, gathering her courage. "Futaro, do you remember when we first started this journey together? You’ve always been there for us, guiding us. I wanted to tell you how much you mean to me."

She gently took his hand, her eyes reflecting the sincerity of her words. "I’ve always admired you, not just as our tutor, but as someone special in my life."

Futaro looked at her, surprised and touched by her confession. "Ichika..." He blushed brightly.

"It's OK, you don't have to answer just yet," Ichika reassured him and checked the time out of the corner of her eye.

Just then, a voice rang out, "Papa!"

"Right on time," Ichika thought, grinning.

"What's with that grin?" Futaro asked suspiciously.

"What grin?" Ichika played innocent.

"That grin you and your sisters have when you plan something—" Futaro began but was cut off as Ren took hold of his arm and started pulling him away.

"Hey! Ren! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Come on, Dad, I found a cool place over there! You gotta check it out!"

Futaro looked back at Ichika, lost and confused as Ren dragged him away.

Ichika chuckled, amused. "It's alright, go with him."

Once Futaro was out of sight, Ichika called out behind her, "You can come out now!"

Aiko popped up from a bush, wearing a tree hat. "How was it?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Let's go sit down, and I'll tell you," Ichika said, smiling warmly.

"Yay!" Aiko cheered, following her mother to the bench.

"Alright, we're here! Bye Dad!" Ren said, dropping Futaro off unceremoniously.

"Huh- Wha??"

"Fu-kun~"

"Nino?"

"Wanna check out this market?"

"Sure..." Futaro said, still looking at where Ren had just vanished.

Nino and Futaro wandered through the lively market, the air filled with the scent of traditional sweets and the sounds of street performers. They sampled various snacks, sharing laughs and enjoying the vibrant atmosphere.

Nino spotted a quieter alleyway and led Futaro there, away from the crowd. "This place is amazing, isn’t it? But I wanted a moment away from the noise."

She blushed slightly, looking at him with determination. "Futaro, I’ve always been straightforward, so I’ll just say it. I admire your dedication and how much you care about us."

She stepped closer, her voice softening. "I want to be by your side, supporting you, just like you’ve always supported us."

Futaro smiled, appreciating her honesty. "Nino, you’re amazing."

"Thanks, I know!" Nino grinned, then turned and walked away. As she walked away from Futaro, Haru walked towards him. As the two girls passed each other, they high-fived.

"Papa, can I show you something?" Haru asked Futaro shyly.

"Oh, of course, Haru. Lead the way."

Once Nino exited the alleyway, she watched as Haru led Futaro away and waved after them.

Suddenly, Ren popped up from behind the tree next to her. He was wearing a tree hat.

"Hi, Mom!"

Startled, Nino let out a gasp. "Gaaah!"