Record of Dating with Quintuplets (4)

　　To go up, some people started moving towards the escalator.

　　The crowd on the street is getting denser and denser. It seems that the store where the event is being held is nearby, and there are crowds of people around, and it is easy to be scattered by the flow of people if you are not focused.

　　Seeing this, Nino hung the bag on her wrist, and stretched her arms behind her.

　　"Let's hold hands, it's really troublesome to part at this time!"

　　"Now that's what you said… Come on, Itsuki."

　　Ichika nodded, took the lead to hold her hand, then held out her hand to Itsuki.

　　"Ichika, don't let go, I'm really not confident finding you in this crowd... Hey, Miku."

　　Itsuki took her hand in a bit of worry, then changed to Miku.

　　"Don't worry, if I can't find you, I'll use the radio... here, Yotsuba."

　　Miku thought Yotsuba would hold her soon, but unexpectedly, a warm and thick feeling suddenly surrounded her palm, which was tougher and rougher than hers.

　　"This..."

　　Miku turned her head to look, even if it was an expected scene, her face was red.

　　Even in this noisy and chaotic space, the world seemed to have hit the pause button, leaving only the accelerating heartbeats beside the ears.

　　Miku could see that her hand was lying safely in Shinichi's palm.

　　Miku didn't dare to look up, and the expression under her long hair couldn't be seen, but the redness on her ears and cheeks couldn't go away.

　　"S-Shinichi..."

　　Saying her name in a low voice, Miku was about to make up her mind, and just as she mustered up the courage to shake him back, she suddenly heard his hesitant voice.

　　"Yotsuba? What is she doing… You guys go ahead, I will bring Yotsuba back, and gather at the escalator."

　　After finishing speaking, Shinichi let go of Miku's hand without hesitation, stepped back, and stepped into the crowd advancing in the opposite direction, it didn't take long for his figure to disappear from sight.

　　Miku stared blankly at her hands and after a few seconds, covered her mouth.

　　Nino seemed to feel something, turned around reluctantly, and saw that her three sisters had been taken away, while the remaining two ran away somewhere, and screamed loudly.

　　"Miku, where are those two people? Why did they leave the team so quickly!"

　　"...Shinichi said, he will chase Yotsuba." Miku finally lowered her arms slowly, lowered her head slightly, and said in an emotionless voice, "…Wait, Shinichi will find us there on the escalator so we don't have to worry about that."

　　"Really, Yotsuba makes people worry..." Nino showed a little worry, looked around, and found that in such a lively situation, even the people around her didn't care what they looked like. So she gave up the idea of taking the four of them to find the two, and rushed through the crowd towards the escalator.

　　"The next one is a big test, hurry up and don't get lost"

　　Amidst Nino's inexplicable screams, the four girls also disappeared into the chaos of the crowd.

　　...

　　—Just because I saw you one more time in the crowd, I never forgot your face.

　　—Because you were there, because you needed me.

　　—That's why I wanted to chase after and say those lines to you.

　　With that kind of atmosphere, Yotsuba clenched her fists.

　　Regardless of her sister in front of her, relying on her extraordinary athletic ability, she dodged left and right through the crowd, desperately striding towards the end point where her gaze was fixed.

　　"Are you lost? I can help you find your mother!"

　　Facing the sobbing little boy who was trapped in a corner by the crowd, Yotsuba smiled with pure and warm eyes, and removing her hat.

　　As if infected by the vitality overflowing from that face, the boy temporarily stopped crying, looked at Yotsuba and said sobbing.

　　"Mom... disappeared... There were so many people..."

　　"I know, there really are a lot of people!" Yotsuba pretended to meditate for a moment, under the boy's bashful gaze, she suddenly gave a thumbs up and smiled.

　　"Stop crying! I don't want to see tears, I want smiles on everyone's faces!"

　　"Don't be afraid anymore! Ask why, because I—"

　　Her manner of throwing out the famous words was interrupted by an anxious female voice behind her.

　　"Kuga-chan! Are you alright!"

　　The boy's expression immediately lit up, and he walked around Yotsuba and rushed towards the woman behind her.

　　"Mom, where have you been, I'm so scared~"

　　"Sorry Kuga-chan, there were too many people, I didn't lead you well..."

　　As if they hadn't seen Yotsuba at all, after the heartwarming reunion, the mother and son hugged each other tightly while walking towards a place with less traffic.

　　Yotsuba just stood still, and her smile gradually faded.

　　Looking at the hands they held together, her eyes were half closed, as if she was thinking about something or missing something.

　　After a few seconds, a gentle smile that was completely different from usual, and a gentle word.

　　"Congratulations on finding your mother... You should get along well with your mother. Family is the most important treasure.

　　"Ahaha, come to think of it, I haven't been a prodigal for a long time~" Her trademark goofy smile returned to her face again, Yotsuba scratched the back of her head, looked left and right, chose a direction at random, and prepared to follow the crowd looking for way out.

　　"Everyone is used to it anyway, so I don't need to worry too much—"

Her palms were suddenly clasped tightly.

　　"What do you want to do walking around people like this, Nakano Yotsuba!"

　　A voice moaned and taught, but the person who spoke was not the sister she knew.

　　Yotsuba looked back in surprise, and Shinichi's pitiful appearance was immediately seen.

　　He was panting slightly, sweat was streaming down his cheeks, his neat and clean clothes were a mess, and he was slouching slightly exhausted.

　　Even so, his hands held Yotsuba full of strength, and when he raised his eyes to look at her, he became incredibly formidable.

　　"You're wrong, the escalator isn't there! Come with me."

　　Then ignoring Yotsuba, Shinichi took a step forward and pulled her to walk in another direction.

Yotsuba stared blankly at the clasped hands.