'As expected of Ichika, the most mature and sensual of the sisters...' he thought. Nino, Miku, and Yotsuba's sets were still adorned with cute little white bear patterns.
By the time Ichika was dressed and ready, Yotsuba and the others were already waiting in the courtyard.
Nino and Miku exchanged glances, the memory of last night's intimacy bringing a flush to their cheeks and a subtle tension to their legs.
It was as if the lingering afterglow of their shared pleasure was still palpable.
Itsuki tilted her head, noticing that Nino's gait had returned to normal. But strangely, Miku now seemed to have a slight awkwardness in her walk.
...
The countryside morning air was crisp and cool. After greeting their grandfather, the five sisters and Badr set off towards the mountain behind the house.
They mentioned a shrine at the summit with a large bell, a popular spot for prayers during certain festivals.
On regular days, it served as a scenic jogging route, bustling with activity.
Yotsuba, brimming with energy, took the lead, practically skipping up the path.
Nino and Miku stayed close to Badr. Their relationships had taken a significant step forward the previous night, and they were now inseparable, much to Ichika's slight annoyance.
With her younger sisters clinging to Badr, she felt hesitant to intrude, even though she longed for some alone time with him as well.
Itsuki, on the other hand, was simply content to be hiking with Badr and her sisters.
They followed the winding path up the mountain, green moss clinging to the weathered stone steps. Towering trees lined the path, birds singing from their branches.
It wasn't a particularly breathtaking landscape, but it possessed a quiet charm that was refreshing and calming.
"Yotsuba, slow down! Don't fall!" Itsuki called out to her sister ahead.
Itsuki often acted more mature than her age, striving to emulate their deceased mother, hoping to become as kind and strong as she had been.
And the energetic Yotsuba was the one she worried about the most. Yotsuba seemed to have boundless energy, her stamina far surpassing the others.
Badr walked at a relaxed pace beside Miku, who had the least stamina of the five sisters.
"Tired?" he asked softly, noticing a light sheen of sweat on her forehead.
"I'm fine... I can keep going," Miku replied quietly, blushing as she met his gaze.
The memory of their intimate moments the previous night, the waves of pleasure, made her shy away from his eyes.
"If you get tired, I'll carry you," Badr offered with a smile. Miku nodded shyly.
"Honestly, you should really work on your stamina," Nino quipped, seeing Badr's attentiveness to Miku.
Miku puffed out her cheeks, looking adorably indignant. "I can make it up the mountain. 'You're' the one practically hanging on Badr."
"Hee hee, we're just helping each other out," Nino retorted, flipping her hair and sending a flirtatious glance at Badr.
"You mean, 'I'm' putting in ninety percent of the effort, and 'you're' putting in ten," Badr teased, discreetly pinching Nino's bottom. She jumped, her face flushing crimson, and quickly moved away.
She shot him a playful glare, mouthing a silent message.
'Jerk!'
Badr read her lips and chuckled.
The five quintuplets hiking together, all dressed identically, were undoubtedly a striking sight. The other early morning hikers stared in surprise.
However, they were mostly elderly folks; young people were a rare sight in the countryside these days.
After about half an hour, they finally reached the summit.
"We made it! Sunrise, sunrise~~" Yotsuba exclaimed, pointing excitedly at the rising sun. At this hour, it was safe to look directly at it, a perfect crimson orb resting on the horizon, painting the sky in breathtaking hues.
Gazing at the view and the town below, Itsuki shouted joyfully, "Yahoo~~~"
Her voice echoed across the valley. Her eyes crinkled into crescents, radiating pure happiness.
Badr bought some breakfast from a nearby stall at the shrine, handing out steaming buns to everyone. He noticed Itsuki making binoculars with her hands, admiring the distant scenery.
Charmed by her cuteness, he quietly approached her from behind.
He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding a fluffy white bun in front of her face.
"Ah..." Itsuki jumped slightly at the sudden embrace, her view replaced by two round, white objects.
She turned, a playful pout forming on her lips as she recognized Badr.
"You scared me!"
"And you're complaining? I brought you food!" Badr chuckled, his arms still around her waist. Itsuki always had a hearty appetite, yet maintained a trim figure. He often wondered where all that energy went.
"I'll forgive you if it's delicious." Itsuki smiled, taking the bun and biting into it.
"Mmm~ so good... so juicy..." The savory juices dribbled down her chin.
"Let me try some."
"Eh? Here." Itsuki offered him the half-eaten bun.
Badr chuckled and shook his head, leaning in close. "Just a taste is enough."
He gently kissed her, savoring the lingering flavor of the bun before pulling away with a satisfied nod.
"It is good."
Itsuki blinked, her mind momentarily blank. "...??"
Then, a blush crept up her neck and stained her cheeks.
Like Miku, Itsuki was also an innocent soul, easily flustered by such a sweet gesture.
Some elderly women doing their morning exercises nearby happened to witness the scene. They giggled, giving Badr a thumbs-up.
'These youngsters these days... so bold,' they seemed to say, clearly amused by the display of affection.
Itsuki, mortified by the attention, shot Badr a shy glare.
'This jerk... so embarrassing, with everyone watching...'
"Ahem!"
A voice interrupted them.
Badr turned to see Yotsuba standing there, an awkward smile on her face.
"I seem to have come at a bad time."
"Not at all! You came just in time," Itsuki quickly reassured her.
Badr thought, 'Well, you just stole my line.'
"Yotsuba, do you want a kiss too?" He teased, grinning at her.
Yotsuba's eyes widened in surprise. She glanced at the elderly women still watching them and shook her head vigorously.
"N-No, thank you! Hahaha..." She grabbed Badr's arm. "I actually need your help with something!"
"Oh? What is it?"
"Come with me!" Yotsuba pulled him towards the small courtyard of the shrine.
Badr waved to Itsuki, who watched them shyly as Yotsuba led him away.
...
Once inside the courtyard, Yotsuba pulled Badr toward a tree.
"Squat down."
"What for?" Badr asked, puzzled.
"Just help me out..." Yotsuba tugged on his arm.
With a sigh, Badr complied. The next thing he knew, Yotsuba had climbed onto his shoulders.
"Quick, lift me up! I can almost reach it!" Yotsuba said excitedly, perched on his shoulders.
"Be careful now, dear."
A middle-aged woman emerged from the shrine, accompanied by a teenage girl. Both held badminton rackets, and the woman carried a small stool.
Badr looked up and saw a badminton birdie stuck in the branches. Yotsuba was reaching for it.
...
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Chapter 154: Shrine Adventure! A Sleepover to Remember!
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...
"...You could have just asked me to get the birdie," Badr said, a mixture of amusement and exasperation in his voice. He held Yotsuba's legs steady as she perched on his shoulders, reaching for the shuttlecock stuck in the branches.
"I did ask you! Hee hee, I just can't jump that high. It's so close..." Yotsuba was athletic, but the branch was simply too high. Hence, Badr's involvement.
Badr sighed. "I mean, just because you can't jump that high doesn't mean I can't. Are you sure you didn't just want a piggyback ride?"
"Eh? Really?" Yotsuba's eyes widened. "I forgot!"
"..."
A nearby woman and her little girl giggled. "You can do it, big sister!" the girl cheered.
'Ha... I'm the one doing all the work, and she's cheering for you?'
Badr steadied Yotsuba, his hands firmly gripping her thighs.
"Umm... Badr, a little higher..." Yotsuba said sheepishly. She realized her mistake. Badr could have easily retrieved the shuttlecock with a simple jump.
"...Hold on tight."
With a resigned sigh, Badr braced himself, then lifted Yotsuba higher with a powerful thrust of his arms.
"Whoa!" Yotsuba gasped as she felt herself rise into the air. Badr effortlessly hoisted her up.
The woman and her daughter stared in amazement.
"Mommy, that big brother is so strong!" the little girl exclaimed.
"Uh... y-yes, he is..." the woman agreed, surprised by the teenager's strength.
Once Yotsuba retrieved the shuttlecock and tossed it down to the little girl, Badr carried her on his back, seemingly without effort, and started to jog away.
"Waaah! Put me down!"
"Did you think you could just use me as your personal mount?" Badr chuckled, holding her legs securely as he walked, deliberately jostling her a bit, making her squeal.
"Ah, haha, stop it... I'm going to fall! Haha... My hair is tickling me!"
Yotsuba's laughter mixed with pleas for mercy. Badr finally relented and set her down.
The shrine attendant watched them with a knowing smile. "You two lovebirds, would you like to draw a love fortune slip? The gods will bless your relationship!"
"Eh? A love fortune?" Yotsuba's mouth formed a small 'o', blushing at the suggestion.
'Smooth sales pitch,' Badr thought.
Did a devil like him need the blessing of Gods?
It was amusing. If this were the past, before the peace treaty, he wouldn't even be allowed near a shrine...
Inwardly, he chuckled, but outwardly, he smiled politely and agreed.
After paying a small fee, Yotsuba drew a slip. It was "daikichi" — the best possible fortune!
"Wow! Amazing, it's daikichi!!"
"Of course it is." Badr rolled his eyes internally. If it had been a bad fortune, he would have marched straight to Michael and demanded an explanation of the Sacred fortune-telling system. Did they want to break up a perfectly good couple?
Yotsuba was thrilled with the excellent fortune.
Since all five sisters were now Badr's girlfriends, she reasoned, they would all be together in the future, right?
That would be wonderful.
As they left the shrine, Badr asked, "Do you think those fortunes are accurate?"
"Of course! They have to be!" Yotsuba declared confidently. Then, she paused. "Uh... but Badr, aren't you a devil?"
"You're just realizing that now? That's why I asked if you thought they were accurate." Badr chuckled, making Yotsuba waver.
"Does that mean the fortune doesn't count...?" she mumbled, looking dejected.
"No, it doesn't. And even without the fortune, we'll always be together," Badr reassured her, taking her hand.
Yotsuba nodded vigorously. "That's right! Hee hee, I have to tell the others!" She waved to her sisters in the distance and ran to show them the fortune slip, earning Badr several affectionate glances from the group.
...
They spent the rest of the morning enjoying the mountaintop scenery, returning to the Tora ( Tiger ) Iwa Hot Springs Inn only when the midday sun grew too intense.
The quintuplets chose to spend the afternoon with their grandfather, enjoying their rare time together.
Badr refrained from interrupting their family time. He couldn't shake the feeling that their grandfather was watching him with a hawk-like intensity, as if ready to pounce should he get too close to his granddaughters...
'Protective of his precious girls,' Badr thought understandingly. 'He wouldn't want them swept away too easily.'
The day flew by, and evening approached.
The sisters gathered to watch TV, but a silent competition brewed beneath the surface.
Nino and Miku, having tasted intimacy, were scheming to get the others out of the way so they could enjoy some alone time with Badr.
Ichika, Yotsuba, and Itsuki, though a step behind, also desired some individual time with Badr to explore their burgeoning feelings.
Badr, for his part, wouldn't mind if all five sisters joined him...
However, they were all quite innocent and easily embarrassed. Such a scenario might be possible in the future, but for now, it was highly unlikely...
The sisters exchanged veiled suggestions and subtle maneuvers, each trying to outwit the others, but their mutual desires created a stalemate.
As the night grew later, the tension thickened, and they remained at an impasse.
A wave of despair washed over them. 'This is so difficult!' they all lamented internally.
...
It was 11 pm, and no one showed any signs of retiring for the night.
Nino and Miku had intended to outlast each other, but their standoff had dragged on, leaving them both frustrated.
Badr looked at them curiously. They usually went to bed much earlier. "It's late. Aren't you tired?" he asked.
"Uh... I'm too excited to sleep, thinking about leaving tomorrow. We finally got to hang out together," Nino quickly offered an excuse.
"Eh? Now that you mention it, I guess I am a little excited..." Yotsuba chimed in. "That's why I'm not sleepy..."
"No... you're just naturally energetic," Itsuki retorted dryly.
"Hee hee..." Yotsuba scratched her head. "How about we all sleep together tonight? You know, it would be fun to chat in the dark!"
The suggestion caught everyone off guard, but they seemed intrigued.
"Is there enough space?" Ichika wondered aloud.
"We can clear the tables in the biggest guest room upstairs and lay out futons!" Yotsuba, as if having already planned this, immediately laid out the arrangements. "I've always wanted to do this! I even checked it out earlier!"
"Hmm... if we squeeze in a bit, we should be able to fit six futons," Nino murmured.
Badr blinked, quickly interjecting, "Why six? Am I supposed to be part of your girl talk?"
"Duh! Of course you are!" The five sisters answered in unison, their rare moment of agreement startling him.
"..."
He was grateful their grandfather wasn't present. If he knew his granddaughters were planning a sleepover with Badr, he'd probably throw him over his shoulder.
Unable to refuse their enthusiastic request, Badr resigned himself to their plan.
After nearly half an hour of bustling activity, they finally had the futons arranged.
