Journey to Planar World

”Hoam~...”

Yotsuba let out a small yawn as she rubbed her still sleepy eyes. The room where she and her sisters slept was still dark, only faintly illuminated by the dim light coming through the window.

Ichika, Nino, Miku, and Itsuki were still fast asleep, each in their own unique sleeping positions. Nino was hugging a pillow tightly, Miku was lying on her side with half her face buried under the blanket, Ichika had one hand resting on her forehead, and Itsuki was curled up comfortably in the corner of the bed.

Since the beach house wasn’t large and only had three rooms available for sleeping, the Nakano quintuplets occupied the largest room and slept together.

Yotsuba held her breath to avoid making too much noise as she got up from her bed. She tiptoed carefully between them, trying not to step on anyone as she made her way to the door.

Once she was out of the room, she headed straight to the bathroom. After finishing her business, as she walked back, her eyes caught a beautiful sight through the window of the beach house.

Outside, the sky was beginning to change colors. A golden light emerged from the horizon, sweeping across the once-dark sky. The calm sea reflected the first rays of sunlight, creating a serene and calming view.

”So beautiful...”

Yotsuba stood still, taking in the scenery. Since arriving here, they hadn’t truly taken the time to enjoy a sunrise like this.

Then, her eyes widened.

In the distance, at the edge of the beach illuminated by the dawn light, Charlie and Aishia stood side by side. But what shocked her was that their bodies were enveloped in a strange light. The light flickered, as if they could disappear at any moment.

At that moment, Charlie’s words echoed in her mind—that his time in this world was only 12 hours left.

”Oh no!” Yotsuba covered her mouth with both hands, her heart filled with anxiety.

’Does this mean they’re leaving now?’

’Are Charlie-san and Aishia-san going to disappear without even saying goodbye?’

’No! I can’t let this happen!’

As soon as she reached the room, she immediately shook Ichika, who was sleeping closest to her.

”Ichika! Wake up! It’s an emergency!” She said loudly, but Ichika only stirred lazily.

”Mmhh... Five more minutes...” Ichika mumbled as she turned over.

”Ugh...”

Yotsuba groaned in frustration.

There was no time to coax them gently!

She jumped onto the bed, grabbed a pillow, and started hitting Nino, Miku, and Itsuki in turn with an expression full of urgency.

”Wake up, all of you! Charlie-san and Aishia-san are leaving!”

Those words finally woke Ichika, Nino, Miku, and Itsuki.

Their eyes widened, confusion and shock immediately evident on their faces.

”What do you mean, Yotsuba?” Miku asked, her voice still hoarse.

”No time to explain! Follow me now!”

Without waiting for a response, Yotsuba ran out of the room, and her four sisters, though still half-asleep, quickly followed her.

As for Fuutarou and Raiha? They were completely forgotten.

They all rushed out of the beach house, heading toward the shoreline where Charlie and Aishia stood...

Hearing the sound of footsteps behind him, Charlie turned and looked at them with a bittersweet smile.

He hadn’t expected them to notice his departure, let alone run to the beach in this state.

The quintuplets looked disheveled after just waking up, but no one cared about that now.

Among them, Ichika stood out the most—her pajamas weren’t buttoned properly, revealing a glimpse of her ample breast.

Charlie noticed it briefly but chose not to comment.

”I wanted to leave without anyone noticing. Seems like that’s not possible.” He muttered with a resigned tone.

Nino immediately approached him with an angry expression.

”Hey, you idiot! What do you think we are?! Are we not important enough for you to even say goodbye?” She snapped, clearly annoyed.

Although the other girls’ reactions weren’t as harsh as Nino’s, they all showed their dissatisfaction.

Miku looked down slightly, her eyes filled with sadness. ”I thought... at least you’d spend your last moments with us.”

Ichika crossed her arms, though she still wore a playful smile. ”If you thought we’d let you leave just like that, you’re very wrong.”

Itsuki let out a long sigh, trying to hold back her emotions. ”Don’t you understand? This isn’t just about saying goodbye, but how we say it.”

Yotsuba looked at him with teary eyes. ”Charlie-san... I don’t want to see you leave without any last memories.”

”...”

Seeing their sincere reactions, Charlie could only awkwardly rub the back of his neck.

He hadn’t expected them to react like this.

However, before he could respond—Aishia suddenly spoke.

”Charlie just didn’t want to make you sad.”

Her soft voice calmed the atmosphere.

”But... maybe he didn’t realize that doing something like this would hurt you even more.”

Charlie fell silent.

He looked at Aishia, who was gazing at him with a calm yet profound expression.

”Sigh...”

Charlie let out a deep breath, then looked at the quintuplets with regret.

”I’m sorry. It seems like we won’t be able to have a farewell party. My time is almost up.”

As he spoke those words, Charlie could feel the subtle pressure from this world.

Hearing this, the quintuplets’ hearts sank.

Although the time they spent together was short, the memories were deeply etched in their minds.

They couldn’t forget Charlie and Aishia.

And now, they had to face the reality that the farewell was truly happening.

But before leaving, Charlie wanted to say something to them.

He looked at each of them one by one, then began to speak.

”Ichika, as the eldest sister, your personality makes you approachable. But... you often wear a fake smile. It’s better to get rid of that. By the way, success isn’t final, failure isn’t fatal. What’s important is the courage to keep going. In short, chase your dreams before trying.”

”Ara~, Charlie-kun knows me so well. Onee-san is very happy.” Ichika smiled, but this time it wasn’t her usual fake smile.

Ignoring Ichika’s comment, Charlie turned to Nino.

”Nino, even though you’re always fierce, you’re strong on the outside but fragile inside. You’re always honest with your feelings, and that’s a good thing. But remember, not everyone is as strong as you in facing their emotions.”

”You idiot. You don’t need to say things like that at a time like this.” Nino clenched her fists, trying to hold back her tears. She didn’t want this farewell to become sad because of her.

Feeling a little guilty for not acknowledging the girl’s feelings, Charlie looked at Miku.

”Miku, you seem like a gloomy and cold girl, hard to approach, but in reality, you’re easily flustered. Thankfully, you’re blessed with your sisters. Otherwise, I’d worry you’d be bullied by other girls jealous of your beauty, or taken advantage of by sleazy guys who’d exploit your introverted nature. Anyway, stop hiding behind others. You’re valuable enough as you are, so stop doubting that.”

”Guilty, seppuku!” Miku puffed her cheeks like an adorable hamster, feeling insulted by his words. Still, she didn’t deny them.

Hearing Miku’s signature phrase, Charlie smiled lightly, then turned to Yotsuba, the most cheerful and lively of the quintuplets.

”Yotsuba, you’re in the sports club. You’re popular and energetic. You always have a bright smile on your face. You’re a kind-hearted and gentle girl. But I need to remind you that kindness given continuously can be mistaken as a right. Yotsuba, I’m not telling you to stop being kind, but you need to know that not everyone deserves your kindness. You always think of others before yourself. That’s beautiful, but don’t forget that you deserve to be happy too.”

”I’ll remember that, Charlie-san!” Yotsuba wiped her teary eyes.

Satisfied that the girl didn’t refuse to listen, Charlie turned to Itsuki, the chubbiest of the quintuplets.

”Itsuki, you’re a silly, foodie, hardworking, serious, and polite girl. Don’t be too hard on yourself. You try so hard to be a role model for your sisters, but remember that you deserve support too.”

”I’m not silly at all, okay? And... I’ll try.” Itsuki complained.

Charlie took a deep breath, then smiled softly.

”Goodbye, everyone. I hope you all live happily.”

As those words left his lips, Charlie and Aishia’s bodies began to fade.

The light surrounding them grew brighter, as if ready to take them away.

The quintuplets could only watch with mixed feelings—sadness, reluctance, and uncertainty.

However, among them, Nino was having the hardest time accepting this reality.

”Will we ever see each other again?” She asked sobbing.

Charlie glanced at her for a moment, then sighed.

”I don’t know.”

That answer left them all speechless.

And before anyone could say anything else—

Charlie and Aishia turned into particles of light.

They disappeared before the quintuplets’ eyes, leaving only silence and a deep sense of loss.

Yotsuba clasped her hands tightly, lowering her head.

Miku bit her lip, holding back the tears that were about to fall.

Ichika, who could usually hide her emotions behind a smile, was at a loss for words this time.

Itsuki wiped her eyes, which were starting to water.

And Nino—she just stood there, staring blankly at the spot where Charlie and Aishia had vanished.

Their departure felt so sudden.

So quiet.

So painful.

But even though they were gone, the memories of them would live on in their hearts.

Forever.