Come to think about it, I did not question Futaro getting banned from the old apartment last episode. It’s an extreme move to do on a former employee but I figured the girls’ father, Maruo (Takaya Kuroda) isn’t fond of Futaro. This episode confirms as much as on the day he resigned, Futaro calls Maruo out for neglecting his stepdaughters. It certainly comes across that way given that the girls live on their own and Maruo was nowhere to be found when Itsuki and Nino have their feud. Part of me does wonder if there’s more to Maruo than the show is letting on. I mean, the girls were poor back then so it seems unlikely that Maruo married their mother for any sort of gain. Whatever the case may be, I’m with Futaro. The guy could do better as a father.
Back to the present, Futaro and Raiha visit the new apartment during New Year’s. This is a really funny bit as the girls act awfully nice to Futaro, including Nino! It seemed to be a given that Futaro would be tutoring voluntarily but the girls still feel he should compensated in some way. They can’t pay him because, big surprise, Ichika is the only one with money and she has to pay for all the utilities. I love how everyone considers kissing Futaro as compensation except for Yotsuba, who instead thinks of giving Futaro a medal like they’re in elementary school. Even funnier is that Yotsuba then impulsively(?) kisses Futaro on the cheek, to get some cake icing left on his face, and she pulls the same excuse her sisters had in mind. I’m starting to think Yotsuba wasn’t lying when she told Futaro she likes him, back in Season 1. Also, Yotsuba might want to watch out. Miku might be entering her yandere phase. Ultimately, Futaro clarifies that he already figured he’s helping the girls voluntarily (though he does joke that the girls should pay him later if they hit it big).
Ichika being the only quint with money is pretty amusing. Poor girl is already carrying the plot in a figurative sense and now, the situation literally depends on her wallet. There’s a big drawback to this however in that Ichika now has to work multiple acting roles, including ones that aren’t to her liking. As a result, she’s often exhausted, making Futaro and her sisters concerned for her studies and her wellbeing. Obviously, it’d help if all the quintuplets could pull their weight. The question is what job should each one pursue? One that seems likely is Nino working in food service. The show has previously hinted that she’s into baking and curiously, Futaro recently found work at a café/bakery. Nino is hesitant as she’s currently trying to wrap her head around her newfound feelings towards Futaro but I can see her applying for a job at the same place in order to get closer to Futaro.
While searching for a job, Itsuki gets a call from Maruo, who wants to talk about the girls’ situation. Futaro, Yotsuba, and Nino coincidentally see the two talk at a café and decide to eavesdrop. Understandably, Maruo is unhappy with the girls moving out and request that they move back to their old apartment. Itsuki refuses and demands that Futaro be allowed back so Maruo counteroffers by allowing Futaro to be an assistant of a professional tutor he hires. I can see Futaro accepting that as good enough, he did want a pro to work with the girls, but I get why Itsuki turns that down as well. It’s a stab at Futaro’s pride, it’d be far too limiting for him, and the whole group wants to prove their hard work and Futaro’s effectiveness. Yotsuba intervenes and with her help, Itsuki convinces Maruo to re-hire and unban Futaro if all five girls pass their final exams. The caveat is that if anyone fails, the girls will have to transfer to a school that Maruo arranged for them to enroll as third years.
Maruo pulling some strings is slimy though I can see that being his weird way of looking out for his daughters. In his defense, the girls’ grades do speak for themselves so he is justified in getting them into a new school. Perhaps that’s also why he begrudgingly agrees to the deal. The girls would be better off succeeding by their own merits rather than some other person’s influence.
Definitely the most scathing thing Maruo says in the whole conversation is the question of whether or not Yotsuba can pass the finals. Yes, Yotsuba is objectively the worst performing student out of the five but to hear their father say that and Yotsuba to be within earshot is pretty depressing. Given Yotsuba’s reaction, I wonder if she’s been harboring some guilt. She tends to play her stupidity off for laughs but I can’t imagine that she is actually okay with her low grades, especially when a guy she likes has been trying his darndest to help her. It’s fitting that Yotsuba intervenes. For her to be adamant about passing and getting Futaro re-hired, Maruo must have felt compelled to give one more chance. It’s also interesting to see Yotsuba act so assertive. Perhaps she’s taking Nino’s advice to heart. That said, Yotsuba is putting a lot of pressure on herself. If anyone could cost the team their victory, it’s her and she knows that.
Watch The Quintessential Quintuplets 2 on Apple TV and Crunchyroll
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