Chapter 3 : A baby

"Well,I'll pass on your message to Ash. Thanks, Max"

Eiji hung up the phone and went to the hallway, sudden he heard a high-pitched voice coming from the study room.

(Oh, I can hear a sound like a on earth is it?)

"What are you doing, Ash?"

Eiji opened the door slowly and looked at the study room, but he couldn't find Ash.

"I can't believe it! Why is there a baby in this room?"

He goes near the baby and sat down, then looked at the baby carefully.

It's a baby boy, on a little above 2 or 3 months old. The baby has softly white skin like a marshmallow, shiny blonde hair, beautiful clearly green-eyes like a glass. He was a cute baby as if Ash became small.

Eiji was astonished by the cuteness of the baby, but he felt that this is a strange situation. Ash must have been in the study room, but he wasn't there. In addition, There were clothes Ash wore on the floor, and the baby was crying on Ash's clothes.

"No way― is he a son of ASH?"

Eiji was really upset and he totally misunderstood.

"He didn't mention anything to me and his henchmen about his baby…then, he went away somewhere, didn't he?" No, I'm sure he wouldn't do that. He must have a reason he stood up."

And Eiji needed to relax as much as possible and then he stood up and looked around the study room. He found a small memo on the desk. It looked like a scribbled note.

Eiji picked up the memo and read it.

"I'll return back to normal in 18 days. Believe me and Wait until that day. ――ASH"

"What's this? Did Ash write this note? I think it's Ash's hand writing, though. It looks like a child's letter."

Even though it was hard to read the end of sentence, he was sure that was Ash's hand writing.

"Yeah, it must be a Ash's writing. I wonder what happened to Ash."

Eiji was really worried about Ash, but he thought he should believe what Ash wrote.

(He said he'll return in 18 days. Is he going to stay anywhere during that time? What should I do with the baby?)

To tell the truth, Eiji was really worried about Ash, but he decides to take care and responsible for the baby and he looked at the baby.

"Hello, baby. I'm Eiji. Where are you from? What's your name?"

He spoke to the baby kindly, and touched the baby's small fingers. The baby grasped his first finger, looking at Eiji strangely with love pure eyes.

(Oh…He's really small…and so pretty!) He thought himself.

Eiji wrapped the baby with white bath towel softly because he wants the naked baby not to feel cold.

Then he thought how to call the baby and remembered Ash's real name, Aslan.

"Maybe it's better to stay with you for a little while…I'll call you "Aslan". Hey, Aslan…"

Eiji cradled him, Aslan laughed.

"For now, I have to buy some milk and babies' nappies …and a baby book. I'll go to the supermarket on the first floor."

Eiji cradled and held Aslan, and then he went to the supermarket. And the next door neighbor found him and spoke to him.

"Hello, Eiji. Who is the baby? Is he a brother of "Chris"？ "

She mentioned Ash's fake name because She didn't know the real name of Ash. And she misunderstood the baby was the younger brother of Ash.

She looked at Aslan excitedly.

Eiji said hesitantly. "Well...This baby is Chris's cousin…I'm gonna take care of him as a babysitter because of the family reason.

"Why doesn't he wear baby cloths and you just wrapped him with towel? " She asked him.

"Well…"（Oh, How should I explain to her?…Okay!） He was upset but he replied. "Actually, I'm still not used to taking care of a baby and I spilled some milk on his baby clothes when I made it for him."

"Oh,That's tough. Eiji, You don't need to buy baby clothes because baby will grow up eventually and can't wear them. I'll give you my grandchildren's clothes, you can use them."

"Really? That's nice of you! Well… May I ask you? Which baby milk and babies' nappies would you recommend?"

"Of course! I'm happy because It's been a long time to take care of a baby."

shopped with Eiji eagerly.

＊＊＊

Eiji returned to his apartment with a lot of packages.

"Oh, I'm tired... Hey, Aslan. Let's wear the baby clothes because you were given clothes. "

Eiji put Aslan into Ash's bed quietly. But Aslan laid on his stomach and lift up his head.

"Well…I think he is becoming bigger than before ...Is it just my imagination, or what?"

At that moment, the doorbell rang suddenly. Eiji went to the door and checked the visitor through the peephole. It was . Eiji opened the door and invited her. She brought a box which has a lot of toys and gave into Eiji's hand.

"These are my grandchildren's old toys...these are toys of all ages. If you like, use them freely." she said and smiled.

"Thank you very much, . I appreciate your kindness. I guess Aslan will be very much delighted."

Eiji said "thank you" and smiled and received them from her.

And he took them in the bedroom.

"Look, Aslan! gave you many toys――！"

Eiji picked up a small stuffed rabbit and gave it to him. Aslan was smiled and touched it, then he started licking.

"No, Aslan. Don't link it. Lend me it."

Eiji tried to get it from Aslan, but he resisted, gripping it strongly.

"What a strong power he has! Do every babies have such a power？ But I think he didn't have a strong power when I touched Aslan's small fingers."

He is suspicious but he played Aslan with a small stuffed rabbit for a little longer. And then he left to make some milk from the bedroom. But Aslan started crying.

"I wonder what should I do...Oh, I should let him watch TV!"

Eiji turned on TV. Then, Aslan stopped crying and watched it seriously. "Okay, it became successful!" Eiji smiled and went to the kitchen. He started making milk with baby book instructions which is written how to make milk.

Eiji read the baby book. "Well…Sterilize the milk bottle, Pour a hot water which is over 70 degrees into about two-third of the bottle…That's sounds tough."

He smiled ironically and made some milk. When Eiji came back the bedroom, Aslan was sitting on the bed. Eiji was too surprised that he almost dropped the milk bottle.

"…No way！ "

Eiji opened the baby book quickly.

"A Baby can sit a little above 6 or 7 months old. At that time, they cut their lower tooth..."

Eiji was sure Aslan was on a little above 2 or 3 months old. But he wasn't sure because he's never taken care of a baby before.

He was really confused but thought Aslan wants to drink his milk. Then he looked at the milk bottle. "Hey Aslan…This is your milk. You must be hungry."

Eiji checked his mouth, but he couldn't find his lower tooth.

Aslan sucked roundly his milk bottle and drunk it.

"He has a voracious appetite...hahaha" Eiji smiled.

After Aslan finished drinking his milk, Eiji checked his mouth and found a tooth in his lower mouth. Eiji was too surprised that he almost drooped the milk bottle.

(I can't believe it! )

Eiji was surprised and looked at Aslan. But Aslan began to sleep gently because he was full.

Eiji didn't understand this situation. He was sure this baby grew up quickly.

(Should I tell someone about this baby? No,if someone knows about this super baby, It might cause much commotion. Ash won't come home in 18 days.)

He thought so and told nobody.

＊＊＊

――early-evening――

Aslan began to cry. Eiji held him but Aslan didn't stop to cry.

"Oh no...Hey, Aslan. What's up with you? Are you hungry? Do you want to drink some milk?"

Eiji asked him.

"A－－" Aslan applied.

And he looked at Eiji's mouth and started to move his mouth.

"Probably―― He might want to have baby food."

Eiji went to the kitchen and made rice gruel, then he scooped it by a spoon. He made it cool by blowing on it. "Aslan, this is Japanese rice gruel called okayu." He said. He made him eat it carefully, and Aslan ate it slowly.

"Well done! You're a super baby!"

Aslan finished to eat rice gruel and started to crawl. He crawled around the bed room cheerfully and tried to stand up, catching with bed cover.

Eiji was surprised and looked for the baby book.

"Wh―What? The baby books mentioned eighth or ninth month years will the baby do crawling and standing while supporting to things."

（He's amazing...really, really super baby... Why did Ash leave him here?) He's saying on his head.

Eiji was upset and confused because Aslan grew up quickly and he was similar to Ash.

＊＊＊

That night―― Aslan was moving his mouth while Eiji spoke to him, and surprisingly he said "Bye-bye", waving his hands. In addition, his blond hair grows more.

(Is this either real or a dream? This baby, Aslan got older 1 year per day!)

Eiji read the memo again what Ash left.

【 I'll return back to normal in 18 days. Believe me and Wait until the day. ――ASH 】

"Well, if Aslan get one year older each day... He will be eighteen after eighteen day. It's the same age to Ash. "

Eiji understood that meaning of the memo.

"Oh my! He is Ash, isn't he?"

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