Chapter 4: A Date and and Accidental Reunion

Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou

"We're here!"

Kazuma placed the car in park, pulling the key from ignition and took a moment to admire his parking job, even though he was one of the very few people in a handicapped spot. He pulled the car door handle and pushed his door open, grabbing his blue sling backpack and his walnut stained beechwood cane then stepping out of the car. Slamming the door shut, he walked to the other side of the car and opened Miia's door, offering his hand to her the way a person would a figure of royalty.

"Shall we?" He asked, one of his brilliant smiles gracing his lips.

Miia took his hand, her cheeks pink. "T-Thank you, Darling..."

Kazuma lifted Miia from her seat and lowered her to the cool concrete gently, the Lamia slithering to a distance so that the long lower half of her body had fully left the backseat so that Kazuma could shut her door. He pat the roof of his car, a midnight blue 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, whispering: "Take care, old friend. I'll be back soon." before jogging over to Miia, offering his right arm to her, the Lamia gladly looping her arm through his.

"Where to first?" He asked, his smile degrading into a lopsided grin.

Miia put a finger to her cheek in thought before finally answering: "I don't know..." Kazuma sweatdropped, his hopes of her planning their outing dashed, but then she gave him a smile and pulled him closer, squeezing him tight. "It doesn't matter to me where we go as long as I'm with you, Darling!"

Kazuma's smile returned, the former lawyer reaching over with his prosthesis and poking her nose, the cold metal making her shiver.

"Darling!" She cried. "You're hand is cold!"

Kazuma chuckled, enjoying what little teasing he could get in. "I couldn't help it! You're adorable!"

Glad that his teasing had more effect on her than her flirting had on him, the former lawyer dragged ahead of the Lamia, pulling a brown leather glove over his prosthetic hand, eager to get their outing started.

"Come on! We can't have our date in a parking enclosure."

*Ten minutes later*

"I can't believe it took ten minutes to validate my parking." Kazuma grumbled, rather annoyed. "I'm a cripple, not a liar..."

Kazuma walked, more like limped, behind Miia, the Lamia taking in the sights of the town with amazement that never ceased to amaze him while he pouted because he had to pay one thousand yen to get a new handicap card on the fly because his wasn't up to date. But, in the end, the Lamia's singing made his bitterness nonexistent and broke the monotony of the average people around him, and made the beginning of the their "date" more enjoyable.

It's a date~

A date~

We're on a date~

I'm on a date with my darling~

Kazuma smirked, completely aware that people were watching, and picked uo his pace to catch up with Miia, placing a hand on the top of the red beret with gold accents she was wearing and pat her head. "Alright, alright, I think the whole world knows that we're out on a date."

She turned to him, her amber reptilian eyes meeting the ocean of brown that were his, a small blush forming on her face when she caught look of that brilliant smile he always had. Flustered, she turned away from him and adjusted her outfit, which consisted of a short white jacket on top of a red T-shirt with a belt of buckles and a blue skirt, just so that she could tear herself from his gaze.

While Miia was enjoying herself, Kazuma was listening in on the whispered conversation of people he passed:

"Is that a snake-woman?" Was a popular question. Apparently nobody had seen a Lamia yet.

"Is that her boyfriend?" Was the second most popular, despite the laws against any "intimate" relationships with an Extra-Species person and/or persons. Whatever the hell intimate meant in the government's books was beyond him.

"I can't believe no one's commenting on the cane." Kazuma murmured, quite glad that, for once, people weren't focusing on his disability, or his sense of fashion. Granted, he didn't even need the cane to walk by himself, but it helped with long distances or long periods of time.

The two hobbled, and slithered, together for a while before Kazuma pat the Lamia's shoulder and pointed to a building on her right. "You want a bite to eat?"

Miia's stomach growled when she caught the scent of eggs. "Yes please..."

Kazuma had already beat her to it, opening the door for her and letting her go in first before going in himself.

"Welcome home, Master!"

"Oh." Kazuma whispered, clutching his pounding heart, finding himself attempting to recover from the heart attack the little surprise the maid trio gave him. "Well, it looks like we stepped into the Maid-Servant Cafe on accident..."

Kazuma found it hard to not be nervous around the maids that were crowding around him.

"Hmmmm." The maid with red hair hummed, getting into Kazuma's face. Her green eyes peered into his soul. "You look awfully familiar..."

The second maid, the one with blue hair, crossed her arms, her red eyes eyeing him with curiosity. "Have you been here before, sir?"

Kazuma backed away when another maid started to scrutinize him. After a few moments of silence and her staring at him in an attempt to ID him, a mix of recognition, realization, shock, disbelief, and hope dawned on her face before she squeezed the lawyer with a bone-crushing hug, burying her head into his chest, tears forming in her eyes as she clutched onto him.

Miia opened her mouth to object, but Kazuma held up a gloved mechanical hand.

"Kazuma?" The maid with purple hair asked, her voice trembling and echoing her disbelief.

Kazuma smiled, placing a hand on her head and ruffling her hair. "Hey, Masumi." He turned to the other maid. "Good to see you again, Ayumi." He waved to the third maid. "Kagami, how have you been?"

"You jerk!" Masumi shouted, slamming her hand in the center of Kazuma's ribs. She pulled away from him, tears cascading down her pale cheeks, her blue eyes glaring at him. "You disappear for two and a half years and then just decide to show up and act like eveythings normal?! Like you never left?!"

Thankful that it was the Tuesday shift where their were next to no customers and just the three maids in front of him (Tuesday was a slow day for the cafe), Kazuma sighed. Today just had to be Tuesday...

"Get us a table and I'll tell you kiddies a story."

"But-" Kagami started.

"Nooope!" Kazuma howled. "No buts! Do your job first, then you get a story."

"Darling," Miia called, the Lamia drawing his attention, "Do you know them?"

"Oh, a long, long time ago in a distant life." He answered, twirling the handle of his cane around in his hand. He gestured his hand to the three ladies. "Looks like you get to learn more about me today, Miia."

Kazuma pinched the bridge of his nose. Looks like it's a date and a story.