Chapter 11-A: Azusa!

"So one day, you decided to adopt three monstergirls on impulse?"

"That… pretty much sums it up."

After introducing themselves, Eryn and Azusa were having a conversation about the monstergirls. Seeing him with monstergirl children was not what she expected to see after seven years of no contact.

"Doesn't it seem like a huge responsibility?"

"It does." He sighed, shifting his gaze to his nonexistent couch. "I've… faced my fair share of challenges already."

"But you believe it's worth it, don't you?" Azusa grinned.

"... Haha." Eryn let out a soft chuckle. Though it's only been two days, seeing the monstergirls' little smiles made it all worth it.

"Say, if you need someone to help take care of them, look no further than your dear Azusa!" she slammed her fist to her chest proudly.

Her words stirred an immediate reaction from Lofie, who simply snapped her gaze away and hugged Eryn.

"Ouch." Azusa sighed deeply. That hurt me more than I would like.

"Haha, I don't think I need help right now." Eryn stroked Lofie's hair affectionately. "I appreciate the thought, though."

"Come on, it could be fun!" Azusa clapped her hands together. "I could be their…"

"I don't need a grandma." Lofie scoffed, sticking her tongue out at her.

"Pfft…" Eryn covered his mouth to restrain his laughter. That's rather mean of you to say, Lofie.

"G-Grandma?!" Azusa slammed her palms to the floor. She REALLY dislikes me. "I am not that old, I'll have you know! And don't laugh at that, Eryn! You meanie!"

"Sorry, sorry." He coughed a few times into his fist. Hold your laugh, Eryn.

"I was thinking I could be their… you know, big sister?" Azusa winked. "A dependable, big sister they can rely on! Yeah!"

"A big sister, huh?" He nodded.

"You're too big to be our sister." Lofie huffed in the same dry tone.

"Wha–…" Azusa's mouth went agape in a comical fashion. Is she calling me fat? To hear those words from a child didn't sit right with her. She sounds too honest!

"Lofie, you shouldn't say those things to Azusa." He let out a soft chuckle. "She means well."

"Mhngnh…" Lofie nuzzled her head into Eryn's chest. "I only need Eryn. No one else."

"Welp." Eryn briefly raised his shoulders and gave Azusa a sympathetic smile. "You heard the little girl, Azusa. She says she only needs me."

"Wipe that smug look off your face." Azusa crossed her arms in a pouty manner. It's so unfair!

"Well…" He shifted his attention to the other two monstergirls. "Maybe they'd like to talk with you –…"

Iris and Melty stared at Azusa, then at each other. They clung on to Eryn's shirt, feeling wary of his best friend. They weren't hostile towards her as Lofie was, but they preferred to be closer to Eryn.

"… or not."

"Ugh…" Azusa felt two imaginary arrows shoot through her heart. Getting rejected by such cute children is the worst… "How did you get them to be so attached to you? Why are they so attached to you?"

"I don't know, honestly." Eryn puffed his cheeks. "Iris was the one who found me first."

"Iris found you?" Azusa blinked twice. "What?"

"She was waving at me when I stopped by the adoption shelter."

"You're telling me you were a stranger right before you adopted them, and now they're fully attached to you?"

"I suppose...?" Eryn nodded. I guess they are attached to me.

"H-How does that make sense?!" Azusa fumed.

"I mean… they didn't have owners." He rubbed the back of his neck. "If it had been you who stopped by the shelter, maybe they would have been attached to you instead."

"I… don't know, Eryn."

"Huh?" Eryn raised his brows, surprised that Iris spoke up.

"I waved because… I felt I could trust Eryn." Iris twiddled with her fingers. "Because I felt Lofie and Melty could trust Eryn, too…"

Huh, wasn't it a random chance that we met? Eryn thought it was just by fate he met the monstergirls. He just happened to be there, staring through the window. And she kept her sisters in mind, too? Did Iris actually choose him?

"I see…" Azusa crossed her arms, nodding her head in understanding. "It seems you're special, Eryn. It's like you're the protagonist of some story or something."

"Yeah, right." Eryn rolled his eyes. I'm surprised she's not going against Iris's statement. "I want to be a good owner to them. I want to be someone they can trust."

"I think you're doing well, then." Azusa gave a smile, one that was genuine. "You might not need my help after all… but the offer is still up." She stuck her tongue out playfully.

"Heh, I'll keep that in mind." Eryn sighed faintly. Azusa has always been there for him, through thick and thin. I wouldn't have survived high school without her. If, for whatever reason, he needed her help to raise the monstergirls, he knew he could count on her and she'd be there in a heartbeat. If a friendship lasts seven years, it may as well last a lifetime, so they say…

"Eryn, Eryn." Lofie tugged on his shirt.

"What is it, Lofie?" Eryn patted her head.

"Is it bath time now?"

"Oh, right." His eyes shot open in realization. That's why I bought those clothes! It slipped his mind since he was catching up with Azusa. His eyes shifted to the other two monstergirls. "Iris, Melty… do you two want to take baths now?"

"I want, I want!" Melty's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Me too!" Iris raised her palm, her tail wagging around.

"Haha, okay, okay." Eryn smiled and stood up. "Why don't you all head into the bathroom? I'll take a new change of clothes and towels first."

"Okay!" The monstergirls replied in unison and made haste to the bathroom. Iris and Melty had to pull Lofie away from Eryn before they could go together.

"Have you ever thought about being a father, Eryn?" Azusa asked after the monstergirls left for the bathroom.

"A father?" He folded his arms, pondering her question. "I've… never really thought about it."

"Heh, really…" Azusa smirked. "What I'm seeing right now is a father trying to take care of his three daughters."

"…" A faint blush appeared on his cheeks. If others saw them, of course they'd think Eryn was raising three little girls as a father would. Do I consider them as their father? Do they consider me as their father? The monstergirls trusted him deeply, but he didn't know the extent of their trust. If they consider me a father of sorts, well…

"Don't think about it too much." Azusa waved her hand to dismiss her question. "I was just curious, is all."

"Yeah…" Eryn turned around. "Sorry, do you mind waiting here for a moment? I need to…"

"No worries." She smiled warmly. "Mind if I use your kitchen? I'm a little hungry."

"Go for it." He nodded as he picked up the shopping bags containing the clothes. "Kitchen's all yours. You can check the stuff I have in the fridge, too."

"Sweet!"

Leaving Azusa to her own company, Eryn went to his room and placed the shopping bags on a table. He opened one of them up and took new home clothes for the monstergirls to wear. I think this will fit them nicely. He also grabbed three towels, one for each monstergirl.

He then went to the bathroom and saw the monstergirls already out of their clothes.

"Eryn, Eryn!" Lofie tugged on the hem of his shirt. "I'm ready!"

"Give me a moment." Eryn chuckled as he turned on the water to fill the bathtub. He ran his fingers through the stream and made proper adjustments to the temperature. This should be warm enough. "All right, let's get you in the bath, shall we?"

"Okay!" Iris exclaimed.

Eryn lifted Iris first into the bathtub. "In you go, Iris."

"My turn, my turn." Lofie's tail wagged around with excitement.

"You're quite eager, Lofie." Eryn lifted Lofie and slowly placed her in the bathtub. He turned to Melty. "All right, and lastly…"

"D-Do I have to get in the bath?" Melty asked, afraid of her two sisters.

"Er, if you'd like?" Eryn put his hands on his hips.

"Come on, Melty!" Iris stretched her hand out. "Join us!"

"But you and Lofie will splash water on me!" she fumed, hiding behind Eryn's legs. "I don't want that!"

"Would you get in the bath if they didn't splash water on you?" Eryn asked, crouching down.

"… Maybe," Melty answered timidly.

"Mhmm…" Eryn patted her head. "Iris, Lofie… will you splash water on her?"

"… Maybe?" Iris and Lofie avoided his gaze, putting their hands behind their backs.

"I'll take that as a yes, then." Eryn poked Iris and Lofie's noses playfully. He pulled a stool over for Melty to sit on. "We'll do this like last time, Melty. Don't worry."

"Oh, okay!" Melty grinned.

And so, Eryn had a good time bathing his little monstergirls.