At Hololive's office, Yozora Mel, the self-proclaimed genius vampire from the demon world, and Yuzuki Choco, the devilish nurse, stood frozen, staring at the scene before them in despair.
"S-Such a thing… Reiji-kun…" Mel whimpered.
"R-Reiji-sama… how could you…?" Choco gasped.
Why?! Mel had always believed in Reiji-kun, but now it felt like a betrayal! Choco, too, was turning away from the cruel reality. To think they'd trusted him, only to be blindsided like this! Why… why…?!
"Hey, what's with you two?" I asked, confused.
"Goo-goo~♪" Giggle giggle! came a tiny voice.
Why's Reiji-kun holding a BABY?!
Minutes Later
"Seriously, you started crying over that?" I sighed.
"It's not just 'that'! I seriously thought you had a kid with another woman!" Mel wailed.
How'd you even jump to that conclusion? "I'm just watching my sister's kid while she's out on an errand. Besides, I don't even have a girlfriend," I said, exasperated. Growing up in a practical, small-town family, I'm not exactly the type to have secret lovechildren.
"There, there, good girl~♪" Choco cooed, rocking the baby.
She's way more parental than me.
"What's her name, Reiji-sama?" Choco asked.
"Oh, she's Ichigo. Five months old, a little girl," I replied.
"Five months?! No wonder she's so tiny and cute—I wanna nibble her~♪" Mel squealed.
"Hold it, no biting babies, pandemic or not!" I snapped.
"But Reiji-kun, you've got work. Why'd you agree to babysit?" Mel asked.
"Today's work wrapped up this morning, and I'm off or working from home tomorrow and the day after. My sister had an unavoidable errand, and her husband's on a business trip, so I was the only option," I explained.
Still, babysitting solo is tough. Nighttime crying's gonna be rough… Wait, idea.
"Hey, you two, since you're here, wanna help with Ichigo?" I asked.
"What?!" they gasped in unison.
"I can't watch her 24/7, and you both seem good with kids. Can I count on you?" I said.
Wait, is it weird to ask idols to babysit? Maybe I should call A-chan or Iizun—huh? Why are they trembling and blushing like that?
(R-Reiji-sama and I, raising a kid?! That's like… we're newlyweds?! Doing this and that in front of the baby… ohhh! ////) Choco's mind raced, her body quivering.
(Reiji-kun and me, parenting?! That's practically marriage! A dreamy, happy couple life! N-No, Reiji-kun, flirting in front of the baby's too embarrassing! Eek! ////) Mel shook, lost in her own fantasy.
What's wrong with them?! They're red as tomatoes and twitching like crazy!
"Hey, you okay?!" I asked, alarmed.
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine… (Oh no, the word 'babysitting' made me imagine married life and I got all… excited ///)" Mel stammered.
"I-I'm okay too… (Crap, picturing a newlywed life with Reiji-sama got me way too worked up ///)" Choco mumbled.
Are they serious? Their faces are still flushed, and they're squirming with their thighs pressed together!
"You sure you're okay? Maybe I should ask A-chan or Iizuna—" "No! Ichigo's babysitting is for Mel (Choco)!" they shouted in unison.
Yikes. Their eyes are gleaming with scary intensity. Did I just make a huge mistake?
Later, Sasaki Residence
"Come here, Ichigo-chan~♪" Mel called.
"Goo~ Ai!" Ichigo babbled.
"Good girl, well done~♪" Choco cooed.
Back home, I'm prepping Ichigo's milk and dinner while Mel and Choco entertain her. They're completely smitten, fawning over her like she's the cutest thing ever. Is this what they'd be like as moms?
"Goo~…" Ichigo whimpered.
"Oh, what's wrong, Ichigo-chan? Hungry? Want Mel-Mama's milk~♪" Mel teased.
"Choco-Mama's milk is an option too~♪" Choco added.
"Daa~♪" Ichigo giggled.
"Hey, what are you doing in my house?!" I yelled. "I'm making her milk, so cut that out!"
Are they seriously trying to undress with me right here?! And Ichigo, don't act like you're gonna drink! They don't even have milk!
"Just kidding, Reiji-kun~♪" Mel laughed.
"Reiji-sama, you're so cute when you panic~♪" Choco giggled.
"Your 'jokes' don't sound like jokes!" I grumbled. "Here, the milk's ready. Feed her and make sure she burps after."
"Got it~♪" they chirped in unison.
These two… I handed them the warmed milk, and they took turns feeding Ichigo, who drank eagerly.
"She's so cute chugging it~♪" Mel squealed.
"Like a little angel~♪" Choco sighed.
An angel, coming from a vampire and a devil? Whatever, Ichigo's happy, so I'll leave them to it for now.
After Dinner
"Zzz… zzz…" Ichigo slept soundly.
"Her sleeping face is adorable~♪" Mel whispered.
"Hey, Mel, don't wake her," I said.
After feeding and putting Ichigo to bed, we finished dinner and finally caught a break. Man, my sister's a champ for doing this daily.
"Now that Ichigo's asleep, we can chill. It's too early for bed—wanna do something?" I asked.
"Oh, Reiji-sama, I brought a model kit I bought a while back. Wanna build it together?" Choco suggested.
"I got one with Choco-sensei too~♪" Mel added.
Model kits, huh? These two usually stick to Build series heroines or Beargguys, so I'm expecting more of that… wait, hold up.
"Hey, these aren't Gunpla!" I said, eyeing their kits.
"Yup, they're super cool, so I impulse-bought them~♪" Mel grinned.
"I saw them in an anime and couldn't resist~♪" Choco added.
No way. They picked Digimon kits—Choco's got Figure-rise Standard Amplified Omegamon, and Mel's got Figure-rise Standard Amplified Dukemon. Cool as hell, but totally unexpected!
Figure-rise Standard Amplified Omegamon
Figure-rise Standard Amplified Dukemon
Two Holy Knight Digimon from the long-running Digital Monster franchise.
Omegamon, from Digimon Adventure, is a fusion of Tai and Yamato's partner Digimon, with MetalGarurumon's head as its right arm and WarGreymon's as its left.
Dukemon, from Digimon Tamers, is Takato's partner Digimon, styled as a classic knight in armor. Despite being a Holy Knight, it's a Virus-type, a fascinating contradiction.
The "Amplified" in the series name means enhanced details, making these kits even cooler than their original designs.
"Never thought I'd be building non-Gunpla kits," I said.
"What, Reiji-sama's first time with something else?" Choco teased.
"Nah, just been a while. But this could be fun," I replied.
"Says the guy who only builds Beargguys," Mel snickered.
"Look who's talking!" I shot back. "Anyway, with Ichigo here, no painting today—just straight builds. Let's do it."
During Assembly
"…Wow, these feel way bulkier than they looked in the anime," I said.
"Amplified kits are redesigned to be cooler than the originals," Choco explained. "Some fans prefer the classic designs, but I think both are awesome."
"Hmm, cool… that, uh, 'amp-lee-fied' thing," Mel mumbled.
Can't even say it. No wonder they call her a "genius" (lol). But these kits are killer—no surprise they sell out fast.
"So, Choco, you're watching the new Digimon Adventure?" I asked.
"Yup, but I prefer the old one on streaming sites. The new one feels… lacking," Choco said.
"I get that. Omegamon's new appearance was kinda meh," I agreed.
It's all subjective, but the old Digimon Adventure movie's Omegamon debut was peak hype. That creepy enemy Digimon (what was its name?) scared me as a kid.
"Have you seen Tamers, Mel?" I asked.
"Nope, I don't know much about Digimon. But Dukemon looked so cool, I had to grab it!" she said.
"Buying it without knowing the show? Bold move," I said. "Fun fact: Dukemon's voiced by the same guy as Dragon Ball's Goku."
"What?! That look with Goku's voice?!" Mel gasped.
"Yeah, blew my mind too. A knight with Goku's voice? Total whiplash. Wonder if they still use him," I mused.
Completion
"…Nice, finished faster than I expected," I said.
"Yeah, not too many parts, so even I had fun~♪" Mel cheered.
"And they look so cool~♪" Choco added.
Lined up on the table, the two Digimon looked epic. Modern kits are wild—straight builds with no paint still look this good.
"Alright, let's clean up. With Ichigo here, we gotta be extra thorough—small parts are a hazard," I said.
"Got it~♪" they replied.
It's getting late, so we'll tidy up and crash. Gotta be careful with tools and bits around a baby.
"Fuu… w-waaah…" Ichigo whimpered.
"Oh, night crying?" I said.
"Leave it to me, Reiji-sama," Choco said, washing her hands and gently rocking Ichigo back to sleep. She's such a mom.
"Maybe a wet diaper? Let's change it," Mel said, grabbing a diaper from my sister's care kit and swapping it out like a pro. She's surprisingly reliable.
With their help, Ichigo drifted back to sleep. I owe them big time.
"Man, parenting's tough, but it makes me want a baby~♪" Mel sighed.
"I wanna be a mom and build a happy family someday~♪" Choco added.
"Then you'll need to find someone first. You're both gorgeous—plenty of great guys out there—" "No one but Reiji-kun (sama)!" they cut in.
"Not you too! Why's everyone—Fubuki, now you—fixated on me?" I groaned.
They're all quirky but stunning. They could find way better guys than a regular dude like me, raised to stay grounded and practical.
"Reiji-kun's the only guy for me," Mel said. "That day, when I was mocked for being a vampire afraid of blood, you protected me. That's why I'm here now."
"When I was nearly forced into an arranged marriage and pinned down, Reiji-sama saved me," Choco added. "No man could ever top you in my eyes."
"…You guys," I said, touched.
I didn't realize they felt so strongly. But I'm still figuring out my own feelings for everyone—I can't just jump into something. How do I even respond?
"Plus, there's a bet among the Holomems to see who takes Reiji-kun's virginity first!" Mel blurted.
"What kind of stupid bet is that?!" I yelled, nearly waking Ichigo. Give me back that heartfelt moment!
"If I win, it's straight to the altar~♪" Choco giggled.
"No way! And for the record, I'm not a virgin!" I snapped.
"…What?" they both froze, their eyes lifeless.
"R-Reiji-kun… not a virgin?" Mel stammered.
"Uh, yeah… after I got hired full-time at Hololive, I mistook a cocktail for juice, got drunk, and… yeah," I mumbled.
"For real? …Huh," Choco said, her tone chilling.
Did I say too much? The air's heavy with bad vibes. Shouldn't have opened my mouth— Grab!
"If Reiji-sama's not a virgin, no need to hold back, Mel-sama~♪" Choco purred.
"Right, Choco-sensei~♪" Mel grinned.
"W-Wait, what's that mean?!" I panicked.
"Don't worry, we'll shower you with love~♪" Mel cooed.
"No sleeping tonight, Reiji-sama~♪" Choco teased.
"Hey, what're you—stop undressing! Don't touch my clothes!" I yelled as they dragged me to the bedroom.
Wait, stop, nooo—!
"What happened that night cannot be detailed in this novel. We leave it to your imagination. —Kagura"
Two Days Later
"Thanks so much, Reiji. You really saved me," my sister said.
"…No problem," I replied, exhausted.
Two days later, my sister finally returned to pick up Ichigo. Those three days were intense, especially the nights…
"Thanks to Mel-chan and Choco-chan too~♪" my sister added.
"N-No problem, I'm just glad I could help Reiji-kun and you~///" Mel said, blushing.
"It was a joy to care for your baby, Ane-sama~♪" Choco beamed.
While I'm drained, they're practically glowing. This feels unfair, but I'm not saying a word—who knows what they'd do?
"Such great girls~♪ Take care of my little brother, okay?" my sister teased.
"Yes, ma'am!///" they chirped.
"Reiji, you've got amazing girls like them—settle down already!" she added.
"What are you, my mom? Just go home!" I grumbled.
"Alright, alright. Say bye-bye to Uncle and the nice ladies, Ichigo~" Wave wave.
"Goo~♪" Ichigo babbled.
"Bye-bye~♪" Mel and Choco waved back.
With that, my sister and Ichigo left. Finally, it's over…
"So, Reiji-kun, wanna do it again after a break~?" Mel teased.
"No way!" I snapped.
Give me a break, I'll die!
Thus, Reiji, Mel, and Choco's babysitting adventure ended… mostly successfully.