━Chapter three━
THE ZOO

SCHOOL WAS OVER. Good news after Mitsuki be friending Inomata she's got grades back up again and now her ban from Usaida is finally lifted, as a member in a babysitters club she have to stay I the daycare and take care of the kids before their mother came and pick them up.

The blonde successfully dragged her boyfriend to the club, too, since he doesn't have any practice today.

"Mi-neechama, try this donut!" Kirin said, handing her a plushie donut, which she took happily.

"Ooh, let me try this donut!" Mitsuki smiled. She pretended to bite the donut, "Wow, it's so good! Did you make this Kirin-chan?"

Kirin nodded happily with a big smile, "I did!"

"Wow, Kirin-chan, you're so good at cooking."

"You didn't even bite it. It doesn't have any taste anyway," Hayato bluntly said.

Kirin eyes grow wide, and Mitsuki slapped the back of the blue-haired teen head. "Don't listen to him, Kirin-chan. Yato-chan is just jealous because he can't have a bite."

"Why would I want to bite that to──" Mitsuki slid her hand to his stomach and pinched him hard, so he was unable to finish his sentence.

"Kirin, can you make me more donuts? I really love the donuts you make, and Hayato said he also wants a taste, " Mitsuki asked.

Kirin eyes sparkled, and she nodded before running back to her 'kitchen'.

When the small girl was gone, Mitsuki glared at her boyfriend. "Don't say that you'll make her lost confidence for cooking!" She hissed.

"Sorry, I won't do it again." Hayato said, resting his head on her shoulder so she would be less angry to him.

Mitsuki being a soft but energetic girl she is, she quickly hugs him tight well to Hayato it's more like a squeezing him than hugging him.

"Mitsu, you're──squeezing me!" Hayato said.

She quickly let go, giggling "Hehe sorry Hayato-chan."

"At this point, you might break my bones,"

"If you broke a bone, you don't need to worry. You still have 206 more bones."

"You psycho."

"Am not."

"Are too,"

"Am not."

"Are too,"

"Am not."

"Are too,"

"Are too!" Mitsuki then gasped."Oh no, I said it!" Hayato smirked at her figure, making her pouts.

Kirin ran back to her and hands Hayato a 'donut', He took it and stare it not knowing what to do with it.

"Give it a fake bite!"Mitsuki whisper.

Following her instruction, Hayato pretends to bite it. "Wow, it's nice."

Mitsuki then acknowledged that Kotaro was staring at his shirt that had a print of a tiger for quite a while.

"What's wrong, Kotaro?" Ryuuichi asked his little brother.

"Something bothering you? You've been staring at your shirt for a while now, " Mitsuki smiled.

Kirin, who heard her babysitters walk towards them to help why was Kotaro staring at his shirt.

"Kotaro-chan's sad because of what Taka-chan said."

"Hm Taka?"

"Mhm, he said it's dumb how he's wearing that shirt when he never sees a real tiger!" Kirin answered, repeating what Taka said to Kotaro.

"Is that right?"

Taka huffs giving Ryuuichi a small glare. "What? I just told the truth!"

"Taka-chan, that's very mean of you to say such thing to Kotaro. Didn't you say you wanted to be friends with him?" Mitsuki cock her eyebrow.

Taka huffs again looking away "I didn't do nothin' wong!"

Boink!

Hayato hits his little brother head glaring at him for his behaviour "Of course you did!"

Taka burst into tears and wailing from the hit, Mitsuki scooped Taka to her arms caressing his head to soothed the pain.

"Yato-chan violence is never the answer," Mitsuki said "Taka-chan that was very rude to say that, please say sorry to Kotaro."

Taka keeps wailing.

"Hey it's okay right Kotaro?" Kotaro nodded and Taka stopped wailing he turned his head to Hayato.

"You always do that!" He shouts, "You just hate me Nii-chan!"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Hayato asked, Mitsuki nodded.

"Yeah Taka-chan, Hayato doesn't hate you──" she was cut by Hayato.

"I don't particularly like or hate you." He said making Mitsuki jaw dropped as Ryuuichi expression was shocked.

Taka who's still a child took seconds to get what he means but he got it in a wrong way, 'Particularly like or hate = Hates me!'

Taka sobs before slamming his head to Mitsuki's chest "I hate you Nii-chan!"

Mitsuki was internally screaming in pain when Taka slams his head on her chest!it hurts so bad!

"Hm!" Mitsuki voice slips out a bit. 'Ow ow ouch! That hurts!!!' She screamed in her mind as a single tear fell from her the corner of her eye.

While Mitsuki cried in her pain, Ryuuichi handle Hayato. "Kamitani! What are you thinking?"

"I was just being honest."

"Little brothers go beyond like or hate" Ryuuichi sighs.

Usaida was woken up due Taka's wailing, "Huh? What happened? Mituki-chan are you crying?!" Usaida asked the girl who's in internal pain.

Hayato walks towards Mitsuko and Taka, he lifts Taka by the back of his shirt. "He's being a brat and Mitsu looks she can't move much now after that so I'll take them with me for now."

Hayato pulled Mitsuki up by her arm making her leaning her body to him, he alread had the blonde's bag and his little brother's bag, He also put Mitsuki's shoes on.

"See you tomorrow guys," With that Hayato, Mitsuki and Taka was out.

Taka kept shouting to his brother while Mitsuki had one arm across her chest with a soul trying to fly out from her.

━━━━━━

That night Ryuuichi e-mail Mitsuki saying that on sunday the babysitters club are going to the zoo.

Mitsuki walked to the can telephone, "Hayato-chan!" She say to the can telephone.

She waits for a couple minutes before having a reply from him.

"Hm?" He replied making her smile.

"On sunday the babysitters club are going to the zoo! You should come!" She said, she quickly place the can to her ear waiting his reply.

"I can't the baseball club reschedule the practice, on sunday we're going to practice"

"Aww can't you just ditch?"

"No."

The whole night until midnight Mitsuki tries to convinced her blue-haired boyfriend to come with her to the zoo but it didn't worked.

On sunday

The babysitters and the mothers gathered while waiting the kamitanis. As they wait Mitsuki asked riddles to the toddlers.

"Okay next riddle, I am very big, I am grey, I have four legs, I have two big ears, I have a long nose what am I?" Mitsuki asked.

"A cat!"

"D-donkey!"

"Elephant?"

Mitsuki claps "Wah Takuma you got it right, It's an elephant!"

"Mi-neechama another question!" Kirin yells.

"Okay," Mitsuki giggles, "I have a spots on my body, I live in east Africa, I eat leaves, I also have long neck, what am I?"

"Oh it's me! A giraffe!" Kirin asnwered, Mitsuki beamed clapping her hands.

"Mi-neechan! Another question!" Takuma and Kazuma said.

"Okay, okay, Oh! I have four legs, I live in a park, I am really fluffy, what am I?"

Mitsuki felt someone tugging her sock, she loos down to see Kotaro with sparkling eyes "Baa-cha!"

"Baa-cha? The chairwoman?" Mitsuki asked.

"Mitsuki-chan you're really good with kids, you're going to be a good mom wonderful no doubt" Umi-sensei compliment.

Mitsuki got flustered by the compliment, "O-oh thank you!"

While they continue to play, they heard a familiar voice, Taka's voice. They turned their head to see him being carried by Hayato who's in his baseball club uniform.

The female teen walked towards her significant other, crossing her arms with one eyebrow raised.

"Yato-chan!" The blonde called his name "Ya better keep your promise!"

"Eh promise? What promise?" Ryuuichi asks the two.

"Hayato can't come with us to the trip apparently his club change their practice schedule," Mitsuki answered, she kneels down smiling widely she spread her arms out "Release the crying superhero!"

Hayato smirks, he puts Taka down as Taka was on his feet he ran to Mitsuki's arms, his eyes was puffy. "Don't follow us Nii-chan!"

"Taka-chan, Nii-chan can't follow because he had practice so today I'll be with you and the others too!" Mitsuki smiled.

"Good!" Taka bawl.

Ryuuichi then talked with Hayato but Mitsuki didn't heard what they're talking about since she tried to calm Taka.

"But I don't especially like him." Hayato replied, his voice was pretty loud that everyone can heard him.

Taka flinched, he pulled away from Mitsuki's arms and pulled Kotaro's hand "Let's go Kotaro!"

"Taka don't trouble Mitsu and others okay!" Yelled Hayato.

Mitsuki stood up, she walks to Hayato clutching his collar and tugged him down causing him to lean down and she gave him a peck on the lips. With a satisfied grin, Mitsuki skipped away.

Hayato smirks "She's getting sneaky."

Usaida then called Mitsuki over, Usaida showed her a picture of her kissing Hayato. "Ooh! Sell me that photo please!"

"Sure."

━━━━━━

They arrived to the Masano Zoo, they payed the tickets and they entered inside for their first view was an Elephant.

"An elephant!"

"It's an elephant!"

"So big..."

"But...But I ain't scared!"

"Elfunt!" Kotaro spoke.

Ryuuichi exhale a happy sigh, "That's a relief. Looks like Taka-kun might enjoy the trip after all."

"'Course he will, it's the zoo!" Mitsuki beamed, pointing her finger to the elephant.

'She got the same expression as the kids' Ryuuichi and Usaida thought.

Usaida started to take pictures Kirin with the giraffe, Takuma and Kazuma with the Zebra, Midori and Sawatari-sensei with the flamingo, and MitsukiKotaro beaming with the panda.

"Next for the tiger exhibit!" Ryuuichi told Kotaro.

The tiger roars cause everyone to jump. All the toddlers got scared they ran to their mom, except for Taka. He hid behind Mitsuki who's crouching down next to Kotaro.

"Wow, those two not even fazed, huh?" Usaida said.

Ryuuichi looked at Kotaro's and Mitsuki's faces, and they're both were shaking and terrified.

"I-I made eye contact with the tiger..." Mitsuki was petrified.

Taka huffs he ran in front of Mitsuki and crossed his arms. "I'll protect Mi-neechan!"

"T-thank you, Taka..."

"Ryu-chan, Kotaro, Mitsuki-chan, Taka," called Usaida, he pointed tiger cubs.

The blonde teen awe at the sight of the tiger cubs. "If not friend why friend shaped?"

━━━━━━

They stopped exploring the zoo to have lunch, Ryuuichi came back from the locker with a big lunch box, and he told them that Saikawa made them and he wanted to share.

"Amazing! Did Saikawa-san really make all this?"

"I wonder if he'd teach me the recipe."

"They're not just cute, but they're delicious as well!"

After they had lunch, they continued to explore the zoo, and we were in the farm animal part of the zoo.

The toddlers played with the bunnies, and some of them struggled to carry or hold them.

Kotaro suddenly ran to Ryuuichi, "What's wrong, Kotaro?" Ryuuichi asks.

Kotaro then points the grey sheep, "Shaggy, old lady!" He said.

The adults and the teens think the same thing about the chairwoman.

"Oh, so that's why you said Baa-cha, you meant the chairwoman," Mitsuki giggles.

Mamizuka-sensei then said that the chairwoman given name is Yoko as in 'Little sheep'.

Usaida then took a picture of Ryuuichi and Kotaro next to the sheep with Kotaro tugging its fluffy hair.

After they played with the bunnies and sheep. They continue to see the birds exhibits.

Taka points the falcon. "This one's what ny name means! Cool, huh?" Kotaro stared the falcon.

"Taka-kun, this bird here is named Hayato, and oh! Mitsuki-san, this bird also has a partner with your name too!" Ryuuichi informed.

"Its me and Hayato in an alternate universe. "

"That jerk's not my brother! Let's go over there, Kotaro!" Taka yells, dragging Kotaro again.

Ryuuichi called Taka, which he ignored, "Ryuuichi-kun, don't worry about Taka he'll be fine."

━━━━━━

"So we've finally arrived at the true battlefield..." the mother said while having a fierce look on the gift shop.

"Don't let it break you."

They went inside, Kirin found a giraffe bag, Kazuma found a walking toy horse while Takuma found the same thing like his twin, but instead of horse, it's a zebra instead.

"Mama!"

"B-buy this!"

"Buy this one! This one!"

Kotaro, however, was staring a grey sheep keychain "Here Kotaro."

Mitsuki bought 3 falcons and 7 panda keychains, and she got another keychain, which she could choose, so she chose a wolf keychain.

After she paid for them she heard a crying "Huhu...Mama....Papa...where are you?" It was a little boy, looking for his parents.

He had a blue haired similiar like Taka's and Hayato's, he have a blue-grey eyes, which oddly like hers.

Mitsuki crouch down to the boy's height with a smile "Hello did you lose your parents?"

The boy nods, sobbing, "I-I can't find them?"

"Where was the last time you saw them?" Mitsuki asked.

"Outside...I-I was asking if we can come and look over here, but they said no a-and I got upset so I ran here and look at them an-and I can't found them!" He sobs again.

Mitsuki looked over her from her shoulder and took a quick glance to Usaida, "Usaida, can you watch over Taka? This boy here is looking for his parents."

Usaida nodded.

Mitsuki offered her hand, and the boy hesitated to take it but takes it anyway. Mitsuki's eyes are scanning around the zoo to find parents who are shouting.

"What's your name? I'm Mitsuki."

"I-I'm Hiroki, you have a very pretty name, My mom also has the same name as yours," Hiroki said.

"I do? Wow." Mitsuki giggles.

Hiroki already stopped crying, which is a good sign, meaning he already calmed down. "Say I have keychain do you want it?"

"C-can I have it?" Hiroki asks.

"Of course here," Mitsuki took the wolf keychain and placed the keychain on top of Hiroki's small hand.

"T-thank you miss..." Hiroki said.

They arrived near the gate, "Hiroki!" A lower voice called.

"Ah, papa!" Hiroki let go of Mitsuki's hand and ran to his dad and and fell to his dad big arms. Behind him was women with short blonde hair.

"Hiro-chan! Where did you go? You got Mama and Papa scared. Don't ever do that again. What happened if we can't get back without you?" The mother rambles.

"Aho, don't run away. Your mom sounds like a parrot when she yells."

"What did you say, Yato-chan?!"

Mitsuki approaches the small family and bowed her head. "Hello, I found Hiroki on the gift shop. I hope you don't if I gave him that keychain."

Mitsuki lifts her head and stare at the parents, their face crazily looking familiar to her. The woman looks panicked. The man was carrying Hiroki, who had his arms on his neck.

"O-oh, of course it's okay..." the women replied.

"I'm so sorry you guys look crazily familiar. Have we met before?" Mitsuki suddenly asked.

"I don't think so," trailed the woman, looking away, putting on her shades.

The man had a baseball cap that covered his eyes. Hiroki smiled "Mama that girl said her name is Mitsuki!"

"R-really? Wow."

The women and Mitsuki made eye contact, and Mitsuki breaks eye contact after hearing someone calling her name.

"Oh, I should go, I think that's my boyfriend, Hiroki-kun, don't go run away from your parents okay, good bye!" Mitsuki turned away and ran to the caller.

The family sighs in relieved the woman slaps her husband arm "Hayato this is going to be bad if young me knows!"

"Good thing you we're such a total airhead, why did you cut your hair anyway? I like your hair like that."

"The mothers in my babysitter said I look like a high schooler, so I cut it."

"But mama, you look prettier if you have long hair!"

"Aww, thank you, baby Hiroki."

━━━━━━

៚ · 💌 | 🌙
-K0DZUKENN

Ack, did Mitsuki just meet someone?

👁👄👁

Rewritten
(06/06/2024)