Multiversal Babysitter

[Yoshida Family House] 

At the Yoshida family house, Saki's room is livelier than usual. Saki stands in the center of the room while her friends Takae, Aiko, and Yuna move back and forth, searching and picking out clothes, shoes, and accessories as they excitedly discuss the details of Saki's date. 

"How about this one?" Yuna asks, holding up a long, modest dress in front of Saki. 

"Yes, it would be fine... if she were a nun!" Aiko shouts, snatching the dress out of Yuna's hands and tossing it aside. "Not revealing enough." 

Takae, in turn, shows off a much bolder outfit—perhaps too bold. 

"Too revealing for a first date," Aiko comments, visibly annoyed, now addressing Takae. "Saki's date with Aiden has to be perfect!" 

Takae, Saki, and Yuna exchange looks, clearly sharing the same thought. 

"If you remember, the one going on a date with Aiden is Saki, right?" Takae asks, looking at Aiko, who has been obsessing over Saki's date ever since she mentioned it. 

"Of course I know!" Aiko responds indignantly, still rummaging through the pile of clothes in front of her. 

"But I've always been curious about what a date with Aiden would be like," she says, clasping her hands to her chest. "I always imagined it would be magical: an elegant dinner, a dance by candlelight... he'd take me on a steed as we watch the sunset," she says, losing herself in her thoughts. 

Her imagination starts running wild, and the scene becomes more vivid. "And after that..." Aiko continues, with a faint blush on her cheeks, "he'd take me to his house, drag me to his bed..." she goes on, unaware that her friends are visibly uncomfortable. 

"Aiko," Takae interrupts, trying to get her attention. 

But Aiko completely ignores her, absorbed in her fantasy. "Of course, I'd refuse... at first," she murmurs. 

"Aiko," Takae insists, now in a more irritated tone, but Aiko keeps talking. 

"Then he'd do very dirty things to me..." 

"AIKO!" Takae finally shouts, her patience worn thin. 

"WHAT?!" Aiko snaps back, turning abruptly, annoyed at being interrupted mid-fantasy. 

"Shut up already!" Takae shouts, completely irritated. 

"Let me dream!" Aiko retorts, crossing her arms and pouting. 

Saki feels uneasy. "Does it bother you that I have this date?" she asks, worried that Aiko might feel hurt or even betrayed. The thought of losing her friend, as eccentric and scandalous as she is, hurts her more than she expected. Saki values Aiko deeply and would even be willing to cancel the date if necessary. "If you want, I can cancel it..." she says softly, afraid of her reaction. 

Before she can finish, Aiko throws herself at her. 

"NO!" Aiko shouts, almost throwing herself at Saki's feet. "You can't cancel it! You have to go!" 

Saki blinks, confused. "But I thought it bothered you..." 

Aiko shakes her head quickly. "Of course not! In fact, you have to do it... for me, for both of us! And for all the others who fell before me! Avenge me, Saki, and avenge all those who were rejected!" Aiko declares theatrically. 

Takae sighs and, with one hand on Aiko's head, brusquely pushes her away from Saki. 

"Enough nonsense for today. You've exceeded your daily quota," she says, throwing her an annoyed look. 

Aiko ignores her, gets up, dusts herself off as if nothing happened, and smiles proudly. "Besides, it was a long time ago. I'm over it," she says confidently, puffing out her chest. 

"Didn't he reject you less than half a year ago?" Yuna chimes in, confused. 

Aiko's smile freezes for a second. Slowly, she turns her head toward Yuna, looking at her with a dangerous glint in her eyes. 

"That's not relevant," she says in a cold, cutting tone. 

"Whatever..." Takae interrupts, breaking the awkward silence. "Put this on," she says, handing Saki a cute outfit: a white blouse and shorts that highlight her slender figure. 

Minutes later, Saki returns, already changed, looking a bit nervous. "How do I look?" she asks timidly. 

[Image] 

"Very cute," Yuna replies cheerfully. 

"Attractive~," Takae adds, admiring her own handiwork with satisfaction. 

"Shouldn't we make sure her underwear matches? Just in case..." Aiko comments, only to be interrupted immediately by a swift smack on the head from Takae. 

"OUCH!" Aiko exclaims when Takae hits her head before she can finish her sentence. 

"It was just a question! You could've just said no!" Aiko complains, rubbing her head and frowning. 

Saki can't help but let out a small laugh, covering her mouth to hide it. The scene is chaotic but also comforting. Surrounded by her friends, with their unique personalities and unconditional support, she can't help but feel happy and grateful to have them in her life. 

"Ding Dong!"

The sound of the doorbell interrupts the moment in the room. Yuna carefully peeks out of the window, trying not to be noticed. "He's here!" she whispers excitedly.

Saki's heart starts racing. She checks the watch on her wrist, confirming it's time for her date. Time had flown while she was with her friends.

"Alright, it's time for you to go," says Takae firmly.

Saki nods quickly, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "I'll call you when the date is over. Thank you for all your help," she says, bowing slightly in gratitude before rushing out of the room.

As soon as Saki closes the door, the three friends race to the window, scrambling for space to watch the encounter.

"I can't hear anything…" complains Aiko, visibly disappointed. Still, they all focus on observing their reactions.

Saki stands nervously in front of him. Aiden says something that instantly makes her blush. She stammers a response as Aiden opens his arms to her with a warm smile.

"Did he just compliment her outfit?" Yuna speculates, glancing at her friends.

"I think so," Takae replies, smiling as she watches Saki struggle to keep her composure.

A moment later, Saki and Aiden head toward the front door, disappearing from the girls' view.

For a few moments, silence fills the room until Takae breaks it.

"So, are we going to follow them?" she asks with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Yuna nods immediately, smiling excitedly. "Of course we are!"

Both of them get ready to leave, but they stop when they notice that Aiko isn't moving or saying anything.

"I... I think we shouldn't," Aiko says timidly, with an unusually serious expression. "We should give them their space..."

Takae sighs, and Yuna lowers her gaze, visibly disheartened.

"Ah... I think you're right," Takae admits with resignation. "I'm surprised you're not interested..."

However, before she could finish, Aiko bursts out laughing. "Ahahaha! I was just kidding! Of course, we're following them!" she says, regaining her usual energy and rushing out the door as the other two watch in disbelief.

"What are you waiting for? They're getting away! Move it!" Aiko shouts from the hallway, making Takae and Yuna exchange quick glances before hurrying after her.

[Minutes later]

The girls walk cautiously, keeping a safe distance from Aiden and Saki. Their curiosity keeps them focused as they follow the pair to a small, cozy maid café. Once inside, they settle at a discreet table in the back, hiding their faces with dark sunglasses and flashy hats, trying to remain inconspicuous while sneaking glances at the couple sitting at a nearby table.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Yuna whispers, not taking her eyes off them.

"I don't know, I can't read lips," Aiko replies, frowning.

"Hobbies, the weather, manga, school… lots of possibilities," Takae comments, resting her chin on her hand as she observes.

The trio pauses for a moment, their thoughts interrupted when they see Saki let out a small laugh.

"I thought this would be more entertaining," Aiko says, slumping in her seat with a sigh.

"Give it time, I have a feeling it'll get interesting…" Takae says, though her attention drifts to something curious. She frowns as she notices a maid in a white uniform carrying a large heart-shaped ice cream, which she places on Saki and Aiden's table.

"What kind of ice cream is that?" Takae asks, discreetly pointing.

"I don't remember seeing it on the menu," Yuna says, flipping through the menu again.

"I don't think they ordered it," Takae comments, intrigued. She discreetly gestures to call the maid.

The maid, noticing the gesture, seems surprised to recognize them and quickly approaches.

"Excuse me, but I don't see that ice cream on the menu," Takae asks curiously, pointing toward Saki and Aiden's table.

"Oh, it's a house special, but only for couples," the maid responds, bowing slightly in courtesy.

"I see…" Takae says, bringing a hand to her chin as if plotting something. "What if I told you this girl here is my girlfriend? Would you bring us one?" she asks, curious.

The maid blinks, surprised, and casts an inquisitive glance at Yuna and Aiko.

"Which one of you?" she asks, pointing at them alternately with her finger.

"This one…" Takae first looks at Aiko, considering her for a moment before grimacing in disgust. "No, ew…" she quickly looks away.

She turns to Yuna with a more confident smile. "Her."

The maid looks at them for a moment, as if evaluating the situation, and finally shrugs. "I'll bring it right away," she says before walking off.

Yuna, embarrassed, avoids looking at her friends, while Aiko crosses her arms, visibly offended. "What do you mean 'ew'?!" she protests, annoyed.

Another thirty minutes pass before Aiden and Saki finally leave the maid café. The three girls, still on their spy mission, follow shortly after.

"Thanks for the couple's ice cream," Aiko says to the receptionist, flashing a smile as she walks past the counter.

The man looks at her with a confused expression. "What couple's ice cream?" he asks, visibly puzzled.

"Yeah, the one the white-haired maid gave us," Yuna adds, thinking the man might not be familiar with all the menu details, which would be pretty unprofessional.

"Miss, I think you're mistaken," the receptionist replies politely. "We don't have anyone with white hair working here," he says seriously.

Aiko and Yuna exchange glances, clearly confused and about to insist, but Takae intervenes before they can say more. She grabs them by the arm and pulls them away from the counter.

"Forget what they said," Takae murmurs, dragging them toward the exit. "Shut up! It was free ice cream," she adds in a whisper.

Aiko and Yuna don't argue, but the curiosity about the mysterious white-haired maid lingers in their minds as they leave the café.

The pursuit continues to the subway, where the situation takes an unexpected turn. Aiden and Saki are standing face to face, chatting casually, when someone rushes past and accidentally bumps into Saki. She stumbles and falls straight into Aiden's arms.

Saki, cheeks completely flushed, tries to pull away, but the crowded train makes it nearly impossible to move. Resigned and visibly embarrassed, she stays pressed against him, unable to back away.

"What am I looking at?" Aiko asks, a mix of amazement and confusion on her face.

"I'm not sure… but it looks like one of those anime scenes you fantasize about," Takae replies without taking her eyes off the scene.

"What?! No! Well… yes, but that's not what I meant. Look closely!" Aiko says, pointing at the train car.

Takae frowns and focuses her gaze. Indeed, all the people are packed around Aiden and Saki, while the other end, where they are, is completely empty.

"Now that you mention it… this side is kind of empty," Yuna comments timidly, as if just noticing the detail.

"Kind of?! We're the only ones here!" Aiko exclaims, annoyed, crossing her arms while sneaking glances toward the other half of the train.

The conversation doesn't progress much further, as the three must exit the train along with Saki and Aiden at the next station, ready to continue their spying mission.

The girls follow Saki and Aiden to a park with cherry blossoms. From a nearby bush, they attentively observe the new scene: Saki and Aiden standing under a fully bloomed cherry tree as the petals gently fall, creating a magical atmosphere.

"Okay, something weird is going on here!" Aiko comments in a low voice, pointing insistently at the tree.

"What do you mean?" Yuna asks, confused. To her, it just seemed like a sweet and romantic scene.

"That!" Aiko exclaims, pointing directly at the cherry tree. Yuna and Takae turn their gazes to the tree, clearly not understanding what she's referring to.

"It's just a normal tree, isn't it?" Takae says, shrugging.

Aiko sighs, frustrated, and decides to explain herself: "It's July! This isn't cherry blossom season!"

The other two girls fall silent for a moment, processing the information.

"Ohhhh!" Yuna and Takae finally exclaim in unison.

Aiko is right; it wasn't even close to the blooming season, yet there was the cherry tree, fully blossomed as if it were spring.

"Girls, I don't want to alarm you," says Aiko in a serious tone. "But I think we're in a romantic comedy... and Saki is the protagonist!"

Takae stares at her for a moment. "And I think you should stop watching anime for a while. It's starting to mess with your head."

Yuna and Takae decide to ignore Aiko's far-fetched theories and refocus on the couple.

"They're moving!" whispers Yuna, pointing at Saki and Aiden as they begin walking out of the park.

Aiko opts not to press further, though she keeps suspiciously watching the surroundings.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the park, a white-haired gardener looks at the blooming cherry blossoms with a satisfied smile on her face. She is clearly proud of her masterpiece, though no one dares to ask how she managed such a miracle in the middle of summer.

The next place the girls follow Aiden and Saki to is an aquarium. At first, everything seems normal: they watch them from a distance as they walk through the exhibits, admiring the fish swimming behind the massive glass tanks. Everything would have been perfectly ordinary... if it weren't for the fish putting on a private show for them.

"I can't be the only one who thinks this isn't normal!" exclaims Aiko, pointing toward the tank where Saki and Aiden watch, fascinated.

On the other side of the glass, the fish swim in perfect formations, creating geometric shapes that look choreographed. The boldest display came when the schools of fish formed a giant heart in front of them.

"I don't know, it doesn't seem that strange to me," Yuna comments quietly, shrugging.

Aiko frowns, clearly frustrated. At that moment, an aquarium staff member walks by, and Aiko wastes no time stopping her. However, she freezes upon seeing her up close.

"Aren't you the maid from the maid café?" Aiko asks, pointing at her.

The staff member, a white-haired woman with a no-nonsense attitude, crosses her arms. "Yes, I have two jobs. Any problem with that, kid? Life is tough," she replies irritably, pulling a small notebook from her pocket.

Without waiting for a response, the staff member flips through the notebook, muttering something to herself. "Weird... they shouldn't be here," she murmurs, lost in her thoughts.

"If you're referring to us sneaking in, that's not true. Here are our tickets," Yuna intervenes, showing her ticket to avoid any misunderstandings.

The staff member doesn't even glance at it. "Ah, whatever, it doesn't matter in the long run anyway," she says, snapping the notebook shut. Then, she looks at them intently. "What do you want?"

Takae steps forward to calm the situation. "We're curious about the fish. Are they trained or something?"

The staff member raises an eyebrow, thinking for a moment. Finally, she responds, "Yes. Why not? They're trained fish," she says with a shrug before walking away.

"She's cute but rude," Takae comments as she watches the staff member disappear down the aquarium halls. Then, she turns to Aiko with a mocking expression. "Happy? They're trained fish. Are you satisfied now?"

Aiko pouts, clearly unconvinced. "It still seems strange to me," she mutters, crossing her arms as she keeps glancing at Aiden and Saki.

The couple's pursuit continued for a while longer. They took the train back, but, much to Aiko's relief and mental well-being, nothing strange happened this time. Takae soon realized that the date had come to an end. The two were taking the route home, walking through the streets hand in hand, until they reached Saki's house.

"A thousand yen if they kiss," Takae says to Aiko, betting with a confident smile.

"Two thousand if he kisses her and something strange happens," Aiko counters, raising the stakes without hesitation.

Takae thinks for a moment but eventually agrees with a shrug. "Deal."

The girls position themselves discreetly to watch. Saki stands at her doorstep, while Aiden stands in front of her. From a distance, they can see them exchanging a few words. There's a brief silence, and then Aiden leans toward Saki, slowly closing the distance until their lips meet in a tender, sweet kiss.

"The easiest money I've ever made," muttered Takae, but she fell silent when, as they kissed, a strange comet appeared in the sky, faintly illuminating Aiden and Saki. The two paused for a moment to look at the phenomenon, smiling at each other before kissing again.

Aiko extends her hand toward Takae with a smug smile. "Cough, cough. My money, please."

Takae reluctantly handed it over as the girls began to walk away from the scene. The date was over, and they didn't need to see any more.

"I'm telling you now: if magical girls, an alien invasion, or something like that shows up in the coming months, I'm running straight to Saki to stay safe," says Aiko as she walks, counting her money.

Just then, the girls' phones buzzed simultaneously. They all checked their screens and saw it was a message from Saki. She was sending several texts, recounting her date.

It was a good day for Saki.

-//-

Author's Note: A bit disappointing after such a long wait. Honestly, I haven't had time to write due to various problems you wouldn't want to hear about. Still, I'll try to hurry and finish this world. I think I'll write a chapter from the MC's point of view, with a time skip for the +18 scene and a final one. This world was supposed to be short, but I'm overextending it.

Does anyone remember the MC's last name? I don't. Turns out I only mentioned it once and never again, and I didn't like how it looked when I saw it again, so I removed it from the few instances it appeared. I'm open to suggestions.

I don't know... maybe some comments or reviews would help me write faster... just saying.

Happy New Year!

Hugs and kisses.