A New Housemate Enters

From the counter, Izumi noticed Kou calling the guard and rushed for help. It may be an urgent emergency, and Izumi wanted to know more about the situation. However, it took minutes until the clerk finished scanning her grocery barcodes. When she set off from the store, she stared at Kou's grocery bag that stood in solitude. She wanted to look further on what happened, but… She passed on her mother who was walking on the sidewalk.

"Izumi?"

"Mom… I just finished my groceries. I want to go home with you."

Her mother nodded, her glare soon shifted towards the lying shopping bag. "Whose bag is that?"

"Uhm… It's a passing stranger's bag."

"I see. Why does that bag have so many unhealthy things? Did you pass on an Otaku?"

"N–No, Mom."

"No matter what happens, stay away from those creeps. They're far more dangerous than you thought."

Her mom led the way home. Izumi pressed her lips before she whispered to herself, "I know, Mom. You always remind me of that."

***

The moment the guard came back, I handed a copy of the image to him. Though they failed to catch the thugs, they still have the alliance of the police to search for them. I also mentioned that I wanted our identities to be anonymous. Sera already had too much trauma from those blue guys.

After the troublesome afternoon, I went home together with Sera. The fragments of Akiba's incident might still be lingering within me, but I had no other option to make her feel safe. Food, clothing, shelter, and longing, fate took everything that she possessed. I would be the world's enemy if I made it worse.

When Mom saw us, she rushed and hugged Sera in joy. Seconds after, her mouth downturned, witnessing what happened to her appearance, especially her clothes. "What happened!?"

"Some things happened to Sera, one you wouldn't want to know. But don't worry, I got it handled. She just needs a place to stay temporarily. Packs of wolves and blue guys linger outside."

"Sera… was her name, huh? Sera-chan, are you alright?"

Sera stared blankly and failed to respond to Maki. It was too much for her to grasp what previously happened to her. Knowing how difficult it was for her to adapt, Mom gently rubbing her head and her back.

 "You're lost, aren't you? It's okay to feel sad and confused. Everyone will go through that same experience as you, and I understand that. You know, I'm also lost when I set foot in this place. It may take time to ease the pain that you're feeling now. If, in any case, I can protect you, I wouldn't hesitate."

Sera's once-dimmed pupils appeared lively. Losing all the tears she cried earlier, she felt exhausted. With a warm smile, she whispered, "I'm… glad… Thank you…"

I don't even know what Sera's story was. Did she lose her parents? All I know is that she needs to go back home. When I stared at her long ears, countless possibilities entered my mind. However, knowing her state, I shouldn't ask her now. If she stayed here, in a new environment, it would take a long time for her to calm down.

Mom felt that she needed a change, but judging her smell, there should be a priority first. Sera went with her towards the bathroom, a flowerless place with a lingering floral aroma. While staying at the lounge, I heard their conversation.

"Don't you want to take a bath? This is a bathtub… You're a pretty girl. How did you survive a day without cleansing?"

Sera left no response. A minute later, I heard her squeal. "W–What are you doing!?"

"We don't bathe with clothes on, right? Also, these need to be changed. I may still have some clothes that will fit you."

Does she not know how to take a bath? Luckily, Mom was with me. If I'm currently renting an apartment and I let Sera stay, it would be problematic.

 "The brooch… Who gave that to you?"

"It was given to me by my father. He said that it was blessed by the spirits which our ancestors believed. They also said that it will protect me from danger."

"… You know, even if the main gem was pierced in half, it will still be a treasure for the thieves. You're lucky this wasn't stolen from you. I would suggest that you hide that from the public eye."

"I want to… but where?"

"Oh, would you mind if I'll hide it for you? I have no ill intentions. You can always retrieve it from me once you find your way home."

"I'm not thinking of that. You… you've done so much for me. If not for you, I wouldn't feel the comfort I needed. I would like to request to hide this in your hands, Mom."

Mom? She called me Mom! This cute adorable otherworldly creature… Does she think Mom is her name? It's Maki… Like Californian Maki!

Sera asked, "Is something wrong?"

"N–No! I'm just wondering why you called me Mom, even though I'm not your mother." 

"Does that name mean a mother? I'm sorry, I don't know. I only followed how Kou called you."

"My legal name is Maki. But I'm not offended when you call me Mom. Instead, it was pleasing."

"Is that alright?"

Damn you, Mom! You just want a daughter!

"Yep! Oops! The water is getting cold. Why don't you step in? I'll teach you how we take a bath so you can do it independently in the future."

When the sounds of gushing water stopped, I heard a plop. Did Sera step inside the bathtub? Why is it so loud?

"It's perfectly warm…"

For ten minutes, Sera dipped her body in the bath as Mom taught her how to use toiletries like soap, shampoos, conditioners, and so on. For convenience, Mom also told her how to use the toilet to empty one's bladder and to answer nature's call. 

In the meantime, I tried to distract myself by scrolling Instantgram posts for cosplay ideas, but nothing registered in my mind since questions already flooded it. Why doesn't she know how to take a bath? Why didn't Mom hesitate to give up her ten million for this girl? Mom doesn't just let a stranger in and offer her guidance.

It's the reason why I stayed in the nearby vicinity, overhearing their conversation, but I didn't get any clues.

I sat in the kitchen, while Mom prepared the aromatic roasted beef and warm broth soup on the dining table. When Sera, in her pajamas, entered the dining room, My eyes widened, thinking, Holy baby! Shizu-sama in Mom's pajamas! Also, I noticed that her brooch wasn't attached to her head anymore.

""Thank you for the food!"" Mom and I clasped our hands and uttered before they gripped their utensils before eating. Later realizing that this was a cultural appreciation for being blessed by the divine, Sera imitated the same action and muttered the same chant.

While we ate, Sera only stared only at us. Since her hunger remained for a day, she shouldn't be able to resist the urge to eat. What's holding her back? When Mom noticed it, I'm surprised how accurately she decoded her thoughts.

"Haven't you used a spoon before?" 

Sera nodded and left a slumped posture.

Where did she come from? Do they only eat with bare hands? I started to think that she hadn't eaten soup before. Not resisting her dumbness, I stopped midway my meal, raised her utensils, and told her how to grip it. I shortly flinched when I felt how smooth and puffy her hands were.

"This is how you hold those. It's helpful when you want to eat hot food without burning your hands. Did you use your hands to eat before?"

"I never thought this is how humans eat."

"Humans? How did you eat in your ancient years? You're too much in character."

"Sera-chan, why don't you give it a try yourself?" Mom asked.

Sera held the utensils with her hands, trembling due to weakness and lack of experience. Scooped the rice on her spoon and stabbed the pork with a fork. When she took a bite of the meat alongside the rice, her eyes appeared watery, her body immobilized.

Her lips quivering, she muttered, "D–Delicious…," then gobbled her food to fill her stomach.

She was very flexible. Showing a soft and distant unfocused smile, Mom stopped eating and watched Sera instead. Her shoulders lay flat, showing how relaxed she was. For her, Sera might've been a child discovering the new world. Her bubbly voice soon asked me, "She will stay in your room, Kou. You wouldn't mind, right?"

"Pfft!" Kou, whose mouth was currently full, unconsciously halted a swallow and coughed repeatedly from choking. "M–Mom! I understand her current difficulties, but why will she stay in my room!? She's a girl! She should stay in your room!"

While chomping the food, Sera said, "Mom… That is too much… I don't deserve this grace."

"Why are you still calling her Mom too!?"

"It's alright, Kou-chan. Sera-chan doesn't mean any harm, and she felt like a daughter to me."

Wait… This is a major plot point! "Are you planning to adopt her?"

Sera stopped chomping and asked with her mouth full, "Adopt!? Is adoption common in this world?" 

"World? You're so in-character again. Why are you talking with debris in your mouth?"

"You two can share rooms temporarily, Kou-chan. I know you're a good boy. You're not going to do something I wouldn't like." She then pivoted at Sera and said, "You wouldn't mind sleeping in the same room as him, right, Sera-chan?"

Sera didn't react to sleeping with me in the same room. Instead, she put down the utensils, drank a glass of water, and spoke, "But Mom, why are you trusting me this much? I'm just a nobody. Even my father tells me that humans are greedy creatures. Though I believed that some of them were good, including you, but still… I haven't done anything for you to deserve this comfort."

"Hmm…" Mom pinched her chin and grunted until an idea came into her. "What if you helped me with the house chores? It's like you've taken a job; your shelter, food, and other needs are our payment. How's that sound?"

"But… I still need to go back to my home. My father needs me."

Mom grinned. "We'll help you with that. It will be troublesome if you're unfamiliar with this place and you're searching alone. If you haven't found your home yet, or you don't have any clues to find it, you can stay with us at the moment. We'll always welcome you. Right, Kou?"

"... As long as she doesn't tamper my materials in my room, I'm all set."

"Sera-chan, if Kou did something bad or malicious to you, don't hesitate to reach out to me."

"I told you Mom, I'm not that kind of guy! She wasn't 2D in the first place."

In doubt, Sera pressed her lips. She gazed at her hands that held the utensils, drowning in her thoughts. I understand her. She shouldn't stay cold sleeping inside a public slide in the park. However, does she consider our place as home?

"Don't you doubt me? Even though I'm far different from you, Kou, and the other people living in this land?"

Mom's warm upturned lips calmed her, giving her the assurance that everything will be fine. It was her superpower as a mother, a feeling of comfort. "Whether you're an elf, a real one or a cosplayer, all I can see was a lost child looking for her home. That and my motivation to help you won't change. If there's something that bugs you, feel free to open them up to me. You can always think of me as your mother."

Droplets of tears shredded down her. It was like she just saw a major hole in her heart covered by a tape called illusion. The moment she made her decision, she uttered, "As long as I'll be able to return these offers to you… I will try my best to help. Thank you very much…"

Sera's eyes softened and glowed inward. This is the first time her genuine smile lit up her face.

I pivoted away from Sera, pouted, and muttered, "I–I'm just relieved that you've thanked Mom ever since you suddenly left. Also… I'm sorry for blaming you."

Another dream…

But now, it's different.

On a certain day, I lied on the hospital bed. My pale skin glowed vivid alongside the cozy sunray passing through the window. My monochrome world became scintillating. 

When the door towards my room opened, she appeared, that prepossessing main character that came out of the fiction world, Momoka. She had a child figure with gorgeous magical clothes in a mix of white and pink and was the leader of the magic girl group that sought to fight evil and bring peace to the world.

Ever since I started emerging myself with the anime world, I have been a fan of Pretty Cure Magical Wonders. I've always gone home early from school to watch Momoka's journey to defeat the evil forces. I've never missed a single episode, ever since it was the Anime that made me ignore any negatives in my life and kept me pushing forward.

The moment Momoka stepped inside the room, she made succeeding gestures that imitated her scenes after her transformation and before she fought her enemies. She shouted, imitating the same tiny girl's voice which was accompanied by confidence:

"Mahou Shoujo Momoka, arise today,

With hope as my armor, I'll light up the way!

Shining bright, with a heart full of cheer,

Together we'll fight, for all that we hold dear!

Mahou Shoujo Momoka, commence!"

I could still remember how my eyes bulged as I left a slacked mouth. Even though I'm immobilized, I left my body stiffened. My depression suddenly buried itself into the void, and I couldn't sense it anymore. The hero in my dreams came into reality to save me!

"Momoka!" I exclaimed in high tone and spirits. I couldn't contain my grin that stretched from ear to ear. Her tiny body size, her costume, her speech, and her actions all matched. Though I'm not disappointed, I just knew who she really was when she introduced herself.

Giggling, she scratched her head and said, "Hello, Kou. I'm… I'm Mimirin, an aspiring cosplayer. I just started doing these things recently, hence you're the first one to witness my costume. I hope my performance helped you in some way."

"It really was outstanding! It's like… you've brought Momoka to life. Cosplays are amazing!"

"R–Really?" A flush creeped across Mimirin's cheeks. She averted her gaze and muttered, "I'm glad I was able to help you with this. However, I think this may be the only time I'll be able to do this. I'm not versed into this career."

"I hope not, Mimirin. You saved me by bringing my hero to life… and I know you'll be able to save someone soon with your cosplays."

"I hope that was the case." She approached me, rubbed my head gently, and smiled with warmth. "But… seeing how lively you are, I've made up my mind to pursue this career. I'm still a starting seed. I'd love to see those smiles on other people's faces too."

"I hope you'll be able to give others their dreams too. I'm looking forward to your cosplays even until you become popular."

"But… Kou, I would like to make a promise with you. You're an Otaku, and I'm confident that you're perfectly capable of this request."

"What was it?"

"Would you promise me that you'll be my manager for my career?"

Though I wanted to accept her offer, I looked at my cut up leg covered by a blanket. "I… I would humbly decline…"

"I see…" Mimirin lowered her head, pressing her lips tight. Though her face showed a bitter smile, her shoulders slumped. I'm bullied even before this incident, and my lost leg marks me as an incomplete person. This may only hinder her growth in the cosplay industry.

But…

"But… I want to make you a promise that I'll soon become your perfect manager that will make you the most popular cosplayer, even reaching the top rankings of the Regent of Glamour Rankings. I want to make you the shining star and show to everyone how you can save others through cosplays!"

I'm not a person who surrenders from bad gossip. I'll achieve my goals and dreams even if I'm disabled. No one can judge my ability to reach perfection. I swore that I would become the missing piece for her until she reached the pinnacle. It's like I realized I was born for her.

Her head returned up, her hand flew on her chest. She showed me again that warm upturned face of appreciation, smiling while gently speaking with her light voice, "I'm… I'm glad! I'll be waiting for that time, Kou. I'll always wait for you."

Kuru kuru… Kuruu kuruu… Kuru Kururing…

The ringing alarm clock, accompanied by a woman's squeal, woke me up.