CHAPTER 2: DIAPERS,FORMULA, AND PANIC
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**Chapter 2: Diapers, Formula, and Panic**
Max stood in the baby supplies aisle of the nearest convenience store, feeling more overwhelmed than he ever had in his life. Kota was strapped to his chest in a hastily-bought baby carrier, his wide eyes taking in the bright lights and colorful packages around them.
Max, on the other hand, felt like he was drowning in options.
*Diapers, diapers, diapers... what size? How many do babies even need?* He stared at the shelves, which were lined with every imaginable brand, size, and promise of comfort. Absorbent. Eco-friendly. Hypoallergenic. Max scratched his head. "Okay, maybe we just… go with the one that has the happiest baby on the cover?"
Kota let out a soft gurgle, as if approving of Max's reasoning. Max grabbed a pack of diapers and stuffed it into his cart, feeling a small victory—at least one thing was done.
But then his eyes landed on the shelves filled with baby formula, and his stomach dropped. There were dozens of kinds, and none of the descriptions made any sense to him. He pulled out his phone and Googled frantically, but the more he read, the more confused he became.
"Soy-based? Gentle formula? What does any of this even mean?"
Kota, nestled against Max's chest, gave a small whimper. Max glanced down and patted the baby's back awkwardly. "Alright, alright. I'll figure it out, kid, I promise." He tossed a random can of formula into the cart and hurried out of the aisle before he could second-guess himself again.
By the time he reached the checkout counter, Max was sweating. Diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, pacifiers—he had no idea if he was buying the right things, but it was better than nothing. As the cashier scanned each item, Max glanced nervously at Kota, who had started chewing on his own fist.
"You're lucky you're cute," Max muttered under his breath, watching as Kota's little lips puckered and his tiny eyebrows furrowed in concentration. It was the first time Max had really *looked* at him since the baby had appeared on his doorstep. Kota's dark hair was soft, his eyes wide and bright, and his tiny nose scrunched up as if he were trying to figure out the world around him.
For a split second, Max felt something stir in his chest. This little human was *his*. His son. It was still hard to believe, but it was also impossible to deny the connection, even if he didn't fully understand it yet.
Max shook his head, trying to snap out of his thoughts as the cashier handed him the bags. He struggled to manage the weight of both the shopping and the baby carrier. "Man, how do people do this every day?" he muttered as he shuffled out of the store, trying not to drop anything.
Outside, the evening air was cool, and Max made his way back to his apartment. As he walked, Kota shifted against his chest, letting out soft coos. Max glanced down and sighed. "You really have no idea what kind of mess you've dropped me into, do you, kid?"
But despite the chaos, there was something strangely comforting about Kota's presence. As frustrating and confusing as the situation was, the baby didn't feel like a burden—not yet, at least. He felt like… something Max hadn't known he was missing.
Back at the apartment, Max dumped the shopping bags on the floor and carefully unstrapped Kota from the carrier. "Alright, buddy. Let's figure this out together."
Kota blinked up at him, offering no help at all.
Max grabbed the box of diapers and fumbled with the packaging, pulling one out and staring at it like it was some kind of alien technology. "Okay. Diaper goes on the butt. That's the easy part, right?"
As if on cue, Kota's little face scrunched up, and Max's eyes widened as he heard a very unpleasant sound coming from the baby.
"Oh no. No, no, no…" Max panicked, grabbing the nearest towel. "Not now!"
He laid Kota down on the couch and prepared for the task that would surely haunt him for the rest of his life—his first diaper change.
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Thirty minutes later, Max sat on the floor, his shirt stained with formula, his hands smelling like baby wipes, and Kota lying on a freshly-cleaned blanket, looking as content as ever.
Max, on the other hand, was ready to collapse. How did parents *do* this? He had spent half an hour just trying to get a diaper on the kid, and now he was supposed to figure out how to feed him? The instructions on the formula can were written like some kind of secret code. Measure this, stir that, don't overheat, don't underfeed.
Kota gurgled happily, as if mocking Max's struggle.
"Great, at least one of us is having a good time," Max muttered, pouring the formula into a bottle and shaking it. He checked the temperature, trying to follow what little he remembered from his frantic Google search earlier. "Okay, here goes nothing."
He carefully held the bottle to Kota's mouth, and after a few seconds of hesitation, the baby latched on and started drinking. Max let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Thank *god*."
As Kota drank, Max leaned back against the couch, staring up at the ceiling. He still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that this was real. That Saki had left him with a baby—*his* baby—and then disappeared without so much as a phone call. What was she thinking? How long was she planning to be gone? Days? Weeks? Months?
Max rubbed his tired eyes. He had so many questions, but no one to ask. Right now, all he could do was survive the night. He glanced down at Kota, who was almost finished with the bottle, his little fingers gripping it tightly.
"Well, kid," Max said, sighing, "I guess it's you and me now."
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Later that night, Max sat on the couch, watching Kota sleep in a makeshift crib he'd thrown together out of pillows and blankets. His mind was still spinning, trying to make sense of everything that had happened in the last 24 hours. He was exhausted, confused, and overwhelmed—but at the same time, there was a strange sense of calm settling over him.
Max reached for his phone, scrolling through his contacts until he found Kenji's number. He hadn't responded to the earlier message, but now that Kota was finally asleep, maybe he could get some advice—or at least a little sympathy.
He typed quickly.
**Max:** *Dude. I bought diapers, and I think I might've aged 10 years.*
A moment later, Kenji replied.
**Kenji:** *Bro, are you telling me you actually have a kid now? What even happened?*
Max stared at the screen, not really knowing how to explain the insanity of it all.
**Max:** *Long story. Saki's gone, and she left me with the baby. No idea when she's coming back.*
Kenji's reply came fast.
**Kenji:** *Are you okay? Need help? Or maybe a babysitter?*
Max smirked at the idea of Kenji—a guy who could barely take care of himself—babysitting. He couldn't even remember to water his plants.
**Max:** *Nah, I'll figure it out… I think. I mean, how hard can it be?*
As soon as he sent the message, Max regretted it. He glanced at Kota, who was peacefully asleep now, and sighed
.
"Why do I have a feeling this is only the beginning?"
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End of Chapter 2.
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So hello guys flooeye here I'm new in this platform and I'm also new on the Wattpad platform I'm posting my work in different platforms to be seen and maybe enjoyed by some
I don't know how to change my pseudonym yet but yeah I'm still flooeye a person you never heard
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