Chapter 432: Meggie’s Morning Dilemma – I |
Friday morning, Japan.
Meggie stifled a yawn and headed downstairs, eyes still bleary from sleep. And when she arrived, she saw Yue sitting on the couch and breastfeeding Aurora.
Yue giggled and kissed Aurora's forehead. "You are so adorable, Little One. And so hungry too!"
Meggie wrinkled her nose and pointedly looked away. "Ugh. Mom... do you have to do that where people can see?"
Yue looked up and said, "I am simply spending time with my cute baby girl." She smiled and kissed Aurora's head. "Isn't that right, my little Aurora?"
Aurora gave a satisfied burp and giggled, nuzzling against Yue's chest.
Yue practically melted at the sight, giggling as well.
Meggie let out a sigh. 'Mom is definitely a lost cause...'
Yue had always been crazily in love with Meggie's Dad. And since Aurora was born, a literal embodiment and proof of that love, Yue was crazily in love with Aurora too. Enough that just holding her was making Yue giddy.
And honestly?
Meggie thanked the heavens she didn't. Because heavens above, Meggie might have actually run off like her dad did...
And speaking of Dad...
Meggie finished pouring her cereal and then said, "Where's Dad anyway? He's usually up by now, isn't he?"
Yue set Aurora back in her crib. After that, she fixed her clothes and said, "Your father left early this morning for work." She sighed. "As usual, he cannot resist saving more troubled young women."
Meggie paused, parsing her mother's words. Then she said, "So... Dad's looking through the auditions for more girls in Project MirAIs and headed off to meet them?"
"Yes."
'Then why didn't you just say that, Mom?!'
...Is what Meggie thought.
But she knew better than to actually say that to her mother.
Despite her parents having resolved all their misunderstandings... and despite Meggie's dad proving without a doubt that he loved only Yue...
Well, Meggie's mother was the jealous type. And she also had a complex towards young and beautiful women...
'So let's not pull a Dad here and trigger her first thing in the morning.'
Yeah, Meggie was smarter than that. So instead, she played along with her mom and said, "Dad really can't stop meddling in things, huh?"
Yue tucked Aurora in for a morning nap. After that, she looked back up at Meggie and sighed. "It appears so... but at least he is doing so due to a proper job instead of out of whimsy or a hobby."
Meggie blinked. "But... we're like omega super duper rich, right? Dad doesn't even really need to work in the first place, so isn't this still just a hobby for him...?"
Yue shrugged. "This time, he is being deliberate about it and drawing lines. So it's okay."
Meggie... really didn't understand the weird mental gymnastics her mother was using to justify the situation. But better to not stop something that was working, so instead, Meggie nodded and said, "Alright. But speaking of work... shouldn't you be heading to school, Mom? I leave in an hour, but you need to be there soon since you're the headmistress, right?"
Yue huffed and crossed her arms. "And waste more time away from my little Aurora? Never." She dismissively waved her hand and said, "Besides, the academy can run itself fine. I made sure of it these past few weeks. And if not..." Her emerald eyes flashed red. "Well. There will be hell to pay. Both from the children, parents, and staff if they keep me away from my little one any longer."
'...I never realized it, but... Mom is kind of crazy, isn't she...?'
Maybe that was why Dad warned Meggie to be careful.
Meggie had a feeling her mother was one bad day away from reverting to some of her worst habits... Hm. Maybe she should set her up with Emma's mom for some friendly bonding. Or Rin nee-chan's mom too.
Meggie's mom really needed more friends...
Aurora stuck up her fist and said, "Ba! Baba!"
Yue giggled and scooped Aurora up again, nuzzling her. "That's right, Little One. Mommy is here to play with you all day today~"
...And Meggie needed to make sure her baby sister didn't inherit any of their mom's worst tendencies.
Meggie sighed and poured milk into her cereal and then started eating it.
Yue played with Aurora some more before tucking her back into bed after Aurora passed out.
Meggie finished her cereal and then grabbed her things for school. After that, she waved to her mom and said, "I'll head off then, Mom. See you later."
Yue smiled. "Have a good day, Meggie."
Meggie nodded. Then she paused and said, "Oh yeah. Emma asked me to hang out at her place later. Is that fine?"
Yue nodded. "Of course! You can take care of yourself just fine, so I'm not worried, Meggie. Just make sure that if any trouble occurs to finish it properly."
"...Of course." Meggie slowly nodded and walked out of the house. The moment she was outside, she grumbled. "One of us needs to make sure Rory has commonsense. CLEARLY neither Dad nor Mom have it..."
It was still a bit red in the sky since it was so early. But the sky was already starting to turn blue as the sun started rising.
Usually, Meggie would get a ride from someone to school. Either Alphy, Betty, Asako, Mister Kai, or her parents... but everyone was busy today. But that was fine with Meggie.
"It's been a while since I've moved my body, huh?"
Meggie stretched a bit and pulled her hoodie over her head and hugged her bag under her arm. After that, she dashed off at an Olympic speed sprint.
Of course, to most people in the world, it was an Olympic speed sprint.
To Meggie though, it was just a light jog. Still, at this rate, it would just take a few minutes to get to school-
"Oh! Morning, Meggie!" Rin nibbled on a piece of toast, easily keeping pace with Meggie. "I didn't expect you up so early!"
Meggie nearly stumbled from shock. "R-Rin?"
Like Meggie, Rin was moving at an Olympic level sprint. And like Meggie, Rin wasn't even breaking a sweat.
But...
'Rin is just a human, right? Like, a normal one?'
Meggie was pretty danged sure that Rin was supposed to be at least. So how the heck...?
Rin nodded. "Yep! It's me!" She finished eating her toast and casually pulled out a juice box to sip on it. "I usually do my morning exercise by jogging to school and say hi to Mister John as he leaves on the way. But since he's busy, I just ran past your house. I'm surprised to catch you though!"
"Me... too?" Meggie blinked and then said, "But, um. Rin."
Rin puffed her cheeks and said, "Call me nee-chan!"
"Nee-chan." Meggie nodded. "...How are you jogging so fast?"
Meggie wasn't human. At least, not entirely. So her running at this breakneck pace without breaking a sweat was normal.
'But Rin doing that sure as heck isn't!'
Rin tilted her head, genuinely confused. "What do you mean? Both Onee-chan and Aneue can jog this fast, so I have to at least be able to do it too, right?"
"Well, yeah, but..."
Alphy nee-chan was a literal combat automaton that was Dad's magnum opus who could clear out the entire Three Realms if he let her.
And Asako... well.
With how much time Asako was spending with Alphy, Meggie wouldn't be surprised if Alphy had started rubbing off on Asako... in more ways than one.
Anyway, she was an exception too.
Rin though...
"Is something wrong?" Rin tilted her head.
"...Nah."
If it was an issue, Dad would have already brought it up or seen it.
"Okay! Oh, hungry?" Rin rummaged in her bag and pulled out a wrapped sandwich. "Mom packed me extra today, so I can share!"
Meggie waved her hand. "That's fine. I had breakfast already, R- nee-chan."
Rin stopped at a red light and then reached up to stretch. "Phew!" She looked around and said, "We're almost there. How about we just walk?" She smiled and said, "It's a pretty and sunny morning, so do you want to chat along the way?"
"Sure."
Wasn't like Meggie had anything better to do...