Chapter 63: Fubuki: "Your kid is already this big!?"
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Kihara never expected that—even something as simple as a basic recovery pill—would carry side effects when created using Eirin Yagokoro's abilities.
He carried the still-unconscious Yume Minami back home to Q City. After gently placing her on the sofa, he was just about to head to the kitchen to prepare something nutritious…when the girl in front of him suddenly shrank.
At first, he thought it was his imagination.
But when he rubbed his eyes and looked again, she was still shrinking.
Second by second.
His face went pale, cold sweat dripping down his back.
"Don't tell me… she's going to shrink into a fertilized egg or something?! That damn Eirin—her medicine is way too messed up! I should've never given it to her!"
Thankfully, the shrinking stopped after a while.
Judging by her appearance, she now looked like an elementary schooler—around fifth or sixth grade.
"…Thank god. If she turned into a baby, I'd have no idea where to find milk for you."
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, went to his room, grabbed a loose T-shirt, and quickly ordered several sets of children's clothes and underwear online with express delivery.
"Please arrive before she wakes up…"
As the saying goes: misfortune never comes alone.
The moment he finished speaking, Yume's eyelashes trembled—and she slowly opened her eyes.
She stared blankly at the familiar ceiling for a while before muttering:
"…Didn't I die? Why does the afterlife look like my house?"
"You're fine. And next time, don't do something that reckless."
Kihara lightly tapped her forehead.
That single tap seemed to flip a switch—her eyes instantly filled with tears, spilling over uncontrollably.
"Kihara! Kihara! I was so scared! Waaaa—!"
"Alright, alright… it's okay now."
Startled, he quickly pulled her into his arms, gently patting her back while soothing her.
Gradually, her sobs quieted.
But then…
She noticed something strange.
"…Why do you look so much bigger than me?"
She glanced at her small hands.
Her mouth slowly opened into a wide "O" of shock.
Then, trembling, she reached toward her chest.
"…!"
There was no sound.
But the flat sensation—combined with the oversized clothes—made her feel as if she heard a balloon deflating.
Her soft, well-endowed figure.
Gone.
"KYAAAAAA—!!"
A piercing scream exploded right next to Kihara's ear like a sonic boom.
He instinctively let go and covered his ears.
"Yume?! What's wrong?!"
"I—I—I—!"
Her face flushed red as she waved her hands wildly, unable to form a proper sentence.
Then—
A terrifying thought struck Kihara.
His whole body stiffened.
Teeth chattering, he stared at her in horror.
"Y-You… d-didn't… grow something extra down there… right?"
"OF COURSE NOT!!"
She shouted immediately, then lowered her voice, face burning red.
Grabbing a strand of her hair, she whispered:
"My… my chest is gone…"
Kihara instantly relaxed, letting out a huge sigh of relief.
"Thank god. As long as you didn't grow something extra, it's fine. As for your chest—just drink more papaya milk, it'll grow back eventually. No big deal."
"Grrr… I'm mad now!"
She puffed her cheeks and glared at him.
Kihara chuckled, casually pulling his T-shirt over her head.
"Your clothes will arrive soon. Just make do with this for now. What do you want to eat? I'll cook."
"Caramel pudding!"
"Alright. Let me check if we still have eggs."
About two hours later, the clothes arrived.
After handing them to her, Kihara noticed something important.
It wasn't just her body that had regressed.
Her mentality… had also shifted.
Although her memories remained intact, her behavior had clearly become more childish—she now did things she never would before.
At the same time, something else lingered in his mind.
During the earlier battle, he had spotted two suspicious figures watching from a distance.
Based on their appearance, they were most likely members of the Kaiju Eugenics group from the SSSS.GRIDMAN universe.
Which meant—
They were the ones giving orders to those monsters.
And now, they had set their sights on Yume.
"…I need someone to protect her."
Someone capable of defending against monster attacks…
And someone he knew.
No matter how he thought about it, only one candidate came to mind.
Fubuki.
"…Guess I have no choice but to ask that troublesome woman."
It wasn't that Kihara didn't want to protect Yume himself.
But next—
He planned to hunt down the Kaiju Eugenics.
Anyone who dared target Yume…
Was already on his kill list.
"Yume, after you finish eating, want to go somewhere with me?"
"Okay, Kihara-oniichan! Where are we going?"
She smiled brightly, her small legs swinging excitedly in the air.
…So this is what she was like as a kid?
Kihara barely resisted the urge to pat her head.
After wiping pudding from the corner of her mouth, he picked her up with one arm and headed out.
He didn't know where the Blizzard Group was located.
But through the Hero Association, contacting Fubuki wasn't difficult.
Meanwhile—
After hearing Kihara was coming personally, Fubuki rushed back to her office.
She called in her three most trusted subordinates:
Eyelashes, Mountain Ape, and Lily.
They stood behind her in formation.
Knock knock.
"Come in!"
"I didn't expect you to come here personally, Crimson Kni—Kni—Kni—"
Fubuki's words suddenly froze.
Her eyes locked onto the small girl in Kihara's arms.
Her expression stiffened.
She shot up from her seat, pointing at Yume in disbelief.
"Y-Your child with that woman is already this big?!"
Lily turned her head in shock.
…Why does that sound like something a jealous ex would say?
Kihara frowned.
"…What kind of logic leads you to that conclusion? And wait—you actually investigated Yume?"
"I only checked her while investigating your background. I have no interest in her. So what's going on with this child?"
"She is Yume. She just… shrank for certain reasons. I need you to take care of her for a while."
The moment he finished.
Yume's lips trembled.
Her small hands clutched his shirt tightly.
And then—
"WAAAAAAAH—!!"
"I don't want to be separated from Kihara-oniichan!!"
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Thank you for reading.