"Hello there, Romance Master-kun!" Smith greeted me. "How was your first day on the job? Any challenges or successes you'd like to share?"

"Hey there, Romance Master-kun!" Smith greeted me with a warm smile. "How did your first day on the job go?"

You know, I really would've liked it if Mero had never heard that particular nickname. Still, I was pleasantly surprised that Smith was considerate enough to ask me how my session with Mandroot went. I opened my mouth to answer-

"Well, I'm sure you'll tell me all about it later," Smith continued, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "But right now, I'm in a bit of a hurry, so would you mind doing a huge tiny favor for me?"

I paused for a moment, taken aback. "Uh... what exactly might be this huge tiny favor?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

The coordinator made a grand and thoughtful gesture toward the person who used a wheelchair beside her. "I am pleased to introduce you to Meroune Lorelei, your new housemate!"

"It is an honor to meet you, Romance Master-sama," the mermaid greeted, "You may call me Mero!"

I muttered under my breath, "Not you too..." I cleared my throat and looked her in the eye. "It's a pleasure to me-" I started, trying to keep my voice steady, but the words died in my throat

She was stunningly beautiful. There was no denying it. She left me speechless!

"Hey!" A sharp jab to my side snapped me out of my reverie. Zombina's voice was gruff as she asked, "Why are you staring? That's rude, you know."

I looked sternly at her before clearing my throat and hoping my cheeks weren't too red. "My apologies. As I was saying, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mero-san. However, my name is actually-"

Smith declared, "Anyway, I must be going!" before smacking me on the shoulder in farewell as she walked past me.

For fuck's sake, Smith!

"Would you be able to keep her occupied for a while?" she asked, "The house is getting renovated, and I have something urgent I need to take care of. I'd appreciate it if you could help out."

I had suspected that Smith had called me here to be with Mero as soon as I saw them together. I had no qualms with the situation, but I was hoping for a break after my time with Mandroot. Additionally, I grew weary of Smith expecting me to take on her tasks without warning.

I quickly stepped in front of Smith and looked her directly in the eyes behind her sunglasses.

"I'll do it," I assured her, "But I'd like something in exchange."

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow at me. "Care to elaborate?"

"I would appreciate an hour tomorrow to discuss a few matters."

I had been neglecting Rachnera and Kii since I came here, and I felt awful about it. If talking to Smith could help, I'd happily do it. I wish I had done something earlier, but I've been so busy with many other tasks that I had to put them on the back burner. I hope it isn't too late for me to do anything now.

"Hm," Smith hummed, her gaze appraising me. After a moment, she shrugged and smiled. "As usual, you're being a bit overly dramatic. Alright then, I'll meet you for lunch tomorrow at noon. And this time, you're paying!"

I smiled gratefully and nodded in appreciation. "Thank you so much."

"Sure thing. Anyway, let's get going, Zombina-chan." Smith turned back to face Mero with a warm smile. "I apologize for the suddenness of all this. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

If I hadn't known Mero's privileged background, I would have been astonished to witness Smith apologizing for a change.

Mero chuckled softly, almost melodically. "It's no trouble at all, I assure you. You were kind enough to give me the gift of your company, weren't you?"

Smith bowed slightly toward Mero and thanked her for her understanding. "Later, Aki-kun. Come on, Zombina-chan," Smith said as she headed towards the car.

"Holler if you need anything," Zombina called out as they departed, perplexing me. Why would I seek assistance from her if I was aware of their tight schedule? I waved them goodbye, shrugging off my confusion. I'm sure I'll be alright.

Mero looked up at me with a brilliant smile, her eyes glistening like sapphires as she asked, "So, Romance Master-sama, was it?"

"Uh," I stuttered, rubbing the back of my neck. What was wrong with me? I'd talked to plenty of attractive girls before without a problem. "You don't have to call me that; it's just an annoying nickname. My name's An-- er, I mean, Akihiro, but you can call me Aki." I almost let my real name slip out there.

"Excellent," Mero nodded, her smile widening. "Shall we take a stroll? I'd love to explore the city if it's not too inconvenient?"

"Yes, of course!" I happily pushed the wheelchair forward. "Do you have a specific destination in mind, or should I just take you for a ride?"

She shook her head. "Just seeing the new sights is enough for me."

"Cool."

A few minutes passed in silence, and I spent most of that time figuring out how to maneuver the wheelchair. It wasn't the most challenging task, but it had been a while since I did it. Thankfully, Mero didn't make any comments about my clumsy driving. Suddenly, my phone buzzed in my pocket, but I figured it was just a text, so it wasn't significant enough to check it immediately.

Mero started, startling me out of my reverie, "Smith-dono mentioned that you were liminal. Please forgive my impertinence, but may I ask what type of liminal you are?"

"I am a human, but I am considered liminal due to a technicality," I explained.

She blinked up at me, her expression curious. "What might that be?"

Everyone in the house was already aware of the situation, so there was no risk in informing her.

"It may sound implausible, but I'm actually from a different dimension," I explained to her. "Given my unusual circumstances, Smith decided it would be simpler to classify me as a liminal and enroll me in the exchange program."

Mero gasped in surprise and shouted excitedly, "I've heard about you! You're the dimensional traveler, ripped away from his home across time and space!"

"Uh." I didn't expect that. "You've heard about me?"

She released a shuddering breath, clearly filled with joy, as she exclaimed, "That's right! News of your unique and tragic story has spread like wildfire back among my people! I feel truly blessed to witness such a remarkable tale..."

Ah, this was when my least favorite aspect of Mero showed itself. Ugh, mermaids and their penchant for tragedy. Mero went from a perfect ten to an almost-perfect nine; her fascination with tragedy almost makes her unattractive.

"Hmm," I murmured, not inclined to extend the conversation further.

She kept going. "Torn away across time and space...." Yeah, you mentioned that already. "Unable to ever see his beloved family and friends ever again." My grip tightened on the wheelchair handles. "Losing all sense of normality in his previously average yet content life!" How can you say that with such a dreamy expression?! "Forced to live among beings he can scarcely comprehend, let alone connect with! Oh," she sighed, clutching her face with webbed hands, "How could you even live another day without-"

I jerked the wheelchair to a halt.

"Mero." My voice shook, almost cracking.

"Hm?" She turned to face me, and her eyes widened. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

I took a deep, shuddering breath and looked directly into those sapphire eyes. I knew I had to stay composed, at least for now. Mero's penchant for tragic stories was something I couldn't hope to tackle so soon, especially on the first day I'd met her. I knew she wasn't being intentionally hurtful; she was just inexperienced. But damn, her words hit me like a punch to the gut, stirring up feelings I'd been trying so hard to ignore, especially with what she said about my family and friends.

"Can we please change the subject?" I suggested, suppressing my intense feelings: deep breaths, deep breaths.

"Oh, certainly!" Mero cheerfully replied as I resumed pushing the wheelchair. "I must admit, I'm quite intrigued by that nickname Smith-dono gave you - Romance Master, yes?"

I heaved a deep, weary sigh. Though this conversation wasn't threatening, it was still irksome.

"Yes, it was Romance Master," I confessed, "Miia, one of the exchanges students you'll be living with, let it slip once, and now she enjoys teasing me about it."

"And why did this Miia call you that?"

"Ah, because I promised to help her with boy trubs." On second thought, maybe this was also dangerous territory. "I'm not what you'd call a master, though...."

"I see, I see," Mero muttered thoughtfully, looking pensively into the distance with an intensity that made me uneasy. "Most intriguing."

My phone vibrated in my pocket several times, indicating I was receiving a call. I saw that it was Kurusu calling and answered with a cheerful "Hey there!"

"Hey, Bando-san," Kurusu spoke timidly over the phone, "Smith-san asked me to let you know that the house has been renovated and is ready for you to come home with someone else in tow... Is that correct?"

"I'm guessing she didn't elaborate?"

"Afraid not."

Of course not.

I sighed in exasperation. "I have our newest housemate with me, which is likely the cause of all the recent renovations."

"Ah. Another one? Well, alright then."

The poor guy didn't even sound surprised anymore.

"Yup. Anyway, we should be home soon. But before we go, I just remembered something else - how hydrated is Suu right now? We want to make sure she stays healthy!"

The unexpected question took Kurusu aback. "She's doing well, as far as I know. May I ask why you are asking?"

"Please ensure she has plenty of water before we arrive, and have a large plastic bag ready near the door just in case."

"Sure. But just in case of what?"

"I'll explain when I get there," I told him before ending the call. Checking my phone quickly, I saw that Zombina had texted me asking about how the 'date' was going. Rolling my eyes, I pocketed my phone and continued pushing Mero's wheelchair. "Right, Mero. Let's get you home."

To be continued!