Since Miia showed up at my doorstep, my everyday life has been tiring and draining. Here is an honest account of my average day:

5:00 AM: Wake up. Carefully detach Miia from me after her latest attempt to "snuggle up."

At 5:15 AM, take a refreshing shower and attempt to join Centorea on her morning jog. If she's already left, use this time to catch up on the news - you may even find Suu there, unusually calm.

At 6:00 AM, if I go jogging with Centorea, I usually push myself to exhaustion and must be carried home. If not, I clean the bathroom before anyone else wakes up. That usually entails making sure that all the girls' personal hygiene products are in their proper places.

6:30 AM: If I went with Centorea, come home and let Centorea shower.

7:00 AM: I begin preparing breakfast. Papi usually gets up around this time.

7:15 AM: Aki gets up, and upon seeing that I am already up and about, he complains about me doing all the work around the house. To appease him, I ask if he can help out by waking Miia up for me. After ensuring that everything is ready, I check on Mero to see if she needs any assistance.

7:45 AM: Breakfast with everyone. Ignore Miia suggestively rubbing her tail against me under the table.

8:00 AM: Clean up the dishes with Aki.

At 8:30 AM, after everyone has finished using the bathroom, clean it thoroughly. Encourage everyone to pick up after themselves as much as possible and politely remind them of missed items.

At 9:30 AM, I take inventory of all the groceries and other supplies in the house. Mero and Centorea usually come to my aid, though I don't ask them to, as they are usually quite perceptive and can tell when I need help.

At 10:00 AM: Go shopping for necessities. At least two girls usually tag along, and Aki volunteers to hang out at the house with whoever decides to stay if they want to go out later. The next hour has as many variations as there are combinations of whoever's accompanying me, so listing what may happen would prove too exhaustive.

At 11:00 AM, if shopping takes longer than anticipated, we will get lunch out, courtesy of the Cultural Exchange. Otherwise, we will go home for lunch.

11:30 AM: Smith makes herself at home, inevitably drops some new bombshell I have to deal with, and then leaves with a cheerful "Do your best!"

At 11:35 AM: Deal with it.

Noon: Do laundry. Accept help from Miia or Centorea if offered, as they are usually more than willing to assist. Aki usually plays with Papi and Suu, and Mero stays close to him while he is home, which gives me peace of mind.

At 1:00 PM, I dedicate an hour to "catching up." I tidy up any messes left behind from the day and double-check to ensure nothing has broken. If no repairs are necessary (a rare occurrence), I use the time to study the Cultural Exchange Bill and the specific health needs of each girl.

2:00 PM: Brief phone call from parents to see how things are doing. Since they're so busy and can only call later at night in their time zone, the conversation rarely lasts longer than a few minutes. I somehow forget to mention I'm living with five liminals and one technical one while also promising to Skype them at some point soon.

2:10 PM: Clean the bathroom again.

2:45 PM: Make sure Papi hasn't escaped playing with the kids again. Inevitably find that she has. Frantically search the city so she doesn't get deported. If Suu is also missing, search harder. Aki always helps with this.

3:00 PM: Regardless of whether or not we have to find Papi and Suu, Aki once again tells me to speak up whenever I need help around the house. I laugh off his concerns and tell him that one of the girls was asking for him.

3:30 PM: Plan a date with Miia, Papi, or Centorea. Consider the preferences of the person I choose and make a date as unique and memorable as possible.

4:00 PM: Discover, we were followed by whoever I didn't take out. Aki swears he had no idea how they slipped out without him noticing.

4:30 PM: Smith pops in and asks what's for dinner. Sometimes she brings MON with her; sometimes, she doesn't. Die a little inside as I begin preparing yet another feast.

5:00 PM: Enjoy dinner with everyone while politely ignoring Miia's suggestive tail rubs under the table.

5:45 PM: Wash dishes with Aki. The girls settle in the living room to play games.

6:00 PM: Assure Aki that I'll join him with the girls after I check up on a few things.

7:00 PM: After tending to those few things, hang out with everyone in the living room. Situate events so that Aki and Mero are always together, which I'm sure he appreciates.

7:20 PM: Start planning out my next day.

8:00 PM: Take stock of the damage done to our food stores that day. Weep.

8:30 PM: Ask everyone if they need anything before I turn in. Assure Aki that I don't need any help.

At 9:30 PM, take a long, relaxing, warm shower. To avoid any uncomfortable situations, remember to always lock the door before getting in the shower. If someone does walk in on you, assess the situation and act accordingly.

10:10 PM: I set my alarm and fell asleep when I hit the sheets.

My everyday life has become increasingly chaotic. I have almost no time for myself, and I hardly ever get to see my friends. Despite the girls vowing to be more mindful of their capabilities, I still have to be vigilant to dodge accidental tail swipes or outstretched wings.

Despite the unique challenges of hosting a lamia, a harpy, a centaur, a slime, a mermaid, and a dimensional traveler, I'm happier than I've been in a long time. Every day brings new and exciting experiences, and I'm so thankful to have met such amazing people. I'm grateful to have found a purpose in being their host and ensuring they're comfortable and happy.

It's a path I didn't choose but one I'm glad to take.

To be continued!