Kurusu concluded his explanation, a prominent droplet of sweat sliding down his forehead, emphasizing his words, "So, it's not what you think it is."

"Hmm," Sasaki grunted, nonchalantly swirling the contents of his freshly-cracked beer as he shot a piercing gaze at his godson. "Ya know, kid, if it weren't for me helpin' raise ya, this whole shebang would seem mighty suspicious."

From my spot near the TV, I couldn't help but snort at that. Although tempted to step in, I trusted Kurusu to handle Sasaki. Instead, I busied myself setting up the sound system and queuing up some music for the party while Kurusu continued his explanation. Thankfully, my worries proved unnecessary as Sasaki eventually listened. However, it required some convincing to make him understand that Cerea referring to Kurusu as her Master was merely a cultural aspect for centaurs rather than a form of servitude (despite Cerea's protests and contrary beliefs) or any unsettling fetish they shared.

Miia whispered to me, her eyes fixed on the bantering duo in the kitchen. "Did this guy contribute to raising Darling?" Meanwhile, Cerea, standing alongside them, nervously toyed with her beer, her gaze shifting between Kurusu and Sasaki. It was evident that meeting one of Kurusu's family members for the first time made her anxious. After all, encountering relatives had a way of inducing nerves. "He's completely different!"

I nodded in agreement, taking a step back from the sound system, content with the setup. "Well, he may seem different, but honestly, he's not that far off," I replied. "Sure, Sasaki may come off as gruff, but deep down, he genuinely cares about people, just like Kurusu. I wouldn't be surprised if he picked up a few habits from him along the way."

Miia raised an eyebrow, intrigued by my statement. "Did he tell you that?" she inquired, seeking confirmation.

I shook my head in response. "No, he didn't explicitly tell me. It's more of a gut feeling I have," I explained. Suddenly, the doorbell rang once more, resonating through the house. Kurusu instinctively moved to answer it, but I gestured for him to stand back. "I'll take care of it! Oh, and Miia," I added, catching her attention. She looked at me curiously. "That could be Draco at the door. Are you still certain about this?"

As we had discussed earlier during our party planning, the topic of Draco joining us had come up, triggered by my recollection of the promise I made to her. After a thorough discussion among everyone in the house, with Miia taking a prominent role in the decision-making, we agreed to give Draco a chance and see how well she would integrate. We remained optimistic, but even if things didn't go as planned (which I highly doubted), we knew we could rely on MON to handle any potential issues effortlessly.

"Definitely," Miia responded, her smile widening as she nodded at me. "It'd be, like, super rude to just turn her down right when she shows up, you know? Gotta give her a fair chance, after all."

You know, if I were the target of a stalker, I wouldn't be as forgiving. But hey, since Miia is OK with it, I guess I'll go along with the decision.

"Gucci," I replied, giving her a nod before making my way out of the living room. It was clear that tonight the house would be filled to the brim. With the usual eight residents, Kuroko, the MON team, Sasaki, Kii, and Draco, we were incredibly fortunate that the house had undergone renovations and expansion. Even so, we knew we would be tight on space, especially with the larger individuals like Rachnee, Cerea, Tio, and Miia.

While I had contemplated inviting Mandroot and Preya, I decided to hold off on extending the invitation for now. Mandroot wouldn't likely handle crowds well, and the same could be said, albeit to a lesser extent, for Preya. Plus, Kuroko had suggested giving Preya another day to acclimate to her new host family, and I agreed after learning that she was faring much better than she did with her previous host.

"Oh, hey there," Zombina greeted me with a mischievous smile and a playful wink as I opened the door. Balancing two six-packs in her hands, she added to the ever-growing stash of alcohol. Nice to see folks comin' prepared. "Brought ya some goodies."

"And muffins!" Tio chimed in cheerfully from behind Zombina. "Mana and I whipped up a whole bunch!"

Manako, soft and timid, interjected, "I-I didn't do that much..." She nervously fiddled with her hands, displaying a hint of shyness.

"Either way, it's much appreciated," I expressed warmly to Zombina, Tio, and Manako, offering them a genuine smile. However, my mood quickly soured as my gaze met Doppel's. She smirked and gave a small wave, which irked me. Though I unconsciously tightened my grip on my beer and narrowed my eyes slightly, I tried to dismiss her presence. It seemed Zombina had noticed, given the curious look she gave me. "Ah, anyway, come on in," I invited, attempting to shift the focus. "Dinner is almost ready; we're just waiting for everyone else to arrive."

"Kay!" Tio cheerfully hummed as she walked in, followed closely by Manako and Doppel. The sight of Doppel not even sparing me a glance as she passed by bothered me more than it probably should have. Shaking my head and sighing, I brought the beer to my lips, only to be interrupted by a light jab at my elbow.

"Wassup?" Zombina inquired, lingering beside me. "Ya looked genuinely ticked off for a moment there. Did Doppel pull some of her shit on you?"

"Yeah," I muttered, my voice filled with annoyance. "You could say that. But I'm not gonna let it ruin the night." As I attempted to walk away, a firm hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"Aki," Zombina began, her tone serious. "What exactly did she do?"

Zombina's response initially took me aback. There was an underlying tension in her voice, something beyond mere concern. I found myself gazing into her captivating green and golden eyes, surprised to discover a genuine seriousness within them. Was it for my sake? As flattering as that notion would be, I doubted it. After all, I had experienced my fair share of challenging situations since coming here, and she hadn't exhibited this level of intensity before. It was more likely that her reaction stemmed from the fact that it involved her teammate. Doppel's "pranks" had a notorious tendency to escalate and cause trouble, as I had learned firsthand.

"Jeezus H. Christ!" Sasaki suddenly bellowed, his voice echoing through the halls. "Put some goddamn clothes on, will ya?!"

I couldn't help but chuckle at his outburst, and it seemed Zombina found it amusing too. Yet, her firm hold on my shoulder persisted.

"Does it matter?" I sighed, feeling exasperated.

"It does when somethin' my teammate did is makin' ya act like this," she replied.

With a resigned sigh, I decided to relent. Zombina seemed determined to get the full story out of me. "I confronted her about the Far Side, and she used it as an excuse to... well, I'm not even sure what she did. She somehow took me into one of her memories, showing me the birthplace of shapeshifters."

I could feel her grip tightening on my shoulder.

"Then she went on this whole lecture about me delving too deeply," I continued, frustration evident in my voice. "But even that was probably just some bullshit because she immediately said she was testing if whatever sent me here would react to her actions."

Zombina remained silent, her expression unreadable.

I shrugged, feeling a mix of frustration and confusion. "I have no clue why she felt the need to do that. All I know is that it sent me on a messed-up journey to some nightmarish sea of monsters, gave me a horrendous migraine, and she didn't seem to give a damn about how I felt."

Zombina let out a deep, shaky breath, her anger palpable.

"Let me get this straight," Zombina half-growled, her tone dripping with anger. "She fucked with your mind and forced ya to see one of the shittiest places in the Far Side just 'cause she felt like it?"

"... That pretty much sums it up," I replied, feeling uneasy as I shifted. This new, angry side of Zombina was unfamiliar, and I wasn't sure how to respond to it.

"She swore a fukken oath," she snarled, shaking her head in disbelief and releasing her grip on me. "I'm gonna chat with her right fukken now."

"Wait, hold on," I interjected, swiftly reaching out and grasping her hand as she attempted to walk past me. Her reaction was immediate, freezing in place. I knew well enough how she would interpret my gesture, and quite frankly, I was OK with that. "What oath are you talking about?" I inquired, my tone earnest.

Zombina turned to face me, her eyes shifting from our held hands to meet my gaze. "When ya join MON, ya swear to protect both liminals and humankind," she explained, her voice filled with conviction. "There are some other crucial aspects to that oath too. If she truly violated that oath to mess with your mind..." She furrowed her brow. "Then somethin' ain't right at all."

We both fell into a momentary silence, the weight of the situation hanging in the air. I was at a loss for words, uncertain about how to respond. Thankfully, Zombina took the initiative to break the silence. Unfortunately, her voice dripped with anger as she spoke.

"Damn it, of course, she does this to you, out of all people," Zombina growled, her free hand balling into a fist. "She knows that Kuroko trusts you now, knows that I-" She abruptly halted, visibly making an effort to compose herself. Zombina took a deep breath, whether for an actual calming effect or as a symbolic gesture; I couldn't be sure, given her unique physiology. "As the leader, it's my responsibility to handle this. It's just... fucking ridiculous."

"It's not your fault," I assured her, gently squeezing her hand for reassurance. A blush adorned her pale cheeks, and I couldn't help but feel a rush of warmth on my face. Go figure. "But perhaps we can discuss it with her later? Miia, Kurusu, and Cerea have put much effort into preparing dinner tonight, and I wouldn't want this to ruin the evening for them."

Zombina let out a snort, a soft smirk playing on her lips. "There ya go again, always putting others before yourself," she remarked. "Seems like you've got a habit of not lookin' out for Number One, don't ya?"

"Well, I'll admit, I also worked hard on preparing the food," I acknowledged, returning her smile. "So I wouldn't necessarily label this an entirely selfless suggestion."

She let out a chuckle and shook her head. "Ya know what? Screw it. I should probably wait 'til Kuroko gets her ass here anyway. She's the one with all the fancy words and shit, not me. There's one damn perk to this stupid shitshow, at least."

"And what might that be?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

With a sudden motion, she yanked me closer, our chests barely touching.

"Finally held my hand," Zombina whispered, her warm breath tickling my ear and causing a rush of heat to surge through me. "We're practically hitched now, right?"

I couldn't help but giggle, feeling any resistance melt away under the influence of her playful joke.

"Call me crazy, but I don't think that holds in our cultures," I replied softly, my voice filled with amusement.

"Hey, you never know," Zombina retorted, flashing me a mischievous grin.

Ding-dong! The sound of the doorbell interrupted our playful banter.

"I think you nailed that one," she murmured, leaning in to give me a playful kiss on the cheek before tugging me along. Retrieving her dropped six-packs, she sashayed off, heading towards the living room. "Catch ya inside, Aki," she called out with a wink before disappearing from view.

As I stood there, watching Zombina's departure, I absentmindedly touched the spot on my cheek where she had kissed me. The tingling sensation lingered, leaving an unusual warmth in its wake. It struck me as peculiar, or perhaps not peculiar that I could feel this newfound warmth. Witnessing Zombina's anger and concern on my behalf was undeniably heartening. It made me ponder what I had done to deserve such care and affection from her.

I chuckled, considering asking her later that night, perhaps after a couple more beers. It seemed like a plan that could lead to exciting and honest conversations. Yeah, that could work.

I swung the door open to let Kuroko in, and she wasted no time making her grand entrance. With her hands placed firmly on her hips, she remarked sarcastically, "Ah, the illustrious Romance Master graces us with his presence at the door. How thoughtful of you."

I dramatically bowed, extending my arms to the side exaggeratedly. "I am here to serve," I proclaimed with playful theatricality. As I raised my head, I noticed another person accompanying Kuroko. "Oh, and Hi, Draco!" I greeted her with a friendly smile.

"Mm," Draco grunted, her gaze filled with curiosity and nervousness as she glanced around the house, trailing behind Kuroko. "Human."

Kuroko chimed in with a dry remark, "Quite the conversationalist we have here. She's barely uttered five words to me since I picked her up from her host family's place."

"I simply choose to preserve my words for moments of significance," Draco retorted, pouting and crossing her arms slightly defensively.

"Small talk can be a valuable skill," I advised, offering a friendly suggestion. "You can't expect every conversation to be profound or significant. Sometimes, light-hearted exchanges can be enjoyable too."

Kuroko shot me a pointed look in response to my comment, but I ignored it entirely, unfazed by her gaze.

"Anyway," I continued, redirecting the conversation, "You can hang your trench coat on the rack over there, Draco. Once you've taken it off, we can head inside."

"I would prefer to keep it on," Draco replied with a hint of indignation in her tone.

"Uh, it's gonna get pretty warm in here soon," I explained, trying to reason with Draco. "Dragonewts can handle high temperatures, but you'd probably be more comfortable without the coat." Plus, it would be less unsettling for everyone else.

"I still-"

"Draco, I would heed his advice," Kuroko interjected, her voice carrying a hint of menace as she flashed a dangerous smile. "After all, he is one of our hosts."

Draco seemed to be cowed by Kuroko's presence, a sign that even she held some level of fear towards Kuroko, which Kuroko had no qualms about exploiting. Grumbling softly under her breath, Draco reluctantly took off her trench coat and hung it up on the coat rack. As she did so, her surprisingly well-dressed attire was revealed. With a maroon button-up shirt and black pants, she looked pretty stylish and dashing.

I nodded gratefully to Kuroko before taking the lead toward the living room. However, as we reached the entrance, we encountered Rachnee pushing Mero in her wheelchair.

"Hello, Aki!" Mero greeted cheerfully. "Oh, and hello, Smith! I apologize, but I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting before."

"Draco," she replied curtly.

"Ah, a pleasure to meet you, Draco," Mero responded with a friendly smile. "I am Meroune Lorelei, and this is my dear friend Rachnera Arachnera!"

"Hello," Rachnee greeted, her gaze fixed on Draco with a sense of wariness akin to a predator assessing a potential threat. Draco quickly caught onto Rachnee's suspicion and returned her glare.

I sighed inwardly. Drama already.

"So, when did you two return?" I asked, attempting to change the subject as we entered the living room.

"Oh, dear Counselor," Rachnee replied playfully, adopting an innocent tone. "We've been here the entire time. Where else would we be?"

It was at that moment that I noticed the cup of coffee in Rachnee's hand. Ahhh, a coffee run, I thought to myself. I see what you did there, Rachnee. In response, I raised my bottle towards her, hoping she would understand the gesture's meaning. Fortunately, she did, as she tapped her cup against my bottle, and we both took sips from our respective drinks.

"Big brother!" cried a familiar voice as soon as I stepped inside, immediately followed by a sudden burst of blue that tackled me in a hug.

The two of us erupted into laughter as I twirled her around in circles, paying no mind to the curious gazes we attracted from those unfamiliar with our playful antics. Papi giggled joyfully in my arms, her vibrant floral crown swaying gently in the breeze.

"Papi, you made it back just in time!" I exclaimed, relieved to see her. "Did you and Suu manage to find Kii?"

"Yup!" Papi cheerfully replied, her eyes shining excitedly as she looked up at me. "We kinda got lost and stuff, and we were super desiccated, but everything turned out goochy in the end!"

"She conveniently forgets to mention the truck full of noodles," Kii sighed, striding over with crossed arms. "I had to remind her twice that we were having dinner soon."

"But I didn't even eat them!" Papi retorted with an adorable pout. "So it was all goochy!"

"I'm proud of you," I replied, smiling, gently setting Papi down and glancing around the room. "Hey, where's Suu?"

"Oh, she wanted to surprise you!" Papi answered, her voice filled with excitement.

"Huh?"

"Boop," a soft and sweet voice chimed from above me, followed by a gentle touch on the nose.

My grin widened into a full-fledged smile as I felt Suu land on my head. "Hey there, sweetie," I greeted her warmly. She slid down my back and transformed into her humanoid form, her feelers wrapping around me in a tight and affectionate embrace. "Boop," I whispered playfully as I gently poked her on the forehead.

"... Aki, I got some questions 'bout your family tree that I'm 'fraid to know the answers to," Sasaki grumbled from across the room, his voice carrying a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"Eh, I'll spill the beans over dinner," I replied nonchalantly; my appetite whetted as I trailed behind Kurusu, skillfully carrying an array of mouth-watering dishes to the table.

Miia, Cerea, and Tio lent a hand to Kurusu as they set up the table, carefully arranging the dishes. Kuroko stood nearby, accompanied by Manako, who struggled to keep up with Papi's lively attempts at conversation. Kii hovered close to them, visibly uneasy in the presence of so many new faces, finding solace in Papi's company. Zombina, Sasaki, Rachnera, and Mero were engaged in animated conversation near the kitchen counter while Suu remained attached to my side. Doppel, on the other hand, lounged on a couch by herself, quietly observing the interactions unfolding around her. And Draco... well, she appeared caught in a state of uncertainty, gazing intently at Miia, seemingly unsure of where she fits in. It wasn't entirely surprising, and I made a mental note to help break the ice if necessary.

With everyone present and the table set, it seemed everyone was finally accounted for. The array of food and drinks promised a good evening ahead. At the very least, it was bound to be an eventful, hopefully, enjoyable evening for all.

To be continued...