Hey Ikkou.
Are you done with this?
Not yet...
Why not?
It can't be helped!
I'm doing this all by myself!
Haruka-san hasn't come yet...
She's probably still sleeping.
Don't be sleeping all the time, damn it!
I'll make sure I scold her good this time!
Huh?
Is everyone doing well as usual?
Yes. Although I wouldn't mind if they changed a bit, if it's for a good cause.
Being playful again now, are you?
I invited Haruka to tag along, but...
She said she didn't want to come?
She didn't say that, but...
Well, simply put, I suppose it's the same thing.
Oh my.
She really hates me, doesn't she?
Back then, she was a good child who didn't cause me much trouble.
I used to change her diapers as well.
Really, nothing can be done about her...
Now, stop crying.
What are you doing, Yuuko?!
But...
Morning.
Haruka-san, took you long enough.
I'm sorry.
And what's this all about?
This baby was abandoned.
Huh?
This baby was left by the gate.
An abandoned child, huh?
Hey, I think we should take the baby to the police.
But there's a possibility that the baby's mother will reconsider and return.
I feel sorry for the baby, being moved back and forth.
But when Joutoku-baa does return, wouldn't we take the baby to the police anyhow?
That's why I want to keep the baby here, at least for now.
Jeez, I'm not going to be responsible for this, got it?
No way...
Sakura sure lacks personality.
I don't want to be told that by you!
I think we should take the baby to the police.
Well, do whatever you please.
Umm... Umm...
If the baby won't stop crying...
Sakura, you haven't figured it out yet?
G-Give me a minute...
Why don't you dandle the baby for the time being?
Here, it's Masked Ranger 21.
Did you know that this Masked Ranger won't be riding on a bike?
A monkey and a little demon.
The baby won't stop crying at all...
We have Squid Monster here as well this time.
A weird haniwa and a little demon.
The baby won't stop crying at all!
Look, we have Octopus Monster as well!
A horse and a little demon.
I'm back!
You're too slow!
It can't be helped!
Like I know where they sell child care products!
Here it is!
If the baby won't stop crying, it's because the baby's hungry!
Ikkou, food!
All right!
Umm... Baby food for the initial period, five months to six months old...
Baby food for the middle period, seven months to eight months old...
Baby food for the later period, nine months to eleven months old...
How old is this baby?
Like I would know!
If the baby won't stop crying...
It's the diapers!
Change the baby's diapers!
Roger!
For boys.
For girls.
For adults.
Which one should we use?
Like I would know!
Only way to figure that out is to check it ourselves!
C-Check it...?
How do we do that?
We'll have to look at it.
What?!
No way!
I don't want to!
This isn't the time to be embarrassed about it...!
It's a boy...
You have a splendid thing there.
Although it's my first time seeing one, it's a bit...
How cute...
Elephant.
As another guy, I feel uneasy letting you girls do it!
I'll change it!
He finally calmed down.
Jeez, causing us all that trouble.
But he's cute.
Yeah.
You won't be saying that for too long.
Huh?
Once he grows up, he'll be rude to you.
And once he hits puberty, he'll be unhelpful as well.
She's right.
All you'll hear is gimme money, gimme bath, gimme food.
And then they steal money from your wallet or spend a night somewhere without your permission.
And in the end, he's going to be stolen by some young woman who's good for nothing.
Your only son that you raised with such effort!
Does this sound fair to you?!
Sa-Sakura-san...
You're the type of person that won't be able to let go of your children, eh?
If I had children, I'd want to live a leisurely life in the countryside.
Raise my children in harmony with nature.
That sounds great.
You're too optimistic.
Living in the countryside isn't as easy as you think it is.
Really?
Human relations in the countryside are more complicated than in the city.
They don't accept outsiders so easily.
You really think so?
She's right.
On top of that, I'm not too fond of raising a child leisurely these days.
Yeah, she's right.
They need to start taking exams in kindergarten and so forth.
You need to prepare them at an early stage for things like that.
I don't think you need to force them to study at a young age.
You're too optimistic as well.
Listen carefully. It's for the children's sake that you must make them study at an early age.
If you put them into an escalator system kindergarten,
they won't need to study when they grow up.
Let them go through a lot at an early stage, and let them live an easy life later.
This is a form of parental love.
Exactly.
To let them live a leisurely life is just a parental fantasy.
Did you know there's a coaching school specifically for the exams?
Yeah. And the parents' personal appearance also has a big role during the interview.
Yu-Yuuko...
She's unexpectedly like an...
...education mom.
What about you, Chitose?
What are you going to do when you have a child?
Me?
Well...
I want the child to be normal.
I don't need to be rich or have my child study all the time.
I just want to live happily together as a family.
I'm the papa.
What?!
What's the matter?
I-It's nothing.
She must've been fantasizing about a sweet married life.
Yuuko!
Huh...?
Wow, he's cute!
Ka-Kazuki-chan?
Why are you here?
I dropped in since I was passing by.
I'm always watching you closely, Ikkou-kun.
This baby is really cute!
But where did you get him from?
Oh, could this be Chitose-san's baby?
No, he's not!
He was abandoned in front of the temple.
So we decided to take care of him by ourselves for now.
This... This little child was abandoned...
Ka-Kazuki-chan?
I'm sorry... It's just that...
Kazuki-chan...
Crocodile tears.
He's been totally deceived by her.
Ikkou-kun's the type of person who's weak against a woman's tears.
Make sure you watch out for your husband cheating, Chitose.
Yuuko!
Elephant.
Jeez, this is a lot of work.
They sure cause a lot of trouble.
It looks like you're enjoying it.
T-That isn't true!
Liar. Liar.
I wonder if Miyako-san's doing well...
I asked Joutoku-baa to tell her I said "Hi," because I haven't talked to her since Hinata's little incident.
I see.
Hey, do you want to go over there too?
I'm not too good with kids.
Huh?
I don't hate them.
I just don't know what to do with them.
More like I don't know what they're thinking.
Although I don't always know what you're thinking either.
Oh, that's right.
Yep.
You got me good there.
His sensitivity should increase as I appeal to him with my love of children.
I call it the "Women who are attracted to children are also attractive to men" plan.
Hey boy. Come to me.
Here, it's Kazuki-oneechan.
Hey! Don't make him cry!
He had finally calmed down too!
I didn't do anything!
Now, now. Don't cry.
Up high you go.
Kazuki-chan!
Why?
Why are you crying?
Elephant.
What's this all about?
Sakura-san...!
He's crying again?
Number one!
Here she is, that big-breasted bitch...
You didn't do anything strange to him now, did you?
We didn't do anything.
Kazuki only held him.
It's not my fault!
I think we should put him down for now.
Oh my.
What bold grasping...
What a perverted kid...
I wonder if he...
...likes you, Haruka-san?
You sure know how to choose your women.
L-Let me see him again.
Kazuki made him cry again.
I guess that doesn't work after all...
It looks like he really does like you, Haruka-san.
It's more like he likes...
Haruka's breasts.
I'm really worried about this child's future.
I'm really envious...
That big-breasted bitch...
It's almost ready.
Just wait a little longer.
There you go. It's all clean now.
Don't you think she's energetic for once?
She sure is.
Haruka-san is... Haruka-san is working quickly...
So she was a capable person after all.
Now that you've mentioned it, I think she was a capable person when she first came here.
Really?
Although she'd become lazy before I realized it.
I've raised her quite strictly since childhood.
Including her daily life and temple chores.
I've disciplined her in place of our parents.
This was all because she was born with the spiritual power of the bosatsu of the Heaven Realm.
I did that because I wanted her to become a person suitable for that spiritual power.
And the recoil has finally kicked in now.
Yes.
It seems like she's been slacking off ever since she parted from me.
And maybe that's why she's uneasy about coming to see me.
I don't think she's informed her friends at Saienji about me.
However, if that's her true self, maybe my method of doing things was wrong.
I might've made her go through an unnecessarily difficult life.
I'm sure she understands your feelings for her.
It looks like he's happy.
Yeah.
Your rehearsal practice is perfect.
You can have a child anytime!
Yuuko!
But...
His mother didn't come after all...
Joutoku-baa will be back by tomorrow evening.
Come now. It's about time to get out.
You're out of the bath now.
What's wrong?
Now, now. This is how you do it.
Okay.
There we go. We're done.
Your mother will surely come tomorrow.
So relax and sleep tight.
And I thought it was easy to deceive a baby...
I underestimated it.
Let's see here...
When you hold a baby...
Gently...
Oh, it's just Ikkou-kun.
Gently...
What am I doing?!
Change of plans.
Ikkou-kun!
Huh? Kazuki-chan, why are you here?
Because I was worried sick about the baby.
The baby's in the living room...
Nope.
My baby's right in front of me!
Ikkou-kun, you're my baby!
Ikkou-kun, I'm your mama.
Mama will breastfeed you.
Ikkou-kun, do you like mama's breasts?
Ikkou-kun.
Huh?
What's going on?
He's crying a lot!
And why are you here?
Ikkou, what's in your mouth?
It's nothing at all!
Here it is!
This is what you call "crying at night"!
We already know that!
What should we do about it?
Umm, just hold on a minute, okay?
We need to dandle the baby for the time being...
Look at these. They're the Masked Rangers.
Hyper 3 and Tasmania.
A little demon and Ikkou the Grub.
You haven't figured it out yet, Sakura?
I don't know!
It looks like she depended too much on the manual.
Here's my chance.
I'll show them the progress I've made from my studying.
Here now, it's Kazuki-oneechan.
Why won't you stop?!
What time do you guys think it is?
Oh, it's Haruka-san.
You're slow!
Who cares about the time! It's the middle of the night! The middle of the night!
Haruka-san, please make him stop.
It needs to be you.
I guess it can't be helped.
Even Haruka-san can't stop his crying...
No way...
It's morning already...
Jeez, please stop crying already.
If you cry too much, you're going to hurt your throat.
Maybe it needs to be his mom for him to stop...
I'm sorry...
I'm sorry, Haruka...
Haruka-san?!
What?!
Here's my chance!
Ikkou-kun!
Ikkou--
He finally stopped crying.
How did you do that?
Physical contact is necessary after all.
A naked bond is the best.
A naked...?
Cut that out. It doesn't sound like a joke when you say it.
His mother is not coming, huh...?
Joutoku-baa will be returning soon.
Hey.
Did she finally come?
It's Joutoku-baa!
What should we do?
Hide him fast!
Calm down guys!
What are you guys doing?
Ta-chan!
Huh?
What?
Ta-chan, please forgive me.
Please forgive your mama.
I see...
No wonder he was attracted to Haruka-san.
I agree as well.
So, what's the meaning of this?
Umm...
I'm happy for you, boy.
Now that I think about it, it's coming to an end soon.
I made a cool first impression, but now I'm just a character of no importance.
What's with this treatment I'm receiving as of lately?!
Hey, Kazuki-chan.
Are you angry about something?
N-Not at all!
Kazuki-chan, you don't look too well.
A-And who's fault is that?
Huh?
Did you just say something from deep in your heart?
Nope! You're hearing things!
What was I thinking?
Enough of that. So, next time:
Don't Meddle!!
I'll make sure I meddle it.