The Hottest Harem // Blush Blush x Anxious! Reader

Chapter 6: Job Hunt

[Your POV]

I woke up, back to the wooden floor. I went to rub my eyes, but I found that my right arm had pins and needles running through it. I looked to my side in confusion, my eyes widening in surprise. Volks was lying on my arm, snoozing away. I turned looked down at my legs, seeing Nimh asleep on top of them. I blinked rapidly, rubbing my eye with my free hand.

"Mm..." Volks growled sleepily, scooting his body closer to mine. I stared up at the ceiling and let out a breathy sigh. I could feel the pain pricking my back and neck. Volks' eyes suddenly snapped open. He looked back at me and bolted to the other side of the room. His claws scratching against the wooden floor woke Nimh, who fell off my legs. I smiled and rubbed my head. "I didn't mean to lay next to you!" He shouted. It sounded less like an apology and more like an accusation.

"That's what they all say, Volks." I said, getting up and giving my arm a shake. He frowned and looked away from me in a pout-like manner. I rolled my eyes and helped Nimh to his feet.

"T-Thank you, (Y/N)." Nimh said nervously. I nodded and then stepped down the stairs. The two hobbled behind me. I went straight to the kitchen. Then I realised that we didn't really have any food. I pulled my phone out of my pocket. I've gotten plenty of views on my stories. As I put my phone in my pocket, there was a knock on the door. I answered it, coming face to face with...that girl! The one with the brown hair! The mysterious girl...

"Hey, it's you—" I started. She simply pressed the envelope into my chest.

"Your royalties." She said, giving me a wink. I wanted to stop and talk to her, but she simply turned and left. I couldn't find the words to stop her. Instead, I looked down at the envelope, feeling the money with my fingers. I opened it, finding a good amount of money. Over a thousand dollars! I looked down at Nimh and Volks. "Alrighty, what do you guys want for breakfast?"

I know that I'm making a good sum of money off my stories, but as I looked around our somewhat barren house, I felt the need to provide for my two houseguests. I would at least like to get them some beds. Before heading to the grocery store, we stopped by our neighboring stores. The sweet shop was closed, but Bonnibel's Bakery was open.

The three of us entered, signalling a bell at the door. "Hello?" I called as I saw no one at the front desk. The moment we entered the place, we were hit with a wave of the smell of fresh pastries and heat. I smiled at the comforting smell.

"Oh!" A girl cried and suddenly there was a crashing sound coming from the kitchen. I bolted into the kitchen with Volks and Nimh on my tail. There, sitting on the tile floor was a girl with long red hair wearing a blue and brown apron. She was covered in baking batter. My face went red as my dirty mind immediately went to what it might me, but I shook my head. "Oh dear..."

"Are you okay, miss?" I asked, kneeling down and taking the bowl off her head. I looked back at Volks, whose cheeks were puffed out, trying not to laugh at my face. I scowled at him.

"Oh yes. Thank you for that, sugar." She said, placing the bowl and whisk she was holding in the sink. "I'm Bonnibel."

"I'm (Y/N)." I said, shaking her sticky hand. "And these are my friends."

"Aw. You're like a princess, aren't you?" She asked. I thought back to all the Disney Princesses with animal friends.

"I mean, you aren't far off. They really are a ditz." Volks said, looking up at me. I stuck my tongue out at him, folding my arms.

Bonniel went silent. A huge smile suddenly spread across her face. "Wow! You even talk too! Are you two some of the missing manimals?"

"'Some'?" I asked.

"Oh there were a ton of them on the news! A rat, a tiger, a lemur, and more!" Bonnibel said.

"But, you don't seem very phased by this!" I said. "I fact, you seem excited!"

"Absolutely, darlin'!" She said, washing her hands in the sink. "This is a world with a mysterious purple juice, gods/entities, and more! One of my best friends is a time traveler!"

"..." I was shocked. I mean, yeah, the manimals were weird, and that mysterious girl, and the fact that I came here through some sort of forest in the middle of the night and it was suddenly the middle of the day- "Ya know...it actually sounds plausible."

"Are y-you sure?" Nimh asked. "Y-You look a little p-pale, (Y/N)."

"I'm always pale, Nimh." I said, running my hand through my hair.

"Oh dear." Bonnibel said. "Here, come have a seat, darlin's" She gestured for us to come and sit at one of her tables. She picked up some cinnamon rolls and laid them on the table. "You're the new neighbor, right? My friend told me all about you!"

"The time traveler?" I asked in disbelief.

"No. The one with the red hoodie and green eyes." Bonnibel said.

"Wait, she always wears that hoodie?" I asked, looking down at my own hoodie.

"She usually does." Bonnibel said with a laugh. "The pastries are on me, sugar lumps. I've been meaning to bring them over, but I've been really busy!"

"Oh. Well, you see Bonnibel, little miss non-stop here loves being busy!" Volks said, wolfing down his roll. "So, make her leave the house as much as you want!" I glared at Volks.

"Oh, sorry, but I'm not hiring. Yes, I am busy, but I'll be able to manage, sassy." She said to Volks. This made me smile. "But I hear they're hiring down at the beach. I'm pretty sure their best lifeguard turned into a manimal and now they're looking for a new one."

My eyes widened. "Really!?" I cried. She nodded. "Boys, after we're done shopping, we're heading down to the beach! Wait, how far is the beach?"

"I believe it's just down the road. Probably about an hour to an hour and a half walk." Bonnibel said. I nodded. We thanked her for the food and left her to herself. With that, we hurried over to the grocery store.