Chapter 42

Synopsis
The chairwoman receives an invitation to The Hot Springs owned by her old schoolmate Unryuu Kon. The Babysitting Club and their friends and relatives join her on her trip, though the chairwoman is certain there is an ulterior motive behind the invitation.

Long Summary
The chairwoman complains about the cold temperature despite the arrival of spring. Saikawa enters and hands her the letters that she has received today. Among the mail, she finds an invitation to a hot springs.

The chairwoman, Saikawa, the children, and their mothers all take a visit to the hot springs. Even Inomata and Ushimaru come along. Yukari feels bad for all of them going with the chairwoman, despite the owner being her close friend. Inomata and Ushimaru also express guilt for joining them. Usaida yawns and asks for steamed buns as Hayato dismisses him. Ushimaru blushes at the thought of going to the hot springs with Ryuuichi. Shizuka explains that the two are technically part of the Babysitting Club and can accompany Kirin, whose mother is busy at the Drama Club's camp. Kirin happily holds onto Inomata and Ushimaru's hands. Ryuu thanks the chairwoman for inviting them, but the chairwoman turns around and says that bad things will probably happen. Then, the chairwoman's friend greets them all and introduces herself to Ryuu and Kotaro. She tells them that despite her sharp tongue, the chairwoman is very kind. Hayato restrains Taka from running away as he overhears a conversation about weird things happening at the hot springs. Hayato pays no mind as he tells Taka to shut up when he asks to eat eggs.

Ryuu marvels at the beauty of the springs as the children eagerly run towards the water. Saikawa starts lecturing about hot springs to Hayato, who carries on without paying much attention. Usaida informs Saikawa that Hayato has already gone off and tells Saikawa that he can listen to him later. Saikawa realizes that it was rude of him to say such boring things. As Saikawa undresses, he hears a rustling in the foliage. Takuma and Kazuma wish to wash Ryuu's back while Kotaro, who is holding a rubber duck, also looks at his brother with sparkling eyes. Hayato dumps a bucket of water over himself, telling Taka that he has already cleaned himself. Taka cries and runs over to Ryuu, saying that he wants to wash Ryuu's back. Ryuu squats down so that they can reach his back and shivers in the cold air. On the other side of the hot springs, the girls have already entered the bath. Ushimaru thinks about Ryuu and becomes flustered by such thoughts. Kirin looks quite forlorn, so Inomata and Ushimaru ask if she is unhappy being with them. Kirin says that she likes being with the girls, but before she can continue her thought, the chairwoman says that Kirin feels lonely after hearing the noise from the other side. Ushimaru assures Kirin, saying that she is quite happy being with her. The other girls praise her for not seeming too lonely, despite not being with her mother.

Ryuu sneezes as Kotaro washes his back. The other boys, who have already entered the water, call for him to come. Ryuu turns Kotaro towards the water, saying that they can go in for a dip now. Umi unintentionally peeks at Ryuu through a hole in the fence separating the two sides and quickly covers her eyes as Ryuu turns around and covers his face in embarrassment. Umi says that she will report the hole to the owner later and informs Ryuu that Kirin will be going over to that side. Kirin walks over to where Ryuu is with a towel in her hands, asking to wash his back. Ryuu sneezes as he allows Kirin to wash his back. The other guys call out to Saikawa to come in, but Saikawa insists that he will only enter after Ryuu has. During the soak, the chairwoman sees that a branch falls into the water and hears rustling in the trees.

Ryuu pats Kotaro's hair dry as Takuma shakes himself to dry himself off. Ryuu tells him not to shake himself while Hayato asks if he is a dog. Hayato instructs Taka to get himself changed, to which Taka agrees. As Saikawa blow-dries her hair, Kirin asks him to put her hair into dango-shapes. After Ryuu dries off Kotaro, he looks over to Taka, who is rummaging through the clothes bin. Taka tears up as he tells him that his underwear is gone. Hayato scolds him for not putting his clothes in the bin, but Taka insists that he had put it in there. Hayato asks why it is not in the bin. Saikawa then says that he felt that someone was nearby as they were changing. Usaida covers his chest with his hands, asking if there is an underwear thief. Hayato dismisses the precaution, as a a thief would not go after a male toddler's underwear. He tells Taka to go commando and forget about his underwear. Ryuu tells Hayato not to word his sentences like that. As Hayato reaches into the bin, he glares and vows to kill whoever took the underwear. Usaida, seeing that Hayato's underwear is gone as well checks the bin for his clothes and notices that his socks are missing. Takuma puts on his underwear as Kazuma wets himself.

Ryuu washes Kazuma again as he suggests that they check their stuff again. Suddenly, a monkey with all the stolen clothing appears next to him, frightening both Ryuu and Kazuma. Hayato glares and picks up Usaida's sandal, declaring that he does not have to hold back since his enemy is an animal. Ryuu covers Kazuma's eyes as he urges Hayato not to hurt the monkey. Hayato hurls the sandal, saying that he does not have to aim directly at it. The sandal hits the branch that the monkey is sitting on, causing the monkey to fall. The chairwoman then takes back the stolen items from the frightened monkey.

The chairwoman calls her classmate crafty for inviting them over to witness the monkey. The owner simply giggles and says that she invited them over because she was concerned over the chairwoman's mental health. The chairwoman roughly says that if she ever has problems, she can simply ask her. The owner, surprised, says that she loves this side of the chairwoman, to which the chairwoman replies that she hates her. Ryuu and Kotaro notice that the two get along quite well. Since that incident, the monkey has never returned.

Later, the chairwoman receives another invitation. She sarcastically asks if there is a wild boar this time.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Morinomiya Youko
 * Saikawa Keigo
 * Kotaro Kashima
 * Ryuuichi Kashima
 * Umi Mamizuka
 * Takuma Mamizuka
 * Kazuma Mamizuka
 * Shizuka Kamitani
 * Kirin Kumatsuka
 * Hayato Kamitani
 * Taka Kamitani
 * Usaida Yoshihito
 * Yukari Sawatari
 * Midori Sawatari
 * Inomata Maria
 * Ushimaru Yuki
 * Unryuu Kon