Morning sunlight spilled softly through the wooden windows of the small countryside house, waking CUTIS before his alarm ever could. He stretched, yawned, and smiled as he remembered one important fact: today, he and Yen Nhi were babysitting the baby monkey. Not just any monkey, but the most mischievous, wide-eyed, clingy little furball anyone had ever met.
From the other room came a familiar squeak.
“Eeeek! Eeeek!”
CUTIS sat up instantly. “He’s awake.”
Yen Nhi, already dressed and tying her hair into a ponytail, laughed. “He’s been awake. You’re the one sleeping like a panda.”
They both hurried into the living room, where the baby monkey was perched on the back of the sofa, tail curling and uncurling like a question mark. The moment he saw CUTIS, his eyes lit up. He leaped forward and landed squarely on CUTIS’s head.
“Oof!” CUTIS shouted. “Why is my head your favorite place?!”
Yen Nhi burst into laughter. “Because it’s high ground. He thinks you’re a tree.”
The baby monkey squeaked happily, grabbing CUTIS’s hair with both tiny hands and patting his head like he owned it. CUTIS froze dramatically. “Don’t move,” he whispered. “If I move, the monkey general will attack.”
The monkey responded by pulling CUTIS’s hair.
“Ow! That’s an attack!”
Yen Nhi grabbed her phone, laughing so hard she nearly dropped it. “This is too funny. Smile, CUTIS!”
“This is not a smile situation!” CUTIS protested, but he smiled anyway.
After carefully removing the monkey from his head—using a banana as a peace offering—they decided it was breakfast time. Yen Nhi prepared fruit slices while CUTIS poured milk into a small bottle designed for the baby monkey.
“Okay,” CUTIS said seriously, holding the bottle. “I will feed him calmly. No funny business.”
The monkey stared at the bottle, tilted his head, and then ignored it completely. Instead, he jumped onto the table and grabbed a piece of mango straight from Yen Nhi’s plate.
“Hey!” Yen Nhi gasped. “That’s mine!”
The monkey stuffed the mango into his mouth, cheeks puffed out, and stared at her with innocent eyes.
CUTIS pointed accusingly. “Look at his face. That’s the face of zero regret.”
Yen Nhi crossed her arms. “He didn’t even apologize.”
The monkey squeaked and threw a tiny piece of mango at CUTIS.
“…Was that an insult?” CUTIS asked.
Breakfast turned into chaos. The monkey climbed onto the curtains, slid down the chair legs, and somehow managed to steal CUTIS’s spoon twice. Yen Nhi laughed nonstop, while CUTIS chased the baby monkey around the room like a cartoon character slipping on invisible banana peels.
Finally, tired but victorious, CUTIS scooped the monkey up. “Enough. We’re going outside.”
Outside, the yard was alive with birds, flowers, and warm sunshine. The baby monkey’s excitement doubled instantly. He jumped from CUTIS’s arms to Yen Nhi’s shoulder, then onto the fence, then back again—like a furry ping-pong ball.
“Careful!” Yen Nhi said, reaching out. “Don’t scare us like that!”
The monkey responded by gently touching her cheek, then pulling her hair.
“Hey!” Yen Nhi laughed. “Why does he pull hair when he’s happy?”
CUTIS nodded wisely. “Love language.”
They decided to play a game: whoever the monkey climbed first would be the “winner.” CUTIS crouched low and opened his arms. “Come to me, little guy.”
Yen Nhi did the same. “No, come to sister!”
The baby monkey looked between them thoughtfully, as if making a very serious decision. Then he ran past both of them and climbed onto a tree.
CUTIS and Yen Nhi stared at each other.
“We both lost,” Yen Nhi said.
From the tree, the monkey squeaked triumphantly.
Later, Yen Nhi tried teaching the baby monkey to clap. She clapped her hands slowly. “Like this. Clap, clap.”
The monkey watched carefully… then grabbed her fingers and tried to bite them gently.
“No biting!” Yen Nhi said, laughing. “That’s not clapping!”
CUTIS tried next. “Watch me. Clap!”
The monkey copied him—sort of. He slapped his hands against CUTIS’s face.
“Okay,” CUTIS said, stunned. “That was close enough.”
As the afternoon grew warm, the baby monkey finally slowed down. He crawled into Yen Nhi’s lap, yawning widely. CUTIS sat beside them, watching quietly.
“He’s tired,” Yen Nhi whispered, stroking the monkey’s back.
The baby monkey curled up, one tiny hand gripping Yen Nhi’s finger, the other resting on CUTIS’s arm. His eyes fluttered closed.
CUTIS smiled softly. “After all that chaos… he’s actually peaceful.”
Yen Nhi nodded. “He’s like a baby. Loud, funny, naughty—but sweet.”
Just then, the monkey opened one eye, reached out, and grabbed CUTIS’s nose.
CUTIS sighed. “I spoke too soon.”
Yen Nhi covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. “He heard you.”
As evening approached, the three of them sat together, tired but happy. The day had been full of laughter, silly moments, and unexpected messes—but it was perfect.
CUTIS leaned back and said, “You know… this might be the funniest day I’ve had in a long time.”
Yen Nhi smiled. “Same. Life is better with a little monkey chaos.”
The baby monkey squeaked softly in his sleep, dreaming of stolen fruit, climbing adventures, and pulling hair whenever possible.
And in that small house, filled with laughter and love, CUTIS and Yen Nhi realized something important: happiness doesn’t need to be quiet or perfect—sometimes, it’s loud, messy, and covered in monkey fingerprints 😂🐒💛
