Yukino's mother, Haruno, was driving fast.
Even at a sharp corner,
she stepped on the gas without hesitation.
Because of that,
Hikigaya, caught off guard, was thrown off balance—
and ended up falling straight into Mrs. Yukinoshita's embrace.
...What is this?!
Hikigaya almost sank into her.
"Are you alright, Hikigaya-kun?"
Mrs. Yukinoshita gently tightened her arms around him, her voice soft and concerned.
"I-I'm fine..."
Flustered, Hikigaya scrambled to free himself from her, his cheeks tinged with an unusual shade of pink as he shook his head at her.
"Sigh."
Looking at the visibly rattled boy, Mrs. Yukinoshita's face was filled with heartache.
She gently brushed his cheek, then turned to her daughter Haruno to offer a stern motherly reproach:
"Haruno, slow down when you're driving."
"Mother dearest, you still need to get back quickly, so I just sped up a little," Haruno explained awkwardly.
"My business can wait. Safety comes first when you're behind the wheel."
Still stroking Hikigaya's head, Mrs. Yukinoshita spoke tenderly.
"Understood, Mother."
As she spoke, Haruno cast a sidelong glance at Hikigaya, half-joking, half-serious:
"I'll make sure to work on my driving skills so this kind of thing doesn't happen again."
Oi, oi, oi!
Why are you looking at me while talking about "working on your driving skills"?!
"You really do need to improve," Mrs. Yukinoshita nodded firmly.
"Mhm."
Haruno nodded in earnest, then turned to Hikigaya with a bright smile:
"Hikigaya-kun, I'll be counting on you to help your onee-chan improve her driving skills, okay?"
"Huh?"
Hikigaya looked at her, dumbfounded.
"What's that got to do with me? How am I supposed to help you drive better?"
"When you're riding with me, you can help keep an eye on the surroundings—check for other cars, people—then let me know. That way, I'll have an extra pair of eyes. Fufufu~"
"That'll actually improve your driving?"
"Of course~ I'm not very good at spotting things, but if I have Hikigaya-kun's keen observation helping me, maybe my driving skills will jump a few levels~" Haruno said, beaming at him.
"Uh..."
Hikigaya averted his gaze.
Tch, he had a bad feeling about that smile from Haruno.
Oi, oi, oi!
You're not hinting at... that, are you?
Car sex or something like that?
Cough cough, no way, right?!
"If you ever take Hikigaya-kun out again, remember to be gentle with him, Haruno," Mrs. Yukinoshita gently reminded her daughter.
"I will, Mother."
Haruno laughed lightly. "Mother, you're really fond of Hikigaya-kun, aren't you?"
"He's family now," Mrs. Yukinoshita said warmly, her eyes soft as she looked at Hikigaya—who immediately dodged her gaze.
"Hikigaya-kun," she continued earnestly, "if Haruno or Yukino ever bully you, you must tell Auntie, okay? I'll set them straight for you."
As she said this, she subconsciously grasped Hikigaya's hand.
"...Okay."
Hikigaya wanted to pull away, but under Mrs. Yukinoshita's gentle yet unyielding aura, he had no choice but to nod, letting her hold his hand quietly.
A few moments later—
Haruno pulled up in front of Hikigaya's house.
And just before Hikigaya could step out of the car,
Mrs. Yukinoshita meticulously helped him straighten his clothes.
Her breath was like fragrant orchids,
her expression tender and loving.
"Hikigaya-kun, thank you for today. From now on... please continue to guide our Yukino."
"No, no, it's me who should be learning from her."
Mrs. Yukinoshita nodded in satisfaction, her eyes reluctant to part as she watched him leave the car.
"What a considerate, good boy. It's such a pity..."
Gazing at his retreating back, she murmured to herself.
"Mother... Mother..."
At that moment, her elder daughter Haruno called out.
"Hmm?"
Mrs. Yukinoshita snapped out of it and gave a light cough:
"Let's head back."
"Okay."
As Haruno responded, she asked, seemingly casually:
"Mother, Hikigaya-kun's probably the best boy you've gotten along with in years, right? Or maybe... besides Father, he's the only boy you've ever treated this gently?"
Haruno knew very well just how frightening her mother could be.
Even she and her sister, Yukino, rarely saw her mother this tender.
"Heh. If you have something to say, just say it."
With her sharp perception, Mrs. Yukinoshita immediately caught the hidden implication.
"Uh... well, this might sound rude, but Mother..."
Haruno hesitated, then took a deep breath and finally blurted out:
"Do you really only see Hikigaya-kun as a son?"
"...?"
Mrs. Yukinoshita froze for a second, then, realizing what her daughter meant, gave her an exasperated side-eye.
"What are you thinking, you silly girl!"
"Mother, I read about a case in a book once," Haruno said seriously.
"During her daughter's pregnancy, a mother-in-law got a little too close to the son-in-law, and they ended up..."
"Nonsense! What kind of garbage are you reading?!"
Mrs. Yukinoshita scolded sharply.
Of course, she immediately understood what Haruno was insinuating.
The nerve of this child! Thinking along those lines!
Utterly ridiculous!
"Enough of that talk. I'm decades older than Hikigaya-kun. How could I possibly think that way? You, on the other hand—you're close to his age.
If Yukino can't hold onto him in the future, you better step in to help your sister. Got it?"
It was an order.
"Yes, Mother," Haruno replied solemnly.
At the same time, through the rearview mirror, she glanced at her mother.
Graceful, dignified, elegant.
Could such a mother really have those kinds of thoughts toward Hikigaya-kun?
...Didn't seem likely.
Maybe it was just her sixth sense acting up?
But then again, her sixth sense as a woman had never been wrong...
---
Meanwhile, Hikigaya had no idea about the conversation taking place about him between Haruno and Mrs. Yukinoshita.
He had his own pressing issue to deal with—
an even bigger headache.
"Hikigaya-kun, make sure you do your best tonight, okay? Auntie's really looking forward to it~"
came the playful voice of Mrs. Sawamura over the phone.
Hikigaya frowned. "Why does it sound like there's water running on your end?"
There was a clear splashing noise.
"Uuuh, Auntie's on the toilet right now, d-don't listen~"
"Huh? Wait—Auntie, you..."
Hikigaya was so shocked he almost hung up.
"Heehee, just kidding~ Auntie's taking a bath~ Hikigaya-kun's voice is just too cute," Mrs. Sawamura teased.
"..."
Hikigaya let out a long sigh.
Man, Mrs. Sawamura was way too much.
Who the hell could withstand this kind of attack?!