Under the night sky.
A boy and a woman hid behind a tree.
The mature and graceful woman gently embraced the boy's head, drawing him into her arms with a soft, caring tone:
"Hikigaya-kun, Auntie… likes you. Auntie really likes you."
"Mrs. Sawamura, please calm down. Wait, wait, I—mmph..."
"Hikigaya-kun, stop struggling, okay? Be a good boy now~"
Mrs. Sawamura's strength is insane?!
This is totally not the kind of gentle strength you'd expect from a woman!
On the contrary...
It felt more like he was caught in the grip of a starving beast, as if she was about to devour him whole.
More importantly…
His body seemed to go limp just by being near her, and part of him… part of him was starting to not mind that idea at all.
Mrs. Sawamura… smelled really nice.
Even though she and her daughter Eriri were similar in build, Auntie definitely had more presence—perhaps because she was a grown woman, a mother, someone who had once breastfed her child. Unlike Eriri or his girlfriend, she wasn't... well, flat as an iron board.
That maturity only added to her charm.
Cough, cough!
Calm down. Focus!
He couldn't let himself get swept away!
This was Eriri's mother. His elder!
"Auntie, please let go... I'm begging you..."
"Hikigaya-kun," Sayuri's voice softened into a whisper, sounding almost fragile. "Auntie's just a woman too, you know… It's been such a long time since I've even held a boy like this. Don't be scared, I just want to hold you."
"Eh? Just a hug?" Hikigaya asked, skeptical.
"Yes, just a hug. I won't make things difficult." She slowly loosened her embrace, sighing gently. "I'm just an old lady. Of course it's natural that you wouldn't be interested in me..."
"Um..."
Seeing her disappointed expression, Hikigaya's heart softened. He tried to comfort her:
"You're not old at all, Mrs. Sawamura. You look super young… Honestly, I wouldn't have guessed you were in your thirties, let alone someone who's had a child."
"You don't have to tease me like that," Sayuri chuckled.
"No, I mean it," Hikigaya said sincerely. "You don't show any signs of aging. If I didn't have a girlfriend, maybe I would've..."
"Would've what?" Sayuri looked up at him, eyes full of expectation. "What would you have done, Hikigaya-kun? Tell me~"
"I... I guess I might've tried to pursue you," he admitted after a pause.
"Eh?! Really? But I was married, you know..."
"But you're single now," he replied plainly.
"Still, I have a child. That's baggage for you boys, isn't it?" she said with a teasing wink.
"Eriri's heading off to university soon. She's basically independent. That's not baggage."
Sayuri smiled bitterly. "Even so, I'm not… 'untouched.' I imagine that might bother most boys, right?"
"Not really," Hikigaya said, still serious. "In Japan, most people don't care about that kind of thing anymore. I certainly don't."
"Hikigaya-kun~"
Sayuri was visibly moved by his honesty. If only this boy had been born a decade earlier… she might have become "Hikigaya Sayuri."
"Can I hug you again?" she asked softly.
"Uh… just a hug, right?"
When he hesitantly nodded, she pulled him back into her arms again. The two of them leaned together like lovers in a quiet embrace.
After over a minute passed—
"Auntie… maybe that's enough?" Hikigaya gently reminded her.
"Hikigaya-kun," she murmured, "Auntie's feeling kind of… restless. Could you help me calm down, just a little?"
"W-what?!" Hikigaya froze, knowing exactly what she meant. "That's… that's not appropriate!"
"You helped me before, didn't you?"
"That was a one-time thing—!"
"Please, just one more time," she whispered near his ear. "I promise it'll be quick."
Hikigaya tensed up. "Auntie, you—"
Seven or eight minutes later—
Hikigaya braced himself against the tree, his face pale.
Then—
Two slender arms slid gently around his waist from behind.
"Wait—Auntie, don't touch me!"
His voice was laced with panic.
"You did so well just now, Hikigaya-kun~"
"Please! Just stay away!"
Her breath was warm and fragrant, making the hairs on his neck stand on end.
"Hikigaya-kun, you helped Auntie out, right? Then let Auntie help you. You'll feel much better afterward, I promise~"
No.
This is dangerous.
This woman… was too good at this.
He had fallen for it again.
"No need."
"No need? Hehe, are you sure you can even walk right now? Bent over like that? What if someone else sees you? Wouldn't that be awkward?"
"It's none of your business, Auntie. Please, just go home."
"But how could I possibly leave with you in this state? My heart would ache for you, Hikigaya-kun~" Sayuri said sweetly.
Ache for me? He scowled.
You look way too satisfied for someone who's supposed to be worried! This was obviously part of your plan!
He wanted to resist.
But the alluring beauty behind him was just too much.
The soft scent of her perfume was scrambling his thoughts.
No more. If this continues... Mrs. Sawamura really might...
Or rather—
"Then let's begin, shall we, Hikigaya-kun~?" Her eyes curved into gleeful crescents. "Auntie's got a few lessons to share. Don't worry, I'll take good care of you. Just leave it all to Auntie."
"Auntie…"
Yukinoshita, save me...