Hikigaya's Inner World of Spring

"Um… Hachiman-kun, do you… do you have any tissues?"

A shy, hesitant voice came from behind the tree.

"...Yeah."

Snapping back to reality, Hachiman quickly responded.

"Ah, that's a relief," Sayuri sighed, a mix of gratitude and embarrassment in her tone. "C-Could you hand me one, please?"

"Eh? Oh… sure, just a sec."

Taking a deep breath, Hachiman patted his pockets and pulled out a pack of tissues. He always carried a pack with him, just in case.

Facing away, he cautiously reached toward the back of the tree, making sure not to turn his head.

"Here."

"S-Sorry, um… c-could you lower your hand a bit? I can't reach…" Sayuri murmured bashfully.

"Oh, my bad."

Thinking of Sayuri's situation, Hachiman crouched slightly, lowering his hand as much as possible so she could grab it more easily.

"Ugh, I should be the one apologizing..."

Sayuri's voice behind him sounded even more embarrassed.

The moment he felt her take the tissue, Hachiman immediately straightened up and stepped away to put some distance between them.

"Hachiman-kun, don't leave me behind!"

"I'm not leaving, Sayuri-san. I'm right here by the tree."

"Oh, good... I thought you were going to abandon me."

"Cough Well, technically, you're already done, so I don't really need to stand around here anymore."

"No, stay a bit longer. Having a guy around makes me feel safer. Besides, I'm not completely done yet—there's one last step."

"Uh... right."

Hachiman sighed and waited silently.

After a short while, Sayuri emerged from behind the tree, adjusting her kimono with a graceful sway in her step.

Hachiman instinctively glanced back.

Their eyes met.

Both their faces tensed up.

"Alright, I'm heading out."

Hachiman wanted nothing more than to leave immediately.

"W-Wait, Hachiman-kun! I still need you—ahh!"

Sayuri hurried forward, trying to grab his arm, but as soon as she put weight on her leg, she stumbled from the lingering numbness and fell straight into his arms.

"S-Sayuri-san?!"

A beautiful woman suddenly in his embrace—Hachiman tensed up instantly.

Sayuri clung to him, her face flustered as she stammered, "S-Sorry, my legs... they feel a little weak."

"Eh? Leg weakness? Oh, ohhh..."

The moment he thought about what Sayuri had just been doing behind that tree, Hachiman immediately understood.

"Can you help me over to the public restroom? I need to throw this away and wash my hands..."

Sayuri looked a little sheepish.

"No problem."

Hachiman nodded and steadied her, but at the same time, he leaned away slightly, trying to maintain as much distance as possible.

Noticing this, Sayuri pouted and playfully leaned in closer.

But Hachiman kept dodging.

Even though he was supporting her, his entire body was shifting away to minimize contact.

After failing to get closer several times, Sayuri pouted in frustration.

"Ugh, Hachiman-kun, are you avoiding me because I smell bad? Like, do I stink from the restroom? I'm sorry if I got you dirty..."

"Eh?"

Hachiman froze for a moment before clearing his throat.

"Sayuri-san, you're overthinking it."

"Then... it's not because I smell bad?"

"Smell bad?"

"Yeah."

Sayuri's expression turned melancholic.

"I probably reek of the restroom, right? Even I find it gross… Maybe I should just crawl to the restroom instead."

Crawl there?

Sayuri-san, haven't you already worn yourself out enough?

Cough.

Hachiman mentally grumbled but shook his head.

"Sayuri-san, you don't smell bad at all. On the contrary—"

"On the contrary?"

"N-Nothing..."

As Sayuri leaned in closer again, Hachiman's expression stiffened.

On the contrary, she smelled too good.

That mature fragrance—like a perfectly ripe peach—made it hard not to be drawn in.

It was a scent completely different from a young girl's freshness.

A deep, intoxicating aroma.

Clearing his throat, Hachiman tried to compose himself and said with a straight face:

"Actually, I just finished running and did a bunch of squats. I'm covered in sweat, so I don't want to get you dirty."

"You don't smell bad at all."

Before Hachiman could react, Sayuri suddenly leaned in and took a deep breath against his chest.

"Auntie—what... what are you doing?!"

"Hehe~"

Sayuri pulled back, savoring the scent with a satisfied smile.

"Hachiman-kun, you smell really nice. It's the scent of a strong, healthy young man... Auntie doesn't mind at all."

Saying that, she instinctively tightened her grip around his arm, their physical distance shrinking further.

"Auntie, t-this is too close!"

Finally seeing a hint of redness creep up on the boy's face, Sayuri grinned and casually asked:

"By the way, Hachiman-kun, have you ever kissed my daughter, Eriri?"

"Huh?!"

Hachiman stiffened.

"O-Of course not! Sayuri-san, Eriri and I are just normal friends!"

They had barely even made physical contact, let alone kissed.

"Really? That's such a relief..."

Breathing in his scent, Sayuri murmured to herself while subconsciously licking her lips.

If her daughter really didn't have anything going on with Hachiman, then that was perfect.

Because right now, the more she looked at him, the more she saw him as a man rather than just a boy.

Her daughter?

Sorry, she didn't know anyone by that name.

Her own happiness was the most important thing.

Her eyes drifted to the veins subtly visible on Hachiman's forearm, and a spark of excitement flashed through them.

A handsome face.

A strong body.

That intoxicating masculine scent.

And he was exactly her favorite type—young and full of energy.

Not to mention, he had already seen her twice.

Ugh.

She couldn't take it anymore.

Sayuri rose on her tiptoes and leaned in close to whisper in Hachiman's ear:

"Hachiman-kun... want me to teach you something new?"

"Eh?"

"Darling~ The grove, let's go?"

"Huh??"

Hachiman's entire body stiffened.

Did he hear that right?

Did Sayuri-san just call him darling??

Auntie, isn't that going a bit too—

Just as he was about to speak, a voice suddenly rang out from behind them—flustered and scolding:

"Sayuri, have you lost your mind?! You shameless woman, seducing a boy like this?!"

The voice belonged to none other than Mrs. Yuigahama.

****************************

Read advanced chapters ahead of everyone else on my P@treon.

p@treon/GodDragcell