Inside the fitting room.
Mrs. Yuigahama had just changed into a pair of pink lace panties.
Her already well-endowed figure looked even more attractive paired with the pastel color, adding a soft allure. It was a shame no one else was there to admire the sight.
"Hikigaya-kun… why is he so…"
She instinctively tensed her legs, a strange warmth flickering across her delicate expression.
Today's Hikigaya looked especially good—so composed, so unexpectedly masculine.
For some reason, Hikigaya-kun was just unfairly charming today.
Admittedly, while changing her underwear earlier, her thoughts were embarrassingly full of him.
She even had a fleeting thought—how nice it would be if Hikigaya-kun could help her pick out underwear… maybe even hold on to her old ones—no! No, no, no!
Mrs. Yuigahama quickly patted her cheeks in panic.
"Ugh… what am I even thinking? Am I becoming a total weirdo about that kid? How could I even want Hikigaya to…"
"Nope. No way. That's just twisted. What would that make me—like Sayuri with her creepy obsessions?"
"I can't keep thinking about Hikigaya-kun like this. I really shouldn't…"
Muttering distractedly, Mrs. Yuigahama bent down to remove the new panties.
"Well, they are cute though… Hikigaya-kun really has good taste. I might as well buy them."
After putting her original pair back on, she smoothed out her top, collected herself, and walked out of the fitting room with the panties in hand.
"Hikigaya-kun, you've got a good eye. Mommy really likes—huh? Where did he go?"
As she looked around, the boy who had been waiting just outside was nowhere in sight.
Confused, she glanced around the store but still didn't see Hikigaya anywhere.
"That's odd… where could he have gone?"
On impulse, she looked toward the adjacent fitting room—Sayuri's.
"Sayuri, did Hikigaya-kun say where he was going?"
"He… um, he said he needed to use the restroom."
"Oh, I see."
Just as Mrs. Yuigahama was nodding, she noticed a slight oddness in Sayuri's tone.
"What's wrong? You sound… a bit off."
"These side-tie panties are tricky to put on… I can't quite get the strings to stay tied."
Sayuri answered awkwardly.
"Hikigaya-kun just made a passing comment, and you had to try them on?"
"Well, they looked kind of sexy…"
"What's the point of looking sexy? They're just a hassle."
"It doesn't matter if it's a hassle. As long as Hikigaya-kun likes them, that's what counts~"
"You…"
Mrs. Yuigahama's face turned red. "Why is your head always filled with such nonsense?"
"Hey, I'm a normal woman. Thinking about guys isn't a crime, is it?"
"Hikigaya-kun is still young…"
Mrs. Yuigahama sighed.
"What do you mean 'young'?" Sayuri countered.
"…"
Blushing, Mrs. Yuigahama mumbled, "I meant his age, not anything else…"
"I meant his age too~ Asuna, what were you thinking of?"
Sayuri grinned teasingly.
"You…"
Mrs. Yuigahama's mouth twitched. "Isn't seventeen still young?"
"He's nearly an adult. Just a few months more and he'll be legal."
"You beast! You do know he's still a minor, right? Maybe reflect on some of the things you've done!"
"Seventeen or eighteen is legal in Japan, Asuna. It's not like he's eleven or twelve…"
Sayuri replied.
"???"
Mrs. Yuigahama was stunned.
What the—eleven or twelve? What kind of normal woman even thinks like that?
At that age, the poor kid probably hasn't even grown body hair!
Then again…
Eleven- or twelve-year-old Hikigaya-kun must've been adorably chubby-cheeked and pink-faced.
Her heart inexplicably skipped a beat. The older a woman gets, the more she's drawn to small, cute things.
Cough! No, no—this is bad!
"I-I don't want to hear any more of your twisted thoughts. Are you done changing? Do you need help?"
Mrs. Yuigahama asked.
"N-No, it's fine! I can do it myself. Just—don't come in!"
Sayuri panicked.
"Alright then."
Mrs. Yuigahama didn't think much of it and continued, "I'll go to the restroom real quick. Don't do anything weird while I'm gone."
"Huh? You're going now?"
"It's urgent."
Without waiting for a response, she hurried toward the public restroom inside the store.
She really was in a hurry—especially after seeing Hikigaya again. For some reason, it always triggered this sudden need to pee.
"Sigh… why does this happen? Every time I see Hikigaya-kun, I have to use the bathroom… What is wrong with me? Am I turning into some kind of perv?"
Mrs. Yuigahama sighed heavily.
A few minutes later.
She exited the restroom and walked back toward the fitting rooms.
Her expression wasn't great—there was even a hint of irritation.
That sneaky Sayuri!
There was no sign of Hikigaya in the restroom. So much for "he went to the bathroom." That girl had her totally fooled!
But the moment she arrived back at the fitting rooms—
Mrs. Yuigahama's eyes widened.
There stood Sayuri, cheeks flushed and smiling mysteriously… next to a very red-faced, clearly embarrassed Hikigaya-kun.
In an instant, Mrs. Yuigahama understood everything.
"SAYURI!!"
She stormed over, fuming.
"What exactly did you just do to Hikigaya-kun?!"
"Eh?"
Sayuri tilted her head innocently and, patting her bottom, replied with a calm smile, "Nothing much~ Just had him help me relieve a little tension."
Mrs. Yuigahama stared at her in disbelief.
"Relieve… tension? What does that even mean?!"
"Relax~ I just let him give me a little kiss."
"Wh-where did he kiss you? Your mouth?!"
"Hikigaya-kun kissed me, yes. As for me…"
Sayuri smiled sweetly. "Let's just say… it almost gave me a cramp~"
"Cramp?!"
Mrs. Yuigahama's face turned bright red, and her heart skipped a beat.
Mouth to mouth shouldn't cause a leg cramp… wait—wait a second!!