"Huh? Has it already started?"
Sawamura Sayuri pressed her ear against the dressing room door, listening intently.
The soundproofing in these booths wasn't exactly top-notch.
Still—
Both Hachiman and Aunt Yui were relatively reserved people, so even with her ear pressed close, Sayuri could only vaguely make out bits of their conversation.
"Asuna, don't forget to record a video!"
She called out toward the dressing room.
"No way…"
Naturally, it was Aunt Yui's flustered and resistant voice that replied.
"If you don't record it, there's no proof of what's going on in there. In that case, I might just have to give Hachiman another turn tonight…"
"Sayuri! You're being ridiculous!"
"Then just record it~"
"You— I… Mmph…"
Aunt Yui eventually fell silent, her voice trailing off.
"Tsk…"
Sayuri clicked her tongue in mock annoyance. She couldn't see what was going on inside, but she couldn't help murmuring to herself:
"With a figure like that, you're telling me you've got no desires? Keep pretending, go ahead. Let's see how long you can keep up the act. I know exactly what women your age are like…"
Muttering to herself, she didn't interfere further and turned her attention back to picking out panties.
"I should grab a few more daring ones… A girl's gotta keep a man's heart, after all~ Hehe."
With a little smirk, she wandered toward the bold and sexy section.
---
More than ten minutes later…
Sayuri had finished picking out her undergarments.
At the same time, she caught sight of the boy and the flustered young mother emerging from the dressing room.
"I'm so, so sorry, Hachiman… I'm really sorry…"
Right outside the booth, Aunt Yui was bowing her head repeatedly in apology. Her delicate hands gripped tightly at the hem of her kimono, her cheeks flushed red, embarrassment written all over her face.
"No… Aunt Yui, I'm the one who should be apologizing…"
Hachiman sighed weakly. His expression was just as awkward.
To be honest, he didn't quite know what had happened. The moment he entered the dressing room with Aunt Yui, his heart had started racing uncontrollably. And for one absurd second… he had mistaken her for Yukino, his girlfriend.
That was beyond ridiculous.
Aunt Yui, I'm sorry…
Yukino… I'm sorry…
"This… This isn't Hachiman's fault at all. It's mine. I even—shamelessly—held his head just now… I can't believe I… Ugh, I'm such a terrible adult…"
Aunt Yui's voice trembled with shame, her beautiful eyes glistening as if she might cry.
So gentle… That's just like her.
Even though she'd scared him a little back there.
"In a situation like that, it really wasn't entirely your fault…"
Hachiman pursed his lips and shook his head with a sigh.
"Alright, alright, that's enough! No more blaming each other," Sayuri chimed in cheerfully as she walked over. "What's done is done, no need to be so dramatic about it~"
"!!"
The moment she appeared, both Hachiman and Aunt Yui jolted in surprise.
Especially Aunt Yui—she was so embarrassed, she couldn't even lift her head.
Sayuri grinned, gave Aunt Yui's legs a quick glance, then let her gaze fall on Hachiman's lips, staring for a few seconds.
"Sayuri-san…?"
Hachiman shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, lips twitching slightly.
Sayuri blinked and smiled.
"Told you Asuna was amazing, didn't I? So—how was it? Just like I said, right?"
"!!"
Aunt Yui visibly stiffened. Hachiman flinched too and cautiously glanced at her.
She carried a soft, sweet scent, and the curves she had after becoming a mother… well, they were striking. Paired with her gentle nature and bashful expression, it was hard not to be captivated.
Hachiman quickly looked away, trying to compose himself.
Yukino. Yukino is my girlfriend. Focus, man…
"Come on, Hachiman, give us your review~" Sayuri teased.
Under her unrelenting pestering, Hachiman stammered, "…Aunt Yui… is very gentle."
"H-Huh?!"
Aunt Yui's face flushed even deeper, and she lowered her head further.
"Gentle?"
Sayuri blinked, then laughed.
"I wasn't asking about her personality, you know? I meant how was she… in other ways?"
"Sayuri, don't tease him anymore!"
Aunt Yui finally interrupted, unable to bear the tension any longer. "I must've been terrible, right, Hachiman?"
"Huh?"
Seeing the self-deprecating look she gave him, Hachiman felt a pang in his heart.
"It must've been gross, huh? A woman like me, already in my thirties…"
"N-No! Not at all!"
Seeing that she was on the verge of tears, Hachiman took a deep breath and said:
"Aunt Yui… you smell really nice. Not gross at all."
"Smell nice?!"
Aunt Yui's eyes widened in disbelief, her voice trembling as she shook her head, eyes misting up again. "Hachiman, don't try to comfort me. I—I had just gone to the bathroom before this…"
"Ahem… Aunt Yui, I'm not trying to make you feel better. I mean it."
Hachiman looked her in the eye and said seriously, "You really do smell nice. And if you ask me… you're even better than Aunt Sayuri."
"Eh?"
"Wait—what?!"
The first part was fine, but that last line made both women's expressions change.
"Are you saying… I'm better than Sayuri-san…?" Aunt Yui's face turned bright red, flustered and confused. Her whole body tensed up in embarrassment.
"That hurts, Hachiman. You're making your Aunt Sayuri sad here."
Sayuri pouted, her tone playful but just a touch sharp.
"Just because she's got a slightly bigger butt than me, you like her more now?"
"S-Sorry, Aunt Sayuri! I meant… when you combine her gentleness with everything else, she's just a little better than you…"
Seeing her eyes narrow dangerously, Hachiman panicked and added the disclaimer as fast as he could.
"Oh?