Hikigaya's Inner World of Spring

This world has really gone crazy.

Hikigaya never expected that on his way to the restroom, he'd accidentally bump into a girl.

Well, bumping into someone was one thing.

The problem was, right after the collision, the girl inexplicably kissed him.

"You…"

Hikigaya stared at the kimono-clad woman in front of him, utterly confused.

Had he just encountered a female delinquent?

"Oh my~"

Sayuri blinked in a daze. She hadn't expected herself to impulsively kiss the boy before her.

But being an adult, she quickly composed herself and smiled. "I'm terribly sorry. You just look so much like my late husband—I mistook you for him for a moment."

"Huh??"

Hikigaya was dumbfounded.

How does one even mistake someone for their husband?

Seriously, lady, if your husband found out, he'd probably feel terrible.

Looking her over cautiously, Hikigaya hesitated before responding, "It's… fine. If it was just a mistake, let's leave it at that."

As he turned to head into the men's restroom, Sayuri quickly called out, "Wait… young man, what's your name?"

Hikigaya froze mid-step.

Sayuri leaned closer, studying his face with an amused glint. "Could you tell me? Hmm… now that I'm taking a closer look, you're quite handsome."

Startled, Hikigaya took a step back, his guard instantly up.

"Is this… really okay? If your husband were to see this, wouldn't it cause quite the misunderstanding?"

"Don't worry about it. My husband's on a business trip abroad—he won't know a thing," Sayuri replied with a playful smile. "I'm Sayuri Sawamura. And you are?"

"Sawamura…?"

So she really was Eriri's older sister—or rather, her mother.

Hikigaya noticed her striking resemblance to Eriri. After a brief hesitation, he replied, "Hayama Hayato."

"Oh, Hayama-kun~" Sayuri chuckled warmly. "Meeting like this must be fate. Why don't we exchange contact info? Is that okay?"

"Exchange contacts? I don't think that's appropriate," Hikigaya said, his expression shifting slightly.

"Mrs. Sawamura, don't you think it's… improper for a married woman to exchange contacts with a random guy like me?"

Sayuri pouted. "It's just contact info. What's the harm in getting to know each other? My husband won't know."

I really feel bad for your husband, Hikigaya thought grimly.

"C'mon, just add me, Hayama-kun~ It's not like I'm going to bite you."

"!!"

Her voice carried a hint of teasing seduction as she closed the distance between them. Hikigaya could feel the sweat rolling down his back.

"This… I can't. I already have a girlfriend. I can't just casually exchange contacts with other women," he stammered, clinging to his principles as a staunch advocate for pure love.

"Oh? That's a shame," Sayuri said, blinking in surprise.

"But… so what if you have a girlfriend?" she added, her smile deepening.

"I have a husband, and you have a girlfriend. Doesn't that make it even better?"

"What???"

Lady, there's something seriously wrong with what you just said!

"Come on, it's just contact info. Your girlfriend won't find out."

"Well…"

"Besides, it's not like I'm going to eat you." Sayuri chuckled softly.

Hikigaya's eye twitched.

Lady, you're way too forward!

Honestly, compared to the tsundere Eriri, her mother was downright overwhelming!

This is too much, he thought, shifting uncomfortably.

But as he continued to hesitate, a more pressing concern entered his mind.

If Yukinoshita found him here, tangled in this strange interaction with another woman, their date would undoubtedly spiral into chaos.

"Sigh… fine."

Hikigaya relented with a weary sigh, reluctantly sharing his contact information.

If she kept bothering him, he could just block her later. It wasn't like he hadn't done that before.

"Great! Now we're friends, Hayama-kun," Sayuri said, beaming. "How lucky I am to meet such a cute young man."

Cute?

Well, since she called him cute, Hikigaya decided to postpone blocking her.

Still…

Lady, you're married! Could you please stop saying stuff like that?

Your husband would be devastated!

"If there's nothing else, I'm going to the restroom now."

"Restroom… Oh no!"

At his words, Sayuri's expression suddenly shifted as she clenched her legs together reflexively.

Hikigaya stared, flustered. "Are you… okay?"

Sayuri managed a smile. "I'm fine. I was so caught up talking to you, I forgot I needed to use the restroom. And now it's… urgent."

"Oh…"

Seeing her squirm, Hikigaya turned crimson, clearly embarrassed.

"Well, then hurry up and go," he said, quickly retreating to the men's restroom.

"What a cute boy," Sayuri muttered, chuckling as she hurried to the ladies' room.

A few minutes later, she emerged from the restroom, refreshed. Washing her hands, she paused to pinch her cheeks.

To be honest…

It was the first time she had kissed a man other than her husband.

Her heart couldn't help but flutter at the memory.

That was why she'd insisted on getting his contact info.

Fate, after all, had brought them together.

What if she really fell for him?

Unlike her stubbornly shy daughter, Sayuri was a woman who believed in seizing love when it appeared.

Boyfriend? Girlfriend? Those were obstacles to overcome, not deterrents.

"Mom, you're so slow!"

Eriri's impatient voice interrupted her thoughts.

Sayuri turned to see her daughter, smiling. "Sorry, sweetheart. I ran into a cute boy and got caught up chatting."

"A boy?" Eriri's eyes widened. "Mom, you're not seriously trying to find me a new dad, are you?"

"Well~" Sayuri teased, her tone light. "Not quite at that point yet, but I did take a liking to him. We've already exchanged contacts."

"Wha—?"

Eriri's face turned crimson. "Mom, you're not just trying to provoke me into finding a boyfriend, are you? This is a trick, right?"

"Oh my, don't believe me?" Sayuri said with a playful glint in her eye. "What if I really do find you a new dad?"

As a woman, Sayuri knew all too well:

Life without a man lacked a certain charm.

And being in the prime of her life, she wasn't about to let it go to waste.

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