Hikigaya's Inner World of Spring

"Hikigaya-kun, are you really not going to reconsider Auntie's side?"

Mrs. Nagasaki looked crestfallen, like a girl who had just been dumped.

Meanwhile, across from them, Mrs. Yukinoshita wore a satisfied, triumphant smile as she observed Hikigaya.

"Auntie, I'm sorry..."

Avoiding both women's gazes, Hikigaya spoke carefully to Mrs. Nagasaki:

"My heart already belongs to someone. But I appreciate your kindness."

"But you do know you'd have to marry into the family, right? The Yukinoshita family tradition is for the men to marry in, and eventually they become part of the clan."

Mrs. Nagasaki continued to persuade him gently, "Hikigaya-kun, are you really okay with that?"

"Uh…"

Hikigaya hesitated, lips parting but no words coming out.

"Hikigaya-kun is simply entering our household," Mrs. Yukinoshita replied calmly. "I'll treat him as if he were my own son. We live as equals, not in a hierarchy."

"Equals?"

Mrs. Nagasaki curled her lips in doubt.

"I bet you'll just make Hikigaya-kun into some kind of house slave."

"As the only future male in our lineage," Mrs. Yukinoshita said with a soft cough, "we'd only spoil and cherish him. There's no way we'd… well, anyway." She smiled warmly at Hikigaya. "You have nothing to worry about."

Still stiff and cautious, Hikigaya gave a silent nod.

Seeing this, Mrs. Yukinoshita was even more pleased. She nodded approvingly and said with a bright smile, "Well then, Suri, you should give up now. The boy's already made his choice."

Mrs. Nagasaki sighed and spoke with resignation, "You win this time. But..."

As she sighed, she gave Hikigaya's arm another soft squeeze and said gently, "I won't give up. It's only fun when there's a challenge."

"Suri, you..."

Mrs. Yukinoshita frowned.

"Hehe, Hikigaya-kun, if you ever change your mind, come find Auntie. I don't mind~"

Ignoring Mrs. Yukinoshita's glare, Mrs. Nagasaki smiled sweetly at Hikigaya.

"Eh?"

Hikigaya froze.

"Suri!"

Mrs. Yukinoshita snapped in annoyance.

"Heehee, well... Auntie's door is always open for you, Hikigaya-kun. Anytime you want to come in, Auntie will... hehe... let you in~"

Mrs. Nagasaki said with teasing charm.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! That wording sounds way too suggestive!

Hikigaya tried to keep calm.

After a few more flirtatious remarks, Mrs. Nagasaki, seeing how firm Hikigaya's attitude remained, reluctantly let go of his arm and got up to leave.

"Hikigaya-kun, if they ever mistreat you in that house, you can always come to Auntie. I'm way gentler than they are."

Having gotten Hikigaya's contact info, Mrs. Nagasaki finally headed off—but not before tossing that last tempting line over her shoulder.

Hikigaya could only laugh awkwardly. With Mrs. Yukinoshita still right there, he couldn't really say anything else—he just waved lightly.

Once Mrs. Nagasaki had left...

Only Hikigaya and Mrs. Yukinoshita remained, sitting across from each other. The air was thick with awkward tension.

Taking a deep breath, Hikigaya decided to break the silence. Cautiously, he said, "Um... Auntie, Mrs. Nagasaki was just joking earlier. She doesn't really... uh... think that way about me."

"Oh? She doesn't?"

Mrs. Yukinoshita raised an eyebrow.

"Yes."

Hikigaya nodded, then continued, "It's because I know her daughter. That probably caused a misunderstanding. She assumed her daughter liked me, and wanted to matchmake us..."

"Her daughter, huh?"

Mrs. Yukinoshita murmured thoughtfully.

"Suri does have a daughter. I've seen her before—very lovely. The kind of girl most boys would fall for."

"!"

Hikigaya's heart skipped a beat. He quickly said:

"Mrs. Nagasaki's daughter is very pretty, yes, but... not everyone would necessarily be attracted to her."

"And what about you, Hikigaya-kun?"

Mrs. Yukinoshita asked with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Me? My heart's already taken! There's no way I'd fall for another girl!"

Hikigaya replied without the slightest hesitation. "Auntie, please rest assured—I'm totally loyal to Yukino!"

See that? Pure, unwavering loyalty!

"Hmm, is that so?"

Seeing how serious Hikigaya looked, Mrs. Yukinoshita chuckled softly.

"Auntie never doubted you. However... hehe, Hikigaya-kun, I think you may have misunderstood something."

"Eh? Misunderstood?"

Hikigaya looked puzzled.

"Didn't you say just now? That Suri did all this for her daughter?"

Mrs. Yukinoshita asked.

"Isn't that the case...?"

He asked cautiously.

Mrs. Yukinoshita smiled, shaking her head slightly. Her gaze sharpened just a little, and her tone became subtly oppressive.

"That woman... she might actually be interested in you."

"Huh??"

Hikigaya blinked, stunned.

"You mean... interested interested...?"

"Yeah. She's totally into younger boys."

Mrs. Yukinoshita said with a laugh.

"???"

"You don't believe me?"

She remained calm.

"Hikigaya-kun, you're a guy. You probably don't catch a woman's subtle facial cues or little gestures. But as a woman myself, I see right through her. That lady definitely has eyes for you."

"N-No way..."

Hikigaya found it hard to believe.

"Isn't she... married? I mean..."

"Her husband's been gone for years."

Mrs. Yukinoshita said bluntly.

"..."

---

Meanwhile...

Mrs. Nagasaki had left the café and gotten into her car.

But...

She didn't start the engine right away. Instead, she slumped into the driver's seat, her legs pressed tightly together, her expression slightly strange.

"...Tch. I literally just went to the bathroom like half an hour ago. So why do I suddenly... feel like I need to go again? And this is so weird... ever since I smelled Hikigaya-kun's scent, it's been getting worse… ahem."

"Sigh, what is it with this kid? Why is it that just being near him makes me feel all—ugh, calm down, calm down. What am I even thinking? He's the boy Suyo likes! As her mother, how can I possibly..."

—And yet...

Why was his face the only thing in her mind right now? Why couldn't she stop picturing that boy?

Could it really be...

That she hadn't been with a man for so long, she'd finally lost control of herself? That she was that lonely…?