"Hehe, buying Okamoto condoms and still claiming you two aren't a couple?"
The cashier lady smiled cheerfully at a thoroughly embarrassed Hikigaya and Mrs. Yuigahama.
"Our store is running a special promotion to celebrate our manager's recent marriage. For the past three days, couples who spend over 10,000 yen can enter a lucky draw. You two just hit the amount, so would you like to try your luck?"
"Sigh… I really am not a couple with Hikigaya-kun."
Her cheeks tinged with pink, Mrs. Yuigahama tried to explain. Still, her eyes instinctively drifted toward the prize display beside the lottery box.
Toothpaste, mugs, matching couple outfits… and more.
The grand prize appeared to be…
A seven-day vacation in Okinawa?!
For a couple, it actually sounded kind of great.
"Are you sure you don't want to draw?"
The cashier asked again.
"You're basically guaranteed to win something."
"Um…"
"Auntie, why don't you go ahead and give it a try?" Hikigaya suggested, noticing Mrs. Yuigahama eyeing a cute plush doll among the prizes.
He didn't really mind—it was just a label, after all.
"T-This is kind of embarrassing… Hikigaya-kun, do we really look like a couple?" she asked, cheeks flushing further.
"Hehe, you may look a bit more mature, but standing together, you two do give off strong couple vibes," the cashier said with a wink.
"Eh? I…"
Her heart skipped a beat. Mrs. Yuigahama glanced meekly at Hikigaya, who nodded, signaling he didn't mind.
"Well… okay, then."
Relieved, she headed to the lottery station.
What truly drew her in was the plushie—it reminded her of her adorable daughter, and that tugged unexpectedly at her heart.
Moments later…
Mrs. Yuigahama and Hikigaya exited the supermarket.
Though she hadn't gotten the plushie she'd wanted, she had won third prize—a free ticket to a famous hot spring resort.
"Hikigaya-kun, here, take a few of these hot spring passes with you when you leave. You can go soak whenever you have free time—it's good for your health, especially for boys your age."
She looked at him with maternal concern, noting the effort he'd put into carrying the heavy rice bag.
"Thanks, Auntie."
"No need to be so formal with me."
"Is the rice too heavy? Want me to take some of it? Sigh… I shouldn't have picked such a huge bag. This is all my fault…"
"It's fine. It's not that heavy."
"Well, if it gets too much, you have to tell me, alright? We can take a break if needed."
The two of them headed toward Mrs. Yuigahama's house.
A few minutes later, they arrived at a detached home.
"Hikigaya-kun, are you okay? You're drenched in sweat… H-Hurry, put the rice down!"
As soon as they entered, she rushed over with concern.
"I'll bring it into the kitchen for you." Hikigaya shook his head, still not putting it down.
"Eh? But your body…"
Seeing the veins popping on his forehead and arms, Mrs. Yuigahama looked worried.
"It's fine. Feels like a good workout."
Hikigaya didn't seem to care.
"…Okay, then."
Seeing that determined glint in his eyes made her heart skip again. She quickly opened the door and called into the house:
"I'm home!"
"Welcome back, Mom~"
Unlike before, Yui came to greet her at the entrance. But the moment she saw Hikigaya, her expression shifted. Her heart fluttered in panic as she quickly adjusted her rumpled clothes.
"Ah, Hikki… you came too?"
"Yui, hurry and go help Hikigaya-kun," Mrs. Yuigahama said with a sigh, seeing her daughter's stunned expression.
"O-Okay!"
Yui snapped back to herself and moved forward to help.
"No need."
Hikigaya shook his head to stop her.
"I've got it. Auntie, where's your kitchen? I'll take the rice straight there."
"Over that way."
Mrs. Yuigahama pointed it out while thanking him repeatedly for his help.
Soon after, Hikigaya brought the rice into the kitchen.
"Hikigaya-kun, go rest on the sofa for a bit. I'll handle the rest. I'll also bake some cake—take some home with you later."
After making sure he was okay, she turned to her daughter with a few instructions:
"Yui, grab some fruit from the fridge and serve it to Hikigaya-kun."
"Sure, Mom."
Yui smiled and gently invited him:
"Hikki, come on—rest over here."
"…Alright."
To be honest, being around this gentle mother-daughter pair gave Hikigaya a bit of a headache.
Mrs. Yuigahama he could handle—they had a big enough age gap, after all.
But Yui, who was his peer…
After the two left the kitchen, Mrs. Yuigahama was left alone.
And for some reason…
She felt an odd wave of loneliness.
Not to mention…
Every time she thought of her ditzy daughter and Hikigaya together, she couldn't help but feel a strange hint of jealousy.
"Hikigaya-kun bought Okamoto… so… I guess that means he's not a virgin anymore. I wonder if Yui can accept that…"
Honestly…
Mrs. Yuigahama always thought of her daughter as fairly conservative. She probably cared a lot about that sort of thing.
"…If Yui loses interest, then maybe I… could give it a try? Even the cashier said we looked like a couple…"
She was a married woman once, long past the point of caring about someone's "first time."
In fact…
The realization that Hikigaya wasn't a virgin weirdly made her kind of… excited.
"W-Wait a sec!"
She slapped her cheeks, flustered and panicking.
What the heck was she even thinking!?
No! Hikigaya-kun's just a kid!
How could she possibly want him like that?
No matter how lonely she was, she couldn't possibly—
"Ugh…"
Her expression twisted as she sucked in a sharp breath.
"This is… not good."
Clamping her thighs together, she spun around and dashed toward the bathroom.
She had to cool off.
---
Meanwhile.
"I'm gonna use the bathroom real quick."
After being followed around by Yui all evening, Hikigaya finally couldn't take it and used the excuse to get away.
Sigh.
Honestly, being with Yui was more exhausting than being with her mom.
At least with Mrs. Yuigahama, their relationship had clear boundaries. No matter what, neither of them would ever cross the line… right?
Thinking that—
Hikigaya gently pushed open the bathroom door.
But the moment he stepped in, he caught a whiff of something strange.
And saw a very familiar figure.
Mrs. Yuigahama: "…"
Hikigaya: "??"