"Heehee, I'm all squeaky clean now, Hachiman-kun~~"
"Stop emphasizing how clean you are."
Listening to the teasing voice on the other end of the line, Hachiman couldn't help but let out several deep sighs.
"Girls have to stay clean if they want boys to like them," Sayuri teased, then added with a chuckle, "Or... could it be that Hachiman-kun actually prefers a girl in her natural state?"
"P-please stop joking about stuff like that!"
"Auntie's being serious, you know. If you're not into girls being super clean, Auntie could always…"
"Ahem! My sister's calling me for dinner. I'm hanging up now."
Before Sayuri could finish her sentence, Hachiman let out a cough and hastily changed the subject.
"Aww, really? Fine then. Make sure you eat plenty, okay? You'll need your strength for later~~" Sayuri giggled.
Unable to withstand her teasing any longer, Hachiman muttered a few perfunctory words and quickly hung up.
Tonight was seriously going to be a nightmare.
How in the world was he supposed to survive this?
The fact that Mrs. Sawamura had found out about him and Saki... It was the ultimate disaster!
---
After dinner.
"I'm heading out. If I come back late, don't wait up. Just go to bed." Hachiman reminded Komachi before leaving.
"Come back late?" Komachi blinked and grinned mischievously. "Are you sure you're coming back at all tonight, Onii-chan?"
"I mean, I should be back, um…"
Hachiman stared suspiciously at his sister's cheeky grin.
"That smile is seriously unsettling."
"Heehee, after all these nights of hard work, how many future sisters-in-law has Onii-chan lined up for me?" Komachi asked, eyes sparkling.
"Ha?!"
Her words hit like a bolt from the blue. Hachiman's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly composed himself and answered calmly:
"I'm just going for a jog! Don't get weird ideas!"
"Heehee, then why are you going to be out so late tonight?" Komachi teased. "It's because you're meeting up with the ladies, isn't it..."
"I'm leaving now!!"
Cutting off the conversation before it got any worse, Hachiman turned and left, but not before emphasizing again:
"Your future sister-in-law is Yukinoshita. No one else."
And with that, he walked out the door.
Meanwhile, Komachi watched him leave, the mischievous smile on her face slowly fading into one tinged with jealousy... and a faint sense of envy.
---
Hachiman arrived at the park.
There were even fewer people around tonight than usual—just a couple of dating couples here and there, and a few elderly folks doing their evening exercises.
He quickly spotted Miura doing warm-ups in an open space.
Her curvy figure was seriously eye-catching.
Every stretch of her delicate body showcased her stunning curves perfectly—saying she was "all the right bumps in all the right places" wouldn't be an exaggeration at all. Definitely the benefit of being a girl who worked out.
Her figure was legitimately amazing.
However—
As Miura exercised, her body suddenly trembled. Her leg, which had been propped up on the bar, abruptly pulled back, and she nearly toppled over.
"Miura!"
Hachiman hurried over, instinctively reaching out to support her trembling body.
"Are you okay? Did your leg cramp up?"
Her body was shaking badly.
Was that... cold sweat?
"D-Don't touch me... hisss!" Miura blushed slightly at Hachiman's touch and struggled a little, her body trembling again.
"What's wrong with you?"
Hachiman had never seen the usually-strong Miura look so vulnerable. His expression turned serious.
"I'm taking you to the hospital."
There was a hospital not far from the park.
If he moved fast enough, he could carry her there in under three minutes.
"You're overreacting... I'm not sick..." Miura grumbled, though a hint of warmth flickered in her heart. She lowered her head shyly and muttered:
"It's just... that time of the month..."
"Eh?"
Hachiman blinked, quickly catching on.
"Oh, you're on your period?"
"Ugh... you... hmph!" Miura's face flushed even deeper as Hachiman said it out loud.
"Quick, go to the restroom. Do you want me to carry you there?" he offered.
"I can walk just fine!" Miura glared at him and shoved him away.
"Then be careful. Girls shouldn't do heavy exercise during their period," Hachiman reminded her seriously.
"Mind your own business! I know that already," Miura pouted, her eyes darting strangely as she glanced at Hachiman a few more times.
Noticing she clearly had something else on her mind, Hachiman asked:
"Is there something else?"
"N-no... nothing." Miura turned her gaze away and shook her head.
Hachiman watched her silently as she slowly made her way toward the public restroom.
After a few seconds of hesitation...
Finally.
He took a deep breath and said:
"I'll go buy you some pads."
"Hah?!"
Miura's expression shifted instantly, and she shot Hachiman a sharp look.
"Who asked you to buy them?! You're a guy—what are you thinking, running around buying pads?! Absolutely not!!"
Yep.
That was exactly the kind of normal reaction he expected from a girl.
If it had been someone like Ai Hoshino or Haruno, they'd probably have just said, "Yeah, hurry up and get me some! Pick the ones that smell nice too!"
Sigh. Mrs. Sawamura really was so much more refreshing to deal with.
"But what if you don't have any? If you don't have pads and something happens—"
"I said it's fine!!"
Miura was just about to lose her temper when—
"Is something wrong?"
A gentle voice interrupted them.
Both of them turned to look.
There, wearing sportswear and short shorts instead of her usual kimono, was Sayuri Sawamura—looking very much like she was ready for a workout.
Hachiman stiffened. "S-Sawamura-san…"
Sayuri smiled warmly at him, then turned her concerned gaze to the pale-faced Miura.
"What's wrong, Yumiko-chan?"
Hachiman quickly explained the situation.
"I see. Good thing Auntie's prepared for emergencies. Here, Yumiko-chan, take this." Sayuri said kindly, pulling a spare sanitary pad from her bag and handing it over.
"T-thank you, Auntie," Miura said gratefully, accepting it.
After a slight hesitation, she glanced at Hachiman, took a deep breath, and muttered:
"Thanks… to you too."
Without waiting for him to respond, Miura quickly turned around and rushed toward the restroom, her face glowing red with embarrassment.
Now, only Hachiman and Sayuri were left.
Sayuri slowly stepped closer to him, her lips curling into a playful smile.
"Hachiman-kun," she whispered mischievously, "Auntie's not on her period tonight, so you don't have to worry~"