"No way! NO WAYYYY!"

Mizuno Sora stared up in horror at the flushed face of Hayakawa Tazuna, refusing to believe what was happening right now.

One of his most trusted friends—Hayakawa-san—had actually tricked him into coming to this godforsaken, no-way-to-call-for-help, cut-off-from-the-world place… only to corner him and pounce?!

Mizuno couldn't understand—if Hayakawa-san really was here to pounce on him, why hadn't Fortune warned him? Didn't she have some kind of alarm that tells him when danger is coming?!

Fortune! What's going on?! Didn't the alarm go off?

[Beep beep beep!]

[Mizuno-dono! The alarm is only going off now!]

Huh?!

So… Hayakawa-san really is here to pounce on him?!

But she'd already blocked his only way out—what good was the alarm going off now?!

[Mizuno-dono, the alarm light is yellow! Yellow!]

Yellow?

Yellow meant that nothing had happened yet—it was a middle state. But whatever he did next would decide whether things stayed safe… or tipped into danger.

He'd had situations like this before—like whether or not to watch Rice Shower act cute. If he chose right, nothing happened. If he chose wrong, she'd turn into a "mixed grain" Rice and maybe stab him in the back later before locking him up in a basement.

Which meant… he was once again standing at a crossroads. And the choice he made would decide whether Hayakawa-san would really pounce on him.

"Trainer Mizuno~"

As Mizuno was frantically thinking about what to do, Hayakawa crouched down so her hazy eyes were level with his, wearing a gentle smile.

"I want to ask you something… would you take off your coat and let me smell your scent one more time?"

Her expression was soft and friendly—but to Mizuno, she was scarier than ten billion Tokai Teio combined!

Gulp!

Mizuno hugged himself tightly, bracing for a last stand.

But a human's pitiful strength was no match for an Uma Musume's—especially not for Hayakawa, who was stronger than most. She was basically a super Uma Musume. If she really wanted to, all Mizuno could do was obediently get pounced on—he wouldn't be able to fight back.

Seeing how frightened he looked, Hayakawa quickly tried to reassure him:

"Trainer Mizuno, please don't worry. I mean no harm." She placed her hand over her ample chest, looking at him with sincerity.

"I really just want to smell that scent one more time. I won't do anything else inappropriate."

"Just… smell?" Mizuno's brain went into overdrive.

No way!

His body was basically horse mint incarnate. Hayakawa-san had only caught his scent once by accident, and she'd been thinking about it for an entire week—enough to scheme her way into cornering him here to ask for another whiff.

If he actually let her smell him again, she'd only get more addicted.

And once "just smelling" wasn't enough for her anymore… it wouldn't be "please" next time. She'd knock him out and drag him into some dark basement.

For his own safety, there was only one possible answer—

"I refu—"

[Beep beep beep! Mizuno-dono! The alarm light's starting to turn red!]

"…se to turn down a beautiful lady like Hayakawa-san." Mizuno corrected himself in a flash, changing direction mid-sentence.

"Smell, smell, smell—smell all you want, no problem." He gave a stiff smile.

Outwardly calm as an old dog, but inside he was already panicking.

Help! Do I really have to let her smell me? I'm doomed!

"Really? Thank you, Trainer Mizuno~" Hayakawa's eyes lit up.

She'd thought he'd refuse and she'd have to use force, but he'd been surprisingly easy to persuade.

If she'd known, she would have just asked him outright a week ago instead of suffering all this time.

But finally—finally—she was going to get to smell that wonderful scent again.

Thump—thump— Her heart was pounding with excitement.

"Let's start right now." She reached out, ready to lift Mizuno's hood.

"Wait!" Mizuno quickly grabbed her hand to stop her.

"What is it?" Hayakawa tilted her head in puzzlement.

Mizuno explained:

"Hayakawa-san, you can smell it, but like before—you have to close your eyes and cover your ears… please."

He pressed his palms together in a pleading gesture.

Letting her smell him was already his absolute limit—he couldn't let her see his S-rank face or hear his S-rank voice.

And knowing full well he couldn't resist her by force, he had to ask, not demand.

"Of course." Hayakawa nodded.

She was curious what he actually looked like, sure—but right now, it was only his scent that drew her in. She had no objections.

"Trainer Mizuno, I'm ready." Hayakawa shut her eyes, covered her ears under her hat, and sat obediently on the floor—like a child waiting for a reward.

"…" Seeing her blind and deaf like this, a bold thought popped into Mizuno's mind.

Maybe I should just run. If I can make it somewhere crowded, she can't do anything to me.

[Mizuno-dono! The light's starting to turn red again!]

Mizuno froze, lowering the leg he'd started to lift.

Damn! So I really have to let her smell me today?!

"Fine! Let's just do this." Steeling himself, Mizuno pulled back his hood.

The moment he did, something seemed to nudge against Hayakawa's green cap from inside.

Sniff sniff… Hayakawa leaned in until their faces were less than a centimeter apart.

Her delicate nose twitched as she savored the scent spilling out now that Mizuno wasn't wearing his doctor's coat.

"…It really is this smell…" Hayakawa felt an indescribable bliss.

Sweet and gentle—like a carrot grown from the sweetest honey in the world. It soothed her, yet made her crave more.

Trainer Mizuno… why are you so fragrant…

"Haa…" Hayakawa's flushed face softened. But as her heart overflowed, a tiny emptiness sprouted inside.

Maybe just smelling him wasn't enough…

Trainer Mizuno smells so good… what does he look like?

Her curiosity began to grow.

"Trainer Mizuno, can I touch your face?" she suddenly asked.

"?" Mizuno couldn't make sense of it.

Touch his face? Why?

"If you don't say anything, I'll take that as a yes~" Hayakawa said with a smile.

"!" Mizuno hurriedly grabbed her hand and shook it left and right to refuse.

But Hayakawa didn't seem to understand.

"Waving? Oh, you mean welcome. Thank you, Trainer Mizuno." She placed both hands on his face.

Mizuno: "???"

Not—how on earth could that be interpreted as a wave?! You're deliberately misunderstanding me, aren't you?!

But right now, Mizuno couldn't speak up to complain—because Hayakawa-san's hands had already left her ears. If Mizuno made even the slightest sound, she'd hear it immediately.

So he could only swallow his frustration and watch helplessly as Hayakawa-san gently stroked him.

She lightly pinched Mizuno's cheeks in surprise.

"So Trainer Mizuno is this young? I thought you were some senior in his fifties or sixties."

Her hands traveled—touching his hair, nose, mouth, ears, and cheekbones—sketching a rough outline of Mizuno's face in her mind.

…Seems… kind of handsome?

"Haa…" Hayakawa-san let out a soft breath.

Gulp… still not satisfied…

Her stomach… felt strangely sour…

"Trainer Mizuno, can I hug you? Mm, you said yes? Thank you." Without even waiting for a reply, Hayakawa-san wrapped her arms around him.

Mizuno: "???"

She's not even waiting for answers now?!

He trembled with both anger (and yes, fear).

Hey! Don't push your luck!

First it was touching his face, now it's hugging—what's next? Uma Pyoi?

[Fortune, a little help here?!]

[Mizuno-dono, it's not that I don't want to save you, but…]

[The alarm light is green~]

?

This alarm of yours has to be fake! I feel like I'm about to keel over here…

Fortune: Mizuno-dono, you've gotta trust me. At this rate, you're definitely safe—no need to worry too much.

How am I not supposed to worry?!

Right now, he and Hayakawa-san were pressed together, close enough to feel each other's warmth. Just a few layers of clothing away from instantly breaking into Uma Pyoi, and with their huge difference in physical ability, Mizuno had zero chance to escape.

In this hopeless situation—where Fortune wouldn't help—he could only pray to God that Hayakawa-san wouldn't suddenly pounce and finish him off on the spot.

…Wait. Wasn't Fortune basically a god? Then praying was pointless…

"…" Realizing that, Mizuno sank into despair, gave up thinking altogether, and slumped against the wall, letting Hayakawa-san hold him tighter and tighter.

"Haa…" Breathing in the sweet scent, Hayakawa-san gradually relaxed her body.

Trainer Mizuno's warmth… it was like a heater in the middle of winter… she wanted to stay by his side forever…

It had been so long since she'd felt like this.

Ever since becoming Tracen Academy's exclusive secretary, she'd had to wake earlier than everyone else every morning, go home later than anyone at night. Outwardly, she seemed full of energy—but mentally, she was already exhausted.

But for the sake of the academy's adorable children, Hayakawa-san endured, working hard every day—ready to keep going until her body completely broke down.

She had thought that would be the rest of her life.

Until, a week ago, she had accidentally caught Trainer Mizuno's scent…

That sweet fragrance was like a kettle of pure water poured over her weary soul, washing away all the filth and leaving behind a lightness she had never known.

And a lighter heart made work so much more pleasant—and efficient.

So Hayakawa-san had wanted to smell Trainer Mizuno's scent again. Just once more. Then she could keep working for the children she loved, and see more of their smiles.

"Mmm…" Smiling faintly, Hayakawa-san hugged him a little tighter.

Trainer Mizuno's body was beyond her expectations—not only fragrant, but warm.

Holding him felt like returning home, like embracing her own family…

The fatigue she'd carried for so long melted away in that warmth.

"Haa…" Hayakawa-san fully relaxed, leaning against Mizuno's chest, unmoving.

Her full chest rose and fell softly, pressed against his ribs, dampening his shirt with faint beads of sweat.

After about a minute, Mizuno noticed something unusual.

Lowering his head, he heard the even rhythm of Hayakawa-san's breathing.

She… fell asleep…

"Oh?" Seeing her truly asleep, Mizuno quickly pulled his hood back on.

He watched warily for another full minute before confirming she was genuinely asleep.

He hadn't expected this to be the outcome.

"Heh heh…" Mizuno gave a small, victorious smile. Now there was only one thing to do—

Run while he still could!

But she was still hugging him—tightly. He'd have to slip free without waking her.

Mizuno reached to gently pry her arms away.

"Mama… don't…" Hayakawa-san seemed to sense something, hugging him even tighter.

Mizuno froze, looking quietly at her in his arms.

"Mama… don't…" A tear slid from the corner of her eye, tracing her beautiful cheek before falling onto his clothes.

"…" Mizuno frowned—not because the tear had dampened his shirt, but because he could hear the faint sorrow in her sleep-talking.

Had Hayakawa-san's mother died in an accident, separating them forever? Or had her mother abandoned her when she was young, leaving her to grow up alone?

A hundred possibilities ran through his mind.

But no matter the reason, it was the voice of a daughter longing for her mother…

He hadn't expected that behind Hayakawa-san's usual warmth and cheer, there was still a fragile little girl missing her mom…

She must be very lonely…

"…Haa." Mizuno couldn't help letting out a sigh, reaching up to gently stroke her hair.

Not because he'd suddenly become sentimental, but simply because he hated seeing anyone sad. Watching someone in pain made him feel awful himself.

"…" Mizuno set aside the idea of running, letting her cling to him.

He'd wait until she'd slept a little longer before leaving.

But just then, Hayakawa-san murmured again:

"Mama, don't rush me… I'll definitely find a good husband and have lots of children… How many? Maybe twenty or more, since I love kids so much…"

Mizuno: "…"

…Maybe it really was better to run now.