Chapter 108: Making Miura and Hachiman Lose Control Outdoors!

Sweat mingled between the boy and the girl.

Lying on the ground, Hachiman and Kawasaki stared at each other, their faces flushed, hearts racing, and minds hazy. Their lips were pressed together, and the atmosphere was nothing short of electric.

But just as the moment threatened to deepen, a sudden outburst of rage shattered the tension, snapping them both back to reality.

Kawasaki jolted upright, hastily pulling away from Hachiman. She scrambled to her feet, her face burning, and turned to face an approaching Miura, whose fury was palpable.

"I... I didn't force myself on Hachiman!" Kawasaki stammered in a panic.

"Didn't force yourself?!" Miura shot her a fiery glare, then glanced at Hachiman still sprawled on the ground. "You've already knocked him down!"

"…Cough, cough. It was an accident," Hachiman interjected hastily, fearing a full-blown argument between the two girls. Rising to his feet, he quickly added, "Just an accident."

"An accident?" Miura's brows furrowed.

Hachiman, his face still red, nodded earnestly. "Yes, just an accident…"

He proceeded to recount the sequence of events to Miura. According to him, Kawasaki had been washing her hands outside the public restroom when a stray cat suddenly leaped out, startling her. Seeing this, Hachiman rushed to intervene. However, in the chaos, and with Kawasaki already startled, they ended up tangled together—and that led to their accidental kiss.

"Huh?" Miura's eyes widened in disbelief. "How does something like that even happen?"

"Cough, cough. But that's exactly how it went," Hachiman said awkwardly.

"This…" Miura frowned, turning her gaze toward Kawasaki. "It was just a stray cat. How dangerous could it have been? Hachiman, there was no need for you to step in—Kawasaki could have handled it herself."

"Um…" Hachiman glanced at Kawasaki, who still seemed a bit shaken, and quickly responded, "Stray cats are different from domestic ones. They can be aggressive and dangerous. If scratched, there's a risk of infection."

"…" Miura fell silent.

Kawasaki, however, looked at Hachiman in surprise. Just as she was about to speak, her eyes darted to Miura. Taking a deep breath, she addressed her calmly, "Miura, just now, you said 'my Hachiman'… What did you mean by that?"

"Eh?" The usually assertive Miura froze, her face suddenly flushed. "Did I? I don't remember saying that…"

"Ah, so you did," Kawasaki smirked slightly, her eyes narrowing. "Miura, could it be that you—"

"Ahem!" Hachiman interrupted hastily before Kawasaki could finish. "Actually, it's nothing like that. Miura is helping me train. During our runs, she's basically my coach, and I'm her student. That's why she said 'my Hachiman.' It's no big deal."

"!!!" Miura stiffened, her face growing even redder. She glanced awkwardly at Hachiman.

"Ah…" Kawasaki looked a bit taken aback by Hachiman's explanation but didn't press further.

Recovering quickly, Miura cleared her throat and said, "Anyway, since it was just an accident, let's drop it. Hachiman, let's go!"

"Huh? Go where? Another run?" Hachiman asked.

"No! To the restroom!" Miura's face flushed again. "You haven't gone yet, right? I need to go too. Let's go—uh, separately! And quickly! Then we'll keep running!"

"Oh… Alright." Hachiman nodded and headed toward the men's restroom, while Miura made her way to the women's side.

Watching them leave, Kawasaki quietly walked away herself. However, as she walked, she couldn't help but recall Hachiman's earlier explanation to Miura.

"Did Hachiman… Did he know I'm allergic to cats?" she wondered, her heart skipping a beat.

Her allergies were severe. Even a slight brush with a cat could lead to a bad reaction, and she'd need a painful injection—sometimes even two. Recalling how Hachiman had rushed to protect her from the stray, so worried that he didn't even hesitate, her heart raced uncontrollably.

"The way he cared so much... no way he was just worried about scratches."

It couldn't have been just a matter of avoiding scratches. Kawasaki shook her head. "No way… Hachiman's too kind…"

Her thoughts drifted back to their accidental kiss, and her hand instinctively touched her lips. Before she realized it, her tongue flicked out, as if savoring the lingering taste.

"Ah! What am I doing?!" Kawasaki slapped her cheeks, trying to snap out of it. "Hachiman is Yukino's boyfriend! I can't… I can't feel this way about him!"

She paced frantically, mumbling, "Yukino's my friend! I can't betray her like this… But… Hachiman…"

Her face turned beet red as she struggled to calm herself. "I'll just keep my distance from him from now on! Yes, no more touching Hachiman. Not even a little bit! If I do, I'll… I'll be a dog!"

But then she froze. "Oh no! I forgot to thank him!"

Slapping her forehead, she groaned, "I'm such an idiot! I'll have to find a chance to approach him—just one more time. Just to say thanks!"

---

Meanwhile, Miura exited the restroom to find Hachiman waiting for her.

"Sorry, I took a while…" she said, a bit embarrassed.

"It's fine. That's normal," Hachiman replied casually.

Miura nodded, stealing glances at him. After a moment of hesitation, she spoke softly, "Hachiman… thanks for earlier."

"It's nothing compared to all the time you're spending helping me train," he replied with a shrug.

"Hachiman…" Miura's heart raced, a bold thought forming in her mind. But before she could act on it, Hachiman spoke again, "Since we're done here, let's get back to training. We don't want to stay out too late."

"…Right." Miura sighed, pushing her thoughts aside. She straightened up, put on a serious expression, and ordered, "Let's go. Follow me. Training starts now!"

---

Back at home, Yukino lay on her bed, holding two small vials of potion and staring at them intently.

"No chance tonight…" she muttered with a sigh. "Long-distance interventions are just too hard."

She groaned and rolled over. "Looks like I'll have to go to the park near Hachiman's house this weekend. A little hands-on intervention should do the trick…"

Clutching the vials tightly, her eyes gleamed with determination.

"You've left me no choice. I'll make sure you two can't stop outdoors next time!"

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