Looking at the short tag in her hand, the girl's thin lips slightly pursed in disbelief, and she let out a small breath of unknown emotion.
"The bride... is it me?"
Holding the short sign, one hand gently covered the slightly opened thin lips. Aoki Reika, who was in a mess of thoughts, slowly raised his head and looked at the man under the eyes of a group of unbelievable friends around him.
What he could see was the smiling man wiggling towards him, and there seemed to be an inexplicable light emitting from him.
Bang——
Invisible mist sprayed out from the head of this always elegant and cool girl.
I'm going to marry this man?!
The girls suddenly became confused.
"Reika is getting married!"
Someone's screams of pity resounded loudly, almost lifting the roof of the cabin.
Fortunately, their voices are only spoken in the movie city. If some people in other worlds know about it... Oh, that's a bit much. For you, this is still a story that has not happened.
After a while of excitement, the girl finally calmed down and was scheduled to sit together as a wedding guest. After Ash launched a big trick to communicate with the crew, the other party agreed to lend Ash a shrine setting for a Japanese wedding in the evening.
Others have nothing to do now and are visiting the set where Ash works.
"It's amazing...Ash can also act in movies and stuff."
"Maybe we can see Ash on TV in the future?"
The girls nodded, and this time it was even the on-set director who he persuaded to help. Such an omnipotent person would naturally want to rely on him after being intimate, but Ash had said before that they needed to keep a distance, and Ayumi had been inexplicably cold before, which also made the girls feel at a loss.
"Actually, I'm a little glad that I didn't win this time..."
Akane's sudden words shocked Yayoi and Zhi who were sitting next to her. After all, when she found out that she had missed the draw, Akane's face was filled with visible disappointment. What did she mean by saying this?
"Because, marriage should be considered seriously. It should be more solemn and romantic." Akane, holding her chin, shifted her gaze from the oil lamp on the wooden ceiling to Reika in the other room across the wall.
"Reika who wants to marry someone she doesn't like without any reason is really pitiful. She feels like those poor Princess who want to marry the bully lord on TV for marriage. It's a pity that Rider can't save her this time."
"Well, Xiaoqian, when you say that, I do feel very pitiful... Wow!" The sudden extra weight and heat on his shoulders made Miyuki exclaim in surprise.
"Are you sympathizing with her?" Turning your eyes slightly to the side, you can see the grinning face of Ash very close to you. "Since I am Rider, I am also the bully lord. If you have any dissatisfaction, would you like to take her place?"
At some point, they got used to Ash's lack of understanding of distance.
"No, no, Ash, you can't do this, right?" Akane was already able to handle the teasing from Ash behind her. "With your weird and awkward personality, and if you don't believe in marriage from the bottom of your heart, surely no girl will want to marry you, right?"
"Hahaha~ So your sweet talk failed before~"
"Ha, no! Besides, it's definitely not my fault if I fail. It's because of their poor teaching!"
It's one thing that I don't believe it, but it's another thing to think that my charm can attract others! Ash loudly refuted Akane's deliberate guess. "Who do you think I am? A woman who wants to marry a handsome guy like me can be ranked from Land of Light to Warrior's Peak!"
"Really? I don't believe it."
"Of course it's true!" In response to Zhi's agreement, Ash was not blushing and was not heartbeating.
Anyway, if I really want to verify it in the Ultra Universe, I will ask a friend I still know to dress up as a woman or simply act in a female human body. It's not like I have never done this kind of thing before.
"Alas..."
Reika, who was putting on his short stockings again, listened to the noisy sounds on the other side, continued to put on the white sleeves and kimono skirt neatly, buttoned the corners, and finally put the black bra over his armpits, Reika let out a long sigh.
It has been decided that I will play the role of The Bride, tonight.
At the same time, after some distance, Reika jumped out of the situation and realized that his relationship with everyone has become so good...
Reika's female kyudo uniform, the bow and arrows in her hands, and the target in the yard opposite were also borrowed from the production crew. They were things Ash gave her to relieve her boredom during this period.
As the ace of the school's archery club, Aoki Reika certainly knows how to use the bow in her hand, but she is in a troubled mood and cannot aim at the bullseye in front of her for some reason.
In fact, without realizing it, the person who has been causing trouble has become me.
Could it be that I have unknowingly walked on the wrong path?
Aiming sideways with an extremely upright posture, Reika took the bow and loaded the arrow. The taut string made a slight buzz in her ears. She originally wanted to practice kyudo to calm herself down, but the sound made her even more irritated as she tightened the bow string and sweated on her forehead.
"Whoosh——!"
As a result, it missed the target as expected.
She couldn't help but sigh again. She didn't have the habit of sighing like this in the past, but the feeling that her depressed mood gradually exploded today made her feel a little overwhelmed.
"Speaking of which, in other Pretty Cure worlds, everyone is the real president." Just as Reika was sighing softly, Ash's voice sounded from behind, following his footsteps. "Reika You are the only one who is the vice-president. Do you feel that you are losing your status?"
"... I'm just the 'Cricket' vice-president. I'm really sorry."
Reika's cold apology was mixed with unbearable irritation, and his forehead tensed up, wishing he could turn around and shoot Ash with an arrow now.
Why does he open his mouth every time I want to give him a good look?
Chapter 104: Conversation between husband and wife (two chapters in one, 4K chapters)
Ash walked past Reika who put down his long bow and was sulking at himself, and looked around at the archery target in the center of the yard.
The few arrows she shot earlier were stuck on the edge of the wooden board, surrounding the bullseye in the center from a distance. The bright red color on the wooden board seemed to be mocking the lost Reika at this moment.
There is no problem with the accuracy of setting up the bow, aiming and pulling the bow string, and maintaining the strength of the arm. However, the trembling of the fingers always causes the arrow to completely lose its accuracy at the moment of release. This makes Reika, which usually always hits the target, miss the target perfectly.
If the members of their school's archery club were around to watch, they would definitely doubt whether this girl who was panting in a low voice was actually their ace member, the Aoki Reika who was always on target.
"All your thoughts are reflected on the arrow."
Such depression is really ugly, and the name of beauty is completely nowhere to be found. Are you so confused? Or are you saying that you don't want to marry me to this extent? If it's the latter, even I will be injured... probably.
"Why, do you hate being my bride?"
"Ash-sensei, please be careful. This is just acting. I never really wanted to marry you from the beginning, right?" The blushing girl was stimulated by Ash's words and shook her head repeatedly. After calming down, she continued to make a slightly deeper voice.
"But, it's really not because of this."
I am more upset about my own existence.
The enlightened Ash nodded, without any intention of continuing to accuse her, and then suddenly asked.
"Have you ever seen me swinging a sword?"
"Yes, I've seen it."
Reika nodded, with a hint of unwillingness in his words.
Reika does not agree with Ash's self-centered and chaotic way of acting. Even Ash himself has never thought that he is a good person, but whether he is watching or fighting, Reika uses his own eyes to see every sword he wields.
"In fact, it's very - beautiful, people can't take their eyes away." Reika, with his hands folded in front of him, slightly bowed to Ash, and the ponytail behind him slid to the side of her neck.
Except for the time when he discarded the sword when facing Miyuki, the serrated long sword exuding darkness, when Ash swung the palm sword again and again, the dazzling sword light reflected in Reika's pair of blue crystals, the light reflected was like a hissing white snake spitting a message, or like a swimming dragon shuttle.
In her eyes, the sword and the person seemed to be a whole, so accurate and perfect. Sometimes it was as light as a swallow swinging the sword, and more often it was as sudden as lightning, causing falling leaves to fall apart.
And no matter what kind of sword it is, he will definitely be able to defeat the enemy in his hands. That perfect figure has made her yearn for it many times, and even made her want to be like him!
But... this was contrary to his impression.
She couldn't help but ask herself, if he really represented "error", how could he dance such a "beautiful" sword without any confusion?
This contradiction is why Reika said that he never understood him.
This was a completely different color from the world she knew.
"I will accept your serious compliment, but the word beautiful is not generally used for men, right? I am also shy."
Having said that, Ash seemed to be in a much better mood.
Likewise, carefully considering the words, Reika is ready to take the first step from zero to one.
"I want to walk on the right path (direction)! This is my life creed!"
Taking a deep breath, Reika, who seemed to have made up his mind, said seriously.
"You said you've already tasted enough of this. Hurry up and take it down."
"Ash-sensei." Reika, who had his hands on his waist and rested on the skirt of his kimono, pouted slightly and looked at Ash with some annoyance. "Has anyone told you that you are inconsiderate to girls?"
"It's not just girls, I'm very inconsiderate to everyone." Ash was not ashamed, and his expression looked like he was proud of it. "I call this equality between men and women, treating everyone equally~!"
"Oh... I'll continue." Reika, who didn't know what to say, shook his head, but a smile still slightly raised from his lips.
"I used to think that you must be the wrong person who was opposite to me, so I always resisted you... However, because of our contact with you, everyone solved the confusion in their hearts, gained more smiles on their faces, and even gained strength..."
Whether Yayoi is afraid of you or Akane's anger towards you, they all turned into longing for you, I can see it.
"So now I can't see the right path..."
"Please-please guide me, Ash-sensei!"
Everyone does this. Maybe my arrogance ignores his advantages. Maybe this is the right path. Then, I have to try to believe you!
"Then, let me ask you -" Ash squinted his eyes and saw through her thoughts. He spat out a series of questions about her stubbornness. "What is correct and what must be wrong? Is there a certain standard that can be measured in this world? If there is, what is justice, and does it have to be evil to fight against justice?"
"..." As expected, Ash's question left Reika speechless for a moment.
"You are just repeating what everyone thinks is right. Now that your friends are approaching, you also think this is right. Am I right?"
Reika's eyes widened and he nodded. What he said was exactly what he thought!
"Then, tell me what you think."
"I..."
After a moment of silence, Reika raised his ponytailed head, stared at the pair of black eyes and began his self-narration session.
"I have always lived a step-by-step life. Following everyone's expectations and recommendations, I became the vice president. In order to respond to everyone's expectations, I also tried my best to complete Student Council's work according to the process perfectly."
"You said it was to respond to everyone, but what about your personal intentions? Didn't you try to do anything else?"
"I have tried to give up everything I have insisted on, whether it is study, archery, or the status of vice president." Reika had a thoughtful look in his eyes, as if it was some kind of wonderful journey.
"Even as a Precure, I once wanted to give up. I didn't know if I was the right person, but... when I finally saw everyone being attacked by the Tragedy Kingdom, I wanted to stand up, so at that time I felt that fighting for smiles with everyone must be the right thing!"
I see, so among the people I attacked, your resistance was the strongest, that's right.
Regarding Reika's answer this time, Ash nodded with great satisfaction and motioned for her to continue.
"But, as for other things, I still haven't gotten the answer. What do I want and what path should I take? I still have no clue until now."
After finishing speaking, Reika took a deep breath and said to Ash extremely seriously.
"So, can you guide me? I'm serious."
"I don't think I've left you with the impression that I'm the kind of nice guy who's easy to talk to?" Ash grinned and said deliberately. "Besides, you said yourself that you originally hated me. I hold grudges very much. Why should I help you, just because you are good-looking?"
"..."
"I'm sorry." After the silence lasted for a while, Reika, feeling vaguely depressed, apologized and prepared to leave. "This time, I'm talking too much to myself. I won't bother you again..."
"But today is an exception."
"Eh?"
Just as Reika was sighing secretly, the change of Ash's words made her stunned. At the same time, the feeling of a cold finger poking on her collarbone made the girl tremble all over. Ash put his fingers on her ponytail and swept the ponytail to her back along her shoulders that were getting warm.
"Who said you are my lovely wife today? Only by showing a little tolerance can I appear greater. This time, I will give you advice as a husband, and I will not charge you any money."
"But-what a lovely wife?!"
Also, didn't you say you were good at acting?! What are you talking about?——
Reika's face instantly turned red, and the warmth on his forehead evaporated the sweat into thin smoke. Unconsciously, the hand he clenched tightly made the heat on his face not only not subside, but intensify.
Ash in front of her couldn't help but let out hearty laughter again. There was nothing he could do about it. He really liked seeing the expressions these people showed when they were embarrassed. It was so cute, wasn't it?
"In short, in the eyes of others, you have always been someone else's child, and you can't find your place. At the same time, you want to pursue the right and perfect thing, right?"
Hearing Ash's words, Reika's eyes lit up and he nodded repeatedly.
"You guys with cold colors are really troublesome..." Seeing Reika who was confused, the hand on his shoulder kept tapping his index finger at some point. "Ah, don't get me wrong, I'm not targeting you, I'm just firing map cannons to diss all people with similar attributes."
"..." The blue-haired girl was speechless for a moment. Reika didn't know whether to blame him or praise him for being so bright and careful.
"That's what you Blues are like, you all are like academics and have a meticulous mind. It's okay to be a think tank, but if you are really smart, it's easy to be misled by your cleverness.
Maybe one of your seniors would say, 'I am perfect~! ' Such a role. "Halfway through, Ash, who remembered something, snapped his fingers again.