Kamen Rider is a Villain in Pretty Cure Chapter 25

"Homare, are your legs okay now?"

Saya, who had heard the good news, was still surprised when she actually saw Homare standing up, knowing how difficult it had been for her.

"Yeah, I can stand now!" Homare nodded energetically, her spirits lifted. "The doctor was right, I really can stand. It's just… the process wasn't exactly pleasant…"

"Is that so?" As they walked and chatted, Saya's gaze shifted to Ash, who was sitting next to Hana, propping his chin on his hand, silent and unreadable.

It seemed this doctor actually had some real skill.

But did he have any deeper secrets he was hiding from them?

As for Ash himself… he truly had no ulterior motives. He just wanted to see this tokusatsu movie he'd never seen before as soon as possible, eager and anticipating what kind of story it would be.

"What do you want to do now that you can stand, Homare?" Saya asked, chatting with her friend, but her eyes kept darting to an empty seat in the distance, as if waiting for someone.

"Well, I already quit my job as a flight attendant because of everything that happened. As for the future…"

Now that she could overcome her fear and stand, perhaps she should be more courageous? For example…

"Actually, I was wondering if I could try jumping on the ice again?" Homare, no longer dwelling in sadness, could now joke about the somewhat heavy topic with a smile. "Even though it was something I was good at and my dream as a child, it's been so long now, I probably can't do it anymore."

After all, everyone has hopes for the future when they're children, but how many people actually achieve them?

"Saya, I really envy you," Homare said, looking at her friend's profile with genuine longing in her eyes. "You were able to reach your childhood dream, to become the famous actress you wanted to be. It's truly wonderful."

"Becoming who I want to be…" As if touched by those words, Yakushiji Saya, her gaze unwavering, bit her lip tightly, her face filled with an unwilling expression.

"Saya?" Sensing something was wrong, Homare called out her friend's name, but didn't get an immediate response.

"Hey, Homare," Saya retorted without turning her head, her voice filled with unstable determination. "Will achieving your dreams truly bring happiness? Won't your past dreams and desires eventually become shackles that bind your future?"

"Saya… Wh-what's wrong? Why are you suddenly saying that?"

In the past, her goal was indeed to be like her mother, to stand on the same stage as her, which was why she wanted to become a famous actress – it was her childhood dream.

But now, ever since her debut, she had been marked by her mother's shadow. After experiencing the reality of seemingly hopeless effort, she was no longer sure about her future dreams…

"Hana-senpai, what drink would you like?"

Hearing Emiru's reminder, Hana looked towards Ash. Seeing him order an Americano from the waiter, she elegantly ordered an espresso herself.

Ever since that day she was captivated by Ash's genuine emotion, Hana realized she was becoming more and more interested in him. Even though she had been dismissed as a joke back then, she still believed there would be a day when she would earn his approval!

"But it's quite surprising, Hana, that you like such strong black coffee?"

"When it comes to the choice of a mature woman, this is it, right?" Free from her troublesome body, adorned with beautiful and sophisticated attire, and even with a handsome male companion, my charm as a woman is invincible!

Today, I will break through my past image and take the first step towards becoming the mature woman I've always admired but couldn't achieve!

Thinking this, Hana, like Ash beside her, downed her coffee in one gulp.

"Pfft—"

And then, under Ash's unsurprised gaze, she spat it out.

"You know, you'd probably be better off with a café au lait."

"It's… it's fine, I actually really like it—cough, cough, cough!" I'm going to die! Why is it so bitter? If I don't rinse my mouth soon…

With that thought, Hana stood up hastily. Before Ash, who was behind her, could even warn her, she once again stepped on her high heel with the other shoe, spectacularly falling in front of the startled waiter and rolling up a section of the carpet. It made people wonder if the coffee had been poisoned.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'm truly so sorry!"

Why did it turn out like this! I finally prepared to debut as the new Nono Hana, and it ended in a complete disaster…

Seeing Hana scramble to her feet, her cheeks instantly flushing red under the stares of others, and then repeatedly bowing and apologizing to the amused guests who couldn't help but stifle their laughter, even Ash couldn't help but put his hand to his forehead.

"What is this idiot doing?"

Could it be that what he said to her that day had been misunderstood?

If so, he needed to explain it to her properly…

"Hey, hey… Who invited that lady? This is a high-class establishment."

What was initially just Hana's embarrassing moment was interrupted by an incongruous voice from the crowd, a voice that shouldn't have been there.

"What's going on? This isn't the rooftop of a school play. Who are you trying to make laugh with that ridiculous display?"

"How unsightly. Even her friends must be embarrassed."

As if by chance, these words reached Hana's ears as she continued to apologize. Her already bowed back trembled once more.

"I heard she was invited by the lead actress. Being friends with someone like that, she really is just a…"

"You!" Saya exploded, abandoning her usual gentleness. She shot an extremely terrifying glare towards the source of the discordant voices. "That's enough commenting about someone like that."

"I'm sorry, everyone." Hana interrupted Saya, who was about to unleash her fury. She suddenly looked up, her face plastered with a forced, bright smile. "My stomach suddenly feels a bit upset, hahaha, I need to go to the restroom…"

"Wait, Hana, why all of a sudden?"

"Hana-senpai— Ahhh!" Emiru, holding her head in frustration, looked towards Ash again, only to see him completely oblivious, looking up at the ceiling. Annoyance flared within her again.

"What are you doing? Didn't you bring Hana-senpai here? You should talk to her too!"

Even if you don't have feelings for her, at least comfort her a little! You're a man, after all!

"Someone's here," Ash replied inexplicably, leaving her completely bewildered.

Ash squinted, and just as those strange sounds began, he instinctively looked up toward the second floor. He caught a glimpse of the retreating back of a familiar, disheveled man holding a book... So that's it.

As the surrounding crowd buzzed with discussions about the escalating incident, they suddenly felt a chill. Almost instinctively, they recoiled in a wide circle around Ash.

Ash stood up with a cold expression. Amidst the astonished reactions of those around him, he kicked over a chair with a loud bang and, pushing against the flow of the crowd, resolutely moved towards the direction he was looking.

[Extra] Case File 54: Twisted Love and Love's Distortion

Ash's rage was now intensifying, exploding. The fabric of his tailored suit began to tear as his muscles expanded. As people watched him, they had a strange illusion, as if they were seeing an angry whale swimming upstream directly towards them. Sensing this, they naturally began to make way.

At this moment, Ash was troubled and angry. It was like when your favorite treat, a piece of char siu you were saving for last, is unceremoniously eaten by the person next to you. That's exactly how Ash felt right now.

Hana is my patient. I can say whatever I want about her, but if anyone else dares to point fingers at her... Who do you think you are? Are you worthy? Worthy of a few keys? What's more, this guy's timing is incredibly coincidental.

"Is it you?"

Originally, he hadn't had any particular thoughts; he just wanted to see the movie quickly.

Now, he was slightly different. His heart was guiding him to do something else.

This is a little bit... making me angry.

"Wait, where are you going?"

Easily pushing through the crowd that made way for him, shaking off Emiru and the others calling out from behind, Ash had only one target in his eyes. He walked in a straight line towards that direction. Finally, as expected, he cornered the disheveled man in a white t-shirt and shirt, completely absorbed in the book in front of him, in a stairwell.

"Even the most beautiful flower will eventually wither and fall. The only way to preserve that beauty forever is to stop all beautiful moments."

Ash remained silent. His hands were in his pockets, his gaze like that of a roused lion as he walked towards him step by step.

"If the future simply stopped advancing, tragedies wouldn't happen."

"Ash, what you're doing is wrong, and I am right."

Ash still didn't speak. He was getting closer to him now, and the disheveled man still looked confident.

"Everything you've done is meaningless. I mistakenly thought you would ignite yourself like a burning flame, save the pitiful girl, and bring new possibilities to the future, but I was wrong."

Ash remained silent. Ash took his right hand out of his pocket. With his legs as the base and his waist as the axis, the muscles in his raised arm instantly tensed like twisted ropes. Like thunderous, angry roars, the crisp sounds of popping knuckles erupted from his clenched fist.

"Everything you've done has only been like a poisonous flame, burning and stinging the hand she reached out. Even if she overcame fate and survived, she would still be burned by this flame again and again."

"Your ending has already been decided. From now on, don't go near her again. This world regrettably has to give up on her. I will save her in the next world—Gwah!!!"

What could be heard was the sound of something breaking cleanly.

The book, torn in half, was held by the man. His eyes were wide with rage, veins bulging on his forehead. A deep fist mark was imprinted on his cheek, and his teeth, mixed with blood and saliva, were spat out from the corners of his mouth. The man, headfirst, smashed through the glass behind him and flew out onto the green lawn.

"My hand is burning red!"

In front of him, Ash, with a clenched fist, maintained his straight-punch stance, his fierce, enraged face contorted. The protruding knuckles on his fist emanated a faint, warm aura from the impact with his flesh.

"It's yelling at me to beat you up!!!"

Leaping from the ten-meter-high floor, Ash ignored the cuts on his fist from the glass, clenched it even tighter, and punched that disgusting, hateful face again.

"Waaah... Guh, this is the worst..."

The girl's tears splashed onto the red rose decorating her chest.

Looking dejectedly at the mark on her formal dress, stained by her own spit, Hana's carefully crafted image of a mature and elegant self was once again completely shattered.

Why am I getting further and further away from the person I envisioned myself to be as a child? More than that, for the past eight years, she had focused her life on her identity as "Cure Yell," leaving her with no time or energy to cultivate the existence of "Nono Hana."

"This isn't a restroom, Hana." Without even turning around, she knew that unmistakably flippant voice belonged to her doctor.

"Dr. Ash, am I..." As Ash approached, Hana, crouched by the car like a huddled little bird, gave a weak, self-deprecating laugh. "Very... ugly? Hahaha..."

"It's like a duckling living in a swan pond. Even if it can swim in the same pond as the swans, it can't grow into the pure white feathers it desires."

These were words Hana would never have uttered in the past, but now they were coming from her own lips.

She thought of that incident again.

'Actually, I'm that Cure Yell, Precure!'

'That's a good joke, keep it up.'

How could you say that...

I summoned my courage, I wanted to give you my all, I wanted someone to rely on, I wanted you to protect me, and I wanted to protect you when I said that!

This was the first time I had ever told anyone this! Why... why would you say that!

Even if it was Ash—saying that was too much!

Thinking of the spark of vitality that he had finally drawn from her gradually deadening heart not long ago, only to have it dismissed as a joke, Hana felt increasingly wronged.

"You do look quite unsightly like this." Ash flicked the blood from his fist. Not seeing her true expression, mistaking her self-pity for her usual playful antics, he delivered another blow. "But why are you telling me this? You know I never cared about such things."

"But I do care!" Crouching on the ground so he couldn't see her face, Hana's voice, audible with a sob, came through.

"I care! I care that the person I care about sees me looking so ugly right now!"

Does my life only have meaning when I'm Cure Yell?

"I really do care... I want to have a normal girl's life too..."

Crystal tears fell to the ground, shattering. Her shoulders, turned away from Ash, trembled slightly.

What... what did I do? I just went to deal with a stalker, did I say something wrong? Why are you suddenly crying?

His mouth hung open slightly in confusion, but he didn't know what to do or say. His hand, extended halfway, didn't dare to touch Hana, who was clearly not right at the moment. He could only stuff his hands into his pockets in a slightly annoyed manner and pretend to be mute.

"Ash."

Nono Hana, no longer trembling, stood up from the ground and turned to him, her makeup smudged by tears. As the wind blew, her hair, which had somehow come undone behind her, framed her expression in a strikingly tragic picture.

"I... I like you."

Ash's toes, which had been tapping restlessly on the ground, stopped.

Due to the angle of the backlight, Hana couldn't see Ash's expression, which was shrouded in darkness. Longing for him to embrace her, she felt that this meaningless waiting time was incredibly difficult.

It might have been 1 second, or it might have been half an hour, but no matter how long it was, it felt equally unbearable to her.

"Hana," Ash said, word by word. "I already have someone I like."

Her heart seemed to stop for a second at that moment.

"Is that so? Who is she?" Maintaining her tragic smile, Hana pinched the back of one hand with her fingers, placing both hands on the skirt in front of her, making her hands appear pale and bloodless. "Is it Homare, or Saya? Emiru is also nice~"

"That woman's name..." Ash shook his head at her answer, but then he couldn't help but smile as he thought of her name. "It's Cure Yell."

"Is...?"

"You're quite similar to her." The man's words sent a jolt through her, but her mood immediately plummeted to the bottom with his next words.

"But you're not her."

Nono Hana's tragic smile grew even brighter.

Her clasped hands tightened, almost pinching the pale skin of her hand until it bled.

"It is..."

Is that it... So Nono Hana was just an accessory to Cure Yell?