Side Story Case File 97: Hana—This Is Exactly My Type
"Not used to it?"
"I've just gotten more used to being alone."
Ash stopped swirling the wineglass in his hand, turned around, and headed for the balcony opposite the lively crowd behind him. Seeing this, Hana casually picked up a wineglass as well and followed after him at an unhurried pace.
"Isn't that too lonely?"
"You just have to learn to be friends with loneliness."
Following Ash's steps, Hana watched the man holding champagne as he leaned against the rooftop railing. She set the paper crown on her head aside, then naturally moved closer to him with a smile. Their shoulders touched, leaving no distance between them.
"You make it sound so easy. Is it because you have us by your side now?"
"It's only you."
"Huh? Ah..."
At first, Hana instinctively froze, not understanding what he meant. Then she realized it was an even mushier statement than his original confession, and her pretty face instantly flushed bright red with a poof.
Right now, Nono Hana was indeed the only one who could so easily lean against Ash, who was clearly burdened with worries.
Feeling the weight and affection hidden in Ash's calm words, the already embarrassed girl began rubbing her burning cheeks, hoping the tangible sensation would soothe the itch in her heart.
"Um, well... thank you?"
"It was only natural."
Unable to stop herself, Nono Hana held her overheated cheeks. All she could hear now was her own heart pounding hotter and hotter.
What should I do? My heart was so hot I couldn't stop it, and something seemed to be crawling across my face too. I couldn't stop that either!!!
Why did he suddenly say something like that and make me so happy?! This is bad~ My expression must look so weird right now!
Although they had already done all sorts of things together—or rather, he had done all sorts of things to her. But perhaps precisely because of that, the "pure heart" that had always existed within her and grown ever clearer made her especially conscious of how she appeared in his eyes, like a young girl.
After sneaking a few glances and confirming that Ash really was not looking her way, Hana first breathed a sigh of relief, then could not help feeling sad over her own immaturity.
Honestly, if I'm the only one getting embarrassed, doesn't that just make me look like an idiot?!
I need to be mature~! Yes! I need to be more mature and composed. My real age might even be older than Ash's, so now it's time to show off my mature big-sister talents!
"But Hana does understand this kind of loneliness too."
Imitating Ash, Hana lightly swirled the juice in her glass. She nearly sloshed the orange juice out, yet she seemed to have grasped some of the subtle feeling involved. Narrowing her eyes, Hana nodded with the air of someone who understood everything while actually understanding nothing.
"After all, during those days without you, I endured it all the way through because I didn't want my friends and family to worry."
"Then Nono Hana can call herself a lonely hero who stood alone too~"
"Hahaha~" Amused by the teasing in Ash's words, Hana laughed happily. "Hana isn't as amazing as the title of hero makes her sound. I just did the one thing that only I could do at that time."
"The thing only I could do was the thing I should do, wasn't it?"
"You're being too modest, Hana." Hearing that, Ash turned and leaned back against the railing with some emotion. The comfortable sunlight shone across his face as he faced her. "If someone who could do something like that isn't a hero, then no other word would be worthy of them."
You too, and they too. The people I met were always so modest. They did such incredible things, yet never thought much of them... Well, perhaps it was exactly because they never considered them such remarkable achievements that they deserved to be called heroes.
At least, that was what I thought.
"Do I really need to remind you how much hardship you went through on the road that brought you here? In exchange, this is naturally what you deserve." Ash brushed aside her pink bangs with a curled finger, then flicked her broad forehead. When she let out an "Ow!" he chuckled. "Accept such an incredible title with peace of mind, Hana."
"Is that so..."
Although Ash was praising her, Hana could not feel happy at all right now.
If heroes were destined to lose happiness and endure so much pain before they could become heroes, then I'd rather there were no heroes in this world.
I only wanted to be Nono Hana.
Rather than becoming someone admired by everyone, I would rather spend an ordinary yet warm life with the people who loved me and the people I loved. That alone would be enough.
"But this feeling isn't necessary anymore, is it?"
Wanting to pour out my pain, wanting someone whose shoulder I could lean on... Thankfully, I finally found them~
"Who knows."
Ash did not answer directly. He merely shook his head. Though he stood beneath such brilliant sunlight, an inescapable heaviness still lingered around him, drawing Nono Hana toward him.
The breeze tousled his short black hair across his forehead, obscuring the eyes that reflected his unclear feelings.
His face, which held traces of years and hardships utterly unfitting for his youthful appearance, formed the image of a melancholy handsome man who had endured countless trials without being broken. Hana could not look away.
"Gulp~"
Nono Hana kept staring at Ash, whose style was so unusually different at the moment, so intensely that even the sound of her swallowing was perfectly clear.
"Good..."
Ash finally noticed she had drifted off. The moment he turned around, he felt that incredibly scorching gaze.
"What is it?"
Good? What was good? Good what again?
"So cool!"
"?"
Ash tilted his head in confusion.
That melancholy, slightly weary feeling that had always been troubled and depressed, and those eyes that looked helpless and lost yet had never given up! It made me want to pull him into my arms, gently stroke his hair, and whisper in his ear, "It's okay, I'm here. You don't have to keep trying so hard anymore~" Ah! This is bad! I really want to heal his dark side~!
"Oho~"
Miss Nono Hana, who was already over twenty-three and aspired to become a mature woman, once again made an embarrassing little-girl sound in front of the man she loved, as if she had been struck by Cupid's arrow.
Side Story Case File 98: A Message Across Time
Ash with that melancholy handsome-man aura... Ah, no! I really can't handle this!
This is bad, so bad, unbelievably bad—Ash, how did you know this was exactly my type? Hehehe~
"Hehehe~"
Watching Nono Hana beside him giggle strangely like a lovestruck pervert, with drool nearly spilling from the corner of her mouth, even Ash could not stop his mouth from twitching.
She liked it that much?
Should I start taking precautions to protect myself?
"No wonder your true identity was barely hidden, yet no one ever exposed it."
It was like saying Gotham's Bat Hero was actually a rich second-generation playboy who spent his life drowning in luxury. No one would believe that if you told them, would they?
The difference was simply too huge. No wonder I completely failed to see the problem back then.
"Because you're a woman..."
"Wom—of course I'm a woman!" Hana finally realized how badly she had lost composure and hurriedly wiped away the drool from her lips. "And what's wrong with being a woman? I like what I like!"
"And if we're talking about that, Ash, aren't you just as lustful as a man? Whenever it gets to that point, you always stare at my chest... and you love bullying me too!"
"I like it too." Ash replied cheerfully, imitating Nono Hana's way of speaking.
"Even if you like it, you can't just put your mouth on me whenever you want!"
"Then who was the one saying 'don't stop' and 'don't get off' back then?"
Compared with the "little loser Hana" who could only keep up with my speed at the beginning, then gradually became more and more of a loser who did whatever I said, I'd say that even my first time was enough to beat anyone else~
"Wait—" Hana's face turned scarlet after he struck first and exposed her secret. She wished she could immediately crawl into a crack in the ground. "How could you say that kind of thing outside—Super shocking!"
"Oh my, but it's only the two of us here~"
Pretending not to see the neat row of peeking eyes sticking out from behind the corner of the wall, Ash finally found the joy he had been unable to join in at today's party through Hana.
"Or do you want to get revenge on me that badly?"
"Who—who's afraid of who?! Just watch me—"
Hana got so fired up that she began shouting without caring about the volume, only for Ash to pinch her mouth shut. Looking at the smile on his face as he made a shushing gesture, the poor girl finally realized she had fallen perfectly for his provocation.
"What do you want to do to me? Oh my, you're bold enough to say such things in broad daylight~ Poor lonely Ash is going to get~~ You're so H, little Hana?"
"Super shocking!"
"Hehe~ What is that, Cure Yell's catchphrase?"
"It's Nono Hana's catchphrase!"
Ash, wearing a half-smile, faced Hana, whose angry cheeks had puffed up like a pufferfish. Their fierce staring contest continued until they finally failed to hold it in and burst out laughing together, breaking the heavy atmosphere that had surrounded Ash.
"Isn't this pretty fun?"
Hana could naturally sense Ash's heavy worries. But Ash had made his meaning perfectly clear: even if he put on a profound act, he did not want Hana to know the secrets behind it.
Though that only made her worry even more... if you really don't want to say it, Ash.
Then I won't force you.
Because no matter what.
I'll stay by your side... and share it with you.
Everything.
"Indeed." After laughing, Ash finally stopped thinking about those irritating matters and raised his champagne. "Today, I'm very happy."
"Wait."
Just as he was about to drain the glass in one gulp, Hana suddenly moved closer and raised her own glass before him.
The breeze brushed past the two standing face-to-face, lifting black and pink strands of hair and stirring ripples in their hearts.
"Want to?"
Hearing the shyness in Hana's voice, how could Ash possibly refuse?
"Happy birthday, Ash."
Their crystal glasses clinked together with a clear chime. Ash and Hana crossed their arms, letting the sparkling liquid in their glasses pass before one another. Breathing in the enticing fragrance, they raised the glasses to their lips together and smiled as they savored the mellow taste.
"Happy birthday, Nono Hana."
Mm, it really did taste much better than drinking alone.
"Then I'll go get some cake."
"Okay." Hana was about to enjoy the private time everyone had specially left for the two of them. After moving the table over and just letting go of it, she jumped in fright. Without the slightest warning, a swirling hole with no support appeared in midair before her.
But that was not what shocked Hana the most. What truly startled her was that she could sense the aura of Tomorrow Energy from the gradually expanding vortex.
But how was that possible?! Ash had voluntarily given up Tomorrow Energy back then, and I was certain that I was the only Pretty Cure left in the entire world! Then how could someone else possess Tomorrow Energy, unless—
Unless it wasn't from the present?
Once the vortex finally expanded to a certain size, a flash of golden color emerged from it. The movement seemed to have a major impact on the vortex as a whole. It knocked over the flowerpots on the balcony and pushed Hana, who raised both hands in front of herself, backward several steps.
"Whoa—"
Startled, Nono Hana and that golden figure cried out at the same time. When the two voices overlapped, they sounded so alike that they were impossible to distinguish.
"What happened...?"
Hana finally raised her head and stared at the sight before her in disbelief. A girl had emerged from a rift in time—a blonde girl both unfamiliar and strangely familiar, dressed in an outfit similar to Hana's transformed form.
"You are..."
As she met those ruby-red eyes, Hana, despite meeting her for the first time, saw familiar longing and countless traces of hardship within them. Just as she was about to speak, the girl beat her to it.
"Am I late? What day is today?"
"Today is..." Caught off guard by the sudden question, Hana had no time to react and answered instinctively. "Today is my birthday?"
"Oh no, I'm late!" The blonde girl's face instantly showed immense regret and pain upon hearing the answer. As she swung her wrist in remorse, the black-and-red bracelet there especially caught Nono Hana's attention.
It looked so familiar... Wasn't it something that belonged to Ash?
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