NOVEL NEXT Chapter 561
The Seventy-Third World Where Only I Am Missing
However, what truly shocked Tree was yet to come; Akane’s thing was just the beginning.
“Ah, Akane, you’re here too!”
Seeing Akane and then noticing Ash beside her, Yayoi immediately ran over with her picture book bouncing as she went.
“He-he~”
Seeing Yayoi looking at him adoringly and then coming closer with a soft, endearing gaze, Ash understood and gently patted Yayoi’s soft head.
What is this!?
Watching Yayoi smile from her cheek, Tree widened her eyes in disbelief.
You, you, all of you! Even if Akane is that enthusiastic, how could Yayoi, who usually shies away, show such an expression now! What happened between you two!?
Since that incident, Yayoi had asked him when alone if she could seek comfort from him. After Ash casually agreed, the closeness Yayoi felt towards him increased drastically with their growing familiarity.
After all, not only do they share the same “likes,” but they also have a very precious “secret” between them. It’s only natural for Yayoi to seek familiar comfort from someone she trusts like this… Isn’t it a bit strange though?
“Ho~!” Seeing the soft expression pass through Ash’s face for a moment, Akane, not wanting to miss such a rare opportunity, teased him back without hesitation. “It seems not only Miyuki but Yayoi is also quite close to you? You’re making it look like Yayoi has another older brother.”
“Ni—Nii-san?!” Opening her eyes wide, Yayoi froze in shock at Akane’s words, then shyly covered her side. “Yayoi… Yayoi just wanted to thank Mr. Ash for being so kind, and this warmth is really comforting, but… hehe, an older brother?”
That felt pretty good too, right? As long as there is an older brother like a hero, Yayoi isn’t bothered at all!
“An older brother!”
“Alright, alright.” Facing Yayoi’s sunny and innocent smile, which looked like it was shining bright even to Ash’s gloomy perspective, he lightly tapped her head on top, feeling the impact a bit too intense. “Even though it’s after school time, since this is still school grounds, someone might see this and your classmates could get embarrassed. Wouldn’t that be shameful?”
“Oh! Oh no!” Being reminded by Ash, Yayoi’s face instantly turned red in embarrassment as she ducked behind Akane like a retracting mushroom.
“Yayoi, why don’t you just let me take the heat?”
“Ash-san.” A somewhat playful small yellow mushroom poked its head out from behind, blinked Yayoi’s eyes. “Mom said she’ll buy me the Blu-ray for Gundam SEED. Can we watch it together later at my place?”
“Oh, sure that’s fine!”
Hearing Yayoi’s words, Ash’s visible excitement and interest grew.
If it’s about tokusatsu and robots, I definitely won’t be bored!
“There there there there there! That’s okay!”
At this moment, a new character joined the scene. Spotting the cutesy pout on Yayoi, Miyuki arrived like a rocket, shouting and crashing in with her bag.
“I was supposed to be the first friend of Ash’s! Why is it that the others have such a good relationship with him right now?!”
Mine, mine, where is my part?
Naive as Miyuki was, she had no other thoughts and simply pouted like a spoiled child. But those words filled Tree with immense information that made her feel as if steam was coming out of her ears.
Huh?!—You, you, you guys! We are still students. What mistake did we make somewhere without my knowing? This relationship of yours! It—It’s such a [harmonious] relationship!
“Haha, what are you talking about! Aren’t we still comrades? How can you make me sound like some guy playing around with people’s emotions?!”
Although I am indeed one, I haven’t done anything inappropriate in my world, so you have no reason to say I am!
“Haha, Ash, are you saying—Woah woah woah!!!”
Ash quickly let go of Yayoi’s head and with three times the speed of an ordinary person, he caught Miyuki, who had leaped at him like a kitten. With bewildering rapid hand movements, he juggled her in the air like a circus acrobat, swinging her around until Miyuki, with dizzy eyes, fell to the ground with a “pa-chi~.”
“Ha-pu-pu~” Miyuki, speaking in a peculiar manner, spun her head in circles like she was drunk. “So dizzy ~ There are many Ash and Yayoi-kun in the sky~”
“First fool, I’m not dead yet!” Kneeling her down with a practiced punch and pain, Ash couldn’t help but sigh deeply. “What’s wrong with you, pink-headed, with this kind of foolish and simpleminded appearance, how could I have been persuaded by you in the past! How embarrassing!”
Back then, Lei mentioned it casually; unexpectedly, a Cure Happy actually exists. However… why are you so different from your two predecessors? Although the spirit shines in battle, show me more responsibility in daily life, named Happy! Don’t let me think you can only be happy.
“Hahaha!”
“Hold on, don’t stop!”
Akane and Yayoi couldn’t stop laughing at Miyuki’s antics, and only stopped when Lihua arrived and reprimanded them. Straight observed their bickering. A feeling akin to fear rose within her.
“Gur…”
This is… The current Smile Pretty Cure team?
Wanted to go out and greet my friends, but couldn’t move a single step.
Yeah, I’m not able to transform anymore and am no longer a Pretty Cure. I can’t fight alongside everyone anymore.
Moreover, Ash can transform into an incredibly powerful Kamen Rider, easily taking my place. So…
Does that mean I’ve lost my qualification?
Only I can’t transform, so I’m useless to everyone now? This thought brought about a sense of abandonment to Tree.
“Ha ha ha—”
The sound of laughter in Straight’s ears was particularly piercing. Fear swiftly transformed into a feeling akin to jealousy.
I’m not in… That happy time with him…
So… I’m already… Unnecessary?
“Thump—”
A rolling soccer ball left a trail, launching from Tree’s toe.
How unfair!
As the ball shot through in a banana curve into the goal, the shaking net divided the force before the soccer ball tumbled to the ground, just like Tree’s current mood.
Facing the sun, the girl clenched her teeth with sorrow and frustration etched across her face.
Only when something once possessed is lost does one realize its value. Such is Tree’s situation now, with an added layer of bitterness as well.
“Definitely—”
Suddenly adding in men or women, everyone talking happily as if they were old enemies, while I’m left outside.
Why do I have to watch him having fun with my friends?!
They should be my important friends!
Even if it’s not Ash’s fault, Tree, most valuing kinship and friendship, still can’t tolerate this kind of “victim” pain.
“Damn!”
The girl vented her frustrations with another shot, the ball whizzing through the air with a fierce thud against the goalpost. After violently spinning and soaring into the sky, it was firmly caught by another hand.
“Why?” Walking up gradually, Ash flicked his finger to spin the ball on his fingertip.
“Mood bad, so venting alone? Sorry for interrupting then.”