Chapter 526

The thirty-eighth precious memory belonging to Yayoi.

Yayoi gradually recalled the different reactions of everyone in class when the teacher assigned homework today.

Rihua was always composed and confident, while Tada and Akane were worried about what they should ask their parents at such an age, finding it hard to speak up. Miyouki was happily discussing her anticipation for receiving any “super happy” answers.

Only Yayoi… At that time, to avoid disturbing everyone’s joy, she deliberately lowed her head as if she hadn’t noticed anything and didn’t join the conversation.

About her name: “Yayoi,” she once asked her mother how her name came about. Her mother said that Grandma and Grandpa had many names prepared as options, but Dad insisted on naming her Yayoi as a gift to welcome her into the world.

As for why Dad chose that name, the reasons why he had to be Yayoi… Even if she wanted to get those answers, Dad has already passed away to heaven.

“How can I let Dad tell me now?”

Yayoi carefully recalled, trying to remember the little moments between her and the now blurred face of her father before she was five years old. But after previous arguments, her confused mind could not make sense of these memories related to her name.

However, gradually, other memories began to become clearer.

Dad was very busy due to work and could not often return home. Therefore, compared to Mom, I relied more on Dad.

If Dad was at home, then at around the age of five, no matter what kind of委屈 I encountered outside, I would rush back home to cry in Dad’s arms.

After comforting me, Dad would always let me sit on his lap and together watch the popular tokusatsu shows on TV, which often scared me, provoking Mom to lecture Dad.

“Dad, why do you like this so much? Yayoi is afraid of the monsters on TV!”

At the time, uninterested in tokusatsu, I only dared to peek through my fingers at the TV screen.

“Oh, Sorry Yayoi. Since you are a girl, it shouldn’t have been allowed to watch this with Dad, scaring you. How sorry I am!”

Dad always apologized, stroking my head with his rough yet warm hand. Under his warmth, I could forget my fears.

“If Yayoi watches with Dad… Yayoi won’t be so scared anymore~”

“You’re so brave Yayoi. You’ll grow up to be just as gentle as Mom.”

Although Mom often lectured Dad for this, she didn’t know that Yayoi and Dad shared a small secret.

In childhood, the reason I believed Mom’s lie that Dad was a Kamen Rider was because Dad also mentioned something similar.

“Dad, why do you always have to go out? Couldn’t you stay home to accompany me?”

At the time, still not understanding the concept of earning a living, Dad pointed at the full-red-lighted Kamen Rider on TV, laughing like a child.

“Yayoi, did you know?”

“In fact, the reason Dad can’t come back often to see you is because Dad is actually a Kamen Rider!”

“Huh?!”

“The righteous Kamen Rider is the protector of innocent children! So to protect good children like Yayoi, Dad needs to fight the evil monsters outside and not stay at home with you.”

“Does Dad need to fight such terrible monsters?!” Looking at the white centaur-like monster on TV, little Yayoi shrank into Dad’s embrace, crying excitedly. “If Dad has to fight these terrible creatures, he might get hurt! Yayoi doesn’t want Dad to be a hero; Yayoi just wants Dad to be her dad!”

Originally just casual words, unexpectedly causing such a reaction from his daughter, the man, feeling somewhat overwhelmed, hastily comforted the poor girl. Soon after, he whispered gently into her ear.

“Don’t worry, Dad will never leave. Heroes never lose when there’s something worth protecting, and Yayoi is waiting for Dad, right?”

“As long as Yayoi listens to Mom obediently and acts well when I’m gone, Dad will have the motivation to defeat the bad guys and come back to see Yayoi!”

“Then Yayoi will be a good child!”

The calm yet powerful tone of the father calmed Yayoi down, and the unwavering belief conveyed in his words convinced her.

“But Mom doesn’t know about this. Yayoi must keep it a secret from Mom.”

“Okay, hehe, then this will be your secret between us!”

In the warm living room with the TV on, a middle-aged man whose face was hazy in memory and his daughter, who was crying and smiling in his arms, intertwined their pinkies.

“Even if Dad doesn’t know where I’m working, but he promises. Until Yayoi wears a wedding dress and becomes a pretty bride…”

In childhood memories, while Yayoi’s father’s face was blurred, she still remembered his rough yet incredibly wide-soft and warm hands, even remembering how safe she felt with his touch as he combed her hair.

“Before Dad agrees to a good man to marry.”

“Dad will surely protect Yayoi forever like the heroes on TV!”

Tears uncontrollably flow straight down.

Dad… said he would accompany me until I wore my wedding dress and got married.

Why, why did you leave Yayoi so early?

Why isn’t Dad a real Kamen Rider, and why are the heroes I cherish only fictional characters from stories rather than real ones?

Disliking thinking about the troublesome Ash, Yayoi impulsively shook her head at the thought of some direction, hiding her ugly expression.

“Is it because it’s all fake dreams that they always seem beautiful?”

Fights in reality are painful, and severe pain could lead to death…

Previously, even with comic plots showing people died, Yayoi would turn the pages without watching. Even knowing the truth that Dad went to heaven, she still didn’t feel the reality of death.

Now, beginning to understand the concept of the fear of death, and Ash saying she shouldn’t fight, she realized a bit of what matters.

Happiness at no cost and effort is simply a beautiful illusion in dreams.

“For me, wanting to overcome cowardice and obtain courage like heroes…”

“Even the short experience of being a Pretty Cure…”

Isn’t just like chasing after fleeting dreams too?

Even with fleeting bright sparks of light, they are merely sparks carried by the wind, just my unrealistic longing. Am I just a timid student who only dares to pour their heart into paintings?

Completely lost, Yayoi held her face more tightly and rubbed her smooth, short hair into a mess with her hands.

Nobody could tell her the answer, nobody would tell her the answer, and only one person capable of answering her own question could find the solution.

Now, despite brainstorming, she cannot derive that answer either.

“Hmm…?”

Yayoi, carrying her schoolbag, realized she found herself at a city factory covered in steel pipes, something frequently seen on TV. Why did she end up here?

Ah, seems like I remember.

“This is… The place where Dad used to work.”