Chapter 571

The Eightieth-Third Is there no friendship that won’t give up?

Seeing the door pulled open from the bookshelf in front of her, Naoko, who was fidgeting with the hem of her dress, instantly snapped back to her senses. Not caring about any sense of propriety, she almost jumped up.

“How did it go? What did everyone say?”

“Good news and bad news.”

Even though he had only talked with a group of girls, Ash still looked exhausted and casually tugged at his skeletal tie, which was very uncomfortable around his neck. As someone used to freedom, he could never get accustomed to wearing such ties.

“The bad news is, they indeed do not want to see you and have no intention of returning here. You truly have been isolated outside.”

After delivering this harsh truth, Naoko’s mouth fell open, wanting to speak but ultimately remaining silent as she despondently sat back down in her chair.

“The good news is—” Ash deliberately dragged out his words, noticing how the other person’s emotions were adjusting according to what he said, before continuing. “They themselves don’t have any problems and are still planning to defeat that clown monster. Their willingness to be justice heroes hasn’t changed.”

“So, it seems you should wait until everything ends.”

“But—what if!” Naoko hurriedly approached the table, unable to express her discomfort. “Everyone is going to fight the clown monster, but Smile Pretty Cure is missing one person right now!”

“Are you thinking too highly of yourself?” Misunderstanding the young girl’s more profound sense of urgency, Ash thought she was just anxious about losing her qualification forever. He gazed at her curiously. “There’s no such saying, anyway. You can’t transform right now; it wouldn’t make a difference. Besides, didn’t we win in the previous battles? Before enemies or enhanced monsters appear, whether you’re there or not doesn’t really change anything.”

“In the end, they will still work together closely, and when we get there, we’ll figure out a solution.”

This was Ash’s answer. As a girl inclined towards athletic activities, Naoko lacked social experience, finding herself unable to refute Ash’s points. In reality, Ash had already managed to convince her.

But despite being convinced, why couldn’t she let go no matter how painful it was?

Would this…be okay?

Gazing at the Smile makeup box gently resting in her hand, the myriad worries and resentments welling up in her suddenly subdued. Despite facing numerous setbacks, the girl’s eyes regained their determination.

“This won’t do! Indeed, I still need to find everyone again—”

“Speaking of which, you should probably give up by now.”

I mean, there’s the first time, the second time, normally it would stop after the third time, but this is already the fourth time? I’ve practically laid out the answer in front of you—what else do you want?

Although you were so sad when you asked me not to leave earlier,

Now, facing reality without despair, isn’t it igniting your fighting spirit instead? But it’s already too late!

Look at yourself. Your trembling hands and legs are trying hard to move, and the sound of your teeth chattering is quite uncomfortable. Red-rimmed eyes ready to shed tears at any moment—do you think I would sympathize with you? Why are you holding on so stubbornly in this matter? It puzzles me.

To think, at this point, you must be incredibly strong.

“No, it’s me—I am the one who has wanted to give up all along!”

Do you think I enjoy turning back every time? Facing my former friends spouting harsh words over and over, how could I not feel hurt?

“Faced with such unreasonable things, I naturally want to escape and retreat!” As the young girl poured out her heart, her voice became distorted, almost unintelligible. But this almost garbled speech was precisely the truest expression of Naoko’s innermost feelings.

As the eldest of five siblings, Naoko always needed to take on more responsibilities, making her acutely aware of the pressure brought by a sense of duty.

“But even if I truly fail to live up to everyone, even if I can no longer be a Pretty Cure—”

Being a Pretty Cure, no matter how well you perform, and no matter how nice the bonds may seem, a teenage girl with green hair remains just that—a girl who dreams irrationally and can feel frightened by threats like Wangjian, and who will want to retreat from powerful enemies.

But because she is a girl, she becomes more stubborn. As the school bully, she might show an ugly face due to jealousy of Ash, and she might also show such an ugly side in the presence of enemies.

“But this friendship with everyone, I absolutely will not give up!”

But in the presence of those she treasures most—family and friends—she must be strong and reliable!

“You say that, despite everything, the friendship is something you won’t ever give up, right?”

After venting, Naoko felt much lighter, wiping away tears brimming uncontrollably. Simultaneously, a creaking wooden chair moved as Ash stood up.

“Are you serious?”

Ash’s gaze became as sharp as a sword, meeting hers directly.

“But you can’t be friends with them forever,” Ash’s comment left Naoko stunned after all her heartfelt words. “Years from now, your family will leave you.”

Thinking about the inevitable pain of parting each time, I’m pondering whether to try ending this distant relationship this time.

If it doesn’t start, there won’t be painful endings later… Instead of like with my past friends, leaving them to face uncertainty and prolonged loss.

Maintaining a distance merely as opponents might actually be better for you.

Isn’t this suffering you’re feeling right now similar to mine?

But you say you refuse to give up… I understand it wasn’t your original meaning, yet it feels like mocking me.

“In the end, everyone ends up alone; it’s an unavoidable conclusion.”

“You might be right…”

She hadn’t really considered separation before, but like Ash said, it’s unescapable.

“I’m not you, and I don’t know what kind of story led you to say such things.”

“But isn’t feeling sad at parting a sign that the memories and experiences from the past were beautiful enough to cherish?”

Green-haired Naoko continued to hold eye contact with Ash, even though she appeared disheveled.

“So, I ask you: Would you regret encountering those beautiful memories?”

“Wouldn’t you have given up earlier if you knew?”

“…”

This answer—

For Ash, it was also in the negative.