The Eightieth Four: Erika in His Eyes
‘Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh——————!’
Erika, who appeared calm on the surface, was silently screaming inside. Due to her shock, she even drank the flower tea she originally didn’t intend to drink.
This is bad… I asked the wrong question!
Rai!
“Ugh—?!” Her tongue swirled around the taste in her mouth, making Erika stare at the pale red flower tea in disbelief.
What’s going on? Is this really something Shopkeeper would make?
“T-that… that good?”
“What are you making that face for? If I wanted to, do you honestly think there’s anything I can’t do?”
“But…” Thinking about the ghostly taste of the Martian coffee she once tried made Erika feel queasy. Considering how customers avoided this street after visiting, and looking at Ash’s teasing smile, Erika widened her eyes and concluded: So you did it on purpose!?
“What do you mean by ‘on purpose’? I did it deliberately.” Picking up her flower tea and taking a small sip, Ash’s eyebrows furrowed. It was too little sugar for his liking; he could hardly taste anything. “Those coffees were indeed carefully prepared according to my preference. If others can’t appreciate my taste, that’s their problem. And what’s wrong with wanting to spread more of the coffee I like?”
“Are you making a mistake? This is something to be sold out there, right?”
“Yes, aren’t I justified in not compromising?”
“You kind of… man, I hate…” Even knowing this, Ash’s self-centered nature still grated on Erika, but then she suddenly realized something.
“No wait—have you even answered my question!”
Since the question is already out, there’s no turning back. Might as well see what his answer is!
“Mm… you mean this?”
Come to think of it, it’s normal they’d be curious.
After all, they had offered to help them, turning this place into a base for Pretty Cure. Over time, they naturally developed interest in what I thought, instead of just changing the topic.
So, let me ask myself—how do I really feel about the four of them here?
Rai is rather timid, but her blushing face is amusing. Similarly, despite being afraid, she fights bravely without being confused by my harsh words, so she has potential.
Wuki excels in many areas; as both staff and a martial artist, she stands out. But I sense she’s constrained by something. If she could open up more, she might exceed her limits.
Lily… somewhat unfortunate. Although I helped her a bit, everyone can see that knot still exists in her heart. Unless I help her again, she won’t get much better.
Umm… um?
As Ash reflected and remembered his interactions with the girls, his face gradually tightened, his smile fading.
不经意间，这些女孩在他的心中占据了相当重要的位置。
起初，Ash确实是以模仿Evolto为打算。不论后续如何，在他看来，作为Build教练那段时期是非常尽职尽责的，甚至可以说，假面骑士Build为了爱与和平的决心就是由他引导的。最终，这颗果实因爱与和平而结，即使是普通人也能达到这种惊人的成就。
因此，Ash以咖啡店主作为跳板，打算等到揭晓的那一刻，释放出他先前积攒的全部情感，以此激发她们的力量，实现他所追求的强大。
但是，仅仅这样想着的他，并没有特意靠近她们，但从什么时候开始…
他变得如此在意她们呢？
“What’s wrong? Is my matter so hard for you?”
“All right, all right, let me think for a moment.”
抚摸着以为被无视、正气鼓鼓的Erika的头，手指不断穿过今天特意梳起来的蓝色马尾辫。意想不到的是，这次Erika并没有大叫着推开他的手。
今天换了新衣服的Erika显得格外亮眼，虽然掩藏不住那份活力，但这份成熟的美很好地融入了她的少女气质，Ash猜她肯定花了不少心思在这装扮上。
意外啊，我一直都觉得她是个大大咧咧的女孩，没想到仔细看还挺漂亮的。
“So, how do I see Erika in my eyes?”
The man raised his chin slowly, reaching a conclusion.
“Snot-nosed brat.”
“Pfff————Gaaah!”
Erika spat out the flower tea right away, Ash skillfully caught the tray holding the cup in front of him.
Didn’t seem like the first time.
“B-but why?! I’m clearly not a child anymore, and this time I’m wearing a mature style like my sister!”
“Regardless of age, it’s still a kid.” Ash calmly observed Erika’s frantic protest, quickly retorting. “She’s certainly pretty, but her personality is terrible.”
“Guh————!” Erika squeezed out a sound like a boiler going off from her throat.
I know I have issues, but did he have to be so blunt?
Not stopping, looking at the mature-style dressed Erika, Ash subconsciously contrasted her with another blue-clad figure wearing glasses.
“Always loud and boisterous, especially when I’m napping, always a nuisance… and using her brain so little, just rushing into things, eating like a pig without any ladylike grace, flat-chested and short, too noisy for a girl.”
With each point, Ash listed Erika’s faults off-hand like counting items in a list.
“Y-you can’t say that kind of thing to a girl, can you?!”
“But I’m a man, that’s why I can say these things.”
Ghhh… Erika collapsed onto the table, tears dropping sadly and smearing her lenses.
What was I thinking probing for Rai’s sake, why bother with such a boring, obnoxious guy? How can people be so easily captivated by someone like this? It makes me feel so frustrated…
“But…”
But Ash continued his speech.
“You became a Pretty Cure to support Rai, right? You’ve always been the courage supporting her weakness.” Ash’s words halted the struggling Erika, meeting serious eyes as the young woman turned toward the man.
“You do things for others, and you’re amazing.”
“When fighting, though rash, you always lead the charge, energetic and lively. Perhaps, Rai and Wuki are influenced positively by your optimism.”
As he spoke, Ash smiled.
“I find this type quite charming.”
The original intention is to tease her with some odd remarks. After all, Erika reacts strongly to such teasing.
Unbeknownst to him, as he described her qualities, Ash couldn’t help but reveal his true thoughts. Only now did he realize what he said.
Ah… what’s happening? Why am I softening towards them?
Erika stood there stunned, blinking blankly, even overlooking Ash’s detailed knowledge of her battle style.
What did… What did he say?
Did he say he likes me?
DOKI——DOKI——
Erika instinctively covered her heart as it fluttered with an unusual rhythm.
Only when Erika’s startled consciousness processed what Ash truly said did a flush rapidly spread across her fair, round face, covering her neck and cheeks like swiftly ripened persimmons.
