Volume 6 Chapter 19 Yuu, My Hero
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Yuu-chan, I’m looking forward to today’s Masked Driver!”
”Y-yeah…”
Beside Yuu, Mai-chan stares at the TV screen with sparkling eyes. Mai-chan mentioned liking Kenzaki-oniisan, but more accurately, it seems she likes Aqua-oniisan. So, I heard that yesterday she held onto Aqua-oniisan’s shirt sleeve and didn’t give up her seat next to him. It’s apparently one of the “techniques” Mai-chan uses to capture boys’ attention, though Yuu doesn’t understand it.
”Oh, Yuu-chan, it’s starting!”
”Ah…”
Everyone’s gaze at the entrance is fixed on the big TV showing Masked Driver. While before only kids like Yuu and Mai-chan watched Masked Driver, now it’s popular among nurses big sisters, moms, hospitalized big sisters, aunts, and grandmothers.
It means everyone can have a conversation if they watch Masked Driver, regardless of their age difference. The other day, Yuu’s mom and the nurse sister were having a lively discussion about Aqua-oniisan’s eggplant. Yuu didn’t quite get it, but Mai-chan, who was next to me, blushed, so she should understood. But even though Yuu is one year older than Mai-chan, she told Yuu she’s not ready for such things…
”Kyaa! As expected, Aqua-sama is the coolest in the world!!”
Next to me, Mai-chan is ecstatic just from Kenzaki-oniisan appearing in the opening scene. While Yuu also thinks Aqua-oniisan is cool, Yuu is now mostly thinking about the other glasses-wearing brother. While thinking about this, the big sister who was with Aqua-oniisan and the glasses-wearing brother yesterday appears on the screen.
[Nice to meet you, I’m Kagami Natsuki.]
SYUKUJYO is an organization of big sisters that gathers to protect men from the surface. I see, that sister was part of SYUKUJYO. That’s why she was with Aqua-oniisan.
”Toa-chan is a girl, after all. Well, it makes sense, there wouldn’t be boy like that. But, it doesn’t matter because Mai-chan has Aqua-sama. Oh… but Toa-chan is super cute, so maybe Mai-chan can’t win. Yesterday, she looked great together with Aqua-sama… But, it’s not time to give up yet. Even if I’m not the first, there’s the second!”
Mai-chan next to me mumbles something. Even though she’s usually energetic and noisy, she talks to herself a lot whether she’s watching TV or not. But since Mai-chan says everything she thinks, it’s more relaxing to be with her.
”Oh… Aqua-sama’s here!”
Aqua-oniisan appears on TV. Aqua-oniisan, for some reason, runs a ramen shop. Huh? Wasn’t he a Tofu vendor last time? When Aqua-oniisan wipes his forehead with his arm, Mom and the nurses make strange noises. At night, when I got up to go to the bathroom, Mom touched herself down there in the dark room and made weird noises. I feel like Mai-chan does things like touching herself there too. I’ll ask her next time. While thinking about this, a man holding a little girl’s hand enters Aqua-oniisan’s shop.
[Geh…]
Kamishiro-oniisan, from the previous story, gave an awkward look upon seeing Aqua-oniisan. With Kamishiro-oniisan’s appearance, some of the big sisters and Moms became noisy.
[Kana… Let’s not stay in this shop.]
[Hajime-oniichan, do you dislike ramen? The ramen here is really delicious, so Kana want Hajime-oniichan to try it…]
Even though Kamishiro-oniisan could ignore Kana-chan’s words, he reluctantly takes his seat while looking displeased. Seeing this, the big sister’s and the other chatter, “Akira-kun is too kind.”
”Tenga-chan is cool and kind, but Aqua-sama is the best! Even at the ramen shop, he’s cool!”
Mai-chan said she wanted the towel wrapped around Aqua-oniisan’s head, but Yuu didn’t understand the meaning. She said something about sweat seeping in, but does that mean she wants to wash it because it got soaked in sweat? When Yuu complimented Mai-chan’s kindness, she was told it’s still too early for Yuu to understand the scent of boys. So, even though Yuu is older than Mai-chan, whatever.
[Here, two soy sauce ramens.]
Kamishiro-oniisan hesitates before picking up the ramen with his chopsticks and slowly sipping it. In the next moment, the screen shows a close-up of Tenga-oniichan, who has wide-open eyes. Even the usually quiet nurse big sisters start squealing, getting scolded by the older nurse ladies.
[Th-this is… Laamen (ラー・メェン). S-so tasty!]
[Hajime-oniichan, it’s ramen (らぁめん).]
[La Maine (ラ・メーン)? Hah!? I see! This is first-rate French cuisine. That explains the depth of this flavor that seems simple. Kuh, La Maine has so many hidden depths!”
[Well, that’s enough…]
Hehe, he’s a big brother and doesn’t even know ramen, which I thought was strange. The nurse sisters have a dreamy expression, finding it cute.
”Akira-kun, being unable to say ramen properly is too cute.”
”I’m quitting being a nurse and becoming a ramen shop owner.”
”I want to work at this ramen shop. Aqua-kun works there, and Tenga-kun is a customer. It’s the best. I get to meet boys more than being a nurse.”
”So, essentially, it means that Aqua-sama made the ramen, and Tenga-sama is eating it… Ah, I’m feeling dizzy. Maybe I should leave early today.”
”You said the same thing and left early yesterday after seeing Mayuzumi-kun and Aqua-kun’s interactions, didn’t you? You’ll get scolded by the head nurse again!”
Even nurses can feel unwell sometimes. I hope they don’t push themselves too hard. While thinking about this, after the commercial break, the glasses-wearing brother appears and surprises me.
”Ah, it’s Mayuzumi-kun! Yuu-chan, Mayuzumi-kun is on TV!”
”Uh, yeah…”
Mai-chan tells me that, and I focus on the TV screen.
[This world is wrong…!]
The glasses-wearing brother’s name is Tachibana Zanki. He’s an apprentice of a lawyer? Something like that. The story content is a bit difficult, and there were parts Yuu didn’t understand, but Mai-chan explained it in an easy-to-understand way.
”A lawyer is someone who speaks on behalf of the offender or victim. But usually, male lawyers mainly defend males, so does Mayuzumi-kun want to defend girls? It’s rare for a boy.”
I see… Now that I think about it, when Yuu had an accident, there was also a person called a lawyer who appeared. They talked about complicated things that Yuu didn’t understand much, but Mom had a frustrated expression, and Yuu told Mom not to bully her.
And mom seemed to be in pain every time she met the lawyer, but after a certain day, she returned to her usual self when the lawyer stopped coming. When Yuu asked about the reason, it seemed that she consulted a Sister from the Holy Aqua Religion and got the issue resolved. When I told Mai-chan about this, Mai-chan’s mom also seemed to have been helped by that Holy Aqua Religion’s Sister, and they talked about going to Mass together with the four of them next time including me. I’m looking forward to it.
[Why is it that doing bad things like this doesn’t result in punishment…!]
In the screen, Zanki-oniisan had a pained expression. For some reason, as I watch, my chest starts feeling prickly. Why could that be? Amidst this, an alarm in the building where Zanki-oniisan was sounds.
[Chijou has appeared! Chijou has appeared! All males in the vicinity, evacuate promptly to the shelters. Ladies, if you spot any males, protect them and quickly guide them to the shelter. I repeat, Chijou has appeared! Chijou…]
With a small frustrated mutter, Zanki-oniisan grabs his bag and heads towards the shelter. The scene changes, showing Chijou causing havoc in the city.
[Men! We, want, men!!]
Several large vehicles appear, and lots of SYUKUJYO sisters come out of them. Of course, among them is the appearance of Kagami-oneesan from earlier.
[Each team member, protect civilians from Chijou’s attacks while restraining the enemy’s movements!! Prioritize protecting any males seen. Night Shadow team member, are you ready?]
[Yes… Captain Tajima! I’m fully prepared!!]
Appearing since Episode 1, SYUKUJYO’s sister, Night Shadow Misa-oneesan also appeared briefly in the second Masked Driver. At the beginning of the story, everyone said this person was Masked Driver.
[At last, this time has come…! Let’s go, Chijou! With this, I become a Driver too!!]
Night Shadow Misa-oneesan, holding a belt, reaches towards the sky. There, a grasshopper appears. Anticipating a transformation, I wait excitedly, but when the grasshopper arrives, it jumps onto the belt, took it, and flew away.
[Wait, where are you going!! I’m the one supposed to transform!!]
Night Shadow Misa-oneesan reaches out, but Chijou gets in her way.
[Ghhh…!]
Frustrated, Night Shadow Misa-oneesan shows a pained expression. Somehow… Yuu starts feeling a bit sorry for her… Even Mai-chan next to me looks at Night Shadow Misa-oneesan with a sad expression.
[Misa-san, please focus on protecting civilians for now!]
[I-I understand!]
Night Shadow Misa-oneesan even gets scolded by the newcomer Natsuki-oneesan who just joined today… Mai-chan mutters that she should try not to become such adults. In front of Night Shadow Misa-oneesan, a beetle slowly passes by. In that moment, the whole hospital entrance is filled with cheers that are almost like screams of joy. Even Mai-chan next to me is shouting loudly.
[My mom said…]
Just those words make Mom and the others act like kids, jumping around in excitement.
[To be loved and to love, we must consider each other.]
Aqua-oniisan holding the beetle in his hand lightly kisses its back. In that instant, the hospital echoes with voices louder than ever before.
”Ah, ahhhhhhhh!”
”Gugyaaaaaaa!”
”Kyaaahhhhhhh!”
”Uwaahhhhhhh!”
The head nurse, who had just told everyone to be quiet, was now shouting the loudest. Yuu’s mom and the assigned nurse were hugging and jumping. As for Mai-chan, she was frozen, staring at Aqua-oniisan on the screen.
[Henshin…!]
Aqua-oniisan, transformed into Heaven’s Sword, starts fighting against Chijou.
[Don’t, interfere!!]
Chijou’s boss fights against Aqua-oniisan. The figure of another brother, who had been watching the battle, appears on the screen. Once again, the hospital becomes noisy. They were told to be quiet at the hospital, but now Mom, the nurse sisters, and everyone else are the noisiest!
[As always. Even though you can make noodles with such a backbone, you’re using such a lukewarm fighting style that’s stretched out like overcooked noodles.]
Kamishiro-oniisan, who caught the approaching bee with his bare hands, presses the bee against his belt brusquely.
[Henshin~tsu!!]
With flashy sound effects, Kamishiro-oniisan transforms with intense movements. The children around me are excitedly shouting. Just like in the previous story, Kamishiro-oniisan’s transformation pose is even more popular among younger kids like Yuu.
[Kamishiro!]
[Don’t get in the way, Kenzaki! I’ll take care of that one!!]
Aqua and Jindai fight for one Chijou, and the hospital becomes so noisy that it’s no longer like a hospital.
”Ramen shop? I think I’ll become Chijou after all.”
”Chijou is so popular!!”
”Ugh… Seeing Akira-kun and Aqua-kun fighting, my chest feels tight…”
”Hey, hey, are you okay? Isn’t it better to get checked?”
Chijou’s boss looks at the two brothers fighting and leaves the scene to the underlings, quietly escaping somewhere.
The fleeing Chijou’s boss knocks down the regular woman around and appears in front of Zanki-oniisan, who was on his way to the shelter.
[Chi, Chijou!? P-Please escape!!]
The women around Kamishiro-oniisan tries to stop Chijou’s boss by becoming a human wall and clinging onto the Chijou. Seeing that, Kamishiro-oniisan makes a pained expression again.
[H-Hurry, escape!]
Zanki-oniisan breathes heavily, panting.
[If… If I leave them here and run away now, I’ll be just like them!!]
Zanki-oniisan clenches his fist so tightly that it seems like blood might come out.
[Uoaaaahhh!]
Zanki-oniisan lets out a loud scream. Perhaps he has never shouted so loudly before; his scream sounds a bit pathetic. So even though the sisters around, Mai-chan, and Mom are smiling awkwardly, when Yuu sees Zanki-oniisan awkwardly tackling Chijou with an ungraceful running style, her heart tightens.
[Useless!]
Zanki-oniisan, thrown by Chijou’s boss, loses his glasses, which flutter in the air. Still, Zanki-oniisan stands up and continues colliding with Chijou.
[What are you doing! H-Hurry and escape!]
The fallen sisters who tried to let Zanki-oniisan escape cry out with all their strength. Everyone in the hospital is yelling for him to escape. But… but Yuu doesn’t think that.
”Hang in there…!”
Despite his clothes being tattered, Zanki-oniisan stands up and keeps colliding with Chijou. He might not look as cool as Aqua-oniisan or Kamishiro-oniisan, but to Yuu, his figure, standing up repeatedly, shines brilliantly. Because Zanki-oniisan’s face looks just like the face of the sister who won the running competition Yuu saw that time!
”Keep going… Keep going…”
Before I know it, everyone in the hospital is cheering for Mayuzumi-kun, who keeps confronting Chijou’s boss.
[Why, why, you, rise up? Why, you not, scared!?]
Certainly, as Chijou’s boss says, isn’t Zanki-oniisan scared? This time, Chijou’s boss is much larger than the Chijou bosses in the previous two stories. Even Yuu would be scared, and even adult sisters would probably tremble in front of such a big Chijou.
[That’s right. Even now, I feel pathetic for trembling and stumbling in front of you. But! If I don’t stand up here, if I don’t confront it!! Do I… do I have to run away again!!]
Zanki-oniisan’s words make Yuu’s little heart beat loudly.
[So, enough, I hate that kind of thing! Watching girls sacrifice themselves because of me! As much as they want to protect men, I want to protect them too! I might seem unreliable… even to me. But I still have one or two prides! So, I won’t give up, absolutely! Uwaaaahhh!]
Kamishiro-oniisan stands up again to confront Chijou’s boss. Yuu sees his figure blur.
[Kkh… It’s easy, for guys, like you, to talk big! Take, this!]
A grasshopper, appearing out of nowhere, deflects the hand of Chijou’s boss who was about to attack Zanki-oniisan. The grasshopper then attaches the belt it was holding onto Zanki-oniisan’s waist and settles into place.
[Y-You… are you really lending me strength?]
The grasshopper’s eyes gleam brightly.
[Understood…]
Zanki-oniisan moves the grasshopper he’s holding in his hand to his waist, and the screen focuses on his hand holding the grasshopper and the torn rear of his tattered suit. The hospital seems to become noisy again, but Yuu wasn’t paying attention to that.
[Henshin!]
Zanki-oniisan transforms from the bottom up.
[Masked Driver Lightning Hopper!]
Lightning Hopper, equipped with a gun in his hand, fights against Chijou’s boss. However, his opponent’s body is large, and he lacks a decisive move. Aqua-oniisan, Kamishiro-oniisan, and Natsuki-oneesan arrive.
[A new Driver!? Who on earth…]
Natsuki-oneesan exclaims in surprise.
[That doesn’t matter, I’ll defeat the monster!]
Kamishiro-oniisan, not caring about that, attacks Chijou’s boss with two short swords.
[Kamishiro! Don’t rush in alone! You can’t take on a Deca-onna by yourself!!]
[Shut up, Kenzaki! Don’t tell me what to do!!]
The two of them are still arguing there…
[Please! Just cooperate with the three of us! Otherwise, we won’t be able to deal decisive damage to her!]
Chastised by Natsuki-oneesan, Kamishiro-oniisan and Aqua-oniisan stop fighting and look at each other.
[Tch! Fine, just this once, Kenzaki!! In return, treat me to La Maine tomorrow!!]
[Sorry, Kamishiro, that ramen shop assistant job only lasts until today… In return, I’ll help out at the udon shop tomorrow, so come there.]
At the mention of udon, some of sisters raise their voices.
[U-boom? There was still French cuisine I didn’t know about… Fine, let’s shake on it then.]
[Udon as French cuisine? I don’t really understand what you’re saying, but oh well. Let’s go, Kamishiro! And, Driver over there.]
Zanki-oniisan nods.
[[[Armor Purge!]]]
The backs of the three of them lined up are shown. Somehow, today, it feels like there are a lot of shots of their backs, but maybe that’s just Yuu’s imagination?
[[[Overclock!]]]
Even though they were fighting a moment ago, all three of them are in perfect sync.
[[[Driver Kick!]]]
Aqua-oniisan delivers a Driver Kick to Chijou’s boss’s abdomen like a roundhouse kick. Kamishiro-oniisan’s arrow pierces through Chijou’s boss’s body, who is sent flying backward. And then…!
[I’ll leave the rest to you!!]
Zanki-oniisan firmly aims the gun with both hands. He must have been charging up his attack all this time; the light on the gauge attached next to the gun reaches its maximum.
[Chijou… You might have been a victim for real. But even so, that doesn’t mean it’s allowed to hurt unrelated people!! So before you pile up more sins, I’ll stop you right here!!]
The released light from the gun’s muzzle envelopes Chijou’s boss’s body. The noisy hospital becomes quiet, and everyone focuses on the TV screen.
[I… I was only, ever judged, by my big body… and feared…]
Chijou’s boss, the past image of Deka-Onna, is displayed. Just because she had a large body, Deca-Onna was mocked by boys. As she transformed into Chijou, her body returns to the appearance of when she was human, held in Aqua-oniisan’s arms.
[You also… probably think that girls with big bodies aren’t cute, right…? That it’s pointless to strive so hard, right?]
Aqua-oniisan gently touches the small flower hairpin that Chijou had on her head, as if handling a precious treasure.
[No… You don’t have to give up on becoming cute just because you have a big body. And besides, I think being cute is not just about appearance.]
[Huh…?]
[That effort to be cute, I think it’s an unparalleled cuteness in everything… But I also think that girls with big bodies are cute too.]
One of the nurse sister, who is one of the biggest girls in the hospital, collapsed to her knees and started to cry.
[I see… thank you…]
Chijou’s boss’s face softens.
[Glasses brother… thank you. For stopping her.]
Zanki-oniisan, who had reverted from his transformation, is shown up close.
[Even without, being a Driver, your figure, standing up to face me… looked really cool.]
Chijou’s boss… no, the body of the sister turns into particles of light and slowly disappears. Yet, Aqua-oniisan remains frozen in the posture of embracing her. Kamishiro-oniisan slowly leaves the scene. Watching the two of them, Zanki-oniisan clenches his fist while gritting his teeth.
”Today was amazing too, Yuu-chan.”
”Yeah… Mai-chan.”
Yuu holds hands tightly with Mai-chan, who is next to her.
”Mai-chan… Yuu’ll do my best in today’s walking training. Just like Zanki-oniisan, I’ll do my best even if I’m scared or terrified. Because Zanki-oniisan didn’t give up. So Yuu won’t give up either!”
”Yeah! I’ll be there to support you, Mai-chan, so let’s do our best together!”
After breakfast, Yuu, with Mai-chan’s support, starts her walking training. However, when Yuu tries to stand up from the wheelchair, her legs tremble as Yuu remembers that moment. The more Yuu thinks she has to do her best, the more the face of that car man from that time comes to mind, and Yuu can’t take a step forward.
’Even now, I feel pathetic for trembling and stumbling in front of you. But! If I don’t stand up here, if I don’t confront it!! Do I… do I have to run away again!!’
Zanki-oniisan’s words make Yuu realize.
That’s right. If Yuu doesn’t stand up here, Yuu… Yuu will have to keep living dominated by that fear of that car man. Yuu absolutely doesn’t want that!! If Yuu’s going to think about a guy anyway, Yuu wants to keep living thinking about Zanki-oniisan… no, Shintaro-oniisan!!
Slowly, Yuu puts pressure on one leg from the wheelchair. But maybe because Yuu put so much strength into her leg after a long time, it trembles, and Yuu can’t put enough strength into it. Maybe it’s still not working, Yuu thought. In that instant, Yuu hears a familiar voice.
”Keep going, Yuu-chan!!”
When Yuu looks up, in front of her is Lightning Hopper, Shintaro-oniisan.
”Don’t give up!”
”Good job! Keep it up!!”
”Fight on! Fight on!!”
Looking around, there’s Heaven’s Sword, Poison Chalice, and Natsuki-oneesan dressed in SYUKUJYO squad attire.
”Yuu, you’re not scared, do your best!!”
Mom clenches her handkerchief, raising her voice while crying. Yuu too, clenches her hand, not wanting to make mom cry any more.
”Yuu-chan, just a little more, put strength into your right leg too!!”
The sister supporting Yuu watches Yuu with a serious gaze, gently looking after her.
”Yuu-chan, do your best! Don’t let some weird guy beat you! Come on!”
Mai-chan cheers loudly for her.
”Uuuuuuu!”
Yuu raises her voice, putting strength into her legs. And step by step, I can walk. Yuu can walk! But since Yuu hasn’t walked much for a while, her legs get tangled. Yuu’s about to fall! In that instant, Shintaro-oniisan gently embraces Yuu’s body to steady her.
”You did great! Isn’t that amazing!”
Shintaro-oniisan gently strokes Yuu’s head. Even though there was his suit between them, his hand feels really big and warm. The memories of the frightening man inside Yuu are being overwritten by the fun and warm memories with Shintaro-oniisan.
”Shintaro-oniisan! Yuu, Yuu, will practice walking a lot! So, you know, once we can race again…”
”Yeah! Let’s race together!”
Everyone who was watching Yuu sends applause while crying. Shintaro-oniisan and the others seemed to have other matters afterward, but they surprised the people around them by cheering on and speaking to everyone in rehabilitation. Everyone stayed until grind, but in the end, they left with a big sister, who came to pick them up.
”Hey, Yuu-chan.”
”What, Mai-chan?”
When Yuu meets Mai-chan’s gaze, Mai-chan shows her gums and smiles.
”Everyone looked cool, right!”
”Yeah!!”
Shintaro-oniisan taught me the word “courage.” But what he taught me isn’t just that. Shintaro-oniisan… someday, absolutely, when Yuu grows up, I’ll gather the courage to confess. So wait until then!
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.