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Chapter 145: Your Story With Her Never Ends
🕑 Added 2025-02-20 15:02:10 +0000 UTCA life that has begun its course will not stop, nor will it change.
Just like real life itself.
[Time continued to move forward.]
[You and Akane publicly announced your wedding date.]
[No one was surprised in the slightest.]
[To them, the very name Minami & Shinjo Tokusatsu already spoke for itself.]
[At twenty-nine, you were in the prime of your lives—both at your strongest and most mature.]
[Everyone had nothing but blessings for your marriage.]
[Even online, fan communities dedicated to celebrating your union began to emerge.]
[In the presence of countless well-wishers, you and Akane held your wedding.]
[Dressed in a pure white shiromuku, she was breathtakingly beautiful.]
[You, in a deep navy montsuki, looked handsome and dignified.]
[Your wedding was a private affair—few from the industry were invited, and there was no press conference. The public only found out after it was all over.]
[That night, Rikka—who rarely drank—ended up having more than a few glasses.]
[You and Akane helped her to her room to rest.]
[Watching her quiet, sleeping face, Akane met your gaze and smiled.]
[She and Rikka were the closest of friends, and she understood Rikka's feelings for you.]
[If it weren't for you, there was probably nothing in the world she wouldn't have shared with Rikka.]
[Gently stroking Rikka's forehead, Akane whispered a soft apology.]
[Time moved ever forward.]
[Minami & Shinjo Tokusatsu continued producing outstanding tokusatsu works.]
[Your and Akane's names grew ever more renowned.]
[And as you looked back at the path you had walked, you realized—at some point, the world had already begun calling you both…]
["The Gods of Tokusatsu in the Reiwa Era."]
[You have conquered the hearts of all since the dawn of the Reiwa era with your unparalleled works.]
[As snow fell gently in the courtyard, you and Akane nestled together.]
[Without even realizing it, your dreams had already come true.]
[A happiness that reached the depths of your souls enveloped you both completely.]
[Even the silent, monotonous snowfall seemed lively and full of life in your eyes.]
[Meanwhile, Rikka—your beloved lead actress—continued to top surveys on "The Woman People Want to Marry Most." With her consistently outstanding performances, surpassing all other actresses in the industry, she became Japan's most cherished national actress.]
[Yet, despite all of this, the relationship between the three of you remained unchanged.]
[Even as the years passed and middle age approached, Rikka still frequently visited your home to chat.]
[Sometimes, she would even bring friends along.]
[Each time she visited, you and Akane would put in the effort to welcome her warmly. Just a glance exchanged between you all was enough to feel the quiet joy in each other's presence.]
[As your dream had already been fulfilled, you gradually withdrew from managing Minami & Shinjo Tokusatsu.]
[You had spent so many years tirelessly striving toward your goals. Now, reaching middle age, fatigue had settled in. You no longer felt the need to keep pushing forward relentlessly—you simply wanted to rest, in each other's embrace.]
[You spent less time working and more time together.]
[And as a natural consequence… Akane became pregnant.]
[With you always by her side and Rikka frequently visiting, your child was finally born.]
[Akane, lying in her hospital bed, looked pale and exhausted. But the moment she laid eyes on your child, she couldn't help but reach out and hold them close.]
[Your child was healthy, and with memories of her own difficult childhood, Akane secretly vowed to raise them with nothing but warmth and love.]
[At Rikka's suggestion, you and Akane named your daughter—Mirai (未来).
["Mirai"—the word Akane had never dared to hope for in her high school days, now held all of her hopes for the future.]
[Under your, Akane's, and Rikka's care, Mirai grew up strong and healthy.]
[Perhaps due to Rikka's constant presence, Mirai's personality wasn't quite like yours or Akane's—rather, she took after Rikka, carrying an easygoing and carefree nature.]
[Having been exposed to Minami & Shinjo's tokusatsu films since childhood, Mirai developed an unspoken admiration for that world of heroes and justice.]
[By the time she was in first grade, she told you she wanted to be like "Aunt Rikka" and perform on the big screen.]
[Watching your daughter grow step by step, you and Akane felt a happiness beyond words.]
[Time continued to move forward.]
[Mirai kept growing.]
[She inherited your black hair, while her adorable, expressive face was unmistakably Akane's.
[By the time she was only in third grade, she had already received love letters from classmates.]
[Having grown up with your influence, the precocious young girl rejected them with surprising skill.]
[Still, the event led Akane—who had a mischievous streak—to tease her during dinner, asking what kind of person she wanted to marry in the future.]
[In response, Mirai lifted her head and seriously declared that she wanted to marry her dad.]
[In the simulation, the memory unfolded before you.]
"Oh my… My daughter wants to marry your father when she grows up?"
Wiping her damp hands on her apron, Akane turned to look at Mirai.
The young girl, still in elementary school, had a fair complexion with a healthy pinkish hue. Her large, black eyes—accentuated by her youthful features—made her look even more adorable.
Her neatly cut shoulder-length black hair gave her a clean and refreshing look.
And with her wearing a princess dress today, she looked so small and cute that anyone would want to scoop her up into a hug.
"Mhm!"
Mirai nodded enthusiastically. "Daddy is so cool and kind! When he came to my parent-teacher meeting, a lot of other moms kept asking me for his contact information!"
"Oh my, my…"
Akane's smile grew even brighter.
So she really did make the right choice keeping him home more often.
Honestly—
Even now, as a middle-aged man, he still kept attracting attention.
It was ridiculous.
Akane muttered to herself, then playfully said, "Well then, Mirai, let's work together to keep an eye on Daddy and make sure no strange women take him away."
"Mhm!"
Mirai nodded even harder, her small face full of determination. "I'll protect Daddy!"
"How reliable."
Akane gently patted Mirai's head before crouching down beside her.
Then, glancing at the wedding photo of herself and Minami hanging on the wall, a small smile graced her lips.
"But back to the topic of marrying Daddy…"
She looked at her daughter.
"Marrying your father… That really is a wonderful dream, isn't it?"
With a hand resting on Mirai's cheek, Akane used the other to count on her fingers.
"Because you see, if you marry someone like him, every day will be filled with joy and happiness."
"And in the end, I was lucky enough to have you. I really am a fortunate woman."
"Mhm!"
Mirai nodded even harder.
Her big, bright eyes sparkled, as if marrying her father was the happiest fate in the world.
Then—
"That's why, Mirai, one day you'll find someone wonderful for yourself."
"Huh?"
Mirai blinked, stunned.
"What I'm saying is… that man already belongs to me. I'm sorry, but you'll have to pick someone else, Mirai."
"But I want to marry Daddy!"
Her face turned red as she protested.
Yet Akane, ever playful, simply blinked at her.
"Oh my, oh my… You really do take after me, Mirai. You have great taste."
"But like I said, he's already mine. Even if you're my daughter, I won't give him up."
Resting her chin in her hand, Akane grinned as she watched Mirai stomp her feet in frustration.
"So don't rush, Mirai. One day, you'll find someone just as special."
"That person is Daddy!"
"Nope—absolutely not. He belongs to me."
Akane stretched out the last few words teasingly.
Her playful tone was so infuriating that Mirai nearly burst into tears.
Then—
"What's not allowed?"
"Oh, you're back, Minami. Seriously, come deal with your daughter. She just said she wants to marry you when she grows up."
Turning toward the doorway, Akane smirked at Minami.
"Oh? Not bad, she has great taste."
"Why do you look so pleased? You already have me, you know."
Akane huffed.
Minami looked between his wife and daughter—both flustered for different reasons—and couldn't help but laugh.
In these everyday moments—
Lived an ordinary yet irreplaceable happiness.
[To correct Mirai's misguided view on romance, Akane took it upon herself to educate her properly.]
[However, all of her attempts ultimately ended in failure.]
[No matter how much she explained, Mirai remained firm in her belief that you were the best marriage partner—and even gave you a kiss on the cheek.]
[Feeling jealous, Akane retaliated by kissing you ten times in return before finally letting it go.]
[Afterward, despite Mirai's protests, Akane set up a separate bedroom for her, putting an end to the days when she could sleep in the master bedroom with both of you.]
[Time continued to flow.]
[Under your and Akane's watchful eyes, Mirai kept growing.]
[At her request, Rikka used her industry connections to help arrange acting training for her.]
[Balancing school and performance training, Mirai steadily made her way into high school.]
[Due to her dedication to acting, her academic performance began to suffer. In response, you personally set aside time to tutor her, emphasizing that before stepping into the film industry, the best foundation she could build was to refine her craft.]
[She took your words to heart, and with your guidance, she was accepted into a prestigious acting university in Japan.]
[By this time, Minami & Shinjo Tokusatsu had released over fifty tokusatsu films.]
[But as the years passed, you and Akane could feel that you could no longer push yourselves as hard as before.]
[After much discussion, you both decided that this final year would mark the creation of your last work.]
[Upon the public announcement, tokusatsu fans were filled with regret and reluctance.]
[Over the years, they had already recognized your unparalleled contributions to the tokusatsu world.]
[But time and health were forces beyond anyone's control. No matter how much they wished otherwise, in the end, they respected your decision.]
[Just like you both, years of relentless hard work had taken a toll on Rikka as well. Seeing her closest friends preparing to retire, she, too, began considering stepping away.]
[When she shared her thoughts with you and Akane, you both supported her decision.]
[And so, under the watchful eyes of all, you and Akane poured your final efforts into writing one last script—Goodbye! Goodbye! Heroes.]
[This work brought together every dark hero character that had ever appeared in Minami & Shinjo Tokusatsu.]
[As its title suggested, it was a farewell.]
[Minami & Shinjo Tokusatsu, which had begun in the Reiwa era, was finally coming to an end.
[The final scene unfolded against the backdrop of a sunset over the sea.]
[Seagulls occasionally soared across the sky.]
"Are you really leaving?"
[The human protagonist stood at the cliffside, asking the figure before them—Black Sun.]
"The crisis has passed."
[Black Sun's raspy voice echoed.]
"Then shouldn't you stay? Not just you—all of you heroes who have remained in the shadows."
"If we stay, a new crisis will arise."
"But… humanity needs heroes."
"Humanity is its own hero."
[Minami & Shinjo Tokusatsu began with Kaijin Black Sun. And in the end, it also concluded with Kaijin Black Sun.]
[As the final scene played—the moment Black Sun and all the dark heroes disappeared into the night—countless Minami & Shinjo tokusatsu fans were left in tears.]
[The era of the "Gods of Reiwa Tokusatsu" had come to an end.]
[But just as Black Sun said in the final moments—]
[Humanity is its own hero.]
[With just a moment to collect themselves, people can face the hardships and challenges of life on their own—that is what makes humanity truly remarkable.]
[The era of Minami & Shinjo has come to an end.]
[But the story between you and her is far from over.]
