"Haruko, you can't force people to help you!" Jonetsu shouted.
"Sure I can!" Haruko exclaimed as she pushed her two fellow Cures.
"No, you shouldn't force people to help you." Sensaina explained.
"Come on! Only for today!" Haruko attempted to reason.
"Haruko!" The two shouted as they crossed their arms.
"We aren't going to help you and your parents' shop!" Sensaina declared.
"But..we're already here." Haruko stated.
Sensaina and Jonetsu turned around to see Hanakaze Extrodinaire right in front of them.
"There goes our weekend.." Jonetsu moaned.
Haruko brought Jonetsu and Sensaina to her parent's shop to help with the extra chores they usually do on weekends because their usual volunteers were all on some sort of retreat.
"And we're the best you could find?" Sensaina asked skeptically.
"Pretty Cure's honor!" Haruko exclaimed cheerfully. Sensaina winced at the word Pretty Cure. It was just a few days ago, Raika was killed by Hatred and technically it was their fault. The event was so traumatizing to the girls. Jonetsu had to create a lie that Raika was heartbroken and moved away to Alejandro, who didn't seem so pleased with the news. Haruko and Jonetsu weren't as affected as badly Sensaina, so they decided to stay clear of the Pretty Cure topic.
"Haruko, why can't you do this by yourself?" Jonetsu asked as she drove the topic away from Pretty Cure.
"Because I'm a plucky thirteen year old girl?" Haruko replied sheepishly.
"Not good enough!" Jonetsu barked. Sensaina giggled quietly at the two's dispute.
"At least she's laughing." Jonetsu thought.
"Haruko, what kind of jobs are we going to do?" Sensaina asked.
"You know the usual, watering the plants, dusting outside's sidewalk, rearranging the plants for equal amounts of sunlight." Haruko listed. The two other girls were tired out by just listening to her.
"There's my HaruHaru!"A cheerful masculine voice bellowed.
"Dad!" Haruko shouted as a man with dark brown hair appeared from the doorway. Haruko affectionately grabbed onto one of his legs like a koala. Haruko's dad smiled brightly and as Haruko broke the hug, he walked up to Jonetsu and Sensaina.
"Hiiragi Hanakaze, pleasure to meet ya!" Hiiragi greeted as he held his hand out. Sensaina shook hands with him first.
"Sensaina Utahime." Sensaina greeted. His grip was considerably strong.
"Jonetsu Hihoshi." Jonetsu greeted.
"Haruko, you brought your friends again?" Haruko's mom came from the back door," Oh, it's been quite a while since I've seen them!"
"They also weren't my friends back then," Haruko said to herself.
"Hiya Mrs. Hanakaze!" Jonetsu greeted.
"Please, call me Rikka!" Haruko's mom said.
"Alright ladies, we have a lot of work in our hands today!" Hiiragi declared. He then pointed towards Sensaina and Jonetsu.
"You two..." He held up a pair of brooms glamorously," Can sweep the sidewalk!"
Rikka gave applause.
"Yay.." The two of them moaned.
The two took up the tasks and began to sweep outside.
"Honestly.."Jonetsu said quietly. She glanced towards Sensaina. Sensaina sweeping was idle and her mind seemed to be somewhere else.
"Not again." Jonetsu groaned. She soon thought of something that could momentarily let Sensaina escape all of her heavy thoughts.
"You want to know what's really funny? Well, you know how I want to be a Matchmaker and you want to a Songstress right? Well, if the same goes for Haruko, then that means she wants to be a garden!" Jonetsu fake laughed to lift Sensaina's mood.
Sensaina gave a polite laugh.
"You two done yet?" Haruko asked half of her appeared from the doorway.
"This isn't as easy as it seems!" Jonetsu complained to Haruko.
"Sure it is!" Haruko responded.
Jonetsu came up with an idea," Then show us how to properly to this extremely easy task. Haruko grabbed the broom from Jonetsu.
"Gladly." Haruko responded. As Haruko began to vigorously sweep the sidewalk, Sensaina and Jonetsu crept away to the shop's interior.
"How can they have the audacity to do something like that!" Rikka screamed as she flung her hand in the girls' direction.
"She's onto us, run!" Jonetsu whispered. Sensaina turned around and looked through the large glass window. On the other side of the street was a stall selling flower bouquets.
"Jonetsu, she's not talking to us." Sensaina held her friend back from running. She pointed out the flower stall.
"What in the world?" Hiiragi said as his wife pointed out the stall," Looks like I'm going to have to set things straight with them!" Hiiragi stormed out of the shop and Haruko followed along.
"Dad, where are you going?" Haruko asked as she walked alongside him.
"Going to have a word with them," Hiiragi boldly pointed out the flower stall. It seemed to be run by a middle aged woman who wore a flower in her hair.
"Then I'm coming along too! I'll unleash my Hanakaze fury on them!" Haruko haughtily pulled her sleeves up as she walked towards the stall.
"The father and daughter duo walked up to the stall and all the woman did was beam towards them.
"Welcome to the Blooming Flower, how may I help you?" The woman asked cheerfully.
Hiiragi took a deep a breath and began to speak," Are you the owner of this kiosk?" His tone turned friendly and flirty. He placed his elbow on the edge of the stall, infuriating Haruko.
"Dad!" Haruko yelled in frustration.
The woman laughed in a sultry tone," Why yes, care to hear of our specialty plants?"
"Why not?" Hiiragi chuckled.
"Dad!" This time, Haruko got her father's attention," Look lady, you can't have your stall here. Wanna know why?"
"HaruHaru, let's not be has-"
"Cause our shop's on the other side of the street!" Haruko shouted.
"This is your child?" The woman asked unimpressedly.
Hiiragi came back to his senses," Yes she is. We are of our Hanakaze Extrodinaire. Now would you mind moving your location?"
"Why can't you move yours?" The woman's grey eyes glared to Haruko.
"Because we're not on wheels?" Hiiragi reasoned as he lightly kicked the wheels of the woman's stall.
The two of them were working the woman's last nerve,"Look here if you think for a second I'm leaving this spot because you and your kid-"
"Mom, where do you want these?" A soft male voice asked. Haruko eyes widened as she saw the boy. He seemed to be Sensaina and Jonetsu age. He looked slightly like his mother with his pale brown hair, but his eyes were dark red. He held a crate that was most likely filled with flowers.
"Oh there you are Minoru! Just put those over here." The woman responded.
"Minoru?" Haruko repeated quietly. Minoru did as told and set the crates down.
"Who are they?" Minoru asked as he looked at Haruko and her father.
"They own that shop across the street. Now what was it again?" The woman asked.
"Hanakaze Extrodinaire, owned by me, Hiiragi Hanakaze." Hiiragi responded," And this is the little heiress to our shop, Haruko."
"Well, since we're all learning names here, my name is Minene Yurino and here's my son Minoru," Minene greeted.
"Now, do you mind moving your stall?" Hiiragi asked again.
Minene instantly lost her temper," How dare you ask me twice!"
The Hanakaze was startled and they ran off back to their shop.
"This isn't the end," Hiiragi panted as he entered the shop.
"But what will we do? That woman seems so persistent." Rikka pointed out.
"There's always sabotage." Jonetsu shrugged. Hiiragi was intrigued with Jonetsu and her comment.
"What kind of sabotage?" Hiiragi asked desperately.
"Now she's done it.." Sensaina facepalmed.
"You know, screw the bolts off the stall, steal the wheels or something." Jonetsu listed.
"This idea is brilliant! We shall sabotage!" Hiiragi exclaimed.
Haruko rolled her eyes at her father's decision. This was way too dim-witted, even for him.
An hour passed and Minene momentarily left her stall and put Minoru in charge. As soon as her back was turned, Minoru shrugged and carelessly left the stall, finally giving Jonetsu and Hiiragi their chance.
"Now! Now!" Jonetsu cried. Hiiragi snatched his tool box and the two fled the shop.
Sensaina and Rikka watched the hopeless duo tamper with Minene's stall in reluctance.
Haruko looked at the path Minoru took as he left his mother's stall. She quietly took her Toki-filled bag and headed the back door unnoticed.
She followed the path he took and eventually found him at a grassy vacant lot. Haruko kept herself hidden for the moment, unsure of what she could say to the boy. Few things came to her mind, but all of her ideas weren't good enough. Finally, when she decided it'd be better for her to leave, the boy spoke up.
"Are you going to stand there forever?" He asked. Haruko stiffened up and stood in place. She slowly turned her head around to see if anyone else was here. No one else was in sight. She took a huge gulp.
"Of course I'm talking to you, Haruko." Minoru said.
Haruko giggled sheepishly and emerged from her hiding spot.
"Aren't you going to look after the stand?" Haruko eventually asked.
"There nothing on that stall that's worth stealing." Minoru stated.
"True..but won't your mom get mad at you?" Haruko questioned.
"I wouldn't really care." Minoru stated.
Haruko didn't know what to make of this boy,"Well, you should because my dad and Jonetsu are-"
"-Do you want me to be against you?" Minoru stood up and faced Haruko.
Haruko reddened and forced herself to answer," W-well, not you in particular."
Minoru smiled and went to retrieve something from his backpack. He took out a yellow flower and handed it to Haruko.
"Do you know what this is?" He asked.
"S-sure I do! It's a Tickseed." Haruko stated as she took the flower.
"Not only that. Do you speak the language of flowers?" Minoru asked.
"Of course, Tickseeds mean always cheerful..." Haruko looked down to the flower.
"Then I presume you know where I'm getting at?" Minoru said," Tomorrow morning, let's meet here again."
"Why?" Haruko asked.
"I want to talk to you more." Minoru said as he walked away. He left Haruko alone with the flower.
Haruko stood there for a few more minutes, then she felt the petals of the Tickseed. They were rough and they felt like fabric.
"An artificial flower?" Haruko asked. She went back to her parents' shop to see her father had returned and her fellow Cures gone.
The next day, Haruko dolled herself up and waited for Minoru. She wore her fancy clothes that were collecting dust in her closet and her mother's lipstick and high heels. Of course, she also brought along Toki and her dreamkeeper. Haruko was impatient and as she waited ,she thought of the Tickseed Minoru gave to her yesterday. He gave her the Tickseed, then referenced the language of flowers. Did that mean he thought her to be always cheerful? Maybe she would've believed him if the flower was real.
"Any minute now," Haruko said. Minoru soon showed up.
"Wow, Haruko you look great," Minoru remarked.
"Thanks, so what would you like to do?" Haruko asked.
"Whatever you want." Minoru grinned. They left the grassy lot, hand in hand and went to wherever Haruko desired.
"I don't trust that stall." Jonetsu narrowed her eyes. Minene's stall seemed untouched even though Jonetsu and Hiiragi spent most of the afternoon tampering with the stand. Hiiragi glared through the glass window and shook his head slowly. Minene caught his gaze and winked to him.
"It was supposed to have broken down!" Hiiragi shouted in frustration.
Rikka comforted her husband," It was only your first attempt."
"Oh but don't worry, I've got a dozen tricks up my sleeve!" Hiiragi exclaimed proudly.
"Speaking of tricks, where's Haruko?" Sensaina asked.
"She left early this morning saying she had some sort of errands to do." Rikka replied.
"Come to think of it, where's that kid that worked at the stand?" Jonetsu asked.
Sensaina's eyes widened," You don't think they're-?"
"-on a date?!" Jonetsu yell-whispered.
"In any case, we should go find them!" Sensaina said.
"I don't trust that kid.." Jonetsu said as they walked out of the store.
"Why not?" Sensaina asked.
"I dunno..he just seems abnormal." Jonetsu stated.
"Abnormal?" Sensaina repeated.
"Those red eyes, his pasty complexion, and every time he smiles he bears his canine teeth, which seem really sharp." Jonetsu noted," I think he's a-"
"-Vampire?!" Sensaina interrupted. Jonetsu then smacked Sensaina on the head.
"I apologize for my existence." Sensaina said quietly.
"No! I think he's a spy from Malevolent." Jonetsu finished.
"Or maybe Raika's replacement." Sensaina added somberly.
Meanwhile Haruko was surprisingly having the time of her life with Minoru. They had just devoured a pack of chocolate together.
"Now what?" Minoru asked.
Haruko grinned and grabbed onto his hand.
"To the lake!" Haruko shouted. They ran to the nearby lake and Haruko picked up a few stones.
"Have you ever thrown stones into a lake?" Haruko asked as she handed him a stone.
"Can't say I have." Minoru replied.
"It's easy." Haruko threw a stone into the lake. She was skilled in getting stones to skip in the water. She loved seeing the ripples of the lake ever since she was little.
"Try," Haruko said. Minoru threw the stone into the lake and it skipped a few times. Haruko was surprised with Minoru's talent.
"Wow! Are you sure this was your first?" Haruko asked in awe. Minoru shrugged and smiled to Haruko. They threw in a few more stones and soon they were ready to move on to something more fun than this. As they were about to leave, Haruko spotted a flower that seemed to be growing from nowhere.
"A Jonquil?" Haruko asked as she examined the flower. She quickly glanced at Minoru. In the language of flowers, a Jonquil meant 'Return my affection.' Haruko picked out the flower and placed it into her backpack.
Haruko and Minoru went back into the city. They did way more fun things, but a few times they did spot Sensaina and Jonetsu and they successfully avoided them each time. By the end of the day, Haruko was ready to give Minoru the Jonquil. But first she needed to ask him something.
"Minoru?" Haruko began.
"What is it?" Minoru asked.
"The Tickseed you gave me yesterday..why was it artificial?" Haruko asked.
"Because, all the flowers at my mom's stall are artificial." Minoru responded indifferently.
"Oh, so if they're weren't any artificial Tickseeds at your mother's stall, would you get me a real Tickseed or another flower?" Haruko hesitantly asked.
"I'd get you another flower." Minoru replied neutrally.
Haruko seemed phased with his response," Why?"
"Because real flowers can't last forever." Minoru said.
"But, fake flowers will never capture the true meaning of the real flower they're attempting to imitate." Haruko stated
"Says you, A flower can hold a thousand different meanings." Minoru said.
"Yes, but only when the flower is real." Haruko retaliated.
"What good can a real flower do when it's lifespan is so short?" Minoru asked coldly.
"Much more than a flower made of cheap wood and fabric." Haruko said.
"Well then, I'll go back to my stall of immortal flowers." Minoru left her in the vacant lot.
Haruko bit her lips to prevent the tears from falling,"Immortality leads to grief!"
It was hard to tell whether her words reached Minoru or not. She opened her bag and out came Toki.
"Haruko-desu?" Toki said as looked at the tears that cascaded down her face. She zipped open the pocket that held the Jonquil.
"He would never accept it, would he?" Haruko choked out.
Nearby was Tsuchiyo, in search of a dreamstone to take. But at the moment, something else was rattling in his mind.
"Word of advice for all of you from Hatred." Hirutaro began," It'll be better for all of you to not create alter egos or act as humans. After all, you saw what happened to Raika, right? That's what she got for playing 'Kitsune'.
"It shame. Raika was the good one out of the three girls." Tsuchiyo remarked. He looked down to his belt where his new onyx gem was placed.
"What's this?" Tsuchiyo asked as he saw Minoru. His dreamstone was dangerously dark and it captured Tsuchiyo's attention.
:Who is that?" Minoru asked as he saw Tsuchiyo.
Tsuchiyo quickly descended down and caused another of his signature earthquakes.
"Was that his doing?" Minoru asked himself as he attempted to get up," Did it reach Haruko?"
Tsuchiyo waved his arm in Minoru's direction and removed his dreamstone. As Minoru fell to the ground unconscious, a bouquet of artificial flowers fell from his bag.
"Appear, Malvoid!" Tsuchiyo pointed to the bouquet.
"Malvoid!" The monsterfied bouquet roared.
"Go find the Pretty Cure!" Tsuchiyo commanded," Maybe now I'll get attention from Hatred.." His mind then randomly flashed back to Raika's death and how Hatred just appeared in front of the Pretty Cure.
"That was really bold of Hatred.." Tsuchiyo thought aloud.
Nearby Haruko was recovering from the earthquake caused by Tsuchiyo.
"We should go check on Minoru." Haruko said as she picked up Toki. Suddenly the Malvoid appeared in front of Haruko at the grassy lot.
"Malvoid!" It cackled.
"Haruko transform-desu!" Toki instructed.
Haruko nodded and took out her dreamkeeper.
"Pretty Cure, Dream On!" Haruko shouted as green lights flashed around her.
"Growing everything in a lifeless land, Cure Garden!" Garden announced.
She jumped up towards the Malvoid and threw load of kicks and punch, but her efforts seemed to have no effect on the Malvoid.
"That couldn't be.." She gasped in realization," Minoru's dreamstone?"
She fell to her knees and lost her will to fight. It must've been her fault his dreamstone was taken anyways.
"Garden, watch out-desu!" Toki warned. Garden looked and the Malvoid was spitting large wooden thorns to her. Unable to dodge, the thorns pinned her to the wall.
"Yes! I got one!" Tsuchiyo exclaimed.
Garden shut her eyes and prepared for the worst but suddenly she heard to familiar voices.
"Pretty Cure, Double dreamer kick!" Songstress and Matchmaker cried from above. They kicked the Malvoid into the ground.
"You guys, this Malvoid's existence is all my fault! It's Minoru's dreamstone!" Garden wailed.
"Don't worry we all make mistakes," Matchmaker said as she threw multiple kicks to the Malvoid.
"But it takes a good person to correct them!" Songstress concluded.
"A good person.." Garden repeated," Then that means this battle is mine!"
Garden received motivation and passion from the her fellow Cures encouraging words.
"Pretty Cure Budding Charge!" Garden shouted. The attack wasn't in vain, it threw off the Malvoid's balance.
"Pretty Cure!" Garden jumped up high," Botanical Evergreen...Flourish!" She tied up the Malvoid and rendered it immobile.
"And for my finale!" Garden clapped her hands.
"Pretty Cure, Blooming Empathy!" Garden shouted as a large green flower appeared before her. She swung it to the Malvoid.
"Awake!" Garden shouted as she demonsterfied the Malvoid.
The girls walked back to Haruko's shop, unable to find Minoru.
"Maybe it wasn't his dreamstone-kore," Doki suggested.
"Maybe.." Haruko said.
The girls then saw Hiiragi walk up to the Blooming Flower.
"I'm sorry for all trouble I've been causing you," Hiiragi apologized as he held out a canister to Minene," No hard feelings?"
Haruko's jaw dropped at the spectacle her dad was making.
Minene plastered a smile onto herself and took the canister. She opened it and suddenly a large number of 'snakes' all jumped out from the can.
Minene threw can down angrily. Hiiragi then took out a small confetti cannon and launched at Minene stall.
"You better clean this up!" Minene screamed.
"Of course I will," Hiiragi said as he stealthily kicked the small piece of wood wedged near one of the wheels of the stall. The stall rapidly went rolling down the street and Minene ran behind it.
Suddenly Minoru appeared from nowhere.
"Haruko?" Minoru tapped her shoulder.
"What is it?" Haruko blushed.
"I'm sorry for being so ignorant. You're right. Wooden flowers lack feeling and meaning. My stall's flowers are nothing..compared to yours. And also," Minoru took something from his bag. It was the Jonquil Haruko picked out for him!
"I want you to have this." Minoru handed the flower to her.
"Minoru, where did you find this?" Haruko asked.
"At the lot." Minoru responded.
"I want you to keep it." Haruko said.
"Are you sure?" Minoru questioned.
"Consider it my gift to you." Haruko declared," Do you know what Jonquils mean in the language of flowers?"
"Return my affection?" Minoru guessed. Haruko did nothing but smile. Minoru smiled to her, understanding what she meant and almost kissed her forehead.
"Haruko, watch out for his fangs!" Sensaina shrieked.
"Fangs?" Haruko shouted.
Jonetsu crossed her arms and stayed out of this conversation.
"He might be a vampire!" Sensaina shouted.
"Might?" Haruko said skeptically.
"He has pale skin, red eyes and fangs!" Sensaina squeaked.
Minoru raised his eyebrows and chuckled," Pale skin runs in my family, I don't actually know why my canines are sharp and I wear contacts."
He took out both his contacts, revealing his real eye color to be grey like his mother's.
"Oh." Sensaina reddened as she and Jonetsu walked away.
"Now then." Minoru gave finally Haruko a kiss on her forehead.