Chapter 202 - 202: So, It Was Captain Zoffy

Words : 1340 Updated : Oct 14th, 2025

Hiratsuka Shizuka was in a terrible mood today. The new year had just begun—supposedly the kind of time you see in TV dramas, full of hope and new beginnings. And yet, she had already failed another blind date. It wasn't even one of those sketchy setups this time. It was arranged through someone she knew. She didn't expect fireworks or instant romance, but at the very least, she hoped to get to know the guy, maybe exchange contact info and become friends. But just as she stepped out the door, all dressed up and looking her best, she received a call from her date. He sounded genuinely apologetic, saying something urgent had come up and he couldn't make it. But Shizuka wasn't deaf. She clearly heard a woman's voice in the background of the call. It wasn't hard to guess—her blind date had probably bumped into someone more his type and bailed. Just like that, her very first date of the new year ended before it even started. Shizuka, feeling utterly dejected, didn't want to go home yet. There was no one waiting there anyway—just an empty apartment. Rather than sulk alone, she figured she might as well stay out among the lively crowds. Maybe the buzz of people could drown out her gloom. But the longer she lingered, the worse she felt. All that cheer, that festive energy—it had nothing to do with her. That was when she suddenly heard a voice, confident and dramatic: "Miss, do you believe in light?" She couldn't even be bothered to look up. With a dismissive wave, she muttered, "No." But the voice came again. "I believe a beautiful lady like you must believe in the light." Beautiful? Shizuka blinked, momentarily caught off guard. A strange warmth bubbled up in her chest before she could stop it. When she finally looked up, she was greeted by the sight of… Ultraman Zero's face. Her entire expression froze. "…Zero? Wait—are you… a cosplayer?" Trying to regain her composure, Shizuka smoothed her features and asked casually, "Is this some kind of event?" The Zero cosplayer—Haru in disguise—grinned inside the suit and repeated, "So, do you believe in the light?" "I'm sorry, but I'm not really interested in participating in—wait a second… your voice sounds awfully familiar." As she spoke, Shizuka's beautifully made-up face shifted subtly. Her brow furrowed, her eyes sharp with suspicion. "…Amamiya?" "It's not Amamiya. It's Zero," Haru corrected her with that over-the-top anime flair, clearly doing a Gintama-style bit. Shizuka's face immediately darkened. "So it is you, you little punk." Shizuka recalled that earlier line—"a beautiful lady like you"—and immediately shot him a glare."You've got guts, huh? Flirting with me of all people?" Haru crossed his arms confidently. "That wasn't flirting. It was just the truth." Shizuka narrowed her eyes at the familiar phrasing, feigning anger."You're still going with that line?" Haru maintained his signature "Ultraman arms-crossed" stance and replied calmly,"You know me—I'm a man who speaks only the truth." For a split second, Shizuka's gaze wavered, and a soft blush crept up her cheeks.She quickly turned her head away, trying to appear composed. That turn of her head, however, brought two familiar figures into view—Yukino and Megumi walking toward them. Only then did Shizuka realize the truth—so that's why Haru was out in a full Ultraman suit. He had two girls tagging along as his photo crew. "Hiratsuka-sensei." ×2 Both Yukino and Megumi greeted her politely. Shizuka offered a warm smile in return, and when she turned back to Haru, her expression looked much brighter."Whose idea was it to have this guy play Zero? I'll admit though, the suit fits him surprisingly well." Haru quipped, "Don't you think it fits perfectly because of how ideal my physique is?" Shizuka rolled her eyes. "You're lucky I'm not calling you out for flirting. Now you want compliments too?" "Flirting?" Yukino's brows furrowed slightly. Megumi blinked. "Haru, when did you become so bold?" "I didn't flirt with her, I swear!" Haru quickly clarified, hands up as if surrendering. Watching him panic, Shizuka couldn't help but laugh."What now? You can't even own up to what you just said?" "I just noticed you seemed a little down… so I thought I'd cheer you up." Haru said it plainly, without any pretense. Shizuka froze, her expression softening in an instant. Her eyes shimmered faintly. She let out a small cough to mask her flustered emotions, then smiled."Thanks. That method of yours… works better than I thought. I no longer believe in the light." "You traitor! That's betrayal after salvation!" Haru protested indignantly. Yukino didn't interrupt their banter—she could tell Shizuka wasn't in a good place emotionally. Megumi could tell as well, though what piqued her curiosity more was the reason.Was Utaha-senpai wrong? Did Hiratsuka-sensei not have a boyfriend after all? Maybe she was upset because a date had gone wrong? After all, thanks to their previous trip together, Megumi now felt quite familiar with Shizuka and found herself curious about things she wouldn't have cared about before. "By the way," Shizuka spoke up again, standing tall with a deliberate show of enthusiasm, "you're all out here for a photo shoot, right? Mind if I join?" Yukino, calm as ever, answered, "If you're interested, of course we don't mind." Haru turned to her in surprise. Normally Yukino would either refuse outright or toss out some snide remark. After all, it was painfully obvious Shizuka was putting on an act. Then he realized—Yukino had probably noticed how down Shizuka was, and this was her way of offering quiet compassion in her own Yukino-like way. So Haru played along too, striking a series of cool Ultraman poses from the show—even though he was dying of embarrassment inside. But it worked. Shizuka's mood visibly lifted with every shot they took. "Alright, I'll take my leave now. Thanks for today, Amamiya-kun," Megumi said as she waved and headed off. Shizuka stretched lazily, smiling at the new photos on her phone as she scrolled through the album. "I used to think Zero wasn't that impressive," she mused aloud. "But after today, my opinion's changed." Yukino was reviewing the pictures as well, and glanced over curiously."You like tokusatsu shows?" Shizuka laughed awkwardly. "I used to love them… but I'm an adult now. I don't really watch that kind of thing anymore." Haru called her out immediately. "Oh come on, don't pretend. You're terrible at lying." Her cheeks reddened as she was about to deny it, but Yukino added calmly,"He's right. You really aren't suited to deception." "Damn it, are you guys teaming up to target me?" Shizuka groaned in mock frustration. She had just failed a blind date today, wasn't that bad enough? Did they really have to hit her with a husband-and-wife tag-team combo on top of that? Yes—in her eyes, Haru and Yukino had the kind of chemistry only a married couple could have. Suddenly, Haru threw out a question: "Quick quiz! You in?" Shizuka blinked, caught off guard. "No thanks." But Haru ignored her answer. "Who's the Ultra you're most familiar with?" "I just said I'm not playing." "Please answer the question." "…Zoffy." "Aha, so it is Captain Zoffy. No wonder you don't like Zero—completely different era and tone." Yukino, watching all of this unfold, was barely holding back her laughter. She knew full well Haru was doing all of this just to help Shizuka recover from her frustration over the failed date. And it was working. She could see Shizuka growing more flustered by the second. Yukino hesitated for a moment. Then, surprisingly, she extended a rare invitation. "Hiratsuka-sensei…would you like to come home with us?"

Chapter 202 - 202: So, It Was Captain Zoffy

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