"I... I see. Well, I guess it's pretty obvious." In his study room, the red sky framed him, casting a warm glow as he looked at her with his crimson eyes. She couldn't shake off the chill she felt.
"Let's stop here," he said, walking over and patting her head. "Let's take it slow since I haven't told you everything. But someday, I'll share more."
More? Ai wanted to know it all right now, but she decided to be patient. "Gotcha... don't worry about it."
With that, Minoru headed to Aqua's shooting site in Shibuya, leaving Ai deep in thought. Was it because she had lied about having a kid and a man while being an idol? She couldn't help but feel that this was her punishment.
As she stared at the elevator doors, the place where she had seen him off, Ai came to the conclusion that Minoru was also wearing a mask of lies.
---
Cherry blossoms dance in the breeze, and the air hums with the soothing sounds of nature, providing a serene escape from the bustling city. One bright afternoon, Shizu, a little girl, found herself in a bind, lost in the park with tears streaming down her face and a twisted ankle to boot. And just when things seemed at their worst, Marui, her childhood buddy, took it upon himself to track her down.
Their eyes locked, and in that very moment, Shizu, overwhelmed with relief, blurted out, "Promise you'll marry me, Marui!"
Caught off guard, Marui flashed a smile and said, "Sure thing, Shizu!" Little did he know that this innocent promise would become the cornerstone of their shared journey.
With Shizu on his back, Marui escorted her out of the park, the setting sun casting a warm glow on their path. Sauntering through the city streets, Shizu's arms wrapped securely around Marui's neck, she couldn't help but feel a comforting sense of security. "Thanks for finding me, Marui," she whispered, her head nestled on his shoulder.
Marui, navigating the urban labyrinth effortlessly, replied, "No problem, Shizu. Friends stick together—"
Just as they were getting lost in the moment, a voice cut through the air, "CUUUT!" It was Director Gotanda, exclaiming, "That's some stellar acting right there, good job. I reckon this scene is exactly what I envisioned. Ten minutes break before the final take!"
With that, the crew sighed in unison after a long day and took a well-deserved short break.
"What's up, Aqua? You seem a bit off today," said Arima Kana, a girl with short red hair.
"I'm fine," replied Aqua as he took a seat on a nearby park chair. Kana decided to join him.
"Hey Aqua-kun, Kana-chan!" Another girl's voice interrupted them. As Aqua looked at her, she continued, "I'm getting a snack, want some?"
"Thanks, Nishino-san." Aqua acknowledged the offer.
Nishino Akane, playing the lead teenage character Shizu, had just joined them. Aqua glanced at Kana, who was portraying Shizu as a child. Meanwhile, like Kana, Aqua was playing the role of Marui. Looking at her, Akane was still in her school uniform.
"You showed up even though there's no schedule for you. Impressive," Aqua remarked.
Akane smiled, "Ahaha, by the way, Aqua-kun...," she observed him closely, "When I look at you these past few days, you remind me of someone I knew." She squinted her eyes.
"And... who's that?" Aqua raised his brow, anticipating the answer.
"My teacher," Akane sighed, "Aqua-kun, I'm confused. Why does he always ask about my attendance twice? Has he never seen me there?"
Akane shook her head, a little annoyed, "Ahaha, sorry about that..."
In reality, Akane didn't understand what was happening; Minoru was asking her classmate Sakurajima Mai, not her.
But she felt lost because he never seemed to look at her, even though she was also from the Nishino Family, a Zaibatsu like Shinomiya. Her annoyance reached its peak when her classmate Kageno Cid always forgot her name. In summary, Akane was troubled by these two people for that reason.
Looking at Aqua again, 'He's not his son, right?' Akane shook her head. Yanagi-sensei was too young to have a child like Aqua, around four. But, they look alike.
"I don't get what you two are talking about, but who's your teacher?" Kana felt left behind and asked.
"Kana-chan, you don't know?" Akane took out her phone, "He's been a hot topic..."
Kana's eyes sparkled, "That person! For a second, I thought he's an actor or something! I love how he rides a horse and saves that woman with a child! Ah~ so cool... I thought it was a film, but to my surprise, it was a real situation."
Akane smiled awkwardly. It seemed Kana was a fan of Yanagi-sensei, "I'm more surprised that Kana-chan knows a lot—"
"Oi, it's almost time to work," Gotanda interrupted their conversation, "Aqua, Kana, would you both continue? If you need more time—"
"No, let's go..." Aqua got up, thinking that after this, he would get what he wanted.
Lala Lai Theatrical Company.
This drama, called "I Married My Childhood Friend," is a project from this company, and Aqua's teacher, Gotanda Taishi, is responsible for it. Thanks to his connection and skill, Aqua manage to get this role.
'The owner promised me another job, and that will lead me to the person who once worked with Ai's acquaintance. Maybe there's a man who once liked Mom or something, but he got rejected. Anyway... it's worth the hard work for my revenge.'
Aqua wanted to confront the person who almost drove him crazy and made it impossible for him to live a normal life until he finished him or her.
Meanwhile, Gotanda sighed, 'Does he really want revenge that much? Should I stop him? But his mom almost got stabbed—'
Vroom! Gotanda was distracted by a loud noise from the road. Since it's a public park, passing vehicles were expected, but this area was relatively quiet for Shibuya. Everyone reflexively turned their heads to see an expensive hypercar roaring and slowing down, parking near the shooting location.
"Who's that?"
"That car looks sick, man."
Murmurs spread.
"Akane, did someone come to pick you up?" Gotanda asked her.
"No, it's not my dad..."
"Hah..." Others glanced at Aqua, who sighed deeply.
Soon, the man cut off the engine. They watched as the car's door swung open, revealing a man with silver hair and impeccable formal attire—a white shirt neatly tucked into long black pants that hugged his well-built, muscular frame. The man walked calmly towards their group, paying no mind to the silence and stares.
Aqua looked at him unamused, wondering why he bothered to pick him up. Of course, Miyako was busy, but Aqua could take care of himself. Meanwhile, Akane was surprised. Was he overhearing her rant earlier?
"Yo! Aqua..." Minoru said, and Akane's face quickly changed as she was mistaken, "Eh?" She said softly.
"...is the shooting done?" Minoru grinned at him, momentarily forgetting about his student.
---
A/N:
Good morning! Can I have your stones? Lol.
Wait for the next chapter tomorrow morning, thanks!