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"Are you two insane? It was hard enough hiding the fact that you had a boyfriend, and now you have kids!" Ichigo's voice was tight with frustration as he paced back and forth, rubbing his temples. His usually calm demeanor was unraveling as he processed the chaotic turn of events.
The young father stood there, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "I truly didn't think she'd get pregnant," he muttered, his voice tinged with a mix of disbelief and guilt. Despite his new mystical existence, he was still just a teenager, overwhelmed by the situation.
Ichigo stopped in his tracks, narrowing his eyes. "What are you—ugh!" He groaned, exasperated. "Just wear protection next time. We need to get you to the recording booth. You've been gone for a while, and your popularity is waning." His tone softened as he turned to Brent, who sat beside Aqua. "You stay here and take care of him. I'll handle the rest."
Brent, visibly tense, nodded. He lifted Aqua into his arms, cradling him gently, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of something more—jealousy. He gazed down at the infant and whispered softly, almost to himself, "Ain't your mama something special? That's why I had you two with her." There was a wistful note in his voice, as if he admired Ai but couldn't quite shake his insecurities.
Aqua, though just a baby, felt the emotional undercurrent of the room. In his mind, despite his young age, his thoughts were sharp. *This would be a heavenly experience if it wasn't for him, but he makes Ai happy. I can see it in the way she performs. Ruby is going to be jealous, but it's not my fault—I tried to wake her up.*
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*Time skip*
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"What do you mean I almost missed it? I tried to get you up, but you wouldn't budge!" Aqua protested, his voice carrying a note of defensiveness as he stared at his twin sister, Ruby. In truth, he had only tried once, but technically, he wasn't lying.
Ruby, with her sharp, skeptical gaze, crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Mom is obviously amazing, but isn't our dad kinda lame? Like, I wonder why she chose him." Her words dripped with doubt, but unlike Aqua, she wasn't fixated on the past. She was focused on the here and now—on the man who seemed out of place in their otherwise surreal world.
Aqua shrugged, more contemplative. "He's a bit of an idiot, but he's... fine. He didn't run away when he found out she was pregnant, and that means something, right?"
Ruby tilted her head, giving him a dubious look. "Yeah, yeah, look, she's—"
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Later, Brent sat on the couch, his elbows resting on his knees as he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "You know, Ai, I don't think our kids like me very much," he admitted, glancing over at her. His voice was laced with insecurity. "They don't even smile at me like they do at you. What do you do?"
Ai, who had been flipping through a magazine, looked up, her expression softening. There was something mischievous in her smile, but also a twinge of genuine concern. "You should try staying home more," she suggested, though the idea seemed foreign to her. It was clear she had no clue how to bridge the gap between Brent and the kids. "Ichigo mentioned bottle-feeding once, maybe try that." Despite her natural charm, Ai couldn't shake the feeling that they were far from being the ideal family.
Brent nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, come to think of it, I do work more than I used to. I can't rely on Miyako forever..." He trailed off, but his words seemed to hint at deeper anxieties. Ai was the breadwinner, pulling in a staggering amount of money with her idol career, while he was just a construction worker, trying to hold things together.
Inwardly, Brent's thoughts spiraled. *Maybe I won't be the bad dad that always haunts my dreams. I can be the father I wished I had before my memories were wiped.*
Suddenly, Ai sprang up from her chair, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Oh, I know! Why don't you take Aqua and Ruby to my next live show? They'd love it if you drove them there and spent the day together. It'll give you time to bond."
Brent blinked, the idea dawning on him like a lightbulb switching on. "That's... actually a great idea. Why didn't I think of that?" He snapped his fingers as if it were the simplest solution all along.
Ai chuckled, stepping forward to cup his cheeks with her hands. "It's because you overthink everything, love. You've always been that way." There was a warmth in her voice, even as her playful smile teased him.
Brent smiled sheepishly. "Ichigo always called me a bit of a dummy the year I knew the guy." What he didn't know was that Ichigo's trust in him stemmed precisely from that simplicity—Brent's earnestness was his greatest strength.