The sun had just dipped below the city skyline, casting long shadows across the pavement. Aqua stood silently in the quiet rehearsal room where everything began once more. The weight of repeated timelines bore down on his shoulders. But there was one person he had to find—again.
[Scene: Studio Lobby – Akane's Current Timeline]
"Aqua?" Akane blinked as she saw him approach with urgency in his step and vulnerability in his eyes.
"I need to talk to you. Alone. Please," he said.
Akane nodded slowly. She could sense it—this wasn't the usual Aqua. There was something different… haunted, but determined.
They walked to a quiet terrace nearby, away from the buzz of cameras and idle chatter. The cool breeze brushed past them, and the hum of the city softened in the background.
"I'm from another version of this world," Aqua began, staring at the sky. "And I've lived this same sequence—again and again. Every time, Ruby dies. Two days after I try to confront Hikaru. It resets. I return. And I lose her again."
Akane didn't interrupt. She watched him closely, her eyes narrowing slightly with a mix of awe and unease.
He continued, "Tsukuyomi… a supernatural being. She gave me this power to go back and fix things, but she's helping Hikaru too. He remembers the loops. He anticipates my moves. It's like a game to them."
He looked at her, voice softer now. "The Akane from the previous world… she told me to find you and tell you everything. She said you'd understand."
"…It's weird," Akane finally said. "And exciting. Hearing these things from the 'me' of a different world? It's hard to believe. But…" She looked him in the eyes. "I trust you, Aqua."
Aqua's breath caught. She said it again—just like before. Exactly the same.
I never truly appreciated how much Akane gave to me. She loved me, believed in me—even when I was lost to revenge. And all I did was ignore it, thinking I had to carry this alone. She… deserves happiness.
Akane asked quietly, "Did I… did the me from that timeline say how to fix it?"
Aqua shook his head. "No. She just told me to stay with Ruby… the rest was lost."
Akane exhaled. "Then it's unclear what worked. Or if anything even will. But let's change the approach. You stay near Ruby. I'll try to investigate Hikaru and gather anything that can expose him. If we make him public before the second day—maybe… maybe we can finally stop this."
---
[Scene: Nighttime – Park Bench]
Aqua sat beside Ruby, his heart pounding with anxious dread. She laughed softly, watching a cat chase its tail near the bushes. For a moment, it felt normal.
Then, a man approached them from the shadows.
"You… You're just trying to become Ai," the stranger spat. His hand trembled as he pulled out a knife. "She was divine. You're just a pale shadow."
Ruby froze. Aqua stood up instantly.
"Stay behind me, Ruby!"
The man lunged. Aqua managed to shove Ruby back—but steel tore through his side. He gasped, falling.
"Stop—please!" Aqua begged, blood pooling beneath him. "Don't hurt her…"
But the fanatic's face twisted in twisted ecstasy. "False idols must die."
Ruby screamed as he lunged again—this time, slashing her throat. Aqua watched in agony as her eyes widened, blood painting the pavement.
"No… no, no, no—!"
Everything shattered.
---
[Scene: Studio Hallway – After Reset]
Aqua sat slumped, lifeless in expression. Around him, murmurs grew. Kana spotted him from the hallway, concern flashing in her gaze.
She walked up, heart pounding. "Aqua… I know this might not be the right time but— I love you. I've loved you for so long."
Aqua turned to her slowly. Tears brimmed in his eyes.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, stepping past her. He didn't stop. Kana's eyes trembled. Her chest tightened as regret bloomed. Did I… hurt him? Did I make it worse?
Akane followed Aqua, catching up as he exited the rear exit of the building.
"Stop, Aqua!" she called. "Talk to me!"
He turned, wiping his eyes with the back of his sleeve. "Akane… she died again. This time… a man. A fanatic. He stabbed me, then—"
He paused, choking on the words.
He told her everything that happened. Everything.
Akane stepped forward, fierce yet tender. "Don't worry," she said. "I believe every word. You saved me once—on that bridge, when I wanted to disappear. You pulled me back.That day, you became my hero."
She reached for his hand.
"I won't let my hero fall. You're not alone. I'll help you like you helped me. But you have to tell me—do you trust me like I trust you?"
Aqua looked into her eyes, full of certainty. "I trust you more than anyone. Even more than myself."
A faint gleam returned to his gaze—soft but alive.
"Then there's hope," Akane said.
"Wait… I just remembered," Aqua suddenly said. "The last thing you told me, before the reset… something about a novel. Time travel. That might be where the answer lies!"
Akane nodded. "Yes… I remember now. I used to be obsessed with time-travel stories. I'm sure the me from that timeline figured something out from one of them."
Aqua smiled, not the hollow one he'd worn for years, but something real.
"No more revenge. No more despair. I'll be the hero you believed in… again."
They stepped closer.
"This time," Aqua said, voice soft, "it's not a lie. It's real."
Akane leaned in, her lips just a breath away. "I believe you. I can see it in your eyes."
Their lips met, gentle and warm under the fading city lights.
---
To Be Continued…