Kana swings her arm joyfully like a child — grinning widely.
"Haah...! This can't be true! We're skipping school and hanging out. We're delinquents!
Unbelievable! Seriously! We're the worst!"
Aqua looks unto Kana, a little bit of regret showing in his face.
"If you go that far, should we just quit it, then?"
Kana turns her head to Aqua.
"I didn't say we should quit. You look puzzled"
She raises a finger, smirking — continuing
"As your senior, I should keep a watch over you, right? I have the heart of an angel, after all."
She paused.
"Where are we going? Disney land? Tokyo Tower?"
Aqua looks at her dryly. Then replied.
"Where did you get the courage to go such lively places whole skipping school?"
Kana shakes her arms wildly, disagreeing.
"Well, if we wear our uniform, we'll draw everyone's attention, but if we go home to change clothes, we'll waste our time, so I thought we could just go to places where most people wear uniforms, anyways...!"
She shouted.
Aqua turns his head away, looking at the ground.
"I didn't think of those places."
A few minutes later
Kana looks unto the baseball ball, her smile, fading away.
She then looks up, staring unto Aqua.
"You really are strange."
Aqua raises an eyebrow.
"Am I?"
"Yes!" Kana exclaimed — annoyed.
"Playing catch at the park should be the last thing you'd think of...when a young man and woman escaped from the prison called school...but you even bought a pair of gloves and a ball. Isn't that weird?" Kana shouted. She then turns her body away, crossing her arms. The threw a powerful fastball.
"Ive'd never played baseball..."
Aqua barely caught the ball. Dropping to the ground.
"Oh. Sorry!" covering her mouth in shock. Kana's expression softens. Feeling sorry.
Aqua takes the ball on the ground.
"It's okay."
Kana looks away. Her hands on her chest.
"You should've invited someone who's better at playing instead of a dummy like me." she said in a soft tone.
"Ruby for example."
Aqua's eyes widened. His eyes, worried.
"Is there a brother who'd ask his sister to skip schools with him?"
"Your severe case of sister complex disgusts me..." she said in a mock-tone
"What about you colleagues, then? You're getting along well, right?"
Aqua sighed, throwing the ball back.
"Well, yeah...but it's our job...and we're not that friendly."
Kana catches the ball.
"I see."
Aqua continues —
"Everyone lies and moves by calculations. There aren't many people who aren't manipulative around me. People I can talk idly with." Aqua's voice softens.
"But you? I don't have to worry about it."
Kana's eyes furrowed, huffing.
"You should!"
She exhales, relaxing herself.
"But, well...being chosen as someone like that...may not be bad after all." she replied in a gentle tone. Blushing.
She then throws the ball back to Aqua.
"You're going to film the final scene of My Love, right."
"Yeah." Aqua replied.
Kana:
"Yuki is the most popular one, isn't she? But recently, Akane Kurokawa has been in good shape too."
She paused, putting a hand on her hip.
"Tell me, who are you aiming for?"
Aqua barely dropped the ball.
"I told you, it's just part of my job. I'm not interested in that kind of thing at all."
Kana puts a hand on her chest. Her heart, pounding loud.
"Don't you at least have a favorite type of girl? Younger girls...? Or older, maybe?"
Aqua takes the ball.
"Don't ask difficult questions." he sighed.
He throws the ball to the air. Watching it fall unto his hand.
Aqua's thoughts:
"I've been thinking. Our thoughts are greatly influenced by physical growth. It was difficult to control my memory when I was a baby due to childhood amnesia. But during my puberty, I became more vigilant towards my surroundings. As my body grows. My mind adapts to both my body and environment.
The boundary...between me and Aqua Hoshino is disappearing steadily."
Kana's mouth opens slightly. Worried.
"I've been thinking about this, but I never asked because I was scared. Could it be that...you have eight grader syndrome? You may want to graduate from it soon..."
Aqua throws the ball hard to Kana.
Kana barely catches it, screeching, feeling the sting on her hand.
Aqua massages his wrist.
"My point is, I'm a high school student. I might see girls around my age as love interests. There's no doubt that older girls are better to some degree, though. I can't fall for younger girls."
Kana tries covering her hearbeat with her glove. Trying to hide her flustered reaction.
"Oh...? Hmm...? Ahh...?
Aqua:
"Hurry up and throw the ball"
(Kana: second year high school.
Aqua: First year Highschool.)
Suddenly, she realized, Akane is also a second year high school student. Her eyes went blank. Gritting her teeth.
"Oh...hmm...ah..."
Aqua raises an eyebrow.
"What is it?"
Kana quickly throws the ball as hard as she can. Releasing all her anger.
"Nothing!"
Aqua catches the ball, feeling the impact.
"Whoa, nice throw."
Kana eyes widened, flustered.
"Really? Tee hee!"
Aqua smiles.
"Is this really your first time?"
The wind blows, Kana holds unto her hat tightly.
"Yes."
She smiles widely. Preparing to catch the ball.
"The first time i've done it with you, Aqua. The very first time."
Kana turns around, hiding her blushing.
"I should probably be an idol for the ceremonial first pitch."
Aqua looks at the ground, realizing.
Aqua's thoughts:
That's not...how I feel about Akane Kurokawa...after all.
The next day. On the shooting ground of the final episode for MyLove —
Aqua's thoughts continue:
I have to thank Kana Arima. She helped me put my feelings in order. I was just seeing Ai as Akane Kurokawa. That's all.
Akane turns her head to Aqua.
"The filming is going to end soon. I feel lonely."
Akane class her hands, smiling gently.
"I became more popular after I follow your advice to hide my character. You were such a big help. Thanks."
Aqua looks away.
"Acting as Ai...no, getting into her character... "
He paused —
"It wasn't a dream. It felt like I was looking at the real Ai."
He turns his head to Akane.
"How did you do that?"
Akane was flustered, clutching her chest — looking away.
"You're exaggerating. It's not that impressive..." she said, her tone softens further.
"All I do is read some books on profiling. Study my target character and interpret them in my own."
Akane looks up at Aqua, grinning nervously.
"I also came up with my own scenarios."
Aqua tilts his head to the side — confused.
"Your own scenarios?"
"Yup." Akane exclaimed.
Akane continued, saying.
"For example... Ai actually had a secret child. Something like that."
Aqua's eyes widened, his face turned dark.
Akane continues talking in the back,
"If you do that, you can be consistent with her emotions...and understand the reason behind her mysterious actions. What was she thinking? What kind of personality did she have? It's like solving a math problem."
Aqua paused — then asked.
"How well do you know Ai's thinking patterns?"
Akane closes her eyes, thinking.
"Hmm..."
AiKane opens her eyes, imitating Ai.
"Pretty well, I guess? I can even tell...what kind of life she had or what kind of guys she liked."
Aqua looks at the ground.
"I see."
Akane eyes widened, remembering something.
"And uhm... She was like... Connected to a guy on a scandal 13 years ago...? "
Aqua's eyes widened, 'His Father? Possibly?'
"What is it...?"
Akane tries to recall her memories.
"If you dive in deeper from that scandal, I found out that the guy was named, Akira Kiyoshi."
Aqua's eyes widened further.
Hours passed — at night.
Aqua's thoughts
Talents gather in the Entertainment World.
I didn't understand anything...about a free and talented girl named Ai Hoshino. How did she feel? What did she want to do?
However, with her talent, Akane Kurokawa is able to understand Ai much better than me, who had lived with her for years...and can imitate her behavior perfectly .
Aqua approaches Akane.
We're just colleagues. Once the show ends,we won't have anything to do with each other anymore. But...Akane Kurokawa is quite useful. Ai, connected with a guy named Akira in some way? Is he a boyfriend? Or even perhaps... our father?
Aqua takes Akane's hand, pulling her closer — then kissing her in the lips.
Akane closes her eyes, blushing
I can't lose her here.
Every casts gasps, feeling a mixed of emotions, joy for them. And shock.
Meanwhile on Kana's room.
The show ends. Kana wipes her tears away, sobbing.
"Ahh... He's the worst. Just go to hell, you idiot..."