The next morning, Ai rose up from her bed and went to check her charging phone, for some unknown reasons it didn't charge and even after trying to open it, it wouldn't,Ai thought of it as a malfunction that should be put to rice or something,
"Oh, it's malfunctioning...should I just bury it in a grain of rice? I'll probably leave this one out there for some time while I buy a new phone."
Ai proceeds to put the phone in a rice and went on to continue her daily routine.
After finishing, she then called Miyako with her working (job) phone to come over and watch the children as she leave the house for a bit of a walk,
"Miyako-san, I'll be away for some time, can you watch the children over for me, please?"
"What?! It's early in the morning, plus, I just–"
"Thanks."
Ai leaves the apartment and went on to buy a new personal phone. After buying one, along the way she thought of looking for some new clothes, too. She went inside the dressing room, trying every clothes that would suit her, eventually, she brought this new pair of jeans and a cute shirt and while walking back home, she spotted a convenience store and went on to shop some food there and probably kill some time.
Holding the bag of foods, she sat on a seat outside to check her new phone out, she glanced at the new photos and adding some new numbers like Miyako and Ichigo-san and probably some of her friends. While so, she remembered the call last night,
"Oh, Akira-san...I forgot his number. I hope that phone recovers..."
"Excuse me, may I sit here?" asked the woman.
"Oh, sure." Ai moves aside to make some space as the woman sat beside her. Ai then soon left.
Ai returns to her apartment, and was met with Miyako probleming little Ruby who kept crying and walking until Ai got home that she crawled to hug her mother.
"Oh, Ruby~..."
"Good, you're finally home..." Miyako said followed with a sharp exhale.
Ai chuckles playfully, carrying Ruby unto her arms.
"Well, why don't you stay here for a while? You can take some rest in here, too, you know?"
"Though some miracle motivated me to take care of this kids, It's still way exhausting than it looks." Miyako takes her purse and leaves
"Anyways, thank you for the offer, I'm off now."
"Oh, thank you–" Miyako slams the door shut.
"Well, I suppose it's mother-and-children's bonding today, isn't it? Tihee!" she carries Ruby higher to the sky and spins along her, she then brings her down to the sofa and had bonding with the both. While Ruby breastfeed on Ai, she turns her eyes unto Aqua who was playing innocently on the floor, Aqua returns the sharp look
"You damned..."
years passed, 4 years afterwards, Ai and the children had great quality time together, but at the same time, Ai's idol job is not enough to supply their needs and so, had other jobs like acting and even appearing in TV shows, showing her dedication to live. Even being on the same set and meeting with the genius child actor, Kana Arima, Aqua's talent on acting was truly exceptional, too. Yet, Ai shined the most in the series.
Aqua and Ruby had started preschool, too, wearing their new uniform, Ai adored them, with a squeaky voice she said,
"Mm-Hmm! You're so cute again, today!! Really cute!!"
"Well, you're cuter overall, mom." Ruby replied.
"Why are you competing?" Aqua cringed.
In school, at break time, Aqua and Ruby talked to each other about their previous life,
"Btw, what did you do in your previous life?" Aqua asked. "Actually, how old are you really?"
"Well, uhm..." Ruby hesitates to answer, if she turns out to be younger, she though of Aqua to mock her about her age and be manipulative because of it.
"I...I'm a mature woman, all right!? You can't ask a woman her age, tactless litttle brat!
turns away
"Who cares about my past life anyway!? Quit prying!"
"Well...you've got a point." Aqua admitted, thinking about his past life as despressing, he enjoys his new life better.
They continued their breaktime in the playground, while Ruby plays, Aqua casually reads a brick book.
Back in classroom, the teacher tells them for rehearsal time of their dance and that theur parents are going to come and watch them dance. That broke Ruby as she sucks at dancing and thought she'd just be fine if it weren't for Ai going to watch them, she bursts out the room in which Aqua followed, finding her at a near tree.
"Why'd you run?"
"I'm a lousy dancer. I mean, I've never done it." Ruby replied, sobbing.
"Huh? What did you just play inside all the time? Kids these days..."
Ruby thought of her past life, of how much a struggle even it is to walk.
"Well...yeah, pretty much. I tried a few times, but I couldn't do it. I really can't see myself exercising.
"I don't know what thing were before, but...you sure you're okay with that?" Aqua asked.
"You've got a lot of life...ahead of you."
Rubt went ahead to train dancing, she she fell, Ai noticed her.
"What's up? Dance practice?
I'll join you then. We're doing one of our old songs at our next show, so I have to review."
Ai proceeds to dance, Ruby remembered this dance when she was watching her live in the past. But seeing it multiple times made her very aware.
"Mom, That's not quite right. Your hands were up higher at the budokan show."
Ai was suprised, and smiled.
"Huh? Did you watch my concert video?
And you remembered! that's impressive!" patting Ruby's head.
("Of course I did. I've watched mom's concert video hundreds of times. Maybe thousands. I remember all the choreography too.)
"How did it go, then?"
Ruby proceeds to show her mom
"This bit was more like..." falls.
Ai noticed her bracing for the fall like she was always used to it...
("Well, I fell all the time. If I didn't fall right, I'd get hurt.")
Tears starts to swell upon Ruby's eyes, but Ai grabs her and proceeds to teach her.
"If you're scared of falling, you'd fall more. Be bolder. Shoulders back, chest out.
It'll be fine. trust mommy."
("My life before...was spent mostly in the hospital. My body wouldn't do what I wanted to do. Even standing up was really hard, and I always...longed for this. I remember the choreography. All of mom's stylish moves...are engraved on my mind. All of that light...is buried into my retinas.
My light.
If I could move like that... If I had that freedom...
Move. Move more!! more... my body...")
Ruby dances along her mother, as she slowly adapts her body, her body had become more fluid, she felt unexplainable joy in thag moment.
("Okay...it's okay for me to dance!")
Meanwhile, Aqua watches them at the doorway secretly
("You know...she was good at acting too. She has an instinct for dance...and mom's looks. For a moment, he thought of Ruby may be going to be an Idol . Now that's a scary thought.")
---
In a peaceful lake side.
"You're Ichigo Saitou-san...former president of Ichigo production, aren't you?"
"I dunno what you're talking about." Ichigo replied.
"That year...just before her twentieth birthday...Ai-san was nearing the peak of her popularity. I'm told that that couldn't have happened without your skillful management, president Saitou. You scouted Ai-san yourself...and developed her into a star, so why are you–"
"Shut up." said Ichigo, grabbing the camera away.
"The moment I lost Ai...my life was was over! I'm begging you to leave us both alone!!"
Meanwhile...
"Don't you think this dress is beautiful, Akira-sama? Huh? woah, that's a rare sight...what are you smiling at? Don't tell me you fell in love of me?"
"That would never happen" Akira replied.
"It's bad lying you know." replied
"... it's just...you've changed so much..."
---
Present year (A week before Ai's twentieth birthday.)
"So, hey... The kids are getting pretty big. Want to come meet them?" Ai said, talking to a public phone.
("On a whim, I got in touch with an Ex.")
"No, I'm not trying to get back together." Aqua said.
(Ai to the phone: I'd sometimes overhear the kids talking.)
"I generally try not to think about it... But who fo you suppose our dad is? Ugh...just saying that depressed me." Aqua continued, chatting with Ruby.
"You dummy. You're letting a little thing like that get you down? It was obviously immaculate conception. There was never s guy."
Ai still talking to the phone
"They came to this weird conclusion, and I thought I should shut that down.
They're really smart kids. They'll understand our situation.
Sure. Our new address is..."
Ai leaves the phonecall, as she leaves, she noticed posters of her around streets.
("Work was going great. I'd picked up more than a million followers. The world was watching me.")
At night...
Ichigo hugs Aqua, lifting his bottle of wine.
"Damn, sake's good stuff! G'wan we're celebrating your new place! Drink up!"
Ichigo offers the wine to Ai, Ai takes a good look at the wine.
"Ooh, a Miriizo."
Miyako takes the wine away.
"She's not allowed.
You won't be twenty until next week, Ai-san. Be patient just a little longer."
"Oh right, right." Ichigo replied.
"That drama you're starring in is getting great ratings! B-Komachi's group schedule is jam-packed too. And next week, we finally hit the dome! Gah ha ha!" Ichigo continued.
Ai smiles,
"The president is sure in a good mood."
The thing is...he's always dreamed of having one of his idols do a dome concert. It isn't just him. The whole staff shares that dream" Miyako replied.
"Domes are that incredible?" Ai asked
"They aren't like other venues. You can't even reserve them for a show without going through specialized intermediary. The skill and experience to direct crowds of spectators...and there's a strict review process to ensure that the artist is an appropriate fit for the dome.
Domes require a lot of time and effort from the staff. It takes more than money to play a venue like that. Only a chosen handful of artists are allowed to stand on that stage.
Domes are everone's fantasy."
Ai listens carefully, awe of how domes work and that she's actually gonna be performing there, but at the same time, she feel empty of emotions. She was just faking smiles...
("When I sell everyone's happy...So I act as if I'm happy too.")
Ichigo turned unto Ai, "This is an important time. Avoid scandals, whatever you do, don't try to meet the father."
Ai smiled, "Of course." ("I lied.")
("I automatically say whatever will work in a given situation. Even I don't know what's a lie...and what I really think. I've...always been bad at loving things. I truly didn't think I'd make a good idol.."
---
7 years ago...
"When you said you were a scout, I wondered what was up", Ai to Ichigo.
"An idol? Me? That's hilarious."
("This guy (Ichigo) spoke to me on the street. He offered me a matcha latte, so I figured I'd hear him out, but...")
"My agency's putting together a unit of middle school models. I think you'd have a shot at being the center", Ichigo replied.
("It turned out he was scouting me for idols.")
Ai looked away, "No Thanks, not interested."
Ichigo insisted, "C'mon, you'd be a natural. I guarantee it."
Silence...
Then spoke Ai, "I really wouldn't If I were you. I grew up in a children's home, I've only got one parent. When I was little, my mom got picked up for theft. They sent me to the home while she was in jail.
But when mom was released...she didn't come back to get me.
("If I scared him a bit...I thought the scout would back off.")
The thing is, I don't remember ever loving anybody or being loved. There's no way someone like that could be an Idol.
("I always imagined Idols as genuine people who smiled at everybody smile back... I was an antisocial liar, their polar opposite. I really didn't think I was hired for it, so...")
I'm sure I couldn't love my fans...and they wouldn't love me either."
...
"What's wrong with that?" Ichigo replied.
"It's not a job for "normal" people anyway, Your background would help you stand out."
Ai couldn't stutter a words as she thinks of a reason to reject the offer.
"Idols always say they love everybody. If It said that, I'd be lying..."Ai reasoned.
"That's fine" Ichigo boldly said.
"Pretty lies are what audience wants to anyway. Being able to lie is a talent. So why not? Go ahead, lie your heart out."
In that moment, Ai found hope. Stunned in the moment as she process everything in.
("It's okay? Even if I'm lying...it's okay to say, 'I love you'?")
Ichigo smiled, "Hey, that's a great look. You've said a lot here...but It suspect you actually want to live people. You just don't know how...and haven't found somebody to practice with.
If you sing and dance and look cute... that's a show of affection for your fans, all by itself. If you're an idol...'I love you' will come up in your songd and lyrics all the time. Besides...while you're you love everybody...it May turn into the truth."
Ai eventually accepted the offer, in the hope of eventually truly loving people and her fans and maybe even her children, yet, she has never told them. The word "I love you."
("I'm too scared to. What if once I say it, I realize...it's not true?")
1 week later
("And so here I am telling kids again... Believing they'll turn true.")
While the children are asleep, she heard a door bell ring, she went ahead to check...
("Even if...I end up paying for it someday...")
As she opens the door was a man in a black hoodie holding a bouquet of white flowers,
"Ai...congrats on the dome show. How are your twins?"
In the split second, Ai was stabbed
---
On an Interview.
Aqua replies at the question, " I don't act to make people happy. I act for me. If it makes people feel anything, that's their business.
I won't love anyone. If someone loves me, they won't get anything back. They only people who should fall for me are the one are okay with that. They can take than any way they want. To me...acting is revenge."
---
Aqua opens the door behind, seeing the crime happen. Ai clutches her abdomen, slowly walking back in pain.
"Bwahaha...! How does that hurt!? Huh!? Well I hurt more! It was hell!
You're an Idol! How dare you have kids...!? You- you sold out your fans you whore...!"
("I guess that's how the public would see it, Huh. Idols are human too, though. Aren't we allowed to seek our own happiness?")
"You disrespected your fans.
I bet you were always mocking us behind our backs! YOU LIAR!!"
("I haven't done anything that nasty."
Idols sell dreams for a living. We're always cute, pure and genuine. Our songs are straightforward. But I'm not pure, I'm underhanded and dirty. I don't really understand what it's like to love people.
I'm cute, but that's it. If I'm going to give the people the girl of their dreams...I have to lie, and so...")
"YOU WERE ALL "LOVE,LOVE,LOVE" ALL OVER THE PLACE, REELING US IN! IT WAS ALL A DAMN PACK OF LIES!!"
("I don't understand love.")
...
"I've always been irresponsible.
As people go, I'm hopeless. I don't really get what it means to love somebody, so...instead...I've always told pretty lies that will make people happy.
Someday... I hoped the lies would become true.
I do my best.
I worked hard.
I lied with everything I had.
To me, lies are love. In my own way... I thought I was showing my love. I don't know if I managed to love you and the others... But when I sang those love songs... I was thinking what I had to.
I was hoping... That someday I really would."
Ai forces a smile as she offers a hand.
"Even now... I'd like to love you."
The man stepped back, realizing the mistake he had done without ever realizing the deeper truth behind Ai's acts...yet, he insisted he was right,
"Liar... Like you even remember me. You just want me to let you go."
""You're Ryosuke-kun aren't you? You came to lots of our meet and greets." Ai smiled.
...
"Huh? Am I wrong?"
Ai tilts her head,
"Sorry, I'm really bad with names. The star sand you gave me as a souvenir made me happy. It's still on display on my living room."
Ryosuke turns to see that same sand, he was horrified of himself.
"WHAT THE HELL...? THIS ISN'T... THAT'S NOT WHAT I–" he said as he runs away of the scene, shouting in realization, manipulated.
"Ai!!! I... I called an ambulance" Aqua shouted.
Ai stares at the open door, deep in thought.
"Boy, did I mess up? That's what door chains are for, huh? They didn't teach that in the children's home."
"DON'T TALK! The abdominal aorta? Damn it....!" Aqua shouted in desperation as he took a look of Ai's wound.
Ai smiles then gently pat Aqua's head
"I'm sorry. I'm pretty sure... they can't fix this.
Are you okay Aqua? You're not hurt?" Sob
".... No, I'm not."
Ai burries him deeper in a hug as she enjoys her final moments,
"Are they gonna cancel the dome concert...? I feel bad. They'd finalized the movie schedule too.
"Apologize to the director for me, okay?"
Ruby bangs the door from the other side,
"Hey! What's wrong...?"
Tears appeared on Ruby's eyes.
"What's going on over there...?"
"Stay away Ruby..." Aqua replied
Ruby shouts desperately,
"C'mon, Tell me!"
Ai clutches Aqua's head, tears forms around her eyes.
"Ruby, your parents day dance... Was really good.
"I thought... Later on, you just might... Become an Idol too.
Someday, if it all goes well... It would be fun... To do a mother-daughter show wouldn't it?"
Ruby's heart broke, felling on the ground.
"And maybe you'll be an actor, Aqua. I wonder what kind of adult's you'll grow into.
Ohh, your school backpacks... I want to see your grade school entrance ceremony... And visit your class...I want people to say,
'Your mom is so young Ruby!'
I want to stay here with you... And watch you two grow up.
I wasn't a very good mom... But I'm glad I had you.
...
"Um, what else... Oh... I have to say this."
Ai turns at Ruby in the other side of the door frame.
"Ruby. Aqua. I love you.
....
"Oh... I finally said it. I'm sorry Ruby, it took me way too long.
...
Oh thank goodness... Those words weren't definitely a lie..."
Ai's eyes starts to dilate, Aqua proceeds shout, "Ai? Ai! Ai!!"
---
Ai waves at the camera, "Is this recording? Okay. If thought it would be good to have something like this.
I seriously doubt I'll be an Idol at that age, though" hugging the newborn twins on her side.
"Oh! but you two might be. You're my kids. It could totally happen!
Either way...grow up strong strong and healthy, okay? As your mom, that's my only wish."
The video tape ends.
---
Present...
An hour passed...
Aqua kept holding Ai's hand as they grow cold of death. The ambulance arrived, Miyako and Ichigou finally arrived, too. Ichigo couldn't believe his eyes, neither was Miyako, the ambulance took Ai's body to try and revive it.
On the way, while the ambulance runs through the streets Miyako noticed a dark car railing behind them, her heart pounded, worrying about something happening for Ai's body.
After arriving in the hospital and trying their best to revive Ai.
After three failed defibrillation shock attemps as requested by Ichigo in desperation
Her body never recovered,
They covered her body in clothe and finally announced Ai's death in public.
The air grew cold, clouds formed as if it's about to rain, for the moment, the entertainment industry completely went silent.
Everybody had their opinion of Ai's death, most were sympathy yet some are dark...
30 minutes later...
A mysterious tall person enters the hospital, claiming to be Ai's make up artist (for the funeral),
"Hello, I'm the make up artist for Ai's body, can I have her body now?" He asked, a smirk appeared.
Meanwhile...
It was a big and foggy day...
Posters of Ai were slowly removed, the news in the big screen announcing Ai's death, it was all suddenly grey and quite.... Ai's death was truly a great calamity for the entertainment industry.
Meanwhile, on the car
"Mama said... That maybe I would become an idol." Ruby exclaimed.
"It's no use becoming one anyway, right?" He replied as he continues to scroll in his phone about Ai's death documentary.
"If you want to make money, a different job would be quicker and easier, and the fans are always selfish and you'll face a barrage of criticisms if you get a boyfriend."
(Aqua:"Ruby will probably bounce back...
But I... Have died once already anyways.")
In the process of his scrolling, he saw the picture of the man who killed Ai,
("Wait... That stalker and the man who killed me are one in the same."
The culprit was a student without special skills of any kind.
How did he pin down the hospital Ai had been admitted to? Why'd he come to her new residence she'd only just moved to?
I simply can't believe he's be able capable of such detective work.
...
Someone was feeding him information.
As far as I know, it was only the president who knew about her hospital. But would he such a thing to the public face of his agency who he cherished so greatly? It's evident that Ai didn't have any relatives who were around, and it appeared she didn't know their contact details either...
One of her co-workers? No... B-Komachi girls weren't even that close, and I never saw anyone who seemed like a good friend to Ai.
So that only leaves...
...
Our Father.") Aqua grinned
("There's a high possibility that the guy is in the same industry. The guy who put Ai through all of that is someone in the Entertainment Industry.
I can't die yet. Not until I found him and kill him by my own hand!"
---
On a quiet hospital room, the sound of the telemetry monitor beeping was across the room, on a white bed was Ai's body. As another beep of the monitor approaches, Ai's eyes opened.