The Night
That Changed Fate
Years ago, a single night changed everything.
Ai survived.
The incident ended her career as an idol, but it gave her something she valued more than applause—time. Time to raise Aqua and Ruby. Time to learn how to love without pretending.
And Aqua grew up differently.
He still became observant. Still distant sometimes. Still quiet in ways other boys weren't.
But he wasn't hollow.
He wasn't driven by revenge.
He was simply… Aqua.
----------
Studio lights burned bright, turning the late afternoon into artificial noon.
"Cut!"
The director sighed in relief.
"Good take. Take ten minutes."
Aqua stepped away from the set, loosening his collar. Acting wasn't difficult for him—but long shoots were always exhausting.
"You still look stiff in emotional scenes," a voice said beside him.
He turned.
Akane Kurokawa stood there, holding a script, her calm blue eyes studying him like she was reading a book.
"…You always say things so directly," Aqua replied.
Akane tilted her head.
"Would you prefer I lie?"
"…No."
A faint smile touched her lips.
They walked toward the vending machines in silence. It wasn't awkward. It was the kind of silence that felt… familiar.
Akane handed him a canned coffee.
"You looked tired during the last scene," she said.
"You noticed that?"
"I always notice."
Aqua opened the can slowly.
"…You really are scary."
Akane laughed softly.
"I hear that a lot."
-----------
Most of the staff had gone home, leaving the rooftop quiet and cool under the stars.
Aqua leaned against the railing, looking at the city lights.
The door opened behind him.
"I knew you'd be here," Akane said.
"…You're getting predictable," Aqua replied without turning.
"And you're easy to read."
She stepped beside him.
For a while, neither spoke. The wind brushed past them, carrying distant traffic noise and the faint hum of the city.
Akane broke the silence first.
"Aqua… why did you become an actor?"
He thought about it.
Not the answer he gave in interviews. Not the polite one.
"…Because I like watching people," he said finally. "Understanding them. Acting lets me step into someone else's life."
Akane nodded slowly.
"That makes sense."
"…What about you?"
She looked at her hands.
"I wanted to understand emotions," she said quietly. "I wasn't good at expressing my own. Acting gave me a way to feel things safely."
Aqua looked at her.
"…Do you still feel that way?"
Akane hesitated.
"…Not lately."
"Why?"
She met his eyes.
"Because lately… my feelings don't feel like acting anymore."
Aqua's chest tightened slightly, though he didn't know why.