Chapter 42: A Long Conversation
After a long night of regaining the lost time she had with her kids over the past week, Ai seemed to be doing significantly better overall. She was taking care of her hair and skin again and making sure to dress nice, even if she was stuck indoors of the Shinomiya mansion.
Aqua was glad to see her acting the way she was before everything happened. She was eating again and was slowly regaining what little weight she lost after her week of depression.
He did notice that she retained her idol persona though, even though there was no reason for her to continue acting that way. He assumed that either she naturally did it for her children or it has become an inseparable part of her personality. After all, she spent eight years crafting and living by that persona.
Ruby was just happy that her mother was back to normal. She knew that Ai still was going through a difficult time, but she was so glad she was happy again. She understood now that Ai was not really mad at her and just had a moment where she got mad... what she meant was Ruby knew she wasn't mad all along! That's right.
She also swore to give her mother all the love she could to make her feel better. She also swore to be the best older sister possible so Ai can have it easy. Especially since it was going to be hard for Ai to raise three children on her own.
She was also worried if it would be a real baby and not someone who was reborn. That's a scary thought, since she knew that herself and Aqua were easy kids to raise since they were very self sufficient and didn't cry much. If it was a normal baby, Ai would need all the help she could get.
As for Ai, she was able to at least focus on being a mother now. She was still sad and had moments where she would cry herself to sleep, but after last night, she realized that she had to be strong for her children. They deserved so much more than what she could provide, but she would at least give them the love they deserve.
So, she styled her hair in a straight and brushed style, put moisturizer on her face, and wore a cute outfit. It was a long sleeve, low cut black sweater with a white dress over it and a pair of black stockings for warmth. It felt very warm since she was very small and was never good at retaining heat.
She also cleaned the bedroom up a bit, making sure it was neat and tidy, making her feel so much better. She forgot how relaxing it was to stand back and feel the warmth of looking nice and being in a clean room.
Knock, knock
"Oh, that must be Hayasaka-San." Ai said as she jogged over to the door of the room.
"MAMA! STOP!" Ruby screamed.
"Wha-?" Ai stopped in her tracks and turned to her daughter.
The scream Ruby did was so unlike her. It wasn't her normal yell when she was excited or mad, this was a scream of pure fear. A scream that was brought about by something terrible that was happening.
"Ruby, what's wrong?" Aqua asked as he got off the bed.
Ruby sprinted over to Ai, her face soaking wet with tears as she crashed into Ai's legs in a hug, almost knocking her over. She gripped Ai's dress so hard her knuckles turned white and she started to sob.
"PLEASE MAMA!" She screamed.
"Ruby-Chan..." Ai said slowly, unsure of what was going on or what she was doing.
"DON'T OPEN THE DOOR!" Her voice cracked as she screamed louder than Ai ever heard her.
"Is everything ok?" Hayasaka asked as she opened the bedroom door and tentatively stepped in.
"Ruby, please calm down." Ai said lovingly as she bent down and picked Ruby up in her arms.
Ruby wrapped her arms around her neck and sobbed as Ai bounced her, unsure of what was going on but focused on only calming and soothing her daughter.
"It's ok baby, mama's here." Ai said, fighting back her own tears at seeing her daughters fear, but she had to remain strong.
"Ruby, are you ok? What's the matter with you?" Aqua asked, scared that Ruby was scared. He didn't know why she was being like this.
"Mama..." Ruby cried as she calmed down.
"Ruby-Chan, please tell mama what's wrong." Ai said, rubbing her back gently.
"I-I don't k-know..." Ruby said through the tears.
"It's ok Ruby-Chan." Ai said. "You don't need to tell your mama right now, please just relax for me."
Ruby's crying started to slow down as she was slowly composing herself, relaxing as she kept her head buried in Ai's shoulder. Ai had no idea why Ruby was screaming like this, it sounded like Ruby was being stabbed with how violent the episode was.
"Are you calm now baby?" Ai asked as ruby leaned back so she could look at her.
"Yea..." She said quietly and in a tired voice.
It broke Ai's heart, Ruby was almost exhausted at the sudden burst of emotion. Like she just ran a marathon and was struggling to stay awake. What could have possibly caused this?
"Tell mama Ruby, tell mama what happened. Mama wants to help." Ai said.
"I-I-" Ruby could barely speak. "I saw blood mama."
"Blood?" Ai asked.
"All over you, you and Aqua. There was blood everywhere." She said though her tears.
"Ruby, look at me and Aqua." Ai said. "We're ok, see? No blood."
Ruby looked Ai up and down then over to her brother, confirming that there was no blood.
Ai didn't know what happened. It couldn't have been a dream since Ruby was awake and sitting on the bed. What compelled this behavior? Ai knew Ruby wasn't seeking attention like she usually does, this was a scream of pure fear and agony.
She really started to worry about both of her childrens mental health. Having your life turned upside down and learning that the man you saw as a father was a criminal wasn't easy on the poor girl. Ai wondered if Ruby had a mental break down.
Ruby though, she had no idea what happened. One moment her mother was jogging over to the door and the next she was behind a glass door, covered in blood. She saw her blurred out figure, he white of her dress stained with blood and sitting against it. Ruby saw herself screaming but didn't know what she was saying.
"Are you sure she's ok?" Hayasaka asked. "We can take her to a doctor-"
"She's fine." Ai said as she held Ruby again. "She's just had a hard week." She said.
"I understand." Hayaska said. "Lady Kaguya had her personal chefs prepare a meal for everyone, she's wishing that you would attend because she has something important she wants to discuss with everyone."
"We'll be there, thank you." Ai said.
She bounced Ruby in her arms a little bit more, making sure that she was ok before finally putting her down. Ruby wiped her tears away as she was now calm and able to talk better.
"There, no more tears." Ai smiled at her. "Don't worry Ruby-Chan, everything is fine. I promise."
Ruby nodded her head.
"Now come on you two, time for some delicious food." She grabbed both of their hands and started walking.
The family followed Hayasaka to the dining room, where the rest of B-Komachi and even Kaguya's friends were sitting. Everyone was dressed casually and smiled when they saw Ai.
"Hey Ai, glad to see you're out and about." Meimei smiled, hoping to keep Ai in good spirits.
"I'm sorry I wasn't around the past week." Ai smiled, glad that her friend was still trying to cheer her up.
"Yea, glad to see you're up, the kids have been bothering me non-stop." Miyako said, though Ai knew she was exaggerating since she loved the kids.
"It's good to see you again Ai!" Fujiwara yelled and waved.
"Likewise." Miyuki smiled and waved as well. "I'm sorry about what hap- Itai!" Kaguya kicked him in the shin under the table.
"It's ok Kaguya." Ai waved off, laughing at the interaction. "I am better now, I promise." She smiled.
"Aw, there's the big man!" Fujiwara stood up and rushed over to Ai.
"Not agai-" Aqua said in an annoyed tone as the girl scooped him up from Ai's side and hugged him, though gently.
"Poor little guy is all beat up, Oneesan will care for you."
Now she's his older sister, what happened to aunt?
"I know it's selfish to ask, but can he sit with me for dinner?" Fujiwara asked and gave the best puppy dog eyes she could.
Her little boy was such a little heart breaker, Ai couldn't help but laugh. And Aqua looked embarrassed, it was too cute not to let Fujiwara have him sit with her.
"Is it ok if you sit with Fujiwara-San Aqua?" Ai asked him in a sweet voice.
"Sure..." He said, knowing he'd regret this.
"Yay!" Fujiwara went back to her seat and sat the small boy in her lap, getting an extra plate prepared for when the food arrives.
"Mama, can I sit in your lap?" Ruby asked.
"Sure Ruby-Chan." Ai said, not able to refuse any of her daughter's requests after what happened earlier.
Ai really considered sending both of her children to therapy now, especially after Ruby's violent episode. Both of them experienced terrible things in the past month and she was worried about them adjusting to the changing situation. Especially Aqua, after she saw how much he seemed to have changed in terms of how he showed affection.
"How are you doing Ruby, anything fun happen?" Meimei asked Ruby.
"Yea, mama's pregnant!" Ruby unintentionally blurted out.
.
.
.
Meimei looked at Ai, as well as everyone else.
"Yes, I'm pregnant again." Ai sighed, hoping to bring that up later and in a less unexpected way.
"How?" Meimei asked.
"Yea, how?" Nino parroted.
"Well, you see girls, when a woman is ready, she fills an order to the stork-"
"What we mean is how, as in you and Eren did that?" Meimei asked, annoyed at Ai's sarcasm.
"I don't think there was any other men around." Ai said.
"You were all shy about it for so long, how many times did you two have sex?" Nino asked.
"The kids!" Ai yelled out.
"Sorry." Nino apologized. "But how many times?"
"... Once..." Ai said in a slightly ashamed voice.
"Once!?" The B-Komachi girls yelled.
"Didn't you only have one time with your ex as well!? Watanabe asked.
"... Yes." Ai said with a groan.
"Seriously Ai, you should think about starting a farm down there." Meimei said. "You are incredibly fertile."
Ai turned to Meimei and glared at her, not appreciating her joking about the situation.
"Sorry." She laughed.
"Wait, what does... S-Se-... physical relations have to do with her being pregnant?" Kaguya asked, unable to say the word without blushing.
"Eto...because they had sex." Miyako stared at Kaguya.
"And? I don't see how that's relevant." She said.
"Shinomiya..." Miyuki began. "That's how babies are made." He said. "Didn't Fujiwara tell you?"
"Don't bring me into this!" She said.
"I don't understand, she just said what it was. But isn't it the stork who delivers the child when a man and woman sleep together?"
Just a friendly reminder that Kaguya is the second smartest person in one of the most elite schools in the world.
"Lady Kaguya..." Hayasaka blushed out of secondhand embarrassment.
Kaguya may have learned what sex was that one time they discussed about high schoolers first time, but no one told her that's how babies are made. She always assumed sex was entirely recreational.
"What?" Kaguya asked. "I don't see how Ai's first time is the reason she's pregnant."
First time...? She has four-year-old twins, her first time was almost five years ago.
"I'll handle this, let the married woman explain it." Meimei said standing up.
"I'm married too." Miyako reminded.
Meimei whispered in Kaguya's ear, so the kids didn't hear the details. Slowly, Kaguya's face got redder and redder as she learned more and more about where babies come from. She stood up from the embarrassment.
"S-so... to have kids, I'd have to..." She said in complete shock and fear.
How was she supposed to have children!? She'd have to have sex!? She can barely even get past a single kiss.
The Kaicho tried recently to kiss her during a romantic dinner they had, their first official date... and Kaguya proceeded to kick him out of sheer embarrassment. Now in order to have a family they had to have sex? She was doomed!
"This girl..." Miyuki buried his face in his hands.
"You have yourself a true yamato nadeshiko." Meimei laughed, patting Miyuki on the back, which is a slang for an ideal Japanese woman.
"I was not expecting to have to explain this." Nino chuckled.
"Shinomiya isn't the most experienced of people." Ishigami said. "She's lived a very sheltered life.
"Still, not the reaction I was expecting to my pregnancy." Ai giggled at the whole thing.
"I was expecting the President to get angry at you being pregnant again." Watanabe looked at Saitou, who shrugged.
"I'd be mad if my business wasn't ruined, but since Strawberry Productions is slowly getting destroyed and Ai's career is over, I don't care. Have as many as you want." He said.
"He means he'll be of any help he can." Miyako glared at him.
"What, she's a grown woman and it doesn't change anything. She doesn't have to worry about hiding a pregnancy anymore." He said.
"That's not the same attitude you had before." Miyako said.
"Well, everyone called me paranoid, and I'd hate to say this, but it turns out I was right to distrust Eren." He said. "Once again, Ai almost died and now we know he was responsible for some of those times."
"He didn't try to hurt me." Ai defended.
"No, but he got involved in crime and it got you involved to, so his actions nearly got you killed." He said.
"Ryosuke though wasn't Eren." Ai said.
"Are we sure about that?" Saitou asked.
"What do you mean?" Ai asked.
"Are we sure Eren didn't leak information so he could seem like a hero?" Saitou asked.
"That's an unfair assumption." Ai said.
"Is it, you almost died multiple times since you met him." Saitou said. "If I could go back I'd lock you in your house the day of the twins birthday."
Saitou felt useless in protecting Ai. The woman he saw as a daughter almost died so many times. If he was just a little more strict, he could have saved her career and even her life.
"Papa released that information." Aqua said suddenly.
"What?" Ai asked.
"Papa... Hikaru, released that information. He bragged about it when he hurt me, said he was hoping mama would die from a crzed stalker."
Aqua had to defend Eren at least on that front. It was just a coincidence that Hikaru found Ai around the time Eren met Ai.
"He..." Ai had no words.
Hikaru tried to kill her? She assumed he got high with Aqua and tried to hurt him too much in a fit of rage... but he was going to kill her? He knowingly released information to a stalker so she would die?
"He said he wanted you dead mama."
"Why didn't you tell me Aqua-Chan." She asked.
"I was scared." He lied, preferring to have her believe that over keeping it a secret.
Had she done something wrong? Why did Hikaru want to kill her? What could have possibly happened that made him decide she needed to die? It couldn't be his career, he was a washed up actor.
Well, now she was a washed up idol because of him. How ironic.
"So, Eren did legitimately save her there." Nino said.
"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk about." Kaguya said, calming herself after her second huge revelation when it came to sex. "It's about Eren-San."
"What about him?" Meimei asked. "I mean, clearly there's nothing to discuss. He's a criminal who manipulated Ai to maintain his cover and avoid the police."
"Yea, he's a jerk." Kyun said. "He nearly got us killed since the Yakuza targeted Ai to get at him."
"And you've seen what he's done." Watanabe said.
"Yea." Nino said. "He's killed dozens of people and attacked Meimei's husband."
"Well, actually, that wasn't him." Meimei said.
"What?" Ai asked.
"Apparently, the Akuma no Ko helped him. It was the other Yakuza group that attacked." She said. "He said he'd be dead if it wasn't for Eren."
"It might have been a coincidence." Miyako said. "We don't know what he was doing."
"I think there's more to Eren than we've been led to believe." Kaguya said.
"Kaguya, he kidnapped you." Miyako said. "There is no more to it, he kidnapped you."
"I have to agree." Saitou said. "We don't know what he was planning, and he might have done the same to Ai."
"Yea Kaguya." Fujiwara said. "He was the one who took you, so why are you defending him?"
"But he saved mama." Ruby piped up.
"Yea, he did." Aqua agreed with his sister since he was the only one with the full context.
"Kids, you're too young to understand." Meimei said.
Kaguya knew she had to tell them, it was a bit of a gamble, but with the Nakano-Kai gone and Ai safe in her mansion, she knew they couldn't hurt her and as such, Yoshida won't target her either.
"I need to tell you all something, something important about my escape." She said.
"What do you mean?" Fujiwara asked.
"Eren didn't kidnap me, far from it." She said.
"Well, he kidnapped me." Miyuki said.
"Huh?" Kaguya asked, her train of thought derailed.
"Long story." Miyuki said.
"As I was saying, Eren didn't kidnap me. According to him, he had no idea that I was kidnapped until it was reported on the news." She said.
"Really?" Ai asked.
"When he found out, he said he would rescue me." Kaguya said.
"He rescued you?" Fujiwara asked.
"Yea, he did." She nodded. "He rescued both me and Hayasaka. Even Kaicho."
"When were you kidnapped?" Ai asked, looking at Miyuki.
"Eren needed help, someone he could trust. Since I love Shinomiya-" Kaguya blushed when he said that. "He knew he could trust me to help."
"He put you at risk?" Miyako asked.
"He had it under control, but he wanted to get her out without a fight." Miyuki said. "I messed up and he came in violently and pushed them back. He saved her."
"You did too." Kaguya blushed.
"Not like him, he beat five trained guys easily in the time it took me to barely win against one." Miyuki said.
"Why didn't he go to the police if he knew where you were?" Meimei asked.
"The thing is, it wasn't the Nakano-Kai that kidnapped me. It was Yoshida." Kaguya said. "He kidnapped me in order to make me believe that it was the Nakano-Kai, that way my father would go on a manhunt and rig trials against them as a way to ensure they were defeated."
Yoshida, the leader of the most powerful Yakuza in Tokyo. Kaguya told the media that it was the Nakano-Kai that kidnapped her, even her own father. Why would she lie?
"I kept it a secret because Yoshida was having his men protect Ai." Kaguya said.
"Protect me?" Ai asked.
"Yes, the Nakano-Kai saw Eren as a threat, so they targeted you because he cares about you." Kaguya explained. "Yoshida manipulated Eren into helping them by providing people to protect you, so he begged me to lie and maintain that it was the Nakano-Kai that kidnapped me so that Yoshida would never find out that Eren saved me, and it ensured Yoshida didn't lose men to police raids so that you could stay protected."
Ai didn't know what to think about that. Eren by his presence put Ai in danger, but he was also doing so much to protect her at the same time. She didn't know how to feel about that.
"Regardless of if he protected her or not, he still put her in danger." Meimei said.
"No, he didn't." Ai said.
"Mama?" Ruby said as she saw her mother get sad.
"What do you mean Ai?" Meimei asked.
"Eren kept trying to push me away, especially when we first met." She said. "I pursued him, I was the one who almost dragged him away to spend time with me. I was the one who went after him. Maybe... maybe he was trying to stay away so I didn't get hurt... and he fell for me to the point that he took the risk to be close to me. It's not his fault."
"Eren said he's desperate, that he has no way to get a job or even get food. He came to Japan against his will and was stuck here without papers or anything. He got into crime because he was desperate and apparently, he was too skilled and valuable to get out." Kaguya explained.
That made sense to Ai. Eren was desperate. She knew that something very bad happened just before Eren came to Japan. Something that caused the death of people he cared about. Something that forced him into a life of crime.
Ai thought back to the past week... how destroyed and broken she felt after losing her career, reputation, and Eren. How angry and alone she felt. How isolated from the world due to everything that happened.
But her children pulled her together. They helped her to get over it and at least find something to keep moving with dignity and a head held high. Without them... she wondered what she would have done to herself.
Eren had no one. He had no one to help him, no one to cry to, not even anyone to get angry at. He was isolated in a strange place that he knew nothing about, with no food or future, and no one to help him. Is it any wonder that he did something desperate?
"I had no idea." Meimei said.
"That does sound tough." Miyako said.
"I looked into some information about Yoshida." Kaguya said. "And Eren's Russian friend."
"Where'd you get that?" Fujiwara asked.
"One of my father's associates is the director of Naicho, the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office. So, he let me have some information." Kaguya said.
"Wait, how? Isn't that kind of stuff classified?" Saitou asked.
"I used the charm befitting a woman of class and sophistication." Kaguya pointed to herself, head held high and voice full of pride.
"Please can you tell me, I am learning more about papa's company and it'll help for a school report." Kaguya begged with her hands clasped and eyes wide.
"Of course, little lady Kagy, anything for my darling god daughter." The director smiled as he pat her head. "Can't disappoint my old friend and generous benefactor."
Yea, Kaguya didn't use any sophisticated charm. She begged like a little girl with wide puppy eyes to a man who saw her as a daughter to him.
"Yoshida recruited Eren forcefully based on intercepted phone calls they received. Additionally, the Russian he was with, who they've been hunting for two decades now, is credited in introducing Eren to Yoshida. Their file on the investigation shows that Eren was compelled to join against his will." Kaguya explained. "Additionally, that warehouse was a forced suicide mission that they intended to kill Eren with, only then involving Eren fully when he showed abnormal levels of skill and strength."
"They knew who he was?" Kaguya asked.
"According to their reports, they didn't learn about Eren until the media did. At least his name. They only got bits and pieces since the Yakuza typically talk in code in order to avoid being discovered or having their operations known."
"So." Saitou began. "Eren is an ex-Soldier from an unknown country that was forced to join the Yakuza due to his skill and abilities."
"That's what the reports assume, yes." Kaguya said. "He also has a particular hatred for human trafficking, that much he told us."
"I remember." Fujiwara said. "When he talked about that girl he saved."
"Girl?" Meimei asked.
"Eren told us about his adopted sister who was trafficked at nine-years-old." Ai explained. "Eren found the kidnappers and killed them, as a nine-year-old."
"Nine!?" Miyako yelled out.
"Yea, nine?" Meimei asked.
"Wherever Eren grew up, it was a very rough place." Kaguya said. "The reports assume that he's had military level training and experience, but based off of CCTV, they're unsure of what army or country he fought for."
"There was one thing." Ai said, thinking back. "I remember he said he was a member of Wagner squad."
"Wagner?" Saitou asked. "I heard about them on the news, they're a mercenary company based out of Russia, they were activated two years ago." He said.
"So, a child soldier and a mercenary." Kaguya thought to herself.
"Eren also said everyone he cared for is dead." Ai looked down sadly. "I felt so sorry for him, but everyone he knows is gone and I think something bad must have happened to him before he came to Japan."
"So, he was forced to into crime against his will?" Meimei asked, hoping she understood it fully.
"I believe so." Kaguya said. "There's no mentions on his past outside of speculation and his fake passport, nothing mentioning him being a member of Wagner. So, there's a lot of his past that's not known."
"Does that excuse everything though?" Meimei asked. "I mean sure, he feels bad about it, but he still kills people."
"According to the media, he's only ever targeted Yakuza members. Not a single innocent person died due to his actions." Miyuki defended.
"That was another thing about the report." Kaguya said. "Based on CCTV footage and crime scene analysis, he's repeatedly gotten into fights in crowds full of people. He often puts himself at risk in order to avoid collateral damage or hurting bystanders."
"Again, he kills people for a living." Meimei said.
"True, but he does so out of desperation." Kaguya defended.
"Why did he never go to the police?" Miyako asked. "Surely he could have claimed asylum and either had the Government assist him in finding a new country or attempting to immigrate him here. I know it's a long process, but the Government is sympathetic to many asylum seekers."
"If he was a part of Wagner, it's possible he was a criminal before. They recruited out of prisons on occasion." Saitou said.
"Plus, he's from a rural area." Meimei said. "He knows very little about technology or modern culture, so he had to have been born in a rural area. Maybe his desperation started there."
"His mother was also killed when he was ten." Ai said. "He said that she was killed by "Them", whoever that is. Maybe a gang or mafia killed his family."
"I could see that." Kaguya said. "Not saying he's innocent, but I don't think Eren is as bad as we all thought at first."
"What does it matter?" Ai asked.
"Ai." Meimei said.
"Even if everything he did was good or justifiable, it doesn't change that he's a wanted man. A trial won't see that as justifiable, and they will convict him. There's nothing I can do to be close to him." She said sadly.
"I suppose you're right." Meimei said sadly.
"Can your dad do anything?" Miyuki asked Kaguya.
"I doubt he would, he wouldn't risk much to protect a confirmed criminal." Kaguya said.
"Even if Eren saved you?" Miyuki asked.
"Technically, Eren put you in danger to save me, I doubt he'd look to kindly about that." Kaguya said.
So, there was no way to save Eren from the law. Not after everything he's done.
Ai felt as if she cared for Eren, maybe even loved him. Despite what happened, she truly did care for him. After understanding a lot of the context behind Eren's actions, maybe she could forgive him and even love him.
But how could she? If she didn't have children already, she'd gladly run away with him. But she has to consider her children's future, and a life on the run is no way to raise two... no, three children. She has a third child on the way.
She didn't even know if she could contact him. Eren was probably in hiding. If this Russian guy, Sergei she remembered his name was, avoided the police for twenty years then what hope does she have to find Eren?
"I know it's weird to bring this up, but I wanted to make sure you all had the context behind what Eren did for me." Kaguya said. "I'm not trying to change your opinion on him, but at least give you my experience with him."
"We appreciate it, Kaguya." Meimei said.
"Yea, even if it doesn't help our situation." Kyun said.
"We're all going to have to find real jobs soon, since we're no longer able to perform." Meimei said.
"Speak for yourself." Nino said. "I'm going to learn English and get an acting job in America. They actually have some respect for their performers, unlike here."
"I feel like they have the same problems." Watanabe said.
"At least they're paid much better." Nino said. "Plus, I can find myself a handsome western actor." She blushed.
Ai giggled at her friend. At least the girls would have an easier time if they went solo. If they did their marketing right, they can blame it all on Ai and avoid the scandals. Ai even hoped they would do that, since her reputation is already gone and it least it can help her friends.
"You know, I could buy Strawberry Productions." Kaguya said. "I can get an allowance increase from my father and still let you perform."
"We can't do that." Saitou said.
"An allowance increase to buy a talent agency..." Miyako whispered to herself.
"Why not?" Kaguya asked.
"Because with how damaged Strawberry Productions reputation is, we'd never be able to make a profit. You'd throw money away on something that won't bring any kind if audience." He said. "It's better to let it die."
"As much as we dreamed about filling the Tokyo Dome with glowsticks, I don't think we should continue." Miyako said, holding her stomach which just barely started to develop a baby bump.
"I nearly lost my idols a lot in the past month and a half. I can't risk their lives anymore." He said. "I'd rather focus on my own family."
"I understand." Kaguya said.
After the long talk, their meals were finally ready. It was some of the best food they ever had, likely with spices measured by the milligram to make it perfect.
Well, that was an interesting chapter. An entire conversation about Eren, and a few other stuff.
So, when I started this was supposed to be a one and done story. It would end and that's it, no titan powers, no AoT stuff, and no massive plots.
However, people were asking for it, so I compromised. I'll be doing a sequel so that the original vision won't be compromised. Now the idea for the sequel started back around the first concert arc, so it is fully planned out and there are foreshadowing elements. I debated about adding overt foreshadowing, like Ruby's scene in this chapter since I didn't want this story to have sequel bait or foreshadowing, but I'm adding it.
That way, you guys can believe that I do have this planned out and am not entirely winging it lol. That being said, Ruby's moment is a sequel bait thing, so don't expect to get answers anytime soon.
Hope you guys enjoyed.