Authors Note: I do not own Oshi No Ko, all rights belong to their original copyright holder.

So for the longest time, I have attempted to keep this story as spoiler free as possible from the manga. But I must admit, as it gets harder and harder to do so, I'm going to finally start incorporating manga elements. I apologize if this makes any anime only's mad, but if it makes you feel any better, I won't be covering any arcs of the manga, moreso just characters that haven't appeared in the anime yet.

Though very important characters, so I must warn you against reading the reviews/comments of this chapter.

Anyway, this chapter ended up being a bit more setup than I would have liked, but it all works the same. I got the arc mainly planned out now, and that's exciting.

Also everyone who wants fluff to return, don't worry, it will next chapter.

As always, go join the subreddit at Church_Of_AquaxRuby

Thank you as always!


"Wow, so this is what a rehearsal looks like…" Ruby trailed off as she looked around the busy theater room, as people made their way here and there as they prepared for another grueling day of practice. Every day they got closer and closer to the actual performance, and combined with some issues with the writer of the manga, things weren't the most precise currently.

Still, no matter what happened, they couldn't delay the play. So if any last minute changes happened, they would just have to grin and bear it.

Aqua shrugged his shoulders, script in hand as he read over his lines. "It's about as crowded as an underground idol room isn't it?"

"Hmm, yeah I guess this was about how many people were squished together, though it was a lot more awkward since we had to change around each other and have little privacy to do so. At Least you guys have a dressing room, right?"

"Well, two basic dressing rooms at least. One for guys, and one for girls. From what we've been told though, some of the more smaller roles will just change in the private restrooms since they might only have a couple of scenes, if that." Aqua explained as the two of them walked closer to the stage, as he was still reading over his script, while a few of the actors and stage hands around him whispered.

'Yo who's the babe?'

'Ah I think I saw her on TV the other day, think she's some kind of an idol.'

"Idol huh? Maybe I should shoot my shot.'

Ruby heard the whispers around her and gave a small sigh, shaking her head back and forth. "Guys really only care about looks huh?"

"Are you really one to say that, considering how many times you freaked out over how beautiful Ai looked?"

"T-That's different, Mama was a star after all!"

"So it's alright to idolize people's looks if they're famous?" Aqua tilted his head as he looked over at Ruby, who awkwardly avoided his gaze as she reached up and played with a strand of her hair.

"W-Well…Y-You did the same thing! You always talked about how beautiful she looked after all…" Ruby looked down to the ground a bit as she muttered. "You never say that about me though…"

"..." Aqua just kept a side eye look on Ruby, before turning his attention fully back to the script in hand. "Do I really need to state the obvious?"

"Well, you sure did when it came to Mama…A-Also um…Shouldn't you, you know…Get jealous that other people are talking like that about me?" Ruby looked away with a small blush, still twiddling her hair between her fingers as a small smirk appeared on Aqua's lips.

"Now why would I get jealous?"

"Ehh? C-Cause we're…" Ruby looked around before leaning in and whispering. "C-Cause we're a couple…"

"We are, so why should I get jealous? Afterall…" Aqua closed his script as he turned towards Ruby and gently grabbed her chin with one finger and tilted her face up as he leaned in. "I've already made the biggest Star here replicate my love for her."

"E-Eh…" Ruby's face suddenly a dark red, her eyes averting to the side as Aqua gave a small chuckle and ruffled her hair before he continued on to the top of the stage, as Ruby crossed her arms and pouted. "Tch…How does Sensei know what to say to get my heart to feel like it's about to explode…?"

Though she complained, a warm feeling of gratitude spread through her chest as she softly smiled, turning and looking over the seats in the auditorium they were in. A few other people who weren't apart of the production were here, though considering how little they seemed to care, they were likely just friends of the cast members waiting for them to be done. Giving a shrug, she found an open seat and sat down, patiently waiting for the rehearsal to start, her eyes not leaving Aqua the entire time he was on stage.

Even though all he was doing was standing on stage with a script in hand and in his school uniform, Ruby couldn't help but feel a hint of anticipation building. She had seen Aqua act before of course, but to be here as his girlfriend made it all the more special.

As she patiently sat there waiting, she felt a tap on her shoulder as she turned around to the person behind her. "Didn't expect to see you here, Ruby-chan!"

"Ah, Akane-chan!" The girl who had tapped Ruby on the shoulder was Akane, as she gave a small smile to the blond idol as she did so. Turning herself around in her chair to look up at her, Ruby returned the smile with one of her own. "Yeah, Oniichan brought me with him today since I had nothing else to do."

"Oh, Aqua-kun did? I figure Arima would be the reason you came here today." Ruby just shook her head at Akane's suggestion, the smile not leaving her face.

"I can't wait to see Kana-chan perform of course, but she never invites me or Mem-Chan to any of her performances unless we find out about it beforehand. Though I guess this is a rehearsal and not a performance…Though I also begged Oniichan to let me come with him…"

"Oh really, you really wanted to watch your brother act?" Akane said as she tilted her head to the side, her eyes pinpointed on Ruby as she spoke.

"A-Ah yeah…" Ruby's face blushed a small amount, causing Akane's reaction to mellow a bit as she gave a small genuine smile.

"I see, it's always good to be close to your siblings after all!" It was at that moment Akane realized Aqua likely hadn't told Ruby she knew of their relationship, and she also knew it wasn't her place to break the news to the young girl.

"Yeah, I'm really glad I have Oniichan, he's been…Through so much with me. He's not only helped me out when I needed him, but…He's been there for me when I had nobody else to turn to." Though she had no siblings of her own, Akane could tell from the way Ruby spoke of Aqua that it was no mere sibling relationship. While she already knew the truth herself, she could see it with her own eyes.

Ruby was truly in love with Aqua, and seeing that made a small part of her that was still hanging on to finally rest in peace. The part of her that loved Aqua wouldn't go away anytime soon of course, but…Seeing how much Ruby loved him, and how much Aqua seemed to love her back with everything he went through to save her…

She couldn't help but just smile. "I'm glad to hear, Ruby-Chan. I hope you enjoy our rehearsal, though it may be a bit out of whack since so many people have missed practice at times."

"Ah I'm sure it will be great! Oniichan, Kana-Chan and you Akane-Chan will kill it! Along with the rest of the cast, though I can't say I really recognize anyone…N-Not that I exactly watch much TV…" Ruby gave an awkward laugh, flashing images of the various manga and anime she consumed flashing through her head.

Akane nodded and went to reply again before a new voice entered the fray. "Oi, are you just going to stand around and talk or are you going to get ready?"

The girls looked behind of Akane, as a familiar redhead made her entrance. "Ah, Arima…I was just talking to Ruby-chan before heading to the stage."

"Hm?" Kana looked down at the seat, as she was a bit taken aback by the blond presence. "A-Ack, Ruby? W-Why are you here?"

"Hey Kana-Senpai! I had nothing else to do since our shoot was canceled, so I thought I would come watch you and Aqua, like I said I would!"

"Y-You really chose to come watch our play instead of being with Amamiya? A-Are you sure he's a good boyfriend…?"

"Oh um…Gouro is busy like I said! He's uh…Going to medical school, so he has to do an intern thing at the local hospital and all! Sometimes he even does extreme things like…Helping women give birth!"

"What kind of intern helps with that!?" Kana yelled in shock, though gave a small sigh as she just shook her head back and forth. "Well whatever, I would say I hope you enjoy it but it's just the rehearsal, and my acting will just bring the whole play down anyway."

"Huh? Bring the whole play down…?" Ruby asked with curiosity, though Kana didn't elaborate as she just walked past her and to the stage, leaving her and Akane alone. "I wonder what Kana-senpai meant?"

"..." Akane just watched Kana head onto the stage with a bit of a concerned look, before closing her eyes and shaking her head. "Arima has just been a bit down in the dumps lately, I think it might have something to do with Aqua-kun rejecting her."

"Oh, I see…" Ruby said with a hint of guilt in her voice, slumping some in her chair as Akane placed a hand on her shoulder.

"No need to feel bad about it, we are…Just teenagers afterall." Akane smiled at Ruby, who looked back at her and gave a small nod.

"Y-Yeah…Just Teenagers…" That was true for all but one of them, of course.

"In any case, I'm heading on up to the stage, I hope you enjoy Ruby-chan!"

"A-Ah right, thanks Akane-Chan!" The two of them exchanged farewells for the time being as Akane ran up to the stage, as everything was being prepared for the rehearsal to take center stage.


"Alright cut! Good job guys, get the stage set for the next scene!" The director yelled out across the cast as everyone began moving around, as Aqua sat on his knees in the middle of the stage with Akane in his arms, the scene they were just rehearsing being the death scene of Akane's character in the play.

Pushing herself up into a sitting position beside him, Akane gave a smile as she looked Aqua in the eyes. "That was really good Aqua-kun! I think it's the best you've performed so far!"

Aqua gave a small shrug, pushing himself to his feet as he helped Akane up as well. "Well I've memorized the script, it's nothing all that special."

"Well it's not quite like that, you're actually putting emotion into it! Not that you weren't before but um…It was pretty fake before, but it felt like you were acting with genuine emotion, like you were enjoying acting!"

"...Enjoying it huh?" Aqua said in almost a whisper, turning his attention to the side as he looked at the ground, voices whispering in his own ears.

What does she mean enjoy it?

How can you enjoy it? Did Ai enjoy being stabbed?

Why are you feeling happiness even though you're a failure!?

Aqua narrowed his eyes as his inner demons got louder and louder, as he quickly looked up and locked eyes with Ruby. Her sparkling and dazzling eyes locked with his, as the whispers in his ears got quieter and quieter before they completely vanished as Aqua sighed and gave a small smile towards Ruby. "Yeah, I guess you could say that…"

Ruby looked away embarrassed from his smile, as Akane walked to his side and patted his shoulder. "You two really seem to love each other, huh?"

"Well, we wouldn't be risking it all if we didn't. Not exactly a decision you come to because your hormones get out of control for a night."

"Eh…Right?" Akane said with a tilted head, just agreeing with Aqua as she pushed the conversation forward. "Anyway, I was wondering something Aqua…Why did you become an actor?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't mean to pry but…You…Don't exactly seem like you enjoy it. You lied all the time when we were on the reality dating show, and you didn't seem to enjoy being here until Ruby showed up, so…"

"..." Aqua looked up at the ceiling as he thought about it, wondering what he could say to her.

He could refute her, but it wasn't like she was wrong. He didn't act because he wanted to, he did so because it was the quickest path to finding out who his father was. As soon as he got revenge on his father, he would retire in an instant and become what he always wanted to be and was once…

A doctor who saved lives…

After a moment, Aqua brought his head back down as he finally answered her. "You're not wrong, acting isn't a passion of mine and it never will be. It's a talent of mine I suppose, but that's more so because of the genetics I inherited. It's not something I built up over time, practicing day in and day out."

"Then…Why do you act?"

"...It pays the bills…"

"Aqua-kun…You're a better liar than that." Akane raised an eyebrow and chastised Aqua, who closed his eyes and turned away from her as he began walking off stage. "Hey, Aqua-kun!"

"Akane…It's none of your concern."

"You're going to say that, even after-"

"This is bigger than what we shared the other night, regarding our secrets. This is something…I intend to take to my grave, one way or another." With those words, Aqua walked the rest of the way off the stage, leaving Akane alone as she just stared at him from behind.

"Aqua-kun…"

"He's always like that Kurokawa, having delusions of grandeur and all!" A new voice appeared from behind her as Akane turned her head, Kana walking over with almost a blank look.

"Hm? Delusions of grandeur?"

"Yeah, he's always saying crazy stuff from time to time. He even asked me to skip school with him once, only for us just to play catch in the park while he talked about becoming one with himself or whatever, it's like…He needs to grow up." Kana spoke with a hint of disgust, though a small blush adorning itself on her cheeks as she remembered their day of hookey.

"Becoming one with himself…I wonder, is that related to when he passed out?"

"Hm? I doubt him reading too much manga has any connection to that stuff, besides…It seemed like the reason he passed out was because of Sarina Tendouji." Akane tilted her head to the side, confusion rampant on her face.

"Sarina Tendouji? Who's that?"

"Hm? You don't know?" Akane shook her head back and forth, as Kana gave a small sigh. "Not sure if I should be telling you this, but…Well just don't tell him I told you, alright? She was some girl Aqua and Ruby knew when they were younger, apparently she died about four years ago when she was only twelve years old. Aqua…Seems to blame himself for her death…"

"Four years ago…She was the same age as Aqua and Ruby?"

"Yeah, it seems like they were all pretty close. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but…On the day Aqua told me to give up my feelings for him, he had that breakdown that caused him to pass out. During that breakdown, he mentioned Sarina died in his arms."

Silence fell over the two teenage girls, a hint of shock on Akane's face as she turned it to the side. "I-I see, I didn't know…"

"Yeah…He also mentioned something about how Sarina and that famous idol Ai are related, but I'm not sure how or why."

"Ai…Again…?" Akane said in a whisper, bringing a finger up to her lips as she thought it over, as Kana pressed on.

"Anyway, I say all that to say…Don't let it get to you…He did the same thing to me." Kana said as her voice got quiet, Akane lowering her eyes at the redheaded girl in an almost pitiful look.

"Arima…" That was the only thing she said as Kana began walking the opposite direction, as Akane sighed and walked in the original direction Aqua had walked as the stage was almost fully put together for the next scene.

…..

..

Sitting in the audience, close enough to the stage to hear their conversation was somebody hearing a hoodie, sunglasses and a face mask. He pretended to be scrolling through his phone, though secretly he was carefully listening to everything that was said on stage.


Ruby was captivated.

Every motion.

Every word.

Every action.

She was hooked.

She had watched Aqua act before, heck she had even gone back and rewatched parts of the Reality TV Show he was in to prepare herself for today.

But she did not expect watching Aqua in person to be so amazing.

Unlike the reality TV Show, it was like he was a whole other person. His voice inflections, the way he carried himself, his commanding stage presence…

It was all too perfect.

Aqua, to her, was the perfect actor.

When he looked over and smiled at her after his performance, she had to stop herself from screaming on the spot.

He was a total rockstar at that moment, and to Ruby there was no doubt in her mind that Ai knew exactly what she was talking about when she said that Aqua should grow up and become an actor.

As she internally fangirled at her brother boyfriend, trying her best to not let it leak out other than a few blushes and flutter of the eyelashes towards him, she didn't notice the figure approaching her from the side until they were right beside her. "Yo, you're that idol, yea?"

"H-Huh?" Ruby was broken out of trance as she looked at the one beside her, a boy with blond hair and a smirk. "U-Uh yeah, what's up…?"

"Heh." The boy smiled as he placed a hand on the backside of her seat and leaned in, his smirk growing as Ruby felt herself already getting uncomfortable. "Is it true that idol's can't have boyfriends?"

"U-Um…Yes?"

"So…You're single then? After my rehearsal today, want to go out together and get something to eat? My treat."

"Um…Y-You just said idols can't have boyfriends, so…"

"Hey baby it's no big deal, I have connections. I mean, I am a pretty big time actor after all." Ruby tilted her head in genuine confusion, having no idea who the boy standing beside of her was.

"Um…An actor?"

"Weren't you watching the rehearsal just now? The name is Sakuya Kamoshida, I play Monme, one of the antagonists! I bet my performance was so amazing, you were completely swept off your feet, yeah?"

"Um…Not really…"

"Playing hard to get? I see, I see. Well, that little heart of yours will be mine after the play today, what do you say?" Despite his persistence, Ruby continued to reject him as she shrunk away from him more and more, as the uncomfortable feeling in her chest only grew.

"L-Like I said, I'm good…"

"Oh come on, don't be a bitch-" Before Sakuya could say anymore, a hand suddenly grabbed him on the shoulder and pulled him away from her. "Hey, who the hell-"

"Kamoshida, she isn't interested."

"Y-You…"

"A-Aqua!" Ruby called out as the one who grabbed Sakuya and pulled him away was indeed Aqua, his eyes shining darkly as he stared deep into Sakuya's eyes, who returned the glare.

"What the hell are you doing, touching me like that you two bit actor." Sakuya reached up and knocked Aqua's hand away, as he just let it fall to his side. "Beat it, this isn't your business-"

"She isn't interested, she made that very clear. Right Ruby?" Aqua looked over at Ruby, who just gave a small nod.

"Y-Yeah, I-I'm not…"

Despite her words, Sakuya pushed him as he shrugged. "She may be your sister, but like any idol, she wants to experience the world! So stop acting like her dad, and get the fuck away from me."

Sakuya attempted to turn back towards Ruby, though Aqua again grabbed him and this time used more force as he pulled him back.

"O-Ow you bastard!" Sakuya yelled, as he reached over and grabbed Aqua's collar. "Do you know who I am? I'll have my agency sue yours, understand?"

"...A two bit threat, coming from a two bit actor." Was all Aqua said in response, as Sakura narrowed his eyes at him.

"T-Two bit!? Do you know who the hell I am!?" He yelled out as he scrunched his fist and brought it towards Aqua's face-

"Hey, what are you two doing!?" Sakuya's yelling had caught the attention of the rest of the cast, as the Director walking over with a stern look. "Knock it off! Cause any problems and both of your asses are replaced, got it!?"

"T-Tch…" Sakuya let go of Aqua's collar and walked past him, whispering under his breath. "Your dead next time I see you alone."

Despite the threat, Aqua simply watched him walk away, before closing his eyes and opening them back to their more neutral look. "A-Aqua…"

Ruby pushed herself up from her chair, and stood beside of him with a worried look. "You alright?"

"H-Huh? Yeah um…Thanks but…Y-You shouldn't have done that! What if you get fired, or we get sued?"

"I wouldn't worry about that, he's not as big of an actor as he makes himself out to be. He just likes to throw his seniority around since he's been acting since he was a kid and he's already in his early twenties. His agency is rather small, so I doubt he'll mess with you again, he can't risk getting thrown off this play with his current income."

"But sensei…" Ruby whispered, looking away as she just nodded. "T-Thanks, that was…Uncomfortable…"

"...I won't always be around to protect you, and if you want to be an idol, you're gonna have to learn to deal with pricks like that, alright? From having a weapon of some sorts to self defense classes, I…" Aqua narrowed his eyes, the demons once again attempting to make their way into his mind as he shook his head. "I don't want you to die also, alright?"

"Sensei…I-I promise, I'll protect myself no matter what!"

"Good." Aqua gave a smile towards her, which she returned, before the director called out to him once again.

"Hey Aqua, hurry up, the next scene is starting!" Aqua nodded before he looked back at Ruby and gave a smile and nod, before walking towards the stage as Ruby watched him from behind as she clenched her hands.

"I promise sensei, I won't…I won't die again!"


Kana gave a tired sigh as she propped herself up against the wall right next to the stage, sweat running down her face as she wiped it off with a tissue before crumpling it up and stuffing it into her pocket. Rehearsal was nearly over, and though she had gotten a ton of exercise when it came to her idol career, acting still took a ton of energy to get through, even on a normal stage rehearsal.

Of course it didn't help that this play was all over the place thanks to the script writer and mangaka not holding back when they decided to work together, but that was something to complain about another day.

As she wiped her face off, Kana held the script up and re-read over her lines, hand written notes adorning so much of the script that anybody else would have trouble knowing what was the script and what was hers. She had written the notes during both her private study time, and during rehearsal itself, all in an attempt to get better and do the one thing she loved in life above all else.

I mean think about it, nobody cares about me as an actress anymore.

Her own words ran through her head as she narrowed her eyes, her hand with the script in it falling to the side as she looked down at the ground.

She wasn't wrong.

Whenever she looked herself up online, it was always the same thing.

'Kana Arima is such an amazing idol! I'm so glad she's the star of B-Komachi!'

'Recently ordered more Kana merch, does anybody know where I can get her figurine that has her red outfit?'

'It's crazy, I used to watch her on TV but…It's amazing how much better of an idol she is, compared to being an actor.'

As the various twitter posts ran through her head, her hand clenched almost as she grinded her teeth slightly.

It was frustrating.

All her life, she wanted to be an actress…A star among stars, someone that others could rely on to carry their production and give them the performance of a lifetime.

Yet what was the point? She only got shit gigs, and the only reason she even got this job was because of her connections to Producer Kaburagi, not because of her own actual talent.

Not only that, but she had only been an actor for a couple of months and already she was more popular than she ever got from her post child actress days…

If she could achieve fame and glory just from singing…

What was the point of pouring her heart and soul into acting?

Into this play?

As long as she was just average, nobody would care and she could carry on being an idol, making ends meet that way.

Hell, maybe she could completely shit the bed and still be fine, it's not like idol fans watched stage plays and vice versa.

Maybe she should just drop out of the play, who cares if it leaves them hanging, it's not like she would be burning any bridges that would affect her career as an idol.

Slowly…Kana let her script fall out of her hand and to the floor, as she turned and began walking away from the stage with her head low and eyes hidden behind her red locks. She could just walk out now, pay a fine and sign some non-performance clause when it came to acting, and just spend the rest of her life slowly making money from twitter stans who only cared about her singing-

"Kana-Senpai" Suddenly a voice erupted from behind her, as Kana stopped, turning her head around as a bundle of blond joy ran up from behind her, her script in hand. "You dropped this."

Kana looked at Ruby with a downtrodden expression, before looking down at the script and nodded. "Right…Thanks…"

Kana reached over and gently grabbed the script from Ruby and let it hang by her side, as Ruby tilted her head in confusion. "Kana-senpai, is everything alright?"

"Hm? Y-Yeah I'm…Just thinking about our next performance. It's in two weeks right, at some kids zoo yeah?" Kana spoke in a quiet tone, as Ruby's confusion only grew as she nodded.

"W-Well yeah but…Why are you thinking about that? Shouldn't you be thinking about how the rehearsal has gone so far, I mean the play is coming up pretty quick right? I thought I heard someone mention you were only a month away from dress rehearsal."

"..." Kana was quiet for a moment, her shoulders sagging as she turned her face towards the side. "Does it matter? Nobody's coming to the play because of me."

"Eh? What do you mean? I mean we're going to promote the play with B-Komahi, so our fans will surely-"

"Surely what, come see a run down actress who nobody likes to watch? No thanks, I'll let Akane have all the spotlight. Besides, why would an idol group promote a stage play? That's not a crossover you would see."

"B-But you're in the play, and you have fans who want to see you act-"

"Show me one, and I'll show you a liar." Kana spat out, stopping Ruby in her tracks, as the young girl's small smile vanished as she stared at Kana.

"Kana-senpai…What's wrong?"

"...It has nothing to do with you Ruby…I'm going home…"

"H-Huh but the rehearsal isn't over is it?"

"They won't miss me." With that, Kana continued walking on ahead, not even giving a glance back at Ruby.

"Kana-senpai, wait!" Despite her outcry, Kana continued on before pushing a door open and leaving the auditorium, as Ruby just watched with a sad expression as she cupped her hands together. "K-Kana-senpai, what's wrong…?"

As Ruby watched on, another figure came from behind. "Ruby-chan, what's wrong with Arima?"

"H-Huh? Oh Akane-Chan…I-I don't know, she said something about how nobody cares about her acting, and that…She's going on home, and that nobody would miss her." Akane seemed taken aback by that last statement, a furrowed brow appeared on her face as she clicked her tongue.

"That idiot, she may not want to be here but we need her for the final scene! I'll chase her down, can you tell Aqua-kun to ask the Director if we can have an extended break before the final scenes for today?"

"H-Huh? Ok…" As soon as Ruby said that, Akane nodded with a thank you smile as she suddenly ran past Ruby and out the same door that Kana had went through, leaving the confused blond headed girl behind as she stared for a moment before turning and rushing off to find Aqua in the sea of actors.

….

..

..

After Ruby had ran off, the man sitting near the front of the stage and pretending not to pay attention to anything, pushed himself up and walked away from the stage and out the very same door as Kana and Akane.


Aqua stood in the backstage area, a drink in hand as he sat quietly by himself. His phone was still in his pocket, along with his script, as he simply just wanted some time to relax. Namely, he had been thinking about that dark web post he had found.

The more he thought about it, the less likely it seemed that it was legit. But still, it was the only new lead he had at the moment, so he was holding onto it like his life depended on it.

Perhaps for Aqua, that wasn't too far from the truth.

If he could somehow track that poster down, maybe, just maybe…He would have some kind of answer.

It didn't help his thoughts that he was currently at the very same theater that Ai had met his biological father at. A part of him wished that his father still worked here, or performed here or whatever…A part of him that was so strong, that he had collected hair DNA of every single person here.

All…Except for one.

His eyes looking up, they landed on the last person he had to collect a hair sample from.

The lead actor of Tokyo Blade, Taiki Himekawa.

While there was zero chance that he was Aqua's father, there was a chance that they were related in other ways. Afterall, his father had impregnated a at the time, fifteen to sixteen year old girl.

Who's to say he didn't knock other women up also?

Aqua already knew both of Taiki's legal parents were killed in a murder-suicide.

Which just added to the mystery, especially if his father was also somehow involved in that.

As Taiki sat in a chair by himself reading over the script, Aqua saw his chance. Pushing himself up, he began walking over towards Taiki slowly. Quickly he was developing plans on how to get his DNA, from grabbing a loose hair, to seeing if he had a drink close to him he had been drinking.

Closer and closer he got to him, as he reached out and-

Caw!

Suddenly he was interrupted by a caw sound, as he turned around and saw a crow sitting on the floor behind him, staring up at him. Aqua stopped and looked at the crow, its deep dark beady eyes staring at him, and nobody else.

Aqua looked around, yet nobody else seemed to even notice the crow was there, and so they were paying no attention at all.

Turning his attention back to the crow, Aqua opened his mouth and whispered. "A…Crow?"

He reached out to touch it, when-

"Aqua!" His head looked up as he saw Ruby pushing her way into the back area and calling to him. "Aqua! We have a problem!"

"Huh, Ruby?" Aqua stared at her, before looking back down at the crow…Only to notice it was gone, vanished into the wind. "W-What?"

"Aqua! It's bad, Kana quit!"

"What? What do you mean quit?" Ruby began to explain to him everything Kana had said, finally ending with how Akane said she was going to go after her and to tell him that he needed to get the director to extend the break. "Tch…What is that girl thinking?"

"I'm not sure but…I'm worried!" Aqua gave a small nod to Ruby, as he slowly turned around and looked back at Taiki…Only to notice he had gotten up and left sometime during the commotion, missing Aqua's chance to get a strand of his DNA. "Dammit…"

"I-Is something wrong?"

"...No, it's fine. I'll tell the director, but…I'm not sure if I can say anything to Arima to get her to calm down, I should leave it to Akane since those two have a past together." Aqua said a bit casually, as Ruby just nodded though a little unconvinced. "By the way Ruby, did you see…A crow?"

"Huh? A…Crow?" Aqua nodded, as Ruby looked around the backroom and shook her head. "I don't see anything."

"...Hm, maybe I need more sleep." Aqua ran a hand through his hair, as he walked past Ruby and towards the stage where the director was.

"Ah, wait up Aqua!" Ruby hurried after him, leaving the backroom section alone as the other actors continued to enjoy their break.

…..

..

..

Among them was a small girl, though nobody seemed to notice her presence, as stood where the crow was, black feathers adorning her dress as she watched the two twins leave the backroom area.


Kana walked down the street away from the theater at a brisk pace, her head down and gaze empty. Her eyes showed no trace of emotion, any and all passion in them leaving as turmoil and despair clouded her thoughts.

Ever since she was a kid, she had been gifted, gifted with the power of being an actress. She was praised far and wide for being a genius child actress, and she got any role that she wanted no matter what.

A child in a soap opera? Got it.

A child in a horror flick? All hers.

A music video? Pre-schoolers would eat it up.

Every single role that she applied for, she got. She never had any hardships, anything to send her spiraling, nothing to stop her rise.

Until that one day…

Once you check in, you might enjoy taking a stroll around the village. Well then, if you will follow me…

That was the day her entire illusion of reality was destroyed.

She had always been the best actor on screen when it came to children, no matter how others tried, they couldn't compete.

Yet on that day…A unknown boy she had never heard of before, set foot onto the set and made her look like an amateur.

She remembered the shock.

The pain.

The denial.

It was that moment that began to push her in the right direction, the direction for her actress career to fully take off. She would surpass this boy, and become a better actor than he could ever wish to be.

She would surpass Aquamarine Hoshino.

Every day she worked, practicing in her free time and having her mom go over lines with her. She stopped being a bratty kid, and listened to the advice adults gave her. She began to take directions seriously, attempting to be as easy to work with as possible.

But it was too late.

By the time she had begun to change her attitude, her body began to change with it. She began to grow, getting older and older, and soon enough…

Nobody wanted her.

She was too old for young parts.

And too young for old parts.

She was in a blackhole of entertainment.

Yet she never faltered, she never quit. Even though the world began to reject her, her fans began to turn their backs on her, she still had one goal she couldn't give up on.

She couldn't quit on her goal to surpass Aquamarine Hoshino.

Though she didn't see him after that fateful day, she knew their paths would cross again. So she trained every single day, with the goal that she would one day rise above it all and become an actress that he would have no choice but to admit was better than he was.

Finally, it happened, though she was now a teenager and almost a legal adult, she met him once again.

Aquamarine Hoshino.

He was tall, handsome, dashing and most of all…

He could still act.

The performance he gave during the Sweet Today TV Drama was nothing short of amazing, and it honestly took her breath away at how even after all this time, his talent as an actor had only grown. Doubly so since he had feigned himself as having given up on acting long ago.

All those feelings of surpassing him turned into something else at that moment.

Feelings of admiration.

Feelings of love.

She was in love with Aquamarine Hoshino, the actor who had completely turned around her entire outlook on life.

Yet…

I know you have feelings for me…And you need to grow out of those feelings.

Those words hit her like a truck.

The boy she had dedicated her life to surpassing.

The boy she had fallen in love with.

Crushed her in one fell swoop.

She was angry, upset, and once again.

Delusional.

She couldn't accept it.

She didn't want to accept.

But the more he pushed her away everytime she attempted to get close, the more he made it clear he viewed her as nothing more than a friend.

The more…He revealed the love of his life had died…

The more it hurt, and the more the pain took over her life.

Until finally something just snapped.

Why was she still acting? Nobody wanted her, she was only doing Tokyo Blade because of promises made to Producer Kaburagi. She made almost no money off of acting, all of her funds coming from both her child hood and now suddenly with her idol career.

And the person she had dedicated her acting to…Didn't want her.

So really, what was the point of acting?

It was obvious to her, she was better off- "Arima!"

Breaking Kana out of her trance, she stopped as she pulled her head up and looked behind her as locks of blue hair approached her quickly. "...Kurokawa?"

Akane ran up to her before stopping a few feet away from her, breathing hard as she held her head up. "I finally caught up to you…Arima, what are you doing? Practice isn't over."

"..." Kana looked away from Akane, no emotion in her eyes whatsoever as she replied in a deadpan expression. "I quit."

"You…Quit…Just like that, you're calling it quits?"Akane said with a bit of both disappointment and anger, as Kana just nodded.

"I told you, didn't I? Nobody cares about me anymore, atleast not as an actress, so why am I wasting my time?"

"Is it really wasting your time if it's something you love? You've been acting since you were a child, so-"

"I loved acting?" Kana asked in a curious tone, though in a way that the question seemed more so directed at herself rather than Akane. "I wonder…I was good at it as a child, but…Did I do it because I loved it, or…Did I do it because everybody praised me? Mama was always too busy to take care of me unless…I was acting…Nobody else paid me any attention…Unless I was acting. So did I really love it, or did I do it so people would acknowledge that I existed?"

"Arima…Maybe that was true when you were a kid, but…You kept acting, didn't you? Even after you grew out of your child actress motif, you continued acting right? Because you love it, right?"

"...I don't know." Kana said with sadness creeping into her voice, her hands balling into fists. "Did I do it because I loved it? Or…Did I only do it to chase after him?"

"Him?" Akane tilted her head, though Kana continued on without elaborating.

"Ever since he showed me I wasn't anything special, I pushed myself to get better and better, so one day I could finally show him that I was better! That I had surpassed him as the formidable actor! I worked my ass off every single day, appearing in whatever was offered to me and being the best supporting actress that I could be…Yet it didn't matter…When I finally found him, not only did he show that he's still a better actor than me but…He broke my heart in the process…"

Kana's voice began to divulge into a whisper, tears forming in her eyes as they began to run down her face, as Akane just looked at her with conflicted emotions, her eyes narrowing as she raised a hand up before letting it drop back down. "Arima…Do you truly have no other motivation? Was…Surpassing him the only motivation you had?"

"...What about you? What motivation did you have to keep acting?"

"Huh?"

"You know what I mean…I embarrassed you as a kid, pulled back the curtains of how the game was rigged against you from the start when it came to our audition…Yet you still became an actress…Why?"

"Why huh? I don't know if I could give a concrete answer." Akane said as she placed her hands behind her back, folding them as she thought of the words to say. "At first, my motivation was just to show you up, to become a better actress than you could ever be. While you were busy doing music videos like that stupid Belle pepper dance, I was going to private classes and working my butt off everyday in private to be the best actress that I could possibly be. But as I continued, as I continued to push myself to even greater heights, I just…Fell in love with acting. I fell in love with the crowd being hooked on every single word, every single movement, every single action. Being able to be a character that you're not and explore worlds that you normally never get to explore…That was what I fell in love with. Yet deep down, that desire to beat you never went away, and it never will go away until…Until I finally best you on stage."

"...So your motivation is just like mine, just instead of love for me, you have a love of the act itself…I see." Kana said as her eyes still showed no emotion, before she shook her head. "Give up on surpassing me Kurokawa, it's never going to happen."

A small smile appeared on Akane's face, as she gave a playful glare to Kana. "Oh? Is that challenge Arima? Cause I'm-"

"No, it's a fact, because as I said…I quit." Just like that, Akane's smile vanished, her playful glare becoming serious as she stared at Kana.

"You still plan to quit? You're just…Going to throw it all away? The Arima I knew as a kid would never do that, you know."

"That Arima you knew…Died…She died on that day he showed me how pathetic I really am at acting." Kana said as she turned her body away from Akane, her back towards the theater as Akane glared at her and pressed her teeth together.

"So you're just going to take the coward's way out and just quit? You're going to just leave all of us even though we're so close to the play going live!? You're just…Going to leave us with our heads cut off!?"

"...No hard feelings…" Was all she said as she began to walk away, as anger boiled in Akane as she shook her head.

"To think…I actually respected you Arima…" With that, Akane also turned her back and began walking towards the theater, as it seemed that their bridges would never be mended and nothing would save this broken rivalry.

…..

..

..

"Is that really how you two plan to end things, with a teenage spat?" Both girls suddenly stopped and turned to the side as a man in a sweatshirt, sunglasses and face mask walking over towards them, traces of blond hair sticking out from his pulled over hoodie as Akane raised an eyebrow.

"Hm? Who are you?"

"Me? I guess you can say a retired actor of the Lala Lai Theater, though I still come to see rehearsals and everything when I can. A theater kid, as they would us in the west, yeah?" Akane tilted her head in confusion, as Kana looked back in intrigue, drawn to the figure for one reason or another. "Anyway, who I am isn't important, what is important is the fact you two are fighting…A fight that will stop both of you from reaching your true potential!"

"True potential?" Akane asked in even more confusion, as the figure just nodded their head up and down as they looked over at Kana and beckoned them over. For some reason she couldn't explain, Kana did as the figure asked, as she stood a few feet from them.

"Both of you girls are stars in the industry, I can see it! You have the potential to take the world by storm, yet you're caught up on petty arguments!" The figure turned to kana, though his eyes were hidden by the glasses she could feel him staring directly into her eyes. "Are you truly going to let a broken heart ruin your future?"

"...What do you know about me?"

"Hm well…You're Kana Arima, the famous child actress who can flick a crying switch. You appeared in several tv shows and movies as a kid, though as you got older, that turned into more and more…Questionable productions from a quality standpoint, before finally hitting your stride as a idol member of B-Komachi, correct?"

"..." Kana didn't say anything, though her eyes gained a little bit of life from someone knowing the story of her career, if only because it showed they cared a bit more than everyone who insulted her on twitter.

"Though obviously, you're a different B-Komachi than the one from over ten years ago. Here's an interesting story though, the center of that group, Ai, had very similar struggles to you."

"Huh…Ai did…?" The figure nodded, clapping his hands together as he began to explain.

"I knew her very well, she was a dear friend of mine! She had a very hard life growing up, from her mother abandoning her, to quickly becoming the most famous idol in the country before she was even twenty years old! All that fame and pressure, yet she handled it wonderfully! Yet like you, she was always asking herself…Did she love what she did? That was an answer she never figured out on her own to my knowledge, but she asked herself that every single day. She once told me 'I go onto stage everyday, lying to the audience by telling them I love them…I wonder if one day, I can feel the love I lie about' or something along those lines. Yet despite not fully knowing if she loved her job, she still found success."

"...Huh…" Kana said with a hint of intrigue, her eyes still dimly lit.

"I like to believe she did love her job, and that even if it was during her last moments…She accepted that she truly did experience love. But if she had quit prematurely, if she had quit when the going got tough…She never would have known that she truly loved her job. Even if she lived…I wonder if she would have regretted quitting if she did."

"...I wonder also…" Kana said, more life returning to her eyes as the words began to whisper into her ears, which was only enhanced by the strange feeling of being drawn to this individual.

Akane however just looked at the figure with a bit of confusion, as she crossed her arms and questioned them. "I don't mean to call you a liar, but…did you truly know Ai? All I've been able to find of her online is that she was a very, very private person."

"Hm? You've been researching her?" Akane blushed a little from the words, as she nodded and looked away.

"A-A bit…"

"Hm, I guess that makes sense. You were on that reality tv dating show, I noticed you attracted the attention of Aqua Hoshino once you started to act more like Ai, didn't you?"

"Y-You noticed..?"

"I did, it was like I had watched her reincarnate on my screen, it was spooky!" The figure said in almost childlike wonder, before once again going into a more grounded and serious tone. "To that level of detail and precision, you would of had to study her for hours upon hours. Which if you did that, you probably figured out her big secret, right?"

"Her big secret?"

"Yep! You know…" The figure leaned in and gave a small laugh. "How she had a kid in secret?"

A shocked gasp escaped Akane's lips, as even Kana looked up in disbelief at his words. "Y-you really did know her…"

"Bingo! Told you I did!" Once hard confirmation came out that the figure indeed knew Ai, so the likelihood he was lying about Ai's feelings had been drastically lowered, Kana's perplexion began to soften up even more.

Until finally…

"If Ai quit, she would have regretted it huh…?"

"Yep, that's what I believe!"

"I see…" Weather it was because Kana was drawn to this strange figure for some unknown reason, or the fact that one of the best presences she had ever seen on set in Ai was compared to her, or both…She didn't know. What she did know is that she suddenly had a new, albeit small, fire lit in her as she nodded. "Alright, then…I'll…I'll give it another shot."

"Eh? Arima, really?" Akane turned towards in suprise, as Kana nodded.

"Yeah I mean…I can't lose the little respect I still have left, right?" Kana gave a small smile to Akane, referencing her line about having respect for the red head, as Akane was surprised but gave a small smile in return.

"I guess…That's true…"

"Yay! Group huh? No? Aw a shame." The figure asked the question and then answered it before either girl could respond, as he clapped his hands. "I'm so happy though! Now two young stars will have a chance to shine the absolute brightest! In return for such a wonderful thing, I shall give you a reward…Well, I will to you anyway, Arima's reward was finding purpose after all."

The figure spoke to Akane, who tilted her head. However, the figure just beckoned her to lean her head towards him, in which she did so.

He lowered his head next to hers, and whispered. "If you want to know whose Ai's kids are, search for the more viral video of Two-Thousand and six…The answer is there."

"Two-Thousand and six…" Akane let the words hang as the figure pulled back and nodded, before clasping his hands together one final time.

"With that, my mission is done! Oh I'm so excited! I can't wait to see the stars the two of you become! Oh, also as a present!" Reaching inside of his coat, he pulled out two white flowers, handing one to both Akane and Kana. "With that, I wish you two farewell."

"A-Ah wait…Who are you…Other than just being a veteran actor and all."

"Hm…Who am I?" The figure raised a hand to their chin, before giving a small chuckle.

Reaching up, they grabbed their glasses and pulled them down…

Exposing their starry eyes filled with Darkness.

"I guess you can call me…Miki."