Chapter 13 : Trouble of Double Lives

Chapter Summary : Juggling between being an Idol and being a mother is not easy, to say the least. Ai still tries her best.

The first day of school turned out to be anything but ordinary.

Miyako clutched the steering wheel with her right hand, her phone in the other as she drove back slowly. Saitou's name was bright on the phone's screen as she spoke, "Yeah, she is fine now," glancing back at Aqua and Ruby through the rearview mirror. "I'll explain everything after we get back, but Ruby's safe now."

Ruby sat hunched in the backseat with her brother, her knees pulled to her chest, watching the buildings pass by.

"Have you told Ai yet?" Saitou's voice came through the speaker.

"No, not yet. I'll call her now," Miyako told him, "Okay, I'll see you soon."

The call ended, and she dialed Ai's cell. Her fingers drummed anxiously on the steering wheel as it rang.

No answer.

She must be busy with her work, as expected.

She tried again, and this time, Ai picked up on the fourth ring. "Hey Miyako."

"Ai!" Miyako exclaimed, "Ruby is with me."

"What do you mean?" Ai asked, sounding confused.

"She had wandered off from the school. And she was missing for a couple of hours. Someone spotted her and contacted the school." Miyako explained, "I just picked them up and we are on our way home."

The line was silent for a moment, "Is she okay? Is she hurt?" Ai asked hastily with panic in her tone.

"She is completely fine," Miyako assured her quickly, "No need to worry."

"Can you put her on the phone?" Ai requested calmly.

Miyako handed the phone to Ruby, who hesitated before taking it. She held it loosely with both her hands, and just stared at it like it was an object she didn't know how to use.

"Ruby?" came Ai's soft voice,

Ruby opened her mouth but said nothing. The silence stretched. Aqua reached over and gently nudged her, and finally she whispered, "I'm here"

"Ruby" Ai repeated, her voice filled with worry, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine…" said Ruby.

"What happened? Miyako said you were missing from school?" she questioned, her voice still gentle.

"Sorry…" Ruby whispered, "I didn't mean to worry anyone."

"Where were you?"

"I… I got lost…" Ruby answered.

"Are you hurt?"

"No…" whispered Ruby.

Ai exhaled heavily on the other end. "We'll talk when you get home, okay? I have to go now. Miyako, please take care of them!" she said in a rush before hanging up.

The car fell into silence again, broken only by the hum of the engine. Ruby placed the phone down on the seat beside her and buried her face in her arms.

It was rather surprising Ai spoke so calmly, Aqua could only imagine the panic she must have felt after learning her three year old daughter was missing for hours.

"Hey" Aqua whispered after a moment, "Are you okay? Where did you disappear to?"

Ruby turned her head to face Aqua, "I… wanted to find a place I used to visit. In my old life. But I got lost on the way…"

"You should have just come back to the school if you couldn't find the place." Aqua whispered.

"I… didn't know the way back" Ruby whispered back,

"You could have asked someone, you know. Figured something out, you're an adult after all" whispered Aqua.

Ruby hugged her knees, burying her head between them. "It's still scary…" she whispered, "Being all alone."

- x -

That day, when they reached home, Ruby quietly walked around the house, going through the motions. She slipped away into the bedroom and closed the door softly behind her, leaning against it for a moment as the silence settled around her.

Her hands trembled slightly as she pressed them to her chest.

'They've forgotten me…' The thought hit her like a punch to her chest.

Seven years.

Was seven years long enough to be completely erased? Time had marched on without her, and she had no right to ask otherwise. But no matter how much she told herself that, the ache in her chest wouldn't go away.

Her fingers curled into fists — she tried to let it go, tried to convince herself it didn't matter anymore. It's been seven years and she is not Sarina anymore.

But it mattered. It mattered because she never got to say goodbye.

She walked out of the bedroom, Miyako and Aqua were at the front door, "Ruby, we are going shopping. You want to come with us?"

"I want to stay home…" Ruby said solemnly.

Miyako looked at her for a moment and she understood she was feeling low, "Okay, Would you like me to get you anything?" she asked in a motherly tone.

Ruby shook her head no.

Miyako and Aqua exchanged looks, and she glanced back at the little girl, "I'll get you some sweets" she said with a smile.

She opened the door and took Aqua's hand, "Alright, we are going now, we will be back soon Ruby."

After they had left, Ruby wandered around the living room. Her mind kept coming back to when she met her mother, when she couldn't see them at the hospital before eternal sleep claimed her. Her mind spiraled into pointless overthinking, until she noticed Miyako's phone on the couch.

The phone number was still burned into her memory, but she knew calling them again was stupid.

She slowly got on the couch anyway, and picked it up and one digit at a time, she punched the number in.

The ringing felt endless, her heart thrudding faster with every second. Finally, the line clicked.

"Hello, Tendouji's Residence," a man's voice said.

Ruby froze, for a moment, she couldn't breathe. She tightened her grip around the phone and forced out the words. "It's… I… Sarina… Papa?"

The silence on the other end was suffocating.

"I told you not to call us again. What is with you hospital people?" His reply was sharp and cold.

Ruby's breath hitched, "No… It's me…" she stammered, "Can I… talk to Mama… please?"

"No you cannot." his tone grew harsher. "Is this about the remains? I have made it very clear — we won't be coming to get them"

The words hit her like a harder punch to her chest. She fell quiet for a moment, and then she whispered, "What do you mean…?"

"We will not come to get her remains" he said again firmly, "Please don't call again, It's been eight years already."

The line went dead.

Her hands fell down and the phone slipped off onto the couch. His words could only mean one thing.

'They weren't even at my funeral?'

Tears blurred her vision, rolling down her cheeks, as the pain in her chest got worse. Her shoulders shuddered as another sob escaped her lips, "You never came to see me…" she whispered in her trembling voice.

She curled into herself, lying down on her side as the tears flowed. "Papa.. Mama.. They didn't love me… They never loved me…"

Her body trembled as her sobs grew louder. Somewhere in the haze of her thoughts, she heard Gorou's voice again.

"They're on their way"

Ruby squeezed her eyes shut, "Sensei lied to me…" she choked out, "He lied.."

Her voice broke as she whispered it again and again, until the words dissolved into incoherent sobs. She hugged her knees tightly, her small frame trembling on the couch. No matter how many times she wiped her tears, more came, spilling onto the couch below.

- x -

The house was quiet. Too quiet.

Ruby laid curled up on the couch, her knees pressed tightly to her chest. She stared front, with a blank expression on her face. Her tears had stopped a while ago, but the ache in her heart remained.

The click of the front door broke the silence, she gently moved her head to see if Miyako and Aqua were back.

It was, instead, Ai.

When she saw Ruby curled up on the couch, she hastily approached her, "Ruby?" Her voice was gentle, but worried.

Ruby didn't respond, she just slowly buried her face in her arms as if trying to make herself invisible.

"Ruby? What's wrong?" she asked, gently brushing her daughter's hair away from her face.

"Nothing…" Ruby muttered, her voice cold and distant.

Ai gently patted her head, "I can tell something's bothering you," she said softly and without waiting for permission, she slipped her arms around little Ruby, lifting her up with ease.

Ruby didn't resist, her arms limp at her sides. And when Ai pressed her close into a hug, her body tensed momentarily before she buried her face in Ai's shoulder. Her small arms wrapped around Ai's neck, holding on tightly.

Ai sat down on the couch, shifting Ruby so she could stand on her lap.

Ai lovingly patted and rubbed her back, comforting her. In a soft and soothing voice she whispered, "What happened at school? I know you got lost. Were you scared?"

Ruby didn't answer. Instead, she tightened her grip around Ai, burying her face firmly against her shoulder.

Ai noticed the way her small body trembled ever so slightly, the way her breath hitched. "It's okay," she whispered, cradling her closer, "Mama's right here."

Ruby let out a small whimper, her grip tightening.

"Mama… Mama…" she whimpered, her voice fragile and breaking.

Ai hugged Ruby tighter. "I'm here." she whispered.

Ruby loosened her hold and slightly pulled back. When their eyes met, for a briefest moment, it wasn't Ai she saw — it was her.

Mrs Tendouji's face flickered across her mind, vivid and clear. Ruby's breath caught, and tears formed in her eyes again, but she quickly blinked them away.

Ruby turned her head to the side, breaking the moment.

"Ruby?" Ai whispered softly with concern in her voice, and gently moved her hand to stroke her hair.

Ruby closed her eyes and lowered herself on Ai's lap, focusing on the soothing rhythm of her hand against her head. It calmed her, but it didn't soothe the ache in her heart.

'You're not mama…' the thought came unbidden, sharp and unrelenting.

She curled up, resting her head on Ai's lap, looking away. Ai adjusted herself, comforting Ruby gently as her fingers brushed through her soft hair.

- x -

It's been a week since school began for the twins. Every morning, Miyako would always see the kids off with Ai, as to the outside world, Aqua and Ruby were still Miyako's children.

Though in truth, over the years of taking care of Aqua and Ruby, Miyako had grown into the idea of being a mother to the kids. Always ready to support Ai when needed, and she had become a constant in their lives. With Miyako's caring maturity, and Ai's cheerful and nurturing presence, it was as if Aqua and Ruby had two mothers.

Preschool came with its expected challenges, Aqua knew kids could be mean sometimes but they never seemed to shut up about his unique name.

He quickly learned to ignore the comments, spending most of his time in a quiet corner reading a book.

Ruby however, would always step up, arms crossed and chin high, shooting icy glares at anyone who dared tease her brother. "Got a problem?" she would say, her small frame still managing to exude a protective ferocity.

Most of the time, the other kids would back off quickly.

Despite the minor annoyances, school itself was easy. Too easy. Alphabets, numbers, counting, drawing and the like were childs play. Quite literally. They always finished before anyone else and spent their free time doing whatever they pleased.

Aqua sat in his little desk with a book far too advanced for a kid his age, reading intently, flipping pages with deliberate care.

The teachers, charmed by his precocious demeanor, let him be. They assumed he was simply pretending to be an adult, given the way he spoke and carried himself.

His sister sat next to him, and she had found a new obsession — drawing. She sat hunched over, her crayons in a blur of motion as she filled the page with bright and colorful, messy drawings.

Aqua glanced up at her, 'she is really enjoying being a kid' he thought watching her tongue poking out in concentration.

It was still hard to believe she was an adult like she claimed.

The teacher clapped her hands, cutting through the soft hum of the classroom. "Alright, kids! Time to pack up your bags and get ready to go home"

Aqua closed his book and glanced at Ruby's doodles — an explosion of colorful characters from the anime they'd watched the night before.

"You're really good at drawing," he said, his voice quiet but sincere.

Ruby shrugged, "It's just doodles," she said dryly before stuffing the notebook in her bag.

One after the other some parents came to pick up their kids, other kids got on the bus and Miyako walked in the classroom just in time.

She waved to the kids as she approached them, "Did you two have a good day at school?"

Aqua and Ruby nodded, and she took their hands to walk them to her minivan outside.

The drive home was rather quiet. The streets outside were plastered with B-komachi's posters, Ai's smiling face gracing every other corner. Hype was in the air as the city prepared for their upcoming live show.

Ruby glanced outside the window but didn't react to the posters at all.

Aqua noticed, normally she would lit up at the sight, babbling about how amazing their mother looked or how excited she was for the show.

Today, she said nothing of the sort.

'She had been like this lately' Aqua thought.

When they made it home, Miyako disappeared into her room with a quick, "I'll be right back!" Aqua followed Ruby into the living room, watching her toss her school bag onto the couch with little care.

"Hey, Ruby," he asked, his voice low but steady. "Is everything okay?"

Ruby turned, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Yeah, everything's fine. Why'd you ask?"

Aqua didn't answer right away. He studied her for a moment, noting the slight slump in her shoulders and a blank expression on her face, "You seem… a little different" he said finally.

Ruby smirked and planted her hands on her hips, her usual confidence slipping back into place like a mask. "You've finally realized I'm your older sister?"

Aqua deadpanned, "We're the same age."

They both sat on the couch just as Miyako returned, carrying two strawberry pastries. She placed one plate on the coffee table with a smile, handing them each a small spoon.

"There you go–," She took a seat next to them, "How was school today?"

Aqua took a small bite, savoring the sweet, fluffy texture. "School was okay," he said after a moment, "We learned numbers today"

"That sounds easy," Miyako said proudly, "School must be a breeze for you two geniuses"

"It's not too hard," Aqua replied, with slight nervousness in his voice. He glanced at his sister, who was quietly savoring the strawberry pastry. "Ruby's getting good at drawing."

"Really?" Miyako glanced up at Ruby, her eyes lighting up. "Can I see what you drew today?"

"Mmm.. It's in my bag, I'll show it to you in a minute" she nodded.

Miyako then asked Aqua, "What about you? Did you draw anything?"

"We painted a scenery today" he said, turning to rummage through his bag with the spoon sticking out of his mouth. He pulled out his drawing and handed it to Miyako.

It was a simple piece — mountains, fluffy clouds, the sun peeking out from a corner, and a river cutting through the greenery below.

Miyako smiled as she examined it, "This is lovely! I remember drawing something like this too when I was a kid."

"Yeah, it's pretty much the universal first drawing of every child," Aqua said, glaring at the now-empty plate in front of Ruby.

"Universal…" Miyako raised an eyebrow, "Where did you learn that word?"

"Uh… TV?" Aqua replied quickly.

Miyako chuckled and patted his head. "It never ceases to amaze me how quickly you two pick things up." She looked at Ruby again. "Where's your painting, Ruby?"

"It's here…" she said as she reached into her bag, pulling out the painting she made in class.

Aqua spoke before she could hand it over. "Hers was the best in class."

Miyako's eyes widened as she took the painting from Ruby. It was of Mount Fuji, its snow-dusted peak glowing under the rising sun. Delicate clouds curled around the mountain, and subtle streaks of green hinted at vegetation near the base.

"Ruby, this is beautiful," Miyako said, her voice full of genuine admiration. At the bottom of the painting there was a star sticker, presumably awarded by her teacher, "Look, you even got a star!"

Ruby shrugged, "It's not a big deal." she said with a blank expression.

Aqua raised an eyebrow at her response. She wasn't like Ruby at all. Ever since school started, she'd become quieter, more distant. It was clear to Aqua something was bothering her, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

Later that evening, Ai stepped in from the front door, kicking off her shoes with a tired sigh. Back from her long day of work, her shoulders slumped but her voice was bright as ever, "I'm Home!" she called out.

"Welcome back" the kids greeted, almost in unison. Aqua sat on the couch, his sister lay on her side beside him. Both their gazes were fixed on the screen.

Ai smiled, her exhaustion momentarily melting away as she joined them on the couch. She sank into the cushions beside Ruby, leaning back with a groan of relief.

For a moment, the room was quiet except for the sounds of the TV.

Then, her eyes drifted to the stack of papers on the coffee table.

She leaned forward, picking up the sheets, "Did you two draw these?"

"Ruby did," Aqua said, not looking away from the TV.

"Yeah, most of those are mine," Ruby added, "That one's Aqua's" she pointed at the drawing Ai held.

Intrigued, Ai sifted through the drawings, her tired eyes lighting up as she examined each one. "These are amazing!" she said, her voice brimming with pride. "I can't believe you drew all this Ruby"

Ruby shrugged, "Just drawings, not a big deal"

"What do you mean it's not a big deal? It totally is!" Ai stood up, holding out Ruby's painting dramatically as if she were presenting a masterpiece.

Ruby glanced up at her mother's theatrics, "Do I get a reward for it then?" she asked in a flat tone.

Ai put a hand to her chin, pretending to think. "Hmm… Right! One treat of your choice. And I already know what it's going to be~"

Ruby blinked up at her. "Ice cream," she said, her voice lacking its usual enthusiasm.

"Vanilla Ice-cream!" Ai said at the same time, grinning. "I knew it." She reached out to ruffle Ruby's hair gently, but her daughter didn't react. Ai paused, her hand lingering for a moment before she straightened up.

"I'll go get it for you," Ai said cheerfully.

Aqua looked up from the TV, "Aren't you tired?" he asked, "Why don't you let me go? I know where the store is."

She patted his head with a smile, "It's too late for you to be out on your own Aqua, do you want anything from the store?"

Aqua thought for a moment before saying "Strawberry Milk"

"Alright, one strawberry milk for you and vanilla ice cream for you," she said, patting Aqua's head before grabbing her bag. "I'll be back in a flash!" she announced, slipping out the door.

True to her word, Ai returned not long after with a small grocery bag in her hand.

She handed Aqua his strawberry milk, poking the straw in for him. He took it with a small smile and sipped slowly, savoring the sweet, fruity flavor.

She settled beside Ruby and opened the small Ice-cream cup, scooping out a spoonful. She leaned forward, holding it out to Ruby, "Say ah–"

Ruby looked at Ai, and then at the spoonful of ice-cream, "I can eat it myself," she said plainly, taking the spoon from Ai's hand without meeting her gaze.

Ai froze for a second, her smile wavering for a split second before recovering, "Ah– You're a big girl now, huh, Ruby" she said, handing over the small container.

"Mhmm" hummed Ruby and quietly ate the ice-cream, her eyes fixated on the TV with a blank expression.

Ai's smile stayed in place, soft and bright, as she watched her daughter but her chest tightened with unease.

Something about Ruby had been off for the past few days. She always let Ai feed her, always giggled and leaned into her touch. But she had been distant lately, her usual warmth had faded, replaced by an unfamiliar coldness.

Ruby finished her ice cream and got off the couch, taking Aqua's now-empty milk box without a word and walked off to the kitchen.

"Hey Aqua," Ai said softly, watching Ruby walk away.

He looked up at her, "Yeah?"

Ai gently pulled him onto her lap, wrapping her arms around in a loose hug. "Did something happen at school?"

"Huh? Like what?" he asked,

Ai rested her chin lightly on his head, "Like.., did someone say something to Ruby? Is she being bullied?"

Aqua blinked, thinking about it for a moment, 'If anything I'm getting bullied..' he thought, remembering all the times Ruby stepped up for him.

"No, I never saw anything like that. She's strong, you know, a few words from other kids won't hurt her."

"Is that so…" Ai murmured, though her voice carried a tinge of doubt. Her grip around her son tightened slightly, as if she were holding onto him for reassurance.

Aqua glanced towards the kitchen, where the faint footsteps of his sister echoed along with the sound of trash bin opening and closing.

He could feel it too — something had changed. Ruby was still Ruby, but the way she acted towards Ai had changed.

Towards everyone else she was the same as ever, but towards Ai…

It was almost like she was pulling away.

"If something happens," Ai said gently, her voice close to Aqua's ear, "Be a good boy and let me know, okay?"

Aqua nodded, "I will."

- x -

Aqua stirred awake, the weight of the sleep still clinging to him. His bladder felt full, probably from the strawberry milk he drank before bed. He sat up carefully, mindful not to disturb Ai. She slept peacefully beside him, her soft breaths even and rhythmic. The kind of sleep earned only after long, grueling workdays.

The room was still blanketed in the deep quiet of the night. A glance at the clock told him it was an hour past midnight.

Aqua slipped off the futon, his feet touching the cold floor, sending a brief shiver through his body. He shuffled to the bathroom, the chill of the night urging him to hurry.

When he returned, he eased the door shut and crawled back under the futon's warmth. Ai hadn't stirred, her peacefully sleeping face caught his attention and for a moment, he simply watched her.

'She really works so hard for us…'

He pulled the blanket up for her, with a flicker of gratitude across his face. Then he noticed, Ruby wasn't in the bed with them.

'Is she up late again?' He thought. She would sometimes stay up late, watching Idol performances or arguing with strangers online, but the house was too quiet for either.

He slipped out of the bed again, a growing unease tugging at him as he padded into the living room. The faint hum of the refrigerator greeted him, but Ruby was nowhere to be seen. The kitchen was empty too. He grabbed a glass of water, more out of habit than of need and scanned the place once more.

The house wasn't large — there weren't many places she could hide.

As he walked back, his eyes fell on the small balcony in the living room, beyond the glass door — there was Ruby, huddled in the corner, wrapped in a towel.

Aqua quietly slid the door open, the chill biting him immediately. "Hey, Ruby?" he said softly, his voice carrying concern.

She looked at him, but didn't answer.

Stepping outside, Aqua shivered. "You'll get sick, what are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep.." she replied in a small voice.

"Ruby," He sat beside her, the cold balcony floor seeping into his legs. He ignored it, watching the night sky with his sister instead. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," she said, staring up at the sky, her tone clipped. "Everything is fine"

"Mhmm.. if you say so." he turned his head to look at his sister, "That serious face doesn't suit you" he said gently, "I never thought I'd say this but I miss my ever-cheerful sister."

Ruby glanced at him out of the corner of her eye but said nothing.

"Ai is worried about you," he continued, his voice softening, "I am worried about you. If something's bothering you, you know you can tell me."

Ruby pulled the towel tighter around herself, "It doesn't concern you." Her words were sharp and cold as the night itself.

"It does, Ruby," Aqua said softly, "I'm your brother after all"

She stiffened at his words. For a moment, the only sound was the gentle wind whistling past the balcony. Then, she whispered, "You're not my brother. I don't… have a brother."

The words hit him harder than he had expected.

"You're just someone who happened to be born in the same house as me," she added.

Aqua scoffed, "That's literally the definition of a brother." he said trying to lighten the tension, "I don't like seeing you like this, Your mother–"

"She's not my mother." Ruby cut him off. Tears welled in her eyes, glistening under the moonlight, but she quickly blinked them away. "She is an Idol I looked up to. That's all she is. She's not my mother."

"You don't believe that," Aqua said firmly.

Ruby turned away, her shoulders shaking as a tear slipped down her cheek. "Go away" she whispered, "Leave me alone"

Aqua hesitated, then shifted closer to her. "Ruby.." he said gently, "I don't know what you're going through. But you don't have to go through it alone."

She slowly turned towards him, tears streaking her face.

"I won't let you suffer alone, We're family, Ruby" he said quietly but firmly.

She took a deep breath, and with a quiet whimper she stared at her brother.

Quietly she leaned into him, he opened his arms, letting her fall in.

"Wh.. why do people lie?" she whispered, her voice breaking.

Aqua sat with the question for a moment, staring up at the night sky. "I don't know," Sarina's face flashed across his mind, "Sometimes people lie to protect the ones they care about."

The silence between them stretched, her soft whimpers fading.

"Aqua?" she murmured,

"Yeah?"

"Can you promise me something?"

"What is it?"

"Don't ever lie to me, for any reason."

Aqua nodded, "I won't"

"Promise?"

"I promise," he said, his voice warm and steady.

She tightened her grip around the towel and whispered, "okay.."

A sudden gust of wind made Aqua shiver, breaking the moment. "It's cold out here," he said, pulling away slightly. "Let's go inside before we catch a cold"

Ruby nodded, following her brother inside, her movements still small and stiff.

- x -

The work never stopped.

It couldn't, not if B-komachi wanted to keep producing record breaking performances. The whole Idol Industry was growing at a steady pace, and the competition was stiff, and yet B-komachi managed to stay at the top of the charts.

The idol group was now in its eighth year, its members were nearing their twenties – an age most Idols retired or faded out. One could say it was a miracle that they were still going strong. But it was no miracle.

It was the product of relentless hard work — back breaking rehearsals that stretched for hours, day in day out, singing, dancing, perfecting every song and performance.

Over the years, the members had developed a great sense of timing and coordination. All the members are always in sync, like a well-oiled machine honed by years of practice.

Except, not today.

The instrumental blared through the speakers, and the group's voices rose in harmony, their movements sharp against the rhythm. All except Ai.

Ai stumbled again. She missed a step, and then another. When time came for her solo, her voice stalled. She forgot the lyrics.

"Stop!" the choreographer called, frustration clear in his tone. He stood from his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Ai, I counted thirteen missed steps this time," he said bluntly. "And do I need to mention the singing part? How come you keep forgetting the lyrics every other time?"

"I'm sorry," she said, lowering her head slightly. "I guess I'm tired today, I didn't really sleep well last night."

The choreographer sighed, his tone softening slightly. "Your performance has been off for a few days. Get proper rest, Ai. You've always been the most consistent in this group — I need you to bring that energy back tomorrow."

She nodded quietly.

"Alright, Let's call it a day. The rest of you too, get proper rest" he said turning around.

The other members dispersed, their chatter filled the hall as some began packing their bags, getting some water, flopping on the couch with a sigh – their post rehearsal rituals.

Ai too, quickly and clumsily stuffed her belongings into her bag, her movements uneasy and distracted.

"Is everything okay?" Ari, one of the members, approached her.

"Yeah, I was just binge-watching this TV show last night. Guess I shouldn't have," she replied with a laugh.

"We have all done that," Ari chuckled with her. Ai slung the bag up on her shoulder, "See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Ai waved.

"Alright, bye~" Ari waved with a smile.

She reached home that evening — on the third floor of the same building, before the sun had set.

Miyako looked up at the door from the couch, "You're home early" she said, a little surprised.

"Yeah, practice ended early today" Ai replied, settling in on the couch. She took a look around the living room, "Where are the kids?"

"They're at the park," Miyako told her.

"Oh–" Ai muttered, her voice quieter than usual.

"Something wrong?" Miyako asked, looking at her.

"It's Ruby" she admitted after a pause, "She's changed"

Miyako thought for a moment, "It's part of growing up."

"She feels distant. She doesn't run to me anymore, she doesn't let me feed her, she doesn't cling to me like she used to. It's like she's pulling away" she explained.

"Maybe she's trying to be more mature? Kids do that as they grow up. It's normal."

Ai shook her head, "She's been like this ever since school started. I can't shake the feeling that something has happened."

Miyako raised her hand to her chin, "Now that you mention it, Remember how she wandered off and got lost on her first day? That must have been scary, maybe that's still weighing on her mind."

Ai considered this, but the explanation didn't really sit right with her, "Maybe something happened that she isn't telling us?" She felt powerless, unable to reach her daughter or figure out what was wrong.

Miyako leaned over and squeezed Ai's hand, "You're overthinking it."

The stress on Ai's face didn't ease.

"How about we do something to cheer her up?" Miyako suggested, "She loves Omurice right?" She got up from the couch, "Let's go make it for her together"

Ai followed her to the kitchen, Miyako threw her the apron and she put on hers.

She quickly laid out all the ingredients, passing the eggs and bowl to Ai, "Beat the eggs until they're frothy. I'll prepare the rice."

Ai nodded, and cracked the eggs. The rhythmic motion of the whisking the eggs was soothing. A welcome distraction from her thoughts, "I always burn the eggs" she said, more to herself.

"You'll do fine," Miyako assured her. She began frying the rice, adding the aromatics and soy sauce as the kitchen filled with a savory aroma. "Just watch it closely"

Ai poured the eggs into a hot pan, carefully tilting it to spread evenly. She held her breath and a pair of chopsticks, watching carefully and keeping her hands moving.

As soon as she was sure it was done, she flipped it and folded the omelet. To her surprise, it came out nearly perfect.

"Not bad at all, what did I tell you?" Miyako complimented. A minute later, the rice was done and the both plated it together, folding the omelet over the rice and adding a drizzle of ketchup to finish.

As they were ready with the last dish, the sound of the front door opening echoed through the house, and with it came the kids' voice. "We're home!"

"Perfect timing." Miyako said, wiping her hands on her apron.

"Welcome back~" Ai sang, peeking her head out.

Both the twins looked at her, a little surprised, "You're home?" Aqua said.

"I wanted to surprise you two," she smiled.

Miyako stepped out of the kitchen, balancing two steaming plates of omurice, the savory scent filling the air. "Are you two hungry?" she asked in a cheerful tone.

"It smells so good," Ruby said, practically bouncing on her toes as she reached for the plates.

"Wash your hands first" Aqua chided, grabbing Ruby by the wrist and gently pulling her back. She huffed and darted off to the bathroom.

Ai giggled watching her kids, before taking off her apron and settling back on the couch with Miyako.

Kids arrived not a moment later, Aqua settled in between the ladies. Ruby stood across the small table, staring at the food.

With a smile Ai took a spoonful of the rice, and raised it towards Ruby.

Ruby hesitated. Her wide eyes flickered from the spoon to Ai's face, lingering there for a moment.

Then, slowly, she leaned forward, opening her mouth to accept the bite.

Ai watched closely as her daughter savored, "Is it good?" She asked.

"It's really good, Ai," Ruby said.

Ai relaxed, placing the spoon back on the plate, "I'm glad you like it." she beamed. She turned to Aqua, who was already helping himself, "And you, Aqua?"

"Mmm," he hummed, "it's great. You're a really good cook Ai" he said, savoring another bite.

Ai chuckled, shaking her head. "Miyako sensei deserves most of the credit."

Miyako glanced over, "You guys should have seen how she cooked with love and dedication, I just helped a little."

Ruby quietly slid between Aqua and Ai, her shoulder brushed against Ai's arm.

Ruby took the spoon and pulled the plate closer to herself.

Ai's gaze fell on her daughter.

So close, and a warm smile formed on her face.

- x -

Interviewer : You really are a great mother. It's amazing how you balance being an Idol and being a Mother so well.
Ai : I try my best. I wish I could spend more time with my kids, with my schedule I spend most of my time at work.
Interviewer : That is true, but that's good right? You broke into acting as well and it'll be a growing career for you. You'll be able to give your kids the comfort and opportunities they deserve.
Ai : ... sometimes I think, if me being busy all the time is what made me and my kids grow apart.
Interviewer : They are smart, I'm sure they understand. And I'm sure they love you.
Ai : I.. don't know. Aqua has always kept a little distance, now Ruby too...

Author's Notes : I wish I could have finished this chapter earlier, but the end just didnt feel right. tbh, even now the end doesn't feel perfect, but it gets across what I wanted to show. I think. I'll try to update the next chapter on time, but honestly, I haven't planned the chapter yet.

Up next - Chapter 14 : Career Growth (Or Spreading your wings part 2)