Chapter 12 : First Day of School

Chapter Summary : It's the first day of kindergarten for Aqua and Ruby. A breeze for the guys, after all how hard is learning the alphabets and numbers is when you already know them all.

Aqua and Ruby's first day of kindergarten was just a few days away and today was a perfect day to get some shopping done for the occasion.

The warm and sunny afternoon sun shone brightly on the streets as Miyako and Ai walked around the market with their hands full of shopping bags.

They came across yet another store, "Wanna check this one out too?" Ai said to Miyako as she walked in.

The woman followed her with a tired sigh, "How many scented erasers does a child need? You'll spoil them."

"It's the little things that make life fun!" Ai grinned, her voice light and teasing as she picked up a white fluffy pencil case shaped like a bunny.

Miyako noticed the price tag on the case, "Don't you think it's a bit too much?"

"It's fine, it's not like we buy this everyday" Ai said, checking out other colored cases before throwing the white one in the basket.

Miyako tried to argue, but five minutes later, she found herself wondering if the watermelon-shaped eraser smelled better than the strawberry one.

They reached home a while later. Satisfied from their long and tiring shopping trip, both women flopped down on the couch with a synchronized sigh.

Ruby came running to greet them, her brother not too far behind with a couple of glasses of cold and refreshing water for them both. He raised his hands up towards them, gripping the glasses carefully, not to spill any water.

Both the women took it with a smile and a gentle "thank you"

Ruby on the other hand, dove straight into the shopping bags. She pulled out a glittering notebook, "This one's so pretty Mama!" she said holding it up before shoving it towards her brother, and pulling more things out. Pencil cases, colored pencils, crayons, and the sweet smelling erasers.

"Brother! Smell this," she passed him a strawberry shaped one, "It smells like a strawberry, ooh– and this one's a watermelon!" She was cheerful as ever.

"Mmm… It does" Aqua said and looked at the messy pile his sister had made. He began picking things up to clean and organize everything.

Suddenly, the sound of the front door slamming made them all freeze and look who came in. It was Saitou, the usual smoothness in his steps replaced by urgency. He held a folded newspaper in his hand which he threw on the table in front of the women. "We've got a problem," he said in a grim voice.

Miyako leaned forward, her brow furrowing. "What's this?"

Aqua and Ruby too, climbed onto the couch to see what the fuss was about.

Ai opened the newspaper and the first thing she noticed was the picture of herself with Ruby sleeping on her shoulder, and holding Aqua's hand. And then the headline across the page – B-Komachi Idol Ai Spotted with Children—Secret Family?

Aqua raised an eyebrow, remembering this exact moment when this picture was taken.

Miyako picked up the paper and read the article aloud, her voice steady despite the rising tension in the room. "It says Ai told them the kids are mine. That should clear things up, right?"

"That's not the problem," Saitou said, pacing in front of them. He gestured vaguely at the paper, "You know how it works, people don't read the whole article, just the headlines. And this will give the conspiracy nuts plenty to talk about. Once they start digging, it's hard to shut them up"

Ai clarified, "I remember this, this was at the movie screening. A reporter came out of nowhere. I told him they were my manager's kids… I didn't think he'd write anything."

Saitou stopped pacing and let out a long, frustrated breath. "These paparazzi would write anything if it means boosting their sales. And then, it's about what people think they know. The fans are already talking."

Miyako pulled out her phone to check any discourse online, moving her mouth as she read quietly.

"Most of the comments are fine, stuff like, how cute she looks with the kids. So far, there doesn't seem to be any damage." She scrolled some more before looking up at Saitou, "A few are speculating, but most seem to have brought the idea that Auqa and Ruby are my kids."

Ai turned her head to Miyako as she discussed the situation with Saitou.

"Your… kids?" she quietly whispered to herself.

- x -

It was Aqua and Ruby's first day of kindergarten. Ai had been up early, carefully preparing breakfast and packing bento boxes for them, humming a cheerful tune as she worked. Once they'd eaten, she helped them into their little uniforms, straightening collars and fixing stray hairs, though the twins hardly needed much help. They were smart and independent — as expected of her little geniuses.

By the time everything was ready, the three of them were standing outside their building, waiting for the school bus. Miyako had joined them too, standing beside Ai with her arms crossed. For the public, Miyako was still the twins' mother. It wouldn't bode well for Ai to be seen with them alone too often.

"You two look so adorable in your little uniforms!" Ai chirped, clasping her hands together as she admired her children.

Ruby twirled in her blue uniform, giggling. "But Mama is still the cutest!" she said with a beaming smile.

"It's not a competition, you know," Aqua quipped.

"The bus is here!" Miyako called, spotting it coming down the street.

Ai crouched down to their level and patted their heads, carefully as to not mess up their hair. "Have a great first day at school you two!"

"We will! Have a great day at work, Mama!" Ruby chirped, bouncing with excitement.

Aqua adjusted his bag on his shoulder and gave a small nod. "We're going now, Ai. Have a good day."

The bus pulled up to the curb, its door hissing open. The twins climbed on, and Ruby pressed her face to the window, waving enthusiastically. Ai and Miyako waved back, standing there until the bus disappeared down the street.

"You've gotten a little careless, you know. If someone saw you like this…" Miyako trailed off, her tone disapproving but not harsh.

"It's fine…" Ai said with her smile softening. "I've been thinking.. about.. retiring."

"What!?" Miyako turned to her sharply, her eyes wide. "You can't be serious. You're at the peak of your career. People adore you. Do you know how many Idols would kill to be where you are right now?"

"I know," Ai replied calmly, "But, Hiding my children from the world. Not being able to go out and just enjoy our time as a family. Always worrying about people finding out… It's exhausting."

Miyako frowned, her hands on her hips. "So what, you're just going to announce them to the world? Do you have any idea what kind of backlash that would cause? Your career would be over in an instant."

Ai smiled faintly but didn't look at her. She was gazing down the empty street where the school bus had disappeared. "Someday, I want to tell the world. But not yet. I'll retire first — maybe after the big dome concert."

Miyako blinked, stunned. "You've already decided this? Without even talking to me or Saitou?"

"I'm telling you now, aren't I?" Ai said with a smile, her tone light, but with determination in her eyes. "I've thought about it for a while now. The fans won't like it, I know. Some will hate me for it. But it's the truth. And the truth deserves to come from me, not from some paparazzi looking for a headline."

Miyako shook her head, her voice quieter now. "Even if you retire, this could ruin your other opportunities. People don't forgive idols who keep secrets like this."

Her determination didn't falter for a second. "I know," she said simply.

Miyako hesitated. "It's just… I don't think you realize how much this will hurt your career. It's one thing to retire — every Idol retires eventually, but if they find out you've been hiding children all this time…"

Ai turned to her then, her smile small but unwavering. "If it will hurt them, so be it. They deserve the truth too, you know."

The two women stood there in silence for a moment longer, the morning sun casting their long shadows across the pavement. Then Ai turned, heading back inside the building. "Come on, we've got work to do."

- x -

It was introduction day at kindergarten. One by one, the children stood at the front of the class, nervously mumbling their names while the others fidgeted in their seats. The classroom buzzed with quiet whispers and the occasional giggle, the kind of restless energy that only preschoolers could produce.

When it was Ruby's turn, she hopped up from her seat with an eager smile and marched confidently to the front of the room. "I'm Ruby Hoshino! It's nice to meet you all!" she announced loudly and cheerfully.

Compared to the shy, stammering introductions before hers, Ruby's energy stood out.

And then, it was her brother's turn.

Slowly, Aqua rose from his seat and walked to the front. "I'm Aquamarine Hoshino," he said, his voice even but quieter than Ruby's. "It's nice to meet you all."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he could feel the heat rising to his face. His name hung in the air for a moment — Aquamarine. Long. Awkward. Embarrassing. One of those odd kira-kira names some parents gave their children. He pressed his lips together, willing himself not to cringe.

'Why didn't she pick a normal name for me?' he thought bitterly, glancing at Ruby. 'She got off easy.'

"That was good, Aquamarine," the teacher said warmly. "Please take your seat."

Aqua bowed respectfully, forcing himself to stay calm. "Please call me Aqua," he added before hurrying back to his seat.

"You did great, Brother!" Ruby whispered as he sat beside her.

"Yeah," he muttered, looking down at his desk, wishing he could disappear. His humiliation doubled when he heard the quiet snickers from the row behind them.

"Aqua–marine? That's such a weird name," one of the kids whispered, loud enough for them to hear.

He frowned just a little, and whispered "Of course, I knew this would happen"

Ruby spun around in her seat, "Hey!" she shouted, her voice loud and sharp. "What did you just say?!"

The kids froze, startled by her sudden outburst. For a moment, no one said a word. Then one of the boys shrank back in his chair. "We didn't mean anything…" he mumbled.

Aqua sighed and gently pulled Ruby's shoulder, turning her back around. "Ruby, let it go. They're just kids."

"So what?" Ruby said, glaring at him. "They shouldn't make fun–."

Noticing all the commotion, the teacher had walked over to them, "Ruby, what's wrong? Why are you yelling?"

"They were making fun of my brother's name!" she declared, pointing an accusatory finger at the kids who sat behind her.

The teacher's gaze shifted to the group of snickering children. Her voice was calm but firm, "It's not nice to make fun of anyone for their name. Everyone's name is special. Now let's apologize."

The kids fidgeted uncomfortably before murmuring in unison, "We're sorry."

Ruby crossed her arms with a satisfied hmph and turned back to face the front of the class.

"That was childish," Aqua commented, looking at his sister. "Thanks Ruby"

"You're welcome, Brother!" Ruby said, puffing out her chest proudly. "If anyone ever messes with you, you can always count on big sis Ruby!"

There was a good chance she could be older than him. But seeing how she acted all the time, Aqua didn't like that thought one bit.

"We are twins," he deadpanned.

- x -

The class had started, and as expected, it was hardly a challenge for Aqua and Ruby. The day consisted of playing with toys and learning basic alphabets – child's play, quite literally. It was easy and fun for both of them to slip into the carefree routine of being kids again.

When break time arrived, the children rushed to the playground, their laughter and shouts filling the air. Some played tag, others climbed the monkey bars or slid down the colorful slides. Aqua, however, found a small bookshelf near the teacher's desk. He had picked out a book that looked interesting and carried it under his arm as he wandered to the slide in one corner of the playground. He climbed up and settled in the small platform at the top, where the stairs met the slide. The chatter of the playground faded into the background as he flipped open the book.

But his peace didn't last long.

"What are you doing up here by yourself?" Ruby's familiar voice cut in as she climbed up beside him, peeking over his shoulder.

"Just some light reading," Aqua said, lowering the book slightly. "By the way, what did you do in your previous life? How old are you really?"

"Uh.. well," Ruby froze, the playful glint in her eyes replaced by hesitation. She glanced away, turning toward the slide. A thought crossed her mind, a scary one. 'If he finds out I was a young girl, he would boss me around forever!'

Just from the way he spoke and carried himself, Ruby could tell Aqua had been much older in his past life.

She straightened, crossing her arms with exaggerated pride. "I.. am an adult woman, okay? It's not nice to ask a woman her age!" She plopped down on the slide, her back to him. "I thought we would not talk about our past lives anymore."

"I was just curious," he pulled his book back up.

Ruby didn't respond. She stared off into the distance instead, her gaze wandering to the street beyond the school boundaries. Something about it tugged at her memory — a strange sense of familiarity she couldn't shake. Sliding down, she walked closer to the school's boundary, her eyes scanning the road and the buildings on the other side.

'I've been here before' she realized, a faint chill running down her spine. The area wasn't exactly the same as she remembered. Some buildings were new, others had changed, and time had left its mark, but the place stirred a deep sense of deja vu.

She looked down the street as her mind pieced it together, 'My house… it's this way'

She turned, glancing back at the teachers. They weren't paying attention to her as their focus was split between chatting with each other and wrangling the other kids. Aqua, still perched on the slide with his nose buried in his book, hadn't noticed her either.

She hesitated, wondering if she should or should not.

But she gave into the urge of seeing her old house and her parents again.

Taking a deep breath, she slipped through the gate, and her small feet carried her quietly down the street.

Back at school, the bell rang, signaling the end of break time. The teachers began rounding up the children, guiding them back to the classroom in a noisy, chaotic line. Aqua followed the flow of kids, his book tucked securely under his arm, as they entered back in the classroom.

He slid into his seat, and noticed Ruby wasn't here. Looking around he couldn't locate her anywhere, and neither could the teacher as after the headcount, worry was apparent on her face.

She stepped out to check if Ruby was still lingering outside. When she didn't see her, she called in a colleague, informing her of the situation. "One of the kid's is missing"

"She must have fallen asleep somewhere." her colleague wondered, it was common for children to fall asleep in the playground. "Let's go look for her"

The teachers stepped out of the room.

Minutes passed, but Ruby was nowhere to be found. They searched the play area, the hallways, even the restrooms, but there was no trace of her. Their expression darkened as they walked back into the room.

"Do you think she left the school?" the colleague whispered, her voice taut with worry.

"I don't know," the teacher replied, shaking her head. Her eyes scanned the room full of wide-eyed children, and her gaze landed on Aqua. Her expression softened slightly as she approached him. "Aqua!" she called, crouching down to his level. "Do you know where your sister is? Did you see her go anywhere during the break?"

Aqua's heart sank as he shook his head. "No… I didn't see her go anywhere."

Her colleague placed her hand on her shoulder, speaking in an urgent tone. "We need to inform her parents. I'll go check the street."

The teacher hesitated, then nodded. "Go quickly. I'll join you in a minute."

Aqua sat on this desk, worried, "Where is she..?"

- x -

Ruby had slipped away from school unnoticed. These streets felt familiar. Each turn called to her like fragments of a blurry memory, and her feet carried her, one step at a time to her destination – her old home.

Her small legs made the walk longer than she remembered, what used to be thirty minutes of walk, felt like forty five. Her heart pounding harder with each passing minute, wondering how her parents would react learning that Sarina was still alive.

She finally arrived at her destination, the light blue walls, the green porch, the brick wall boundary – everything was still the same and she could almost believe that nothing had changed.

Her eyes landed on the nameplate on the wall – Tendouji.

Her family still lived there.

Ruby froze by the side of the road, staring at the house. She wanted to run inside, to throw open the door and shout, "I'm home!" But her legs wouldn't move.

Moments later, a voice behind her startled her.

"Are you lost, little girl?"

Ruby would recognise that voice anywhere. She spun around and the sight of the woman sent her heart racing.

It was her mother.

Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over before she could stop them. Her breath hitched, and without thinking, she ran forward and clung to the woman's leg.

"Mama!" she sobbed, her small body shaking as she buried her face in her skirt.

The woman stiffened, surprised by the sudden embrace. But then she softened, placing a gentle hand on Ruby's head. "Are you alright? Did you get separated from your mother?"

Ruby didn't answer. She just held on tighter.

"There, there," the woman said kindly, crouching down to Ruby's level. "Do you go to the kindergarten nearby? What's your name?"

Ruby opened her mouth, "I'm… R.., S..Sarina"

The woman patted her head gently with a smile, "That's such a lovely name. You must be so scared. Would you like to come inside while I call your kindergarten?"

The woman gently took her hand and led her through the gate, into the house she once called home.

The first step inside hit her like a wave of emotions. It was still the house she remembered — but it wasn't at the same time.

She followed to the living room, where she made her sit on the couch. It was new and much softer than she remembered the old brown one being.

The furniture around was also different, a modern coffee table instead of the old wooden table she once had doodled on, the walls were a fresh shade of cream, and even the carpet was new.

"Sit here," the woman said gently, "I'll grab the phone and call your school. Would you like some cookies?" she asked as she walked away.

Ruby sat quietly, and as soon as disappeared, she slipped off the couch.

She wandered through the room, stopping by the small table beside the TV. There were framed photos displayed neatly. A smiling, happy family. There was her mother, her father, a little boy who looked about seven and a younger girl, perhaps five.

"Where's my picture..?" she whispered to herself.

Before she realized it, her legs had carried her upstairs. At the end of the hallway, she stopped in front of a door that used to be hers. She pushed it open slowly.

The walls were painted a soft pink instead of white that it used to be, there were shelves by the wall full of toys and books that weren't hers. A small bed in the other corner, covered in a princess blanket. On the bed sat a plush bear – it was new, one she'd never seen before.

None of her old things were here. None of her books, none of her plushies. Not even the posters she had on the wall.

She backed away slowly, tears brimming in her eyes again. She moved from room to room, hoping to find something that was hers. But with every step, dread filled her heart as she realized – There was nothing left of her anywhere in the house.

Nothing.

"There you are!"

Ruby jumped at the sound of Mrs Tendouji's voice behind her. The woman gave her a warm smile and gently took her hand, "It's bad manners to walk around someone else's house you know. Come, let's go wait in the living room. Your teacher's on the way"

Ruby let herself be led back downstairs. She sat stiffly on the couch, her mind reeling. The woman had set down a plate of cookies and a glass of warm milk on the table.

But Ruby sat quietly without touching them.

was on her phone, striding around the room, busy talking.

"Mama…" Ruby whispered, but she didn't hear it.

Tears formed in her eyes as she slipped off the couch again and slowly walked up to the woman. She hugged her leg once more, "Mama…" she sobbed.

put the phone down for a moment, patting her head. "It's okay, you'll get to see your mother soon" her voice was gentle and motherly.

"But… but…" Ruby held on tightly as she sobbed, barely able to form any words.

"I… I'm not your mother, you know" said simply.

Ruby's grip on her loosened.

Soon after, the doorbell rang. "Looks like your teachers here" took her hand and walked her to the front door.

The teacher stepped in and crouched down to Ruby's level, "Oh thank goodness you're okay!" she said, relieved, holding little Ruby by her shoulders.

She stood up, and politely bowed to , "I'm so sorry for any trouble she caused. Thank you so much for watching her."

"It's no trouble at all," she replied kindly and gave Ruby a soft smile. "She's such a lovely little girl."

Her teacher gently patted her, "Alright, say thank you to the nice lady"

Ruby whispered, "Thank you," barely able to lift her head.

Her teacher gently guided her out of the house. As they walked back toward the school, Ruby's mind raced, digesting everything. The name Sarina elicited no reaction at all. It's been seven years since Sarina passed away and she was truly forgotten.

Her family had moved on.

Sarina couldn't help but shed another tear as a quiet sob escaped her mouth.

But her teacher heard it, "It's alright Ruby. You're safe now. Let's get you back to school, okay? Your mother is worried sick about you."

Her mother is worried sick… the words hit her like a dagger, and only made her sobbing louder. Her teacher picked her up and comforted her as they made their way back.

Back at the school, Miyako paced anxiously near the play area, her hands fidgeting nervously as the minutes dragged on. The other teacher tried to reassure her, but nothing could ease the knot of fear in her chest. She had rushed over as soon as she heard Ruby was missing but had chosen not to inform Saitou or Ai until Ruby was found.

"Ruby!" Miyako cried just as she spotted her walking in through the main gate of the school. She rushed over and dropped to her knees, hugging Ruby tightly, "Thank goodness you're okay! I was so worried! Where were you? Are you hurt?" her voice trembling with relief.

Ruby didn't lift her head, her arms hanging limply at her sides. For a moment, she just stood there, silent and unmoving. Then, in a voice so soft it was barely audible, she whispered, "I'm sorry…"

- x -

Interviewer : We are glad you are safe and sound little Ruby, You know a girl your age wandering around the streets alone isn't safe.
Ruby : I know...
Interviewer : It must hurt knowing you were forgotten.
Ruby : They didn't even have a picture of me anywhere.
Interviewer : Seven years is a long time.
Ruby : But still... Why did I have to get sick...
Interviewer : Sometimes things happen in life beyond our control.

Authors note : Hope you enjoyed reading this.

Up Next - Chapter 13 : Trouble of Double Lives