"........Yume, will Aqua be okay?"
"He'll be fine. Don't worry too much, Ai."
When I heard that Aqua had gone to Director Gotanda's house with Akane-san, I felt a slight tinge of sadness.
I knew Aqua had gone to the person he trusted most outside of us to avoid showing us his weaknesses.
However, to Ai and me, it felt as though our child didn't fully trust us.
"He'll be back soon. Let's wait a little longer."
"Yeah...."
Ai buried her face in my arms and answered in a small voice. Not long after.
"I'm home."
The sound of the front door opening was accompanied by Aqua's voice. He walked into the living room and sat down naturally in front of Ai and me.
"...Are you feeling any better?"
"Yeah."
Ai breathed a small sigh of relief as Aqua answered nonchalantly.
"Aqua, why didn't you tell me or Ai that you were feeling anemic?"
".....I just didn't want to make it a big deal."
"How could we not care? You're our son. If Ai and I don't look after you, who will?"
I continued gently, but then.
"I'm sorry.... I'll make sure this doesn't happen again."
"There's no need to apologize. It's our fault for not noticing how much you were struggling."
"No, it isn't!"
Aqua suddenly raised his voice at my response. Ai and I stared at him with surprised eyes.
"......It's... No, I just wanted to say it's not the fault of you two..... Sorry for shouting."
"It's okay. So, you're fine now, right?"
Ai approached Aqua and gently stroked his hair.
"Yes. Don't worry so much, Mother."
"Geez! I told you to call me Mom!!"
Displeased with his choice of words, Ai playfully began slapping Aqua's back with both hands. Aqua reached out to try and block her, but surprisingly, Ai was quite strong.
"Wait! Mother!? I mean Mom! Ow, that hurts, I'm saying it hurts!?"
"This is punishment for making Mama worry!!"
"Aaagh!?"
Ai continued to deliver her 'loving discipline,' and I could only watch the scene with a warm smile.
But why did I have this inexplicable, lingering discomfort?
Aqua clearly said he was fine.
I had checked his breathing, his pupils, even the minute movements of the muscles around his mouth; he wasn't lying.
And yet..... why was there this strange feeling of unease that I couldn't put my finger on?
......No, if I doubt him further, I'll be doubting my own family. Let's stop thinking about it....
Even if it is a lie.... if there's a lie Aqua wants to hide.
It's likely a lie that I, as a parent, don't need to pry into.
"Well then, shall we have dinner soon?"
"Ah, I already ate."
"Eeeeeeek!! That's unhealthy! Aqua needs more discipline!"
"Aargh!! Mom!!!!"
"Whaaaaaaaat!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Haha..... well, shall we have something light like meat(?) for dinner?"
In the end, only Ai, Ruby—who had returned last—and I ate dinner. Aqua was reportedly being disciplined until Ruby arrived and I finished preparing the meal.
To top it off, Ruby joined in on the hitting. What a harmonious family this is.
"........What is this atmosphere?"
Unfortunately, Ai had a schedule today. After picking her up and arriving at the rehearsal studio, I found Kana-chan and Akane-san glaring intensely at each other.
I walked quietly up behind Aqua.
"Aqua, what's going on?"
"Who knows... I'm not really sure myself...."
"Hmm..... it looks entertaining, so let's just leave them be."
"....You have a bad personality....."
"Not as bad as yours, Aqua."
Hehe!
"What are you glaring at?"
"I wasn't glaring."
"Liar. Those eyes of yours that always look sleepy get strangely sharp only when you look at me."
"Hmph! I'm like this with everyone. Isn't it just because Kana-chan has some delusion that she's special? Who do you think you're talking to? I'm the genius child actor.
Pathetically clinging to past glory..... aren't you making any effort to refine your current self?"
Ooh.... Akane-san came out swinging!!
"Want some popcorn, Aqua?"
"When did you even bring that!?"
This father is a man who is prepared for anything.
"My, my, what harsh words.... You must really hate me. You're saying those things because you absolutely despise me......"
After saying that, Kana-chan rummaged through her bag.
"Right? Akane Kurokawa-chan?"
She pulled out a magazine and looked at Akane with a brighter expression than anyone else.... By the way, that magazine.
"Ah, so it's that one?"
"Do you know what book that is?"
"Just watch. Something very interesting is about to happen. You can tell just by looking at Akane-san's face."
"Seriously, Father, your personality is rotten..."
"Hehe!!"
"That's.....!"
"What is that book?"
"Well, I heard somewhere that the famous 'genius actor' Akane Kurokawa had an actor who inspired her to start acting~?"
"Stop!!! Why do you have that!?"
"Ah~~~~ I was wondering who such a great actress would admire.... I heard there was an interview from Kurokawa-san's first stage performance as a child, so I ordered the back number online just in case. And then....
Oh my!!!! Oh my god~!!!!! The person you admire is me!? Akane-chan, did you start acting because you admired me!?"
"Pffft!?"
"Did you know about this...?"
I burst out laughing the moment I saw Kana-chan's triumphant expression and Akane-san's embarrassed face. I felt Aqua looking at me with disdain, but I ignored him.
"Oh my, really~!! If you like me that much, you should have just said so~~ Sorry, okay!? Because I don't like you at all! I'm sorry your feelings are a one-way street!?"
"You're merciless."
Aqua quietly interjected from behind Kana-chan.
"Who was it!!! Who told you!? Someone from Lalalai, right!!"
Akane-san shouted and asked the people around her. As a result.
"Sorry."
"Himekawa-san........!"
So it was Himekawa-kun....... Come to think of it.... Himekawa, huh. That kid too... No, I'll leave it at that.
"You were always subtly picking fights, so I knew there was a sense of rivalry, but your emotions were quite complicated."
"It's not like that, Aqua-kun!!!"
"It's true that it was like that in the past. Seeing Kana-chan, who was the same age but famous and popular on TV...... I felt admiration and joined a children's theater troupe...
But look at her in person!!! Her attitude is arrogant and rude!! She treats people like fools like this!!"
It's true that Kana-chan has those traits, but there are plenty of people who find that charming, Akane-san. Of course, I'm one of them.
"Thinking she's some kind of multi-talent and doing idol work.... and thinking she's some kind of celebrity on YouTube to make money..."
"Excuse me, staff~? There's a fan who broke into the rehearsal room and it's scary~"
Wow~ Kana-chan is really good at teasing.
"A fan!? I'm an actor!!"
"Staff~~~~"
"Don't bother trying to hit back, Akane. With your straightforward nature, you can't beat Arima in a war of words."
Aqua, those words are going to strike a blow to Akane-san's pride...
"Even though your most famous work is the Bell Pepper Exercise!!!"
"Gah!?"
"Ah, that actually dealt damage."
"She overdid it a bit."
A hit for Akane-san!
"Your most famous work is a dating reality show!! Who are you calling a multi-talent!!"
"Urgh!?"
"That's a painful counter."
"As expected, Arima is good at verbal sparring."
Kana-chan takes a counter hit too!!
"Now, now, have you both played enough?"
I spoke while grabbing the back of Akane-san's and Kana-chan's clothes and lifting them up like kittens.
"Who was playing with someone like Kana who does those silly dances!!"
"Who was playing with someone like Akane who does those dating activities!!"
""Yume-senpai!!""
"Wow~ you two really are close."
I handed Akane-san over to Aqua and Kana-chan over to Narushima-kun.
"Alright, withdraw~"
""Withdraw~""
""Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!""
As the two of them were slowly dragged away, I started to go toward Aqua but changed my mind and headed toward Kana-chan.
As I walked slowly, I heard a sound.
"I'm seriously annoyed."
"What has Kana-chan so heated?"
"Yu...Yume-senpai!?"
When I walked in, Kana-chan, Himekawa-kun, and Narushima-kun tried to greet me, but I stopped them with my hand.
"Well~ I think I can guess roughly even without hearing what came before."
"Eh?"
"Akane-san's acting has a completely different direction from Kana-chan's to begin with. Your approaches to the characters and even your ideas of what constitutes good acting must be different.
Akane-san's acting sometimes carries a pressure that says [I am right] and [You are wrong]."
"How... did you...?"
Seeing Kana-chan's expression of surprise at my words.
"You haven't forgotten that Akane-san was the child actor I worked with right after you, have you?"
"Ah........"
"And I can guess what you're going to say next... Kana-chan has probably heard constantly that child prodigies are just ordinary people once they pass through puberty."
"Eh....?"
"In reality, work started drying up for Kana-chan, while Akane-san is currently receiving immense acclaim and being called a genius. If it stays that way, it would mean Akane-san was right, and you hate that, don't you?"
"......Yes."
"So it's a bitter rivalry."
"To put it simply, yes, Narushima-kun."
I handed a prop to Kana-chan. She walked slowly out onto the stage and spoke.
"Well, what Yume-senpai said is also correct. But don't worry. I've never once thought I've lost to her in terms of acting."
"....Yes, that's good confidence."
That is the most important trait for an actor.
"Now then, Himekawa-kun, who do you think is more superior between Akane-san and Kana-chan?"
I asked for an opinion from Himekawa-kun, who had been standing still and just listening.
".......Well, I don't know what you think, Yume-senpai, but both are veterans who have been around since they were child actors. Both are good, and I think it would be tactless to judge who's superior."
"Hmm~?"
"However, Kurokawa's acting is idiosyncratic. To be honest, I think she's a genius capable of following in your or Ai-senpai's footsteps."
"Ai and I both agree with that. Of course, I think you're capable of following in my footsteps as well, Himekawa-kun."
"...That is an undeserved honor. To continue... Arima has an even stronger obsession with 'acting' compared to Kurokawa."
"Hahat! Exactly."
After saying that, Himekawa-kun also picked up a prop sword and took off his glasses.
"Well, I don't think it would be strange regardless of who seems more superior. It depends on the situation of the play..... but this time, Arima will win."
[Because I'm here.]
"...I see."
After that, I decided to stay quiet.
Even when I saw Narushima-kun being insulted by Kamoshida-kun.
I left it alone because I instinctively knew it would only make him grow further.
"Arima, want to practice with me later?"
"Of course. I was going to suggest it myself."
"Akane-kun, we're short on time. Let's get to the director's place quickly."
"Will do."
"Good grief...."
What troublesome juniors.
And so, time passed.
[The opening day of the stage play 'Tokyo Blade' arrives.]
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