Fortunately, Young Ai seemed to believe my words, and although she didn't take my hand, I was sufficiently satisfied with that single sentence.
Young Ai said she had ended up in a strange place, but she decided to trust Yume one more time, as he seemed like the only person she could somewhat rely on. Of course, she was full of thoughts about running away immediately if he got too close, but unfortunately, there was no way for her to know that the front door of this house wouldn't open easily.
"Ah! Yume, even if that brat talks like that, her eyes are full of thoughts about escaping!!!!!"
But as expected of the same Hoshino Ai... Ai, who realized what Young Ai was thinking just by making eye contact, immediately tattled to Yume.
"Right, right."
Yume, who already knew, decided to just let it pass.
"So, just give me one Häagen-Dazs for now!!"
Once the conversation settled down to some extent, Young Ai, judging that there would naturally be Häagen-Dazs since her older self was there, demanded ice cream from Yume like a child.
"And before that! Ma'am, stop calling me a brat! I'm not a brat!!"
After asking for the Häagen-Dazs, she gave Ai—who kept calling her a brat—a sharp retort by calling her 'Ma'am'.
Naturally, Ai, who fell right for that provocation...
"You're the one who needs to stop calling me 'Ma'am'! You brat!! And all the Häagen-Dazs is mine!!"
"Sigh..."
Watching Ai act like that, I slowly let out a sigh.
"There's plenty in the freezer, so eat slowly."
I didn't even want to think about the events that would follow, so I simply took a candy out of my pocket and put it in my mouth.
It tastes like strawberry milk...
"Ah! Trying to eat it all by yourself, that's mean!!!"
As soon as I finished speaking, seeing Ai run toward the kitchen along with Young Ai, they certainly looked exactly like the Ai I knew when she was younger.
"Ugh...! My precious Häagen-Dazs babieeeeees..."
'So you succeeded in stealing one in the end. Well done.'
Young Ai, who somehow managed to succeed in stealing a Häagen-Dazs and even brought a spoon, looked quite impressive.
And in the meantime, I had to soothe Ai, who was wearing a tearful expression over losing just one from the dedicated freezer she only used for Häagen-Dazs.
"It's like having two kids."
Well, before that, it seemed I couldn't stop the sigh that naturally escaped me.
"That person over there isn't acting her age. I actually am a kid."
"Ah... right, I suppose so."
'One is 30, and the other is 12 or 13 at most.'
Young Ai spoke with a smirk.
Though Yume and Ai might not have expected it, Young Ai was 20 when she died, but since her current self was about 12 or 13, and the Ai here was 30... even if she was technically older in terms of soul, Young Ai treated her younger self's lack of childhood memories as if they didn't exist.
Having finished the entire Häagen-Dazs in her hand in no time, Young Ai then looked at Yume.
"More importantly, what is that Ma'am doing now? Since you said she's 30, she's probably not an idol."
"Hmm... That's right. Ai officially retired from B-Komachi at age 25 and has now transitioned into being an actress. Of course, she still holds solo concerts and events occasionally, so it's not a complete retirement.
However, she mostly does acting work and the occasional variety show appearance."
'Hmm, this one is chocolate flavored.'
For the record, I'm already on my second piece of candy.
"Heh... I see."
Young Ai wasn't particularly moved, as it wasn't her own business.
"For your information, I make a living writing web novels!! I'm a famous author, you know?"
Yume felt it was quite amusing to see Young Ai speak while puffing out her chest as if proud.
From Young Ai's perspective, her desires were being gradually satisfied by receiving recognition from web novel fans.
But she was also gradually feeling that her own self was dying away.
Of course, it might have been because it wasn't the case right now and it didn't show.
"I see, web novels..."
'It might be a job that's slightly unfitting for the Ai I know... No, then again, maybe that kind of work actually suits her temperament.'
"Hoo-unh~? Web novels, you say...?"
Yume didn't seem particularly interested, but it appeared that wasn't the case for Ai.
However, seeing Ai looking at her with interest, Young Ai...
"You can't even write, can you? I know because I'm you!!"
With a slight smirk, Young Ai dropped a heavy truth-bomb.
In reality, she herself wasn't good at writing, but thanks to the memories of a man whose name she didn't even know, she was able to make a sufficient living through web novels.
"Hah!? There's nothing this Ai-chan can't do, right!? Right, Yume!?"
Ai looked at Yume with eyes that practically shouted 'Hurry up and praise me!!'
"Um... well, I guess?"
'No, how should I put this... She has talent, talent... hmm...'
I naturally avoided Ai's gaze.
And watching this entire situation, Young Ai's expression changed to one of mischievousness.
"Well, I'll let you think that, M-a-'a-m."
"I told you I'm not a Ma'am, you braaaaaat!!!!!!!!"
Had she been provoked one too many times? Ai walked right over to Young Ai and used her small body to hug the even smaller body.
"Don't get too wild."
Watching that scene, I decided not to worry about it.
As a bonus, I blankly stared out the window and put a third candy, which I had pulled out without noticing, into my mouth.
'It's grape flavored.'
"Don't huuuuuug meeeee!!!!!!"
Meanwhile, the embraced Young Ai struggled hard while looking at me.
"Don't just look out the window, help meeeeeee!!!"
"...Heh, you seem to have forgotten what I said earlier, haven't you? I'm a man who lives under his wife's thumb."
'If you thought I didn't hold a grudge, you were greatly mistaken.'
In fact, when it came to Ai, Hoshino Yume was a man who certainly held grudges.
"Penny-pinching jerk...! Waaaaah!!!"
In the end, Young Ai shouted while pretending to be on the verge of tears in Ai's arms, but it didn't work on Ai, and it seemed she would have to be hugged until Ai was satisfied.
Fortunately, having somehow escaped the embrace, Young Ai slumped onto the sofa and muttered.
"So, what do I do here now? I have a place I need to go..."
"A place you need to go?"
I was slightly puzzled by Young Ai suddenly saying she had a place to go, but in this situation, I didn't think she would be able to go wherever she wanted.
Having reached a conclusion internally, I spoke.
"You probably won't be able to go to the place you want to. I don't know how long you'll be here, but at least until then, try to stay here comfortably."
I spoke while stroking the head of Young Ai, who was slumped on the sofa.
Fortunately, she didn't resist this time. Or maybe she had just run out of energy and felt it was too much of a bother to resist.
"And it's a chance to meet Ruby and Aqua, whom you wanted to meet so much, isn't it?"
If you really are 'Hoshino Ai,' there's no way you'd want to miss such an opportunity.
My gaze naturally drifted to Ai, who was lying on the opposite sofa.
"....Not really, I didn't want to meet the children."
In response to Yume's words, Young Ai felt that since she was a dead person to the children, meeting them was by no means a good choice.
Furthermore, since the Ruby and Aqua here weren't her children and she wasn't their mother, she felt all the more strongly that she didn't want to meet them.
"Haha, well, if you put it that way, I have nothing to say... but more importantly, you're not avoiding my hand while I stroke your head, unlike before?"
As I continued to stroke her head, memories of the old Ai came back to me, making me want all the more to teach this little 'Hoshino Ai' about family affection and love.
"Stop stroking..."
Young Ai spoke, slowly raising a finger to point at Ai slumped on the opposite sofa.
"Do it to that Ma'am... Don't do it to me..."
It seemed she lacked the energy to brush off my hand, but still had enough strength left to point at Ai.
Finding that quite amusing...
"I think you know this well, but Hoshino Ai is a greedy person.
And actually, so am I."
I looked at Ai, who was glancing this way with a grin, and continued.
"I suppose families really do grow alike. I've become quite greedy myself, so thanks to you, my greed has increased by one more.
I've started to want to teach you—who rejects family affection and love—about them."
No matter how much you reject me.
Even if you deny me.
As long as you are 'Hoshino Ai,' it's because I can never leave you alone.
Well, even if I say this, I don't really expect you to change at all, but...
I stopped stroking Young Ai and, just as I used to do for Ruby or Aqua in the past, I supported her bottom with one hand and lifted her up to a position where our eyes met.
She frowned as if she didn't like this behavior, but then eventually gave up, let out a small sigh, and avoided my gaze.
"....I'm not her anymore."
Young Ai recalled her past, where she could have gone to see Ruby and Aqua immediately but chose not to out of agonizing guilt that felt like it was wringing her heart, and she spoke in a small voice while pointedly avoiding Yume's gaze.
Looking at such a Young Ai, Yume said...
"Don't avoid my gaze."
He spoke firmly to Young Ai, who was trying to look away.
"You're not her anymore? That's not true. I don't know what kind of past you've lived through.
However, it is impossible for me to pretend not to see you suffering from guilt when you're right in front of me.
Because the Ai lying over there and the Ai in front of my eyes are both, more than anyone else in this world, my precious 'family'."
I'm sure you'll feel a sense of rejection at my words.
It'll be unpleasant and disgusting.
But for me, who only knows this kind of method, this is the best I can do.
If at least a tiny change can occur...
I'm willing to take on the role of the villain as many times as it takes.
While holding Young Ai, I carefully sat down on the sofa next to Ai, who was watching quietly from the side, and gave Young Ai a firm hug.
"I'm not your family, you know? I only have Ruby and Aqua."
Despite saying that, Young Ai didn't particularly try to escape from my arms, only avoiding my gaze as she spoke.
"No, no matter what anyone says, you are my family, right?"
I think you'll understand, 'Ai'.
"That's right~ Well, for now, you are also Hoshino Ai, right? I, the great Ai-sama, will specially allow you to be family~!"
I could only be grateful to Ai for naturally understanding my heart and providing the perfect answer. Though, naturally, it seemed she was finding this situation quite entertaining.
"....Disgusting."
Faced with the attitude of Hoshino Yume and the other Hoshino Ai, a faint, genuine smile unconsciously pulled at the corners of Young Ai's mouth.
"Ah, she smiled."
Hoshino Ai (30 years old)(Ugh!?) was not one to miss that.
Sensing a perfect photo opportunity, Ai spoke while poking Young Ai's cheek.
"Ugh!? I didn't smile, okay!?"
The sight of Young Ai shouting in a voice that sounded like she'd been caught red-handed...
Was quite a satisfying sight.
"Ay ay~ you smiled~ you totally smiled~!"
As if Young Ai's shouting was adorable, Ai continued to tease her.
Should I join in the teasing just a little bit too?
"See, it looks good when you smile, doesn't it, Ai?"
As I spoke while looking at Ai and then Young Ai in turn...
"I didn't smile."
Seeing her turn her head away with a huff as if sulking, I definitely noticed she was acting much like a child.
"Put me down already...!!"
She eventually struggled to get out of my arms. I almost accidentally let go, but...
"Hey!? Yume's arms are so nice, you know!?"
Feeling a sudden surge of something like jealousy, I looked at Ai.
"Hyaa!! Hoshino Ai, launching!!"
Before I could even retort, "Are you a Gundam!?" Ai dived toward me and Young Ai. Unable to withstand it, I was buried into the sofa.
Stuck between Ai and me, Young Ai realized she wouldn't be able to escape by force and just went limp. Ah, this was something Ai used to do in the past too.
"Ugh..."
Young Ai had a slightly distasteful expression, as if she never thought she'd be on the receiving end of something she used to do to the kids in the past.
Seeing that, the Hoshino couple...
"Yume, this one's expression is amazing."
"Yeah, since it looks that way, let's let go for now."
After letting go of the Ai x 2 in my arms...
"First of all... right, shall we eat?"
Honestly, since I hadn't eaten anything since morning, I was quite hungry, but more importantly, I hadn't had my necessary protein intake.
"I... already ate ramen before coming here...?"
Young Ai had eaten the Tonkotsu ramen Saito Ichigo bought for her before coming back to her place to get her seal and then crossing over here, but...
"Even if you've already eaten, you'll want more if you taste Yume's cooking."
The sight of Ai speaking so confidently as if it were her own achievement was quite pleasant.
"Even if you've already eaten, I'll make something light for you to eat. So just wait a moment."
She ate ramen, huh... Then maybe I should try making some light sandwiches?
Watching Hoshino Yume head into the kitchen, Young Ai then looked at the 'other Hoshino Ai' in front of her. She thought that although they were clearly the same 'Hoshino Ai', they were absolutely not the same person.
Ai noticed Young Ai's gaze.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Ai confirmed Young Ai was looking at her and tried to read her expression.
"Aha~? You're jealous of the relationship between me and Yume, aren't you?"
She spoke while tapping Young Ai's head, wearing an expression as if she understood everything.
"Not particularly? I just thought you're a completely different person from me."
Young Ai said, shaking her head as if tired of Ai's behavior. And then...
"I don't see a future where I'd get married."
She nodded slightly and muttered to herself.
That was because the Hoshino Ai of 'this side' hadn't had any problems, but the Hoshino Ai of 'the other side' had become unable to love or trust the opposite sex thanks to Kamiki Hikaru.
Hearing Young Ai's words, Ai said...
"Well, isn't that obvious? I'm me and you're you. There's no way we could be the same person, right?"
Ai looked at Young Ai with a face that asked why she was even asking something so obvious.
"And it's only natural that you can't see the future! Even for me, I don't even know what I'll do the next day, so how could I possibly know my own future!"
Speaking with her arms spread wide, Ai continued...
"But there is one thing I can say for sure.
It's that I truly love Yume! Hoshino Yume! Aqua! Ruby!! Every one of my lovely family members, with all my heart!!
Just with that alone, my future is surely going to shine as bright as a star (Hoshino)!!"
I could see Ai's eyes shining more brilliantly and beautifully than anyone else's.
Witnessing those eyes from point-blank range, Young Ai thought...
"That's the difference between you and me."
Young Ai's eyes, as she looked back at Ai with a faint smile, were glowing darkly like the deepest abyss.
"I still can't show my 'true self', A-ha★"
Young Ai laughed and spoke while wearing her smiling 'mask'.
"Hoo-unh~? Is that so? Well, I don't really care, but I don't know about Yume."
If there was a difference between the two Hoshino Ais looking at each other...
It was that while one shone more radiantly than anything else, the other was darker than anything else.
The Ai with the sparkling eyes said...
"My husband is surprisingly meddlesome, you see☆"
At those words, Young Ai frowned and glanced at the kitchen; she had much she wanted to say but didn't dare speak it out loud.
"I see~"
And soon she returned to her usual tone of voice.
But inwardly, she couldn't understand why he was trying so hard to help when she hadn't even asked, and thought that the act of helping itself was a nuisance.
As if seeing right through Young Ai's thoughts...
"Hmm~ Shall I try and guess what you're thinking right now?"
Ai put on a detective hat that appeared out of nowhere.
"You're thinking this is a reaaally big nuisance right now, aren't you? But what can you do? It's because I received that nuisance that I am who I am today."
Seeing Ai look at her with an expression that seemed to say, 'You might change just like me'...
".....I really hate it here."
Young Ai absolutely hated it.
"Aha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!! Do you know how incredibly funny your expression is right now?"
Seeing Young Ai like that, Ai—recalling her own past when she surely used to hate people—couldn't help but laugh.
Well, of course, she still hates people now. But even so, she loves them.
Having the contradictory nature of loving while hating was exactly who Hoshino Ai was now.
"Don't laugh. What's there to laugh about? I never asked for help."
Young Ai, displeased with Ai, glared at her with furrowed brows.
"Heh~ You're going to say that? Okay, I'll understand. But."
Ai's atmosphere suddenly changed, and her shining eyes began to darken.
"If you keep acting like that, 'I' might get a little angry."
Ai spoke while glaring at Young Ai.
Current Ai's aura was now just like the one belonging to the person Hoshino Ai calls 'Senior'.
Young Ai flinched at Ai's sudden transformation but soon began to glare back, determined not to lose.
"Did I say something wrong? I never asked for help. You said you'd help on your own. My family is only Ruby and Aqua. Other people are none of my business."
Of course, among those other people was someone she hated, but she didn't bring that up.
"Ah, right. If I just leave here, everything's settled, right?"
Seeing Young Ai glare at Ai while her darkly shining eyes wide open as if she'd had a great idea...
"Oh, really? Then maybe it'd be a good idea to just leave for once~ Oh, it'd be pretty funny if you d-i-e-d as soon as you went out, wouldn't it?"
Ai spoke while looking at Young Ai with eyes that contained nothing but pure 'bloodlust', with no more emotion left in them.
At those words, the memory of 'that day' when she died came back to Young Ai, and her hand unconsciously moved toward her abdomen for a brief moment.
She bowed her head and looked at her stomach for a moment before looking back at Ai with an expressionless face.
".....Is that all you had to say?"
However, those two eyes were still shining black and dark.
"No, I could say more."
Ai looked directly back, not avoiding Young Ai's gaze.
Just as the emotions of the two were about to reach a boiling point...
"Enough."
Coming out after finishing in the kitchen, I found myself thinking, 'What kind of situation is this...?'
I'd already moved my hands without thinking, but it was too late to back out now...
"Ugyaaaaaaaakk!?"
As I slowly applied pressure to the heads of the two Ais, Ai was the first to scream.
Surprisingly, Young Ai seemed to be holding back the pain quite well, though she bit her lip as if it hurt a little.
For the record, I was applying pressure differently to the two of them, but as Young Ai's lip looked like it might bleed if I continued, I was about to let her go.
"It's starting to hurt, so it'd be nice if you'd let me go already~"
Seeing Young Ai speaking with her 'fake' mask from earlier...
"......."
I carefully took my hand off Young Ai's head. However...
"Why are you letting that brat go but not me, Yume!?"
My other hand was still on top of Ai's head.
"In the first place, you're the one who started leaking 'bloodlust', so of course she'd react that way! Senior didn't teach you that just so you could use it recklessly!!!"
Since I'd already heard the entire conversation from the kitchen, I didn't blame Young Ai.
Meanwhile, as she watched the two of them, Young Ai's eyes were still glowing darkly.
"......."
And although Young Ai's hand unconsciously moved to her abdomen, she decided she didn't want to say anything at the moment.
"Whew... Sorry. And though I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I heard everything."
Even if I look like this, my physical abilities are far too superior...
After carefully laying Ai, who was half-fainting, down on the sofa, I crouched down in front of Young Ai and met her eyes.
"....."
"I understand well enough what Ai's words meant to you.
Since there's such a thing as 'fate', it's okay if you don't like me.
I already know this fact, so I'm sure my actions are unpleasant and you don't like them.
I think that's understandable, but even if you hate it, won't you give me just one chance to help you take off that mask you're wearing?"
In order to do everything I could for now, I took Young Ai's hands in mine and prayed that my feelings would reach her.
"...Why do you keep saying those things to me?"
She spoke as if she still didn't understand my heart, but that was okay.
"It's uncomfortable. So please don't do that."
Even if it's uncomfortable, it can't be helped. I won't stop.
Contrary to Yume's thoughts, Young Ai spoke as if pleading with Yume, who kept trying to peel away her 'lies'.
Since it was a lie she'd never taken off since the moment she was reincarnated, she had no choice but to act that way.
But.
"No, I will. Even if it's uncomfortable for you."
I have absolutely no intention of giving up.
"This encounter could also be fate. If that's the case, changing your fate doesn't necessarily have to be something you do on your own. So please, let me share at least a little bit of the burden you carry in your heart."
For some reason, tears started to flow from my eyes.
Why? Just as unknown emotions were about to spread through my entire body...
The expression Young Ai wore as she looked at me was one that said she couldn't understand me, and she slowly pulled her arms away, narrowed her eyes, and...
"....Are you really a lolicon..?"
"......Ack!?"
Due to that mutter with no malicious intent, I became a lolicon in an instant, and the shock caused me to collapse on the spot.