My acting love - Watashi no engi ai (Aqua Hoshino x Akane Kurokawa)

Chapter 10 - the brightest star

Aqua and Hikaru met at least twice a week to discuss Ai, what she was like, her mannerisms, whatever. Aqua didn't care. He just wanted to know more. He didn't feel like he was obsessed, but outside of his relationship with Akane, Aqua didn't feel like he had anything more interesting happening. His father was becoming more tolerable, as long as Aqua kept the thoughts of the night out of his head. He didn't think he would be able to stand it if he didn't. One day was particularly fruitful for Aqua.

"Ai was a lot more reckless, and a lot more bubbly at first. After a while, she kind of mellowed down. Stopped putting herself in situation where she shouldn't be. I don't know what happened, but something sure did."

Hikaru and Aqua sat on a park bench in the center of a popular forest walk. Aqua would not have been comfortable with this if it weren't for the constant stream of people. Hikaru couldn't get away with anything here if he tried.

"It's hard to believe she was ever more bubbly than while I knew her. She always seemed so full of life... until she didn't."

Hikaru put his thumb and fingers to his temple. "Aqua, how many times? I had nothing to do with it. It must have been someone else. Ai was too precious to me."

Aqua decided it wasn't worth it. He and his father had had this argument way too many times before. "Sure. Alright. Just don't expect me to suddenly believe you're any kind of saint. I don't trust you at all."

"Fair enough."

Aqua and Hikaru sat in what could only be described as an uncomfortable silence for a while. Aqua paid attention to the numerous people walking past to divert his attention until Hikaru spoke up.

"God, you're so much like me, you know? Not only your looks, although you ARE the spitting image. When I was your age, I was exactly like you are now. Brooding, mistrustful, bearing waaaay to much emotional baggage. But it changed after I met Ai. And I have noticed a subtle change in you as well."

Aqua's eye twitched at being compared to his father. "Oh yeah, how so?"

"Well, for one thing, when we first met, you wouldn't stop meeting my eyes. Deeply unsettling, by the way, although I did manage to appreciate how stunning your eyes are. They remind me of Ai's. Anyway, you've slowly loosened up. It says a lot that even though that's true, you still accuse me of murder. Ah well, I can't change what I can't change."

Aqua sat in silence for a little while. If only this man knew. Knew of Gouro, of reincarnation, of any of it. The only reason this man wasn't dead on the floor is because of how he pictured Akane's face when she would find out. That said, Aqua could make it look like an accident. But he needed his father, to learn more about Ai.

"You said Ai brought out a better side of you. What happened?"

Hikaru chuckled. "Heh. Well... the way she smiled with her whole soul when she meant it. When her eyes sparkled, you couldn't say no. You were swept up into a storm of Ai and when you were released you were never the same. It changed me deep down, for the better. Meeting Ai was the best thing that ever happened to me. I hope you experience this too, because I fear what will become of you if you don't."

--------------------------------------A few hours later, at the twins' house-----------------------------------------

"Ruby, I'm back."

Aqua turned as he closed the door. He had gained some useful insight today. He needed to write this down somewhere. It wouldn't do if-

"Aqua, where have you been!?"

Aqua looked up and saw Ruby with her arms crossed, looking mad. Of course, Ruby's mad was about the same as everyone else's slightly unhappy, so he wasn't too worried,

"Sorry, I was out with-"

He was about to say Akane when he saw her on the couch, watching TV. Damn, plan foiled. Next time he would need a stronger alibi, but he was glad she was here.

"-Kengo, from Lovenow. We haven't talked in ages. Hi Akane, when did you get here?"

Akane poked poked her head over the couch's headrest. "Heya Aqua, I came here looking for you, but I think I prefer your sister."

"Ha ha, very funny."

Aqua walked over to Akane, noticing she was watching a crime documentary. Odd, didn't seem like the type of thing she was interesting in.

"Scoot over, Blue. This looks interesting."

Blue was the name Aqua had given Akane just after they started dating. It was mostly due to her hair colour, but it gave Aqua a sense of justice. If he was Aqua, she could be Blue.

Akane adjusted her position so her head was rested on his lap as they settled down. He pretended not to notice Ruby taking a picture.

"Awww, you guys are so adorable. I want someone like that!"

"Ruby, no. Your eye for character is absolutely horrible and you will be played like a game of chess."

Akane rolled her eyes playfully. "Jeez, what a siscon."

"Not you too!"

This sent Ruby into hysterics. Aqua, however, was not impressed. "Ha ha. Laugh all you want until the next Hikaru comes, swoops you up and stabs you in the gut."

Ruby stopped laughing long enough to look puzzled. "Who's Hikaru?"

"An actor who was rumoured to target actresses in their prime, mislead them, romance them, and then kill them." Aqua looked down at Akane. Had she really just said that? How did she know? Well, that didn't matter to Aqua. As long as Akane was wise enough to not get mislead like that, he was fine. Not even he trusted his father enough to take that statement out of the picture.

Ruby came down to sit with Aqua and Akane as the documentary reached it's climax. She looked down at her phone. "How, I just googled him, and he looks a LOT like you, Aqua. Like, A LOT."

Aqua panicked. He had thought of a response for this but wasn't sure if it would work on Akane. "Aaah, yes. It is I, Aqua "Hikaru" Hoshino! Beware, young actresses! At the age of negative one I will seduce you and lead you to your doom!"

Ruby did that thing where she breathed out through her nose when something was moderately funny. "Oh no! Whatever will I do!?"

Aqua looked down at Akane, who had a smile on her lips. Thank god, it seemed to have worked.

The three sat in a much more comfortable silence than Hikaru and Aqua had done that morning while they watched the crime documentary. Aqua often made comments about how he would have done things better if he was the criminal, which often earned some sort of concerned looks from Ruby or Akane, like: 'Holy shit, please don't turn to a life of crime or else we are all doomed'.

It was almost midnight when the documentary ended. Ruby insisted that Akane left before it was too dark and had an excuse to stay the night. "I want NO funny business from you two or else!". As Akane drove off, Aqua wondered just how much longer his secret would stay safe.

---------------------------------------------------Akane's POV-------------------------------------------------------------

Something was wrong with Aqua. She could tell. Lately there had been a lot on his mind, but there always came an excuse that was almost believable. But by acting with him, she had come to learn his body language. When he was telling the truth or not. What worried Akane was the fact that he was getting better at hiding it.

Was he cheating? No, that's not it. It seemed like something deeper, more emotional. And after seeing that picture of Hikaru the actress murderer, she had a clue about what it might be...

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Hello guys! Sorry it's been so long! Sadly, I won't be able to post double chapters because it's WAAAY too late at night rn. However, I will say the I have planned up to chapter 21 now, so quality should be much better from here. The plot thickens!

Shortangryblonde out!