Shining Stars

Chapter Twenty-Four: New Blood

Ai sighed as she took a sip of her drink. She was the only one up at the time and was looking at the group chat for B-Komachi. All of them were Thirty at this point and were now considering retiring, even Ai was. She just didn’t look the same as she did just a few years ago. Miyako had seen the messages but had yet to make any comment. There was no way around it, their popularity was decreasing day by day.

And it pissed off Ai.

All the work the four of them put in was going to go to waste, but that was the end of it. This was inevitable, they couldn’t keep it up forever.

Soon, Ruby walked in absolutely ecstatic, Aqua following soon after as he began to cook breakfast. The smell of bacon and eggs filled the air as he made the four occupants of the house food.

“Y’know Aqua, I’m so glad you know how to cook like your dad, just smelling your food is making me feel better already…”

“Why something bad happen, mom”

Ruby asked as Ai shook her head, Miyako walking in, whom Ai shot a glance at.

“Just coming to terms with something, no need to worry.”

Soon after, breakfast was ready for the four, three of whom dug in as Ruby stood there, too excited to sit, spinning around as she giggled.

“Ta-da, what do you think?”

“I think you look really cute, Ruby!”

Ai said as Ruby let out a giggle lifting her dress up slightly and winking at her mom.

“Well, on a big day, it’s only natural to be fashionable! Oh I can’t wait…”

“So you’re serious about this, Ruby?”

She nodded as Aqua just looked on as he took a bite of his eggs. Sighing to himself, there really was no talking her out of this, was there?

“You know the world you’re about to enter is a harsh place, right? If you end up not selling too well, you might become miserable… Not to mention your private lif-”

“I know, alright! Aqua’s given me the lecture like five times this last week!”

Ai looked at Aqua, who shrugged at his mother, or just sighed at his overprotectiveness.

“Falling victim to stalking is all too common these days.”

This got a reaction out of Ruby, as she shuffled her feet uncomfortably, she was remembering what had happened ten years ago.

“Even so, you want to enter the entertainment industry?”

“You’d better believe it! After all… now's my chance… my chance to make Papa proud! I will become an Idol.”

Miyako was silent for a moment, as Aqua looked at his sister, worried hidden behind his stern and unreadable expression.

“Are you sure you can handle it?”

“Absolutely!”

“Well, then I wish you the best, Ruby…”

MIyako said as she smiled at her, Aqua showed something in his expression, a slight shift, that only Ai picked up on, something wasn’t right. He knew something she didn’t, and if it could make Aqua shift his expression, it wasn’t something she wanted her daughter to get involved in.

“Well, you want to become an idol, but let’s not go to that group.”

“Huh, why? Mom.. you know how much I want to become an Idol.”

The three others looked at the Idol, Ruby feeling betrayed by her mother. Though Ai smiled as she gave off a devious grin as she put a finger in the bottom of her lip, cutely.