20 Days In The Past - Aikatsu Love Story (SenAka)

Hanging By A Thread

March 31, 2026

        Akari laid there, bleeding from her head.  Tsubasa looked up angrily at Jeremy, holding the neck of a broken wine bottle.  Yume ran to Akari in a fit of hysteria.
       "You ***hole." Tsubasa murmured before pushing Jeremy.  Jeremy glared and fought back, cutting Tsubasa's cheek with the broken glass.  Tsubasa took the piece of glass from Jeremy's hands before wrapping his hands around his neck to strangle Jeremy, before letting go and putting a knee over Jeremy's chest.  "You are truly disgusting."

        "She lost her job! I had to teach her a lesson." Jeremy said, delusional to the idea of his excuse.
        "She works hard, and this is how you treat her? Do you work?" Tsubasa yelled.
        "No, but-"
       Tsubasa slapped Jeremy hard.  "Then you have no right to complain."
     Tsubasa glanced at Yume, who was calling for police and an ambulance.  Jeremy pushed Tsubasa off of him, picking up a full bottle of whiskey and swinging it at Tsubasa.  Tsubasa dodged the bottle and stepped back. Jeremy took a second swing, but he hit the wall instead. The impact caused the bottle shatter into thousands of pieces; and the liquid pooled all over the floor. 

       "No wonder she agreed to a time spell from a stranger." Tsubasa mumbled.  Yume raised a brow.  He turned to Yume.  "No offence Yume."
         "None taken." Yume replied, as the waved her wand and placed Jeremy in a magic bubble.  "Sorry, I should have done that sooner.  I was so worried about Akari that I completely forgot to restrain the guy.
         "It's alright, at least Akari stands a chance this time." Tsubasa sighed. His heart wrenched as he looked down upon Akari, who laid there unconscious.
         "I don't know if that's possible.  Akari's original cause of death was being continuously hit in the head, and she looks like she's in bad condition."  Yume said wiping a tear from her cheek.
        Tsubasa kneeled down and took Akari's hand in his.  "Akari I'm so sorry I didn't tell you how I felt that night we were 23.  I'm sorry I didn't make the spell permanent sooner." He broke into a fit of tears and sobs.  "Last of all I'm sorry for getting engaged to someone else, knowing what I know now." He leaned in and kissed her hand one last time before standing up.

          The police cars and ambulances arrived, and Jeremy had been taken into custody.  Yume had re-transformed herself to her elder lady form (of which her human identity was associated) with before their arrival.  Both were questioned over the accounts of breaking in, however justified it with the sole fact that they were concerned for Akari's life.  They were let go and Jeremy was sent to jail with bail set very high.

April 3rd, 2026

         Akari woke up in the hospital 2 days later, and miraculously only had a concussion and a few bruises.  Due to doctor's concern of Akari's condition.  They only allowed family members the first day after she woke up.  However, Yume had still managed to restore memory of the deal, and all that had happened within.
        "Akari-chan?" A familiar female voice called out softly.  Akari sat up, surprised to see her aunt holding a bouquet of flowers.
      "W-what are you doing here?" She asked.
      "I'm so sorry, Akari-chan.  My mother and I ruined your life...." 
      "Huh?"
      "I was always so hard on my brother.  When I lost him I denied that I ever loved him, whilst trying to push you into being someone you are not in my grief, like making right what I did wrong to Manabu.  Obviously I was wrong."
        "I-I'm confused...."
        "I never knew how horrible I was until I nearly lost you too...." Her aunt had a tear slip down her cheek.  "You lost your career as an idol, and ended up at some job you hated.  I was even stupid enough let her force you to marry that man." Her Aunt broke into tears.  Akari's heart softened, however it was hard to be forgiving.  "I'm truly sorry, I'm no more than an idiot."
        "Were you involved in the brakes being cut on my parent's car?" Akari mumbled.  Her aunt looked up in shock.
        "No I didn't even know of that.  Although mother was acting strange before that terrible event happened."  She looked down in shame.  "Akari, will you ever forgive me?"
        "If it was my grandmother responsible for what happened to my parents, I doubt I could ever forgive that.  As for you, you just supported her.  I forgive you, although if you're truly sorry I want to work on fixing our relationship." Akari took her aunts's hand and gave an assuring smile.  Her aunt wrapped her arms around her and bawled.  After talking things out for an hour, her aunt left.  

        "Akari?" Ichigo popped her head into the room.
        "Ichigo! Hey!"
        "Akari I heard what happened!! Are you okay?"
        "I-I'm fine."  Ichigo stepped into the room, her belly huge.  Naoto, Ichigo's husband stepped in with her.
        "I can't believe it's been this long.  How are you?" Ichigo asked.
        "I guess I'm okay. I missed you."
        "Akari! Oh my goodness you're alright!" Aoi exclaimed as Aoi, Ran, Sumire, Hinaki, and Johnny-sensei entered.
        "Akari-honey! I'm glad you're safe now.  Don't ever let a man treat you that way again!"
        Akari raised a brow.  "How does everybody know?"
       "It's on the news." Aoi said.
       Akari furrowed her brows in confusion.  "W-what?"
      "First off, Jeremy is from a high status family of famous lawyers and politicians.  Second, you still have a name for yourself." Ran said.
       "So if I wanted to go back into the entertainment industry, would it be too late?"
       "Of course not!" Naoto said.  "Recover first though."
       "Akari?"  Everyone stepped to the side, as Akari could feel her stomach drop and tie itself in knots.  The bitterness of her failure had alas caught up to her..  He doesn't even know it happened.  I was so close.
       "Tsubasa-kun....it's been years." She said, faking a smile and buttering up her voice.  Tsubasa walked in and placed his hand over hers.
       "Actually, we saw each other at the elite ball a couple days ago, if you remember." He said with a smirk.  Akari's eyes widened, upon confusion as to whether he knew of the failed timeline or she was perhaps suffering amnesia.
       Everyone gathered and stayed for 2 hours.  After a turn taking of catching up with Akari, and everyone had left, it was just Tsubasa and Akari.
        He sat down beside her and chuckled.  "It's kinda funny seeing you...much older.  Just yesterday I was a teenager again and today I'm back to being an adult.  I remember it as if I had a very long dream."
        "So you remember that magical timeline?"
        "That and Yume told me everything , the spell, death, the awful 10 years you endured, I know everything.  That and I regained memories of this timeline and remember that incident when we last saw each other."
         "I'm sorry! I know it was completely weird to do that."
         "I don't think it's weird at all.  I'd have done it given if I had the chance."
         Akari's sad eyes looked at the stars through the window.  "What now? You're married now and I-"
        "I was engaged, that article on the billboards was about the wedding planning."
        "Oh, um...is your fiance okay with this-I mean you being here?"
        "I broke up with her."
        "What?"
        "We were only dating each other for the sake of pity and status.  Neither of us had feelings."
        "Was she okay with it?"
        "She was disappointed, but didn't really care much."
        "Oh, okay.  I plan on getting a divorce and a restraining order anyways, so....."
        "Then could we make this work?" Tsubasa asked.  "Us that is?"  His hand firmly tightened over Akari as he caressed her face with his other hand.  Akari looked him in the eyes and smiled.
       "Yes!"  Akari played with his hair with her free hand.  "By the way, not that it would make a difference to you, we-me and Jeremy never consummated the our marriage." 
Tsubasa smiled and chuckled a bit.  "So if you and I got married in the future, would it be your first real marriage?"
         Akari blushed.  "Wait, why are we already talking about marriage? I'm not even sure if we are officially dating or not."
        "Well, since that timeline technically never occurred, We'll just have to do it in this timeline." He said.  He took Akari's hand.   "Akari, will you be my girlfriend?" He asked.
       Akari softly smiled, as her heart fluttered.   "I think you know the answer."  She said, squeezing his hand.
        Tsubasa moved a lock of her much longer hair out of her face, as he leaned in.  Akari could feel his peppermint breath as he leaned in near to her face.  Akari closed her eyes as his lips pressed against hers.  Akari threw her arms around Tsubasa's shoulders. Her stomach was doing backflips as he had his arms wrapped around her waist.
       "I'm not gonna lie, I like this better with you 25 than 15." He said with a chuckle.
       "How come?"
       "Well, back then I liked you because you were cute." He wrapped his arms tighter.
       "You thought I was cute?"
       "I don't anymore, because now you're absolutely beautiful."
       Akari smiled wider and chuckled.  She sat up slightly and kissed his cheek, and he took her in his arms and kissed her.
       It was the moment she yearned for 10 years.  In that moment, everything felt at ease.  There was no more pressure, no more conflict.  It was just her and Tsubasa. 

One year later....

       "Alright, Yume-chan. I'm trusting you with my wedding dress." Akari said, standing in the dressing room while her bridesmaids waited outside.  Yume was the maid of honor, and stood in her true form rather than her elderly.
       "Don't worry, I will make it perfect." Yume said, as she was about to wave her wand.
       As the magic lights surrounded Akari for a final time, she couldn't help but ask, "So when are you and Subaru going to get married?"
       Yume smiled and rolled her eyes. "After I rebuild my kingdom. A huge portion of it was in hiding under the ocean, and I'm still trying to create the housing every fairy deserves."
       Akari chuckled, as the magical lights disappeared. "So other than right now, when you and Subaru are both in the human world, does he also take the form of an elderly?"
       "I mean, we're technically the same age as an elder. Fairies just age significantly slower. To answer your question, yes."
       "That's so cute! I'm really sorry again that I didn't succeed."
       "Don't worry about it, Subaru and I defeated Elza anyways. So you got your idol career or er- and adult version, right?"
       "Yeah I did. I mostly do minor modelling roles and acting gigs in commercials. I may do an occasional concert but my target audience is an older age group now."
       "That's great! Alright, you may look in the mirror now."
       Akari was almost moved to tears by how beautiful the dress was. The dress was a ballgown, made with layers of white tulle with fabricated jewelled cherry blossoms sewn along the bodice and the top layer of the skirt.
       "Yume-chan I love it!"
       "I'm glad."
       "I worked hard on perfecting the wedding.  I even changed my surname back to Oozora."
       "But why? Isn't it going to be changed to Sena soon?"
       "Yes, but I want to be addressed as Akari Oozora at my wedding. No affiliation with that jerk."
The clock struck noon, and Akari knew it was time to make her way.

       "Do you, Sena Tsubasa take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" The priest asked.
       "I do." He said.
       "Do you, Oozora Akari take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Akari's mind screamed yes, and she was tempted to burst into giggles and yell it a thousand times, however she kept her composure.
       "I do."
      "I now pronounce you man and wife, you may now seal the marriage with a kiss."
       Tsubasa and Akari shared a quick kiss, and walked down the aisle hand in hand. This time, it was a marriage Akari truly wanted. As for her parents, Akari came to terms with it. Although she would forever miss them, she knew somewhere they were proud of her.