It had been a month since that eventful day, and the much-anticipated release of the first episode of the drama had arrived. Gathered in the cozy living room, the Hoshino family sat eagerly, their attention fixed on the television screen.
Ruby, who was perched on Ai's lap, couldn't contain her excitement as she exclaimed with a wide smile, "I can't wait to see Mama's acting!" Her little legs swung energetically, adding to the buzz in the room.
Ai glanced down at Ruby, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "We did film quite a lot of scenes," she acknowledged, her voice filled with a mixture of anticipation and pride.
Seated cross-legged on the floor, Aikara turned towards Ai, his eyes widening with excitement as he locked gazes with his mother. "Mom, I'm sure your acting is great! I can't wait to see them cheering for you!" Aikara's voice brimmed with genuine excitement, his eagerness palpable.
Ai reciprocated her son's infectious excitement with her own, a grin lighting up her face. "Thanks, Aka!" she exclaimed, her hand playfully ruffling his hair as she beamed at him.
Their anticipation was momentarily interrupted by the sound of the television, signaling the start of the show. "Mama! The show is starting!" Ruby exclaimed, pointing excitedly at the screen. The family fell silent, fully engrossed in the unfolding drama before them.
As the episode progressed, they finally caught a glimpse of Ai's scene. However, it was only a single scene, and they were never able to see another glimpse of Ai even after the episode ended, even though she filmed multiple scenes at the site.
"Huh?!" Ruby shouted in confusion as she looked at the TV with a frustrated expression on her face "Is that it?"
Aqua seemed to agree with her sentiment as he also voiced out his frustrations "That was barely one scene."
Aikara, on the other hand, was already beside Ai as he held her hand trying to comfort her.
"Are you okay Mom?" Aikara asked, his voice filled with genuine concern. Aikara stood up from his spot and walked toward Ai, his eyes widening with worry, and reached out to gently touch her arm.
Ai seemed to have noticed his worry as she let out a reassuring smile "I'm feeling fine! No need to worry about me. I'm tougher than you think." She flexed her biceps as if trying to prove her strength.
Aikara didn't look convinced though as he didn't let go of her hand.
"You don't need to continue holding my hand Aka. I'm really feeling fine." Ai said with a warm smile on her face, touched that he continued to hold her hand.
But she really was fine, she knows that life doesn't always go the way you want to and she won't let herself get beat up over this.
"It's not because I want to comfort you," Aikara blurted out, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and shyness. He avoided direct eye contact, glancing to the side, his cheeks turning a rosy shade. With a bashful smile, he nervously scratched his cheek, his hand moving up and down in a gentle, almost hesitant motion. "I just... uh, want to keep my hand warm since it's pretty cold," he added, his words trailing off slightly as his charisma and energy momentarily transformed into a sweet, innocent charm.
Ai felt her heart gets stabbed by an arrow at this bashful display, her kids really are adorable.
"I see, if you're feeling cold, then there's nothing I could do about it," she said with a playful wink. Her voice exuded confidence and warmth.
Suddenly, Aqua left the couch and excused himself as he left to another room, and even though Aikara planned to follow him, he decided not as he felt Ai's hand wrap around his own.
__________
(Aqua POV)
Stepping into the room, I cautiously glanced around to ensure no prying eyes were watching before clutching Director Gotanda's business card tightly and dialing his number on my phone. After a few tense seconds, the phone finally began to ring, and the director's voice resonated through the device and into my ears.
"Yes?" came Gotanda's voice, flowing from the phone and into my ear. The way he spoke made me wonder if he was drunk at that moment.
"Hey, Director!" I exclaimed, my voice filled with frustration and confusion. "What on earth happened?"
My emotions were a chaotic mix of anger and bewilderment. I had complete faith in Ai's abilities, so why was she only given one chance? True, her acting skills might not be top-notch, but I was certain that she had entranced everyone with her captivating presence. As I had mentioned before, she had the power to draw people in with her every movement.
"Oh, the mature baby," Gotanda replied, his tone brimming with surprise. Had he not anticipated my prompt call?
"You completely disregarded AI," I exclaimed, my voice reverberating through the room as I marched back and forth. The thought of not utilizing Ai in this situation baffled me. How could they overlook such a valuable actor?
"Oh, that," the director exclaimed, his voice filled with a hint of regret. His words piqued my curiosity. What could have gone wrong despite the absence of AI? It seemed like there was more to the story.
"It was rather unfortunate how it turned out so seamlessly," the director continued, his tone indicating a mix of disappointment and surprise. The outcome was unexpectedly favorable, which should have been cause for celebration. Yet, the director's response suggested otherwise.
If I were still Dr. Garou, my past life, I would have calmly inquired about the reasons behind his decision. After all, my maturity and experience should have allowed me to maintain a level-headed approach. However, my current body seemed to prevent me from containing my emotions. It was as if this younger body had amplified my reactions, making it harder to remain composed.
"Then why?!" I bellowed, frustration lacing my voice. The question echoed in the room, fueled by a blend of curiosity, confusion, and impatience. I yearned for a satisfactory explanation, a logical justification that could ease my troubled mind.
"The lead actress's agency markets her as the "young actress that's too cute for her talent"." As those words echoed, I stepped back, my mind racing to connect the scattered puzzle pieces. I felt like a curtain lifted, revealing the truth of the entertainment industry. Is it because Ai-
The director's voice abruptly interrupted my train of thought, jolting me back to the conversation at hand. "So what would happen if we have a cuter face in the same shot?" Gotanda's question hung in the air, validating my earlier hypothesis. It all boiled down to one simple truth: Ai was undeniably cuter than the lead actress.
'That'd affect her marketing image, right." He continued further, and I have no choice but to agree with him. "Ai was just too cute for the screen. So due to the higher ups wishes, we had to edit her out as much as possible" While I understood the underlying logic behind this decision, a profound sense of disappointment washed over me, clouding my emotions.
Unable to contain my dissatisfaction, I spoke up, my voice barely above a whisper, but filled with an undeniable tinge of dejection. "What's with that?" I questioned, my disappointment palpable. The notion that Ai was cut from the production merely on the basis of her adorable appearance left a bitter taste in my mouth.
As if sensing my despondency, the director made an effort to provide further explanation. "The allocation of screen time for the cast is heavily influenced by the power dynamics between companies," he elucidated. "So, in a way, you can consider it an unfortunate accident, a result of this intricate web of interests." Though his words offered a rationale, they failed to remove the lingering discontent within me.
"I can't just accept this," I stated firmly, my voice filled with defiance. Why should Ai be excluded just because of that?
The line fell silent for a brief moment, interrupted only by a faint puff of smoke on the other end. Eventually, a voice emerged, laced with weariness and resignation. "You may harbor dreams of making it in showbiz, but let me tell you, the reality is far from the glamorous dream you envision," the voice cautioned. "Showbiz is not a realm reserved for artistic pursuits; it's a fiercely competitive arena driven by business interests."
I let my head down after hearing him, is the entertainment world really like that?
My contemplation was cut short by the director "But I do understand your point, and I feel bad about it too. It might not exactly make up for it, but I want to give Ai some work." He said "It's for a film. No complaints, right?"
By film, was he referring to the one Aikara mentioned, where he and Ai had already been cast by the director? However, the director's words seemed to imply that he was going to cast her too. Was he talking about a different project? Unlikely. So why did he mention that to me?
Despite my suspicions, I couldn't contain my excitement as I replied, "Really?"
"But..." the director began, "on the condition that you are also part of the cast."
His words sank in, and I fell into deep contemplation. It was clear that he had intended to cast Ai from the beginning, so why was he pretending to recruit her? Was he deliberately feigning ignorance to persuade me to be in his film?
The director seemed to interpret my silence as a negative response and continued, "Your brother too, Aikara. You mentioned he's a great actor. I'm planning to recruit him as well if you agree. Don't you want to help your brother's acting career?"
After hearing that, my certainty solidified. He was intentionally withholding the fact that he had already planned to cast Ai and Aikara, using it as a tactic to entice me into his film. He was much more cunning than I had initially thought.
"No need to play dumb. I know you already intended to cast Ai and Aikara, and you only said that to recruit me," I told him.
"Damn, it seems I've been caught. How did you figure it out?" The director's voice sounded troubled.
"Aikara told me. He mentioned that you might pull something like this," I responded in a deadpan voice, although I was lying about Aikara revealing anything. He only mentioned that he and Ai had received the favor of the director. However, I didn't want to arouse more suspicion, so I threw him under the bus for now. Sorry, Aka. I heard a chuckle on the other end of the phone.
"That kid, he seems more mature than I gave him credit for," he said before asking me, "So, do you still want to join the film?"
Hesitation lingered within me as I contemplated the director's proposition. Initially, my instinct urged me to refuse. It seemed logical to avoid being in the same film as Ai, as it would undoubtedly heighten the chances of our true identities as her children being unveiled. The risks weighed heavily on my mind.
However, a vivid memory surged forth, engulfing me in its enchanting grasp. It was the day we orchestrated our grand deception, manipulating Miyako-san into believing we were divine beings. In that moment, I tasted the exhilaration of acting for the first time, but I couldn't deny the flaws that marred my performance. In stark contrast, Aikara had shone brilliantly, his talent undeniable.
An inexplicable admiration bloomed within me, directed at Aikara's prowess as an actor. I found myself drawn to the art form, and an unfamiliar fondness took root in my heart. Was this the elusive concept known as passion? It stirred something deep within me, beckoning me towards the allure of the stage.
"Hmm... Sure thing," I replied, my voice betraying a newfound resolve.
______
End of chapter
Seems like Aqua became passionate about acting, we should thank Aikara. I wonder how Aqua would be like in the future with this passion?
And, sorry for the late chapter, I'm currently very busy right now and I will be super busy next week so I think I can only post 2 chapters in that week.
Sorry if you're disappointed.
And my reader(in webnovel) suggested for me to ask for powerstones at the end of the chapter so I would do that, so forgive me for being shameless. Though I think it's boring if I simply ask so here's a scene of Aikara asking for votes(for Wattpad readers)
"Please, oh please, pretty please with sprinkles on top, can you give me your votes?"
Aikara pleaded, his eyes gleaming with excitement. With every word, Aikara's hands fluttered in the air, as if trying to catch the very essence of the votes. His smile was as radiant as a thousand suns, conveying an undeniable enthusiasm that was impossible to resist.
"I promise, if you give them to me, I'll work my little heart out!" Aikara exclaimed, bouncing on his tiptoes with an infectious energy that filled the room with an atmosphere of pure joy.