After the filming had ended, the expected film sales were predicted to have considerably risen. This was all thanks to two key actors. Both Ai and Rimuru performed spectacularly, although Ai had more screentime, Rimuru's extreme performance was just as big a factor.
The Director, Taishi Gotanda, won the award as Director of the Year after the release of the film. He said, "A single child inspired me to create a masterpiece. I merely took some underrated staff and cast members to capitalize on this child's excellence."
It was reported that he had said something else in a private interview, but the details were unconfirmed.
Because of the success of the film, Ai had finally gotten ahold of a higher and solid position within the entertainment industry. She was now recognized as a star not only for her days as an idol but because of her ability to put on a show as a whole.
And as for Rimuru, many agencies had been trying to contact Strawberry Productions to find a chance to sign her for themselves.
"I refuse to let my kids go. Besides, she already has an agency she's contracted to." Miyako was nervously answering a mass of reporters and Scouters after being forced to attend a press conference regarding Rimuru.
The impact of Rimuru's Supreme acting on camera had reached throughout Japan. The film itself has gone on to become one of the best-selling films of all time under a budget of 3 million yen.
"Excuse me, but how are you going to proceed with her career after finding out her potential in the industry?"
Questions like these are what make press conferences exciting to the ones who watch them. Miyako looked hesitant to answer. The aftermath of this film caused a much larger exposure of Strawberry Productions to the entire industry.
But of course, Miyako was only here because she was playing the role of Rimuru's mother. Ichigo was playing the role of the father while being the president of the Agency at the same time. Questions like these are his forte.
"I think I will let my child decide for herself. You might say that it's harsh to make a kid decide something so big, but I think it's worse to make the decisions for them. It's their future." Ichigo handled the question with a clear but somewhat unfinished answer. The reporter was seemingly satisfied, though.
That said, the questions have yet to stop.
"Excuse me," a reporter raised his hands. "My question is how on earth does your child have such an extreme talent for acting?"
Ichigo grinned. "That's because my child has someone she looks up to. An idol from our agency and our current star. Only the brightest stars can inspire another."
And so was the flow of the press conference. Strawberry Productions had a lot of work to be done!
***
The Flow of time has been a great mystery for as long as human civilization has existed. No one has ever discovered a way to manipulate it. But that is not to say that nobody has ever tried. Geniuses born all over the world from century to century have tried to mess with time to no avail.
Some have very distinct goals, while others do it purely to prove it can be tampered with. No one has ever succeeded. Or at least that's what the world had thought.
"WAKE UP!"
Ruby screamed as I screamed right back at her.
"I'M UP, I'M UP! GEEZ! Don't wake me up like that!"
Ugh, Ruby wakes me up so violently I wish I'd die. Thanks to her, I have a severe headache. Ruby has been too attached to me these days. Ever since the film was released, Ruby held onto me like a parasite.
"Can you let me change in peace? Like, leave the room?"
"No. This is our room. Why would you kick me out?"
I figured. This has gone on for a week. I'm relatively used to this by now. It's adorable how clingy Ruby is like this, but if it persists even when we get older I'm gonna be worried.
After changing, I called out to who was looking for something. "Ruby, let's go! Your shoes are downstairs by the laundry."
"Huh? How did you know I was looking for my shoes?" Ruby was surprised by my words. Her question made me stop in place.
She's right, how did I know? Why am I so sure it's what she's looking for? Something is off. Have I suddenly achieved the talent those fortune tellers say they have?!
Yeah right.
"It doesn't matter. Let's go. Today is Mom's big day! She'll be performing at the Dome they've all been trying so hard to earn the right to perform for! You bet I'll be as ready as I'll ever be to watch Mom perform on the biggest stage!"
Ruby excitedly joined in on my enthusiastic spur-of-the-moment mini-speech.
"Anyway, let's go before our breakfast is cold. Mom made us some nice and crispy bacon."
"Hmm? Did Mom tell you what we were having for breakfast yesterday?"
Oops. What? I just did it again. What the hell is happening to me?
"Yeah, something like that, hahaha." I merely played it off, but I could tell that this wasn't a coincidence anymore. I have an incredibly bad feeling all of a sudden. The headache I have is getting worse too.
"I've woken up Rimuru, Mom!" Ruby immediately went and clung to Ai's feet the moment she saw her. Aqua was already awake, reading incredibly difficult books at that too. Even at the daycare, he was always just reading books.
"Aqua, is it just me, or is something bad gonna happen today?" I approached Aqua and tried to tell him about my worries.
Aqua looked exasperated and stared back at me, "Listen here, don't make me worry by saying stuff like that. I was trying not to think about it."
"So you had a bad feeling too?" I asked.
"Yes. But probably not as bad as yours." Replied Aqua. He added, "Your face makes it seem like you just saw someone getting murdered right in front of you."
His words struck a bad feeling in my stomach. My headache suddenly worsened. While trying to endure it, I found my eyes wandering to the door. Is it just me, or am I seeing things I shouldn't be seeing?
At this moment, the doorbell rang.
Suddenly, rage, fear, and sadness welled up in my heart. What is this feeling?! Is there something wrong with me?!
"I'll go get it, you three stay here."
"No! Absolutely not! Don't open the door!"
I screamed. I don't know why, but I feel like I should. "Mom! Listen to me, someone bad is behind that door!"
My panicked state was more than enough to alert Ai, but she approached me to calm me down. "What made you think that? You seem so scared, you're shaking so much."
"I don't know... but something's giving me the heebie-jeebies! Don't open the door if it's someone we don't know, please." The emotion I feel right now is a fiery rage instead of the fear I felt earlier when Ai was approaching the door. Now that she's here next to me, I feel a deep anger toward the person behind the door currently.
The doorbell rang again. This time, it rang twice.
Ai was now alert. Rimuru never screamed like this before. "...Let me call the police to be sure. You three, stay behind me."
I could not help but stare at the door. The bells were ringing more frequently now.
I peeked at the door behind Ai's stature. Something in me was burning with the desire to kill the person behind that door. Not good, what am I thinking?!
Images began to appear in my mind. Ai was bloody and at death's door. Aqua was nowhere to be found, and Ruby was behind the hallway door crying her guts out. What was I doing?
***
In another time, unknown and forgotten, Earth was on fire and near its destruction. A white-haired girl commented, "To be so attached to that idol as to lose control and reawaken your power... I've underestimated you too much."
The girl was observing the Planet from afar.
She could see the seas being split.
She could hear an Earth-shattering noise.
She could feel Earth was done for.
The girl looked at the culprit of all of this, "Rimuru. I did not predict you would be so grief-stricken by that idol's death. And so—"
The girl clasped her palms together. "I will count this as a miscalculation on my part and give you a second chance." Her eyes narrowed and sour, "I do not wish to see the Earth and quite possibly the universe in this sorrow state."
The girl smiled, "I'm sorry Rimuru, I hope you can forgive me."
***
The doorbell stopped ringing after a while. If it was any one of the people we knew, they would've spoken up and demanded we open the door. But the person who rang the doorbell had never once said a word.
This proves that my hunch was right. I've decided not to look too much into it, this isn't something I should be focusing on right now.
Also, the police arrived 5 minutes after the man had left.
Ai and Ichigo who came running after hearing about our situation are currently talking to the police about the possible suspect that was at our doorstep.
All in all, this incident has been hidden and Ai's concert proceeded to go on smoothly. Ichigo couldn't afford to lose this opportunity after all the hardships they went through. We forgot all about this after that and enjoyed the concert to its fullest. I forgot about the fear and rage I had felt earlier after Ai's biggest concert.
Ai's career was only going to get better and better.
"That was so fun! Mom! You were the best! Ahhh!" Ruby was still feeling the after-effects of the concert. She was still in fan mode. Needless to say, I wasn't one to be outdone.
"Yeah yeah! You shined so bright, Mom!"
"Now now, you kids still have a long way to go if you wanna beat my fan dance. Bwahahahah!" Ichigo-san was having fun as well, everyone was. This was the best day ever.
*Bzzz* *Bzzz*
Miyako's phone was ringing.
"Excuse me for one second." Miyako picked up the call and went a few steps back. I was gonna go back to bathing in the after-effects of Ai's concert, but Miyako suddenly screamed something alarming.
"What?! What do you mean?! How did it get leaked?!"
Her voice was so loud. Ichigo and Ai began to worry about the contents of her discussion with whoever was calling her. Miyako was shaking after she ended the call.
"W-What happened, Miyako?" Ichigo asked.
Miyako turned around, her face distorted and fearful. "A-Ai-san's secret... has been revealed to the public."
"WHAT?!"
All of us responded in unison. Even as a joke, this is way too far!
Ichigo went closer to Miyako and grabbed her by the shoulders. "What do you mean revealed?! Who leaked it?! Do they have evidence?!"
Miyako was afraid, but not from Ichigo's current state. "I don't know! Our staff just told me that the press has been told that Ai had kids! We don't know who it is yet!"
"God damn it! What kind of bullshit is that!?" Ichigo slammed his hands on the table. "Even without evidence, just the mere suggestion can cause a great stir. We're done for if they have some sort of evidence. I'll go ahead, you guys should go home right away!"
In an angry mood, Ichigo left.
After he left, the mood had turned from bad to worse.
"M-Mom... please tell me this isn't true." Ruby clung to Ai's feet. "This isn't real! This isn't real right?!"
Ai had no response. Her face just turned cold and emotionless. "...I have to go too. Miyako-san, please take care of the children for me!"
Miyako tried to stop Ai, "W-Wait, where are you going!"
Ai did not reply to her. After that, Miyako hugged all three of us and tried to sort out our emotions. Ruby's was as clear as day, but both I and Aqua had a quieter reaction. I know Aqua isn't just gonna sit here doing nothing, he probably has a lot going on in his mind now.
As for me...
Before I could storm off, a white-haired girl appeared out of the corner of my vision.
She had a sorrowful smile, "I'm sorry. This is the most I can compromise. Please understand."
"Huh—" Before I could respond, I felt my consciousness fading away.
"Rimuru?! What's wrong?! Rimuru?!"
I could hear Miyako screaming my name as my eyes slowly blacked out. I swear to all living things, this will not be the end of Ai's career!
***
The time after I finished this chapter: 11:15 PM
BWAHAHA! NO SLEEP FOR ME!