Hikaru Kamiki felt insane, or at least that's what he believed. Abused at the age of 12, he had become a victim of the cruel entertainment industry. His sanity hung by a thread, constantly fighting not to succumb to madness.
The only thing he enjoyed doing was acting, leaving behind his entire being and transforming into someone entirely different. Many producers hailed him as a genius for his acting prowess. Acting was his only means of escaping reality.
An actor's worth was determined by how much of oneself they were willing to erase to become someone else-or at least that's how he saw it. Hikaru the model, Hikaru the actor, Hikaru the youngest prodigy-all titles magazines used for him.
Every aspiring actor knew who he was; everyone wanted to be the great actor, Hikaru. But no one wanted to be Hikaru Kamiki, the broken child inside. Nightmares became more frequent, leading him to the point of taking pills to sleep better.
Airi Himekaya, the woman who not only abused him but also became pregnant with his illegitimate child. The woman who shattered him. That witch not only went unpunished but also managed to pass off her bastard as her husband's son.
She was the cause of all this; why was she doing everything she did? The darkness of the night enveloped everything around him. He walked toward a small telephone booth. The only light on the street came from a lighthouse above the booth, marking his destination. His entire outfit prevented recognition; he took every possible measure.
His coat covered his entire body, along with a mask and a woolen hat-his only attire. He entered the booth. From his pocket, he pulled out a paper with a series of numbers inscribed on it. He pulled every string to get it.
Only prayer remained for him to do the rest. He dialed the series of numbers, each time slower. Doubt crept into his gaze. "Do I really want this?" As he uttered these words, a mountain of painful memories rushed over him.
Nothing had been easy since he was born. An orphaned child who only wanted a happy family. Instead, a production company took an interest in him. A life that should have been happy and carefree was replaced by grueling modeling and acting schedules.
Lala Lai Theater was the only place where he could feel some kind of solace. There, people treated him for what he was-a child. It helped that most actors were between 11 and 13 years old. There, he met a girl.
He had to admit she caught his attention the moment he saw her. Unlike the other girls in the group, she wasn't adorned with makeup and expensive clothes. She seemed like a peasant, though he wasn't in a position to judge at that moment; his own manager chose his clothes for events.
Unlike his other peers, she was distant and had no intention of socializing. What stood out the most was her purple hair, flowing freely, even when unkempt, and her eyes of the same color, cold and distant.
It was intriguing to him. And unknowingly, they began talking like lifelong friends. The previously unkempt hair not only got combed but also her entire being changed for the better.
She seemed like an entirely different person than when he first met her. He wondered if this sudden change was because of him. The mere idea brought a flood of emotions. But not everything was happiness.
After a few months working for Lala Lai, she appeared: Airi Himekaya, his abuser. It was like starting from scratch, becoming an empty shell of who he once was. When he tried to speak out, she threatened to cut everything at the root, ruining his reputation to the point where no one else would hire him.
He was an inexperienced young man who didn't understand how the world worked, and unfortunately, he fell for her deceit. Now, looking back, even if he exposed her, there was no way he, with little influence, could do anything against such a renowned actress like Airi Himekaya.
That's why he resorted to this, a dirty tactic to end his torment.
-Who is speaking?
A male voice spoke from the other end of the line.
-Excuse me, are you Mr. Seijuurou Uehara?
The man in question was Himekaya's wife's husband. Now everything depended on how the husband would handle things next.
-Yes, it's me. What do you want? I'm a busy man to waste time with someone I don't know.
Hikaru smiled. Judging by what he had seen so far, this would end badly for Airi, one way or another.
-I believe I have information that might interest you.
He smiled like he had never smiled before in his life. A smile full of all the darkness and resentment he had cultivated over the years.
Many would swear they saw two dark stars forming in his eyes.
Hikaru opened his eyes. The memory presented itself in the form of a dream, something that had been haunting him all night.
A strange feeling formed in his chest. He doesn't know what it was exactly, guilt perhaps? He shook his head.
There's no way in hell he would feel guilt for that woman.
It had been almost two weeks since that day. He hadn't heard any news of a confrontation between husband and wife. He wondered if the man forgot everything that happened and ultimately did nothing.
If that were the case, he would have no choice but to take revenge into his own hands.
He got up from his bed. He had to go to the Lala Lai theater in a few hours.
Ai had stopped coming to the workshop as soon as her idol career took off, and he had to admit that he missed her presence in a way. The young people he worked with were picky and annoying, as most had grown up in a golden cradle and knew nothing about respect. Dealing with that kind of people was frustrating him a lot.
Sometimes he just wanted to grab a knife and kill them all.
He went to the living room for breakfast. His manager would pick him up in about three hours at most.
He turned on the television in his living room. He always did it to make his apartment not feel as lonely as it always did.
Loneliness was something he had gotten used to over time. Everyone wanted to be friends with Hikaru, the child prodigy. But no one wanted to be his friend outside of his fame and prestige. Something he had gotten used to.
The news channel was running its morning program.
-Breaking news! The bodies of Airi Himekaya and Seijuurou Uehara have just been found lifeless in their rural home! Not much news at the moment! The police have not issued any statements about it! Some neighbors say they heard screams that lasted about an hour! Before hearing a loud gunshot, followed by another shortly after! It is presumed that one of the two involved shot the other before taking their own life! The couple's fortunate child is safe and unharmed! Everyone is referring to this as the "suicide of love"! Stay tuned to your television, as we will notify you as soon as we have new updates on the case!
Hikaru's mind disconnected when the reporter changed the topic. A smile formed on his face. A faint laugh came out of his mouth, followed by another. His laughter grew louder as minutes passed.
He lost track of how long he had been laughing. But who cares, this was fun.
-"Suicide of love"? What a ridiculous name- Hikaru slumped onto the couch.
Dark stars were forming in his blue eyes. Something that contrasted well with his sinister smile.
-You did a good job. If you were still alive, I would give you a handshake.
He couldn't remember the last time he felt this relieved. It was as if his back could finally rest after carrying a heavy rock.
Finally, that woman got what she deserved. He had to admit he didn't think the man would go so far just for a betrayal. Seems like he underestimated Seijuurou quite a bit.
Now that he thought about it, the title "suicide of love" suited it well.
He didn't expect him to commit suicide among all people; he seemed more capable of handling a murder. Although, if Seijuurou hadn't committed suicide, maybe he would have been imprisoned, and personally, he'd prefer to die than be locked up for the rest of his life.
He wouldn't go after the missing child; he wasn't a monster. Perhaps he would have to if he were to uncover the truth; someone like that was a danger to him.
I thought something like this would fill me with guilt... But now that it's done, I feel nothing but relief and calm.
Maybe something is wrong with me... But screw it, who cares. No one cared when I wasn't famous. Why would they now?
Hikaru touched his face; the happiness he never had in his life was now emerging for the first time. He wondered if this is how it feels to kill, even if he didn't do it directly.
"Kamiki-san, it's time to go. We have a schedule to meet today."
The slight door touch, along with his manager's voice, snapped him out of his thoughts.
He headed towards the door.
"Hello. I just woke up. You can take a seat; I'll be ready in about thirty minutes."
"Are you okay?" his manager asked with concern.
"I've never felt better. Why do you ask?"
"You're smiling. That's not normal for you, Kamika-san."
The blond touched his face. Indeed, a smile was on his face.
"Did something happen? That smile is unusual for you."
"Nothing that concerns you. I suggest you stop asking."
His manager just shrugged, losing interest in the topic.
"I heard Ai is coming to the workshop today, would you like to hang out there?"
Hikaru simply shook his head. He wasn't interested in going to the workshop today.
The idea of Ai sounded tempting, but he didn't feel as eager to see her as before. She had been acting very distant lately, even though they still talked occasionally through messages and in person, it didn't feel the same.
Maybe he would go to the theater to reconnect with her again; he felt more liberated than usual.
Since becoming an idol, she distanced herself from him, and he didn't blame her; he could understand somewhat how tiring it was to be in the industry. Although in the last few months, that initial distance only grew wider.
Hikaru sighed. He wondered what exactly happened for her to distance herself so much. Maybe she was just busy. Sometimes he suggested going out to eat to hang out, but she would just say she already had plans or some contract to fulfill that day. He was starting to get frustrated with the woman's attitude, and although it sounds contradictory, it attracted him even more. It was like having a toy you could see but couldn't touch, something you wanted without knowing why.
And Hikaru didn't like hearing a no as an answer, especially if it was from Ai Hoshino, the rising star.
End of the chapter.
Writing such an enigmatic character like Hikaru Kamiki is challenging, given the limited information available. I had to work with what I had.
If Ai went out with him, there had to be a reason. I don't think she'd just want to go out with a psychopath. Judging by how Ai talked to Hikaru when she contacted him, she didn't know who he really was or what his true nature was.
What I gathered is that Hikaru is a manipulative individual who doesn't hesitate to harm anyone for his goals. And right now, Ai is his target, like some kind of trophy wife.
Honestly, I didn't think this fic would gain so much support so quickly. So, I had to introduce Hikaru to the story.
After all, without Hikaru, there's no Aqua Hoshino. I've been rereading the manga, and it's fascinating what I overlooked. Who would've thought writing a fic would make me pay attention to the small details?
Based on what I got from there, Aqua and Ruby were destined to die as soon as they were born; I think the manga called them soulless babies.
I want to stick as closely as possible to what the manga gives us, although I might take some liberties with the characters.
The next chapters will be longer; this was just an introductory chapter for Hikaru and his motives to pursue Ai, and later on, why he wants to end her.
No more to say, sorry for the typos and all that shit...
Leave your star that encourages me to write.