Aqua stood silently, phone pressed to his ear. Ai's voice came through the speaker like a dream made real.
"Where are you, Aqua? Don't tell me you forgot about today's shoot."
He didn't respond at first. The sound of her voice still felt surreal.
"Ai?" he finally said, cautiously.
"When did you start calling me Ai again?" she teased gently. "Please, call me Mom. Like you always do."
Her words felt like a knife twisted in Aqua's chest—because in his world, he never got the chance to say that for real.
"You'll be late for your shoot today. Come home fast, okay?"
Aqua lowered the phone for a moment, thinking hard.
The me from this world… calls her 'Mom.' He must have lived a life so different from mine. But what happened to him when I took over his body? Did I overwrite his memories? Or… have I taken over his consciousness entirely?
He swallowed, a cold chill going down his spine.
Is he dead now? Even thinking about that possibility is terrifying. And I'm not even sure if we're living in the same apartment as before in this world…
"Why are you silent?" Ai's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, Mom. I'm just… I forgot our home address," Aqua said. "Can you send me the location in a message?"
There was a short pause on the other end.
"Are you alright, Aqua? If you're not feeling well, we can skip today's shoot. I'll call the director and postpone your schedule."
"No, no. I'm fine, Mom. Just send me the location of home. I'll head to the shoot after that."
---
Scene shift: Aqua changing his clothes in his room.
Soft daylight spilled in through the curtains, the city skyline faint beyond the glass doors. Aqua adjusted the hem of his beige sweater, scratching the back of his neck in thought. Even dressed and ready, he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling—like the life tied to these clothes wasn't truly his own. With a quiet breath, he turned toward the door.
Ai greeted him with a warm, tight hug.
"All ready?" she said with a gentle smile.
Aqua blushed slightly, caught off guard by her affection.
"Y-Yeah."
Ai looked at him closely. "Your face is red. You don't usually get embarrassed when I hug you."
Aqua noticed Ruby peeking out from her room. She stepped forward, pouting slightly.
"Onii-chan, that's unfair. You're getting all the love from Muma."
Ai laughed gently, then pulled Ruby in by the hand and hugged them both tightly.
"Mom loves both of you. You both are my stars that shine with me."
This is the life I missed in my world," Aqua thought, heart aching. "I longed for this from the bottom of my heart.
Ruby stepped away, grinning.
"Mom, I'm going to change and get ready for my concert!" she called as she skipped back to her room.
Aqua smiled faintly and said,
"Mom… where's the studio again?"
Ai tilted her head. "You forgot already? Are you really okay? You're acting a little strange… I'm starting to get worried."
"Don't worry, Mom. I'm just… nervous. I want to live up to everyone's expectations. I want to do my best."
She smiled warmly and kissed him on the forehead.
"You'll be fine, Aqua-chan. You're my son—you'll always shine brighter than anyone."
He blushed again.
"Oh, and greet Kana-chan for me," Ai added as she waved him off.
Kana… So I'm shooting with her today.
---
[Scene shift: Aurora Studios – Stage]
The rehearsal hall was bare except for the tall curtains and a wooden floor that creaked with each step. A lone spotlight cut through the dimness, pooling at center stage where Kana stood with folded arms and a fiery glare. Aqua joined her under the light, the two of them framed against the heavy drape as if the world beyond had vanished.
Ai told me to greet Kana... Does Kana know I'm Ai's son now? Does the world know about me and Ruby being her children? If yes, what was their response when they found out? I need to ask Ai about this after I finish the shoot and head home.
"Today, I'm going to perform better than you," Kana declared. "I'll surpass you, for sure."
Aqua blinked. She was being oddly competitive.
"I know your acting skills. I'm sure you can easily surpass me."
Kana's face turned bright red.
"W-What the hell? It's weird getting a compliment from you. You're acting totally different today… And you're way more serious than usual. Normally, you're bubbly and always joking around."
So the me in this world was actually happy…Aqua realized. I can tell just from how others react to me. I'm… a little jealous of him.
Suddenly, a flicker of a memory rushed back to him. A name echoed in his mind.
Akane.
His eyes widened. "No… I completely forgot about her."
"You forgot about who?" Kana asked, confused.
But Aqua was already running. "Sorry, I have to go!"
"Wait! What happened?!" Kana shouted after him. The director called out, "What's gotten into him now?"
---
As Aqua ran through the streets, panic rising in his chest, he muttered to himself:
This world is a lot different from mine… Was I even there for Akane in this timeline? When she was standing on that bridge?
He pulled out his phone, quickly dialing her number.
No answer.
His heart pounded faster. "I have to go to her house."
When he finally reached the door of her apartment, he could barely breathe. His fingers trembled as he reached for the doorbell.
He pressed it.
The door slowly began to open.
To Be Continued...
Next Chapter: "The World She Deserved"