Chapter 2 – The Eyes of the Jewel
The first thing I learned in this new life is that being a baby isn't glamorous. Whether you're reincarnated with the memories of an adult, the memories of a card-carrying otaku, or the older brother of a heroine in a budding tragedy, you're still trapped in a tiny body that can barely roll over without looking like it's run a marathon.
And worst of all, my mother is Ai Hoshino, Japan's most beloved idol. No matter how much she smiled at me, I could never remember that I was living one of the most poignant and melancholic stories I've ever read. It was a dream world turning into a nightmare waiting to unfold. But I still had time. Time to grow. Time to change.
And for that, I had the system. It revealed itself little by little, like a normal logbook of my small achievements.
Progress Log – 0 to 6 Months
He lifted his head independently → Strength +0.2
He grabbed Ai's finger → Strength +0.1, Perception +0.1
He started babbling → Intelligence +0.1, Charisma +0.1 (Skill acquired: Mumble Lv. 1)
He smiled knowingly at Ai → Charisma +0.2
He tried to roll over in his crib → Agility +0.2, Vitality +0.1
He crawled for the first time → Strength +0.5, Agility +0.5 (New skill learned: Basic Body Movement Lv. 1)
It was almost laughable: I, who couldn't do a push-up in my previous life, now got the credit for holding my mother's finger firmly. But as I watched the stat bars slowly rise, I realized the system wasn't some absurd cheat—it was simply a reward for effort, as if each small gain was its own reward. And on some fundamental level, it made me try harder.
Ai was an incredible mother, but no one was prepared to care for three babies at once. Ruby cried and cried from being held, Aqua simply sat in a corner and stared at me with those icy eyes, and I tried not to sound too adult while trying to be... normal.
"Oh no, you three, cooperate, please," Ai said with a tired smile, trying to rock Ruby while holding Aqua's bottle in her other hand.
In the crib, I could only laugh internally at the show. Ruby cried in a higher pitch, always needing attention. Aqua seemed the most relaxed, but there was something in her eyes... a maturity that only I, knowing reality, could grasp. And me? Well, I was the "middle man." The baby who laughed easily, who opened his arms to Ai, but who had a guilty conscience far too much for someone in diapers.
At one point, Ai placed us side by side on the mat. Ruby began flapping her hands randomly, Aqua stared at the ceiling as if planning murder, and I... I, in turn, decided to test my new Basic Body Movement skill. I rolled to my side. Then to my front. And, with effort, I crawled two steps.
Ding!
Strength +0.2, Agility +0.2.
Basic Body Movement Lv. 1 → Lv. 2.
Ai's eyes widened.
"Wow, Alex, he's crawling already!? What a clever baby!"
Ruby stopped crying immediately to try to follow my example. He fell facedown on the mat and began flapping his arms like a beached seal. Aqua, for his part, just sighed—or at least did the best a baby could.
It was comical how, despite being nearly identical in appearance, Aqua and I had subtle differences: I, with my heterochromia (one blue eye like his and one red like Ruby's), was a kind of bridge between them. And, even unintentionally, I drew attention.
Over time, I noticed that even the most mundane things were progressing. When I tried to say "Mommy," the system registered:
Ding!
Intelligence +0.1, Charisma +0.1.
Mumble Lv. 1 → Lv. 2.
When I finally stood up, supported by the edge of the crib:
Ding!
Strength +0.3, Vitality +0.2.
It was as if each attempt was a mini-training session. And, despite my frail body, I was leveling up like crazy. Ruby, on the other hand, was more interested in humming sweet melodies—no doubt following her mother's artistic bent. Aqua remained silent, watching with watchful eyes, and I couldn't help but wonder if he already knew more than he let on. After all, he, too, had a past life. This unnerved me. If Aqua already knew something, would she notice my difference, too?
Something started to bother Ai as we grew older: my heterochromia.
"It's so beautiful... and so strange," she murmured, holding me in her lap. "One eye like Ruby and one like Aqua. Alex, you truly are unique."
Ruby laughed, reaching out to touch my red eye with her curious little hand. Aqua, however, stared at me for a moment with her glacial blue eyes, as if trying to solve a riddle. I looked away, feigning innocence. A twinge of nervousness inside me intensified.
Being too much like Aqua... was dangerous. I knew he had anger, hurt, and ambition that would drive him into darkness. If I were merely a copy of him, what would my role be in this story? It was then that I made up my mind: I would use the system not to compete, but to contrast. I would be the version of myself that could protect this family, not someone who hid behind her brothers.
One night, when I was just over a year old, I decided to check out a new system feature: the weekly log.
Progress Log – Week 52 (A year)
Crawled unaided: Strength +0.3, Agility +0.3.
Mumbled "Mommy": Intelligence +0.2, Charisma +0.2 (Mumble Lv. 2).
He tried to hum with Ruby: Charisma +0.3 (New skill: Basic Singing Lv. 1).
He took his first wobbly steps: Strength +0.5, Agility +0.5 (Basic Body Movement Lv. 2 → Lv. 3).
I stared at those bright lines, observing things any baby would do naturally. But to me, it was a map of progress. Proof that, even with such a small body, I was improving.
I smiled. Ruby was asleep, clutching her toy. Aqua lay in the crib beside her, her eyes half-closed but clearly still awake. I turned off the system, closed my eyes, and asked myself:
"I will grow up. I will become strong enough to change what I know is coming."
And for the first time in my life, I slept with hope.
[Comprehension System]
Name: Alexandrite Hoshino
Age: 1 year old
STR: 3.1
AGI: 2.7
INT: 12.4
CHA: 3.9
PER: 2.1
Skills:
- Mumble (Lv. 2)
- Basic Body Movement (Lv. 3)
- Basic Singing (Lv. 1)