Chapter 4 – First Steps on Stage
Ai always likened being an idol and a mother to walking the tightrope. For her, every excursion was double preparation: flawless makeup for the cameras and extra diapers for the babies. That day, however, was not the same. She got us dressed more carefully than usual, as if she was getting us ready for more than just watching.
"Today, you'll get to see my real world," she said with a tired smile, but her eyes were sparkling
I knew what she meant. It wasn't just the filming set. It was the bridge between two lives: Ai's as a star, and ours, her children's, as… well, potential participants in that universe.
Ruby fussed, pedaling her legs in the stroller and blowing a cacophonous tune with a vague similarity to a television commercial jingle. Aqua, of course, looked too dignified for his years, his blue eyes intent on something far away. And I tried to keep my dignity. We were about to see something which, in the original story, would set a lot of things off.
In the studio, lights dazzled, the set full of cameras and crew members rushing to adjust scripts and costumes. Some of them spoke about Ai:
"She brought her children again?"
"It's risky… but they're so cute."
"Especially the one with the other eyes… it's like he received her beauty in a more concentrated way."
I feigned not to notice you, innocent as a child, but couldn't ignore the questioning glances my heterochromia drew.
Ai, holding our little hands, muttered under her breath,
"You don't have to do anything, just watch. But if it goes well, you might be one with a scene."
Ruby's face split into an ear-to-ear smile. Aqua's eyebrow rose, a little intrigued. I just breathed.
The first scene was simple: Ai had walked into a room, singing a soft song to calm a child. Her beauty lit up the set, and even the tech crew stopped futzing with cables to gaze at her. Ruby clapped her little hands in excitement, caught up in the mood.
When the scene was done, the director approached.
Ai-san, can we borrow one of your kids for the next scene? We just need a kid to smile at you and look at you."
Ai considered this briefly, then nodded. "Aqua, how about you?
Aqua was placed in Ai's arms in front of the cameras. He seemed to understand this was more than just play. His blue eyes focused on her naturally, and when Ai smiled, he returned it with such genuine warmth that the director immediately shouted:
"Perfect! This boy was born to act!"
Ruby squealed with delight. I smiled inwardly… with a twinge of discomfort. Not from jealousy, but from comparison. Aqua seemed to fit into that world like a jigsaw puzzle. And me? I was just the third sibling, the one with a secret system that nobody else knew about.
The director, enthusiastic, turned to me.
"And this one? The boy with the other eyes. Should we test him as well?
Ai put a warning hand on my shoulder. "He's shy… but he can try."
I was set up for the next scene. The script was simple: Ai was to sing a small lullaby, and I was to respond, looking at her. It was simple enough—until she began to sing. Ai's voice, that voice so pure, rang out in the room, and my chest tightened. She wasn't just my mother. She was the idol who had left such a lasting impact on me in my former life.
Unbeknownst to myself, I began babbling along to her song. My voice was nothing more than a baby's coo, but… something clicked.
Ding!
Charisma +0.3
Basic Singing Lv. 1 → Lv. 2
The song ended, and the set was quiet for a moment. Then the clapping began.
"He tried to sing along!"
"So natural, even for a toddler!"
Ai hugged me tight. "You're amazing too, Alex."
Ruby, eyes sparkling, rushed over.
"I want to sing too! I'll be an idol, just like Mommy!"
That moment etched itself into my memory: Aqua showing talent for acting, me revealing something in singing, and Ruby already determined to follow in our mother's footsteps. Three different paths, yet bound by the same stage.
On the way home, the usual squabble began.
"Alex."
Aqua called me by name, his childish voice firm.
I looked away. "Not answering."
"Alex."
"Didn't hear anything."
"Alex!"
"Who's Alex? Never heard of him."
"You!" He pointed at me with his little finger.
I lifted my chin. "Oni-san. If you don't use that, I'll never respond."
Aqua scowled. "Ridiculous."
Ruby burst out laughing, clapping her hands.
"Ni-san and Nini fighting again! Nini is Oni-san!"
The fight went on, Aqua stubborn with "Alex," and me just as stubborn with "Oni-san." Ai just shook her head, laughing softly.
That night, though, in my crib, a question nagged me:
How exactly did my skills level up? It couldn't be a matter of trying once-there had to be a pattern. I remembered the fine print at the corner of my vision: "XP 0/20." So that was it… an invisible experience bar.
To get from 1 to 2, I had needed 10 points. Now, to reach 3, I'd need 20. And probably double that for the next, and the next, doubling on indefinitely.
It made sense. It wasn't luck—it was effort. Drills, practice, grinding until I had amassed enough experience. The system wasn't handing me anything. It was reflecting the effort that I put into it.
And for the first time since my reincarnation, I did not feel like a helpless passenger trapped in a tragedy I knew all too well. I had a direction. I had a way of getting stronger.
I had a future.
Progress Log – Week 104 (2 years)
Performed an acting scene with Ai: Charisma +0.2 (Skill learned: Basic Acting Lv. 1 – XP 0/10)
Tried singing along with Ai: Charisma +0.3, Basic Singing: Lv. 1 → Lv. 2 (XP 0/20)
Expressive interactions with Ruby and Aqua: Charisma +0.2
[Comprehension System]
Name: Alexandrite Hoshino
Age: 2 years
STR: 3.8
AGI: 3.5
INT: 13
CHA: 5.2
PER: 2.6
Skills:
-Mumble (Lv. 2 – XP 4/20)
-Basic Body Movement (Lv. 3 – XP 5/40)
-Basic Singing (Lv. 2 – XP 0/20)
-Basic Acting (Lv. 1 – XP 0/10)