27 In an Instant, He stole the Spotlight

"What's up, guys?" Aikara tilted his head, his curiosity piqued. "You all look like you've just seen a ghost." With a slight lean and his hands nonchalantly behind his back, he peered at them, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Ai," Ruby muttered under her breath.

Perplexed, Aikara cocked his head even further upon hearing her response. "Ai? It's unusual for you to refer to Mom by her name," he remarked. Then, striding forward with long steps, he kept his gaze ahead and swung his arms. "What are you waiting for?" He glanced back, realizing they weren't following him. "We're going to be late, you know?"

"Oh, right," Aqua replied absentmindedly, still in shock. He mechanically followed Aikara, who continued walking with a smile on his face, taking big strides and swinging his arms while humming a tune.

As Ruby watched their retreating figures, she quickly shook off her astonishment and sprinted after them. "Wait for me!" she shouted, hastening her pace in an attempt to catch up.

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(Aqua POV)

As we trailed behind the teacher, who guided us to our classroom, I couldn't help but find my attention drawn towards Aikara. With a cheerful smile, he hummed a tune while effortlessly engaging the teacher in conversation, eliciting laughter from her without any difficulty.

Ruby, lost in her own thoughts, occasionally stole glances at Aikara, mirroring my own distraction. Before I could delve deeper into my contemplation, the teacher abruptly halted, pointing towards the door. "Here's your classroom," she announced.

Aikara, standing beside her, expressed his gratitude before opening the door, while the students inside paid no attention, continuing to play with their friends. Unfazed by the lack of notice, he confidently walked to the center of the room, his hands clasped together, flashing a radiant smile as he playfully twirled. "I'm Aikara Hoshino, but you can call me Aka!" he beamed, extending both his hands forward. "I'll be your new classmate from now on." His warm smile never left his face as he proceeded to share details about himself.

However, my mind was elsewhere, deeply engrossed in my own thoughts. In an instant, he seized the spotlight. The students, the assistant teachers, even the teacher herself—all were captivated by the magnetic presence he exuded. That undeniable charm that Ai possessed... Aikara possessed it too. Not to suggest that he lacked it before; he always had it. It's just that its potency now was unparalleled.

What in the world, Aikara? Why do you remind me so much of her right now?

"You should introduce yourselves too," the teacher's voice interrupted my thoughts, and I realized that I still hadn't introduced myself, despite Ruby and Aikara already doing so. "Okay," I replied absentmindedly, introducing myself to the class as my mind continued to be preoccupied by Aikara.

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(Aqua POV)

It had only been a few hours since school began, and now it was already lunchtime. Seated at my assigned chair, I eagerly devoured the bento prepared by Miyako. Normally, during this time, I would have been engrossed in my phone, attempting to unlock it.

You might be wondering why I was so determined to unlock it. Well, the reason was quite simple. Ai had left behind three cell phones, two of which were for work and personal use and contained records of other group members and agency staff. Ai appeared careless, but I soon realized she was much more cautious than I had imagined, going to great lengths to keep us hidden.

Now, the predicament lay with the other phone. This particular device was used by Ai before her pregnancy, and it was an outdated model that proved challenging to find a replacement battery for. Thankfully, I managed to locate one a few days ago.

But here's the problem: bypassing the passcode proved to be exceedingly difficult. Each incorrect attempt rendered the phone unusable for a frustrating 30 seconds, and I had spent half a day trying 100 different codes.

Over the past few days, I had tried numerous combinations to unlock the phone, but none had borne fruit yet.

However, my current focus wasn't on unlocking the phone. It was on Aikara.

I glanced in his direction and observed him happily engaging with the kids around him. It was as if he had effortlessly become friends with all of them, his charisma keeping them enthralled as he spoke without any interruptions. It truly amazed me how he could maintain their silence despite their youthful energy. Aikara was essentially an exact replica of Ai.

While their personalities had always been similar, this was taking it to an extreme. It felt as though I was seeing Ai inside him.

Observing him in this state, I couldn't help but wonder if he was merely putting on an act.

His current demeanor felt unnaturally cheerful, energetic, and charismatic. It contrasted starkly with the profound sadness he displayed during the funeral. How could he suddenly transform and adopt Ai's personality on this particular day?

"It's great to see Aka nii-chan recovering, right?" Ruby's voice broke my train of thought, and I turned to look at her. She smiled and took a seat beside me. "Don't you think so too, Aqua nii?"

"Do you genuinely believe he's recovering?" I sighed, turning my gaze back to the front, resting my head on my arm on the table. "Don't you find it unnatural? He was devastated at the funeral, but now, all of a sudden, he's cheerful, and his personality is mirroring Ai's."

Ruby shook her head, disagreeing with me. "I don't think so at all. People change, you know? They aren't always stuck in one state. Sometimes, even the smallest changes in their lives can make a significant impact."

I became surprised by her response, not because of the words themselves, but rather that my seemingly simple-minded younger sister could conceive such thoughts, I remarked, "You're wiser than I thought."

Ruby pouted, responding to my comment. "I'm not stupid, you know?" After a momentary pause, a warm and nostalgic smile formed on her face. "I only know this because Mama was there for me. When I was scared to dance, she gave me confidence. It taught me that a small change can have a profound effect on someone else."

Without saying anything more, Ruby stood up from her chair and waved goodbye to me before running over to join Aikara and the others, a content smile adorning her face. It was clear that she understood I needed some time alone with my thoughts.

To be honest, she was right.

I had been looking at things too pessimistically.

Just because I was consumed by thoughts of revenge didn't mean Aikara would always share that mindset.

Perhaps he had expressed his desire for revenge due to the trauma of witnessing Ai's lifeless body. Aikara possessed a pure strength and resilience that I lacked. I could envision him overcoming his trauma and embracing a life filled with smiles, becoming the person Ai had wished for him to be.

This sudden change in his personality could be attributed to that. His imitation of Ai's traits might have resulted from Ai acting as a catalyst for his personal growth and self-reflection. It was possible that Aikara had embarked on a journey of self-discovery after Ai's death, seeking to understand himself and his place in the world. Along this journey, he naturally assimilated certain aspects of Ai's personality into his own evolving identity.

However, despite considering these possibilities, I remained cautious. I would continue to observe him, waiting to see if he would approach me to discuss our plan of revenge.

If he failed to do so within the next month, I would confront him and inquire about his intentions. If he decided to abandon the pursuit of revenge, I would let him back out.

If Aikara chose not to help, I would face greater challenges, but I would manage somehow.

Nevertheless, even if Aikara withdrew from the endeavor, I would pursue my revenge relentlessly. I was determined to see it through, no matter the cost. Even if I die.

Lost in my thoughts, I was abruptly interrupted by the teacher walking up to my table. "Hey, Aqua, why are you sitting alone?" she asked.

It should have been evident. I refused to associate myself with kids, unlike my two siblings. Considering my previous life's age and my current age combined, I would be 34 years old, old enough to have these people as my children.

"It's nothing, teacher," I replied, deciding to cease thinking about Aikara for now. I retrieved my phone from my pocket, attempting once again to unlock it.

The teacher sighed. "Haaah. Aqua, it's fine if you prefer to be alone, but I worry about you isolating yourself from others. Without friends, school can become quite lonely for you."

She patted my head gently. "You know what? Come with me." She took hold of my arms and guided me toward the group of kids where Ruby and Aikara were.

I didn't enter this school to make friends, all I need from this place is to get something good for my resume and I need to get a solid backup plan once I'm done with the entertainment world.

Plus, it's not like I can't make friends.

Guy's don't establish friendships immediately. And the only reason I'm not making friends is because I can't handle kids.

"You're here, Aqua nii?" Aka greeted me with a smile as he noticed me approaching, holding the teacher's hand. He reached for my hand, eager to pull me along. "Let's go!" he exclaimed, dragging me forward. "I'll introduce you to my new friends. Maybe you'll make some friends too, you know?"

"I can make friends on my own," I responded, glancing sideways.

Aka giggled, placing a finger on his lips as if signaling to keep it a secret, and closing one eye playfully. "Hee hee, you don't have to pretend, Aqua nii," he said, teasingly. "Don't worry, I won't tell Ruby that you struggle with making friends."

"I already told you, I can—" I stopped arguing, realizing it was futile. It seemed he enjoyed teasing me, flashing a mischievous grin while closing one of his eyes cutely, even giving a peace sign.

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A.N

Poor Aqua, can't make friends can you?

Looks like Ruby's more mature than I thought.

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You'll be able to read four advanced chapters.