First-person: Hoshino Yume
Time flowed on, and before I knew it, a year had passed.
Aqua and Ruby had grown to an age where walking and talking were no longer considered suspicious.
There were quite a few close calls during that time, but since they weren't major issues, we let them slide. In our home, Ruby acting overly affectionate towards Ai while Aqua watched blankly had become part of our daily routine.
"Mama! Mama! Be good to me, be good to me!!"
It was starting to get scary to call that level of devotion mere "fan love." But surprisingly, Ruby didn't just do this to Ai; sometimes she would come to me and act cute too.
"Ah~~~~ Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss~~~♥"
At least, that doesn't seem like something a kindergarten-level child should say, Ruby.
"Where did you learn the term 'Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss'....?"
At Ruby's words, Aqua showed a thoughtful expression while sweating bullets, but I was certain he was just thinking useless thoughts.
Is she a genius to an alarming degree?
I wasn't wrong. Apart from that eccentric personality, you might think she's a fool, but she's sharp.
As for me... I, who started as a bodyguard, had somehow become Ai's manager and bodyguard.
I don't know why, but when I heard that Ai had spoken directly to Director Kuma of the security company I work for, I was shocked. In the end, Director Kuma, persuaded by Ai's silver tongue (?), told me to "just do the manager job too!"
And as a result, I became the person in charge of managing Ai's schedule as well.
Honestly, it wasn't bad, but it was incredibly bothersome. Other tasks were handled by Miyako or Saito, but now all matters related to Ai were conveniently passed on to me. Ai's schedule kept increasing to the point where I even wondered how to deal with this couple—her and her career.
First, as a model, and including work as a radio assistant, she was steadily increasing her jobs.
In the case of modeling, our security company also invested a large sum to request Ai for an ad campaign. Thanks to that, Ai became something like the mascot of our company. When I saw a life-sized cutout of Ai in Director Kuma's office, I realized my mind was already at ease with the absurdity of it all.
Getting into the car that Miyako drove to pick us up, me, Ai, Aqua, and Ruby headed to a drama filming set. It was a good thing that Ai got a role in a drama, even if it was just as an extra.
"I'm looking forward to Mama's first drama~"
"Even if it's an extra role."
"You both understand, right? Normally, bringing you along would be impossible, but since Yume asked, we're taking you. And at the site, you must never call Ai 'Mama'. Don't forget the cover story: both of you are my children."
"Understood. Pet Mama for me." — This is Aqua's way of speaking...
"Me too, me too, Mama." — This is Ai...
"Mama, give me allowance." — This is Ruby... By the way, Ruby, didn't I give you an allowance last time?
Thank you, Miyako, for your hard work today. I'll repay you later for sure.
"And as for me, I'm Ai's guardian, so the form of address doesn't matter too much, but Aqua or Ruby can decide on their own what to call me."
"Yes, Yume~!" — Don't hug me. It's uncomfortable in the car.
"Yume, I like you~" — I don't dislike it when Ruby acts cute sometimes, but please understand we're in a moving vehicle.
"Yume... big brother..." — It's tough for you, I know, but endure it. For now, I'm the older one.
The sight of Ai hanging on my right arm, Ruby climbing onto my lap and hugging my stomach tightly, and Aqua struggling but calling me "big brother" was... actually quite pleasant.
Arriving at the filming set, I headed with Ai to where the staff were gathered.
"This is Ai from Ichigo Production. Please take care of us today."
"I'm the manager from the same agency. Pleased to meet you."
I didn't forget to greet all the staff there properly.
Meanwhile, the director of this drama, Gotanda Taishi, approached Ai. Looking at Miyako, Aqua, and Ruby following behind, he asked:
"Who are these kids?"
"Ah, these kids are my children...." Miyako answered quickly.
"A manager bringing kids to the set..."
If you only heard the words, you might think he was criticizing, but...
"Is this labor reform?"
This person also didn't seem to be entirely in his right mind.
"Has such an era come... Well, since there are people who bring dogs to the set, it probably doesn't matter much."
I barely held back the retort that was about to escape my lips: "Isn't bringing dogs a problem in itself?" Instead, I headed with Ai, Aqua, and Ruby to the makeup waiting room.
Of course, other actors were already there besides Ai. Me and Ai were eating light snacks before getting makeup done, watching Aqua and Ruby interact with the others.
"Twins!! So cute~!!"
Aqua and Ruby were receiving quite a bit of affection.
By the way, the actress holding Aqua was a gravure idol, and the person holding Ruby was a rookie actress known as 'the too-cute acting type'. Perhaps because I was paying a little too much attention to that side of the room, Ai chopped my side with her hand.
"Where are you looking so intently?"
"Huh?"
"This won't do, Yume. Let's get our makeup done right now."
"No, what nonsense are you talking about? It'll take time for the makeup artist to come."
"Let's go."
"..."
"Aren't you coming?"
"Grr..."
Well, well. We can come back when they look for us.
Every time I see the black star pupils in Ai's eyes, I get an inexplicable chill. But since she sometimes shifts moods like that, I popped a candy from my pocket into my mouth and went outside the waiting room.
Coincidentally, seeing Aqua come out of the waiting room with me, I lightly picked him up.
"Wh...what!?"
"Where do you think you're going alone?"
"Y...Yume, big brother....."
It was somewhat amusing to see Aqua stuttering, flustered by my sudden hug. But first, I had to find Ai's makeup artist. Just as I was about to ask a staff member...
"Hmm? Aren't you that... what's it... Ai's manager? And the kid you're holding is the other manager's kid, right?"
Director Gotanda Taishi passed by in front of me and Aqua and spoke up.
Due to circumstances, both Miyako and I were managers, but I was Ai's exclusive manager, while Miyako was the overall manager of B-Komachi.
"It's fine if they're here, but if they cry and interrupt the filming, I'll kill them."
Should you really say such harsh things to a kid...?
I thought this to myself, but knowing Aqua and Ruby, there was no chance they would cry during filming like normal children. After all, Aqua was mentally an adult, and Ruby was probably around that age too.
"N-no, we may be babies, but we will do our best not to cause any inconvenience!! We recognize that not interfering with the director's progress is the minimum rule... We humbly ask for your continued favor towards the children of our family...."
"This kid speaks really well!?"
"Indeed, he does."
Really, at this level, it wouldn't be strange to call him an old soul.
As Aqua continued to bow his head towards Director Gotanda while in my arms, the director showed a startled and surprised expression.
"Where did you learn to talk like that!! Did the manager behind you teach you!?"
It's not possible for a normal kid to speak so elaborately even if taught, right?
I couldn't bring myself to say that, so I just turned my head to the side and answered with silence.
"A little from YouTube."
No, Aqua, if there were a baby who could talk this well just from watching YouTube, they'd be listed in the Guinness World Records.
"YouTube is amazing!? Is that the era we're in!! I've seen quite a few precocious child actors, but I've never seen a kid this advanced before!! Do you act, too?"
Before I knew it, Director Gotanda took Aqua from my arms, lifted him up to eye level, and asked him directly.
"No.... Acting or such things..."
"It seems like it could be an interesting scene. I want to use it."
Director Gotanda returned Aqua to my arms, took a business card from his pocket, and handed it to the boy.
"This is my business card. Call if you join an agency."
"No... if you're going to offer work, offer it not to me, but to Ai."
At Aqua's words, Director Gotanda's expression instantly went blank, and he continued speaking.
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