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Akane never tried to watch her own works as entertainment ever. It was always to study her own performance and see where she could improve.
Aqua always respected that and didn't mind the girl taking multiple notes and rewinding scenes over and over again. He would often read something while she was at it.
Until one day, Akane's new TV drama became #1 most watched show on Netflix.
That day, Aqua decided that for the first time they would sit and watch it to enjoy the show.
Since he was asking it as his own way to celebrate her success, she decided to swallow her awkwardness and do it for him.
Aqua was very excited to watch it - he always thought Akane was an incredible actress, after all.
He prepared popcorn and got them some drinks and other snacks for the marathon (the drama had 6 episodes of 1 hour each).
Akane was cozily resting on his chest, in a way only she managed to do. Aqua wasn't the affectionate type, and the action more often than not would make him feel uncomfortable. Not because he didn't enjoy it, or her, quite the opposite. But because he couldn't shake the feeling that it was something he wasn't supposed to have. But since Akane is Akane, she did find her way into his walls and nowadays he couldn't help but enjoy noticing her breath movements against his own.
20 minutes into the episode and Aqua welcomed an uncomfortable feeling again.
On the screen there was an Akane - who wasn't really Akane, but had her eyes, her face, her body and her voice. She was shyly reading a book and taking notes at a Cafe.
"This character is not that different from you, is it?" Aqua had commented not even 5 minutes ago. To which Akane left a little giggle and said "So you noticed it too?"
And now in front of him there was a guy - a brunette - who ended up sitting next to her because the Cafe was full.
He was a teacher, apparently.
Akane's character noticed something about the guy- he was very gloomy and his whole body language screamed "emo issue".
Aqua couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable at the sight.
"Tough day?" said Akane's character while giving a sip in her latte.
After that line Aqua remembered something he hadn't really given much thought until now.
It was a drama. A romance drama.
Aqua was there watching silently his beloved girlfriend- who wasn't his girlfriend but was exactly like her - developing some slow burn love with a guy who definitely didn't deserve her.
Aqua endured the accidental touches scenes in silence. The long stares had him picking some snacks to eat to distract himself from the sight. But then there was something that simply made him pause the thing altogether.
A hug.
All this time Akane was right beside him, hugging him, but he would be lying if he said he was remembering that.
For him, it was well much factual that the girl on the screen was his blue haired girlfriend, and she was there giving another guy everything she gave him.
"Is there something wrong?" Akane asked, her eyes trying to stare into his soul.
"Akane..." Aqua paused.
"I need to go to the bathroom" he said as he got up in a hurry.
Aqua wasn't really understanding what was happening to him. He was never the jealous type.
But this, without a doubt, was pure and visceral jealousy.
Jealousy of a character who was much the same as his girlfriend. While he had the real deal right beside him.
"This makes no sense," he thought to himself.
Aqua was trying to gather his thoughts.
Akane never wanted to do this kind of watch party for her works, he accepted because he asked her to. And he was doing this because he wanted to show appreciation to her.
There's no way he could ruin everything because of his selfish and unreasonable feelings.
After a couple of minutes he went back to the living room.
Akane was happily eating a bar of chocolate, but her concern towards him was still visible in her aquamarine eyes.
"Is everything okay?" She asked.
Her voice had that one tone that he knew all too well.
The "tell me everything" voice. Aqua was doomed against that, because not even once he could resist it.
He was just glad she never really used it for anything really sensitive...because he knew for a fact he would fold.
Aqua left out a loud sigh.
Watching her gave him his answer.
There she was, looking at him with such curious eyes, while her expression was conveying comfort with a tint of threat - one that said "don't try to hide anything from me".
He understood very well what was bothering him.
The character on the TV was played by the girl in front of him.
The guy who was hugging her so tenderly, was another man who had that interaction with her - even if just for the show.
That bothered him. His blood was clearly moving faster than usual.
For the show.
That's exactly what their relationship was when Akane started to do those very same things with him.
Aqua admired Akane's talent as an actress. She proved to him she was more than capable of fully turning herself into someone else.
But, after all this time with her, he realized something probably broke inside him.
For him, Akane is always Akane.
Even when she is acting, he still can see her essence. Even when she is clearly being someone entirely different from her in every aspect: for him it's still Akane.
Of course, he knew he couldn't tell her that. She would get it the wrong way and think she isn't being convincing as an actress.
But that wasn't it. He was fully aware she was even better than when he first met her.
But the problem is that for him, all versions of Akane are Akane.
The glow in her eyes are hers.
Her breathing pattern is hers.
Her voice is hers.
No matter how much she is capable of changing herself, he got used to the little details of her that are impossible for her to fully change.
All he can see is Akane Kurokawa.
"Aqua-kun?" She called.
Aqua realized he was just standing there staring at the ground, which was probably starting to concern her.
"Akane... that scene just now... I don't think we..." he stopped.
"Do you think it's too close to us?" She asked.
Her eyes were a bit disappointed, Aqua had a guess on why but he couldn't be certain.
"I tried my best, you know..." she continued. "When I was offered this role, everyone was saying it was very similar to myself. And that I should pick it as a challenge, since portraying something close to yourself might be one of the hardest things to do for an actor like me."
Akane stood up and started to walk towards him.
"And to be very honest, it was indeed very difficult." She closed her eyes In a shy smile. "That hug scene... it wouldn't come out right, no matter what I did. And it was really frustrating. There were so many retakes..." Aqua flinched at the thought of Akane hugging that guy multiple times, of course he is an actor too and he knows the rules, but it's not like he is being rational anyways.
"So I decided I had to cheat" Aqua's eyes went wide at the word. "The only way I could portray this correctly was breaking off my character and instead projecting someone else into my coworker..."
Akane started to get closer to him.
"You know, I had to imagine it was you." Her voice was weak. "I know this whole thing sounds weird and awkward. And believe me, it was! But...during that one scene, for that one hug.... I realized that if it's me, the only way it will be right is if it's with you."
Akane's voice was barely audible by the time she finished that sentence.
After hearing those words, Aqua felt all those heavy feelings he was bearing dissipate.
He knew what their jobs demanded, he knew they were both professionals. So of course certain things can't be helped.
But at that moment he realized that Akane, once again, was capable of sharing the same feeling as him, in her own way.
Just like him, Akane felt that there was something inside them that wouldn't change regardless of the mask they wear.
And that something could only fully connect with the other.
Aqua had no idea what it was called.
He had no idea if there was even a name to it.
But all he knew is that both of them had it. And both of them wanted to keep it that way.
Aqua finally gave the one step that was keeping them away from each other.
He held her face as if it was the most precious and fragile thing in the world.
Akane pressed her face against his hand, as a sign that he can touch her with more strength.
She is real, she is there and she will not break.
She looked into his eyes and smiled at him.
"You are really kind, you know that? " She said, with a flirty voice.
Aqua knew exactly what she was hinting at. And he couldn't say he didn't want the same.
But before that, he gave Akane a tender kiss. One that only Akane could receive, because she was the one who taught him that kind of feeling.
"Thank you, Akane" he said, their lips were so close they touched when he spoke.
Akane giggled, her face was red. He couldn't say if from embarrassment, happiness or something else. But whatever it was, he was glad.
"Well, you said you wanted to celebrate my TV drama being the most watched, right?" She held his hand and guided him towards the couch again, picking the remote and turning off the TV.
"What if we celebrate doing something only the two of us can do?"
Akane hugged his neck and with a pouty face she proclaimed the words that triggered Aqua in a very welcoming way.
"What can you give me as a reward?"
What happened after that, as Akane said, was something just between the two of them.
Aqua is far from being a normal guy. His emotions are fighting themselves more often than he would like to admit.
His feelings for Akane being the core of a lot of his turmoil.
The amount of questions without an answer are always making him anxious.
But, despite of all that, even with all those struggles, there was one thing Aqua knew for certain:
He was happy.
And he didn't want any of that to end.