Work Text:
The dew of the grass glistens as the sun rises up on this beautiful morning in Tokyo. There's been an idyllic sensation that's surrounded the city and specifically, the way one person lately has been seeing the world.
An alarm clock plays the trending major smash hit of GEMN’s “Fatal”, waking up Aqua Hoshino, as he rises up from his bed sheets. He yawns and stretches his arms, perfectly timing along a flock of tiny birds flying from the trees meanwhile a cute squirrel walks along the opposite side of the window sill while the rising sun lightens up the bedroom
“You know, It is strange that this same exact sequence has been happening every single morning for the past 6 months?”
As Aqua pondered about this recurring phenomenon, he looked at his phone to look at his schedule
“That would have been 6 days straight of Dig Deep shoots, at the rate they’re working me for this show they’re gonna end up actually digging me deep into a grave”
Aqua sighed as he continued to look at his phone, feeling relieved that mercifully it’s his day off. He then looked at his list of last calls and his mood lit up, he took a deep breath and began to smile just from seeing her name; the vast majority of his calls were towards her at the same coordinated time right before bedtime
Not to mention, he was even more happy that the day finally arrived, where he was gonna be able to finally share company again with this person that’s become so precious to his life
--
Aqua hopped out of the shower, quickly changed into a casual outfit consisting of a white shirt and black pants. Typically on their dates, they prefer to dress comfortably as they just feel way more like themselves without feeling the material need of deeply impressing each other. Just being able to spend quality time together from their hectic work schedules is what mattered the most to them.
He walked towards the carpeted stairs, heading down towards the small and cozy living room that consisted of many small desks decorated with family pictures and colorful flowers and a warm color of maroon painting the walls. The main attraction of the living room was the big and soft green couch located in the epicenter of it, adjourned with a tv, computers for media work and a neatly kept wooden desk
As Aqua was walking by the couch to head east towards the kitchen, he saw his step-mother Miyako snoring on the couch with a magazine covering her face. Aqua walked around and gently moved her
“Miyako-san, I’m afraid you gotta wake up soon, you said that you had to finish organizing schedules yesterday”
“Nooo, I don’t wanna go to school” as Miyako removed the magazine, covering her face with her hand as she began to shed tears, still dizzied from waking up from her deep slumber
Aqua walks into the kitchen, easily the nicest place of the house with the lovely marble table and counters, tall stool chairs and mahogany cupboards. He reaches in the cupboard above the fridge for his preferred cereal consisting of Bran Flakes, savoring the quiet morning so far. That was, until the small blonde chaos of the household arrived into the kitchen
“Good morning Onii-chan!”
Aqua’s twin sister Ruby Hoshino yawned and rubbed her tired eyes as she walked in, wearing a pink shirt and black sweatpants, her hair being an unkept mess. Ruby clumsily bumped her head on the refrigerator, she cried as she rubbed the cartoonish lump that grew on her head
“Who’s bright idea was it to put this thing here? Miyako-san come and fight this fridge for me!” Ruby complained as she still had no conscious idea of where she even is
Aqua shook his head, he could never get used to Ruby’s routinely calamity every morning. Ruby grabs two slices of bread with strawberry jelly and looks at the toaster
“Onii-chan, do you know if this thing still works?”
“Ruby, please tell me you don’t have to work today? You’re a danger to the entire world in this state”
“Oh please, I’m not hearing this from a guy who is eating Bran Flakes, that cereal is for old people!”
The insult made Aqua visualize himself with a walking cane and he instinctively reached for his lower back, Ruby then responded
“Today my schedule isn’t too crazy, I just have to do a quick promotion for B-Komachi by myself later on, but I’ll be back quickly. Why do you ask?” said Ruby looking at the toaster, still in fear of operating it
“Oh, well today Akane is coming over to hang out” Aqua grinned. The news made Ruby’s eyes sparkle and she let out a big gasp of excitement
“YAY! Big Sis Akane is coming over!!!” Ruby screamed as she powerfully slams her two fists on the marble table, causing Aqua’s bowl of cereal to fly in the air, spilling all over the floor, while the bowl itself flipped multiple times in the air and perfectly landed on Aqua’s head like a soldier’s helmet
Ruby couldn’t resist the urge, she’s been conditioned from being too brainrot-pilled from Dig Deep where her and Aqua would have silly moments of banter on the show
“Heehee, Onii-chan, that’s a nice bowl-cut you got there” as she clicks her tongue and points fingerguns at him, being fully aware of how cringe the joke would be at his expense
“I swear Ruby, one day you’re gonna be the death of me” as Aqua sighed and face-palmed, his breakfast and morning once again being destroyed by his twin sister.
Just as he was wallowing in his shame while Ruby laughed at him, the sound of a sweet and gentle voice entered the room
“Good morning Aqua-kun and Ruby-chan!”
Akane Kurokawa, wearing a cozy white tunic top and a long purple skirt, strolled into the kitchen. Ruby swiftly leapt from her chair to give Akane a giant hug, the two have become incredibly close ever since Aqua and Akane officially began dating
“Hiii Big Sis! I’m so glad you’re free today, quick look at Onii-chan he’s making a new fashion statement” Ruby pointing to the bowl that's still lodged on Aqua’s head like a parasite
Aqua was really embarrassed being caught like this, yet as he looked straight at Akane, she could only look back at him with such a caring and judgement free expression on her face. It’s that kind of accepting presence that made Aqua feel so at ease, he smiled back at her
“Would you look at that, it seems we’re wearing the same colors again” Aqua noticed as Akane looked down at her outfit, clasping her hands together in joy as she came to the realization
“You’re right! We really do synchronize a lot without intending it, don't we Aqua-kun?” Akane nodded, to which she then had a thought and excitedly exclaimed
“Wait a minute, why don’t I go back home and grab my trenchcoat so --”
“WAIT, NO! It’s ok Akane, we can reserve that trenchcoat for another day, a much much later day” Aqua panicked as he felt a sense of dread of picturing her in that outfit once again.
“Besides, I actually don’t know where my green sweater that I wore for those occasions is, it would be a shame if we don’t match for that” Aqua earnestly added on
“Aww, I actually really did like that green sweater. It always brought me back to the times when I took you to your first Stage Around play and then our other date after Tokyo Blade ended, those dates were so much fun. Besides, I think it made you look really cool, Aqua-kun”
Akane blushed as she spoke out those last words, with Ruby in the background being on the edge of her seat, fangirling and savoring all these exchanges between Aqua and Akane
Aqua now was deeply contemplating on where he left that green sweater, he didn’t think much of it until Akane spoke fondly of it. Akane then snapped out of her feelings and finally had to address the matter of Aqua having a bowl on his head
“This, on the other hand, is unacceptable! I refuse to know you were going to commence your day eating Bran Flakes, this is food for the elderly! You both need proper fulfilling meals with the work schedules you have!” Akane scolds Aqua who was sulking on his chair. Akane then goes to grab an apron
“C’mon, let’s clean up the mess on the floor and then make something delicious to eat, together” Akane cheerfully smiled as she was tying her long blue hair into a pony tail and putting her apron on
“YES!!!! Big Sis makes the best food ever, I wanna help out too!” Ruby exuberantly follows along with Akane to grab the cleaning utensils
Aqua removes the bowl on his head and then grabs an apron, looking on as Akane helps Ruby tie up her hair, with the proverbial shoujo filter cascading upon Akane.
“Together huh, I wonder where I heard that one before” he grinned and went along to help the girls.
--
“This might actually be the best Tamago Kake Gohan I’ve ever had! Big Sis Akane you’re a genius!” as Ruby finished cleaning her bowl
“I’m so happy you loved it Ruby-chan! So what were you saying again about your show’s director? The more I hear about him from you and Aqua-kun’s descriptions, the more disgusted I feel about people like that allowed in these productions” Akane empathized, while taking another bite from her breakfast
“He’s the absolute worst! The other day he purposefully assigned me to interview these foul-smelling gamers that have a life-crippling obsession with Apex Legends. Who even plays that stupid game???” Ruby yelled as Akane dramatically went over to hug and console her, caressing her little sister’s head
“NOOO! You poor thing, that director will one day pay for this!” Akane said with such conviction as she had that unhinged look in her eyes that made Aqua shiver in fear, he’s sensed this sinister aura before
For the twins, this was an aspect they appreciated so much about Akane. She attentively listens to every word and gives you her undivided attention, when talking with Akane she makes you feel like you are the person that matters the most in the world. She not only listened, but even can feel your emotions, a gift of intuitive empathy that Akane simply cannot turn off even if she tried
“I understand too Ruby-chan, even for my filming sessions they often give us actors outrageous demands”
Akane closed her eyes and grinned “When I looked at the script for my last movie The Crooked Kingdom, I thought there’s no way this can be reasonable for a human being?”
Suddenly darkness shrouded the room, a wall of fire emerged behind Akane the moment she tightly clenched her fist! Her delivery becoming more intense and exhilarating as the twins embraced each other and looked on in horror at what this seemingly docile girl becomes when the topic of acting surfaces
“I had to slay a dragon, jump through hoops of fire and then destroy an entire repressive clan of my enemies with my bare hands!!! These are the fundamental steps of being an actor where we persevere to push our limits and grow alongside our assigned characters! Isn’t being an actor so much FUN!!!???”
Akane wobbled on her seat and shook her arms in such a childish and animated fashion
“I did enjoy The Crooked Kingdom a lot, the plot and digital effects were good, needless to say your acting was the best part of it. I preordered it on blu-ray so we can watch it together when it’s released” Aqua smoothly replied while finishing up the last bit of his breakfast
Akane couldn’t believe what she heard, just the thought of Aqua being so supportive of her flourishing acting career meant everything to her. Aqua sincerely meant it too, now that he’s been able to live more normally, he’s been able to enjoy his acting for once and fully understands why Akane loves this career so much, he did say acting was a lot of fun after all
“Well guys I gotta go get ready to do my promotion, I wanna hear more of Akane-chan’s behind the scenes stories! I’ll be back really quickly!” Ruby said as she took her bowl to the sink and left upstairs
“Bye Ruby-chan, good luck with your work!” Akane smiled as she watched her exit the kitchen
“Akane, do you wanna go for another round of Connect Four? I’ve been plotting on my revenge for this since the last time I played against you and your father” Aqua grinned as he had the box of that tabletop game in his lap all this time
“Mmmm, Aqua-kun, would you like to remind me of our personal record against me?” Akane proclaimed in a playful tone, leaning over and looking into Aqua’s eyes
“...70-10 in your favor” Aqua silently muttered in shame, he looked at Akane closing her eyes with a proud expression on her face and with her hands on her hips like a superhero
“So competitive, but then again as an actress she never wants to lose” Aqua thought to himself
Aqua and Akane commenced playing a round, both of them exuding a quiet intensity, until they were interrupted by a scream coming from upstairs
“NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!”
“Wait, that's Ruby!?” As Aqua immediately got up, with Akane quickly following his lead, she fully understands how overprotective he is of his little sister
The two speedily ran up the carpeted stairs, ran down the narrow hall and into Ruby’s bedroom, where they saw the sight of Ruby wailing and throwing a tantrum on the floor. Her arms and legs smacking against the carpet, with Miyako and her dejected, tired expression looking on at this latest meltdown
“IT’S OVER, I CAN’T GO ON LIKE THIS AHHHHHH” Ruby cried
“I should have known better. Well I’ll go back to Connect 4 then, I was getting close to defeating Akane” Aqua exhaled as he was expecting something worse
“Huh?? No you weren’t!” Akane yelled into a small pout. She then wondered about this situation that was causing Ruby such distress?
“Ruby-chan, what seems to be the matter?” Akane gently asks as Ruby is rolling in a puddle of tears
“Its, its…Akane-chan, do you remember that hairbrush you got me the first time you came here months ago? I can’t find it anywhere!!??” Ruby whimpered as she was calming down
“Ruby, it’s getting a bit late, we gotta head out soon before we can’t find parking at the venue. I know that it’s a gift, but how did it provoke such a reaction?” Miyako asked
“It’s special because Akane-chan gave it to me. She’s always so kind and supportive of me and she’s been taking good care of Onii-chan. I've never seen him be this happy before. I don’t want to make her feel like I don’t appreciate what she’s done for us, so I feel horrible that I lost my Big Sister’s gift!” Ruby exclaimed as she looked directly at Akane with sincerity
“Oh Ruby-chan, you have no idea how much I cherish our bond! But don’t you worry, you take care of your obligations, me and Aqua-kun will go search for your hairbrush. We’ll find it I promise!” Akane proclaimed while she went to grab Ruby’s hands, making her feel completely relieved
Aqua leaning by the doorway grinned and silently nodded along, he more than anything just wants to support the two people he cares for the most in the world
“You sure you’re only doing this because you knew you were gonna lose and wanted a break?” Aqua teased Akane as they exited out the room
“Aqua-kun!!? You, you’ll see!!” Akane bashfully yelled back
It's an affectionate side of her that he always loves bringing out. There were many sides to Akane that Aqua had noticed existed, she tends to hide a lot of her feelings and facets after all. Yet, for Aqua, he just wants to appreciate all of those encompassing elements of Akane
The two then head downstairs and begin plotting their mission of retrieving the hairbrush while Ruby and Miyako head out the front door to tend to their work matters.
--
“The good thing is, your house isn’t really that big and we don’t have to stress about not covering enough space. I also believe we can rule out other factors of external forces being involved since the only visitors that come here are the rest of B-Komachi and myself ” Akane explained as she laid out the plan
“Here’s what I think about the possibilities of where Ruby-chan’s hairbrush is, each location having a different sense of priority based on Ruby-chan’s routinely habits in this house; first the corridor and bathroom upstairs, then your room, next the kitchen, followed by Miyako-san’s Minivan when they come back, afterwards the living room and then finally the washing room downstairs.”
“My room huh, I see you also factored in Ruby’s many eccentricities. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if this was some prank by her” Aqua remarked.
“She’s done this before when we were little by hiding my reading books just to spite me” he sighed
Akane chuckled, she couldn’t discount this possibility either of Ruby being a prankster
“If we can’t find the hairbrush in any of these spots, we can always double check in her room too. Let’s get started then, this has all the making of a mystery novel doesn’t it?” as Akane eagerly strikes a thinking pose, imagining herself as a detective in a forensics crime drama
“Yeah it kind of does now that you mention it. I’m still surprised you haven’t been casted for a role like that in cinema yet, I need to have a word with some people I think” Aqua remarked as he lead the way back upstairs
--
The two white shirt clad duo walked along the corridor, with Aqua heading first into the bathroom to do a thorough investigation. Akane meanwhile looked along the floor, turning the lights on and examined the tiny desk that was along the wall by Aqua and Ruby’s room. However, a picture frame caught her attention
“Oh my! Our group photo from Love Now!! I never saw it up here before, have I?” Akane wondered as she looked at the familiar 6 people in that photograph
“That one I was looking all over the place for, Miyako usually saves all our media appearances in her portfolio. I personally put it up here, it reminds me of how much has changed since we were on that show” Aqua explained as he also grasped the photoframe and looked back fondly on that experience
“Everyone is so busy these days. Kengo-san has been writing a lot of music. Mem-Cho has her hands full with B-Komachi” Akane then paused, her eyes lit up and she felt a powerful sense of warmth
“Yuki-san” Akane visibly becoming excited just by talking about her dear Yuki
“Every now and then I’ve been able to see Yuki-san, our work schedules are always so difficult to align. It’s still amusing to me that she and Noboyuki-san ended up dating after the show. Love Now was that long ago huh” Akane admitted, staring at her old photograph when she still had her shorter hair length
Aqua noticed Akane becoming even more contemplative than what she normally would be
“It was scary at first. Just not knowing how to fit in with the cast or how to perform my role on the show, it brought me back to the same struggles I had when I auditioned for Lala Lai years ago”.
“Then the scandal happened and I hit the lowest point of my life. I just didn’t know what to do. I felt so alone.” Akane lamented while trying her best to hold back tears, Aqua instinctively positioning himself closer to her to make her feel supported and safe
“Ever since you saved me that day, I can’t help but think at just how blessed everything has been. I’ve been able to continue trying to be the best actress I can be. I’ve been able to make many more friends when that was something I felt I struggled with before”
“I just feel so grateful and now, I got an incredible boyfriend that’s working so hard to be his best too” Akane professed while taking a deep breath, attempting to control the rush of emotions
Aqua felt a lump in his throat, it's the same feelings of unworthiness and guilt that he’s harbored in his lifetime that impeded him from growing past his repressed trauma. The survivor’s guilt convinced him he didn’t deserve any of this.
Yet, just as the negative emotions surface, it's just as quickly as those emotions are replaced. Nowadays his emotional response overwhelms those bad thoughts with the sensations of being understood, of feeling cared for, gratitude instead of guilt
Something drastically changed with Aqua over these six months since he began dating Akane. From wanting to at one point not let her go to use her intelligence, he now can’t let her go because she’s the one that's completely changed his life for the better.
“Since this show finished and I met you, I feel like I can look forward to so much now. I know I’m not the best at expressing things and it’s still hard for me to articulate the stuff that’s on my mind” Aqua confided as he still struggles at relaying his emotions so he doesn’t put more burdens on Akane
“Aqua-kun, I understand.” As Akane leans next to Aqua and rests her head on his shoulder.
She knows that this is his way of expressing gratitude as he slowly learns to live with his complex feelings.
Even when she felt insecure, her inner security in dealing with attachments allowed Akane to be patient, seeking to comprehend instead of being anxious, valuing her own sense of independence in this partnership. Akane valuing his noticeable effort that he puts into this relationship is what brings immense joy to her heart
These intimate reminders reassured Aqua and brought comfort to his entire presence. He leaned his head to meet Akane’s and the two stayed there in warm silence, looking fondly at the Love Now cast photo
Aqua then looked down and noticed Akane’s finger nails, colored in yellow and blue like their hair colors
“I think you told me this before, but did Yuki-san do your fingernails? They look really nice” Aqua beamed, wanting to reciprocate Akane’s show of affection
“Mhmm! She always does such an amazing job! Isn’t Yuki-san just the best?” as Akane lifted her hands to show off the wonderful detail and texture of her nails
Seeing the sheer delightful expression of Akane’s face, Aqua took a mental snapshot, her happiness was everything to him
--
To no avail, the hairbrush could not be located in the corridor or the bathroom. This then prompted the search in their next location; Aqua’s own bedroom
“I hope you don’t mind it here, I’d imagine Miyako would kill me for bringing a girl up here while she’s not in the house” Aqua worried as he then started checking under his bed with Akane having a look around at all his collection of neatly organized books of literature and medicine
“Oh??? What is this!?” Akane cheerfully exclaimed
“Wait did you find it?” Aqua asked as he pulled out from under his bed
“No no, I’m just fascinated by your alarm clock! This technology is so incredible, the way it can tell you time digitally blows my mind!” as Akane marvels at this small black device
“Heh, you sound like an old lady Akane” as Aqua chuckled, wanting to return the teasing since their Tokyo Blade dates. He remembered that Akane still uses an antique clock in her bedroom
“L-Listen!! My-my dad gave me that clock! So what if he’s a little old, he can still do his job just as good as yours!” Akane awkwardly stuttered as she tried to defend herself
“He?” Aqua laughed as he continued to affectionately poke fun at Akane for personifying her ancient clock
“That’s…none of your business!” Akane spluttered as she blushed, sweating nervously and was avoiding eye contact with Aqua who could only be more and more amused at how cute this all was
“Fine then, the next time we go to the soda machine at the burger place that has the touch screen, I won’t help you operate it Aqua-kun! Hmmph!”
Akane crossed her arms and pouted, meanwhile Aqua got dragged so badly at his own lack of technological insight that he turned into a pile of dust and swirled around the room
Akane then noticed something that was sitting on his table next to a photo frame of herself; a long and detailed list of all of the food locations that he and Akane have gone to over their dating period. Each place highlighted on which food Akane especially liked, in her case, she really loved sweets and shakes
“Aqua-kun, how long have you planned on keeping this a secret” she blushed as Aqua was quickly trying to reform his entire molecular structure after Akane cooked him
“That, to tell you the truth, with you I usually like to go try new places. Plotting an outline for a date ahead of time is nowhere as fun in my experience" Aqua admitted as he now was able to collect himself
“I saw somewhere that explained how food is in a way a time capsule for us. When you think of a place, culture or a person, we strongly associate food with them, right?” Aqua continued to explain
“That’s true! I read this in my Psychology books. It has something to do with some of our strongest sensory outputs of taste and smell that are connected to a region of our brain that regulates our emotions and memories!” Akane bubbled along with Aqua’s explanation, she began to realize there is a bigger point
“All these meals, it's like we’re building this photo collage of memories every time we’re able to go out on these dates. Heehee, I hope you know I really began to love crepes because of you Aqua-kun” Akane resounded as she looked into Aqua’s eyes, realizing the extent of how considerate Aqua is towards her
“I don’t want to forget them either, Akane. Although, there is that matter of that one thief who stole my crepe when we went to the Sweets Paradise spot” Aqua grinning back at Akane who started giggling
“Thief? I wonder who that could be?” Akane gleefully replied back, Aqua visualizing her again with the shoujo filter as colorful bubbles and square shapes swirled around her
Aqua thought to himself “I wonder who keeps turning that thing on?”
--
Once again, their search for the hairbrush remained fruitless as they couldn’t find it in Aqua’s room. Their next destination was the kitchen where the events of this quest were set in motion.
Akane scanned the table and chairs, meanwhile Aqua checked in the overhead cupboards and the marble counter
“Knowing Ruby, I wouldn’t be surprised if she left it in this fridge that she wanted to fight earlier” Aqua joked as Akane laughed at the real possibility of it. Akane then found another piece of memorabilia that caught her attention and tugged at her heartstrings, she audibly gasped
“No way, you still saved these tickets from the time we went to the Aquarium in Sunshine City!? That was one of the most fun days I can ever remember!” Akane bursted with affection, clutching those tickets close to her heart
“I finally got to see Penguins waddling around, they were so cute! All the fish exhibits were so wonderfully decorated and cared for, I’d really love to go there back there again” as Akane continued to drift away in the nostalgia of that date
“It’s why I could never throw those tickets away, I can recall every detail of that day. To be completely sincere, what I remember the most about that day was how you looked” Aqua gently looked at Akane, remembering just how beautiful she was on that date with her curled hair and gorgeous purple dress
Upon hearing the compliment, Akane began to twirl her hair with a shy but overjoyed expression on her blushing face. Akane was known to have a serene beauty about her, but she was never particularly conscious about that aspect of her.
Her struggles to connect with others when she was little brought upon a lower self-esteem, coupled with an upbringing that valued modesty and respect, her lovely appearance was just never something that occupied her that much. Which is why Aqua makes sure to always highlight it, he knows how much it helps to boost her confidence and self-image
“Thank you Aqua-kun” Akane finally being able to reply back, returning a warm and radiant smile
“I really don’t think much of it, but hearing it from you, Ruby-chan and Yuki-san makes me think it’s something I should cherish more about myself. Yuki-san usually helps me pick out those outfits and the cosmetics, she’s so amazing!” Akane squealed as Aqua folded his hands in gratitude to Yuki
“Just seeing your reactions to how I look, makes me so happy Aqua-kun!”
“I’m telling you, you stole the show at the Aquarium, people looked at you even more than the exhibits” Aqua flattering her once again, attentively watching Akane’s external battle accepting the compliments
“The other great thing about that Aquarium date, was you reuniting with your family Akane”
“Hmm? What do you mean?” asked Akane, she began to endlessly think at what could possibly be the meaning of Aqua’s confusing declaration
“You don’t remember? It’s when we saw the Pufferfish exhibit, they reminded me so much of you!!” Aqua evilly smirked
“A-Aqua-kun!!! I’m NOT related to them, pukuuu!!” Akane grumbled as she ironically puffed her cheeks, crossing her arms and unleashed a powerful pout with Aqua going over to poke away at Akane’s face
From out of nowhere, Ruby casually strolled into the kitchen, returning from her quick promotional work
“Ohhh, I remember that day!!! It was so touching seeing Akane-chan be around her family!” with Ruby mimicking Akane’s puffing her cheeks in a pout, Akane could only look on in despair at this betrayal!
“Nooooo not my little sister too! Someone make it stop!!!” Akane yelled as she dramatically fell to her knees and clenched her head, the twins thoroughly entertained by Akane’s meltdown
“Wait a second, what do you mean by YOU remembering that day Ruby? Only me and Akane went together?” Aqua inquired
“I know!” Ruby innocently smiled back
“So, you were stalking us then?”
“Meeee? No I wasn’t stalking you! I was just following you two without you knowing!”
“Ruby…” Aqua facepalmed
“Don’t give me that face! I had to make sure you were treating your gorgeous girlfriend to the best day ever, plus I know your ways, I’ve seen you steal Akane-chan’s food before!” Ruby shouted at her brother
Ruby then shrugged her shoulders and looked in another direction, quickly whispering
“Meaning I’ll just steal Big Sis for myself tee hee”
“Huh? What was that?” Aqua did a double take
“Hmm?” muttered Ruby, pretending to be blissfully unaware of what she said
Ruby then suddenly dropped on all fours and crawled away from the kitchen like a demon escaping from the holy cross, leaving Aqua utterly confused meanwhile Akane was laughing hysterically at the scene
--
Aqua and Akane follow Ruby’s path outside to their next destination, Miyako’s Mini-van, as this hunt for the hairbrush continues to be a wild goose chase.
The blonde twins and their blue haired angel began to search the car, with Aqua checking the back of the trunk, Ruby and Akane checking the middle row of the car, searching through the floor mats and the compartments in the front of the van
“I always loved how comfortable this mini-van is, not to mention Miyako-san is a very careful driver” Akane commented as she still was buzzing around trying to find any trace of the hairbrush
“There was one time actually when she wasn’t careful, this happened when me and Ruby were still very little. Miyako-san was having a really stressful work day, she saw one of her old ex-boyfriends on the street and slammed the gas pedal and chased him around Shinjuku” Aqua reminisced
“Gosh I can’t imagine what that man must have put Miyako-san through to compel her to do that! On that topic, my favorite memory was when we all went to go watch Jurassic World a few months back” Akane fondly smiled, staring out the car window as she remembered Aqua sharing a big popcorn bag with her
“I had so much fun too, I’m so happy you convinced Onii-chan to let me come along! I was so absorbed watching you two holding hands -- I mean, watching the dinosaurs in the movie yeah!” Ruby quickly having to correct herself from revealing her agenda
“Prior to that day I didn’t know Aqua-kun had a secret Dinosaur hobby!” Akane chuckled
“I swear, people saw me dress up as a Dinosaur for halloween one time” Aqua sighed, but he caught Akane grinning at him and knew he couldn’t hide it from her sharp intuition, not to mention it was also his suggestion to watch Jurassic World for that date
“I personally was very invested in the plot for Jurassic World to my surprise. I think it’s fascinating that they explored the possible dynamics of human interaction with a prehistoric animal.” Akane explained as she began to spill her thoughts on the movie
“The pacing was good and the actors were effective, maybe not so much Chris Pratt since I think the relationship with his dear Velociraptor carried most of the emotional weight that he failed to convey. This begs to wonder how they conceptualized how would we be able to interact with such a species, I think--”
Aqua watched in slow-motion the sight of Akane rambling on and on about a silly action packed Dinosaur movie, analyzing every single micro-detail and providing psychological insight on each of the characters motives and background. This was something Aqua witnessed first hand in Love Now and Tokyo Blade, its what separated Akane from the rest as an actress of the most elite caliber
He continued to watch Akane’s yapping as she started gesturing as the actors and even the dinosaurs themselves; immersing herself into the characters and then being able to exactly imitate them to mirror-like detail was her extraordinary gift and way of understanding others outside of acting
“So what did you think of--”
Aqua timely interjects so it can give Akane more incentive to continue passionately talking about acting
Seeing her be so animated and happy, her eyes sparkling and her voice tone being so full of life. The twins returning the sentiment of giving her their undivided attention to talk about what she loves, was the most fulfilling feeling for Aqua, he can watch her rave all day about theatre and cinema
After hearing Akane’s dissertation on Jurassic World, they left the Mini-van, disappointed that they once again couldn’t find Ruby’s hairbrush
As Aqua began to walk back inside to the front door, Ruby ran to Akane with an inflatable tube
“Hey Akane-chan, I’m hosting a girl’s night out at the pool this weekend, I’d love it if you can come hang out with us!” Ruby clutches Akane’s hands and gently massages them
“Why I’d love to! I should be free this weekend!” Akane cheered while returning Ruby’s affection by massaging her hands back
“Yayy!!! I get to see Akane-chan in a swim suit!” Ruby yelled, before her eyes widened and her face turned red at the very thought of it, making Akane wonder if something wrong happened to Ruby.exe’s hardware?
Aqua overheard it and froze in his steps
No matter how reserved and detached he projects himself as, he is still a teenager with hormones and feelings of lust. He is dating a divine being and the thought of possibly seeing Akane Kurokawa in a pretty swimsuit was impossible for him to resist, he turned around with the stiffness of a dry sponge
“Hey uh, can I come too?”
Ruby looked at him, still clutching Akane’s hands, she smiled while closing her eyes, tilting her head a little to the side
“No.”
--
“I…don’t think I’m gonna make it”
“Hang in there for a little longer Aqua-kun, we’re almost there!!!!”
Aqua previously collapsed on the floor outside, forcing Akane to pick him up and give him a piggy-back ride into the living room
She then dumps Aqua like a ragdoll onto the couch, his limp body sinking into the fabric with Akane catching her breath. In that moment Akane started to reflect
“Why do I feel carrying him is heavily symbolic of something?” She tried to think, but then just shrugged her shoulders, her priorities were with her seemingly dying boyfriend
“Doc, it’s hopeless I fear” Aqua groaned in agony and closed his eyes
Akane seeing this was getting ready to scold him once more for being overdramatic, but then she quickly started to realize something
“Wait, is Aqua-kun…play-acting?” she then caught him peeking with one eye open before groaning again
“Doctor, I see the light Doctor” as Aqua raises one of his shaking arms up, trying to grab onto the distance of the lights on the ceiling while the song Mephisto plays in his head
Akane bursts into laughter, she was if anything impressed at Aqua’s deceptively good skill as an actor. Playing along now, Akane gets into character
“What seems to be your condition, I hope you know you aren’t covered by your insurance for this”
“Doctor, it felt like someone took my dreams and smashed them on the ground in front of my eyes. I will need to replace this broken heart, quickly I don't have much time left!”
Akane chuckled, she couldn’t stay in character while dealing with Aqua’s nonsense
“Is it really so bad that you wouldn’t get to see me in a swimsuit Aqua-kun?” Akane asked as she blushed
Feeling desired by her boyfriend, she laid right next to Aqua on the couch to snuggle. Akane by her own admission is shocked at how comfortable she is at seeking intimacy nowadays. These yearning feelings are something she at times overthinks about, but she just couldn’t resist wanting to make Aqua feel loved
Aqua moved over to make space for her, being mindful of never making Akane do anything she wasn't comfortable with when moments like this happened. For all the times they’ve acted and held each other, he deep down gave thought to the urges of holding such a beautiful girl
The two felt an inner warmth by being in such proximity to each other. This feeling of intimacy was becoming very natural to them, developing it together at their own pace
“So Aqua-kun, when can I begin the procedure to replace your heart” Akane asked, causing the both of them to struggle at containing their laughter, unable to hide the affection they felt for each other
Right on cue, Miyako walks in coming from the washing room downstairs, Aqua and Akane being completely unaware of her footsteps. She looks at them on the couch and overheard Akane’s joke and their subsequent reaction, but feels completely at ease with them snuggling
Miyako was the token cool mom, knowing that this was natural with couples. She was confident in how she raised the twins with values and knew that Aqua and Akane were well-behaved and decent minded.
“Back in my days, when we were doing it, we made sure to do this with a closed door” Miyako joked
Aqua and Akane then sprung from the couch and screamed together
“Wait, it's not what you think!!!” with their faces turning completely red and their eyes looking down on the floor in embarrassment
“Relax, I was in your shoes at one point, just please make sure to not get too crazy ok?”
Miyako winked and she walked towards the kitchen, meanwhile Aqua and Akane got up from the couch and recommenced their search for Ruby’s hairbrush around the living room
Aqua then lifts the cushions from the couch, uncovering a 500 Yen coin that was situated in a corner
“Nice, must be my lucky day!” as he held it in his hand
Miyako overheard the dialogue, her eyes glowed red and she literally teleported to snatch Aqua’s discovery straight from his hand
“No, it’s MY lucky day in fact! I think I’m gonna treat myself to a Bento box tonight, I gotta pull an all-nighter again ugh” Miyako lamented while pridefully dangling the Yen in Aqua’s face
“A Bento box? May I please suggest a healthier alternative if you’re gonna be eating at night?” Aqua asked, he was after all a licensed medical specialist in his previous life unbeknownst to them all
“Ah I see, but you’re not the doctor here are you? She is” Miyako pointing at a gently smiling Akane, remembering that Akane was joking as the role of being the “doctor”
Aqua in that moment felt his life force leave him behind as he shrivels up like a raisin and collapsed on the couch behind them
“Hmm, I think you should absolutely treat yourself to something nice, Miyako-san, you completely deserve it!” Akane confessed, but not wanting to throw her zombie-like boyfriend under the bus she added on
“I do agree with Aqua-kun, please get something healthy if you can!” to which Miyako happily agreed to
Ruby then walked in from the front door
“Whoa what happened to Onii-chan! I’ve lost count of how many times he’s perished today?” Ruby wondered
“But I know the solution, we all need a break, so how about a game!”
--
Aqua and Miyako couldn’t stop shuddering, Akane looked at them and thought they’d had seen a ghost
“You don’t understand Akane, we live with a monster that has complete disregard for humanity the moment she opens any of these tabletop games when you’re not around” Aqua muttered, looking at Ruby’s dark star eyes that pierced back at him
“Really? I can’t ever imagine my wonderful little sister being capable of such atrocities!” as Akane went over to hold Ruby who looked at her with puppy eyes and an innocent expression
“Oh just you wait, if we were to play the Fujiwara Riddle Game, Ruby is capable of turning even that into a human rights violation” Miyako proclaimed as Ruby stuck her tongue at her Stepmother while still being embraced by Akane
“Hmm, the last time I played games here a few weeks ago, we played Happy Life and that went without problems” Akane mentioned as she began to take her seat on the cushion of the opposite side of the couch by the living room table
Happy Life, the hit tabletop game that was popularized at a prestigious Japanese high school school, an unhinged version of The Game of Life in western areas where players roll a die to determine an imaginary life, replete with varying scenarios and attributes
“That is true, me and Akane always ended up getting married and end up living a fulfilling life in the couple of times we’ve played Happy Life” Aqua claimed as he went over to sit next to Akane
“See I’m thrilled for you two and all, but why am I the one that always ends up getting divorced and having to fall into endless debt of paying child support!!?? Miyako complained as she went to sit next to Ruby by the cushions near the couch
“How about we play Old Maid? I always enjoyed playing that with Osamu-san whenever I head over to Akane’s house, it’s pretty simple” Aqua suggested, fondly remembering the battle of wits he’d have with the final boss of the Kurokawa household
“No way, you just want to play that game because it says old in its title Onii-chan!” Ruby retorted back, making Aqua melt into a puddle as Akane panicked and looked around for bucket to save her boyfriend
Ruby then reached under the table to pull out something brand new and made an announcement
“Today, we won’t be doing Happy Life or any of these other silly games. Instead, I bring to you, We’re Not Really Strangers! This is all the rage in the West apparently!”
We’re Not Really Strangers is an extremely straightforward card game; cards containing questions are distributed one at a time to each player, each one having to answer the question. The catch being that these cards contain big icebreaker questions, provoking authentic human expression!
“Scew this, this sounds like my worst nightmare, but alright” Miyako panicked, dreading the thought of having to reveal her life-long regrets and experiences, which made Ruby evilly rub her hands in delight
“This sounds like it could be fun, I’m usually no good at escaping my comfort zone so maybe this could be a good exercise” Akane emphasized with an eager expression
While reluctant to participate in Ruby’s shenanigans, Aqua wants to prioritize Akane’s fun and agrees to engage with whatever hellscape that awaits them in this
--
Ruby pulls out the deck of cards from We’re Not Really Strangers and begins to shuffle them, cueing to an inner monologue
“These fools! I’ve carefully set-up the cards in order to ensure that the exact questions I want them to answer will always come up. I spent all last night memorizing the sequence to shuffle these cards to cover any suspicions. Akane-chan and Onii-chan, you better be prepared for this!”
Ruby finishes shuffling the cards and declares the order of the rotation; beginning with Akane, then Aqua, next Miyako and completing the cycle with herself. Ruby then grabs the first card and hands it over to her Big Sis, asking Akane to read it outloud
“This asks, what is your best pick-up line?”
Akane felt butterflies in her stomach, she isn’t very good at these kinds of social interactions where she can’t prepare beforehand and is put on the spotlight, there’s no place to hide or mask here
As Akane felt the nerves, she felt someone hold her hand from beneath the table. Aqua quietly looking in a different direction while gently caressing her hand, it made Akane feel reassured and calmed her nerves
“My Dad on the other hand is really funny, he would have these cheesy one-liners that would cheer up my Mom. I got it!" Akane thought to herself and now felt prepared to give an answer to the question
“Hey Aqua-kun, are you a treasure? Cause I totally dig you!” Akane cheerfully announced, smiling at Aqua with her eyes closed
There was immediate silence, a tumbleweed rolled through the living room, Aqua’s face turned completely red, Miyako transformed into a stone statue and Ruby was gleefully clapping in approval
Ruby then broke the silence
“Alright Onii-chan, you’re up next!” ominously coinciding with thunder and lighting being echoed outside, she then handed over the card to her twin brother and asked him to please read it
“This one asks, Name the most embarrassing thing about your relationship?”
Aqua gulped, he knew the answer to this one already. Ruby was evilly grinning as she sensed his fear, Miyako looked puzzled at what could this possibly be? As he struggled to summon the voice to say it, he looked at Akane, her sweet and calm presence made him feel less overly conscious about revealing this
Feeling reassured that Akane is on his side no matter what, he announced
“I…don’t know Akane’s birthday”
Ruby and Miyako screamed together
“You WHAT!??? How do you not know your girlfriend’s birthday??”
Akane sprung to his defense
“It’s weird, cause I don’t even know my own birthday. I’m only aware that I’m 17 and have just used the new years as an indicator that I made it to the next age?”
Aqua then became self-aware
“Come to think of it, hell I don’t even know my birthday either!???”
Ruby was flabbergasted
“Onii-chan, what do you mean you don’t know the date you were born!!?”
“Ruby, we’re twins.”
“Oh.” Ruby calmly paused and reflected for a bit
“MIYAEMOON!!! Quick, come up with a birthday date for me!! I can’t be the only idol without a birthday noooooo!!” Ruby grabbed and shook Miyako's left arm in desperation
Miyako with her other weakly shaking arm opened a pack of Alka-Seltzer and poured it into a glass, she was already just about done with this shit
“I’ll come up with something Ruby. On the subject of birthdays, I also don’t know mine. My whole life I watched everyone party and celebrate when their dates came up except for mine. I thought it was all some sick twisted cosmic joke the universe is playing on me again?”
The four of them sat there in silence trying to understand the realization that they came to
“Alright Miyako-san, it's your turn!” As Ruby handed over the next card to her stepmother
“Fine, this one reads, What dating advice would you give your younger self?”
“Whoa, you were young at one point, Miyako-san?” Ruby blurted
“Excuse me???” Miyako yelled while trying to reach for the glass of Alka-Seltzer
“Anyway, I gave too much effort to unworthy partners I had for starters, but the most important detail? The chase is fun, but it’s everything that happens after that's even better, value the slower days more.”
Miyako drank away her glass, visualizing it as a bottle of whiskey from her drinking days, her words of experience reverberating in the room
Aqua and Akane gave thought to it, their work lives are very hectic and they at most get to see each other in person a few times per week depending on their schedules. The majority of the time is spent talking to each other before bedtime on the phone
Yet, it’s that easy going nature of their partnership that they’ve come to truly appreciate. Their dates aren’t fancy, but they feel delighted when they go out together. Their phone calls are full of detail and love, where they can just vent about what's going on with their lives and plan for when they can see each other again
Aqua and Akane’s chase has been over 6 months ago, but if you had to ask them, everything that’s happened since has been the best part of it as they grow closer and closer through the slower days
Ruby then grabs her own card and reads it out loud
“When was the last time you felt truly understood by someone?” almost instantaneously, she answered
“That’s an easy one for me, it’s Big Sis Akane!!!” Ruby excitedly yelled while reaching over the table to hug her beloved Akane again, Akane reciprocating the energy by leaning over the table to warmly hug Ruby
Internally in Ruby’s mind
“NOOO! I messed up, this card was supposed to go to Akane-chan so she could have professed it to Onii-chan! But no matter, I’ll get her an equally good one now” with Ruby shuffling the deck in her rehearsed fashion, she then pulls from the deck and hands it to Akane
“Ok, so this one says What title would you call this chapter of your life?”
As they all waited in anticipation, Akane felt like something was off
“Hmm, the corner of this card is folded. Not to mention, the recurring themes of each of these cards when they arrive to me and Aqua-kun are romantic?”
Akane’s eyes turned glassy and she entered a trance-like state, muttering every revelation
“Romance, Happy Life the game. Aqua-Kun and I are married every time we play. The events remain the same. Shuffling, the way you shuffle the deck, it's always the same motion as if you rehearsed this.”
“These cards have indented corners, meaning there's intention. Intention, Ruby-chan enjoys seeing Aqua-kun and I together no matter the circumstance.”
“Then there's the matter of you sweating profusely and chattering your teeth as I speak. Ruby-chan, did you set all of this up?”
They couldn’t believe how quickly Akane just unpacked and exposed all of this. Akane began to chuckle, she just finds it amusing and really cute that Ruby is such a clever cheater!
Ruby’s left eye twitched and in that instance she acrobatically jumped on the couch she was resting on, leaped off the couch and backflipped in the air multiple times and sprinted towards the kitchen and jumped through a window to escape
MIyako faceplanted onto the table
“Where have I gone wrong raising that one?”
Aqua then went to put a blanket over Miyako
“Don’t worry, get some rest. I’ll go call the local exorcist again and hope this time they will finally come by”
Aqua then went to extend his hand to help Akane get up from her cushion seat on the floor by the table
“Now that you solved one case, think you can finish this last one, Miss Detective?” The two grinned at each other, they had a feeling their quest was now closing in to the end
--
Aqua and Akane go down the wooden stairs to the washing room, the final location in Akane’s plan. Both of them still relishing the game session they had and how much Akane truly appreciated Ruby’s support for their romantic relationship
“Since the day I met her, she’s always been so supportive of seeing us together! I bet she’s the kind of person that would log onto social media and clear whatever misconceptions exist of us!”
“Yeah, she truly cares about you a great deal and always speaks so fondly of you whenever you’re not around. She wants nothing more than your utmost happiness” Aqua explained as they reached the bottom of the stairs and walked towards the piles of clothes next to the dryer and washing machine
“But I guess since she’s such a big supporter of us, it makes her anxious at trying to know how our relationship is going. It’s almost like right now, I can even feel her PRESENCE!” as Aqua dramatically turned around to look up at the stairs, sensing that Ruby is spying on them, but nothing was there
On the flipside, Ruby was peering away at the corner of the top of the stairs, she quickly reacted in time before Aqua could spot her. She rolled away on the floor and escaped once more
Aqua begins searching through his own laundry meanwhile Akane goes through Ruby’s that were next to the washing machine in hopes to finally find the hairbrush.
Aqua however was curious about the final question that Akane didn't get a chance to answer
“So if you did have to title this chapter of your life, what would you call it?” Aqua asked Akane as he was digging through his laundry by a row of baskets, carelessly throwing the clothes on the floor
“Mmm, that’s a tough one” Akane perplexed as she put her finger near her bottom lip
“But if I had to give it one name, I’d call it nostalgia” Akane warmly admitted, she just couldn’t think of anything more appropriate for these last several months of her life, neatly stacking Ruby’s clothes away while she searched for the hairbrush
“Nostalgia, yeah, I wish I knew a stronger word for it cause that’s exactly how I’d describe it too” Aqua brightly smiled, something about today has really lifted his mood and state of mind
“WAIT? Speaking of nostalgia!!!” Akane screamed as she couldn’t believe her eyes, from behind the washing machine after digging away, she found a familiar sight
A green sweater.
“Aww look Aqua-kun, it's your sweater from our dates from Tokyo Blade!”
“How on earth did that get there? Can’t believe I didn’t see it after all the times I come down here” Aqua puzzled now that he’s finally been reunited with it
“Wait a minute” Akane inquired, as she began to shake the sweater around. A small thud was heard on the floor
A hairbrush.
Aqua and Akane began to hysterically laugh and celebrate, after all morning and noon, they finally found it! But the duo then had a bigger question…what was the hairbrush doing in the green sweater in the first place?
--
The two of them walked up the wooden steps back up to the living room, where they noticed Ruby suspiciously waiting by the door with a clueless expression on her face while whistling a song
“You were spying on us weren’t you?” Aqua asked
“Nuh uh! Well, ok maybe yes, teehee”
“We found something for you Ruby-chan!” Akane then unveils the lost hairbrush that she gifted to Ruby
“Oh my god, thank you detective Akane!!! I knew you could do it!” Ruby cheered as she accepts it and goes to lean on Akane, resting her head on Akane’s shoulder
“Hey I helped too!” Aqua complained
“Shush Onii-chan! I’m praising Big Sis, go back to your room!” Ruby angrily remarked while she was getting her head caressed by Akane, prompting Aqua to tearfully head towards upstairs
“But I am curious Ruby-chan, I won’t judge you either I promise”
“But was this all a ploy to search for this hairbrush?” Akane queried, it still was a possibility that Akane since the start didn’t discount
“To be perfectly honest, what I remember was that I wanted to hide Onii-chan’s hideous sweater forever so he wouldn't wear it to your dates anymore!” Ruby replied and started to recall the events
“But then yesterday, I went downstairs to move its hiding location so my brother couldn't find it again. I do remember I was also brushing my hair, so I probably just multitasked and completely forgot I was brushing my hair to begin with and placed the two things together, whoopsie!”
Aqua overhearing it, started smashing his head against the maroon colored walls like a woodpecker
“Aww I was hoping for an elaborate agenda, I feel the set-up was so perfect for this” Akane pouted
“Still, I think I have a solution that will fix both your hate for this silly sweater and my fondness for it!”
Akane turned around and asked Aqua
“Hey, is it fine if I have this sweater? I have a picture of you wearing this, but I just want something that makes me feel closer to you when I don’t get to see you” Akane blushed, with a loving look on her eyes as she tightly gripped the sweater against her face
Aqua couldn’t bring himself to say no, Akane was his weakness after all
“Sure, by all means I don’t mind it” Aqua accepted as he smiled back
“But on one condition, you better give me your trench coat then!”
Ruby went to walk over to Miyako who was widely grinning seeing her once dour son look so full of life whenever Akane was around. Ruby looked back at them, the two of them laughing and looking at each other with such a tender fondness in their eyes
“Yeah, this is all I ever wanted. One big happy family”
--
Aqua and Akane are walking together side by side down to where the front door is, grabbing their shoes and getting ready to head out for a brisk walk around the neighborhood to try out the ice cream shop that Aqua really liked before.
It was a safe and quiet neighborhood that allowed them to stroll around in peace without having to be badgered for their status as a well-known couple, a big reason why Akane usually preferred coming by to the Hoshino household so she can spend stress free quality time with this family
Along the way, they both noticed the big Tokyo Blade promotional poster that Aqua has left up there since the moment that play’s production ended
“Wow, now this one Aqua-kun, is still difficult for me to process that it came to an end. So much happened throughout it, I felt like everyday felt like some kind of crazy adventure that I was never prepared for” Akane marveled, relaying all the events of the production in her head as one giant montage
“My favorite moment was when I got to Princess carry you, I can’t believe you agreed to that Akane” as he cooly grinned at her
“Aqua-kun you cheater, you just said that you had a crazy idea that fit the theme of the play! Which yes I did agree to on that condition, but then you lifted me up and I had no choice but to hang onto you!”
“Still, it did tie into the Touki and Sayahime dynamic did it not?”
“Umm, well, yes. Not to mention, I did enjoy being carried around like a princess” Akane bashfully looked down on the floor, she couldn’t really deny it now that they’re spilling the tea of what transpired backstage
“Akane, you brought up a point about how this play felt like one crazy adventure. Today, I felt like that was the case for me” Aqua confessed, as he once again stared at the Tokyo Blade poster
“All day, alI we practically did was jump through all these stages of the moments we’ve gotten to share since we met. All these wonderful and happy memories, it all started with this” Aqua felt like something was surfacing from him that he could no longer just deny
Where before his mind would tell him he didn’t deserve this, he rejects it. In moments he’d feel happiness, he’d feel guilty, but now he doesn’t feel weighed by the guilt. Where he wouldn’t feel ok to want love, all he can do now is wanting to give it back, even if it’s still difficult for him to show it… he could only think of one way to show it to the person that cultivated all of this
Aqua goes over to tightly put Akane in his embrace, he gently whispered
“It’s exactly what I told you in Takachiho, I want to protect you Akane”
For Akane, it’s not only their 2nd kiss that she realized he is alluding to, it’s when she hugged him when he was having his panic attacks and uncovered his biggest life’s secret. That moment of vulnerability and profound empathy & understanding, was when Aqua truly fell for Akane
She rests her head on Aqua’s shoulder and tightly embraces him back. She understands that it’s never easy for Aqua to relay his heaviest emotions, but this is a huge step towards it. He’s worked hard at being able to live with his traumas, while it's not been perfect, Aqua is sincerely trying. No matter their struggles at communicating these complex feelings, they can just feel the intentions of it
Aqua has given Akane so much and she’s felt the change for herself ever since she began dating him. She feels more confident, more reassured at taking on things that she used to fear, being seen and understood at an intimate level and best of all, she feels loved.
In Aqua’s mind, he can’t help but associate everything good in his life now to Akane. He can feel the love she has for him, while he struggles at verbalizing it, he doesn’t want to let her go. She's just become so precious to him and wants to become that happy, loving person that Akane deserved in this relationship
“Aqua-kun, please always remember that I’m on your side no matter what” Akane whispered
This was a heavy love, the kind that is worth living for and working hard to build together. Time froze for Aqua and Akane, still locked in their embrace, feeling like a watershed moment where they can slowly show who they truly are to each other. He saved Akane's life to then have her save Aqua's life. They could have lived in that moment, forever.