//☆Her Emerald Star☆// [Sonic X Oshi No Ko]

by meesha_lee_x3

Summary:

Sonic The Hedgehog is the world’s famous hero, he’s dashing, fast, charming and knows how to get under other’s skin. But the thing is, Sonic doesn’t exist. At least in Maurice’s eyes. How could he ever explain to Shadow and his friends that their speedy friend isn’t real? And how his past could cost him everything.
//-//
Semi-Storyline belongs to: Oshi No Ko anime/manga (Aka Akasaka). Most characters belong to: SEGA (Sonic Franchise). Some characters are based off the originals from Oshi No Ko manga/anime and others made up (OCs) by @Meesha Official

Chapter 1: //Author's Note//

WELCOME!

If you’ve chosen this fanfiction out of all the others on this platform, a very warm thankyou :)
First things first, this is a crossover between the game/movies/series Sonic, and the anime/manga Oshi No Ko.
If you know both Oshi No Ko and Sonic you’re probably giving me a huge side-eye thinking: How in the world are you going to mix these two entirely different lores and plots together? Well, if you know Sonic lore just throw away all the complicated stuff and roll with the basics. If you can’t tell already, this isn’t going to align with the actual Sonic plot.
Speaking of its plot, they all have more humanoid forms and always has been this way in this story (As I said, just roll with it :’D). For example, Sonic will be in a human body, but still have his hedgehog ears, tail and powers. Hair color is the same as the original fur. And yes, they wear both shirts and pants now ;)
If you know Sonic Underground, you should know Sonia, Manic and Aleena. Well, we’re keeping Sonia and Manic but throwing out Aleena (sorry, Hun still love you) and his adoptive parents Jules and Bernadette don’t exist too. Instead, we’re writing up a new mom called Aito (Yes Oshi No Ko fans, she is this AU’s version of Ai). He’ll have another adoptive Mother called Nataline (My own OC). The first part also takes place in Japan (I mean technically it’s kinda true since Sonic’s design was made in Japan, I think... feel free to correct me if I’m wrong) so pretend they’re speaking Japanese alright... (The more I’m writing this A/N the more I’m realizing how deranged this idea is...)
Also, although it’s not exactly canon, a section of the fandom believes Sonic has ADHD and since I have ADHD too, I’m adding it :D I’m also adding something that is canon, which is Sonic having hypersensitive hearing (fun fact if you didn’t know that already).
This book will also contain the ships Sonadow and Knuxouge. Since I’m too lazy to actually make the whole thing an experience, Shadow and Sonic are already dating in the book, but Knuxouge will develop over time.
This story will follow the Oshi No Ko lore to a certain extent, but will fractured slightly and a few or so characters will be based off the originals as well as my own OCs. The first dozen chapters or so will follow the first book of the Oshi No Ko manga by reference. If you ever want to watch the Oshi No Ko anime, both seasons are out on Netflix and HiDive and the second season on Hianime. Season 3 is coming out next year. Here is the link for the cover (yes drawn by me):
file:///C:/Users/jenni/OneDrive/Pictures/Screenshots/WALLPAPERZ/Sonic/HerEmeraldStar2.png
Perhaps in the future I’ll make small comic strips of the chapters when I start to draw digitally more often :)
Happy Reading!
XO, Meesha

WARNING!
This Book Contains:
-Character Death
-Blood (mild)
-Mention of Alcohol
-Attempted suicide

Chapter 2: //Prologue - A Letter from Sonic//

I lost the light in my eyes many years ago. What made me look like her. But I lost it when I started this persona. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t even be myself anymore, even when no one’s around. What if I accidentally let the mask slip? Funny where life takes us.

I still have her song lyrics and piano notes in an old box back in the city under my bed. You’re probably thinking:

‘Sonic, who the hell are you talking about?’

I’ve lived through many stories and adventures. Almost died more times than I can count. But a story that I’ve never told anyone, not even my boyfriend or my best friend who’s like a little brother to me. A story which no one would ever look me in the eye the same again if I ever told them.

But either way, I would never regret being the “Star of Love’s” son. I have always let her guide me, even with those whom I hold closest to my heart.

Tails, has her childish nature, and the ability to have and see innocence even in the darkest situation.

Knuckles, with the ability to be such an airhead but so strong at the same time just like she did, both emotionally and physically.

Amy, who has the biggest heart that beams ever so brightly just like she did.

Rouge, who has her playful and quirky sense of humor even in the dullest situations. Not afraid to stand out.

And Shadow, they both have the ability to shine. An aura that can never be dimmed. An outstanding, perfect performance.

They each have a trait that reminds me of her. She lives in those I see, but she is and always will be,

-☆My favorite Idol☆-

Chapter 3: //Chapter 1 - Mother & Children//

This story is a work of fiction, or rather, everything in this world is mostly fictional. It’s made up… exaggerated. They hide whatever is an inconvenience. If that’s the case, fans of idols would prefer they made up good lies. In this world, lies are a weapon.
☆*:o:*☆
“AITO!!!” The purple haired, middle- aged man screamed with matching bear ears, waved the neon blue glowsticks in each hand around. The tv’s light enveloped his face in a pink and blue luminescent glow. He was watching the performance of a J-pop idol group in a pitch-black room, eyes glued to as if he looked away, he would receive a sudden, fatal death. Although, the tv was terribly small and the shape of a box.
“I wish I could see this cuteness in person-” He mumbled, staring wistfully at the screen, “Idol group, Incho-K’s permanent acre and irreplaceable center roll, the ultimate 16-year-old beauty, Aito!”
On the screen, Aito danced around in the center of her five-membered group. Her long blue hair had streaks of neon pink highlights and hedgehog ears perched on top of her head, the white and blue dress she was wearing bounced up and down as she was dancing. Her angelic voice rang out across the crowd and through the screen, hand gripped firmly on the grey microphone she held. She had a round, cute face and a slim body. But what dazzled people the most were her eyes. Claimed she was born with a mutation, inside her ice blue eyes were snow-white pupils-instead of the normal, round black ones-in the shape of six-pointed stars. Aito, was most certainly the center of attention.
“Four years since they formed, the group has slowly gained popularity and media coverage, and they’ve finally caught the public’s eye!” The man continued to mumble, as if he was narrating a story, “It starts here! This is where her path to stardom-”
The lights suddenly flicked on.
“Why are you in a patient’s room playing an idol’s DVD?” A young woman in her early twenties asked the older man. The brown-haired lady was standing at the doorway, left hand hovering over the light switch. They were currently in a hospital room, and the patient lying on the bed wore an uncomfortable smile on his face.
The purple-haired doctor flinched as the lady asked, “Don’t you have any common sense?”
The doctor whisked around to face her. He fixed his white coat, crossed one leg over the other and pushed his rectangular glasses further up his nose, “Observing beauty is good for your health,” He answered in a monotone voice, “Since no idol concerts are held here in the countryside, it’s part of medical practice.”
“You’re recruiting cult members. Don’t that make our hospital’s official views. Oh, speaking of which doctor, it was trending on twitter earlier…”

“WHAT!?” He yelled, eyes glowering at the device in his hands, “Aito’s going on hiatus!?”
“So, you really are a cult member.” The brown-haired lady said plainly, “Isn’t that girl only 16? You predator.”
“Call me anything but that.” He snapped back, “There’s a reason for it, a good one.”
The two were on the hospital’s rooftop for lunch break, the midday sun gleaming down on the both of them. The woman was near the metal door (for reasons she’d prefer not to say aloud) while the doctor was leaning against the railing at the roof’s edge, the mountain range on all sides. It was a fine day in Japan’s countryside.
“I also did my internship at this hospital. Back then, I used to slack off in patient’s rooms just like I do now. One of the patients I met changed my destiny.”
-Flashback 3 Years Before-
The doctor was sitting in the corner of the room as he watched a young girl, Airi-Chan, gush over the television. She was bald with a pale blue beanie, but she had bright pink eyes and a cute face.
“And this is Mimi! Her dancing is incredible!” Airi-Chan informed the doctor, but his only response was a long sigh.
“Yuki and Michi are better at singing, but my favorite…” She pointed to a small figure on her television, “Has to be Aito!”
The young girl had all sorts of Incho-K merchandise surrounding the tv.
“We’re around the same age, but she’s so mature, plus she’s good at both singing and dancing!” Hearts seemed to form in the young girl’s eyes, “Above all, I love her face! If I could be reborn, I want it.”
The doctor scoffed, “What do you mean reborn? Don’t say such stupid things.”
His answer made her scowl, “You need to dream more Doctor. Haven’t you ever thought ‘what if I was born the child of a celebrity? What if I’d been born with the looks and connections since birth?’”
“Nope.” He told her without hesitation.
“You really don’t dream enough.”
“Airi-Chan you’re cute too. There’s no need to be reborn.”
She smiled softly at his words.
“Once you’re discharged, go become an idol.” He continued, “Then I’ll be your fan.”
“Really?” She grinned. Airi-Chan jumped up and hugged him, “Doctor, I love you!”
-End Of Flashback-
“Anaplastic Astrocytoma. She was only twelve years old. If she were still alive, she’d be 16, just like Aito. I must be seeing Airi-Chan in the idol she loved. I just want to watch over Aito as she walks the path Airi-Chan dreamed of walking.”
“I see.” The woman replied, “So, in other words you’re a predator.”
“Weren’t you listening? Wasn’t that a pretty touching story!?”
“Doctor, your obsession feels crude. Aren’t you using Airi-Chan as an excuse to unleash your desires?”
“Don’t be stupid! I swear on her name, I’m supporting Aito with a pure heart!” The doctor stood proudly on his oath.
“But if this Aito girl asked you out, you would, wouldn’t you?”
He stood there with a blank face for a moment before walking back inside,
“Lunch break’s over now. I’m going back to work.”
“Well, doctor? Swearing on Airi-Chan’s name, what’s the answer?” She asked, following him inside but he abundantly ignored her question.
‘I am worried about Aito. I hope she comes back safely.’ The doctor thought as he walked the hospital’s halls to his next-and new-patient. The brown-haired nurse had slipped out of sight to her own shift.
“Hello, thanks for waiting.” He said as he walked into the room, sliding the door shut behind him. The doctor sat down on the chair in front of a desk before pressing on, “Uh- so this is your first visit here, Ms. Hoshino?” He asked the lady who was sitting beside a man with orange hair.
“Yes.” She answered simply in a sweet voice. Her head was tilted down so he couldn’t see her face underneath the grey cap she wore. The lady was rubbing the large bulge of her belly.
‘Based on her stomach, she’s around 20 weeks pregnant.’ The doctor observed, ‘That’s pretty late for a first examination.’
The doctor slipped her files off the desk behind him and skimmed through the words, ‘She’s sixteen, I see, so it’s a touchy situation… and it took her this long to find someone to examine her?’
“Are you her father?” The doctor asked the ginger haired man.
“Uh- well, on paper. She grew up in a children’s home so practically speaking I’m her guardian, or maybe her guarantor.”
“I see.”
‘Sixteen and raised in a children’s home. That sounds… familiar.’ The doctor thought for a brief moment, ‘Almost like Ait-’
Throughout the conversation in his head, the girl lifted the hat she wore off her head. The doctor froze.
Icy blue eyes with white pupils in the shape of six-pointed stars blinked, as she ran a hand through her long blue and pink hair. Her left ear twitched as his breath hitched.
“What’s your take on this doctor?” Her ‘guardian’ spoke through the silence, “Could it be a wicked case of constipation-”
The doctor cut him off, “If it were, she’d be dead.”
“Everything’s running smooth!” The girl-who may or may not be a particular idol-chirped, giving her guardian a thumbs up along with a wink, “No problems today either!”
The doctor suddenly lifted himself off his chair, “For now, let’s move onto the examination. I’ll need to set up first, please wait a moment.”
After he stepped out into the hallway, sliding the door shut and leaving the other two in silence, the doctor collapsed to the ground.
‘WHOA-WHOA-WHOA-WHAT…!? IS SHE THE REAL DEAL!?’ The doctor slowly opened the door a fraction and peered inside and at the 16-year-old girl, ‘Is she an Aito look-alike? No, I’ve been a fan for years! I’d never mistake her for someone else-’
The doctor grinned to himself, ‘Wow- it’s Aito live and in person! She’s so cute! Wait- now’s not the time-’ Just as someone was passing by, the doctor slammed his forehead into the ground, making the passer-by-er flinch, ‘My favorite idol is pregnant! The shock’s so bad I think I’m gonna chuck… ’
“Aito-” The doctor’s eyes landed back on the two inside from the gap in the doorway as the orange-haired man was interrogating the idol, “Seriously, how did this happen?”
‘Yes! My question exactly!’
“I’m the CEO, why didn’t you come to me about it earlier on?” When Aito didn’t answer he asked a different question, “Tell me who the father is at least.”
Aito took a moment to reply before once again, winking and bringing a finger to her lips, “He’s a secret!”
The ginger man scowled as she laughed.
‘A secret? Well, can’t say much about that but still…’

“It looks like your 4 months pregnant with triplets.” The doctor announced, pointing to the screen that showed the ultrasound’s results. Three blurry shadows were imprinted to see.
“Triplets?” The CEO blinked, dazed. The poor man looked exhausted.
“Triplets…” Aito echoed, blue eyes sparkling.
“Aito, are you really going to have them? Surely it’s not too late to have an abortion.” The CEO-who’s name was Shoto Incho the doctor had learned later on-asked, brows furrowing, “If word gets out you got pregnant and gave birth to triplets both you and my agency will be done for.”
Aito froze and thought for a moment before turning to the doctor, “What do you think Sensei?”
“Ultimately, it’s your decision. Think it over carefully. As your doctor, that’s all I can say.”

“As your doctor that is…” He mumbled to himself later on. The man was in the hospital’s waiting room, drinking a can of soda next to the vending machine. Something perked the doctor’s attention. The tv on one of the waiting room’s white walls in front of the couches was displaying the new announcement of an idol getting married with a baby on the way.
“What? No way!” A young man with matted blonde hair frowned as he sat on one of the couches while his friend with the black hair slicked back with gel groaned, “Man, I liked Mitsu too.”
“Wait- on the contrary if I died right now, could I come back as an idol’s kid?”
“Dude- too creepy.”
“Still…”
‘Talk about timing.’ The doctor raised an eyebrow, ‘Although, can you support an idol with kids?’

Later on that evening, the doctor was once again on the rooftop watching the sun dip below the horizon as he leaned on the edge’s rails. He gazed down at the lockscreen on his phone, which happened to be a photo of Airi-Chan.
‘It doesn’t matter if you have a boyfriend too me. I’d still be your fan. But if you have those kids… I’ll lose the chance to see you rise to the top of the industry.’
“Fans are pretty self-centered, aren’t we Airi-Chan?” He muttered to his lockscreen before he heard the rooftop’s metal door creak open behind him.
“Oh, Sensei.” Aito exclaimed as she stepped outside.
“Ms. Hoshino. The evening air has a chill to it, you shouldn’t be out here.”
“It’s fine! I’m bundled up!”
She did a slow twirl before gazing up at the sky, “I only came here to this hospital because Mr. Shoto recommended it but it’s actually a nice place!”
The doctor looked at the horizon as she continued, “Even at sunset, the stars are so clear… it’s never like this in Tokyo.”
“Did you come here because you’d attract attention in Tokyo?” He asked, head turning back to her.
“Hm? Did I mention my job?”
“A few years back I had a patient who was a fan of yours.”
Aito brought her fingertips to her forehead, “Oh dear, all the doctors here are mainly old men so I thought nobody would figure it out.” She placed her chin in-between her thumb and index fingers, “I guess there’s no way of hiding all this charisma! What am I going to do with me?”
‘That’s quite an adorable ego.’
“Are you… retiring being an idol?” He asked slowly, slipping his hands and phone into his coat’s pockets.
“Why? Of course I’m not quitting.”
He blinked, “But that’s…”
“The thing is, I don’t have a family of my own, so I’ve always wanted one. And I’m carrying triplets, right?” She brought a hand to her belly and grinned, “We’re sure to be a fun, lively family!”
“So, you’ll have them and stay active as an idol…” His eyes grew wide as he clicked onto what she meant, “In other words…”
She her grin turned sly, eyes narrowing, “That’s right! I’m not gonna tell.”
She turned to face the now inky-black night, “Idols are like objects of worship, y’know? The magic of lies make us shine.” She turned her head slightly to look at him, “Lies are an outstanding form of love! At least that’s what I believe.”
Aito spun around and spread her rms out wide, “Being able to hide a kid or two is a must for any top idol, I’m sure. We pile on the lies and no matter how hard things get, we sing, dance and act happy on stage! It’s a fun job!”
The doctor watched as she lowered her arms and looked at the shimmering stars above, “Although, I’d like the ‘happy’ part to be real. Our fans and viewers don’t notice, but we have hearts and lives of our own. Happiness as a mother. Happiness as an idol. Normally you’d have to pick one…” Her grin turned sly again, “But I want both! Aito Hoshino is a greedy girl.”
‘Aito is much tougher than I thought she was. Crafty, strong…’
The doctor smiled to himself as he watched her. Her star-shaped pupils were glowing, her blue and pink drifting up and down with the evening breeze.
‘And as dazzling as the evening’s brightest star.’
“I’ve made my peace with it.” He announced.
She hummed, confused, blinking and tilting to her head to the side at the sudden declaration.
‘The doctor and fan in me have reached an agreement.’
“Aito Hoshino, I’ll make sure you give birth safely, and that your children are healthy.”
She smiled at that.
‘After all, you couldn’t possibly be more of an idol, and I a devoted fan.’

☆*:o:*☆

Week 28 Of Pregnancy-
“There’s a good possibility that you’ll need a C-section.” Over the past 8 weeks since he met Aito, the doctor had realized a possible outcome that the CEO of Incho Production, Shoto, wasn’t particularly joyous about, “With your build and still growing body, if the babies have large skulls, the pelvic opening often isn’t wide enough.”
“Huh…” Aito blinked as she sat on her usual chair in the room.
Shoto frowned, “That’s leave a scar on her stomach, right? It’ll affect her job, plus the pricing…”
“No worries! I’ll manage a natural delivery,” Aito grinned, winking and pressing her palms against the side of her face, “I mean, they’re my kids y’know? They’re sure to be tiny, delicate-faced beauties!”
“Of all the random things…”
Week 35 Of Pregnancy-
‘I’ll make your delivery as safe as smooth as possible. I’ll protect your family’ The doctor was out on a stroll beside the forest with Aito a few meters ahead of him. The idol twirled and sang in the sun’s rays. He smiled despite himself,
‘Frankly I’ve got mixed feelings about this, but I’m hiding them just for her. Lies are an outstanding form of love. Her belief is beginning to sound like wise words to me. Idols are pretty amazing.’
Due Date Of Pregnancy-
“Have a good night sensei!” Aito grinned at the doctor from where she sat on the hospital bed. The brown-haired nurse that insisted he was a predator was attending from the side, neatening the sheets.
“But if I call, come back right away, alright?”
“Of course. I live close by anyways.” He smiled softly back, “And if I can’t make it, another doctor will come.”
‘Once this is over, I’ll lose my connection with Aito.’
“Nope- I want you.” She insisted, pouting.
He gave an amused shake of his head before making his departure. As he made his way out of the hospital’s front doors, he continued to think to himself,
‘I saw a side to her she usually doesn’t show, that frank personality. And I think I like it.’
He stepped along the pathway that him and Aito walked weeks back, next to the forest and mountainside. Only the streetlamps lit up the path.
‘I’ll support her happiness from the bottom of my-’
“Hey- are you Aito Hoshino’s personal doctor?”
He flinched and swiveld around to face a male figure under the lamp post’s dim, flickering light. He wore a black hoodie, the hood covering his face so the doctor couldn’t identify his features.
“She uses an alibi at the hospital,” The doctor frowned, his ears twitching in alert, keeping his voice steady he continued, “Even if you saw her in the hospital, her last name was never made public.”
The figure stiffened.
“Are you an acquaintance? Can I ask for your name?” The doctor pressed. The figure turned on his heel and bottled into the woods.
“Hey- stop!” The doctor shouted into the forest and ran after him.
‘Is he a stalker? Right when she’s about to give birth too…’
He pulled out his phone as he ran and turned on it’s flashlight before halting in his tracks at the edge of a cliff-face, ‘Dammit, I lost him. Making me run down a mountain road at night too…’
He mumbled to himself, “Where’d he go?” He looked around and back at his phone’s screen to check the time before a large force hit his back and pushed the doctor off the side of the cliff, the phone slipping out of his hands and heart in his throat as he tumbled down.

‘Ngh… whoa… that startled me… my mind went blank all the sudden… I think he pushed me, and my footing slipped… oh, phone’s ringing… has Aito gone into labor?... where’ my phone?... It’s so dark, I can’t tell. Actually, I can’t even move… I need to get to the hospital... my head’s throbbing and it feels wet; I must’ve hit it pretty hard… but I have to get up. I promised Aito that I’d make sure her kids were born healthy… I have to get up and help deliver her babies… ’

‘I never gave it any real thought. I mean it could be true, if I die now, I just might come back as an idol’s kid in my next life… I just never thought it would happen to me.’
And with that, the doctor’s world went dark.

Notes:

Ah- first chapter out! This took so long to write I had to neglect Fates for an entire week to write this, plus I caught a really bad flew that kept me couch-ridden so I didn’t write anything for an entire week. Oops. At least I can finish the current chapter of Fates now lol. Updating this every two weeks, I think. Please consider giving a vote!

Chapter 4: //Chapter 2 – Reborn to Greater Heights//

‘I used to be an OB-GYN doctor, but I’ve apparently passed on after being pushed off a cliff. It’s a long story, so I’ll keep it brief. I found out my favorite idol was pregnant. It was a shock, then I died. Frankly, my memories of death are fuzzy. For all I know I could still be alive, but considering the situation, I highly doubt it. I always figured a guy like me would be headed for hell after death but…’
Aito was sitting on a couch dressed in a simple white shirt and black leggings, cuddling a baby. He had spiky green hair plus the hedgehog ears and amber eyes. Similar to Aito’s, he had a star-shaped pupil in his left eye, but the other was completely normal. ‘When I woke up, I was in heaven.’
‘This is me now. At this point, I’m the son of Aito Hoshino. Don’t ask me why. I’m still trying to grasp the reality of this situation myself. Also, I was named Manic. Ridiculous name, I know. It’s as if Aito has decided my future.’
The sound of shrill crying filled both Aito and Manic’s ears.
‘Oh right, there’s the other two residences in this household.’
Aito chirped, “Coming!” Before lifting herself off the couch and stepped over to the cot in lounge corner. It was a small apartment, and an even smaller conjoined kitchen and lounge with sheen white walls. In the center of the lounge was a coffee table with a puzzle-piece mat underneath with the four colors of yellow, green, blue and red. A tv hung from the wall opposite the couch and a window on the other that overlooks one of the city streets of Tokyo.
Aito peered into the cream cot at the other two babies. One baby, a girl (the one was obnoxiously bawling), had hot-pink hair the same color as Aito’s highlights with blue eyes that also resembled her mother’s. Similar to Manic’s she only had one star-shaped pupil but in her right eye, not her left. The other, a boy, had the same cerulean blue hair as Aito but no pink streaks. He had emerald green eyes and unlike Manic and his sister, he had stars in both eyes. They shone just like Aito’s.
‘The girl’s name is Sonia and the boy is Maurice. Although their names make no sense, I’d like to swap with either one of them.’
“What’s wrong Manic?” Aito asked the little girl who had tears streaming down her chubby face.
“That’s Sonia. And you call yourself a mother?” The CEO of Aito’s agency, Shoto Incho, snapped from the kitchen, his wife next to him, a gorgeous woman with wolf ears and blonde hair, twirling a lock around a finger. Shoto was wearing his usual suit while the wife was wearing a skin-tight black dress that was way too short for Manic’s comfort.
“What can I say? I’m bad at pairing faces with names.” Aito looked back at the triplets in her arms, “That’s just icky! Japanese men have all these illusions on how mommies should be.”
“Don’t go international on me! You don’t even own a passport! You said you won’t do foreign shoots anyways, remember?” He scowled.
“But I do remember the names of people I believe are talented, President Sheito.”
“Close but no. It’s Shoto, you damn idol. Anyway- Aito is making her comeback today.” Shoto brought a whiteboard on wheels into the lounge and pointed at the bold writing,
‘Incho Pro Meeting:
-Aito’s comeback
-Dealing with kids’
“Let’s review how this is going to work.” He slapped a hand against the board, “Your first appearance is on a music program tonight. It’s a live broadcast, but you’ll manage.”
Aito gave a sweet, “Of course!”
“While you’re working, my wife will watch the triplets.”
The wolf sighed at that, ears twitching in irritation.
“She’s really young!” Aito bluntly pointed out, “The other members say the way you favor young girls is a total turn-off!”
He frowned, “That’s news to me. I’ll follow up on that.”
“Can’t I just take the kids to work with me?” She continued.
“Tell me you’re not seriously asking that!?” Shoto snapped, “Get this into your thick skull- you’re an idol and a mother of three at 16! If the public finds out, your career ends right there.” He drew a thumb across his throat, “Since it happened on my watch, my agency will also be toast. We’ll all go to hell together. You can’t take your kids when you turn in paperwork at city hall or go shopping. If something urgent comes up and you’ve got no other choice, tell people you’re taking care of our kids.”
Aito pouted, “Geez- what a pain.” She looked down at little Manic in her lap, “That’s no fun, huh, Maurice?”
“That’s Manic you fool.”
Aito only laughed though, completely oblivious to the fact she had mistaken her own children’s names and how concerning that was.
‘As far as mother’s go, Aito’s not the greatest.’ Manic thought, ‘But with the Incho’s covering for her, it might just work out.’
“It’s almost time to prepare for tonight. Let’s move.” Shoto grumbled.

☆*:o:*☆

“Ugh! I’ve never babysat in my life… why did they dump this on me?” The wolf wife of the CEO’s, Nazu, groaned as she laid on the couch, arms and hair sprawled out. Moments later, she drifted off to sleep. It was later in the evening, Aito and Shoto had left an hour ago for that live performance and Manic decided to take the chance with Nazu now asleep to crawl over to the tv. He grabbed the remote which was left on-top of the short coffee table and turned on the channel where Aito’s performance was broadcast.
[Let’s hear it for the members of Incho-K!] The announcer’s voice enveloped the lounge. He brought his microphone to a waving Aito, who was now wearing a cute pink dress that reached her knees.
[So, Aito-San, this is your first day back on the job! Are you okay? Eating properly?]
[Yes- I’m eating a ton!]
‘Good, she’s doing fine.’
[Oh, right! Speaking of food, the other day my boy-]
Manic choked on air.
[Your boy?]
[Oh- I mean my kitten! I adopted him during my recovery.]
[How about that…]
Manic’s heartbeat raced a million miles per hour at her slip up. Aito’s laughter filled his ears as she laughed it off.
‘Yeah, actually, this may not work.’
[Incho-K, please set up for your performance!]

“We’ll be switching cameras in thirty seconds,” The head cameraman grinned at the seven girls on set. He gave them a thumbs-up, “Thanks for your help. Give us a stellar show!”
As he walked off and the group got into position, a female staff member with oak hair tucked into a ponytail asked him, “Incho-K, do you know them?”
He replied with a dull, “Nope. And I’m not interested.”
Two other cameramen spoke in hushed tones, “I heard their CD. However, you want to take it, they’re just average. Although that’s what sells, I guess. We have to talk them up even though they’ve got nothing. What do we even say?”
“About all I could compliment is their center’s face.”
Hidden to the members of the idol group, conversations in lowered voices echoed throughout the set.
“I know their name, but they dropped off the radar for six months.”
“So, who forced this through?”
“Hey- one of them has a nice rack. Why not have her do pin-up work?”
“They’re just a hyped-up indie group.”
“Incho Production? Haven’t heard of their agency either.”
“Let’s take the center out to eat. She looks like the producer’s type.”
Shoto stood at the back of the room, arms folded. He thought to himself,
‘This is the entertainment industry that the world finds so glamorous.’
The head cameraman held up a sign to the girls that read, ‘On in 30’.
‘The glamorous smiles, cover up lies and selfish motives. Dead air can’t happen. In order to get the best possible show out of any performer, even the staff will lie. That goes for the higher-ups too. They talk like they’re making art, but really they’re only looking at the bottom line. They don’t want to, but everybody lies.’
The music started to play as cameras rolled.
‘Great. Bring it on. See my Aito…’
“Anata no aidoru…” Aito’s angelic voice rang out across the large expanse and into the cameras. She pointed at the center camera and beamed, eyes glistening, “Sain wa B!”
‘Is a professional liar.’
The staff stopped their criticizing conversations to stare at Aito, frozen and enthralled by her charm. She winked, “Chu!”

Back at the apartment, Manic mumbled to himself, “The CEO’s really something else. If people find out about this, he’ll lose everything.” Manic smiled softly as he watched Aito twirl on screen, “I get it though. You can’t help but lose your grip a little around her.”
‘Faced with a light that’s too intense. People tend to just… get burned. It draws them in like moths to a flame. Even when they realize their wings will burn off, they can’t stop. I’m no exception. I’m happy I get to watch over Aito as her son. I mean- some guy killed me and I’m actually grateful.’
‘If this reincarnation is a miracle by all the obsession I had focused on her, I would not be the least surprised.’ In the baby basket tucked in the corner of the room, both Sonia and Maurice slept soundly as Manic gazed at Aito’s performance.
‘To be honest, I wish she could have had normal kids, but it’s out of my control. You can’t fight the supernatural.’ He laughed to himself, ‘So I’m going to enjoy this as much as I can.’
Back in the baby basket, Sonia’s eyes blinked open.
“Wait.”
Manic froze.
“Is Mama’s performance on already!?” His sister shrieked, crawling out of the basket and to the tv beside Manic, “Why didn’t you wake me up!?”
Her face lit up as she saw Aito’s figure on screen, “Omichaos!!! Mama is waaay to cute! Every viewer should be paying a hundred million yen for this!!!” She squealed, “Check out how expressive she is on those turns! It’s eerie how good she is. Oh- I just got the chills!”
Sonia grabbed the remote out of Manic’s tiny hands as she continued to gush over Aito’s dancing, “Her face is great, her figure’s great, her singing’s great, I swear our mom’s a force of nature! I’ve got to watch the recording, stat!”
She shot him a glare, “Listen, live broadcasts are live for a reason. Why didn’t you wake me up!? These baby bodies get stupid sleepy, so let’s help each other out, alright?”
He rolled his eyes, “I did try to. Several times.”
“Huh…? Like, for real?”
‘In this new life, this moron is my sister. Sonia Hoshino, like me, she’s some reincarnated rando. I can’t say the same for Maurice though, so far he’s acted like an average baby.’
Sonia looked back at the remote, “Let’s play the recording!”
‘I’ll say it again…’
“EEEE!!! Omichaos!!!”
‘I wish Aito could have had normal kids like Maurice.’
“Record it once, watch it forever! It’s the bargain to end all bargains!”
‘Not freaky kids like me and Sonia.’

In another apartment across Tokyo a man in a black hoodie was also watching Incho-K’s live performance. He glowered at the screen, his voice hoarse and desperate, “Aito… you liar… popping out brats… why?... you tricked me…”

Chapter 5: //Chapter 3 - Babysitter//

“Are you hungry?” Aito asked Manic as she cradled him in her arms while she sat on the pale blue couch, “Want to nurse?”
His face went red as he shook his head around in circles vigorously.
“Huh? You don’t?” She blinked before passing him a baby bottle. He took it gratefully and started to suck, his cheeks deflating inward along with the action. Aito laughed as she watched him, “You sure like your baby bottle Manic. Wow- look at you go!"
‘In my book, having an idol breastfeed is a line adults shouldn’t cross. Technically, I’m now physically a baby, but still mentally an adult.’
A loud crying pierced through the room.
“Yes, yes- hungry again, are we?” Aito quipped, picking up both Sonia and Maurice from the cot, and let them suck on a boob each, “And you two sure like boobs, huh Sonia? Maurice?”
At her words, Sonia turned her head and shot Manic a sly smirk. He scowled at the gesture, ‘That little... I suppose it’s alright for Maurice since he doesn’t remember his past life but she’s taking it too far.’
“Oh! Look- it’s Mama!” Aito pointed at the tv screen. It displayed an ad for Incho-K's new song, ‘Super Motor’.
Aito picked up the three infants and cuddled them to her chest as she collapsed back onto the couch, a wide smile on her face, “It’s just been released! Isn’t that cool?”
‘Aito is an idol, but she’s also the mother of triplets at the age of sixteen. Of course, if the public finds out, it’ll be a disaster. So, she’s living a double life. Speaking of lives, in my previous one I was an OB-GYN doctor at a hospital in the countryside. I was Aito’s fan. Sonia is reincarnated as well; I figured that out pretty early on.’
-Flashback 3 Months Ago-
Manic was tucked into bed with both Aito and Maurice, but Sonia was nowhere to be seen. As the two snored away, he slipped out of the bed.
‘Just about the time I’d finally started to accept the reality of being reborn and remembering the memories of my previous life, late one night I snuck out of the bedroom to find Sonia on Aito’s phone the next room over.’
The hot-pink haired hedgehog girl was tapping the screen furiously,
“Huh!? Screw you! What kind of Neanderthal doesn’t ‘get’ Mama’s beauty and talent? The superiority of her performance is obvious! ‘The management plays favorites’? Heck yes they do! How could they not!?” She glowered at the device, typing in a reply, “Look, you’re clearly some ugly old hag! Check a mirror and say that again, ugly!”
‘The idiot had searched up ‘Aito Incho-K’ on Twitter and was now fighting a nuclear flame war with a troll.’
He stepped over slowly, “Could it be... you’re the same as me?”
She turned her head slowly in his direction and blinked before retaliating and giving him a disgusted look, “Ew! That baby just talked!”
“Said the baby...”
-End of Flashback-
‘Well, we are two of triplets. The thought did occur to me, but fortunately for Aito, one of her kids ended up normal, that being Maurice. ’
“It’s time for rehearsal.” Shoto insisted to Aito, giving her a stern look.
She nodded, “Okay.” The idol gave all three kids a peck on the forehead and a bright smile, “Now be good kids while Mama’s gone, ‘Kay?” And with that, both Aito and the CEO were gone, leaving Nazu alone with the triplets who sat on the couch, staring at the front door at their mother’s abrupt absence.
Manic turned his gaze away and let it land on Sonia. He whispered to his sister, “Look- hold back a bit, would you? It’s creepy.”
“Why?” She smiled and answered with a blunt, “I’m her daughter. Nursing from Mama is like- a law of nature. It’s a natural right given to me at birth.”
He frowned slightly, “Just checking, were you female in your last life too?”
“Uh-huh.”
“In that case... I guess it’s okay. Barely.”
Sonia laughed, “Your jealousy is too creepy! Well- I get it. Ethically, an adult male breastfeeding is real bad news. Thank goodness I was born female so I can suck on boobs legally!”
He gave her an exasperated look, “My ethics say that’s no good either.”
Sonia’s tone went dark and distant as she mumbled, “Poor Mama... having her own rabid fans for kids, that’s just icky. At least there’s Maurice... ohh- I feel so bad for her. I’ll protect Mama for as long as I live...”
“There’s no doubt about it- You are the creepiest one here.”
‘I bet she was this type in her last life. Not that I knew any female idol fans but...’ He froze, ‘Wait- I did know one.’
Sonia started to squirm. She shot him a look, “I want my diaper changed. Go somewhere else.”
He rolled his eyes but obeyed, crawling over to the other side of the lounge, “Yeah, yeah.” Maurice was already asleep, snuggling up to the couch’s pillows.
Sonia started to bawl, waving her arms around, drawing the attention of Nazu who stood in the kitchen, leaning against the bench-top island, scrolling on her phone. At the noise, the young lady sighed and grabbed a fresh diaper. As she changed it for Sonia’s old one, she mumbled, “Hah... why me? I’m the CEO’s wife, aren’t I? The manager for goodness sake.”
She scowled and clenched the old, wrapped up diaper tightly, “I married that jerk because I thought I’d get to work with pretty boys! But here I am, babysitting a sixteen-year-old idol’s kids!”
Nazu threw the old diaper into a small bin with aggressive force, “And she’s a single mom! Baby daddy unknown! Could this not get anymore sordid? Look pal, I didn’t get married to be a babysitter!”
Sonia muttered under her breath once she had crawled back to Manic’s side, “Uh- excuse me? Dedicating yourself to Mama is utter bliss. Is she crazy or something?”
He frowned, “No, actually, what she’s saying has some logic behind it.”
Nau’s tone went dark, “Oh... I know, we’re covering up a scandal, aren’t we? Why don’t I sell this information to Weekly Sulfix and get rich?”
“Yikes! Not good!” Sonia hissed softly, “What do we do? Kill her?”
Manic’s frowned deepened into a scowl, “We can’t... the size difference is too great, we wouldn’t stand a chance.”
She gave him a look, “I was just kidding, but you sound serious.”
“ARGH!” Nazu threw her arms in the air and laughed, “I don’t even care anymore! I’m going for it!”
‘This is definitely too dangerous to ignore. Although maybe we should see this as a chance...’
Nazu grabbed a small booklet out of a drawer that sat under the television and took photos of its contents with her cellphone.
Sonia hissed at Manic again, “Seriously- what do we do!? She’s going paparazzo on the Maternity Record book!”
He whispered into her hot-pink ear, “I’ve got an idea.”
Nazu gave another dark laugh, “Heh-heh... I’ll sell this, use the money to buy Moet at the host club...”
“Pitiful girl. The thirst in your heart cannot be slaked with champagne.”
Nazu froze at the words before whisking around, “Who’s there?”
While Maurice was still fast asleep on the couch, Sonia and Manic had climbed on top of the coffee table, glaring down at Nazu’s knelt form.
Manic crossed his arms before continuing, “I-I am a messenger of the Gods.” He pointed at Nazu, raising his voice, “Your wicked deeds can no longer be ignored!”
Nazu’s eyes widened, “A divine messenger...? Forget that, that baby just talked! No way- what is this?”
“Believe in me. Do infants normally speak in your world?”
She lifted her hands up and waved them, “No- come on... I mean really? ‘The Gods’? I’m not really into religion...” She started to look around, “Oh! I get it! This is a prank, right? A manager prank by Aito-san's program! Those happen! Boy- they went all out. There’s got to be a hidden camera somewhere...”
‘Damn- I guess this was pushing it...’
Nazu started to reach for Sonia, “No-no, Sonia-chan. Climbing up on the table isn’t safe-”
Sonia smacked her hand away, making the blonde woman flinch and retaliate. Sonia gave her an icy, deadpanned look, the pale blue star in her right eye glowing, “Mind thy tongue. I am the incarnation of Amaterasu. What thy terms a God.”
Nazu’s eyes widened as fear filled them.
“Blinded by the lucre before thee, thou art in peril of abandoning thy preordained destiny.”
Nazu gapped, “My destiny?”
“The Maiden, Aito Hoshino, is favored by the God of entertainment. Her triplet offspring also bear a great destiny. Thy destiny is to guard and keep thy safe. Thy deeds fly in the fare of the Gods, shouldst thou not repent. Divine punishment shall be your lot.”
“Punishment!?” Nazu shrieked, “What do you mean divine punishment? Like- specifically!?”
“Specifically? Specifically...”
Manic answered for his sister’s slack, “You die.”
“Yes! Thou shall die!” Sonia confirmed with a nod.
Nazu’s look of fear turned into one of terror, “No! That’s incredibly specific!” Her hands clasped together in a pleading motion, “What should I do!?”
“It is simple. Guard our family’s secrets. Also- dote on these children and do all they ask of thee. If thou art faithful, thy next husband might be a handsome actor.”
Nazu beamed at the last few words, “Wait- seriously!? I’ll do it! I’ll do anything you say!”

Around 15 minutes afterwards, both Sonia and Manic sat beside Maurice’s sleeping body on the couch, watching Nazu dust the shelves and sing, ‘Handsome second hubby!’
Sonia turned her head to Manic, “Was that okay?”
He nodded, “Absolutely. Either way, our range of movement as infants is limited. We needed an adult helper. We should be able to go outside now.”
At his words, Sonia threw her arms in the air, “Whoo-hoo! That’ll be nice!”
“Still, that was impressive. Were you an actor in your past life?”
“No- that was a first for me.”
He raised a brow, “A first? Weren’t you in any school plays growing up?”
Her bright face dimmed, “I… grew up in kind of a unique place.”
“Oh? It’s talent then. Maybe you’ll grow up to be an actress.”
She blinked, taken aback, “Grow up…? I’ve never thought about it.”

Later that night, when Aito was fast asleep in bed with Maurice, Manic had crawled into the lounge to find a Sonia dozing off against the couch.
‘She’s a nutty idol otaku that one. But…’
“Here’s the thing about Aito-chan!” Airi-chan grinned at the doctor, showing him her lockscreen, a picture of younger Aito, “Her dancing is out of this world! And she has this incredible charisma! I like Aito-Chan the best in the world!”
Manic smiled softly at his drooling sister, “When this kid talks about Aito, her enthusiasm’s just like yours Airi-chan.”
Sonia’s eyes flittered open. With a yawn she mumbled, “What? What didja call me?”
He shook his head, “Sorry, did I wake you? I didn’t say anything, and if you’re going to sleep, head to the bedroom.”
She obeyed his order, leaving him to watch tv and stepped into the bedroom down the hall,
“Well, yeah. That wouldn’t happen, huh?” She whispered, rubbing her tired eyes with a free hand, “Airi was the name I had in my last life.”

Chapter 6: //Chapter 4 - How To Smile//

‘A few months have passed since Aito’s comeback. Incho-K was deemed completely unstoppable.’
Aito sat on the couch, a dark look on her features, “I earned 20, 000 Yen this month…” (100 Yen is equivalent to 1 US Dollar)
‘Unstoppable in our dreams.’
All three babies were cuddled up on their mother’s lap. She let out a loud groan, “This agency sure is stingy with it’s wages.”
Her statement attracted the attention of Nazu who sat at the kitchen table typing away on her computer.
“Our last single hit number three on the Oricon charts, didn’t it?” Aito continued to whine, “You take a huge cut.”
Nazu let out a sigh before answering the complaint, “The higher-ups do everything from production to distribution, but we’re small. You know our margins were tight, why bring this up now?”
Aito pouted, “I’ve just realized that the world is all about money.”
Nazu gave her a sympathetic look, “That’s one nasty thing to realize now.”
The young mother picked up Maurice and lifted him above, looking up at his small, round face, “Being an idol is fun. When it was just me it was fine, but I’d like to send these kids to a good school and let them take lessons and things. If I want them to have options, I’ll have to sell better and earn more, right?” Her eyes narrowed and features grew solemn, “At this rate, I won’t be able to make them happy.”
The idol put Maurice back on her lap before noting, “Maybe someone will send a commercial gig or a movie job. Well, again the higher-ups will take a big cut... no- before that, cut out the expensive ice-cream.”
She stood up and placed the triplets in-between cushions before lifting herself off the sofa, swung a black bag over her shoulder and said her goodbyes, “Alright, I’m headed to rehearsal. You three be good.”
She opened the front door and slipped out. Sonia turned to Manic, “Say, don’t idols earn like- one million yen a month?”
He gave her a look, “Of course they don’t.”
“What!? They don’t!?”
“Song royalties and performance fees are divided equally among the members. If the merch doesn’t sell, a show can easily end up in the red. The cost of costumes is deducted from their salaries too. Only a handful make a million yen a month.”
She scowled, “What’s with that? People work hard, but they don’t get good money? The world’s gone to the dogs. Oh- I know!” Sonia’s gaze darkened as she gave him a sly grin, “All the otakus could take turns offering their livers to Aito, and she could sell them...”
“I’m pretty sure your head is going to the dogs. No more ‘pre-civilization nuclear winter religion’ scenarios, got it?”
‘She has a great voice, she’s good at dancing and is drop-dead-gorgeous. She takes lessons, does vocal training and at night she comes up with choreography at home. She’s a hard worker, and Incho-K is growing up in the charts. But even then...’
Both Manic and Sonia crawled off the couch and over to Nazu before interrogating the fox,
“Hey manager!” He snapped, “Why isn’t our Aito getting any jobs?”
“What kind of crappy manager are you!?” His sister glowered, “Get out there and market her!”
Nazu sighed, “Look you can say that, but the bottom line is that idol groups are made up of several people who team up and compete with solo entertainers for jobs. They can get jobs but only ever rarely when you sell them as a set. When you put a single idol member against a solo artist, the hurdle’s very high. There are tons of former idols who retired early because they wanted to go solo but then couldn’t get jobs independently. Now they work parttime at classy restaurants in Roppongi or become Minato girls who get paid to attend drinking parties.”
“Paid to party? I don’t get it...”
“Tokyo’s a scary city.”
She continued, “I admit that Aito’s amazing, but only ‘as an idol’. Unless you have a skill that lets you compete on your own, you can’t get by in the entertainment industry. The high-paying jobs are the ones that would go to ‘Aito’, not ‘a member of Incho-K’ so just being a brilliant idol isn’t enough.”

At Incho Production official dance studio, Aito sat on a bench at the back of a rehearsal room. A cold, wet towel draped around the back of her neck.
“You look kinda down Aito-Chan.” One of the other members asked after noticing her long look, “You’re just getting over being sick for so long, don’t push yourself, okay?”
Aito’s solemn look instantly changed to a huge grin as she waved her sweaty hands side-to-side, “Oh no- that's not it. I just forgot to eat lunch! I’m totally starving!”
The other girl gave her a small smile with a raised eyebrow, “What? Are you trying to play the ‘loves food’ character or something?”
As the other six members left the studio, Aito pulled out her cellphone from her back pocket.
‘I’m just not feeling it today. Oh, I know- I’ll google myself.’
Doing exactly that, Aito scrolled through her tag on twitter, right before a particular post caught her eye,

[@Tanurou – 3 days ago
For better or worse, Aito
smiles like a pro. Somehow, it’s
like there’s no human feeling about
it... like she’s some sort of robot.
I can’t quite stan her. #AitoTheIdol]

She froze, breath hitching. Aito read the comment over-and-over again until it was engraved within her mind.
‘Well... that hits close to home...’

[We’ve got three members of Incho-K here with us tonight!]
The announcer’s voice rang out loud and clear. The crowd cheered as Aito and two other members walked out on stage, skirts bouncing up and down as they skipped onwards, bright smiles, microphones in hand.
“A sales promo event! A mini concert!” Sonia squealed, her eyes wide with enthusiasm and looked like she was about to burst, “The kind you can only get tickets to if you win them! I’ve never seen Mama perform live before!”
The triplets were tucked into a three-seater pram in the back of the audience on a higher platform with at least a dozen of other fans with glowsticks. Around fifty other fans were below and the stage up front. Maurice was in the middle of the pram, Sonia on his left and Manic on the right. Nazu who had a firm grip on the pram’s handle knelt down and whispered to the little girl,
“Listen up, I brought you lot here because you insisted. But if Mr. Shoto finds out, I’m the one facing hell.”
She placed pacifiers in all three’s mouths, all color-coded as their hair, “Don’t cheer her on. And certainly don’t talk.”
Manic nodded, “She’s right Sonia. We mustn’t stand out, no matter what. We’re supposed to be staff member’s kids. Don’t do anything that would link us to Aito.”
“Yeesh, I know already. You don’t have to tell me,” She rolled her eyes before her gaze saddened just that little bit, “You saw how discouraged Mama was this morning. It probably doesn’t seem like it, but I’m here because I’m worried about her. Understood that I didn’t come to have fun.”

The music started, along with the dance and lyrics.
“We! Are! Star☆T☆Rain! Check- Now- Come on, come on!”
The crowd roared, waving the glowsticks around so that onstage, it looked like a sea of multicolored, glowing dots. Aito was beaming, spinning around as she sang before blowing the audience a kiss, but on the inside her thoughts were churning drastically.

[For better or worse, Aito smiles like a pro.]

She threw her arms out as she sung to her audience,
‘Well, of course I do. That’s what I am. A pro.’
The crowd didn’t notice the slight shift in her demeanor.

[Somehow, it’s like there’s no human feeling behind it…]

‘That makes no sense,’ Her gaze grew distant as her eyes narrowed, the star-shaped pupils growing dull, ‘You’re the ones who don’t want us to seem human.’
For a moment the world grew quiet and seemed to slow down a pace. The stage lights blurred her view ahead slightly, ‘I practice in the mirror. I polish it down to the millimeter. The way I squinch up my eyes, the corners of my mouth. It’s all calculated. I always perform the smile that people will like the most…’
‘It doesn’t matter; I’m made out of lies anyways.’
Something caught her eye. The movement of speeding glowsticks. Her eyes widened. At the back of the crowd, in a three-seater pram were her kids. Manic and Sonia were swinging their blue glowsticks around in a precise formation at top speed, circling, up and down. It got to the point they were nothing but a blur. In the center of the two sat Maurice, gazing up at his mother, reaching his arms towards her, a huge beaming smile on his chubby face. Nazu was stone still, beads of sweat streaming down her face. Several crowd members gaped at the infant glowstick prodigies.
“Check out those babies! Two of them are doing the light-stick choreo!”
“Those are incredibly sharp moves for infants!”
Sonia and Manic froze as Nazu icily whispered, “Oh- you came cause you were worried- huh? You’re way more into this than anybody else here!”
“Instinct took over!” They hissed back in unison. Maurice gave a babbling laugh, clapping his hands together.
“Instinct!?”
The other two members on stage stopped dancing as they watched the audience,
“Whoa, some babies they are…”
“Geez- what in the world?”
Aito brought her hands and microphone to her chest as she watched her triplets. Sonia and Manic were pale at being caught out, Maurice continued to babble up at Aito.
‘My kids…’
The dull stars in Aito’s eyes lit up, glowing even brighter than ever. A smile formed on her features, making her entire face light up. Her chest swelled with an emotion she couldn’t quite place.
‘Are so cuuuuuuute!!!’

Later on that night, CEO Shoto, Nazu, Aito and the triplets gazed at Nazu’s phone. A tweet had been posted an hour ago with a short video of the infant’s light-stick show and Aito’s huge, beaming smile afterwards.
“210, 000 retweets… the reposted video’s already been played two million times…” Nazu mumbled, left eye twitching slightly as she held her phone, “Baby content does go viral easily, but even so… this is really, uh…”
Shoto grabbed the phone and passed it to Aito before grabbing Nazu jacket collar and pulled her out of the lounge, “C’mere a minute, we need to talk…”
Aito opened the comments once they left.

[What’s the idol’s name?]

[Did Aito always smile like that? She seems different.]

[I sense nothing but ‘future problem otaku’ from those babies.]

A certain comment caught the idol’s attention. It was the same commenter from earlier that morning, claiming her smile was too robotic.

[@Tanurou – 30 minutes ago
Yes that!!! That’s the smile she needs!!! #AitoTheIdol]

The kids watched as she pressed her index finger against her left cheek, a small smile tugging on her lips, “I see… so that’s ‘good’. Noted.”

Chapter 7: //Chapter 5 - Director & Actress//

-One Year Later-

‘Maurice, Sonia and I are now 16 months old. By now, we’re big enough to stand up and talk without seeming suspicious. Maurice has started to speak, and thanks to the fact he has genius siblings, he too has incredible vocabulary, not as great as Sonia and I’s, but exceptional in other’s eyes. We attempted to explain how we were ‘reincarnated’ but I don’t think he really got it. He’ll understand in the future anyhow. To be honest with you, I find his maturity creepier than ours.’

The mid-morning sunlight filtered through the large windows, illuminating the family’s doing. Manic was reading a book on the floor, Maurice on the couch snoozing against Aito’s side and Sonia was at her mother’s knees, pulling a tantrum loud enough for the neighbors to hear. It was a miracle that Maurice could sleep through it all.

“Mama! Gimme pats!” She lifted her arms up and waved them around. Obeying her demand, Aito started to stroke her head with a small smile, unbothered by her daughter’s lack in mannerism.

“Ah… paradise found.” The little girl cooed.

Aito’s eyes narrowed, “Where did you learn a hard word like paradise?”

The two conscious siblings flinched.

‘Does Aito… suspect us?’

“I guess you’re a mind-blowing genius.” She laughed and continued to pat Sonia head, “It must be genetic!”

‘Nope- never mind. And so, our days as a unique family are somewhat peaceful. Aito’s steadily picking up more work. Model shoots, radio assistant. And today’s job is the culmination of all that work.’

 

A couple of hours later, the family was on the road in a white van. Nazu was driving, Aito next to her, Sonia at the back right (grumbling because she couldn’t sit next to her mother), Manic on the back left and Maurice in the middle.

“It’s your first drama Mama!” Sonia perked up from her bad mood, “I can’t wait!”

Aito laughed, turning her head around to face her daughter, “It’s just a small part though.”

“Listen you three.” Nazu raised her voice, “I’m bringing you along because you insisted, but whatever you do, don’t call Aito-san, ‘Mama’ while we’re there.” She gave them a firm look, “Don’t forget, you’re supposed to be my kids.”

Manic gave her a blank stare, “Mama, mama- Pat my head.”

Maurice threw his arms in the air and beamed, “Mine too Mama!”

“Mama, I want my allowance.” Sonia muttered, rolling her eyes.

Nazu scowled.

 

“Aito, from Incho Production.” The pretty idol bowed gracefully at the classroom doorway, “I’m looking forward to working with you.”

The set and crew members muttered their welcomes. A tall man with brown hair tied up into a man-bun and walked over to Aito and looked her up and down with a hard glare.

“Is something the matter, director?” She asked, feeling cornered under his heavy gaze.

“Not really…” He muttered, narrowing his eyes.

Sonia whispered to her brothers from behind Aito’s figure,  “He’s kinda scary, huh?”

“Apparently he’s this drama’s Director.” Manic added with a solemn gaze. He was concerned for his young mother. She seemed to stick out like a sore thumb in this environment.

“His face sure is scary.” Maurice mumbled, squirming where he stood, emerald eyes never leaving the director’s whereabouts.

The director noticed the three children behind their mother and scowled, “What are these kids doing here?”

Nazu stepped beside Aito, “Oh- they’re mine.”

His scowl deepened, bushy eyebrows knitting together, “A manager bringing her kids to work, hm?”

Nazu and the triplets flinched.

“Is this one of those labor reforms? Well, some people bring their dogs on set so, why not?” He stated before stalking off to the producer’s side, a burly man with blonde hair, “What an era we live in…”

The group of five let out breaths of relief. The classroom set was lovely, neatly glazed windows, polished desks and chairs, the uniforms the actors were wearing precisely cut and fresh clean. The drama was a high-school romance and Aito was put in to be a side-character. The idol skipped over to a collection of tables with free food gifts that workers gave as a gift sprawled out across the neat wood. Aito’s eyes lit up at the collection, mouth watering.

 It wasn’t long before the other actors swooped the triplets into their arms and started to pamper the toddlers. They sat on the actor’s laps receiving head pats, beaming smiles and compliments.

Sonia cooed, “Goo-Goo Gaa-Gaa.”

‘Quit mugging for them.’ Manic gazed at his sister, exasperated.

With great, grueling effort, Manic escaped the actress he sat on and stepped into the hallway, breathing in the musty school air.

‘I’m done. All that attention is wearing me out.’

Before the boy knew it, his brother was at his heels, beaming, “Those ladies were very nice.”

Manic gave him a small smile at the comment but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. The two continued to walk down the hallway in silence, Maurice swinging his arms up and down as he walked along.

‘Gee, he’s a sweet kid. I’m not sure me and Sonia got Aito’s good looks and quirky humor, but he sure got the lot. Cute looks, the star pupils in nig, innocent eyes, blue hair, same charm even.’ Manic frowned slightly, ‘Although… there’s also something quite different about him. You’d think Sonia and I would be the creepy ones for being so mature. But his half-baked maturity and sweet innocence makes him so… odd. You have to see it yourself face-to-face to get it.’

“Hm?” The tow brothers looked up to see the director towering over them, “Well, if it isn’t the manager’s kids.” He knelt down and gave them a good look, “I don’t care if you’re here, but if you lot start crying and we have to stop filming I’ll kick you out.”

Manic put his hands up and waved them around, fretting, “Oh- no sir! We may be toddlers, but don’t worry, we wouldn’t dare perpetrate any blunders like that!”

Manic nodded, bowing, “We understand that not disturbing the shoot is rule number one!”

The two kids were sweating pale.

“These two babies sure talk like blue streaks!” He mused, shooting them a curious frown, “Where did you two pick up vocabulary like that?”

“Uh…” Maurice blinked.

“We watch a lot of YouTube…?”

“Man- YouTube is awesome! What an era we live in!” The director grinned. He gave the two boys one more curious glance before placing his hands on Maurice’s sides and lifted him into the air, “I’ve seen my share of precocious child actors, but you two are on another level.” He looked into Maurice’s shimmering emerald eyes and frowned, “You are one creepy kid. It would make a real fun visual.”

He placed the little boy back down beside his brother, “Blue-head, do you act by any chance?”

Maurice shook his head side-to-side as Manic frowned.

“I want to use you in something.” He slipped a small business card out of his pocket and held it out to Maurice, “Here’s my card. If you sign on with an agency, call me.”

Before his brother could take the generous offering, Manic swatted the Director’s hand away insisting with a hard tone, “If you’re handing out jobs, send them to Aito.”

The director blinked, “Oh, right, the idol!” Despite Manic’s previous gesture, he slipped the card into Maurice’s overall chest-pocket, “Her looks are fantastic. If she’s lucky, she’ll last.”

Manic’s frown deepened, “Lucky? But you just said she has fantastic looks.”

The director stood up with a pained grunt and started to walk back to the classroom doorway and peered through. The brothers followed his footsteps and watched as he lifted up three fingers, “Listen up. There are three types of actors. First, is the audience magnet. Their main role is to attract viewers. They also act as the face of the show, so their appearance feels good. Next is genuine talent. Their role is to guarantee the quality of the project. Preserving the label’s brand image is their job.” The director pointed to Aito who was busy with a make-up professional, dusting her cheeks with pink powder, “Last is the newcomer. Nobody expects them to be able to act. If they bring new life to the screen, they pass. The goal is also to help the next star build experience. It’s an investment by the whole industry, in other words, all the new faces over there are potential investments. Will they sell to audiences? If neither happens, they’ll lose their spot to the next newcomer. Of all the newbies on set, if even one survives in the industry, it’s considered a huge success. That’s the sort of world this is, nobody makes it unless they’re first-class at something.”

“That’s… scary.” Maurice’s face scrunched up in disgust.

Manic smiled, “Aito will be fine then. She’s a first-class idol.”

The director gave him a look, “There’s no point in being first-class at that.”

One cameraman yelled out across the space, “Ready for scene 74!”

The clapperboard was snapped shut with a sharp ‘thud’ and the cameras started rolling. Aito and the other actress playing the main character sat on conjoined desks chatting away.

“You should ask him out!” Aito smirked, nudging the girl with her shoulder.

“What!? No way!”

The idol brought her fingertips against her lips, squinted her eyes and let out a laugh, throwing her head back slightly. The laugh was a sweet sound to everyone’s ears. The clapperboard was snapped again and chatter erupted back throughout set.

“Her acting’s average,” The director muttered, “But she really stands out.”

“Doesn’t she?” Maurice beamed, “She was talking about her acting earlier on the ride here.”

Manic nodded, “Yeah, how on stage she has to look cute for everyone from every single angle. But here, only the camera has to think she’s cute. She said if she treats it like a music-video it should turn out fine. It’s actually one of her fortes.”

The director pulled a face, “A music-video? Come on… what an era we live in…”

“They’ll turn out amazing!” Maurice looked back at his mother, “You should really watch them!”

 

 

-One Month Later-

The family of four sat on their apartment’s couch watching the live broadcast on television. Sonia sat on Aito’s lap, Maurice and Manic on either side.

Sonia grinned, “It’s about to start!”

“They filmed quite a lot, didn’t they?” Aito pointed out absentmindedly.

“They did!” Maurice leaned against his mother’s side, a big smile tugging at his lips.

“Oh, here- this is the scene!” Manic thrusted his index fingers towards the screen.

The head actress sat on the conjoined desks. Aito walked into the classroom with a big smile.

“Aha- Mama!” Sonia cried out, “Zoom in on her!”

“Hush, you’re going to ruin it!” Manic wacked his sister’s arm. Sonia pouted.

But throughout the rest of the drama’s episode, Aito didn’t make another appearance. Manic and Sonia glowered at the screen,

“Whaaaaat!? That’s it?”

“She was just in one scene for like- a second!”

Aito looked down at Sonia, “Maybe my acting was bad...?”

“It definitely wasn’t!”

Manic shifted over to sit beside Maurice and whispered, “That business card the director gave you. I need it.”

“Hm?” He gave him a curious frown, “Sure- but why?”

“Doesn’t matter, I need it.” He hissed, not wanting either his mother to Sonia to overhear their hushed conversation. The cerulean-haired boy reluctantly obliged and ran off to collect it. A few minutes later he came back with it in hand. Manic snatched it up, mumbled a brief ‘thanks’ before sneaking into the kitchen, climbing up a stool and grabbing Aito’s phone off the island table. He snuck into the vacant hallway and dialed the number off the card.

When the director finally picked up after a few rings, Manic snapped, “Hey- Director! You didn’t use Aito at all!”

After a moment he replied, “Oh... you’re one of the genius kids. Which one are you?”

“Manic.” His jaw clenched.

“Right- right, the one with the green hair. Yeah, sorry about that. It came out great, it’s a real shame.”

“Then why!?”

“The production company is promoting the lead actress as ‘too cute to handle’. So what happens if somebody who’s even cuter is in the same frame? In terms of image strategy, that’s a problem.” The director took a sip of something before continuing, which Manic assumed was a form of alcohol, “Aito was too cute for that scene. So, the higher-ups asked for some changes, and they shaved down her appearance to the bone during editing. The power balance between companies tends to determine the amount of screen time. Think of it as an unfortunate accident.”

“What the heck?” Manic snarled, “I can’t settle for that.”

The director sighed, “It’s fine to dream about being a star, but don’t go having any illusions about it. Despite what it seems to be on the outside, the entertainment industry is about business, not art. Still- I get where you're coming from, and I do feel bad. This won’t exactly make up for it, but I’d like to send a job Aito’s way. It’s a movie, I assume that suits you.”

“For real!?” Manic’s face lit up.

Although he couldn’t see it, the toddler could feel the director’s smirk through the phoneline.

“On one condition though. Your brother has to be in it.”

Chapter 8: //Chapter 6 – Child Actors//

“Alright you two- listen up.” The director waved a rolled-up script booklet in Manic and Maurice’s faces. Them, a decent sized cast and film crew worked on the hillside of a dense forest. The sunlight filtered down through the trees gracefully, leaving specks of light on the rocky pathway.

“The higher-ups make most of the casting decisions, in Japan that is anyways. The more money a project has riding on its back, the less it can afford to flop. Securing a cast that’s sure to pull in viewers is a battle the top brass has to fight. Only a few directors have authority to cast their productions- a bare handful of super heavy-weights and the directors of small-scale films with shoe-string budgets. So, which one do I look like?”

Manic frowned, eyes darting across the hillside. Maurice was the one who answered,

“A super heavy-wei-”

“Yeah, no. This is a low-budget film kid.”

Nazu stepped over to the director, Sonia asleep in her arms, “Thank you for working with Maurice today, sir.”

“Not at all. And that one issue go taken care of, right?”

“Technically, yes.”

The director bent onto his knees in front of Maurice’s small figure, “See, if I used a child actor who wasn’t with an agency, I’d get bawled out.”

The toddler fidgeted with his hands, left foot tapping at a rapid pace, “I think my sister or brother would be better at acting. You should use them instea-”

“Nope- you’re it, genius-kid. Can’t get out of it now.”

The Director lifted himself off his knees and strode away down the gravel path.

 

“MAMAAAA!” Sonia waved her arms around as she laid on her back, bawling her eyes out, “I WANT MAMA! WHY ISN’T MAMA HERE?”

The three kids sat on the floor of a one-room cabin waiting for Maurice’s scene.

“Because they aren’t filming Aito today.” Manic rolled his eyes.

“I wanna go home and ‘Goo-Goo!’ I wanna go home and ‘Waah’ on Mama’s chest! Send me to Goo-Goo land!”

‘A big girl like her. Isn’t she embarrassed?’ Manic looked at his sister with upmost disgust, ‘I don’t know how old she was when she died but still…’

The cabin’s sliding door opened with a sharp ‘thud’. A young girl around the same age strode in. She had black shoulder-length hair with purple highlights and was wearing a knee-length whit dress.

“Look- this is a professional worksite!” She snapped, waving a rolled-up script booklet just like the Director’s, “If you’re just here to play, then leave!”

The mystery girl strode over to Maurice who sat cross-legged next to Sonia’s sobbing self, “I’m Akira Akiyama. I’m acting with you today.”

“Oh- isn’t she…” Sonia stopped crying and pointed at Akira accusingly, “Uh, what was it…? The genius child actor with that like, licks up baking soda?”

The girl gaped, “That’s ‘a genius child actor who can cry on command in ten seconds!’ you brat! Everybody says the way I cry in dramas is outstanding! Because it is!”

Sonia narrowed her eyes and leaned over to her brothers whispering, “Y’know, I don’t think I like this girl much… she seems fake, and I just can’t with those people.”

“I heard that! And I know all about this- this… scandal!” Akira waved the script in their faces, “You pulled strings to get in! During the read-through, you and the idol weren’t in the script at all! Even my Mama said the director forced it through! That’s not okay!”

Maurice mumbled a ‘But that’s not what happened-’ before he was cut off,

“I watched the drama the director shot the other day. She basically wasn’t even in it.” Akira started to step out the cabin door again, but only before looking back and giving the triplets a cold glare, “I bet her acting sucked so bad, they had to cut all of it out. At least you lot are good at kissing up, huh?”

Once Akira had stepped out she thrusted her bag into a woman’s chest who was already carrying boxes of set props, “Ms. Assistant Director, carry Akira’s bag!”

“Oh- uh… just wait a minute honey, my hands are a bit full for now…”

“I don’t care! Carry it now!”

Back inside the cabin, Sonia and Manic’s aghast features turned into wicked grins,

“Manic…”

“I know, but she’s just a kid. We can’t kill her.”

“What!?” Maurice looked at his siblings in horror, “Kill her!? Why did you have that idea in the first place!?”

 

“Alright- Roll camera!”

A couple of hours later, it was finally Maurice’s scene. Along one of the mountain paths, both him and Akira walked side-by-side up to a young lady with a suitcase. She was playing the protagonist. The movie’s plot was about a woman unhappy about her looks and decides to get plastic surgery at a sketchy hospital in the mountains. Maurice and Akira are the creepy children that meet the lady and take her to the nearby village. Next to one of the cameras sat the Director on a foldable chair. Nazu, Manic and Sonic watched from behind him and the camera.

Akira was the first one to speak, head tilted down as she looked up at the woman, a ghost of a smirk on her lips. She whispered in a low, husky tone, “Greetings visitor. We welcome you, please- relax and enjoy your stay.”

‘That’s a genius child actor for you.’ Manic mused, ‘She’s good. But if Maurice does the same thing, the skill difference will be obvious and ruin the scene. But I think he knows what the Director wants.’

The boy began his line and offered a hand, a smile on his face, “There’s only one guesthouse here. Once you check in, you should take a stroll around the village.”

‘Maurice doesn’t have to act.’

During his sentence, Akira’s head turned slightly to look at him, shock in her gaze but kept the creepy smirk for the camera. The actress in front of this shivered as she looked down at the toddler. A wide smirk formed on the Director’s face.

‘The director didn’t say why but he knew what he was doing giving Maurice this role. It’s pretty obvious why, so he didn’t bother putting it into words. He’s simply implying, “Don’t bother acting, you’re creepy enough as it is”.’

As the young boy continued to talk up to the lady, the stars in his emerald eyes glowed, the trees overhead shadowing his face. The lady felt a shiver run down her spine.

“And cut!” The director snapped the clapperboard, “That was good!”

Sonia whispered over to Manic, “But he just acted as himself.”

“That’s the point.”

“Huh?”

The lady dropped her suitcase and kneeled down to meet Maurice’s gaze evenly, “You were terrific! You gave me goosebumps! Is this really your first acting job?”

He beamed, “Really!? That’s great!”

Akira scowled at the boy mumbling, “No it’s not.” She strode over to the director and insisted coldly, “Mr. Director, we’re doing another take.”

He raised a brow as he looked down at the little girl, “Hm? Nah- it was fine.”

“IT WAS NOT FINE!”

All the surrounding set and crew members froze, heads turning to the director and Akira, a heavy silence filling the forest. The young girl grabbed the hem of his jacket as she started to bawl, giant tears streaming down her cheeks, “My acting wasn’t anywhere near as good as that boy’s!”

Maurice flinched at being put in the tense spotlight, a look of guilt replacing his big smile.

“I can’t take it! One more time!” Akira sobbed up at the director, who looked genuinely terrified for his life (believe it or not, he isn’t good with kids), “I’m begging you! I’ll do much better next time! One more time- please!”

 

Akira sat on a bench sobbing, her hands clenching on her lap. One of the crew members and her mother were whispering soft words of encouragement. But it wasn’t helping her bawling state. Manic and Sonia watched with satisfaction. They sat with Nazu but on the other side of the clearing on one of the cabin’s porch steps. Nearby, Maurice and the Director sat on their own bench. The toddler watched the sobbing girl from afar with guilty features. The director was re-reading the script beside him.

“Wunderkind,” He spoke up softly, his eyes never leaving the script lines, “What do you think an actor needs the most?”

Maurice turned his head and blinked. After a brief moment he answered, “Skill or instinct? Enthusiasm or effort?”

“Well- yes, those are up there but no. It all comes down to people skills. In the acting industry, being street smart is a must. If the other actors or staff hate you, he jobs will dry up fast. If you get a swelled head when you’re little and act like a big shot, you’ve got no future.”

“Were you trying to teach Akira-san a lesson?” Maurice asked doubtfully.

“Oh, I wasn’t trying to be patronizing but stuff like this will help her grow.” The director finally let his gaze drift off the booklet and onto the toddler, his lips twitching into a smirk, “Your acting was exactly what I had in mind.”

Maurice frowned slightly, “Really? But I just acted as myself. In the scheme of things, she was much better.”

“Yes, but I didn’t tell you to do that though. You picked up on what I wanted. That’s one facet of being street smart. Of course, making acting choices is based on what the director asks for is a fundamental. That said, actors who pick up on what we don’t say aloud are invaluable. Directors have a ‘right answer’ in mind, see.” He placed his hand on Maurice’s head and ruffled his cerulean hair, “I want you to be an actor whose work is pitch-perfect, rather than amazing.”

His cheeks went pink, flustered at the small praise, “Yeah but, I’m not sure if I wanna be an actor.”

 

It was later that warm evening, a black car drove at high speed along a highway with a low, growling rumble. In the left back seat sat Akira, reading the script over and over again despite not having another line to perform. But she wasn’t memorizing what to say, but a name.

“’Maurice.’” She clenched the booklet so tightly it crinkled at the edge at her firm grip, “Okay- I’ve memorized it. I swear, I won’t lose next time.”

 

‘After that, two years passed. The triplets were turning four and Aito was turning twenty. That year, her career would take a big leap forward.’