The flustered Director said, "I'll contact you separately later," and retreated first. So, I decided to take Aqua back to the car myself.
On the way back, Aqua didn't say anything, and I didn't say anything special either.
I decided not to bring it up immediately. I planned to talk to Aqua properly when we got home to find out exactly why he had started thinking this way.
First, I put Aqua in the car. Then, I picked up Ai after her dome performance, got her settled in, and we headed home.
When we arrived, it was already night. Ai and Ruby fell asleep first, so I took the still-awake Aqua out to the veranda.
"Aqua."
"Yeah."
"Why did you tell the Director that?"
"I needed to."
"Is it something you can't tell me?"
".............."
Aqua frowned, looking troubled, as if my words had hit a nerve.
"Aqua... you're not thinking of finding the person who tried to kill Ai, are you?"
"How!?"
As expected, my prediction was correct. Even though I had changed the fate of Ai's death, fate itself seemed to be moving just as that 'girl' said it would. If this situation is also fate, then I must treat it as such.
"Aqua, I know you're more mature than other kids. But you don't need to worry so much about this. From now on, I'll prevent any threats from reaching you. So..."
"No."
Aqua cut me off. He met my eyes firmly.
"If you're going to do it, at least let me help. Give me the information."
"Aqua."
"I don't plan to give up. Even if you... Dad... don't tell me, I'll find out somehow. So..."
"Stop."
"Huh?"
First, I calmed down Aqua, who seemed eager to keep arguing. I took out a candy I always carry in my pocket and popped it into his mouth.
"Aqua, I understand what you're worried about. You want to protect me, Ai, Ruby... this daily life we have."
Nod.
"Then let's do it together. We'll protect them together."
"Together..."
"Yes, together. So tell me all your thoughts. Based on what you think, I'll gather information, too."
So don't try to solve it alone, Aqua. Because you're my precious family.
In the end, Aqua told me everything he had been thinking, and I patted his head.
"Thank you. Now go inside and sleep. From tomorrow, we'll be busy."
"Okay."
Aqua turned his head and looked at me on the way to his room.
"Thank you... Dad."
I'm the one who should thank you for sharing your thoughts, son.
"Ah..."
As if embarrassed by my unspoken sentiment or his own words, Aqua hid his blushing face and ran into his room.
He was cute. As expected, my son is the best.
After confirming Aqua had entered his room, I sat in the kitchen and analyzed the deductions Aqua had shared.
The culprit is definitely Kamiki Hikaru. But there's no evidence left, so it's impossible to touch him recklessly.
And since he had little contact with Ai in the first place, there's naturally no way for me to know where he lives.
But that stalker came to our house.
According to Aqua, there's someone in our company providing information to Kamiki.
But who? Who on earth leaked my information? A manager?
First, all the managers in the same affiliation are excluded. Based on their personalities, they wouldn't bother with such trivial matters. If they wanted my information, they'd end up in the hospital themselves.
Then it means it's among the staff members right below them.
Regular employees have no access to our classified information in the first place, so it's absolutely impossible.
"Sigh."
I thought it was pitiful that I had to suspect even my own subordinates. But for me right now, the most important thing is protecting my family's daily life.
He'll likely lay low until Aqua and Ruby become high school students. If he tried to act immediately after causing trouble once, he'd definitely get caught this time. He'll surely move when things calm down a bit.
The moment he makes his next move, I'll put him in the hospital.
Time passed and flowed. Before I knew it, Aqua and Ruby had become third-year middle school students. Ai turned 30, and I turned 34.
Ai remained active in B-Komachi for a long time, but when Aqua and Ruby entered middle school, B-Komachi disbanded. Ai, having become a legend as an idol, declared her retirement and pivoted to acting.
When I asked her the reason:
"Huh? Because Yume is acting! So from now on, we're an actor couple! Who knows, Yume and I might get roles as lovers★"
Additionally, Ai boldly announced our relationship to the public at the same time as her retirement. Thanks to that, I—along with Saito and Miyako—suffered the biggest headaches of our lives.
Surprisingly, people blessed us as if they had already expected it. Because of that public acceptance, Ai now confidently shows affection in public. As a result, I'm getting more tired day by day.
Unfortunately, many people still think Aqua and Ruby are Saito's children.
Ai wanted to announce that Aqua and Ruby are our children, but it was actually Aqua and Ruby who stopped her. I was quite taken aback, but knowing it was the children's consideration for our careers and privacy, Ai and I let it pass without a word.
By the way, I was also working hard to make a name for myself as an actor. The world now calls us: "The actor couple with innate talent and a thousand faces."
Well, Ai had talent from the start. As for me, due to the nature of my previous profession and this body's enhanced physical abilities, it seems I'm overflowing with talent in other areas, too. Thanks to that, our names quickly became known, and I was able to secure a solid place as an actor.
Incidentally, the people who ended up participating in the "New Project" our company carried out were: me as an actor, the "Senior" (Doctor) as a voice actor, and another executive as an idol.
The Doctor didn't want to be a voice actor, but when Director Kuma made the arbitrary decision, it was impossible to stop his rampage. In the end, she begged her husband for permission and decided to do it. She became known in the industry as the "Voice Actress with a Thousand Voices."
And for the last idol part, it was Hikari—who had the most idol-like appearance among the executives.
Although she looks like a perfect idol, her defining characteristic led the world to give her a specific nickname: "The Masochistic Idol, Hikari-chan."
Honestly, when Hikari got that nickname, the Doctor and I teased her, saying it was the most fitting title for her.
In the midst of that, Hikari had retorted:
"Huh? Isn't it obvious? There's no idol better than Hikari-sama!"
"No, our Ai is the best."
"Don't make me laugh, I'll kill you!?"
"Didn't Director Kuma say you need to fix that attitude first?"
"Aah!?"
"Never mind. Do your best."
"I know that even without you saying it, loser♥"
By the way, she and I are surprisingly close among the executives, but recently Ai's jealousy has been getting worse, so I'm refraining from talking to other women as much as possible.
To be honest, I can never say out loud that Ai's jealous side is sometimes scary.
"Yume~♥"
"What's wrong, Ai?"
"You were thinking about another woman just now, weren't you?"
"No."
"Liar."
Now, there seems to be no way to escape from Ai, who can seemingly read my mind.
In the end, as punishment, I was forced to stick by Ai's side all day today. In that state, I saw off Aqua and Ruby as they went to school.
And back at home, I barely managed to secure my freedom by petting Ai's head profusely.