Volume 13 Chapter 312 Shirogane Aqua, The Future We Four Strive Toward
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
There had been a lot of twists and turns before we got here, but finally, the school trip I’d been looking forward to had begun.
”Hey, Toa! Shintaro! We’ve arrived at the hotel!” I called out.
”Whoa,” Shintaro said. “This place looks amazing.”
”Yeah, it really does,” Toa replied.
The three of us pressed against the bus window, staring at the hotel where we’d be staying tonight. This luxury building, set in the heart of Los Angeles, looked nothing like the prison we’d been stuck in until yesterday. Wait… don’t tell me this is another one of Berry-Berry’s tricks? Suspicious, I glanced at the signboard. Thankfully, it was written in proper English. If it had been in katakana or hiragana, I would’ve known for sure it was one of their schemes. Relieved, I let out a sigh. This really was a school trip.
”Don’t forget about me, junior! I’m here too!” Tenga-senpai popped his head out from behind my shoulder. Right, he had said he’d be joining as well.
”By the way, Tenga-senpai,” I asked, “what about the hotel rooms?”
”President Maitrix handled it. She worked hard to arrange everything as thanks for past favors,” he answered.
That made sense. We stepped off the bus and went to the check-in counter, where our fingerprints, veins, and retinas were scanned. Security seemed excessive. Outside, I’d even spotted tanks and squads of female soldiers armed with rifles surrounding the hotel.
”After what happened recently, it’s no surprise the States are being cautious,” Toa said.
”Yeah. If anything happens, it could become a political disaster for President Maitrix,” Shintaro added.
I nodded. Sometimes I almost forgot, but in this world, men were rare. Protecting four of us—especially when we were public figures—was a matter of national pride for the States.
I remembered what Ako-san had told me before we left Stars:
”Aqua-kun. This school trip is also a rehearsal for next year’s world tour. The States will put everything into security, but don’t worry—just enjoy yourself. Since Tenga-kun is coming, I’ll be flying in too. Contact me if anything happens, okay?”
Ako-san should’ve been in this hotel too. Looking around, I spotted her chatting with Sugita-sensei. They waved when they noticed me. “Don’t worry about me, just have fun,” Ako mouthed. I smiled back.
Then Tenga-senpai clapped me on the shoulder. “Junior, let’s go!”
”Yeah, let’s!” I answered. But first, I got permission from the others and headed toward Kanon and the kids.
”Kanon, Kanoa, Akino—it’s papa!” I said, picking them up in my arms. Originally, they were supposed to stay home, but it didn’t feel right for Pegonia to be left behind when she’d been a classmate with us for the past year. Thankfully, with medical clearance from Tamamo-sensei, I’d convinced Kanon and Pegonia to bring the children along.
”Kanon-san, Pegonia-san, if you need help, just let us know!” classmates called out. “Your kids are like our own, after all.”
”That’s right—we should get some practice for when we become moms too!”
I smiled at their support. “Thanks, everyone. But Ruuna-senpai is here to help as well, so don’t worry. Enjoy the trip yourselves!”
Ruuna gave a lazy thumbs-up. Even if she looked indifferent, I could tell she was serious about this.
”Thank you, everyone,” Pegonia said, her voice trembling as her eyes glistened. She’d softened a lot since having children.
”Don’t forget, there are three papas here too!” I declared, pulling Kanon and Pegonia closer while looking at the kids. “Kanoa, Anon, Akino—don’t worry. Even if the whole States comes after us, papa will knock them all down and put them to sleep forever. So rest easy! Hahaha!”
The lobby went silent. Strange. President Maitrix had told me it was a classic States joke. Did it not land?
”States is doomed…” someone whispered.
”RIP States,” another muttered.
”Aqua-kun, when you say it, it doesn’t sound like a joke…” Shintaro groaned.
”Namonamo!”
”Aqua!”
Claire even clasped her hands together like she was praying. I remembered something about her room assignment—ah right, she ended up sharing with Ayana, Tsushima, and Inoue. Lucky her.
”Kids really are the best,” Tenga-senpai murmured behind me.
”Yeah, I agree,” Shintaro replied.
I glanced back at them. “You two look way too relaxed. It’s your turn to become papas next!”
”Wait,” Toa protested. “I can’t… produce milk.”
”Toa!? Anon, no! Don’t try to suck on Toa’s chest!” I shouted.
Now that I think about it, I once overheard Kanon and Emily whispering about Anon.
”Look at this face, Kanon. Doesn’t she look just like you when you’re secretly sulking?” Emily teased.
”Huh!?” Kanon snapped back.
”No doubt about it. This kid’s going to grow up to be a real pervert.”
”She will not!!”
”Anon, when you feel like checking out the bulletin board, come to big-sis Emily, okay? Don’t learn bad habits from Tashinami.”
”Hey! Stop trying to recruit my daughter into that crowd!” Kanon shouted.
I hadn’t caught exactly what they were talking about back then, but it must have been a lighthearted conversation about Anon’s future. Yeah, I’m sure that’s it.
”Kanon-san… don’t mind them!”
”As expected of you, Kanon-san. Even I wouldn’t have imagined a ‘child NTR’ scenario.”
”Wait, what? A child of Toa-chan and Aqua-kun…?”
”Whew, I need some medicine for this one…”
Kanon trembled as classmates patted her on the shoulder. I didn’t understand what was said, but it looked like she was moved by their kindness.
”Sorry, Kanon-san.”
”Everyone’s just excited about the trip, but don’t go too far.”
”Yes, indeed. Everyone, you’re getting a bit carried away~desuwa.”
”Don’t tease Kanon-san too much,” another added.
Kanon hugged Uruha, Kokona, Lisa, and Ayana tightly. I didn’t know the details, but seeing everyone so close made me happy.
”Alright, don’t just stand around in the lobby! The longer you waste here, the less free time you’ll have!” Sugita-sensei barked.
”Yeees!” everyone shouted back in unison.
The students began moving to their rooms. We headed to the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor.
”Uooooohhh!” Tenga-senpai and I shouted, fired up with excitement.
”The penthouse, huh?” Toa said, eyes wide.
”This is amazing. The view is incredible!” Shintaro added.
Even cool-headed Toa looked thrilled, and Shintaro’s excitement skyrocketed. Entering the suite, we were stunned at the massive duplex living space.
”Which rooms do we take?” I asked. Honestly, there were way too many. Enough bedrooms and bathrooms for each of us to claim several.
”I’ll take this pitch-black room!” Tenga-senpai announced. He chose the darkest-looking one of all. Fine now, but he might regret it at night. At least there were plenty of spares.
”Then I’ll pick this one,” I said, choosing a room with a great view. Toa immediately stopped at the door right next to mine.
”I’ll take this. You said at the summit Aqua’s side is the safest, right?” he reasoned.
”Then I’ll take the opposite room,” Shintaro declared. “If something happens, I may not be strong, but I’ll fight with you.”
Shintaro had gotten stronger. I was proud of him. Downstairs, Tenga-senpai looked a little lonely, picking a room isolated on the first floor. I noted there was a room facing mine if he wanted company.
I set my luggage down. My original bags had been lost when the plane went down, but at least I recovered some things. My tablet was destroyed, but Kohina-senpai’s strange good-luck charm had survived. Pulling it out, I frowned. Wait… this wasn’t a traffic safety charm at all—it said “Tough Body.” What the hell? Shouldn’t it be “Good Health”? Then again, since I’d survived a fall from over ten thousand feet, maybe toughness was the right blessing after all. I stayed frozen in thought for a moment, then shrugged. Whatever. Better to enjoy the trip. I tucked the Morikawa Shrine charm into my pocket.
”Hey, are you guys ready yet?” I called.
”Yeah! Let’s go, Aqua!” Shintaro answered.
Tenga-senpai and Shintaro were already waiting at the elevator, grinning like kids. They were too excited… not that I was one to talk.
”So, where are we going? No one told me anything,” Tenga-senpai asked. Right, he wasn’t from our school.
”Tenga-senpai, our school trips are all about free activities,” Toa explained.
”Exactly. At Otomezaki, we make our own plans and submit them to the teacher,” Shintaro added, handing him the itinerary he had prepared.
Otomezaki valued independence, so we’d planned everything ourselves. Toa gathered local info, I narrowed down options with their input, and Shintaro compiled it all into a schedule. Sugita-sensei had already approved it.
”First stop, there,” I said.
”Yeah!”
”Let’s go!”
”Leave it to you, junior. I’ll just follow along!” Tenga-senpai declared.
We stepped outside and boarded a car. Or rather—the President’s personal vehicle. Not a taxi. I blinked.
”What? You’re using this instead of a cab?”
”Yes. This is the safest option,” the driver explained. “We even painted it yellow to match a taxi, for the experience.”
I thanked her politely. She was probably military or Secret Service.
”Aqua,” Toa asked softly, “is your injury really alright?”
”Of course,” I replied, lifting my shirt to show him. “See? It went clean through. Hardly any scar left.”
”No way… your recovery rate is insane. How is the wound already disappearing?”
Well, maybe it’s thanks to that “Tough Body” charm. Probably…
And the prison food wasn’t bad either. It tasted like home. That might’ve helped me heal faster.
When I left, I wanted to thank the cook in person, but they weren’t around, so I sent a letter instead. I hope they were happy to get it.
”Everyone, we’ve arrived. I’ll be nearby, so if you need another taxi, just call,” the driver said.
”Thank you!!” we all replied.
So this was Hollywood Star Road. I looked down at the star-shaped plates set into the pavement, each engraved with the names of entertainers recognized around the world, with the States at the center.
”They say there are over two thousand of them,” Toa noted.
”Then we should split up and search,” Shintaro suggested.
The two of them headed in opposite directions. I decided to check another side, scanning each plate carefully, but the one I wanted didn’t appear. What if it wasn’t here after all? Just as I was worrying, Tenga-senpai, who hadn’t strayed far, called out.
”Hey, junior! Could this be the one you’re looking for?”
Ah, I’d forgotten to tell him what plate we were after. We gathered around and looked down.
[MIKUNI YUKISHIRO – World Star Actress]
Amazing. It was Mommy Mikuni’s name—my mother’s—right here, in such a prominent spot. Of course she was a huge star in the States.
”Aqua, look! Right next to it is Kuga Reira-san’s,” Toa pointed out.
Ha. Trust Reira-san to secure the spot beside her. That was just like her.
”Apparently, these plates can be moved sometimes,” Shintaro added. “That’s why they’re set in.”
I glanced at the opposite side of Mommy Mikuni’s plate. It was strangely blank. Why leave a space there?
A shopkeeper nearby spoke up: “That spot’s rumored to be reserved for you and Yukishiro Emily someday.”
For me…? According to him, the only Japanese actors here were Reira-san and Mommy Mikuni. No Japanese singers had their names engraved yet.
”Shintaro, Toa, Tenga-senpai…” I said quietly.
The three of them met my gaze with serious eyes.
”We, as BERYL, will earn our star here too.”
”Yeah!” Shintaro said firmly.
”You bet,” Toa agreed.
”Count me in,” Tenga-senpai added.
I pulled them all close, throwing my arms around their shoulders. “You guys really are the best.”
Together, we stood around Mommy Mikuni’s and Reira-san’s stars, snapped a commemorative photo, and posted it online at the same time.
[Shirogane Aqua@BERYL: Someday, ours will be here too!]
[Mayuzumi Shintaro@BERYL: Let’s go, BERYL!!]
[Nekoyama Toa@BERYL: We’ll get there—together!]
[Tenga Akira@BERYL: Our goal is set!]
Afterward, we left Star Road and stopped by an official movie merchandise shop nearby. I thought I’d buy a T-shirt from one of my favorite films—something casual to wear at home. Yui would love that sort of thing.
Once our shopping was done, we piled into the modified presidential “taxi” again and headed to our next destination.
—
”President! The White House has been attacked! Please evacuate to the bunker!”
”Damn it! We diverted too many guards to Aqua-kun’s group—the residence is practically unprotected!”
”Sir, the inside of the mansion is in chaos. Something’s happening!”
”Reports say terrorists are fighting someone inside!”
”What!? Who could it be!?”
”Ms. President, look at this—Aqua-sama is listed as a guest on today’s tour roster!”
”Uooooohhh!”
”Running into Aqua-kun by chance… what terrible luck,” the commander muttered.
”So this is what the bulletin board meant by Aqua-kun being ‘everywhere’…” a guard sighed.
”Breaking news! Live footage shows Aqua-sama—fighting as only Aqua-sama can!” shouted a reporter.
”Oh my god…” a local gasped, despairing at the sight.
”See? We told you so,” one fan crowed smugly.
”We knew it,” a Japanese viewer remarked flatly, picking their nose.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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