Akane Kurokawa

“I can understand how people feel… that’s my specialty.” I used to say that like it was something beautiful. But as I pieced together the truth, it started to feel more like a curse. The notes in front of me told a complete story—Hikaru Kamiki, former member of Lala Lai, now head of Kamiki Productions. His age, his past, his connection to her… to Ai. “He was fifteen when Ai got pregnant.” The words felt heavy, but they weren’t the end. No… the deeper I went, the more twisted it became. “At eleven… he was already a victim.” The conclusion formed cleanly, like a perfect script. This wasn’t just a culprit. This was someone broken long before Aqua ever knew his name.

And that’s why I understood what Aqua would do next. “He won’t leave this to the law.” Because the law wouldn’t touch him—not really. If anything, it would excuse him. Protect him. Let him walk free. So Aqua… would kill him. The thought didn’t scare me as much as it should have. Instead, I found myself thinking: Then I’ll do it. “If you can’t stop… then I’ll become the one who carries it.” That’s what I told myself as I closed my notebook. Love means sharing the burden, doesn’t it? Even if that burden is something unforgivable.

But when I stood in front of him—Aqua Hoshino—everything fell apart. “Stop.” His voice cut through me before I could even finish. It wasn’t anger. It was something colder. Final. “You don’t need to go that far.” And then, quietly, like he was stating a fact instead of breaking my heart: “We’re done, Akane.” I remember staring at him, trying to read him like I always had. But this time, I couldn’t. Or maybe… I just didn’t want to. Because the truth was obvious. “I can’t live a normal life with you… while I’m still chasing this.” He wasn’t pushing me away because he didn’t care. He was doing it because he had already chosen revenge over everything else— even if it meant cutting me off completely.

So I smiled. Just like her. “I see… so that’s how it is.” My chest felt tight, but my voice didn’t shake. We were both trying to protect each other in the worst possible ways. I was ready to step into his darkness, and he was determined to keep me out of it—even if it meant cutting me off completely. Maybe this is what love looks like for people like us. Twisted. Misguided. “Goodbye, Aqua.” As I watched him walk away, I realized this was my turning point. His path would only lead deeper into darkness… and mine? Mine was the one he forced back into the light. Even if part of me still wanted to follow him.