Time flowed on, and before I knew it, a year had passed. Aqua and Ruby had grown to an age where walking and talking were no longer suspicious.
There were quite a few incidents during that time, but since they weren't major issues, we let them slide.
In our home, Ruby acting cute towards Ai and Aqua watching blankly had become part of our daily routine.
"Mama! Mama! Be good, be good to me!!"
It was starting to get scary to call that fan love. But surprisingly, Ruby didn't just do this to Ai; sometimes she would come to me and act cute too.
"Ah~~~~ Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss~~~♥"
At least, that didn't seem like something a kindergarten-level child should say, Ruby.
"Where did you learn the term 'Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss'....?"
At Ruby's words, Aqua showed a thoughtful expression while sweating cold sweat, but I was certain he was just thinking useless thoughts, so
"Is she a genius to an alarming degree?"
I wasn't wrong. Apart from that personality, you might think she's a fool.
And I, who was a bodyguard, had somehow become Ai's manager and bodyguard. I don't know why, but when I heard that Ai had directly spoken to Director Kuma of the company I work for, I was shocked.
But in the end, Director Kuma, persuaded by Ai's silver tongue (?), said to just do the manager job too! And as a result, I became the person in charge of managing Ai's schedule as well.
Honestly, it wasn't bad, but it was very bothersome. Other tasks were handled by Miyako or Saito, but now all matters related to Ai were conveniently passed on to me, and Ai's schedule kept increasing to the point where I even wondered how to deal with this couple.
First, as a model, and including work as a radio assistant, she was steadily increasing her jobs.
In the case of modeling, our company also invested a large sum to request Ai, and thanks to that, Ai became something like the mascot of our company.
When I saw a life-sized cutout of Ai in Director Kuma's office, my mind was already at ease to that extent.
Getting into the car that Miyako came to pick us up in, me, Ai, Aqua, and Ruby were heading to a drama filming set. It was a good thing that Ai got a role in a drama, even if it was an extra.
"I'm looking forward to Mama's first drama~"
"Even if it's an extra."
"You both understand, right? Normally, bringing them along would be impossible, but since Yume asked, we're taking them. And at the site, you must never call Ai 'Mama', and don't forget that the setting is that both of you are my children."
"Understood, pet Mama for me." This is Aqua's way of speaking...
"Me too, me too, Mama." This is Ai....
"Mama, give me allowance." This is Ruby..... By the way, Ruby, didn't I give you allowance last time?
Thank you, Miyako, for your hard work today. I'll repay you later for sure.
"And as for me, I'm Ai's guardian, so the way of address doesn't matter, but Aqua or Ruby can decide on their own what to call me."
"Yes, Yume~!" Don't hug me. It's uncomfortable in the car.
"Yume, I like you~" I don't dislike it when Ruby acts cute sometimes, but please understand we're in a car.
"Yume... big brother..." It's tough, but endure it. For now, I'm the older one.
The sight of Ai hanging on my right arm, Ruby climbing onto my lap and hugging my stomach tightly, and Aqua struggling but calling me big brother was quite pleasant.
Arriving at the filming set, I headed with Ai to where the staff were.
"This is Ai from Ichigo Production. Please take care of us today."
"I'm the manager from the same agency. Pleased to meet you."
I didn't forget to greet all the staff there.
Meanwhile, the director of this drama, Director Gotanda Taishi, approached Ai and, looking at Miyako and Aqua and Ruby following behind, said,
"Who are these kids?"
"Ah, these kids are my children...."
"A manager bringing kids to the set......"
If you only heard it, you might think he's criticizing, but....
"Is this labor reform?"
This person also didn't seem to be in his right mind.
"Has such an era come...... Well, since there are people who bring dogs to the set, it probably doesn't matter much."
I barely held back the words that were about to come out of my mouth: "Isn't that a problem in itself?" and headed with Ai, Aqua, and Ruby to the makeup waiting room. Of course, other actors were already there besides Ai, and
me and Ai were eating light snacks before getting makeup, watching Aqua and Ruby, and where we were looking,
"Twins!! So cute~!!"
Aqua and Ruby were receiving quite a bit of affection.
By the way, the actress holding Aqua was an actress who works as a gravure idol, and
the person holding Ruby was a rookie actress called 'the too-cute acting type'. Perhaps because I was paying too much attention to that side, Ai hit my side with her hand and
"Where are you looking so intently?"
"Huh?"
"This won't do, Yume. Let's get our makeup done right now."
"No, what nonsense are you talking? It'll take time for the makeup artist to come."
"Let's go."
"......"
"Aren't you coming?"
"Grr......"
Well, well, we can come back when they look for us.
Every time I see the black star pupils in Ai's eyes, I get an inexplicable chill, but since she sometimes changes like that, I put a candy from my pocket into my mouth and went outside the waiting room.
Coincidentally, looking at Aqua who came out of the waiting room with me, I lightly picked him up and held him, and
"Wh...what!?"
"Where do you think you're going alone?"
"Y...Yume, big brother....."
It was somewhat amusing to see Aqua stuttering and speaking as if he was flustered by my sudden hug, but first, I had to find Ai's makeup person, so just as I was about to ask the staff,
"Hmm? Aren't you that, what's it, Ai's manager? And the kid you're holding is another manager's kid, right?"
Director Gotanda Taishi passed by in front of me and Aqua and spoke. There was a bit of difference in address, but
due to circumstances, both me and Miyako were managers, but I was Ai's exclusive manager, and Miyako was the overall manager of B-Komachi.
"It's fine if they're here, but if they cry and interrupt the filming, I'll kill them."
Should you really say such harsh things to a kid..... I thought to myself, but there's no way Aqua or Ruby would cry during filming like other kids, so I just kept it to myself. After all, Aqua was already an adult, and Ruby was probably around the age to become an adult soon.
"N-no, we may be babies, but we will do our best not to cause any inconvenience!! We recognize that not interfering with the director's progress is the minimum rule... We humbly ask for your continued favor towards the children of our family...."
"This kid speaks really well!?"
"Indeed, he does."
Really, at this level, it wouldn't be strange to call him an old soul.
As Aqua continued to bow his head towards Director Gotanda Taishi while in my arms, the director showed a startled and surprised expression.
"Where did you learn to talk like that!! Did the manager behind you teach you!?"
It's not possible for a normal kid to speak so elaborately even if taught, right.
I couldn't bring myself to say that, so I just turned my head to the side and answered with silence.
"A little from YouTube."
No, Aqua, if there were a baby who could talk this well from YouTube, it wouldn't be strange to be listed in Guinness World Records.
"YouTube is amazing!? Is that the era we're in!! I've seen quite a few precocious child actors, but I've never seen a kid this precocious before!! Do you act too?"
Before I knew it, Director Gotanda took Aqua from my arms, lifted him up, made eye contact, and asked Aqua if he acts.
"No.... Acting or such things."
"It seems like it could be an interesting scene. I want to use it."
Director Gotanda, who returned Aqua to my arms, took a business card from inside his pocket and handed it to Aqua, saying,
"This is my business card. Call if you join an agency."
"No... if you're going to offer work, not to me but to Ai."
At Aqua's words, Director Gotanda's expression instantly became expressionless and he continued speaking.
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