Chapter Twenty-Two: Birthday Fever

                                    

                                          
"What the hell is this?"
Aqua asked his blackend eye looked over his phone. Narrowing his eyes he was following what looked like his first promising breakthrough for years, It finally seemed like he'd have access to what he needed, or at least something else which could branch out. Turns out it was just another dud... Aqua should have realized this earlier, finding Ryosuke was not going to be a walk in the park. Using traditional tracking methods would not work. It would have if he was working alone, the Police most likely would have caught him by now, he would have too many traces to cover up. Now why would someone do this for him? Because he had dirt on this "mastermind" they knew info about him that he didn't want getting in the hands of the wrong people.
Aqua sighed as he slipped his phone into his pocket before he heard a squeal as he noticed a blur of pink and yellow coming towards him. Not even a moment later, Ruby slammed her body into him, nearly toppoling him off the couch.
"Ruby..! What the hell!?" 
He shouted in surprise as he felt himself get silently dizzy from the sudden, violent, movement.
"Aqua! Guess what!?"
Aqua remained silent, still recovering from the wrecking ball, that was Ruby, hitting him. Ruby pouted, seeming annoyed that her brother had not responded to her.
"It's Mama's birthday, we have to do something nice for her!"
She shouted as Aqua seemed to finally recover from the blunt force trauma.
"Okay... how are we supposed to do that? We don't exactly have money we can use without her noticing..."
Aqua muttered as Ruby smirked as she pulled a wallet out of her pocket, containing a decent amount of Yen, more than enough to do something nice for their mother.
"Auntie Miyako gave me some money to use to get her something nice for tonight, after her concert... I can't believe they won't give her Birthday off..."
Ruby said as Aqua sighed as he took the wallet to count how much they had. Thirty-six thousand yen... she really was being generous... 
"Okay... Well, we should head out soon. Do you have any idea what Mama would want?"
Aqua asked as Ruby smiled as she nodded.
"Already got something I think she'll love~"
- - - - - -
Ai was finishing preparations for B-Komachi's concert tonight. Nino, Watanabe, and Takamine had alright wished her a happy birthday, something which she was grateful for. Even though she loved to perform for her fans, she really wanted to spend the day with her kids...
"Watanabe, hand me my brush, please"
"Got it, here you go Takamine."
"Eh... How could I have forgotten that..."
The three other Idols were getting close to being ready for the performance, Ai was already finished getting ready as she sat looking at herself in the mirror, her hand propping her head up. A few days ago marked another year without her lover. Their children had grown so much in that time. She wished he could see them... She wished she could hold his hands one last time... She never truly moved on in the years since her Lover's death, she sometimes found herself longing for his touch, his caring words... everything about him. A Twenty-Five year old Ai had found it to be much like how she was before. Unable to love anyone, except her children, which she never really minded at all, she had all she wanted... A Family.
"Shit... where the hell is my lipstick?!"
Nino shouted frankly as she rummaged through her bag. Ai gave her a side glance and grabbed her own, side eyeing her friend she threw it.