[I'm exhausted in every sense of the word, but I still really want to write this. For now, I'll leave the blurb here.]
[I feel like a useless husband, even more ridiculous than when I first found out about Steel○.]
When Akai Shuichi went down with the Organization, he felt at peace.
Though his life had been full of regrets, at least he could bring it to a decent close.
Then, in the endless darkness, someone asked if he wanted to return to the past and change the ending. The ghost raised an eyebrow and replied, "Of course. Send me straight back into the world of crows."
The other party kept their promise, sending him directly to the liquor company.
But wasn't the timing a little off?
Back in the world of the living, Akai looked at his baby-fat cheeks and fell into deep thought.
When he was later told that he would have to pay a price to get his cheat ability, Akai Shuichi, having already accepted reality, shrugged and let it go with a simple "Fine."
...Years later, faced with stacks upon stacks of scripts enough to fill the sky like falling petals, and the complicated looks of the many people on the good guys' side, Rye began to wonder if any of this had a reasonable origin.
Moroboshi Dai: ...I'm not suffering, and I joined the Organization of my own free will. Please don't overthink it. Thank you for your cooperation.
He turned calmly, only to come face-to-face with a certain family of four Akai, each with a different surname.
Rye: ...
Akai Shuichi: [Looks away]
"You know that when you choose to walk into the darkness, everything will change."
"You must not trust anyone."
"Former colleagues, comrades, even your family will part ways with you."
"You should have lived freely and proudly, but instead you fell into darkness and were stained with blood."
"You cannot trust your enemies, and you cannot get close to your allies."
"In the end, no one will understand you."
"Perhaps you will stake your whole life on this, only to end up with nothing."
"You will always be the eldest son of the Akai family."
"So... have you ever regretted it?"
He chuckled. "Never."
tips:
1. No CP, focused on family bonds
2. The setting has been wildly reworked; the timeline no longer exists.
Theme: Cherish the people you love while they are still here
