A Star of Love is Born

~~ Warning: Story is a work of fiction.

Besides that obvious warning, this story is my way of expressing my love to this series.

This story contains a few alterations and tweaks to personality and an OC, said OC will be introduced through this chapter.

And, an EXTREMELY IMPORTANT NOTE:

LARGE USAGE OF STRONG TERMINOLOGY AND WORDS INCOMING!

IF YOU DO NOT LIKE SEEING WORDS THAT OFFEND YOU DEEPLY...

 CLICK OFF, IT'S FOR YOUR SAKE!

That said, I will mark author's notes with (~~).

Enjoy this story. ~~

-"Mom...

Don't leave us...!"

Tears rolling down a soft and innocent cheek.

A face tainted by grief and despair.

-"...."

The other, silent.

Another innocent face, but, tainted instead by sin.

A voice to speak in the midst of this..

-"Ai.. My sweet Ai..

Kurai..

Don't worry..

Ai...

I've always loved you...

Kurai.. What you did.. Don't think much of it..

Mommy will be out of there in no time, okay?"

-"..."

A silent response from the sin-stained child, and a further loud cry from the innocent one.

-"M-..Mot-"

And the voice was there no longer.

They were left alone.

The two of them, alone, in darkness that seemed to last an eternity.

The innocent child, Ai.

The sinful child, Kurai.

One could only despair at the sight of seeing your mother leave you behind due to something that was not even her fault.

Yes, it was not hers.

For, in fact, The sinful child is that, sinful, due to his crime.

"Larceny".

Indeed, a heinous crime, a crime that deserves the highest of punishments; a generational punishment.

It is in fact a crime so disgusting it should ruin the lives of two sweet and unknowing children.

~~Story kicks off from here.~~

-"KURAIIII! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

Ai lunged at Kurai and pinned him to the ground, screaming at him bloody murder.

Ai was never one to show her sad emotions in such a way, in fact, it was Kurai who does so.

Innocence was their main shared aspect, untainted innocence.

But for some reason, his role had reversed.

Reversed in a way that fate made it so that he just so happened to be caught stealing.

Kurai let Ai scream and scream and scream...

He let her cry and cry and cry...

He saw her eyes, her ever so shiny eyes, cloud up with hatred.

-"..."

-"SAY SOMETHING! DON'T STAY SILENT! WHY!! WHY DID YOU DO IT!"

Ai slapped Kurai.

Her mother, no matter how terrible of a mother she was, showed her love in even the most dire of moments.

And, Ai "loved" her for that.

A lie, be it or not, Ai wanted to believe it, and for the moment, she was doing just that.

She wanted the lie to turn into a truth.

They had always been poor, and their mother had always offered her body up like a whore in a brothel.

Kurai had hated this life will all his being.

He hated his mother for not giving them the life they deserve.

He hated his father for not ever showing himself up.

And, above all.

He hated that his sister always acted innocent like nothing is wrong, he could not stand her sunshine and rainbows act.

He was seen as an oddity amongst oddities, for he bore no resemblance to neither his father nor his mother, and not even his sister.

Those resemblances were not limited to his physical appearance only.

Mentality, as well.

Kurai is the older brother of Ai, he is, to be exact, three years older.

Both born on the same day, on the same month, just, three years apart.

He was once like Ai.

A child innocent and clinging to lies.

But he was shunned by his mother, she always called him ungrateful and tried to force him into acting and idol industries, all of which he refused.

And, at one point, with pressure so great..

He attempted suicide.

A year had passed since then, and no one brings up that topic anymore.

Not even Ai, who saved him last second, who also had a loose tongue, brought it up.

And here he was.

His plan a success.

He made his mother go to jail in his stead.

He does not know how it happened..

But, a miracle came to be in his opinion.

He thought he could finally show Ai the life they're missing out on living with their mother, even if it's a foster home.

But, here she was.

Shouting at him until her throat could no longer produce a voice...

Banging her clenched up fist against his body in desperation until her arms gave out...

And Kurai stayed silent.

"I...

I HATE YOU!"

Honestly, he was sort of surprised.

He never thought Ai would be able to voice these words, but, he was proven wrong.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Three slow knocks, ones with an audible careful tone in them.

"Who are those people..?"

Ai's eyes lost all glimmer, all hope, when she realized who these people were.

~~ The story will now commence a timeskip, a timeskip to where Ai just leaves the foster home via escaping.

This would leave Kurai enraged, and he'd go after her. ~~

-"Hup!"

Soft landing noises were heard as a small figure of a girl hurried along a street.

"Off to Tokyo~!"

Ai was running in the streets, laughing cheerfully, her eyes had regained some form of hope after the incident with their mother.

People were not questioning her, but, at one point..

Ai bumped into a large body.

"Oh, So-!"

When she turned to look up at the person, her face dropped.

She began to get dragged back to the foster home.

"Wow... You actually caught me.."

Kurai, as he was dragging Ai back, kept his tone quiet so he doesn't let himself explode in rage.

-"You absolute bitch of a sister...

You really think I wouldn't have fucking seen you trying to run away?

Where the fuck were you even trying to go?

You have no money.

You looked so prepared to throw everything away and live on the streets just to be rid of us."

Ai stayed silent.

She had slightly reconciled with Kurai since then, but she still harbored some resentment.

But she learned a significant skill.

Lying.

She had absolute mastery of that skill, and due to that, she came to realize that lies manifest truth.

Even her brother, who she considered at the peak of his wits, could not differentiate her lies from reality.

-"Heh, I guess messed up, oh well!

An attempt never hurt anyone, eh?"

Her laugh, so easy on the ear, was heard by some nearby people.

It was almost like a hypnosis spell, these people wanted to tell Kurai to stop dragging Ai so they could keep hearing her beautiful voice, but Kurai just went faster.

Kurai then said something to her that made her question reality.

-"How about me and you go?"

Ai laughed thinking he insulted her or said something else, then she realized what he said.

Her eyes sparkled even more, like a shining beacon.

-"E-Eh?! You're joking right?! Ahaha! My big brother finally made some jo-"

-"I'm not joking, what? You want to stay in that foster home?"

He stopped dragging her and faced her.

"So?"

Ai, overcome with emotion, instantly went for a hug.

She didn't know what happened to her "lying" skills, or her hatred to her brother.

<I made a mistake, I should've not lead us to foster home...< p>

Sigh..

Ai, you win this one..

But, as the older brother, I'll have to oversee everything you do..

Sigh..

Let's make you what mom wanted us both to be.

 Carry on her expectations, as much as I hate that walking piece of human garbage.>

And, as Kurai finished his thoughts, Ai started fast dance-walking back to the foster home.

"AI WATCH OUT!"

Ai got scared by his shouting in the middle of the street thinking a car is coming and she fell over backwards.

Turns out, he lied to her.

She wasn't even on a street crossing.

He helped her up, slapping the back of her head for being so stupid as to walk so carelessly, and she acted innocent about it.

"Don't ever do something like that again.

Perfection, Ai."

She looked at him a little confused.

-"What's with the sudden change of mood, Onii-San?"

He sighed.

-"From now on, it's 'Kurai'.

And, as for your question, you'll find out."

She started pestering Kurai for answers, but he stood like a fort, unwavering.

Ai, unlike her lying-self, was extremely excited.

She had forgotten that a short while ago she couldn't even think of facing Kurai, and now, here she is.

-- Location: Foster home.

Time: XX:XX In the afternoon.

-"Get your stuff quickly, Onii-San Kurai!"

He gave her one glare and she quickly turned her face away.

Kurai put some stuff in his bag, and an envelope that Ai managed to see last second, before they both booked it out the same place Ai escaped from the first time.

The owner of the foster home saw them, and began shouting behind them giving chase, but it was far far too late.

This was the first time Ai had seen Kurai laughing in a very long time, she started telling her self it might even be the first.

"We're actually running away together...

Where now?"

-"Tokyo."

Her eyes were practically light bulbs at this point, that's how much she was excited.

"We're going by train, thankfully, I kept someone from a while back."

Ai didn't even question it and went along with it.

They strolled down to the train station, but, one thing was on every strangers' mind:

"Why is a tall man walking beside such a small girl?"

Kurai, who as mentioned previously, looked nothing like Ai, and was quite taller than her, about ~25 centimeters taller.

People were suspecting him to be a kidnapper, and, due to that, some people contemplated calling the authorities.

But, by the time anyone tried to do so, they had already started their trip to Tokyo.

They sat comfortably beside each other, and Ai rested her head to sleep.

--Location: Tokyo, ???

Time: ???

-"Ai...

AI!"

-"AH!"

The train was emptying, and Ai seemed to have slept quite soundly.

"Hah... You scared the life out of me! Onii-San Kurai!"

She laughed as she ran out soon as she finished that sentence.

-"Come back here! Ai! I told you not to...

Run.."

Kurai's eyes widened, as Ai disappeared.

Into the crowd of people, Kurai began shouting her name.

"AI!

AIIIII!"

Kurai was desperate, and he started to get the attention of people, but he didn't pay any mind to that.

He ran around for a long time, asking people if they had seen his sister, but getting no result.

"...How...

Everyone's always having an impression of her.. An impression that leaves a lasting remark..

Does the cap do that much..?"

He went up the stairs of the train station and went outside.

First thing he sees... Ai sitting in a cafe with a random stranger.

He felt something swell up inside him, relief?

"Thank god... She didn't.."

He wanted to tear up a little bit, but he knew there was no time to waste.

Ai saw him through the glass panels of the cafe, and only then she remembered she left him behind out of over-joyed anticipation..

-"Oh.. My br-"

The person sitting across her on the table tilted his head a little bit weirded out by what she was saying, but, thankfully, Ai remembered what her brother said to her as a warning..

"From now on, I'm Kurai."

-"Ai! Don't go running off like that, I would not know what to do if you disappeared!"

Immediately, Kurai stirred up a lie, and the person facing Ai had his suspicions subside.

"Sorry, for her causing you trouble.."

The person immediately gave a response that would change everything..

-"Oh no no! I saw Ai over here, and thought she would make a perfect idol!

You see, I'm the president of a company that goes by 'Strawberry Productions', and, we at said company are planning to create an idol group, and, when I looked at Ai, I could only think of her singing and dancing on stage!"

Kurai sighed perplexed by this sudden act..

He knew of things like this, but not just when they arrived in Tokyo..

<He sure knows how to sell his business...< p>

But... This was my aim from the beginning..

I need to give Ai the life me and her deserve..>

"Come, sit down, I'm sure we can figure something out between me and Ai."

<He's so weird.. Why would he offer someone that just told him he's unrelated to the second party a seat?>

They both shook hands, and introduced themselves.

"President of Strawberry Productions, Ichigo Saitou, pleasure to meet you, er.."

-"Kurai.

Kurai Hoshi-"

He thought for a second..

"Kurai Hoshi, that is my name, good to meet you, Saitou-San."

He couldn't share his last name with Ai, not for now at least.

He has heard his fair share of idol stories, and, from what he knows, anyone linked to an idol can run the risk of ruining that idol's image.

A mere meeting up with the idol can make people dig up entire family trees, start controversies, and burn down the idol along with everyone working with the idol.

He was smart, and he was taking his measurements.

A small talk ensued, and, it began becoming serious.

-"Now, what do you think, Ai?

Wouldn't be great?"

Ai's face dimmed a little, knowing one thing.

-"Ichigo-San... I'm.. Concerned for one thing.."

-"Sure, do tell!"

Kurai watched this, as he knew whenever Ai starts talking in a quieter tone, it is quite serious.

-"I.. I cannot love the fans..

I've never loved... Anyone..

I've never been.. Loved..

How can I do something I don't even know anything about?"

Ichigo Saitou laid back with a smile on his face, and he took off his glasses for a second.

-"Ai, I'll ask you this:

Whenever you think of an idol, an actor, or anyone who works in general entertainment, what do you think is their main trait?"

Ai thought for a second, then gave her answer.

-"An idol to me is someone who has all the good qualities one should follow, like the word 'idol'ize, you don't idolize someone who has bad qualities, you idolize someone who can be honest and sincere, and.."

Ai's face dimmed even more, with her eyes clouding up.

"I don't think.. I can be honest with anyone.. Not after.."

-"Ai, you have it all wrong."

Ai, who was about to tear up, looked up at Ichigo.

-"H-Huh?"

-"No idol, no entertainer, is completely honest.

In fact, lying is a virtue in this business."

Ai's face lit up once more.

<Hoh.. Well said, Ichigo-San..< p>

Well said.

He really knows how to sell business.>

-"A-Are you serious..?"

-"One-hundred percent, I have experience in things like this, and I've seen many an idols lie to my face, and, I don't mind if you would.

I would actually rather you lie to keep up appearances, after all, it's to both our benefits."

And from then...

A star was born...

~~For a first chapter, I was just testing myself on how would the two siblings behave to each other.

The story will follow a similar beginning, but, it will take twists and turns along the way, deep and dark twists some times, light and funny some times.

I do hope you enjoy this.

Also pardon my usage of Japanese honorifics such as -San and -Chan, I really do not know how to use them properly.

Ai might've acted out of character, but, I have high hopes in myself (Emphasis on high hopes), that she'll actually act in character as we go, since I myself am not experienced with writing characters rooted in lies.

Kurai's characteristics will be given next chapter, as I've kept that on purpose.

He will remain a character that observes from the sideline until the proper time comes.

Thank you for reading this chapter.~~