Aqua leapt from the cliff into the sea along with Hikaru Kamiki. As the stab wound in his side and the freezing seawater drained his consciousness, his body was pulled from the depths by a police rescue boat that had anticipated the incident. While Kamiki was confirmed dead, Aqua hovered between life and death in the ICU. Days later, Aqua woke to find Ruby there. She wept uncontrollably, pounding on his chest in a fit of grief. Whether in his past life as Gorou or his current one as Aqua, he had always tried to throw his life away 'for someone else.' Touching Ruby's warmth and tears, he realized for the first time that what he truly should have done was not seek revenge, but live to watch her grow by her side. The black star in Aqua's right eye turned white, housing a quiet will to live.

With the historic success of the film '15 Years of Lies,' Aqua's script—the social ruin of Kamiki and the proof of Ai's truth—was perfectly executed. However, the public was consumed by news of the genius actor Aqua Hoshino's 'fall into the sea and critical condition.' After being discharged, Aqua staged his 'Final Big Lie' (a press conference) to completely vanish from the entertainment world. Appearing in a wheelchair, he played the part of a hollowed-out shell, an actor who had reached his limit. 'I gave everything to Ai's film; there isn't a drop of emotion left in me to play another's life. There is nothing more I can express as Aqua Hoshino.' The public, moved to tears, accepted that the genius actor had burned out in martyrdom for his mother's film, allowing him a beautiful retirement. Thus, Aqua became a 'legend of the past' to the world, officially removing himself from the darkness of show business to return to being an ordinary young man.

For two years, from age 19 to 21, Aqua underwent quiet rehabilitation while studying intensely for a new path. Having witnessed the 'birth' of life as an obstetrician in his past life and suffered the 'loss' of life in this one, he chose the path of a childcare worker and preschool teacher—to protect the 'daily growth' of children. His experience raising Ruby made his childcare skills professional-grade, and he used his intellect to pass the national exams on his first try. The acting skills he once used for the 'lie' of revenge would now be used for the 'gentle lie' of making children smile. With that resolve, Aqua took a post at a preschool in a town where no one seemed to know his past.

Now 21, Aqua is living his life as a rookie teacher, 'Hoshino-sensei.' However, even with the intellect that once manipulated the geniuses of the entertainment world, no calculation could account for the 'chaos' known as a class of three-year-olds. During practice for a school play, his actor's blood boiled over, and he gave such intense direction—'You there, you're not showing enough fear of being eaten by the wolf!'—that he made a child cry. The veteran principal scolded him: 'Hoshino-sensei! Too intense! Do it over!' Furthermore, a child jumped on his back, grabbing his apron with drool-covered hands, sending Aqua into an internal panic. Covered in mud and exhausted, he sighs at his desk in the staff room. Still in his apron, Aqua is completely overwhelmed by the unpredictable daily routine. Yet, his expression is more human than ever before, filled with a gentle light.