Maruki's sharp gaze locked onto Akira as the boy suddenly fell silent, his expression shifting from composed to distant, spiraling into something uncomfortably familiar. Eyes widening, Maruki shot up from his seat, placing a firm yet supportive hand on Akira’s shoulder. "Akira? Hey Morning!" he asked, his voice low and steady, as though grounding the boy through sheer presence. "Morning, listen to me-!"

But then, just as quickly, Akira’s demeanor flipped. His words landed like a dissonant chord.
Maruki froze, the shift so sudden it felt like whiplash. His eyes widened further when he realized Rumi was the trigger to the Actualization and that made things...so much more complicated than they already were, and--

-his hand slipped from Akira’s shoulder as he staggered back onto the couch. He buried his face in his hands, the weight of realization crashing down on him.

This isn’t just another universe, another life to observe from a distance. No, this is going to be his responsibility. All of it.

Pulling his hands away, Maruki stared at Akira with disbelief etched across his face. He inhaled sharply, his voice trembling just enough to betray his inner turmoil.

“Do you remember when I said I’m Doc? Not your dad? I’m from a different universe.” The words hung heavily in the room, as though he was trying to convince himself as much as Akira.