Category: Oshi Dream Life

[Hiyori’s PoV]

I’ve been having a hard time lately.

“Hiyorin, what’s wrong? You look troubled. ” (?)

As I was staring at a message from Ruin, I was approached by a voice. When I looked up, I found Endou Reina aka “Rena-chi”, a fellow voice actress from the same unit as me in Zanimasu, watching over me with a concerned expression.

“Rena-chi… no, it’s nothing.” (Hiyori)

I quickly closed Ruin and put my smartphone away.

It was almost 8 PM on a Thursday, which was the usual time for the Zanimasu live broadcast. I had to start getting ready for it soon.

“What’s up? Perhaps, your boyfriend?” (?)

Fujimi Akina aka “A-chan”, another member of my unit, peered at my face from behind. A-chan, who always energetically takes the lead during our live performances, also possesses high energy offstage. She was like a bright beaming sun.

“A-chan, it’s not like that at all, okay?” (Hiyori)

Certainly, the message I was looking at was from a guy, but he’s not my boyfriend or anything.

“Really? Hey, Hiyorin, didn’t you notice? You’ve been smiling a lot while looking at your phone lately.” (Akina)

“Oh, I was actually thinking of the same thing.” (Reina)

“Huh, really…?” (Hiyori)

“Yeah, really. You look so happy, that I thought you must have gotten a boyfriend.” (Akina)

Was I smiling like that…? I didn’t even realize it myself… I should probably be more careful about showing it on my face.

“I really don’t have a boyfriend. It’s just that I have a little bit of a concern…” (Hiyori)

“A concern?” (Akina)

“What’s wrong? Do you want to talk about it?” (Reina)

I glanced at my phone inside my bag. The message I was looking at until a moment ago was the source of my concern. The message with a photo had the following written on it:

“(This is what we are having for today. If you want, I can save some for you. What do you think?)” (Souma)

“You know… I feel like I’ve gained weight recently.” (Hiyori)

◆

[Souma PoV]

When Hiyorin returned home from the Zanimas live broadcast, we were having dinner and sharing a drink together.

“Hey, what do you think? Have I really gained weight?” (Hiyori)

“Well, even if you ask me that…” (Souma)

For some reason, my hand was resting on Hiyorin’s belly. The soft sensation through her thin loungewear was spreading in my hand, and to be honest, it was quite unsettling.

“Please, tell me honestly?” (Hiyori)

Hiyorin continued to press my hand against her belly with a serious look on her face. Her cheeks were flushed, and it was clear that she was a bit drunk. I mean, she wouldn’t do something like this normally, right? If she did, my self-control would be in trouble.

“Even if you ask me to be honest… I don’t really know how slim you were originally.” (Souma)

In our live performances, Hiyorin usually wore outfits that showed her midriff, but I couldn’t recall just how slim she was. I’m embarrassed to admit that during her live performances, I tend to focus on her face, chest, and legs…

“Hmm, but I don’t think you’ve gained weight at all. You’re still really slim.” (Souma)

“That’s a lie, isn’t it? Souma-kun, you’re just being considerate, right? Here, look carefully!” (Hiyori)

“Wha-?!” (Souma)

Hiyorin lifted her loungewear almost up to her chest as if to prove her point. I instinctively averted my gaze, but I couldn’t help but have a lingering image of her skin burned into my eyes. Why on earth would she start doing something like this out of the blue!?

“Hey~ I really have gained weight, haven’t I…? Don’t look away, please, look properly.” (Hiyori)

“Guh…!” (Souma)

With both of my hands tightly held, I had no way to escape. I reluctantly shifted my gaze towards Hiyorin. An area of her skin was slowly coming into view, and my blood was rushing inside me due to a natural bodily reaction. Calm down, me.

I desperately tried to distract myself by imagining the underside of a cicada while focusing on Hiyorin’s stomach. This was my last line of defense against the drunk Hiyorin. Thinking of something this unpleasant was a sophisticated method of calming yourself down, but to be honest, it wasn’t even that effective.

*Gulp…*

Hiyorin’s stomach can be described as a snowy expanse of skin, it’s incredibly beautiful, and I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The imagery of the cicada had completely vanished by this point. If we were to say that Mafuyu-chan’s physique represented a mechanically sculpted beauty, then, Hiyorin’s physique was straight up an exceedingly natural and animalistic beauty.

In other words, it was incredibly erotic. That’s just my impression, but I couldn’t help but wonder if this is what the most preferred body type by men was like. No wonder her photo collections sell well.

“So how is it…? I think I’ve gained some weight around here.” (Hiyori)

“Huh?!” (Souma)

Hiyorin gently placed my hand, which she had been holding, on her waist.

“Ugh… I guess I really have gained weight, haven’t I?” (Hiyori)

Misinterpreting my complex expression as a yes, Hiyorin’s shoulders drooped in disappointment. I quickly released her hand, taking a few steps back on impulse. I had no idea what I might do next.

“Haah… haah…” (Souma)

My blood was racing through my body at an incredible speed. Honestly, it felt like my head was about to explode. If things continued like this, I had a feeling that I might do something regrettable in the not-so-distant future. Hiyorin had no idea how appealing she was.

“I did think that I might be going too far… but your cooking, Souma-kun, is just too delicious… I can’t help myself…” (Hiyori)

Hiyorin sat down on a chair, reached for the potato salad appetizer I had prepared, and then washed it down with a glass of beer while wearing a happy expression. Although it didn’t seem like the actions of someone concerned about their weight, I couldn’t help but feel touched by Hiyorin’s words.

My cooking is too delicious, huh… 

“Hiyorin-san, please enjoy your meal without worrying. You haven’t gained any weight at all.” (Souma)

The heat that had taken over my body had completely subsided without me realizing it. No matter how many times I heard it, being told that my cooking was delicious made me happy.

Hiyorin listened to my words and let out a sigh of relief.

“That’s a relief… I was worried about what to do if I gained weight before the upcoming live performance…” (Hiyori)

“Live performances…?” (Souma)

Zanimasu’s next live performance hasn’t been announced yet. Should I be expecting something soon…?

This question would soon be answered.

---

Hiyorin lifted her loungewear almost up to her chest as if to prove her point.

---

Thanks for reading!

Did Hiyorin just leak the next live performance? Well, I mean she’s drunk so it isn’t the weirdest thing.

P.S. I almost fell asleep translating these long descriptive paragraphs, so sorry if it’s off. Although my sleep schedule probably played a part in it. I’ll re-edit this tmr.

Edit: A bit late but I finished re-editting it

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1. None

“I don’t…” (Souma)

…It’s don’t really like anyone.

Saying that was easy. I know that it was the quickest and safest way to get through the current crisis.

But I couldn’t bring myself to say it.

The reason was simple. It would be too much of a “lie”.

“…I consider everyone to be an important member of Souma-kai.” (Souma)

Shizuka?

Of course, I like her. If not, I wouldn’t be taking care of her so much.

Hiyorin?

She has been my favourite oshi for a long time. I’ll definitely watch her next live concert from up close.

Mafuyu-chan?

Of course, I like her. The closeness between us, which was similar to that of a family, is a special vibe that only Mafuyu-chan has.

“────So, I guess I can’t really think about who I like right now.” (Souma)

It wasn’t a lie.

But it’s also not exactly true either.

If I were to sit down and carefully think about what kind of “like” I have for everyone, maybe I would have given a different reply. However, it didn’t feel like the right time for that. I had a feeling that these emotions would probably bring various things to an end.

Miyabi-chan let out a deflated sound and lay down on the sofa after I gave my best answer.

“What a boring answer.” (Miyabi)

“Haha… I’m sorry I couldn’t meet your expectations.” (Souma)

It seemed that Miyabi-chan wasn’t genuinely interested in knowing who I liked, or perhaps she had lost interest after what I said, as she didn’t pursue that topic any further.

After that, we engaged in casual conversations as I shared some leftovers from today’s Souma-kai with her. All in all, it was fun. It’s probably about time to go to sleep.

“…So, about where to sleep. There’s a bed in my room, want to use that?” (Souma)

“A bed? Is it for two people?” (Miyabi)

“No no no, I’ll sleep on the sofa.” (Souma)

Why would the thought of sleeping together in the bed be the first thing that comes to mind? I’m starting to get concerned about the distance between her and her older brother who she lives with.

“Well, in that case. I’m fine with the sofa, so I’d like you to sleep in the bed.” (Miyabi)

“Hmm… All right, let’s do that then.” (Souma)

After a brief moment of hesitation, I accepted Miyabi-chan’s suggestion. If the roles were reversed, I would have probably felt bad and refused the bed too.

“Is there a specific time you want me to wake you up in the morning?” (Miyabi)

“No, I’ll be fine. I can probably wake up on my own.” (Souma)

“Got it!” (Miyabi)

And so, I successfully completed the “having someone stay over at the house” event. I was worried about what might happen when Miyabi-chan suddenly showed up, but surprisingly, it all ended without any issues, which was a relief.

◆

It didn’t end without any issues.

“Kyaaaaaaa! Why is Zeria-chan here!?” (Shizuka)

I opened my heavy eyelids to the deafeningly loud voice, and the bright morning sunlight was streaming in through the gap in the curtains.

“It’s noisy… What time is it now?” (Souma)

“Huh, wait… Whaaaaaat!? Why, why, why!?” (Shizuka)

“Noisy… I’m trying to sleep here…” (Souma)

I could hear Shizuka and Miyabi-chan’s conversation from beyond the door… Shizuka, what are you doing at my place?

To avoid any misunderstandings, I quickly got up and joined the fray.

“What’s going on here?” (Souma)

“Oh, Souma-kun!” (Shizuka)

Shizuka rushed over as if she had found a lost person in need of help. She pointed sternly at the sofa where Miyabi-chan was sleeping and shouted.

“Souma-kun, there’s an intruder in the house!” (Shizuka)

“The intruder is you, Shizuka.” (Souma)

“Oww!” (Shizuka)

I lightly flick Shizuka on the forehead. She exaggerates by holding her forehead as if it’s painful, but I doubt it hurt much.

“Miyabi-chan was staying over at my place yesterday. Why are you here?” (Souma)

She probably used a spare key to get in, but she shouldn’t have any business here in the morning.

“Sta-staying!? Why in the world!?” (Shizuka)

Shizuka spread her arms in a dramatic fashion. She’s quite energetic in the early morning. Or did she not get enough sleep or something?

“I ran away from home, so I decided to stay at Souma-san’s place.” (Miyabi)

“Ran away!? If you had told me, I would’ve let you stay at my place.” (Shizuka)

“Is there any space left in your house, though?” (Souma)

“That’s rude! If there were no space, I couldn’t go outside, you know?” (Shizuka)

“That’s nothing to be proud of, you know.” (Souma)

I promptly interjected with a retort as Shizuka strangely puffed her chest out.

“So, why are you here? Give me a reasonable explanation.” (Souma)

In my mind, the usual “bed invader,” Minase Mafuyu, was giving a lovely peace sign toward me. But, I highly doubt that Shizuka had come to sneak into my bed as well, so what could be her reason for being here?

Facing me in police officer mode, Shizuka seemed a bit embarrassed as she clutched her stomach.

“W-Well, I got a bit hungry… and thought maybe I could have some of yesterday’s leftovers…” (Shizuka)

“Yesterday’s leftovers? You mean the tonkatsu (Japanese Pork Cutlet)?” (Souma)

“Y-Yeah.” (Shizuka)

“I ate that yesterday, though.” (Miyabi)

“Ehh!?! No way…” (Shizuka)

With Miyabi-chan’s comment, Shizuka’s shoulders slumped in disappointment. But wanting tonkatsu early in the morning is quite something. Maybe she really didn’t sleep last night.

Amidst this, a phone in the bedroom started ringing. It seemed like an alarm went off.

“It’s breakfast time, so if you’re hungry, Shizuka, I’ll make some for you. Miyabi-chan as well.” (Souma)

“Really!? I’m in~!” (Shizuka)

“Yay~! It’s EtteMeal right?” (Miyabi)

“Ugh…” (Shizuka)

“Alright. Just give me a minute.” (Souma)

While I went to wash my face at the sink, I could hear joyful voices coming from the living room.

“Ette, want to do another collaboration?” (Miyabi)

“Sure. What are we going to do?” (Shizuka)

“Well, the other day, a horror game for two players came out.” (Miyabi)

“Horror!? Absolutely not!” (Shizuka)

“Aww, come on, it’ll be fun!” (Miyabi)

“Sometimes, mornings like this aren’t so bad after all.” (Souma)

I wiped my wet face with a towel and looked in the mirror. There, I saw a version of myself that looked slightly happier than usual.

---

Thanks for reading!

Well, you can’t keep running forever MC. Eventually, you’re gonna end up with them anyways.

---

1. None

“…H-Harem…!?” (Souma)

This word, as if a completely unfamiliar term that seemed to not even exist in this world, struck my ears. Even though it was a commonly used word, it didn’t register in my brain, probably because I never expected my current situation to be described with such a word.

“Well, isn’t that what it is? With Ette, Hiyorin, and… there’s one more, right? If this isn’t a harem, then what is?” (Miyabi)

Miyabi-chan, while listing down the members of Souma-kai cheerfully, directed her fang-like teeth at me.

…Well, perhaps they were indeed fangs. Predatory birds in the savanna steal the lives of herbivores, and right now, I feel threatened.

“Mi-Miyabi-chan… Could you step back for now…?” (Souma)

I did want to confirm the meaning of the word “harem” once again, but the view in front of me didn’t allow for that. I shifted the focus of my eyes away from Miyabi-chan, who was leaning forward and peering at me defenselessly.

…A large-sized sweatshirt, the neckline, a forward-leaning posture.

In the world of mahjong, it would have been a yakuman. It felt like paying 32,000 points might still be the cheaper option. That’s because from within the wide-open sweatshirt, an abyss was unilaterally peering at me, and if I were to look, I would be pulled into an abyss called the police station.

…But don’t you always see Shizuka’s underwear?

Unfortunately, I don’t consider the somewhat high-quality fabric that’s currently tossed on the floor to be “underwear”. If anything, It’s more like “flammable trash”. Furthermore, it’s a breeding ground for bacteria. If you leave it like that for several days, you’ll have a full-fledged Baikinman Castle¹ in no time.

I might be going a bit too far with that description, but please understand that without such thoughts, my sanity wouldn’t hold up.

Especially in a situation like this.

“…I can’t be fooled, you know?” (Miyabi)

“!?” (Souma)

For some reason, Miyabi-chan leaned in even closer. It felt like our faces were already at lover’s only distance. Startled by the sudden movement, I hastily jumped up from the sofa, tossing aside any sense of seniority or dignity.

Why do girls who have just taken a bath smell so good? Tell me which shampoo you use.

“Hey! Are you trying to run away!?” (Miyabi)

“Wait, wait, I’m not running away.” (Souma)

I used my hand to restrain Miyabi-chan, who looked like she was about to make a move. With how she is right now, she might even jump into my lap. I wonder if her having a brother makes her more comfortable with being around men. I don’t have a sister, so I can only imagine.

“I’m right here.” (?)

…Was that my imagination?

I felt like I heard Mafuyu-chan’s voice and looked around, but the only one here was Miyabi-chan, who was staring at me discontentedly from the sofa. That, in itself, was a problem.

“Miyabi-chan, let’s start by calming down.” (Souma)

“I am calm.” (Miyabi)

“Yeah, I see that, but…” (Souma)

Around this point, I was finally starting to prepare myself to digest Miyabi-chan’s words from earlier.

…Harem?

…Me?

No way!

…I understand that I’m in a situation where I can’t simply dismiss the claim. Certainly, it might appear to be a harem. If someone were to deny a harem while eating with three women every day, I’d probably cut ties with that person.

However…

“…Miyabi-chan, I’m definitely not in a harem.” (Souma)

In my case, it really isn’t a harem. Because, a harem is only a harem when there are red arrows pointing from the opposite sex, right?²

Mhmm.

That’s right.

Is there a red arrow pointing from Shizuka to me?

Is there a red arrow pointing from Hiyorin to me?

As for Mafuyu-chan, well, I can’t help but feel there might be a dashed line arrow of some sort…

But, all in all, Shizuka probably just thinks of me as a good neighbor who helps with household chores, and Hiyorin probably just sees me as a drinking buddy. Even with Mafuyu-chan, I still think she mostly sees me as her big brother.³ Since there are no arrows pointing in any direction, a harem is simply impossible.

“Because…!” (Souma)

Miyabi-chan interrupted me as I tried to explain.

“In that case, it doesn’t have to be a harem! So, Aoba-san, who do you like?” (Miyabi)

“Ugh…!?” (Souma)

After taking some distance from Miyabi-chan earlier, she was now completely in my field of view. I couldn’t help but hold my breath.

…It’s not just the fangs that make her seem like a predatory bird. Miyabi-chan was staring at me with sharp, carnivorous eyes as if she had spotted her prey.

---

Thanks for reading!

Dense MCs are really something else. I am speechless.

As Murasame-chan once said, “This kind of denseness deserves divine punishment!”

---

1. Baikinman is the main antagonist in the children show Anpanman. The main character, Anpanman, is a bread or something like that and Baikinman is from the “Germ Planet” and is the leader of the Viruses. His Japanese name means “Bacteria Man”. His ambition is to destroy Anpanman and spread bacteria all over Anpanman’s world. 
2. Does this line makes sense to you? No? That’s because it doesn’t make sense and I don’t think it is supposed to.
3. Ok… Shizuka and Hiyorin are one thing, but didn’t Mafuyu straight up said she liked him some time ago?

“Souma-san, can I have this ice cream?” (Miyabi)

The lively voice of Miyabi-chan, who had just come out of the bath, could be heard. I leaned back on the living room sofa and replied while trying to avoid looking in that direction as much as possible. Miyabi-chan was wearing baggy pajamas that swayed as she moved, which made me feel somewhat strange. I think the term used in this situation is ‘boyfriend’s shirt¹‘, but Miyabi was not my girlfriend, and she was wearing sweatpants.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you can eat whatever you like.” (Souma)

“All right! Then, I’ll take this Dazs²!” (Miyabi)

I kept my gaze fixed on my smartphone, repeatedly swiping and refreshing my Twitter feed, but nothing was registering in my mind. To be honest, I couldn’t calm down at all. Having a woman in the house didn’t bother me anymore, but when said person had just finished taking a bath, it was a different story. Even back then when Shizuka had caught a cold and showered at my place, it wasn’t as bad as the situation right now. After all, Miyabi-chan and I aren’t that close yet.

“Itadakimasu!” (Miyabi)

“Whoa?!” (Souma)

Miyabi-chan leaped energetically into the vacant space on the sofa, causing me to instinctively shift away. I pressed my body against the edge of the sofa as much as I could, but the distance was still relatively short, and a sweet aroma filled the air, tickling my nose. This sweet aroma, which was distinctly different from the scent of strawberry ice cream Miyabi-chan held, was undoubtedly coming from her. She should be using the familiar shampoo and body soap from our house, so why did she smell so good? The mysteries of the human body.

“Delicious~! Dazs the best!” (Miyabi)

Miyabi-chan was completely engrossed in the ice cream, which made me feel a little more at ease. It’s difficult to control my reasoning, but I still tried my best to do so. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t be able to survive this crazy apartment life. You know, lately, I felt like I was being tested every day.

“Ah, would it be bad if I ate the whole thing? I’ll give you a bite!” (Miyabi)

“Eh?” (Souma)

…For the next few seconds, it felt as though time had come to a standstill.

Miyabi-chan had just extracted a spoonful of strawberry ice cream and extended it straight towards my mouth. Seeing the silver spoon slowly approaching me causes various thoughts to rush through my mind.

…Are you not bothered by it?

Or am I overthinking it?

If I don’t eat it quickly she’ll start to get suspicious.

But… this is like an indirect kiss, isn’t it?

“……” (Souma)

Come on me, you’re already twenty years old, why are you thinking like this? You even shared drinks with Hiyorin. This is just a single scoop of ice cream. And the other person’s Miyabi-chan. It’s fine, she’s not concerned about it. It’s more uncool to be self-conscious.

“Are you not going to eat it?” (Miyabi)

“Ah, I’ll eat it. Thanks.” (Souma)

With my head still in a mess, I bit into the spoon mindlessly. Of course, I couldn’t taste anything at all.

“Dazs is the best, right? I like the chocolate chip one the most.” (Miyabi)

“Oh, yeah… that’s nice.” (Souma)

Unbeknownst to me who was still in shock, Miyabi-chan ate from the spoon as if she were a child who had no concept of an “indirect kiss”. The melting ice cream quickly found its way into her stomach.

“Thanks for the meal. Ice cream after a bath is really something special.” (Miyabi)

Miyabi-chan hopped up and walked to the kitchen. She placed the spoon in the sink and appeared to be washing the ice cream container. By not tossing it in the trash right away, she seemed much more responsible than Shizuka.

…No, that’s an understatement. Even if she had tossed it in the trash immediately, it would have already been better than Shizuka. After all, she thinks the floor is her personal trash can.

Miyabi-chan returned to the sofa like a busy little animal. Even though there was a dining table to sit at, she chose to sit next to me, which made me think she must be someone who’s comfortable with being close to others. It wouldn’t be a big deal if she were a guy, but… she’s a cute girl, so it’s a bit awkward to be next to her.

“Souma-san, Souma-san, there’s something I’ve been wondering about for a while now.” (Miyabi)

“Something you’ve been wondering about?” (Souma)

Miyabi-chan leaned her face closer towards me. I instinctively wanted to turn my face away, but it would be embarrassing to act all shy as the older person. I did my best to keep my neck and eyes fixed on her and pretended to be nonchalant. But…

…That didn’t last long.

“…Souma-san, be honest with me, who do you like? I heard from Ette that you have a harem, is that true?” (Miyabi)

---

Thanks for reading!

She did it! She asked the thing! I like how everything was just built up to this one moment. Now let’s see how is our dense MC going to react to this. Or would there be some actual development?

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1. In fashion design, “boyfriend” is a style of women’s clothing that draws heavily from corresponding men’s garments. Boyfriend-style clothes are designed to be looser or boxier and tend to be oversized — giving the appearance that one is wearing their boyfriend’s clothing. Since MC mentioned sweatpants, I guess they don’t normally wear pants or something.
2. If you don’t rmb, Dazs is that luxurious ice-cream which MC wanted to buy for Shizuka back in ch 49.

“Sorry for intruding (ojamasurussu)~!” (Miyabi)

With an energetic voice, Miyabi-chan, whose colorful hair could be mistaken for a flashy bird found in South America, entered my living room.  Every step Miyabi-chan took caused her eccentric black and orange head to sway, making it seem like just watching her was enough to make one happy. Despite this, I couldn’t exactly feel happy when she showed up unannounced.

“Souma-san, long time no see!” (Miyabi)

“Welcome, Miyabi-chan. What’s the sudden visit for?” (Souma)

After washing the dishes used during Souma-kai, I placed the last dish on the rack and returned to the living room. Miyabi-chan had already taken a seat at the dining table without waiting for my permission, and her relaxed expression seemed to say, “This has always been my spot.”

By the way, based on what I heard over the intercom, it seemed like Miyabi-chan had mistakenly confused the room numbers of Shizuka and me. However, judging from the tone of her voice, which suggests something along the lines of, “I’d like to come in even if it’s Souma-san”, it didn’t seem that she had any specific business with Shizuka. Considering how late it is, there might be some circumstances surrounding her appearance, so I invited Miyabi-chan in. I untied my apron and took a seat across from her, and then Miyabi-chan began to speak.

“Actually, I had a fight with my Aniki, so I ran away from home.” (Miyabi)

“…A fight? You ran away from home?” (Souma)

“Basically, yeah.” (Miyabi)

In my mind, running away from home was a pretty serious matter, but Miyabi-chan seemed quite nonchalant about it. Well, regardless of her attitude, the situation wasn’t too far from what I had imagined, so inviting her into the house was probably the right call. It was rather reckless for Miyabi-chan, who was presumably a minor, to be wandering outside alone at this late hour.

“So in other words, Miyabi-chan came to stay at Shizuka’s place?” (Souma)

As I said this, I couldn’t help but think that it would be impossible. The last time I cleaned Shizuka’s room was last week. Is it really in a livable condition?… I didn’t even need to see to know that the answer was no.

“That’s right! I haven’t contacted her yet, though.” (Miyabi)

“You haven’t contacted her yet…?” (Souma)

Considering the recent incident with the off-collab, it seems like Miyabi-chan is the type to act before thinking. I had a suspicion that this was the case before, but now I’m sure.

“In that case, maybe you should go over there sooner rather than later? There’s a chance she might be asleep at this hour.” (Souma)

It was already late at night. The daily routine of Shizuka, who was a full-time streamer, was shrouded in mystery, but for an ordinary person, it was a time when being asleep wouldn’t be surprising. If there was no response, the worst-case scenario would be needing to use the spare key she gave me, but I’d prefer to avoid Miyabi-chan finding out about the key if possible. So, it was best to hurry.

Thinking that it would be faster to visit directly, I started to get up from my seat. However, Miyabi-chan stopped me with a surprising statement.

“Don’t worry. Today, I’ve decided to stay over at Souma-san’s place.” (Miyabi)

◆

“….Why?” (Souma)

I tried not to show unease on my face as I thought about the regulations surrounding this topic. Is it okay to let a minor stay overnight like this? University students often stay overnight without any issues, so it should be fine, right? The term “runaway girl” seemed to have a suspicious connotation, but age-wise, it shouldn’t be a problem.

“Uh… Is it not okay, perhaps?” (Miyabi)

Miyabi-chan had a surprised expression on her face. Perhaps she hadn’t considered the possibility of being turned down at all.

“Not that it’s not okay but… Are you sure about this, Miyabi-chan?” (Souma)

“I’m totally fine with it! There are things I want to talk about with Souma-san too.” (Miyabi)

It seemed like Miyabi-chan had not even considered any of my worries. She probably thought that staying at Shizuka’s place and mine was no different. But there are a lot of differences between us.

“…I understand. If you’re okay with it, Miyabi-chan.” (Souma)

“Great! Can I use the bath right away? The humidity has made my skin sticky. Also, if you could lend me some clothes, I’d be really happy!” (Miyabi)

“Clothes?” (Souma)

Upon closer inspection, Miyabi-chan was empty-handed. It seemed that her story of getting into a fight and running away from home was indeed true. She was wearing a peculiar T-shirt with a cat on it and loose shorts that resembled pajamas and it didn’t seem like she had any spare clothes hidden beneath. It was easy to imagine her leaving in a hurry, with nothing else but her phone.

“I only have my phone with me since I ran away from home. I took a bath before leaving, so I don’t need underwear or anything. I just need pajamas.” (Miyabi)

“Sure, give me a moment.” (Souma)

…Was she planning to borrow underwear if she hadn’t taken a bath? 

I shook my head to clear away any unnecessary thoughts and picked out some pajamas. Our height difference was likely over 20 centimeters, so the size wouldn’t fit perfectly, but it shouldn’t be a big issue. Miyabi-chan took the pajamas and disappeared into the bathroom, acting as if she knew her way around.

…Come to think of it, when did she start calling me by my name? I recall her addressing me as “Tendou-san” the last time we met.

---

Thanks for reading!

Wow, when did the two of you become such great friends.

I didn’t even catch that she changed the way she called MC.

P.S. Btw, I found out that the scrolling on the mobile version of my website lags a bit when you set a theme before loading a new page. I have no idea why it happens and I’m not sure if anyone else is experiencing this problem so I didn’t turn the function off completely, but just take note of it.

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1. None

In a certain place in Tokyo.

A pair of brother and sister lives in a 13-story apartment building painted in dull orange. On the nameplate, there were two characters: “本名” (Honna). The older brother is a third-year university student, and the younger sister has just graduated from high school. Despite being in their early twenties, they had a reason for choosing to live together.

Initially, the older brother, Keisuke, moved away from his parent’s home in order to attend a university in Tokyo. However, after the younger sister graduated from high school, she began to express her desire to live in Tokyo as well.

Keisuke heard about this from their parents over the phone, but to be honest, he couldn’t care less. Keisuke’s mind was occupied with university life, part-time jobs, and, most importantly, blind dates. He hadn’t seen his sister in over two years, and to him, she held about the same level of importance as occasional news about “the melting of ice in Antarctica” – if he were to put it into words, it would be something like “someone else’s problem.”

It seemed like their mother wanted him to convince his sister otherwise, but Keisuke couldn’t help but think, “Why not let her do as she pleases?” He felt sorry for his mother, but he also believed that his sister had the right to live on her own since he himself was already living independently. However, he didn’t voice these thoughts and gave a half-hearted response instead.

The next day, Miyabi, his sister, arrived with a large suitcase.

◆

[Keisuke PoV]

“I’ll pay the rent, so let me stay here for a while. I’ll move to a bigger place later.” (Miyabi)

My sister, whom I hadn’t seen in two years, said this as soon as she entered the room. Two years of adolescence¹ should bring about significant changes in a person, but I couldn’t see much difference in her. The only noticeable change was that her hair was dyed orange in some places. 

“What do you mean?” (Keisuke)

Unable to understand the situation, Keisuke raised his voice with some irritation. Dealing with unexpected visitors early in the morning was enough to sour his mood.

“I was allowed to move up to Tokyo under the condition that I live with my big brother (aniki). For now, Aniki has no right to refuse.” (Miyabi)

“Why don’t I have the right to refuse?” (Keisuke)

Listening to her story, after that phone call, it seems that Miyabi went through quite a bit of negotiation and managed to somehow get approval from our parents, who were adamantly against their daughter moving to Tokyo. The consensus was that they would allow her to move if she lived with her older brother. Upon hearing this, Miyabi happily packed her bags that same evening and took the first express train to her brother’s apartment. The end.

Miyabi’s story was brief. Keisuke let out a deep sigh. He could only marvel at his sister’s recklessness, which hadn’t changed a bit.

“So, you’re going to pay the rent? How exactly are you going to do that?” (Keisuke)

Keisuke knew that his sister hadn’t enrolled in university, so she likely had some free time on her hands. In Tokyo, it was relatively easy for young women to earn decent money, as long as they chose their means carefully.

…However, Miyabi’s response was something completely unexpected for Keisuke.

“I’m actually already pretty rich, you know. I’ve been doing various things online and earning quite a bit, so I can easily cover the rent.” (Miyabi)

“Huh, seriously?” (Keisuke)

And that’s how Keisuke and Miyabi ended up living together.

◆

“Ughhh! Why won’t you watch it, you stupid brother (baka Aniki)!” (Miyabi)

Miyabi thrust her smartphone toward Keisuke, her canine tooth visible as she scowled. On the screen was a live stream of a male VTuber named “Otona Kodomo”, who had recently debuted on [Virtual Real]. Miyabi also had another persona as a popular VTuber named “Zeria” under [Virtual Real], and she was desperately trying to convert her brother into a fan of “Otona Kodomo”, whom she had helped debut.

“Huh? Why?… Because I asked someone who knows a lot about VTubers at university, and they said I didn’t have to watch it. They said it wasn’t interesting.” (Keisuke)

At this point, Keisuke had no idea that the “VTuber expert” his sister mentioned was actually the very “Otona Kodomo” she was eager to introduce him to. If he had just listened to his sister and watched one of the streams even once, he would have realized that the person behind “Otona Kodomo” was none other than Tendou Souma, someone he was close to.

“Who is that person? I can’t forgive them!” (Miyabi)

“Why are you so worked up about it…” (Keisuke)

Keisuke still has no knowledge that his sister was a VTuber. While they lived in the same house, they generally respected each other’s privacy. He had a vague understanding that his sister seemed to be earning money in an industry he wasn’t familiar with.

“Enough already! I can’t live with such a baka Aniki! I’m running away from home!” (Miyabi)

“Sure, go ahead and run away.” (Keisuke)

Keisuke waved his hand dismissively, paying no attention to Miyabi, who was furious like a raging fire. Miyabi staying overnight away home were not uncommon, and this was already her third runaway this month. It should be noted that Zeria’s off-collab often occurred after fights with her brother.

Miyabi left the apartment with her smartphone in hand. In her mind, she was headed to a luxurious apartment where “Henrietta,” “Otona Kodomo,” and the voice actress “Yasumi Hiyori” lived.

---

Thanks for reading!

Why is MIyabi trying to convert her brother into a Kodomo fan? Is she trying to start the onii-chan fanbase for MC lol.

Hmm Miyabi can’t live in Shizuka’s house for obvious reasons and I don’t think she is close enough to Hiyorin to ask her. I wonder whose place is she gonna stay over at.

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1. Adolescence is the period following the onset of puberty during which a young person develops from a child into an adult. Also for some reason only this paragraph was not in third person.

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Updated the font settings in the sidebar to let you pick line height, themes, and 2 new fonts.

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“Hi… Hiyorin-san…?” (Souma)

“Onee-chan, right?” (Hiyori)

Hiyorin looked up at me and smiled, but her voice didn’t sound like she was smiling at all. The contrast between her soft smile and deep voice sent me shivers. I never thought her voice-acting skills would be used this way against me…

“On… onee-chan.” (Souma)

“That’s right!” (Hiyori)

“Whoa!?” (Souma)

Hiyorin, with a satisfied expression, grabbed my hand and pulled me close. I stumbled and fell onto the sofa, and ended up leaning against Hiyorin.

“Hehe… mouuu. It can’t be helped. You’re such a spoiled child.” (Hiyori)

Even though the words alone might sound annoying, Hiyorin’s voice was overflowing with happiness. My face was buried deep into her soft spot, unable to catch a glimpse of her expression, but there was no doubt that she was melting, given the emotions in her voice.

“I’ve always wanted to do this.” (Hiyori)

Hiyorin’s hand shifted me slightly, causing my face and upper body to slide down her body. I didn’t want to think about where my face was currently positioned. Crossing over a challenging terrain of hills, I found myself enveloped in a moist sensation.

“Ugh…” (Souma)

I quickly realized where I was.

────Hiyorin’s thighs were, to put it frankly, incredibly sexy.

After the Zanimasu live performance, social media was flooded with tweets like “Hiyorin’s thighs were too sexy,” and I heard people around me at the venue saying things like, “I realized I was only looking at her thighs.” While I thought to myself, “Watch the live properly…”, to be honest, I was also totally captivated. My gaze was involuntarily drawn to them. I don’t know why. Probably because I’m a guy.

My face was now pressed against those thighs.

“Come on, get on the couch properly.” (Hiyori)

As prompted, I managed to bring my lower body to lie on the couch. My face continued to press against her thighs as I desperately tried to contain something welling up from the core of my body.

Most of my mind was filled with confusion, but a small part of it was radiating a powerful sense of “happiness”. Would she be disappointed if she found out that I was happy about such a situation? Even if that were the case, there was nothing I could do. I was a healthy university student, and healthy university students can’t help but feel happy when they’re receiving a lap pillow from their oshi.

“How does it feel, Kodomo-chan? Does it feel good?” (Hiyori)

“Y-yes…” (Souma)

Honestly, I wasn’t entirely sure if it felt good. It was soft yet incredibly uncomfortable. I couldn’t relax. It was unsettling. My heartbeats were so loud that I thought Hiyorin might be able to hear them.

I was well aware that Hiyorin was a heavy drinker, but her behavior had never reached such levels before. Isn’t this a crime? Something along the lines of seduction. Hiyorin’s thighs possessed a destructive power that, in a different world, might have been regulated. Come to think of it, why do they call it a “lap pillow”? In reality, the head is resting on the thighs, so shouldn’t it be called a “thigh pillow”?

My mind was running wild, and various different thoughts were racing through it. But maybe it was better to feel overwhelmed. Otherwise, I felt like I might cross a line with Hiyorin. 

“….Kodomo-chan, do you think onee-chan is drunk?” (Hiyori)

“Well, um…” (Souma)

Her sulking voice came from above.

If she wasn’t actually drunk, she’d be a complete seductress. 26-year-old Hiyorin, pretending to be drunk and tempting a university student. I had only seen such things in H-manga, and I knew they didn’t exist in reality.

…However,

“I’m not actually drunk, Souma-kun.” (Hiyori)

“Huh?” (Souma)

…The voice that reached my ears was the one I usually heard through my smartphone. It was a completely different person from the current Hiyorin.

“Hiyori-sa-bubebe…” (Souma)

As I tried to inquire about the true meaning of her earlier words, Hiyorin’s hand gently stopped my cheek.

“I just wanted to give you a lap pillow, Souma-kun, so I ended up relying on alcohol. It’s not Kodomo-chan who I want to spoil; it’s you, Souma-kun.” (Hiyori)

“I-Is that so…” (Souma)

“Yes, it is.” (Hiyori)

…Hiyorin, she’s definitely still drunk. No matter how grateful she may be to me, the usual Hiyorin would never say such things. She should be regretting it by now and blushing from ear to ear. But I couldn’t confirm that while my head was pressed against her thighs.

“…Thank you as always, Souma-kun. Thank you for being with me today too.” (Hiyori)

“N-No… Thank you…” (Souma)

“Hehe, what are you thanking me for?” (Hiyori)

…I couldn’t bring myself to say, “For this soft sensation”.

---

Thanks for reading!

Hiyorin not being drunk is the biggest plot twist ever. I genuinely thought she was drunk up until she said she wasn’t.

Also I never really understood why it isn’t called thigh pillow either.

If the translation is shitter, it’s cause ChatGPT keeps giving content policy violation errors, cause I guess the words were too lewd.

P.S. Hope that you had fun messing around with the new sidebar options. I know that having a pitch-black background is pretty bad for some people, so now you can go change it. However, I can’t exactly make the Prev/Next links and comment section adapt to the background since they are automatically created by some code I’m running. There is probably a workaround but I’ll leave that for another time.

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1. None

Due to the appearance of ‘Otona Kodomo’ and ‘Henrietta’ in the comments section, Hiyorin’s debut livestream started trending on Twitter.

The fact that she lived in the same apartment building as Ette-sama became a hot topic once again, and as a result, VTuber fans flocked to Hiyorin’s stream, reaching a peak viewership of 10,000. I believe this is an exceptional number for a voice actor’s personal channel. With that, Hiyorin’s first livestream ended successfully.

“Hiyorin-san, congratulations on your first livestream.” (Souma)

“Souma-kun, thank you for coming to the stream.” (Hiyori)

After the livestream had ended, I received a Rime from Hiyorin asking, “Want a drink?”. I immediately accepted the proposal and headed over to her house.

Being a professional voice actress, her tolerance for public speaking was quite different from mine. But since I received this invitation, I am guessing that she was nervous after all. Taking part in Zanimasu official livestreams must have been quite different from streaming independently. I couldn’t find a reason to decline the offer.

“I should be the one thanking you for allowing me to stream this… And I’m sorry if some of my viewers ended up causing trouble in your chat.” (Souma)

Comments like “I’m Kodomo-chan’s elder sister (ane)” or “I’m Kodomo-chan’s mother, what’s your relationship?” started to appear every so often in Hiyorin’s livestream chat. Despite addressing it on my own stream, not everyone was being kind, and I ended up causing some trouble for Hiyorin.

“I didn’t really mind at all. Besides, it was fun to have a lively chat, and it might have even helped a bit.” (Hiyori)

“If you say so, but…” (Souma)

“It seems like your fans have some strong personalities, don’t they?” (Hiyori)

Hearing that, Hiyorin laughed. Anyway, it was a relief that she wasn’t bothered by it. I probably still need to have a stern talk with the onee-chans later.

“Well then… Cheers. To Hiyorin’s successful first livestream!” (Souma)

“Cheers!” (Hiyori)

◆

“Souma! What’s the deal with all those girls?!” (Hiyori)

Hiyorin’s face turned bright red as she slammed her glass onto the table with a loud thud. I worried that it might shatter, but surprisingly, the glass remained intact and never broke.

“….What on earth are you talking about…?” (Souma)

Hiyorin seemed to switch into her drunk mode quite early today… Maybe she was tired from the stream earlier. Alcohol tends to hit you quickly when you’re tired. I’ve had my fair share of experiences with that.

“It’s obvious! It’s about the onee-chan fans! Acting like big sisters without me… I can’t forgive that!” (Hiyori)

“Huh…?” (Souma)

Without me…?

“Hiyorin, are you watching my stream by any chance…?” (Souma)

“Of course! I’ve been sending messages like ‘I’m your real onee-chan’ so many times, but you never seem to notice…” (Hiyori)

“Uh, why would you do something like that?” (Souma)

Come to think of it, there were frequent comments in the chat claiming to be my real onee-chan. I didn’t pay much attention since my chat was generally nonsensical, but could it have been Hiyorin all along…?

Hiyorin collapsed onto the table and, unbelievably, started shedding tears. I reached for a tissue and handed it to her. Regardless of how uncontrollable her drunken state was, a woman’s tears can be heart-wrenching.

“I… I wanted to spoil Kodomo-chan…” (Hiyori)

As Hiyorin sobbed and sniffled, it made me realize that she seemed quite different from the “Yasumi Hiyori” I had admired. Could it be that the people in my chat were all like this…?

“I understand, I understand, so please don’t cry.” (Souma)

“Understand… understand what…?” (Hiyori)

Hiyorin looked at me with eyes like an abandoned puppy.

“…I’ll let you spoil me, so please don’t cry.” (Souma)

“Really…?” (Hiyori)

“Yes. If it makes you feel better.” (Souma)

“Alright! Um, should we move to the sofa then!?” (Hiyori)

Hiyorin suddenly got up with a burst of energy, causing her to sway heavily. I quickly reached out to support her, and she flashed a relieved and somewhat deflated smile.

“Thank you, Kodomo-chan.” (Hiyori)

“…You’re welcome.” (Souma)

It seemed that in Hiyorin’s mind, I had already transformed from Tendou Souma to Otona Kodomo. I was beginning to regret it, but it seemed like there was nothing I could do now.

Once I settled Hiyorin on the sofa, she looked up at me with a peculiar expression and smiled.

“Well then… how about onee-chan give you a lap pillow? Come on, hurry up and lie down!” (Hiyori)

---

Thanks for reading!

Hiyorin really went from “I don’t mind at all” to “Whats up with those girls?!” real quick.

Btw oddly enough, ChatGPT flagged the words “lap pillow” as a violation of their content policy LOL.

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1. None

“I’m getting nervous…” (Kodomo)

Sitting in front of the computer, I kept glancing at the clock.

The time was 21:58. It was just two minutes away from the first live stream of [Hiyorin’s Tipsy Channel].

Since I often brought up topics related to Zanimasu and Hiyorin during my streams, I thought it would be a good idea to reserve a time slot and watch it together with everyone. Of course, I had obtained permission from Hiyorin and [Virtual Real].

Comment: 『What kind of gathering is this?』

Comment: 『Who is Hiyorin?』

Comment: 『Kodomo-chan, can you explain the meaning of this to onee-chan properly?』

The comment section was buzzing with excitement for this different format of livestream.

I had a gut feeling that the fans of “Otona Kodomo”, and the fans of the idol voice actress “Yasumi Hiyori” might not overlap much so it wasn’t surprising that they were confused by this.

“You see, I often talk about Hiyorin during my streams. Today is her first livestream on her personal MeTube channel, and it’s starting in just 1 minute. How about we all watch it together?” (Kodomo)

Comment: 『She’s in Drecure, right?』

“Oh, you watch Drecure too? I started watching Drecure because Hiyorin is in it. Tsukasa-chan¹ is so cool, right?” (Kodomo)

Hiyorin plays the main character “Kazamatsuri Tsukasa” in the long-running Sunday morning anime “Drecure”. Unlike Kotori from Zanimasu², Tsukasa-chan is the big sister character who takes care of everyone, and her voice acting seems to fit her really well.

Comment: 『Did you first hear about her from Ette-sama and Zeria off-collab?』

“Yeah, that’s right. I was seriously shocked at that moment. What are the odds that they are living next to each other, right?” (Kodomo)

I was genuinely shocked when Hiyorin entered the room.

If there was one lie, it’s that I actually live next door too… But I absolutely can’t tell them that.

Comment: 『Which one is more important, Hiyorin or onee-chan?』

“Well, it’s definitely Hiyorin. I’m a huge fan of her. But I cherish my onee-chans too.” (Kodomo)

Comment: 『Kodomo-chan…!』

Comment: 『Such a good child…』

Comment: 『I raised that boy.』

This kind of back-and-forth banter had become somewhat of a tradition in my streams.

I couldn’t help but wonder if letting this continue was okay, but I had a feeling that it probably was.

As I watched the comments section, the waiting screen transitioned to a full-screen view of Hiyorin. Behind her, there was a neatly organized shelf displaying merchandise from the projects she had worked on. It was clear that she was streaming from that room which I accidentally entered before.

“It’s starting! Everyone, focus!” (Kodomo)

Comment: 『Can’t be helped, huh?』

Comment: 『Yes!』

Comment: 『Serious Kodomo-chan is cute.』

◆

[Hiyorin PoV]

“Um… Can you see me?” (Hiyori)

For now, I waved my hand toward the camera.

Even though Shizuka-chan had explained the software and equipment for streaming to me before we started, it was still challenging to understand everything at once. The rapidly flowing comments were making me anxious. It felt like I was more nervous than during a live broadcast at work.

Comment: 『She’s hereeeeeee!』

Comment: 『Hiyoriinnnnnnnnn!』

Comment: 『You’re on screen!!!』

“Ah, thanks for the response. Does it look okay?” (Hiyori)

Comments were flowing at an incredible speed, just like during Zanimasu’s live streams. Looking at the viewer count, it was an astonishing 5,000 people.

I hadn’t really promoted my MeTube channel on Twitter, and I had heard that voice actor channels don’t tend to grow much, so I thought, “It would be great if 100 people showed up,” but… I couldn’t hide my surprise at the number far exceeding my expectations.

“Um… so, let me introduce myself. I’m a Yasumi Hiyori, a voice actor. I recently started this MeTube channel and I plan to talk about my work, do game commentary, and much more. And thank you for tuning in to my stream.” (Hiyori)

Comment: 『I’ve been waiting for this!』

Comment: 『I want to hear about Zanimasu!』

Comment: 『What’s with the ‘Tipsy Channel’ part?』

“Oh, the meaning behind ‘Tipsy Channel’? Well… I haven’t talked about this much before, but the truth is, I quite like alcohol. I’ll usually be drinking some during my streams from now on. So, I’d be happy if all of you could prepare some drinks too while watching. I think I’ll be talking about alcohol quite a bit too!” (Hiyori)

Comment: 『I’m already drinking!』

Comment: 『I’ll go get some whiskey ready.』

Comment: 『Hiyorin, you’re quite the drinker, huh?』

I was struggling to distinguish whether this was work or private, and I found myself responding to comments in a sort of middle ground between “Yasumi Hiyori” and “Hasekura Hiyori”.

I decided to start without preparing a script or anything, but… reacting to comments on my own is much harder than I thought. I realized that the reliability of the other voice actors who were usually there with me during work streams and live events was gone.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all, a familiar name appeared in the comments.

Henrietta: 『Congratulations on opening the channel! I’m supporting you from the apartment next door!』

Otona Kodomo: 『I’m a fan! Thank you for allowing me to do a watchalong³! Looking forward to it!』

Comment: 『Ette-sama and Kodomo!?』

Comment: 『What a lineup! lol』

Comment: 『I watch Kodomo’s streams quite a bit, and that guy is a hardcore Hiyorin fan. He’s even doing a watchalong right now.』

Comment: 『Didn’t Ette-sama and Hiyorin live in the same place?』

The comment section was already moving at a rapid pace earlier, but now it was moving even faster so I could barely read any comments.

…And yet, I realized that the anxiety and vulnerability I had felt just a moment ago had disappeared.

…Thank you, Souma-kun. Shizuka-chan.

---

Thanks for reading!

Welcome back Hiyorin! It’s been like forever since you were in a chapter.

Btw I’m sure you already know this, but comment section = the chat. I don’t really know why it’s called comment section instead of chat, but maybe that’s just a Japan thing. Anyways, its troublesome to keep translating it as chat so I left it as comment section, but I don’t think it’ll bother anyone.

P.S. I finally updated the chapters with illustration. They are 39, 52 and 56. Unfortunately, 2 of the illustrations with Hiyorin are exclusive to LN. Looks like she got a bit more development in the LN.

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1. The main character from Drecure that Hiyorin voices. For some reason, I named her Tsubasa in ch 1 whereas she was supposed to be Tsukasa. Well, I fixed it now.
2. Referring to Hoshino Kotori, the character that Hiyorin voices in Zanimasu, the idol raising gacha game.
3. Raw said something about mirror but I guess a watchalong is a more familiar term? A watchalong is when someone streams themselves watching a live event/stream.

When it comes to VTubers, I think the common image that is often associated with them is gaming content. However, I’m actually not a big fan of games. I don’t enjoy playing them myself, and I’m not particularly interested in watching others play either. I prefer watching streams like Ette-sama’s where she engages in casual conversations with her chat. This may be because I didn’t have much exposure to games during my childhood.

Even though I prefer living a game-free life, becoming a VTuber didn’t really help my situation, and I found myself even less motivated to play games.

Between balancing university, household chores, Souma-kai meals, unfamiliar streaming, and on top of that, taking care of Shizuka while dealing with sudden appearances of Mafuyu-chan and Hiyorin’s drinking habits, sometimes makes me wonder just how many hats I’m wearing. Naturally, the area where I tend to cut corners the most is my VTuber activities, where I have permission to “do as I please”, and I’ve been mostly doing casual conversation streams.

Today’s stream title is “Just Chatting [Otona Kodomo / Virtual Real]”.

For some reason, despite the lack of specific content, 40,000 bored onee-chans have gathered tonight to watch this stream. It’s not that I’m particularly skilled at talking either. The fact that 40,000 people gather on a weekday night just to listen to my casual conversation… well, it’s a bit rude to say this, but it makes me worry about the future of Japan.

“Onee-chans, I’m really happy that all of you always tune in to my streams every time, but… I just want to remind you that we’re really just chatting, and there’s nothing particularly interesting going on. To be honest, I’m a bit confused why there are so many of you here…” (Kodomo)

Comment: 『You’re all onee-chan has ;_;』

Comment: 『If you think that, then you should stream more often.』

Comment: 『Onee-chans are lonely adults, you know? Why would you say that?』

“I see… I’m sorry. I’ll do my best.” (Kodomo)

Comment: 『It’s okay.』

Comment: 『Watching over my little brother (otouto) is an onee-chan’s duty.』

Comment: 『What did you cook today?』

I’m starting to get used to this kind of atmosphere lately. It’s really reassuring for a beginner streamer like me that they tend to let things slide when I make a mistake. After all, I might accidentally blurt out something weird from time to time.

“Today, I made some casual simmered eggplant and ohitashi¹. It’s been hot lately, so I wanted something light.” (Kodomo)

Well, that was actually a lie. This was just something I was planning to make some day in the future.

Tonight’s menu for Souma-kai was actually hot pot udon instead.

The reason I lied is simple: Shizuka is currently doing “EtteMeals” on Twitter which involves her showing off our meals.

This highly cost-effective routine involves her posting pictures of the dishes I make with a brief poetic caption, and it has become incredibly popular on Twitter. Lately, Ette-sama has even cultivated an image of being an “elegant and domestically capable young lady”, fueling the fantasies of many male fans.

Recently, there seems to have been an offer from a publishing house suggesting, “Why don’t you release a recipe book?” I remember Shizuka being quite flustered about it. We decided to decline the offer because we felt sorry for anyone who would actually purchase it.

Anyways, If I were to tell my onee-chans what I actually ate today, there would be headlines in the future like “Is Otona Kodomo Living Together with Henrietta!?” Well, it’s partially true, but some things should remain hidden. That’s why I had to lie.

Comment: 『Sounds delicious.』

Comment: 『How about selling home-cooked meals as a 500,000 subscriber milestone merchandise?』

Comment: 『Come over to onee-chan’s house to cook.』

“Hmm… selling home-cooked meals as merchandise might not be feasible, right? It seems like it could be tricky in terms of hygiene, and honestly, it’s probably not worth paying for. If there were real-world events for [Virtual Real], it might be interesting to participate as a kitchen staff in the food corner.” (Kodomo)

I consider myself reasonably skilled among people of my age, but I’m not a professional or anything. If I were to sell such things, there’s a good chance nobody would be happy with it.

Comment: 『That sounds interesting.』

Comment: 『Looking forward to real-life events.』

Comment: 『Otona Kodomo’s cooking workshop corner.』

“Yeah, standing on a stage is definitely not my thing. If I were to participate, working in the kitchen would be much more comfortable.” (Kodomo)

My casual chats really lack substance, don’t they? And yet, 40,000 people tune in to listen to them. I wonder what’s going on.

Comment: 『What’s the point of the main character doing part-time work? lol』

Comment: 『I want to see the Kodomo-chan fumbling on stage.』

Comment: 『Kodomo, do a singing stream.』

“A singing stream?” (Kodomo)

A singing stream… I think that’s like a karaoke stream, right? I remember Shizuka mentioning that you need permission for that as there are copyright issues involved. Besides, I’m not particularly good at singing, and I’m not taking singing lessons, so I have no plans of doing a singing stream.

“I’m not good at singing, so it’s a bit embarrassing. I probably won’t do a singing stream.” (Kodomo)

I said that without thinking, and I immediately realized my mistake. I had just given the onee-chans something to tease me about.

…For some reason, these 40,000 bored onee-chans are basically sadists. They’re always on the lookout for opportunities to tease and embarrass me. I don’t know why.

Comment: 『Onee-chan wants to hear Kodomo-chan sing.』

Comment: 『We’re eager for a singing stream! I’ll send feedback to Virtual Real.』

Henrietta: 『Sing.』

Comment: 『Everyone’s embarrassed at first, you know?』

“…….Hmm?” (Kodomo)

Wait a minute, did a comment with a colored name just pass by in the chat?

When I scrolled back through the comment section with my mouse wheel, I saw the name of Henrietta, the elegant and domestically capable young lady.

…I’ll also remember this.

Comment: 『Ette-sama is here lol』

Comment: 『The pressure from Senpai.』

Comment: 『Kodomo-chan is being bullied by his senpai…』

The comment section was buzzing with excitement due to Ette’s appearance. Somehow, it had turned into a discussion about me singing.

“Wait, do I really have to sing? It’s really embarrassing.” (Kodomo)

Comment: 『Yes.』

Comment: 『Just a little bit.』

Comment: 『Kodomo, sing.』

“Well, I heard that you need permission in advance for singing streams, and there are likely copyright issues.” (Kodomo)

It seemed that even the onee-chans had to yield to copyright issues. It was a close call.

…Or so I thought.

Henrietta: 『Acappella should be fine.』

“…Huh?” (Kodomo)

Ette-sama’s comment sparked a huge reaction in the chat. At the same time, my phone notified me of a message from Rime.

“(I’m looking forward to Souma-kun’s singing, okay?)” (Shizuka)

…This girl, I’ll make sure she skips dinner tomorrow. I won’t cook for her even if she cries and apologizes.

Comment: 『It’s settled then.』

Comment: 『What song are you going to sing?』

Comment: 『I’d like to hear nursery rhymes.』

The comment section had already discussed various ways to humiliate me. Why are these people so perfectly in sync? Assuming that the comment section is like a single place, they’ve only known each other for about two weeks.

…In the end, I did end up embarrassing myself quite spectacularly, but to be honest, I was kind of into it halfway through.

I guess there’s some strange sense of service in me that wants people who come to my stream to have a good time. I understand that it’s this kind of personality that makes me wear so many hats, but I also know that I can’t change my personality overnight.

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Thanks for reading!

Maybe this is all part of Shizuka’s plan to get MC into singing so that he can ask her to teach him how to sing. But then again, he could also ask Hiyorin.

Also lmao they felt sorry for people who bought the recipe books.

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1. Ohitashi is a boiled vegetable salad with soy sauce or something like that.