Category: Toxic Game Streamer

“I see. If that’s the case then you should reply right away. After all, it’s someone important to onii-chan, right?” (Yuno)

“Yeah, I’ll reply right after I finish washing the dishes.” (Haruto)

“I’ll do the dishes for you, so go and reply.” (Yuno)

“Huh…” (Haruto)

“Just do it.” (Yuno)

“Ah, thanks for looking out for me.” (Haruto)

“…I didn’t mean it like that.” (Yuno)

“Well, thanks anyways.” (Haruto)

“You don’t have to say it twice.” (Yuno)

Although she was acting tsun¹, it was obvious that she was looking out for him. He decided to just rely on her kindness.

“Well then, I need to go and think about my schedule, so I’ll move to the other room.” (Haruto)

“Okay.” (Yuno)

Haruto took his smartphone to the gaming room and spent 15 minutes on Twitto talking to Ayaya to come up with a schedule. Once they successfully determined the collaboration date and time, they engaged in casual conversation, including private topics.

During this conversation, Ayaya sent the following messages:

“(Hey, hey, it’s sudden, but I have to consult you about something, Oni-chan.)” (Ayaya)

“(That’s sudden. I don’t know if I can help, but go ahead.)” (Oni-chan)

“(Thank you!)” (Ayaya)

With the collaboration confirmed, they were currently in the midst of trying to deepen their trust and friendship. After all, being comfortable around each other is more enjoyable for viewers compared to having a tense atmosphere.

In response to that sentiment, I decided to reply in a more casual tone:

“(All right, let’s get to it! De-den! If you want to get along with someone you’re interested in, what should you do, Oni-chan!?)” (Ayaya)

“(Huh, a love consultation?)” (Oni-chan)

“(Ah, don’t get me wrong! This isn’t about me; it’s about a friend! A friend! They came to me for advice, and I couldn’t really be of much help.)” (Ayaya)

While emphasizing the word ‘friend,’ she added, “They want to hear the opinions of the opposite sex!”

“(Hey~ what should I do?)” (Ayaya)

“(Can I get some information first?)” (Oni-chan)

“(Oh! Right, right!)” (Ayaya)

It’s heartwarming seeing how her on-stream and off-stream personalities are so similar.

“R-really, Ayaya-san is amazing… Being a streamer is one thing, but not everyone can close the distance like this.” (Haruto)

She is a person who primarily manages and operates her channel through streaming. Moreover, she achieved a subscriber count of over 300,000 in just one year.

By interacting with her like this, the reasons for her popularity are gradually becoming apparent.

Her cheerful personality, friendly demeanor, and the way she treats everyone the same in an industry where hierarchy is often determined by channel subscriber counts.

“(Oh, before that, I was curious. Why did you choose me as the person to consult with? We haven’t really known each other for long, right?)” (Oni-chan)

“(Because Oni-chan wouldn’t go around spreading this kind of things, right? I at least know about the other side of Oni-chan.)” (Ayaya)

“(Ah, I see.)” (Oni-chan)

Being exposed as someone who would lend an ear to consultations would be a blow in itself. Based on this, there isn’t really any reason for me to spread such things around.

“(Besides, you two kinda resemble each other, Oni-chan and that person.)” (Ayaya)

“(Oh, really?)” (Oni-chan)

“Well, the safest thing would be to consult someone in real life, but I wonder if she doesn’t have anyone around like that… Ayaya seems to have a lot of friends, though.” (Haruto)

In this industry, prying into someone’s private life is considered bad manners so I kept that question to myself.

“(By the way, I’m curious about what kind of person Ayaya-san’s friend is interested in.)” (Oni-chan)

“(Well, you know! She’s into a café staff, someone mature and kind! Oh, this is just what I heard, so I don’t know the details!)” (Ayaya)

“(Café staff, huh. Indeed, many of them give off a calm and composed vibe.)” (Oni-chan)

“We have the same profession…” (Haruto)

He muttered quietly to himself as he replied.

“(So, Ayaya-san’s friend is attracted to the mature and kind part of him?)” (Oni-chan)

“(Not just that, but there were also some really cool moments too!)” (Ayaya)

“(Oh?)” (Oni-chan)

When was the last time I had a conversation like this? It feels like it’s been several years.

Even though I’m in the position of giving advice, it’s starting to get exciting.

“(Well, you know, just like me, that friend also moved to a different prefecture². And, like me, they have a regional dialect, so they were teased by people around them.)” (Ayaya)

“(I see, I see.)” (Oni-chan)

“(And then! In the midst of all that, when that person went into the cafe where they work and placed an order, they accidentally spoke in their dialect. And then, it seems like the customers behind them started whispering, saying it sounded country-like or something.)” (Ayaya)

“Hmm?” (Haruto)

At this point, I suddenly feel a sense of discomfort.

“(And you know what? That onii-san³ boldly confronted them and stood up for her! How cool is that!?)” (Ayaya)

“(Oh… That’s quite courageous.)” (Oni-chan)

The discomfort intensifies.

“W-Wait, isn’t that… No, it must be a coincidence.” (Haruto)

I’ve encountered the same situation that she just described before.

“(And besides, he pays a lot of attention to her! He earnestly draws latte art for her, write messages that make her happy, and was very caring! Isn’t he great!?)” (Ayaya)

“(Yeah, that’s nice.)” (Oni-chan)

I can only give vague replies, as I’m doing similar things.

“I wonder if his drawings are bad… What’s going on? This sense of familiarity…” (Haruto)

I scratch my head, furrowing my brow.

The more I hear the story, the more I picture the silhouette of this ‘friend’ of hers.

Bob-cut milk tea-colored hair. Fair skin with pink eyes.

It matches the silhouette of Shirayuki, a first-year university student and a regular customer who came to the shop today.

However, that’s impossible. The typical age for a first-year university student is 18 or 19. It’s unbelievable that someone of that age would have over 300,000 subscribers on their channel.

“(By the way, does that cafe staff member have a girlfriend?)” (Oni-chan)

“(Ah.)” (Ayaya)

A brief one-word reply.

“(Huh?)” (Oni-chan)

“(I didn’t ask!! My friend didn’t ask either!!)” (Ayaya)

“(Ehh? Well, you should confirm that first.)” (Oni-chan)

“(But if you ask someone if they have a girlfriend, they’ll know that you’re interested in them, right!?)” (Ayaya)

“(Well, that’s true.)” (Oni-chan)

It’s unavoidable that I can’t give good advice. I don’t have experience in this area.

“(Oh, but you know! My friend made a promise to play ABEX with that cafe staff! If he has a girlfriend, wouldn’t he avoid making such a promise!?)” (Ayaya)

“(Oh, yeah, that makes sense. Wait, ABEX?)” (Oni-chan)

“(Yeah! It’s the same ABEX that we’re playing!)” (Ayaya)

“(What’s his rank?)” (Oni-chan)

“(We’re both in Platinum! We haven’t decided whether to play ranked or casual matches, though!)” (Ayaya)

“…” (Haruto)

The moment I read this reply, I release my phone as if it’s too hot to touch.

I cover my mouth with my hand, looking up at the ceiling with indescribable emotions.

“This… this feels familiar… No, it’s probably just a bunch of coincidences piling up…” (Haruto)

I pick up the phone from the desk again.

“(Ah, but that staff member will be totally surprised when my friend plays ABEX with him!)” (Ayaya)

“(Surprised?)” (Oni-chan)

“(Yeah, because my friend has reached the top rank (Predator) before. She gave the sub-account she used for practicing to him.)” (Ayaya)

“(Wow, that’s amazing!)” (Oni-chan)

Predator is a rank that only 750 players in the world can achieve.

It signifies a professional level of skill.

“Even if you don’t tell him, it should be pretty obvious when they start playing…” (Haruto)

After all, I’m also a player who has reached Predator rank. By observing character control and tactics, you can get an idea of a player’s skill level.

“(Ayaya-san, can I ask you something?)” (Oni-chan)

“(What, what?)” (Ayaya)

“(When is your friend going to play ABEX with the cafe staff member?)” (Oni-chan)

“(It’s in five days!)” (Ayaya)

“(I see…)” (Oni-chan)

Five days from now is the same day as the promised date with Shirayuki Aya.

“No, it can’t be. Such a coincidence…” (Haruto)

That was the only reaction I could muster.

---

Thanks for reading!

—”Even if you don’t tell him, it should be pretty obvious when they start playing…”

Let’s all remember this sentence for later when they start playing and see if he could tell. Looks like the cat’s gonna be out of the bag soon. Actually it probably already is lol.

“TL-san~! Why is the chapter suddenly in first-person halfway through?”

Half of my mind was asleep, and it looks like I missed a portion of the chapter where ChatGPT generated as first-person, and since I didn’t correct it, it decided to do everything afterwards in first-person too.

---

1. You know, ‘tsun’ from ‘tsundere. It means acting cold to someone.
2. I could be wrong, but prefactures are like areas of a region. There are 7-9 regions in Japan and 47 total prefactures split among the regions. Each might have the same or different dialect.
3. Idk how to describe onii-san. Basically referring to a young man.

Despite the rude behavior towards Ayaya, for some reason, he was receiving only positive comments.

“N-No way, why are these messages coming…? I hit Ayaya-san… Fans should normally be angry, shouldn’t they…?” (Haruto)

Checking the profiles of the users who left these messages, it was overwhelmingly clear that they were Ayaya’s fans.

Muttering to himself, he continued scrolling through the notifications.

The reason as to why this was happening became clear when he opened the URL that had been sent to him.

“W-What’s with this clip…” (Haruto)

The first thing that caught his eye was a clip with the title: “Toxic Oni-chan Being Too Kind to Ayaya (lol).”

It had 50,000 likes and had been retweeted over 20,000 times.

There were several other clips and videos in a similar situation.

One such video included the highlights of all the good moments from the collaboration with Ayaya.

He had given away the only Assault Rifle, the R-301, claiming he already had it.

He handed over one extra healing item.

He praised both enemies and allies.

All of these acts were meticulously edited into a well-crafted and funny video.

While watching the video, there was a part of him thinking, “Is it okay for me to interact with someone like her?”

Checking the comments section of the video, there were only positive reactions from Oni-chan’s perspective.

Twitto Post: [Oni-chan is really kind LOL]

Twitto Post: [Such a cute klutz.]

Twitto Post: [I can tell. He was treating Ayaya like a little sister.]

Twitto Post: [I know right? You can see how he interacts with his little sister in this video lol]

Not a single negative comment. Not one.

“N-No, this is bad… If they see me like this, it’ll be difficult to continue keeping the status quo… Why is this getting so much attention in the first place?!” (Haruto)

The reason became apparent from the comments below.

“N-No way… right?” (Haruto)

It wasn’t a mistake.

Ayaya, a professional gamer with over 200,000 followers on Twitto and the person featured in the various clips and videos, was helping to fuel the fire with comments like, “Oni-chan and I accidentally collaborated! Check out the details in my stream VOD¹!”

“Ugh. To think that I would be used as a stepping stone…!” (Haruto)

Feeling like his knees were about to give out, he understood that this was karma.

He was the one who had initially tried to use her so there was no room for complaint.

“This is bad. This is really bad… I need to do some damage control quickly…” (Haruto)

Cold sweat dripped down.

While holding his head and thinking about his next move, he prioritized posting a message to contain the situation.

Twitto Post: [Haa. I just finished my business and the moment I checked in on Twitto, all I saw was a mess of lies. Do you guys really want my attention that badly? It’s a hassle, so I won’t bother dealing with it.]

He pushed away the users showing goodwill and intentionally posted a cold response. However, it was all in vain.

Twitto Post: [I heard you’re working six days a week, so you’ve been working all this time!? Thanks for your hard work!]

Twitto Post: [Take it easy and rest~]

Twitto Post: [Saying “It’s a hassle” is basically equivalent to saying “I got no counterargument”!]

Twitto Post: [Honestly, I want you to pay attention to me!]

In just about 10 seconds, comments like these appeared. Was it a mistake to post here in the first place? He began to think.

No, he became convinced after seeing the next message.

Twitto Post: [Yay~! Pay attention to me too!] — Such a comment came from Ayaya’s account, which had over 200,000 followers.

If this continued, there would be no way to contain the situation. It was like pouring fuel on a fire.

“N-No… You really didn’t have to post that. Even if it’s in your personality.” (Haruto)

Haruto’s face became filled with distress, but upon further thought, he realized this might be a good opportunity. After all, it seemed like this person loved to get involved in lively scenes, even if it meant bothering ordinary people.

Twitto Post: [Oi, I won’t forgive you for all this. Let me punch you again.]

On Twitto, this exchange was visible to all users. In other words, he thought that he could restore his image by fully embracing his toxic persona at this opportunity.

Twitto Post: [What a unique way of inviting me to another collaboration! I’m okay with it!!]

Twitto Post: [I’m okay too… Not!! Stop messing with me.]

While responding to Ayaya, a thought struck him.

“Because of the dialect, it feels like I’m talking to Shirayuki-san…” (Haruto)

Whether it was because he just found out that she was an ABEX player or not, he couldn’t help but feel that way. He felt a sense of guilt creeping up to him, thinking he might be using rough language with someone he knew.

Twitto Post: [I’m not messing around!]

Twitto Post: [Alright, I won’t reply to you anymore.]

He understood that things were getting out of hand so he chose a strategic retreat.

Twitto Post: [What’s with this banter lol]

Twitto Post: [You guys might as well start dating now…]

Twitto Post: [No, that’s not possible. Ayaya’s mine.]

Twitto Post: [She’s not yours! She’s mine.]

When something unpleasant happens, it tends to escalate into more unpleasant things.

As if to prove that, this exchange alone quickly surpassed 500 likes.

“T-The notifications won’t stop…” (Haruto)

Even after checking the notifications, new ones kept pouring in. There seemed to be no end to it.

“Haa… That’s enough for today. Let’s just wait for things to settle down… I hope this was the right decision…” (Haruto)

Deciding to put this matter on hold, he powered off his smartphone.

With nothing going well and a heavy heart, he headed home prioritizing safety.

And after returning home…

“Thanks for the meal. Today’s dinner was delicious too. Thanks as always.” (Haruto)

“It’s nothing special. I’m just doing the usual.” (Yuno)

He finished the meal that Yuno had prepared, expressing his gratitude as usual.

“Oh, Onii-chan, is it okay if we have oyakodon for breakfast tomorrow too? If it’s lackluster, I can make more side dishes.” (Yuno)

“No, it’s fine! By the way, I can’t keep relying on Yuu, so… maybe it’s about time you taught me how to cook…?” (Haruto)

He cast an expectant gaze with his amber-colored eyes at Yuno, but his request was easily brushed off.

“I can’t let someone who confuses sugar and salt in the kitchen. I feel that you might cause a fire someday.” (Yuno)

“Ah, haha… I’m really sorry for that incident.” (Haruto)

“Well, in a way, it became a good memory, so I won’t say it was all bad.” (Yuno)

“‘In a way’ sounds a bit pathetic, doesn’t it?” (Haruto)

This happened on Yuno’s birthday. Haruto, who was not used to cooking, tried his best to prepare a celebratory meal but made the mistake of confusing the seasonings.

“‘It’s delicious,’ she said as she ate, but since then, Yuno has banned me from the kitchen.

I still remember her saying, ‘I’ve never seen someone who doesn’t taste their own cooking.’

“Well… on a serious note, you don’t have to worry about anything, onii-chan. Taking care of household chores is my responsibility.” (Yuno)

“Even so, wouldn’t it be easier if I learned to cook?” (Haruto)

“Hmm. It would be a lie to say that it wouldn’t be easier. But I enjoy doing it, and if you push yourself any harder, onii-chan, you’ll definitely end up overworking yourself, right?” (Yuno)

As she twirled a strand of her antennae-like hair with her index finger, Yuno continued speaking.

“I know it perfectly well, you know? Even after finishing your cafe job, you’re streaming until late at night and editing videos. If you’re already this busy, you’re definitely going to overwork yourself if you do the chores too.” (Yuno)

“Well, you’re not any better. You’re going to school, working part-time, doing household chores, and even studying for university. You’re much busier than I am.” (Haruto)

“You’re busier, onii-chan.” (Yuno)

“Yuu is busier.” (Haruto)

“Onii-chan.” (Yuno)

“No, it’s Yuu.” (Haruto)

In reality, both of them are busy. It’s precisely because they care about each other that such arguments arise.

The uncompromising battle unfolds in the living room for a few minutes.

“Ah.” (Haruto)

Whether it can be considered good timing or not, Haruto’s smartphone, which was on the table, vibrates with a buzz.

“A message?” (Yuno)

“Yeah. I set it up so that I only get notifications for Twitto DMs, so it’s probably that…” (Haruto)

His account is configured to receive direct messages only from mutual followers.

In other words, messages will be from people he’s connected with.

“Who could it be… I don’t have any particularly close connections.” (Haruto)

“Isn’t it LAIN²?” (Yuno)

“No, I turned off notifications for that.” (Haruto)

While responding, upon checking the notification, there it was… the name of Ayaya, a streamer with over 300,000 subscribers.

“(Oni-chan! When can we collaborate again? I’ve been thinking about adjusting my schedule accordingly! Is now a bad time?)” (Ayaya)

An invitation from someone who has more than double the number of subscribers… This collaboration won’t have much merit for her, but she’s still willing to adjust her schedule and go through with the collaboration.

There are probably very few streamers out there without hidden agendas like her.

“… ” (Haruto)

“Hey, onii-chan. That message is from a girl, right?” (Yuno)

“W-Why do you think so?” (Haruto)

“Because you looked so happy staring at the screen.” (Yuno)

When he raises his face from the smartphone, Yuno is leaning on her hand with a sulking expression.

“Well, it’s not because it’s from a girl that I’m happy. I’m happy because of the content of the message.” (Haruto)

“Really?” (Yuno)

“Yeah, really. It was a message from someone about wanting to collaborate with me.” (Haruto)

“Ehhhh!?” (Yuno)

Yuno appeared surprised, but her expression quickly turned complex.

“It seems like it’s going to be a chaotic stream. Collaborating with you means that person is probably also someone who likes to taunt others…” (Yuno)

“Well, that’s kind of normal for pro gamers.” (Haruto)

“Pro gamer!? Doesn’t that affect their reputation? Like, ‘Collaborating with this person means they condone³ such behavior.'” (Yuno)

“Well, um… it should be okay.” (Haruto)

“R-really?” (Yuno)

“If they’re the ones inviting, I think it should be fine.” (Haruto)

What Yuno was saying makes sense. He had been concerned about the same thing. That’s why he had been avoiding collaborations with others and tended to work alone. However, after the incident with Ayaya, the situation became somewhat peculiar.

---

Thanks for reading!

Tbh I confuse sugar and salt too. I don’t even know how to explain the difference between bitter and sour. Yeh, people like me exist apparently.

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1. VOD stands for Video-on-Demand and it is basically just a video of a stream for people to rewatch or check out if they missed the actual livestream.
2. Author’s version of LINE, a chat messaging platform.
3. Condone means accept (behaviour that is considered morally wrong or offensive).

The male-to-female ratio in FPS games is roughly 8:2. It’s no wonder Haruto was surprised.

The number of female players in this genre is overwhelmingly low.

“Have you heard of ABEX, Haruto-san? It’s a really famous game.” (Aya)

“?! If you’re talking about ABEX, I play it too!” (Haruto)

“Eh!? Haruto-san plays it too!?” (Aya)

Not wanting to delve into the topic of video editing, Haruto forcefully changed the subject, which somehow led to the unexpected discovery of a common interest.

However, the conversation was still in the “dangerous” zone.

Invitations like “Let’s play together next time” are something to be wary of.

Haruto is a game streamer. His ABEX username is the notorious “Oni_chan,” and he holds the top rank, Predator, which only the top 750 people can achieve.

It is crucial to avoid revealing his main account at all costs.

If he had to mention his account, it could only be in the form of a sub-account.

“By the way, what’s your rank, Haruto-san? Maybe you’re actually quite high-ranked…?” (Aya)

“No, no! I just reached Platinum¹, so I’m in the middle.” (Haruto)

“I’m in Platinum too!” (Aya)

“W-Wow, what a coincidence…” (Haruto)

To maintain fairness in ABEX, even if you are friends, if there is a significant difference in rank, you cannot play ranked matches together. However, in casual matches where the outcome of a match doesn’t affect your rank, it’s a different story.

“Well then, we should totally play together next time, right!?” (Aya)

“Ahaha, yeah, of course.” (Haruto)

At that moment, Haruto felt grateful for having a sub-account. He was surprised that she played such competitive games, but considering her personality, she probably enjoyed the liveliness of them.

While imagining such things, they continue talking about ABEX for several tens of minutes.

“Uwah~ We’re here already…” (Aya)

Aya’s cheerful tone suddenly shifted and a disappointed voice filled the air.

In front of them was a familiar crossroad. This was the usual intersection at which they parted ways.

“Time sure flies when you’re having fun, huh? I wonder if there’s a way to make it last.” (Aya)

“It makes me happy to hear you say that. I was thinking the same thing.” (Haruto)

“You’re actually much happier than you make it out to be, right? That’s quite the act~²” (Aya)

While jokingly conveying this with a slight twitch of her thin eyebrows, there was a sly grin on her face. It seemed like she understood my true feelings behind the words.

“…” (Haruto)

“Pfft, hehe.” (Aya)

While staring in silence and thinking about what to say, she covered her mouth and burst into laughter.

“Hey~ it’s okay if you just lie to me, you know? Like, you can just say, ‘That’s not true!'” (Aya)

“You probably already know how I feel even if I said that.” (Haruto)

“Hmm. Well then, next time, I’ll act like I don’t know.” (Aya)

“Knowing you, it’ll probably show on your face anyways.” (Haruto)

“When that happens, I’ll rely on Haruto-san to stop me.” (Aya)

“What’s up with that?” (Haruto)

Her response was typical of her, and it seemed she was self-aware that she was quite expressive.

“Well, it’s getting late, so let’s call it a day. I live alone, so it’s fine for me, but Haruto-san might not be the same.” (Aya)

“Thanks. I’ll go with that.” (Haruto)

“It’s dark outside, so be careful on your way home, Haruto-san.” (Aya)

“You too, Shirayuki-san.” (Haruto)

“Yeah! Well, let’s play ABEX next time, okay? Promise?” (Aya)

“Of course. See you then.” (Haruto)

“See you! Bye-bye!” (Aya)

He waved as he watched her leave. When her back disappeared around the corner, Haruto took out his phone from his pocket and immediately made a call.

After two rings, the other person picked up.

“(Hello, Yuu³? How’s everything today?)” (Haruto)

“(Yeah, everything’s fine. What’s up, onii-chan?)” (Yuno)

“(Oh, nothing. Just letting you know I’m on my way home, should be reaching back quite soon.)” (Haruto)

“(Hmm? You can just send a message instead of calling, you know?)” (Yuno)

“(Well, well. I just feel more at ease with a call.)” (Haruto)

Since they were just a family of two, constantly keeping in touch, and consulting with each other had become somewhat of a family rule.

“(Well, that’s true… Oh, also, thanks for your hard work at work today.)” (Yuno)

“(Haha, thanks, Yuu. How was school today? You didn’t run into any problems, right? Are you okay?)” (Haruto)

“(Haa… Onii-chan, you worry too much. It’s the same as usual.)” (Yuno)

“(Got it. As long as you’re okay.)” (Haruto)

Even though he knew he was being overprotective, he continued to ask these questions every day.

Yuno was a second-year high school student who had lost both parents. This makes her family situation vastly different from those around her. Despite it being a sensitive topic, it is commonplace to talk about family in school. This was from Haruto’s own experience.

“(Ah, onii-chan. There’s something I wanted to ask while we’re at it.)” (Yuno)

“(Hmm?)” (Haruto)

“(I’m thinking of inviting Suzuha-chan over to our place next Sunday… Do you have any streams scheduled for that day…?)” (Yuno)

“(Oh! Suzuha-chan is coming over? I don’t have any streams planned, so feel free to invite her over. By the way, have you decided on a time?)” (Haruto)

“(For now, we’re planning to hang out from 1 PM to 5 PM.)” (Yuno)

“(Got it. I’ll make sure not to stream on that day. I can’t let her hear that, after all…)” (Haruto)

While Haruto streams from his gaming room, the room itself is not soundproofed.

—The small fry is here~!

—Alright, thanks for the goods~!

—Please come again~!

To avoid having such voices heard by others, Haruto had decided to never stream when there were guests.

If someone were to hear them, even if they were work-related… it’d probably be weird.

—Yuno-chan’s onii-chan is a dangerous person.

To prevent such rumors from spreading, he had to be extra vigilant.

“(Well, no matter what onii-chan is doing, I think Suzuha-chan will understand, given the circumstances.)” (Yuno)

“(Well, I feel that way too, but it’s always good to be cautious. If I end up being disliked, that’s fine, but if it might affect Yuu…)” (Haruto)

“(If it comes to that, we’ll deal with it when it happens. We can handle it together, just like always.)” (Yuno)

“(Yeah, you’re right.)” (Haruto)

Perhaps due to living without her parents, Yuno had truly become strong. Haruto felt a sense of joy from her growth, and he let out a happy laugh.

“(Anyways, come back quickly, onii-chan. I’m making Oyakodon⁴ today.)” (Yuno)

“(What, oyakodon!? Seriously!? I’m coming!)” (Haruto)

“(I’m happy that you’re looking forward to it but be careful. If something were to happen to onii-chan…)” (Yuno)

“(I-I know, of course.)” (Haruto)

“(Alright then. I’ll warm it up so we can eat as soon as you’re back.)” (Yuno)

“(Thanks. See you at home.)” (Haruto)

“(Okay.)” (Yuno)

After that conversation, he ended the call and let out a small sigh.

“Really, I need to be more careful…” (Haruto)

What came to mind were Yuno’s words from earlier.

(If something were to happen to onii-chan…)

As her brother and the only family left, he didn’t want her to evoke such thoughts. He didn’t want to say or hear such things.

“All right, safety first on the way home. If I boast about this later, maybe she’ll feel a bit more reassured… probably.” (Haruto)

He knew a retort like ‘Don’t boast about something so obvious’ was coming, but reassuring her was more important.

“Un, Un.” (Haruto)

He nodded firmly to himself, and just as he was about to power off his phone to avoid using it while walking, something caught his eye.

“Hmm?” (Haruto)

On the Twitto app’s icon, in the top right corner, the number ’99+’ was displayed.

This was undoubtedly the number of notifications, meaning there were more than 99 things sent to him.

“W-What’s this? W-What’s going on…?” (Haruto)

He had just noticed it because he usually turned off notifications while at work. His face momentarily became tense.

He hadn’t seen a number like this since the day of the streaming incident.

Although he had a bad feeling, he couldn’t just ignore it and decided to check.

“T-These notifications… Criticism messages for hitting Ayaya-san, maybe?” (Haruto)

If there was something he could think of, it would be this.

He had acted rudely against a streamer with over 300,000 subscribers. It was only natural for Ayaya’s fans to be upset, and receiving criticism wasn’t surprising.

“W-Well, as Oni-chan, it’s not a bad thing… In fact, it’s kind of nice.” (Haruto)

For a regular streamer, this might have been damaging, but the situation had changed since that streaming incident. Rumors of him being a ‘good guy’ had spread for some reason.

To continue keeping the status quo, that would be the ideal situation.

“I’m sure they’re all hate comments, but let’s check them now.” (Haruto)

He decided not to delay it, as he didn’t want to get distracted by it for too long and miss out on Yuno’s homemade oyakodon.

Bracing himself for what he was about to see, he opened Twitto and checked the notifications.

“Huh.” (Haruto)

To his surprise, there were comments he never expected.

Twitto Post: [Please collaborate with Ayaya again! It was super fun!]

This was the first message that caught his eye.

Twitto Post: [You’re seriously a good guy. I’ll support you from now on. Keep it up!]

“…Huh?” (Haruto)

This was the second message that caught his eye.

Twitto Post: [When’s your next stream? Let me send you a donation.]

“Huh…?” (Haruto)

This was the third message that caught his eye.

---

Thanks for reading!

MC and Aya are definitely gonna get some sort of deja vu if they were to play together again lol. 

FYI I never read the WN version. I know it’s translated but I wanted to surprise myself. Also I nvr read ahead, so I’m reading everything for the first time as I translate.

---

1. From my research, ranks in APEX follows this order: Rookie, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Master, and Apex Predator.
2. I think she started speaking in her dialect, which is why I have no idea what she’s talking about here. Probably scuffed up the entire conversation cause of this.
3. Her sister’s name is Yuno, so this is probably just a nickname.
4. Oyakodon is Japanese chicken and egg rice bowl.

“A regular-sized Hot Maple Latte and Iced Cocoa, right? The total will be 780 yen.” (Haruto)

It was past 5 p.m.

Haruto, dressed in the uniform of the book cafe, smoothly handled customer service with a friendly demeanor. He skillfully operated the register, made drinks, and saw off another customer with practiced movements.

Having worked six days a week since high school, it was a workplace where he initially kept messing up, but now he had integrated into the business as a valuable asset.

“Alright, five more hours…” (Haruto)

He glanced at the time displayed on the register, mustering up the determination to continue working for an additional 30 minutes.

Then, a familiar face entered the store.

“Haruto-san! Yahoo~~ I’m here again today.” (?)

“Oh, good afternoon, Shirayuki-san.” (Haruto)

She had milk-tea-colored hair cut into a bob. Fair skin with pink eyes. The petite girl with a white brand bag slung over her shoulder, Shirayuki Aya, approached the register with a wave.

“Finished with your classes for today?” (Haruto)

“Yeah! I only have one class in the afternoon today (regional dialect). I mean… I only have one class, so I’m full of energy (Tokyo dialect).” (Aya)

“Haha, it’s okay to speak in your usual tone. Nobody teases you here.” (Haruto)

“…W-well, because Haruto-san keep spoiling me like that, my dialect hasn’t changed even after two months.” (Aya)

“Please don’t falsely accuse the waiter in such ways.” (Haruto)

From this conversation, you can tell that she is a new first-year student who came to Tokyo from a rural area to attend a university. She’s working hard to suppress her dialect because she doesn’t want to be teased by her new peers and prefers not to show it outside.

“So… what will be your order for today? The usual?” (Haruto)

“Of course! A large Strawberry White Mocha! I have… exactly enough money.” (Aya)

“Got it.” (Haruto)

“Can you draw something on it too?” (Aya)

“Latte art, right?” (Haruto)

“Un! Thank you.” (Aya)

Whenever she comes in and the store isn’t all that busy, she always asks me to, “Draw something on the drink!” According to her, it adds to the charm of being a regular customer.

“By the way, what are you going to draw today…? The day before yesterday, it was a dog, right?” (Aya)

“The day before yesterday, it was a tanuki¹.” (Haruto)

“…That was a dog, wasn’t it?” (Aya)

“It was a tanuki.” (Haruto)

“Huh? R-Really?” (Aya)

While tilting her head, Aya quickly took out her smartphone from her pocket and showed a picture of the latte art from the other day on the screen.

“Yeah, it was a tanuki. Look at the thick tail.” (Haruto)

“S-So it was a tanuki..” (Aya)

While staring at her smartphone with wide eyes, there’s an expression on her face that seems to say, “Seriously?”

“By the way, Shirayuki-san, do you always take a picture of the latte art?” (Aya)

“Yeah, seeing it kind of cheers me up~” (Aya)

“Because of the bad drawing?” (Haruto)

“T-they’re unique!” (Aya)

She swiftly covers up with a light-hearted tone.

“Thank you but… well, the art speaks for itself ahaha.” (Haruto)

He’s aware that he lacks artistic talent. Nevertheless, the fact that his drawings managed to capture her heart well enough for her to photograph them is already a win in his books.

“But you know, I’m confident in today’s art. I’ve been practicing them a lot lately.” (Haruto)

“Really!?” (Aya)

“Yup. Watch as I draw a frog.” (Haruto)

“Mmm, I’m watching.” (Aya)

“(Since you’ve been practising, wouldn’t it have been better to keep it a secret and surprise me when you draw it?)” (Aya)

Although it was a missed opportunity, Aya just smiled and thought to herself, “That’s just like Haruto-san”.

Unaware of such thoughts, Haruto’s pen raced across the cup as he finished the drawing.

“Oh, oops… Sorry, I messed up. The eyes got squished.” (Haruto)

“Ah, I see. You’ve been practicing drawing frogs that got punched.” (Aya)

“…” (Haruto)

“Hehe, just kidding.” (Aya)

“Shirayuki-san, it’s a bit rude to ask, but… can I redo it once? The drawing’s bothering me.” (Haruto)

He couldn’t replace the cup just because he made a mistake. When he asked to redo the art on the same cup, he received an unexpected response.

“Of course~! But, you can just draw it on a new cup…” (Aya)

“Eh?” (Haruto)

“That way, I can treat you to a drink, Haruto-san.” (Aya)

Aya, with her hands behind her back, leaned forward with a carefree smile. While being tempted by her cute expression to accept her offer, Haruto held on to his pride as the older person.

“While I appreciate that, I can’t let you go through that much trouble…” (Haruto)

“It’s a thank-you for always taking care of me! Besides, you’re always indulging in my whims, so… if you won’t let me treat you, then, um… yeah!!” (Aya)

“’Yeah’?” (Haruto)

“Well… umm… yeah!!!” (Aya)

It seemed like she intended to suggest some sort of punishment game, but she couldn’t come up with one immediately. She covered it up by nodding enthusiastically.

“So… you’re really okay with doing that, right?” (Haruto)

“Yeah, that’s right.” (Aya)

“Well, in that case… I’ll take you up on your offer. Thank you very much.” (Haruto)

“No problem! Thank you for everything as always.” (Aya)

Shaking her head from side to side, she let her milk tea-colored hair sway, and with one corner of her mouth lifted, she crafted a mischievous, devilish smile.

“In return, make sure to show the results of your practice, okay?” (Aya)

“Hey, putting that kind of pressure on me is unnecessary…” (Haruto)

“Hehe, I’m doing it on purpose, you know?” (Aya)

“That’s mean… But, I really did practice, so it should be fine. All right.” (Haruto)

Changing his expression to a serious one, he started moving the pen on the new cup but then…

“Oh…” (Haruto)

The sound of surprise escaped from his mouth as he looked at the final product.

In the end, what Aya received was a cup with a frog drawn on it, just like the first one, with squished eyes.

In the end, Haruto had succumbed to the pressure.

“Um, well… This is…” (Haruto)

“Did you want to match with me?” (Aya)

“I, uh, wanted to match you.” (Haruto)

“Hehe, don’t say such embarrassing things.” (Aya)

“You’re the one who made me say it, Shirayuki-san…” (Haruto)

He replied, enduring the embarrassment. If admitting to it meant he would be forgiven for the mistake, he had no choice.

“Well, here you go, sorry for the wait. This is the Strawberry White Mocha you ordered.” (Haruto)

“Thank you! Well then, good luck with the rest of your work, Haruto-san.” (Aya)

“You too, Shirayuki-san.” (Haruto)

“Of course~!” (Aya)

“Haha, let’s both do our best.” (Haruto)

“Un~!” (Aya)

That was their last conversation at the register. After Aya received her drink, she sat on an empty seat and took out her laptop from her bag.

Seeing this, Haruto moved on to serve a new customer who had just entered the cafe.

=====================

It was 10:05 PM.

“Good work today, Haruto-san.” (Aya)

“You too, Shirayuki-san.” (Haruto)

Having finished his part-time work and changed into casual clothes, Haruto met Aya in the parking lot of the closed book cafe.

He couldn’t recall when it started but it had become a habit for them to leave the cafe together until the point where their paths diverged, especially when both of them remained at the cafe until closing time.

“How’s your video editing work been progressing?” (Haruto)

“Well… honestly, it’s a bit tricky.” (Aya)

“Ahaha, sounds tough.” (Haruto)

“Yeah… It’s hard because I’m not used to it. Even if I try my best, at most, I could only manage two videos a month…” (Aya)

“Still, that’s impressive. There aren’t many university students who can edit videos, and you’re juggling it alongside your studies.” (Haruto)

“Thank you…” (Aya)

This was not just flattery.

While he hadn’t inquired about the specifics of her video editing work, he had recorded and edited gameplay videos for ABEX so Haruto himself was familiar with the challenges of editing such content.

“It must be tough, thinking about thumbnails and deciding where to cut.” (Haruto)

“Yeah, thumbnails are like headlines for videos, so I have to make them catchy to grab people’s interest. And depending on where I cut the video, it can change the video’s appeal… By the way, Haruto-san, you seem to know a lot about this?” (Aya)

“Ah… well, actually, I have a friend who works in editing, so I’ve heard various things from them!” (Haruto)

His eyes widened as she questioned him, and he made up an excuse on the spot.

It’s common for content creators to edit their own videos.

If he was producing videos that didn’t offend people, it would be one thing, but he was posting videos that focused on acting toxic. He couldn’t risk being exposed.

The moment he got caught, it would make working with others uncomfortable, people would keep their distance, and he would likely be met with disdainful glances—a series of worst-case scenarios entered his mind.

“By the way, Shirayuki-san, what do you plan to do when you get home? Your university assignments?” (Haruto)

“I’ll be gaming again! I’m all about games at home.” (Aya)

“Oh, is that so? When you say games, are they puzzle games or simulation games?” (Haruto)

“I-Is that how you see me?” (Aya)

“I just thought you’d be into more peaceful games… Was I wrong?” (Haruto)

“The games I play are actually the opposite. They are games where you shoot and defeat enemies. Or a simpler term for it would be FPS².” (Aya)

“Wait, you play FPS games!?” (Haruto)

“That’s right!” (Aya)

---

She had milk-tea-colored hair cut into a bob. Fair skin with pink eyes. The petite girl with a white brand bag slung over her shoulder, Shirayuki Aya, approached the register with a wave.

---

Thanks for reading!

I definitely got something about the dialect wrong when translating xd

I somehow couldn’t tell that it was the main heroine in that illustration lol. I thought it was a fellow part-timer side character or something.

Seeing how well the two of them get along well with each other, maybe they’ll get together by the end of this vol…? That’s just me being hopeful though.

---

1. Tanuki is a Japanese raccoon dog thing
2. 2. FPS is first person shooter, but you probably alr knew that.

Two hours passed, and while Haruto, also known as Oni-chan, was working at his part-time job at a book cafe, the internet was thrown into a frenzy.

On Twitto, the words “Ayaya Oni-chan” had become a trending topic.

Tapping into that trend revealed more detailed information.

It turned out that Ayaya, a professional gamer affiliated with Axcis Crown, had coincidentally matched and collaborated with Oni-chan.

Unsurprisingly, this led to their collaboration becoming a hot topic for the past few hours.

Ayaya, who was widely known and admired for participating in numerous ABEX tournaments, has a large and respectable fan base. On the other hand, Oni-chan, who has frequently engaged in toxic behavior, is infamous within the community and has garnered a significant number of haters.

Given the unconventional nature of these two individuals, their unexpected collaboration was bound to attract attention.

One major factor contributing to the trend was the sheer impact of the collaboration. Fans quickly and skillfully rushed to edit clips from Ayaya’s stream and posted them all over the internet, especially on Twitto.

======================================

[Title: Toxic Oni-chan Being Too Kind to Ayaya (lol)]

“…Ah, uh, anyways! Ayaya, you use the R-301, right?” (Oni-chan)

“Yeah! You know about that huh?” (Ayaya)

“Well, uh… it’s here, so I’ll ping it for you.” (Oni-chan)

“Thanks! By the way, Oni-chan, aren’t you using it? I saw a clip of you saying, ‘R-301 is so strong!’ a while ago.” (Ayaya)

“Oh… I already picked one up.” (Oni-chan)

“Really!? I’ll take it then! I’m close to you, Oni-chan.” (Ayaya)

“Sure. Do it fast.” (Oni-chan)

======================================

As the two streamers exchanged words and passed each other, the video transitioned to using a lively BGM, and the camera zoomed in on the weapons on Oni-chan’s back.

What appeared on the screen were a shotgun and a handgun, not the R-301 assault rifle.

And then, the video continued.

======================================

“Wait, Oni-chan, do you really have the R-301?” (Ayaya)

“W-well, yeah, I have it.” (Oni-chan)

======================================

Just as Oni-chan denied it, the screen switched back to the close-up of his back from earlier.

Accompanied by a dandy sound effect of “Yeah right…”, the video continued.

======================================

“Really? To me, it looked like a shotgun and a pistol.” (Ayaya)

“I do have the R-301, really…” (Oni-chan)

======================================

Once again, the screen swapped back to the close-up with the “Yeah right…” sound effect.

This clip, which was less than a minute long, instantly garnered 10,000 retweets and 30,000 likes. Comments expressing various reactions were pouring in one after another.

Twitto Post: [I really love Oni-chan lol.]

Twitto Post: [Maybe he can’t go back to his old character anymore?]

Twitto Post: [I mean, he did punch Ayaya a bit at the start.]

Twitto Post: [Seems like he’s forcing himself to punch her tho.]

In addition to these, many other clips that contributed to the trending status were posted.

======================================

“…Hey, um, is it really okay to interact with someone like me while you’re streaming? Isn’t your stream getting chaotic? It is, okay?” (Oni-chan)

“No! Not at all!! On the contrary, there were a lot of comments asking me to talk with you.” (Ayaya)

“R-really? Well, if you say so…” (Oni-chan)

======================================

Those who watched that clip quickly came to understand something.

—Despite how he normally is, these lines show him expressing concern for her. 

Twitto Post: [Is the reason why Oni-chan doesn’t interact with anyone to avoid causing trouble for the other person?]

Twitto Post: [He seems like the type to be mindful about that. It might also be because he doesn’t have anyone to collaborate with.]

Twitto Post: [Well, at the very least, he wasn’t acting toxic to Ayaya.]

Twitto Post: [He’s surprisingly considerate lol.]

Fans supporting Ayaya viewed Oni-chan’s actions very favorably. As a result, many viewers subscribed to his channel.

Of course, these weren’t the only clips.

======================================

“There’s definitely another enemy, right?” (Ayaya)

“There probably is, but how about we retreat for now? They might be waiting to ambush or trying to get a positional advantage.” (Oni-chan)

“Okay! Sounds like a plan! Ah, we don’t actually have much loot.” (Ayaya)

“Well, I left behind some earlier. And the enemy we took out earlier didn’t have much loot either, right?” (Oni-chan)

“S-sorry! I may need to borrow something.” (Ayaya)

======================================

Despite expressing it in a somewhat exasperated tone, Oni-chan said, “Alright, then take these two. I could have given you more if I hadn’t taken damage, sorry about that,” as he handed over one more healing item than he needed to.

======================================

“Well, I’m gonna log off soon. I’ve got some stuff to do.” (Oni-chan)

“Huh?” (Ayaya)

“I said I’ve got stuff to do.” (Oni-chan)

“Not that, but… did you just switch to your dialect?” (Ayaya)

“What are you talking about? Must be your imagination.” (Oni-chan)

“You switched! There are tons of comments saying so, onii-chan~” (Ayaya)

“Shut up. And don’t call me onii-chan! I don’t want that incident to be brought up again.” (Oni-chan)

“Sorry! Hehe.” (Ayaya)

======================================

The cute Oni-chan, now speaking in Ayaya’s dialect, unintentionally reveals the reason why he doesn’t want to be called “onii-chan”.

The incident was a bad memory that stripped away his old persona. 

With this… no, with everything that has happened ever since the streaming incident, it is clear that the foundations that he had built up for his old persona were crumbling.

Twitto Post: [Oni-chan seems kind of cute now.]

Twitto Post: [He even prepared a script to taunt others, right? That’s quite cute.]

Twitto Post: [He’s a bit clumsy, but you can tell he’s trying his best. And it’s for his family, right?]

Twitto Post: [It’s cute how bad he is at lying.]

If it weren’t for his toxic persona being the main selling point of his channel, such a strong response wouldn’t have been created.

Twitto Post: [Seriously, I’m so grateful to Oni-chan! It’s the first time I’ve heard Ayaya say the word ‘onii-chan’!]

Twitto Post: [There was a 2-second clip of Ayaya calling him ‘onii-chan’ and it got 50,000 views in 5 minutes.]

Twitto Post: [I’ve watched it 20 times.]

Twitto Post: [My ears are in heaven.]

While unintended, this was another reason why Ayaya’s fans began to view Oni-chan positively.

Twitto Post: [Man, Ayaya and Oni-chan have some pretty amazing chemistry with each other.]

Twitto Post: [I agree. Among all the people she’s collaborated with, it seemed like she’s had the most fun today.]

Twitto Post: [It felt like he was her onii-chan, doesn’t it? I remember she mentioned that she had always wanted siblings because she was an only child.]

Twitto Post: [It was cute how she started chasing around Oni-chan when trying to look at his weapons.]

Twitto Post: [I hope they collaborate again.]

When a streamer is having fun playing a game, naturally the viewers would also enjoy watching. It creates a fun atmosphere for the stream.

Everyone thought that the collaboration between these two was the right choice.

And there was one more thing. A short video that garnered significant attention.

It was reposted by another ABEX player.

[Title: Damn, I lost to that idiot, but he complimented my skills. Can’t help but feel a bit happy.]

With a title like that—

“Nice cover. Thanks. That enemy had really good character control…” (Oni-chan)

Oni-chan sincerely praised him without taunting him.

The words of a man who regularly goes out of his way to taunt enemies, making such a statement…

—Did Oni-chan mess up again!?

These were the thoughts of the users who saw the video. This led to them checking out the trend one after another, flooding to watch Ayaya’s collaboration stream. On Oni-chan’s account, messages teasing him continued to pile up over time.

Oni-chan, or rather, Haruto, seemingly unaware of the current scale of the situation, was energetically moving around at the book cafe.

---

Thanks for reading!

Good job MC, mission failed successfully. You gotta accept your fate. Now, I’m kinda curious how MC and Ayaya even met IRL in the first place.

Apparently, last chapter MC actually switched to Ayaya’s dialect or something? I’m not rly sure tbh.

I’m thinking about picking up another series since I caught up with my other one, if I do, then update for this will be every alternate day.

---

1. None

[Haruto’s PoV]

After delivering a punch to Ayaya, Oni-chan typed in the chat, “Oi, hurry up and loot.”

“Are you not mad, Ayaya-san…?” (Haruto)

Despite currently recording for a video, Oni-chan seemed weak and anxious, as if forgetting that he was even recording.

Of course, he would.

This is the second time he has played a game with her. Just his second time.

Although they are technically friends, their interaction has been limited to simple email exchanges. It would be an overstatement to say that they were close.

Despite this, he delivered a punch and a message with a rough tone to such a person.

“B-But, if I don’t do this much, I can’t maintain my character…” (Haruto)

That streaming incident was a fatal mistake for his career as ‘Oni-chan’. He managed to survive thanks to the explanatory stream earlier, but the mistake was still not completely erased.

To cover up such a failure, there was no choice but to leave new marks.

Oni-chan had a single goal in mind.

It didn’t matter if it was done as a joke or whatever.

But if Ayaya could spread that she ‘got punched’ or ‘got provoked’ by him, he would be able to make a comeback as a toxic character. The best-case scenario would be that she mentioned this during her stream.

“This is also to survive as a content creator…” (Haruto)

In this industry, the moment you lose the interest of viewers, your income drops drastically. However, it is also possible to pull off an uno-reverse card¹ to recover from the situation.

Because his channel was a valuable source of income, it’s natural to want to recover from the current situation as quickly as possible.

“I feel bad for, Ayaya-san, but maybe I should punch her one more time if an opportunity shows itself…” (Haruto)

While earnestly gathering resources and having such reckless thoughts, a chat message arrived.

“(Hey, Oni-chan, is it possible to VC now?)” (Ayaya)

The message came from Ayaya, whom he had been trying to exploit.

“…Eh? A voice chat invitation from Ayaya-san…!?” (Haruto)

He stretched his neck, bringing his face close to the screen.

To ensure there were no misreads, he checked two or three times.

It’s quite hard to swallow, considering that the other person is a big creator with over 300,000 channel subscribers, in other words, a top-tier streamer.

Moreover, despite the troubles he caused earlier, he received a friendly invitation.

Confused by the unexpected situation, he was speechless, but being invited by a pro is a rare opportunity—and though he keeps it a secret, he also respects Ayaya-san as a fellow Octane main.

“W-Well, there’s no point in trying to act rude if she’s being this friendly to me… If she’s inviting to voice chat, it means she wants to interact outside of streaming.” (Haruto)

Someone like Oni-chan is seen as a bothersome figure by other ABEX streamers.

No one comes near him, and he has never been invited to casual tournaments for streamers before.

He never even received collaboration invitations.

Even someone like him is aware of the reason as to why.

And yet… He received an invitation to voice call from Ayaya-san.

There’s an unspoken rule that even if you accidentally run into other streamers, you don’t directly interfere with their business.

The fact that she’s not following this rule suggests that she must have looked into whether he’s streaming or not, and she is likely playing games privately without streaming.

She probably checked Oni-chan’s channel, confirmed that he was not streaming, and then sent the invitation.

“Well, if she’s playing outside of stream I suppose there’s no need to try so hard acting rude… And since it’s just a duo match, Ayaya-san is my only ally.” (Haruto)

Although he initially acted rudely, it was potentially because Ayaya might be streaming, and he intended to showcase the real ‘Oni-chan’ to her viewers.

If she isn’t streaming, there’s no point in trying so hard.

Switching his mindset, Oni-chan replied to the chat in a genuine manner.

“(Yeh, sure!!)” (Oni-chan)

“(Really!? Then let’s talk!)” (Ayaya)

Ayaya, renowned for her social skills, quickly went into voice chat with an energetic voice, seemingly waving her hands.

“Oii~ Oni-chan! Can you hear me?” (Ayaya)

He also turned on his voice chat.

“Ah, yes! Long time no see, Ayaya-san. Thank you so much for that day. I expressed my gratitude in a private message, but it was truly an honor to be able to play with you.” (Oni-chan)

He responded with a polite acknowledgment.

“…” (Ayaya)

“Ah, sorry. Can you not hear my voice?” (Oni-chan)

“N-no, I can hear you… Sorry, Oni-chan. I’m currently streaming… you know?” (Ayaya)

“Eh?” (Oni-chan)

He had thought their conversation was private. Because of this unexpected development, his mind went completely blank.

If Oni-chan had been doing a face reveal during the stream, he might have inadvertently exposed a surprised face.

“Ah, oh, I see. You’re streaming, huh… Well, I already knew that. It’s kind of a bit of a joke, you know.” (Oni-chan)

Comments: [He definitely didn’t know lol]

Comments: [Probably regret not checking for her stream.]

Comments: [His tone suddenly changed a lot.]

Comments: [Impressive how fast he switches gears.]

Ayaya’s comment section is flooded with comments teasing him on his awkward excuse.

Oni-chan, unaware of the comments, continued to talk in his new tone and asked something that was bothering his heart.

“…Hey, um, is it really okay to interact with someone like me while you’re streaming? Isn’t your stream getting chaotic? It is, okay?” (Oni-chan)

“No! Not at all!! On the contrary, there were a lot of comments asking me to talk with you.” (Ayaya)

“R-really? Well, if you say so…” (Oni-chan)

Oni-chan’s usual streaming style garners both support and criticism.

Knowing his own position, he makes sure to be careful to ensure that the criticism or comments don’t spill over onto other streamers.

He doesn’t want to involve them if something goes wrong.

“…Ah, uh, anyways! Ayaya, you use the R-301, right?” (Oni-chan)

“Yeah! You know about that huh?” (Ayaya)

“Well, uh… it’s here, so I’ll ping it for you.” (Oni-chan)

“Thanks! By the way, Oni-chan, aren’t you using it? I saw a clip of you saying, ‘R-301 is so strong!’ a while ago.” (Ayaya)

“Oh… I already picked one up.” (Oni-chan)

“Really!? I’ll take it then! I’m close to you, Oni-chan.” (Ayaya)

“Sure. Do it fast.” (Oni-chan)

As he looked back, Ayaya’s Octane was rushing towards him with high-speed dashes.

They passed each other as she swapped in, but then he heard a puzzled “Hmm?” from her.

“Wait, Oni-chan, do you really have the R-301?” (Ayaya)

“W-well, yeah, I have it.” (Oni-chan)

As soon as he was asked, he instinctively started moving away from her.

“Really? To me, it looked like a shotgun and a pistol.” (Ayaya)

“I do have the R-301, really…” (Oni-chan)

Surprised by her ability to accurately identify the weapons he was carrying, he quickly escaped.

“Then, can you show me your back for a moment?” (Ayaya)

“No. I don’t have time to show you. And stop chasing me!” (Oni-chan)

“Why! I just want to make sure!” (Ayaya)

“I don’t have time for that, hurry up and loot… Wait, footsteps! Right corridor!” (Oni-chan)

“Huh!?” (Ayaya)

At that moment, an enemy burst out of the double doors, appearing near Oni-chan.

Suddenly, a firefight ensued, but it was a favorable 1v2 situation in an open area. Furthermore, Oni-chan had a shotgun effective at close range.

Despite losing 40% of his health, with Ayaya providing cover, they easily took down the enemy.

“Nice cover. Thanks. That enemy had really good character control…” (Oni-chan)

“There’s definitely another enemy, right?” (Ayaya)

“There probably is, but how about we retreat for now? They might be waiting to ambush or trying to get a positional advantage.” (Oni-chan)

“Okay! Sounds like a plan!” (Ayaya)

Oni-chan was able to convince Ayaya of this because he possessed the same level of knowledge as her.

“Ah, we don’t actually have much loot.” (Ayaya)

“Well, I left behind some earlier. And the enemy we took out earlier didn’t have much loot either, right?” (Oni-chan)

“S-sorry! I may need to borrow something.” (Ayaya)

“What do you need?” (Oni-chan)

“Healing items!” (Ayaya)

“Alright, then take these two. I could have given you more if I hadn’t taken damage, sorry about that.” (Oni-chan)

While apologizing, Oni-chan dropped healing items on the ground.

“Not at all, not at all! You really helped chip away at the enemy’s health just now, Oni-chan! So, is it okay if I take this!?” (Ayaya)

“I have one too. Oh, but I’m worse at the game, so it’s probably better for balance if you give one back.” (Oni-chan)

“No, no, I’ll take them all because I appreciate your sentiment!” (Ayaya)

“Hey, don’t steal them! You already picked them up?!” (Oni-chan)

“I didn’t steal them! Oh, enemy behind us!” (Ayaya)

“Huh!?” (Oni-chan)

As they were bantering, the remaining enemy closed in. Oni-chan quickly turned around and fired a few shots, and with Ayaya’s support, they eliminated the threat.

“Oh! That was a pretty nice headshot!” (Oni-chan)

“It’s not as impressive as you make it out to be~” (Ayaya)

The head is the most vulnerable area for dealing damage to an enemy, but it’s also the hardest to hit.

While it could have been a lucky shot, considering the speed at which the enemy went down, there’s a good chance it was deliberately aimed.

“You’re really good. Pros are amazing, seriously.” (Oni-chan)

“Hehe, thanks! So, shall we move?” (Ayaya)

“Got it.” (Oni-chan)

Oni-chan’s character was already falling apart at this point.

While paying with someone he respected, Oni-chan had almost forgotten that Ayaya was streaming.

Maintaining his nonchalant attitude, they enjoyed three games together over the span of an hour.

“Well, I’m gonna log off soon. I’ve got some stuff to do.” (Oni-chan)

“Huh?” (Ayaya)

“I said I’ve got stuff to do.” (Oni-chan)

“Not that, but… did you just switch to your dialect²?” (Ayaya)

“What are you talking about? Must be your imagination.” (Oni-chan)

If they were playing privately, he might have been able to brush it off, but she had a lot of viewers.

“You switched! There are tons of comments saying so, onii-chan~” (Ayaya)

“Shut up. And don’t call me onii-chan! I don’t want that incident to be brought up again.” (Oni-chan)

“Sorry! Hehe.” (Ayaya)

“As long as you understand. Well, it’s getting late, so see you. I had fun today.” (Oni-chan)

“Me too! Let’s play together again when we both have time!” (Ayaya)

“Sure thing. Look forward to it.” (Oni-chan)

After a brief farewell, they ended the game.

Then, while immersed in the afterglow of enjoying the game with the professional gamer, Ayaya, Haruto started prepared for his part-time job.

“Today was a really good day~” (Haruto)

Humming a tune, he continued with his tasks.

---

Thanks for reading!

In the end, she never checked what weapon MC was using. Well, the stream is probably archived, so anyone could go and check lol.

Maybe I should play Apex to understand things better…

---

1. This is basically a meme of when the tables have turned or something like that.
2. Idk about Japanese dialect honestly, I only know that there are a couple of them.

[Ayaya’s PoV]

“Pfft, ahaha! Look, everyone! Can you believe it, Oni-chan is here! This has to be the real deal, right!? If it is, then we’re in good hands!” (Ayaya)

Looking at the ally screen, Ayaya, a pro gamer and VTuber, reacted faster than any of her 3,200 viewers.

She spoke in the dialect of her hometown, and her smile was filled with genuine joy as she continued to stream.

Comments: [He might be a fake, right?]

Comments: [But this is a high-ranked match, so there’s a possibility that it’s the real deal.]

Comments: [Looks pretty authentic. The username matches up.]

Comments: [Did he start playing immediately after ending his stream LOL]

The comments section is buzzing with excitement about the unexpected appearance of Oni-chan, the person who caused the streaming incident yesterday 

In the past, Oni-chan would never have been welcomed in this way; the comments would have been overflowing with negativity. However, due to the recent incident which brought many things to light, more people have learned about Oni-chan’s family situation and the reasons behind his persona.

Now, he has turned into somewhat of a comedic figure, and even the streamer, Ayaya, is jumping on the bandwagon with this topic.

“By the way, I saw clips of Oni-chan’s streaming incident. His good-brother aura was definitely showing.” (Ayaya)

Comments: [Don’t bring that up; you might get scolded LOL]

Comments: [Well, he did give off that kind of aura, didn’t he?]

Comments: [Damn, this match is gonna be something!]

Comments: [I hope you can talk with Oni-chan!]

While enjoying the comments, Ayaya throws in an unexpected remark.

“Huh? Oni-chan’s main character is the attacker, Octane, right? This time, he’s using the support, Gibraltar.” (Ayaya)

In this game, each character has its own abilities, and it’s not possible to use the same character within a team.

In other words, the system is such that characters are either selected on a first-come, first-served basis, or through negotiation.

The viewers started forming theories about the unusual pick.

Comments: [Maybe he’s letting you have it? After all, Ayaya’s main character is also Octane.]

Comments: [Is he trying to support you with Gibraltar? He’s Oni-chan after all.]

Comments: [He should at least know about Ayaya’s main character]

Ayaya, who quickly picked up on these comments, nodded in agreement.

“Ah, that’s true! Maybe he was just being considerate of me. Don’t you all think so too?” (Ayaya)

Comments: [That’s probably the case.]

Comments: [Considering how he’s a caring onii-chan, maybe it’s the natural move for him.]

Comments: [That’s how they usually are]

Comments: [That’s true.]

In response to Ayaya’s prompt, many comments expressed agreement. While there were a few differing opinions suggesting that he might be causing inconvenience by playing an unfamiliar character, they were a minority. Ayaya, unaffected by the minority opinion, continued with a reminiscent smile.

“You sure are a kind brother eh, oni-chan? Well then, I’ll graciously accept your favor… here we go.” (Ayaya)

And, right at that moment, the character selection time came to an end. As the in-game music changed, Ayaya, like a true professional gamer, switched to her serious tone.

“Now then, let’s avoid the highly contested areas for now.” (Ayaya)

If the entire team is wiped out, the game ends immediately. Going with this strategy ensures that our early-game survival isn’t dependent on luck, and it serves the dual purpose of extending the playtime with Oni-chan to entertain the viewers.

And with the countdown of [3, 2, 1, 0,] the match began.

As the airship carrying all the players glides across the vast map, Ayaya marks the landing spot, communicates her plan with her ally, and they jump out together.

During the descent, Ayaya quickly confirms that there are no enemies nearby and flashes a smile, saying, “Alright!”

Ayaya had been hoping for this situation. 

“Hey, everyone, pay attention from here! If this is the real Oni-chan, he’s definitely going to pull off that move.” (Ayaya)

With no enemies in the vicinity, it means they can safely gather resources. Ayaya, who has watched Oni-chan’s streams, knows that he has reconnaissance skills comparable to a pro.

If this was him, he would surely showcase his pro skills at the game. With such thoughts, the moment they landed on the ground…

[Oni_chan] acted exactly as expected.

Without taking a step forward, [Oni_chan] turned toward Ayaya, and performed an incredibly quick maneuver as if saying, ‘Hello’.

“Haha, yup, that confirms it’s the real deal!” (Ayaya)

It was a stunt made possible because of his experience.

But that’s not all—

“Ouch!?… Hey!” (Ayaya)

*Bashin* 

A dull sound echoed from the game.

As if to say, ‘Of course I’m real,’ Oni-chan punched Ayaya’s Octane and quickly ran away as if he were in a game of ping-pong.

And then, he headed straight for looting supplies.

The only streamer who would do something like this was him, and Ayaya, who was left behind, dramatically tilts her character’s head downward, seemingly to emphasize the shock of being punched.

This is something that can only be done when the surroundings are safe.

“D-Did everyone see that!? That idiot Oni-chan punched me!” (Ayaya)

Although taking damage when hit by a teammate is not a mechanic in the game, this behavior is representative of trolling.

Comments: [That idiot is hilarious. Cut him some slack!]

Comments: [Seriously, doing such a low thing, smh¹]

Comments: [Oni-chan sure is committed to his character.]

Comments: [Looks like Ayaya is having fun too lol.]

Comments hitting the mark start flooding in.

“Pff! Haha, I can’t concentrate anymore!” (Ayaya)

It’s because Ayaya knows the background and intention of Oni-chan that the earlier act turns into something amusing.

Ayaya, who was laughing, soon received a chat message from Oni-chan.

“(Oi, hurry up and loot, Ayaya-san)” (Oni-chan)

“Hee~ Haha, I can’t take it anymore. My stomach hurts!” (Ayaya)

Despite the strong tone, the message ends with a polite ‘-san.’

Her comment section was soon flooded with “LOL” and “LMAO”.

“But yeah, you’re right. We should loot quickly before enemies come. Pfufu.” (Ayaya)

While suppressing her laughter, Ayaya finally moves her character and enters a building to gather supplies.

To keep the viewers engaged, she reads comments that catch her eye.

“Ayaya and Oni-chan seem like they’ve known each other for a while, are you close off-stream? Ah, Oni-chan and I got randomly matched in a game once, and we became friends since then.” (Ayaya)

Comments: [Eh!? Really?!]

Comments: [How unexpected!]

Comments: [If you were streaming at that time, I would’ve definitely watched it! I wish I could have seen it!]

Comments: [I would have skipped work if I could have watched it!]

Jokes and serious comments were blended together in the chat.

“Ah, but Oni-chan played normally during that time. He even sent a private message afterwards saying that he was recording so he was sorry if he caused any inconveniences.” (Ayaya)

Comments: [Well, he seems like a reasonable person, huh?]

Comments: [Don’t expose him!]

Comments: [Is this your revenge for getting punched by Oni-chan!?]

Comments: [His behind-the-scenes side is being exposed LOL]

“Ah, forget what I just said! That was a private matter, wasn’t it?! Cancel that!! Forget you heard anything!!” (Ayaya)

Comments: [It’s too late!]

Comments: [You’re slowly becoming like Oni-chan lmao]

Comments: [My impression of Oni-chan’s is changing more and more…]

Comments: [If Ayaya says so, then it must be true, right?]

Feeling overwhelmed by the comments, Ayaya quickly tried to shift the topic to something else.

Comments: [Ayaya! If possible, can you voice call with him?]

“Hmm. That’s a bit tricky… When streamers run into each other by coincidence, there’s an unspoken rule to not directly interfere with each other, especially through voice chat, so as not to disrupt each other’s streams!” (Ayaya)

Ayaya, expressing her view from a streamer’s perspective, caused a stir in the comments.

Comments: [Onii-chan isn’t streaming!]

Comments: [But he’s not streaming right now!]

Comments: [Wait, he’s not streaming!? Could it be…]

Comments: [A sudden collaboration!?]

This is how a streamer gets their chat to do the research for them.

“So, Oni-chan isn’t streaming!? Well then… if a lot of you guys are okay with it, I’ll try to get permission. I’ll put up a poll, so please vote.” (Ayaya)

Ayaya quickly set up a poll with options ‘Yes!’ or ‘No!’ and let viewers cast their votes for several seconds.

The result—was an unexpected 90% voted in favor of ‘Yes!’

Comments: [Everybody loves Oni-chan, huh? LOL]

Comments: [Why is he so popular lmao]

Comments: [These numbers are dangerous…]

Comments: [It wasn’t even close LOL]

“Alright! Let me go ask him. I won’t force anything, so if he declines, no complaints, okay?” (Ayaya)

With a polite risk disclaimer, Ayaya then used the in-game chat to make her proposal to Oni-chan.

“(Hey, Oni-chan, is it possible to VC² now?)” she asked while closing the distance as usual.

---

Thanks for reading!

Can’t wait for this collaboration! Although, I’m surprised she can just suddenly VC with him without talking to her manager. Maybe she’s an independent VTuber or something?

I have no idea if I got these Apex terms correct… I’m pretty sure I at least got the character names correct. And I think this is a duo team? Idk if those exist in Apex.

Somehow the prologue chapter got flagged as 18+ content by Google Ads lol.

---

1. smh means shaking my head. It is often used to express disapproval at something. In this context, it was done in a joking way.
2. VC stands for voice call.

“Uh-oh. This is really bad…” (Haruto)

It was 8 AM in the morning after the streaming incident.

Nakayama Haruto, also known as “Oni-chan”, had his eyes glued to the PC while running his fingers through his brown hair. With furrowed brows and a pale face, he was sweating nervously.

Upon cautiously opening Twitto, he found an overwhelming number of messages, too many to go through at once.

The main content of these messages was about the streaming incident.

Twitto Post: [Onii-chuaan~! Make sure to eat the meal your imouto made, okay~?]

Twitto Post: [You were such a kind brother~!!]

Twitto Post: [Would you mind if I took your imouto as my wife?]

Twitto Post: [Please bring back imouto-chan next time!]

As if it was payback for all the taunting done, these messages were all teasing in nature.

There was also some positive feedback on the stream such as “Yesterday’s stream was interesting”.

However, messages teasing Haruto were piling up so much that they blurred out all those positive messages.

“Ugh…” (Haruto)

He clutched his head while being speechless, realizing once again the frightening nature of the internet. He understood that he had committed a serious mistake.

In Haruto’s case, he was taunting as a form of entertainment. As a result, it was only natural that the repercussions were more widespread than those for an ordinary streamer. In other words, he reaped what he sowed.

“Haa. This is really bad. How should I conduct my streams from now on… Seriously. Giving up on streaming is not an option…” (Haruto)

If he were to choose to go on a hiatus after the incident, his income would be significantly decreased. If that happened, he wouldn’t be able to save up for his sister’s university expenses, and she might not be able to attend the university she wanted.

He couldn’t let that happen. It was something he absolutely couldn’t compromise on.

He wanted to step in as a substitute for their deceased parents and firmly support his sister’s life and future. That was the extent of Haruto’s strong determination.

“Okay, calm down me. I already deleted yesterday’s stream, so the damage might be limited to just Twitto. As long as the story doesn’t spread to my main channel, there might still be hope…” (Haruto)

Trying to soothe himself by taking deep breaths, he opened MouTube¹, the source of his income, and checked the latest videos he had posted so far.

Not noticing that his channel had gained 40,000 new subscribers and an increase in likes due to this incident was a sign of how overwhelmed he was.

As his heart raced, he moved the mouse down to the comments section—.

“N-no way…” (Haruto)

There, he was confronted with the worst sight for a toxic streamer like himself.

“Seriously, this guy is disgusting. Stop taunting people, you piece of crap.”

Hate com—no, expected comments like these were met with viewers defending him with comments like, “This guy is doing his best for his little sister. Shut up.”

But that wasn’t all.

If you scrolled through the latest comments, there were even those who warned others, “This person is provoking others for his business. Let’s not misunderstand.”

While the comments defending him were the truth, for Oni-chan, who had made a name for himself by acting toxic, this felt like an interference to his channel.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that it was like his neck was being strangled.

“……” (Haruto)

His only wish was simple: to keep the status quo², maintaining a certain number of views and income.

Changing his streaming style after the incident was out of the question. The viewers who had been watching him would most likely be confused and drift away.

Since his income was closely tied to the number of views, there was no room to be adventurous and reveal his true self.

“W-Well, I definitely need to do a stream explaining things before going for my part-time work… If I keep procrastinating, it’ll only get harder to continue streaming. Not to mention, with the situation as it is, I won’t be able to focus on my part-time job…” (Haruto)

This was the seed he had sown. He had to reap it himself.

If he were to run away from this, his career as a streamer would be over.

“Let’s prepare breakfast for now… and think about how I should explain things…” (Haruto)

With a heavy heart, Haruto checked the clock for the first time as he attempted to move from the gaming room to the living room.

It was 8:10 AM. Yuno, his younger sister, should already be on her way to school.

“Eh, it’s already this late!? Ugh… I couldn’t even see her off…” (Haruto)

Due to the anxiety from the streaming incident, he struggled to fall asleep yesterday night. As a result, he ended up oversleeping by an hour and a half compared to his usual wake-up time.

Not even noticing his alarm go off was a testament to how mentally strained he was.

“Not only did I cause a streaming incident, but I also put Yuno’s voice on the internet… I really screwed up, haven’t I?” (Haruto)

Letting out yet another sigh, he walked into the living room with his shoulders slouched.

“Ah…” (Haruto)

The moment he opened the living room door, he spotted a dish covered with plastic wrap and a neatly folded letter on the table.

Approaching the table cautiously, Haruto quickly opened the letter.

“(Good morning, sleepyhead. I’ve prepared breakfast for you, so heat it up and eat it, okay? If you don’t, you’ll get a knuckle sandwich³ next time. Well then, I’m off to school. Good luck for today!)” (Yuno)

Perhaps to convey her feelings, she even took the trouble of handwriting the letter.

Reading the handwritten letter with its round and girlish handwriting to the end—

“Ah, ahaha… Yuno, seriously.” (Haruto)

He let out a wry smile, then returned to a serious expression.

“Yeah… I’ll do my best today.” (Haruto)

It seemed like the perfect words for the current situation.

With a clenched fist, Haruto responded with a newfound determination.

After finishing breakfast and hanging up the laundry, Haruto scheduled a stream at 10 AM with the title “Regarding Yesterday’s Incident”. He prepared himself mentally in the gaming room, contemplating in silence.

“Haa. It’s, it’s finally time…” (Haruto)

Whether it was because he felt cornered or just because of the tension, he realized that there were less than 3 minutes left until the start of the stream.

“But still, having 1,200 people waiting for my stream to start is way too much…” (Haruto)

Having such a large number of viewers waiting for the stream to start was highly unusual for his channel, especially on a weekday at 10 AM. It was a first.

It goes without saying that this is a direct result of the streaming incident.

“Everything will be fine. Come on me, do your best.” (Haruto)

*Thump-thump*

His heartbeat echoed in his body like a drum.

When it reached 10 AM, tensions were so high that he felt like his heart would leap out of his mouth.

Haruto, or rather, Oni-chan, started his stream.

“O-Okay. The stream has started. First… good morning, everyone.” (Oni-chan)

As he greeted the viewers, the comment section was filled with “lol”. But that wasn’t all.

Comment: [Good morning, Onii-chan!]

Comment: [We’ve been waiting for your stream, Onii-chan!]

Comment: [Don’t tease him too much LOL]

Comment: [Oni-chan, don’t cry! Oh, sorry, I meant Onii-chan.]

Comment: [Your voice is shaking lol]

There were more comments teasing and provoking him compared to the usual.

While the viewers seemed to find it amusing, this flow of banter was a relief.

Rather than someone immediately writing something like “Talk about the streaming incident already,” it was much better to have jokes and light banter.

Thanks to this kind of cushion, he could loosen up the tension a bit.

“Uh, hey, you guys. Just call me Oni-chan, seriously. …Huh? What’s the origin of the name ‘Oni-chan’? W-Well, that’s not really important… Wha?! It’s not because I’m called ‘Onii-chan’ by my sister!” (Oni-chan)

He knew he would be bombarded with questions. However, this particular question wasn’t something he had anticipated.

He found himself stumbling over his words.

Comment: [Hit the nail on the head LOL]

Comment: [This guy is so bad at covering up lmao]

Comment: [I bet there was a script for this]

Comment: [Just show your true self already! It’d be easier for you]

If he had a calm mind, he might not have picked up every comment he saw. He would have chosen selectively.

But right now, if he didn’t pick up on the comments that caught his eye, he’d fall into silence, creating a funeral-like atmosphere.

In such a stream where he was going to explain himself, that was a no-go.

It was crucial to maintain the stance of “It’s not a big deal, right? It doesn’t bother me at all, haha”, and carry it onto the next stream.

“…Oh, just to let you know, I won’t be doing a gaming stream today. It’ll just be a short stream, and as the title suggests, I’ll only talk about yesterday’s incident.” (Oni-chan)

The longer he went on, the more viewers would join. There was also the possibility of digging himself into a deeper hole. He decided to get to the main point early.

“And seriously, let me complain first. Why the hell did you guys spread the word about yesterday’s incident? Seriously. We made a promise not to spread it. It’s getting featured on summary sites and even trending on Twitto.” (Oni-chan)

Comment: [We didn’t promise anything!]

Comment: [What are you talking about?]

Comment: [You’re always provoking people, so it’s inevitable]

Comment: [Isn’t this the good kind of controversy that boosts your reputation?]

Despite the scolding, none of the viewers were affected in the least.

“Well, after this stream, I won’t touch on yesterday’s incident anymore. And seriously, viewers who keep spamming ‘Onii-chan’ cut it out. I’m not your big brother.” (Oni-chan)

Comment: [His getting mad lol]

Comment: [He probably only wants to be called that by his imouto…]

Comment: [Looks like explaining the streaming incident is impossible LOL]

Comment: [Sorry no can do. You just have to accept it, Onii-chan.]

The usual bickering with the regular viewers. Thanks to this, he was gradually getting back into his usual groove.

“Look, there are people saying all sorts of things about me being kind or reconsidering things because of this incident, but I’m not some great person. If I were, I wouldn’t be acting toxic… Huh? Aren’t I considered good because I’m supporting my sister? Are you an idiot? She’s an important family member, so it’s natural to support her.” (Oni-chan)

Such words came out smoothly, not for the purpose of livening up the stream or as a joke, but from his genuine feelings.

Of course, these words resonated with the viewers.

Comment: [Oi oi, he’s giving off that big bro vibe]

Comment: [What is this guy really lol]

Comment: [I don’t even know if he’s trying to make excuses anymore…]

Comment: [I wish I had an onii-chan like this.]

The comment section flowed at a rapid pace.

Unable to keep up with the speed, Oni-chan stopped the comments momentarily to answer a question that caught his eye.

“Huh? Why is the donation for today’s stream turned off? …Well, this is an explanatory stream, so I’m not here to entertain you guys, and also because I’ll end the stream soon. I’m not expecting any money for something like this.” (Oni-chan)

Comment: [Did he just reveal his true self?]

Comment: [At the very least, that last part felt real. It’s that voice he used during the streaming incident.]

Comment: [Maybe he’s mistaken us and think we’re his sister LOL]

Comment: [Seriously, he was very committed to being toxic with this kind of personality… Oh, did he have a script for this?]

That’s correct. Without a script, he wouldn’t have been able to deceive the viewers.

“Hm? Congratulations on 150,000 subscribers on your channel? No, I haven’t gained that many. I’m still at 100,000. I’m still ways off.” (Oni-chan)

Comment: [No, it’s increasing]

Comment: [It increased by 50,000 because of the incident]

Comment: [Did you not check…?]

Comment: [Maybe he went to bed without checking?]

“…Huh? Seriously? Is it really increasing that much? You guys aren’t lying, are you?” (Oni-chan)

Similar comments filled the screen, and while thinking it might be a lie, he checked.

“…Huh!? It’s real? Wait… I’m muting for a moment.” (Oni-chan)

Comment: [Pfff, what’s up with that lol]

Comment: [Muting?!]

Comment: [Just show your true self already!]

Comment: [Let us hear your happy voice!]

“S-Shut up. Just be quiet.” (Oni-chan)

The toxic Oni-chan, due to the streaming incident, found himself in the position of being constantly teased. His true human nature and natural kindness were further exposed.

What was supposed to be a stream ending in about 10 minutes continued for 30 minutes due to unnecessary exchanges.

“…Well, a lot happened yesterday, but I’ll keep the streaming style as it is. After all, this is my true self.” (Oni-chan)

Comment: [I think it’s okay to go all out, but I guess there’s no other way for you to earn money for your sister’s tuition huh?]

Comment: [If you change your style, there’s a possibility that the views won’t increase, as Oni-chan mentioned]

Comment: [Just keep doing what you’re doing. Every time you do, I’ll rewatch the streaming incident video]

Comment: [Do it in moderation~ I’m cheering for you!]

“…No, don’t suddenly be nice to someone like me… Yeah. Well, with this, I’ll end the stream. For my next stream, it’ll be a regular gaming stream, so those who have time, please join me.” (Oni-chan)

Comment: [Okay~]

Comment: [I’ll be back to tease you again, onii-chan!]

Comment: [Me too!]

Comment: [Take care of yourself~]

It ended with warm comments.

Haruto cut off the mic first, confirming three times that he didn’t make the same mistake as yesterday, and ended the stream. Then, he let out a deep sigh.

“Whew. That was close…! Really close! I feel like I showed a super dumb side of myself, but I somehow got through it!!” (Haruto)

Repeating fist pumps while sitting in the chair, the joy of having protected his source of income was extraordinary.

“Now, well… I’ll shift my focus on increasing the number of subscribers I have…” (Haruto)

Today’s part-time job starts at 3:00 PM.

Until then, Haruto’s work consists of something other than streaming. He needs to stock up on gameplay videos for MouTube uploads.

He immediately launched ABEX and started recording.

By doing it privately instead of streaming, he could focus more.

Even if he couldn’t win, if he made a good play in that match, he could use it as a highlight clip.

The more he played, the more clips he accumulated for uploads.

After playing ABEX and recording for about an hour.

“…Huh!?” (Haruto)

Suddenly, Haruto exclaimed in surprise and leaned in closer to his PC.

On the screen displaying his allies before the match, there was a username he recognized.

[Ac_Ayaya]

“This… this person… is it for real!? Man, it’s been a while…” (Haruto)

The ally he matched with this time wasn’t just an ordinary player.

Not only was she a member of the professional gaming team Axcis Crown, but she is also a female VTuber who surpassed 300,000 subscribers.

“I-I need to do my best… This is a chance to get some great footage…” (Haruto)

Clasping his fists together to pump himself up, Haruto was unaware that Ayaya was currently streaming.

Not only that, but on Ayaya’s screen, the username ‘Oni_chan’ was displayed, and the comment section was buzzing with excitement.

This wasn’t the first time Haruto and Ayaya had crossed paths. They had been matched up as allies before by chance and had a few casual exchanges.

---

Thanks for reading!

Wow~ MC sure got by that quite smoothly. Something tells me his channel ain’t stopping at 150,000 subs. Btw I’m assuming that his streaming using MouTube since there was no mention of Twitch anywhere. 

This chapter was longer than the last one and I somehow finished it xd

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1. This is author’s version of YouTube duh
2. Status quo means to keep things the way they are. In this context, it means to keep things the same as before the incident.
3. Knuckle Sandwich is, as the name suggests, a punch in the mouth.

Do-do-do-do-don~ 

Bang-bang-bang~

In a room where the intense sound of gunfire echoed from a PC, there was a man streaming a game called [ABEX]¹.

“Ah, I hear two sets of footsteps from the right. Looks like the small fries are here!” (?)

The moment the man heard the enemy’s footsteps, he added excitement to his stream, executed a slide to take cover behind an obstacle, and then faced the player from an advantageous position.

It was a 2 vs 1 shootout.

Despite being at a numerical disadvantage, the man displayed such incredible movements that one might wonder if he even needed the advantageous position.

After taking down the first enemy with a headshot, he danced around while swapping weapons, skillfully avoiding bullets from the enemy behind.

Sensing that the enemy was running low on ammo, he quickly closed the distance with swift movement and delivered the finishing blow to the last opponent.

Immediately afterwards, an accompanying kill sound can be heard, signaling the end of the fight.

A sudden silence descends upon the battlefield that was just bustling moments ago.

“Alright, there we go~” (?)

There was no tension in this man’s voice. With a carefree voice, he fished through the items of the defeated enemies.

“Thanks for the item donation~ Please come again!” (?)

He started tea-bagging² on top of the enemies’ corpses. There’s no real meaning behind doing this; it’s just a taunting gesture. Yet, this was exactly what makes this streamer, “Oni-chan³“, popular.

Just by acting like this, his channel managed to reach 100,000 subscribers.

As he does his usual taunting, the comment⁴ section with 1,500 viewers is flooded with reactions.

Superchat⁵ (240 yen): [What a clean kill!]

Superchat (1000 yen): [Nice!]

Superchat (2000 yen): [This man is too powerful.]

Additionally, regular comments start pouring in.

Comment: [This is frustrating. I don’t care who, someone, teach this guy a lesson!]

Comment: [This is seriously disgusting. I don’t understand the point of doing something like this. Just play normally.]

Comment: [I agree.]

Comment: [He was tea-bagging so fast. This man has totally gotten used to it.]

Comment: [Nice, keep it up!]

The mixed reactions from chat were a daily occurrence.

The man knows full well that he can get a lot of views by acting toxic so he kept doing it.

As a result, despite being the most criticized and least-liked figure in the ABEX community, this man has gained a large number of viewers by streaming content that even engages those hoping to see him defeated.

“Well then, let’s just quickly win and call it a day.” (?)

Even with that bold declaration mid-game, the man never actually died.

With every kill he gets, he continues to taunt the enemies.

While the word ‘CHAMPION’ was being displayed on screen, he spoke in a proud way.

“Well, it’s the same as usual, huh? Maybe I should have held back a bit so the enemies could have played more. Oh, and thanks for the donations!” (?)

Comment: [Don’t throw your money to someone like this.]

Comment: [It would’ve been more fun if you had lost.]

Comment: [Wow! What a one-sided domination.]

Comment: [It would be enjoyable if he didn’t taunt…]

Comment: [He’s just too good.]

Reading through numerous comments, the man wraps up.

“There you have it. As mentioned before, we’re done for today. Thanks for tuning in, everyone!” (?)

Comment: [Good job!]

Comment: [Thanks for your hard work!]

Comment: [Why not one more round!?]

Comment: [Just quit this game already.]

Comment: [Well, that was fun.]

After wrapping up, he moves the mouse, turns off the comment section, and puts the PC into sleep mode, plunging the screen into darkness.

Due to the mundane routine of these actions, the man lets his guard down after finishing his stream and skips over a crucial step in the process.

The step of actually ending the stream…

To make matters worse, he even made the critical mistake of forgetting to turn off his microphone…

Naturally, viewers were now able to hear the background.

Unaware of the situation and thinking that the stream had completely ended, the man was about to unwittingly reveal his true self.

“Sigh… I did quite a bit of taunting today… I hope the players aren’t too bothered by it…” (?)

The tone, the voice — they were nothing like the man who was streaming just moments ago.

Comment: [Huh? Is this voice ‘Oni-chan’? He sounds completely different, doesn’t it?]

Comment: [Is this some kind of prank?]

Comment: [Hey! The mic isn’t off! Someone tell him!]

Comment: [No need to tell someone like this.]

Comment: [Ooo, I’m getting really excited…]

The thoughts of those still watching were all the same.

—This might turn into a streaming incident.

The man, oblivious to the fact that chat was more lively now than during his actual game, is about to showcase something irreversible.

*Knock knock*  

A gentle knocking sound echoed from the other side of the room door and was quickly followed by a girl’s voice.

“Onii-chan, can I come in? The stream’s over, right?” (?)

“Oh, yeah. Come on in.” (?)

The person who entered the man’s gaming room was his imouto (younger sister), who had brought in a tray of food.

“Oh, you brought me something to eat. Thanks!” (Brother)

“Good grief. Here I was making dinner, and you’re prioritizing your game. If you’re going to do that, I won’t make you dinner anymore.” (Sister)

“S-sorry. I’ll be more careful next time. Ahaha…” (Brother)

The microphone this man was using was quite high quality, so the friendly banter between the siblings could clearly be heard by the viewers.

Comment: [Oi oi! Oni-chan has an imouto!?]

Comment: [Isn’t her voice kinda cute!?]

Comment: [Her voice is totally my type.]

Comment: [Having an imouto who cooks for you is the best!]

Comment: [Poor imouto, having a brother like this.]

Comment: [Is the channel called ‘Oni-chan’ because his sister calls him ‘Onii-chan’?]

Comment: [Maybe he likes his imouto lol]

The gender ratio of viewers on this man’s channel was 9:1, with most of them being males.

With the introduction of the girl’s voice, the comment section becomes even more lively. It’s as if a festival has begun.

“You say keep saying you’ll be more careful, but you never really change. And stop doing weird things with your online friends. I can hear it in my room, you know. Saying things like ‘Small fry~’ or ‘Baka (idiot) ~.'”

Comment: [Hearing imouto-chan say that is pretty cute lol]

Comment: [She seriously has a nice voice.]

Comment: [Oni-chan plays the game while his imouto does the taunting. Perfect combo.]

Comment: [Exactly, that’s how it should be.]

Unbeknownst to the siblings, comments continue to flow.

While the sister knew that her brother does game commentaries, she was unaware of how his channel operates.

Exploiting this lack of knowledge to the fullest, the brother was now facing the consequences of his actions as the streaming incident unfolds.

“Th-that’s just your imagination, right? I don’t say things like that.” (Brother)

“Hmm. You say that even though there’s a script right here. Look, it’s labeled ‘List of Taunts’.” (Sister)

“H-hey, hey! You can’t take that!” (Brother)

“Stop making excuses, onii-chan.” (Sister)

The sister placed the meal on the desk, snatched the script which was taped up with transparent tape, and gave her brother a stern look.

What should have been the usual light banter between the two has turned into a streaming incident that could be heard online.

Comment: [Eh? You’re kidding, right? Did ‘Oni-chan’ really create a script just to taunt people?]

Comment: [So meticulous LOL]

Comment: [He was trying his best to entertain us in his own way, huh?.]

Comment: [Btw imouto-chan is too cute.]

Comment: [He should just switch places with his imouto!]

Comment: [From now on, it should be his imouto’s turn!]

Comment: [You’re not needed anymore. You’re imouto is enough.]

As behind-the-scenes information was exposed, the comment section continued to buzz with excitement while the conversation between the siblings kept going.

“While it genuinely makes me happy that you’re earning money for me, onii-chan, couldn’t you do it in a more normal way? Your personality isn’t even like that.” (Sister)

“W-Well… I mean, the number of viewers increased when I act like this and if I suddenly change my streaming style now, I might lose viewers-san which could affect our income.” (Brother)

“But not everyone would stop watching, right? Besides, I already have a part-time job, so I’ll be fine.” (Sister)

“True, things might be okay now, but whether we can afford to send you to university or not might depend on this.” (Brother)

“I-It’s not like I want to go to university or anything…” (Sister)

“Sure, you liar. Don’t worry about it too much. Honestly, despite the content, I enjoy streaming, and I’ve gotten a lot of comments.” (Brother)

This was a conversation that gave a glimpse into their private lives.

Through this exchange, the reason why Oni-chan engages keeps acting toxic becomes clear.

Comment: [Seriously, this is starting to get dangerous. Personal information are coming out.]

Comment: [Wait, maybe this guy is actually a really nice person?]

Comment: [He’s using polite language even when talking about our comments, lol.]

Comment: [He even called us viewer-san.]

Comment: [His quite a nice brother, isn’t he?]

Comment: [That’s what I was thinking.]

Viewers were gradually realizing Oni-chan’s true self. At this moment, there was no one attacking Oni-chan. The comments were unified in praising him as a ‘good brother’ or ‘good guy’.

“…I understand.” (Sister)

“Un un (yeah, yeah).” (Brother)

“How about we go out to eat together next time? I’ll treat my hardworking onii-chan.” (Sister)

“Oh! In that case, I’ll gladly accept that offer.” (Brother)

“You free on Saturdays, right?” (Sister)

“Yeah, it’s the only day where I don’t have part-time work” (Brother)

“Then, how about we go on Saturday evening? I have work until the afternoon, so I’ll be free after that.” (Sister)

“Got it. Thanks a lot.” (Brother)

The conversation flows seamlessly. As the conversation continues, oni-chan’s image was slowly improving in the viewer’s eyes.

Comment: [Based on this conversation, maybe oni-chan doesn’t have parents…]

Comment: [Supporting his family with six days of work while streaming. That’s seriously impressive.]

Comment: [For the sake of sending his sister to university, no less.]

Comment: [If his sister is heading to university next, that means that she is around the age of a high school student. Oni-chan must be quite young, huh?]

Comment: [I can’t see him the same way from now on.]

Comment: [Wait, was Oni-chan was just acting toxic for business? lol]

Amidst the comments speculating on his family situation, the sister touches upon a specific topic.

“Hey, onii-chan. There’s something I’ve been wondering about ever since I came into your room.” (Sister)

“What is it?” (Brother)

“Your phone has been vibrating non-stop since a while ago. Don’t you have a lot of notifications?” (Sister)

“Oh, yeah. I think people are sending feedback on Twitto⁶ now that the stream’s over.” (Brother)

“Has it ever vibrated this much before?” (Sister)

“Yeah, now that you mention it…” (Brother)

The sister’s words became the trigger that revealed the streaming incident.

When the man picked up his phone, the notification bar was filled with messages.

Twitto Post: [Forgot to turn off the mic!]

Twitto Post: [The mic is still on!]

Twitto Post: [Isn’t this a streaming incident?]

Twitto Post: [We can hear the conversation with the sister.]

— And more.

“…” (Brother)

“U-Um, onii-chan? What’s wrong? Your face looks really pale.” (Sister)

“No, it’s nothing. Really. Um, so, about that? I need to do some editing, so I’ll be in the room a bit longer. Thanks for the meal.” (Brother)

“Okay. Well, I have school tomorrow, so I’ll go to bed early. You should rest soon too, onii-chan.” (Sister)

“Yeah… Good night.” (Brother)

“Good night, onii-chan.” (Sister)

With those parting words, the door closes with a *clang*.

After confirming the fading sound of his sister’s footsteps, the man unlocks his PC from sleep mode.

Then, once again, he brings up the comment section.

“Um, well, how do I put it… I’m sor—no, wait, I mean, uhh… don’t you idiots realize that what just happened was all part of the act?” (Brother)

It’s too late to try to cover it up. Everything has already been exposed.

Comment: [How is that possible lmao]

Comment: [You sure switched gears quite fast.]

Comment: [Are you whispering to not disturb your imouto lol]

Comment: [You’re really bad at covering it up… Your voice is totally different.]

Comment: [GG for being exposed as a nice guy.]

Comment: [Good night, onii-chan!]

Comment: [Looking forward to how you’ll stream next time!]

Comments flowed in like a waterfall.

“Um, well, I won’t forgive anyone who spread this around. Seriously, promise me. Okay? Thank you.” (Brother)

Leaving those words behind, the man shuts down the PC as if fleeing.

Though he warned them not to spread it, there’s no viewer who will keep such a promise. After all, there’s no reason to oblige.

On that day, the words ‘Streaming Incident’ were trending on Twitto.

Clips of it were naturally uploaded.

It was also featured on summary websites with titles like “Toxic Streamer Prepares Script For His Streams LOL” circulated.

On that day, Oni-chan became a hot topic of discussion leading to more exposure. Misunderstandings were cleared. Viewer’s impressions were improved.

With this incident, the channel’s subscriber count increased by 40,000, reaching a total of 150,000 subscribers.

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Thanks for reading!

Lmao I like how he just went straight to damage control mode after finding out.

You know, I asked myself if tea-bagging is considered toxic. But then I remembered that if pinging someone in LoL repeatedly is toxic, this is probably toxic too.

And no I don’t play Apex so feel free to correct me if I got something wrong.

Anyways, here’s a new laid-back series for you. It’s my first time translating light novels, and I’m not gonna release it by chapter since each chapter is long. I’m going to split the chapters into parts instead.

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1.  ABEX is author’s version of Apex Legends, a battle-royale shooting game.
2. Tea-bagging is when you spam the crouch button on top of the enemies corpse repeatedly. It is seen as a taunting gesture.
3. Don’t confuse ‘Oni-chan’ with ‘Onii-chan’. ‘Oni-chan’ means demon whereas ‘Onii-chan’ means brother.
4. Comment section is basically stream chat. I don’t really know why Japan refers to stream chat as comment, but they do.
5. Superchat is when someone donated to make a highlighted message. Raw said donation, but the context seems to fit Superchat.
6. Author’s version of Twitter. Oh wait it’s called ‘X’ now right? lol that’s so dumb. Imagine if the author used ‘Y’ for his version.

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Spoiler Warning Obviously

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Thanks for reading!

I swear that silver-haired girl looks like Haruka from 9 -nine-, but that’s probably just me. I don’t usually translate LNs, but this series just got released, so if this were to get licensed to English, it would probably take a few years.