And so, having decided to become a VTuber, I got in contact with the agency through Ayaka… and a few months later, I was scheduled to meet with someone important.
Ayaka had casually told me, “They’re not scary at all, so don’t worry! If you’re that worried, why don’t I come with you?”
Since she said it so lightheartedly, maybe I was being overly concerned… Incidentally, I declined Ayaka’s offer. It would have been too embarrassing to go for a formal meeting with my childhood friend.
──And so, the appointed day arrived. I found myself in front of the [Sky Sunriver] office. Apparently, this place was not known on the internet, and Ayaka had also warned me to “Don’t tell anyone about the location of the agency!” Well, there was no way I would do such a thing anyways.
“Alright… let’s go.” (Rui)
Steeling myself, I entered the incredibly large building. According to what I was told, the agency was located within this building… I got on the elevator that had just arrived and went up to the floor where the agency was located.
…As I stepped out of the elevator, there was a single white door in front of me. Next to it, on a small sofa, was a man sitting and wearing a T-shirt with something that looked like an employee ID around his neck. He seemed quite young and radiated a sort of genius aura… Could this be the person…?
“…Oh, hello there.” (?)
The man noticed me, lifted his gaze from his smartphone, and greeted me. I awkwardly returned the greeting.
“Uh, hello. Um, I…” (Rui)
“I’ve heard about you. You’re Rui-kun, right?” (?)
“Oh… Yes, that’s right.” (Rui)
It seemed he knew about me. Recognizing who I was, the man smiled warmly.
“By the way, that stream that you were in with Rei-chan was the best. I hadn’t laughed so hard in a while.” (?)
“Thank you… You watched it, huh…?” (Rui)
“Yeah, of course. I watched the whole thing. I have a lot of thoughts to share, but this isn’t the right place to talk… Let’s change location. Follow me.” (?)
“Y-Yes!” (Rui)
The man stood up, used what looked like a card key to open the door, and let me inside.
👻👻👻
Following behind him, I was led to a small conference room.
“Please take a seat.” (?)
“Oh, okay!” (Rui)
Prompted, I took a seat on the office chair. The man sat across from me and politely introduced himself.
“Well, let me formally introduce myself… I’m Shiozawa Youjirou. I’m essentially the head of this VTuber company. You can think of me as the president.” (Youjirou)
“The p-president…!? Such a big person…!?” (Rui)
I was taken aback. Even though Ayaka referred to him as an “important person”, I never imagined that he was going to be the most important person. Shiozawa-san smiled and shook his head.
“Oh, you don’t need to be so formal. Some of the VTubers even make collages with my face and use them as thumbnails for their videos.” (Youjirou)
“T-that’s… quite disrespectful…” (Rui)
Even though he’s the head of the agency, allowing such things seemed overly lenient… Or maybe the VTubers themselves were the ones a bit out there? Is that kind of behavior normal? Have I stepped into a place where my common sense doesn’t apply anymore?
“Haha. So, since we scouted you, Rui-kun, you’ve already been accepted… But what made you suddenly change your mind? I heard from Rei-chan that you didn’t seem interested in becoming a VTuber at all.” (Youjirou)
“Oh, well, that might be because I talked to Ibuki-san…?” (Rui)
When I mentioned Ibuki-san’s name, Shiozawa-san nodded with keen interest.
“I see. So, you talked to Kiyama Ibuki-chan. How was she? Like a princess from the Ice Kingdom, right?” (Youjirou)
“Yes, she really… gave off that vibe.” (Rui)
When I spoke earnestly, Shiozawa-san laughed.
“Haha! Right? So, what did Ibuki-chan say to you?” (Youjirou)
“She told me outright not to join if I wasn’t serious about it.” (Rui)
“Hahaha! That’s so like Ibuki-chan!” (Youjirou)
Shiozawa-san clapped his hands and laughed even more. He could probably imagine the scene perfectly.
“…But she told me that Rei brags about me on her streams. She then said to think about why Rei would go so far as to invite me to become a VTuber.” (Rui)
“Oh, I see. And what was Rei-chan’s reaction?” (Youjirou)
“She said that I have talent and asked if I’d give it a try with her support. After that… well, I guess she kind of talked me into it.” (Youjirou)
I answered with a laugh, feeling embarrassed to admit it myself.
“I see… That’s impressive. It’s not easy to change your mind once you’ve decided something. The fact that you did might mean you really might have talent.” (Youjirou)
“No, no, it’s not like that…! I just gave in.” (Rui)
“Haha. Well, once you start, I’m sure you’ll understand what Rei-chan was getting at.” (Youjirou)
“Yeah… maybe so.” (Rui)
Shiozawa-san nodded with a smile and placed several sheets of paper on the desk.
“Alright. Let’s get straight to the point… Rui-kun. Actually, the date for your debut stream has already been decided.” (Youjirou)
“Huh, really? When is it…?” (Rui)
Then Shiozawa-san showed me three fingers. Oh, three weeks from now… No, there’s also the possibility of three months from now…
“It’s in three days.” (Youjirou)
“T-Three days…!? Wait, isn’t that too soon!?” (Rui)
“Yeah, I really think so too. Sorry about that.” (Youjirou)
As I spoke, Shiozawa-san apologized with clasped hands. Well, I don’t really know what to do even if he apologizes… Is there any way to delay it…?
“W-Why does it have to be soon?” (Rui)
“Well, you see… There’s actually another person who was supposed to debut this week, but we found you while they were still preparing. So, we decided to debut both of you at the same time and rushed to create your model. That’s why the other person is currently waiting for their debut.” (Youjirou)
“I see…” (Rui)
If I’m making someone who was supposed to debut wait, I can’t really complain… I’ll just have to accept it. But wait, do I have work scheduled in three days…?
“Speaking of which, Rui-kun, are you a student?” (Youjirou)
“No, I’m a part-timer. I work at a karaoke place.” (Rui)
It’s a bit late to mention it now, but I work at a karaoke joint. It’s not an easy job, but… I’ve completely lost track of when to quit.
“I see. Well, we don’t have any quotas for streaming, so it’s fine to continue your part-time job… But there are quite a few full-timers too, you know?” (Youjirou)
“Oh, really…?” (Rui)
…Though I don’t think I can make a living as a VTuber. I can’t quit my part-time job right away.
“Well, don’t worry, we won’t force you. So… Do you have any questions so far?” (Youjirou)
“Ah, well… Um, what kind of person will be debuting around the same time as me?” (Rui)
For now, I decided to ask about my fellow debutant. Shiozawa-san responded with a quick “Ah.”
“That’s something you’re curious about, huh? I was planning to introduce you later… Just wait a moment.” (Youjirou)
Then he took out a laptop from his bag and showed me what looked like design documents. There… was an illustration of a girl with long blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes, and on the next page, there were variations in expressions and outfits.
“This girl is Yunagi Lily. She’s a half-Japanese girl who’s good at playing the guitar. Her setting might seem quite typical, but we chose her because she’s really interesting. So, look forward to it.” (Youjirou)
“Uh, yeah…” (Rui)
Even if he says to look forward to it… a girl, huh? I thought if it were someone of the same gender, we could talk about various things…
“Oh, and since the two of you will be debuting at the same time, you’ll be forming a group with Lily-chan, so make sure to get along with her, okay?” (Youjirou)
“Yes, of course.” (Rui)
“And… um, while we’re at it, would you like to see your character illustration? Since we’re in a hurry, it’s already done.” (Youjirou)
Ah, I’m sure someone must have stayed up all night just to make this for me… Sorry, to whoever made the illustration and model… (I don’t really know who’s involved in making VTuber content since I lack knowledge about it).
Then, Shiozawa-san fiddled with his laptop again and showed me the screen. On it… was a standing illustration of a boy dressed as a mage, wearing a long hat and a black robe. The orange eyes hidden beneath his black hair were seriously… incredibly cool. I couldn’t help but let out a gasp.
“W-Wow…!” (Rui)
“Hehe. This character’s name is ‘Rui Astica’. It’s based on the drawing Rei-chan did for her stream. Rui-kun’s background is an elite boy attending the same magic school as Rei-chan.” (Youjirou)
“E-Elite…?” (Rui)
Ayaka would probably laugh at this elite setting. Being elite is definitely in the top 10 words that don’t suit me… but maybe it’s just in terms of looks?
“Well, he’s not the serious type. More of a bad boy, you could say. A genius who skips classes but scores perfectly on practical magic exams… something like that.” (Youjirou)
“Oh… I kind of get it now.” (Rui)
Isn’t that the kind of setting otaku guys love? Cool, super strong, and carefree. What an amazing character… if it weren’t for the fact that I’m the one playing him!
“Well, I’ll give you the detailed setting later, so make sure to read it. Also… since he’s a student at the magic school, he’ll be part of the [Owen Group], which Rei-chan also belongs to.” (Youjirou)
“Wow… There are a lot of groups, huh?” (Rui)
“Yeah, everyone loves different combinations…” (Youjirou)
…And just as Shiozawa-san said that, the door of the conference room opened. Both Shiozawa-san and I turned our attention to the door… and there appeared…
“Hey~! I came to visit, Youjirou!” (?)
A cheerful blonde girl with a large ribbon on top of her head stood there with a smile.
👻👻👻
Who is this girl…? While I was confused, Shiozawa-san gestured towards her and introduced her to me.
“Oh, you came at the perfect time. This is the person who is playing as Yunagi Lily.” (Youjirou)
“Ehh, Youjirou!? Is it okay to just tell that to someone!?” (Lily)
The girl pointed at me as she spoke… and then Shiozawa-san gently reassured her.
“It’s okay because this person is Rui-kun.” (Youjirou)
“Rui…?” (Lily)
Hearing that, the girl looked at me closely again… and then, as if she remembered something, a loud “Ah!” could be heard.
“So that’s it! I watched the stream you did with Rei! It was super funny! I laughed so hard I thought I was going to explode!” (Lily)
“S-Sorry about that…?” (Rui)
This girl seems to have a unique way of expressing herself… Laughing until you explode?
“So, why is Lily-chan here? I don’t think we had any meetings scheduled for today…” (Youjirou)
“Oh, that’s right! Earlier, I went to this place where they let you break things! Then I remembered the office was nearby, so I decided to drop by!” (Lily)
Wow, she can just drop by so nonchalantly like this… I mean, she’s a newcomer like me who hasn’t streamed even once yet, right? How bold is she…? As I stood there confused, Shiozawa-san praised her.
“Oh, you’re already gathering experience for your character. Impressive.” (Youjirou)
“Experience? No, I just went to have fun.” (Lily)
“By yourself?” (Youjirou)
“Yeah! If I went with a group, there would be fewer things to break!” (Lily)
“…” (Rui & Youjirou)
…Her personality is really something else. I think I’m starting to understand a bit of what Shiozawa-san meant by “she’s really interesting”.
“…Alright then. Since the two of you are here, let’s talk about your debut streams.” (Youjirou)
“Shiozawa-san, for the debut stream… what exactly are we supposed to do?” (Rui)
I asked Shiozawa-san. I suppose I should come up with the content for the stream myself, but unfortunately, I have absolutely no knowledge about VTubers. So, I hope he’ll cut me some slack for asking. Then Shiozawa-san replied casually.
“Well, an introduction, of course. In the early days, everyone did it with a simple few-minute video, but nowadays, most people go all out and stream for about an hour. I’m planning to have you two do the same.” (Youjirou)
“An hour… that long…?” (Rui)
I can’t imagine talking for an hour straight unless it’s a gaming stream or something… Will it be okay…?
“Well, if you can’t come up with anything, you can prepare some questions in advance. Just take it easy. But remember, some people decide whether to follow you based on your debut stream… So, I think it’s best to put some effort into it, you know?” (Youjirou)
“I see… got it.” (Rui)
As I said this, Lily raised her hand, cutting in.
“Oh, oh! I want to sing for my debut stream!” (Lily)
“Oh, that’s interesting. Are you going to pre-record it?” (Youjirou)
“No, I’ll sing live, of course! Otherwise, I can’t capture everyone’s hearts!” (Lily)
What’s with that rock ‘n’ roll attitude… But maybe having that kind of passion would make the viewers happy… No, I really don’t know.
“Well, that’s fine, but you’ll need to prepare some backing tracks or something, right? Can you prepare it in time?” (Youjirou)
“…Then I’ll go with acapella!” (Lily)
She’s so resilient. I wish I could borrow some of her positivity.
“Ahaha, okay. And… Rui-kun, I’ll give you the accounts for your Twitter and YooTube channel. You’ll be managing them yourselves, but be mindful of what you post. You should be able to find more details in the documents.” (Youjirou)
“Oh, yes, understood.” (Rui)
I began to look through the documents placed before me… Meanwhile.
“Hey, hey, who’s going first for the debut stream? Are we both doing it on the same day?” (Lily)
“You can decide that between the two of you. We’re planning to announce the information about your debuts on the official [SkySun] Twitter later tonight… So, shall we decide now?” (Youjirou)
“In that case, I want to go first!” (Lily)
Once again, Lily raised her hand and said so… And then Shiozawa-san’s gaze turned to me. Ah, does that mean it’s up to me…?
“Well, I don’t mind, but… Why do you want to go first? Aren’t you nervous?” (Rui)
“Not at all! There’s only one reason why I want to go first! I want to take my time to enjoy Rui’s stream!” (Lily)
“Oh, is that so…” (Rui)
That’s the reason, huh… Well, if the eccentric Yunagi Lily goes first, it might get the viewers excited. And then, they might carry that excitement over to my stream. So… I think it’s probably better to let her go first.
“Then, Rui-kun, you’re okay with going after her?” (Youjirou)
“Yes, I’m fine with that.” (Rui)
“Hehe, Rui, I’m looking forward to it!” (Lily)
…After that, I received detailed explanations about the terms and conditions and other matters from Shiozawa-san (Lily, who probably received the same explanation the day before, oddly listened attentively). He taught me the basics of being a VTuber, such as streaming methods and the role of a manager.
👻👻👻
The next day, I went to a nearby electronics store to buy the equipment I needed for streaming.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been here, but it’s changed a lot, hasn’t it? They even have a gaming section now!” (Ayaka)
…I brought Ayaka along. As for why she came too… When I messaged and asked her about the equipment needed for streaming, she suggested, “I’ll teach you directly!” and proposed to go shopping together.
Of course, it’s extremely helpful to have an active popular VTuber teach me various things but…
“Was it really necessary to come here? We could have just ordered everything online.” (Rui)
“Nono, it’s important to see the thing in person to make sure! Besides… even if we ordered now, it might not arrive by the day of the first stream, right?” (Ayaka)
“Well, that’s true… and we’re short on time.” (Rui)
It seems that Ayaka also knows the schedule for my debut stream. Just two more days… I have to gather the equipment and finish preparing the self-introduction slides and script by then.
“After this, I also need to get my shift changed… I’ll contact them later.” (Rui)
I muttered as we walked through the store. Hearing that, Ayaka threw an odd question at me.
“…Hey, Rui. Why are you still working part-time?” (Ayaka)
“Eh? To make a living, obviously.” (Rui)
“Not that! I mean, why didn’t you go for higher education?” (Ayaka)
“Oh… that.” (Rui)
Ah, so that’s what she meant. Come to think of it, I hadn’t told Ayaka about it… Well, it’s not like I’m hiding it or anything.
“I guess… I was just apathetic. I didn’t have any particular ambitions or dreams, no friends, and I’m not particularly smart either. So, I couldn’t muster up the motivation to go… But if I did nothing and stayed as a neet, I’d just get kicked out of the house. So, I started working part-time at the karaoke place nearby.”
I replied with a wry smile. But Ayaka, upon hearing this, looked slightly more serious…
“I see… But why didn’t you talk to me about it?” (Ayaka)
“Eh? Um…” (Rui)
I found myself at a loss for words. Ever since Ayaka and I went to different high schools, I became even more of a loner… I just couldn’t bring myself up to meet Ayaka.
It was like a sense of guilt, or maybe… I didn’t want to show her how much I had changed since then. Saying I wanted to keep our memories untainted might sound nice, but in reality, it was just an excuse and I just didn’t have the courage to meet her.
So, this time, even accepting Ayaka’s invitation to play with her after so long took quite a bit of courage on my part…
…
Well, I couldn’t really say that I felt pathetic. Seeing my troubled expression, Ayaka seemed to want to encourage me.
“…You don’t have to say it if you don’t want to. Besides… Rui, you’ve already found a new dream, haven’t you?” (Ayaka)
“Huh?” (Rui)
“Your dream of enjoying being a VTuber!” (Ayaka)
In the end, she said it with a smile. I couldn’t help but laugh back, a little bewildered.
“Haha… Can we really call something like that a dream?” (Rui)
“Of course we can! I’m doing it because it’s fun, you know?” (Ayaka)
As she spoke, Ayaka crouched down in front of a shelf lined with cameras and microphones. Picking them up, she turned to me.
“You’ve got a gaming PC, right, Rui? So, you’ll probably need a microphone and a webcam.” (Ayaka)
“A webcam?” (Rui)
“Yeah, you need it to move your model.” (Ayaka)
“I see… So, that’s how it works.” (Rui)
I nodded at Ayaka’s words. My knowledge about VTubers was seriously limited to that extent. If I were going to be active as a streamer, I needed to at least have some basic knowledge… With that in mind, I made a request to Ayaka.
“Then, could you pick out the ones you recommend? I’ll buy those.” (Rui)
“Huh? Can I really decide everything?” (Ayaka)
“Yeah. If you choose them, they’ll definitely be good. I trust your judgment.” (Rui)
As an active VTuber, she’d be more knowledgeable about devices than me. That’s why I used the word “trust”, but Ayaka showed a visibly delighted expression.
“Fufu… Got it! Then, how about these?” (Ayaka)
She picked out what looked like an expensive camera and microphone from the shelf.
Well, since I said that, I can’t really complain now, can I?
“…I wonder if the agency will provide funds for this?” (Rui)
“I don’t know. I can tell you for certain that they didn’t for me!” (Ayaka)
“Oh, I see…” (Rui)
Well, that’s disappointing. But maybe I should ask my manager anyways… I got their contact from Shiozawa-san yesterday, so I should at least say hello.
With these thoughts in mind, I grit my teeth and headed towards the checkout with the microphone and camera Ayaka had chosen. Along the way, Ayaka asked me something.
“Have you thought about what you’ll do for your debut stream, Rui?” (Ayaka)
“Well… I’ll probably start with an introduction like the others. Maybe I’ll also do a Q&A session based on the questions I got from Twitter.” (Rui)
“Nice! Need help selecting questions?” (Ayaka)
“…Nah, I’m good. I want to do everything on my own this time.” (Rui)
Ayaka’s kindness is appreciated, but I don’t think I’ll grow if I rely on her all the time… When she heard that, Ayaka showed a momentary surprised expression but then said,
“I see. It’s great that you have that professional attitude, Rui. It makes me happy too!” (Ayaka)
Once again, she smiled. Yeah, that smile suits her the best.
👻👻👻
As I walked home carrying the bags of equipment I purchased, I glanced at Ayaka beside me.
“Thanks for coming along today.” (Rui)
“No problem. I had fun, so it’s all good!” (Ayaka)
“I see. Well, that’s good then.” (Rui)
While speaking, I glanced at her. It had been a long time since we walked side by side like this, and I was a bit surprised that our pacing matched. Perhaps childhood memories are deeply ingrained inside us after all?
“…Hey, Rui. When was the last time we walked home like this together?” (Ayaka)
“Huh? Um… probably back in elementary school… It’s been around ten years, I guess.” (Rui)
Ayaka laughed at my response.
“Ahaha~ Has it really been that long? But Rui never walked home with me in middle school, so that might actually be true?” (Ayaka)
“…” (Rui)
I found myself unable to say anything… It’s true that in middle school, amidst puberty and all, I stopped walking home with Ayaka.
It was around the time when I was teased for being with her by classmates whose names I couldn’t even remember. Maybe that’s when we started to drift apart…
“…Sorry about that.” (Rui)
Before I knew it, I was apologizing. I didn’t think much about it back then, but looking back, I might have been pretty mean to Ayaka. …But she shook her head as if flustered.
“Oh, it’s okay! I didn’t mean it that way… Besides, I’m really looking forward to your stream, Rui.” (Ayaka)
She said that to reassure me, then changed the subject, probably not wanting me to feel uncomfortable.
“Yeah. Thanks.” (Rui)
“And… let’s go shopping together again sometime!” (Ayaka)
“Hm? Yeah, sure. If any of my devices break, I’ll definitely ask for your help again.” (Rui)
“…Yeah!” (Ayaka)
With that, I escorted Ayaka home. The walk back alone was quiet, and I found myself feeling a bit lonely… I was surprised at myself for thinking like that.
TL Notes:
Thanks for reading!
Oh boy, just from the prologue, we already know what’s gonna happen at the end of the stream.
Lily could have technically just played her guitar live inside of going for an acapella, but I guess that kind of stuff still requires preparation.
Also, with how big the agency is, they should totally just sponsor the equipment for him. I mean, they forced him to debut within 3 days, so that’s the least they could do, right? Maybe for Ayaka, she joined pretty early when the agency wasn’t that big yet, so they couldn’t sponsor the equipment, but now they definitely have the resources to.
The CEO is definitely a parody of either Sakana or Yagoo