ODL – Chapter 1 – The Long-awaited Resident

*Chirp Chirp Chirp*

*Chirp Chirp Chirp Chirp Chirp Chirp*

“…Urgh” (Souma)

My day begins with being woken up by the annoying chirps of the sparrows. Even on my day off, they won’t let me get a proper rest.

When I checked the clock, it was exactly 6 o’clock. I feel like an old man.

“Should I get up…” (Souma)

I brushed away the blanket that was wrapped around me and jumped off the bed. I went straight to the kitchen, where I rummaged through the contents of the refrigerator.

“Ah, there are still some eggs left. I thought I had used them all yesterday.” (Souma)

Breakfast is important.

According to a survey I read somewhere, many people skip breakfast, but if you ask me, that is impossible.

Without breakfast, my concentration in the morning drops, and when I finally have lunch, my blood sugar level spikes. Moreover, I read that it increases the risk of stroke.

Even if you’re going on an autophagy-based diet¹, it’s probably still better not to skip breakfast.

Speaking of autophagy², there’s this VTuber I like who has a really irregular lifestyle, and people call it ‘Self Autophagy LOL’. Apparently, it’s common for them to go a whole day without eating. Everyone laughs it off, but I’m genuinely worried. I’m afraid they might end up harming their health someday and it makes me nervous.

“Ette-sama” gives me the impression of being somewhat frail or delicate.

I took some bacon and eggs from the refrigerator and stood in the kitchen.

Once the frying pan was hot enough, I added some oil and first put in the bacon, followed by the eggs.

When I first started living alone, I was a bit troubled, but now I’m used to it. In no time, today’s breakfast was prepared quite fast.

Before I started living alone, I thought cooking for myself would be bothersome, but when I actually tried it, I found it surprisingly enjoyable. When I told my university friends about it, they were really surprised. I think cooking for myself is cheaper too.

After preparing the finished bacon and eggs on a white plate, I moved to the living room and put it on the edge of the large dining table, which honestly feels too big for someone living alone.

Then, I returned to the kitchen to scoop the rice into a bowl and return to the living room to take a seat at the table. Having to go back and forth between the living room and the kitchen is quite bothersome and annoying.

“Itadakimasu³.” (Souma)

To be honest, this unnecessarily spacious apartment that my parents rented is inconvenient to live in.

This apartment, which is a result of my parents’ overprotective nature, comes with a 2LDK layout and tight security. Perhaps because of that, the rent is significantly higher than the market rate, resulting in only a few residents. On my floor, there are four units, but only mine is occupied.

It seems like the common trope of a beautiful girl living next door is something that doesn’t happen in reality.

“Thanks for the meal.” (Souma)

I quickly finished my breakfast and washed the dishes.

…Come to think of it, the reason I find dishwashing bothersome is that I let the dishes pile up. If I just got into the habit of washing them right away, it wouldn’t be a big deal. However, for some reason, there are many people apart from me who turn the kitchen sink into a realm of chaos.

“…Hmm.” (Souma)

After finishing the dishes, I found myself with nothing to do.

I glanced at the clock, and it was 6:20am. Even though I’m in the city, most shops are still closed at this time, so going outside wasn’t an option. I have also completed my university assignments…

“… Guess I’ll go watch some clips of Ette-sama.” (Souma)

At 9 am, there will be a broadcast of the latest episode of “Drecure” on TV, so I just need to kill time until then.

I quickly prepared a cup of hot coffee and brought my laptop to the table where I had breakfast just a while ago. I opened “MeTube” and started browsing for Ette-sama’s clips.

As I selected “Ette-sama Clips Channel [Official]” from my favorites and randomly clicked on a video, a familiar calm voice started playing from the speakers.

The video’s title was “Ette-sama’s Wins Against Super Spicy Yakisoba While Getting Burned.” It was from a stream two days ago which I missed. I haven’t watched the archive yet either.

“(Today, I would be trying to eat the super spicy Peyoung Yakisoba⁴. It’s something that’s trendy right now, you know? I saw Zeria-chan eating it while crying the other day, and it was so hilarious. I thought, ‘Why not try it too?’ and bought it from the convenience store.)” (Henrietta)

Yeah, those super spicy instant yakisoba noodles have been quite popular recently. I have seen a few clips from other streamers trying them, and the spiciness seems unbearable. Ette-sama gives the impression of having a delicate stomach. I wonder if it’s okay for her to eat it.

Comment: 『Nice!』

Comment: 『Super spicy?』

Comment: 『Isn’t it supposed to be ‘ultra super spicy’?』

“(Ultra super spicy? The one I bought says ‘super spicy’ though… Is it different?)” (Henrietta)

Comment: 『There’s an even spicier one.』

Comment: 『What Zeria ate was ‘ultra super spicy.’』

Comment: 『That one isn’t that spicy.』

“(Oh, well, I’m not that good with spicy food, so let’s start with this one. If it’s not that spicy, I might try the ultra super spicy version another day. Alright, I’ll go make it now.)” (Henrietta)

Comment: 『Understood.』

Comment: 『I might have some Peyoung too.』

Comment: 『I feel like even super spicy might be too much for Ette-sama.』

Henrietta, also known as Ette-sama, is a VTuber affiliated with the VTuber agency “Virtual Real” She has around 600,000 subscribers, making her one of the mid-tier VTubers within her agency.

Her distinctive features include a calm voice and a laid-back way of speaking. Her sleep-inducing chat sessions are so calming that some joke that they might be officially approved for the treatment of sleep disorders. Of course, that’s not true, but it’s definitely true that listening to her can help you feel relaxed.

As for me, Ette-sama is my “Oshi”⁵.

There wasn’t any particular reason behind it. I happened to come across one of her recommended videos and before I knew it, I was watching her content regularly. Now, she has become an effective sleep-inducer for me.

“(I’m back! I think I burned my thumb while draining the hot water. So, I’ll be eating while cooling my thumb. If the sound of me eating bothers you, I recommend muting the stream!)” (Henrietta)

Comment: 『Are you okay!?』

Comment: 『Forget about the Peyoung and focus on cooling your thumb.』

Comment: 『I usually eat without chewing sounds.』

“(I put my thumb in a cup of ice-cold water, so the burn should be fine. Thanks for your concern. Well then, itadakimasu!)” (Henrietta)

*Slurp, slurp.*

*Slurp, slurp, slurp, slurp.*

The subtle sound of slurping came through the speakers.

Comment: 『The chewing sound is so soothing.』

Comment: 『I was just craving some chewing sounds.』

Comment: 『Doesn’t seem too spicy, huh?』

“(*Gulp*… At the moment, it’s not *gulp*… too spicy, I think… *gulp*… Oh, but it’s quite painful! It’s down my *cough*… throat.)” (Henrietta)

Comment: 『Looks tough.』

Comment: 『Take it easy.』

Comment: 『Ette-sama looks like she’s struggling… Haaa~』

There seemed to be a few perverted comments in the chat, but Ette-sama managed to finish the yakisoba without any issues.

“(Thanks for the meal! Well, the super spicy wasn’t that spicy after all. I’ll try the ultra super spicy challenge sometime soon. I might not be able to stream for a couple of days as I am moving, so maybe I’ll do it as a moving celebration stream. Well then, see you later!)” (Henrietta)

The clip ended there.

“…Ahh.” (Souma)

I took a sip of my hot coffee as I waited for the next clip to play.

◆

Do you know about the voice actress “Yasumi Hiyori”?

I came to know her two years ago through an idol-raising mobile game.

I am a big fan of that game, and I have attended all of her live concerts. When I saw her for the first time at the live event, she looked beautiful and dignified, and I became a fan from that point on.

Later, when I checked her wiki page, I found out that she had only been getting small roles before, and the mobile game was her first major character role.

But now she has made appearances in various other mobile games and anime series. From this season, she has been selected as the main character in the long-running Sunday morning anime “Drecure⁶“, which is incredibly popular. She has become a highly sought-after idol voice actress.

“Hiyorin in Drecure… it’s quite moving.” (Souma)

On the screen, the heroine voiced by Yasumi Hiyori, Kazamatsuri Tsukasa, skillfully sent the villain flying to the moon with a powerful rolling sobat kick. In “Drecure”, it’s a tradition for the heroines to defeat the villains in hand-to-hand combat. The intense and spirited battle scenes are one of the charms of “Drecure”.

Satisfied with seeing “Kazamatsuri Tsukasa – Yasumi Hiyori” displayed in the ending credits, I turned off the TV and headed to the front door.

The reason being that there was some kind of noise next door.

The neighboring unit was supposed to be vacant… Could it be that someone is moving in?

Curiosity got the better of me, so I poked my head out from my apartment entrance like a prairie dog⁷ emerging from its burrow. I caught a glimpse of a few people who appeared to be movers stepping into the elevator at the far end of the hallway. When I shifted my gaze back to the (previously) vacant unit in front of mine, I saw a woman wearing a white dress bowing and saying, “Thank you very much!”.

It seems like someone is indeed moving into the neighboring unit. And apparently, it’s a young woman.

Ignoring her would be rude so I decided to call out to my new neighbor.

“Hello.” (Souma)

“Kya!?” (?)

Perhaps being startled by the voice calling from behind, the woman let out a loud scream.

The woman turns around with her hand on her chest. Her wavy brown hair swayed softly as I catch sight of the beautiful girl who appeared.

“Haah… You scared me…” (?)

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to surprise you like that.” (Souma)

“N-No, it’s okay. I was lost in thought too. Nice to meet you, I’m Rinjou, I live next door.” (Rinjou)

The woman, who introduced herself as Rinjou, bowed deeply again.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Tendou. I’m 20 years old, and a university student.” (Souma)

Feeling like I made a small mistake in our initial encounter, I wanted to ease the atmosphere of suspicion that seemed to fill the air. So, I provided my age and affiliation in return. I want her to know that I’m a normal person.

“Ah, we’re the same age!” (Rinjou)

Rinjou-san pointed at me, looking surprised.

…The same age?

Seriously, what a coincidence.

She seems friendly, and I don’t want to make things awkward. Maybe I can use a casual tone too.

“No way, you’re also 20? A university student?” (Souma)

“Nnya, like something like working from home? I’m working freelance.” (Rinjou)

“A freelancer? Sounds impressive.” (Souma)

“Nnya, absolutely not, not at all.” (Rinjou)

Looks like saying “Nnya” is a habit of hers. As I watched her wave her hand in front of her face, I noticed something. I pointed at her right hand which was moving back and forth.

“…What happened there?” (Souma)

“Huh? Oh, this? I accidentally burned myself a bit. It’s taking quite a while to heal.” (Rinjou)

I noticed a large bandage on her right thumb. I had assumed it was a recent injury from today’s moving work, but apparently, that wasn’t the case.

“Hmm… Isn’t unpacking difficult?” (Souma)

“Well, it is… I want to get everything set up by today, but it’s a little overwhelming. It would probably take a bit more time.” (Rinjou)

Saying that, Rinjou-san’s shoulders slumped.

“Can I help you?” (Souma)

“…Eh?” (Rinjou)

Before I knew it, I had made that offer.

“I have nothing to do for the rest of today. If there are things you don’t want me to see, I can at least help with just the heavy stuff.” (Souma)

Rinjou-san seemed to be troubled, murmuring to herself words like “No…” and “But…”. She held her head in her hands and shook her head from side to side. I noticed this earlier, but it seems that she is quite expressive with her body language.

I thought that refusing my offer might be the more natural response, but it seemed like she quickly came to a decision.

Facing me directly, Rinjou-san lowered her head with a big bow. It was already the third time I had seen her bowing like this.

“Well then… I’m sorry, but can I ask for your help?” (Rinjou)

◇

There might be people who wish to get close to their “Oshi”.

They admire, long for, and desire to become close to someone they see as an unattainable presence.

I understand those feelings. However, there is one thing I want you to know.

Just like how the stars shining in the night sky are nothing but space debris— there are some things about your “Oshi” that will reveal itself when you get closer.

I learned this from “Ette-sama” and later from “Yasumi Hiyori”.

---

Illustration of the main cast

Sorry if its hard to read, your gonna have to zoom in lol. I don’t know how to clean and edit these kinds of thing. I know my English is kinda messed up inside the image but idw to edit this thing again xd

---

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

I think this is one of the longer chapters, maybe? I haven’t read ahead that much, like 4 chapters or so only.

Anyways, updates for this series are gonna be messy cause I initially planned to do this series while waiting for the author of ROS to start posting again. But right when I’m about to release this, the author started posting lol. So in order words, no guarantees on when chapters are gonna come out.

---

Footnote:

1. Autophagy-based diet is something like fasting I think.
2. I don’t know biology so I will let google-sensei handle this one. Autophagy is the consumption of the body’s own tissue as a metabolic process occurring in starvation and certain diseases.
3. Itadakimasu is a polite thing in japanese households to say before eating a meal. Something like “bon appétit”
4. Peyoung Yakisoba is a real thing by the way, there is a spicy version with a demon face on the package.
5. Oshi is basically someone you are a big fan of.
6. Author’s knock off version of PreCure I think. PreCure is a magical girl anime franchise.
7. Prairie dog is a kind of squirrel. Don’t know why they have dogs in their name.