LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 11
Star’s Flow second-year student, the virtual YouTuber Suzuha Koga.
She was confident.
Having overcome countless hardships while working as an underground idol in the past, she had become someone who could face challenges.
The small stature that had become a symbol of ridicule for some was turned into a new charm with her unique energetic personality and outstanding wit.
As a virtual YouTuber, where there was no need to reveal such weaknesses, Suzuha brimmed with confidence.
“My broadcasts will definitely be fun, so I’ll be successful for sure!”
That was her confidence.
Furthermore, after retiring from being an underground idol and briefly attempting to be a solo artist, she had reached 150,000 subscribers in just four months, so it wasn’t completely unfounded confidence.
And in response to that confidence, Suzuha’s channel was growing rapidly.
As of now, she had 93,000 subscribers.
Among the second-year students of Star’s Flow, it was undoubtedly the best performance.
Yukari and Ayaka formed a duo called Ayakari just a week after their debut, but since they shared each other’s subscribers due to their nature, their growth speed was slower compared to Suzuha.
Nekoto had a strong four-dimensional vibe, giving off an aura of a select few.
Lastly, while Izumi made a huge impact during her debut, she had immediately taken a two-week break afterward, so naturally, her channel’s growth rate was significantly slower.
Of course, Suzuha didn’t categorize her colleagues based on subscriber counts.
They were all comrades and motivations in Star’s Flow whom she genuinely wished to bond with when she saw them in person.
For this reason, Suzuha chatted with her other colleagues for about 20-30 minutes almost every day via DM.
However, she had never had a proper conversation with Izumi.
Whenever she would greet, “Hello, Izumi!” she would always receive a response of “Hello,” and that was it.
After that, Suzuha attempted to continue the conversation herself, but all her efforts failed.
From this, Suzuha realized that Izumi was so awkward at talking to others that it could be described as lethal.
When they first met face to face, Izumi barely spoke, not because she considered her peers as competitors, but simply because she couldn’t engage in conversations.
It would be a lie to say she didn’t wonder why someone as cute as her, looking like a doll, suffered from social anxiety.
While it was difficult to ignore that curiosity, Suzuha had a stronger desire to become a little closer to Izumi.
[Ah, you don’t completely avoid talking, right? K-Koga and U-Utsumi and Akabane and Aki sometimes strike up conversations with me?]
“No, it’s practically like not talking to me…”
So when she happened to sigh while watching Izumi’s broadcast yesterday, it was unavoidable.
Anyway, the reason she accepted her manager’s suggestion for a collaborative broadcast with Izumi without hesitation was that she wanted to learn more about what kind of person Izumi was and become closer as a colleague and fellow member of Star’s Flow.
And she wanted to teach her various things since she was a complete newbie at broadcasting.
Suzuha was confident that she would be able to manage that.
But.
“Izumi! Since this is our first collaboration, do you have any questions for me?”
[Uh, um. W-What’s your ideal type, K-Koga?]
“Eh?”
– Haha!!!
– She’s already been caught, so she’s going all out!
– Look at her trying to fulfill her desires!
– Mei’s question is completely out of bounds right now!
– Run away, Suzuha!
– Has Mei’s yuri radar finally targeted Suzuha?!
Suzuha’s once sky-high confidence was now slightly wavering.
★
After an awkward self-introduction, the first to speak up was Koga.
Thank goodness.
Ultimate awkward people become the most uncomfortable beings when they introduce topics….
[Izumi! We’re collaborating for the first time, so do you have any questions for me?]
But normally, this question might be a bit of a no-go.
Asking a question to set the topic seems to be a rule violation.
But who am I?
Izumi Kainoh, who vowed to grow as a VTuber.
I won’t be flustered by this level.
“Well, um, what’s your ideal type, K-Koga?”
[Eh?]
For some reason, Koga seemed flustered by my question.
Why?
I received the same question yesterday during my stream; it’s not a hard question to answer!
Carrying that question, I glanced at the chatroom…
– Haha!!!
– She’s already been caught, so she’s going all out!
– Look at her trying to fulfill her desires!
– Mei’s question is completely out of bounds right now!
– Run away, Suzuha!
– Has Mei’s yuri radar finally targeted Suzuha?!
Ah.
Thinking back, I had declared I liked yuri yesterday….
“That, that’s not my intention! I was just purely curious!”
If I had to choose, my ideal type would indeed be a girl, but that doesn’t mean I like girls!
– Love is indeed a pure feeling…
– Perhaps Suzuha’s preference is someone like herself…
– By the way, Mei has a thing for Suzuha!
– You said you liked small and cute girls during yesterday’s stream!
“I-I’m serious! Usually, when girls get together, they talk about love, right?! That’s how I learned it!”
When having a conversation, girls are the kind of creatures that discuss their ideal types and squeal together, right?
I learned that very well from manga and light novels!
– What’s the source of this biased knowledge?
– What an old man-like statement…
– What on earth are current high school girls trying to ask us?! Haha!
– Oh no!
– Hearing Mei say she learned it like that is kind of sad ( ; ω ; )
– Let’s just quietly move on from that…
…Why does it feel like no one is paying attention to my story?
“K-Koga?! I-I swear it’s a question with no ulterior motive?!”
[Oh, yes. I know, so it’s fine.]
Koga said it was okay, but she couldn’t hide the slight tremble in her voice.
I really wish someone would clear my grievances.
[Um, I think I’d like someone I can rely on, a relationship like that.]
– That’s impossible for Mei! Hahaha!
– Mei looks like she’s going to rely on someone one-sidedly!
– Mei… maybe we should just give up?
“You guys!!!”
Of course, Koga really did fit my type perfectly, and I thought she was cute!
But would I really imagine such things?
With a colleague I’d be working with for a long time, could a socially awkward person like me even entertain such arrogant thoughts?
Actually, I did. Sorry about that….
But still, imagination is free, right?!
So I’m just a loser who can only fantasize!
I swear there were no ulterior motives in my question!
– Don’t be mad, Mei…
– We were just stating facts!
– Will you cry out and quit streaming again?
– But were you really just asking without any ulterior motives?
“Ugh…!”
…Hahaha!
As I was left speechless in a battle of nerves with the chatroom, Koga suddenly burst into laughter.
Hey, I think the situation turning out like this is partly Koga’s fault too, you know?
Instead of laughing and watching, couldn’t she give me a little help?
[Oh, so this is the kind of style Izumi has?]
“…Huh?”
Some unsettling premonition brushed against my back.
This isn’t the same feeling I got standing in front of super popular kids, is it…?
“Uh, uh, K-Koga? Did I do something wrong?”
[Oh, it’s nothing. I just think I understand what kind of person you are, Izumi.]
The cold chill I just felt vanished, and the sweet words coming from Koga were full of kindness.
…Was it an illusion?
[For now, we can’t just keep going like this, so shall we move on to the next topic? I was thinking of asking each other questions to ease the tension, but it seems better to stick to the questions that were originally planned on mycarong.]
“Ah, okay! Let’s do our best, Koga!”
– In the end, it was still too much for Suzuha to manage Mei…
– Well, everyone kind of expected that, right?
– That’s true.
Shut up, you guys.
★
“Hah, finally over.”
After finishing the broadcast, as well as the call with Izumi, Suzuha sighed and leaned back in her chair.
“…Heh.”
The collaboration recorded a number of viewers that could proudly be called a success.
But what lingered in Suzuha’s mind was not such figures but thoughts of Izumi.
[K-Koga?! I-I really had no ulterior motives in my question?!]
[I-I’m right, you’re wrong. Alright, I’ve proven it. That’s a term known as Q.E.D.!]
Since Suzuha had a very small and cute appearance, she often received treatment like a doll or toy from friends and colleagues at school.
It wasn’t that she disliked it.
She understood that they acted like that because they liked her.
But sometimes she wondered what was so entertaining about that.
And today, for the first time, she felt she could understand a bit of their hearts.
[Huh? You guys and me are still the same big otaku?!]
[Hii! S-Sorry! I-I messed up! Please don’t unsubscribe!!]
Unable to talk with others but easily puffing up whenever she had an advantage, and if something went wrong because of that, immediately getting teary-eyed and apologizing.
The more she thought about this, the more she felt something rise within her.
She was getting more and more eager to see that teary-eyed Izumi.
[K-Koga, I had fun today, and I hope we can continue to be friends in the future.]
Suzuha recalled Izumi’s request before ending the call after the broadcast.
“I think I’ll want to make that request instead….”
Mumbling something ominous, Suzuha quietly began typing on her keyboard.
★
Ding!
“Huh?”
[Koga Suzuha: I really enjoyed today’s collaboration. I hope we can do it again sometime. o(^▽^)o]
[Koga Suzuha: I look forward to working with you in the future! （＞ε＜）]
Upon seeing the DM that Koga sent me right after we finished the collaboration, I unconsciously hit send for my reply.
[Izumi Kainoh: Uh, Koga? C-Can you be my friend…?]
[Koga Suzuha: Hmm, sure! I’m so lucky to have such a cute friend today! (*≧▽≦)]
…Is Koga really an angel?