I Joined the Agency as a Manager to Support a Vtuber, but Somehow I Ended up Becoming the Face of the Company as an Official Staff Member? - 12

Chapter 12: Long Story Short, A Talent Wants to Talk With Me

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I headed with Aihara-san to the break space that took up half a floor of the company building. It was fully equipped with a commercial coffee machine, a drink bar, super comfy sofas, and tons of Yogibo cushions.

Incidentally, the remaining half was a space used for game streaming by the agency, and when I got a peek at it once, what left a strong impression was the lineup of minor game consoles and software from various generations neatly displayed in one area.

I poured coffee into a paper cup provided and sat at a table for two. Aihara-san, for her part, had gotten melon soda from the drink bar. 

I guess she likes melon soda.

“So, what was it you wanted to talk about?”

“First… I wanted to say I’m sorry for dragging you into that mess during the stream earlier. It got out of hand because of my careless comment, and I’m really sorry for that.”

She bowed her head as she said that.

“You don’t need to bow or anything. Honestly, I’m honored to have been part of a talent’s bit.”

I joked lightly, but Aihara-san kept her head down.

“We already have a good idea of who started the rumor, and the official account will be putting out a statement about it too.”

“Really…? You’re not mad?”

She looked up at me like a child caught playing a prank. She should be around the same age as Kurama-san, but she looked completely like a kid in that moment. I couldn’t help but smile.

“No, I’m not mad at all. I wouldn’t get angry at you over something like this.”

I should have stepped in as soon as that rumor started and asked her to avoid commenting on anything related to me. The delay in our initial response was entirely my fault.

“But putting that aside—if that was the first thing, then that means there’s something else you wanted to talk about, right?”

“Yeah…”

Aihara-san slowly opened her mouth.

“Actually… I’m being stalked.”

“…Huh?”

“I’m being stalked.”

“Hold on a second. That’s way heavier than I was expecting.”

Wait, a stalker? Like the kind of stalker who follows someone around and harasses them? The kind that’s practically a crime?

“Uhh… Have you told your manager, Gomi-senpai?”

“No… I can’t talk to him…”

“…Don’t tell me—”

“I’ve been getting that kind of behavior…From my manager.”

“…You’ve gotta be kidding me…”

I looked up to the ceiling.

“Well, it’s true that Gomi-senpai is notorious for being sleazy. He especially likes small, petite girls like Aihara-san… But damn it, I can’t even come up with a way to excuse his behavior. That shitty lolicon creep…”

Ōno-senpai had mentioned that Gomi’s behavior had toned down a bit after joining the company. Maybe it was just because he’d found a new favorite and didn’t need to go after anyone else…

“Uh…”

Crap. That was way too candid. I let my true feelings slip out, and now she looked totally freaked out.

“Uh, ahem. So, in other words, Gomi-senpai is the one stalking you?”

“Ah, yeah. So that’s what the real you is like, huh, Hiori-san…”

“Please forget that… So, I know it’s probably hard to talk about it, but can you tell me more specifically what kind of things he’s done?”

“Um, well… One recent thing was when he came to check my schedule. He got really close and wrapped his arm around my waist.”

“I see. Anything else?”

“…For body management purposes, he told me to send him daily pictures of me in my underwear… Half-jokingly, but still…”

Right, Aihara-san doesn’t do well with men. It must’ve been painful even recalling all this.

Her hands, clasped together on the desk, were trembling.

“Thank you for telling me. I know it mustn’t be easy to talk about it.”

I needed to make sure she wouldn’t have to recall anything more painful. I gently placed my hands over her small, trembling ones.

“Ah…”

“I swear. I won’t let something like this happen to you ever again.”

“…You swear?”

“I swear.”

“Okay… It’s a promise then.”

“Yes.”

With that, I let go of her hands. Her breathing seemed steadier now. Good.

“…Oh, by the way.”

“There’s something else?”

Aihara-san suddenly spoke up.

“Hiori-san, do you have any interest in doing narration work?”

“Narration? Well, I was on the broadcast committee in middle school, if that counts…”

“See, the narration for a video on the official channel I appeared in—the person in charge got sick, and we don’t have a replacement yet.”

“Oh wow, that’s rough.”

“Can you help me with it?”

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“Okay, we’re rolling!”

How did it come to this…?

“Uh, so I just read this, right?”

“Yes, please!”

Right now, I was sitting in one of the recording booths, wearing headphones and facing a mic, having been dragged here by Aihara-san.

“Heheh, I knew I had an eye for talent…”

“No, seriously, thank you. Where did you find a guy with such a dreamy voice?”

“I’m friends with his manager. This show’s supposed to go up later this week, right?”

I could see Aihara-san chatting casually with the producer of the show. I couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying, but they looked like they got along well. Meanwhile, in front of me, the video I was supposed to narrate was playing. Ah… I recognized so many people in it…

Apparently, it was a prank segment where the Hollow Echo members got tricked. Hmm. This was a pretty important job. Depending on how well I handled the narration, the audience’s impression of Hollow Echo could change.

“…Hiori-san has an intense aura right now.”

“Yeah, like he’s possessed by some kind of voice-acting demon…”

Fine. Let’s do this. If my voice could highlight what made my oshi so charming, it’d be the ultimate honor as a fan. Nothing would make me happier.

…Actually, my stomach really hurts. Can I go home now?

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