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? - 6

Chapter 6: Long Story Short, Talent-san Keeps Praising Me

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“Ababababababababa…”

How are you all doing? As for me, Ren Hiori, I’ve just returned home and is now lying on my bed, convulsing all over. 

Phew… Escaping reality helped calm me down a little. About a week had passed since that recording. Today was the day the cover song video would be released.

“Ahh… Kurama-san might get flamed because of something I said aaaaa… Ababababa, I shouldn’t have blurted it out…”

Tormented by regret, I opened Toudou-san’s channel on OurTube. There, the cover song video was in premiere standby mode.

“…Nope. I’m not doing this. My mental state can’t take it.”

What if the comments section became a battlefield? What if Kurama-san got emotionally hurt because of this?

“…Right. The one who’d be hurt the most by backlash is Kurama-san.”

Wait, does that mean Kurama-san might get bashed because of one careless thing I said… And that could lead to her retiring as a VTuber…

In my mind, I could vividly picture Toudou-san tearfully announcing her retirement in a final livestream…

“Ubororororororo…”

My convulsions worsened. In the end, I didn’t look at the internet at all that day and just fell asleep.

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“Good morning…”

The next day, I went to work feeling a bit heavy. I checked the day’s schedule with my senpai, Ōno.

“Hey! What’s wrong? You’ve got the face of someone who tried to cram before an exam and almost died!”

“I was surprised when you actually asked me for help back then. I’m your junior, after all.”

“I was seriously in danger of failing a year. You really saved me back then.,”

He said, slinging his arm around my shoulders.

“By the way, did you see Kurama-san’s cover song video yesterday?”

Twitch. I felt my facial muscles tighten at that.

“Judging by your reaction, you didn’t watch it because you were too worried about the viewer’s comments, huh?”

“Yeah, I mean… My stomach’s been in knots over it.”

Hearing that, Senpai grinned and slung his arm around me again. From an outsider’s perspective, he probably looked gross. I barely held back from saying it.

“For a stress-loaded Ren-kun like you, I’ve got just the thing to show you~”

As he said that and held up his phone screen—WHAM—something hit me from behind.

“Yahho~! What are you guys up to?”

I jumped back in a panic, and there was Kurama-san, waving energetically.

“Good morning! We’ve got a recording today, right?”

“Ah, Kurama-san. Yeah, we do. Actually, you showed up at the perfect time. This guy still hasn’t seen the reactions to your cover song video.”

“Eh! Really? Then you’ve got to watch it right now! C’mon, hurry up! Watch it now!”

“U-Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah…”

No, stop—STOOOP!! 

My weak resistance, of course, had no effect.

“Okay! Here’s the comment section!”

And at last, the comment section filled with screams and cheers came into view—

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・There’s just… no words. Incredible.

・It popped up in my recommendations, so I gave it a listen… and right from the start I was like “eh?”, and by the end I was still “eh?”

・I read the original novel, and honestly, this darker obsessive love version fits the song better.

・The way Kohaku-chan hides madness behind her cute voice… I love it.

・The way Kohaku-chan fully embodied this interpretation is insane. I’ll support her forever.

The comments were overwhelmingly positive.

“This video’s become the most popular one I’ve ever released. …Thank you.”

As I stared at the comment section in a daze, Kurama-san thanked me from beside me.

“U-uh, no. I didn’t do anything worth thanking me for. It’s all thanks to you, Kurama-san.”

“That’s not true. I was only able to sing that song because you understood the meaning behind its lyrics. Your interpretation was even deeper than mine.”

“N-no, but I—”

“Oi oi! You’re getting praise from HoloEco’s top songstress here! Don’t you think you’re being too presumptuous, talking back like that? Come on, huh?~”

Just as I tried to deny it, Senpai turned into a shady fake Kansai gangster and started threatening me.

“Wait, no…Fine, I get it! But you’re way too close! Your breath smells! Senpai, did you even brush your teeth yesterday!?”

“Guh…”

“Ōno-san… That’s unacceptable.”

“…Senpai. This stuff here, you just swish it around your mouth and it works like brushing your teeth. Please go use it now.”

“Yes… I’ll be right back.”

All his earlier bravado vanished as he slumped and shuffled out into the hallway.

“Do you think Ōno-kun didn’t go home yesterday?”

“I think he did, actually. His suit is different from yesterday, but his bag smells like an izakaya, so I bet he was out drinking late.”

“That attention to detail… Are you secretly a detective?”

“Huh? I used to work at a trading company, though…?”

The sudden detective comment caught me off guard. I did have a habit of observing people, but…

“I see… Well, in any case, thank you. I’ve got recording preparation to do, so I’ll see you later!”

With a wave, she headed out the door.

“…Ah, come to think of it, it’s already been a week since I started working here.”

It had gone by in a flash. Kind of like when it was the busy season at my last job. Back then, I desperately wanted time to pass faster, even though it already felt like it was flying. But now, I wished these moments could last longer.

“Yeah. I’m really glad I took this job.”

・I pulled out my phone again and reread the comments on Toudou-san’s video.

I’m so glad I listened to this. I’m going to support her from now on.

My dream was to help VTubers build connections with their fans. And now, I felt a renewed determination to work my hardest so that more people could feel that way. But then, I suddenly realized something important.

“…Huh!? Kurama-san! You’ll get lost if you just wander around on your own like that! Kurama-saaan!?”

I rushed out into the hallway and hurried off in the direction I assumed she had gone.

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“…Hm? That’s a face I’ve never seen before… Who’s that, I wonder?”

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