Living Normally In An Abnormal World - Chapter 85: A Relationship That Always Starts with an Apology

Chapter 85: A Relationship That Always Starts with an Apology

“I’m truly sorry.”

Kimura Rin.

She was bowing down to a younger boy.

The reason was simple: she thought she had been too reckless.

During the stream, she had been making fun of Grauzer. She had taken the audio from his live stream and edited it into her videos.

Of course, without his permission. 

If he was in front of her, it would be natural for her to apologize.

But it was Grauzer who stopped her.

In today’s modern society, it’s an information society. A casual tweet, a single photo, or a video of just a few seconds can attract a lot of attention. So, for someone like him, a madman, especially someone who’s as crazy as to become Grauzer, who participates in live streams and has only a few memorable quotes or sayings, it’s actually quite sad.

“I’ve been watching your funny videos and streams. Keep up the good work.”

And most importantly, Grauzer was a fan of Ricchan.

But Rin kept bowing.

It was because, even though it was a coincidence that she was streaming, her voice was being heard by the viewers. She explained in detail that it was really him, and that she had come down to apologize.

“No, it’s my own fault, so please don’t worry about it. I’m more worried that I might have caused you some trouble with all the death threats and such.”

Rin thought to herself.

“Oh, I’m not going to let this child go.”

Ricchan, despite claiming to be a hikikomori and a NEET. It would be a lie to say that she has no interest in men. She’s the same age as Rina. Even taking into account the childishness typical of elementary school students, her well-proportioned face makes it clear that she has a promising future.

And her high level of sociability is evident from her way of talking.

No foolish thoughts of attacking her came to mind. Her self-control in such situations was many times greater than that of others.

The first meeting began with an apology.

Is it really okay to get carried away just because someone is nice to you?

“Thank you, Yuuto-kun. … Should I call you Grauzer?”

“Either is fine. You can call me whatever you like, Rin-san.”

“!”

“Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing. I’m fine.”

“Okay.”

A sudden first name basis?

Rina and Reina reacted a little, and Rin’s body shakes. That’s because it’s very rare for Yuuto to call a woman he’s just met by her first name.

Rina and Reina thought he probably did it out of consideration, since if he just called out “Kimura-san,” it wouldn’t be clear who he was talking to. In fact, that’s exactly why.

But to Rin, it’s different. She may not have talked to many men, but she’s had conversations with them. The shock was so strong that at first she thought it was a hallucination. And her heart was beating faster, and she couldn’t take the strain, so she pressed her right hand to her chest.

“How about we play a game together?”

She takes a deep breath to calm herself down, and responds with a smile.

Anyone who refuses such a sweet invitation must be either a real jerk or a homosexual.

(Ah, he doesn’t want to quit on such a bitter end~)

(Yeah, he was just running away after losing about 30 times in a row after all.)

The two of them realize his true intention.

(Is this what boys smell like…)

Rin takes the controller from Yuuto and sits next to him. The distance between them is just a few centimeters. She suddenly gets the distance wrong. And the faint smell of the sun that wafts from him amplifies her tension. Her usual hunched posture suddenly becomes straight as an arrow.

One crazy thing after another keeps coming, so she quickly focuses on the game.

Her family members, who have been watching her just like warm-hearted parents, see her transformed into a maiden.

“…”

And after a few minutes.

The smile had disappeared from the man’s face. He said nothing, turned his back on them, and looked down at the controller in his hand.

Rin, a popular streamer, has had the opportunity to collaborate with other posters. So, of course, she plays party games and competitive games too. In fact, she always wins, so lately other posters don’t invite her as much, and instead professional gamers challenge her to matches. Even if she’s in bad condition, her skills don’t dull.

Yuuto forgot about that.

(Well, maybe I should have let him win.)

Rin doesn’t believe in holding back in a competition.

But she wonders if she went too far, judging from Yuuto’s expression.

“Let’s do it again.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah.”

“I’ve got your habits figured out. Next time, I’ll win.”

“Yeah, I won’t lose.”

(And yet Yuuto-kun has never beaten me even after he says those words.)

He talks big, but he’s always lost to Rina.

In other words,

“Yuuto-kun, you’re weak.”

“Ugh!”

The predetermined path to defeat.

And with no reservations or considerations, she delivers the ultimate taunt, dealing a massive blow to Yuuto’s spirit.

“But you tried your best.”

“Just trying my best isn’t enough, you know?”

Even if she offers such a comforting word, Yuuto, the loser, just sulks.

He’s smiling at Rin, but at the same time, she can feel the pressure.

“Then try harder.”

“Wow, that’s harsh. I’m already doing pretty well.”

“A madman doesn’t stumble over something like this.”

“The people around me don’t really hold back.”

“That’s because you’re not normal.”

“Rina, shut up!”

Yuuto still insists that he’s normal.

“So, Rina, Mom. How long have the three of you been acquainted?”

“Since first grade.”

“Since his third grade~”

“No way~ You two~!”

After Yuuto’s return home, Rin once again voiced her doubts to the two. However, the response she received was a harsh reality, especially from the perspective of someone like her, living a nocturnal lifestyle. During the daytime, when she had been asleep, they had been spending time together. The fact that she alone had been left out left her feeling uncomfortable. But at the same time, she couldn’t deny that her own lifestyle was also to blame.

But they could have at least introduced me to him, right?

“I’m going to switch to a daytime schedule.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”

“Do you think we can meet again?”

“We’ll definitely meet again~. In fact, I’ll come to see you instead~.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Would it be a bother if I came over?”

“I can only imagine a future where you’re welcomed with a big smile.”

“Oh, but sometimes Satoru-kun might kidnap me, so you might find me missing once in a while~.”

“But with how well-behaved Yuuto-kun is, I bet his mom’s super overprotective.”

“Overprotective? No way, not at all.”

Both of them thought the same.

If Mana had been overprotective, they would never have had the chance to meet in the first place.

If Yuuto had been her child, who would throw him into the lion’s den? No one. If Mana were in that position, she would have hidden him from the world and society, keeping all of his kindness to herself within the family. Who would want to share that goodness with others?

If she had taught him the harshness of reality, given him a list of legitimate reasons, and strongly opposed it, Yuuto would’ve easily given up.

But Mana didn’t do that.

It’s easy to imagine just how abnormal that decision was.

If not, then Rina would’ve spent her elementary school days just leveling up her gaming skills. And Reina would have fallen endlessly into the convenient world of 2D men, with no intention of ever escaping.

Yuuto must be abnormal.

But in that sense, so is his mother, Mana.

She’s the type to play otome games right next to Yuu-kun without a care.

“But more importantly, Nee-chan, you should learn more about Yuuto-kun.”

“Huh? What’s this?”

Before Rin could process these thoughts, Rina placed a thick, encyclopedia-sized book in front of her.

Suddenly, it was there, large and heavy. She didn’t feel like reading it at all. But since Yuu’s name came up, she figured it had some value, so she opened it.

“A newspaper?”

“It’s a collection of Yuuto-kun’s newspapers. It has records of his behavior since first grade, his thought patterns at the time, and even guesses at his emotions. If you read it, you should be able to understand Yuuto-kun a little better.”

“What? This kind of thing exists!?”

“Yeah, I review it too when I’m in a bad mood. Little Yuuto-kun is super cute, so it’s really soothing. Now, he’s cool in his own way though.”

“Alright, I’ll go through it three times.”

“By the way, there are over 10 volumes, so it’s not something you just casually read in one go.”

“No, I’ll read them. A kid like him must have been seriously adorable when he was younger.”

“Alright, read away! Oh, you can also check it online if that’s easier. The photos are full-color too.”

“Really? Hmm, I’ll stick with the books since they’re here.”

“By the way, Rin, what are you going to do about your stream?”

“…Ah.”

The truth is always hidden.

‘As expected, the person behind Grauzer came to my place. The reason it’s so late now is that we were playing games together. In conclusion, that guy’s definitely kind.’

Or maybe not so much.

But Grauzer did have a bit of a scandal.