Vol 1 Chapter 5 – Crowd Psychology【Vol 1 – Turning Point】

I steeled myself and hit the Enter key.

Mama Sub: This is my first time commenting! I’m Rin, nice to meet you!

I didn’t have a YouTube account. So, on impulse, I introduced myself with what was essentially my real name, and I was mortified.

▷ “Since I’m using Mama Sub’s laptop right now, you’re showing up as ‘Mama Sub,’ Rin-kun.”

Thanks to Michi Mama thinking on her feet, that became my handle name.

Gin: Rin…kun?

After that, the comments exploded.

Dan-Gan: It’s a boyyyy! I won’t forgive thissss!

Rina＠Gal: Wait, Mama! Boys are beasts!

Dedede: Whether he’s hit puberty or not, we’ll talk then…

Kenzaki: Dedede, that’s way too sensitive, you know!

▷ “Wait, everyone, it’s okay! The kid I found is really tiny! Seriously small… he didn’t know anything… When I made him omurice, he started crying, you know?”

Mama’s voice turned tearful halfway through. It was like she was crying for me.

Gin: He didn’t know anything?

Rina＠Gal: Wait, doesn’t that mean… neglect?

Kenzaki: Sorry, but picking him up was the right thing. I think Mama’s decision is amazing.

Dedede: I apologize… This is no laughing matter.

Dan-Gan: Same here, I apologize.

▷ “I’m sorry! I meant to make it a fun topic, but it got a bit dark…”

I had the same idea. If Michiru-san could earn even a little money because of me, I thought maybe I could repay just a bit of the debt I could never fully repay.

I never thought she’d end up crying like that.

Mama Sub: Michi Mama, thank you. I’m so glad you’re thinking about me. And everyone, I’m sorry for making the stream vibe so gloomy.

I commented once more. Then, the comments poured in like a raging torrent.

Gin: Mama feeling pain and crying for us is normal… but he’s a good kid.

Rina＠Gal: The reason we love Mama is because of stuff like this, right?

Meshimazu: Seriously, what’s up with crying over omurice?

Dedede: I was thinking, how about a parent–child stream?

Dan-Gan: That’s it!

The chat was filled with talk about me.

Mama’s streams come in two types: work stream and consultation stream.

In the consultation streams, she solicits worries in advance and proceeds with the person as the focus. This stream started to take on that kind of vibe.

It was the first time I became the center of attention. To be honest, I had no idea what to do.

▷ “How about we have you join in too, Rin-kun? If you’d like, come on in.”

Gin: You don’t have to push yourself, okay?

Rina＠Gal: Honestly, the more details about the kid Mama picked up, the better… but don’t push yourself!

Comments like that kept flowing.

I muttered in my mind “It’s just a dream” over and over, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door to the next room.

I couldn’t hear anything from inside.

But the door opened immediately.

“Come on in.”

There stood Michiru-san, speaking with Michi Mama’s voice.

I entered the room, my hand held by Michiru-san…

The room was a soundproof booth.

Gray, highly cushioned soundproof panels covered every wall, and there was a condenser mic and an audio mixer. The computer was also a hefty tower model.

“Um, what should we do? If you sit in the chair, you might not reach the mic, huh?”

“It’s fine, I’ll stand!”

“Okay, then stand here. Can you see the screen?”

“Yes!”

I said that and peeked at the screen—it was a storm of comments.

Gin: She’s a girl!

Rina＠Gal: She’s a girl!

Dedede: She’s a girl!

Kenzaki: She’s a girl!

Dan-Gan: She’s a girl!

In other words, the chat was filled with doubts that I might be a girl.

But mixed in was a comment that threw that notion into question.

Dedede: Can’t reach the mic? Just how small is he?

“Ah, Mama was wondering that too! How tall are you?”

“I’m 138 centimeters…”

I’d been bullied because of that before, and it was embarrassing, but for Michiru-san, I didn’t care.

Besides, the person in front of me was also Michi Mama. I owed Michi Mama a lot too.

Dedede: He’s a minor, right? There’s a chance it could be considered abducting a minor, so you should consult the city office ASAP. In that case, you’d need to take foster parent training first—so you’d temporarily have to put him in a facility, go through training, and after that it’s up to luck whether you can become his parent. To be honest, the chances are almost zero.

Dedede’s comment was frighteningly accurate. But that only applied if I was really a minor.

“Yeah, I know. But that’s fine.”

After saying that, a short pause passed, and Michiru-san whispered to me.

“Should we hide that I’m an adult?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Michiru-san returned to the mic.

▷ “This kid is actually an adult.”

Then the chat erupted with anger.

Dedede: Being an adult at 138 cm means something’s wrong physically. That’s neglect…

Gin: What kind of parents is that? Are they even human!?

Rina＠Gal: I seriously can’t forgive that! I want Rin-kun to be happy…

Dan-Gan: Just like Dedede said, it’s probably malnutrition from neglect…