Vol 1 Chapter 78 – Kidnapping【Vol 1 – Turning Point】

Hormone therapy had begun. The injections were more painful than any I’d ever had before. The needle itself didn’t hurt at all when it went in—that was a given, since Hiro-nii-chan was the one doing it. But the medicine itself was agonizing as it entered my body.

Also, the hormone shots were embarrassing. I could choose to get them in my shoulder or my rear. But they said the shoulder was extremely painful, so I chose my rear. That’s why having my skirt lifted every time was so humiliating.

Anyway, setting that aside, I was on my way to Tachibana-onee-chan’s house. Today was tuning day. You could also call it a day for me to go hang out, using tuning as an excuse.

Along the way, as I was walking, a van pulled up beside me.

The door slid open immediately, and two men stepped out. Both were blond, and both looked like thugs.

“Wah!?”

“Don’t make a sound!”

A hand clamped over my mouth, and in an instant, I was dragged into the vehicle.

Once inside, my hands were quickly bound with duct tape. My mask was torn off, and more duct tape was slapped over my mouth. My sunglasses were snatched away and replaced with a blindfold.

“Mmphh!”

I screamed desperately, but no loud noise could escape my sealed mouth.

“You sure this is the one?”

“Yeah, no doubt.”

As I heard their exchange, I felt the car’s engine roar and then accelerate.

I’m being kidnapped.

How did this happen? It might be jealousy. I’m the number-one VTuber in the world, and a celebrity to boot.

“Hey… isn’t he crazy cute?”

“Knock it off. They said he’s a guy.”

Hearing that, I started to struggle.

These guys… they’re planning to do… that… to me.

“Don’t struggle!”

My thrashing foot suddenly hit something soft and fleshy.

“That didn’t even hurt…”

To not even be able to cause a flicker of pain… How pathetic and weak am I…?

I cursed my own body. There’s no way I can escape this. No way I can save myself.

My ankles were grabbed and they, too, were wrapped tightly in duct tape.

I wished. I prayed. Please, someone, save me.

But there was no way anyone could rescue me from inside a moving vehicle.

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A short while later, the van stopped, and I was thrown into some room.

“Phew, finally. Now we can take our time…”

“I told you to knock it off! What are you gonna do with a guy!?”

“He’s got an ass, doesn’t he?”

The worst possible conversation drifted to my ears.

Scared. Disgusted. My body started to tremble uncontrollably.

A lukewarm, slimy sensation brushed against my cheek.

…It was a tongue.

Disgusting.

It’s so disgusting I can’t stand it.

“Mmphh!”

I screamed. It was barely a sound, but I screamed with all my might.

Thud.

“Ugh! No need to kick me!”

“What if he bites his tongue off?! We won’t get our money! That’s why we gotta do this!”

The tape was roughly ripped from my mouth.

Then, my mouth was pried open and something like a cloth was stuffed inside. Followed by more tape.

“Whoa, you’re smart!”

It was even harder to make a sound now. I couldn’t even move my tongue.

“But lay off the assault. For us to get our cut, he needs to keep earning.”

“Aww, but he’s so cute I wouldn’t even mind that he’s a guy.”

Right now, all I can do is gather information. My means of earning money. It’s streaming. If they let me stream, I should be able to leak encrypted information. First, I have to get info. I can’t afford to be scared. I need to sharpen my senses.

“You know what Stockholm Syndrome is? Apparently, the victim can fall in love with their kidnapper. So, you, be nice to him.”

“Oh? You’re pretty smart.”

“We’re committing a crime, so of course I did a little research! And you, stand right there.”

“O-Okay…”

After that, my blindfold was removed.

“Yo. How ya feelin’?”

His expression was meant to be kind, but he couldn’t hide his ulterior motives at all. It was disgusting beyond words.

I thought about glaring at the man in front of me with all my might, but I stopped myself.

Stay calm.

Ignore my trembling body.

I have a weapon, don’t I? This appearance. A viewer just said so on my last stream.

So, I smiled at him.

“Kuh! So cute… Look, we’re not gonna hit you or kick you or anything. We just need you to be a little cooperative. Don’t worry, we’re acquaintances of your mother.”

“Idiot!”

Both of them were idiots. If they’d gotten their story straight, they could have played it off as a lie, but he denied it in a panic. Besides, I hate that “mother” to begin with.

Just smiling was enough to work. I now understood that my birth mother was the one pulling the strings. I’m not Kagemitsu-nii-chan, so I can’t say for certain, but I think this qualifies as a criminal offense. I no longer consider that person my parent. She can face criminal charges for all I care.

But it’s still a shock. I feel like bursting into tears. She cuts me off when I don’t develop, but the moment I can earn money, she resorts to this. There isn’t a single shred of love there, is there?

“Who cares if you spill the beans? We’re just gonna keep watchin’ you from off-camera from now on.”

“Don’t give the victim information!”

He’s an idiot, too. My only way to earn money is by streaming. To commit a crime that could be exposed so easily… And besides, if she’d done it herself, the crime might have been viewed more leniently since she’s my actual parent.