Vol 1 Chapter 79 – Loss of Voice【Vol 1 – Turning Point】

I didn’t know how much time had passed, but I understood the situation. The entire reason I was being held captive was money. And the two blond men who kidnapped me were doing it at my mother’s request.

Just then, a phone rang.

“Yes, we kidnapped him as you requested. Yes. Yes. Alright, we’re heading out now.”

The call was short. But it meant I could get out of here. For a moment, I hoped I might be able to see the outside scenery, but they put the blindfold back on me.

I was lifted up.

I heard footsteps.

The sound of a door opening.

—In the next instant, the area erupted into chaos.

“Whoa, who the hell are you!?”

“6:38 PM, witnessing an ongoing abduction and confinement, I am placing this man, the suspect, under citizen’s arrest! Furthermore, I am requesting that the woman, the suspected instigator, remain here voluntarily!”

I had no idea what was happening. But I was no longer in the kidnapper’s arms. I’d been passed into another pair of hands, gently, almost as if he’d handed me over of his own free will.

My blindfold was removed.

“You’re okay!”

I was in Hiro-nii-chan’s arms.

Looking around, I saw Teikoku-nii-chan and Kagemitsu-nii-chan pinning down the blond men. Even Mama was there.

There were others, too—Alen-san and three people I’d seen at the Summer Manga Market. There were seven of them in total.

That person tried to run. But Alen-san immediately stepped in front to block her path. Then, Kagemitsu-nii-chan spoke.

“Should you be the instigator of this crime, attempting to flee the scene may result in an extended sentence. As you are not caught in the act, we cannot perform a citizen’s arrest, but we will detain you.”

“What is this?! I’m this child’s mother!”

“The act of restraining someone with duct tape in this manner, even your own child, could fall under unlawful arrest as stipulated by Article 220 of the Penal Code!”

Kagemitsu-san didn’t yield an inch to her rebuttal. Fundamentally, there was no legal reason for him to back down. Kagemitsu-san knew the law more deeply than anyone. That’s why he could protect me with phrasing and actions that never deviated from it.

Meanwhile, Hiro-san was undoing my restraints.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“N—no—I’m—not—”

Why… why…

Why is my voice so hoarse? Why is it so quiet? It’s almost a breath, like a voiceless sound.

“It’s okay.”

With those words, Hiro-nii-chan pulled me into a hug.

Tears suddenly started to flow. Why…? Why…?

I was calm the whole time. I was calmly analyzing the situation, searching for a way to escape. So why am I crying now…? Why does my chest hurt so much…?

It feels like it’s about to burst. It feels like I’m about to break down and sob, so why won’t any sound come out of my mouth?

“Ugh—ah—”

Such a faint, raspy sound. But the tears kept streaming down. It hurts, it’s agonizing, but I can’t turn it into a voice.

I don’t know how to speak normally anymore.

Didn’t I just smile? I should have only been hurt enough to manage a fake smile.

“Hey, have you finished checking his injuries? Is Rin-kun okay?”

Mitsu-san asked, her voice sounding like she was about to cry herself.

“He’s fine.”

Hiro-san said this, then let me go and whispered something into Mitsu-san’s ear.

“It’s probably psychogenic aphonia.”

Where in my heart do I have a wound like that? I’m fine. Come on, voice, work.

“Ah—ah—”

No matter how hard I tried, only a hoarse, breathy sound came out.

Why? Why? I’m a VTuber. It could be deep, it could be distorted. As long as my voice comes out, that’s all that matters. So why…

I can’t stream like this…

“Rin-kun!”

Mama hugged me, as if she’d been waiting for the chance.

Meanwhile, Hiro-san was on the phone. From his words, I could tell he was trying to find a way to get my voice back. His face was desperate.

“It’s okay! It’s okay, Rin-kun!”

Mama hugged me tighter.

Still, I stubbornly tried.

“Ah—ah—”

Work, voice, work.

No matter how many times I prayed, no matter how desperately I tried to shout, nothing that could be called a voice came out—only a small, raspy whisper.

“It’s okay! It’s going to be okay!”

But all Mama could do was repeat those words.

About five minutes later, the police arrived. The two blond men were arrested on the spot for abduction and confinement. And based on their testimony, that person was also arrested as an accomplice.

I’m so tired.

There’s no value left in my life. A VTuber who can’t speak, who can’t stream. What kind of value is there in that?

It hurts.

My chest throbbed with a sharp, piercing pain, and it was cold through and through.