The Story About How I Was Fired From My Company and Then Picked up by a Possessive Streamer With Over 5 Million Subscribers - Chapter 116-117

Chapter 116: I’m Sorry

“………”

Rinmei’s whereabouts had become unknown.

I contacted the police and entrusted the search to them, but with no information available, the investigation had reached a dead end.

“Eiji-san…”

“It’s alright, Kanna-san. Rinmei is tough; he’s alive.”

I tried to comfort her, though her complexion looked terrible. Honestly, I wasn’t feeling confident either.

Sayaka was on the verge of tears, but I managed to send her to school. I didn’t want her friends to worry about her too much.

“For now, let’s leave this to the police. Acting without any clues won’t help.”

“…Yes.”

“Kanna-san, you should rest a little. You haven’t been sleeping well, have you?”

“But… no, you’re right. I’ll rest for a bit.”

With dark circles under her eyes, Kanna left the living room and headed to her room.

“…What on earth happened?”

Alone in the empty room, I couldn’t shake off my confusion and found myself mumbling.

From what Rinmei had told me before, it seemed the two of them had managed to reconcile after their earlier disagreement. That was a relief. But a few days later, Rinmei suddenly disappeared without a trace.

He had never been the kind of kid to wander off without reason.

“They’re continuing the investigation under the assumption he’s missing, but…”

…Maybe it was some kind of accident, or worse—maybe someone abducted him.

But there’s no evidence. If it were a kidnapping, there would’ve been a ransom demand either to the house or the school.

Yet there was no such contact… not a single clue was left behind. He vanished without a trace.

“There’s no witness account, no clues at all… It’s like he was spirited away.”

Everyone at Able is also helping search, but there’s no information about Rinmei.

We’re completely stuck.

Just then, the intercom buzzed, its chime echoing throughout the house.

Someone’s here? I thought as I rose from the sofa and walked to the front door. When I opened it…

“…Haruka-chan?”

Haruka stood at the door, out of breath, her expression desperate. The moment she saw me, her bloodshot eyes fixated on me, and she rushed closer.

“Ah, um! Rinmei-chan! What happened to Rinmei-chan!? There’s still no news, right!?”

“Calm down.”

She was clearly very agitated. I had to calm her down before we could talk. I invited her inside.

“I’ll make some tea.”

“Oh, no… actually, I brought my own. Please, feel free to have some.”

“…Then, I’ll take you up on that.”

I grabbed a cup from the kitchen, set it on the table, and Haruka poured tea from her thermos.

“Thank you.”

I took a small sip of the tea she’d prepared.

…It was good. My scattered thoughts gradually began to clear. It seemed I had been more shaken than I realized.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…!”

“Huh?”

“It’s my fault! Because Rinmei-chan protected me, Rinmei-chan… Rinmei-chan is…!!”

“…Could you explain what you mean?”

I encouraged her to explain, though she was clearly more distraught. After a moment, she calmed down and began to speak slowly.

“Rinmei-chan protected me from that party person… and it’s been since then! Rinmei-chan and that person haven’t come to school since!”

“…”

Hearing this, I came to a realization.

While it wasn’t certain, it was highly likely that the person she called “party person” was somehow involved in Rinmei’s disappearance.

But I didn’t have concrete proof. I couldn’t act recklessly just yet.

“And… I got this notification on my phone.”

Saying so, she showed me her phone. On it was a message.

“…What is this?”

The message was from someone who seemed to be the “party person.”

It read: Don’t tell anyone. Come to this place alone.

“…This location… Haruka-chan!”

Rinmei might be there! The moment I thought that, my vision started to blur.

“What… what is this…”

“I’m sorry. Please don’t tell anyone about this yet. The reason I decided to tell you is… I want you to inform the police after you wake up.”

Haruka set her phone down, stood from the table, and looked at me.

“I put a sleeping drug in the tea… I know it’s selfish. But this is my problem, too.”

No… you can’t go alone!

“If I could, I would have liked to talk with you a little longer. With Rinmei-chan, too… But that’s not possible anymore.”

She turned to face me, giving a sorrowful smile.

“Meeting you… even just a little, just for a moment, made me happy… Yusuke-san.”

“!!”

With that, she left the room.

Ah… why… why didn’t I realize it earlier?

The doubts lingering in my mind disappeared like a lie, and I remembered everything about her.

And with that, I lost consciousness.

—

Chapter 117: Kidnapping

“…San! … … Eiji-san!!”

“… Ugh… Ka, Kanna-san…?”

Amid my hazy consciousness, I hear Kanna-san’s voice.
I struggle to open my heavy eyelids.

“Eiji-san! Thank goodness… I was worried because you didn’t wake up.”

“…Was I sleeping?”

Still half-asleep and confused, I mutter vaguely. But as time passes, my memories begin to return.

“…!”

And… that includes everything about Haruka-chan.

“Kanna-san! The police! Please contact the police immediately!”

“Huh!? Wh-what’s going on all of a sudden, Eiji-san!?”

I stand up from my chair, rushing to leave the living room. Grabbing the smartphone left on the table, I turn it on and check the screen.

“E-Eiji-san, what’s that?”

“…It seems Rinmei is here.”

“Eh!?”

The map displayed makes it clear. I take a picture of it with my own phone.

“Kanna-san! Please give this information to the police! I’m going there!”

“Wait, Eiji-san! Stop! It’s too dangerous!”

I hear her trying to stop me, but I can’t afford to respond.

(…Rinmei! … Haruka-chan!)

To get to the two of them, I dash out at full speed.

“…Ngh… Where… am I?”

As I regain consciousness and open my eyes, I find myself in an unfamiliar place. It seems to be some kind of warehouse, filled with random objects and an eerie atmosphere.

“…Yo, you’re awake now, huh?”

“…Who?”

I turn toward the voice, spotting a blonde-haired man I vaguely recognize.

“…Who?”

“…You little… I’ll punch you if you keep messing around!”

No… it seems Rinmei doesn’t remember him at all.

The blonde-haired man—Keisuke—looks irritated by Rinmei’s attitude but sits down beside her.

“You’re in a pretty pitiful state. It’s almost refreshing to watch.”

“…What do you want? I have no business with you. Leave, now.”

“…Still as sharp-tongued as ever, huh. Whatever.”

Silence falls again. Since the two of them weren’t on good terms to begin with, their conversations always come with long pauses.

“What you said was wrong… Haruka isn’t a bad person. You’re mistaken.”

“…Ha, is that so. But what I said was that she has her secrets. I never once called her a villain. Well, maybe I was wrong about her, though.”

“…You mean that party girl?”

Even though Rinmei is restrained with handcuffs, unable to move, she questions him.

“…She’s connected to more than just school. She’s tied to what people call the underworld of society… and she’s linked to punks, even the yakuza.”

“…So, you’re one of them too?”

“…Who knows? But one thing’s for sure—you shouldn’t make an enemy of that woman.”

“…You’re surprisingly cowardly for someone who looks scary. All show and no substance.”

“What did you say?”

Keisuke glares at Rinmei, seemingly taking her words as a provocation.
In response, Rinmei glares back, her frustration at being trapped and her dislike for her captor’s company showing clearly.

Amidst this tense atmosphere, the sound of footsteps echoes as someone approaches.

“Huh? Songbird-chan’s awake? Keisuke, why didn’t you notify me?”

“…Tch, here comes the flashy one.”

“Huh? What’s with that attitude? Maybe take a look at yourself before judging others, delinquent.”

“…You…”

Rinmei’s expression hardens. It’s no surprise—this is likely the last person she wanted to see.

“Long time no see, Songbird! It’s been a few days. You doing okay?”

“…Don’t you get tired of being so persistent?”

—It was her. That malicious party girl.