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

Chapter 140: Playtime

Eiji and Kyoko parted ways, leaving Kanna, Sayaka, and Rinmei to head upstairs to the second floor to play, moving from room to room.

“Wow…! This is amazing!”

Kanna exclaimed in excitement as she looked around the room. A wide array of games and equipment she had never seen before surrounded her, sparking a sense of wonder and instantly captivating her.

Watching her reaction, Sayaka and Rinmei wore somewhat complicated expressions.

“…This is actually Kanna’s room, though.”

“…Sayaka, we agreed not to mention that.”

The two, realizing once again that Kanna had completely lost her memory, tried to hide their feelings and spoke to her cheerfully.

“So, Kanna, what would you like to play?”

“We can teach you some games if you want.”

“Games?”

Kanna tilted her head curiously. Seeing her confusion, Rinmei brought out one of Kanna’s favorite games, which had been prepared beforehand.

“You play like this using this equipment. Want to give it a try?”

Rinmei handed her the gaming device. Holding it, Kanna studied it closely, her expression gradually brightening as she nodded energetically.

“Yes! I want to play!”

Her unguarded, innocent smile lit up the room. Sayaka and Rinmei, smiling in return, began to play together with her.

The three spent hours playing games together.

At first, Kanna hesitated, fumbling awkwardly with the controls, while Sayaka and Rinmei used their knowledge to guide her and help her enjoy the games. But soon…

“What?! No way! How can you play like that?!”

“Huh? I’m just playing normally.”

“Are you even aware of how ridiculous that is?! That’s unnecessary talent! Ah, wait, no…! Ahhhh! I lost again!”

“Kanna, you’re really good… Sayaka, you’re so terrible at this.”

“Shut up! You’re not much better, Rinmei!”

“Well… I can’t help it. Kanna is just too strong.”

Kanna’s gaming skills rapidly improved, leaving Sayaka and Rinmei in shambles. Even without her memories, her talent hadn’t disappeared. After all, Kanna’s gaming skills had been at a professional level.

The two had secretly thought that since she was a kid, they’d finally have a chance to win and vent their frustrations from losing to her in the past. However, reality was far less forgiving.

“Ugh! This is so irritating! Rinmei, play against me! I’ll beat you for sure this time!”

“Hah, Sayaka thinks she can beat me? That’s a hundred… no, a thousand years too early.”

Despite her words, Rinmei accepted the challenge with a smirk. The two became so engrossed in their competition that they completely forgot about Kanna, focusing solely on defeating each other.

Now left out of the action, Kanna began to wander around the room, inspecting the unfamiliar equipment surrounding her.

(…Huh?)

Something caught her eye. Trying not to disturb the others, she quietly stood and approached it.

“A… computer?”

It was the editing computer she had once used regularly—a vital tool for her live streaming activities.

Kanna touched it and powered it on. Though a password was required, her fingers instinctively typed it out, as if her body remembered it.

“…Huh? Why am I on the screen?”

The monitor displayed images and videos of herself—clips, live streams, and other content she had created in the past.

“I… have to stream.”

The words left her mouth reflexively. Following her instincts, Kanna reached out to operate the computer, but…

“…Kanna?”

The voice startled her, causing her to stop. She turned to see Sayaka and Rinmei, having paused their game, staring at her in shock.

“Huh? What was I doing?”

“Kanna… Did you just remember something?”

Rinmei asked cautiously, but Kanna tilted her head in confusion. She couldn’t understand what she had just been doing or why. The mention of streaming no longer resonated with her now-clear mind.

“Sayaka?”

“Huh? Oh, sorry. I need to step out for a bit.”

Sayaka wiped her eyes and hurried out of the room. Her departure left behind an atmosphere of tension, a lingering heaviness in the air.

—

Chapter 141: Resolve

“…Phew.”

Without realizing it, I sighed while staring at the computer.

It had been a while since I last worked on editing, but I couldn’t make much progress because too many thoughts were running through my mind.

“You really are a workaholic, aren’t you?”

“Huh? Am I?”

Kyoko-san gave me a sharp look as she said that. I don’t think that’s true, though.

“This is exactly the time to take a break. How can you even focus on work right now?”

“Well, I mean… I just feel uneasy if I don’t do something. Besides, I’ve only managed to finish one video so far.”

“That’s more than enough for most people…”

Shaking her head in exasperation, she sipped her coffee.

Maybe I really am out of sync with others? But it’s been a while since I’ve edited anything, and I can’t afford to rest any longer…

As these thoughts crossed my mind, I heard footsteps approaching from the hallway. The door creaked open.

When I turned around, there stood Sayaka, her eyes filled with tears.

“Sayaka?”

“…I’m sorry, Eiji-san. Could I stay here for a bit?”

With those words, Sayaka pressed her face against my back.

Looking closer, I could see her trembling. I could also hear the faint sound of her sniffles.

“…Something must have happened with Kanna,” Kyoko-san murmured knowingly as she watched the scene.

Could there have been a change? Did Kanna-san’s memory… come back?

“…Eiji-san,”

Sayaka’s tearful voice trembled as she clung tightly to me, her grip firm.

“…Kanna-san will come back, right?”

“That… I don’t know.”

That was all I could say. Her emotions came through clearly in her words.

She was trying to act strong, but the fear, sadness, and anxiety were too overwhelming to hide completely.

“…I hate this. I hate the idea of Kanna-san not coming back. She’s only just started smiling again, and now this happens… it’s just not fair.”

Sayaka’s voice echoed with sorrow, lamenting the cruel reality laid before her.

Her words carried weight, perhaps because she had been by Kanna-san’s side, observing her closely all this time.

“That’s why we’re doing everything we can,” Kyoko-san said as she stood up and gently stroked Sayaka’s head.

“Kyoko-san…”

“We feel the same way you do—both me and Yuusuke-san over there. But we can’t just wallow in sadness… Don’t worry. We’ll bring Kanna back, no matter what.”

Her strong, unwavering words conveyed her firm resolve.

“But to do that, we’ll need your strength too. So please, suppress those emotions for now and lend us your power.”

“…”

Sayaka likely understood. She knew Kyoko-san was asking something unreasonable.

But Kyoko-san wouldn’t waver, and maybe that steadfastness was part of who she was. Seeing it made her look incredibly cool.

For a while, silence filled the room.

The stillness was broken by the sound of the living room door opening.

“…Sayaka-chan, are you okay?”

There stood Kanna-san, holding a game console and looking at Sayaka with concern.

Beside her was Rinmei, who watched over Sayaka quietly.

“…Yeah, I’m fine. My throat just got a little dry,” Sayaka said after a brief pause, masking her feelings with an exaggerated cheerfulness.

“Alright, you two, head back upstairs! Let’s play some more games!”

“…Sayaka, are you sure you’re okay?”

“Huh? Is there something to worry about? Oh, wait, could it be that Rinmei is worrying about me too much? Aww, having my little sister care about me makes me feel all warm and fuzzy!”

“…Kanna, let’s go.”

“Huh? Is that okay?”

“…It’s pointless to worry about her. Also, teach me that game. Next time, I’ll destroy you.”

With that, Rinmei gently pushed Kanna out of the living room.

Once they were gone, Sayaka took a deep breath.

“…I can’t let myself make them uneasy,” she said softly.

“Sayaka…”

“Don’t worry, Kyoko-san, Eiji-san.”

When she turned back to us, Sayaka was smiling—a strong and radiant smile.

“When I set my mind on something, I always see it through. Nishi-shi!”

…She’s really grown stronger.

Even though she’s still hurting, she can smile like that…