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

Chapter 156: An Unbreakable Bond

“…You’ve really thought this through all on your own, Yuna-chan.”

“Yes! It’s all thanks to the opportunity you gave me, senpai. I worked hard, and it was so much fun!”

I glanced at Yuna-chan, who beamed with a radiant smile, then turned my attention back to the proposal she had created.

As expected from someone who once worked for a video production company—or perhaps it’s just because it’s Yuna-chan. The proposal looked genuinely good, and honestly, I could easily imagine Kanna-san and the others pulling off something like this.

“And now, Yusuke, I need to discuss something with you.”

“…You mean about this?”

As I flipped through Yuna-chan’s proposal, I noticed avatars of three individuals I didn’t recognize alongside familiar faces like Aoi Tenharu and Karen Himura, the new-generation rookies.

“You’ve come up with a bold idea—turning Kanna, Scarlet, and Liana into virtual avatars… Vtubers.”

“Technically, it’s more like creating avatars that they can also use to appear on-screen. Not quite full-fledged Vtubers like Sayaka-chan.”

“It’s not unheard of. Some super-famous Vocaloid artists and streamers have also become avatars. I think it’s a good idea for the three of them.”

“…Are you okay with this, Yuna-chan?”

I figured this must also be one of her ideas, but I wanted to hear it from her directly.

When I looked her way, she gave me what seemed like her truest, most genuine smile, warm and unguarded.

“Yes. As someone who has been active as a streamer, I want to connect more with the viewers who support me. I truly believe this could help me make my dream—a vision I’ve always cherished—come true.”

“I see.”

Her response made me smile involuntarily. The sparkle in her eyes conveyed pure sincerity, devoid of any ulterior motives. Seeing her rare, radiant expression, I found myself unable to argue against her resolve.

“I’ll discuss it with Kanna-san and Rinmei. I think it’s doable.”

“Thank you so much, senpai!”

Yuna-chan’s face lit up with a dazzling smile, as bright as the sun.

“Oh, about the avatars—how about using the ones from their first collaboration?”

“…Those? The ones I threw together in a hurry?”

“Those would make the two of them happier, I think. After all, you’re the one who made them.”

…There was something in Manaka’s tone that felt a bit loaded. Feeling slightly embarrassed by her remark, I continued reading through the proposal.

“…Yeah. Looks good to me. There’s nothing here for me to critique.”

“…As far as the content goes, right?”

“Yeah. Even if it’s a big project, there’s no guarantee it’ll attract a large audience.”

Able has been gaining popularity, but compared to other agencies, its recognition is still limited. Moreover, it’s uncertain whether we’d have enough funding to support this project.

Judging by the scale, it looks like it would cost quite a bit… And if I may be a little greedy…

“…TV appearances, perhaps.”

The words slipped out of my mouth unconsciously. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but at least some publicity for Able would be ideal.

As I mulled over these thoughts, the three of them exchanged glances and whispered among themselves. Then, with a determined look, they turned to face me.

“Yusuke, we need to discuss something about that.”

“Huh? What’s with the suspense? Is it something hard to say?”

“…Well, sort of. But there is a solution.”

“Wait! …You have a solution?”

But what could it possibly be…?

Then, Yuna-chan spoke up, uttering a word I never thought I’d hear in my life. It was a word that would make me realize the inescapable nature of the ties that bind us—threads of fate that cannot be severed.

“…Senpai… Why don’t we try reaching out… to AO Brittia?”

—

Chapter 157: Do Everything You Can

“…So, this is the plan for the future. Do any of you three have any thoughts or opinions on it?”

After returning from work, I handed the documents Yuna-chan prepared to Kanna-san and the others.

The three of them looked at the materials, their eyes widening, sparkling, and even showing a hint of excitement.

“Wow, this is amazing. Are we really going to do this…?”

“…And making avatars of me and Kanna? Interesting, I like it.”

“Games, dancing, and singing… I think it’s fantastic. It sounds like it’ll be fun for us too.”

All three seemed to have very positive reactions.

While they were popular in the streaming world, they probably hadn’t done many events like this before.

Hearing their reactions, I let out a relieved sigh. Thank goodness. If they had any objections, it would have been a bit of a problem.

After all, Yuna-chan worked so hard to come up with this plan. I wouldn’t want her efforts to go to waste.

“We’ll start rehearsals tomorrow. I think there’ll be dance lessons and vocal training, so take care of your bodies, okay?”

“Wait, we’re doing that? Haa… it’s so professional.”

“Eiji-san, you kind of sound like an idol producer.”

“…Mhm. Very cool. I’ll be careful with my body. Starting tomorrow, serious activities… I’m looking forward to it.”

“…Well then, I’ll step out for a bit. There’s something I need to do.”

“Ah, understood. Thank you for all your hard work, Eiji-san.”

After Kanna-san’s words of gratitude, I stood up from my seat and left the living room, leaving the three of them behind.

“…AO Brittia.”

To be honest, I couldn’t get that name out of my head.

I never thought I’d hear it again, especially now, and it left me feeling a bit uneasy.

Recently, I haven’t heard their name even on TV.

Despite the controversies they caused, after joining the Oukou Group, there haven’t been any major scandals or notable achievements either.

It became obvious after Yuna-chan and I left… their performance has visibly deteriorated.

But maybe the Oukou Group is covering for them.

…In any case, it’s a complicated feeling.

“Oh my, isn’t this rare? Seeing you troubled like this.”

“…Kyoko-san.”

As I stood in the hallway, Kyoko-san emerged from the bathroom area.

“Wh-What do you mean?”

“…You’re bad at hiding things, you know? Your eyes are darting all over the place.”

Ugh… This is bad. I never thought someone would notice.

Resigned, I let out a sigh and revealed my feelings to her.

“I’m working on a big project right now… but hearing my old company’s name again… it’s a bit complicated.”

“Are they involved in your work?”

“Yes. Apparently, they came to Able with a proposal to collaborate on making the project a success.”

It seems this all happened while I wasn’t around.

The others were trying to avoid telling me about it out of consideration, but…

“I see… so that’s how it is.”

“…You’re surprisingly calm. I’m actually pretty conflicted, you know?”

“That’s just how it is. No matter how much you fret over it, it won’t change what you have to do.”

Turning to face me, she spoke decisively.

“You want this project to succeed, right? Then use everything you can, even your old company.”

“U-Use them…?”

“I get how you feel, sure. But as long as you’re working, you’re bound to run into that company sooner or later.”

“So there’s no point in agonizing over it. If you’re going to do it, give it your all. Do what you need to do, even if it means suppressing your feelings.”

“…”

Her resolute words left me speechless.

The weight of her statement was undeniable.

But seeing my reaction, Kyoko-san gave a wry smile.

“You’ve already done something similar, haven’t you? Like when you knocked me out for Kanna’s sake.”

“N-No, that was…”

“Then go at it with the same determination. You’re surprisingly bold for how you look.”

Laughing and saying whatever she pleased, she returned to the living room.

“…So that’s how people see me, huh.”

…Well, I guess I can see where they’re coming from.

But after talking to Kyoko-san, I felt a bit lighter.

“…Alright, let’s do this my way.”

Slapping my cheeks to hype myself up, I made up my mind and headed upstairs.

◇

“…You were eavesdropping, weren’t you? What bad taste.”