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

Kanna-san invited me on a date—or rather, a shopping trip—so now we’ve changed into our outdoor clothes and are walking through the town.

“Kanna-san, what are we shopping for today?”

“Oh Eiji-san, there’s no need to rush. Since this is a date, let’s enjoy it, okay?”

“I-I see…”

She spoke with a slightly different, more alluring tone than usual.

Her outfit stood out a bit from the rest of the crowd. She wore black sunglasses and a cap, like celebrities often do. Though she was dressed simply in a white cardigan and dark blue jeans, her natural beauty made her look even more stunning.

“Eiji-san, if you don’t say what you’re thinking out loud, it won’t reach me, you know?”

“Huh? H-How did you know what I was thinking?”

“I’ve been watching you closely ever since your first stream, so I can tell. But still…I’d be happier if you said it directly.”

I-Is that really how it works? I’ve heard that complimenting someone’s outfit is a good thing, but honestly, I’m not sure I fully understand it.

“Um…your outfit really suits you, Kanna-san. It matches your mature image and looks great on you.”

“…That sounds so forced. I’m not happy with that.”

“N-No! I mean it! I’m serious!!”

“…Hehe, I’m just kidding. Thank you.”

She gave a playful smile, and I couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat. She seems a bit different from her usual self…

“Come on, time is limited, so let’s get going, Eiji-san!”

“Whoa, hey!”

She grabbed my hand and pulled me forward with such force that I almost lost my balance. I quickly steadied myself to avoid falling.

Her face, more cheerful than ever, made me smile without thinking.

(…Maybe she’s really been looking forward to this. In that case, I’ll do my best to make sure she enjoys it even more.)

With that thought in mind, our date began.

◇

“This is…”

“Yes, first, I came to buy something that’s both my hobby and a tool for my work.”

Kanna-san picked up the item she had come for and showed it to me.

“Since this is a new release today, I was worried it might be sold out already…but luckily, they still had it.”

“A video game, huh? This is the latest release from that famous Nintendo series, right?”

“Exactly. I checked the reviews online, and it’s been receiving great feedback. I’ve been looking forward to it too.”

With a skip in her step, Kanna-san headed to the cashier and bought the game.

“Hehe, I’m so excited.”

“You really do love games, don’t you, Kanna-san?”

“Of course! As a game streamer, it’s part of my job, but it’s also important to spend time doing things you love.”

She was practically skipping as she left the store, clearly unable to contain her excitement.

“Oh, and of course, I’ll invite you to play it too, Eiji-san. Let’s share our thoughts on the game afterward.”

“I’m looking forward to that. I’d love to discuss it with you.”

“Yes, I’ll make sure we talk about it a lot…hehe, now I have one more thing to look forward to. Playing games with you…makes me happy.”

“…Well then, should we head to the next place?”

“Oh, yes. I almost forgot. Let’s go.”

She naturally extended her hand toward me, and I couldn’t help but smile a little.

Holding hands is a necessary part of this date, huh, Kanna-san? I kept my thoughts to myself, took her hand, and we walked to the next destination.

◇

After buying the game, we went to various places.

We had lunch at the café we visited together for the first time, tried on some fashionable clothes at a boutique, browsed books, and more.

Now, we were at a shopping mall, buying ingredients to prepare dinner for tonight.

“Haha…I ended up having more fun than I expected and almost forgot the real reason we’re here.”

“Is that so? Well, I think that’s a good thing. It’s important to get out and relax like this sometimes.”

“…You’re right. Oh, Eiji-san, what are we making for dinner tonight?”

“I was thinking we could make curry.”

“Wow! Sayaka and Rinmei will be so happy. I love it too, so I’m excited!”

“W-Well, I’ll need to make a lot then…”

Just thinking about the amount of curry it would take to satisfy the three of them made my headache.

As I was lost in thought, Kanna-san suddenly stopped and stared at something, almost like she was mesmerized.

“Kanna-san?”

“Oh! S-Sorry, Eiji-san. I got a bit distracted…”

“…A ring, huh?”

“Y-Yes…it’s so beautiful that it caught my eye…”

It was simple, modest, but the diamond in the center stood out, gleaming beautifully.

“Should we buy it?”

“E-Eh!? No, no way…th-that’s too much! Besides, it’s really expensive…”

“Well, I want to buy it, so I’m going to.”

Ignoring her protest, I went ahead and bought the ring, even though it was more expensive than the other accessories.

“Excuse me, I’ll take this, please.”

“Alright…is this for your girlfriend here?”

“Something like that. As a way of saying thanks for everything.”

“Oh, how lovely! I’m sure your girlfriend will be thrilled.”

The cashier teased me a bit as I bought the ring.

“E-Eiji-san…”

“Oh no…this doesn’t suit me at all. So, I’ll just do this.”

I awkwardly acted out a little scene and slipped the ring onto her slender finger.

“This is a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it, Kanna-san.”

She stared at the ring on her finger, still in shock.

After a few moments, her eyes started to well up with tears.

“Huh!? W-Wait, Kanna-san!?”

D-Did I mess up? Maybe I went too far…was the ring a bad idea?

“I-I’m sorry…I can’t stop the tears…”

Sniffling, she turned to face me.

“…I’ve always thought I needed to support Sayaka and Rinmei…and only recently have I been able to earn enough money…I’ve never received something like this from anyone before…”

“…Kanna-san.”

I see. Kanna-san has been working hard too. I don’t know all the details of their situation, but I can tell they’ve been doing their best to survive.

“…I’m really glad I met you, Kanna-san.”

“…Eh?”

“Before, I was proud of my job and found it fulfilling, but…I don’t think I could have ever enjoyed life with someone else like this.”

Looking back, my meeting with her was pure chance. If she hadn’t reached out to me back then, my life probably would’ve continued on its dull, predictable course.

“…Because Sayaka-chan, Rinmei, and Kanna-san accepted me, I’m able to enjoy life now. So…”

I had to tell her. She told me once that feelings have to be spoken aloud or they won’t be understood, right?

“…Thank you for meeting me.”

“…No…no…nooo!!”

When I finished speaking, I saw that Kanna-san was crying even harder than before.

“…Why did you say it before I could…? I’ve been saved by you so many times…”

“…”

“…Because you posted that video…because you gave me the courage to keep going…because you accepted me and my girls…we’re happy now, you know?”

“…Hearing you say that makes me happy too.”

“Ugh! What’s with that calm reaction!? I’m over here crying, and Eiji-san, you’re so clueless!”

“H-Huh? Clueless?”

Clueless? I think I’m pretty sharp when it comes to sounds…