The Story About How I Was Fired From My Company and Then Picked up by a Possessive Streamer With Over 5 Million Subscribers - Chapter 51-52

Chapter 51: Tourism

“Wow…it’s so beautiful…!”

Sayaka is deeply impressed as she gazes at the ski resort and the snow-covered mountains.

No one else utters a word, perhaps overwhelmed by the breathtaking view.

After dropping our luggage off in our respective rooms, we’ve been exploring various places for sightseeing.

One of the highlights is the ski resort, and it’s truly amazing.

The entire mountain is transformed into a silver-white world, covered in snow. People who have come to ski today are gliding down the slopes on snowboards.

“…It’s beautiful…but it’s also freezing…”

“Yeah…Even though I’m wearing a coat, it’s still pretty cold…”

Rinmei and Yuna-chan rub their bodies, trying to fend off the cold.

“Come on, Rinmei. If you’re shivering over this much cold, how are you going to ski tomorrow?”

“…They say fools don’t catch colds…Sayaka, you just don’t notice the cold because you’re insensitive.”

“W-what?! What’s that supposed to mean?! Are you calling me stupid?!”

“Ah, ahaha…”

Yuna-chan chuckles awkwardly as the two sisters start bickering as usual.

Watching the scene, Kanna-san sighs in exasperation.

“Here, Yusuke. I brought you a hot drink…Are those two always like that?”

“Yeah. Impressed by how bold they are?”

I reply as I take the can of hot drink from Soji.

“…They seem so human, full of life.”

“Right? Just like you guys…Look, over there. Take a look at Manaka. She’s got that childlike sparkle in her eyes.”

“Haha, true. She can be surprisingly childlike sometimes.”

As we watch Manaka together, she notices our gazes. Her cheeks flush slightly…and for some reason, she starts kicking Soji.

“Ow! Ouch! What did I do to deserve this?!”

“Shut up, you idiot! Go bury yourself in the snow and freeze! Stop staring at me!”

They really show off how close they are. As expected from a true sibling bond.

“…It’s beautiful, isn’t it, Eiji-san?”

“Yeah, it really is. It feels so refreshing.”

“We’re skiing here tomorrow, right? I’m not very athletic, so I’m a little worried if I’ll be able to do it…”

“You don’t need to worry about that. I’ll teach you, and we’ll have fun.”

“…Now that I think about it, you can ski too, Eiji-san. You’re like a jack-of-all-trades.”

“I’m always happy to listen to whatever Kanna-san says.”

“Oh my, is that so? That’s very good to hear. Haha.”

“…I was joking.”

I try to let her know not to take it seriously…but for some reason, it feels like she isn’t listening. Why is that?

“…Kanna-san, are you in a particularly good mood today?”

“Huh? Do I seem that way?”

“Yes. You’ve been smiling the whole time.”

“Oh no, really? You should have told me…how embarrassing…”

“You looked even cuter than usual, though.”

“…D-don’t say things like that out of nowhere…geez.”

She’s pouting, but Kanna-san, that’s what makes you cute.

“…Maybe it’s because everything feels so fresh and new…I’ve never really been on a trip before.”

“Really? I always thought you were someone who went out more, Kanna-san. I’m surprised.”

“…Because of family circumstances, I rarely had the chance to. That’s why I think I’m enjoying this so much…and also…”

She slowly turns to face me with a gentle smile, tilting her head.

“…I feel safe.”

“Safe?”

“Yes…because Eiji-san is here, watching over me…when I think about that, my heart feels warm…it’s a strange feeling.”

“…Hearing that from you makes me happy, Kanna-san.”

“Haha. Thank you…It’s my way of returning the favor.”

“Huh? Returning the favor?”

Did I say something to her?

“…W-well…you said…that I’m yours…”

“Huh??”

“A-anyway!!”

Kanna-san suddenly raises her voice. For some reason, her cheeks are red even though it’s cold…or maybe it’s because of the cold?

“…Let’s enjoy this trip, Eiji-san!”

“…Yeah, let’s enjoy it to the fullest.”

“Yes!”

And with that, we continued to admire the snowy landscape until dusk, after which we returned to the hotel.

—

Chapter 52: Concerns

It was night after our day of sightseeing. I was called by Sayaka and Rinmei, and now I’m in their room.

By the way, for room assignments, it seems Kanna-san is with Yuna-chan, Rinmei is with Sayaka, and Soji is by himself.

“So, what’s up? Do you need something?”

I ask them, noticing they’ve opened up their laptop for some reason.

“…Is it wrong to call you if we don’t need something?”

“N-no, that’s not what I meant…”

Their piercing stares, especially with Sayaka still in her pajamas, are making me uneasy.

“…Sayaka…Teasing Eiji isn’t nice…”

“…Hehe, you’re right. Sorry, Eiji, I was just kidding.”

…Even though her eyes didn’t seem like she was joking.

“Well, actually, we wanted to ask you for some advice, Eiji.”

“Advice? About what?”

“…About the videos…”

Rinmei quietly muttered this, then showed me the open laptop.

“We originally wanted to do some video shooting, but due to the style of our videos, it turns out we can’t film anything here…We only found out today.”

“…It’s embarrassing…being so clueless.”

“Ahaha…”

Wait, did they bring a camera to record something here? I guess since Rinmei mostly does song streaming, it makes sense they wouldn’t know it’s not possible here.

“But we’re so used to making videos that it feels strange not to. That’s why we wanted to review our previous videos and get some advice from you, Eiji.”

“…Eiji…Can you help?”

“Oh, so that’s what you meant. I’ve got time, so sure, I don’t mind.”

“Thank you…Sorry for always relying on you.”

“Don’t worry about it. I always want to support people who are eager to improve.”

“…That’s right…Sayaka should rely on you more…”

“Ugh…W-well, I do rely on him, but this is more of a personal issue…”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Looking at the laptop screen…there’s a bunch of Tenharu Aoi’s videos lined up.

“…Sayaka is worried about something…so she thought to ask Eiji for advice.”

“Worried? About what?”

“…Well, there was a time when I reviewed my own videos…and I couldn’t help but feel…”

Sayaka, looking less energetic than usual, scratched her head as she spoke.

“…I don’t think I have a strong sense of individuality compared to others…”

“Individuality?”

“Vtubers rely on their character design, but unique talents or traits are also important. For example, look at this person…”

She fiddled with the laptop and showed me a video from someone’s stream. It featured a vibrant red-haired female character with a refreshing vibe.

“…Isn’t this…the new era rookie?”

“Yes, she’s a fellow Vtuber from my generation, named Karen Himura.”

If I recall correctly, her charm lies in her refreshing character and her sharp sense of humor. The gap between those qualities makes her stand out, right?

“Karen has the ability to entertain and make people laugh. That’s one of her unique traits. The other three have their own unique qualities too. Each of them possesses something special…”

“…Sayaka…feels like she has nothing.”

“Is that true?”

“…I feel like I’m just a noisy person who gets caught up in trends. I rode a wave of luck to get this far…but when I look back, I feel like I’m just boring.”

“So, you’re hoping I can help you find something?”

“Yes…I believe that if I get advice from you, Eiji, I’ll be able to find something unique within myself. Could you help me?”

…I see. I understand now.

“I’d like to help, but…I don’t think it’s necessary.”

“Eh…? W-what do you mean?”

“…”

Rinmei quietly looked at me as I continued to explain, while Sayaka seemed confused.

“Because…Tenharu Aoi’s individuality is already shining through.”

“Eh…?”

“Sure, compared to the other four, you might not have a specific talent that stands out…but she has the ability to make people happy.”

“…I don’t think I have anything like that…”

“Well, it’s natural you might not realize it. But there have been times when her cheerful personality has lifted my spirits.”

“R-really? I’ve cheered you up before, Eiji…?”

I remembered when I was working late and made a rare mistake, getting yelled at by my boss. I felt pretty down, but watching her videos made my heavy heart feel light again.

“Tenharu Aoi has the power to brighten people’s moods. It’s not something that’s easily noticeable, but it’s essential to her.”

“…”

“Besides, I think there’s something even more important than that.”

“Something more important?”

“But that’s not something I can tell you. Well, if I had to say…”

I looked at her, still a bit stunned, and added.

“Having fun…That’s something you should never forget.”

“…Having fun…”

“…Don’t worry. Sayaka…Tenharu Aoi has a unique quality that no one else possesses. I can guarantee that.”

After hearing that, she stared at me for a moment, and then a small smile appeared on her face.

“…So, that’s your advice, Eiji?”

“I-it’s not really advice, but…”

“Is that so? But…somehow, I feel a little lighter now.”

“…See, I told you. You should rely on Eiji more…both Kanna and Sayaka.”

“…Rinmei, you should learn to be more considerate, though.”

“…Consideration isn’t necessary. I’ll rely on Eiji more…from now on too.”

“…You really should learn some manners or tact…I guess I’ll try to be more like that too.”

It seems like Sayaka-chan has regained some of her energy, so I think it’s all fine now.

“Oh, but Eiji! Since you’re here, please watch my videos!”

“…Listen to my songs too…I worked hard.”

“If that’s what you want, I’ll happily oblige.”

…Sayaka-chan will probably continue to have concerns like this in the future. So, I want to do whatever I can to help her solve them.

Because…her true charm is her bright smile, shining like a clear blue sky beyond her character.