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

Chapter 65: Choice

“Are you…serious?”

For a brief moment, I was shaken, my throat tight, but I managed to keep my composure as I asked her.

“Yes…I realized it was wrong to stream with this kind of mindset.”

“You…don’t have any regrets?”

I confirmed, seeing the lonely smile on her face. She nodded weakly but slowly, as if her resolve was firm.

“Have you told Kanna and the others?”

“No…I didn’t get the chance, and I was still unsure…”

“I see.”

“…Eiji, you’re not going to stop me, are you?”

She asked in a frail tone, her uncertainty showing.

“…I quit myself, after all. I can’t be too forceful.”

“Oh, that’s right…You quit too, didn’t you? Then, we’re the same.”

“……”

She tried to maintain her usual smile, but I could tell she was hiding deep feelings inside.

(Because I quit…I understand what she’s going through.)

“…I’m sorry, Eiji. Just for a little while, let me stay like this.”

She rested her head on my shoulder. Then I could feel it…the faint sound of her sobbing and the trembling of her body.

“…Alright, just for a bit.”

“…Thank you.”

She leaned her whole weight on me, and after a while, her breathing softened as she fell asleep.

“…I said just for a bit, though.”

I moved carefully so she wouldn’t notice, covered her with a blanket, and gently laid her down to sleep more comfortably.

I gathered the dishes she had finished with and quietly left the room.

“…Even though I said that…”

I can’t help it. I see too much of myself in her.

There was a time when I thought I would start streaming again after passing high school and settling down.

But then, I heard about the trouble caused by a streamer in my class. It made me hesitate to return to streaming.

As time passed…I forgot the joy of streaming. I ended up leaving everything to Soji and Manaka.

“…I can’t let her have regrets like I did.”

If this goes on…she’ll end up on the same path as me.

She’ll come to fear streaming, and every time she sees Kanna or Rinmei’s streams, she’ll be haunted by the regret of quitting.

Even if she wants to do it, she won’t be able to. I don’t want her to carry that burden.

“…I’m sorry, Sayaka. I don’t want you to walk the same path as me.”

Because her streams are—

Once I made up my mind, all that was left was to act.

I took out my phone, sent a direct message to someone, and then headed back to the living room.

◇

The next day, I finished getting dressed and was about to leave the house to go to work.

“…Eiji.”

“…Rinmei?”

She stood there, looking worried, just like the day before.

“…Is Sayaka…okay? She’s staying home today, so I’m worried…”

“…She’ll be fine. It’s not your fault, Rinmei. She’s just feeling a bit under the weather.”

Sayaka wasn’t feeling well and had taken the day off school. Kanna had volunteered to take care of her all night and was still looking after her in Sayaka’s room…but I hope they’re okay…

“Why don’t you go to keep her company? I’m sure she’d be happy if you did.”

“…Yeah…I’ll apologize for yesterday.”

With that, she rushed upstairs to the second floor.

Watching Rinmei go, I put on my shoes and opened the front door.

“…Let’s go.”

◇

After walking for about thirty minutes, I arrived at the meeting spot. It seemed like the person I was meeting didn’t want to draw too much attention.

I rang the doorbell at her house—well, her villa. I couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous about being at a villa.

After a short while, a woman with striking red hair appeared at the door.

“You really came, huh?”

“Yes. I was surprised how close it was…Oh, and be careful when posting photos on social media.”

“Haha, yeah, you got me. If I can be tracked down from a single photo, there’s nothing more to say. I’ll be more careful…Now, come on in.”

I accepted her invitation and stepped into the villa, following behind the red-haired woman—Karen.

“Surprised? I bet you didn’t think I lived in such a huge place.”

“I was a little surprised, yeah. I never expected someone I know to live so close.”

“That’s what surprises you? Hmm…you’ve got a peculiar sense of things. But whatever.”

She opened what I assumed to be the waiting room door, and inside, three people were already seated, waiting for me.

“Welcome, Eiji…to the room of the rookies of the new era.”

—In front of me stood four of the most talked-about VTubers today.

—

Chapter 66: The New Era

“So, have you thought about it? The collaboration with Aoi Tenharu?”

Karen, sitting with three others, clasps her hands and asks me.

In response, I state the current situation.

“…I don’t think it’s possible.”

“And the reason?”

“I believe she’s thinking of retiring from streaming.”

“What…?!”

One man raises his voice in surprise.

“Calm down, Rigel. We won’t understand anything unless we listen to him.”

“But Ren! Aoi’s quitting! How can I stay calm?!”

…Rigel and Ren. If I recall, they were part of the new generation of rookies.

Rigel, with his muscular build and black hair, often talks about fitness or sports on his streams. In contrast, Ren, with blue hair, uses his intelligence to share trivia and knowledge in his broadcasts.

“By the way, both of those names are aliases. It wouldn’t be good to have people know our real names,” Karen says.

“…Well, that makes sense,” I agree. After all, Rigel isn’t a common name…

“So, Eiji-san? What exactly do you mean by Aoi quitting streaming?”

The woman who asks, sounding gentle and compassionate, must be…her.

“We worked together from the time no one knew our names, and now she’s quitting…It’s really sad, don’t you think, Karen-chan?” she adds.

“Emiri Sakuragi, don’t rush Eiji-san like that. You two there, calm down and listen to him!” Karen raises her voice to gather everyone’s attention. As I watch, Emiri stares at me and smiles mysteriously.

(A mysterious VTuber, Sakuragi. She usually has laid-back chats with her viewers or does ASMR, but sometimes her dark past comes up…that’s part of what made her so popular, right?)

“You shouldn’t pry into a woman’s past~” she says playfully.

“…My apologies, Sakuragi-san.”

“As long as you understand~ Ufufu.”

…It seems that everyone in this new generation, including Sayaka, has a strong personality.

“…Eiji-san. Could you tell us more about Aoi?”

“…Understood.”

Now that everyone is calm, I begin to explain what’s been going on with Aoi, or rather, Sayaka, up until now.

◇

“I see…So that’s how it is.”

Karen mutters, thinking it over. Meanwhile, BAM! Rigel slams his fist on the table.

“It’s pathetic…so pathetic, Aoi! I never raised you to be like this!”

“What are you even saying? You didn’t raise her,” Ren chides.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Ren! We all decided back then that we’d become famous…And now, just as we’re starting to catch the wave, she retires? This is a joke!”

…Back then? Rigel’s words start to bother me.

Noticing my confusion, Sakuragi offers an explanation.

“You didn’t know? Aoi-chan…or Sayaka-chan, used to live here for a while.”

“…What?”

She lived here…? So, before she moved in with Kanna and the others, Sayaka had been living with them…?

“We’re like family. Due to various circumstances, she started living here…I think it was about ten years ago? She didn’t stay long though,” Ren explains.

“Time doesn’t matter! We’ve always been friends! But Aoi…Waaaaah!” Rigel starts crying loudly, and Sakuragi begins patting his head, while Ren calmly sips tea as if nothing unusual is happening.

…Is it always like this with them?

“…Eiji-san, is the reason you came today just to tell us this?” Karen asks, confirming with me. But I shake my head to show that’s not the case.

“I want you to tell me everything you know about Sayaka…her past included.”

“…What’s in it for us?” Karen inquires.

“I’ll promise to do a collaboration stream with her. Also…I’ll temporarily handle the editing you mentioned earlier.”

Karen’s eyes widen slightly at my offer.

“…Are you serious? It’ll be really tough…”

“As long as she makes a decision she won’t regret, that’s enough for me.”

“…I see…Eiji-san, you really are interesting. No wonder she’s fond of you.”

Karen deepens her smile and looks at me meaningfully. I meet her gaze, and after a while, her lips finally move.

“Alright. I’ll tell you…about her.”

“…Is that okay, Karen-chan? I don’t think it’s something we should talk about casually,” Sakuragi says, concerned.