The Story About How I Was Fired From My Company and Then Picked up by a Possessive Streamer With Over 5 Million Subscribers - Chapter 76-77

Chapter 76: Hidden Madness

I caught sight of a woman with crimson-dyed hair from behind. She was sitting on a swing, gently creaking as it swayed.

After seeing her like that, I walked toward her.

“I’m sorry for being late.”

When I called out to her, she slowly turned her head toward me. Her expression…for some reason, seemed a bit stern.

“You came. Sorry for calling you out at such a dark time.”

But that stern expression quickly softened into a refreshing one, and she stepped off the swing, facing me directly.

“I watched Aoi’s stream. I was so happy to hear her voice after so long…But wow, it was impressive.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, we’ve spent a bit of time together, right? So I know a little about her. That girl, once she decides to do something, she never bends.”

“…Yeah. That’s true.”

“And yet, you bent Aoi—Sayaka’s will. I was shocked, honestly. Was Eiji that important to her?”

“I’d like to think so.”

She looked at me, as if watching for any weaknesses. Though there was no competition happening, the atmosphere between us felt strangely sharp…almost hostile.

“Why are you baring so much hostility?”

“…Do I look like that?”

“Yes, very much.”

“Haha. Oh dear, my bad. I didn’t mean to be rude…But maybe it’s for the best.”

As she said that, she showed me her phone. The screen was filled with social media posts about Sayaka—about Aoi.

“…What is this about?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb. These posts…they’re lies, aren’t they?”

The tweets read, “Aoi Tenharu on the verge of retiring?” and “Aoi Tenharu losing popularity due to growing anti-fans?”

“Why spread false information like this? The first one’s bad enough, but the second one is pure malicious slander.”

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I feigned ignorance. Maybe it irritated her because she grabbed my collar with her slender arm.

“If you ever harm Sayaka…I’ll make you regret living…!”

Her aura was like a demon, so terrifying that anyone else might freeze in fear.

“…I looked into Sayaka’s past and realized…My words alone wouldn’t reach her heart.”

“…!”

Startled by my sudden shift in demeanor, she immediately let go of my collar and stepped back.

“That’s why I needed a weapon…to stop her from choosing to quit streaming—a weapon called ‘the truth.'”

“…And that was all those tweets?”

The countless supportive tweets from her fans. It was true that they changed something in Sayaka’s heart.

“But, it wasn’t enough. So I posted those tweets to provoke a stronger reaction.”

“…Unsettle her mind, then strike at her weakest moment. A classic psychological tactic.”

“Is that what you wanted to hear? You sure have a lot of free time.”

Of course not…Her rare frustrated expression as she messily ran her hand through her hair was mixed with criticism.

“What if Sayaka finds out about this? Can you take responsibility? Wasn’t there a better way? We could’ve helped too.”

“That would’ve only been temporary.”

“…”

“…It’s not just about streaming. Once someone feels fear, they don’t try again. That’s only natural, right? They’re scared. I failed once like that.”

When I ran away from streaming, I lost the ability to do it again. I didn’t want her to go through that…to live with that regret.

“Even if this act gets exposed and Sayaka ends up hating me, I don’t mind. As long as she doesn’t regret it.”

“…You’re insane.”

“Maybe so. I’m not a good person.”

The people at my company, Souji, Manaka, those who watched my streams…I’ve betrayed countless people.

Someone like me doesn’t deserve to be called a good person.

“…Sigh. Seems I’ve gotten involved with a truly insane individual…But, a promise is a promise.”

“Huh?”

“You remember, don’t you? The promise we made back then. In exchange for telling you about Sayaka’s past, you’d edit my stream…And one more thing.”

Pointing her finger at me, she declared something almost unbelievable.

“I’m joining your company, Able, with my team as the New Era Rookies.”

—

Chapter 77: The End of Turmoil

“…All of you are joining Able?”

Karen’s words left me puzzled. Why would the New Era Rookies join Able?

“Don’t get the wrong idea. This isn’t for you…it’s for Sayaka.”

Her gaze was so sharp that anyone else might have cried and run away. Hearing that, I…oddly felt like it made sense.

“…So, you’re here to keep an eye on me, to make sure I don’t do anything to Sayaka.”

“You’re sharp. Of course, that’s the main reason. The three of them agreed as well.”

“…Is there another reason?”

Her earlier explanation made me think there might be more to it.

“It’s simple. We’ve been thinking it’s about time we joined an organization.”

“An organization…?”

“Being an independent creator might seem great because of the freedom, but there are risks…like the fatal risk of account deletion.”

“I see.”

It happens sometimes. Streamers and YouTubers who aren’t part of an organization can suddenly have their accounts deleted.

For someone like her, who revolves her life around streaming, that would be a disaster, especially if it’s her main source of income.

“And besides, when a company that only gathers big names suddenly appears…wouldn’t it be a waste not to ride that big wave?”

“So, that’s why you’re joining Able…”

…I’ll need to discuss this with Souji and the others.

“Understood. I’ll consider your request and other details positively.”

“…Smart decision, former streamer.”

With those words, Karen turned her back to me and began walking away from the park.

“Honestly, I’m cautious of you…more than I’ve ever been with anyone before.”

“…I don’t blame you. Even if it was for Sayaka’s sake, I acted inhumanely.”

“Naturally. That’s why I’ll keep an eye on you…but.”

She turned her head slightly toward me, her expression oddly soft.

“It’s also true that you acted for her. It’s also a fact that you put her back on the path as a streamer. For that, I thank you. Thank you.”

“…Thank you as well, for sharing that information.”

With that final exchange, Karen Himura left the park, heading home.

◇

Several weeks passed after that. With the addition of the four members known as the New Era Rookies, Able Inc. attracted even more public attention.

I still clearly remember the shock on Souji and Manaka’s faces when we discussed their joining.

There was even a time when Manaka grilled me, saying, “What kind of connections do you even have?!”, but from my perspective, it’s Sayaka and the others’ connections that are impressive…

As for Sayaka, though her streaming frequency decreased, she continued to be active as a streamer.

Many people were moved by her heartfelt confession during that stream, and her fanbase continued to grow steadily.

Even Kanna and the others were wide-eyed at her rapid rise, speculating that her subscriber count might soon hit 3 million.

Though Sayaka herself seemed far from happy, exclaiming, “If I get any more followers, I won’t be able to handle it!!”, seemingly overwhelmed by the pressure.

“…That’s how things are with them now.”

As I edited videos, I reflected on all the events that had unfolded over the past few weeks.

“I had no idea so much happened while I was away…I feel so useless for not being able to do anything,” sighed my former co-worker and now streamer, Yuna, over the phone.

“It couldn’t be helped. You’ve been busy, haven’t you?”

“Yes…I’ve been brainstorming a big project with Souji and Manaka.”

“…Is it going well?”

“Yes! Don’t worry about it. I’ve got something that’ll blow your mind, senpai!”

Yuna, too, seemed to be quite busy. But her voice sounded lively, and it seemed like she was enjoying herself.

After a while, I heard a knock at my door. Did someone need me?

“I’ll hang up now.”

“Oh, okay. Goodnight, senpai.”

“Yeah, goodnight.”

After ending the call with her, I stood up from my chair and walked to the door.

When I opened it…Sayaka stood there, holding a pillow in both hands.

“Sayaka?”

“Um, Eiji…could we talk for a little while?”