The Story About How I Was Fired From My Company and Then Picked up by a Possessive Streamer With Over 5 Million Subscribers - Chapter 78-79

Chapter 78: I Accept You

“Sayaka?”

“Um, Eiji-san…can we talk for a bit?”

Seeing her in her pajamas, holding a pillow with both hands, looking at me, I was surprised.

But she doesn’t seem as emotionally unstable as before…What does she need?

“…For now, why don’t you come inside?”

“Y-Yes…”

Though a little shaken, I motioned for her to come in without showing it.

Sayaka, although a bit flustered in her response, entered the room without hesitation, as if it was a normal thing. She sat down on my bed.

“Did something happen? Ah, sorry, I didn’t prepare anything…Is water okay?”

“Oh, no, it’s not like that! I just wanted to talk to you for a bit, Eiji-san…”

While saying that, she gripped the pillow in her hands tightly.

“…Eiji-san. I’m really sorry for causing so much trouble with everything that happened.”

“Ah…No, it’s nothing. Really, I should apologize. I kind of forced you into streaming.”

“Eiji-san didn’t do anything wrong! Actually, I was happy you did all of that for me…”

“…”

I haven’t told her anything, but I’ve been doing some extreme things myself.

Honestly, I don’t deserve her thanks…I wouldn’t be surprised if she blamed me instead.

“Eiji-san?”

“I-It’s nothing. Did you come just to say that?”

“Well, not just that…um…”

Hmm? Why is she fidgeting like that…?

“…Would you…sleep with me tonight?”

“…So that’s why you brought the pillow. By the looks of it, even if I say no, you’re planning to sleep here, huh?”

“You caught me?”

She stuck her tongue out a little, like a mischievous child whose prank had been found out.

I chuckled at her and pointed my thumb toward the bed.

“Then just go ahead and sleep first. I still have some editing to do.”

“Eh, let’s sleep together~!”

“Don’t be difficult. This is part of my job, so I can’t just slack off.”

“Boo, boo! Workaholic!”

“I’m fine with being a workaholic. Besides, don’t you have school tomorrow? Go to bed and rest up.”

“Mmm…Well, I guess it can’t be helped. I don’t want to cause you any more trouble.”

Pouting a bit, she placed her pillow on my bed and lay down.

“Then I’ll sleep first. Don’t you dare sleep in the living room or something, or I’ll sulk!”

“Got it. Now, go to sleep.”

“Yes…Goodnight, Eiji-san.”

“Yeah. Goodnight.”

After exchanging those words, Sayaka turned her back to me and fell asleep.

I checked on her for a moment, then turned my focus back to the computer to continue editing. Alright, let’s get to work!

◇

(Eiji-san…)

Still not feeling sleepy, she quietly opened her eyes and whispered his name, making sure he wouldn’t notice.

She began to remember. The time when Able was still in the spotlight, her conversation with Karen.

According to Karen, Eiji used every means necessary to prevent her from quitting as a streamer.

She’d heard that Eiji spread rumors that she was retiring and that her number of haters was increasing.

Karen even showed her proof. Though the account was different from his usual one, it was clear that it belonged to Eiji.

She didn’t feel sadness at that moment.

Was she angry, then? No, that wasn’t it either.

(…No matter what Eiji-san does, I will follow him.)

She…accepted it. What he had done, even though it was unforgivable…She felt a sense of fulfillment, even joy.

The fact that Eiji had worked so hard for her meant everything.

Even if it hurt her, none of that mattered.

As long as Eiji was doing it for her, she was willing to accept even the most cruel acts.

(I might be broken now…But if it makes me happy, then I guess it’s fine.)

—Eiji-san.

It didn’t matter if others found her sense of morality and values strange.

After all, she had Eiji.

(I love you, Eiji-san. You gave someone as twisted and empty as me a purpose…It was you who gave me meaning…So please, always…forever…keep cheering for me, won’t you?)

Eiji didn’t realize it.

That what he had done for her had deepened her twisted love even further.

(Hehe…hehehehehe…)

Just as the night sky sank into blackness, so too did her heart sink deeper into the darkness of love.

And yet, if she found happiness in it…maybe that was enough.

Because that’s just how much she loved Eiji.

—

Chapter 79: The Morning When “She” Smiles

Morning has come.

The sky is bright blue, without even a thin cloud in sight.

Waking up to such weather feels great…or at least, that’s what I was thinking.

“…Eiji-san?”

…For some reason, I’m sitting in seiza in front of Kanna.
(seiza: sitting on one’s knees in a traditional Japanese manner.)

I don’t really know why, but apparently, according to her…

“Why did you sleep with Sayaka last night? Could you explain?”

…That’s what she says.

It seems Kanna felt like I was taking too long to wake up today, so she came to check on me and found us sleeping together, which led to this situation.

…I thought I was off the hook since I had slept with her before, but apparently, that wasn’t the case.

“Eiji-san, I hope not, but…have you slept with Sayaka before, like you did last night?”

“…I’m sorry.”

Caught red-handed, I apologized to Kanna in a clipped tone.

I thought I had her permission, but…I guess I didn’t. Ha-ha…

“…Eiji-san?”

“Y-Yes!”

Her voice had a sharp edge to it, and I straightened up reflexively.

“I understand that Sayaka was in a tough spot, but please report to me if you sleep with someone again. It feels…unfair.”

“U-Unfair…?”

“…Kanna’s right.”

Suddenly, Rinmei poked her head out from the door, having apparently overheard the conversation.

“R-Rinmei too…?”

“…Next time, I would like to sleep with you as well.”

“Then maybe I should join, too. Isn’t that fine, Eiji-san?”

“U-Uh…”

W-What am I supposed to say to this…?

“Both of you, stop bullying Eiji-san~!”

“…Sayaka, you’re alive.”

“Of course, I’m alive. Why are you trying to kill me off? Your dropkick hurt a lot, though…”

Sayaka, dressed in her school uniform and holding her school bag, answered Rinmei with a deadpan expression before hugging me, still in seiza.

“S-Sayaka?”

“This is my privilege. I won’t let Rinmei or Kanna-san have it. It’s my reward alone.”

“…You, just a while ago, were so emotionally unstable, yet you can say something like that now?”

“Say whatever you want. Even against Kanna-san, I won’t back down from this! …Right, Eiji-san?”

“…Is that true…Eiji?”

“I’d rather not be the one to answer that…”

…But, she had a smile that suited her age. It was different from the unstable look she had before—a much more refreshed expression.

“…Thank you so much, Eiji-san.”

She whispered those words into my ear. When I looked at her, she had a very gentle expression.

“Sayaka…Eiji-san isn’t yours, you know…”

“Oh no! It’s already this late! I have to get to school!”

“Hey! H-Hold on! Listen to me!”

Ignoring Kanna’s words completely, Sayaka dashed out of the room.

As I watched her leave, I couldn’t help but see a bit of Tenharu Aoi in her.

(…You’ve finally found it, haven’t you? What you really want to do…)

“Alright, Eiji-san! I’m off to school!”

“…Ah. Take care.”

With the brightest smile I had ever seen from her, she left the room.

Her sudden outburst left Kanna and Rinmei speechless for a moment, but then they too smiled.

“…She’s finally started smiling again.”

“Yeah…I’m glad to see her back to her old self.”

They must have been worried about her too, judging from the relief in their voices.

Was this really for the best…? No, even if my actions weren’t entirely right, I have no regrets.

Because thanks to that, Sayaka has been able to rediscover herself as Tenharu Aoi…and her smile has returned.

◇

(Haa…haa…Eiji-san…Eiji-san…!)

She ran forward, towards her future. The path had obstacles, but it was a one-way road. She wouldn’t look back.

(I’ll do my best! With Eiji-san’s feelings in my heart…to meet everyone’s expectations…!)

“I’ll do my best!!”

With her chest puffed out, Sayaka ran towards school that morning.

And needless to say, the sky that day was perfectly clear.