The World’s Only Max-Level Lazy Introvert Accidentally Goes Viral After Helping a Famous Streamer Who Forgot to Turn off Her Dungeon Stream - 34

Chapter 34: The Famous Streamer Is Pursuing So Aggressively

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

The dinner that Shiori made was, to put it bluntly, wasn’t the level that you would expect from a high school student. Crispy fried chicken with savory miso sauce, sticky salad with okra and grated yam, hearty miso soup loaded with pork and vegetables… I also lived alone, but I usually just ate instant noodles or convenience store bento because it was less hassle that way. Compared to that, Shiori’s cooking felt so overwhelmingly homey. The true taste of home cooking. This was a surprise to me because considering Shiori’s income, she could easily eat out every day if she wanted to. 

“How is it…? Is it good?”

Shiori asked. Her face was a bit tense and so, I honestly answered her question.

“Yeah. It’s delicious.”

“Really..? Ah, thank goodness…!”

Shiori sighed in relief. She looked visibly relaxed. 

“I can make a lot more if you want. I’d even go to the other side of the world to get the ingredients if it’s for you, Ren-kun!”

“Yeah, yeah…”

I was an idiot for even thinking she was a bit cute back then.

“Ah! You were feeling exasperated, weren’t you?! I can tell, you know! I can tell when you’re feeling like that!”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m always exasperated with you anyway.”

“Mu~ Muuuu~”

Shiori puffed her cheeks out before she began eating her own meal. No one in Japan didn’t know who she was and yet, there was this side of her that only I knew. 

――”Don’t try to solve everything on your own like that…! Ren-kun, you know I love you, right? If you’re gone,, I… I…!!”

――

Suddenly, the conversation we had over the phone resurfaced in my mind. At that time, I felt like there was something hidden deep inside her words. Like there was something more to it and… I see. So this was what it was about. I scanned the room and true enough, there was no trace of anyone else living in here but her. There was only one pair of shoes and everything, from the dishes to the furniture was meant for one person. It was clear to see that Shiori had been living here all by herself. My family background was a bit unusual too, which was why I had to live by myself the moment I entered high school. Shiori must had her own circumstances too, just like me.

“Hm…?”

No, wait. There was one thing that stood out in this girly room. On top of the bookshelf, there was a photograph. A young Shiori holding hands with a woman and a man. The couple had striking resemblances to her, so they must be her parents. 

“Ah. Did you see it?”

Seemingly understanding what I was thinking just from my expression alone, Shiori gave me a weak smile before she continued on. 

“Yeah. They are my mom and dad. They cast me away and… Left me behind.”

“…I see.”

Shiori then told me everything started going downhill because of her father’s affair. At that time, her father had become completely infatuated with his mistress and said he wanted to dedicate his second life with her. Her mother wanted them to stay together, at least until Shiori became an adult, but her father refused. Shiori and her mother moved into this old apartment around five years ago. Shiori and her mother did their best to survive. Her mother worked two jobs and Shiori also helped out as much as she could. Life was tough but the two of them were happy. However, that happiness was shattered two years ago. Her mother fell deeply in love with a man that she met at one of her part-time jobs. Gradually, she stopped paying attention to Shiori.

Although they were struggling financially, but her mother began to wear more flashy clothes and as time went by, she also started neglecting the household chores. That being said, she still took care of the most basic necessity until Shiori graduated from middle school. And then, when Shiori was about to enter her current high school, the thing she feared the most finally came true. 

――”I’ve raised you this far. That’s good enough, right?”――

――”I’ve been doing my best for you all this time, so I’m going to start living my life for myself. I can stop working hard for your sake, right?”――

――”Here. This is three months’ worth of living expenses. You’re on your own now.”――

Her mother last said before she left Shiori alone in this apartment. Abandoned by the parents she thought would love her unconditionally, she found herself her whole life crumbling down even though she had just turned into a high school student. Her heart almost broke, but she realized she had to keep moving to survive. 

“I was really desperate back then. I thought I could make more money if I became a famous steamer, so I saved money from working part-time to buy streaming equipment. I tried everything I could to get more views and by the time I realized it, I already had 10 million subscribers.”

“Haa… You are really something.”

I let out a small chuckle and Shiori gazed at me with her eyes wet from unshed tears.

“But you know… Even after I became so popular, I still couldn’t be happy. I couldn’t stop myself from thinking that my life would’ve been so much happier if I had my mom and dad back…”

“…”

“And then, I met you, Ren-kun. You’re a bit curt and annoying, but… Deep down, you are very kind.”

I see… So that’s the reason why she’s like this.

I could understand her sentiment though. Given my position as the son of the boss, I could never tell if people were being genuine with me or not. No matter how much the members of the clan praised me, my heart remained frozen still. After all, I couldn’t stop doubting them that they were just complimenting me because I was the boss’ son. There was this gnawing feeling deep inside my heart. Maybe they were actually looking down on me, but they couldn’t say it out loud. I couldn’t trust anyone no matter how friendly they might appear on the surface. In that sense, I was similar to Shiori. Becoming a famous streamer brought her a lot of fans, but she couldn’t tell if they liked her or her streaming persona. Hence why, a guy like me must have felt like a fresh breath of air for Shiori.

“That’s why… Ren-kun, I don’t want you to leave my side. I’m willing to do everything as long as I can have you by my side.”

“Haah… Huh? O-Oi—”

She last said before Shiori pressed her lips against me all of a sudden, leaving no gap for me to protest.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

T/N: The father and mother ughhh. I hate Shiori’s father the most though since he started it all （ꐦ𝅒_𝅒）