It seems that because of Kushibiki, I’ve become firmly established as the villain.
Even when I’m in the classroom or walking down the hall, just being on school grounds means I hear rumors about me. Aren’t whispers supposed to be unheard by the person they’re talking about?
I don’t understand why they whisper within my hearing range.
Really, it hurts…
It seems I’ve become their toy even more than during Ayase’s time, and it’s become popular to give me funny nicknames.
Misunderstood guy, self-destruct king, assault trooper, lower-half radar, etc. They have no sense. I wish they’d come up with something cooler. But still, it’s amazing how easily badmouthing comes to them. I really wish they’d use that imagination for studying or on other areas.
I can tolerate being the only one accused and talked about. There’s no actual harm done because they are all cowards. I should be glad that no harm has been done, but because of what Kushibiki started, it’s become difficult to approach Takahashi, who is crucial in this matter.
Takahashi is always by my side. No matter what rumors circulate about me, Takahashi interacts with me unchanged, listens to my side, and laughs with me.
It’s almost like I’ve become a charm against misfortune… But really, who’s calling me a charm!
While internally joking and retorting, I ponder what to do.
During class, no one bothers me and talks about me, so it’s a time of peace. Normally, I’d be bored and fighting off sleep during class, but now it’s a precious time to think alone.
So, what to do? I can’t discuss my purpose with Takahashi, and I don’t want Ayase next to me to get involved any more than she already has, so I can’t ask for her help.
I have no other friends to rely on, so I have to resolve this alone.
Ah… being alone is tough. It would be easier if I had someone to rely on.
Even if it’s just superficial, it would be nice to behave amiably and build relationships while communicating with people, but it seems the man named Tachibana didn’t make any effort to do so.
For now, there are many problems. I have to tackle them one by one, but spreading rumors like with Ayase’s case is mentally exhausting. What I need now is healing.
Despite resenting Tachibana, I decided to seek healing in one of his hobbies, A・Re・.
At nine o’clock at night, in my room. I started up my PC, opened a site, and logged in.
I logged into a live streaming platform called Portal and immediately opened a stream of a certain person.
The streamer screen showed a cute, animated character moving around, with the words ‘standby’ displayed. What I’m about to watch is the stream of a popular virtual streamer, commonly known as a V-streamer.
The stream was scheduled to start at nine o’clock tonight as announced. Comments from listeners who were looking forward to the broadcast like me were flowing in.
I don’t comment. Because I want to fully enjoy the stream!
Commenting means dedicating some resources to it. That could distract me, or commenting could become the main focus, overshadowing the enjoyment of the actual broadcast.
Usually, I cross my arms and put on headphones, ensuring I don’t miss a single word. Wait, doesn’t this make me like those people who used to just watch others play fighting games at the arcade? Please, no comments on that!
“Ah-ah. Can everyone hear me?”
As the anime-like, chirpy female voice is heard, the screen switches to a female character who starts moving. Here we go!
“…Looks like everything’s okay. No problems with the volume? Okay. Then, let’s start the stream!”
As she declares this loudly, the comment section starts flowing like a waterfall.
Foolish. The best way to enjoy a stream is to focus on the streamer. Constantly worrying about the comment section is still shallow.
Now, since many of you may not know about her, let me introduce her!
Her name is Azusa Hoshimiya. She’s an independent V-Streamer who mainly does game commentary. She also does chats, singing, and advice sessions, among other things.
That Tachibana guy. I didn’t expect him to have such a hobby.
I thought he would despise this kind of thing, but it turns out he’s quite a fan.
Tachibana’s room has a seemingly plain interior: a bed, bookshelf, desk with a computer setup, and a closet filled with clothes and other items.
Tachibana is cautious, like a character who stumbled upon some mysterious notebook. He even has a hidden compartment in one of the drawers, filled with Azusa Hoshimiya merchandise.
I never expected a secret compartment.
It didn’t catch fire, thankfully. ‘Huh, that’s surprising,’ but somehow, I’ve become an Azusa Hoshimiya fan too.
Her character design is on point, and her conversations are engaging. I’ve fallen for her idol-like voice and the way she acts spoiled.
Seriously, Azu-chee is the best… Azu-chee is a nickname for Azusa Hoshimiya. It’s a name that’s established among the fans.
Alright, I need to stop talking to myself now and focus on the stream.
Today, she’s accepting live advice questions, and I quickly type in my original purpose.
The content is about how I accidentally gave Kushibiki the impression that I was confessing to her, and because of that, I can’t talk to her anymore. What should I do? I summarized it concisely and sent it.
Even though discussing these worries with a V-streamer won’t necessarily solve them, in the current situation, I’d gladly take any hints I can get—grasping at straws, so to speak.
Azusa Hoshimiya’s advice session allows you to send anonymous questions to her, and she reads the ones randomly selected.
Well, Hoshimiya said a lot of people are sending in questions, so I was in a mood of giving up, thinking it’s almost impossible.
For now, I’ll enjoy the stream and later figure out how to deal with my situation.
I’m feeling a bit drained today, someone at the bike parking area called me the “introverted star.” What does that even mean?
Perhaps they want to revel in a sense of superiority by labeling themselves as “above,” but not recognizing their own limitations while fixating on labels like introvert or extrovert is truly unfortunate.
“Alright, everyone! Thanks for all the advice questions☆ I can’t read them all, so please understand~”
By the way, the comments section is wild, akin to an idol’s live concert. and there’s no room for newcomers to get in. That's amazing.
As one concern after another was read aloud, Hoshimiya Azusa pondered and responded to each.
And there I was, idly munching on snacks and sipping juice, listening leisurely when I noticed a familiar piece of text being read. I hurriedly turned my attention back to the monitor.
“I see. You tried to talk to someone but they misunderstood it as a confession, and now it’s hard to even approach them to clear up the misunderstanding. I get it, I get it~…”
Finally, she read it. It was worth the two-hour wait since the start of the stream. I’m curious about what kind of answer Hoshimiya will give. I decided to wait quietly.
But no matter how long I waited, Hoshimiya didn’t say a word, as if she had fallen silent.
The comment section was overflowing with comments of concern for her.
“Uh… maybe a conversation is needed, right? Yeah. That’s it~ ahaha…”
Something seemed off. Hoshimiya’s response was hesitant, and her tone of voice had clearly dropped several notches. It sounded like she was forcing a laugh, and I couldn’t help but worry about her health.
Even if she’s virtual, the person inside is still human.
It’s possible for someone’s health to suddenly deteriorate.
But the more I think about it, the more the reality of the situation becomes apparent.
I don’t want to destroy the virtual world’s atmosphere, so I’ve decided not to think about anything unnecessary.
“No way, that can’t be…”
Huh? For a moment, I thought I heard a familiar voice.
But then, Hoshimiya regained her energy and moved on to the next advice question.
In the end, consulting a V-Streamer didn’t give me a clear answer, but the stream turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable.
Azusa Hoshimiya. Not bad at all.
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