NOVEL WEB Chapter 3
I have no thoughts whatsoever.
Because I really have no thoughts.
“….”
Lying in bed and staring at the ceiling, the cute stickers I used to stick on as a child catch my eye.
“….”
The first Golden Week in high school is coming to an end.
It goes without saying, but I’ve spent it all alone at home.
For me, holidays are just a time to relieve the fatigue that accumulates from being alone at home.
Well, even if it weren’t a holiday, I’m always alone anyway.
After falling asleep late while watching ON-Tube, I woke up around lunchtime just to have a quick meal.
Reading manga or anime, dabbling in light novels, gamifying a little, then drawing while watching Natsune and other VTubers’ live broadcasts late into the night.
Every day feels like it could be a holiday.
But today is the last day of Golden Week.
Starting tomorrow, will I have to become the outsider amid those social butterflies again?
It’s scary, really~.
I guess I should get my heart in check, so maybe I’ll watch some clips before Natsune’s live stream starts.
Using that excuse, I ended up sitting at my computer, logged into ON-Tube on the last day of Golden Week.
4:50 PM.
A golden waiting screen lit up on the monitor.
Taking a deep breath to calm my heart as I prepare to watch her as usual.
Time flows slowly.
55 minutes. 56 minutes. 57 minutes. 58 minutes. 59 minutes.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
[From the shining star of dreams….]
Ding!
“What?!”
What is this notification sound interrupting me as I was about to type ‘Konhoshi’ faster than anyone else?
Even if I want to ignore it, sometimes my mom has important emails, so I can’t help it.
-Konhoshi~
Of course, I’ll greet her first.
Saying hello to Natsune is the most important thing in my daily routine.
And the message I saw on my phone contained very important information.
[Star’s Flow: Kayanoh Mina.]
[You’ve passed the document review for Star’s Flow 2nd Generation Recruitment.]
Wait, is this for real?
Of course, I couldn’t say my mom recommended me in the application and motivational video, so I put my heart into it and tried my best.
But this is a little ridiculous.
By the way, it’s the last Sunday of Golden Week, right?
Getting the acceptance message today is quite something.
Is Star’s Flow really not a bad company after all?
★
I believe in destiny, just a little.
No, I have no choice but to believe.
I’ve experienced having a previous life firsthand; what else could I possibly doubt?
In other words, what this means is.
“Mom, I got accepted for Star’s Flow’s 2nd Generation!”
The moment she brought it up, wasn’t I destined to become a VTuber?
[Really?]
My mom’s voice carries a touch of doubt, despite being the one who recommended me.
I mean, I honestly can’t believe it right now either.
There’s no way someone who couldn’t even answer properly during the interview after the document review would get accepted.
I don’t have any broadcasting experience nor am I particularly sociable, so why was I chosen?
It’s truly a mysterious case.
“Yes! They said my debut will be in July, two months from now. Also, they’ll contact you separately…”
[Okay, got it. Anyway, congrats, Mina. I have to go. Bye!]
“Okay, take care.”
I hung up the phone and slumped back in my chair, staring at the monitor.
[Wow, you guys are doing great!]
On the screen, Natsune was racing in a game with her viewers.
It seemed to be her first time playing it during the stream, as she was relentlessly teased by the experienced viewers.
She looks so adorable in moments like that….
[Last place again. How many rounds has it been?]
-8 consecutive last places
-Watching you is tough
-Let’s do something else, Natsune
-Playing another game might be better?
[Hey, since we’re all playing together, we should at least finish two hours!]
I wanted to focus on Natsune’s broadcast as always, but it just wasn’t possible.
“Wow, I really am going to be a VTuber under the same Star’s Flow as Natsune.”
It doesn’t feel real, yet this happiness wells up in my heart.
“Hehe.”
Of course, I can’t show this feeling to anyone, but a laugh slips out naturally.
Honestly, I don’t even have a friend to share this news with.
I wonder if one day I’ll get to collaborate with Natsune?
I’m definitely looking forward to that.
Though the fact that I have to stream is a bit. No, a lot scary.
Well, I’m sure I’ll figure it out later!
The future me will definitely be twice as strong and a big social butterfly.
I’m sure I’ll be skilled at streaming too.
Hang in there, future me.
Okay, then let’s send a hyperchat to Natsune to share this happy feeling.
Without hesitation, I sent her a hyperchat for 5,000 yen.
=KayaMina JP¥ 5,000: Something happy has happened. I can’t explain the details, but could you congratulate me?
Of course, Natsune smiled brightly and kindly replied.
[KayaMina, congratulations! I hope you have lots of happy things in the future!]
Natsune really is an angel.
Oh, I should clip this moment and save it to watch every day.
★
“Is this really okay?”
“Yeah, I think it will be.”
Two women sat at a table.
One had a slight pout, while the other wore a gentle smile.
“I definitely know that Kayanoh likes VTubers, especially Natsune. But I don’t think she has the talent for streaming.”
The woman with the pout spoke.
Katsuki Noah, the mid-manager of Star’s Flow, spoke in a calm voice.
She shook her head slowly as she thought of Kayanoh Mina.
When she first viewed the documents and motivational video, Noah had a good impression of Kayanoh.
[No special broadcasting experience or talents, but I absolutely love VTubers…!]
Now at 16, the perfect age to have dreams and passions.
That kind of passion is definitely needed at Star’s Flow.
Even if she lacked experience right now, she could become another popular VTuber following Natsune.
But on the day of the interview…
Noah’s illusions came crashing down.
Just making eye contact was difficult for her, unable to respond to questions properly; she couldn’t carry on a solid conversation until the very end.
Noah even wanted to ask how she made it to the company.
This wouldn’t work.
Noah concluded that it would be best to drop Mina from consideration.
But now, in front of Noah, was the woman smiling.
The representative of Star’s Flow and the overall producer, Aikawa Lenka, had ultimately accepted Kayanoh Mina.
“No matter how I think about it, it’s a stretch. A girl like that doing VTuber activities won’t just cause problems for the company, but she’ll surely struggle to cope.”
“Well, helping with things like that is our job, right?”
Noah couldn’t read Lenka’s mind at all.
It wasn’t that Noah doubted Lenka’s ability.
When Natsune first applied to Star’s Flow, everyone opposed it, insisting the naive girl couldn’t survive in a declining VTuber industry.
But two people believed in Natsune’s potential: Seonah and Lenka, forcibly accepting her.
And ultimately, Natsune created a new golden age for the VTuber industry.
From that event on, Noah couldn’t help but acknowledge Lenka’s insight.
However…
“No matter how you put it, this girl…”
It would be hard for anyone to shake their head at this.
Could it be that they’re trying to accept her because of her mother?
Because she is Seonah’s daughter, who is an executive at the parent company of Star’s Flow… this thought barely appeared in Noah’s mind.
Noah knew just how serious Lenka was about VTubers, and such suspicions would be an insult to Lenka, who had worked tirelessly.
“Isn’t it amazing, Noah? That such a cute girl struggles to even say a word in front of people.”
At Lenka’s words, Noah recalled Mina’s appearance.
Her glossy brown hair that cascaded down to below her waist, clearly well-kept.
With mystical blue eyes that initially made her look like a Western mixed child.
A smooth complexion with no blemishes and a whimsical appearance.
Even though she was short, her proportions were exceptional.
And when she kept her mouth shut, the calm aura made her feel almost doll-like.
Of course, the moment she opened her mouth, that perception shattered.
But if we talk purely about looks, she’s undeniably a stunningly cute girl.
“…That’s certainly true.”
Yet when such a pretty girl opens her mouth, she has communication impairment.
It’s really hard to comprehend.
“I wondered if something had happened, but Seonah said it didn’t, so if that’s the case, it’s just her natural personality. It’s amusing that she applied for the second-generation recruitment with such a personality.”
“While I admit that this trait could become a major charm point if used well, I can’t help but think it’s too much of a gamble.”
“Like I said earlier, helping with that is our role.”
Noah tried to convince Lenka one last time but ultimately had to give up.
★
“Ugh.”
My heart races.
[Today’s stream ends here!]
On the screen, Akabane Yukari, another Star’s Flow second-generation member, wore a cocky grin.
I saw her yesterday, but the cocky middle schooler with red hair totally fits her voice.
[The next stream is finally that guy’s appearance! As I said earlier, he’s the ultimate champion among us!]
-If it falls flat, can you handle the backlash?
-You’ve raised the expectations sky-high lol
Yukari, please don’t do that; I’m just not confident….
[Well, that’s goodbye!]
With those words, Yukari’s stream ended, and the ending video started playing.
It’s now 8:50 PM.
And in 40 minutes, at 9:30 PM, my debut stream will finally start.
I started feeling queasy.
“I wish I could just back out right now.”
Of course, I can’t.
At this age, I’m effectively 41 years old when you add 25 years from my previous life to 16 years in this one.
I’m officially a member of society.
There’s no way I can run away from this.
I quietly pulled up a window and reread my character profile, which I’ve seen several times.
─────────────────
Name: Kainoh Izumi (海野 泉)
Age: ???
Birthday: June 12
Race: Water Avatar
Description: Humanity’s civilization has always been intertwined with water.
As the Water Avatar, she felt pride in having contributed to the civilization of humanity, and soon her interest bloomed into a desire to experience civilization firsthand.
Currently enrolled at a high school in Japan, savoring her student life.
Known for her vibrant personality, she is famously sociable and well-liked by those around her.
─────────────────
I stared at the avatar displayed on the screen.
She had black hair that fell to her shoulders, wore a hat, and drew a V with her hand.
Her jacket was loosely draped over her school uniform, and around her neck was a choker adorned with silver gems.
Her bright smile, featuring a little buck-tooth and striking red eyes, was memorable.
Anyone would nod in agreement; she exuded an ultra-social butterfly vibe.
“…But this is definitely too much!”
Given that they saw what kind of person I was during the interview, why would they assign me such a character?
Star’s Flow, you really are a bad company.
In the VTuber world, one of the crucial elements is RP.
Role-Playing.
This means performing a fictional character, so there are minimal concepts that must be adhered to.
However, this character is decidedly not something I can portray, no?
Of course, RP is just one element, so it’s unnecessary to perfectly embody a character.
It’s sufficient to stream in a way that fits my style while blending in some character concepts.
But this feels far too different from my own persona.
“Seriously, I want to back out!”
Before I knew it, it was 9:28 PM.
Two minutes left before the stream starts.
I was so nervous I thought I might cry.
I was already sweating coldly down my back.
The waiting screen displayed on the monitor.
[Manager: Please start preparing, Izumi.]
It felt like the manager’s text was telling me I couldn’t escape anymore.
“Haah, haah.”
Gathering my breath, I slowly put on my headphones.
“Why did I have to be the last one?”
The three fellow trainees who debuted yesterday.
And now, I was the one to close the Star’s Flow second-generation debut today.
I would rather have been one of the earlier ones.
[Manager: It’s time to start.]
With the manager’s message came the alarm that signaled 9:30 PM.
“Ugh….”
After turning off the alarm, I took a final breath.
Okay.
No matter what, this is what I chose.
It’s really time to get started.
I steeled myself and switched from the waiting screen to the screen displaying my self-introduction.
Then, I unmuted the microphone.
“E-everyone, hello. My-my name is Kainoh Izumi.”
-?
-Why can’t we hear anything yet?
-It’s already 9:31 PM
Huh?
I’m pretty sure I just said that.
In the chatroom, people were commenting that the screen changed but couldn’t hear my voice.
How strange.
“E-everyone, hello. My name is Kainoh Izumi.”
-?
-?
-Voice is super quiet lol
-Starting off by dropping RP already
-What is this… the vibe maker?
-The future of VTubers looks bright (lol)
Ah, this is bad.
I instantly recognized that fact.
It’s fairly common for the VTuber concept to be slightly broken.
It’s naturally challenging to maintain a character while streaming.
However, there’s an unspoken rule to not break the character significantly during the first stream.
And right now, it feels like I boldly broke that rule from the start.
“…Haha.”
My instincts, honed through years in the VTuber community, warned me.
Starting off with an el-imb.
Damn.