NOVEL NEXT Chapter 295
“Camera, move this way!”
“Sure!”
Graduation live day.
The first thing that caught my eye upon arriving at the studio was the bustling movement of the staff.
It feels like it’s been ages since I last saw the staff working this hard since StarFest….
That must mean they’re working hard to prepare for me today.
“Hello, nice to meet you… I’ll be in your care today….”
As I walked by, I bowed my head and expressed my gratitude every time our eyes met.
If possible, I wanted to greet everyone helping out, but realistically, it’s impossible to remember all these faces.
Above all, even with good intentions, continuing to wander around would probably be a nuisance to those working hard, so it’d be better to just wait in the waiting room.
When I arrived in the waiting room, there was no one….
“Hello, Izumi.”
“Hello, Izumi-chan.”
“Hi there.”
Well, it wasn’t completely empty.
Natsune and Senior Kurokami waved gently as I entered the waiting room.
So I bowed my head in greeting, and both Natsune and Senior Kurokami nudged the chairs beside them as if to say, “Come sit here.”
“…Huh?”
“…Hmm?”
While I was contemplating where to sit, the two seniors narrowed their eyes and glared at each other.
“Shiro. I have something I want to discuss with Izumi, you know? Could you yield?”
“Oh my, that’s just like me, Yoru. I have something important to share with Izumi-chan as well, so I think it’s better if you yield.”
“…Izumi is the eighth star, so she must want to talk to me.”
“That’s a bias, Yoru. What’s more important than that is what we talk about now… that’s much more vital.”
“Huh? Are you saying what I want to discuss is less important than Yoru’s?”
“Probably, yes.”
…This is really scary, is it okay to just go home?
Natsune and Senior Kurokami seem to get along really well normally, but sometimes they end up like this.
And all I can do is tremble, waiting for their conclusion.
In this situation, my free will doesn’t exist….
“…Fine. Then let’s compromise and share evenly this time.”
“Alright. It’d be a waste to waste time like this.”
Thus, their dramatically compromised plan was… for me to sit between them.
I really don’t have any choice.
“Izumi. About singing today…”
“Yes. Ah… Yes. I understand.”
“Izumi-chan, there was something I wanted to ask before we start….”
“Ah, that’s definitely…. Ah, yes.”
…But didn’t they both say they had something important to discuss?
Aren’t we just going back and forth with meaningless conversation?
And I’m feeling really cramped right now; could you both scoot over just a little…?
I wanted to ask those questions, but a gut feeling told me that if I did, I’d be crushed under pressure.
“Hmm? Izumi? What’s wrong?”
“Co, Koga-chan….”
About ten minutes must have passed.
“Ah? Suzuha! Right now, Izumi and I are having an important conversation…!”
“Suzuha-chan. Izumi-chan and I are discussing the world’s most serious matters…”
“Huh?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. Yep.”
“Good work, Izumi-chan.”
Thanks to the usual might of Koga-chan from Star’s Flow, I was finally able to escape that situation.
“What was going on?”
“I have no idea…”
What was the reason that Natsune and Senior Kurokami kept pushing pressure during their conversation?
…I honestly have no clue.
If it weren’t for that warm and soft atmosphere, I probably wouldn’t have been able to stick it out.
“Hehe….”
“…Izumi is sometimes genuinely a pervert.”
“Eh?”
“Well, it’ll just end up being Izumi’s fault anyway.”
Huh? Why?
★
[I’ll be back! #KainohIzumi]
On the broadcast waiting screen was a message saying [Thank you for everything until now] along with an illustration of ‘me’ smiling.
=Maker JP¥ 50,000: I’m really happy to meet the VTuber Kainoh Izumi. I’ll definitely believe that we can meet again someday. Thank you, Mei-chan!
=Kotatsu and Mikan JP¥ 50,000: The time spent with Mei-chan was the best!
-─(≧▽≦)>ZumiZumi!
-─(≧▽≦)>ZumiZumi!
As I looked at the chatroom beside me, I finally felt that I was truly graduating from Star’s Flow, and my contradictory feelings of having decided to graduate yet wishing this moment wouldn’t come kept swirling in my mind.
“Izumi-chan. Are you ready?”
“…Yes.”
On M-chan’s question, I almost shook my head absentmindedly, but I quickly snapped back to reality and nodded.
In response, M-chan stepped back and smiled kindly.
“Then let’s get started!”
And at that moment, the broadcast screen switched.
[H-Hello everyone. My name is Kainoh Izumi.]
[It’s not self-proclaimed, okay? It’s a universally acknowledged fact?! I’m super popular?! First of all, th-thank you!]
[…Let’s just talk about the weather!]
[Do you know why my name is Izumi?]
[I-It’s really gone, though…?]
[Was it Izutomo, you brat?!]
[O-Okay, let’s have fun together today…!]
[K-Koga-chan’s charm stems from her small and cute subject while being able to rely on her like a mama!]
[Yep…. Backstage, you speak in honorifics?]
[Yep. I-I’m really happy to be here with all of you….]
[I-I’m not a Pongkotsu?!]
[Please enjoy yourselves with Izutomo instead of me…. I’ll be taking a little break….]
The screen displayed everything from my first broadcast to the countless events that had occurred until now.
[Please enjoy yourselves with Izutomo instead of me…. I’ll be taking a little break….]
[Thank you, Izumi]
The last video was from yesterday’s 24-hour Izumi stream.
This was… the journey I had walked for 971 days as Kainoh Izumi.
And the screen transitioned again.
Behind me was a waterfall pouring down and a beautiful starry night decorating the sky, with radiant jewels floating around.
The calm and majestic atmosphere felt like a literal shrine.
In the center sat a grand and splendid throne.
And sitting on that throne was… of course, me.
“Hmm….”
I tried to open my mouth upon seeing the staff’s signal in front of me, but words wouldn’t come easily.
What should I start with?
After much contemplation, the words that came out of my mouth were,
“I never thought the day would come… and here it is.”
That was my honest feeling.
From deciding to graduate to currently conducting a graduation broadcast.
It all felt like a dream somehow.
“I think I’ve worked really hard until today… I wonder how everyone thinks?”
-Everyone knows that Mei-chan worked hard.
-It was a broadcast that you could tell was always enjoyed wholeheartedly.
“Eh… Everyone’s just giving me compliments, so I’m starting to feel a little awkward….”
Hearing those responses made me feel empty; I must really enjoy playing with the Izutomo.
Whenever I made a mistake, my Izutomo would tease me. And then I’d get all worked up and dash at them.
It brings me so much joy just recalling those trivial everyday moments with my friends who love me so much.
“Anyway, we’re having this graduation live, so… before that! Shall I have a conversation with the very important, precious Star’s Flow members?”
As I clapped my hands while mentioning today’s content, the screen shifted to the opposite side.
There were my junior members from the third generation of the Atlas group sitting.
Sakuya Suzumichi. Mizuki. Kaguya. Tsurusaki. Hatakawa were sitting in order.
…Somehow, being stared at so intensely by these five made me feel embarrassed.
“Uh, um… I’m sorry I feel like I haven’t done anything even closely resembling what a senior should do…”
“Not at all!”
To shake off that embarrassment, Kaguya was the first to shake her head in response.
“I’m really, really glad that Izumi-senpai is my senpai….”
“Hehe… Then I’m really relieved.”
“Yeah, I feel the same way. So you can come visit any time. I’ll prepare plenty of food that Izumi-senpai loves.”
“I’ll always… be cheering you on.”
“Izumi-chan, you can do it!”
Sakuya, Tsurusaki, and Mizuki all cheered me on with smiles as promised.
I felt truly grateful for that, and I wished I wouldn’t cry, but it felt like I was about to….
“I-I wanted to play with Izuming more….”
“A-Ah, Hatakawa-chan, it’s okay.”
Hmm. I’m glad it’s just the perverted lolita.
“Is it too much?!”
“Th-The perverted lolita is a bit… um.”
“Wasn’t it an emotional atmosphere?!”
“Puhuhup…!”
Amidst the banter with Hatakawa, the remaining four Atlas members snickered… Eventually, Hatakawa and I began to laugh joyfully.
“Whew~. Even if I say this, Izuming, I’ll answer you right away whenever you contact me. Sometimes I might initiate contact too.”
“Ah. Th-That was a secret, wasn’t it…?”
I wanted to remain with the image of avoiding Hatakawa until the end for my Izutomo!
“Anyway, since Izuming is graduating now, it doesn’t matter if I say everything.”
“…If I think about it that way, I don’t really need to call you senpai anymore, huh?”
Huh.
Even Sakuya, the hope of the third generation?
Isn’t that a bit too cheeky?
“Hey! Don’t you still—?”
Thinking that, I glared at the cheeky juniors with a frown, pushing pressure on them as hard as I could.
“Pfft!”
“Cute….”
But what came back were snorts and laughter.
“Uuuh…”
Ultimately, I tried to signal Senior Tsurusaki, my genuine Izutomo, for help with my eyes.
“Is it okay to stop calling you Izumi-senpai and just call you Izumi? Really?”
Something about the atmosphere felt like I shouldn’t touch it, so I stopped.
Yep. Atlas really was a weird group of people.
★
And so, I spent about 20 minutes chatting with the members of Atlas.
“When the fourth generation comes in, make sure to show off the prestige of being a senpai… like I do!”
And at the end, I said that, but surprisingly, everyone, including the chatroom, broke into laughter.
…Am I being ignored?
-So this time, is it the revelation of the fourth generation…
-You truly are full of Yeo-sang until the end.
In addition, the chatroom mocked me, claiming I revealed company secrets again.
But if that’s the case, will I be the VTuber who gets punished upon graduation?
Somehow, I’m a little tempted to find out…
Anyway, next up is the first generation seniors.
While it felt like the members of Atlas had accepted my departure with sadness yet laughter.
There was a stronger atmosphere of supporting my choice from the first generation seniors.
“Izumi. Let’s play games together again someday…?”
“May the blessings of the spirits be upon your path, Izumi.”
“May I sincerely wish for your future, Izumi.”
“I’ll always support you so you can find your dreams!”
From Yuzuki-senpai, Namikawa-senpai, Minazuki-senpai, and Amatsuka-senpai.
Four seniors smiled with such warmth it felt like my heart was aching.
But just one person.
“Izumi-chan….”
Senior Kurokami looked at me, biting her lip softly.
“Really… you’re graduating now.”
“…Yes.”
No one interrupted Senior Kurokami’s words.
Everyone knew.
That Senior Kurokami had, among the first generation,
No, one of the members of Star’s Flow who had been the closest to me.
“Thinking that Izumi-chan won’t be in my everyday life… makes it feel incredibly empty.”
I knew it wasn’t forever.
Even if I graduated today, we could always keep in touch, and if we wanted, we could meet up anytime.
But still, the fact that one connection, being a member of Star’s Flow, would be severed wouldn’t change.
I knew that well, and so did Senior Kurokami.
“I always thought that if I were a villainess, I’d trample down a comrade trying to leave thoroughly. To make it impossible to leave. Making even the thought of leaving impossible. But that isn’t the case now, is it?”
Senior Kurokami said that, her expression looking like she was about to cry at any moment….
“So today, I’ll speak as a normal noble lady, not a villainess. Izumi-chan.”
“Yes….”
“I’ll genuinely wish for you to find the dream you want… with all my heart.”
Yet she slowly smiled.
“Thank you…”
“Ugh, seriously! Hikari ruined the mood!”
“Ah?! Tsubaki-chan, what’s this?!”
“If you truly support her, let’s applaud for her as we send her off!”
“I too think Tsubaki is right, Hikari.”
“Y-You guys are rude! The only person who can rebut my words right now is Izumi-chan?!”
And starting from Namikawa-senpai’s words, we eventually ended up bidding farewell noisily.
I was so happy about that fact that I was able to look at Senior Kurokami and smile brightly in the end, and Senior Kurokami also looked at me and smiled sincerely.
Thus, the conversation with the first-generation seniors came to an end.
“Izumi.”
The next person would be Star’s Flow’s only zero generation.
My idol, Natsune.