Basement-Dwelling Loser VTuber

972 days.

The number of days I’ve spent active since debuting as Izumi Kainoh until graduation.

If I were to calculate, it’s a little over 32 months, not quite reaching 3 years.

Of course, now that I’ve re-debuted as Izumi Kainoh again, if I continue my activities, I will obviously surpass 3 years, but that brings up one curious question.

Where do I currently stand in Star’s Flow…?

They say my re-debut date was 1,191 days after graduation.

It’s already over 3 years, and if I do the math, it’s almost 40 months.

Right now, Natsune and the 1st generation seniors are celebrating their 7th anniversary this year. The 2nd generation, my peers, are celebrating their 6th anniversary.

My juniors… the 3rd generation Atlas have already been active in Star’s Flow much longer than I have.

Even that 4th generation who debuted 3 months after I graduated.

Phantasm, characters from legends, fantasies, and myths have even debuted as VTubers, and they have slightly more experience than I do….

To put it simply, the only ones with shorter experience than me in Star’s Flow are the 5th generation juniors who debuted last year, the ‘Aster.’

Of course, if we’re only counting generations, I’m obviously a senior.

I’m a 2nd generation, and Phantasm and Aster are 4th and 5th generations, respectively!

But it’s still on my mind.

In the Star’s Flow Miscode group server, everyone calls me Izumi-senpai, but…

They might think, ‘It’s funny that you’re acting like a senior when your activity period is shorter than mine~.’

I’ve heard discussions in the community about where I stand…

I even saw a narration yesterday saying, “Shouldn’t Mei now be calling the Atlas members seniors?”

“What should I do….”

[No. Like I said last time, no one cares about that kind of stuff. It’s obvious that Izumi is a senior, right?]

Suzuha chuckled at my question.

Recently, my concerns have made all the way from Natsune to the Atlas members respond with “Of course you’re a senior.”

Since I haven’t personally talked with the members of Phantasm and Aster, I’ll pass on that.

Anyway, while all the members say that, I still can’t figure out what to do.

Let’s think about it in the opposite scenario.

Imagine if a person who had been active for over 3 years in Phantasm suddenly came back from their past graduation and started acting all high and mighty.

How ridiculous would it be if that so-called senior had a shorter activity period than them?

From the perspective of the Aster members, my debut date is much later than theirs.

Could they really see me as a senior?

“Ugh….”

[Izumi seems to have grown, yet still remains the same.]

[That’s what makes Izumi charming… I think.]

[Right! That’s cute, so it’s okay, right?]

Yukari, laughing at how absurd it was, and Nekoto and Ayaka who were backing me up.

I think Yukari should learn from those two….

★

“Eh? Really? Izumi-senpai is having such worries?”

[Yeah. So I was hoping Iro could help a bit.]

At Suzuha‘s words, the 4th generation of Star’s Flow.

Iro Hibana, the leader of Phantasm, tilted her head in confusion.

“I think of us as juniors, of course….”

[We know that, so we’re telling Izumi. But it seems like it’s no use unless it comes directly from them.]

“Well, that’s true. Izumi-senpai has that kind of personality.”

And with the next comment, Iro giggled as if she understood.

Of course, Iro had never directly talked to Izumi, but her tone suggested she already grasped her personality well.

“Hmm… then I should talk to the kids a bit.”

[Yeah. It might be a little annoying, but please help me out.]

“That’s fine, it’s not like I don’t understand why Izumi-senpai is worried.”

With that conversation, Suzuha and Iro‘s call ended.

Then Iro sighed and leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling.

“Ugh… I know, but it’s just too cute….”

That remark slipped out unconsciously, and it was Iro’s true feelings.

Because the one she loved the most was Izumi.

The reason Iro applied to Star’s Flow in the first place was that it was the production Izumi was part of.

Unlike that certain bodyguard from the 3rd generation…? She was a real Izutomo.

Of course, by the time they started recruiting the 4th generation of Star’s Flow, Izumi’s graduation had already been announced, and when Iro debuted, Izumi had already graduated, but….

Even so, just the fact that she was in the same company as Izumi was enough to stoke Iro’s passion.

When Iro heard the news that Izumi was going to re-debut, once.

When she watched Izumi‘s re-debut birthday live, again.

Combining those two, Iro was genuinely in tears for Izumi.

And that affection of Iro was known by all the Star’s Flow members except for Izumi.

To what extent? When Izumi’s re-debut was first decided.

Other members had at least once thought about the worries Izumi had now.

Especially those from the 4th generation Phantasm and the 5th generation Aster, who would be most affected, gathered together to discuss this.

But that worry was summed up in Iro’s one line.

‘…Huh? What are you talking about? It’s obvious that we’re juniors. Don’t say weird things.’

Massive pressure.

Of course, other members thought the same as Iro, but once this fact was revealed, it was natural for the viewers to discuss it, so the sentiment was to share their opinions.

And that Iro summed it all up with such tremendous pressure became a legend among the members.

Anyway, because they knew how genuine Iro was, even Suzuha took the risk to ask her for help, despite knowing it could be a breach of etiquette.

“Izumi-senpai needs to know how great she is…”

Star’s Flow.

The leading company in the currently blossoming VTuber market.

And among those who got Star’s Flow to that point, two names stood out.

First, it was Natsune Nanase, who marked the beginning of Star’s Flow.

Second, it was Izumi Kainoh

, who spread the name of Star’s Flow.

This wasn’t just Iro, who is Izutomo, personally evaluating; it was a fact acknowledged among fans.

In an online broadcasting market where success cannot be achieved with a single spotlight, Izumi consistently attracted attention with her Yeo-sang.

Of course, it didn’t always work out positively, but at least most fans agreed it was the best way to let people know about the company Star’s Flow.

If she heard that, she would surely respond with, ‘That… doesn’t really sound good, though.’

“So, should I contact the kids first…?”

Iro was happy that Izumi was aware of them, and began to take action to support her.

Whether Izumi was hoping for that was uncertain, but….

★

[Iro Hibana: Izumi-senpai! Let’s do a collaboration this time!]

It really came out of nowhere…. A collaboration request from Iro of the 4th generation Phantasm I had never spoken to before.

A request for collaboration from someone I had never even chatted with felt like an overwhelming burst of energy.

One thing I realized after being out of Star’s Flow for 3 years is that I’m inherently an introvert, influenced by my previous life or whatever.

Well, I don’t stutter when I speak anymore and don’t feel that talking to people is super hard.

But I still have a bit of social anxiety, so talking to someone I don’t know feels weird….

So if I had to pick the hardest thing in my life, working part-time at a convenience store would top the list without a doubt.

“What should I do….”

What if this collaboration was a scheme to totally embarrass me?

What if they tease me for acting like a senior when they hadn’t even done a proper broadcast for 3 years….

Just thinking about it makes me want to cry.

But I couldn’t exactly refuse.

Right now, my manager had also suggested that I should spend time getting close to the 4th and 5th generation juniors.

But what if a junior suggests collaboration first and I decline?

It’s only natural that I’d get scolded a lot….

Is there really no way to push this back?

As I contemplated about that.

[Manager: I heard you’re going to collaborate with Iro this time.]

[Manager: I can’t believe Izumi is collaborating so willingly with the 4th generation….]

[Manager: It’s really touching.]

I received such a message from my manager.

…Caught in a bind.

★

No one knew until the day of the collaboration between Izumi and Iro.

Not even Suzuha, who directly asked for help from Iro.

Not even Fuji, who was delighted about Izumi’s growth.

And not even Iro herself….

The one person who could have had a vague prediction about it was Izumi, who was trembling in fear alone.

But the occurrence of such an event was by no means a coincidence.

It could rather be seen as inevitability.

That’s right. Iro being Izutomo, it was an unavoidable situation.

★

[【Random Chatter】Collab with Iro! Planning to read Mycaron….#KainohIzumi#HibanaIro#Star’sFlow]

As expected, just like I predicted.

[Thinking about it, is it really right to call her Izumi-senpai? Feels a little off~.]

– Haha

– That’s definitely not wrong…

“But I, I’m a 2nd generation…. she’s a senior, yet….”

[Eh~. So you really want to be treated as a senior? Got it. I. Zu. Mi. Sen. Pai?]

“Uuugh….”

[Haah…]

I should have run away from this collaboration right from the start….

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