Basement-Dwelling Loser VTuber

The start of October has sneaked upon us.

Tateyama has been sending tons of pictures on LINE, saying the cool autumn breeze makes her feel good.

I definitely like the autumn breeze too.

For someone like me who gets affected by both heat and cold, that breeze is really refreshing.

But since I don’t particularly like going outside, I hardly get to enjoy the autumn breeze at all.

Now that I’ve returned to Star’s Flow, October means a bunch of events celebrating the debut anniversaries of the first-generation seniors, which means I’ll be going out quite often.

I’ve already been invited to a live performance by Senior Yuzuki and Senior Namikawa.

Can you believe it? Going out twice in a month! At this rate, I might just become a good member of society…!

[No. Absolutely not.]

Eh.

“Well, I mean, even though I’m saying twice, I have other outings for work projects too…”

[That’s true, but don’t you think you need a little break? We work from home most of the time, and if we’re going out for work, it’s going to be super exhausting.]

…Is that so?

I spend my time at home drawing, gaming, and reading manga, so I’ve never really thought about it like that.

Honestly, unlike the training and projects at the company, I think broadcasting is a break for me.

“Ah, it’s not like I don’t feel responsible while I’m broadcasting?! It’s just that it’s that fun…”

[Suzu hasn’t said anything yet, Izumi.]

[Now Izumi is taking the lead…?]

[I don’t even get why that came up suddenly~.]

“Well, I can kind of read Suzuha’s thoughts a bit now…”

[Um. I wasn’t even thinking about anything just now?]

Huh?

“…Uh, anyway! It’s not like I have any particular reason to go out… I haven’t really been stressed or had anything going on lately.”

[Well, if that’s the case, that’s a relief.]

[But Izumi thinks you don’t go out enough…!]

[Yeah. That’s definitely true! Even when someone invites you out, you always come up with excuses to bail!]

“But that, that’s true, right? Going out means I have to meet people…”

I’m actually surprised that other people can handle such terrifying things without a care.

[Of course it’s normal?! Don’t say it like it’s weird!]

[Izumi has a tendency to be a recluse…]

[Hasn’t it gotten worse over the last three years?]

“I figured it out over those three years… Y-yeah, life is truly best at home…”

[Please don’t say it like it’s some profound realization…]

While working part-time at a convenience store and restaurant, I figured that out once.

After making a re-debut, I realized it again on a much larger scale.

Being a VTuber who spends most days working from home really suits me…

“Anyway, going outside means I have to meet strangers…”

[Can you even call that meeting someone? It’s just passing by.]

“Those brief encounters can change your destiny, you know…”

What if the stranger I passed by was a legendary mafia from the backworld?

What if I picked up an item they accidentally dropped, and it contained top-secret information?

I couldn’t predict what would happen after that.

But if I didn’t even go out to meet people, such incidents wouldn’t happen…!

[No way. There’s no chance of that happening.]

[What a firm belief you have…!]

“If Yukari tries, she could become just like me…”

[No. I absolutely don’t want to.]

“Eh.”

And the day after that conversation…

[Aki Nekoto: There’s a festival happening around my house at the shrine.]

[Aki Nekoto: Let’s go together, Izumi.]

“…Eh?”

That proposal had come from Nekoto.

★

Of course, I wanted to refuse.

Going to a festival packed with a massive crowd?

No way. I wanted to refuse no matter what.

[Aki Nekoto: If you refuse, I’ll have to use my last resort.]

[Kainoh Izumi: What’s that?]

[Aki Nekoto: I’m not telling you. If I do, you’ll find a way to escape.]

…That’s definitely true.

But what could that last resort possibly be?

I couldn’t figure it out even after several minutes of pondering.

But the pressure from that threat was quite substantial.

[Kainoh Izumi: Fine, I’ll accept it….]

In the end, I had no choice but to accept the proposal.

★

“Hehe…”

At dinner time, Nekoto… Ruka, who usually doesn’t express much emotion, was giggling while eating.

“Is something fun happening, Onee-chan?”

And the younger sister, Haruna, tilted her head, commenting on how rare this was.

“Ah… I’m going to the festival with Izumi this Saturday.”

“Eh? With Izumi? Really?”

“Yup.”

Haruna already knew how much Ruka liked Izumi.

When Ruka got absorbed in a game, she didn’t care about the eyes of those around her.

Izumi was one of the few members of Star’s Flow who could keep up with Ruka’s gaming stamina.

Hence, Ruka genuinely felt down for a while after Izumi graduated.

“Are you two going alone?”

“At first, that was the plan, but somehow, more people ended up joining us.”

The other members joining were Ayaka and Aoba, so five of us would go to the festival together.

In truth, Nekoto had wanted to go on a date with Izumi, but she overheard Ayaka and Aoba were also planning to go, and it turned into a group outing.

‘How about joining us?!’

Izumi suggested joining after hearing that.

With the assurance that having familiar faces helps relax at an event like a festival crowded with strangers, Ruka had no choice but to nod along.

Moreover, Iro must have heard about it too and joined in the plan.

Thus, the festival gathering of five was completed.

Later, other members who heard about it expressed their wish to join, but it was dismissed for the reason that having too large a group would draw attention.

“I want to go too~.”

“…Haruna, do you want to join?”

Haruna wasn’t a talent within Star’s Flow nor a well-known influencer.

So Ruka thought having her there wouldn’t be a big deal for this festival.

“No, it’s okay. It feels weird for me to crash a gathering with company members.”

“Is that so….”

However, Haruna gently refused, smiling and wishing for them to have fun together.

“Thanks, Haru.”

Feeling grateful for the consideration, Ruka slowly patted Haruna’s head.

“Ow, come on! I’m an adult now!”

“Yeah, but Haru is still my little sister.”

“Aah…”

At those words, Haruna quietly lowered her head, her face flushed.

The Hagiwara sisters were still in great harmony today.

★

Eventually, the day arrived.

The day of the autumn festival being held at the shrine near Nekoto’s house…

I had been praying my whole life that this day wouldn’t come, but was the god possibly dead?

“How unfortunate. I wanted to go too…”

And now, I was at Kurokami’s house.

Since I didn’t have a yukata to wear for the festival, I was contemplating whether I should buy one, when Kurokami contacted me, saying she’d lend me her yukata if I came by.

I had intended to refuse, but the subtle pressure not to decline was impossible to resist.

“This looks good on you too. Phew…. No matter what Izumi wears, it suits her, so it’s actually hard to choose.”

“Hehe…”

“But…”

While Kurokami was tying the obi of the yukata from behind.

“It didn’t really show when wearing a kimono, but….”

“Wha?!”

“The yukata really stands out.”

She said that while subtly lifting my chest from below.

“Sure has grown since we first met, hasn’t it?”

“S-Senpai?! T-That’s true, but….”

“Not like you’re bulking up elsewhere, and besides, it looks good, so it’s all good.”

“Uwah?! P-Please stop…”

“Izumi’s chest is nice and soft while touching it, making me feel at ease.”

“K-Kurokami-senpai also has… plenty yourself….”

“That’s different. Besides, you’re bigger than I am.”

“P-Please stop…!”

“Hehehe…”

And so, our conversation, which made no sense whatsoever, came to a halt.

“Ahem…”

Thanks to Yurie’s awkward cough.

★

Star’s Flow, 4th-generation member, leader of Phantasm, Iro Hibana.

Her real name is Iguchi Midori (井口水鳥).

Today, she was filled with immense anticipation for the festival where five members of Star’s Flow would gather.

Her ultimate favorite…

Today was finally the day she would meet Izumi in real life.

“I wonder what kind of person she’ll be… so excited…”

“A super cute person…?”

“This is the fifth time you’re asking that, Midori.”

“Yeah! I’m sure she’ll be so cute that I’ll faint!”

Izumi. Ayaka. Nekoto. Aoba. Iro.

The location where the five were to meet was the café in front of Nekoto’s house.

The other four had already gathered and were engaging in various idle chatter.

Izumi wasn’t late; it was just that Hikari had decided to inform her of the meeting time one hour later.

Initially, the other four were going to complain about seniority abuse, but…

[Don’t you all want to see how perfectly a yukata would suit Izumi?]

After hearing that, everyone nodded eagerly.

Before we knew it, it was the appointed time.

Finally, with a squeak, the café door opened.

And then.

“Ah, hello! Hehe…”

Seeing Izumi dressed in a yukata…

“…That was delicious.”

Iro quietly collapsed onto the table after expressing her gratitude.

“Midori?!”

“She’s d-dead….”

“Eh…?”

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