NOVEL NEXT Chapter 348
“Wait, wait, wait….”
Is this a joke?
I woke up, and Christmas is already over?
This doesn’t make any sense.
[December 26th, 1:32 AM]
Thinking this, as I glanced at the clock on the wall, the harsh reality greeted me.
Why?
Just in case, I had even set an alarm for around 11 AM….
‘Izumi-senpai, it seems your phone is completely dead, so I charged it for you. I tried to check if someone called, but it shut off immediately.’
Ah, right.
I completely forgot to leave my phone on before sleeping…!
“Ah….”
For now… let’s stay calm.
Yeah. There’s nothing good about panicking.
First of all, the community must be in chaos, right?
I had certainly scheduled a broadcast for Christmas, and now it had passed without a word.
There’s no need to explain how big of a scandal this is.
They must be talking about how I have a boyfriend and stuff.
Even though it’s an unfair accusation, I can’t say much since I put myself in this situation….
So what am I supposed to do now?
Of course, it’s the clarification broadcast.
I drank with Kaguya last night until the early morning and fell asleep, only to wake up now to find Christmas gone… I have no choice but to be honest.
To be honest, I hardly remember what happened yesterday, but it’s certain that we fell asleep after drinking together.
“K-Kaguya, get up….”
For now, I wake Kaguya, who is still sleeping beside me….
“Kaguya… we have to wake up.”
“…Hmm? Izumi-senpai? What’s up?”
“…Christmas is already over.”
“…Huh?”
“While we were asleep… Christmas has ended.”
At my words, Kaguya unfurled and suddenly sat up, looking at the clock on the wall.
“…We messed up.”
★
As I turned on my freshly charged phone… a ridiculous amount of LINE and Discord DM notifications welcomed me.
“I-I’m so sorry….”
[Haa…. In that case, it can’t be helped. So are you with Aoba right now?]
“Yeah. For now, I plan to start a broadcast for clarification with….”
The first thing I did was contact our manager.
Even though it’s the middle of the night, it’s an urgent situation, and the manager had contacted me just about 5 minutes ago.
“Is that okay…?”
After doing some ego-surfing, as expected, the haters and the community were already ablaze.
Even though it’s the wee hours, it seemed they weren’t going to calm down.
If I start a broadcast now, would everyone just go more insane?
Maybe it’s better to wait until things die down a bit….
[I think it’s better to go live and clarify quickly. If we drag it out, more people will start believing the ridiculous rumors that are spreading. Once an image like that forms, it becomes troublesome, so it’s better to clarify it beforehand.]
“Hmm….”
That’s definitely true.
Though taking a hit for something that’s factually correct is fine, being slandered for a boyfriend I don’t even have is rage-inducing…
[It’s late, so there probably won’t be many fans watching like during our regular broadcasts, but clarifying is what’s important.]
“…Ah, understood. Then I’ll start the broadcast with Kaguya at 2:30….”
[Yes. I’ll monitor, so if any problems arise during the broadcast, contact me right away.]
“Yeah….”
With that last word, I hung up the call with the manager and looked at Kaguya beside me.
Right now, Kaguya is…
“I’m such a mess…. What have I done? I should have not put up some stupid pride when the manager contacted me….”
She seemed a bit out of it.
Did Kaguya prepare something special for Christmas too?
If that’s the case, I feel really bad.
It was because of me that Kaguya ended up drinking.
…But for now, the priority is to resolve this incident.
So first, let’s start the clarification broadcast, and apologizing to Kaguya can be done later.
“K-Kaguya, I think it’s better to start the broadcast now….”
“Izumi-senpai…?”
“Even though we messed up big time… if we turn our eyes away, we’ll just end up hurting everyone in Izutomo and Kaguya’s crew….”
With my words, Kaguya lowered her head.
“…Yeah. That’s right. For the sake of the Izutomo who I’ve hurt….”
Huh?
Isn’t it more accurate to say that Kaguya hurt Kaguya Crew?
…She must be going through a lot mentally.
Well, that can’t be helped.
As a senior, I need to show that I can be reliable!
★
[【Apology Broadcast】I’m really sorry, everyone… #KainohIzumi #StarsFlow]
– Why did you show up now?
– Did something happen?
– My trust is shattered.
– The Christmas broadcast is way too late.
– Did you have a blast with your boyfriend?
The chatroom was, as expected, ablaze with messages.
It’s unavoidable, but still… my heart hurts a little.
But Izutomo must have had it worse.
As a fellow unicorn, I can understand. Yup.
So right now, what I need to do is reassure them completely.
“K-Kaguya, let’s start soon….”
“…Okay.”
With a click, Kaguya pressed the button to unmute.
The usual opening that signals the start of a broadcast, and even the regular screen that follows it, didn’t show up.
Staring at the empty black screen… I slowly opened my mouth.
“Everyone, it’s Izumi…!”
– Hi Izumi!
– Did you have fun with your boyfriend?
– Betrayed.
Some Izutomo greeted me normally, but most were showing sharp reactions.
But I can’t be cowed.
Of course, it’s true that I said I’d do a Christmas broadcast but didn’t follow through.
I’m aware of that.
But I’m not sorry for the insinuation that I was hanging out with a boyfriend.
Because I don’t have a boyfriend, and I’m not planning to get one!
Yeah. I’m proud of that.
“Hm. First, let’s get to the point. I’m truly sorry for not being able to do yesterday’s… Christmas broadcast.”
– If you know you did wrong, you should just not do it next time, right?
– Mei-chan is a girl, so it can’t be helped, lol.
– It’s natural for girls not to beat guys.
– If you had a good time with your boyfriend, that’s okay.
Some Izutomo said it was fine after my apology, but of course, most of the chat was mocking and teasing me.
“Um… I think everyone must have a lot of questions….”
This is where the battle begins.
I can’t afford to let the discussion drag on and give them time to post such comments.
I have to speak firmly. I need to make sure they can’t even think of such ideas afterward.
“Everyone! Let me make one thing clear…!!!”
– ?
– Is she going to declare she has a boyfriend?
But as someone who inherently has communication impairment, it’s hard for me to speak up in such situations.
“….”
But… Kaguya is watching me from behind!
Yeah. I have to show a cool senior side during such times…!
“I-I did not miss the broadcast because I was hanging out with a boyfriend… or anything like that!”
– Huh?
– Going for a frontal assault?
“Because… because…! I was drinking with Kaguya all night yesterday, and we ended up sleeping together…! I woke up not even an hour ago!”
– Huh?
– What?
– Koga Suzuha
: …Huh? Drinking?
– chuckles
– Suzuha-chan, lol.
…Huh?
Did I just see an incredibly scary chat message…?
M-Must be my imagination, right?
Yeah. Definitely.
So I need to keep going with the broadcast….
“R-Right, Kaguya…?”
“…Yeah. Izumi-senpai and I drank late into the night and fell asleep, just waking up now.”
– Huh?
– Really???
– So Mei-chan is still at Aoi-chan’s house?
“Y-Yup. I’m still at Kaguya’s house right now….”
With those words, all at once:
– Aoi-izu, hehehe.
– I always believed in you, Mei-chan!!!
– Initially, it would be absurd for Mei-chan to go out with a guy.
The public opinion flipped in an instant and turned into a festival.
Of course, there were still some malicious comments about me taking a taxi to Kaguya’s house after hanging out and using that as an excuse for clarification, but those guys would have slandered me regardless of any evidence, so I won’t let it bother me.
“Anyway, I genuinely apologize for not being able to do the Christmas broadcast…. But it’s not like anything special happened; I just got drunk with Kaguya and fell asleep, waking only now…. So that’s why I couldn’t write anything on Nayta either….”
…Huh?
But now that I think about it, isn’t saying I couldn’t do the broadcast because I was drinking and sleeping worse than having a special reason?
– Mei-chan is the best!
– Aoi-izu… I’m about to faint from your nobility.
…Or maybe not?
Well, if everyone is okay with it, then it should be fine…?
★
“Haah….”
An hour passed since the apology and clarification broadcast began.
Since I woke up not long ago, I thought about continuing the broadcast a little longer, but Kaguya suggested we wrap it up since it’s getting too late.
“F-For now, I’ll return home during the day and go live again….”
– Bye Izumi!
– If you’re tired, it’s okay to rest well.
“…Um.”
Of course, when I return home today, I plan to go live again to apologize once more.
Whatever happens, it’s a fact that I skipped the Christmas broadcast and betrayed Izutomo’s expectations.
But just leaving it like this makes me feel incredibly guilty. Is there nothing I can do?
That thought began to arise.
I remember one thing, but it’s too embarrassing.
…No.
It’s my fault, so even if it’s embarrassing, I have to do it. Yup.
Having settled this thought, I quietly opened my mouth.
“Thank you for believing in me, everyone. Onii-chan, Onee-chan… I really love you…!”
After ending the broadcast…
“…”
“Uwaaaah!!! D-Don’t look at me like that…!!!”
“No, no! You were really cute, Izumi-senpai… Yeah….”
I screamed in despair under Kaguya’s somewhat strange gaze.
★
[Virtual YouTuber Minor Gallery]
[Title: I told you so, idiots]
[Posted by: I love Mei-chan]
(Izumi’s clarification.mp4)
[As you all know, there was an incident on Christmas Eve…?]
[D-Don’t talk about it! Just know it happened….]
[Anyway, because of that, my mental state slipped a bit, and I ended up drinking with Kaguya.]
[Did you say you drank a whopping six cans of fruit beer…?]
[To be honest, I don’t remember anything from the middle… but I think we drank almost until morning and then fell asleep, right Kaguya?]
[If I recall correctly, Izumi-senpai kept drinking until around 4 AM.]
[Yeah. We fell asleep like that and woke up around 1 AM….]
You all couldn’t do the broadcast because of that damn photo you took.
Damn my Christmas.
[Recommended: 62 / Not Recommended: 0]
ㅇㅇ: Do you believe that excuse?
└I love Mei-chan: It’s not an excuse; it’s a fact.
uwu: I guess you really hate being filmed for the camcorder.
└I love Mei-chan: She said it was her principle as a VTuber.
악의총수아오쨩: Still, thanks to that, I got to hear some super sweet behind-the-scenes stories about Aoi-izu, so I’m satisfied.
오야붕
: But, how much alcohol is six cans of fruit beer even? lol.
└오야붕: Is your drink capacity really that low? How typical of our nerd.
└I love Mei-chan: That makes it cute.
└오야붕: Agreed.
[Title: ??? What was that?]
[Posted by: Mizukiri Mei-chan]
Did I hear incorrectly?
(Izumi Onii-chan Onee-chan.mp4)
Nope…
[Recommended: 49 / Not Recommended: 1]
ㅇㅇ: Crazy girl crazy girl crazy girl crazy girl crazy girl crazy girl crazy girl crazy girl crazy girl crazy girl crazy girl.
메이쨩사랑해: I love Mei-chan I love Mei-chan I love Mei-chan I love Mei-chan I love Mei-chan I love Mei-chan.
ㅇㅇ: Today is that day damn.
MTP: She literally became an all-out girl, that crazy girl…
uwu: I got up as soon as I heard that. Is that normal?
두덕리온라인
: Seriously, why not do ASMR with that voice?
└ㅇㅇ: For real, that would be an awesome membership content.
[Title: Gallery Master.jpg]
[Posted by: Current JK]
(Izumi heart brainwashing illustration.jpg)
[Recommended: 35 / Not Recommended: 5]
ㅇㅇ: Why Mei-chan is a disaster.
└ㅇㅇ: Because she’s cuter than a disaster level.
ㅇㅇ: Still many fools who get heads broken because of such stuff.
└ㅇㅇ: You’re telling me, with that pathetic excuse, you’re out of your mind?
오야붕: I’ll skip Jduck Pick; Mei-chan is genuinely cute.
└Maker: For real.
└ㅇㅇ: I should subscribe.
└MTP: Better become a member.
└이즈토모: She should be gallery chief now.
└두덕리온라인: So that’s how Izumi became the gallery chief of Bug Gallery.
└ㅇㅇ: (Mei-chan brainwashed content)
└리구르패: Both Jduck and Pduck are out of their minds, lol.
★
“…Izumi?”
“Y-Yes….”
“Didn’t I tell you? If you want to drink, you should come and talk to me.”
“B-But… I’m an adult too…! I can handle it…!”
“Oh my. So you’re saying what you did was right? …Well, I’m not saying you must include me. As I said, you’re technically an adult too. But couldn’t you at least tell the person who’s worried? Was that such a difficult request?”
“I-I’m so sorry….”
“Alright. Then let’s raise our hands and reflect from there.”
“Yes….”
“Izumi-senpai, hang in there….”
“Why are you saying it like you’re someone else, Aoba?”
“…Huh?”
“You clearly told me that when I reached out yesterday, you said Izumi fell asleep….”
“Th-That’s….”
“Is there something you want to add?”
“…Should I raise my hands and reflect too?”
“Yep. Ah, no. You can stay where you are.”
“Okay. Understood….”