NOVEL NEXT Chapter 99
[Ring Training: I’m going to work out with Izumi… #AkiNekoto#KainohIzumi#Star’sFlow#RingTraining]
Was I really this weak?
I thought this while lying flat on the ground.
“Whew… Haa… Ugh…”
Even though I wanted to catch my breath, my heart was racing so wildly I couldn’t help but feel restless.
I was so tired I thought I could fall asleep right there, yet paradoxically, because I was so tired, my mind was surprisingly clear.
It was still quite chilly outside, but my entire body was drenched in sweat.
“Izumi. It’s time for the next stage, so you need to get up…”
Aki looked perfectly fine, for some reason, without a hint of struggle.
She must have been doing a higher level of exercise than me, yet aside from a little sweat, she appeared just as composed as before the Ring Training began.
“C-can I take just a little more of a break…?”
“But you’ve already rested for two minutes…”
Aki has no understanding of people’s feelings…
Could it be that Aki is actually a robot?
It’s suspicious how naturally oblivious she is, and despite this intense workout, she seems completely unfazed.
Maybe she’s part of an AI conspiracy to dominate humanity…
“Now this is r-really too much…”
In the end, the Ring Training, which lasted a total of 1 hour and 21 minutes, ended with my declaration of surrender.
★
“Here’s some water, Izumi.”
“Th-thank you…”
As I took a sip of the water handed to me by Aki, I quietly shifted my gaze to the chatroom.
– You both worked hard.
– Seems like only one of you really suffered though.
– Ontube is definitely going to be really mad.
– Mei needs to apologize.
Fortunately, I had no feeling that anything problematic was going to happen.
Well, we just worked out, so that’s a given.
“Shall we chat a little before we wrap up…?”
“Y-yeah, let’s do that…”
There’s no way I could start another game in this exhausted state.
Of course, it’s not a problem for Aki, but I honestly just wanted to rest as I was too tired to even chat.
But still, I should finish things properly…
– Is this meeting because of the last BN?
“No, it’s not that. Of course, M-chan and Suzuha said it was really too much… But this meeting happened because Nekoto just wanted to hang out with Izumi…”
– Were you scolded? Haha.
– No doubt that was worth getting scolded…
“Yeah. So Nekoto properly apologized too.”
“To be honest, I don’t think I needed to be apologized to…”
Well, thanks to that, I was able to meet Aki, which might be a good thing after all.
I was worried that Aki, being a different type from my other coworkers, might cause me to make the same mistakes as before, but luckily that was not the case at all.
– By the way, when Mei gets flustered, her speech changes, right? How’s it like to see it from the side?
– Today, she suddenly switched from casual to formal speech in the middle of things.
– When she gets flustered, her usual habits pop out.
“Eh?”
“Yeah. Watching her is definitely cute.”
“N-no, I’m always the same?!”
“Denial of reality isn’t good, Izumi.”
H-has it really been that way?
I thought I always became the super social butterfly during broadcasts, casually talking to everyone without hesitation!
This can’t be! It’s the biggest shock I’ve had in a while.
I thought I had grown from many experiences, but it seems I still have a long way to go.
“Anyway, Izumi is cute. Both her personality and looks. Totally Nekoto’s type.”
“Wha?!”
– Nekoi
has come! ٩(^ᴗ^)۶“If this were a game, she’d definitely be the heroine that Nekoto would pursue first.”
“Th-those kinds of comments are a little dangerous…?!”
“But it’s the truth.”
I was taken aback by her nonchalant and straightforward compliments, but fortunately, the reactions in the chatroom were hot in a positive direction.
– As expected, Mei is an alluring woman, huh?
– No one can escape her charm.
Speaking of which, I wonder why people have been calling me an alluring woman lately? No matter how I look at it, isn’t that really Aki?
That last comment was basically an outright enticing line if you ask me.
And the fact that she said it without realizing it!
I, being who I am, would just be a typical extra type who’d be interested in someone like Aki if this were a manga.
Of course, given my character as a TS cute girl, that would probably never happen!
– What does the master think Mei’s charm is?
“What does Nekoto think Izumi’s charm is? Hmm…”
Aki mumbled that, turning her gaze to cover her mouth with her fingers, and looked at me with half-lidded, emotionless eyes.
It felt like she was probing deeply, sending chills down my spine, but I couldn’t run away from it.
“First, your personality is cute… And you’re small but big… Your body is soft…”
“W-wait a minute…?!”
I was flustered by her overly direct praise and tried to stop Aki.
– Nekoi, give it a break!
– Another prisoner has fallen for Mei!
– Small but big?!
Looking at the chatroom, I changed my thoughts.
When I think about it, the VTuber fans are crazy for business yuri.
Even if it’s not sincere, just the situation unfolding is immensely enjoyable for them.
Since Aki, who has a previous life, must naturally know this better than I do.
So I shouldn’t react too extravagantly here.
It would definitely change the atmosphere.
“H-ha-ha…”
– I envy Nekochan.
“Fufu… This is a privilege you can only enjoy because we are the same Star’s Flow members… Feel free to envy me.”
“Eek!”
But really touching is a bit much?!
“Now it’s time to wrap things up… Good night, everyone!”
“E-everyone, let’s meet again next time…”
– Sleep well…
– Bye, Izumi!
After finishing the broadcast, I looked at the clock on my computer, it was 5:40 PM.
It was undoubtedly less than a two-hour broadcast, but in terms of fatigue, it felt like I had been streaming for nearly five hours.
I wanted to make a vow never to do Ring Training again.
“Are you leaving now, Izumi?”
“Y-yeah, I should, right…?”
If I catch the subway right now, it’s going to be over 7 PM by the time I get home.
Of course, since mom is out on a business trip, there’s really no one home when I return, but I still thought maybe I should get home before nightfall.
“Why don’t we have dinner together before you go…?”
“…Huh? Ah, th-that…”
“I can cook well, so you can look forward to it.”
It was already decided I was eating here!?
“If there’s something you want to eat, don’t hesitate to tell me.”
“Th-th-that’s…”
Just then, as Aki was pushing me with her one-sided invitation…
“Onee-chan, I’m back.”
That voice was heard.
★
What in the world happened?
“Onee-chan! You’re in front of guests!”
“Izumi isn’t just a guest; she’s a ‘coworker,’ so it’s fine.”
“No matter how coolly you put it, it’s still rude!”
My plan was to return home as soon as the broadcast ended.
“Ahh, Izumi-chan, is that right?”
“Aah, y-yeah…”
“Our Luka… No, would it be easier for Izumi-chan to call you Nekoto?”
“Th-that’s… okay…”
Why am I still in Aki’s house?
Why am I having dinner with Aki’s family?
I can’t organize my thoughts in this empty head of mine.
“Fufu… Our Luka always said that she really liked her colleagues from work. So when I finally got to meet you, I understand why she said that!”
“U-um, Izumi. I’m really sorry if my sister is being a bother… Please take care of her.”
“Aah, I-I’m not at all. I’m the one who is always troubling…”
Aki‘s personality seems to take after her mother, as she was incredibly gentle and sweet.
However, Aki‘s younger sister had a personality that was completely the opposite, yet her looks were so similar to Aki that they could almost be considered twins, which felt a bit strange.
“Where’s your dad?”
“He said he might return around lunchtime tomorrow.”
Dinner consisted of Aki‘s homemade stir-fried pork with bean sprouts.
Could it be that her claim of being a good cook was not a lie? It was genuinely delicious.
The only issue was that I was too tense because of the surrounding situation to fully enjoy the flavor.
“Fufu. Our Luka has a bit of an absent-minded side, wouldn’t you say, Izumi?”
“Th-that’s true…?”
“So, she always thought it was normal to be alone, but now everyone at her job says they’re so nice to her. As her mother, I’m really pleased.”
“They’re very kind, and it’s fun every day, right?”
“Ahh, y-yes… T-they’re all really sweet people…”
“Especially since Izumi feels like an adorable little sister, I’m glad.”
“Yup. Izumi is cute.”
“…Sorry for not being a cute little sister!”
“Haruna is… a wonderful little sister.”
“Is that so?”
In the end, until the very last moment, I couldn’t really participate in the conversation.
At my current communication level, chatting with my coworkers’ families still seems impossible…
How did Akabane manage to talk naturally with her mother last time?
I couldn’t understand at all.
That said, Aki’s little sister is indeed quite the sis-con.
★
“Oh my, oh my. It’s getting quite late. How about sleeping over?”
“A-uh, but it would be an inconvenience…”
“It’s really fine. It’s rare for my sister to bring a friend home.”
And so…
“…I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine…”
I suddenly ended up having to sleep over at Aki’s house.
And I was sleeping in Aki‘s little sister, Haruna’s room.
No matter what, I said that it would be a bother to sleep in the living room, but Haruna insisted she hadn’t slept with her mother in a long time, so she generously gave up her bed.
Of course, my mom is currently away on a business trip and isn’t home, but just to make sure, I called her anyway.
[Have fun!]
…And so, right now, I found myself lying in bed with Aki, wearing pajamas she lent me.
The unexpected overnight stay was making me tense, and normally, I should be getting drowsy by now, but my mind was wide awake.
Aki was quietly staring at the ceiling without a word.
…What in the world happened?
While I was thinking about that,
“Izumi. I have a question, can I ask it?”
Aki turned her head toward me calmly and opened her mouth.
“U-um, yeah… It’s fine.”
And as I slowly nodded, Aki looked at me with an emotionless gaze and said,
“Why did you decide to become a VTuber?”