Ch.15 Collab Stream : "About the Other Day ~Atonement~" ②
"Well, the reason we are here today is, well... it's about what happened the other day."
Ouka spoke up, her cheeks still slightly flushed.
"Actually, I and Alphe-"
"Ahem!"
You idiot! You can't call me Alpheria anymore!
The important thing is to cover up the fact that she called me "Aria" the other day.
Aria is my pet name. We have to go by that.
" ! Aria and I live in the same house, but I was originally planning to tell you at the right time, so I would like to apologize for revealing it like this. I'm sorry."
It's a bit too casual to be called an apology, but it's just a pose, so it's fine.
It's not really a serious mistake in the first place.
The appropriate timing is just a pretense.
"I can't go into too many details, but she helped me out when I was having trouble finding a place to live. That's why I did Ouka's makeup and why I call her by her first name even though she's my senior."
Makeup here means an update to your avatar.
It may seem a little late, but it's weird for Vtubers to call their own bodies avatars.
Judging from the flow of comments, it seems that the listeners have figured it out too. What a relief.
"So please stop making weird assumptions about the fact that I put makeup on Ouka first. The internet is a place where misinformation can spread afterall."
: Oke
: Sure
: As a member of the Yotsuba-gumi, I'm very happy about this.
: But I'd like to see all the members of Autumn, Summer, Spring and Winter get a makeup too.
Kusunoki Momiji : Stare~
Kikyo Natsukawa : Stare~
Yukino Suisen : ＜●＞＜●＞
: Ah, is one of them a horror?
"Ahaha~, I'd love to do makeup for everyone too, but there's just too much to do. I'd be more than happy to help out if it's a prize for winning some kind of tournament, so just let me know when that happens. Anyways, today we're-"
Thus, the attention went back to Ouka.
"Fuguu", she cried.
"Our current topic is about Ouka's atonement stream for her careless behavior during the C incident. In short, it's a punishment stream."
: Woohooooo!
: Here comes the punishment game!
: It has to be a live stream of the super spicy Peyo〇g mukbang!
: Please play Yakyuken. Of course, until the last piece! (TL note: Yakyuken is just rock paper scissors but you have to remove a piece of clothing if you lose)
: What a genius
: You'll just get banned.
: Oh, it got deleted by the moderators.
: No way, I'm going to be erased...!?
: No, Who are you?
"Super spicy peyo○g, huh. I proposed it too, but it was rejected instantly. So, this time's punishment game stream is this!"
When I held up my hand, a text message appeared along with a sound effect "Deden!"
"It's called 'Ouka's Full Power Singing Stream'~! Clap, clap, clap~!"
: Seriously?!
: The same Ouka who has refused to sing with all her might up until now?!
: Wow, seriously. Seriously!
: I've always wanted to hear you sing, Sakutan!
By the way, Sakutan is a nickname for Ouka, taken from the kanji of sakura in her name.
"Fugu, my stomach. Maybe I should just-"
"No way. I won't let you get away. You made that decision yourself."
"But, but"
"Do you want to be scolded by Gekioko Stick Final Reality Punpun CEO?"
"Th- that's a prehistoric meme."
"Oof!"
That just dealt 300 billion damage to me!
: Gekioko... What?
: It's the final evolution of Gekioko Punpunmaru. It should be "Dream" Instead of CEO at the end though.
: Never heard that.
: That's a meme from decades ago.
: Alphery is a reincarnated person, afterall.
: Yes, I'm sure in her first life that was in the height of popularity.
: Oh, so that’s the setting.
: Don't call it a setting.
That's right! It's not just a fiction, it's true!
They are not helping me at all though!
"We- well, leaving me aside, why did you decide to do a singing stream in the first place? You've always just ignored this kind of topic."
"Um, well..."
"Yeah?"
At times like these, the important thing is to keep a calm face and wait.
"Um, well."
"Yeah?"
"So, that."
"Yeah?"
"Umm, and also..."
"Yeah?"
The important thing is to wait calmly...!
"………………You won't laugh?"
"Yeah, I won't laugh. If I laugh, I'll give you a kiss."
"Ki... I don't want it!"
Ouka roared, her face bright red.
"Just kidding. But that made you feel a bit better, right?."
"Hmm, that's true..."
"So tell me now why you decided to do a singing stream."
Then, Ouka spoke in a voice so faint it seemed as if it might be drowned out at any moment.
"…………Um, I think it's amazing."
"Yeah?"
"...Aria's first live stream. Your singing was amazing, your dancing was amazing, you're sparkling and shining, it was really, really amazing."
ーOh my.
After struggling for words, what finally came out was this simple and honest admiration.
But that's exactly the reason Sakura's feelings got conveyed properly.
"Until now, I've never been interested in singing... No, I was scared. I'm sure that I would never be able to recover if someone told me I was bad at it... And I'm not good at trying hard... So, even when everyone invited me, I always ran away..."
Ouka slowly and steadily describes her feelings.
As if to repent her sins.
But there seemed to be a faint, flickering hope residing there.
“But when I saw Aria’s stream… I was really moved… you're really, really amazing, so I admired you… I thought, I want to be like you too. Then, I thought everyone in the Yotsuba-gumi would be happy…”
"―I see."
I responded calmly.
So that's why we've gotten closer since that first broadcast.
Well, that's also one of Ouka's best quality.
If you don't communicate properly every day, your friendship level will quickly decrease.
I glance at the comments section.
I think they will find that resonating with them more.
: Sakutan, what a girl...!
: She's trying her best for us.
: Huh? My eyes are sweating.
: ~There's no way my oshi could be this cute and adorable~
: I wuv you
Kusunoki Momiji : I know what you mean.
Natsukawa Kikyo : Honestly, I don't think there's a girl who doesn't admire that.
Yukino Suisen : I want to fly in the sky.
I look at my niece and thought, "You sure are loved."
Then Ouka became flustered and panicked,
"I-I-I-, I'm sorry!"
"? Why are you apologizing?"
"B-but... I-I want to be like Aria, but it's way too early for me to say that, and then when I'm reincarnated, won't I end up being a bit of a brat?"
What did she think I am, this girl?
"That wouldn't happen."
"A- Am i being presumptuous?"
"Not at all. On the contrary, Valkyrie is the one who gets strength from such admirations."
How do i say this, she's a kid you just can't leave alone.
"So that's why you decided to do a singing stream."
"Yeah... If I don't force myself to create an opportunity like this, I'll just end up putting it off. I have to do what I want to do."
Do what you want to do.
It's easy to say, but for someone like Ouka who lacks confidence, she tends to act with a lack of sense of security, thinking "I'm not good enough."
So instead of "doing what I want to do," It's "I have to do what I want to do."
So there's a perspective like that, huh.
"Okay, I've decided!"
"Eh?"
Sakura was confused when I suddenly said that and clapped my hands.
“You’ve come this far and taken a step forward. It would be a shame to end it today. So——when you’ve improved enough, let's hold a singing concert.”
"Eh... a concert?"
"Yeah!"
“―――――――”
Pop, pop, pop...chink.
"Nonononono, it's impossible!"
I think I heard the same thing a while ago.
"Don't worry. I'll help you."
"What's impossible is impossible! T- there's no way someone like me would do something like that out of nowhere!"
"I told you it's once you've improved. And everyone in Yotsuba-gumi wants to see it too, right?"
: I want to see it!
: I want to see it!
: Sakutan, show us your shining side!
: The Sakutan who could only act in front of us is now making a concert...
: I'll probably cry so I should bring a handkerchief.
"See?"
"Fu- fuguu... everyone..."
I take Ouka's hand and squeeze it.
"There's no need to rush. Just walk at your own pace. Whether you can or can't is irrelevant. I, the person you admire, was also a shitty slug at first."
"A- Aria is...?"
"But, you were so..." she said before i answered with a wry smile.
"In my first life, I was only a listener. I had a hard time singing in front of people."
By the way, the audience at our first concert was less than ten people.
It was just a complete mess, and at one point they turned around and left in the middle of the concert with a sigh.
It was really awful so I can't help it.
That being said, as soon as we started to become well-known, when I saw them acting like a veteran, I naturally went and punched them.
I remembered you muttering that it was a waste of time!
Well, this is only going to scare Ouka, so I'll just keep it to myself.
"Someone once told me about it."
ーSinging is a connection between hearts.
ーConvey the feelings inside you to your friends and your fans.
ーIf you do that, everyone who receives your feelings will surely respond in kind.
"The important thing is to convey your heart, not to sing well. Put your heart into the song for the people you want to reach. Your fans will definitely receive it."
Using those words as our strength, we have become top idols.
I'm not saying he didn't have talent.
It's not comforting coming from a successful person and may even be perceived as an insult.
However, I believe I have put in enough effort to get closer to that talent down to 1%.
Still, there are plenty of singers who are better than me.
Still, there are dancers who are better than me.
Because they are the true artist
They have absolute confidence in their own skills and is the brightest star, shining brightly all by themself.
There is no way that idols can compare to the masterpieces of great people who dedicated their lives to mastering just one thing.
Nevertheless, idols can hold onto their popularity because they shine together with their fans.
The crystals born from resonating with their fans sometimes become gemstones that surpass even the first star.
This is absolutely what Ouka needs right now.
"There are no enemies here for Ouka. So, what do you want to do? It's up to you to decide."
"…………I, I――"
ーAnd so, Ouka's first live concert was...
"Yeah, it's a bit tricky!!"
"It's tough!"
"Gabin!" Ouka bursts into tears.
: lol.
: after she said all that.
: Well, it was her first time. I guess it's no wonder she couldn't speak at all.
: There's still more to come
"That's right. There's still plenty of room for improvement, so don't worry. I'll make sure it's going to be the best concert ever."
"ーYes!"
That was the answer Ouka gave.
Pet pet.
…Yeah, I think i should give a surprise to reward this girl.