[【Off Collaboration】I’ve heard that having a takoyaki party is the best way to get close! #IzumiKainoh#SuzuhaKoga#TsukasaTsurusaki#KaguyaAoba#StarsFlow]
-─(≧▽≦)>Zumi Zumi!
-Wait! メ
-─(≧▽≦)>Zumi Zumi!
-Sora Hora!
-Glory to Atlantis!
Even though I woke up late from sleeping, I had finished preparing everything before everyone arrived, so it didn’t take long to get ready for the broadcast.
Tsukasa and Kaguya seemed impressed by such thorough preparation and complimented me, while Suzuha gave me a thumbs up.
“Hehehe…”
Could this also be proof that I’ve grown?
I’m getting a bit scared of how perfect I’m becoming….
“Shall we get started?”
“Ah, yes….”
Time had already turned to 8 PM, just as Suzuha suggested.
To prevent any sleepy voice from coming out, I took a final deep breath and switched the broadcast screen, greeting everyone as energetically as possible.
“Kon Zumi…! The mood maker, Izumi Kainoh…! Today we have, as announced, an off collaboration!”
-Hi Izumi!
-Your voice is too quiet.
“Ah, too quiet…? S-sorry. I’ll turn it up right away, so please wait…”
Responding to the requests in the chatroom, I quickly adjusted the microphone’s amplification settings and opened my mouth again.
“Is this enough, um, okay?”
-OK
-I can hear you well.
“I’m glad…. Uh, anyway! Today’s guests are Suzuha, Kaguya, and Tsukasa! We’re all going to have a takoyaki party…! So, Suzuha, please introduce yourself first…”
“Suzuha here~. The angel who wants to be praised by everyone, Suzuha Koga! I’m so excited to have this takoyaki party together. Nice to meet you!”
-Suzuha!
-So is Suzuha the one keeping things stable today?
-This combination of four feels somehow fresh.
“Then next, K-Kaguya….”
As I signaled, Kaguya put her hand on her chest to catch her breath and smiled widely as she said,
“O children of utopia! I am Kaguya Aoba, the head of Atlas! Applaud for me!”
-Yes, Lord!
-YL!
-You seem lower energy than usual, don’t you?
“Hah?! I’m just as energetic as always! Are you implying that I, the head of Atlas, am nervous? That’s just a ridiculous story!”
I was worried because she looked tense all this time, but thankfully, Kaguya finished her introduction without any mishaps.
After all, Kaguya has more broadcasting experience than I do, including her previous life.
No way anything would go wrong, even if she was tense.
…But wait, didn’t something feel a bit off just now?
“…Ah. K-Kaguya, where did ‘this body’ go?”
-Ah, YABE
-Are you directly pointing that out?!
As far as I remember, Kaguya used “this body” (吾輩) for her first-person pronoun just like Yukari.
But for some reason, she’s using “I” (僕) now….
“Ah, that’s….”
“Since it happened last Friday, Izumi might not know.”
In response to my question, Kaguya suddenly looked embarrassed and glanced down, while Suzuha and Tsukasa smiled.
…What on earth happened?
“I-I lost….”
“Eh?”
“I-I fought Yukari-senpai in a ‘this body competition’, and I completely lost….”
-Hahaha
-That was pretty humiliating until the very end, Aoba-chan…
“D-don’t call me Aoba-chan! Only seniors can call me that! You must respectfully call me ‘Aoba-sama’!”
Kaguya flared up as the chatroom began to bloom with greenery.
…Okay, I’m starting to understand.
Up until now, only Yukari from Stars Flow used “this body” as her first-person pronoun, but now Kaguya has followed suit.
For a VTuber, having a unique first-person pronoun could be a defining characteristic.
It could be a pretty important issue.
So they ended up having a ‘this body competition’ over the first-person pronoun, and Kaguya lost, is that it….
“…I’m curious, but who initiated the duel first?”
“….”
“Is that what happened….”
In response to my question, Kaguya turned her gaze away without saying anything.
I see. Did she boldly challenge “this body competition” only to lose in the end?
That’s got to be embarrassing to hear.
“Moreover, it didn’t end simply with just losing.”
“Eh?”
“Afterwards, I argued that Yukari-senpai’s ‘this body’ and my ‘this body’ are used differently….”
“At least I acknowledged it in the end, so it’s fine!”
…Wow.
I have so much I want to say but should probably hold back.
…No, I shouldn’t be holding back. Shouldn’t I instead support Kaguya in this situation?
I am the senior, and Kaguya is my junior, so I need to show my senior face like a proper senior…!
“It’s okay, Kaguya!”
“…Eh?”
“There are times when people shouldn’t back down… times when we must hold onto our last bit of pride…! Your ‘this body’ is surely that, right…?”
“…Right! Izumi-senpai is right! My ‘this body’ was something I couldn’t give up on…! I’ll definitely reclaim it someday!”
-Nah, that’s totally out of reach.
-Aoba-chan is sooo lame…
“Don’t be ridiculous! You guys! And don’t call me Aoba-chan!”
-Yukari Akabane☑: No, I’m absolutely not giving it back, so you know.
“Ah, Yukari! Hello.”
“Eek?”
★
After Kaguya’s declaration to reclaim her ‘this body’, things calmed down, and only after Tsukasa’s introduction did we finally start the takoyaki party.
After greasing the takoyaki machine, we add the batter and prepared ingredients like octopus.
Once one side of the batter is cooked, we flip it and sprinkle bonito flakes and sauce on top to finish.
All that’s left is to wait for the batter to finish cooking.
“That reminds me, I have a question…”
While watching the takoyaki cook, Suzuha suddenly brought up a topic.
“Is it okay for Aoba to be here right now?”
“…Eh? Suzuha-senpai, what do you mean?”
“K-Koga?!”
That statement could lead to a major disaster if it spreads incorrectly?!
-?
-Suzuha?
-That sounds like a very dangerous statement.
“I meant, isn’t Tsukasa’s goal to cause an uprising and hand over Atlas to Izumi? If so, isn’t this place an enemy territory for Aoba?”
“…Eh?”
What? That’s still an active setting?
I glanced at Tsukasa, who grinned and nodded as if sharing my confusion.
-Now that I think about it, it does seem that way.
-A takoyaki party with enemies…
-At this rate, it wouldn’t be weird if I got eaten right now…
“Are you going to eat me, Tsukasa…?”
“Someday, yes?”
“Who do you think you are, a bodyguard!”
“Hiiing, Izumi-senpai… the head is bullying me…”
“Eek?!”
As I quietly watched the takoyaki cook, Tsukasa suddenly cuddled up to me.
Startled, I instinctively flinched, but Tsukasa smiled wider and lifted me up slightly, placing me on her lap.
It was a position similar to a back hug we did the last time during an off-collab.
“Uh, um, um, Tsukasa…?”
“If you’re uncomfortable, please let me know at any time!”
But I’m very uncomfortable right now, so I wish you’d return to your original position.
I wanted to say that right away, but Tsukasa looked so happy with her beaming smile that I couldn’t bring myself to speak.
-What’s going on?
-I just heard Mei-chan scream.
“Right now, Izumi-senpai is sitting on my lap.”
-Whoa.
-Izuka-sasa!
“Hmm… Tsukasa, Izumi looks pretty uncomfortable already, so shouldn’t you let her go?”
“Really? Are you uncomfortable, senpai?”
Suzuha chimed in to help, but Tsukasa only hugged me tighter as if insisting that I should speak up myself.
…Yeah, in the end, the ones who seize opportunities are not those who get help from others.
It’s someone who can overcome things on their own…!
“Uh, um! Tsukasa, this is going to be uncomfortable when I eat the takoyaki…!”
“…Got it.”
Luckily, when I said that, Tsukasa reluctantly let me go.
After all, she keeps her promises well.
Tsukasa is certainly a good person, despite being a bit odd.
I thought that as I shifted my gaze toward Kaguya.
-Lame head of the organization.
-Didn’t I pick the wrong bodyguard?
-I should properly show off my senior dignity.
“Right…. I won’t hand Atlas over to anyone…!”
Kaguya was still interacting with the chatroom regarding the earlier topic.
However, as if sensing my gaze, she turned to look at me and tilted her head.
“Izumi-senpai?”
“Ah, yeah…. Um… the weather is nice, huh?!”
-Ah.
-It’s already nighttime, Mei-chan…
★
“It’s okay, Kaguya!”
‘What’s up?’
“There are times when people shouldn’t back down… times when we must hold onto our last bit of pride…! Your ‘this body’ was surely that, right…?”
‘So kind. So nice. So cute. It feels healing. She seems as good as Sakuya. I want to become closer.’
“Ah, yeah…. Um… the weather is nice, huh?!”
‘…Oh. I see. Well, I guess the only conversation I can have with someone like me is about this. After all, we’re just coworkers in the end. Not even equals but juniors, aren’t we? Maybe it’s better for me to just disappear?’
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