“Haaah… I’m so tired….”
“Good job out there.”
“Hehe…”
After finishing the broadcast and stretching, Suzuha Koga gently patted my head.
Natsune also clapped her hands and congratulated me, and it finally hit me that I had reached 300,000 subscribers.
But regardless of the realization, my fuzzy brain seemed to want nothing more than to sleep right away.
If I let my guard down even a little, my eyes felt like they’d close…
I shouldn’t be like this.
Even though today had been exhausting with the recording, I still needed to thank Natsune and Suzuha for coming to support me at this late hour…
“Are you tired, Izumi? You should lie down and sleep.”
“Ugh… but… you both came to see me like this…”
“We’ll be resting soon too.”
“Right now, it’s easier for us if you fall asleep quickly.”
Oh, is that how it is?
“But, does that mean… are you two going back home…?”
It must be super tiring to come all the way to my house at this hour and then head back.
I looked at them meaningfully, and it was Suzuha who spoke up first.
“I was planning to just go home, but… if you ask me, I might just stay the night?”
“Ugh?”
I turned my head slightly, and Natsune smiled and shrugged her shoulders.
I hadn’t really planned to ask them to stay over…
After all, my room is a bit cramped for three people.
But now, with the atmosphere and situation, it felt like I had to ask them to stay.
…Well, since it’s Natsune and Suzuha, it shouldn’t be a big deal.
“W-well…”
“If you don’t speak up, I won’t hear you, Izumi.”
Natsune’s playful smirk and the sight of Suzuha giggling behind her hand was oddly annoying, but…
“C-can you please stay over tonight…?”
I was secretly happy that they were willing to sleep over with me.
…Guess we’ll be sleeping in the living room tonight!
★
“C-can you please stay over tonight…?”
Izumi mumbled, slightly blushing as she looked down.
“Ugh…”
Both Natsune and Suzuha were taken aback.
They hadn’t expected Izumi to be so straightforward.
Normally, Izumi, who hates being treated like a child despite being a part of Star’s Flow, would’ve probably argued something cute like, “I-I don’t mind sleeping alone…”
But right now, Izumi was so sleepy she would’ve collapsed at any moment, not in the best state to think clearly.
Above all, Natsune and Suzuha are the top contenders for her personal intimacy rankings.
Asking them to stay over in this situation wasn’t that difficult for Izumi.
In fact, her hazy state allowed her to almost unabashedly claim her position as the youngest member of Star’s Flow.
While the sisterly mode of Izumi had left Natsune and Suzuha speechless, she looked up at them, seeming anxious, and asked,
“Is it… not okay?”
“N-no, no! Of course, we were planning to stay!”
“Yeah. It’s definitely late, so we should stay. We just didn’t want to inconvenience you, Izumi.”
“B-but it wouldn’t be a hassle at all for you to stay…”
“Ugh…”
Seeing Izumi’s blush and watery eyes caused Natsune and Suzuha to turn red as well.
Of course, Izumi had no ulterior motives.
The redness in her cheeks was from lingering embarrassment, and the tears at the corners of her eyes were due to drowsiness.
Yet, even so… they couldn’t say a word, even with a vague understanding of the situation.
“L-let’s get to sleep quickly, Izumi. You’re tired, right?”
“Right. You should’ve been asleep ages ago, you must be exhausted.”
“Yeah…Hehe.”
Izumi felt happy at the thought of sleeping alongside them, laughed a little, and started preparing to go to sleep in the living room.
Her steps were slightly wobbly from drowsiness, but thankfully, she didn’t fall.
“Haa…”
As Izumi headed to the living room, Natsune and Suzuha sighed.
“Is she really not doing this on purpose…?”
“If that were the case, it’d be nice…”
Suzuha honestly thought that way.
Izumi laid on the futon she spread out in the living room, settling comfortably in the middle.
Natsune and Suzuha, dressed in the matching animal pajamas Izumi provided, lay down next to Izumi without any complaints.
As soon as the lights went off, Izumi, breathing softly, fell asleep.
Suzuha looked at her for a moment and smiled.
“Izumi… it’s really happening, just like Natsune said.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Quietly, to avoid waking Izumi, they continued talking.
“Remember when we did our first collab for the second generation, and Natsune said Izumi would become an amazing VTuber loved by everyone?”
“Ah…! Yeah, she definitely said that.”
Suzuha’s words prompted a soft clap from Natsune.
“But what did she mean when she said Izumi resembles you?”
“Oh, that?”
“Yeah. No matter how I think about it, I don’t see much resemblance between you two.”
Natsune, who always brightens up the room with her sunny disposition, and shy Izumi, who often relied on others for help.
Since Natsune made that statement, Suzuha had tried genuinely to find common ground between them multiple times but found it tough.
However, since Natsune said there must be some similarities, Suzuha believed now was the right time to uncover that mystery.
Seeing Suzuha being quite serious, Natsune whispered quietly.
“Actually, there is…”
“Yeah.”
“I didn’t think about it at all.”
“…Huh?”
Seeing Suzuha flustered and unable to say anything, Natsune giggled like a little devil.
“What should I say? I just thought Izumi would definitely do well… it was just a simple hunch. So I came up with some random reason.”
“Ew….”
Suzuha frowned, looking as if she just realized something, while Natsune scratched her head awkwardly.
“Well, I still think there has to be at least a little similarity.”
“What’s that?”
“Even if the methods are different, both of them have a charm that draws people in.”
“…Isn’t it embarrassing to evaluate yourself like that?”
“Idols have to be confident, even if it’s embarrassing.”
“…That’s true.”
Looking at each other, they both chuckled.
“Eeeh….”
As Izumi stirred slightly from the commotion, they instantly put their fingers on their lips.
Thankfully, Izumi didn’t wake up.
“Oh my.”
“Uuuh….”
Instead, Suzuha snuggled quietly against Natsune, rubbing her cheek against her as if in delight.
“Hee… That tickles…”
“…Is it really me causing the problem?”
“Hrmm? What do you mean?”
“It’s nothing.”
Recalling that time when she had fallen asleep in Yucari’s embrace instead of Natsune’s, Izumi sighed…
“Hmm? …Ueek?”
…
It was impossible for the sleeping Izumi and Natsune to grasp those complicated feelings.
★
“Ughhh…”
I quietly stretched my stiff body.
After a broadcast that lasted until 3 AM today.
So, it goes without saying, but my schedule was empty this afternoon.
Natsune and Suzuha had already gone home after eating lunch with me, leaving me alone to pass the time drawing.
Well, to be honest, I considered starting a guerrilla broadcast this afternoon… but…
“You need to rest properly, Izumi. If you push yourself just because you feel fine right now, you’ll end up struggling later.”
For some reason, Suzuha picked up on the fact that I was thinking about doing a guerrilla stream and stopped me from moving forward.
…At this point, it’s hard not to think Suzuha is a psychic, right?
“Haaa…”
Since I had drawn quite a bit, maybe it’s time to take a break…
Now it’s 7 PM. Since I started drawing at 3 PM, that means I’ve been concentrating for a whopping 4 hours without a break.
I’m really amazing with focus!
After praising myself, just as I was about to log onto Ontube for a breather.
[Incoming Call from Toka Yukino]
[📞 | ❌]
My aunt Shia was calling me via MISCODE.
“…Oh.”
It must be about the new outfit.
My gut feeling told me so.
Ding!
[Oh, Mina! Are you busy right now?]
“Oh, not at all. I was just taking a break, Auntie.”
[Ah, thank goodness. I called about the new outfit. I just sent it over after finishing the deadline.]
Just as I thought.
In fact, I should have completed it long ago, but my aunt had several overlapping schedules this time, which delayed the deadline.
However, it’s not something I can complain about, as the request for the new outfit didn’t come from the company but was a gift to celebrate my 300,000 subscribers…
Thus, all I received as a reference for the new outfit was the same black silhouette shown to the Izutomo.
I had no idea what the actual outfit looked like, just like the rest of the Izutomo.
[That’s why I contacted you directly to show you.]
As those words were said, a screen share began on MISCODE.
I maximized the shared screen.
“…E-eh? W-what is this, Auntie…?”
I was genuinely shocked.
I couldn’t imagine that Shia, of all people.
The one hailed as the best in the illustrator industry, Toka Mama…
Would do something like this.
“Auntie, this, isn’t it a lie… right…?”
[Sorry, Mina…]
From my aunt’s tone, I could sense the emotions that made it clear.
This wasn’t a dream; it was reality.
And so, I… genuinely despaired.
★
[b>[Kaino Izumi☆Star’s Flow @KainoIzumi · 2 min ago]
As promised, the new outfit announcement!!!
Everyone, please look forward to it!!!
The waiting starts here!!! >> https://ontu.be/XXXXXXX
#KainoIzumi #Star’sFlow
★
[b>[【Kaino Izumi New Outfit】 Here we go! Is everyone super excited?! I’ll definitely meet your expectations!!! #Star’sFlow #KainoIzumi]
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