We moved to the bedroom, and I lay down on the bed. Ah, if Ayaka was going to use this place too, I should have cleaned it properly… I thought to myself as I picked up a strand of fallen hair.
“Hehe, don’t mind me!” (Ayaka)
Ayaka got onto the bed as well. The bed creaked with a groan, and our bodies touched… but something like this wouldn’t make me nervous. That’s because… I remembered the method of calming myself down by counting prime numbers.
“…Oh. We’re quite close, aren’t we?” (Ayaka)
“…Huh!?” (Rui)
I turned to the side and saw Ayaka’s face closer than I had ever seen before. Ah, wait, looking at her like this, she’s actually pretty cute…? No, calm down, calm down! 2, 3, 5, 7, 9… No, 9 isn’t a prime number…!!
“Rui, you really have such fair skin. I’m so jealous. Is it because you don’t go outside much?” (Ayaka)
Then Ayaka placed her hand on my cheek. Her feminine, slender fingers were incredibly ticklish… I couldn’t take it anymore.
“…Da-daaaah! That’s enough!!” (Rui)
I yelled as I jumped up from the bed and quickly moved away from her.
“Ah, Rui, where are you going?” (Ayaka)
“I-I’m going to go take a shower too!” (Rui)
With that, I headed straight to the changing room without looking back even once.
“…Haa… haa… Can my sanity really hold out until tomorrow…!?” (Rui)
👻👻👻
After that, I took a shower and changed into my usual sleepwear. When I was alone, I didn’t pay much attention to it, but the baggy navy blue shirt and the pants with holes in them which I usually wear were a bit embarrassing if someone saw them.
“…Well, Ayaka’s outfit is way more embarrassing…” (Rui)
Muttering this, I grabbed a towel and dried my hair as I left the changing room. Heading back to the bedroom, I saw…
“…W-What…?” (Rui)
There lay Ayaka on her back, eyes closed. She was completely unguarded, not covered by anything, and had her legs spread wide open.
“Hey, Ayaka… are you asleep?” (Rui)
“……” (Ayaka)
Ayaka didn’t respond. As I got closer, I noticed that one of the buttons on her shirt, which had been fastened earlier, was now undone. If I got even closer, I might catch a glimpse of her modest cleavage…
“………” (Ayaka)
…This was definitely a trap. There was no way Ayaka, who had been so energetic just a moment ago, could fall asleep so quickly. Besides, her breathing sounded way too deliberate… Listen, she’s even going “suu-suu” in such a clear manner. Only anime characters breathe like that.
Yeah, considering this… If I did anything weird, Ayaka would open her eyes at that moment, catch me, and relentlessly tease me… But, pretending to sleep doesn’t work in front of Detective Rui. Too bad for her.
“…Phew.” (Rui)
Calmly, I took the blanket next to me and draped it over Ayaka, then muttered softly.
“Ah, Ayaka seems to be asleep. I guess I can go sleep on the floor now.” (Rui)
“…What! You can’t do that!” (Ayaka)
“Guess you’re not asleep after all.” (Rui)
At my retort, Ayaka sat up and met my gaze, then quickly covered her mouth with her hand, looking like she realized she had been caught.
“Why were you pretending to be asleep?” (Rui)
“Well… I was curious about what you would do.” (Ayaka)
“…I told you before. I wouldn’t do anything like that.” (Rui)
Though I said this, I only acted so gentlemanly because I knew Ayaka was awake. If she had really been asleep, I don’t know what I might have done…
Ayaka looked a bit remorseful, keeping her head down.
“Yeah… Sorry about trying something like that.” (Ayaka)
“…It’s fine. But seriously, don’t do that to anyone else, okay?” (Rui)
Ayaka responded eagerly.
“I know. I did it because it was you, Rui.” (Ayaka)
“…” (Rui)
Yeah… As I’ve said before, Ayaka trusts me way too much, or something… It makes me a little worried. Or maybe I’m just overthinking it?
“Hehe… Well then, Rui, shall we go to bed earlier?” (Ayaka)
Ayaka made such a suggestion. It was indeed a bit early to sleep as she said, but staying awake like this would only make me unnecessarily tense. Perhaps it’s best to lose consciousness sooner rather than later while I’m still myself.
“Yeah… You’re right. Let’s sleep.” (Rui)
Accepting Ayaka’s suggestion, I sat on the edge of the bed. Ayaka seemed to take a proper look at my attire and gently pulled at my sleeve.
“You know, Rui, your outfit looks kinda cute and fresh like this, doesn’t it?” (Ayaka)
“Don’t stare too much… Besides, your outfit is more daring, isn’t it?” (Rui)
“Huh? Ah, hehe…” (Ayaka)
Ayaka chuckled and scratched her head at my remark. At least, she still had a sense of embarrassment… I felt relieved.
“…Anyway, shouldn’t you put on some pants already? It’s gonna get cold later.” (Rui)
“It’s fine. The room is warm enough. Besides… I want to enjoy this outfit to the fullest since I probably won’t get another chance, you know?” (Ayaka)
“Oh, I see… Well then, feel free to do as you please.” (Rui)
Half in disbelief, I lay down and picked up the remote control for the lights.
“Okay, I’m turning off the lights.” (Rui)
“Yeah!” (Ayaka)
Confirming that Ayaka had also laid down, I pressed the button and dimmed the room. Ayaka’s figure became vague in the darkness, but I could definitely feel her warmth next to me.
“…” (Rui)
Suddenly, I thought to myself. Lying down facing this way means I’m facing Ayaka… No, no, no, I can’t overthink this, or I won’t be able to sleep.
Thinking that way, I rolled over to face away from Ayaka, trying to put as much distance between us as possible without falling off the bed.
“Hey Rui, don’t hog the blanket!” (Ayaka)
“…” (Rui)
“And if you move away that much, you’ll fall off!” (Ayaka)
“…” (Rui)
“Well, if that’s how you can sleep comfortably, then I guess it’s okay…” (Ayaka)
“…” (Rui)
“Come on, Rui. Say something?” (Ayaka)
“…I thought we were going to sleep?” (Rui)
At my words, Ayaka giggled softly.
“Hehe, the real show starts once we’re under the covers, right? In a dark room like this, lying here together, looking up at the ceiling… Just talking without moving our faces is the most fun, don’t you think?” (Ayaka)
“Sounds like a school trip.” (Rui)
“Do you have someone you like, Rui?” (Ayaka)
“Exactly like a school trip…” (Rui)
“…I do.” (Ayaka)
“……Huh?” (Rui)
Ayaka’s unexpected words caused time to momentarily freeze… Wait, who?
“…………” (Rui)
I couldn’t say anything. The words almost came out but didn’t. I was scared. Scared of… of someone else’s name coming out.
“…………” (Rui)
…What’s this? Why am I feeling so anxious? Ayaka is an important childhood friend to me. If she likes someone else, shouldn’t I support her? Isn’t encouraging her what a true friend would do…?
…And yet, despite that… Why is my breathing suddenly so tight…!?
“…………” (Rui)
Ayaka says nothing. She’s waiting. Waiting for a response. If I don’t ask, she won’t say anything… Come on, gather your courage. Ask calmly, without letting on that you’re flustered… Speak up, Rui!!
“…………Who is it?” (Rui)
“It’s you, Rui.” (Ayaka)
“Wha───!?” (Rui)
W-Wait, did I mishear…? No, she definitely said my name… So that means Ayaka likes me──
“…………And also, there’s Karen-chan, Ibuki, Mochi-chan, Lily-chan, Raimu-chan… Oh, and Robin-kun too!” (Ayaka)
“…………Huh?” (Rui)
“These are the people I like!” (Ayaka)
“…………” (Rui)
…My mind went completely blank. I… I can’t think straight. If I were to describe my current feelings… It’s like someone meticulously built a tower of blocks, only to have it completely demolished right before my eyes…
N-No… I mean, she did say ‘someone I like’, but…! The way she said it makes it sound like she meant ‘love’, right…!? It was a misunderstanding, so it’s not my fault… right!?”
“Oh, um… I, I just…” (Rui)
“Just what?” (Ayaka)
“…It’s nothing.” (Rui)
Anyway… It seems I jumped to conclusions too quickly. Damn it… She had to say things that could be misinterpreted like that…
But there was a part of me that regained some composure. If you think about it, Ayaka might only have feelings for me as a friend… but, isn’t that something to be happy about…!?
“Is that so? What about you, Rui?” (Ayaka)
Ayaka then turned the question to me. If her ‘someone I like’ meant ‘like as a friend,’ then I could easily answer too…
“Yeah, I… I like everyone too. Sure, some of them have strong quirks, but everyone I’ve interacted with has been really kind. I’m grateful not just to the VTubers, but also to the managers, staff, and Shiosawa-san. I’m really glad I came to this side of the world.” (Rui)
I found myself naturally expressing these feelings. The past month since becoming a VTuber has been undoubtedly the most challenging and yet the most enjoyable time of my life.
It was because I felt I had made good friends among the VTubers, had the support of the staff, and received encouragement from the viewers.
Well, of course… The person in front of me is the biggest reason for this.
“Hehe, I see! I’m glad I could hear those words, Rui!” (Ayaka)
Ayaka smiled as she said that… Then her voice softened.
“…I’ll say it as many times as it takes. I’ve been really happy ever since you joined us. I felt really blessed.” (Ayaka)
“That sounds a bit exaggerated…” (Rui)
“No, it’s not exaggerated at all.” (Ayaka)
“…” (Rui)
My attempt to casually brush it off was met with a serious tone of denial, leaving me speechless… Silence hung between us for several tens of seconds. Then, it was Ayaka who spoke next.
“…………You know, Rui. I actually lied today.” (Ayaka)
“…Lied? About why you became a VTuber?” (Rui)
Realizing where she might be heading, I asked Ayaka. She smiled faintly, seemingly a bit surprised.
“Ha… Yeah, you’re sharp where it counts, Rui.” (Ayaka)
And after a moment, Ayaka admitted it.
“Yeah… You’re right. There was a different reason why I became a VTuber.” (Ayaka)
“Is that so?” (Rui)
“…” (Ayaka)
“…” (Rui)
“…Huh, you’re not asking?” (Ayaka)
“If it’s something you left ambiguous to hide, I won’t push you to tell me.” (Rui)
“But earlier you asked me about who I like, even though I left it ambiguous…” (Ayaka)
“…” (Rui)
…You know that what you said before was suggestive and can be misunderstood, right?
…With that, Ayaka seemed to have some thoughts, but I didn’t press further.
“Well… I want you to hear it, so let me say it.” (Ayaka)
“Okay… What’s the reason?” (Rui)
“I was lonely.” (Ayaka)
“…Huh?” (Rui)
Her unexpected answer momentarily stunned me. Lonely…?
“What do you mean? It’s not like you don’t have friends, right?” (Rui)
“Well… I wouldn’t say I have absolutely no friends. But it’s just that, I don’t have anyone close enough whom I can talk to about anything.” (Ayaka)
“Well, most people don’t have that kind of friends, right? Besides, you… weren’t you part of that popular group back in middle school?” (Rui)
Ayaka chuckled at my remark.
“What are you talking about, Rui? And that middle school group… We weren’t close at all.” (Ayaka)
“Even though you were always with a group?” (Rui)
“Girls have their reasons.” (Ayaka)
“…” (Rui)
…Ah, so that’s how it was. I heard before that there lies some darkness within girl groups… And Ayaka seemed a bit sad as she talked.
“…So, the only person I could trust was my childhood friend Rui. But at some point… Rui started distancing himself from me. He would walk away whenever I tried to talk to him at school. Then he went to a high school I’d never even heard of, far away. He didn’t say anything to me, and even moved out of his parents’ house.” (Ayaka)
“……….W-Well, that’s…” (Rui)
Seeing me unable to respond after hitting a sore spot, Ayaka softened her tone.
“Well, I’m not blaming you. It was all your decision, Rui. It’s my fault for clinging to the past and thinking about you all that time.” (Ayaka)
“Ayaka…” (Rui)
“But you know, deep down, even though I knew that it wasn’t true…. I thought maybe you had come to dislike me back then.” (Ayaka)
“…” (Rui)
“That’s why I couldn’t bring myself up to see you. I couldn’t even call you. Sending occasional messages was the best I could do. But even then, there were times when I didn’t get a reply from you.” (Ayaka)
“Sorry… I’m really sorry…” (Rui)
I apologized reflexively. Looking back, my actions at that time could easily have been misunderstood. I had truly been awful…
“Then, at that time… I heard about VTuber auditions. VTubers were becoming a big thing back then, and I knew about them. I wondered if becoming a VTuber might change something for me. Maybe I’d find a close friend, maybe I wouldn’t feel so lonely anymore. So, I decided to apply to be one.” (Ayaka)
“…” (Rui)
“I must admit, my motives were pretty awful. But for some reason, the audition went smoothly… and I managed to pass. The world accepted someone like me, and I even gained a bit of popularity. I made friends like Ibuki and Karen-chan. It was a lot of fun, and it still is. But, in the end… I still couldn’t forget about Rui. I realized there’s no one to replace Rui.” (Ayaka)
“…” (Rui)
“One day, I had an idea to invite Rui over to my place and stream.” (Ayaka)
“Why would you do that?” (Rui)
“I wanted Rui to know that I became a VTuber, I wanted viewers to know how good Rui was at games, and I wanted to spice up my stream that was getting a bit stale… There were various reasons, but the biggest reason would be that I just wanted to see you again, Rui. So, I gathered my courage and invited Rui over.” (Ayaka)
“…So that’s how it was.” (Rui)
I hadn’t thought too much about why Ayaka invited me over, and her behavior didn’t seem off, so I hadn’t suspected anything. But she has been struggling internally all this time. Ah, I hate how oblivious I can be… Why couldn’t I have realized sooner?
I regretfully bite my lip. But Ayaka’s tone is becoming brighter and brighter.
“…But you know, when Rui finally came to my house and I saw you, I immediately felt relieved. Because you hadn’t changed at all. I thought, ‘Ah, everything was all just my misunderstanding.’ And after the stream ended, when you said, ‘It was fun playing together after such a long time,’ I was really really happy!” (Ayaka)
“…………!” (Rui)
Ayaka’s words nearly brought tears to my eyes. But I couldn’t cry… because all this time, Ayaka was the one who was suffering.
“I see… I’m sorry. Sorry for making you misunderstand and avoiding you. At that time… I just felt embarrassed about being teased for being with you… I never once hated you or anything like that.” (Rui)
“Oh, um…!” (Ayaka)
Feeling that words alone might not convey everything, I tightly grasped Ayaka’s hand. She seemed a bit surprised by my action, but…
“…I’m glad. I’m really glad that wasn’t the case…!” (Ayaka)
She accepted it immediately. Ayaka brought my hand close to her chest. Rather than the softness of her chest that I touched, I became aware of the beating of her heart. The Ayaka who had teased me so much until just now… her heart was beating rapidly. She was conscious of me.
“…Ah, um, Rui. I’m sorry about earlier… I’ll tell you again without chickening out this time. I want you to listen to me properly.” (Ayaka)
For a moment, I was about to ask, “What is it?” but decided against it. Ayaka’s voice was trembling so much. I could sense what she was about to say next.
“……” (Rui)
“……” (Ayaka)
And after a long, long time passed… Ayaka finally said it.
“Rui, I’ve liked you for a long time. Of course, I mean romantically.” (Ayaka)
TL Notes:
Thanks for reading!
Oh no! What is cliffhanger-san doing here?! Well, it’s because the next part will be longer than this one, and it’s already midnight when I translated this.
Yeh, I wasn’t kidding when I said there was a lot of romantic development happening. It’s rare for a confession to happen in volume 1 in a LN that isn’t a one-shot, so I really didn’t expect this. Well, I hope there are future volumes at least.
Footnote:
- None
Thanks for the translation 😊