Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.
At the beginning of the week, Masaki commuted to his company early in the morning like usual. When he arrived, he saw that Nagara was already there.
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But, she seems somewhat sleepy. She’s rubbing her eyes while facing the computer.
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「Good morning, Nagara. What’s wrong, not enough sleep?」
「Ah, senpai!!」
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She approached him in a flash as soon as he noticed that.
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「Wai, Nagara!?」
「I have something to talk about. Please follow me」
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While saying「Please follow me」, she dragged him off, refusing to take no for an answer.
He wondered how she has that much power in that petite body of her’s, but he didn’t have the leeway to say it.
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The place he’s being dragged off to is the conference room which is empty in the early mornings.
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「W, what’s wrong? Why’d you take me here……」
「Senpai」
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Nagara returned Masaki’s question with a serious gaze.
And while standing on her tiptoes, she showed her smartphone’s screen to Masaki.
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With a stern face, Nagara asked while blocking Masaki’s front path.
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「Is this senpai?」
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Masaki’s channel homepage was displayed on the screen.
The page showed an icon with a picture of Masaki and the words『Subscribers 100.8K』.
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Masaki was already drenched in sweat. This can usually be attributed as the result of summertime, but today is a chilly morning.
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Masaki tried to deceive her for now.
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「N, no. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Umm, Vtuber?」
「That’s a lie, isn’t it?」
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But she saw through his lie instantly.
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「Senpai, you’re terrible at lying. I think it’s about time you realize. Your eyes always dart around and you tense up your fists when you lie」
「!?」
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The perception of his fearsome kouhai sent a chill down his spine.
The kouhai that he’s only known for one year saw through habits that even he didn’t know of.
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The reality is just that Masaki is easy to understand.
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「…………Where did you, find this?」
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In a way that neither confirmed or denied it, he tried to dig into the details of the matter.
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And Nagara, as if she had nothing to hide, answered without any hesitation.
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「I often listen to music on Youtube and look at artists and such. From the start, I quite liked original vocaloid songs and the like」
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Masaki was surprised at that.
He didn’t think that Nagara had interest in this kind of internet subculture.
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If he knew, he would’ve hidden himself better. But even if he did, the chance that this happened would still be high.
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「And so, I found the song that senpai sang. I already knew the original so I tried listening to it. Just by listening to the intro, I realized it was senpai」
「C, couldn’t it have been someone with a similar voice to me?」
「No, it was definitely senpai. Senpai, this, it’s hard to describe, but you have this voice that stays and resounds around in the head<sup>1</sup>」
「I can see the hard to describe part……」
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Due to his work, Masaki naturally retorted to her.
It seems that having that pointed out was embarrassing for her, so Nagara cleared her throat with a「Ehem」and continued with her story.
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「I also watched all of the streams in your archive. That was definitely senpai’s way of speaking」
「You watched all my archives……?」
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It seems like that’s the reason for her lack of sleep.
You didn’t have to go that far for proof. Just watching three should’ve been enough……Masaki thought that but didn’t say it out loud.
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So Masaki surmised that there’s probably a reason she has to watch all of them.
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But this isn’t the time for him to get lost in his own thoughts.
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「I already have these evidence lined up, there’s no way you’re going to deny it or something, are you?」
「…………Fine. I’ll admit it」
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Masaki obediently resigned and told Nagara.
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「I’m sorry I never told you but……I’m working as a Vtuber」
「Okay. That will do」
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It seems that the reason Nagara was being sullen is that he was hiding secrets from her.
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「Forgive me. There will be dire consequences if my occupation as a Vtuber gets exposed 」
「No worries, I won’t tell anyone. It’ll be our little secret」
「Other people know it too though……」
「Don’t mind the details!」
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Nagara puffed out her bountiful chest with a smile blooming on her face.
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「Ah, but what exactly is a Vtuber? I’d be grateful if you could teach me about it in depth……」
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For Masaki, being unable to tell Nagara was something that always bothered him.
That’s why, even if it wasn’t the best way, being able to properly tell her and help her understand it makes him happy.
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But, he made a slip of the tongue.
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「Aah, then want to come over to my place?」
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Nagara stiffened up at Masaki’s words.
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「Eh, eh?」
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And seeing Nagara’s agitation, Masaki eventually realized what absurdity he just said.
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「Ah, n, no!! I didn’t mean it that way!」
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Masaki desperately explains but for Nagara who was blushing up to her ears, she was lost in her fantasy
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「Senpai……finally…………?」
「I said it’s not like that!!」
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Being shaken, Nagara finally comes to her senses with a「Ha……!」.
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「Senpai, just now, I……?」
「The way you came back to your right mind was so cliche……」
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The amazed Masaki pulls himself together and says it again.
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「I meant it in a different way. Vtubers fundamentally work at home. That’s why I thought that if you came to my home, you’d somehow be able to get a feel for it……Sorry, I was lacking delicacy in my words」
「No! In that case, I would love to visit」
「It’s good that you understand……………………w, huh? You’re coming?」
「Yes!」
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Masaki planned to withdraw his invitation but Nagara seemed to think differently.
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Looking at his kouhai smiling without a care, Masaki couldn’t bring himself to say「What I said earlier was a mistake……」.