Chapter 6 – “This is our first time together!”

Chapter 6: “This is our first time together!”

“Do you think I should try to interact more with everyone else in class?”

It was Monday again, which means that it was time to head out to the battlefield known as school. Just as I was about to leave, Eija let those words slip out in a murmur.

“That was sudden, what made you think about that?”

Out in public, she was the same “Ice Elf” that most people knew her as. But when we were alone, Eija’s expression shifted drastically—especially when she was at my house.

“It’s just… I want to be able to tell people about the things I ‘like.’“

That was unexpected. I’d assumed she was speaking out of a sense of obligation to fit in, but it wasn’t that, it was born from her own desires.

She was trying to proactively engage with others. Perhaps a change was taking place inside of Eija.

“Does this mean you’re getting used to talking to people?” I asked while putting on my shoes.

“No, not at all.”

She asserted that without a shred of hesitation!

“Even last week, when Hanamiya-san spoke to me, I felt like I was going to die. My back was drenched in sweat, and my heart was pounding so hard it actually hurt.”

Wait, wasn’t that even worse than before?

“Let’s just head out for now. It sounds like something you should think over carefully… let’s talk more after we get home.”

“Yes… I’m sorry.”

Eija’s face was stuck in “gloomy mode.” However, the moment she opened the door and stepped outside, her features snapped into a sharp, composed look.

Her posture straightened, and her gait became brisk and gallant. Truly, the descent of the Ice Elf.

The idea of her ever being able to talk to others normally… was pretty hard to imagine right now.

But Eija had come to me with her worries.

I wanted to do something to help her.

With those thoughts in mind, I headed toward the station.

***

Naturally, I couldn’t concentrate on class at all.

It was the same at recess. Even when my friends spoke to me, my mind was elsewhere.

I remember hearing that some manga artists go for walks when they run out of ideas.

In a fit of desperation, I tried wandering aimlessly around the school, but nothing came to mind. I decided to head up the stairs to check the next floor, when suddenly… a blonde gyaru came walking down toward me.

The girl stopped in her tracks and glared at me.

“Perfect timing. I’ve got something I wanna ask you, Aoi.”

Hmm?

Usami?

“What’s with the attitude? You didn’t have to wait for me like this. You could’ve just spoken to me in the classroom.”

Usami looked at me with eyes full of mockery.

“Oh? So it’s okay for me to talk to you there?”

“Yes? Wait… what are you even talking about?”

“Are you dating Eija-chan?”

Wha!

“No, not really.”

“Then, why were you at Yokohama together yesterday?”

She saw us?

How?

Where?

I mean, yeah, it’s a tourist spot, so there was certainly a risk. But what are the odds?

“Uh… was it in Chinatown?”

“At the Gundum.”

Wh-!!

You’ve gotta be kidding me!

“Hold on. Why would you be at a place like that, Usami…?”

Usami looked away with an irritated expression.

“…Isn’t it obvious? To see the Gundum.”

Gah!

“Why were you there?”

“…It’s normal, isn’t it? They even showed it on a variety show.”

“But you… back in middle school…!”

My trauma. My dark history.

The truth I learned in my first year of middle school.

The one who had shoved that truth in my face was my childhood friend—Usami Misa.

“You made fun of me for liking Gundum back then. You talked about me behind my back. Why would someone that constantly attacked others for being an otaku go out of their way to see the Gundum?”

Usami scratched her hair vigorously and clicked her tongue.

“I know, okay!”

She glared at me, but the intensity quickly drained from her face.

“…Back then, I was starting to get into the whole gyaru and fashion thing… I thought anime was lame. I figured if I said I liked it, people would make fun of me…”

Usami?

“I tried to hint it to you so many times, but you were totally oblivious! You dense idiot!! On top of that, you’d try to start otaku talk in front of everyone!! Who does that?! I had no choice but to shut you down!”

“…..was… was that how it was?”

“You looked so miserably depressed afterward that it bothered me… but I mean, you were always so pointlessly passionate! I thought you wouldn’t care about something like that! But then you did… and I couldn’t exactly back down either…”

It was a surprising confession.

In a way, more surprising than a confession of love.

“You were thinking about all that…?”

“You were always terrible at reading the room and people’s feelings.”

Looking back, that was certainly true…

“I figured that since it was you, you’d just push back with that obnoxious persistence of yours no matter what anyone said. And yet… you spineless coward.”

Hey, isn’t that a bit much?

“So, do you still like it? Gundum?”

“Hah? Don’t underestimate me.”

She gave me a sharp, threatening look. 

Why was she acting so tough all of a sudden?!

“Don’t lump me in with weaklings like you or posers like Toyama. I bought the 4K Remaster of the original movie trilogy, and I even bought the Perfect Grade Perfectibility Unicorn.”

“For real?!”

That has to be like sixty thousand yen total!

A “smug” sound effect practically hovered over Usami’s triumphant smile.

“I had no idea about any of that.”

“Of course you didn’t. Why would I have to report to you every time?”

“Well…”

“As long as I like it, that’s enough. Or what? Are you the type who can’t feel confident in your own ‘likes’ unless someone else validates them?”

Usami, you…

“You’re actually a pretty passionate person yourself…”

“Wh-!!” Usami’s cheeks turned slightly red.

“Gross! Anyway, I’m doing what I want, so why don’t you do the same? I don’t want you moping around using me as an excuse.”

…Fair point.

“You’re right. Thanks, Usami.”

“Huh? What are you thanking me for? I don’t get you.”

“It was rough back then… but thanks to that, I feel like I’m finally able to be more considerate of the feelings of someone important to me now.”

“………” 

Usami let out a sharp *hmpf*.

“The way Eija-chan is, she’s probably gonna run into a lot of trouble from here on out. You’d better protect her properly, okay? Or I won’t forgive you.”

“I get it…”

But why the protective, guardian-like perspective on Eija? It was a little annoying, so I decided to poke back a bit.

“By the way, does Shiramine know you like Gundum?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, you’re dating him, right?”

“We’re not dating yet.”

“Oh, really?”

Usami looked annoyed.

“With who I am now, liking anime is actually a plus. But it’s not something I go around announcing for no reason.”

“I guess it doesn’t concern you as much since you’re a gyaru… true.”

“But if you go too deep, people get weirded out… anyway! Stop worrying about others and worry about yourself! You like Eija-chan, don’t you?”

Crap! The giant boomerang came right back at me!

“W-Who knows… I’m not sure yet…”

“Ugh. Still so wishy-washy. How lame!”

With a triumphant look on her face, Usami walked away.

I needed to get back to class too… but maybe I’ll give it a minute.

Still—

I wonder why Usami is so worried about Eija.

And it turns out she didn’t grow to hate anime after all.

She had a side to her that she never showed anyone else.

Come to think of it—

The Class Rep isn’t just a serious honor student; she has a side that cracks dirty jokes.

Kururi-san and Shion-san from Sweet Flavor both have lives outside of being maids.

Everyone uses different “faces” depending on the situation.

I used to think that if I “liked” something, I had to show that face at all times.

I felt a sense of guilt, like I was lying, if I wasn’t the exact same person constantly.

That’s why I felt that if I couldn’t stand by my “likes” at school or at home, I had to throw them away entirely.

I thought that if people couldn’t understand me, I had to change myself.

Unconsciously, I had believed that.

But there was no need for that.

School isn’t the only place where people gather.

If people there don’t understand, I can just go to a community that does.

I can talk about what I love to my heart’s content there.

And at school, there’s no need to push my “likes” on anyone.

Changing the mind of someone who has already reached a conclusion is a Herculean task. Convincing someone who hates and looks down on the things I love is nearly impossible.

In that case, I don’t need to force a relationship with someone like that.

Just because we’re at the same school or in the same class doesn’t mean I have to force myself to fit in.

At school, I can just get by using a “school face” that I can tolerate.

However, if fitting into the school community means I have to warp who I am, I refuse.

Because everyone is different.

Pushing your “likes” on someone who hates them only ends up hurting both parties.

It’s much faster to find someone who likes the same things you do.

That’s why—

Eija doesn’t need to force herself to fit in until her heart breaks.

The expectations of those around her are just delusions they’ve come up with on their own.

Reality only exists within oneself.

So, I want to create a way for Eija to express her “likes” without overextending herself.

But how?

To prevent her parents from finding out, she needs to hide her face and identity.

A way for Eija to not have to face people or speak to them directly, yet still convey her thoughts.

When I thought about it, there was only one solution.

***

“Eija. How would you feel about starting a channel on a video-sharing site?”

“……What do you mean by that?”

That night, when Eija came to my room as usual, I took the plunge and brought it up.

“I want to create a place where you can freely express what’s on your mind without forcing yourself.”

“A place where I can be… free?”

I grabbed the PC mouse, opened a streaming site, and played a video. It was a video of a beautiful anime girl with pink hair talking to the camera.

“Whoa! She’s so cute!”

“This is ‘Amazuma Gaia’ from the agency Gojikuji Live. She’s a VTuber. We haven’t watched her during our otaku sessions, but I actually really like her… I’ve been watching her since before you came to Japan.”

“Wow… it’s an illustration, but it’s moving.”

“Yeah. There are 3D models too, but usually, it’s 2D. There’s software that adds movement to illustrations, and that’s what they use. A camera captures the face of the person actually speaking, and the character mimics their movements.”

“Ooh… you’re so knowledgeable, Oga. That’s amazing.”

“I did some research. See, there are tons of other characters too.”

I pointed to the thumbnails of other videos. Knights, pirates, nurses, sisters, demons… some weren’t even human. It was a total free-for-all.

“With a VTuber, a character stands in front of the public instead of the person themselves. But inside, you can stay exactly who you are. This way, you can share your thoughts without revealing your identity.”

“So… you mean I would play a character like this?”

“No, you don’t even have to ‘act.’ You can just be yourself.”

“But… everyone has such elaborate backstories and settings, don’t they?”

“Those settings are just for flavor, like a game of make-believe. When it comes to talking, the person inside usually just lets their real self leak through. In fact, that’s what people like.”

“I-Is that so?”

“The appeal is feeling the person behind the character mask. Because of that, there’s no lying, and people fall in love with the VTuber themselves. That exquisite balance between the setting and the real person is the best part.”

Eija still looked a bit confused.

“Anyway, let’s just watch some first.”

“Okay… wow, they’re quite long. Two hours… this one is over five hours long!”

“I want to give you a general idea, so let’s look at some clips.”

“Clips?”

“Fans edit the best parts of the stream. They upload those to the site too.”

I started showing Eija clips of VTubers belonging to the major agency, Gojikuji Live, one by one.

Eija, who was skeptical at first, gradually got sucked into the videos. Within an hour, we were laughing together and shouting at the screen.

“I see! This is so interesting!!! They look like anime characters, but you can feel the person’s humanity and personality directly… they’re like celebrities!”

Great, she’s into it!

“Exactly. So, Eija, you could—”

“Eh? I couldn’t possibly.”

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?! An immediate rejection!

“I mean, hundreds of thousands of people are watching! Look at the subscriber counts! Just imagining that makes my heart stop!”

“No, no! You’re not speaking directly in front of people. You just have to talk like you’re talking to me. Don’t take it so seriously… if anything, this is a metaverse-style way to talk casually.”

“But in the end, I’d be exposing myself to a huge crowd, wouldn’t I?”

“Whether you have one subscriber or a million, the work is the same. Besides, these are super popular VTubers from a huge agency. What we’re planning is an ‘indie’ channel… a ‘stray VTuber,’ if you will. Getting this many viewers is just a pipe dream for us. You don’t even need to worry about it. You’ll probably have dozens… no, maybe just a few people watching.”

“O-Oh, is that how it is?” She let out a sigh of relief.

“Being an otaku is fun enough just as a consumer, but I’d like to try being on the side that puts things out there too.”

“Me, on the side that sends things out… sharing my ‘likes’…”

Eija began to waver. She pressed a curled finger to her lip, thinking deeply.

“If I’m with Ouga…”

“Yeah. I’ll be the person behind the scenes, though. Let’s make it together.”

I held out my right hand.

I just thought shaking hands in a moment like this would look cool.

With a slightly bashful look, Eija hesitantly reached out.

Our fingertips touched. Then, as if stroking my palm, she slid her hand against mine and gripped it.

“This is the first time… I’ve held your hand.”

Now that she mentioned it, she was right.

I mean, I did hug her the other day, but…

Though blushing, Eija smiled with a look of pure excitement.

“I want to do the VTuber thing with you.”

“Yeah! Let’s have some fun!”

“Yes! This is our first time together!”

Watch your phrasing!!

To start being a VTuber, we needed things.

Equipment and software.

If you wanted to start simply, there was software that let you do it with just a smartphone. Those had pre-made parts for hair, eyes, and noses that you could combine to make a character, and then just record with the phone’s camera.

However, since those were simplified, they had limitations. The appropriate equipment and software would change depending on how serious we were about starting this.

If I’m going to start doing game streams and other things… then the hurdles start getting higher.

First, we need equipment. We need a PC. We have one in the house, and I even have my own personal one. If the specs aren’t up to snuff, I might need to swap out some parts, but it should probably be fine.

We also have a webcam. It’s an all-in-one with a microphone, so for now, the hardware side is covered.

Next is the software.

Live streaming is high-risk. I doubt many people will be watching, but if Eija accidentally says something that reveals her identity or slips up and shows her real face, it would be a disaster. Above all else, Eija would probably be too nervous to speak.

So, I decided that we’ll record first, edit the footage, and then upload it.

Because of that, I need video editing software. There are free versions available, and even the paid ones are relatively cheap.

But… you can’t edit without materials.

The “materials” in this case would be a video of a character that moves in sync with Eija. To make that, I need software that can replace Eija with a character and generate a video file.

Using streaming software like Animaze or VTube Studio, you can create video files as well as do real-time broadcasts. They’re free to use with certain restrictions, which is a huge help.

I have the tools to move a character, but the crucial part—the character itself—is still missing.

I need to have an illustration made to serve as Eija’s alter ego, and then turn that illustration into data that can be animated.

Using free assets would solve both problems. However, I want to stick to an original character if possible. I want to create a one-of-a-kind avatar just for Eija.

And so—tonight is a development meeting in my room.

“But… I can’t draw illustrations,” Eija says.

“I can’t draw either.”

“Then, what should we do…?”

“Mmm… we’ll hire someone.”

I open the browser on my PC and show Eija a bookmarked page. A long list of character illustrations is lined up on the screen.

“This is a site for commissioning work from others. It’s categorized in detail; the page we’re looking at now is for character creation requests.”

“Whoa… there are so many different styles.”

Sample after sample of a wide range of art styles are displayed: cute anime-style girls for the guys, otome-game and BL styles for the girls, chibi characters, whimsical characters, and more.

“There are professionals and amateurs… actually, it doesn’t really matter here. There are talented people, and to be honest, some who aren’t so great.”

“Are these numbers… the prices?”

“Yeah. The reward amounts are shown upfront, so both parties can feel secure.”

“I see, so it’s ‘brawling accounting’ then.” 

“Eh? Sounds like you’re going to negotiate the price with your fists. It’s ‘transparent accounting.’ Plus, with everything lined up like this, even an amateur like me can get a general sense of the market rates, so it’s really helpful.”

“From this list, we pick a few people who draw in a style you like, and then we consult our budget.”

I’ve got my pay from my part-time job, and I’ve picked up a few day-labor shifts, so I should be able to manage at least one character.

“Understood! Today’s mission is to pick out those candidates, right?”

“Exactly. But before that, let’s solidify our requirements.”

“Requirements?”

“Yeah. We need to pin down the image of what kind of character we want. If we have a solid image, it’ll be easier to pick someone who looks like they can draw that, right?”

“I see! You’re like a professional, Ouga!”

Being praised like that is embarrassing. I’m a little happy, though. But a professional at what?

“I’ve just been thinking about it non-stop lately. More importantly, I want to hear your opinion, Eija. Since this character is going to be a part of you.”

“A part of me… hmm.”

Eija tilts her head, her eyebrows slanting into a troubled ‘V’ shape.

“For what it’s worth, I was thinking an elf princess or a knight might be cool—”

“Wow, that sounds lovely! Oh, but… it might not suit me.”

“You don’t need to worry about that… but there’s a slight problem with my idea too.”

“Eh? What is it?”

“It might overlap too much with the real Eija. You’re already called the ‘Ice Elf’ at school. I might be overthinking it, but considering the risk of being doxxed, I think it’s probably a no-go.”

“Hmm! This is difficult, isn’t it?”

“That’s why you should pick something you like, but that doesn’t immediately remind people of you… though that’s the hard part.”

“Something I like, but doesn’t remind people of me… mmm-mmm-hmmm.”

After thinking for a while, Eija raises both hands and rests them on top of her head.

*Pikka-pyon!*

“I think… ears would be nice.”

“Do you mean like rabbit ears or cat ears?”

“Yes. I’ve always thought those kinds of characters were cute… if possible, I’d like something dog-like… please.”

I see. Beast ears certainly have a consistent popularity. Come to think of it, when she was watching other VTubers for reference, I feel like she chose a lot of videos with beast-eared characters. Besides, Eija does have a bit of a dog-like quality to her… above all, it seems like it would suit her.

“Got it. Let’s make sure to include that in the design.”

“Thank you very much!”

And so, the two of us continued to trade ideas.

Eventually, we settled on a beast-eared character. The concept was a silver wolf. But not the “cool” type—the “cute” type. We made the hair and eye color the same as Eija’s to keep a sense of unity with her.

There are already VTubers with white hair and blue eyes. So, that shouldn’t be enough for someone to identify her.

For the costume, we decided to go with a dog theme, incorporating a collar, a harness, and paw prints into the design. We also added snow and ice motifs to evoke the image of Finland.

“Now, the next step is actually deciding who to commission…”

“Ah, this one…”

I click on the sample Eija points to. More detailed information pops up.

“The pen name is ‘Pyonko’… looks like they just started recently.”

But they’re good. There are others who are technically better, but this art has a certain… charm. The samples have that “cute” feeling that Eija and I were imagining.

The budget is also… no problem. 

Perhaps because they’re new, the price is actually quite low.

“Alright, let’s send a request to this person.”

“Wow, my heart is pounding~”

“Mine too. This is my first time commissioning anything. It’s my first time paying money as a reward to another person instead of just buying a thing.”

“We’ve shared another ‘first experience’ together, haven’t we?”

She says it with a tickled voice and a happy smile.

“Yeah.”

I found myself smiling naturally, too.

***

The request was accepted without a hitch.

One week later, the character illustration arrived.

The quality exceeded my expectations. It was incredibly cute. And beautiful.

It was exactly as we imagined—or rather, it was a perfect fit for Eija—

“This is…”

“Um… it’s just a feeling, but… this…”

It looked exactly like Eija.

Sure, it had beast ears, and it was a 2D illustration in the first place… but I couldn’t help but think it was drawn while looking at Eija.

“What on earth did they use as a reference to draw this…?”

“Th-that’s amazing… professionals are incredible. To even see through to the client’s true appearance! Were they watching me from somewhere?!”

“That’s terrifying! That would be a crime!”

Besides, it’s impossible in reality. The beauty of that online service is that you can commission work without even revealing each other’s names. There’s no way they could know the other person’s identity or address.

In that case, it must be a coincidence… right?

“But this is a bit of a problem. The quality is perfect, and it’s exactly to our specifications. I have no reason to ask for a retake.”

“No! I want this girl!!” Eija says hurriedly.

“I fell in love with her at first sight! I want to be a VTuber as this girl!”

She stands in front of the monitor with her arms spread wide as if protecting her child, and I can’t help but give in.

“Hahaha, alright, I get it. I mean, even if I say it looks like you, there’s a difference between reality and 2D. It should be fine.”

Eija clasps her hands together as if in prayer.

“Thank you so much!”

The bigger problem is making this data move.

As requested, the facial parts like the eyes and mouth are separate, and there are different expression layers.

I have to use software called Live2D to animate this data. Though there are limits to the range of motion, it allows a 2D illustration to move its head, close its eyes, open its mouth, and perform other such movements.

By importing the character data created this way into streaming software like Animaze, an original VTuber can finally make its debut.

However… creating this character data is unexpectedly hard. I have to start by learning how to use the specialized Live2D editor. Furthermore, even once I learn how to use it, it apparently takes a fair amount of proficiency to make it look good.

I originally intended to do this work myself, but… honestly, it’s a formidable task.

I feel like I could do it if I put in the time. But I have no idea when I’d finish something at a level I’d be satisfied with.

If I commission someone on the request site, it will cost a decent amount. If I add my savings to my part-time pay, I can manage… but I’ll have almost no money left.

What should I do?

It’s a lot of money to me. Should I do it myself, even if it takes a long time?

But—the time I can spend with Eija is limited.

…I see.

Hiring someone to do a job isn’t just about delegating the work or buying data. It’s also about buying time with money.

But if I work too many part-time shifts to earn that capital, I won’t have time to do “otaku activities” with Eija.

Time really is precious…

The time I’ve aimlessly wasted until now suddenly feels like such a loss.

What should be my priority right now?

It’s granting Eija’s wish as quickly as possible.

I decided to commission the creation of the character data.

***

Goddess’s Trouble Consultation [Gaia Amatsuma / Gojikuji Live]

Worship me~! I’m Gaia Amatsuma, the Earth Goddess of Gojikuji Live’s fourth generation!

Believers, how is everyone doing~?

Golden Flu [Gaia-sama!]

Duldul [I’m great!]

R’lyeh [I’m tired]

I’ve had a lot of collabs with my gen-mates lately, so it’s been a while since we had a trouble consultation stream, right?

Ah, I also did a collab stream with my juniors, and it was so much fun!

They’re just great, you know? So fresh, so pure.

Elbanza [The collab was great]

Low-level Believer [Has Gaia-sama already… become a dirty adult?]

Nya-nya [No way, Gaia-sama is pure too]

Kukkoro [Gaia-sama’s earth has been defiled…]

Hey, hey, don’t say such rude things! Seriously, stop it!

I’m not defiled yet. I have a beautiful body! I’m a goddess!

But man, I feel like the freshness of those newbies cleanses my soul. For real.

Ah, that reminds me.

Speaking of freshness and innocence—there’s a girl I’m interested in.

She’s just super cute, totally my type.

Even her voice is a direct hit for this goddess.

She’s not from Gojikuji, though. I doubt any of you know her.

Her name is—

***

I was staring at the view count, which was increasing with incredible momentum.

I just stared, stunned.

What on earth?

What is happening?

Looking at the comments, a certain name is being displayed over and over.

Gaia Amatsuma.

No way…?

I open Gaia-sama’s channel page and click on the video currently being streamed.

I’ve been busy lately, so I hadn’t been watching in real-time and mostly relied on clips, but… could it be…?

Gaia-sama appears on the screen, and her voice flows from the speakers.

『Yeah, that’s her. Moi Aoya-chan.』

“…!!”

『I mean, she’s just really, really cute. First off, her greeting “Moi!” already kills me. Even if I use a Resurrection spell, her “Moi-moi~” at the end of the video kills me all over again. It’s like, it reminds you of a simple, undefiled heart. Basically, she’s just talking about her impressions of anime she likes and stuff, but she’s so pure it’s healing. She’s an angel. Moi Aoya-chan.』

Eija turned a blank, bewildered face toward me.

“W-we… she’s introducing our channel?”

Why?

Why would Gaia-sama, a super-popular VTuber from a major agency, do that?

Even as we speak, the viewer count and subscriber count are rising at an abnormal speed.

Something is beginning.

But what’s going to happen now?!

『But you know, I feel like this Goddess has met her somewhere before. This Moi Aoya-chan.』

END