Chapter 10: There’s no way I can do a free collabaration, it,s impossible(1)

My Previous Life.

A strong, 25-year-old man from South Korea.

But now, I am a 16-year-old high school girl in Japan.

There’s no confusion between my memories or identity.

When my memories returned at the age of 10, I spent almost a year pondering and sorting them out.

Even though I have memories from my previous life, I’m still a 16-year-old high school girl now, and I don’t

particularly feel any resistance to living as a woman.

Before regaining my memories, I lived as an ordinary girl for 10 years, after all.

But ultimately, I have memories from my past life, and it seems impossible to completely abandon them.

So, the conclusion I came to was: just do whatever I want.

I’m the type of person who’d rather watch another episode of anime or play another round of a game than waste time

worrying about things like this.

Besides, being a lonely, awkward outsider without friends is the same as always…

That’s an unchanging truth, my fate…

“Haa…”
Right now, I’m looking at one of the many VTuber communities.

[Virtual Ontuber Minor Gallery]

[Title: This guy seems like a successful busooni, upvote ㅋㅋㅋ]
[Author: ㅇㅇ]

Kaino Izumi <<< This guy seems to have joined StarPL just to fulfill his desires, upvote ㅋㅋㅋ
I’ll start with me ㅋㅋㅋ

[Upvotes: 56 / Downvotes: 9]

ㅇㅇ: ㅋㅋㅋ RY’s yuri appeal was natural.

ㅇㅇ: The unicorns’ heads exploded ㅋㅋ

ProUnicorn: Somehow, I feel like Izumi is going to be my favorite starting today.

ㅇㅇ: Watch it like a wildfire!!!

ProUnicorn: Somehow, I feel like Izumi is going to be my favorite starting today.
ㅇㅇ: Watch it like a wildfire!!!
…
Suzuha: Does it feel this natural? This is real ㅇㅇ

Chilheo: Nachan and the lady are in danger…

I checked four places for egosurfing today.

And the general opinion is that my comment, “I like cute girls,” wasn’t just an act as a VTuber, but a genuine

sentiment.

Fortunately, most people reacted positively.

Actually, a lot of them liked it a lot.

Well, the VTuber industry essentially treats VTubers as idols.

Just by looking at the popularity of combinations like Chilheo’s Star and Ayakari, it’s clear that yuri marketing is

somewhat encouraged in this industry.

Of course, there were reactions like the post I just saw, but that was more about drawing attention than actual flaming like before.

Anyway, the point I want to make is that I’m not really influenced by gender anymore.

Even though my male identity is much stronger, I don’t have any trouble acting as a woman.

But.
But there is one thing.

Something I absolutely cannot concede.

No, it’s not even a matter of concession—it’s something biologically impossible for me.
That is seeing men as romantic partners.

Even in the 10 years before regaining my memories, there was never anyone I liked, and after getting my memories back, it’s become biologically unbearable.

I mean, logically speaking, isn’t it obvious?

Isn’t it natural to prefer small, cute girls over big, sweaty guys?

If not, then never mind.

-But that doesn’t mean I’m romantically interested in women either.

-Even in my past life, I was never really interested in romance.

-Still, if I had to pick an ideal partner, it would definitely be a woman.

-Of course, I’ve never shared this with anyone—not even my mom.

I’ve never had anyone to share it with in the first place…

But my secret has already spread widely after today’s stream.

I don’t mind, but I feel kind of embarrassed.

More importantly, my mom will probably see the stream too…

What should I say if she asks?

“I don’t know.”

It’s already happened anyway.

Even if I delete the video, countless clips are already circulating, so it’s meaningless.
If my mom asks, I’ll think about it then. For now, I should just focus on planning tomorrow’s stream.

“Maybe I should do another TLQ stream.”

Even if it’s not TLQ, a gaming stream would be better.

After today, I realized that a chat stream doesn’t suit a socially awkward, friendless loser like me.

As I was thinking about what game to play on tomorrow’s stream—

Ding!

The notification sound of a text message echoed from my phone.

• [Manager: Kaino, I’m thinking of scheduling a collab with one of the second-gen members tomorrow. Is that okay with you?]
  …?
  StarPL is a bad company.
• I can say that over and over again.
• StarPL is a bad company!
• Making me work during Golden Week, giving me ridiculous concepts to perform, and now they’re even ordering me

to do a collab stream with one of my juniors.

StarPL’s actions can only be explained if they are the embodiment of evil.

No matter how I look at it, isn’t this absurd?

My fellow trainees already have nearly three weeks of streaming experience. No, the community already treats them

as “professional streamers” whose entire ‘past lives’ have been completely exposed. And yet, they’re asking me, a

complete newbie who has only streamed three times, to do a collab?

That doesn’t make any sense, right?

Even putting that aside, my fellow trainees must have built relationships during these three weeks.

And now they’re asking someone like me, an awkward, friendless loser, to just slide in among them?

…Maybe the world ending tomorrow wouldn’t be so bad.

Are they suggesting that if I just follow their conversation topics, everything will be fine?

If I could do that, I would’ve had friends!

Sure, you might say it’s like streaming where I don’t have to see their faces.

But with chat, I can selectively respond to only the messages I want to!

I can already see the future.

The mood during the collab will go downhill, and if I open my mouth to say something, it’ll be so ridiculous that the

community will burst into flames.

Yeah, I should say this is impossible.

[Kaino Izumi: Manager, about tomorrow’s collab…]

[Manager: Yes, your partner is Koga-san.]

[Kaino Izumi: Well, the thing is…]

[Manager: Is there a problem?]

What I sensed from the text messages was the manager’s genuine desire for my stream to succeed.

[Kaino Izumi: It’s nothing. Please take care of me.]

Well, if I could speak up at times like this, I wouldn’t be the socially awkward, friendless loser that I am…
Damn it.

My first collab partner, fellow trainee Koga Suzuha (古賀 紗波).

Her real name was definitely Komachi Yuika (小町侑衣香), right?

Anyway, to be honest, Koga-san was the most memorable of my fellow trainees.

And that’s because she was an incredibly cute girl.
I’m short.

The last time I measured myself, I was 151cm—far below the average height of 163cm.

Well, I’m a super cute, petite girl, so it doesn’t bother me much, right?

I still believe I can grow taller?!

…Anyway, I’m short.

So before I met the rest of the second-gen trainees, I naturally assumed I’d be the shortest.
But what a surprise!

There was someone shorter than me.
And that someone was Koga-san.

If it had been Akabane-san, I wouldn’t have been as shocked.

After all, the manager had already told me that Akabane-san’s character concept was a middle schooler with a chuunibyo personality.

But Koga-san’s concept was an angel who had escaped from heaven.

Normally, when you think of an angel, you picture a holy, beautiful adult woman, right?

But here was this cute girl who looked 7-8cm shorter than me, playing the role of an angel.

…Well, maybe you could call her an angel in a different sense.

On top of that, Koga-san was the oldest among us.

She’s 24 years old, a full eight years older than me.

That gap was so cute that Utsumi-san couldn’t resist patting her on the head.

Though Koga-san, being the eldest, protested vehemently.

Anyway, with her deep purple ponytail, jet-black eyes, and sharp, cat-like face, Koga-san left a massive impact on my

mind, especially with the contrast between her age and height.

And now she’s my first collab partner?

This might not be so bad.

Since Koga-san is the eldest among the second-gen members, she seems to be aware of that, which is why she talks to

me, the youngest, more than anyone else.

She even has the caring mom attribute—Koga-san is amazing…

Could she become my first friend in this life…?

[Kaino Izumi★Star’s Flow @Kainolzumi. 12 min]
Today, I’m finally doing my first collab with fellow trainee Koga-san?!
https://ontu.be/XXXXXXX
#StarsFlow2ndGen #KainoIzumi #KogaSuzuha

[[Chat] Today, I’ll be talking with the gentle angel… #KainoIzumi #KogaSuzuha #StarsFlow]
The stream will be hosted on my channel.

While my fellow trainees have steadily streamed and even gotten monetized during the two weeks I was on hiatus, I

still don’t have enough videos for monetization.

That’s why Koga-san suggested that we do the collab on my channel, to help me reach monetization faster.
Koga-san is so kind…

-(≥▽≦)>Zumizumi!

-(≦)>Zumizumi!

The number of live viewers waiting: approximately 3,000.

Once the broadcast starts, that number will surely increase.

And I have to do a live stream with someone else in front of all these people?

…Am I about to experience a second death today?

“Ugh, ughhh…”
[Izumi-chan, are you okay?]

Koga-chan’s voice came through my headphones, calm and gentle.

Most people would have felt their nerves ease and their spirits soothed just by hearing her voice, but unfortunately, it was another kind of poison for me right now.

“Th-tha-thank? You? Am I? O-okay?”

[Take a deep breath. There’s still a little time before the broadcast starts.]

Following Koga-chan’s advice, I closed my eyes and slowly inhaled.

I could feel my heart pounding like crazy.

“Hoo, hoo…”

I quietly opened my eyes and looked at the monitor.

Hanging there was a frame with a message written on it.

[Natsune Nanase: Are you okay? If you’re having a hard time, let me know. I’m your senior, so I’ll do my best to help you!]

Ah, this feeling of healing…

Even with trash-like, ultra-low self-esteem, Nacchan’s support was enough to help me hang on…
[Feeling better now?]

“Y-yes, m-much better now.”
I thought I could speak at least to the level I usually did during my streams.
[Shall we start soon, then?]

Hearing Koga-chan’s words, I glanced at the clock. It was 4:59 PM.

As she said, it was time to start the stream.

“…Haa.”

Taking one last deep breath, I quietly switched off the waiting screen.

“K-Konzu-mi~. St-Star’s Flow’s very own, the mood-maker who dreams of creating a world where everyone can

smile? I’m K-Kaino I-Izumi, and I L-LICH..!”

• Hi, Izumi!
• Hi, Izumi!
• She seems even more broken than usual today, lol

We all saw this coming, calm down.

After confirming the flood of welcomes from the viewers, I continued.

“A-as announced, today K-Koga-chan is with me!”

As soon as I said that, Koga-chan’s avatar appeared on my stream.

Her long, snow-white hair cascaded down to her knees, adorned with a golden diamond-shaped ring atop her head.

Underneath her soft, light green eyes was a tiny beauty mark that accentuated her delicate features.

Dressed in a silver-accented, frilly sailor outfit, small wings gently fluttered behind her back.

Her avatar, even shorter than mine, exuded a cuteness that matched her petite frame and radiated a noble, angelic

aura.

…I feel purified just looking at her.

[Suzuha-i~. Star’s Flow’s resident angel who just wants to be praised by everyone, I’m Koga Suzuha!]

• Suzuha-i!
• Suzuha-i!
• Suzuha-chan, please take care of Mei-chan!

Can Suzu-chan’s communication skills save Mei-chan’s non-existent ones? (´w`) What do you think?

It’s probably impossible, right?