Chapter 81: Then, Kayano-san. First of all …….Could you please take off your clothes?

[Hikari Kurokami: Izumi.]

[Hikari Kurokami: Would you like to go for a shrine visit the day after tomorrow?]

[Kaino Izumi: Huh?]

[Hikari Kurokami: I thought jumping straight into an offline collab might be a bit overwhelming.]

[Hikari Kurokami: So, let’s start by meeting in person first.]

I’m not really someone who goes to Hatsumode, the first shrine visit of the new year.

Sure, back when I was younger, I used to go with my family. But now? I don’t really feel the need anymore.

After Dad passed away, Mom started substituting shrine visits with grave visits. My older sister moved out and lives

on her own now, so as someone who prefers staying at home, I naturally stopped thinking about going to

Hatsumode.

But to think Kurokami-senpai would suggest something like this.

“…What should I do?”

My first thought was, of course, to decline.

It’s a given that Hatsumode will be packed with people.

And the last thing I want is to get caught up in that crowd and drain my energy.

But when I give it more thought, it’s not that simple.

I did promise myself that I would change.

Turning down Senpai’s invitation just because there’ll be a lot of people would be a pretty lame excuse.

And if you think about it, this might actually be a good opportunity.

If I plan to keep working with StarzFlow, I’ll have to meet everyone in person at some point.

In that case, starting with Kurokami-senpai might not be so bad after all.

“…Alright.”

Decision made.

Yeah, rejecting Senpai’s invitation just because of the crowd would be ridiculous.

So…

[Kaino Izumi: Senpai.]

[Kaino Izumi: I don’t think I can go… I don’t have anything to wear.]

[Hikari Kurokami: Oh, don’t worry about that.]

[Hikari Kurokami: I can lend you something.]

[Kaino Izumi: …Okay.]

[Hikari Kurokami: I’ll send you the address. Please be there by 1 PM on the 3rd.]

“I’m heading out…”

“Take care.”

As I stepped outside, the chilly breeze greeted me.

The thought of visiting a crowded shrine in this cold…

For someone like me who prefers the warmth of home, it just doesn’t make sense.

Honestly, I wanted to fake being sick and say I needed to stay home, but…

I couldn’t bring myself to lie to Senpai, so in the end, I found myself on the way to the shrine in this freezing weather.

[Hikari Kurokami: Oh, Suzuha and Ayaka will be joining us too.]

Even Koga and Utsumi are coming along?

StarzFlow really is full of weird people…

In front of me stood a massive gate, flanked on both sides by walls stretching so far that I couldn’t even see the end with my own eyes.

“This is… the place, right?”

Not to brag, but considering Mom is an executive at a famous company, our family is pretty well off.

But this place? It’s on a completely different level…

I briefly wondered if I had come to the wrong address, but there was no point in worrying.

[Hikari Kurokami: When you arrive, look for a nameplate that says Shirasaki on it.]

[Shirasaki Residence.]

The address Senpai sent matched the nameplate perfectly, confirming that this was indeed the right place.

[Miss, we’re not finishe—]

[Kyaaaaaaa!!!]

Back during the last totsumachi, I remember hearing a similar sound before Senpai managed to mute her mic.

And that was enough to fuel countless discussions across various online communities.

Some claimed that it was just her family being considerate of her streaming. Others argued that she really might be a rich girl in real life.

Normally, people would dig into someone’s past to uncover the truth. But when it came to Kurokami-senpai, such

investigations always came up empty.

The senior, like me, was one of the rare cases in the current VTuber industry where it was believed they had no “past

life.”

Of course, unlike me, the senior had never caused any sort of scandal…

…Anyway, the answer to that debate was the latter.

“Phew…”

The time was already 12:55 PM.

Since the appointment was at 1 o’clock, it should be fine to head in now.

I let out a light sigh and slowly pressed the doorbell attached to the massive gate.

Ding-dong!

For some reason, even the sound of the doorbell in such a fancy house seemed much nicer.

As I entertained that thought, I waited for about ten seconds.

[Yes, this is Shirasaki.]

A gentle female voice came from inside.

“Um… I, I’m Kayano… I had an appointment to visit today…”

[Ah, you must be my lady’s friend? Please wait a moment. I’ll open the gate for you.]

“Y-Yes…”

After hearing that, I waited for about ten seconds, and soon, the gate opened.

A tall man in a black suit and sunglasses walked out from inside.

“You are my lady’s friend, correct?”

“Ah, u-uh… Yes…”

The deep, gravelly voice made me flinch involuntarily.

What happened to the pride of being a man in my forties?

But look at him! He has a huge scar running down his face, and his appearance is intimidating.

Even a man in his forties is allowed to be scared. There’s nothing strange about it.

“I apologize if my appearance startled you.”

“N-No! It’s not that… I’m sorry…”

“Haha, it’s fine. I’m used to it. Normally, the youngest in the team would handle this, but everyone on the security

team is on vacation except me. I appreciate your understanding.”

Even though it could have been an unpleasant situation, the man simply chuckled it off.

…He’s actually a really kind man.

See? You should never judge people by their appearance.

I’ll make sure to apologize properly for being scared earlier.

“The young lady is waiting inside.”

“Okay…”

The inside of the senior’s house was much larger than I had expected from the outside.

The beautiful garden with a small pond was already impressive, but the wooden mansion that matched its

atmosphere was breathtaking.

It was the kind of house you’d expect a noble character from an anime to live in.

“Wow…”

As I followed the man across the wooden floors, I couldn’t stop myself from letting out exclamations of awe.

It was incredible that such a large house was kept this clean and pristine.

Everything about it was fascinating.

“Young lady, your friend has arrived.”

“Yes, thank you, Yuuto.”

“It’s my duty.”

While I was still captivated by this otherworldly atmosphere, we arrived at the door where Kurokami-senpai was waiting.

“You can head in.”

“Ah, th-thank you. And I’m sorry about earlier…”

“Haha, don’t worry about it. You’re perfectly fine. Now then, I’ll take my leave.”

…He’s so cool.

I want to be that kind of cool man when I get older.

With that thought lingering in my mind, I gently knocked on the closed door.

“U-Um… Senpai, may I come in…?”

“Yes. Please, come in.”

“Phew…”

After taking one last deep breath, I slowly slid open the door.

“Welcome… Or perhaps, ‘Nice to meet you’ would be more accurate?”

Kurokami-senpai looked elegant and graceful.

“I am Shirasaki Shiro, the eldest daughter of the Shirasaki family. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“I-I’m Kayano Mina… P-pleased to meet you…”

The person standing in front of me wasn’t the kind of “pure and innocent” often mentioned in the VTuber world, but

someone who embodied the literal meaning of those words.

Her long, straight black hair shimmered with a hint of blue, and her reddish-brown eyes gave off an air of mystery.

Her gentle gaze naturally put me at ease, and the faint upward curve of her lips made her seem warm and kind.

She wore a kimono with a mix of black and pink tones and was seated on a cushion, kneeling with her hands placed

gracefully on her lap.

The way she sat in the seiza position looked so natural, as if she had been doing it her entire life.

She exuded elegance, and the word “graceful” suited her perfectly.

It was like I was looking at a perfect Yamato Nadeshiko—a traditional ideal of Japanese womanhood.

“It’s really nice to finally meet you, Kayano-san.”

“Ah, y-yes… Um, where are Koga-san and Utsumi-san?”

“The two of them will be meeting us at the shrine at 2:30.”

“Oh… I see.”

Wait a second.

That means… right now, it’s just me and Kurokami-senpai alone.

Being alone with someone I’m meeting for the first time is an incredibly nerve-wracking situation for me.

“Um… so, what should we do now?”

“Hmm… Well, Kayano-san. First…”

Trying to suppress my anxiety, I asked her hesitantly. Senpai responded with a warm smile, her eyes crinkling gently.

“Could you take off your clothes?”

…What?

“Fufu. It feels like I’ve gained a little sister.”

Of course, there was no strange intention behind her request for me to undress. She simply wanted me to change

into a kimono, so I had to remove my current outfit.

Still, standing there in just my underwear while Senpai observed me with a curious “Heh…” made me feel extremely

embarrassed.

“Kayano-san, the right lapel should go inside.”

“Ah… Th-thank you.”

With Senpai’s help, I managed to put on a kimono in shades of red.

Once I had it on, I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of familiarity. It reminded me of the kimono worn by “Kaino

Izumi” during yesterday’s stream.

“The obi is tricky to tie on your own, so I’ll help with that.”

Senpai spoke kindly and moved behind me, her hands deftly working on the sash.

In no time, she had tied a flawless butterfly knot, and I couldn’t help but let out an involuntary gasp of admiration.

“W-wow… That was really fast.”

“Well, I’ve done this many times before. Does it feel tight anywhere?”

“Um…”

I moved slightly from side to side to check, but there didn’t seem to be any discomfort.

“It feels fine.”

“That’s a relief. I was a bit worried since this kimono is one I wore back in my first year of middle school.”

…Wait.

I’m a high schooler right now.

Hearing that made me painfully aware of how small I am.

…Well, at least I’m taller than Koga-san, so it’s fine!

“Achoo!”

“Huh? Yui-chan, do you have a cold?”

“…No, I don’t think so. Hm.”