Chapter 16: Please, Let Me Hear Your Voice.

Click.

The suitcase closed with a precise, clean sound. It’s only natural since I didn’t pack much besides my iPad, pen, and clothes.

“Alright!”

Travel preparations complete.

I finished all the preparations for going to Japan in thirty minutes. I might be a genius at travel prep.

Hehe. I’m overflowing with confidence. I can even ignore Kim Kyuseok’s cold stare.

“Are you crazy?”

Thump, thump.

Kyuseok, looking ridiculous with bandages wrapped around his stomach, approached me and spoke, rubbing his stomach.

This is the third layer of bandages. If it’s not wrapped three times, his purple skin shows, so it’s an unavoidable choice, even if it’s uncomfortable.

“Why. Are you jealous?”

That expression is genuine disgust.

In times like these, smiling and responding works really well.

I grinned and replied,

“Is there a problem?”

“Who goes to Japan the very day they decide to go?!”

Kyuseok’s face flushed as he started nagging. At this rate, it’ll be three hours. Precious time for me, who hasn’t even booked a flight yet.

I need a breakthrough.

“People used to go to Japan for day trips in the old days.”

“That’s because plane tickets were cheap back then!”

First attempt failed.

If Kim Kyuseok expresses his disapproval three times, it’s usually a lost cause.

If he gives up before saying it three times, it’s not that serious.

Is it really that big of a deal?

I’m just going to eat, sleep, and draw… I don’t think I need any special preparations. I’m just meeting Sayo and having a meal. A day trip is enough.

“What’s the big deal? I’m just having a meal. Want me to bring you back a souvenir?”

“This kid is really… does she even think…?”

This is the second time. My fate depends on his next words.

Kyuseok, who was pressing his fingers against his forehead, opened his eyes and looked at me.

“…Where does that Japanese person live? It varies greatly depending on the region. Tokyo, the capital, is the best.”

Kim Kyuseok’s momentum weakened.

Alright. Game over.

I pushed my suitcase towards the door and looked into Kyuseok’s eyes.

Right now, Kim Kyuseok is in his ‘kind eyes’ state. If I give a decent answer here, he’ll drive me to the airport. Probably.

“It’s not Tokyo. Where was it… Shibuya?”

Kyuseok’s eyes widened at my answer.

Is that joy? No. It seems closer to mockery.

“Hmm. That’ll be interesting. I’ll see you off. To the airport.”

Kyuseok’s sly smile was unsettling, but I followed him to his car.

And so, we set off towards Incheon Airport, the first step towards Shibuya, which would practically kill me.

“Ugh. Flying is always tiring.”

Beep, beep, beep-

Clatter…

I could hear the chirping of night insects in the grass. The slightly humid air after the recent rain made my skin tingle as I pulled my light suitcase behind me across the foreign land.

“…I can’t believe the only flight from Incheon Airport to Tokyo was a red-eye. I waited for hours.”

Kyuseok, who drove me, cursed me as I got out of the car. May you meet a cross-dresser on the street… May your mask and sunglasses break and your picture be posted online as “Silver-haired, blue-eyed beauty appears in Japan w”… and so on.

He cursed me with things that were terrifying to even imagine, but his expression wasn’t one of genuine anger. It was more of a bewildered look, like a high school student pranked by a friend.

Sniff. Just thinking about that expression makes me laugh.

“Haha. Stupid bastard.”

Barely suppressing my laughter behind my mask, I walked out to catch a taxi to Shibuya.

“Ahem. Let’s see. Where are the taxis…”

My Japanese wasn’t solely based on slice-of-life anime, so I wasn’t too worried. I studied hard in school.

“Okay. Just grab a taxi and go to the hotel in Shibuya…”

Screech!!!

“Whoa, f*ck!”

Holy sh*t…!

What kind of driving is that?

Since I wasn’t injured, I looked up angrily. I had to identify the person who drove like that and get them fired…

“I’m so sorry.”

Scary.

A tall woman got out of the car and looked down at me.

Her shoulder-length black hair had a hidden red undertone, giving her a strong impression.

With a coat draped over her shoulders, she lowered her sunglasses and stared at me with red eyes.

I was overwhelmed by her aura. So scary…!

The woman strode over, looked at me on the ground, and touched her chin.

“Heh- So that’s a Shibaru from the mainland. Certainly different from the Japanese ones.”

Whoa. Husky.

A cool, definitely attractive female voice.

Refreshing and rough. Huh? I feel like I’ve heard this voice somewhere before. Definitely…

The woman smirked and offered me her hand.

It wasn’t the smile of a beautiful girl. A more mature and sophisticated, beautiful woman’s smile.

“You’re White Palette-san, right? I’m Inuko. Nice to meet you.”

“Eh…”

Inuko-san?

No, no. I don’t watch a lot of Vtubers, but I’ve seen quite a few clips of Inuko.

She’s supposed to be… tearful and doesn’t really go out…

“You have a curious look, but this is out of order.”

Inuko-san lifted my chin and made me meet her gaze. An intense, predatory gaze, like a hunter finding its prey. A thought I felt for the first time in my life.

‘I’m going to be eaten.’

“How did I know that White Palette-san is a ‘foreigner’ and arriving at ‘Narita Airport’ today?”

“H-Huh? Th-That’s….”

Inuko-san grinned playfully and tickled my chin with her index finger. As someone who’s ticklish, this kind of touch is a bit dangerous.

Inuko-san looked at my completely covered face and turned it this way and that. She let go of my chin and muttered,

“Pfft. Cute. I want to rip off your mask and sunglasses.”

“Eek…”

My instincts screamed for me to hide the silver hair concealed under my hat. If that was discovered, there would be no turning back.

Squeeze.

I pressed down on my hat with both hands and said,

“S-So. Why are you here?”

Inuko-san grinned and took off her sunglasses. Her intensely red eyes were fully revealed. It could get even scarier.

“At first, I was curious about the kid who charmed my cute junior. But then I noticed a few suspicious things.”

Inuko-san pointed to her lips. Dainty lips painted with bright red lipstick. Don’t tell me, I have to kiss her to find out…

“First, your pronunciation. It seems like you learned Japanese, but you pronounce ‘kazoku’ as ‘gajok’ in Korean, right? Your pronunciation was too Korean. That’s the first thing.”

“Uh… and..?”

“The next thing is decisive, and it’s a bit funny. The subscribers of the ‘WhitePalette’ account are mostly Japanese now, but the previous subscribers were mostly Korean. Even if you didn’t post anything like you said, it’s probably because of the region you set.”

Ah. That…

Certainly. When I first created the account, I didn’t have any reason to hide my nationality. It must have been recommended to Koreans…

“Now. If you’re convinced, want to get in the car? This onee-san will give you a ride. Where are you staying?”

“…Kaganazuna Hotel in Shibuya.”

“Hmm. I see. Get in quickly.”

A black sedan that looked luxurious at a glance.

Not an incredibly expensive sports car like Kang Shimjeong’s LaFerrari, but a sophisticated, classy foreign car.

The leather of the seat I sat in was firm yet soft. The decorations in the car were crosses and Taoist religious items… It’s a bit old-fashioned. Doesn’t really suit me.

Inuko-san smirked as she held the steering wheel, watching me look around the car. Did I look like a savage seeing new technology? A bit embarrassing.

“Did you think it’s a car that doesn’t suit a Vtuber?”

Ugh.

As expected of a sharp person…

“…A little.”

“Well, my real life is quite different from the idol atmosphere.”

Click.

Inuko-san tapped something, and the compartment above opened, revealing several packs of cigarettes. Not just any cigarettes, but Marlboro Reds.

“Not just any Marlboro, but the American kind. They sell a much weaker version in Japan, it has no flavor.”

Inuko-san, telling me the origin of the cigarettes even though I didn’t ask, opened a pack and placed one between her fingers. And then she took out a lighter…

“Ah. Do you hate cigarettes?”

“…Yes.”

She put the cigarette back in the pack without lighting it.

With a clatter, the secret of an idol was hidden back in the compartment.

“Can you take out the lollipops from that compartment? I eat candy when I can’t smoke.”

“Ah. Yes.”

Clatter.

I opened the compartment to find a mountain of strawberry-flavored lollipops and… huh? Isn’t this the one Inuko-san always holds during her broadcasts? Half of it…

“Ah. Th-That’s… A fan made it and sent it to the company. Looks real, right?”

“Yes… It looks real.”

“Yeah. Ah. You have one too.”

She took out two strawberry lollipops, gave one to me, and unwrapped the other and put it in her mouth. A sweet and sour strawberry scent filled my mouth.

“Delicious, right?”

“Yes…”

Inuko-san rested one arm on the window and steered with only one hand. A driving posture that would have earned her a throat chop from Kyuseok… but why is the driving so smooth?

“…Are you going to Shibuya to meet Haru-chan?”

“Yes…”

“Ah.. Haru isn’t that different from what you expect. You can relax.”

Except for you.

“That’s a… relief.”

With the strong scent of cigarettes lingering in the car and the sweet strawberry flavor in my mouth, a strange drive towards Shibuya began, a blend of maturity and youth.

…That just now. No matter how I think about it, it was a real gun.

It’ll probably be fine.

“What are you thinking?”

“It’s nothing.”

Still scary.

“Ah… s-so. How did you know I was coming to Narita Airport? It’s not like Japan only has one airport…”

“Hmm. If I tell you that… you’ll have to hear the origin of the ‘gun’ too.”

“I don’t think I’m that curious…”

“Hehe. Wise choice.”