Himaru's Little Duckling
Himaru jumped in surprise while listening to Sena's song. Her singing was truly the worst— she belted it out with pure guts. Listening to it, you could feel her ego swelling up.
But more than that... was this some newfangled psychological warfare technique? Or broth stewed to perfection? Himaru felt genuinely dizzy. Anyone could see it was a roast. Yet Sena read it and got happy. And her next words were even more something.
"I'll practice more and pay you back! That's all the songs I know. Next time, I'll really practice and sing for you again!"
Was she serious? And then she added,
"My throat's fine. Don't worry! I have steel vocal cords... no, it heals after gaming! I'll prepare more next time! Thanks for listening! Thank you very much!"
Her voice sounded sincere. No, it wasn't. That wasn't praise. It was a polite way of dissing. Shady folks roasting indirectly. But Sena's voice brimmed with genuine pride.
Himaru found Sena fascinating and a bit envious. Damn, her confidence is no joke. The nickname "Existing Force" suited her perfectly.
Himaru's take was fond—she listened warmly to the song. It wasn't great, but it was cute. Seeing her grow so steadily... her hard work was touching. Her diligence was truly top-tier.
Raising ducklings had taught her something. Even in this industry, talent exists, and no amount of effort can surpass it—you feel it deep down.
And diligence was just as crucial as talent. Surprisingly, many don't work hard. Even when you lower the rope, they don't grab it. Even if they do, they don't climb—they just expect you to haul them up. "You lowered it, so tie it and pull me!" That mindset dominates. Even in once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, it's "if it happens, cool; if not, whatever." Ducklings without talent and diligence have zero edge.
And... she never expected them to turn venomous even toward benefactors. Their clique lines mattered more than the mentor—they'd badmouth you with their crew. This scene was full of immature folks.
Still, the reason to raise them was clear: it's fun. She got addicted to watching their growth. It gave her emotions she'd never felt in her own rise. Watching progress from a third-party view, knowing she influenced it—that thrill. Once you taste it, you can't quit.
As someone who'd raised more ducklings and mentored more than anyone, Himaru knew: this was Sena's most critical moment.
She'd peaked at 300 viewers, but no more growth potential. This was it. Why? No more floating viewers coming in. Now, absorb floaters to solidify the core—but where from? Who to siphon from? Fail that, and it stagnates.
No floaters means in-jokes start, breeding cliques. Broth thickens too. To neutralize stagnation's murkiness, you need fresh floaters.
Without a massive floater transfusion here, she'd wander duckling broth rooms till the end.
Himaru faced her own crossroads. Keep mentoring without cutting loose, and they'd all hit mid-tier in 1-2 years. Her current batting average: 100%. Big corps vary by nature, of course.
In going big corp, all but one crashed or ghosted. Fun ones might return post-crash—industry's like that. Fun first, anything goes. But they didn't come back.
So Himaru found it absurdly funny. Just play thick-skinned. Rebuild with fun.
"Pink hair's crazy. Total nutjob."
It popped into her head. They left like dogs. She swore off pink hair forever. Plus, raise moderately, check personality if promising. All from experience. Watching Sena's stream, Himaru thought,
"Phew... black hair... pass. Gotta meet her once."
Could she take her all the way? Personality check, growth potential. Verify in person.
After ending the stream, I checked Discord— a message from Himaru.
I replied right away.
Meet? Game? IRL? Game collab? V... VTuber, so VRChat!
My jaw dropped as I stared at the monitor. Himaru wants to meet me. Suddenly? Must have an agenda.
I fired up ChatGPT. It said Himaru was full of anticipation, interest, excitement.
Really? For real? Ehehehe.
Whoa. What? Suddenly? What's happening? I was dumbfounded. I posted an emergency off-day notice and flung open my closet. Can't meet a VIP in rags. I dug through clothes frantically for something fitting. Tomorrow's gonna be huge. What if I can't sleep? Gotta wake early. Heart pounding. Wish tomorrow was now.
Next day. I tried prettying up—squeezed into a house dress, but dresses are hard mode. Ended up with the black outfit from meeting my bro.
From leaving home to arriving, I obsessed: why does Himaru wanna meet me? No answers.
Out of the station, waited for her call. No call—instead, a woman approached.
"Hi? Sena, right?"
"Y-yeah."
"Nice to see your face. I'm Himaru."
"Uh, yeah."
Himaru stood right there. I was a tad disappointed on sight.
Her voice screamed cool, so I pictured a cool beauty ultimate girl. Avatar had big boobs too... She's pretty, sure, but small chest, not cool.
What? More fox than... that chubby vibe? Cover art scam. VTuber illusion shattered. Not alike at all... Bummer, but oh well.
I bowed deep—not just head, full waist.
"Ah. Hi!!"
"Hahaha~. Yeah~ hi~."
Laugh was pure real Himaru.
"Shall we go? I know a good spot."
"Uh... uh. Yes!"
I snapped to attention like boot camp. Life lessons pay off.
Following Himaru, I answered eagerly.
"You're so pretty. Bet you hear it all the time?"
"N-no idea!"
"Nah, you must've."
"Uh..."
"No need to tense up. I won't bite~."
Himaru had me pegged already.
"Y-yeah..."
I'm bold only with bro. IRL, total social dud. Eye contact's tough.
Streaming/chatting? In-crowd. Otherwise, outcast.
"For real! Ugh, so hot, right?"
"Y-yeah."
"Let's hurry. Too hot."
"Yes. Yup!"
My shaky voice embarrassed me. Couldn't calm. Then,
"Hic."
"Huh? You ok?"
"Y-yeah. Fine. Hic."
Tense to hiccups. Ears burning. Exiting's easy; talking's hard—forgot.
Sudden regret. Assumed stream talk = real life. Mistake.
Got too cocky lately. Tension rising.
She seemed kinda off. Stammers on questions? Introvert thing, fine. Low comms skills, ok. Just like on stream—no biggie.
Sometimes expressions kid-like? Still fine. Happens.
"Anyway. How long you planning to stream, Sena?"
"Me? Super hard! Like, super super hard!"
Sena spread arms in a circle.
"This much. This much!"
"Hahaha~. Cool~."
"For real hard! Already spruced cafe, got YouTube editor... Uh? What else?"
"Saw~ You sang too."
"Right, yesterday! Yeah!"
Every expression brimmed childlike innocence. No issue. Cute quirk, job habit—whatever.
"Song good? Sang well?"
"Yeah! Viewers said I did great."
"Whoa~ really?"
"Yup! For real. Gonna practice more."
Himaru turned slightly, brow furrowed. Kept questioning. Unease piled.
Slightly long questions? Stutters. Fine, shorts gen—my fault for not summarizing. Super rushed too. Steps too quick, overtakes without knowing destination. Nearly tripped multiple times. Total airhead.
"Y-you ok?"
"I-I'm... fine!"
"Slow's fine."
"Uh... yup!"
Himaru steadied her.
"N-next time slow. Falls hurt. Silly."
"...Third time already."
Chit-chat piled more oddities.
"Ah! Right! Old friend said contact later? But dunno when later, so didn't. Another friend said busy today... How busy am I? Asked, they snapped. Was genuinely curious."
"Huh? Eh?"
...
Himaru dropped her bag by accident. Stuff spilled. She crouched to pick up.
"Ugh. Fine. I'm fine."
Sena just stood blankly. Took her "fine" literally, waited till all gathered.
...
More weirdness stacking. Sena kept yelling "Maru" loud, so she revealed her name. "Phew. Not Maru here—I'm Kim Yujin, call me Yujin."
"Uh... yup!"
"Age?"
"Uh... Dec 5, 2001! Numbers... uh. GPT time."
Himaru—no, Yujin—felt the offness. Indescribable something.
"Aha. I'm unnie then. Older. Call casual. I'm true thirty now... hahaha~."
"Mm... yup!"
Yujin observed nonstop. Unease crept. Arrival to seating.
"Uh... uh... uh..."
"Order anything. Don't worry, I invited—order freely."
"Uh... uh..."
"Why? What's up?"
"Th-that. Too many, can't choose."
"Just what you want."
"Too many, can't choose."
Ordering to waiting. Something... something... indescribable weird vibe. Flagship dakgalbi; Sena got cold noodles separate. Woman's intuition flashing. Something's there.
"Wow. So good. Waa!!"
Eating all fidgety, can't sit still. Definitely not normal. Felt non-neurotypical. Couldn't hold back. Intuition wriggling. Yujin mustered courage. Or apologize for real. Sincere sorry. Kneel if needed.
"Um... Sena. Any... discomfort? Like... uh. Hurt anywhere? Or... mentally... uh. That."
Words stuck. But Yujin's eyes confirmed on Sena's face. Sena stared wide-eyed, like "how'd you know my secret?" Sena struggled,
"So... that... you hate me now?"
"No hate. Who said?"
"Mom warned... people hate if know... You like Maru... now hate me?"
Yujin bit lip. First time this feeling. Everything melted. Vaguely knew odd; facing reality explained non-sequiturs, reactions. Puzzle solved.
"So... you like me? For real?"
Yujin covered face with palms. Foul play. Can't say that with cute face.
"Of course."
"Real? Promised Mom. She warned... said tell trustworthy person... Was gonna lie but trusted you, got courage! For real!!"
Himaru struggled not to laugh. Watched mouth-covered, head-down Sena. Total cheater.
"How much trust?"
"Tons... lots."
"Nice to meet again. Like you. Cute. Oh, and that secret? Never tell anyone but me. Got it? Never. But exactly what?"
"I'm... borderline intellectual. IQ kinda low. Ehehihi. Secret?"
"Duh. Pinky swear?"
Sena eyed Yujin's thumb-little finger hook.
"Mom said same."
Yujin chopsticked food slow onto Sena's spoon. Feed one bite, another.
"Streaming tough?"
"N-none! Wow... more. Thanks!"
Chewing cute as hell. Yujin burned with curiosity. Life story? How started streaming? Parents' jobs? Purpose? School days? So much, but held back. Time on her side—no rush. Stood to sort thoughts.
"B-brb bathroom. Eat up."
"Y-yeah!"
Long bathroom stay, but thoughts more jumbled. No answers, back.
"Ah... right! Y-Yujin!"
Found answer in 5 secs post-sit, longer than bathroom.
"Yeah? Why~?"
"Just thought—come to my place today? Sleepover?"
"Huh? Me? Why?"
"Yeah! Mom said invite precious ones home! You feed me random, uh? Good person! Wanna give back! Ok for me... you busy? Then... Mom's number?"
Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Real. Yujin squirmed like electric chair.
Yujin time to fulfill dream. Bucket list: amusement park before true thirty... with boyfriend? Failed. Instead, Sena—tomorrow too, next year streaming together.