Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: My Turn
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After spending a peaceful Christmas Day, it was decided that I'd remain hospitalized for at least two more months.
"The aftereffects could be intense, so take it easy."
"Son, if anything happens, you have to tell me right away, okay? Actually, should I just stay here? The company would run fine without me."
"No need. Companies get busier toward year-end. I'd only feel burdened if you stayed here because of me."
"Alright. Call me immediately if anything comes up."
"We've activated your phone, so make sure to keep in touch."
"You can see me anytime from now on. Go ahead without worry."
"...Yeah. You're right."
"Aigoo, look at our son—who'd he get that sweet talk from?"
I forcibly shooed my parents out of the hospital room, even though they wanted to stay until the very end.
They clearly wanted to linger, but they were working adults with responsibilities, after all.
I didn't want them disrupting their schedules and routines on my account.
Once my parents had left, I gathered up all the snacks, food, drinks, smartphone, and laptop they'd handed me, then lay back down on the bed.
I powered on the latest-model laptop my father had bought me and installed the essential apps.
Messengers and such, or 3D modeling tools.
The 3D tools, naturally, were light-years beyond anything I remembered.
'Wonder if she'd like it if I made her something like a divine outfit.'
I knew zilch about women's clothing, so maybe I should commission my mom.
The 3D tools sparked a mad surge of interest, but first, I started sorting through my remaining work on the laptop.
"What was the Xcode password again?"
Once I logged into Xcode after racking my brain, a flood of messages greeted me.
"Tch. Those punks."
Most of them were from seven years ago.
Such nonsense. No way I borrowed money from you, dude. Who was the last one?
It looked like my friends had each left a line of comfort and encouragement.
Sorry, guys, but I wanted some peace and quiet right now, so I moved the mouse and switched my status from online to offline.
...It might've partly stemmed from a petty anxiety: after seven whole years, was I still their friend?
"This one."
Among all those message windows, one stood out as especially bizarre.
The others had typical 2-3 notifications, maybe a dozen at most, but this one had an absurd 999+ messages.
- Myth.
The instant I saw the name, I swallowed hard.
I opened the Xcode messages with trembling hands.
"Ha, haha. Idiot. What is this, a diary?"
What lay there was literally Myth's every day.
I scrolled up endlessly, my thumb aching from the weight of the years, until I finally reached the top.
Seven years ago: December 25th.
The texts had continued from that day on.
- Legend. - The doctor says your body's fine, but you're not waking up for some bizarre reason. - So, for whenever you do wake, I decided to write my daily life here every day. - That way, I won't feel awkward to you.
- Legend, I'm debuting today. - Honestly, I'm pretty scared. - You always came to find me whenever I went live. - But what if no one shows up today when I start streaming? - What if the world ignores all your efforts? - ...No. I'll keep at it until they notice. - Guess I got a little weak there. - Gonna power through and show 'em us!
- Legend Legend Legend! - It was a massive hit! Total smash! - First stream and we hit 300 live viewers already! - Honestly, I just wanted one more person to watch. - I'll keep pushing. - So that when you wake, I can proudly say it. - That I am who I am because of you, and tell it to your face. - So please, wake up. - Legend.
- Legend! - Got a collab invite from a huge corporate streamer! - Honestly, first big collab like this has me nervous, but I'll do my best. - Whoa, Legend, I totally bombed. - Too tense, couldn't even speak properly. - Ugh, chat's like "This is why VTubers suck." - Said don't bring me just cuz I'm topical, that's too much. - Whatever, it was fine. - They didn't bash the avatar, just praised it. - Of course—who made it? - Sigh... At least back then, I had one unconditional ally. - Missing you extra hard today, our QWER-nim.
- Whoa, Legend. Some weird virus called Corolon is spreading worldwide. - A pandemic? Never imagined it'd hit my life. - Hospital visits banned for a while... 2-3 months at least till stable. - Dammit. Goal was daily visits till you woke, but fail. - Still, I'll come every day I can. - If you wake now and I'm not there, don't be too sad. - ...Nah. Be sad. I'd feel cheated if not. Hmph.
- LegendLegendLegendLegendLegend!!!! - Hit 1 million subscribers! - Kuaaaah! This is it!! How much I've suffered to get here. - Obviously, impossible without you. - I'll wait. Forever. For days to share this happiness, joy, feeling with you.
- Iyatho! 2 million subs achieved! - Feels like the pace is picking up, right? - Kirinuki clips getting reverse-imported overseas. - Foreign sub ratio exploded. Gaining 10k a day sometimes—explosive growth! - Agency made a dedicated team for foreign subtitles now. - Japanese VTubers mostly just live, no edits, but my edit uploads were right call. - Advice you gave me when you were awake. - Thanks so much, Legend.
- Wow. Tried making soybean paste-braised pork skirt today—total disaster. (Photo of some black, scream-like substance presumed to be the pork skirt? Looks 100% instant-death if eaten.) - Saw it on TV, looked tasty—too much salt maybe?
- Yay ho. Pepero Day today. - Did a stream making Pepero to celebrate. (Photo of what looks like metal chopsticks. Myth claims this shiny-from-ceiling-light object is Pepero. How the heck?) - Viewers begged me never to enter a kitchen again—scared I'll 2nd-job as a chef cuz I'm too good? - Someone said they get why medieval alchemists existed—my cooking's too magical? - Might as well make a sub-char as a chef from space? - Anyway, Happy Pepero Day, Legend. - Someday wanna feed you handmade custom Pepero.
- Wow... Today was the absolute worst. - Caught a cold but forced a collab pretending I was fine—ruined everything. - They were small streamers waiting for me, wanted to live up to expectations. - Should've listened to manager and rested, but pushed for this collab I hyped—result. - Gonna manage my condition better from now on. - Can't tarnish the avatar you made, at least.
- Whoa. Did something insanely stupid. - Nationwide wildfire last night, and I saw chat and said "burns well, keep burning~" - Seems minor, but stuff like this shatters image in streaming. - Gotta be more careful. - Wish you'd wake and comfort me soon. - ...You will comfort me, right? - Hehe.
- Legend! Hit 5 million subscribers today! - All, all thanks to you. - Seven years ago today, you gave me a tomorrow. - You gave me a tomorrow where I could shine brighter. - Just as you gave me everything, I want to give you everything. - Craving your voice extra today. - Thank you.
- Heading back tomorrow finally. - Japan live was tough... - But singing and dancing abroad with all that cheering. - Emotion I wouldn't have without you. - Wanna share it with you someday. - Coming to see you right after I land tomorrow. - See you tomorrow. Legend.
Myth had truly become the 'myth' of the VTuber world.
Dazzlingly so, to the point of eye strain.
"I want to see you."
You, just once more.
Whoops.
I hurriedly clamped my mouth shut and glanced around.
A private hospital room, empty of anyone else.
Of course no one had heard, but my face was already burning beet red.
To the point I wondered if it was okay to get this hot.
'No.'
Myth and I were just viewer and streamer, nothing more.
Harboring feelings like this wasn't right.
The reason she went this far for me was surely something else.
Just gratitude, nothing more.
Today. December 26th.
The messages cut off there.
Japan's time zone wasn't far off from Korea's, so she was probably asleep by now, late at night.
Wonder when she'd come tomorrow.
Was I supposed to just wait for her arrival tomorrow?
Like I had for the past seven years?
- I want to see you.
...Even a minute, a second sooner.
Was that my greed?
"...Sorry, nurses. Doctors."
I sat up in bed and immediately grabbed the new clothes my parents had bought me, then dashed into the bathroom.
I'd made her wait seven years.
I'd made her come visit seven years.
Now it was my turn to go to her.