War It Is, You Bastard

"Yeah, you fucking bitch. It's war. Lol."

I woke up wanting a break more than ever before. I wanted to take a hiatus so badly it hurt. Because no one had accepted my perfect shotgun theory from yesterday. I'd thought at least Gaeun and Owen would understand me…

Of course, there was one surefire way to make the Lene fans believe me. All I had to do was create a shotgun-using character, raise its proficiency, turn on the stream, and prove it. But it was too much of a hassle. I was confident I could do it, but the sheer laziness won out. After waking up, every thought that crossed my mind made my whole body feel sluggish. Everything was annoying. I just wanted to lie in bed all day and roll around.

…Ah. Come to think of it, it must be that time.

The thing that shattered my worldview the first time I experienced it years ago, but now I just accept it as inevitable. The thing that directly contradicted my constant internal mantra of "I'm still a man at heart." The thing that forced me to acknowledge that I was now a woman. The thing that made Ariel—no, that gloomy bitch Iia—smile in that infuriating way when she first saw it happen. The thing that made me so furious I smashed Ariel's head with a warhammer, which got me scolded by the Pope. The thing that every young woman inevitably faces once a month.

The magic day had arrived.

Luckily, I didn't get any physical pain from it. The only symptoms were this full-body lethargy and an overwhelming sense that everything was too much trouble. Ariel, the Pope, and even Iia had told me that my entire aura completely changes during this time, but since I can't see myself objectively, I wouldn't know. Still, something must be different. Even the Pope—a man—could apparently tell, so it had to be noticeable.

Now that I think about it, Ariel had mentioned she gets so much pain during hers that she needs divine protection. I wouldn't know what that feels like since I've never experienced it. Anyway, the conclusion was that I desperately wanted to take a break today.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

But after already taking three days off last week because of that thing I don't even want to name, would it really be okay to take another hiatus? I doubted the Lene fans would laugh and let it slide…

Just looking at the Lene Gallery, people had already figured out what I was thinking and posted concept posts like that. Of course, the one downvote was from me, but that was unavoidable, so there was no problem with it. …If someone who didn't know anything saw this, they'd think I just take breaks whenever I'm bored. But I only ever take breaks when I truly have no choice.

The person who wrote that post was even one of my stream's earliest regular viewers—Moriarty. Shouldn't he understand how I feel…? It hurt my heart so much.

Anyway, the sad conclusion was that I had to stream today after all. …If I'd known this week was going to be that time, I wouldn't have taken a break last week. Up until now, whenever it was that time, I'd just made up some random excuse to take a break. No matter what, it was too embarrassing to say out loud that I was resting because of my period.

Of course, someone might ask if I really needed to rest when I wasn't even in pain… Hmm. It really does make everything feel like too much trouble, so I can't help it.

Whatever. Yesterday I was streamer Lene, so today I'll be VTuber Lene…

Ding-dong!

As I was thinking that, the doorbell rang from outside. At this hour, it must be Bora…?

[Lene Noona!]

Yep, it was Bora. Honestly, even moving was annoying, but I remembered I'd eaten all the food her mother gave me yesterday, so I needed to return the container. If there had still been some left, I'd have had to do the dishes today. It was a relief that particular hassle was avoided…

"Coming…"

I slowly got up from the bed and walked to the front door. Then I slowly opened it.

"Noona!"

"Hello, Bora…"

Bora was there as usual—

"Hello, Miss Lene."

Huh? Were my eyes broken? Why was I seeing Bora's mother?

"The food I prepared today seemed too heavy for Bora to carry by herself, so I came in person. I took a half-day off this morning…"

Ah, I see. Yeah, looking at the amount she was carrying in both hands, it did seem like too much for Bora alone.

"By the way, Miss Lene. Are you feeling unwell?"

"Huh? No, I'm fine…"

"Oh? It's nice Lene Noona!"

"…What do you mean by that, sweetie?"

What are you saying, Bora? When you put it like that, it sounds like I'm usually not nice.

"Sometimes Lene Noona is different from usual… Um. But Lene Noona is always nice and good… So… Hmm, anyway, it's different Lene Noona today!"

"…Ah."

Seeming to realize something from Bora's words, her mother stepped a little closer to me and whispered in my ear.

"Is it that time of the month…?"

"Ah, yes…"

"Then you should really rest. I'm sorry for coming by so suddenly. I'll take Bora home with me."

"Uh, i-it's f-fine… I'm not in pain, just a little s-sluggish…"

"Oh my. I'm jealous. I get pretty bad cramps…"

"S-sorry for your t-troubles…"

I get it, so could you please step back a little? I'm going to die.

Maybe she read my thoughts, because Bora's mother stepped back slightly, stroked Bora's head, and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠said,

"…Hmm. Sweetie, why don't you come home a bit earlier today? Mommy will finish work and come back as quickly as possible."

"…I don't want to. I want to stay with Lene Noona for a long time today…"

"Noona is having a bit of a hard day today, so please understand just this once."

"Noona is having a hard time…?"

If you really pressed me, it was a hard day. I couldn't exactly say I liked this unique sluggish feeling, even if it didn't hurt. …But if you asked whether it was hard enough that I couldn't be with Bora, that wasn't the case.

"I-I'm fine…"

I answered with my head slightly lowered.

"Noona says she's fine…"

"Sweetie. Can't you listen to Mommy this time? You can't make Noona say she's having a hard time while you're right here. …Instead, Mommy will buy sushi. How about that?"

But Bora's mother still tried to persuade her, saying it wasn't okay. She knew that even without painful symptoms, that time of the month was inherently difficult, which was why she was doing this. On top of that, she even offered sushi as compensation so Bora wouldn't feel hurt. She was perfectly looking out for both me and Bora.

But knowing how much Bora usually liked me, there was no way she'd back down just for sushi—

"Sushi? Really? Then I'll go back quickly!"

…Huh?

"Good. No matter how late, be back by four, okay?"

"Okay!"

Was my position lower than sushi to Bora…? For a moment that thought made me feel bad, but when Bora's mother secretly whispered "I'm sorry" to me, I quietly nodded.

"Th-thank you…"

She was being considerate of me after all, and given my current state, it was something to be grateful for.

"Puuu…"

"That tickles, Lene Noona!"

"Ah, sorry…"

I pressed my face against Bora's back while she was in my arms and breathed out, making her giggle and squirm.

"Mmm…"

"I said it tickles!"

"Okaaay…"

It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was absolutely not because Bora had chosen sushi over me earlier. It was just because Bora was warm and soft and fluffy, and I liked that. Yeah. Really.