Right. I’d known it would happen, but I still felt disappointed at how all the other VTubers knew about my true colors already.
After that, starting with Chami-chan, I got DMs and calls from the other VTubers of Live-On—both from my generation and from the previous ones. Every one of them shared a sense of amusement and happiness at being able to see me act so naturally.
Now that I thought about it, maybe I’d been alienating myself from everyone else by hiding what I was really like.
Ahh... After thinking about everything, for some reason, I feel like I’ve just gotten permission to live my life freely.
Anyway, owing to all that, right now I was...
“Let’s do this...”
Pshhh! The can opened with that delightful sound.
I couldn’t really wrap my head around anything anyway, so I decided to just leave it all by the wayside!
“We’re starting the stream now, woohoo!”
: She's heeeeeeeeeeeeeere━━━(゜∀゜)━━━!!!!!
: Number one in the world is streaming!
: lmao at "starting the stream now, woohoo"
: Huh? Who's this?
: 110% right from the start hahahaha
: Is this the Strong Blizzard stream I heard about?
: You make her sound like a pro wrestler
: she's literally not sorry at all LMAOOO
The comment section scrolled by faster than I’d ever seen it go before. Ahh, this is sweet! I’d rate this pleasure at about three cans of StroZero.
“Actually! I was pretty sorry about it. Honest! I’ll never forget to end my streams again! I’m really sorry, everyone!”
: Wait, is someone different behind the screen now? I'd know that model anywhere, but she's not the one talking!
: did she get hijacked?
: Oh, she got hijacked. By StroZero.
: I laughed so hard when that one alcoholic viewer calling himself a sound sommelier knew it was a StroZero can opening, and then you made the comment about the underground empire right after
: Wait, so you're not sorry about the booze?
“Well, I planned to stop with the booze, obviously. But apparently management isn’t really mad about it, so you know what? I don’t care anymore!”
: The management must be ill
: Same as always lol. the management is chaotic neutral, so it makes sense the people they recruit are too
: in the end, it's just Live-On being Live-On
: Don't tell me you're ALREADY drunk???
“Huh? What did you expect? Got one empty can here already. I’d never be able to be in front of so many people sober. My courage is absolute shit, and with that, let’s crack open a tall one!”
: don't give us that PSHHH sound lmao
: Absolute shit (seiso)
: she's strong af, i'm convinced
: Hol up, she actually started drinking! lolol
Now that my mind was feeling nice and dull, it was time for the finishing blow. I downed the tall can. “Gulp, gulp, gulp! Nnnghhh, feels so goooood!” Never before has my life felt so fulfilled!
: huh. has she been taking some strange medicine lately?
: In a manner of speaking
: It sounded so tasty when she drank it, but that last part REALLY woke me up
: Unbelievable, huh? This is the first time anyone's drunk on stream except for when she got sloshed after forgetting to turn the stream off
: Give me back my pure Awayuki-chan!
“Huh? What do you mean? I am pure. Just look at how graceful and ladylike my expression is!” I leaned the Awayuki model way in toward the screen. Close enough to actually make people fall for her. In the past, that would have triggered a parade of comments about how cute or pretty or amazing she was. However...
: she's a StroZero addict who thinks of herself as wholesome
: Bet she's got booze breath
: Wasn't this stream for talking in that pretty young lady voice to soothe our weary souls? until like just a day ago???
The comment section was now pandemonium, and it was just too funny to me. Things had been fun in the past, but I doubted I’d ever felt this entertained while streaming until today. Ahh, thank you, StroZero... You’ve not only soothed my soul, but given me fun and enjoyment. I was head over heels. “I’m getting married to StroZero.”
: LMAOOOOO
: huh?
: Huh?
: Is it true a VTuber just said she was getting married on-stream?
: The Girl Who Could Create Only Legends
: Are you gonna explain the whole bit where you said how hard Hikari-chan was making you?
“Huh? Well, I love it when girls are totally clueless. It would have been ruder not to pop a lady boner to that!”
: oh my god someone shut her mouth, every time she opens it a bomb comes out!
: I know I'd pop one. v realistic
: Holy shit my sides hahahaha
“In fact, if a man thinks a woman is charming, he should just pop one on the spot. Women love men who know what they want.”
: She has a point
: no she doesn't rofl
: Then when I meet you I won't hesitate to get a boner and profess my love for you Awayuki-san!
“Do not do that. I will call the police.”
: wtf
: The words are all bypassing her filters
That energy persisted as we continued our idle zatsudan chat. This stream was fully me—unlike all the other ones. It gave me an indescribable feeling of liberation. Gradually, I found myself drawn in, and started laughing from the heart a lot more instead of faking it. Man. After working in that exploitative company and living as a NEET for so long, I totally forgot how much fun it can be to talk to people...
As time went on, we amped up the voltage, and I was fully enjoying myself reading the comments. However, the tides suddenly turned.