An Idol Game

Chapter 9 - Re-Debut

A couple of days later the entire setup was completed, the stage was prepped, and everyone, even Mr Motoaki, gathered in and out of the studio to watch the entire thing unfold.

As the one who proposed and spearheaded the entire re-debut idea, I was left in charge of directing the program to make sure that everyone knew what they were doing and also to ensure the Cover was detached from any sense of responsibility, which was futile considering that they still allowed the event to go ahead and had also participated. But I suppose it was easier to blame me than each other.

Regardless the stream was happening and many people both in and out of Hololive's audience sphere came to witness Sora's re-debut.

Names zoomed through the chat, a mixture of celebration and vitriolic messages passing my eyes as I scanned for any familiar names.

"Do you really need to do that?"

A certain pink coyote said as she leaned over my shoulder to look at the monitor.

"I made you that scanning app so you won't have to do this and here you are, staring at chat."

"I am just making sure that we are getting negative comments or else what we planned would have been for nought."

"I never met a streamer who's happy to get negative comments."

"Well we are in a special position at the moment."

"How's Sora?"

"Take a look for yourself."

We looked up past the monitor and watched as Sora was quietly rehearsing alone on the stage.

"She seems nervous."

"Yeah, but she also seems distracted for some reason."

"Shouldn't you go talk to her then?"

I had considered checking up on her, however, in the days leading to the re-debut after we had that conversation outside the arcade, she had been avoiding me. She refused to talk to me in the office and when I texted her regarding something, she would only answer with short answers and then proceed to tell me that she was busy with rehearsal for the re-debut so I shouldn't text her.

I knew that our conversation had caused some distress for her, but I didn't know what it was. I briefly pondered on it, maybe it was me leaving, it seemed the most plausible, but she knew the reason why I left, so I ruled it out. In the end, I couldn't think of anything and with my attention on the re-debut as well, I had no time to confront her about it.

"I have a feeling that I am the last person she wishes to see before the re-debut."

"Huh? Why is that? Did something happen? Tell me!"

Koyori pressed her face closely to mine with sparkling eyes and hands balled tightly to hold back her shaking.

This girl wasn't concerned, she was curious.

"I wouldn't know. I tried thinking about it but nothing came to mind."

Koyori's curiosity then died before she let out a huge sigh of disappointment.

"Seriously? You don't know? Some friend you are."

"I think you are forgetting that Sora and I have not seen each other for years, we are basically strangers at the moment."

A finger then shot at me and when I looked up at Koyori she had a look reminiscent of a teacher looking down at a rowdy student.

"Maybe to you, it feels like that, but maybe not to her."