Beautiful Barking Tsundere

Chapter 18

Original Author: ひのはら (Hinohara)
Date Submitted to Kakuyomu: 2021/09/23

With Ema's trenchcoat over her, Aira felt warm under the cold night sky of autumn.

She tried to return it to Ema, but Ema insisted that it was hot out so she refused to accept it.

When they finally returned to the apartment, Aira finally asks the question that's been on her mind on the way home.

"Isn't hiring a bodyguard expensive?"
"I earn quite a bit of money so it's fine."

This is the topic Aira has always hesitated about.
If she can really trust Ema, then it should be fine to ask.

"...What exactly is your job?"
"VTuber."
"What exactly is that?"

Perhaps Ema decided it would be faster to show her. She grabs Aira's hand and then takes her to that room.

The room to the right of the living room that Aira has always thought of as the secret room.

After Ema opens the door, the first thing Aira sees are two computers side by side.

"Basically I'm a streamer who uses a 2D avatar that mimics my movements."

In addition to the computers, there are microphones, cameras, and several other electric devices such as game consoles inside the room.

"I stream under the name Usami Koneko."

Ema goes to the computer and opens a video site that Aira visits often.
On the account page of Usami Koneko, Aira sees that she has 1 million subscribers.

"One million!?"

This is ten times more than the 100,000 subscribers on the beauty account that Aira frequently watches.

How could Ema live in such a large apartment at such a young age?

Why does she need to live in a building with such heavy security?

Aira senses that this explains all the questions she has been wondering until now.

Aira still remembers that day from time to time.
Sometimes it happens on the train ride to school and sometimes in the middle of class.

And also now, when she's in bed trying to fall asleep.

The memory of Ema's sex friend attacking her revives as a flashback.

She tries to not worry about it, but that incident may have left a deeper wound on Aira's heart than she thought.

Reaching out desperately in the darkness, she notices that Ema isn't there.

"Ema..."

Tears well up in her eyes as she remembers the fear when her body got groped.

Why didn't she resist more at that time?

Since the person attacking her was female just like her, she should have been able to push her away if she tried hard enough, but she was paralyzed by fear and let that woman do whatever she wanted.

Ema enters the room as Aira desperately tries to wipe her cheeks.

Seeing the tears streaming down Aira's face, Ema rushes over to the bed.

"Ema, where did you go?"

Even without a reply, Aira could tell from the smell of cigarettes.
She knows that Ema often smokes before bed.