Homura

Chapter 1 - The Runaway Idol

In Year 2021 April, on Earth.

"Kawashima-san, here's the schedule for this week." A spiky-haired guy with the black hoodle, a.k.a. the producer, displayed the schedule for this week on the monitor.

Naomi nodded after confirming the schedule. 

"Got it Producer, I will do my best today as well." Naomi responded.

Anyways meet Kawashima Naomi, a famous vtuber who is known to their loyal followers as "Suzuha". With her duo persona, Suzuha could be cute as a kitten for a moment, and she can be sharp as a katana the next moment, complete with the classic tsundere attitude. Clad in a colorful array of gaming-themed merchandise and surrounded by Badtzmaru and Pokemon plushies that could make anyone swoon. She effortlessly charmed her audience with a shy smile, which made everyone think that she was cute, and she always rejected the idea that "she is cute" and make a statement that "she is cool." instead.

The discussion happened at the Talent Agency and there was nothing special about it. The producers and the staff spent their time planning and making their talent's content day by day. 

Naomi couldn't shake the thought from her mind that "it had been an exhausting month, Where I have to do LIVE performance even after the concert we held in Yokohama Bay just 2 weeks ago, while everyone else was able to enjoy some much-needed rest." The thought weighed heavily on her mind until her friend,  Tomoe called her. Tomoe asked her out for lunch together. 

As they are walking to Saizeriya, an Italian chain restaurant.

Tomoe excitedly told Naomi "Do you know?! Do you know?! That Producer is so proud of your achievements! and they informed us that you'll be having another concert in LINE Cube, Shibuya in just 2 weeks time!"

In a moment of frustration, Naomi couldn't help but exclaim "Ahhh...! this is so unfair! I have to do practice when everyone is having their time off, and now you are telling me there's a sudden concert again in just 2 weeks? I had enough of this!"

With her frustration reaching her boiling point, Naomi stormed into her Producer's office with her palpable anger. With door swung open with a resounding thudm causing the staffs heads to turn in the bustling door. She confronted with the Producer with anger in her eyes, ready to voice up her concerns and demands answers for the overwhelming schedule that had been thrust upon her.

 "Producer! What's the meaning of this?! It seems like I am not going to have a rest at all!"

The producer replied "Kawashima-san, we are just trying to achieve your dream to be an Idol, like what you have stated during in the interview."

Naomi angrily replied "Even so, isn't this being too much? Pushing all the weight on me while the rest are taking their time off."

Without any considerations, Naomi replied "I had enough of this! I quit! I had endured everything to get this far but in the end of the day you are just going to make me work without having some rest."

Tomoe finally caught up to Naomi at the producer's office, her breathless voice trembling with concern as she head Naomi express her desire to quit. With her determination in Tomoe's eye she tried to persuade her to reconsider as they shared a dream. Tomoe said "Naomi we are just trying to help you."

Tomoe didn't have time to finish what she wanted to convey and Naomi walked out from the producer's office. Tomoe apologizes to the producer saying that she's not in the right mind at the moment and she promise that she will get Naomi back to her feet as soon as possible. Producer agrees and tell Tomoe to make sure that Naomi arrives on time on tomorrow's practice.

Several hours had passed, and the dusky evening hues had settled over the surroundings. Tomoe stood in front of Naomi's room. She knocked, but there was no response from within. Inside the room, Naomi remained cocooned beneath her blanket, unwilling to acknowledge the outside world. After 5 minutes of long silence, Tomoe, with a heavy heart, made the decision to leave.

As she was about to leave Kawashima's residence, she turned to Naomi's mom with a reassuring smile and said "I'll give Naomi some space for now, and I will talk to her when she feels better".

Naomi's mom nodded and appreciated Tomoe's understanding and concern for her daughter's well-being.

Naomi's mom walked up the stairs, concern etched across her face, and entered Naomi's room.

"NAOMI! How long are you going to stay in bed? It's dinner time already!" she implored.

However, Naomi remained unresponsive, burrowing herself deeper under the comforting cocoon of her blanket.

"NAOMI!" her mom called out again, gently attempting to pull the blanket away, but Naomi resisted.

With a hint of desperation in her voice, her mom said, "Naomi, what happened to your determination back then to become an idol? Have you ever thought of your fans, who are there to support you? Are you just going to ignore them?"

Her mom sighed, and worry was still apparent. "Fine, if this is the case, I will just drag you over to practice tomorrow."

As her mother left the room, Naomi's mind swirled with thoughts that she couldn't escape the feeling that she needed to break free from the pressures and expectations that were suffocating her. She quietly resolved to run away from home before the sunrise, searching for a place where she could run. After a brief search, she decided on Osaka as her destination, a city where she hoped to find solace and a fresh start.

As the first ray of the sun painted the horizon, Naomi silently slipped away from her home around 4 in the morning. With a sense of determination, she headed to the train station and boarded the earliest bullet train to Osaka.

In Osaka, she embarked on a journey exploring the vibrant city's cultural and culinary delights. She went to Osaka Temple, meandered through various shops, and found solace in the tranquilly of Minno Park. Dotonbori's neon lights and bustling atmosphere provided a striking contrast, and as it's getting late, Naomi realises it's time for her to find a place to stay for the night. She walked the streets looking for hotels and inns, but her status as a minor posed a challenge. Rejection followed rejection as she desperately sought refuge for the night. Undeterred, Naomi continues to search for a place where she can rest her weary head.

Exhausted from her search for a place to stay in Nanba, Naomi made her way to the nearby convenience store to grab some snacks. With a heavy heart and a sense of not being able to get a place to stay, she decided to take a short break at the nearby park. The gentle sway of the swing offered a moment of respite, and she began to sing softly. The melancholy notes fill the quiet park. As her voice floated into the night air, a faint meow interrupted her song. Naomi turned to find that cat. She saw the cat, and its eyes were fixed on Naomi as if beckoning her to follow. Curiosity piqued, and she decided to chase after the cat, which led her to a dimly lit alley.

But as she looked into the alley, an otherworld portal materialized before her and pulled her into the swirling vortex before she could react. Amidst the portal, flashes of memories from her past started to flood her mind, and her eye grew heavy and her awareness slipped away, leaving her in an uncertain state as the portal continued to transport her to an unknown destination.