Just A Normal Guy In A World Of Idols (Hololive Friend SI)

Chapter 3

"I think this is it, I done"

I had been stuck at home for the last few days, with the old man still not getting back to me. The silence was unnerving, and I constantly checked my prepaid phone, hoping for a message or call from anyone. Every hour felt like a timer ticking down, making me wonder if I was about to be fired.

The wound on my arm was slowly healing, but it left a faint scar. It wouldn't be fun having to explain to people how I got it, and it didn't help my case of not being seen as a delinquent.

If I hadn't been so reckless, all of this could have been avoided.

While waiting, I looked up random stuff to learn more about this world. Familiar sites like Twitter and YouTube remained unchanged, though some content creators differed. Of course, Hololive was trending along with something called Shiratō Agency. However, I wasn't in the mood to rot my brain.

I was out of cigarettes, leaving me with no way to satisfy my craving. The craving for nicotine gnawed at me, adding to my frustration and anxiety. I did the right thing with protecting the onion head but it didn't seem like it.

Here I am, like an addict craving a pack. It's crazy how I picked it up here. I knew it was going to kill me, but I had already died before, and this wasn't my body, so why should I care? No one knows the real truth. I was nothing more than a 'parasite.'

"Maybe heading back to the U.S. is the answer," I muttered feeling like all the misfortune I'd faced in Japan was a sign this place wasn't for me. But did I even have U.S. citizenship? I should probably get started on the boatload of paperwork. Let's get this over with.

It was still morning so I could get cheap flights outbound to the West Coast on my phone. A chance to check off my list—being on the other side of the U.S. might give me a fresh start. However, accessing one of the flight websites proved to be a wonderful experience.

"What do you mean username already in use?!" I angrily muttered as I typed in another variation of my planned account. For some reason, Lostwalker was already an account. Walker was a common last name, but come on...

This email address is already in use.

So I attempted to put in any random password that mind came to mind and fill out these annoying bot checks. But nothing worked frustration building on my failed attempts, I tapped the 'forgot password' prompt, hoping to reset the account.

Come on work!

I need to get off here. The old man did so much for me but I keep screwing things up for him. He is a good guy who didn't deserve a burden like me. I can't go back to my old family, but there might be a chance Walker has relatives, even if my memories fail me. I can build a new life. I could go to the U.S. embassy...

Before I could tap the prompt again, a notification flashed across the screen breaking my frustrated concentration on resetting the account.

'Old Man: Hey kid, sorry for the delay. Things have been busy here. Could you come in now? Clean up before coming in. I'll explain everything then.'

So this is it. I never got to enjoy Japan's sights and food due to having fun is expensive. It's a shame it wasn't going to work out.

I quickly set my phone aside and made my way slowly to the bathroom. The shower offered a brief respite from the constant noise in my head. As the water cascaded down, I may have let myself cry in the shower. I didn't want any of this and I just needed an outlet.

As I stood under the stream of water, I let the tears mix with them, silently releasing the pent-up frustration from everything weighing on me. I hadn't done this since I arrived, unlike in my old life, where before my shift, I would often vent my feelings in this way. Was it sad? Yes, but it helped me cope with the overwhelming stress of customer service. It also builds my ability to put on the best poker face to my fellow New Yorkers.