The Saintess Next Door is a Super Popular VTuber Whose Character was Designed by Me
Tonari ni Sunderu Seijo-sama wa Ore ga Chara-Design o Tantoushita Daininki VTuber deshita
Chapter 39 - The Saintess Walks Beside Him
On a holiday evening, Iori, who had gone out to buy materials for work, spotted a familiar girl near the entrance of the shopping district that connected to the main street.
“Kind of rare to meet you here.”
He had just happened to run into Asumi, who was getting off a bus that had stopped at the bus stop along the street.
It seemed she was just on her way home, and so the two of them began walking home together.
She wore a gray trench coat over a knit sweater, paired with navy denim pants and short boots, an outfit so fashionable that she hardly looked like a high school student at all.
Iori, on the other hand, was dressed in a duffle coat, a long shirt underneath, slacks, leather shoes, and his favorite black cap. Stylish enough not to pale in comparison to Asumi.
Perhaps because of their outfits, the atmosphere between them felt oddly like they were heading out on a date, leaving him a little unsettled.
“Were you at the office?”
“Yes. I had a recording session, and also… that other thing.”
Apparently, Asumi had been out in town for work-related reasons.
Judging from her wry smile, it also had something to do with the stream-cut incident the other day.
Since then, she hadn’t seemed down anymore, but perhaps visiting the office had stirred some thoughts in her.
Today, she carried a certain quietness about her that wasn’t usually there.
Incidentally, that stream incident hadn’t turned into a big problem.
If anything, both the viewers and VTuber fans had taken it as a sweet interaction, and now it was simply remembered as a wholesome little moment.
Thanks to that, they were able to continue living their peaceful daily lives like this.
“Still, Iori-kun, you’re pretty stylish.”
“It’s just mannequin buys, though. And the store clerks matched things for me.”
“That’s the right choice, better than trying to match poorly yourself.”
“You too, Asumi, you’re always stylish. Even at home, you wear earrings and bracelets.”
“I like those kinds of things. It’s banned by school rules, so I don’t wear them there, but honestly I’d like to try piercing my ears. Iori-kun, don’t you have any interest?”
“No way, I’m too scared.”
Asumi really did care a lot about fashion and appearances.
Even when she dressed casually, he had never once seen her looking sloppy.
Part of it was surely because, as a high schooler already half-involved in the professional world, she carried herself with a maturity that wasn’t just “trying to act older,” but something genuine.
“I think earrings would suit you, though. If you’re scared, I could pierce them for you. Though, probably only after we graduate.”
“Our school’s pretty easygoing, so breaking the rules wouldn’t really matter. But honestly, the idea of someone else doing it freaks me out, and I can’t stand pain, so I’ll pass.”
Asumi had suggested earrings, but since Iori disliked pain, he politely declined.
Still, he found himself glancing at her neck and ears, wondering how she could even want to pierce them.
There was nothing inappropriate or revealing about them, yet somehow he found her radiating a certain allure.
She truly was a beautiful girl.
Walking next to her felt so unreal that if he’d told his past self about it just a few months ago, he’d probably have been laughed off or advised to see a psychiatrist.
That was how unreal it all felt. And yet this wasn’t a lie or a dream. It was the undeniable result of the trust Asumi had placed in him.
As those thoughts passed through his mind, Asumi suddenly asked, “What is it?”
Even though he hadn’t been looking at her improperly, Iori felt guilty and quickly averted his eyes.
And then,
“Whoa, that was close.”
“Are you alright?”
He hadn’t been paying attention and nearly bumped into someone.
It was evening, and with the shopping district and the station nearby, the streets were crowded. If he wasn’t careful, he could easily lose sight of Asumi.
“Yeah.”
“Let’s slow down a little. Also—here.”
“Huh? What is it?”
Walking side by side took up space.
Asumi drew a little closer to Iori, then suddenly stopped and quietly held out her hand.
It was so abrupt that Iori, unable to immediately understand, had to ask back seriously.
“There are a lot of people, so… let’s hold hands.”
“Eh? Oh. Sure, I guess.”
“If you bump into someone or fall, it’ll hurt, and Iori-kun, you don’t like pain, do you?”
“Please don’t tease me…”
Even if it was sudden, her reasoning was too straightforward—and maybe also because she seemed a little down—he took her outstretched hand without hesitation.
They both wore gloves, so there was no direct skin-to-skin contact, but through the fabric a faint warmth passed between them.
When Iori glanced at Asumi, he saw her eyes softening, her expression so sweet it looked as if she could melt away at any moment.
The sight struck him like a blow, his heart pounding so hard he had to squeeze her hand a little tighter just to keep it in check.
Asumi tilted her head slightly as she looked up at him, which only made his heartbeat quicken even more.
Dangerous. This was dangerous.
Sensing a certain peril in her adorable face, Iori quickly turned his gaze forward as if to escape.
“Besides, I’ll be releasing a White Day voice pack soon, so this is kind of like practicing the situation.”
“Yeah, that’s important.”
Apparently, Asumi was planning to release a voice recording, and she wanted to use this moment as practice for the scenario.
Iori didn’t know much about voice actors or creators of audio works, but he understood at least that acting ability, expressiveness, and imagination were key.
So, thinking he could help her out, he continued walking alongside her.
(White Day, huh… I should think of something.)
The mention of White Day reminded him that last month, on Valentine’s Day, Asumi had given him chocolates.
He had never experienced that before, so he’d never had reason to think about it. But this year, it seemed likely would weigh on his mind.
While walking home together, Iori pondered what kind of gift might be best for the girl beside him, all the while feeling the warmth of her hand in his.
[To be Continued]
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