CH 85

Chapter 85. [Rehearsal!]

“Iroha! Anego! Welcome!”

Angu Ogu met us at the airport.

We had told her to meet us at the local venue, but she couldn’t wait any longer.

We got into a taxi and chatted on the way to the venue.

<<Iroha, this is your first time abroad, right? How was the flight?>>

<<I was so tired. And then I slept the rest of the way? I feel like I’ve seen enough of the sky for a lifetime.>>

<<Gee ha ha ha!>>

We had to get up at 4:00 am to meet at 5:00 am.

And it was a 12-hour journey. I was tired of looking at the scenery in the sky.

However, we had no time to waste.

I could check the script and the event progress on the plane, and since Wi-Fi was available, I could relax by watching a VTuber’s streaming video.

But the discomfort was amazing.

Because of the time difference, it was still noon even though so much time had passed.

<<At any rate, I’m glad I arrived safely. “Thanks, Mane-chan, too.”>>

“No, no, I’m the one who asked you to do the work.”

Mane-chan worked hard for today.

She adjusted my schedule for the day and took advantage of pre-shoots to reduce the burden on me, who is still a minor.

“Iroha-chan! What about me? What about me? I’m your guardian now, both in name and reality.”

“Who are you to talk to me like that?”

Minors are not allowed to travel without a guardian.

Therefore, if we want to go abroad. We need a “travel consent” form.

I thought my mom would be more comfortable with a familiar face, so Ah-nee has become my guardian.

But in reality.

“Mane-chan did all the formalities for me, and Ah-nee almost left her bag behind, overslept, went to the store without permission, and got separated from me.”

<<Is the meaning of “guardian” reversed in Japan?>>

<<How is that possible?>>

Angu Ogu looked at Ah-nee in disgust.

I sighed and turned my gaze out the window. Suddenly, I became curious.

<<Well, come to think of it, there is a lot of police in America I see them everywhere.>>

<<Ah, maybe it’s because we’re in the middle of an election right now.>>

<<Election?>>

<<Oh, look, there it is.>>

She points to a monitor on the street.

One female candidate and one male candidate are shown.

<<The woman is more popular, and she’s the top contender to become the first female president. I don’t know much about men. However, the stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine seems different.>>

<<Heh~>>

Invasion of Ukraine.

Before I came to America, there was a comment in the stream.

Russia may soon be cut off from the international payments network.

So maybe this will be their last super chat.

One viewer living in Russia threw me a ruble for saying so.

<<But I’m surprised. Ogu was familiar with such things.>>

<<Utsu, eh, ah, the first one>>

<<What, did I say something weird? Or is it just that Japanese people don’t care about politics too much?>>

<<Yes, you’re right! It’s common practice among VTubers in America, yes! …… No.>>

Angu Ogu relaxed her body as if she had given up on the idea.

And <<It’s a secret. Don’t ever tell anyone about this.>>. She came closer to my ear.

<<That’s my mother, I’m her daughter>>

<<…. What?!!!?>>

<<Shhhh, you idiot! You’re so loud!>>

“What’s wrong with you two? I just got this hot dog at a place called Vendors. It’s super tasty!

“When did you eat in-flight meals? Didn’t you eat your fish?”

“Separate, belly”

I guess she didn’t hear me.

But still, Angu Ogu.

No, I was right.

When I came to Japan and had a sleepover in Ah-nee’s room, she told me that she was born into a good family and her parents were in a professional profession.

But, well.

That’s the mama who said she didn’t makeup with her.

<<Maybe the world is smaller than you think.>>

What I thought was a story from a distant place was a story close to me.

Maybe that sort of thing is commonplace.

It’s just that everyone doesn’t notice —.

***

<<Yaaa~~~~! Iroha! Are you Iroha? I’ve missed you for so long! Mmmmmm, squeeeeeeeee! You’re so cute! I thought you were a really small girl until I met you in person.>>

<<~~~~! Mane! I’ve missed you too! Thanks for always helping me with the administrative side of things! >>

<<No, it’s the same for you! You’ve helped me a lot with interpretation and translation!>>

<<… Oi.>>

The two of us intertwined our hands and jumped up and down together.

We are backstage at the event venue. I was meeting with Angu Ogu’s manager for the first time.

<<Oh no! I do a lot of cross-border collaborations, so there are a lot of complicated procedures to go through.>>

<<However! If I were to say that, I would prefer the finer nuances used in the text of the document.>>

<<No no.>>

<<No no no.>>

<<─Ooooooooo!>>

I was pulled by Angu Ogu and held in her arms with a squeak.

She pulled me away from her manager who was holding my hand.

<<You’re my manager, aren’t you? Wow, in general, she’s too close to you! Isn’t it strange! Even though it’s the first time you’ve met her, the distance is too close!>>

Angu Ogu stares at us alternately with a pouty face.

Oh, no. She’s half crying. She’s about to start crying.

<<… She didn’t seem so happy when I was with her.>>

<<Oh, no, I’m sorry! We had been communicating on the job, but this was the first time we had met. I got excited like I was reunited with an old friend in a war zone.>>

<<Don’t worry about it, we’re business friends, omg.>>

“Ha ha ha ha!”

Seeing such an exchange, Ah-nee burst out laughing.

While tapping each other on the shoulder with other staff members.

No, no, that one is too friendly!

You’ve never met her before, right? And you don’t speak English at all, do you? I’m sure he’s a great communicator.

As if to tighten the relaxed atmosphere, a clap sounded.

Ah-nee’s manager took the lead.

<<Okay! Let’s do it. It’s time to start rehearsal!>>

***

“Gyaaaaa! Even my underwear is soaked!?”

A few hours later.

I was bare-assed and facing my wet underwear.