Chapter 210: [Morning! Everyone, Gather!]

“Why the heck are you guys here!?”

“Huh? Why? Because I wanted to be here. Oh, what’s this!”

“We’re not talking philosophy! Don’t just touch things without permission!”

“Hehehe~! Iroha-chan, I missed you~! I love you~!”

“Mai!? You’re too close to Iroha! Back off a bit!”

Unable to leave them outside, I invited A-Onee and Mai into the room. But it quickly became noisy. A-Onee was rummaging through things on her own, Mai was clinging to me, and Angoogoo was trying to pull Mai away.

“Hey, calm down, all of you!”

“Hii!?”

I couldn’t hold back and shouted. I’ve had enough!

“Iroha-chan is angry!?”

“It’s Mai’s fault! Iroha will forgive us if we talk normally. Besides, it’s just the time for Japanese streamers now.”

“Oh, I see. Because of the time difference.”

“Everyone, sit there!”

“Yes! Uuh…………”

“Alright!”

I made the three sit on the floor and silenced them.

Then, while I’m enjoying breakfast and the stream until the end…

***

“Phew, today’s livestream was so much fun~. So, why did you all come?”

“Hahaha~ got scolded, huh~,” “Ugh, my legs~!?” “Ugh~, it’s been a while since we met~”

Three different reactions came back.

Leaving Angu Ogu, who was down due to numb legs, the gaze of Ah-nee turned towards me.

“Why? We said we came to play, didn’t we ~?”

“I just wanted a bit of advance notice. I have plans too.”

“Huh? But when I checked with your manager, they said ‘okay’?”

Ah-nee turned her gaze to the side.

Mai, next to her, grinned, saying, “Ehehe~.”

“Is the manager Mai!? Could it be that the reason my schedule got fixed in June is because of this!?”

“I cleared Iroha-chan’s schedule perfectly so we could have lots of fun~! We’ll be relying on you for a while~!”

“What!?”

Saying that, Mai pointed to a large amount of luggage she brought with a serious look.

I-Is she serious!? But it’s not just me; Angu Ogu has her circumstances.

“I-Iroha. My manager also got a message saying, ‘Has she arrived now?’…”

It seems like they made the arrangements long ago.

Seriously, what a mess.

“Haa~. But we came well. Mai’s middle school seems to have started summer vacation.”

“Oh, is it already that time?”

Time had flown by with various VTuber events and getting involved in troubles.

Before we knew it, it was already July, but…

“Even though it’s still early in the month, Mai’s middle school starts summer vacation quite early, huh?”

“Well, um, that’s, you know~”

“Wait, Mai? You brought Ah-nee here because I heard she was okay!?”

“The final exams are already over.”

“Mai~!?”

Then, as if timed perfectly, Ah-nee’s smartphone rang.

The display showed ‘Mom.’

“Uh, h-hello… Ahhhh!? N-no, this is not me, it’s Mai who… I-I’m sorry~!”

“O-oh…”

I witnessed an adult woman being scolded by her parents, crying heavily.

Somehow, I still felt a bit sorry for Ah-nee.

After a while, Ah-nee finished the call and gave us a thumbs-up.

“T-this is nothing! I’ll just get a scolding when I get home, and that’s it!”

Her voice was trembling, and tears were still in the corners of her eyes.

She looked like she was putting on a brave front.

Unable to endure any longer, she clung to me and began to cry out loud.

“Waaaah, comfort me, Iroha-chan~!”

“Alright, there there. Serves you right.”

“Iroha-chan!?”

“Oops, sorry. I usually get messed with all the time, so I couldn’t help but feel resentful.”

“It’s unfair that only onee-chan gets petted!”

“Mai has no right to say that!?”

I gave Mai a stern look.

Usually, it’s mostly Ah-nee’s fault, but this time it’s all Mai’s fault.

Angu Ogu seemed to want to say something like, “I skipped school too,” but the sense of such things is different between America and Japan.

She should properly get scolded.

“Mai, really…”

“Ah, Iroha-chan, stop. Onee-chan is fine, so don’t blame Mai too much~”

“Huh?”

Surprisingly, Ah-nee herself defended Mai.

“This child seemed really lonely every day since Iroha-chan went to America. That’s why she couldn’t endure it.”

“Ugh…”

When she said that, I felt a sense of responsibility as well.

I couldn’t scold her anymore.

“But Mai, from now on, everyone worries about you, so be sure to tell us. And Ah-nee? Can help too… Oh, and, Mom said, ‘Come back before summer vacation ends’.”

“Onee-chan…”

Even Mai, who seemed to feel guilty, looked apologetic.

Ah, well!

“Alright!”

“Ouch!”

I lightly chopped Mai.

She looked at me with her eyes swirling, holding her head.

That settles it.

Everyone gathered, and it was a waste to be gloomy.

“All’s well that ends well! So, let’s explore Iroha-chan’s room right away~!”

“Hey, don’t enter without permission… wait, huh!? Weren’t you crying just a moment ago!?”

“Huh? Did I?”

As if the tears from a moment ago were a lie, Ah-nee was nonchalant.

Wait, when I think about it, Mai’s ‘Travel Consent Form’…

Could it be that she noticed Mai’s lie from the beginning?

No.

That’s probably not it.