I was spending time with Yuika, which had become my daily routine every morning.
“So… I was asked by Kaedezaka-san to draw an illustration of a character.”
“He~. Are you going to use it for YouTube?”
“Maybe … supposed to work together tomorrow night.”
Kaedezaka, a college student, was a popular V-Tube star, and she was going to collaborate with our project for this campaign.
But the collaboration was just a bonus.
In order to keep posting videos continuously, they must create a variety of content.
Kaedezaka herself could draw, but she probably couldn’t do it all by herself, so she asked Yuika to help.
“So, Yuika will be making her professional debut as an illustrator.”
“Hmmm. I heard they pay you well, but is this professional? I don’t really feel it at all.”
“If you get paid, you’re a professional.”
“I’m not so sure about that.”
Yuika was stoic, not showing any emotion, but she was shaking her head rhythmically.
She must be really happy.
If it wasn’t for me, she would have missed it.
“Yes. It’s not a celebration, but I’m going on a business trip tomorrow. I’ll buy you a souvenir.”
“Wow. I can’t believe Onii-San did something so clever, the server is going to crash.”
“If that happens, all the gamers in the world will hate you.”
I played a little bit of video games myself, so I knew that when the server went down and you couldn’t do anything, the feeling of emptiness was unbearable.
Even if it was a joke, it was a terrible thing to say.
My god, Yuika.
“By the way, Onii-San.”
“What is it?”
“You’re going on a business trip with your junior colleague, right?”
“… Ah. … How did you know?”
“That means you’ll stay in a hotel together and confess at night and probably end up kissing in the morning.”
“Don’t go overboard, it’s impossible.”
“Isn’t that normal?”
“I just do my job normally, and go home right away.”
There were many people who mistook a business trip for a vacation or something like that.
It was true that we traveled by plane, but there was no time for sightseeing.
After all, my company was very stingy.
If you had time to spare, they would tell you to remove the expense as a given.
So it was an old technique to pretend to be busy even if you had a little spare time.
Ah. Busy, busy.
Oops. I have to tell her that I can’t see her tomorrow morning. …
“That’s why I’m not going to be on this train tomorrow. I have to go directly to the airport.”
I was expecting a little reaction, so I was disappointed.
That’s right, I said it in jest too.
–We’ve been talking every weekday for a month, shouldn’t there be a little more of a reaction?
As I was thinking about this, the train’s intercom system announced that the train would arrive in front of Seijyo Gakuin Station.
The doors of the train slowly opened and the passengers got off.
However, Yuika, who was standing next to me, didn’t get off.
What’s going on?
While I was wondering, the door closed.
Then the train departed.
“… Hey, Yuika. Are you sure you don’t want to get off?”
“Eh? What?”
“You always get off at the station before.”
When pointed out, Yuika stared out the window.
Then she said calmly.
“Ah~. I missed the station.”
Even as she said this, she was completely unfazed.
This kind of calmness was as expected of Yuika.
I’d like to see her panic once in a while, but I’d rather not have that kind of trouble.
“Is the school going to be okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine because I left with plenty of time to spare. All I have to do is to turn back at the next station.”
However, it was unusual for Yuika to make such an ordinary mistake.
I guess she was thinking about it.
Could it be that she was sad that she wouldn’t be able to see me tomorrow?
When I took a glance at her, she looked at me for a moment and then turned away as if she was sulking.
Oya oya oya ~.
So that’s what it is after all. You’re not very honest, are you?
I should tease her a little in return for all the time she had done it to me. Let’s do that. Fufufu~
“Could it be, Yuika? The reason why you missed your ride is because I won’t be here tomorrow――”
“I don’t know what this brother is talking about.”
Forcibly interrupted in the middle of the conversation, Yuika said quickly and with a deadly tone that expressed for me to stop talking.
I don’t want to anger you, so let’s go along with it.
“… That’s right … That’s right. I don’t know what I’m talking about.”
“Yes, you do. Be very careful every day.”
“… Yes.”
■――Afterword――■
Next time, there will be trouble at the airport!
(T/N: Happy new year in advance to all my readers. Hope you all have a good year ahead. Thank you alot for the support so far. Will be back on track after new year till then Enjoy!.)