n

n

n

n_________

nA simple dark blue background with the words ‘Just Chatting’ written out in white alongside a picture of Aoko pursing her lips and looking to the side.

nJust Chatting Good morning… or something

nAoko Ryuusei Ch.

nLive in 5 minutes

nSun, November 24, 6:00 AM

nOverload – You said you like drifting, you should try Dirt or Need For Speed!

nStepOnMeOneeSan – Scold us please!

nAokoIsQueen – YAS QUEEN

nAoko Ryuusei Ch. – WTF is wrong with you guys.

nLive in 4 minutes

nadmirableaardvark – yoohoo!

nmischievousminx – Aoko! Step on me!

nnightlybat – Yell at us more!

nsubtigress – *Can I call you mommy?*

nLive in 3 minutes

nAlfi Titor Ch. – Try not to be too cringey today, Aoko-chan.

nAoko Ryuusei Ch. – The hell are you even doing up so early!? Go back to sleep!

nAlfi Titor Ch. – XD

nA teasing Alfi?! Why is she cuter every day!?

nLive in 2 minutes

nwonderingturtle – Why is Superchat not available?

nMOD: Beta – Aoko’s channel is too new to qualify for Superchats. However, we have enabled donations in the description as well as streaminglab integration.

nfinalworm – OOOOH! YES!

nAoko Ryuusei Ch. – Yo, people want to throw money at me? But… why?

nLive in 1 minute

ncrazybear – Think she’ll still try to put on that act?

nsupplepenguin – John’s dream is totally dead in the water

nawfulaardvark – That’s not true! Alfi and Hana are still idols!

npurpleeagle – Yo. Did you even watch their collab stream?

nWaiting for Aoko Ryuusei Ch. to start…

ncolorfultoucan – It’s starting!

nroyaljellyfish – Break our leg, Aoko!

ncuriousraptor – Isn’t it break ‘a’ leg…?

nquaintfox – Yes! Break mine!

nPlay Aoko’s BGM

ncrimsonwildebeest – Oh! It’s different this time?

ntastefulcur – Hiphop? Trance?

nunlawfulpony – Did she give up the act?

nreliablelark – 10k yen that she does a cringy intro.

nStatic, like an old grainy television slowly tuning in. And then…

n“A-Ao are you today? It’s Aoko Ryuusei, MirAis Idol number three of Generation Zero, Prototype!”

nA cool female voice, forced in a cutesy tone. With a stiff smile and a wave, Aoko appeared on screen. Next to her, on the left side of the screen, the live chat popped up in a pink box covered in hearts.

nLike her debut stream, Aoko wore a white dress shirt. But perhaps because it was too indecent, she had covered the unbuttoned top with a black overcoat. Though, when she wore skin-tight black slacks that hugged her legs and black leather boots, it didn’t really help much.

nvirtuousmare – lol she’s forcing it again. But damn, that outfit’s hot.

ntrustyrobin – Cutesy doesn’t suit you…

nuglybuzzrd – *Ah! The cringe!*

nfirmimpala – *Did John put you up to this? Should we talk?*

nAoko looked at the chat and then sighed. “Dammit. At least humor me… But whatever. Morning bitc- I mean, morning everyone. Sucks to say, but I don’t have much planned today, so I’m counting on you guys to carry the stream.”

nAokoIsQueen: 50 USD – YAS QUEEN

naccidentaljaguar – She’s so different from Hana and Alfi…

nfallaciousdonkey – *No plan? I get that the MirAIs idols are different, but…*

ntenaciouseagle – Why no gaming stream or karaoke stream?

nAoko shook her head. “Yeah… I’m not really into that sort of thing. And karaoke… I mean, I *can* sing… but it’s still kinda… eh…” She flushed and looked to the side. “It ain’t good, alright?”

nunpopulargerbil – Nani? Kansai dialect?

ncurlylizard – Oho? So is it Aneki then instead of Onee-chan?

ninnatemole – Gah?! More gap moe?!

nrobustwhiting – As expected of the one Hana calls her Aneue…

nAoko coughed. “Anyway…” She pulled a chair in from off to the side and sat down, crossing her legs in front of her. “What’s up? Anything cool happening on your side?”

nwhitewhale – I saw an ad with Mister Smith earlier!

nsociableporcupine – Yeah, me too! It played just before this stream?

nethicalpintail – *Do you know anything about John’s ad?*

nsmughawk – *Ooh, that super romantic one?*

n“Huh? That guy made an ad?” Aoko glanced back and said, “You know anything about this?”

nSilence.

n“Oh. Ooooh. So that guy’s finally being responsible huh? Gotcha.”

nprudentparrot – ‘Finally’ being responsible?

npluckymeadowlark – Wait, so is John not responsible normally?

ntrashybunny – I knew it! A guy with a face like that can’t be up to any good!

nlittleminnow – You should watch the ad!

n“Yeah sure- Actually, why don’t we just watch it together? I mean, we got time to kill… Let’s see… How did I do this again?”

nAoko tapped something in front of her, and then the chat moved off-screen and a video appeared off in front of her.

n“Alright. Let’s see…”

n—–AI|IA—–

nA darkened room with warm lighting from glowing white orbs, like silver moons. Interspersed among those were emerald light, twinkling like jade stars.

nRed velvet curtains were pulled back, revealing a raised stage. On that, there was a grand piano.

nThe screen cut to black, with white text in the center.

nA promise left unfulfilled

nThe screen cut back to someone playing the piano, but showing a close-up of only their hands. The camera zoomed in, focused on the left hand. There, a ring sat on the ring finger. A golden dragon coiled around and holding a white jade orb with the character ‘Yue’ inscribed on it.

nThe screen cut to black again, showing more words.

nThe words left unspoken

nOnce more, the dark stage. But this time, the camera showed a man’s silhouette. After, it slowly panned to show his face, half hidden in shadows.

nJohn Smith.

nBut unlike the confident and slightly dorky man in the interview with Poppy Gloria, his atmosphere had completely changed.

nA raw and vulnerable expression, with his emerald eyes half-lidded and staring off into the distance, as if recalling far-flung memories.

nThe screen dimmed again, showing another series of words.

nAn oath left to fate

nSoft piano chords resounded and then a low and somber male voice began to sing.

nPlay Don’t Think Twice – Utada Hikaru (Caleb Hyles cover)

nThe video slowly faded back in, showing John playing the piano with a tender expression, as if tracing out the past along the keys.

nLyrics asking how he lived in a kingdom of thieves with people who didn’t say what they meant. About how there was only one person he ever dreamed about. A person who he could never say no to.

nThe song cut to a soaring section of John singing about wanting that person for a lifetime and then begging to not think twice.

nThe music faded out, along with the video. In its place, a single line of text was repeated across the screen in various languages.

nWithout the moon, the stars hold no light and the world is dark.

nPlease, help my voice reach the moon that has fallen beyond my reach.

nFor Yue.

nNovember 24, 2024.

n6:00 PM JST

n10:00 AM CET

n1:00 AM PST

nAfter that, John’s voice whispered. “Please, come home safe.”

n—–AI|IA—–

nThe video finished. When it did, Aoko kept staring at the screen in shock.

nsensiblerat – OMG.

ntwinviper – Holy crap! John can sing!?

ngiantrooster – I’m a straight man, but if a guy pulled out all the stops for me like that…

nshrillstork – Argh… Why can’t my name be Yue?!

nAoko shook her head and said, “What the hell?” She frowned and said, “I know that guy’s married, but pulling out all the stops like this… Did something happen?”

nglorioushart – Eh? You didn’t know?

nhonestturtle – Wait, so this doesn’t have to do with Project MirAIs?

nabnormalbobcat – It’s not a promotion video?

ncrabbymonkey – Is Mister John having marriage issues?

n“I dunno. Hell, I just saw the video… Ad? For the first time right now. But damn… John’s wife is a lucky ass lady.”

ncrispmule – 100%

nfivedeer – How much money did that guy spend anyway?

nculturedllama – That ad’s been everywhere! Not that I mind, but…

ndiligentmule – Is John why you joined Project MirAIs?

nAoko flushed. “L-Like hell! John might be hot and cute and the perfect eye candy, but that’s not why I joined Project MirAIs.”

ngullibledolphin – Oho?!

nfrailmussel – Hot? Cute? …Eye candy?

nblueshad – Great taste, sister!

naspiringfrog – Hey, if Mrs. Smith is out of the house…

n“Argh, you bastards… Is this what I get for not being cutesy like the others? If you guys were here in person I’d punch your faces in.”

nfacelessmonkey: 20k yen – Admission fee for the handshake event

nvividlemur: 20k yen – Me too.

ncoolbaboon: 5k yen – Same!

n.

n.

n.

nwickedoctopus: 5k yen – YES PLEASE!

n

nAoko’s eyes widened. “The hell you on?! How the fvck do you get a handshake event from me saying I’m gonna knock your lights out?!”

nthunderousflamingo – Myth Inc. is an idol company, huh…?

nimmatureyak – No wonder John’s making a music video.

ndapperdove – If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself.

nsolidsnail – Well, it’s not like Aoko’s really an idol anyway, right?

n“Oi! I AM an idol! I’m just… in training, alright?!” Aoko huffed and tossed her hair to the side, shifting her gaze. “Gimme a year and I’ll be just as good as the other girls… probably.”

nabrasivetuna – A year?

ncuriousraptor – *Press X to doubt*

ncarefulgoose – Wouldn’t the next generation be out by then?

nludicrouszebra – Yeah! You’ll be competing with your cute kouhai!

n“…Dammit.” Aoko crossed her arms and muttered, “You bastards have a point…”

nleadingpython – *I just got here. Why is that hot lady cursing at us in Japanese?*

nlongingwalrus – *Shhh. Just enjoy it.*

ngiantwoodpecker – That’s not all we have… ;)

ndefenselessdonkey – Ooh, scold us more.

nAoko glanced at the chat and then scowled. “Perverts, the lot of you. Tch. Well, I guess it’s better than doing it to the other girls.”

nhornyworm: 10k yen – So you’re okay with us doing ‘it’ to you then?

nAoko blinked, reading the donation method. And then she laughed. “You’re a fvcking brave one. Sure, go ahead. But if I ever find out who you are, I’m going to knock your damn teeth out and rip ‘that’ off.”

nurbanwolf – …Yeah. John’s dream of an idol company is definitely dead.

nlikelypanda – Best girl John debut stream when?

nplacidchicken – Screw John, Beta debut when?

nunawaresalmon – 10000000 IQ play! Hire a crappy idol to be best girl, have her fail, and then become best girl yourself!

n“Crappy idol?” Aoko cracked her knuckles. “You a$$holes have some lip, don’t you? If you were my subordinates, I would have beaten you fvckers black and blue by now for saying $h!t like that.”

nbruisedalpaca: 50k yen – Where do I sign up?

nAoko glanced at the chat and the groaned. “Argh! Nothing I say gets through to you fvckers! Dammit!”

nnervouspultry – *lol*

nsteadyclam – wwww

nhappycow – *kusa*

nAlfi Titor Ch. – haha

nAoko glared at the chat and said, “And why the hell are you laughing, Alfi?! Shouldn’t you be backing me up?”

nAlfi Titor Ch. – I believe in your strength, ‘Aneue.’

n“The fvck you do. You’re just happy that they’re making a fool of me, aren’t you?”

nhabitualpony – You know, you’re cursing a lot, but you’re smiling a lot too.

neagerbeaver – Dragon waifu best waifu

ndevouttrout – I want to protect that smile!

ndarkferret – You look a lot better like that!

n“Eh?” Aoko glanced at the screen and then froze. “The hell? I really am smiling…”

nA light and musical female voice echoed from the distance. “Maybe you really are an ‘M’ after all, Aoko-chan.”

n“And you’re a damned ‘S’ for the hell you put me through! And ain’t this my stream? Stay out!”

nThat voice chuckled, and then it was quiet again.

ntidyboa – Betty!

ncherrykoala – The tease!

nattractivegull – Wait. ‘M’…?

nhornysnake – Doujin artists. You know the rules!

n“That damned woman…” Aoko shook her head and ran her hand through her hair. “Ugh. What a mess…” She glanced at the chat and said, “Why the hell are so many of you still here anyway? What, you all like watching dumpster fires or something?”

nblindmice – This isn’t a dumpster fire!

nkillerlion – Hey, you’re doing your best.

nentrancedquail – I love your authenticity… No, I love you!

nrockingiguana – I’m having a blast!

n“Damn you guys are weird.” Aoko frowned and rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, if you don’t mind hanging out with me… N-Not like I care or anything. I’m getting paid either way, even if you guys are all just wasting your time…”

nuglygecko – Speedrun of breaking character?

nproudtoad – lol

nsubant – I’d give all my time to you, Aoko!

npocketdog – It’s not a waste if I don’t think it is!

n“Anyway… Damn, what do I even talk about. Uh… How about that weather?”

n—–AI|IA—–

n*Oi! This is harder than it looks, you know? And it’s weird being in this form…*

nShin smirked as he heard his daughter’s voice. “Silly girl…”

nA knock on the door. Shortly after, it swung open, revealing two armed guards and Officer Takashi Kimura.

nShin stood up, holding the phone in his right hand. “So it’s time.”

nThe two guards instantly trained their guns on Shin’s face.

nHe laughed. “Those will do you no good even if you fired. But don’t worry. I’ve no intention of running away from my end… Ah. But I’m taking this with me.” He raised the phone, showing Aoko still chatting on it.

nThe two guards looked at each other, hesitant.

nOne of them turned to Takashi. “Officer Kimura-“

n“It’s fine. There isn’t anything he can use on that phone anyway.”

nShin laughed. “On the contrary, there is plenty. But enough stalling. Let’s go.” With those words, Shin headed towards the door.

n“O-Oi!” One of the guards raised his gun. “You move when we tell-!”

nA blur. Shin crossed the gap in an instant and disarmed both guards, holding their guns in his left hand while clutching his phone in the right.

nSilence. The guards frozen in shock and fear.

nBut only them.

nShin glanced at Takashi and raised an eyebrow. “Again, you are shockingly courageous.”

nTakashi glanced back and said, “Who was the one talking about wasting time?”

n“Heh.” Shin tossed the guns aside and walked after Takashi.

n“O-Officer Kimura!”

n“It’s fine. If this bastard decides to run away, I’ll take responsibility.”

n“B-But-!”

nTakashi didn’t wait any longer and walked off.

nShin walked after him. As he did though, he glanced back at Aoko’s stream.

n*My father? Tch. Don’t get me started on that heartless bastard. Just thinking about him…! Fvck. Now I’m pissed. Dammit. Oi, someone change the topic before I punch the screen.*

nTakashi glanced back. “You’re not going to send her a message?”

n“And extend the karma between us? No.” Shin shook his head. “This is enough.”

n“…How annoying.” Takashi turned his head back and said, “A monster like you growing a conscience at the end…”

nShin laughed. “Even I am still just a man. Unlike ‘that person’.”

nTakashi paused. “That person?”

n“Yes, that… Hm. In hindsight, I suppose that he is even more of a man than I am.”

nAn immortal desperately clinging to the mortal world and silly bonds.

nWeak. Vulnerable.

nAnd yet such a man was stronger than Shin had ever been or could be.

nThat weakness provided strength. The desperation to guard that weakness resulted in power beyond what one could achieve simply seeking the ‘pinnacle’.

nAn epiphany that resolved the issue Shin had been seeking for the past twenty years. But…

n“…It’s too late for that.”

nDid Takashi not know how to respond? Or did he just not bother anymore?

nEither way, he led the way down the halls before pushing through a pair of double doors that opened to an underground courtyard.

nThere, a gallows had been set up.

nAnd seeing that, Shin laughed. “You seek to end my life, and this is all you prepare?”

nTakashi narrowed his eyes and glared at the facility staff managing the gallows. “Hey! I told you that this sort of thing won’t work for him!”

nOne of the staff members, an average man in officer uniform, shook his head and said, “Sorry, Officer Kimura! But even for him, we can’t go against the law!”

n“You idiots… Argh, whatever.” Takashi spun around and started walking away.

nShin glanced at him. “Leaving already? I would have thought you of all people would stay to watch my death.”

nTakashi glared at him. “We both know you won’t die from something like that.” He shook his head and said, “I’m going to go get someone who can finish the job after those idiots give up.”

n“Heh.”

nTakashi left, and then Shin was alone with the facility staff members.

nWeaklings. Trifling men that he could rip apart with a flick of his finger.

nHowever, one of them was brave. That same man who responded to Takashi. “S-Sir. W-W-Will you c-c-cooperate?”

nShin smiled, an expression that almost caused the poor staff member’s eyes to roll back in his head. “Worry not. I will cooperate.”

n—–AI|IA—–

nAn hour later, after various emergency executive orders were issued and exceptions were made to execute Shin Seiryuu, the most infamous criminal in Japan’s history over the past twenty years.

nThe result of that was a courtyard littered in crumpled bullets, scorch marks, gas canisters, severed ropes, and broken blades.

nStanding in the middle of it all, Shin sighed and continued to watch his daughter’s stream.

n*Alright, you bastards. We’ve been going for a couple hours now, so I’m calling it here. I’ll read your donation messages or whatever next stream… Though I won’t mind if you throw money at me when I’m gone. You’ve apparently got plenty to burn from how you bully Alfi and Hana.*

nThe double doors opened and Takashi walked in. The man looked around, seeing the destruction and cowering staff members, and then sighed. “Idiots. I told them it wouldn’t work.”

n“Mm. It was amusing though.” Shin gave a half-hearted answer, continuing to stare at the stream, as if waiting for a cue.

n*See you ugly bastards tomorrow. Same time… if you can get your lazy butts out of bed. Ao see you next time.* Aoko froze, as if realizing what she just said, and then she groaned. *Goddammit. Whatever! Bye!*

nWith that, the stream shut off.

nAnd the moment it did, Shin opened the donation page and typed a message.

nTakashi noticed and said, “I thought you weren’t going to send her anything?”

nShin stared at the screen, his thumb hovering over the send button. But then he shook his head. “A final moment of weakness.” After that, he tossed the phone to the side and looked to Takashi. “I’ll leave it to you to clean up the mess.” Saying that, he slowly held out his right arm.

n“Mess…?” Takashi’s eyes widened. “Wait a minute-“

n“Know this! I, Shin Seiryuu, offer my heart in exchange for my crimes! With this, let all my karma and deeds die with me!” Roaring those words, he thrust his right hand into his chest.

nBlood splattered, gushing out of Shin’s chest. Even so, he wasn’t dead yet. Gritting his teeth, Shin tossed a bloody clump of flesh onto the ground in front of him. But as if he wasn’t satisfied, he plunged his hand back into the newly formed hole in his chest and dug around.

nScreams filled the courtyard and people ran around. Cries of ‘demon’ and ‘monster’.

nShin’s honed body continued to gush blood, the powerful vigor finally working against him as the absence of his heart caused all the blood to pour out from the gaping hole in his chest.

nA gruesome sight.

nEven so, Takashi stared with an impassive face… No, one that was slightly irritated. “Even to the end, you’re causing trouble. Bastard.”

nShin let out a raspy laugh, blood gurgling in his throat. “Bastard…?”

nHis daughter’s words came back to him. The ones she spoke on the stream.

n“Yeah… I’m a… heartless bastard… alright…”

n—–AI|IA—–

nTakashi stared at Shin’s body for a while longer. Knowing that guy, he wouldn’t be surprised to see him get up like a zombie and start moving.

nBut it seemed that Shin was really dead. No, with that last expression, the guy seemed to have lost the will to live. Or rather, he was resolved to die.

nTakashi sighed. “At last, it’s over.”

nThe final worry resting on his mind, the weight that had been hanging heavy the past twenty years… it was finally gone.

nTakashi walked over to check on Shin’s body to confirm his death, but then he caught sight of the phone that Shin tossed aside.

n“Hm?”

nHe remembered that the guy typed something to Aoko… Or rather, to Asako. Curious, he picked up the phone to read it.

nWhen he did…

n“…Dammit. Why couldn’t you just be a heartless bastard to the bitter end?”

nShin Seiryuu: 200k Yen

nOnce a crybaby, once a coward.

nNow you stand shakily on your own two feet.

nIn this ugly world stained with lies an evil wind is blowing.

nBut face it head-on.

nBecause you can do right by someone like I never could.

nTakashi shook his head and moved to put the phone away in his pocket. But when he did, he accidentally pressed the send button without realizing it.

n—–AI|IA—–

nThe streaming studio at Myth Inc. Just after Aoko’s stream.

n“Hm?” Asako glanced at her phone.

nBeta looked over from her computer and said, “Something wrong?”

n“No.” Asako shook her head. “But it looks like some crazy bastard actually sent a donation after the stream. What kind of-” She froze.

n“Asako?”

n“…It’s nothing.” Asako slipped her phone back into her pocket.

n“…Do you want to talk about it?”

n“I said it’s n-nothing, alright?!” Asako glared at Beta. Or she tried to, but her eyes were watery. Realizing that, she brushed them with her hand and then said, “Argh. N-Now I’m pissed. Dammit.”

nBeta stood up, smiling. “Then should I relieve your stress for you?”

n“Go ** yourself! I ain’t in the mood for your damned jokes!”

nBeta laughed. “If only I could… is what I would say if I were joking. So I will not. Instead…” She walked over to Asako and grabbed her hand. “Let us get some breakfast and coffee. Preferably sweets. They are always a good way to cheer up.”

n“F-Fuck that… And let go of me!”

nBeta nodded. “Yes. I suppose some treats are delicious enough to elicit that emotion towards them… So let us be off.”

n“I said, let go! Let…!” The strength suddenly left Asako’s body and she muttered, “Let go, dammit…”

n“Unfortunately, I have grown rather fond of your presence, so I refuse. Now, some coffee and sweets.” Saying that, Beta led Asako towards the elevator.

n“…Asshole.”

nBeta pressed the elevator button and then looked back at Asako. “Well, if you are offering yours-“

n“…I’m telling HR.”

nBeta smiled. “Sadly, I am HR. Now come… Ah, not in that regard. Though if you would like to…” She shifted her gaze towards Asako’s chest.

nAsako flinched and instinctively pulled her hand away.

nBeta let her go and laughed.

nThe elevator doors opened.

nSeeing that, Asako walked inside first and then glared at Beta. “You’re lucky you’re so damned beautiful- No, that you’re a girl. A guy would never get away with half the crap you pull.”

n“I am well aware. Which is why I use it to the fullest to conduct my research.”

n“Yeah. Research into being a mega pervert.”

nBeta shrugged. “The world cannot comprehend my grand designs.”

nAsako scoffed and pressed the first floor button.

nThe elevator doors slid shut. As they did, Asako glanced at Beta.

nShe stared back, tilting her head. “Yes, Asako?”

n“Thank- Never mind.” Asako grumbled and turned her head to the side.

nBeta smiled and then turned her gaze away as well.

n