"-*Bitch*!" Asako cursed and then grabbed her phone off its stand. After that, she pulled off the smart glasses used to keep track of the hand gestures for the app and closed the streaming software on Rin's laptop. "I can't believe that freaking madlad guy got me with that! Argh, I'm still angry about it!"
Rin laughed and said, "It seems like your fans have a lot of fun messing with you, Aneue."
"They're a bunch of stupid little kids is what they are." Asako stood up from her chair and crossed her arms. "Saying such an immature joke..."
Rin's room, just after Asako's stream and around 2:30 PM. A half hour before Rin's karaoke stream with Hana.
Asako rubbed her face and said, "Argh... these bastards never give me a break."
"Well, that's because Aneue likes it, right? Look, you're smiling."
Asako froze and then quickly frowned. "I am not!"
Rin giggled and sat down in her chair. "Whatever you say, Aneue."
Asako clicked her tongue and leaned against the wall.
Rin smiled at her older sister for a bit, but then she started preparing for her stream as well. She pulled out her phone and then set it up on the stand by her laptop before starting the MirAIZ app. Myth Inc's logo popped up on the screen before a swirl of light flashed. And then Hana popped in on the phone, sitting in a chair just like Rin.
Asako stared at the phone and said, "You know, I still can't get over all the crazy tech John's company has."
"I know, right?" Rin nodded and looked at her phone, waving a few times at it. Hana waved back, matching Rin's movement like a mirror. But then the display on the phone turned, almost like there was an invisible camera. And when it stopped moving, the phone screen showed a video of Hana sitting in her chair and looking at the screen.
Asako frowned and said, "Where is he even getting this stuff anyway?"
Asako didn't know much about tech, but even a normie like her knew that what John gave them was decades ahead of whatever was out on the market right now.
Rin put on the smartglasses and shrugged. "I don't know. But Mister John is pretty smart and Eldest Sister likes tech a lot too, so maybe they make it themselves? Mom said that they gave her a lot of information about how it works, so it's probably made in John's room downstairs at the office building."
"Mm... I guess that makes sense." Asako chuckled and said, "That guy did hide out down there for a while before his wife came back."
"Mmhm!"
Asako watched Rin set up her streaming software and then said, "Are you sure you're okay streaming here though, Rin? If you want, I can drive you back to the studio. We have to rehearse later anyway, right?"
"Ah!" Rin sat back in her chair and looked over at Asako. "I almost forgot! Mister Qing texted us while you were streaming and said that there was something going on, so we can't use the studio for a while."
Asako frowned. "Something going on? ...Is it auditions?"
Rin shrugged. "I'm not sure." She turned back to her computer and started to work on changing her stream's thumbnail. "He told me that he texted you with a bit more detail and for you to check when you're done."
"...Wait." Asako's frown deepened. "But... the concert's literally in three days, isn't it?" She started to sweat. "I-I think I still need a bit more practice..."
Rin stretched and then leaned back in her chair, looking at Asako. "You'll be fine, Aneue! We'll be streaming to a lot of people, but it'll mostly be to our fans, you know?"
"Yeah, but those bastards are going to roast me if I mess up."
Rin laughed and then sat back up. Staring at Asako, she let out a teasing smile and said, "Well, Aneue enjoys it anyway, so it'll be fine, right?"
Asako blushed and said, "I do not!"
"Hm..." Rin placed a finger on her chin and said, "I don't know, Aneue... I'm starting to think chat is right about you being an M."
Asako pushed herself off the wall and swung her arm down. "Like I said, I'm not!" She paused and then pointed at Rin. "And how do you even know what that is?!"
"Secret."
Asako frowned and looked towards Rin's computer. And then she smiled and looked back at Rin. "You know, I was being polite but you *did* say you wanted to be more like sisters. And don't big sisters go through their younger siblings' stuff to find embarrassing things about them?"
Rin gasped and then spread her arms out, blocking her laptop. "You wouldn't!" She paused and then said, "I-I mean, there's nothing to see!"
"Hoh~?"
Rin started to sweat.
Asako laughed and waved her hand. "I'm just kidding, Sis. You do you. I'm not gonna judge you for being into that sort of thing... I mean, you're about the right age to start getting interested anyway. I'd be a bit more worried if you weren't. Though... S&M, huh?"
Rin blushed and then pointed at Asako. "S-So what? Aneue's into even kinkier stuff! Saying that you would drag that person's... you know! Stuff! Saying you would drag that person's things across the ground!"
"T-That was just- I'm not into that!"
"You were super descriptive for someone who isn't!"
That time, Asako blushed. "W-Whatever!" She crossed her arms and spun around. "G-Go finish getting ready for your karaoke stream already! Hmph!" She tossed her hair and then quickly walked out-
Only to smack into the wall.
"Gah!"
Rin laughed.
Asako rubbed her head and then glared at Rin. "It's not funny!"
"A-Ah. S-Sorry, Ane... hahaha."
Asako huffed and then left Rin's room, shutting the door behind her. As she did, she muttered to herself. "Those perverted bastards... Now they've even got Sis making fun of me."
It was annoying... but at the same time, seeing Rin so carefree and relaxed made Asako happy, so...
She paused and then groaned. "Dammit. I am *not* an M!"
"Shut up, Sis! Gah. Dammit." Asako cursed and quickly moved to the kitchen so she wouldn't be overheard by Rin. As she did, she pulled out her phone.
Like Rin mentioned, Qing had texted her. Since Asako had been using the MirAIZ app to stream, she didn't get the notification, but it seemed to be a pretty lengthy text.
Asako tapped it open and scanned through the message.
[Miss Asako. Sorry to trouble you, but something has come up. Would you please stay home and keep an eye on Miss Rin until we say otherwise? I've already contacted Miss Sakura and she said she would appreciate it if you keep an eye on her for a while as well. I know it's a bit bad timing because of the upcoming concert, but if you're upset, please, give John a scolding when he returns. We will be doing the same shortly.]
Asako blinked. "Something came up, and blame John...? Did something happen with the auditions?"
That was the only thing that Asako could think of. Well, that or something came up with John's 'sisters'.
Asako hummed and tapped her phone, thinking.
That Qing guy was fairly responsible, unlike John. Which explained why he was COO and doing all the important stuff right now.
From her impression of the guy last time they messaged, he was also the sort to go for full transparency if it was something involving them. Since he kept things secret, it was probably something personal involving John.
Which made Asako curious, but considering the can of worms that guy's background seemed to be...
"Probably best to not worry about it too much."
Asako stretched and then went over to make herself a cup of tea. She put some water into the kettle and then grabbed a cup and a tea bag. Turning on the kettle, she pulled out her phone again and then tuned into the prestream chat for Hana's karaoke stream.
Wishes of good luck. People saying they couldn't wait to hear their little sister sing. Superchats offering Hana an allowance.
In short, nothing but wholesome support.
Asako clicked her tongue and said, "Sis sure is lucky."
Here Rin was with all of these wholesome supporters and all Asako had were self-proclaimed trash and whole-hearted bastards who messed with her every chance they got.
"...Mm." Asako nodded and said, "Guess it's better me instead of Sis or Alphy though."
Asako could roll with the punches and make fun of those perverted bastards and trolls, but both Rin and Alpha couldn't.
...Well, they probably had their own ways of dealing with it, but she had a feeling that if things went too far Beta would decide to step in. And when *that* happened... and considering how she had seen Beta literally writing code in ones and zeros the last time Asako walked into Beta's room, it probably wouldn't end well.
But anyway... All things considered, things were going well. Her fans were definitely crazy guys considering they watched her when she was as boring as drying paint. And they were definitely perverted bastards too considering how lewd and how often they harassed her... but they were also pretty loyal.
After all, it was already her third stream of nothing but rambling and they stuck around. People like that... Yeah, even if they were perverted crazy bastards, Asako could respect that loyalty from them.
And besides, they were better than those backstabbing assholes who smiled to her face while running around working for her father in the background-
"Ah." Asako blinked, suddenly remembering. "Right... He's dead now, huh?"
She had forgotten about it all in the midst of everything else. But that heartless bastard of a father she had...
Beta said that his execution was happening a few days back. And she remembered reading some news articles saying that he died. That the infamous yakuza leader Shin Seiryuu perished.
So then...
A whistle echoed in the kitchen. The sound of the kettle.
Asako frowned and poured herself some hot water, letting her tea steep. After that, she stared into the cup and muttered, "I won't regret it."
Not going to see him before he died. And now...
"...He doesn't even have a grave for me to visit anyway."
A crazy bastard like that definitely wouldn't be buried. No, they would probably worry too much about that guy coming back to life, so they probably cremated him and dumped his ashes in the trash.
It was what he deserved. After everything he did, she didn't care what happened to that guy as long as he was gone. Even so...
Subconsciously, Asako pulled out her phone. And before she knew it, she found herself going through her early donations. The ones she got before Superchats were enabled.
Most of the donations there were small, but one of them...
-----AI|IA-----
[Shin Seiryuu: 200k Yen]
Once a crybaby, once a coward.
Now you stand shakily on your own two feet.
In this ugly world stained with lies an evil wind is blowing.
But face it head-on.
Because you can do right by someone like I never could.
-----AI|IA-----
Asako stared at it and then her hand shook. "...You bastard. Why couldn't you just be heartless to the end...?"
Her vision started to blur. Realizing that, she furiously blinked her eyes and lowered her phone. "Dammit. You bastard..." She took a deep breath and then looked out the kitchen window.
It was cloudy, snow drifting past. As if to blanket out everything in pure white to start anew.
Seeing that, Asako calmed down and said, "Damned straight I'll do right by people. I'm not... I won't be like you.
She would work hard to make the world a better place, not ruin it like her father. She didn't know how yet, but at the least she could help those people who watched her. Who watched Aoko.
Those perverted bastards who watched her because they had nothing better to do with their lives. If she could at least convince one of them to have faith in their own self like they helped her-
"Gah. What am I thinking?"
She blamed John. If that guy hadn't gone and ruined her life's work...
No, if he didn't, then she wouldn't be here enjoying a peaceful day with Rin, so...
"Whatever." Asako mumbled and then sipped on her tea.
This was her life now, for better or for worse. It was a bit awkward, a bit strange, and more than a bit stressful considering that she was working as something she had no experience in doing... but it was fun. Fun-filled and warm days that she didn't need to worry about anything but to be herself.
...Now, to figure out how the hell she was supposed to sing and dance at the same time before their concert on December 1st...
-----AI|IA-----
"Is something wrong, Wifey?" John frowned and then looked over at her. "You seem upset."
Yue frowned. "No. It is just..." She trailed off and then looked at their surroundings.
After skiing a few times, the two were resting up in a private room in the resort. A small and quaint wooden room with a single bed, a coat rack, and a small dresser.
John took off his jacket and then said, "Are you cold? Or is our kid being needy again?"
Yue laughed and placed her hand over her belly. "No. Our child is behaving quite well now. But..."
A warm and comfortable atmosphere. Her husband's loving and attentive gaze.
Even so, Yue felt a cold pit in her heart. Guilt over actions that she didn't quite know how to bring up.
"Wifey?" John hung his coat on the rack and then walked over to Yue. "What's wrong?"
Yue stared at him.
A handsome face. Clear blue eyes, soft and warm unlike the harsh green jade that had been in the Three Realms. Golden hair that was messy from being windswept for so long while skiing.
Faced with that, Yue averted her eyes. And as she did, she saw them. Three black threads of karma wrapped around her hand and her wrist like the ends of a leash. Threads of karma that were connected to three girls she had wronged in the past who had now made their way to her husband's world as well.
A mistake. Pettiness that she couldn't make up for no matter how many apologies she made. Either to her husband or to those girls. But...
Seeing John stare at her with such worry and concern, Yue decided.
"Yue."
She sighed and looked up at him. "Husband. There is something I have to tell you."
John nodded. "I'm listening."
"I-"
Before Yue could say anything else, a phone rang. John's.
He frowned and took a look at it. "Qing?" He muttered, staring at the screen. "Weird... Did something happen with the girls? Ah." He paused and looked at Yue. "Sorry."
Yue smiled and shook her head. "It's fine. Husband is just like that. I won't be so selfish to have you go against your nature."
...Not anymore.
John let out a relieved sigh and smiled. "Thanks, Wifey." After that, he answered the phone. "Yeah, Qing?"
"John. Are you with Miss Yue at the moment?"
John frowned. "Well yeah. Why? Did something come up?"
Qing was quiet for a few moments, but then he said, "I have a question I would like to ask her-"
*What the fuck did she say to Zhuque?*
"Bai-"
*Shut up, Qing! Why aren't you pissed off?! Zhuque's gone! Even if John tries to bring her soul back, it won't work because- Mmph!*
*Please calm down, Mister Bai.*
Zhaojun's soft and melodic voice echoing in the background.
John frowned. "Qing?"
"...Anyway. I don't wish to cut your trip with Miss Yue short, but something came up. Would you kindly return? Now. There's... some very important matters to discuss."
Before John got a chance to respond, the phone call ended.
He stood there for a bit, confused. And then he looked over at Yue.
When he did, Yue felt her heart pound in her chest. And for a moment, she saw an illusion of the karmic threads around her hand reaching up and wrapping around her neck like a noose. But when she blinked, they hadn't moved.
"Yue." John stared at his wife with a neutral expression.
"..."
"...Does this have something to do with what you wanted to tell me?"
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