A Basement-Dwelling Loser, the Inquisitor – Chapter 73

The last day of the year has crept up on us.

Thinking back, quite a few things have happened.

I met Bora, suffered through ridiculous defamation about a “nuclear” situation, experimented with teddy bear eyes, started broadcasting with Tuni’s help, discovered a new raid, and even went head-to-head with a professional gamer in PVP…

…It’s astonishing that all of this occurred in less than three months.

Or is it…?

Is it that ordinary people live their lives encountering a string of events like this…?

“Hmmm…”

Thinking about the possibility that I was doing nothing before this made me feel oddly negative.

They say self-reflection is exactly what you should avoid.

Anyway, here we are, on the last day of the year.

It’s been over two years since I returned to Earth, and before I knew it, I was 17 years old. By ID standards, that makes me 21.

The arrival of the New Year brings a multitude of thoughts from my past life, that other world, and after returning to Earth.

First off, I can’t help but think it’d be nice if the world just ended, making me want to give up on everything…

Hmm. Maybe it’s better if the New Year doesn’t come at all?

If only the concept of a date didn’t exist, I wouldn’t have these thoughts…

While I was rolling around in bed pondering such pointless things, the doorbell suddenly rang.

Could it be Bora? It’s probably her.

She didn’t say she wouldn’t come today, after all.

“Yes….”

I got up with a flabby motion like a jellyfish and made my way to the front door.

A quick glance at the intercom confirmed that the guest was indeed Bora…

“Uh?”

Someone was standing behind Bora.

It wasn’t a completely unfamiliar face, but it wasn’t someone I was used to either.

Actually, if I had to categorize them, maybe they were familiar? To be precise, they were a person I wasn’t accustomed to meeting in real life.

“Rene unni! Open the door!”

…Should I pretend I’m not here?

Just dealing with Bora alone was overwhelming; having an unexpected guest was just too much for me right now.

[Hmmm… Rene unni~!]

[She might not be home, so how about coming back later?]

Hmm. I wish I could agree that it’s a really good idea.

[Nope! She’s home for sure! She even gave me a key to come in when she’s not here!]

[Oh, I see.]

That doesn’t really sound like “oh, I see,” though.

[Besides, there’s no way Rene unni isn’t home at this hour!]

[…Oh, I see.]

[She was home last time too.]

[True. She might be taking a nap, though.]

Please don’t agree with that…

[Should we just go in then?]

[Yes!]

“Wait a minute! I’m about to open the… door!”

If the door opens now and it’s revealed I’ve been lurking, who knows what chaos would ensue.

Especially with Bora, I can’t even imagine what she’d do.

My mind racing, I shouted and opened the front door.

And there stood the usual Bora.

“Oh, hello! I’m really sorry for dropping by unexpectedly…”

Standing there was Tuni, my internet broadcasting mentor.

★

“Oh, hello! I’m really sorry for dropping by unexpectedly…”

“Uh, um… oh… um… it’s, it’s fine….”

‘You don’t look fine at all….’

Swallowing that thought, Tuni entered Rene’s home alongside Bora.

“Uh, um, how did you both end up coming together…?”

“Oh… I had a promise nearby and ran into Bora on my way home.”

“Yup! I met Tuni unni at the convenience store right in front of here!”

“So after I said goodbye to Bora, I planned to head home, but Bora suggested we drop in to see you. I thought it might be a bit of a bother, so I was going to refuse, but here we are…”

“Ah…”

Rene lowered her head with an awkward smile at Tuni’s words.

‘I didn’t intend for things to go this way….’

Seeing Rene like that, Tuni scratched her head quietly.

It was true that Tuni had a promise in the area.

It was also true she intended to go home right after it was over.

But walking home, remembering that Rene and Bora lived nearby, she thought it might be nice to stop by and say a quick hello… And that’s when she accidentally ran into Bora, who was planning to buy snacks.

So, what was supposed to be a simple hello ended up being a half-forced mess.

“I brought some honey water….”

“Ah… th-thank you… I’ll enjoy it….”

Seeing Rene in real life was indeed so different from her online persona.

Bora seemed accustomed to this version of her, but to Tuni, this was definitely not the Rene she knew.

Even though she sometimes stumbled over her words while broadcasting and had a slightly softer voice, it wasn’t this bad.

Though even then, she’d still manage to say what she wanted and uphold her own standards. She was quite a strong person.

But if that’s rooted in wounds from her past…

Thinking that, Tuni felt as if tears were about to spill from her eyes.

“Rene unni, is there anything troubling you…?”

“Ah, yes?! Uh, I’m well….”

Rene’s response was genuine.

Having escaped her former situation, she was now earning a stable income, and thanks to that, she was living her life doing what she wanted.

She was even sincerely grateful to Iya for sending her back to Earth.

‘…Well, she’d probably find it hard to open up to me.’

But considering what Rene had said on her broadcasts, it was understandable for Tuni to feel that way.

★

Did I do something wrong?

Why do I feel like she’s always watching me—

Should I apologize?

Tuni’s gaze was painfully sharp, almost making me feel like I had to.

“Uh, um… when Bora and you are together, what do you usually do for fun?”

While I was trembling with anxiety, Tuni scratched Bora’s head and spoke up.

“Hey! Tell Rene unni about what happened at school!”

“What about during vacation now?”

“Look at your phone!”

“…Isn’t it a bit tough to call that playing together? It’s not like we’re doing anything together.”

I silently agreed with Tuni’s comment.

Sure, while looking at her phone, Bora might show me something she thinks is funny… but that alone can’t really be seen as playing together.

“Hmmm… I’m just happy to be with Rene unni, so I’ve never thought about that….”

“Oh my.”

“Eh?”

But I couldn’t hide my surprise at Bora’s next comment.

“Is Rene unni really that great?”

“Yup! She’s nice, pretty, and um… I just like her!”

“Ah, uhh….”

Bora said this while cuddling up to me.

I’ve gotten somewhat used to it, but it still feels like I’m mentally dying.

And with Tuni here, it felt even worse.

“Can I just stay like this today?”

Just kill me already…

★

“Hmmm….”

After laying Bora down, who had fallen asleep with her breath coming out softly, I quietly sat on the floor.

“…”

“Hmmm….”

Tuni just wore an awkward smile at my silence.

What should I do?

This is only the second time we’ve met, and yet we’re in a situation where we have to talk.

I think it’s pretty cruel.

Honestly, I’d rather the world end at this moment.

And considering I’m the host while Tuni is a guest, I feel the need to say something…

What on earth should I say here…?

[…Let’s just talk about the weather!]

As I pondered this, the first thing that popped into my mind was something I learned while studying VTubers previously: If you have nothing to talk about, you can just chat about the weather…

“Tuni unni…!”

“Yes?”

“The weather is nice today…!”

“Right…?”

What’s this?

It feels like I just flopped.

“Haha…”

Yup. That was a flop alright.

I definitely shouldn’t trust information from the internet so blindly.

Back in my past life, and even when I was little in that other world, I used to have decent conversations. How did it come to this?

It’s all Iya’s fault. Bad person.

“Um, Rene unni. Is… is there something that’s bothering you?”

“…Huh?! Uh, well… I mean, um…! It’s inconvenient, but it’s not that…! It’s not you, Tuni unni…!”

This situation was definitely uncomfortable for me.

But that didn’t mean I found Tuni uncomfortable.

How could I ever think Tuni makes me uncomfortable?

She’s someone I’m endlessly grateful for.

I just found the act of facing someone and having a conversation painful.

Especially with someone I got as close to as Tuni and Bora.

While it’s gotten much better thanks to Bora, the experiences and memories accumulated over 15 years weigh heavily.

“…So, can I understand that you don’t find me uncomfortable?”

“Ah, yes…”

With Tuni’s precise words, I nodded with all my strength.

“That’s a relief.”

After that, silence returned.

Tuni gazed at me with an awkward smile, while I quietly avoided her gaze and stared down at the floor.

I miss Bora…

If Bora were here, she’d have said something nonchalantly even in this situation.

I sat there quietly shaking, lost in that thought, when Tuni spoke first.

“Rene unni, you recently revealed that you’re a girl, right?”

“Ah, um, yes…”

Though it might be more accurate to say I got caught…

“So, are you thinking about turning on the camera at some point?”

When those words left Tuni’s mouth, my mind went blank.

“…Huh?”