Chapter 10 - Crunch Time

@Suzuki_Aiko Ch. | 431,228 Subscribers

"...what da fuck?"

I check my UTube Channel. Nothing. No new videos I accidentally uploaded when drunk. No random posts I made.

I check my social media. Nothing there either. My last post is still a few days ago, of me just announcing my upcoming streaming schedule for the next week.

But then, just as I'm about to close my social media, I spot something in the For You tab. I expand it, and a stiff smile comes onto my face as I see a video of me singing in that bar I was at yesterday, and the hundreds of reposts following behind it.

It suddenly makes sense. People must've realized who I was from that recording, searched up my channel on UTube, found my recently released song, and the rest is history.

Still. 50,000 Subscribers from one random video alone? Really?

I mean, it probably helps that I sound amazing in the video. I didn't really appreciate it last night—I was too drunk to care—but Synchronize had increased my Voi to D+, and the result shows. It isn't as astounding as Golden Voice, but it's still way above my usual singing ability.

It makes me wonder how I'll sound when both Synchronize and Golden Voice are working together. It'll be amazing, hopefully.

I just hope I won't collapse mid-recording.

[Suzuki Aiko | Female Human | Age: 20]

Occupation*: [Virtual Streamer]

Str: E+ | Agi: E+

End: D+ (E+) | For: E+

Mag*: - | Int: E

Cha: E | Voi: E+

Com: D (E) |

Streamer Points: 82

Music Points: 271

Talents*: [Survivor (Expert)], [Natural Streamer], [Endurance Streamer], [Golden Voice], [Composer (Veteran)], [Natural Composer], [Synchronize]

…yeah, I feel like I'll actually collapse if I use both skills at once.

20% increase to exhaustion from Synchronize might not sound like much, but pairing it with the soul-crushing weakness I suffered when I last used Golden Voice? There's no way in hell I'll be able to remain conscious. And considering how many days I have left before the recording, I won't be able to save up enough Streamer Points to buy anything substantial.

Well-

I guess I might as well take up Kson's suggestion now.

So, with my plan made, I make a call to Kson. The phone rings for a good few seconds, before Kson's voice comes pouring through the speakers. "Aiko-chan! How're you doing?"

"I'm good." I say, a tired smile on my lips. "Say, is that offer from a month ago still open?"

"Oh? I mean, sure." Kson laughs. "Why ask now?"

I sigh. "I need some help."

…

Endurance: D+ (E+)

Progress to Rank D: 31%

I can't move.

It's close to midnight. I just finished streaming a few minutes ago. I'm lying on my bed now, with scarcely working limbs and lungs that feel like they'll collapse if I dare to breathe too much.

Thing is, jogging around my neighborhood can only do so much for my Endurance. And I don't have enough Streamer Points to purchase the upgrade to my Survivor (Expert) Talent to help boost my Endurance up.

Which left me with only one option,

Actually going to a gym and exercising.

The problem is that I don't feel comfortable going to a public gym. I might not be that big of a channel, but I've started getting recognized when I go out. Thinking of getting recognized while I'm in the gym?

Yeah, no.

But a month ago, Kson had asked if I wanted to visit her personal gym. She has her own personal gym for reasons similar to mine, and though I declined the offer back then, she was more than happy to have me over for the next week or so.

And I'm glad. Really glad. Doesn't stop me from feeling like a corpse after that workout though. Running on the treadmill for hours doesn't sound too bad until I actually did it myself. 

When I came back to my apartment, I was no better than a zombie. I had barely enough energy to stream, and even then I only managed an hour before I bid my viewers farewell.

Still, despite how terrible I feel, I won't be backing down. My progress increased by over 20% in just one day alone, and I'll need to up my End as much as I can before the D-day. 

It'll be hell. But it'll at least be familiar.

I yawn, and with little else to do, I let myself sleep.

…

"Oh? Is that for Holofes?"

She giggles as she holds up a ticket. Printed on it are characters I don't recognize, but I recognize the company's logo—I've seen it a few times during our weekly watch-a-longs.

"I got a ticket~" She grins. "I totally thought I wouldn't get it, but here it is!" She clasps her hands together in prayer. "The gacha gods are on my side for once!"

My smile is wry. I still don't understand why Japan has to use this weird-ass 'gachapon' system in regards to their tickets. Why don't they just use the 'first-come, first-serve' model like we do here? At least it stops anyone from getting false hope and all.

Ah, whatever. My friend's happy about it, and that's all that matters for now.

"That's cool." I smile. "Just keep an eye on what you're buying, 'kay? I don't want to drag your broke ass back from Japan."

She chuckles. "No promises!" Her smile dims slightly as she glances at her ticket. "Ah, but it's a shame that I only got one. Would've been nice if we could go together."

I wave my hand. "It's fine, it's fine. It ain't like I have the money to splurge even if I do get the ticket." 

She grins. "I bet you would've sold it."

I shrug. She isn't wrong.

Her grin falters for a moment, before she pulls her lips into a smirk. "But hey! You're going to work with Fubu-chan soon. You won't need to gamble for a ticket like peasant-ol' me!"

An odd feeling passes through me, followed by a ringing headache. I wince, and the world seems to twist for a moment. "Sorry," I cough. The headache is only getting worse. "What did you say? I missed it."

Her eyes fall, and her smile shakes. She looks like she's about to cry. "...what am I doing?" She whispers. "This is stupid. I'm stupid."

A strange panic rises in my chest. "Hey, hey. None of that, now. You're just-"

"It's my fault." She says. Smiles. "I'm sorry."

"What-?"

And then I feel pain. I feel my chest cave in. I feel the bones in my limbs shatter. I feel my body tear. My skin feels sticky, and when I dared to look down, I see that my shirt is drenched in red. I look back up to scream, and I only find a ceiling white, accompanied by nothing else but hurried beeps.

It's wrong. This is wrong. And I-

-wake up. My breaths are haggard as sweat pours down my face. I bite down on my fist, my stomach gurgling with the urge to throw up. The urge passes eventually, and I pull my fist back with a tired pant.

I wince. I…think I was dreaming? I don't know. I can't remember much—if anything at all. All I remember is this ragged pain all throughout my body, as if my bones had been shattered all at once.

I glance at the clock. It's just about six in the morning.

There's only an hour before my meeting with Kson.

I groan. Just an hour to get myself ready. That's far from enough—I've gotten used to waking up much later these days. 

But the crunch waits for no one, and I can only sigh as I rise from the bed.

…

A week and a half later, I stand in front of a massive building. It towers over the other buildings in Shinjuku, with each floor dedicated to their own recording studios. 

Curious passersby stare at me, likely wondering what I'm doing in front of such a glamorous building. And I don't blame them, considering I'm just wearing a shirt and a pair of jeans—my usual get-up whenever I turn up in my streams.

My knuckles are white as I hold onto the strap of my bag, and my legs feel like jelly as I turn my eyes to the entrance.

I suck in a deep breath.

And, as if my heart isn't seconds away from imploding, I take a step forward.

.

.

.

.

.

Author's Note:

Sorry for the late update, everyone. I got a little too invested in rewatching old VODs from our EN memlord Beejou.

P.S. Still can't believe it's been 8 months since Advent's debut. Time flies.