Chapter 5: Thank You Delivery
“A collab stream with Luca?”
I repeat Kirisaki-san’s words after being called to the Little Garden agency office.
“Yes. We’ve received emails regarding Ruka-san and you, Jin-san,” Kirisaki-san replies.
“Me and Luca? She’s the one who collabed with Maya recently, right?”
It’s easier to remember when Maya’s involved.
“Correct. She’s also the person you protected at the autograph session. Thank you so much for that.”
“No big deal. I couldn’t let Maya’s precious session get ruined.”
Kirisaki-san gives a wry smile. She must agree—losing Maya’s event would’ve been a disaster. As expected of Maya’s manager.
“That situation has settled, but now there’s growing demand for people to thank you directly…”
“Huh? Why?”
“Well… you don’t talk about saving Ruka-san much. Like in your stream with Maya-san, you never bring it up, so no one else does either. It’s a sensitive topic, after all…”
“It’s not something to make a fuss about, so no need to broadcast it.”
“That’s how you see it, Jin-san, but to the public, it’s a major incident. So, we want to create an opportunity for proper thanks, and we’d like you to stream with Ruka-san.”
“I see. Is Luca okay with that?”
“This was actually Ruka-san’s idea. She wants to thank you properly.”
From what I’m hearing, Luca seems pretty serious. …In cases like this, refusing thanks might make her feel uneasy.
“So, we’re planning to hold it this weekend at the office. Does that work for you?”
“Yeah, I’m good.”
“Great, it’s settled then.”
The meeting felt more like a schedule check than a full discussion. Luca, huh? I don’t quite match her face to the name, but I’ll manage.
I headed to the agency with Maya. Today’s a collab stream with Luca, but Maya’s joining too, acting as both moderator and buffer. Dressed as usual, I arrive with Maya to find a girl in a school uniform waiting.
“Ruka-san! Hi! Looking forward to today!” Maya greets her energetically.
So, that’s Luca—Hanamine Ruka, I assume. It’s Friday, so both Maya and Ruka are fresh from school. Ruka’s uniform looks high-end, hinting at a fancy school. Noticing me, she and someone I assume is her manager bow slightly. Ruka hurriedly lowers her head too.
“O-Onii-san, thanks for agreeing to the collab today,” she says, her voice slightly high-pitched.
She seems tense—not my imagination. Ruka’s clearly seasoned at streaming, but maybe collabs still make her nervous.
“Ruka-san, let’s do this,” Maya says.
“No, Maya-chan, you too,” Ruka replies with a smile, bowing back as Maya dips her head.
“Yo, looking forward to it,” I say.
“Y-Yeah…” Ruka averts her gaze, looking troubled, bows again, and walks off with her manager.
Glancing at Maya, I mutter, “…Am I being avoided?”
“Hmm, not avoided… more like she’s embarrassed,” Maya says.
“Embarrassed? Why?”
“Well, I shouldn’t be the one to say~” Maya smirks teasingly, her adorable expression briefly distracting me from her words.
If I’m not being avoided, that’s fine. We kill some time before heading to the streaming room, where Ruka’s already seated. Three chairs are set up: Ruka, me, Maya. We’d done a brief rundown earlier, but the plan is to keep it natural, with the only fixed point being “thanking me for the incident.” Otherwise, we’re free to chat.
I glance at Ruka beside me. She’s sitting ramrod straight, her expression cool, but when our eyes meet, her composure cracks, and she starts trembling—like an earthquake’s hitting her chair. Is she okay? Maybe she’s unwell? But no one around seems concerned, and a staff member calls out, “We’re starting the stream soon!”
“Got it!”
“Please!”
Maya and Ruka nod enthusiastically. Ruka adjusts her bangs, and I check my fly’s zipped. The stream begins, and comments flood the monitor in the room.
〈It’s started!〉
〈Luca-chan, been a while!〉
〈Maya-chan’s cute as always〉
〈Onii-chan collab for real!?〉
〈The moment’s here!〉
〈First time, came from Onii-chan’s side〉
Lots of “first time” comments—probably because we’re using Little Garden’s official channel.
“Treasure Luca here. Long time, everyone,” Ruka says.
“I’m Maya! Here as your host today!”
“Yo, Maya’s big brother,” I add, riding the flow. Mentioning I’m her brother plugs Maya Channel—strategic move.
After intros, Maya raises her voice eagerly. “Alright, today we’ve got… the man of the hour, my Onii-chan! And facing him is… Little Garden’s subscriber queen, the goddess herself, Treasure Luca-san!”
“Maya-chan, that hosting vibe’s from the wrong genre,” Ruka says with a wry smile.
Still, it’s cute, so no issue. “Oh, what’s that, Onii-chan?” Maya asks.
“Nothing, just got lost staring at you. So, what’s today about again?”
“Geez, Onii-chan. It’s about that stuff with Ruka-san, remember? Fans wanted to thank you, so we set this up.”
“Oh, right. Thanks aren’t necessary, though. If anything, just sub to Maya Channel, and I’m good.”
“That’s what he says,” Ruka adds with a wry smile, glancing at the camera as comments appear.
〈Onii-chan, nice one〉
〈Subscribed! To Onii-sama’s channel too!〉
〈Thank you so much. Our goddess is streaming today because of you〉
Solid viewers. If this promotes Maya Channel, saving her was worth it. As I scan the comments, Ruka speaks up. “Onii-san, once again… thank you so much.” She bows deeply, her tone serious.
This stream’s partly to show fans her gratitude. Comments overflow with thanks, matching her words. …This feels weird. I’m not unused to thanks, but hundreds at once? Rare.
“No need to make a big deal out of it,” I say, feeling awkward.
Maya peeks at me, grinning. “Onii-chan, you’re blushing a bit?”
She pokes my cheek, smirking. …This brat. Too sharp.
“Well, getting thanked by tons of people isn’t exactly common.”
“Seeing a new side of Onii-chan made coming here worth it,” Maya says, looking pleased. If she’s happy, I guess it’s fine.
“So, that wraps up today’s goal. What now? Keep chatting since it’s a collab?” I ask.
“Alright, Maya and Ruka, have at it,” I say, ready to lurk as a viewer, but both grab my arms.
“No way, we need you too,” Maya says.
“There’s fan demand to dig into your daily life, so we’re asking questions,” Ruka adds.
Did they plan this behind my back? Maybe that’s why I’m seated between them. Resigned, I sit back down. “Daily life? I’ve got nothing interesting to say.”
“Fans want to know about your routine. Can you walk us through a typical day?” Ruka asks.
〈Yeah, curious〉
〈Onii-chan never talks about his life〉
〈Bet he’s watching Maya-chan’s vids all day lol〉
Is my life even entertaining? Doubtful, but if people care, I’ll answer. “Fine, ask away. Maya probably knows, but what’s first?” I say.
“How about your wake-up time?” Maya asks.
“I get up around 7 a.m. to see Maya off.”
“Yup, I’m always happy when Onii-chan sees me off.”
“And I’m thrilled to do it!”
“Onii-chan!”
“Maya!”
As we lock eyes, Ruka interjects. “Don’t go into your own world.”
〈These siblings lol〉
〈Too close as always lol〉
〈Nice one, Luca-chan lol〉
“So, what’s next after seeing Maya-chan off?” Ruka asks.
“Depends on the day, but I usually play Maya Channel in the background while doing stuff. Sometimes I hit a labyrinth, sometimes I shop, but mostly I wait for Maya to come home.”
Like a loyal dog. “Pretty normal… life?” Ruka asks, puzzled, as Maya nods.
“Hmm, but normal people go to work, so it’s not that normal,” Maya says.
“Fair point.”
Being an adventurer lets me earn enough for some freedom.
〈Living like a NEET? So jealous…〉
〈And he earns as an adventurer? Total life winner〉
〈Wanna be Onii-chan’s pet…〉
Comments overflow with people worn down by society. Fewer envy my life with Maya than I expected—guess the world’s rough out there.
“That’s about it for me. What about you two? Enjoying school?” I ask. My twentysomething guy life isn’t that thrilling—their stories should be better.
“I’m loving it! Lately, people ask about you too. You’ve got tons of fans at school!” Maya says.
Fans don’t matter to me, but Maya’s smile does. “I get asked a lot too. Onii-san’s super popular,” Ruka adds.
“Maya makes sense, but you too?” I ask.
“Yeah. Lots of your fans. Some even ask me to get your autograph.”
“Wow, Onii-chan’s a hit. Nice!” Maya says.
“If it boosts Maya Channel’s viewers, I’m happy. How’s that going?” I ask. That’s why I started streaming—more fans for Maya, not me.
“Some people sub to Maya Channel through you, so it’s helping,” Ruka says.
“Sweet, worth the effort then.”
“Oh, but there’s a small issue. I get asked about you so much it’s kinda overwhelming, so I wanna ask something now,” Maya says.
“What’s that?”
“People at school wanna know if you have a girlfriend… I-I mean, they just asked me to ask!” Ruka stammers.
“Nope, single.”
“Onii-chan’s girlfriend applications are open!” Maya chimes in.
“Don’t recruit for me!”
“As your sister, I’m worried you’ve got no game.”
It’s not that I lacked chances—it’s just that cheering for Maya left no room for anyone else. I’m content as is, no complaints.
As we talk, a staff member holds up a cue card. What’s this? “From the staff: Onii-chan, SNS is blowing up with girlfriend candidates. Matchmaking stream next?” Maya reads.
“Hell no! Reject them all!” Geez, viewers are having too much fun. I sigh as we hit the one-hour mark—the planned duration. Another cue card signals closing remarks, and Ruka speaks up. “Looks like it’s time to wrap up.”
“Yup,” I nod.
Ruka looks at me and bows deeply again. “Once more… thank you, Onii-san.” She lifts her head, a faint smile on her lips.
…Seeing Maya’s friend smile like this means protecting Maya’s happiness. “If you’re Maya’s friend, I had to help. Let me know if you need anything.”
〈LOL〉
〈Protection criteria: Maya-chan?〉
Comments shift from thanks to teasing. Ruka puffs her cheeks, glaring at me. “So you wouldn’t have helped if I wasn’t Maya-chan’s friend?”
“No, no, I’d help anyone in trouble. It’s a Suzuta family rule.”
“Yup, Onii-chan always helps. Ask him for yakisoba bread when you’re hungry!” Maya adds.
“I’m not your errand boy, little sis.”
As we banter, it’s time to end. “Alright, that’s it. Thanks, everyone,” Ruka says.
“Oh, don’t forget to sub to Maya Channel!” I add.
“And Onii-chan’s and Ruka-san’s too!” Maya tacks on, and the stream ends.
The stream done, the three of us walk down the hallway. With nothing left to do, we’re heading home, but Maya suddenly pipes up. “I’m gonna grab some drinks! Want anything?”
“Nah, I’ll get them.”
“No, I’ll go. C’mon, what do you want?”
“Uh… your pick.”
“Veggie juice it is.”
“I hate veggies, no way.”
“Ruka-san?”
“Yo, Maya, you hear me?” I call out.
“Whatever Maya-chan picks is fine,” Ruka says.
“Got it!” Maya dashes off.
…Maya. She’s always sneaking veggies into my diet because I hate them. But if she’s shopping for me, I’ll accept it quietly… I watch her disappear, and Ruka speaks up. “Onii-san, thanks for everything today.”
“Thanks to you, Maya Channel’s subs shot up, so… thank you.”
“Your channel’s growing too.”
“Mine doesn’t matter.”
Maya Channel’s the priority. Ruka laughs at my words but then looks slightly anxious. “…You don’t think it’s a big deal, but—”
She pauses, then continues. “—I was really scared.”
“Ruka?”
Her expression shifts to one I’ve never seen. It hits me—maybe she’s been forcing smiles to reassure her fans. Her professionalism stuns me as she speaks slowly. “After the attack… I couldn’t stop shaking. I only managed to continue the session because of you.”
“…”
“To me, streaming is special. When I was… kind of a shut-in, a streamer inspired me. I wanted to become someone who could inspire others. So… being unharmed and still streaming now is all thanks to you. …Thank you, really.”
Ruka flashes a brighter smile than ever and bows deeply. She’s incredible. Her dedication makes my “just for Maya” streaming feel small. “Don’t worry about it,” I say, lightly patting her head.
She looks up, startled, cheeks flushing. “O-Onii-san!”
“Oh, crap, sorry. Did it like I do with Maya.”
Will the agency chew me out for harassment? A flicker of worry hits me, but Ruka shakes her head frantically. “N-No, it’s fine… So, um… you see me like Maya-chan? Important?”
“Huh? Yeah, pretty much.”
If something happened to Maya’s friend, she’d be sad. In that sense, “You’re about as important as Maya—second place, maybe.”
“…”
If anything happened to Ruka, Maya might cry. I’ll need to keep an eye on her too. As I think this, Ruka’s face grows redder. “…I-I just remembered something I gotta do!”
Her face practically exploding with blush, she bolts past Maya, who’s returning with drinks and a cheerful smile.
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