In the end, everyone made it to Hokkaido… no. “Wait, where’s Ika?”
I couldn’t find one of his lovers, Nieru Ika, anywhere in sight.
It made sense if everyone else was here, but I had no idea why she alone was missing.
Akari pulled out her smartphone and spoke up.
“I invited Ika-chan too, but she said she had work to do. Something for the Summer Comic? Her job there.” “Summer Comic… Ika?”
She was supposed to be in the Security Department of the Hirata Group, so why would Ika be participating in a summer comic event?
I conveyed this to Roshia, and she gave me an answer.
“Ika also helps her mother with her work.”
“Huh… her mother. Come to think of it, we’ve never met before. What does she do?”
“She’s the president of a company under the Hirata umbrella. I think… she runs an agency called Bui-Too-Baa…?”
Bui-Too-Baa… Ah, V-Tuber.
It refers to the style of streaming using 2D animated avatars.
I knew about it, too, given my work at the publisher.
If I remember correctly, I once heard that one of Sakuhei’s coworkers—either his sister or a relative with a similar name—was a Vtuber.
Right then, I got a line from Ichika on my mobile phone.
She sent an apology for being unable to come here due to work coming up, along with a message saying how sorry she was to miss it.
I sent her back a line telling her to do her best.
In response, she sent a string of happy-face stamps of 【Ryo】 from 【Digital Monster】.
Comiket in the summer. Uematsu and Sakuhei must be going there as staff right about now (it’s not my shift).
Everyone seems to be under a lot of pressure. Amidst all that, I felt a slight pang of guilt at being the only one carelessly traveling around.
But I had already done my job. The work for Comiket fell under their jurisdiction.
Knowing when to rest is also part of the job. I turned my thoughts away from it.
When we meet next time, maybe I’d give Ichika some souvenirs and ask about her mother.
“Okarin, how long are you going to stand there zoning out? Let’s head to your room!”
Akari grabbed my arm and said that with a smile on her face.
“Yeah, right,” I nodded, and the three of us left the scene.