Chapter 350: [The Two Of Us Are Mom Friends]

“Auu! Kyakkyak! Mamaaa~! Maaamaaa~!”

With wet sounds of “chupa-chupa,” I babbled in a cutesy voice over the phone to Mai.

She was absolutely thrilled by my act.

[Haaah~! I-Iroha-chan, you're usually so cold, but now you’re acting so cute~! You must really, really love me!]

“Hehe~! Yup! I loooove Mama sooo much~!”

[Oooohhh~! I-I can’t believe you said it so honestly! Come here, Iroha-chan~! You can drink Mama’s milk as much as you want~!]

“Yayyy! Chupa, chupa…”

[Wehihi~! See? You’re doing so well~♪ So good at drinking~♪]

“Cough, cough!?”

[Huh? What’s wrong, Iroha-chan~?]

“N-nothing~! Mama’s milk is soooo tasty~!”

We continued playing our little game for a while, and eventually Mai seemed satisfied.

Or maybe I’d just overdone it.

“Uh, Mai~?”

[Abyabyabyah… Heehee~ Iroha-chan~. I’m always so unlucky, but today, I’m so happy~!]

“This is hopeless.”

Mai had completely tripped into her own world, and no matter what I said, she didn’t respond.

Geez, I just wanted to spoil her a bit, but I guess it was too much.

“Okay, I’m hanging up now, alright? I’m really going to hang up, okay?”

[Ohhhoho~ Iroha-chan~]

[——]

Yeah, I think I can hang up now. She won’t be coming back to reality anytime soon.

“Okay, bye-bye!”

I tapped the smartphone screen to end the call.

In the quiet of my room, I let out a small sigh, enjoying the lingering aftereffects.

I might have overdone it, but this should keep Mai’s “Iroha cravings” at bay for a while.

As I thought about that…

“Chupa, chupa… Huh!? Why am I sucking again!?”

Realizing I was unconsciously sucking my thumb, I spat it out in a panic. If this became a habit, I’d be in serious trouble!

“If someone catches me sucking my thumb, my life is over!?”

Actually, even during that call earlier, it wasn’t a pacifier I had in my mouth—it was my thumb.

All the baby gear I used for my stream had already been washed and put away.

Besides, if I tried getting the pacifier now, Angu Ogu would see me from the living room.

That would be way too hard to explain.

“Well, at least Mai didn’t notice.”

Since I wasn’t sucking on a pacifier, I must have been perfectly sober.

This means… everything I told Mai just now was my real feelings…

“Just kidding, or something like that.”

Telling Ilyena she’s my favorite.

Being my true self only around Ah-nee.

Doing that with Angu Ogu…

And what I said to Mai—that was my genuine self too.

“Seriously… When did I—when did I…”

Thinking about everyone brought a warm smile to my face.

Not just being a VTuber, but languages, and them—without realizing it, I had gained so many precious things in my life.

I just wanted these days to last forever.

That’s how fulfilled my everyday life had become.

***

“Oh, hi, Mom? Yeah, yeah, just checking in. I’m leaving today, as planned… Uh-huh, uh-huh.”

Time had flown by, and it was now just before Christmas.

The day I was set to leave for America had arrived.

Though I’d informed her earlier, I gave my mom one more call to ease her worries.

I didn’t want to stress her out too much, after all.

“So, you’re going to some country I’ve never even heard of—and they have VTuber events there too?”

“No way! I mean, I wish, but VTubers aren’t that global yet… Wait, Mom, do you think I’m just going there for fun!?”

[You’re not?]

“Nope! I’m going as a goodwill ambassador, for work! What do you even think I’m doing with my life!?”

[Being a VTuber addict?]

“Yay, a compliment! I’m flattered! But seriously, this time it’s for work! Why would you think otherwise?”

[Well, considering you used study abroad as an excuse to attend events in America…]

“Wha—!? H-how do you know about that!?”

If my mom found out that VTubers were my real focus, she would never have let me study abroad!

I was certain I’d hidden it so well!

[Why did you think I wouldn’t notice? I’m your mother. Of course, I’d figure it out.]

“Then why didn’t you tell me sooner!? If you’d said something, I wouldn’t have stressed myself out trying to keep it a secret!”

[Because it made you study harder, didn’t it?]

“Ugh! Fine, I guess…”

Damn it! She played me perfectly.

Moms are unbeatable. Real moms are on another level.

“So, is that country safe?”

[Huh? Didn’t I mention it? I’ll be traveling with the President of the United States.]

“Cough, cough!? Wh-wh-wh-WHAT!? The President!?”

“Yeah, my host over there is, um, the President. Why?”

What the heck was that reaction?

And the way she said it so casually…

Could it be that they’d already met without me knowing?

If that were the case, it would make sense—she’s pretty intimidating, after all…

“Anyway, I’ll be with lots of bodyguards, so I’ll probably be safer than anywhere else in the world.”

[O-oh, well, that’s reassuring!]

Mom took a breath, and then, in a more serious tone, she gave me one final push.

Her voice was warm and strong, like it was lifting me up.

[Take care, okay? And do what you need to do, the way you want to do it.]

“Yeah. —I’m off.”