“So, the secret’s out!”

A week ago, after finally telling Koi how I feel, we decided to date.

How this will all work between two shut-ins is still a mystery to me - and a scary one at that.

But, I will say - it’s a mystery I’m willing to solve with the help of the friends I’ve made.

Is this my moment? Is this now the time to say it?

The real journey was the friends we made along the way!

Okay, maybe not quite - but I’d like to think it was.

Sakura sits at the head of our circular table, or should I say - my circular table.

How does that work?

Well, when you have a bunch of introverts and one lively gyaru in the house, then it’s not even a competition as to who takes the lead.

Also, you heard that right. We’re at my house!

Even when a girl drove me to my door, that was the closest I ever was to bringing a friend over to this place, let alone a girl!

Now there are two friends and two girls at that, right in my small apartment.

I’d like to say that in preparation for this visit, all the noodle boxes and general clutter were cleared to make this a hospitable environment for my guests.

It was mostly to protect my pride though.

Koi shoots Sakura a dark glare across the table as she rants about having to keep their secret. That secret obviously being the fact they’re both vtubers.

Right now, the gyaru brat that I remember from all those years ago hasn’t really changed a whole lot. She’s quite a bit taller now, but still not as much so as Koi and I.

Considering she’s already twenty now, I don’t think she’s going to grow that much bigger!

Her clothes though, it’s like she was never able to let go of high school - her casual wear eerily resembles a girl's school uniform. Pair that with her hair being tied up in a bunch to the side of her head, and she’s almost exactly the girl I remember.

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At least her hair isn’t fully blonde anymore, she’s managed to go back to her original black while maintaining some blonde highlights - not too much unlike Koi in that respect.

Even at a glance, you can definitely tell that they’re sisters.

Why am I even explaining all this?

Sakura stops her rant and stares at me with a strange conviction, as if she’s trying to solve some sort of mystery.

She doesn’t say anything, like an active observer while Koi is currently too flustered by the constant talk of her “secret” to even amount to all that much right now.

But that’s why I’m explaining this!

As I said, right now, this is what Sakura looks like - but it’s news to me that, well…

“What do you think of my cute model?”

The young gyaru is, of course, referring to her vtuber model - one belonging to a certain magical girl in Kawaii Angels, a rival vtuber agency to Mayu’s Doki Doki Demons.

“It’s - uh, very you…”

What? That’s all I can say - mix up Sakura’s current look to make her look a bit more magical and they’re basically the same! How I didn’t notice the resemblance sooner is probably on me, but also people tell me I’m not exactly the most perceptive of the bunch.

In a very Koi-like fashion, Sakura crosses her arms and looks away with a pout.

This is scary! I just have two Koi’s here - someone please save me!

As if in response to my current musings, the doorbell rings. Considering this is not an occurrence that happens often in this place, I know it can only be one person.

“Your maid friend!”

Sakura’s eyes sparkle as she hurriedly gets up out of her chair and rushes over to the door before I can even get a step in.

That’s supposed to be my job!

Awkwardly leaving Sakura to take care of the guest that she’s never met before, I look over to Koi and check to make sure she’s okay.

She looks up at me and smiles from ear to ear - that is all I need to tell me everything.

Koi turns around in her chair, as I do, in order to greet the new guest that’s currently being asked a myriad of uncomfortable questions about her job from a gyaru brat that she’s never met before.

A loud tssk noise comes from Koi’s direction as I avert my gaze towards her, glancing at her slightly irritated face.

“She’s really pretty.”

Her voice is low, so I can only assume I’m the only one who heard her - but I heard her nonetheless.

Grabbing Koi by the hand, I pull her up as we walk over to Chika and Sakura.

“You should totally become a vtuber! You’ve got all the roleplay elements down; you could become like a catgirl maid or something - I could even sort out something with Kawaii Angels, I’m sure of it! You’re so cute!”

Sakura starts fangirling all over Chika as Koi blushes at my touch.

As I introduce Koi as my girlfriend to Chika, I’m left with an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction.

No, no. This isn’t like a brag or a flex - it’s just that I’m here with three friends I’ve either met or reconnected with latey. Not only that, but they’re all in my apartment - what was once a dark and dank sanctuary to Mayu is now transformed into something else entirely.

Also, like, Mayu is quite literally in the apartment now so that’s pretty cool…

Looking at the rest of them, I’m so excited to get to know them all better - it’s that which tells me, this isn’t the end of my journey.

It’s just the beginning.