What's Going On?

Ochanomizu University, Japan Literature classroom.

Yuuka put away her phone and instinctively turned to glance at Qigong Shiori.

Today, she wore a khaki knit cardigan paired with a brown plaid dress with a round neckline. Unlike her usual boyish outfits, she looked a little more feminine.

Even her bold blonde hair seemed softer beneath that forest-girl aesthetic. Sunlight streamed through the window onto her face, lending her a faintly sacred air.

She didn't seem as unapproachable as last time, Yuuka thought.

Ochanomizu University differed somewhat from other schools in that it implemented a multi-track education system. In other words, students could choose two or three related fields for focused study alongside their main major.

Yuuka had chosen the Japan Literature course in the literature department. Very few people had selected this course, and there were only around a dozen students in the entire classroom.

As soon as class ended, those with other classes had already headed to different classrooms, while those without classes had gone back to continue studying. Only Yuuka and Qigong Shiori remained in the room.

Good. Now was the best opportunity. Yuuka silently encouraged herself as she discreetly put on her earbuds and started a voice call with Zhao Yu.

"Are you ready, Yuuka?"

The moment the call connected, Zhao Yu's voice came through her earbuds, calming Yuuka's uneasy heart slightly.

"Mm, I'm ready. If I get so nervous that I can't speak later, Lord Yu, you have to help me."

"I know. Don't worry. No matter what happens, I'm here," Zhao Yu said.

In truth, no matter how much was said, it often wasn't as convincing as a simple "I'm here." Those two words were simple, yet at times they carried immense weight.

They meant that no matter what happened, there would still be someone quietly watching over you. That sense of security was more useful than any sweet talk.

"Phew..." Yuuka took a deep breath, touched the cookies in her bag, then slowly rose from her seat and walked toward Qigong Shiori.

Just as Yuuka made her move, Qigong Shiori noticed. Her leg trembled uneasily, and her gaze drifted unconsciously toward the window as she pretended not to see Yuuka.

"Um, Classmate Qigong," Yuuka said softly.

"What is it?" Qigong Shiori turned her head. Her eyes were calm as still water, and paired with her somewhat cool, striking features, they still carried a hint of pressure.

"I... I..."

"Don't be nervous, Yuuka. It's not like you were the one secretly watching her. Just say what you want to say properly," Zhao Yu's voice sounded in Yuuka's ear.

Yuuka's breathing gradually steadied. Looking seriously at Qigong Shiori, she said, "Could you come to the courtyard with me? There's something I want to talk to you about."

After saying that, Yuuka ran toward the courtyard without looking back, as if she were fleeing.

Qigong Shiori watched Yuuka's retreating figure, packed away her notes, hesitated for a moment, then followed after her.

"Why did you just run out like that?" Zhao Yu asked helplessly.

"I-I asked her to come out and talk, didn't I? She'll come, right?" Yuuka said, panting beneath the cherry blossom tree.

"Why did you have to say it out here? Wouldn't it have been more convenient in the classroom?" Zhao Yu said.

"Huh? I-I just ran out without thinking! I really didn't mean anything by it!" Yuuka said in a panic.

For a little homebody like her, gathering the courage to say what she had just said was already no small feat. Asking her to continue in a clear and orderly manner was simply asking too much.

"If she thinks you found out that she's been secretly watching you every day, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if she just didn't come and ran away instead," Zhao Yu sighed.

In his view, Qigong Shiori might not follow her at all. If she had a secret crush on Yuuka, then her first reaction upon being found out would definitely be to flee first and think later.

After all, being called out like this would make anyone think they were being taken somewhere to receive a rejection card, wouldn't it?

Rather than awkwardly accepting the rejection, it would be better to run away and pretend nothing had happened. As for whether she might have been called out for a confession...

Come on. People with secret crushes usually didn't have the nerve to think that way. If they were that confident, they wouldn't be secretly pining in the first place.

"Th-then what do I do? Should I go back?" A trace of anxiety appeared on Yuuka's face.

"You don't need to go back. Let's wait here first. Maybe she'll come after all," Zhao Yu comforted Yuuka.

Though he felt the possibility was slim, it wasn't impossible. Perhaps there really were people who secretly liked someone while also feeling extremely good about themselves.

"If she doesn't come, I'll help you come up with another plan. We can try again tomorrow."

"Lord Yu, you're so reliable. Asking you to stay with me really was the right choice," Yuuka said softly as she sat beneath the cherry blossom tree.

So this was what it felt like to be able to rely on someone? It was unexpectedly nice...

Yuuka even began thinking that if Qigong Shiori didn't come, she could just chat with Zhao Yu beneath the cherry blossom tree for a while.

They weren't face-to-face, but this still counted as coming beneath the cherry blossom tree together, right?

She had heard that people who checked in here eventually became couples...

"Classmate Ueno, you can tell me what this is about now."

Just as Yuuka's thoughts began to wander, Qigong Shiori walked up to her, her hands folded in front of her skirt.

"Yuuka, she's here! Are you ready?" Zhao Yu hurriedly reminded her.

"Y-Yes!" Yuuka sprang to her feet like a student being called on during military training.

"Classmate Ueno?" Qigong Shiori tilted her head, looking at Yuuka in confusion.

"N-No, it's nothing! It's just a little chilly by the flower bed," Yuuka explained.

"Don't change the subject. Hurry up and directly ask what you wanted to ask," Zhao Yu said.

Yuuka finally came back to her senses. She looked at the girl before her and, after hesitating for a moment, spoke softly.

"Classmate Qigong, you've been watching me lately, haven't you?"

"That's right." Qigong Shiori fell silent for a moment, then nodded.

She admitted it that easily? This girl was a little hard to deal with... Zhao Yu frowned from the side.

If she had tried to hide it, rejecting her would have been relatively easy. But openly admitting it was a different matter.

That meant the girl in front of them had already prepared herself to be discovered, and she would not easily give up on what she wanted.

"Actually, I noticed a few days ago, but I felt that this wasn't right." Yuuka continued.

"Classmate Qigong is very pretty, and your grades are pretty good too. You're also very popular with some girls."

But I don't like girls. The person I have feelings for is... A certain figure surfaced in Yuuka's mind, and her gaze gradually became resolute.

"Actually, I don't have any other thoughts. I think the two of us could be friends, rather than..."

Before Yuuka could finish, Qigong Shiori interrupted her. She tucked her long hair behind her ear and gave Yuuka a faint smile.

The smile that bloomed on her normally expressionless face was like a melting glacier, breathtakingly beautiful.

"Okay," Qigong Shiori said.

"Huh? Huh?!" Yuuka froze, the box of cookies she had just taken out suspended in midair.

"As expected, Classmate Ueno never forgot me."

Qigong Shiori reached out and took the cookies from Yuuka's hand.

"I'm very happy that you remembered I like cookies."

"Ah??? What's going on here?" x2

Both Zhao Yu and Yuuka's minds crashed at the same time.

Neither of them had ever encountered a situation like this before.

I saw some readers asking about things like the revenue split for livestream gifts. Most of the information I found said that streamers could receive 30% to 40%, but after signing with the platform officially, they could get 50%. Of course, that doesn't include deductions such as taxes.

A rising new streamer like the protagonist, whose popularity was steadily increasing, would probably also be retained by the streaming platform with a high offer.

Of course, if it still feels different from reality, just treat it as a parallel world.

Also, this new character, Qigong Shiori, will actually play a role in bringing the two of them together later on. She's a fairly important supporting character, so don't worry. Every named character I write serves to advance the plot; they aren't just filler.

Lastly! The first round of testing is about to begin. Thank you all so much for continuing to follow along. This story has only just begun to unfold, and the main plot is gradually developing as well, so please rest assured.