This is a place that's always full of energy. A cheerful office where the singing and dancing VTuber Beat Mario and his friends gather.
Beat Mario is the boss of the doujin music circle Cool&Create. He's a singer famous for Touhou arrangements. His Live2D body was specially made based on his beloved wife. That's why 'I love my wife' is his catchphrase, his morning greeting is 'Konyome,' and his evening greeting is 'Otsuyome.' He doesn't use a voice changer and uses his natural voice. He's easyg
Beat Mario and Friends' Hilarious Daily Life - Rain, Then Wife! ~The Borrowed Item Race Is for Someone Precious~
The riverside plaza in the morning was hit by a downpour.
The sound of rain hammering the temporary tents echoed like drums. The grassy plaza was instantly flooded. The ground underfoot was a sludgy mess of mud.
"…You've gotta be kidding me."
Mario looked up at the sky, droplets falling from his short black hair. Thick gray clouds kept pouring rain down without mercy.
"Soyo-san's forecast was right on the money."
Amane held her schedule book against her chest to keep it dry, water dripping from the ends of her purple-tinted long hair. Her silver, narrowly-opened eyes stared fixedly at the sky.
"I really didn't want it to be right, though."
Soyo murmured in a small voice, her fluffy light-blue semi-long hair drooping dejectedly. Her round gray eyes were just a little bit teary.
"It's not your fault, Soyo-chan."
Mario patted Soyo's head.
Just then, a staff member from the V-Festa Executive Committee came running over in a raincoat.
"Everyone from Cool and Create! The competition will proceed in the rain, but the outdoor ball-toss is canceled. The scavenger hunt will be moved to the municipal gymnasium, five minutes away on foot!"
"The gymnasium!?"
Mario's voice grew loud enough to rival the sound of the rain.
"Yes. Ball-toss is canceled; only the scavenger hunt will be held. Please make your own way there."
The staff member ran off to the next tent, clutching a soaked roster.
"Ball-toss, canceled huh."
Soyo let out a small sigh.
"I was really looking forward to the ball-toss, too."
"Soyo-chan…"
Mario saw Soyo's slumped shoulders and clenched his fist tight.
"Hey, everyone!"
Mario looked around at Amane, Tsumugi, and Soyo.
"If there's a roof, we're fine!"
"…Huh?"
"We're moving to the gymnasium, right? Rain doesn't matter. We just give it everything we've got in the scavenger hunt!"
Mario grinned with his rain-soaked face. His fang glinted in the light between raindrops.
"You're absolutely right, Mario-san."
Tsumugi, her emerald short bob soaked, narrowed her golden droopy eyes and brought a hand to her mouth.
"Rain or shine, there's only one thing to do. In the scavenger hunt, you run with your wife. That's all."
"Tsumugi-san…"
Mario felt something warm spread deep in his chest at Tsumugi's words.
"Mario-san. Your wife is already at the venue."
Amane said, tapping her schedule book with her finger.
"What, already!?"
"Yes. She was supposed to just cheer with her voice, but she said 'I want to watch from the venue after all,' and she's been here since morning. She's in the very back corner of the gymnasium seating, though."
Mario stared intently in the direction of the gymnasium.
(My wife… came for me.)
Something tightened deep in Mario's chest.
"Alright, let's go!"
In the rain, the four of them set off walking toward the municipal gymnasium.
──────────────
The municipal gymnasium was bigger than expected.
Pipe chairs were lined up across a floor the size of one basketball court. VTubers from other agencies were already here and there, drying their wet hair and changing clothes.
"Shishou—!"
At the gymnasium entrance, a small figure came flying at Mario. It was Chibi-kun, the youngest VTuber at Greatest Trading Company.
"Chibi! You came too?"
"Yes! I absolutely wanted to see you run, Shishou!"
Chibi-kun clung to Mario's waist, eyes sparkling.
"Chibi-kun, let go. Mario-san can't walk."
A voice full of energy rang out. It was Power from Greatest Trading Company. She stood with her hands on her hips, towel-drying her short hair.
"Power-san! Slow-san too!"
"…Morning."
Slow waved slowly with a laid-back tone. He was still rubbing his sleepy eyes.
"Mario-san. I won't lose today."
Power pointed sharply at Mario.
"In the scavenger hunt, I'll show you I can be the first to finish!"
"O-oh. Do your best."
Mario nodded, slightly overwhelmed.
"Power-san. Mario-san has someone important to him."
Tsumugi stood beside Power with a knowing grin.
"Someone important?"
"Yes. That's why Mario-san won't lose to anyone today."
Power looked blank at Tsumugi's words.
"…Whatever. Anyway, I'm just going to run at full power."
Power said that and began her warm-up exercises.
Mario quietly looked toward the gymnasium seating.
The very back corner, where the pipe chairs were lined up.
There was a small figure sitting there.
(My wife…)
Mario's heart gave a thump.
When his wife noticed his gaze, she gave a small wave. Small, and a little embarrassed.
Mario gave a small wave back.
"Mario-san, the competition's about to start."
Amane tugged at Mario's sleeve.
"A-ah. Got it."
Mario turned his back on his wife and walked toward the competition area.
──────────────
The scavenger hunt was held using the gymnasium floor from end to end.
Representatives from each agency lined up at the starting point. Mario was among them.
"I'll explain the rules of the scavenger hunt!"
The announcer's voice echoed through the gymnasium.
"Along the course, there are boxes with topics written on them. Each competitor draws one card from a box, then brings a person or object matching that topic to the goal! The first to reach the goal wins!"
"What if the topic is 'someone important'?"
Power raised her hand and asked the announcer.
"In that case, bring that person with you! However, they must be someone at the venue!"
Hearing those words, Mario felt his heart pound loudly.
(Someone important… someone at the venue…)
Mario unconsciously looked at the corner of the seating area.
His wife was there.
"Now then, on your marks!"
Mario faced forward.
"Ready…"
Mario clenched his fist tight.
"Start!"
Mario dashed off with all his might.
He ran alongside the other competitors across the gymnasium floor. Power was in the lead with impressive speed.
(I won't lose… for my wife's sake.)
Mario stopped in front of the topic box.
He thrust his hand in and drew a card.
He flipped it over.
'Someone Important'
Mario's eyes flew wide open.
(Someone important…)
Mario understood in an instant.
(It's my wife.)
Mario turned around.
The very back corner of the spectator seating.
His wife was there.
Mario ran without hesitation.
"Mario-san, where are you going!?"
Power shouted from behind.
Mario didn't look back, running toward the seating area.
He nimbly leaped over row after row of pipe chairs.
"Excuse me, coming through!"
Mario called out to the spectators as he rushed to his wife's side.
His wife's eyes went round as she saw Mario running toward her.
Mario came to a dead stop in front of her.
Breathless, he held out his hand.
"Wife. Will you run with me?"
His wife hesitated for a moment.
She was someone who wasn't good at being in front of people. She was shrinking into the corner of the spectator seats.
But when she looked at Mario's hand, at his eyes, she slowly stood up.
"…Yeah."
His wife gently squeezed his hand back.
"Let's go!"
Mario pulled his wife by the hand and started running.
"W-wait, Mario-san, you're too fast!"
"Sorry! But if we don't hurry, we'll lose!"
Mario ran, laughing.
His wife squeezed his hand back and ran with him.
A huge cheer went up from the spectator seats.
"Whoa—! Mario-san brought his wife!"
Chibi-kun jumped up and shouted.
"Shishou, so cool—!"
"Hey, that's playing dirty, Mario-san!"
Power shouted in frustration.
Mario and his wife broke through the finish tape just like that.
"Goal! Cool and Create, competitor Beat Mario, first place!"
Mario nearly hugged his wife from the momentum of finishing, but he held back and looked at her face.
"Wife, thank you."
Mario squeezed his wife's hand tightly.
His wife, her face bright red, looked down.
"…I didn't do anything."
"That's not true. I won because you ran with me."
Mario meant it from the bottom of his heart.
──────────────
The closing ceremony was held on the gymnasium stage.
The representative of the V-Festa Executive Committee stood holding a microphone.
"Today's champion is Cool and Create!"
Loud applause echoed through the gymnasium.
"The championship prize is this! A giant trophy-shaped body pillow!"
On the stage, a staff member hoisted a trophy-shaped body pillow so big it was hard to believe.
Its size was about as tall as Mario himself.
Mario went up on stage and received the body pillow.
A hefty weight and a fluffy texture.
Still holding the body pillow, Mario looked at the spectator seats.
His wife was in the very back corner, clapping quietly.
Mario gripped the microphone.
"I'm giving this to my wife!"
Mario's voice echoed through the gymnasium.
"I love my wife!"
The venue went silent for a moment.
And the next instant, a huge burst of laughter and cheering erupted.
"Shishou, you're the best!"
Chibi-kun shouted with tears in his eyes.
"Mario-san, you never waver."
Tsumugi put a hand to her mouth and laughed.
"That's so like you, Mario-san."
Amane smiled faintly too.
Mario held up the body pillow toward his wife in the seats.
His wife, face bright red, waved both hands in response.
──────────────
After the sports day ended, everyone gathered in front of the gymnasium.
The three from Greatest Trading Company and the four from Cool and Create decided to take a commemorative photo together.
"Everyone, gather round!"
Tsumugi handed her smartphone to a staff member and called everyone together.
Mario took his wife's hand and joined the circle.
"Shishou, come more to the center!"
Chibi-kun pulled at Mario.
"Chibi-kun, don't pull."
Power gave Chibi-kun a light bonk on the head.
"Ow."
"Alright, everyone smile~"
At Tsumugi's signal, everyone looked at the camera.
Mario smiled brightly with his wife beside him.
His wife smiled a little too.
Click.
The shutter sound echoed in front of the gymnasium.
"Otsuyome!"
At Mario's call, everyone laughed and followed along.
"Otsuyome~"
──────────────
On the way home, Mario walked side by side with his wife.
The rain had completely stopped before anyone noticed.
In the sky, the setting sun peeked through a break in the clouds.
In Mario's arms was the giant trophy-shaped body pillow.
"Isn't it heavy?"
His wife looked at Mario's arms and said worriedly.
"Not at all. It's a present for you, after all."
Mario grinned.
"…Hehe."
His wife gave a small laugh.
"Mario-san, thank you for today."
"Huh? I should be the one thanking you."
"Because you chose me. That topic was 'someone important,' right?"
His wife gently looked up at Mario's face.
"Was I… good enough?"
Mario stopped walking.
He stood directly in front of his wife and looked into her eyes.
"Who else would it be but you?"
Mario's voice was serious.
"The only one important to me is you. Now and always."
Hearing those words, his wife's eyes grew moist.
"…Idiot."
His wife gently leaned against Mario's arm.
The setting sun stretched their two shadows long.
──────────────
That night.
Everyone had gathered at the Cool and Create office.
"Thank you all for your hard work today."
Amane closed her schedule book and looked around at everyone.
"Mario-san, I'm glad you got to run with your wife."
Soyo said with a bright smile.
"Yeah. I'm really glad."
Mario sat on the sofa, holding the body pillow, nodding with satisfaction.
"But Mario-san. In the end, one of the sports day events got cut, didn't it?"
At Soyo's words, Mario looked a little downcast.
"Well, the ball-toss got canceled, but… we got to do the scavenger hunt, so it's fine."
Mario hugged the body pillow tight.
"Besides, there might be a Chapter 2."
Just as Mario said that—
"Well then, shall I tell you the continuation of the synopsis?"
That deep voice echoed from the office speaker.
"Whoa, Nazo no Koe-san, when did you get here!?"
Soyo jumped in surprise.
"I'm always by your side."
Nazo no Koe said in a carefree tone.
"Chapter 1, complete. …But the story isn't over yet. Chapter 2, might it begin?"
The office fell silent.
"What's in Chapter 2?"
Mario asked toward the speaker.
"That, even I don't know. I only kn
Novelia is an AI-powered platform to read original light novels and fan fiction, create your own in just a few taps, and chat with the characters. New, illustrated episodes arrive daily — free to start.