When My Classmate Turned Out to Be the Reincarnated VTuber Kokage - The Crybaby of Misaki Hill, and Memories of Bento

"Hey, listen to this. Today's tamagoyaki is seriously perfect." 　Lunch break. Classroom 2-3 at Misaki Hill High School. 　At his seat by the window in the back, Mashiba Minato opened his lunchbox. The sweet aroma of sugar and dashi drifted up. His family's staple—his mom's tamagoyaki. Today's batch had especially good color and shine. "Yeah, yeah, you say that every single day." 　From the seat diagonally in front of him, a girl with long black hair turned around. Her bangs were cut straight across above her eyebrows. Her strong-willed dark eyes looked at Minato with exasperation. "But today's is seriously insane! Look at this glaze!" 　He held out the lunchbox. Rena glanced inside and let out a small sigh. "……You really do love tamagoyaki, don't you." "It's not just that I love it—I think my mom's tamagoyaki is the best in the world." 　Rena's lips softened just a little. But her eyes weren't smiling. Minato didn't notice. That was nothing new. 　Rena traced her finger along the edge of a small container in her hands, then spoke. "……Today, I made tamagoyaki too." 　Her voice was just a bit quieter than usual. "Oh, your tamagoyaki? It's good. I really like it." 　Minato replied without a second thought. Rena's cheeks flushed slightly. But Minato was already pointing his chopsticks at his own tamagoyaki. He didn't notice the change in her. "……I see." 　Rena murmured quietly and turned her gaze out the window. 　The October sky was high and blue. The culture festival was coming up soon. At the back of the classroom, cardboard boxes of supplies for the haunted house were stacked up. Rena stared at them absently. (Why are you always like this?) 　The haze in her heart—Rena couldn't tell anyone about it. The distance of being childhood friends was close, yet so far. 　Minato took a bite of his tamagoyaki and narrowed his eyes in bliss. Rena watched his profile with just her gaze. 　Then, the classroom door opened. "Hey, you guys! Did you hear about the crying girl on Misaki Hill?!" 　In came Toudou Kakeru. Minato's best friend and a game otaku. His eyes behind his glasses were sparkling. He loved rumors like this. "What's that?" 　Minato looked up. Kakeru leaned in close and lowered his voice. "Apparently, since the other evening, there's been a high school girl crying on Misaki Hill. Leaning against the wall, sobbing. Someone who passed by tried to talk to her, but she ran away." "Crying… I wonder if something happened." 　Rena frowned. "Who knows. Heartbreak? Or maybe a ghost? Actually, they say she looked like a student from our school—she was wearing the uniform. Well, anyone who's curious can try walking down Misaki Hill on the way home!" 　With that, Kakeru went back to his seat. 　Minato stopped his chopsticks. (A crying high school girl, huh.) 　He couldn't leave someone in trouble alone. People often told Minato that was just his nature. He thought so too. 　Rena spoke from beside him. "Minato, you're stopping by the game shop again today, right?" "……No, I'll skip it today." 　Rena's eyes wavered for just an instant. "……Hmm. So you're going to look for that crying girl." "Well, I thought I'd take a look. Whether she's there or not, it's on my way." 　Rena opened her mouth as if to say something. But in the end, she said nothing and turned back around. 　Lunch break ended. The bell rang. 　Minato put away his lunchbox. He glanced at Rena's back, then returned his gaze to the blue sky outside the window. 　After school. 　Normally, Minato would head straight to the game shop "Frame Rate" in front of the station. Meeting up with Kakeru and getting excited about new releases was his daily routine. 　But today, he went straight home. 　He changed his shoes and walked out the school gate. The October wind hit his cheeks. A little cold. 　Misaki Hill was a cherry-tree-lined slope leading from the high school down to the residential area at the foot. About 800 meters long. The cherry leaves were just beginning to change color. In spring it would be full of pink, but for now it was still a mix of green and yellow. 　Minato shoved his hands in his pockets and started down the hill. (I wonder if she's there—the crying girl.) 　A rumor was just a rumor. She might not be there today. If not, that was fine. 　He reached the middle of the hill. He passed the branching stone steps known as "Cat Stairs," where cats often gathered. No cats today. Only the wind passed through. 　Then. "……ngh, *hic*…… *sob*……" 　He heard a small crying voice. 　Minato stopped. He listened carefully. 　Partway down the hill, near a stone wall. In the shadow of a cherry tree, there was someone. 　A small girl. 　She wore the Misaki Hill High School uniform and had one hand against the wall. Her shoulders trembled faintly. Fluffy black hair swayed around her shoulders. The inner layer of her hair was moss green. 　Minato slowly approached. "Hey, are you okay?" 　The girl's shoulders jumped. 　A face messy with tears slowly lifted. 　Large light-brown eyes. Wet with tears, reflecting the sunset, glistening. Filled to the brim with tears that looked ready to spill over at any moment. 　And then, the girl— "……uh, ah……" 　Still letting out sobs, she grabbed the hem of Minato's clothes and held on tight. 　Small hands. White, slender, and yet incredibly warm. "Huh……" 　Minato couldn't move. 　In that instant, something overlapped in the back of his mind. (Huh…… I know this feeling.) 　When he was little. Before he'd even started elementary school. He'd once found a lost girl at the neighborhood park. A tiny child who was crying so hard she couldn't speak. Minato had held her hand and searched for her parents with her. 　It was the same as that time. 　Small, trembling, warm hands. 　His chest tightened sharply. "……It's okay. Take your time." 　Minato crouched down to meet her eyes. 　The girl was still crying. With a voice that couldn't form words, she was trying to say something. "*hic*…… *sob*…… um, um……" "Yeah." "……I, I…… lost……" 　Lost? "What did you lose?" 　Instead of answering, the girl started crying again. (This is…… no good. She's in no state to talk right now.) 　Minato let out a small breath and stood up. He gently loosened the small hand gripping his hem. But the moment he tried to let go, the girl grabbed on again. "……n-no, don't go……" 　Her voice was trembling. Her eyes looked like she was about to cry. No—she was already crying. 　Something inside Minato snapped. "……Okay. I'll walk you home. Where do you live?" 　The girl hung her head and shook it faintly. "……I don't know." "What's your name?" "……" 　Silence. 　The girl bit her lip, still looking down. Tears dripped down one after another. "……I'm sorry." 　Her voice was barely audible. 　Minato looked at her again. 　She was about 152 centimeters tall. Really small. Thin. Delicate. Like she might break at any moment. 　Her hand still gripped his hem. Her whole body was saying she didn't want to let go. (Guess I've got no choice.) 　Minato smiled a little. "I'm Mashiba Minato. Class 2-3. You're wearing the Misaki Hill uniform too, right?" 　The girl looked up. Her tear-soaked lashes sparkled in the sunset. "……Yes." "Let's head toward the station for now. Maybe something will come back to you. Here, can you stand?" 　The girl gave a small nod. 　She stood up. She wobbled. Minato instinctively steadied her shoulder. "Ah—!" "It's okay. Take it slow." 　Her small shoulders were even more slender than he'd expected. 　Just like that, at a distance close enough to feel the warmth, Minato supported her as they started down the hill. 　As they walked, the girl cried from time to time. He could hear her sniffling. 　Minato didn't ask anything. For now, just being beside her was enough. (Can't leave a crying girl alone, huh. Honestly, I'm too soft.) 　But it didn't feel bad. 　The shopping street in front of the station came into view. Nagisa Station. A small station on a local line. About 8,500 passengers a day. From the south exit, a covered shopping arcade stretched out. He could see the sign for the café "Kotonoha." A place with delicious house-roasted coffee. He sometimes went there with classmates after school. "Now that we're here, does anything look familiar?" 　The girl looked around restlessly, then tilted her head slightly. "……Um, that way." 　She pointed in a direction close to Minato's own house. 　They walked further. The girl's steps gradually steadied. 　They entered a residential area. A quiet neighborhood lined with houses about twenty years old. Minato's house was just up ahead. 　Eventually, the girl stopped. "……Here." 　It was an apartment building called "Corpo Hidamari." "I see. So this is your place." 　The girl nodded. 　She looked up at Minato as if she wanted to say something. "……Um." "Hm?" "……Thank you, very much." 　Traces of tears still remained. But she smiled, just a little. 　The moment he saw that smile, something deep in Minato's chest went *thump*. "Yeah. See you at school." 　The girl smiled again with a face that looked ready to cry, then disappeared into the apartment building. 　Minato stood there for a while. (I didn't get her name.) 　But he'd see her again. She wore the same school uniform. 　The sun set. The sky shifted from orange to purple. 　Minato started walking home. 　When he got home, his mom was preparing dinner. "Welcome back. You're late." "Ah—just took a little detour." 　Minato took off his shoes and went to his room. 　He collapsed onto his bed. (That girl from earlier…… I hope she's okay.) 　A face messy with tears. Small hands that grabbed on and wouldn't let go. A faint smile. 　Just remembering it made his chest restless. "……What is this." 　Minato muttered and buried his face in his pillow. 　The next morning. 　The classroom was slightly buzzing before morning homeroom. "There's a transfer student coming today." 　Kakeru said to Minato, eyes gleaming. "A transfer student?" "Yeah! And it's a girl! In our class! I'm seriously curious." 　Rena shot him a cold look from the side. "You just want another gaming buddy, don't you." "No way! It's pure curiosity!" 　Rena looked exasperated. 　Listening to the two of them, Minato suddenly remembered the girl from yesterday. (A transfer student…… no way it's her.) 　No, there was no chance of a coincidence like that. 　But somehow. 　Something stirred in his chest. 　Rena was looking at him. 　Her eyes narrowed, as if searching for something. "……Minato, what are you spacing out for?" "Ah, no, it's nothing." 　Rena said nothing. She just laced her fingers together under her desk and squeezed tight. 　The bell rang. 　The homeroom teacher entered the classroom. "Right—starting today, a new member joins this class. Everyone, be kind to her." 　The air in the classroom went taut. 　Minato unconsciously looked toward the door. 　Someone walked in. 　A small shadow. 　Fluffy black hair. Moss green on the inside. 　Minato's breath stopped. 　Rena's expression stiffened. 　And then. "……I'm Tsumugi Kokage." 　The girl with traces of tears stood at the podium.

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Episode 1

Name: When My Classmate Turned Out to Be the Reincarnated VTuber Kokage
Author: Novelia

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