The Day Subaru Oozora Searches for the Brightest Star
Everyone in Hololive, let's become astronauts! When Subaru Oozora suddenly announces this, a strangely hilarious 'Best Item Arrangement' tournament begins. Its a contest where you can supposedly receive a star from the universe. But Subaru is actually hiding a deeply sad secret. Without knowing it, everyone's small acts of kindness end up hurting Subaru... Yet she keeps acting cheerful. But when the biggest crisis arrives, Subaru realizes she isn't alone! It's a comfy daily life story that will
The Day Subaru Oozora Searches for the Brightest Star - A Morning Sigh and a Sudden Game of Rock-Paper-Scissors
The scent of coffee drifted softly through the Hidamari Room.
Oozora Subaru stood by the window, cradling a mug in both hands. Her petite 154-centimeter frame melted completely into the morning light.
The morning sun sparkled on her short bob of bright brown hair. The braids on the side swayed faintly from time to time.
"Hah…"
Her sigh misted the window glass just slightly.
A white parka and jeans. Subaru was in her casual clothes today. Her stream wasn't scheduled until the afternoon. That's why she was here so early in the morning, alone in the empty Hidamari Room, drinking coffee.
Subaru gazed out the window.
From the third floor of the Sorano Building, the streets of Hinatazaka were clearly visible. The roof of the Kagerou Street arcade. The cherry trees in Hinatazaka Central Park. Tokyo Tower peeked out just a little from between the distant buildings.
This studio belonged to Hololive, the VTuber agency Subaru was part of. A place for streaming together, recording, brainstorming projects. Normally, it was a fun place, always filled with laughter.
But this morning, no one was there.
Subaru touched the star earring on her left ear with her fingertip.
A tiny star. A gift from her grandmother.
—Last autumn.
Her grandmother passed away.
Subaru squeezed her eyes shut.
What came to mind was the twilight at Hinatazaka Central Park. Those days, walking together with her grandmother.
"Grandma, which one's the brightest star?"
When Subaru asked that as a child, her grandmother always smiled gently.
*"Look closely now. It's the first star to shine in the sunset sky."*
*"When you find it, make a wish three times. Then tomorrow will be a good day too."*
Subaru always raced her grandmother to find the brightest star.
Her grandmother was usually the one to find it first.
*"There! Right there!"*
*"Amazing! Grandma, your eyes are so good!"*
*"Seeing you healthy and smiling, Subaru—that's my greatest happiness."*
Sitting on a park bench, the two of them would count the stars as they appeared.
That promise.
Subaru had to stay cheerful.
She had to keep smiling, always.
But ever since her grandmother was gone, that had become so painfully hard.
She looked at her own face reflected in the window glass.
Her large brown eyes seemed duller than usual. The energetic smile that was her trademark was hiding somewhere this morning.
"Gotta put on a smile."
Subaru took a sip of coffee.
It was a little bitter.
Had she forgotten the sugar?
Or was it her heart that was bitter?
She couldn't tell.
—*Click.*
The sound of the door opening.
Subaru quickly lifted her head and plastered a smile onto her lips.
"Ah, good morning."
Her voice trembled, just a little.
But she prayed it wouldn't be noticed.
The person who entered was a woman with long silver hair swaying behind her.
Her wavy long hair was soft and fluffy, like a princess's. Her slender 165-centimeter frame wore a simple white blouse and a gray skirt. Calm gray eyes quietly gazed at Subaru.
Shirogane Noel.
A senior at Hololive, a VTuber with a cool, mature aura. Usually composed, but sometimes she came up with wildly outlandish ideas. She had a boldness that didn't sweat the small stuff, but her eyes cared more about her friends than anyone else's.
Noel looked intently at Subaru's face.
"Morning."
Saying just that, Noel headed to the kitchenette corner.
She flipped the switch on the coffee maker and took a cup from the shelf.
Subaru felt a little relieved.
(*Good. She didn't notice.*)
Thinking that, she downed the rest of her coffee in one go.
But Noel's gray eyes saw through everything.
The tone of Subaru's "good morning." That tremor in her hand, weaker than usual, like a tired-out signal. Her back as she stood by the window, slightly hunched.
Noel thought as she brewed her coffee.
(*It's been like this for a while now. She's down. Forcing herself to smile.*)
Taking her cup in hand, Noel stood beside Subaru.
Together, they gazed out the window.
A few seconds of silence.
Just as Subaru opened her mouth to say something—
"Rock-paper-scissors tournament!"
Subaru blinked in surprise.
"Huh?"
"Rock-paper-scissors! Come on, let's do it!"
Noel already had her right hand clenched, ready to go.
Completely bewildered, Subaru just nodded for the time being.
"Rock, paper, scissors—"
Matching Noel's voice, Subaru threw out her hand.
Subaru: scissors.
Noel: rock.
"Yes! I win!"
Noel jumped up and down like a child. Her silver hair fluttered up softly.
Subaru couldn't help but laugh, just a little.
It was the first natural smile she'd had in a long time.
"The prize is—"
Noel raised her index finger and brought it close to the tip of Subaru's nose.
"Today, we're holding a Weird Stuff Lineup Tournament!"
Subaru's mouth hung open.
"Weird… Stuff Lineup, Tournament…?"
"Yes! Everyone brings weird things, or amazing things, or rare things from their own homes, and we line them all up in the Komorebi Hall! The winner gets—"
Noel paused for a breath and beamed.
"The right to name a star in space!"
Subaru couldn't keep up at all anymore.
But Noel's gray eyes were dead serious.
She understood immediately that this was no joke.
"Wait, Noel-senpai, that's…"
"Alright, it's decided! We're heading to Komorebi Hall right now to get ready!"
Noel squeezed Subaru's hand tightly.
That hand was incredibly warm.
Subaru was practically dragged out of the Hidamari Room.
As they walked down the hallway, Noel looked back.
"Subaru, what were you looking at outside the window earlier?"
Subaru hesitated for just a moment.
"…The stars."
"Stars?"
"Even in the morning, if you look closely, there's just one left in the sky. The brightest star—the very last one of them."
Subaru wanted to look out the window again, but there were no windows in the hallway anymore.
Without a word, Noel squeezed Subaru's hand tightly once more.
Just like that, the two of them descended the stairs.
On their way to the second-floor Komorebi Hall, they passed by the storage room—the "Junk Vault."
In that thirty-square-meter room, event props and costumes were piled high, barely leaving any space.
Noel stopped in her tracks and opened the door to the Junk Vault.
"Let's use all the treasures sleeping in here too!"
Subaru's mouth moved on its own.
"Yasunaga-san will definitely get mad at you for that. The cleanup afterwards is going to be a nightmare."
Noel laughed out loud.
"It's fine as long as we don't get caught! Come on, Subaru, help me out."
"I'm washing my hands of this, you know…"
But the corners of Subaru's mouth softened.
(*Huh.*)
Subaru surprised herself.
That retort had come out so naturally.
It felt like the first time in ages that words had left her mouth without overthinking.
Noel didn't miss that change.
In her mind, she did a tiny fist pump.
(*Alright, just as planned.*)
The two of them stood before the large doors of Komorebi Hall.
An open space of about two hundred square meters. The ceiling was 4.5 meters high. Normally, six streaming booths were lined up here, but now they were all cleared away, leaving it wide open.
Noel threw the doors open with both hands, full of energy.
"Now, this is today's battlefield!"
Subaru's mouth fell open in astonishment.
Noel's voice echoed through the empty hall.
The morning sun streaming through the windows dyed the floor golden.
In the very center of that light, Noel stood with her arms spread wide.
Her silver hair sparkled, making her look like a queen from a picture book.
Subaru took a deep breath.
The heavy weight deep in her chest felt just a little lighter.
The sadness hadn't vanished yet.
The image of her grandmother, the promise of the brightest star—they were still in her heart, always.
But just for this moment, right now.
Noel's wildly unexpected kindness gently wrapped itself around Subaru's heart.
"…What should I line up?"
Subaru's voice softly melted into the hall.
Noel turned around and smiled brightly.
"Anything's fine. Just line up whatever you want to line up, Subaru."
Subaru felt like she had smiled—just a little, truly just a little—without forcing it.
This was the beginning of a ridiculous, slightly bittersweet day.
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