Work Text:
I had been in the studio countless times by now, but it didn’t make me feel any less nervous. A staff member, holding a piece of paper containing a general script for today’s recording, led me to the recording room. I followed her, slightly behind. She was nice and polite, but I still got intimidated by her aura. She spoke a little bit too fast for me to understand.
“..so that’s about it. Any questions?”
“Umm..no, I got it Peko”
That was a lie of course. I was way too nervous to pay attention. While walking, I was checking my surroundings. The studio was quiet, I even could hear the murmur from the staff talking in the distance. Then, I saw her.
I saw a pink-haired girl sitting alone on the floor in the corner, fiddling with her phone with blank expression. Perhaps hearing our footsteps, that girl looked up. I was too late to look away, so our eyes inevitably met. Her eyes slowly widened with surprise; her mouth half opened.
“Pekora-san, I think the recording will take longer this time. Is that okay?”
The staff leading me was the one that asked.
“Y-yes, I already fit it in my schedule Peko.”
I moved my head to answer her question, and when I glanced back at Miko-senpai, she was already fiddling with her phone again. I kept staring at her, but she didn’t look up even when I walked past her.
Sigh.
The recording went without a hitch, thanks to my talent as a streamer. Haha. Nah, it was because the staff prepared everything well. I felt way less nervous now after the recording was over. Usually after I done with everything, I went straight back home. I was planning to do that until I remembered about Miko-senpai. Had she already done with her stuff? What project was she doing today anyway? I rarely heard anything from her anymore. Funny, remembering how we used to call each other every day. Don’t get the wrong idea, nothing has happened between us. In fact, it’s exactly because nothing happened that I felt so awkward with her right now. I felt somewhat distanced, almost like a stranger. No, that’s way too extreme. Hmm let’s just say we were like two ex-classmates that no longer in the same class. That’s why the thought of meeting her on my way back felt so unpleasant.
Ah, I really hate being in an awkward situation. I ultimately decided to hide in this room, a room that Hololive members often use to take a break, while accepting the bento from the staff. Miko-senpai, as far as I knew, never hung around the studio after her work was done, so I was gonna wait a considerable amount of time in here until I was sure she already went home. Pathetic, right? Sometimes, I hate being socially awkward like this.
I put my bento on the table and opened it. I smiled wryly. The bento consisted of rice topped with beef, onion, and extra carrot, and by extra I meant like two thirds of the bento was carrot. C’mon, I am indeed a bunny girl, but I don’t actually really like carrots that much. I mean I can eat it with mayonnaise, but I prefer meat any time of the day. What a troublesome rabbit I am. Nevertheless, the beef was so tasty and I ate my meal happily. I was munching my carrot when the door was open and Miko-senpai came in. I almost choked. I closed my eyes and looked up, my body was shivering while I gave my all to swallow the food that stuck in my throat. After successfully saved my own my life, I tried to calm my heavy breath a bit. I then glanced at Miko-senpai.
I swear I saw her holding her laughter for a bit. But when she caught my glance, her expression went stiff and troubled. She stood at the door, almost like undecided whether to go in or out. She looked left and right as if searching for help, but because there were only two of us in the room, she wouldn't get any. Slowly, she reached and closed the door behind her, then sat on the other side of the table from me and put her own bento on the table. Ah, I got it. We both got the same idea. We both decided to hide from each other, only to ironically meet in this room.
“Good work today.”
I decided to speak first, since Miko-senpai stayed silent. She was startled for a bit, before finally looking at me.
“You too...”
From her tone, I got the feeling that her sentence was not finished, so I waited for her to continue. Miko-senpai eyes looking around, as if searching for something. After a moment, it appeared that she gave up and looked down again, opening her bento. We both fell silent. An uncomfortable silent. I tried to come up with any topic, but as I kept searching, I just realized how little I know about the current Miko-senpai. Was our distance really that great?
I glanced at the door. Can I run away? No, I thought it would be way too rude. She was my senpai after all. Miko-senpai started eating slowly, but looking at her eyes, it was like she’s not focused on her food at all. Trapped at my seat, I clapped my legs, fiddled with my rabbit ears, and checked my phone. Yes, all I did showed all the signs of nervousness.
I checked the time, it’s only around 15 minutes since Miko-senpai came, but it felt like hours. We both now had finished our meal. The reason we were both still trapped in our seats was because none of us had the nerve to break the silence. The one that moved first surely would feel obligated to say something to the other, a goodbye or some sort. Miko-senpai now rested her head on the table. The table pushed her cheek so it looked round and soft. It’s kinda cute actually. Well, no, “kinda cute” would be an understatement of the year. She was hella cute, like a baby. I tried to dig into my memory, had I ever touched that cheek? I sure had, several times, on many occasions before. We were such close friends after all. Right now, that cheek was right in front of me, but it seemed impossible for the current me to touch it. Miko-senpai was, so far away.
“It's your shooting star, your diamond in the rough, idol VTuber Hoshimachi Suisei!”
We both were too shocked to even move. Like a comet, Sui-chan came through the door, waving one arm in the air, smiling brightly.
“Hey Pekora, Hey Mikochi! Good work today!”
“Why are you so high-spirited?” Miko-senpai retorted withot any delay.
“Well, why aren’t you, Mikochi?”
Sui-chan sat beside Miko-senpai, looked at her, and pinched her cheek with both hands.
“Ow ow ouch, what was that?!”
“Nothing, I just felt like doing it. Hehe”
I sat there, watching the friendly banter between the two of them. They were both sure loud. It didn't take too long until Miko-senpai laughed. A laugh that brought back memories. When was the last time I directly saw Miko-senpai laugh? It certainly had been a while. MiComet, they claimed to be business friends, but seeing how comfortable they were with each other, there’s no way that’s true.
Maybe that was the problem. Me and Miko-senpai, we both like to sit in the corner, waiting for other people to come to us. Put us two in the same room, and we would just sit and wait, exactly like what happened a few minutes ago. Sui-chan was the perfect partner for Miko-senpai. She was so bright, cheerful, and would take your hand and lead you around. Miko-senpai needed someone like her, Miko-senpai didn’t need me. A wave of emotion bulit up inside me. Sadness, anger, frustation? I didn’t really recognized this sensation. Or maybe jealousy? I hung my head, tried to supress my emotion as hard as I could.
I didn’t realize that both of them had stopped talking at some point. When I looked up, they were both looking at me. I didn’t know my facial expression at that time, but Sui-chan looked at me with a lot of worries on her face.
“Are you okay, Pekora?”
“Yes, Peko”
I answered to Sui-chan too fast, and my tone was way colder than I intended. Regardless, Sui-chan smiled at me, and I could feel her kindness.
“Well, I am gonna wait outside and guard the door. None of you may leave this room until all is resolved. Mikochi, don’t run away, okay?”
And, as abruptly as when she came, she left through the door. I was staring at the door dumbfounded. What was that? I instinctively tried to exchange looks with Miko-senpai, with my what-the-heck-is-she-talking-about look, but Miko-senpai didn’t share my expression. Her eyebrows were brought together. She was fidgeting, like preparing herself for something. I waited until, after a while, Miko-senpai finally spoke.
“Usada,”
“What?”
“Do you hate me?”
“Huh? What the heck?”
I retorted like she just said some stupid joke, but after I saw her expression, she apparently was dead serious.
“Wait, do you really think that I hate you?”
“I..don’t know, Usada. I don’t really know that much about the current you”
Miko-senpai put both of her hands on the side of her head. At the end of her sentence, her voice were barely audible. She felt the same way as I did. We both felt distanced from each other, that much was clear. But, why did she interpret our distance as something as strong as hate? This stupid senpai.
“There is no way I can hate you, Miko-senpai”
“..what?”
“Don’t make me repeat something that embarrassing!”
I looked away, flustered. I could feel Miko-senpai staring at me while digesting my previous sentence.
“Ah, I see. So you can’t hate me huh, Usada.. I see, I see”
I felt Miko-senpai’s answer was more directed toward herself than to me. Her expression slowly grew softer, and later a wide grin appeared on her face.
“Hehehhe”
Seeing that, my heart started beating so fast. Damn she’s cute. I then asked her a question, more to cover my embarrassment, not because I wanted to hear her answer. No, I never even considered what I about to ask a possibility.
“W-what about me, do you hate me, Miko-senpai?”
“Of course! You are my kouhai but you are so cheeky. You always bully me and do not respect me, the elite idol!”
Miko-senpai said it proudly. A smug expression appeared on her face.
“Huuuuuuuhhh?! What did you say? After I’m being sweet to you, you useless senpai!”
“Huuh you worthless rabbit, you wanna go?”
“Let’s go, I will beat you in an instant!”
“Ooo this sandbag sure is twalking big!”
…
“Pfft..’twalking’? Did you just bite your tongue? AH↓ HA↑ HA↑ HA↑”
My laugh exploded in that room. Miko-senpai tried to deny it at first, but eventually her laugh exploded too. Finally, the second time I saw Miko-senpai laughter directly today, and this one because of me. The laugh that I like so much. Wait, so much? No no no, I only like it moderately. Don’t get me wrong.
“Ah, I prefer this. Way more natural for us.”
“Yeah, yeah, where is the calm senpai from a moment ago? She’s gone completely.”
Miko-senpai giggled.
“Usada”
“What is it this time?”
“I am sorry”
Huh? What the heck is wrong with her. Hmm how should I reply, should I snarl at her, or should I tease her? I decided to mock her, but somehow what came out from my mouth was something entirely different.
“I am sorry too, Miko-senpai. And thank you, as always”
“Hehe. Thank you too, Usada”
And just like that, the distance between us was gone. Chatting comfortably while looking each other in the eyes was no longer a problem. We even moved in sync, packed our bags and got up naturally. My body felt so light and my mind relaxed. We were standing side by side, smiling, walking to the door. I think now was a good time to tease her.
“How about you treat me to a BBQ tonight, Miko-senpai? As your token of gratitude?”
“Where does that come from?”
“Ah, let's invite Sui-chan too. We should thank her.”
“Yeah, let’s thank her! That girl was surprisingly perceptive.”
Yes, Miko-senpai fell into my trap, and I would get a free BBQ. You are so easy, Miko-senpai. I reached for the door handle, but it was locked. I exchanged looks with Miko-senpai. She then knocked the door.
“Sui-chan, we made up, you can let us out now”
No answer.
“There’s no way she forgot and left us locked here, right Miko-senpai?”
By the look of Miko-senpai's terrified face, there’s a high possibility of that being true.
“SUI-CHAN, PLEASE LET US OUT”
“SUI-CHAN, ANYONE?? DON’T LEAVE US IN HERE PEKO!!”