My Childhood Friend, Who I Made a Promise To Spend the Future With, Dumped Me... But Ever Since I Started Dating a Beautiful Girl From School, My Childhood Friend Has Been Acting Strange - Episode 35

Tōma Suzuki passed through the door near the consultation area of the event venue. He had already heard everything from Yoshizaki, and an event staff member was now guiding him to an empty room.

“Please wait here for a moment,” the event staff member said.

She turned on the lights in the vacant meeting room, brightening the space.

“Feel free to sit wherever you’d like. I’ll take my leave now.”

She gave a polite bow and exited the room.

“Yoshizaki-san, we just need to wait here, right?”

“Yes. I’ll be stepping out for a bit as well. I’ll return once the person in charge arrives.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

Tōma bowed his head. If it weren’t for Yoshizaki, he wouldn’t have been invited to this meeting room in the first place.

The three of them sat down with Suzuha Kamiya in the center. Today, Suzuha was the main focus.

She wanted to have a serious discussion about the unauthorized use of the avatar she once used. However, the conversation couldn’t begin until the assigned representative arrived. While waiting, Tōma took a moment to observe the meeting room.

The walls were completely white, and staring at them combined with the bright room lights made his eyes feel strained.

He closed his eyelids for a few seconds to reset his vision.

“I wonder what kind of person the representative will be?”

“I don’t know, but hopefully, it’s someone who will listen to us properly,” Tsubaki Sakurada responded.

“Suzuha-senpai, we finally have a chance to resolve this issue.”

“Yes, but there’s no guarantee that things will go smoothly. I have to take this seriously because I’m directly affected by it.”

Suzuha had once made a promise that she would not engage in streaming activities. Now, one of the members affiliated with CyberTask was using her avatar without permission, potentially leading to further complications.

She needed to find out why CyberTask was using her avatar. The design was nearly identical—practically plagiarism. If it was misused, it could cause trouble for her in the future, and she wanted to clarify that issue as well.

Suzuha’s expression was tense.

“Suzuha, you don’t have to be so nervous. I’m here with you.”

“That’s right, Suzuha-senpai. When you’re nervous, it helps to take deep breaths.”

Sensing her tension, both Tōma and Tsubaki tried to reassure her.

“Thank you, both of you.”

Suzuha placed a hand on her chest and took a deep breath.

Meanwhile, Tsubaki began fiddling with her smartphone, seemingly searching for something.

Then, the sound of knocking echoed through the room.

“Excuse me.”

The door opened, and a man, appearing to be around Yoshizaki’s age, stepped in.

He was dressed in a black suit and entered the room with a reserved demeanor.

He sat down across from the three of them, facing them directly.

“I apologize for any inconvenience. My name is Azusa, and I’ll be handling this consultation today.”

The man introduced himself as Azusa and handed Suzuha a business card.

“I run the CyberTask company. I have already been informed of the situation, so I’d like to discuss the matter today.”

Azusa spoke in a calm and composed tone, his expression maintaining a professional smile—like a typical business demeanor.

His surname, Azusa, was quite rare.

Suzuha recalled that Saori had once mentioned having an older brother who was much older than her.

Could this man be Saori’s brother?

Back in elementary school, when she started playing with Saori, she never saw an older brother at her house.

She had heard that he had already graduated from high school and gone to university elsewhere.

It was highly possible that this was the same person.

“Now then, let’s proceed. I have been informed that one of our streamers at CyberTask is using an avatar that closely resembles one you previously used. Is that correct?”

Azusa adjusted his seat, cleared his throat, and began speaking.

“Yes, that’s correct. The resemblance is uncanny. Even if it was purely coincidental, viewers watching the streams are already confused.”

“I see. Well, it’s not uncommon for avatar designs to overlap. Additionally, viewers often don’t recognize differences if the avatar looks the same. I’ve watched the streams myself, and I didn’t notice any significant reactions in the comment section pointing out a voice difference.”

Azusa glanced at the three of them while flipping through some prepared documents.

“But they’re using my avatar without permission. I want them to stop. At the very least, they should modify the design or clarify to viewers that it’s a different person.”

“That would be difficult. The streamer has already started using the avatar. By the way, do you currently engage in any streaming activities?”

“No. I quit streaming under an agreement.”

“I see. Then, how about this proposal? We could purchase your avatar from you. If you transfer the rights to us, you won’t have to worry about this issue anymore.”

Azusa suddenly shifted into negotiation mode with a serious expression.

“That’s not the issue here.”

“We have our own circumstances to consider. We can’t just cut off a streamer at this stage, as a lot of money is already involved. Plus, we’ve already scheduled content for the next month, so we can’t easily change our plans.”

His words were purely self-serving, showing no intention of compromise.

“I made a promise to someone in the past—to stop streaming so I wouldn’t face harassment. If this continues, I will be the one suffering. I can’t just back down.”

Suzuha spoke firmly, her expression resolute.

“Harassment, you say? That shouldn’t be a problem.”

Azusa remained unfazed, speaking as if it was someone else’s concern.

“What do you mean?”

Suzuha stood up in shock.

“I happen to know the person who made you quit streaming.”

“Wha—?!”

Suzuha, Tōma, and Tsubaki were all stunned.

“To tell the truth, I orchestrated everything. Recently, the virtual streaming industry has been expanding, and I realized that promising individuals could be eliminated so that their avatars could thrive under my company instead. Sure enough, this event has been a massive success, and our company has now risen to the top five in the industry. I intend to continue using popular avatars to climb even higher. Since you quit, there’s no issue—it’s just a similar-looking character now.”

“But you’re stealing my audience! Misleading people online like this is wrong.”

“That’s just how the internet works. If people misunderstand, it’s their problem for not being informed. Well, that’s the end of this discussion.”

“W-Wait! We’re not finished yet!”

Suzuha desperately tried to stop Azusa as he prepared to leave.

“Even if you try to sue me, you’re up against a corporation. You don’t stand a chance. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Azusa showed no willingness to engage in a fair discussion. His dismissive tone and overpowering presence ended the conversation on his terms.

The sound of the door closing echoed in the meeting room, leaving the three of them behind.

Both Saori and this man, Azusa, were incredibly troublesome individuals.

Somehow, they needed to be held accountable.

Tōma frowned in deep thought, determined to find a way to fight back for Suzuha’s sake.