My Childhood Friend Who Was Doing Personal V-Tubing Got Ntr’d by a Singer (LOL), but I’ve Decided to Just Sit Back and Watch the Two of Them Roll Down the Hill of Life and Fall Into Ruin - Chapter 7: V Activity Ends ~ It's Too Late Even If You Cry and Scream

Chapter 7: V Activity Ends ~ It’s Too Late Even If You Cry and Scream

“―――I’m also stopping the use of the ‘Chono Asher’ illustrations.”

“Wha… what?! Why?!”

Himeko looked stunned at Mom’s words.

“The Chono Asher illustrations are ones I designed. I haven’t transferred the copyright, and I’m only permitting Takumi to use them. I didn’t give them to you, Ms. Urakiri. You’ve only been using them through Takumi.”

“Huh?!”

Himeko looked at me at Mom’s words. Come to think of it, after Mom drew Asher’s design, I signed some documents afterward. That’s what it was. Mom, being a pro, always said she handles copyright matters with proper paperwork even with family.

“When we started ‘Chono Asher,’ those were the documents that Takumi and you, Ms. Urakiri, signed. You agreed and signed them too, right?”

“Ah! From that time?!”

Himeko seemed to remember too, and she raised her voice in surprise.

“That’s… that’s… I don’t think that’s something that can possibly be allowed!!”

“It’s not a matter of allowing or not. The procedures were followed, so no matter what you say, Ms. Urakiri, it won’t change.”

Mom replied calmly to Himeko, whose Japanese was getting a bit off from her panic. The difference in experience is huge. Mom’s so cool!

“Tak-kun, is that okay with you?! Taking away Asher, which we’ve done together as a duo?!”

“It’s not exactly a duo since I handled the streaming setup, editing, posting, and even the arrangement input and composition for the song covers. And besides, I have no intention of doing personal V activities with you anymore.”

At that, Himeko made a face like she couldn’t believe it. What kind of thinking leads to assuming I’d continue personal V activities on good terms with you? More like, now that my feelings for you are completely gone, there’s no reason for me to cling to activities as Asher.

“More than that, didn’t I tell you during the day that I want to avoid interacting with you as much as possible? I’m not going to help you with anything.”

At my words like that, Himeko’s face turned bright red with anger.

“What? What what what! Is ganging up to bully me that much fun?!!”

“I’m not bullying you, and it’s not fun at all. Just talking tires me out, so stop acting like the victim. It’s the rust that came from your own body.”

I said with a sigh mixed in, and that seemed to displease her, so Himeko screamed.

“Kyyyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!”

Her voice gradually got louder and higher-pitched, an unpleasant, grating screech. So annoying… Doesn’t she realize how grating her own voice is?

“No, I don’t like it, no no no no nooo!! No no no no absolutely nooooooo!! Asher is mine, so aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

“Then hire a lawyer and go ahead.”

Mom said it casually while drinking tea, without seeming to mind Himeko’s voice at all. I could feel the overwhelming confidence of the strong.

“I don’t care about that, it’s illegal, it’s a crime!!”

Himeko threw a tantrum like a child driven by emotion. Ugh… it’s so unsightly. Is this her flailing around now that she’s out of moves?

“Chono Asher is also ‘my child’ to me. I can’t leave her in the hands of someone who betrayed and hurt my son. …Of course, right?”

Mom smiled sweetly. At this point, the decision was completely in Mom’s favor. Mothers are strong, huh.

“…What? Asher is me! She’s mine!!”

“If you think so, then hire a lawyer.”

To Mom, who was utterly composed, Himeko clenched her fists and ground her teeth with a gunu gunu sound. In manga or anime, gunu gunu looks cute, but when this girl does it, it’s this ugly, and I almost let out a derisive laugh.

“…Himeko, if you want to do personal V activities, you can commission a new V design from someone yourself, study Live2D and editing on your own, or hire someone for it, and do it yourself.”

I chimed in gently from the side too. Since I’m the one permitted to use Asher, Himeko has no recourse anymore. That’s why she understands and is screaming so pathetically, but no matter how loudly she protests, the situation won’t flip.

“I can’t!! There’s no way I can do editing!! Tak-kun, you do it!! It’s your duty!”

No, give up on that dependent mindset. All the solo personal Vs study and do it themselves, you know?! If it’s something you really want to do, you should put in the effort.

“Ugh, uwaaaaaaaaah! I don’t waaaaant, because I’m Asheeeeeeer!! If I lose Asher too, I’ll have nothing left yooooooooh!!”

What a pathetic scream that was. Himeko sobbed messily, tears and snot dripping down her face, while Mom drank tea with a straight face, Dad read the newspaper, and I just frowned at how noisy this girl was. This is the kind of thing that cools a hundred-year love in an instant.

“Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! What did I even dooooooo!!”

“You cheated and slept with other guys nonstop, ignored me while my arm was broken, and went off to have fun.”

At that, she groaned with a guk and fell silent.

“I’m soooooorry!! I’m sorry for betraying Tak-kun, pleeeease don’t abandon me, don’t leave me alooooone, I’ll do ecchi things too, with Tak-kun, I will! I won’t cheat anymore!! Don’t take Asher from meeeee!!”

“No way. And besides, I don’t want to do that kind of thing with you anymore…”

I don’t know if she was apologizing, going crazy, or begging, but anyway, it just made me recoil. And don’t say stuff about doing it in front of my parents…

At my own surprisingly calm self, I thought, ah, Himeko’s really become someone I don’t care about at all deep down, as I stroked my left hand fixed in the cast.

“…Come on, get up, Himeko. You need to go home now.”

I forcibly pulled up Himeko, who had fallen from the chair and curled up on the floor sobbing, and dragged her to the entrance. I didn’t want to touch her, but I couldn’t have her screaming and crying forever.

“I don’t waaaaant, I can’t go hoooooome.”

I dragged her to the entrance like that, shoved her feet into her shoes, and pulled her outside. If I left her in front of the house, she’d just keep yelling, so I took her to the nearby park and sat her on a bench.

“Cry or scream all you want, but after this, wipe your own ass.”

At my glaring look as I said that, Himeko screamed again.

“Why, why did it turn out like thiiiiiiiis!!”

She was sobbing, but from one to ten, it was all her own responsibility… I left Himeko in the park and went home. Well, she’ll probably go home on her own once she cries herself out or gets chilly.

When I got home with a tired face, Mom greeted me. When I thanked Mom, she smiled and gave me a peace sign back. With that air of complete composure, I felt once again that Mom really is a pro illustrator.

“Mama’s a pro too, you know. I’ve encountered all sorts of troubles, and I make contracts anticipating cases like this.
By the way, while you were at school, Tak-kun, I consulted the lawyer I’ve been using, and even if Ms. Urakiri hires one and it turns into a dispute, it’s confirmed we’d win 100 to 0. Heh, impressed now?”

“I always respect you, Mom.”

At that, she blushed and hugged me.

“Geez, Tak-kun always says stuff like that right away♪ Mmm, good boy, there there~”

Ugh, I’m suffocating in her chest. I’m a high schooler now, so hugs are embarrassing; I wish she’d stop. She looks like she’s in her early twenties, but she’s in her late thirties… not an adult at all. By the way, even during this exchange, Dad kept reading the newspaper at his own pace. I want to learn from how he’s always unflappable.

I felt exhausted all at once, so I went back to my room and flopped down, and then a message came from Asakura.

”Shiotan (lol)’s shitty composites and audio MADs are trending”

With the kind of shitty composites you see in internet memes mixed in, or audio MADs combined with Shiotan (lol)’s song cover videos, and they’re all way too fast by the creators! It’s completely turned into everyone’s plaything, and it’s hilarious.
I fell asleep while watching the recommended audio MAD videos that Asakura sent me after that. Zzz…