The Secrets

Since then, I’ve devoted myself to my studies—to prove to my dad, and maybe even to myself, that I’m serious about my life.

Years passed. Now I’m in my second year, studying in the Department of Surgery at the University of Tokyo.

“Ken, want to hang out with me and Asahi after class?” Chiba asks casually.
He’s now studying Architecture, while Asahi went into Mechanical Engineering.

“I’ll pass. I’ve already got plans tonight. Maybe next time.”
“You’ve been keeping up that thing longer than I expected,” Chiba says with a knowing smile.
“It’s what I love. Anyway, see you tomorrow.”

‘That thing’...
Yeah, it’s that.

My biggest secret—one I keep even from my family.

Only Chiba knows. Student by day. Streamer at night. Twice a week, I go live for an hour.

During those streams, I sing live requests. My viewers don’t know who I am—not my face, not my name.

I wear an oni mask to hide my identity.
When I talk, I use a voice changer.
But when I sing, I let my true voice out.

“I’ll let you live on your own, Ken. Just be sure you take care of yourself.”
That was Dad’s only advice when I moved out.

To support myself, I juggle a part-time job and my streaming revenue.
My channel is called Oni Sing.
It makes me happy—genuinely happy.
The chat, the comments, the love I get just from being me.
This quiet, anonymous freedom... I treasure it.

I thought I could live this way peacefully forever.

But that illusion shattered.

One afternoon, I was studying alone in the library when a girl suddenly sat next to me.

“Takahashi-kun, right?” she asked.

“Yes? Can I help you with something?”

“You’re so cold! Don’t you remember me? I sat next to you during Saito-sensei’s lecture earlier!”
Her voice was way too loud for a library.

People turned to stare.

“Hayato Mika, right? Could you lower your voice a bit? This is a library.”
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever, idiot.”
She actually called me an idiot to my face.

“Hey, can you help me with something?”
“If it’s something reasonable, I’ll consider it. What do you need?”

“Be my fake boyfriend. Just for today.”

...What?

“Sorry, can you repeat that?”

“I said, be my fake boyfriend for today!”
Even louder than before.

“I can’t help you with that. Please ask someone else. I want to focus on studying.”

What kind of setup is this? Am I being pranked?

“Fine, then I’ll just tell everyone here that you’re the son of Takahashi Hajime, the famous surgeon.”
She said it so casually.

“Wait—how do you know that?”
I’d been careful. I even asked my dad not to tell anyone I was studying at UTokyo.
There’s no way she should’ve known that.

“You don’t need to know. Oh, and I know another little secret of yours too.”
She smiled wickedly, like she was holding all the cards.

My heart dropped.

“Oni Sing.”
She whispered it—just loud enough for me to hear.

Damn.

My double life...
Is in her hands now.