Volume 1 – Chapter 2

The phone rang, cutting through Mirai’s thoughts.
On the screen – “Kotone M.”

Mirai sighed and swiped to answer.
– Hello...
– Mirai! Hi there! – a bright, lively voice filled the line so sharply it almost tickled her ear. – Great job today! The stream was perfect – chat alive, donations nonstop, engagement sky-high. Exactly what we needed!

– Thank you, Mizusawa-san, – Mirai replied softly. She always used the formal address, even in her mind rarely allowing herself to think “Kotone.” Yet sometimes – when her manager scattered cheerful advice or quirky analogies – Mirai couldn’t help thinking she was like an older sister... only with a notebook and an endless stream of calls.

– Listen carefully, – Kotone continued. – Tomorrow we’re trying something special. You’ll be hosting an auction and a lottery.

Mirai pressed her lips together. She already suspected where this was heading.
– I know... – she said carefully. – But I don’t like the main prize.

– You mean the “date”? – Kotone responded instantly.
– Yes, that one.
– Mizusawa-san... – Mirai tilted her head slightly, as if the manager could see her. – Isn’t it strange? I don’t want to auction off a meeting with me.

A short laugh came from the receiver.
– I get your hesitation, really. But hear me out. The date is just a symbol – a hook. What matters is the event itself. You can’t imagine how much attention and money this brings in. It’s great for the agency – and for you too.

– Still... – Mirai began, but Kotone didn’t let her finish.
– Wait, there’s more. It’s not that simple. The rules are like this: to even reach the final prize, participants must solve three riddles. Find three specific words and explain their meaning. They only have twenty-four hours. We even built a custom website. Each player submits screenshots, answers, explanations – only after that do they qualify for the auction.

– That sounds... a bit too complicated, – Mirai frowned.
– Exactly! – Kotone said with satisfaction. – That’s the point. It’s nearly impossible. Our team spent two weeks crafting those riddles. To find all the clues, you’d have to dig through thousands of web pages across multiple sites. And you need proof for every step. Honestly – if you don’t have 500 IQ, you don’t stand a chance.

– Five hundred IQ? – Mirai smiled despite herself.
– Yep! – Kotone laughed. – Imagine Einstein giving up halfway through the first hint. To solve everything in twenty-four hours – you’d have to be a quantum computer with a caffeine addiction!

Mirai couldn’t hold back a quiet laugh.
– You really made it that tough?
– Absolutely! – Kotone said proudly. – These aren’t riddles – they’re art. We even joke in the office: if someone actually manages to solve them all, we’ll hire them on the spot.

Mirai stayed silent for a moment. Doubt still lingered, but Kotone’s confident tone slowly calmed her heart.
– All right... – she said quietly. – But what if someone does solve everything?
– If someone truly makes it, – Kotone’s voice warmed into a smile, – then that person deserves the meeting. Effort like that should be rewarded.

– But... it’ll be a stranger, – Mirai whispered. – I won’t even know who he is. What if he’s... dangerous?
– A stranger? Maybe not entirely, – Kotone replied calmly. – If he’s your viewer, he’s probably active in chat. You’ve got your regulars, right? And don’t worry – we’ll vet whoever wins. Background check, criminal record, no yakuza ties – promise! – she laughed. – Imagine: “Congratulations, you won the date! Oh, wait – three bodies in your basement? Sorry, canceled!”

– Mizusawa-san! – Mirai couldn’t help but giggle nervously.
– Relax. It’ll be safe. Two hours max, in a public place. No photos, no recordings. Just a friendly meetup. And honestly, the odds of a genius Sherlock-type among your fans – who can also finish everything in a day – are basically zero.

Mirai nodded, though Kotone couldn’t see it.
– All right. What’s the theme, then?
– Oh, that’s a secret for now! Since you’re a pirate, it’s ship-related. Complicated but elegant. You’ll see, hehe.
– Okay. I trust you.
– Perfect! – Kotone said cheerfully. – Get some rest, tomorrow’s a big day.

They said goodbye, and the room fell silent again.

Mirai held the phone in her hands for a long while, not putting it down. Thoughts swirled.
Who do I even know among my viewers?..

Familiar usernames flashed in her mind.
There were the big donors – BigBoss, MegaAkira. Their colorful messages always stood out on screen. Friendly, maybe, but still distant.
There were the jokers – GrumpyCat, SweetPeach. Their comments always started waves of laughter, and Marissa’s avatar played along with perfect timing.

And then... there was one more. Senpai.

He donated too – generously, but never for show. His jokes were always sharp, sometimes so funny that Mirai laughed until tears came. But more than that – he was always there. When she messed up in a game, when the stream lagged, when she felt small – his message always appeared: “Don’t worry, you’re doing great.” “It’ll be fine.” “We’re here with you.”

I wonder who he is offline... – she thought. A student, maybe? Someone working in an office?

She hugged her knees and closed her eyes for a moment.
Senpai...
That name felt warm – like a blanket on a cold night.

– Well, I hope it doesn’t actually come to a date... – she whispered into the empty room. – I don’t even have anything decent to wear.