Chapter 2: A Secret That Must Not Be Revealed

That day, Iroha didn’t take me straight to the study room.

As soon as I arrived in her front yard, she appeared with quick steps—too quick—and stopped right in front of me.

“Sensei.”

Her tone was different from usual.
Not harsh. Not sarcastic.

Nervous.

“Come with me.”

Without waiting for my reply, she walked ahead. I could only follow her until we reached a small garden not far from the house. A wooden bench beneath a shady tree became the place where we sat.

The moment we stopped—

Iroha bowed her head deeply.

“Please… don’t tell anyone.”

I fell silent.

“About Iris Zero.”

Her hands clenched her skirt. Her shoulders trembled slightly.

“I’m really begging you.”

I looked at her lowered face. The aggressive girl who had snapped at me yesterday now looked like a small child, afraid of losing her world.

“I have no intention of exposing it,” I answered quietly.

Iroha lifted her head quickly.

“Really?”

I nodded.

She let out a long breath—as if a heavy burden had finally fallen from her shoulders.

Then, slowly… she began to speak.

“I wanted to become a VTuber since middle school.”
“Back then, I saw my friends debut, start streaming, gain viewers…”

Her eyes stared blankly ahead.

“They looked… alive.”

Her hands clenched into fists.

“But my father never wanted to listen.”
“He said it was a waste of time. Not real.”

I stayed silent, letting her continue.

“So I did it in secret.”
“At first, it was just to try.”
“But… I succeeded.”

She smiled faintly—a smile I had never seen from her before.

“Over there… I can be myself.”

She looked at me hesitantly.

“Sensei…”
“Can I call you ‘Master’?”

I almost choked.

“No.”

My answer came too quickly.

Iroha blinked.

“Just call me Sensei.”
“That’s enough.”

She clicked her tongue softly but didn’t argue.

Then—it was my turn to speak.

“I also have a reason for taking this job.”

Now I was the one lowering my head.

“My sister.”
“She’s being treated at the hospital.”

I clenched my own hands.

“Everything I’m doing now… is to pay for her surgery.”

I didn’t know why I told her this.

Maybe because… she was also keeping a secret.

Iroha froze.

“E-Eh?”

She stared at me, eyes wide.

“I… I didn’t know…”

Her voice weakened.

“I’m sorry…”

I shook my head gently.

“There’s no need.”

She fell silent for a moment… then said softly,

“Maybe… I’d like to visit your sister this week.”

I turned to her, surprised.

“If it’s not a bother.”

For the first time—
I smiled faintly.

After that, we returned to the study room.

That day’s lesson was science.

I pointed at a picture in the book.

“What animal eats meat?”

Iroha stared at it for a long time.

Then answered seriously—

“Goblin.”

I fell silent.

“…that’s not an animal.”

“Huh? But they appear a lot in games.”

I pressed my fingers to my temple.

“They’re fictional creatures.”

“Tsk.”

Even so, the lesson that day went… well.

Very well, in fact.

For the first time, Iroha was truly focused.

That was when the door opened.

Her father came in.

He stopped at the doorway, looking at us.

And froze.

Iroha was writing.
I was explaining.

A sight he probably hadn’t seen in a long time.

His eyes grew moist.

“Thank you,” he said quietly to me.
“I didn’t expect her to be able to study like this.”

He bowed deeply.

“And… I’m sorry to hear about your sister.”
“I hope she recovers soon.”

I returned the gesture with a respectful nod.

After he left—

Iroha slowly moved closer.

“Sensei.”

“What is it?”

She looked to the side, her face turning red.

“Please teach me…”

I frowned.

“Teach you what?”

“How to… talk properly with other people.”
“Including… in the VTuber world.”

I fell silent.

Then laughed softly.

“You’re asking for help with something that simple?”

Iroha froze.

“Huh?!”

“Seriously?”

She immediately turned her face away.

“Ugh…!”
“Sensei is mean!”

Her cheeks puffed up in irritation.

And without realizing it—

That day…
I laughed sincerely.