As the days dwindled, Sora and company became increasingly busy to perfect the several routines they agreed to perform during the tour.
During that time, I gathered security, checked out the venue and ensured the equipment was up to par to transport all across the country, along with some backup just in case.
I was hired as a bodyguard, yet ended up working as a producer instead, how hilariously absurd.
After I had done my tasks for the day, I would then pass by the studio to check the girls' progress. I wouldn't enter the room, just look through the window for a few seconds before departing.
Being long-time idols, the girls managed to get the routine down fairly quickly and were in sync for the most part, the songs they chose were typical idol songs, which was fine for the moment as we wanted to grab as many people as we could.
For their formation, I only knew that Sora was the centre, no surprise there.
That was pretty much my routine for a bit until one day, Sora poked her head out the door shortly after I began to walk away.
"Hey Rio."
"Huh? What is it?"
"Are you free this afternoon?"
"Why?"
"Just answer the question."
Considering checking up on them was the last thing I did, I pretty much had nothing to do except maybe continue to look for dirt on Virtuo, which at this point felt rather redundant because Hololive was back up and we pretty much have accumulated some damning evidence against them as idols.
"I guess I have no important tasks coming up."
"Great, meet me outside the office at 3 pm sharp."
"But why though?"
"Just do it."
Before I could answer Sora had already pulled her head back into the room and closed the door. Left with the choice to either go or not go, I was planning on choosing the latter. But...
"What is that girl thinking?"
As much as I didn't want to, I knew that it was better to attend whatever it was that Sora wanted rather than not, just in case it was something useful for the concerts. So at 3 pm, I was standing outside the office waiting for her to come out.
After about 5 minutes, the sliding door opened and out came Sora in a charge.
"Sorry I'm late!"
She was panting and lightly sweating, most likely from running all the way from her dressing room.
"You really did not need to run."
"I can't just leave you waiting here for ages, it's impolite."
"You have made me wait for longer, what difference is this one?"
Sora goes silent, she looks away with a light dusting of pink on her cheeks as she mumbles something under her breath.
"What was that?"
"Nothing, are you hungry?"
"Not necessarily."
"Well, you better get hungry since we're going to get some barbecue."
"So why did you not invite your groupmates?"
Sora froze before she began to lightly scratch her cheek and turn her head to the side while a small bead of sweat dripped down the side of her head.
"They uh... had other things to do."
A clear lie, but I decided not to call her out on it and instead waited to see what she had up her sleeve.
We arrived at the restaurant, and sat at the far corner of the place, away from all the other people that were enjoying a nice afternoon meal.
Sora ordered for both of us, which mainly consisted of lean cuts and vegetables, most likely a way for her to watch her diet while also enjoying herself.
"Here, why don't I grill you a piece?"
"... Sure."
Pinching a small slab of meat with the tongs, Sora plopped it onto the grill where the song of a sizzling peace of meat filled the air.
Looking at Sora I could tell she was looking forward to the taste since she was drooling while gazing intently at what she had put down. I would have been too, if not for the intense curiosity that I had for whatever Sora had planned.
"So you willing to talk now?"
"Hmm? That can wait after we eat."
Judging from the way she said that... she meant it.
Left without much of a choice, I decided to enjoy the barbecue with her just so I could get it over with and get some answers.
After the meal, Sora paid for the meal and once again began to drag me around the city.
Our first stop was an aquarium she and I visited when we were young. She always loved the fish and seals, always watching them with starry eyes. We then watched the sunset dolphin show, which showed the beauty of the aquatic creatures as they leapt into the air with the setting sun as their background.
You can always hear the shutters of cameras go off whenever this happens. It took some beauty away, but not enough to become annoying.
"Look Rio they're so pretty."
"Yeah, I guess."
Sora was having the time of her life, taking pictures of everything and letting many squeals of joy and excitement. Meanwhile, I trailed behind her showing little interest in the creatures, glancing here and there and giving some trivia once in a while.
Like when she was glued to the starfish exhibit and I told her starfish weren't actually fish despite their names.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, same with Jellyfish."
"So why do they have fish in their name?"
"That I do not know."
"Oh? So you don't know something?"
"Obviously."
"And here I thought you knew everything."
"What in the world do you think I am?"
She giggled at my answer before skipping off to another display.
We would stay in the aquarium for another hour before going to the next place in her itinerary—the arcade.
"Who knew arcades were open this time of night?"
"There are some that are open pretty late you know. So..."
She then pulled out a small tub of coins and grinned widely at me.
"Let's play a little!"
Sora and I visited a few machines, ski ball, a street fighter game, claw machines and an air hockey table.
More familiar activities that we did in the past.
"Is she trying to reminisce or something?"
I didn't know for sure, but it was hard to rule out that this was an attempt in trying to relive old memories.
"Hey look at that!"
She pointed to a claw machine where I saw a bear that looked a lot like Ankimo except rather than brown it was more like a panda.
Sora pressed herself against the glass and stared at the bear before taking out a coin and slotting it into the machine.
The machine whirred and lights began to flash as a lively tune played.
Once all the theatrics were done, Sora could move the call around, so she concentrated and moved the claw ever so meticulously to where she wanted it.
"Ok here we go."
With a push of a button, the claw opened before lowering itself. Sora hit the mark, and the claw landed on the bear's head. It then closed itself and began to rise with the bear in tow.
"How lucky of you that it had not been buried or anything."
"I know right?"
Unfortunately, I seemed to have jinxed it since straight afterwards the bear dropped back down.
"Huh?"
Sora watched in bewilderment as the bear laid back on the pile of stuffed animals while the claw reset itself.
"Well that's unfortunate. Let's go So-"
Before I could turn around, Sora had already snatched another coin from her purse and slotted it into the machine.
I already knew we were there for the long haul.
2 turns became 5, then 5 became 10 and 10 became 15.
Some staff members saw her struggle and moved the bear around to help her out, but somehow she managed to flub it near the end.
On her 16th go, I finally had enough and grabbed her wrist before telling her to stop wasting her change. But if the 15 other attempts weren't evidence enough, the desperate look in her eyes showed exactly how much she wanted that bear.
Left with no choice, I took the coin from her hand and slotted it into the machine before taking her place.
"Huh Rio? What are you-"
"You were never going to win that way."
"Huh?"
"Just watch."
Sora's last attempt got the bear sitting upright near the goal, all this time she attempted to use the head as a way to get a good grip, but obviously, the metal claws only kept on slipping off the fabric. What she should've done was aim for the tag that was on the damn thing's ear, so that the claw can slip through it and keep a good hold of it as it moves back to the hole.
I could hear the idiot's gasp of amazement as the claw lifted the bear off its position and carried it all the way to the goal without even needing to worry about the toy slipping out.
The claw opened and the toy slid down to the latch. I pushed my hand in and grabbed the panda thing and presented it to Sora who just stared at it with a lost expression.
"Well? Are you not going to take it?"
"Huh?"
"You were so desperate to grab this thing and now that it is here, you will not even take it?"
"Are you sure I can take it? I didn't even win it."
"When did that ever matter?"
I pushed the bear into Sora's arms before turning to leave the arcade.
"Come on, the sun has set."
After that Sora and I started walking to the station, but I noticed that ever since we left the arcade, Sora had been walking behind me rather than next to me like she throughout the afternoon. Every time I looked back at her, her head was hung while she tightly clutched onto the toy.
At first, I thought nothing of it and just continued walking forward but once we arrived at a promenade with dimly lit lights she stopped.
"Hey."
She called out in a weak voice.
"Huh? Why did you stop?"
There was a slight pause, I could see her bite her lower lip and she hugged the bear tightly into her chest.
After a few seconds, her lips parted and she said this in a shaky voice:
"Are you really still you?"
I raised a brow at the question, I didn't really get what she was asking. She knew who I was.
"What do you mean?"
"Just who are you? Rio."
She just answered her own question, or at least that's what it seemed like. I may have called Sora an idiot in the past, but I even I knew she wouldn't ask a ridiculous question without reason.
"I am Rio, the guy your boss hired to help you and your group out. The one who you befriended because-"
"You're not. You're not my friend. You just so happen to look like him and have his name."
My eyes began to thin in annoyance.
"What is going on with you today?"
I hadn't been able to understand Sora as of late. On one hand, she seemed to have gained some form of confidence. But on another, she's still the same foolish and awkward girl as per usual.
"All of these things? All of these were things I did with Rio in the past. I had thought if I did these with you, I could see that you two aren't the same... so why?"
Was it a way to relive old memories? Or a way to come to terms with the present?
I honestly had no clue, and it seems she didn't either. She seemed torn between the past and the present, causing her to act on impulse and play roles that she doesn't fit in.
"Why did you remind me of those times?!"
She cried with a shaky voice.
"I-I thought... I thought if I took you... to the places Rio and I visited... that I... that I will see you two are different. But... the more we did things... the more I was reminded... of those times."
"Sora."
"You aren't my Rio... that's what I kept telling myself... but today... today it was just like those days. The way you talked in the aquarium... and getting me this bear... it was just like when we were in school all those years ago."
I had believed that the way she acted was her getting around to my way of thinking, and perhaps, there was some truth to that, but as I watched tears slowly build in the corner of her eyes and then fall, I realised there may have been more to it than that.
She was struggling to come to terms with the past, still clinging to the version of me she wished to see rather than accept the present.
Logically, I would've just told her to accept what she couldn't change, yet, for some reason that didn't feel like the right choice. As I looked at Sora, such perfectly rational words seemed to stick to my throat, refusing to be said.
But it wasn't the words that were wrong, it was how I was going to say it. In truth, I was just going to tell it to her straight, no holding back or beating around the bush. It was what I thought was for the best... what was the best for me.
I cared about the outcome, to only make her stop and accept the truth, I didn't even think once about the root of the problem, her loneliness.
Sora was someone who thrived best with others, yet I forgot to include that in my calculations.
So, revising the words in my head, I finally reached a conclusion that would benefit her the most.
"I understand your plight."
"Huh?"
"I understand that in your memories, I am far more different. But be that as it may, I am still the same Rio you met in the classroom that one morning, the same Rio who took you backstage to meet your favourite idol, the same Rio who was the brother of Yuki Kanzaki and the same Rio that walked away from you that afternoon."
Sora looked at me with refusal, another wave of tears threatening to drop down at moment.
However, none of that mattered, I needed to make her let go of the past, once and for all.
"I may not be the Rio you knew anymore... but at the very least I am still the same Rio that will help you if you need it. I will be beside you Sora, until the bitter end."
My words seemed to have the effect I intended. Sora dropped to her knees and wailed like a child, but I believe between letting her break herself in order to realise the truth and letting her know there was still some connection between the past and present, the latter saved me the needed comfort.
Or at the very least, it wasn't as taxing, since after she cried all her tears out, Sora and I sat on one of the benches and looked out to the sea while Sora leaned her head against my shoulder.
She no longer cried, but she had this empty and faraway gaze. I may have saved her from breaking apart, but I couldn't change the fact that the truth left her hollow.
After a while, she finally spoke up.
"Hey."
"What?"
"I'm sorry for showing you a sad sight."
"... Do not worry about it. Sometimes we need to let things out."
She snuggled closer and her gaze dropped to the floor as a little smile formed on her lips.
"I guess so."
She then turned to me with longing painted across her eyes.
"Rio can I ask for a favour?"
"What?"
"Kiss me."
"Huh?"
Considering what happened last time we did something similar, it's safe to say I wasn't so sure about fulfilling that request.
But when I looked into her serious gaze, I knew this was no test or tease.
"Why?"
"Just do it."
Though lost as to what she planning, I still went along with it and planted a soft kiss on her cheek, to which she quickly scolded me since she wanted it on the lips apparently.
"Do it properly."
"I'm not gonna make out with an idol."
"Why not?"
"What if we get caught?"
"I'm a vtuber, no one is gonna know it's me. So just do it."
I was still hesitant, but seeing as there was no one around, I figured it was safe to indulge her. So, second attempt, same process, I planted the kiss on the lips and lingered there for a few seconds before separating.
Once we were apart, she let out a little giggle.
"As I thought... it's cold and loveless."
"Huh?"
"Rio, when I kissed you that night, did you not feel my love for you?"
I went silent, I felt lust more than love, but I felt as though she would just frame it as love instead.
"Hmm, not answering huh? Well that's ok, I had a feeling you didn't see me like that. I just needed to make sure is all."
I expected her to feel a bit ashamed of herself, then apologise before playing the entire thing off as some sort of experiment or joke. Or, if she was heartbroken, keep our distance. But what happened instead took me by surprise.
Sora brushed closer to me and pressed herself against me, with her hand resting on my chest and her tender gaze inching closer as the seconds went by.
Looking deep into her eyes, I saw a girl enveloped with lust, love and loneliness all mixing to create the air of a woman longing to be held and comforted.
With the warmth of her breath brushing against my lips, in a soft tone she said:
"Just... leave it all to me."
She then connected our lips and unlike before I could feel the warmth in her touch. I could tell she yearned for such an act but didn't wish to push it to not frighten me.
A few seconds later she broke off and looked at me, her hand caressing my cheek gently.
"What do you think?"
"You need to stop using me as a way to relieve your stress."
She smiled, her eyes shining from the glazing tears that reflected the moon's light.
"Do you hate it?"
"I have no strong feelings about it."
"Then let me taste it more."
Lunging forward, she wrapped her arms around me and continued to kiss me with the ferocity of someone who had not seen their lover in so long. Only for us, it was a loveless act. Sora wasn't driven by some sort of romantic feeling, but only a one-sided desire for intimacy.
I had no idea whether it was some sort of past feelings trying to surface or some seld-indulgent act she performed to finally let of old feelings, but after feeding off my lips she finally relaxed and allowed me to breathe.
However, when we separated one last time and looked at each other, I felt a sense of unease settle in my heart.
Underneath the moon's light, with her smile subtle and eyes filled with evil unlike any I'd seen in her before.
The once bubbly, and bright idol of Hololive, was now marred with the air of seduction and darkness.
And it was chilling yet... enthralling.
To be continued.
And with that, arc 2 concludes and I just wish to say, thank you all so much for your patience. We managed to reach 1k accumulated reads now at the end of this arc and that's a huge thing considering this story took a year's break because I re-wrote everything.
I'll try and not take too long for the next parts, but for now, I'll give it a month before resuming the next arc. In the meantime, I'll entertain you all with one shots from other fandoms, so I hope you're all looking forward to those.
Once again, thank you all for sticking with this story despite the long break and thank you all for reading Idol Game. See you all next month, Bye Bye.