Chapter 31: Potential Second Member…?

Hana- No, Rin took a deep breath and then stepped back. As she did, the monitor display flickered, changing from the drab warehouse bedroom to a mirror of the office.

Rin looked back at the monitor, specifically at Hana, and then smiled. “I think that went well, right Hana?”

The MirAIs idol didn’t respond. Of course, it was just an avatar. But even so, Rin felt like Hana did when she saw the bright smile on the orange-haired anime girl’s face.

“You did great, Rin.” John called out and then walked over. At the same time, the John in the other side appeared as well, moving over to Hana.

At the same time, the surroundings flickered, showing Beta sitting behind a desk in the monitor, with Alpha off to the side. Even Rin’s mother was there, although they were all Anime-styled instead of normal.

Even so, there wasn’t much difference between reality and the image on the monitor. Alpha and Beta were still way too beautiful to be real. The main difference was in Sakura. Maybe to match up with Hana, behind the monitor, Rin’s mother had long, light orange hair. She also looked a bit younger, enough to be Hana’s sister rather than her mother.

Though, now that Rin thought about it a bit, that was true in reality too…

She shook her head, tearing her vision away from the monitor and to John. “Do you really think so?”

John nodded. “There were a few hiccups… mostly because of my rebellious daughters.” He glanced back at Alpha and Beta, glaring.

Beta ignored him, typing away as usual at the computer. As for Alpha, she had already swapped out her laptop back for the Mintendo Switch.

John sighed and said, “In any case, you did great.” He smiled. “I’m sure that Hana was well-received… so now all that you have to do is have fun and show up.”

Rin smiled. “I’m glad… and I was surprised!” She glanced back at the monitor to peek at Hana and said, “It seems like everyone really liked Hana.”

“And you.” John made sure to interject and said, “Remember, if not for you Hana would just be another Anime girl. But you’re the one that brought her to life… and it’s also you that everyone likes too.” He smiled and said, “Be a bit proud of yourself, alright?”

Rin turned back around and nodded. “I will!”

John turned his head back and said, “What about you, Miss Sakura? Did you think your daughter did well?”

Rin tensed and looked over at her mother.

But she didn’t need to be worried. Sakura let out a wide and proud smile. “You bet your socks that I did.” She looked at Rin and then to Hana. “The both of you were such sweet girls that even I got swept up a bit, you know?”

Rin flushed and lowered her head. “Thanks, Mom.”

Sakura smiled.

John stretched and said, “Well, since the debut stream is done for the day, let’s say we grab some breakfast to celebrate?”

Alpha quickly looked up and said, “French toast and pancakes please.”

Beta took a sip from a coffee cup and said, “I would like a chocolate mocha, double sugar, with warm whole milk and freshly whipped cream. Chocolate shavings, a frosted donut with Belgian cream filling and-“

“O-Oi!” John spun around and said, “What do you take me for, a delivery man? We’re all going!”

Beta stopped typing and glanced over. “And do you plan on posting Hana’s streaming schedule, setting up the necessary programs on Rin’s work laptop, as well as preparing to do auditions after the New Year?”

John froze and then let out a sigh. “Fine. I’ll get you your damn coffee.”

Beta took a sip from her coffee and nodded before going back to work. “I love you too, Father.”

Rin giggled and looked at John. “Miss Beta really likes to pick on you, doesn’t she, Mister John?”

John huffed and walked towards the elevator. “Don’t remind me. Makes me wish I had a sweet daughter like you instead sometimes… Alpha? You coming?”

The black-haired beauty glanced up and said, “Do I have to?”

“…Do you want food?”

“I do.”

“Then yes.”

Alpha paused and then let out a deep sigh. Placing her game console on the side, she pushed herself up and walked over.

Sakura saw that and chuckled. Turning to John, she said, “It must be tough having such rebellious daughters as a single father, Mister Smith.”

“Just John is fine, Miss Sakura.”

“And Sakura is fine, John.” She glanced at Alpha, who walked over with a pout on her face, and said, “But I’m curious… Just where is your wife again?”

“Overseas. And probably planning to gun for me the moment she gets here.” John adjusted his collar, wincing at the thought.

Alpha arrived and nodded. “Indeed. Mistress will definitely not forgive you so easily. And I will be certain to relay your words about desiring a sweet daughter like Miss Rin to her.”

John started to sweat. “…It was a joke.”

“Of course.” Alpha nodded. “And I am joking as well.”

“…” John coughed and then turned to Rin. “So, what do you want to eat, Rin?”

“E-Eh?” Rin had been caught up in listening to everyone, so she was startled at being suddenly addressed. “U-Um… A cafe with something sweet?”

John nodded. “Alright. Then let’s head off-“

Beta called out from the desk. “Remember my coffee, Father.”

“Yeah, yeah…” John rolled his eyes and then pulled out his keys. Walking to the elevator, he muttered, “All these years and I’m still treated like this. No wonder they say that daughters are meant to punish their fathers…”

Rin giggled and then followed after John.

—–AI|IA—–

A single-story house in scenic Kichijoji. Outside at a porch table, enjoying the morning sun and the chilly winter air, Kai sipped on a cup of black coffee. At the same time, he watched Hana Homura’s debut stream on a tablet in front of him.

The bright-eyed anime girl waved goodbye and then thanked everyone for watching before telling them to keep an eye out on her channel for her future streaming schedules. Then, at the very end, she let out a shy smile and bowed before the stream cut off.

“That magnificent bastard.” Kai muttered and took a sip from his coffee.

It was an incredible idea. Simple in concept, but difficult in execution. Even so, the fact that he pulled it off so well…

The sound of a slide door opening. Not long after, there were some soft footsteps and then a sleepy female voice called out.

“What are you doing, Daddy?” Tsuki walked over, dressed in pink pajamas with a rabbit hood.

Kai glanced at her and smiled. “Just watching my dear friend’s latest project, Princess.”

Tsuki rubbed her eyes and then hopped onto Kai’s lap, looking at the tablet. “Hm? Is that an anime?”

Kai fixed up Tsuki’s messy hair and shook his head. “Not an anime, but… Well, it’s a bit complicated.”

Curious, Tsuki pressed play on the stream, starting it back from the beginning.

Immediately, the dramatic music video played again, showing John Titor and the ruined future.

“Wow!” Tsuki gasped. “It’s just like a visual novel!”

“Hm?” Kai paused. “I suppose in hindsight… it is, isn’t it?”

Now that Tsuki mentioned it, the ‘idol group’ John had set up was indeed like a visual novel. An anime heroine, a dramatic backstory, and then John himself- Or rather, John Titor, serving as the mechanic to give the watchers… the ‘players’ the choice on where the heroine would end up.

An alternate reality game… One where a girl could become an idol while still maintaining her private life because that ‘idol’ was a separate person.

Tsuki watched the stream intently, her blue eyes wide and a bright smile on her face.

Kai simply let her do that for a while, sipping his coffee and allowing his precious daughter to enjoy herself.

Like that, a slow and relaxing hour passed. And at the end, Tsuki smiled. “That was fun. Miss Hana seems like she’d be a nice person to be friends with.”

Kai nodded. “I agree.”

It made him curious on where John found her as well. From the vague hints that ‘Hana’ let out, it seemed like she truly had been in dire straits. Even so, she managed to remain bright and optimistic in spite of it all.

Tsuki sighed and said, “I wish I could meet her…”

“Do you want to?”

“Eh?” Tsuki’s eyes grew wide and she spun around. “Can I?”

Kai placed his coffee down and said, “I told you, didn’t I? My dear friend is the one who made this project.”

“Oh! Mister John?” She paused and then she gasped. “Is Mister John the real John Titor?!”

Kai chuckled and then placed Tsuki on the ground before standing up. “I wouldn’t say that.”

…Although Kai was starting to get some suspicions that the parallels between that Mister Titor and John were a bit too coincidental for his liking, he still didn’t think time travel was involved.

“But he is the John Titor in the MirAIs project.” Kai glanced at his watch. “Hm… they’re probably busy right now, but do you want to go by later and see if we can look at how they do it?”

“Yes!” Tsuki jumped and said, “I want to be a cute anime girl too!”

Kai froze.

“That’s-“

Tsuki spun around and struck a pose. “In the name of the stars, I will punish you! Bang!” She smiled and said, “It’ll be a real life magical girl transformation!” She looked at Kai and said, “Do you think Mister John would let me try it too? Oh! And then I could be Miss Hana’s kouhai! She said that was one of her wishes, right?”

“…Yeees. I’ll… see what I can do, Princess.”

Tsuki hugged Kai. “Thanks, Daddy! I love you!” Saying that, she ran back inside.

Kai stood there in shock for a bit, realizing just what he agreed to.

His sweet and adorable princess… exposed to the world online as an anime girl… to those dirty-minded and lascivious otakus…

Kai let out a long, suffering sigh.