My Childhood Friend, a Vtuber, Treated Me Like TrashโIโm Never Producing For Her Again
โW-Wait, am I supposed to edit the clips myselfโฆ?โ
โYes. Thatโs what โself-editingโ means. These days, there are more and more editing programs that are easy even for beginners to use, so itโs not as hard as you might think.โ
In fact, while my work isnโt quite up to professional standards, Iโve edited quite a few of Yueโs videos so far.
So at first, I even considered editing the clips myself, just like I did for Yue.
But that would just mean repeating the same mistake.
Thatโs when I changed my mind.
(Even if someone else ends up doing it later, I have to let her experience it at least once.)
At first, Yue used to thank me every time I edited her videos.
But gradually, she started acting like my boss, giving me orders and pushing the editing work onto me as if it were my duty.
So this time, instead of taking over all the behind-the-scenes work myself, I decided to let Mizuta-san experience just how difficult it is for herself.
I thought that would be important for her future as well.
โEven if we end up hiring a professional later on, I think having the experience of editing a video yourself will make communication go much more smoothly. Youโll understand what the other party needs, and youโll be able to take precautions in advance to avoid problems.โ
โT-Thatโs trueโฆ Iโm sure itโll be helpful, thoughโฆโ
Although she seemed convinced by my explanation, she still didnโt seem quite ready to commit.
For Mizuta, video editing must be a pretty daunting task.
Well, I used to feel the same way back in the day.
โIโm not just telling you to do it all on your own blindly. Iโll teach you the tricks of the trade.โ
โHuh? R-reallyโฆ?โ
โYes. Actually, the most important thing isnโt how to use the editing software, but where to cut and how to connect the clips.โ
In the end, itโs all about storytelling.
Especially with short videos, knowing what to keep and what to cut is key.
You have to connect the setup to the punchline without dragging it out, while still preserving some of the context before and after.
โItโs also helpful to know the basics of things like the direction of movement on screen, shot types, headroom, sound bridges, and the 180-degree rule.โ
โWhoaโฆ Just hearing about it makes it sound so hardโฆโ
โWell, since youโre not aiming to be a director, you donโt need such complicated theory. Besides, judging from that vlog-style video you shot the other day, youโve definitely got a good eye, Mizuta-san. I donโt think youโll have any major problems.โ
โR-reallyโฆ?โ
โYes. Plus, as you edit, I think youโll start to see whatโs missing from your streams.โ
Sheโll probably come to realize all too clearly that she has an overwhelming lack of usable footage for clips.
No matter how long you stream, usable footage doesnโt just happen naturally.
To a certain extent, you have to consciously create it yourself.
Mizuta glanced up at me.
โW-well, then, could you teach me right away todayโฆ?โ
โSure, of course. Iโll need to install the editing software, so Iโll probably have to go to your room, Mizuta-san.โ
โY-yesโฆ!โ
She gave a small, sheepish chuckle.
โShould we fill my room with photos of you before you come in? After all, a yandere isnโt complete until sheโs startled a boy.โ
โโฆPlease donโt.โ
It seriously makes my heart skip a beat.
ใโ
Since lunch break was coming to an end, we left the club room.
On the way back to the classroom, we exchanged some lighthearted small talk.
โSo, how about we make dinner at Mizuta-sanโs place tonight?โ
โY-yesโฆ! Oh, come to think of it, there arenโt many ingredients in my fridge, so Iโll have to go buy someโฆโ
โThen letโs stop by the supermarket together on our way home. My fridge is getting pretty empty, too.โ
โY-yesโฆ!โ
When we werenโt talking about VTubers, our conversations were usually like this.
To be honest, Iโm not exactly the most talkative person either.
Maybe I should think of some topics that Mizuta-san would enjoy a little more.
Just as I was thinking thatโ
โEekโฆโ
The moment she recognized the face of the person walking toward us, Mizuta-san hid behind my back like a frightened kitten.
That person snorted derisively and swept her blonde hair back.
โYou two are always glued together, arenโt you? Do you really like this creepy otaku that much?โ
It was Yue.
She could have just walked by quietly, but she went out of her way to pick a fight.
Was she trying to harass us?
I was utterly dumbfounded.
โU-umโฆโ
Mizuta-san peeked out from behind my back, revealing only her eyes.
โDo you hate Komachi-san, Aizawa-sanโฆ?โ
She threw a straight ball right at me out of the blue.
Well, in a way, thatโs just typical of Mizuta-san.
Yue snorted in exasperation.
โOf course not. If anything, I canโt understand how you can even stand being around a guy like that.โ
โHuhโฆ? Arenโt you childhood friendsโฆ?โ
โHuh? Childhood friends? Is that what that creepy otaku thinks? I certainly donโt see it that way.โ
So now sheโs even denying the fact that we were childhood friends?
Even as I thought that, it struck me as odd.
If she wanted to pretend I didnโt exist that much, she simply shouldnโt have come over to talk to me in the first place.
โWellโฆ isnโt a childhood friend supposed to be someone you have mutual feelings for, but who ends up getting stolen away from you in the endโฆ?โ
โWhat are you talking about? Is this girl okay in the head?โ
โฆMizuta-san, is that another piece of โeroge common senseโ?
Even so, โcuckoldโโwas she playing games in a genre thatโs pretty hardcore, even by eroge standards?
Honestly, I canโt really imagine a girl who actually enjoys playing eroge.
Yue crossed her arms and jutted her chin out.
โDo you have any idea how much trouble this guyโs caused me? Like, I was forced to join that useless Visual Studies Club.โ
โโฆโฆDid you quit the club, by any chance?โ
โOf course I did. I just turned in my resignation form to the faculty office a little while ago. Why on earth should I have to stay registered with a place like that?โ
The president of the Visual Perception Research Club is actually a long-time listenerโsomeone I asked to subscribe back when Terukoโs channel was just starting out.
The Yue from back then, who used to say that every single listener was important, is nowhere to be found anymore.
A bittersweet feeling slowly spread deep within my chest.
Yue continued, staring intently at Mizuta-san.
โYou know why this guy joined a no-name club like the Visual Media Research Club? Because the president there has big boobs. Thatโs why he joined. Get it? See how scheming this guy is?โ
โW-well, itโs true that the president of the Visual Media Research Club did have quite a large bustโฆโ
No wayโwhat kind of crazy thing is Yue saying?
Even if I give her the benefit of the doubt and accept that she hates me, sheโs going so far as to make up stories that never even happened.
But even if I argued back right now, thereโs no way Yue would change her mind.
Iโll just explain everything properly to Mizuta-san later.
Just as I thought that, Mizuta-san suddenly lifted her own breasts from below with both hands.
โW-well, Iโm not about to lose when it comes to breasts eitherโฆ! Shape aside, when it comes to sizeโฆ!!โ
Huh? Is that whatโs important?
Yue blinked in disbelief, standing there dumbfounded.
Eventually, she clenched her teeth and shouted.
โIโm the idiot for even talking to a moron like this!โ
Yue quickly walked away from us.
Mizuta stood there, looking bewildered, watching her back as she left.
โDid I do something wrongโฆ?โ
โNo, itโs just that sheโs always had a bit of a complex about her chest, so to speakโฆโ
โA complex?โ
โโฆTheyโre a little small.โ
Thatโs why I told her to make Terukoโs avatar flat-chested with the future in mind, but in the end, she insisted on keeping her busty all the way through.
โThis whole thing has made me absolutely certainโฆ!โ
โCertain of what?โ
Mizuta-san grinned and leaned in close to my ear to whisper.
โAizawa-san, she is Teruko, rightโฆ?โ