Chapter 208

"Allow me to see your face . "

Even Flying Fish herself didn't know what emotions she was feeling when she sent this request .

After he told her that he would still stream exclusively for her, she felt an inexplicable frustration in her chest, followed by the feeling that he was probably just being polite .

If she accepted it just like this, then it was quite possible that...

She didn't want that . She wanted to do something with this chance which was perhaps her final chance .

She had previously decided to not inquire about his real identity, and not pursue the matter any further, but that was in order to not change the status quo .

And now, the status quo was about to change .

If things continued like this, they would only be normal internet friends... although it wasn't impossible for things to develop further, Flying Fish instinctively felt that if she didn't do something right now, then... that was all they would be in the end .

She didn't want for them to only be internet friends .

That was why she decided to go against her previous decision and make such a request .

Her heart was now beating rapidly .

Would he accept?

If he really did accept and showed her his face... would she recognize who he was?

Flying Fish was very nervous .

To be honest, if he was just a stranger... that would be the best result .

If he was some boy plotting against her... she felt that there was almost zero possibility of this now . After all, if that was the case, he wouldn't voluntarily bring up the fact that he was going to stop streaming .

And if she actually knew him... who might he be?

There was no answer to her request for quite a while .

Flying Fish felt her nervousness continuing to increase .

Just as she wanted to send another message, she saw a reply in the conversation window .

"Do you really want to see?"

There were no added emoticons this time . The sentence seemed quite ordinary .

But Flying Fish was so nervous that she even swallowed her saliva .

She slowly moved her hand on the keyboard...

Meanwhile, on Seiji's side .

He currently was battling with complex emotions .

He didn't expect that she would request to see his face .

He treated her as an internet friend and believed that she saw him as the same . He previously believed she had no intention to deepen this friendship any further .

They would just stay on the internet, a certain distance apart from each other, and get along .

Seiji thought that this would continue .

Perhaps something would change in the future, but that would be much later, due to some type of unforeseen development .

However, he never expected that she would take this step of her own volition right here and now!

This was a step to dispel the fog .

Cat-loving Flying Fish suddenly stood before him and reached out her hand to take off his mask .

She must have realized... no, as smart as she was, she definitely should have thought of it .

The two of them most likely knew each other .

If she wanted to see him, that meant she wanted to confirm the truth .

Should he block her hand?

Push her away now that she had grown closer and keep the status quo by being casual internet friends who could relax with each other... that was what Seiji wanted .

But he felt that he was unable to refuse this request of hers . After all, he did lie to her in a certain fashion and wanted to make it up to her somehow .

Another way of putting it was that Seiji felt he owed her and was obliged to pay her back .

Of course, he, too, desired to confirm the truth .

Which was why he ended up agreeing .

He asked for a final confirmation before he did it .

Letting her see his real face—to see the truth—might end their casual and relaxing internet friend relationship .

She didn't reply for a long while .

And then, finally, he saw a "Yes . "

It was just a one-word reply .

Seiji could sense her determination from this simplest of all responses .

'So be it . '

"Okay, I'll let you see me . Don't be scared of how handsome I am~" He followed that up with a brilliantly smiling emoticon .

Both of them made their decisions .

The only thing left was the result .

Seiji found his mask, made his preparations, and put it on before starting his stream .

"Cat-loving Flying Fish" began watching his stream .

Seiji smiled at this . "Hey, beautiful Flying Fish . I was really surprised that you made such a request . "

"I believe you must have noticed it as well . We have a mysteriously high amount of similar interests, to the point where one would wonder if we actually know each other . "

The boy turned his gaze towards the camera, as if he could peer through to the other side and see her appearance .

"I mentioned before that in my past... I wasn't a good person . I hurt so many people, to the point where I think it's unforgivable . That's why, if you see who I really am, you might recognize me as a certain terrible scumbag . "

Seiji's smile became somewhat bitter . "I don't want that to happen . I don't want to lose you as a friend, so I actually really wanted to refuse . However, this was your request . You're my only spectator .

"I don't have much self-awareness as a streamer, but at the very least I do have the resolution to fulfill my only spectator's request . "

Even if that might end up breaking this friendship apart .

Seiji slowly lifted his hand .

"Then, please go ahead and look . "

This wasn't a farewell performance or anything like that, but perhaps it could be compared to when a clown on the stage finally revealed his true appearance, meaning that it was time for the show to end .

He took off his silver mask .

An incredibly handsome face appeared beneath it .

Seiji smiled faintly at the camera .

'This is me . Do you recognize me, beautiful Flying Fish?'

...

Cat-loving Flying Fish was absolutely stunned .

At first, she was confused upon seeing his face, and then her expression changed completely when she realized something .

'Impossible! Impossible, impossible, impossible, impossible!! How could this be possible! Such a thing!!'

She felt as if she had encountered something utterly indescribable .

A humongous, mysterious, and intangible presence swept over her .

If she forcefully attributed a word to define it, she would call it "fate!"

Her mind was completely blank . She was unable to think .

Her chest was filled with emotions that she didn't even know how to describe . Broken scenes and quotes from him kept flashing through her mind .

"Oh... I'm going to start singing now, and then I'm going to dance . I hope that you can watch till the end . "

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary . I only need you . "

"This is because... I hurt many people in the past . "

"I'm not lying—why won't you believe me?"

"I think I'm going to stop streaming..."

"Do you really want to see?"

"You're my only spectator . "

All these scenes and words, and the handsome boy before her, as well as the fat figure in her memories, and everything in the past...

Flying Fish found it impossible to accept .

She reflexively turned off her monitor and powered down her computer as she curled up in her bed under the blanket .

Impossible .

All of this had to be a dream .

'I must have seen it wrong—no, what I'm thinking must be wrong! How could he possibly be . . . how could he be...'

The emotions welling up in her chest were beginning to surge forth .

Tears began pouring down her cheeks .

"Wah... Wahhhh..."

She began sobbing quietly .

Why was she getting all teary? Why was she crying?

Flying Fish didn't know .

She didn't know anything, nor did she want to understand anything .

She simply hid within her blanket, shutting out the entire world .

However, as if the world's will didn't accept that she wanted to reject it, someone knocked on her door at this time .

"Hana, I'm coming in . "