Chapter 57 : Emergency Shutdown

Something… Something felt off, but I continued playing the game. After all, the broadcast had already started, right? If I turned it off because I was scared, that would be pretty embarrassing…

“…Hah.”

• Yuki, I’m scared;;
• No, you’re really pissed off
• You’re making a serious face…

I was starting to feel genuinely uncomfortable.

Now, it’s about time for a jump scare, so I’m really on edge.

“…Huh?”

But contrary to my expectations, no jump scare appeared in the game.

There were just old talismans stuck all over a bathtub, and the sound of a child’s scream in the background.

• Wow, this really feels awful;;
• The dad’s a cultist, and he killed the child
• Damn
• Damn, seriously

“…Huh.”

I couldn’t breathe.

A strange sensation made me shake my hands. Right, right. It’s just a game, after all. But still…

‘Something’s weird.’

It wasn’t just the fear.

This feels familiar.

To be more exact, it felt like something I knew.

I don’t remember it clearly, but the feeling of my chest tightening, like something was trying to say something from somewhere deep in my mind… it felt familiar. Somewhere… once.

“Hah. I’ll keep going.”

I ignored the reactions in the chat and moved the mouse again.

The character in the game was walking down a dark corridor.

Old red talismans stuck on the walls, faint whispers of an unknown voice, and then…

[Remember.]

“Huh?”

At that moment, the screen flickered, and memories from the past flooded in.

Not exactly, well, it didn’t have to be exact. It just forced its way into my mind at some point.

That day, it was also a broadcast.

It should’ve been a lighthearted game originally.

‘Eh, eh? Do you all want to see Nanoka cry…?’

Because of a punishment for being late, Nanoka had to play this game. Hwanmang.

The past me had never played a horror game, so I started complaining about it, but…

‘Yikes… Eh, eh…?’

I. No, Nanoka. During the broadcast, I started crying.

And not just a little cry, but full-blown sobbing.

• wwwww
• 草草
• This VTuber is weak to jump scares wwww

I don’t even remember why I was crying.

I can’t recall what line triggered it or what scene it was.

I just… suddenly… suddenly, my chest tightened, my throat got hot, and I couldn’t breathe.

‘Why? Why?’

I don’t know, I just couldn’t take it.

Out of nowhere. Really, out of nowhere.

“Ah…”

Ah.

Back then, Nanoka, back then, I…

‘Hah, haaahhh!!! What, what, what, what, what!!!’

I was just scared and surprised.

At that time, Nanoka half-sobbed and turned off the mic.

And three minutes later, the broadcast ended.

Afterwards, Nanoka posted a message on SNS.

[NanoKar: I’m never playing horror games again!!! Who the hell made this stupid game?!]

That incident became such a symbolic day for Nanoka that it stayed on the thread for a long time…

Now, in the game.

I couldn’t say anything for a while.

‘What was that? Was that me? Did I cry? I played this game?’

My memory is hazy, but one thing was clear.

If I keep going exactly the same way…

Isn’t it possible I might end up like that too?

• Yuki? Are you okay?
• Why are you suddenly zoning out? xD
• Are you actually scared?

“No, it’s fine. It’s fine.”

I hurriedly answered and looked at the screen.

The living room was still covered with talismans, and the old TV was flickering, staring at me.

[Remember.]

“I remembered. It’s fine now.”

I gripped the mouse tightly and turned off the TV.

This feeling is really bad.

At that moment, I heard a child’s voice from behind.

A distorted voice that sounded strange because the sound quality was messed up.

[We have to pick the pretty flowers by the dock and offer them to the gods~]

“…Huh.”

• Wow, damn
• Why is this song so scary;;;
• The atmosphere…

I couldn’t breathe.

The voice was too vivid.

It felt like it was whispering right next to my ear.

It was so familiar.

At that moment,

A song I had never heard before when I was young suddenly popped up in my head.

…Where have I heard this before…?

No, I don’t remember, right?

I don’t remember, but why does it keep coming to me?

I tightened my grip on the mouse.

I shouldn’t be doing this.

I really shouldn’t.

“Yikes…!”

My hands began to tremble.

The chat exploded.

??? Yuki?

Are you really that scared?

I see the host is sweating xD xD xD xD

But I couldn’t say anything.

I couldn’t do anything.

At that moment.

The screen flickered again, and the TV screen turned back on.

[We should offer the pretty flowers.]

Now, the voice was crystal clear.

It was clean, melodic.

But…

There was a disturbing static noise that tore at my ears.

And next to me, appeared…

[It’s the flower.]

A decayed corpse of a little girl, covered in talismans.

“AAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!”

That scream.

To be exact, it was my scream.

Clang!

I unknowingly pushed my chair back and stood up.

I wanted to take my hands off the monitor.

But my hands wouldn’t obey.

• Wow, that really surprised me
• Yuki Mama really screamed xD xD
• That’s such a genuine reaction, isn’t it?

“Haha… Scary… It’s scary. Wow! They really did a good job…”

I forced my voice to calm down.

It’s just a game.

It’s just a horror game.

But…

“Huh.”

Knock. Knock.

Tears started to flow.

Damn it.

Really?

• Huh
• Why do I hear sniffing? xD
• Huh, could it be~?
• xD xD xD xD xD xD

“No. I’m not crying… sniff I’m not crying…”

I’m really crying.

Just suddenly.

“Sniff, huuup!”

Without realizing it, I covered my mouth with my hand.

I shouldn’t be crying.

‘Why are you crying? Why are you crying? No, damn it, this is just a game.’

But the tears wouldn’t stop.

Because it was too embarrassing, too stupid, too absurd.

Even so, the tears wouldn’t stop.

“Huhh… huuuhhh…”

On the screen,

The TV kept flickering.

The song kept playing.

[Pick a pretty flower from the pier and offer it to the gods~]

Now, it really felt like someone was singing right next to me.

I wanted to block my ears.

“Ugh… Yukkiyaaaaaaah!!!”

Even while crying,

I couldn’t turn off the game.

I just cried in place.

Sitting in my chair, bowing my head,

Covering my face with both hands, I cried.

The chat window?

I couldn’t see anything.

Just a blurry screen,

Clouded with tears,

My breath caught in my throat, and I couldn’t exhale properly.

My heart was beating too fast.

I was suffocating.

‘I have to turn it off…’

‘I have to turn it off…’

‘……I can’t.’

And at that moment.

Click.

‘What?’

[A new choice has appeared.]

“……Ah.”

My body froze.

The tears didn’t stop.

But, despite that.

I had to look at the screen.

I… grabbed the mouse again.

Even as the tears continued to flow.

And that day, I swear,

It was the longest stream I had ever done.

[Shirahana Yuki Gallery]

[General] [Today’s stream was a highlight compilation] [80]

Serious-faced streamer.

Screaming streamer.

Swearing streamer.

Even crying streamer lol

Tasting four flavors they usually couldn’t eat lol

[Comments]

[Now THIS is a stream lolololol]

• That was seriously amazing
• Best stream of the year, confirmed

[LOL so cute, definitely my girlfriend]

• Your girlfriend cries a lot though
• Your girlfriend is a total noob though
• My girlfriend cries so well lol

[Honestly, I got a little excited when they got serious;;]

• Dude…

[General] [Yuki crying scene is still hilarious lolololol] [103]

Suddenly screamed,

Then went silent in shock,

Then sniffled,

Then straight up burst into sobs lolololol

[Comments]

[Real, raw crying lol]

• I’ve never seen a streamer cry this much over a horror game lololol

[Still didn’t even think of turning off the stream while crying, hilarious]

• lololol just turn it off if you’re gonna cry!!
• The way they kept playing while crying was kinda cute though

[I completely lost it when they screamed “Aaaaaaahhhhhh!!!” and then buried their head lololol]

• Peak real reaction lololololol

[I almost teared up watching the stream;;]

• I felt like crying along with Yuki Mama
• It wasn’t even fear, it looked like some deep emotions hit them
• Overanalyzing lol

[They kept acting tough like “I’m not scared at all” and then broke down instantly, top-tier content]

• Honestly, this will go down in horror game stream history
• lolol total noob

[General] [Summary of Yuki Mama’s stream today] [99]

At the start:

“Guys~ I’m not scared at all. Horror games are nothing to me.”

1 minute later:

“……Ah, this atmosphere feels weird.”

30 minutes later:

“AAAAHH!! Damn it, what is this?!!”

1 hour later:

(sniffles) “……Huuu… snff…”

At the end:

“…Huh? Horror games? Never again. Never ever again. Damn it….”

[Comments]

[That was so raw, I died laughing lololol]

• They officially declared they won’t play horror games again
• lol is this real

Real Madrid vibes

[But if there’s a poll, they’ll totally do it again]

• We all know they’ll fall for it next time too
• lol total noob, I believe it

[Someone clip this, please]

• This stream was legendary
• Updating the wiki right now

[Them trying to hold back tears and then completely breaking down was so cute]

• The way they suddenly burst into sobs…
• Put it down…
• Picked it up again…

[Yuki Mama: “Guys, I’m not scared at all. I was just startled, that’s all.”]

• Screamed again within 10 seconds lololol
• I timed it, it was actually 8.5 seconds lol

[General] [A VTuber who creates a legendary moment every time they play a horror game]

Yuki Mama sets a new record every horror game stream lololol

First time, they did the scream + cursing + sobbing triple combo, so what’s next? lolol

[Comments]

[Every time? Are you a time traveler?]

• I’m from the future, they’re definitely playing again.
• 0120

[Yuki Mama is easy to convince, just push a little…]

Fan art request incoming…