The V-tuber Who Became Obsessed With Me

Third Person POV

The front door opened, then closed, the sound drifting through the mansion before disappearing into silence.

Raina stood in the foyer, staring at nothing. Her handbag lay somewhere on the marble floor, though she couldn’t remember letting go of it.

We’re done.

The words echoed through her mind with cruel persistence. She’d heard them before, from different people and under different circumstances, but she’d never truly understood what they meant until now.

Her chest tightened painfully, as though something that had been holding itself together for far too long had finally given up.

A strangled sound escaped her before it turned into a scream.

"AHHHHH!"

"Himari!"

Footsteps thundered down the staircase.

Anna reached the foyer and froze for the briefest moment. Raina stood motionless in the middle of the room, tears streaming silently down her face, her shoulders trembling so violently it looked as though she might collapse at any second.

Without saying a word, Anna crossed the room and wrapped her arms around her.

"Himari," she whispered gently. "Look at me."

Raina couldn’t.

Instead, she buried her face against Anna’s shoulder, and the sob that escaped her carried every ounce of pain she’d been trying to hold back.

"It hurts..."

Anna’s embrace tightened.

"I know," she murmured. "I’ve got you."

Keeping an arm around her, Anna carefully led her into the living room and eased her onto the sofa before sitting beside her. She didn’t rush her or ask questions. She simply held Raina’s hand, rubbing slow circles across the back of it while she waited for the storm to pass.

For several minutes the only sound in the room was Raina crying. Not because she wanted to, but because her body had stopped giving her any other choice.

When her breathing finally steadied, she wiped at her face with trembling fingers and forced out the words.

"He broke up with me."

Anna stared at her, genuine disbelief breaking through her usual composure.

"...He what?"

A weak, broken laugh escaped Raina.

"He said... we’re over."

The words lingered between them before Anna quietly asked,

"Tell me everything."

Raina drew in a shaky breath.

"Felix woke up."

A faint smile touched her lips before disappearing almost immediately.

"I thought Ethan would be happy. I just wanted to tell him."

Anna nodded for her to continue.

"When I got there, Susan was already there."

Something unreadable flickered across Anna’s face.

"They were hugging."

Raina swallowed hard.

"I didn’t even understand what I was looking at. There was an open box on the floor, a passport lying beside it, and they both looked terrified."

"A passport?"

Raina nodded.

"I asked Ethan what was going on, but he wouldn’t answer. Every time I asked him something, Susan answered instead."

Anna’s fingers tightened slightly around hers.

"What did she say?"

"That Ethan didn’t owe me an explanation."

Anna lowered her gaze for a moment before looking back up.

"I see."

Raina laughed bitterly and shook her head.

"I wasn’t even angry at first. I was confused. I kept thinking that if he’d just tell me the truth, everything would make sense."

She paused, staring at her hands.

"But instead he started talking about Felix... X-Reveals... his grandfather... Jade."

Her voice cracked.

"He said every disaster in his life somehow leads back to me."

She pressed a hand against her chest, struggling to steady herself.

"I understand why he’d think that. I really do. But what hurt wasn’t what he said."

She looked down.

"It was the way he looked at me."

Anna remained silent.

"It felt like he’d already stopped seeing me. Like he wasn’t looking at me anymore... only at everything surrounding me."

"What happened after that?" Anna asked softly.

Raina closed her eyes.

"He said he couldn’t do this anymore."

Her voice was barely audible.

"Then he told me we were over."

For a long moment neither of them spoke.

Anna moved closer and wrapped both arms around her.

"I’m so sorry, Himari."

Raina leaned into the embrace.

"I kept waiting."

Anna didn’t interrupt.

"When I walked away, I thought he’d stop me. I thought he’d call my name..."

She swallowed.

"He never did."

Anna simply held her while she cried again, knowing there were some wounds words couldn’t reach.

Several minutes later, when the sobs had finally begun to ease, Anna brushed a loose strand of hair behind Raina’s ear.

"Go upstairs. Take a shower and try to get some sleep."

Raina looked at her wearily.

"What are you going to do?"

Anna smiled, warm enough to put her at ease.

"Nothing. I just want to have a little chat with Ethan."

Normally, Raina would’ve questioned that answer, but tonight she was too exhausted to think beyond the ache in her chest.

She gave a faint nod.

"...Okay."

Anna remained seated until she heard Raina’s bedroom door close upstairs.

Only then did she rise from the sofa.

The warmth she’d shown moments earlier disappeared as though it had never existed.

"Yuki."

The house manager appeared almost immediately.

She never seemed to enter a room the way everyone else did. One moment she wasn’t there, the next she was standing a respectful distance away, hands folded neatly in front of her, posture perfectly straight.

"Yes, Miss Anna."

Anna studied her in silence.

Yuki met her gaze at first, but after a few seconds she lowered her eyes.

That was unusual.

Yuki rarely looked away first.

"How long have you worked for me?"

"Four years, Miss Anna."

"And how long have you been in this house?"

"Two years."

Anna gave a small nod.

"Tell me, Yuki... what exactly is your job?"

Yuki answered without hesitation.

"To remain close to Miss Himari, observe her, and report anything important to you."

"Anything important?"

"Yes, Miss Anna."

Anna smiled faintly.

"Then perhaps you can explain why I had to hear from Himari that Felix is awake."

For the first time, Yuki’s composure slipped.

Only slightly.

"I... wasn’t aware."

"You weren’t aware?"

"No, Miss Anna."

Anna took a slow step toward her.

"I dislike surprises, Yuki."

Her voice never changed.

It didn’t need to.

"They create variables, and variables have a habit of becoming problems."

She stopped directly in front of her.

"If Felix is well enough to leave the hospital, then he’s no longer just another patient. He’s a variable."

"And variables have an unfortunate tendency to interfere with Himari’s future."

Yuki lowered her head.

"Miss Himari never mentioned Felix to me."

"It wasn’t something she discussed."

Anna watched her quietly for several seconds before speaking again.

"So either Himari no longer trusts you enough to tell you what’s happening in her life..."

"...or you’re no longer paying attention."

Yuki’s shoulders stiffened.

"Neither is true, Miss Anna."

"No?"

"My loyalty has never changed."

"I’ve carried out every instruction you’ve given me."

"I know."

Anna’s reply came so quickly it almost caught Yuki off guard.

"I never questioned your loyalty."

She took another slow step, stopping close enough that Yuki could feel the pressure of her presence without Anna ever raising her voice.

"I’m questioning your usefulness."

The words landed harder than if she’d shouted them.

Yuki swallowed.

"I’ll do better."

"I sincerely hope so."

Anna picked up her coat from the chair beside the door and slipped it over her shoulders.

"I’m going out."

"You’ll remain here."

"If Himari leaves this house, I want to know where she’s going."

"If she calls anyone, I want to know who."

"If anyone comes to see her..."

"...I want their names before they reach the front door."

"Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly, Miss Anna."

Anna rested one hand on the doorknob before glancing back.

"Oh... and one more thing."

Yuki looked up.

"If you’re ever forced to choose between keeping Himari’s trust..."

"...and keeping mine..."

Anna opened the door.

"Think very carefully before you answer."

A small smile touched her lips.

"Because only one of us has the power to decide whether you’re still breathing tomorrow."

The door closed softly behind her.

Silence settled over the foyer once more.

Yuki remained where she was, her posture as straight as ever.

Only when she was certain Anna had driven away did she slowly unclench her hands.

Her palms were damp.

She hadn’t even realized she’d been holding her breath.

For two years she had lived under the same roof as Himari ishigami watching over her, protecting her, earning her trust one quiet conversation at a time.

Anna Wallis had walked into the room for less than five minutes and reminded her just who to fear amongst both women