Chapter 1: The First Step Into the Unknown
Mizu stared at her computer screen one last time in the bedroom that had been her safe haven for years. The illustration she’d posted a few weeks ago was still racking up thousands of likes and comments. It showed only her usual cute icon: a drawing of a blue-haired girl with big sparkling eyes and a shy little smile. Below it, she had written:
“Guys… after all this time drawing for you and soaking up all the love from your comments and likes… I’ve finally decided to take the next step. I’m debuting as a VTuber soon. Thank you for everything. I’ll see you on the other side of the avatar ❤️”
Notifications kept pouring in—hearts, clapping emojis, excited messages flooding the chat. But in real life, Mizu felt a tight knot twisting in her stomach.
It had all started as a simple idea. For years she’d been making decent money with commissions—both normal art and plenty of ecchi pieces—under the pseudonym Yuna. No one knew her face. No one knew her body. And that was exactly how she wanted to keep it. But the moment she discovered the VTuber world, something clicked inside her. She could stay anonymous… but with a real voice and real presence. The only problem was that doing it from home was impossible.
Her parents went to bed early. Once she started streaming, she’d be up until four or five in the morning talking, reacting, and creating content. She couldn’t risk them hearing her through the thin walls. She needed her own space. Far away.
She spent weeks scrolling through apartment listings hours from home, checking blurry photos and barely-understandable contracts. When she found one that felt right—small, a little old, but with decent natural light and rent she could actually afford—she knew there was no turning back.
The following month was pure emotional chaos.
“Are you crazy?” her mom would say almost every night, voice thick with worry. “Living alone in a huge city? You’re barely twenty-one!”
“I’m an adult, Mom. I need to do this. I don’t want to keep being a burden to you guys.”
The arguments repeated endlessly. Tears, raised voices, and heavy silences that hurt more than any words. Mizu would lock herself in her room, stand in front of the full-length mirror, and hate what she saw. Her soft chubby belly with its visible rolls when she sat down. Thick thighs that rubbed together with every step. Wide hips that made every pair of pants dig into her plush flesh. And that big, round ass that jiggled noticeably with each movement. Her pale skin flushed so easily, and the permanent blush on her cheeks only got worse when she imagined anyone seeing her like this in real life.
“No one can ever see me like this,” she’d whisper, hugging her waist tightly, fingers sinking into the soft rolls of her tummy.
In the end, her parents gave in. Not because they were convinced, but because they knew their daughter had already made up her mind. They helped with the first month’s rent and the plane ticket.
Mizu packed only the essentials. She shipped her PC, dual monitors, RGB lights, expensive microphone, and most of her clothes. All she carried was one suitcase: comfy clothes, a few printed drawings that gave her strength, and a whole lot of anxiety.
Now, hours later, the plane had finally landed.
The moment she stepped out of the airport dragging her suitcase, the new city’s air hit her face. It was bigger and more overwhelming than she had imagined. Tall buildings, lights already flickering on even though it was late afternoon, people rushing in every direction. The noise of cars, distant horns, and conversations she only half-understood wrapped around her like a heavy blanket.
Mizu stopped on the sidewalk in her oversized pink hoodie that barely hid her generous curves. Her denim shorts dug gently into the soft flesh of her thick thighs, and the black thigh-high socks stretched tight with every movement. The cool breeze slipped under her hoodie and brushed her exposed belly, making her shiver. She felt her little rolls shift and immediately wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hide the parts she hated most.
“This is real…” she murmured, voice shaky. “No turning back now.”
With sweaty hands, she checked the map on her phone. The apartment was about forty minutes away by taxi. She didn’t know anyone here. She didn’t know how anything worked. All she knew was that in that tiny place, for the first time in her life, she could turn on her mic, activate her slim and cute VTuber model, and stream without fear of anyone hearing her through the walls.
And maybe—just maybe—she could finally start living.
The taxi smelled like cheap air freshener, and the driver barely spoke during the ride. Mizu stayed glued to the window, watching the city blur past. Every red light gave her a moment to catch her reflection in the glass. Her long, straight, very dark blue hair fell over her shoulders like a protective curtain. Her bright emerald-green eyes sparkled with a mix of fear and excitement. Her cute face, the one part of herself she actually liked, flushed easily as always.
When the taxi stopped in front of the building, Mizu’s heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. The place looked exactly like the photos: a modest multi-story complex with walls that needed fresh paint and stairs that creaked loudly. She dragged her suitcase up to the third floor, feeling her thick thighs rub together with every step and her big, round ass swaying, making her painfully aware of her body.
The key turned stiffly in the lock. When the door opened, the smell of stale air and old wood greeted her. The apartment was tiny: a living-dining area that could barely fit a couch, a narrow kitchen, a minuscule bathroom, and a bedroom with a window letting in the golden light of sunset.
Mizu dropped her suitcase and collapsed onto the edge of the bare mattress. The old bed sank under her weight, making her chubby belly press more noticeably against her hoodie. She ran her hands over the soft rolls, breathing deeply.
“This is my space now… all mine.”
She got up and walked to the bathroom mirror. Slowly, she lifted her hoodie, exposing her pale, soft tummy. The rolls looked even more pronounced under the harsh light. She slid her hands down and gently squeezed her wide hips, feeling the plush flesh overflow between her fingers. A shaky sigh escaped her lips.
“Here, no one will see me… unless I want them to.”
For the first time in a long while, a small, shy smile appeared on her face. She pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of the empty room, sending it to her commissions chat with a simple message:
“I made it. New beginning ❤️”
Replies flooded in almost instantly, full of emojis and good wishes. Mizu blushed hard, but this time it wasn’t just embarrassment. It was something more—a thrilling mix of fear and excitement running through her whole body.
She walked to the window and looked out at the city stretching before her. As the sun dipped below the horizon, Mizu felt, for the first time, that she was finally in control.
