Do I really have a thing for female voice actors?

"Oh, right."

Suddenly remembering something, the shopkeeper took out several paper tickets from his bag and handed them to the two.

"Oshima-chan gave me tickets to a stage play; you can go see it if you're interested."

"Stage play?"

"Yes, she's the lead actress."

Ms. Kuroki took the ticket and examined it closely.

"Hey... Wow, that's amazing, Haruna. You've come so far without me even realizing it."

Store manager Yicun nodded repeatedly, proudly saying, "Our SHELTER is about to produce a superstar."

"Don't talk like you raised her."

Ms. Kuroki put the ticket back on the table, a subtle expression on her face: "I can forget about it, but seeing beautiful young girls shining on stage would make me want to die."

Upon hearing this, both the store manager and Tazaki Toru fell silent.

How should one describe a 35-year-old divorced woman with a child?

Thanks for your hard work.

Tazaki Toru silently picked up one of the tickets.

Revue Starlight -The STAGE Junior High School-Remains

Below the title, the first name in the cast list is "Hina Aoki," a clear lead role.

As for the remaining actors, Toru Tazaki didn't recognize any of them.

With the performance date approaching, it turns out that she hadn't been to SHELTER recently because she was busy with rehearsals for the stage play.

"Wow~~ Speaking of which, she's really amazing. It reminds me of when she first started working. She was just a clueless young girl back then. She was so inexperienced."

Ms. Kuroki looked disgusted: "Manager, what you're saying sounds like sexual harassment. Please stop talking."

"I was actually marveling at how that little girl actually realized her dream and stood on the big stage."

"Hearing the word 'dream' from a 39-year-old middle-aged man is already considered a work injury, so I left work early today."

"Hey, hey, no matter what, saying that is too hurtful."

Ignoring the two people beside him, Tazaki Toru suddenly fell into deep thought.

"Was Miss Aoki always like this?"

"Like this?"

"Hmm... should I call it hard work or fanaticism?" Tazaki Toru pondered the word.

Ms. Kuroki roughly understood what Toru Tazaki was trying to say and said, "That child worked part-time here before his debut. He's smart and talented."

"Yes, just like Tazaki-kun now."

Tazaki Toru thought that Miss Kuroki must be praising him.

"They really worked incredibly hard, seemingly with inexhaustible energy, busy with all sorts of practice and auditions."

Upon learning that Aoki Hina was a truly hardworking person, Tazaki Toru suddenly felt a pang of envy.

"Tazaki-kun, is there nothing you want to do?"

Tazaki Toru stood there, speechless.

He used to have dreams.

And through hard work, they turned all their dreams into reality.

He has gotten everything he wanted.

Except for one thing.

So much so that when Ms. Kuroki asked him this question, Toru Tazaki was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Shouldn't young people all have one or two dreams? Want to become a doctor, want to make a lot of money, want to marry a voice actor or something like that."

I have a feeling that something strange has infiltrated this place.

"Although you are still young, you should start planning what you want to do in the future and what kind of work you want to do."

"We can't just stay cooped up in this small, run-down live house forever, especially since the owner is an unreliable good-for-nothing."

"Miss Kuroki..." The shop manager was almost in tears.

Regarding what kind of work he wanted to do, Toru Tazaki had absolutely no hesitation.

"Making music."

"I want to make music for the rest of my life."

No matter how many times he is reborn or how many times he travels through time, Toru Tazaki is confident enough to say this.

In the impressions of Ms. Kuroki and Manager Yoshimura, Toru Tazaki was usually a quiet and aloof person who rarely revealed his true feelings.

Therefore, when they saw that Tazaki Toru answered so firmly, they all showed very surprised expressions.

"That was a quick answer. Well, you're right. With skills comparable to a professional arranger, you're bound to make a living in music in the future."

Ms. Kuroki looked at Manager Yoshimura and said with a hint of sarcasm, "You're much better than some people who run away at the last minute before their debut, right, Manager?"

Yoshimura finally understood what Kuroki was thinking. He sighed softly, ignored her teasing, and turned to look at Tazaki Toru with a serious expression.

"Tazaki-kun, you're 21 years old this year, aren't you?"

"Yes."

He stroked the stubble on his chin and muttered to himself, "My education is junior high school... well, it doesn't really matter."

"Tazaki-kun, I don't quite understand why you, with such amazing skills, would choose to work part-time at a live house."

"But since you've made it clear that you want to pursue a career in music, I'll tell you the truth."

"Those who neither form a band nor perform on stage will most likely never make it big."

“Working in a live house will only diminish your passion for music.”

Tazaki Toru believed that his passion for music would never fade.

But he did not refute it; he simply looked at Yicun quietly.

"Although I'm just a shop owner, I know quite a few people 'over there.' With your skills, introducing you there would be a great honor for me."

"Therefore I want to ask you."

Are you interested in becoming a professional composer?

12. Dreams should be big. (Please read during the new book release period)

At night, Toru Tazaki walks alone through the quiet streets of Kamiigusa.

The moonlight was soft, but the stars were nowhere to be seen; it seems that you can never see the stars in big cities.

Are you interested in becoming a professional music arranger?

When faced with Yoshimura's invitation, Tazaki Toru did not immediately agree, but said he would think about it.

Ms. Kuroki seemed somewhat surprised, but Yoshimura seemed quite satisfied with Tazaki Toru's answer and said that he could take as long as he wanted to think about it.

Compared to Tazaki Toru's hesitation, he was more worried that Tazaki Toru would nod without thinking.

What we lack in our youth is not the reckless drive, but the awareness to think things through before acting.

As I passed the original Gundam statue in front of the station, my phone buzzed with a message from Mika Takagi.

This was the first message Mika Takagi sent after they added each other on Line.

Ask Tazaki Toru if she's off work yet. If she hasn't eaten yet, you can go to her house.

After a moment's thought, Tazaki Toru replied with a "Okay".

On his way home, Tazaki Toru went to a convenience store. After all, the other party always let him eat for free, so he felt a little bad and bought a few cans of beer as a token of his appreciation.

After returning to his apartment, Toru Tazaki didn't go into his own place but knocked on the door of the apartment next door.

Not long after, Mika Takagi, wearing a bear apron, opened the door. The moment she saw Toru Tazaki, her eyes narrowed with a happy smile.

"Tazaki-san, welcome, please come in."

She placed a pair of brand-new slippers, which she had just opened, in front of Toru Tazaki.

"This is a gift of condolence."

Tazaki Toru handed over the plastic bag containing the beer.

"Eh... thank you, but you don't need to be so polite."

After changing into slippers, Toru Tazaki went to the coffee table in the living room and sat down cross-legged.

Two sets of bowls and plates, a clay pot, a portable gas stove, and the lid of the clay pot was gently bobbing with a "plop, plop" sound.

"What day is it today?"

Tazaki Toru subconsciously looked at Takagi Mika.

She placed the beer that Tazaki Toru had bought on the coffee table, lightly placed her hands on the ground, knelt down, and sat upright, revealing a shy smile.

"Well... it's not a big day, it's just that I passed the second round of an audition."

"congratulations."

"Thank you. Actually... this is the first time I've passed the second round of screening, so I'm a little excited. Please don't laugh at me."

"I will never laugh at someone who works hard for their dreams."

Seeing how seriously Tazaki Toru answered, Takagi Mika couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Of course I know that Tazaki-san isn't that kind of person, so why do you always speak in such a rigid and formal way?"

Tazaki Toru asked in confusion, "Isn't this a good thing?"

The girl tried her best to suppress her smile, covering her mouth slightly: "It's not bad, it's interesting."

This is the second time she has said he's funny.