Do I really have a thing for female voice actors?

"...I see."

Although they are part of the same project as the two main bands, sumimi's position is extremely awkward. As an unofficial member, Yozuki Sora inevitably feels somewhat out of place.

She wasn't particularly interested in celebrating Tazaki Toru's birthday. She hadn't really interacted with this composer, and aside from his youth and good looks, she didn't have any special impression of him.

However, being in such a situation, seeing a cut birthday cake inevitably evokes a sense of loneliness.

It's like a transfer student who suddenly joins the class on the eve of graduation, creating a sense of dislocation with those around them.

Moreover, Yozuki could sense that Mr. Tazaki was not satisfied with her singing skills, but he just didn't show it explicitly.

Seeing that Yozuki Handa looked worried, Riko Sasaki seemed to have noticed what was on the girl's mind and comforted her:

"Ha-chan, don't worry, Mr. Tazaki is a very nice person."

"Well……"

Yozuki Takada tightened her grip on the water bottle in her hand slightly, noticing that Sasaki Riko was so excited when she talked about Tazaki Toru that her dark eyes seemed to sparkle with starlight.

"Pear Sauce, do you know Tazaki-sensei very well?"

“I don’t know anything about it.” Sasaki Riko shook her head gently.

"Eh?"

This answer surprised Yozuki Sakata. Whenever Riko Sasaki talked about Toru Tazaki, her words were always full of admiration and longing, leading her to believe that there was a special bond between them.

"I know nothing about his personality or his preferences. I don't understand anything about him. I can count on one hand the very few words he has spoken."

"But none of that matters. I can feel his presence in the songs he writes, and that's enough."

"So... what kind of person is Mr. Tazaki?"

Upon hearing this, Sasaki Riko couldn't help but look at herself in the mirror.

Sitting next to the stunningly beautiful girl, Yozuki Sono, only served to highlight her ordinariness.

Her striking short blonde hair is a far cry from the Riko Sasaki of the past.

But ever since that night of her birth, she has grown to love herself more and more, and has become able to hold her head high in front of others.

"He gave me a new life; he was Sasaki Riko's savior."

"So... whether it's Mujica or sumimi, I will do my best to sing their songs."

"I want to become a band's lead singer that he recognizes. Only in this way can I repay his kindness."

268. The Lost Child.

That night.

Sitting by the window in the second-floor music room, looking out from inside, the cherry blossom trees outside showed faint signs of about to bloom.

Temperatures in Tokyo are gradually rising.

With each passing day, the surrounding scenery becomes a little more vibrant with springtime.

However, Toru Tazaki's feelings seemed to remain in winter, covered by a thin layer of frost.

The frost wasn't thick, but he could only break it from the inside by his own efforts.

The phone on the table vibrated slightly. Tazaki Toru glanced at the number and answered the call.

"Hello."

"...

"Okay, thank you very much. I will set off on another day."

"Yes, I'll have to trouble you then."

"Thank you again for your generosity."

After hanging up the phone, Tazaki Toru looked out the window again, where a row of cherry blossom trees stood in neat rows.

Many branches are covered with pointed bumps, and from a distance, they look as if someone has painted the branches with pink paint.

Only the last tree, with its bare branches, seemed close to withering away, unlikely to survive the final days of winter.

It's like a student in a physical test who starts last, gradually falling further and further behind the students ahead. Eventually, they exhaust all their energy and willpower, running slower and slower until they can only walk, then stand there bewildered and motionless.

Looking at the withered and bare cherry blossom branches, Tazaki Toru's thoughts were instantly pulled back to a year ago.

Tazaki Toru is not indecisive; he can always make choices quickly so that he won't regret them.

But he was just an ordinary person after all, and no human being can be perfect.

Even Toru Tazaki has moments of hesitation and when he needs someone to give him a push.

"Tazaki-kun? Tazaki-kun?"

When Tazaki Toru came to his senses, a girl was standing next to him, none other than Aoki Hina.

"I'm sorry, Tazaki-kun, I knocked on the door, but you seemed to be preoccupied and didn't answer me."

"Sorry, I was daydreaming."

"It's okay. I just wanted to say that Rin and I have already finished showering, and the water is still warm. Tazaki-kun, you should also take a bath to warm up."

"Yes, thank you."

Hina Aoki did not mention her birthday again.

The birthday gift has already been given to him in the joint name of Aoki Hina and Tachibana Rin. Given the relationship between the three of them, it can be said to be perfectly legitimate.

The girl walked gracefully over and sat down next to Tazaki Toru. The pleasant scent of her shower gel wafted through her loose pajamas and reached Tazaki Toru's nose, a delightful fragrance.

"That's quite rare."

"Rare?"

“It’s rare for Tazaki-kun to be so preoccupied. If you don’t mind, you can talk to me about it. I may not be able to solve your problems, but being a confidant would be great.”

"Are you so sure I'm troubled?"

"Because it's all written on your face. I see your face every day. If Tazaki-kun's thoughts are even slightly disturbed, I'll definitely find out."

Upon hearing this, Tazaki Toru raised his hand and touched his face.

"That's really scary. It seems I can't do anything bad in the future, otherwise I'll have nowhere to hide from you."

Aoki Hina was amused and giggled, her body trembling with laughter, revealing the loose neckline of her pajamas.

Tazaki Toru hurriedly turned his head, but it was too late; the sight still inevitably came into view.

The delicate and pretty colors reminded Tazaki Toru of the row of cherry blossom trees outside the window that only had pink buds growing on them.

"I know, Tazaki-kun is not the kind of person who would do bad things."

“That’s hard to say,” Tazaki Toru retorted.

I don't know if I did anything bad, but I did see something good.

To call it an undeserved disaster would be pretentious and disrespectful to Hina Aoki.

Tazaki Toru was, after all, a normal man. He was coughing slightly, trying to forget what he had just seen.

"I'm not as noble as Miss Aoki imagines, nor do I never lie. Ultimately, it's because I'm bad at cleaning up messes, so I've simply tried to avoid trouble from the very beginning."

Hina Aoki said, "I see you've been getting along really well with Rin-chan lately. Is that what you call taking a detour?"

However, a smart girl like Hina Aoki would never say something so offensive.

She rested her chin on her hands, tilted her cheeks slightly to maintain a perfectly cute angle, and her eyes narrowed into slits with joy.

"Tazaki-kun, you're changing the subject."

"You still haven't told me what's on your mind."

A sly glint flashed in Hina Aoki's eyes, as if she wouldn't give up until she got to the bottom of it.

“Miss Aoki, you’ve recently developed a penchant for getting to the bottom of things,” Tazaki Toru sighed softly.

"That's right, it's all Rin's fault. I caught her infection. I'll settle the score with her tomorrow."

Tazaki Toru was both amused and exasperated. The playful side that Aoki Hina occasionally displayed, so different from her mature and composed demeanor, was so endearing that anyone who saw it would have to admit she was adorable.

But when Tazaki Toru met Aoki Hina's eyes again and saw the seriousness in them, he suddenly realized that this girl genuinely wanted to listen to his troubles.

Tazaki Toru doesn't have many friends, but Aoki Hina holds a very important place among them.

Looking around him, after thinking for a long time, he realized that Aoki Hina was the most suitable person to confide in.

She is smart and composed enough to know what to say and what not to say.

"Actually, I've always had a knot in my heart that I've never told anyone about."

"I find it hard to explain, but I feel obligated and responsible to bear this weight from the past."

"I seem unable to be the kind of person who turns a blind eye to things that don't concern me."

"In this vast Tokyo, I've met all sorts of people, and I've become more accepting of who I am now, but this has also caused me confusion and bewilderment."

"Wanting to keep moving forward, yet sometimes pausing to look back at the past."

"In this city, I seem to have become a lost child who can't find his way home."

"MyGO?"

Hina Aoki asked with a smile.

Tazaki Toru smiled: "Yeah, MyGO."

"I understand."

"You understand?" Tazaki Toru looked surprised.

Aoki Hina smiled faintly, her beautiful cat-like eyes reflecting Tazaki Toru's handsome face.

“In my heart, Tazaki-kun is a person who sees things through to the end.”

"Not being able to say a proper goodbye to people or things from the past will definitely make you feel lost and in pain, but there's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Music is built from emotion, and musicians cannot all be heartless."

"The reason why Tazaki-kun feels confused is because you are an emotionally rich person who always treats those around you with kindness and shares your friendliness equally with everyone."