Do I really have a thing for female voice actors?

The two boarded the Shinkansen back to Tokyo.

Tazaki Toru stuffed the luggage into the roof and let Kohinata Mika sit in the window seat.

Mika Kohinata watched him do all this quietly, and after Toru Tazaki finally sat down, she took the initiative to unscrew the cap of the mineral water bottle and handed it to him.

Outside the window, the slowly receding scenery was imprinted in the girl's eyes, like a roll of old film slowly yellowing, being dragged backward little by little by a hand-cranked projector.

The train always looks forward and moves forward.

The same applies to people.

Mika Kohinata remained quiet, unlike when she arrived. At this moment, her mind was filled with thoughts about Toru Tazaki.

Although Tazaki Toru always says that he was able to take this step because he gained courage from her.

However, in Mika Kohinata's eyes, she hadn't been able to do anything for him.

She believes that the reason why Toru Tazaki was able to accept and say goodbye to the past is because he is strong enough, and it is all thanks to him.

She couldn't bear Tazaki Toru's praise, but unlike before, Kohinata Mika was unwilling to deny it. Instead, she wanted to become a girl who truly deserved his praise and compliments.

Until one day in the future, I will be able to hold my head high and say to him: You're welcome, feel free to rely on me.

Beautiful, slender fingers touched the transparent car window, as if trying to capture the receding scenery in their hands.

"Tou-kun, I have another dream."

"What is it?"

"I can't tell you right now."

"You're even hiding this from me?"

"It's not that I'm hiding anything. If I intended to hide something, I wouldn't have told you."

The girl's gaze shifted from the window to Tazaki Toru's face.

"It's just because I wasn't mentally prepared."

Tazaki Toru smiled faintly and didn't press the matter.

"Moreover, through this trip, I learned something else about Toru-kun."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Tou-kun is perhaps someone who is far more afraid of loneliness than I imagined."

Do I look lonely?

The girl gently shook her head: "It's my feeling, and my feeling is never accurate, but it's possible that I've guessed right."

"I want to dispel your loneliness."

The girl's slender fingers gently covered the back of his hand.

If she didn't do this, she was afraid she wouldn't be able to fully convey her feelings to him.

Ignoring her shyness and embarrassment, the warmth of her body against the back of his hand naturally reached out to him.

He wanted to tell him that he was not alone in the world.

He was by no means homeless.

Just like he once gave her courage and brought her the role of Nagasaki Motoyo.

Mika Kohinata also wanted to give something to Toru Tazaki.

I want to give him a place where he can truly go back.

Feeling the girl's warm palm, Toru Tazaki silently gazed at their intertwined hands, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

"I know that Tou-kun is someone who is afraid of being alone."

"I'm also very afraid of being alone. Before I met Tou-kun, I lived alone in an apartment."

"Whenever the night is quiet, I feel so lonely that I secretly shed tears in bed."

"Two lonely hands, pressed together like this, might not be lonely anymore."

Tazaki Toru opened his mouth, his voice gentle and soft: "Mika's hands are a little warm."

Mika Kohinata's heart skipped a beat, and a blush of shyness and worry appeared on her ordinary face, which was not particularly pretty.

"...Would it be better for me to let go?"

Tazaki Toru gently shook his head, turned his hand around from back to palm, and took advantage of Kohinata Mika's momentary daze to hold her soft, delicate hand in his.

Used to warm hands.

"Just right."

Mika Kohinata stared blankly at Toru Tazaki's face, motionless.

Faced with the gentle smile emanating from Tazaki Toru, her fingers completely lost their strength, allowing him to gently hold them in his palm.

They thought.

There will never be any ordinary friends in this world who can sit together on a quiet train, holding hands tightly...

Neither of them spoke to break the unspoken silence, enjoying the peculiar atmosphere of being alone with the other two on their way to Tokyo.

Mika Kohinata lowered her head deeply, too shy to breathe, afraid that if she breathed too heavily, her trembling fingertips would reveal her feelings to Toru Tazaki.

But given all that, can we still say that we haven't been exposed?

Mika Kohinata simply doesn't have that kind of confidence.

She wasn't sure what Tazaki Toru's actions meant.

Was it to avoid embarrassing her, or did they share the same thoughts?

I don't understand.

Seemingly noticing Mika Kohinata's wavering, Toru Tazaki couldn't help but cast a concerned glance at her.

"Toru-kun, would you really let me go like this, letting me arrive in Tokyo with this?"

"You can hold it for as long as you want."

Mika Kohinata lowered her head shyly, her voice soft: "Toru-kun, you're being so gentle with me again."

"I'm not very bright, so if you treat me so gently, I might misunderstand."

After saying that, the girl slowly raised her head again, her narrow eyes filled with trembling and timidity, and met Tazaki Toru's gaze.

Even so, is it okay?

Tazaki Toru's fingers gradually closed, slowly clenching her palm, their fingers interlocking.

The sunset rays streaming through the car window completely bathed the girl's beautiful face, which was already flushed red.

"Ah."

Outside the window, the scenery continues to rush past.

Even though I'm still on the train, I feel like I'm home.

Tazaki Toru closed his eyelids contentedly, letting weariness wash over him.

He held the girl's hand tightly, without letting go.

284. Finally, they escalated to pulling each other's hair. (Seeking monthly votes at the beginning of the month!)

By the time Tazaki Toru returned home, night had already fallen.

As soon as Tazaki Toru stepped into the house, he heard a lively commotion coming from the living room.

The television volume was turned up very loud. Miss Aoki was not seen in the room; only Miss Tachibana was on the phone with someone.

After she hung up the phone, she saw Toru Tazaki suddenly appear in the living room and raised her eyebrows slightly.

"Miss Tachibana, you're back."

"Tsk! Why do you sound like you'd be happy if I were stuck in Osaka and couldn't come back?"

Tazaki Toru chuckled lightly, casually placing his backpack on the living room floor, and replied, "No, that's not true. I'm just relieved. I don't need to come pick you up."

Miss Tachibana pouted slightly: "Then next time I'll deliberately stay a couple more days and see if you'll come looking for me."

"I think that in that case, Ms. Tachibana's manager would probably be more anxious than I am."

"What! Always changing the subject, so annoying."

That being said.

Rin Tachibana knew in her heart that if things really developed to that point, her manager would definitely explode.

In short, it was a good thing that her parents were able to let her return to Tokyo safely.

It seems that the scolding wasn't for nothing.

Although he always criticizes her, he always ends up doing what she wants.

It was this love from her family that shaped Tachibana Rin's current personality.

Where is Miss Aoki?

"It's Miss Aoki again. Every time you come back, it's Miss Aoki. Do you not see her? Do ants crawl all over you?"

She's taking a shower!

"Uh, I was just asking casually."

Tazaki Toru then noticed that the light in the bathroom was on.

Rin Tachibana pouted, her face full of displeasure.

Reluctantly, Tazaki Toru gave the souvenirs he bought from Aomori to Tachibana Rin.

Normally, given Tachibana Rin's personality, she would definitely not have looked down on these little trinkets.

However, seeing that Tazaki Toru's expression seemed to be pleading with her not to be angry, she was greatly pleased and decided not to bother arguing with such a minor character as Tazaki Toru.

"Speaking of which, how did things go?"

Rin Tachibana sat cross-legged, unpacking a souvenir and looking at the local snacks inside, before casually opening one and starting to eat it.