Do I really have a thing for female voice actors?

"Then I'll go up."

"Go, go, hurry up, it's up to you, my dear sister."

And so, under Aoki Hina's expectant gaze, Tachibana Rin began acting as Aoki Hina's mouthpiece and went upstairs.

Hina Aoki followed closely behind Rin Tachibana, cautiously and stealthily catching up.

It wasn't that she was worried Tachibana Rin would mess things up; it was simply because Aoki Hina cared too much about Tazaki Toru's opinion.

She secretly believed that a man like Tazaki Toru would reappear sincerely in front of her, but she couldn't help feeling conflicted.

She was afraid that her performance had gone too far and might hurt Tazaki Toru's feelings.

Perhaps this feeling of gain and loss is the most accurate reflection of a girl in love.

Upon arriving at the music room, Tachibana Rin turned around and glanced at Aoki Hina, who had followed her to the top of the stairs. Aoki Hina waved her hand at her.

Rin Tachibana pursed her lips slightly, feeling as if she were a spear held in Hina Aoki's hand.

Even if Tazaki Toru were to be defeated, it would have absolutely nothing to do with Tachibana Rin.

The spoils will only end up in Aoki Hina's pocket.

Biting her lip lightly, Tachibana Rin slowly pushed open the door to the music room.

The door had barely opened a crack when a rapid series of keyboard clicks, like shattered glaciers transforming into a dazzling array of transparent crystals, poured down from the sky.

The lively and energetic keyboard sounds surged into the girl's ears with tremendous force.

The rapid keyboard clicks swept past Tachibana Rin, through the corridor, and arrived in front of Aoki Hina.

Hina Aoki, who was crouching down, had been thinking about Toru Tazaki, but her eyes cleared completely when she heard the music.

289. Ice present, plan terminated.

Tazaki Toru gradually stopped playing, the music faded away, and he picked up a mechanical pencil and began to make corrections on the sheet music.

He immediately realized something and looked towards the door of the music room.

Rin Tachibana stood there silently, which startled Toru Tazaki.

Because he was so focused, he hadn't noticed Tachibana Rin's arrival.

"Miss Tachibana, you're back."

Rin Tachibana responded in response, and saw that Toru Tazaki seemed to be completely absorbed in the creation of the song, as if he had put Hina Aoki out of his mind.

For some reason, I felt a little pleased.

But the thought of being forced to help Aoki Hina, say nice things, and act along with her, even though she was unwilling, made Rin-nee feel uneasy again.

It felt like they were deliberately deceiving Tazaki Toru, which made Tachibana Rin feel inexplicably awkward.

But if she doesn't help Aoki Hina, it will seem as if she has ulterior motives towards Tazaki Toru.

In short, it's a really troublesome thing.

Just as Tachibana Rin was about to speak about Aoki Hina, she suddenly felt a gust of wind behind her.

A petite girl, as agile as a cat, darted past her with lightning speed.

Before Tachibana Rin could react, Aoki Hina, who had been waiting at the bottom of the stairs, appeared next to Tazaki Toru.

He was bending over and looking at the sheet music in front of Tazaki Toru.

Hina Aoki quickly reached out her hands and shook Toru Tazaki's arm, her voice filled with a hint of joy amidst her eagerness.

"Tazaki-kun! Tazaki-kun! What song is this?"

"Eh?"

Hina Aoki was like a cat that had smelled catnip and suddenly appeared, wanting nothing more than to rub her head against him.

"Just now, I composed a new piece..." Tazaki Toru answered truthfully.

"Amazing!"

The girl's eyes sparkled, reflecting the sheet music and Toru Tazaki's handsome face.

"Thank you..." That was all Tazaki Toru could say.

Suddenly, I found it amusing, thinking that she really was the Aoki Hina I knew.

No matter what state you are in, once you hear the music you love, you can forget everything else and ignore everything else.

This sincerity and candor towards music is her greatest quality and what attracts Toru Tazaki the most.

Rin Tachibana, standing behind them, was completely stunned.

No, Yang-jie, didn't you say you wanted to control him?

He just touched the keyboard a couple of times and you got a high?

If you touched other places, who knows what would happen?

You dare to say you're in control? I think you're the one being thoroughly manipulated.

Tazaki Toru, you are truly wicked!

Miss Tachibana couldn't help but think this to herself.

While clinging to Tazaki Toru, Aoki Hina subtly placed her left hand behind her back and swung it incessantly.

From her gesture, Tachibana Rin saw these words:

If there is ice, the plan is terminated.

The meaning is already quite clear; to put it more bluntly:

This is none of your business, get lost.

Rin Tachibana was furious. She stomped her foot lightly, gritted her teeth, turned around and left without looking back, not even closing the door to the music room.

"What piece of music did Tazaki-kun write?"

"That's right. Mr. Fujita introduced me to other composition work beforehand, and this piece is to be submitted for audition and selection."

"So that's how it is."

Aoki Hina showed a slight expression of regret, but it was quickly replaced by excitement.

"Tazaki-kun, could you play it again for me?"

"Sure, but the piece isn't finished yet."

As he spoke, Toru Tazaki placed his fingers on the keyboard, and the piano music became lively and swift, like golden notes flowing out of a granary.

As Tazaki Toru said, the piece was not yet finished, but even so, Aoki Hina was already completely captivated by it.

Looking into Tazaki Toru's bright, cat-like eyes, an almost possessive desire was projected.

After a long pause, the music stopped, and Tazaki Toru, after deep thought, took the initiative to speak: "Miss Aoki, I'm very sorry about what happened yesterday."

"Huh? Why is it Tazaki-kun apologizing?"

Hina Aoki blinked her beautiful eyes, looking adorably confused.

"On the contrary, I should apologize to you for showing you this embarrassing side of yourself."

"I didn't expect you to be home already. You were just busy playing around with Rin-chan. Even though I'm older than her and should be the older sister, you're still arguing with her like a child."

Aoki Hina spoke of yesterday's events with great embarrassment.

"Miss Aoki, aren't you angry with me?" Tazaki Toru asked.

“How could I be such an unreasonable girl? Tazaki-kun didn’t do anything wrong.”

"Because Miss Aoki seemed to be avoiding me, I thought..."

Upon hearing this, Aoki Hina stammered and involuntarily lowered her head.

"I'm just... a little shy."

The girl took slow, deep breaths to calm herself, as if the words she was about to say were the heartfelt words she had conveyed with all her courage.

"However, I hope Tazaki-kun understands that I am not angry with you."

"Even I was quite surprised, it was the first time a boy had seen me like this... um."

She paused slightly, slowly raised her head, and stared intently into Toru Tazaki's eyes with her gentle, cat-like pupils.

Her smile was shy, but her tone was remarkably firm.

"Unbelievable, I can't bring myself to dislike Tazaki-kun at all."

"........."

Seemingly sensing some unusual emotion in her words, Tazaki Toru was momentarily at a loss for words.

After a long pause, she managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Even so, I still feel very sorry."

Hina Aoki's complexion became increasingly rosy.

"Tazaki-kun's persistence is because...you've seen it all, haven't you?"

Tazaki Toru's eyes flickered, but his attitude remained resolute.

"……Um."

Tazaki Toru thought that his unvarnished admission would provoke Aoki Hina's complaints.

But she didn't.

In Tazaki Toru's memory, this girl rarely seemed to get angry for no reason, and he greatly admired her composure.

However, just as Tazaki Toru thought of this, Aoki Hina in front of him revealed a cunning look and said something completely contrary to the word "composed".

Her expression suddenly turned playful as she slowly approached Tazaki Toru, saying in a teasing tone:

"Well... since Tazaki-kun has said so, I'll just symbolically be a little angry for a while."

"You'd better watch out from now on. I might be a very petty girl. Next time, I'll have to see you naked too, then we'll be even."

"Eh?"

Aoki Hina stared at Tazaki Toru's dazed expression for a long time before bursting into laughter, filling the music room with the girl's cheerful, bell-like laughter.