Do I really have a thing for female voice actors?

"Then I'll go upstairs to continue practicing the piano."

"Yeah, don't push yourself too hard."

Tazaki Toru put his headphones back on and listened intently to Ms. Hitomiya's singing.

The mechanical pencil clicked and tapped, slowly and rhythmically, striking out the sheet music.

The moment Aoki Hina turned around, the smile on her face slowly faded.

She lied to Toru Tazaki again.

Aoki Hina naturally noticed Tachibana Rin's recent changes.

Even Tazaki Toru noticed this, so how could Aoki Hina, who was inseparable from Tachibana Rin day and night, not notice it?

Rin Tachibana's sullenness was like a blackish-purple mist filling a transparent, enclosed room.

Every change was clearly felt by Aoki Hina, an observer, who knew that there was always the possibility of her breaking out of her body.

The source of this fog is likely Aoki Hina and Tazaki Toru.

Hina Aoki is a very perceptive and extremely shrewd girl.

It was her deliberate probing that turned Tachibana Rin into the person she is today.

Pushing open the bedroom door, Hina Aoki put her previous conversation with Toru Tazaki out of her mind and skillfully displayed a natural expression.

Rin Tachibana frowned, battling wits with the sheet music in front of her.

"Rin-chan, you've been working really hard lately."

"Stop making sarcastic remarks. Isn't it good enough to work hard?"

"That's not what I meant." The girl took another sip of water, seemingly as a tactic.

"I was just wondering if you had something on your mind."

"What could possibly be on my mind?"

"I don't know, Tazaki-kun asked me."

Buzz buzz buzz—

The speaker emitted a harsh, distorted sound.

Aoki Hina's hand holding the water glass trembled slightly, and her eyelids blinked slowly as she took in Tachibana Rin's expression.

Rin Tachibana clicked her tongue, ran her fingers through her smooth black hair in frustration, and muttered to herself:

"I just can't play this part right no matter how I try, it's so frustrating! What kind of rubbish sheet music is this?"

Immediately, the girl turned her head and looked at Hina Aoki: "Huh? What did you just say?"

Hina Aoki remained silent, instinctively raising her gentle and sweet smile.

But if she were to look in the mirror at this moment and examine her seemingly gentle cat-like face closely, she would discover the hidden depths in her proud and beautiful cat-like eyes.

There was no hint of a smile.

This was not Aoki Hina's intention. If she could control her emotions with ease, she certainly wouldn't feel so uncomfortable when facing Tachibana Rin's feigned composure.

The more Tachibana Rin appeared calm and collected, the more uneasy Aoki Hina felt about the wavering hidden in her eyes.

Perhaps, Hina Aoki already had the answer in her heart.

But she dared not ask, fearing that Tachibana Rin would reveal a clumsy lie.

He feared that his shrewd cat-like eyes would easily see through her true feelings.

Hina Aoki is certain that her feelings for Toru Tazaki are different from the past, and she can openly admit her love for him.

She is confident that she is willing to be an enemy of anyone on this matter.

Little Hinata Mika and Yang Gong Feina.

Even a beautiful girl like Yozuki Sonoda.

No matter who her opponent is, Hina Aoki will resolutely face them and never admit defeat.

But only the independent flower Rin...

He has been by her side all this time, offering encouragement and comfort during her low points.

The best friend in the world.

Despite having resolved to be a sincere person like him, Aoki Hina still instinctively chooses to lie when faced with unexpected situations.

"...It's nothing. There's something you're not playing well. Let me see."

Hina Aoki did not have the courage to be her enemy.

The only thing we can do is stifle her courage and extinguish her determination.

Before her flame could burn, it was doused with the cold, piercing seawater.

"...I'm sorry, Rin-chan."

Looking at her best friend who was intently playing the guitar, she moved her lips but couldn't make a sound.

……

……

One day in early March, a long-awaited day off.

Although there was no MyGO rehearsal today, Hina Aoki, as the only promising newcomer at Hibiki, couldn't neglect her work on Revue Starlight.

Related programs and the latest stage play are in preparation.

Unlike Tachibana Rin, Aoki Hina is the only newly promoted heir of Hibiki Society who is highly regarded.

The second prince is also a prince.

With the two bands on break, Toru Tazaki naturally had no reason to go out.

There are only Tazaki Toru and Tachibana Rin at home, so Tazaki Toru also has to take on the responsibility of cooking.

Since living with the two female voice actresses, cooking has gradually become a part of Toru Tazaki's daily life, and it can be said that he has found one of the few hobbies besides music.

At noon, Toru Tazaki came out of the kitchen carrying the prepared dishes, took off his apron, folded it neatly, and hung it on the back of his chair.

Tazaki Toru went upstairs and gently knocked on Tachibana Rin's door.

"Miss Tachibana, it's time to come downstairs for lunch."

After knocking for a long time, there was still no response from inside.

Just as Tazaki Toru was hesitating about what to do, a girl's voice came from inside the house.

"I'm not hungry, cough..."

The girl's voice had lost its usual sharpness and vibrancy, carrying a hint of dullness.

Tazaki Toru keenly noticed this change and frowned slightly: "Ms. Tachibana, you sound a little weak."

"...Cough, cough—Leave me alone!"

If someone were to ask Tazaki Toru if he was a busybody, Tazaki Toru's answer would be "no".

He dislikes being entangled in trouble and is unwilling to get involved in anyone's troubles.

His favorite days were spent in the quiet music room, watching the cherry blossoms fall in the wind outside the window, and writing songs by himself.

To be a bystander in this world means to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear.

You can act as if it's none of your business, or remain silent and aphasic.

But if we do that, wouldn't we be repeating the same mistakes he made?

Only after they were all crying loudly did he arrive belatedly, feigning concern as he asked them what was wrong.

Tazaki Tooru didn't want to.

He wanted to listen; he wanted to confide in someone.

He didn't want to be a man who was slow to realize things, or pretend to be slow to realize things.

That would really go against Tazaki Toru's original intention.

Therefore, after careful consideration...

"I'm sorry, I was rude."

Tazaki Toru gently turned the doorknob.

And so, he tore down the walls she had so carefully built.

297. Don't come into my heart.

Beep beep beep—

Beep beep beep—

Brushing the strands of hair stuck to the corner of my mouth, I groggily stretched out my palm.

I fumbled around my pillow for a while, when the sudden light from my phone screen was incredibly glaring.

I turned off the alarm, but I had absolutely no desire to get out of bed. I thought to myself, "Just five more minutes of sleep."

I don't know how much time passed, so much so that I began to doubt, wondering if time would slip away exponentially while I was still in a daze.

I turned on my phone with a mix of hope and unease.

Sure enough, I'm going to be late.

In an instant, it felt like ice had landed on my back, sliding down my spine from the back of my neck to my groin. This astonishing chill prompted me to quickly throw off the covers and jump out of bed in a panic.

Ignoring the fact that I was only wearing one slipper, I went downstairs barefoot with my left foot and quickly went to the washroom.

Looking in the mirror, my unruly, sticking-up long hair annoyed me. It was such a hassle to manage, I definitely need to cut it off someday!

After washing up, changing clothes, and picking up my schoolbag, I heard my older sister's voice coming from the kitchen.

"Mingyou, let's have breakfast."

"No, I'm going to be late for class, I have to go now!"