Do I really have a thing for female voice actors?

"I know, Tou-kun is just that kind of person. He always puts the band and our things first, so I won't be unhappy."

Upon hearing this, Tazaki Toru remained silent for a long while.

He suddenly looked into the girl's eyes and slowly said:

"Perhaps that's true, but in my heart, it's not just that."

"Hmm?" The girl looked bewildered.

"In this world, some things are destined to be ordered."

"This was not my original intention, but I could not escape this behavior and could not avoid it."

"From the moment I stepped into this industry, I had already made up my mind."

Seeing that Tazaki Toru's tone had changed, the girl felt a strange, premonition-like acceleration in her heart.

"I want to see you shine brighter than anyone else on stage."

"To this day, my thoughts remain unchanged."

391. The South House Priestess is about to unleash her power. (Two-in-one)

"More than anyone else?"

"Ah."

It's incredible.

I clearly lacked confidence compared to the other girls in the band; they were all beautiful, cute, and incredibly hardworking.

But for some reason, I only heard him say that.

Even I, a girl from the countryside, felt a desire to reciprocate his expectations...

A competitive spirit.

"Tou-kun, you wouldn't be saying the same thing to them, would you? It's just a way to motivate us to practice harder?"

Tazaki Toru chuckled, "Then I really don't sound like a good person."

"That's right, it's because you always take such good care of me and say things that make me overthink."

Seeing the girl pouting slightly, with a cute and earnest expression, Toru Tazaki thought for a moment.

"I have said similar things to them, hoping that each of you can shine on the stage, and that we can’t favor one over the other."

Little Hinata Mika was not surprised.

The Toru Tazaki she knew was just that kind of person.

Rather, if Toru Tazaki hadn't said these things to the other members, it would have only added to her stress.

All the expectations were placed on her alone. It was possible that Mika Kohinata might not be able to bear his expectations and would run away back to Minamibosou to clean the shrine.

Tazaki Toru looked at the girl in front of him and felt that every time he saw her silly face, he couldn't help but confide in her.

"Even so, I still have selfish motives."

"Even Tou-kun has selfish motives?"

Tazaki Toru smiled upon hearing this: "Does Mika think of me as a kind and equal person who treats everyone equally?"

To be honest, that's exactly what Mika Kohinata thought.

After spending so much time together, she thought she had figured out his personality and believed that he was someone who could always show kindness to those around him.

"Isn't that right?"

Of course not.

"My energy is limited, not inexhaustible. I just try my best not to do things that others will find annoying within my capabilities."

"You should understand that being resented by others is a very troublesome thing."

"If one day I run out of energy and have no time to care about anything else, I might become a selfish person."

"At that time, no matter who tries to befriend me, it won't work."

"Then what is the selfish motive that Toru-kun is referring to...?"

She seemed to have a premonition, looking into Tazaki Toru's eyes as if seeking confirmation.

He had his usual gentle smile on his lips, but his eyes were unusually serious.

"I want to see Ms. Takagi Mika from the countryside, who was not defeated by reality and achieved her dream."

“Didn’t Meijia ever tell me that this is no longer just your dream, but ours?”

"I have always remembered it, and I have never forgotten it for a moment."

"I think this is probably my personal reason."

Mika Kohinata rarely shows such an expression on Toru Tazaki's face.

He always treated people with a gentle and refined demeanor, as if he were in complete control.

I've only ever seen him with such a serious expression when he's playing the piano or writing songs.

What was reflected in Toru Katasaki's eyes was neither piano keys nor sheet music.

She was just an ordinary girl.

It seems that she can always find the confidence she lacks in Toru Tazaki.

When he failed the audition, he always arrived just in time, like the wind, when he was selected as the bassist for MyGO.

It was as if he were truly idle, constantly watching her from where she couldn't see him.

This sense of security it brings her is perhaps a unique privilege reserved for Mika Kohinata.

……

……

After finishing their unremarkable lunch, Toru Tazaki and Mika Kohinata strolled aimlessly around the Shinsaibashi shopping street.

Because of what Toru Tazaki had said earlier, Mika Kohinata could hear the rhythm of Toru Tazaki's chest clearly just by walking next to him.

Tazaki Toru himself, however, seemed to show no such reaction whatsoever, remaining calm and composed as usual.

He clearly said those embarrassing things, so how could she possibly walk beside him with a normal heart?

Mika Kohinata had fantasized that perhaps Toru Tazaki shared the same feelings, but she never dared to go up and confirm it.

Hearing Tazaki Toru's words today gave her an unparalleled sense of peace.

She cherished the wonderful atmosphere of being together, where she didn't have to worry about each other and could say whatever she wanted.

I wish I could point a remote control at the sky and press pause on everything in the world—the wind, the people, the flowers.

So that she could see his profile more clearly.

"Meijia, look over there."

"Meijia?"

Tazaki Toru kept calling the girl's name, and Kohinata Mika suddenly came to her senses, almost bumping into an oncoming pedestrian. She immediately bowed and apologized.

The girl looked in the direction Tazaki Toru had indicated; a lottery event seemed to be taking place in the shopping district.

Mika Kohinata immediately became interested, twirling her long skirt between her fingers, and took cheerful little steps to the lottery booth.

The simple girl from the countryside seemed to be easily attracted to this kind of friendly activity.

It's Friday today, and there are very few people queuing up for the lucky draw. I imagine it will get much livelier tonight.

"Tou-kun, where's the receipt for the meal?"

They can enter a prize draw by presenting their previous receipts from the set meal restaurant.

Tazaki Toru handed over the previous receipt, and Kohinata Mika took a look at it and immediately beamed with joy.

Her narrow eyes gleamed with eager anticipation as she waved the receipt in her hand.

"Look, Tou-kun, you can try your luck in the lottery!"

Tazaki Toru glanced at the list of prizes.

The girl also craned her neck to look, muttering to herself, "The first prize is an LCD TV, um... even if I win, how am I going to move it back to Tokyo?"

"This is really inhumane. It would be great if we could just cash it out."

Mika Kohinata was quite annoyed.

Tazaki Toru really didn't know what kind of expression to make. She hadn't even drawn the prize yet, and she was already thinking about how to bring it home.

In a sense, Mika Kohinata seems to be a very confident girl.

I really hope her confidence will be used in the right way.

Without much hesitation, Mika Kohinata went to the stall. The middle-aged woman in front of her left happily, carrying a whole bag of toilet paper.

"Am I supposed to carry this huge bag of toilet paper all the way back to Tokyo?" Mika Kohinata couldn't help but worry.

Tazaki Toru pointed to the portable tissues with the shopping street pattern printed on them piled on the cutting board.

"Perhaps there's only a small packet, which you can put in your pocket."

Mika Kohinata immediately showed her displeasure.

"Don't underestimate the shrine maidens of the Minamibosou family. You know, shrine maidens have special benefits when they draw prizes."

"But you didn't win a ticket to Minase-san's live performance, did you?"

Mika Kohinata's eyes widened in shock, completely at a loss for words, utterly unable to refute Toru Tazaki's statement.

Tazaki Toru couldn't help but chuckle: "Alright, it's our turn. Go draw yours."

The clerk at the lottery booth was a young man. When Mika Kohinata looked at the huge, dark box in front of her, she suddenly hesitated.

"Hmm... let Toru-kun do it."

"Isn't it said that shrine maidens receive special benefits?"

"This isn't the South House, playing away is a debuff."