Do I really have a thing for female voice actors?

To this day, Aoki Hina has maintained a very harmonious relationship with her.

However, the way she peeked in from outside, laughing and joking, was as annoying as the first mosquito that appeared on a hot summer day.

"Rin-chan, why aren't you playing games? What are you doing here?"

Rin Tachibana walked in with a grin, her hands behind her back, exuding a seductive aura. Hina Aoki couldn't help but narrow her eyes.

"I've come to see if you two have received any special instruction."

"Special instruction?" Tazaki Toru asked, puzzled.

Hina Aoki put her hands on her hips: "Don't say such strange things."

"Is 'special instruction' such a strange thing?" Tazaki Toru turned to look at Aoki Hina.

Miss Aoki was immediately stumped by Toru Tazaki's question, and stood there, unable to utter a complete sentence.

"Oh dear? I mean, did you guys secretly practice while I was doing this? What kind of lessons are you talking about?"

Hina Aoki gritted her teeth slightly.

"Oh no, the Japanese dish is going to breathe on it! I was just kidding!" Tachibana Rin quickly came over and took out a plate of fruit hidden behind her back, which had sliced ​​fruit on it.

Obviously, Rin Tachibana couldn't possibly be carrying a knife; she was just putting fresh-cut fruit she bought from the supermarket on a plate.

"Hehe, have some fruit first, don't be angry." She picked up some fruit with her fingers and stuffed it into Aoki Hina's mouth without saying a word.

"What exactly do you want? Hmm... Ahhh, it's quite sweet."

"I just want to ask, isn't it my turn?"

"what?"

"Look, we're both off today. Now that you're done, isn't it my turn?"

Tazaki Toru sat silently to the side, pondering whether Tachibana Rin's use of "use" referred to him.

Hina Aoki sighed, "Rin-chan, I'm not against you liking to play games, but I have to remind you."

"Rin-chan, you're the one who should be practicing the most. You kept making mistakes during your guitar lesson arranged by the agency yesterday."

"If this continues, your role might get replaced."

"Ugh~~~~ But my fingers are really sore, look~"

Forced to watch a lesbian love triangle, Tazaki Toru was at a loss for how to react when his phone suddenly vibrated.

"Excuse me, I need to go outside to take this call."

Upon entering the corridor, Tazaki Toru answered the phone, and Yoshimura, the store manager, came from the other end.

"Tazaki-kun, I have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"

48. If this continues, I might have to become your sole supporter from now on, really.

Good news and bad news.

Tazaki Toru didn't show much emotion. After two months of getting along, Tazaki Toru could almost always see through Yoshimura's tricks.

When Yoshimura speaks to him in this tone, Toru Nazaki is certain that it can't be a bad thing.

"Please stop beating around the bush, shopkeeper. Just get to the point. Is it about the music?"

"Yes."

Tazaki Toru remained calm and silent, waiting quietly for Yoshimura to continue.

"Um, Tazaki-kun, it's a little embarrassing to say, but about the Sky Cup I submitted before."

"Ah."

Tazaki Toru thought that if the other party were to say something like "You've been selected!" or "You've already won!"—words that deliberately start low and then rise high, creating a reversal of extremes—he would hang up the phone immediately.

"I would like to ask if you are willing to withdraw your submission?"

"...Huh?"

To Toru Tazaki's utter surprise, there was no twist, but rather truly bad news.

"Is something wrong?"

Tazaki Toru's tone was calm, and he didn't sound anxious.

Tazaki Toru's strength lies in his ability to find solutions to problems.

"I guess so, but there's also some good news."

"Actually, the reason is that I introduced your song to an acquaintance, and after listening to it, the other party expressed great interest in you and is now recruiting composers for a new project."

"If this goes through, they hope to buy your music and make it part of their project."

"Conversely, this means you won't be able to participate in the Sky Cup."

"The project itself isn't big; in many people's eyes, it's just a small-scale operation. But this will be your first step into the professional world, and I think it should be of great help to you."

"Simply put..."

Yoshimura took a deep breath: "Tazaki-kun, your chance has come!"

So that's how it is; the plot twist is here.

“I see,” Tazaki Toru replied.

"Huh? Why is this not the reaction I expected?"

"What kind of response does the store manager think I should make?"

"At first, they anxiously questioned why, but after learning the truth, they were amazed by my connections and regarded me as their benefactor. From then on, they were willing to dedicate their lives to SHELTER."

"lifetime?"

"lifetime!"

Adults who constantly use the word "lifetime" are somewhat naive, but Toru Tazaki saw in it that Yoshimura truly wanted to make music for a lifetime.

For some reason, well... I was actually somewhat moved.

"Manager, to be honest, there was a moment when I really wanted to hang up the phone and not go to work for three days straight. If you had just told me from the beginning that you had good news, I would be extremely grateful now."

“I always felt that lacked dramatic effect.”

"Please don't pursue that kind of thing in the real world."

However, after saying those words, Toru Tazaki, as always, chose to say what he wanted to say.

Do not lie, do not be perfunctory.

"Thank you so much. I understand that although the store manager makes it sound very easy, connections are something that needs to be built up. It's kind of nice to have someone like me, a part-time employee, so for that."

"With my current abilities, it is indeed difficult to repay you. I can only ask that you allow me to make a promise of 'payment upon death'. When I become successful, I can treat you when I go to an izakaya."

"It's just a treat?!" Yoshimura laughed heartily and said:

"With your skill level, even without me, submitting your work to the Qingkong Cup will inevitably lead to fame sooner or later."

"Perhaps that's true, but I'm used to expressing my gratitude verbally, and I feel extremely awkward if I don't. So I'm really grateful to the store manager."

"I just can't say things like, 'I'll definitely help you if you need my help in the future.'"

"At most, I can only write songs and compose music. If the store manager is going to bother me, it must be for this kind of work."

"To put it another way, if I were to accidentally join a shady company in the future, like your composer friend who is currently embroiled in a lawsuit over the ownership of a piece of music, right?"

"I never want to break a promise, so it's hard to make any guarantees. After considering everything, I still think that treating you to drinks is the most practical thing to do, and I will never go back on my word."

"Furthermore, I would be very happy to drink with the store manager and Ms. Kuroki, among others."

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone.

"Tazaki-kun, are you really only 21 years old? How can you speak so calmly and without making any mistakes?"

"This is the first time I've met a young person like you. Should I say you're just straightforward, or inflexible...?"

"In short, I like it."

"If this continues, I might have to promote you exclusively from now on, really."

"Was I just harassed by the local leader who was doing my part-time job? I'm a little worried."

"Hahaha! Tazaki-kun, I didn't expect you to be able to make a joke sometimes."

"........."

"Huh? You're kidding, right?"

……

……

After returning to the music room.

Hina Aoki and Rin Tachibana were sitting together, and to To Toru Tazaki's surprise, Rin was holding an electric guitar.

Although her little mouth was pouting, her face was long and she looked very unwilling, her fingers didn't stop.

As soon as Tazaki Toru walked in, her face immediately lit up: "Tazaki, look at my C chord."

Tazaki Toru only heard the sound of the frets striking the strings.

Seeing Tazaki Toru's serious expression, Aoki Hina couldn't help but ask him what had happened.

Tazaki Toru did not hide anything.

When Aoki Hina learned that someone wanted to buy "Spring Shadows," her eyes widened, and she stood there dumbfounded, at a loss for words.

Taking advantage of the moment, Tachibana Rin's eyes darted around, and she put down her guitar and dashed out.

It can only be said that the languidness of May is perfectly embodied in Tachibana Rin.

Aoki Hina didn't care about Tachibana Rin's departure or stay. Instead, she looked into Tazaki Toru's eyes and asked softly, "So, from now on, I can't just play Kasuga Kage anytime?"

"No one in the world can stop you from playing a particular song."

"That's true... but it's inevitable to feel some regret and loneliness."

"Lonely?" Tazaki Toru asked, puzzled.