Do I really have a thing for female voice actors?

Hina Aoki hasn't been here for a long time; the posters on the stairwell walls have been replaced time and time again.

The dark karaoke hall was empty; the bar had just closed for the night, and a faint aroma of alcohol lingered in the air.

"Manager, we're here," said Tazaki Toru.

Inside the bar, a middle-aged man with a beard, lying on a recliner, opened his cloudy eyes, saw Tazaki Toru's handsome face, and said weakly:

"Your things are in the lounge. Go get them yourself. I've been up all night, let me get some more sleep. Remember to close the door when you leave."

"Thank you, store manager."

Tazaki Toru turned to the girl and said, "Miss Hina, wait for me here for a moment."

"Ah."

Not long after, Tazaki Tou came out one after another, carrying several heavy boxes.

Aoki Hina could tell what was in the box at a glance.

Guitar, amplifier, effects pedals, microphone, keyboard.

Many, many.

Hina Aoki stared at Toru Tazaki in surprise.

"Tazaki-kun, what's wrong with you...?"

Tazaki Toru raised a gentle smile.

"I remember Ms. Hina saying that she wanted to start her own business."

"You once asked me if I would play the piano for you."

“I heard that Ms. Hina has recently encountered some difficulties in rehearsals, so I tried my best to think of what I could do for you.”

"On this rare day off, I made a decision for you without any explanation, and I'm really sorry."

"But I still want to hear Hina-san's free and cheerful piano music again."

Hina Aoki quietly looked at Toru Tazaki, her lips moving but no sound coming out.

Tazaki Toru's smile was so deeply etched in the girl's eyes that she didn't dare to blink, for fear that the next moment, it would all become her imagination.

"Let's go on a roadshow together."

"Today, I want to play the piano for you."

481. Her declaration of love was meant to be heard even by the heavens. (Two-in-one)

Leaving the live house.

Tazaki Toru and Aoki Hina each pulled a small cart loaded with equipment and supplies, walking through the streets of Shimokitazawa.

Along the way, Aoki Hina secretly glanced at Tazaki Toru's profile.

She had no choice but to agree to Tazaki Toru's proposal.

Ultimately, Hina Aoki simply couldn't resist Toru Tazaki.

It was still morning, and there weren't many pedestrians.

Having found an open space, Toru Tazaki began setting up the equipment.

"By the way, Ms. Hina."

Tazaki Toru suddenly spoke up, fiddling with the speaker while looking at the girl squatting beside him, taking a guitar out of its case.

"Won't your agent blame you for doing this without permission?"

"Huh? You're only bringing this up now?"

Seeing Tazaki Toru's expression freeze, Aoki Hina burst out laughing.

"It's okay. I was planning to pursue my own career anyway, so this is within the bounds of what's acceptable."

"That's good."

Tazaki Toru breathed a sigh of relief.

If this causes unnecessary trouble for Hina Aoki, then it would go against his original intention.

Tazaki Toru wrote the girl's name, Twitter account, and a message asking for her attention on the whiteboard with a marker.

Hina Aoki watched him silently, a strange emotion rising within her, as if her blood was bubbling and boiling, threatening to melt her veins at any moment.

The girl picked up her guitar and stood in front of the microphone, while a short distance behind her, Toru Tazaki straightened the keyboard.

In his previous life, after dropping out of school, Toru Tazaki also did street performances in London for a long time, so the feeling was not unfamiliar.

Although he was unable to sing MyGO's songs, Toru Tazaki did not simply immerse himself in composing music in his own world over the past year.

He could play any piece that Aoki Hina could name fluently without looking at the sheet music or thinking.

Aoki Hina could only sigh in response.

She went out with Toru Tazaki today with a certain determination.

Because she knew Tazaki Toru's personality very well, Aoki Hina didn't have too many romantic feelings about the "date" he mentioned.

As she expected, things turned out as expected.

Fingers moved swiftly across the piano keys, and as the melody echoed through the streets of Shimokitazawa, the girl's voice joined in.

The violin case lay open, like a silent, gaping mouth, on the rough cement floor at my feet.

Initially, there was only a whiteboard inside with Twitter accounts written on it.

As time went by, a few coins and one or two crumpled small-denomination banknotes gradually appeared scattered around.

The strings gleamed in the sunlight, and the sound of coins falling into the instrument case filled the air. On the edge of Shimokitazawa, they played the most pleasant melodies as they pleased.

The girl thought to herself that this feeling was truly wonderful and joyful. She had forgotten how long it had been since she had had such an experience, and she wished that time could stand still at this moment.

People around them took out their phones and started recording videos of them.

Hina Aoki felt no external influence; her fingers twitching the strings, her throat singing out loud—all of this seemed to happen unintentionally.

Only the girl's eyes kept looking back, fixed on him.

She remained completely unaware of the scattered applause around her until she finished playing the entire piece.

My heart is surging with emotion all by myself.

Seeing Aoki Hina standing there in a daze, Tazaki Toru, who was diagonally behind her, took the initiative to bow to the people who were supporting her.

"This concludes 'Guitar, Loneliness, and the Blue Planet.' Thank you very much for listening. Please follow Hina Aoki."

Upon hearing Tazaki Toru's words, the girl suddenly snapped out of her daze and hurriedly bowed in gratitude in all directions.

During this time, many young girls passing by stared at Tazaki Toru with shining eyes.

After pretending to follow Hina Aoki's account, he boldly approached Toru Tazaki and asked for her social media account.

Before Tazaki Toru could answer, Aoki Hina blocked all the girls, each showing a regretful expression.

Seeing Tazaki Toru being approached or questioned, she couldn't help but feel a surge of possessiveness.

However, when faced with Tachibana Rin and Tazaki Toru's affectionate behavior, this possessiveness might flare up, but he would very sensibly remain silent.

She was truly ruined by Tachibana Rin.

As noon approached, the number of people on the street gradually increased.

Patrolling police officers approached and advised them that unauthorized street performances were prohibited in their area. The two men repeatedly bowed and apologized, then hurriedly packed up their equipment.

He frantically pulled the cart around Shimokitazawa, drawing frequent glances from passersby.

The girl's sweat glistened, and she saw Toru Tazaki laughing hysterically beside her.

She had never seen such an unrestrained smile on Tazaki Toru's face before.

Only in this moment did Hina Aoki forget that she was a cat.

They were like mice being chased along with a large, menacing cat, which frightened them and made them scatter in all directions.

A feeling of sudden attraction began to spread and sprout within this soft body.

At any moment, an uncontrollable eruption could occur.

……

……

Hina Aoki stood alone on the stairs at the entrance of the live house, gazing up at the sky in a daze.

Shimokitazawa in May exudes a languid atmosphere. Standing on this street, as soon as you close your eyes, the excitement you felt during the roadshow will quietly rise again.

Aoki Hina still doesn't quite feel the reality of what happened today.

Originally, I thought that the reason why Tazaki Toru invited her out today was to say some comforting words to her and gently guide her out of her inner turmoil.

He has always been like this.

But Toru Tazaki didn't say anything; all the answers she had prepared in her mind were in vain.

He always does things that catch her off guard, yet excite her.

After a long while, Tazaki Toru walked back to the ground and came to the girl's side.

“It’s taking a little longer,” Hina Aoki said.

"The store manager seemed quite surprised and made a slight joke about it."

Hina Aoki could roughly imagine that the manager always had an unreliable personality, and she couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle:

"So Tazaki-kun had already thought of this. No wonder you wouldn't let me in earlier."

Tazaki Toru also laughed.

Afterwards, the two went to a nearby diner for lunch and then wandered aimlessly around the Honda Theater.

Sometimes we'd stop at a record store, listen to the same album, and discuss the music we each loved.

The girl stood in front of countless secondhand clothing stores, but didn't buy a single item.

Every minute she spent with Toru Tazaki felt like rolling around in a box full of catnip, enveloped in a scent she couldn't resist.