[Vol 1] A Romantic Comedy About Flirting and Getting Married to a Popular Voice Actress Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - The Final Chance

 

“Haa… What should I do to make this work somehow…”

Sitting at the office desk, reading through the 『Mikoto』 audition script, I let out a deep sigh.

Ever since that pilgrimage, Ai-chan had been practicing desperately. While thinking about Mikoto’s character, she kept acting out the lines that weren’t working over and over again in different ways. Of course, I stayed with her through it all, giving various bits of advice in my own amateur way, but…

In the end, even now, Ai-chan still wasn’t able to give a performance she could be satisfied with.

How could she catch up to Riko-san? That single question kept her trapped in constant worry.

Three days remained until the audition. But with the hesitation lingering in Ai-chan’s acting, it would probably be very difficult for her to pass.

If that happened, Ai-chan would quit being a voice actress, and I would get fired as well. The fun future where she played the main heroine would never come. Worse, I’d lose my income, wouldn’t be able to pay my tuition… I wouldn’t even be able to cover food expenses. I’d seriously be unable to survive. I absolutely didn’t want a future like that.

That’s why I want to give Ai-chan some advice—but what on earth should I even say…?

“Good work today, Kanata-san.”

“Fwah!?”

Startled by the sudden voice, I turned around. Standing behind me was a familiar large chest.

“M-Maya-san… Good work today…”

“How are things going? You don’t seem to be doing very well.”

“Ah… you could tell right away…?”

“Yes. I can tell just by looking at your face. Your posture also looks somewhat depressed, and the documents I asked you to organize yesterday are piled up like this. What’s going on? I’ll kill you, you know?”

“S-Sorry! I kind of spaced out!”

Faced with her icy glare, my body trembled instinctively. I hurriedly got back to work.

But… I still couldn’t focus. I kept thinking about Ai-chan…

“Haa… It’s about Ai-chan, isn’t it?”

Sitting down at her own desk beside me, Maya-san peered into my face.

“Things don’t seem to be going well. You’ve been working hard for her lately.”

“No, the one working hard is Ai-chan. Unfortunately, the slump is real, though…”

I told Maya-san everything about the current situation. How Ai-chan was trying to catch up to Riko-san but couldn’t quite make it work. And how I didn’t know what kind of advice I should give her.

“Ai-chan… she’s desperately trying to catch up to the previous voice actress for Mikoto, but she can’t seem to get a solid feel for it… Maybe because of that hesitation, there’s something off about her acting…”

“I see… And that’s worrying you so much that you can’t focus on work at all.”

“Um… I’m really sorry…”

Unable to endure her piercing gaze, I looked away.

Then, Maya-san let out a sigh.

“Haa… I suppose it can’t be helped. Then shall I give you a bit of advice?”

“Eh…?”

“I am your senior, after all. Helping a junior who’s lost at work is part of the job. I’ll only say very obvious things, though.”

Saying that, Maya-san turned her body toward me. I met her gaze once more.

“There’s just one thing I want to say. To be blunt, worrying too much about an audition doesn’t really mean much.”

“Eh…?”

“No matter how much you worry, in the end, all you can do is have her perform in her own way.”

Her own way… of acting?

“No matter how hard people try, they can’t bring out strength beyond their actual ability. And the time when they can demonstrate their full ability the most is when they act in a way that’s true to themselves. If they try to do more than that—overthinking or forcing themselves—cracks will inevitably appear somewhere.”

That did make sense. People can grow little by little, but they can’t suddenly do more than they’re capable of. Especially not in a tense situation like an audition.

“Of course, being aware of the previous voice actress is important. But if you—the biggest fan—feel something off about her acting, then she must be forcing herself. As a result, I think that’s actually taking away from Ai-chan’s strengths.”

“But… can she really pass the audition just by acting the way she normally does…?”

“…Kanata-san, do you think Ai-chan doesn’t have what it takes to win the audition with her own ability?”

“N-No…! That’s not what I mean at all…!”

“But if she does have the ability, then all she needs to do is make use of it, right?”

“…………!”

She was right… That’s exactly what I’d believed during the previous audition too—I’d been confident, thinking, 『Ai-chan can do this!』

“If something is impossible with your current ability, no amount of struggling will change that. But if you do have the ability, then as long as you bring it out properly, there’s no need for tricks. I think overthinking things actually pushes you further away from your goal.”

“M-Maya-san…!”

“In the end, there’s no need to force yourself to surpass others. She’s fine just the way she is. I want Ai-chan to fully bring out her own ability—one hundred percent.”

Her words sank in surprisingly well.

That’s it… What really matters is having Ai-chan give it her all. In her current state—overthinking and hesitating—even something she could pass might slip away.

How she should act… If we take another good look at who she truly is, the answer should become clear…!

“Maya-san… thank you very much! Thanks to you, I’ve figured out my direction!”

“That’s good to hear. Now then, please organize the documents. They’re piled up quite high.”

“Yes! I’ll work myself to death!”

With gratitude toward Maya-san, I started sorting through the accumulated paperwork.

I’ll finish work quickly and head home. Then I’ll give Ai-chan the advice she needs!

 

※

 

After finishing my work at the office, I hurried home at a light jog.

I wanted to tell Ai-chan the advice Maya-san had given me as soon as possible. Driven by that single thought, I opened the front door and headed toward the living room where she usually was. That’s when I heard a voice.

『Hey, Kacchan. Come on, wake up already, will you? We’ve got a test today—you’re gonna be late!』

It was a line I’d grown familiar with recently—Mikoto’s dialogue. A line from the scene where she wakes up the protagonist.

But the one reading it wasn’t Ai-chan. The voice was coming from the TV.

And then—

『I know better than anyone how great you are, Kacchan. So please don’t feel so down, okay?』

“I know better than anyone how great you are, Kacchan. So please don’t feel so down, okay?”

In sync with the line playing on the TV, Ai-chan spoke the same words aloud. Even the breathing pauses and intonation were a perfect imitation.

Ai-chan continued reading several more lines in the same way.

Then, once a scene ended, she finally stopped the anime.

“Phew… I guess that’s about it… Huh? Oh—Kanata? You’re already back!”

Ai-chan suddenly turned around and noticed me standing at the entrance of the room. Her expression was different from the anxious look she’d been wearing lately—it seemed oddly refreshed.

“H-Hey… Ai-chan…? What were you just doing? And that footage just now…”

“Ah, yeah. That was the old 『Kimi to mita sora』.”

As she said that, Ai-chan held up a rental shop bag. Sure enough, the footage from earlier was from the old animation of 『Kimi to mita sora』. But what exactly had she been doing while watching it…?

“Actually, since I just couldn’t get Mikoto’s acting right, I thought I’d use this as reference.”

“Reference… You mean, like how you were copying the lines just now?”

“Yeah. I used to record this show and watch it over and over, so I thought I remembered it pretty well—but rewatching it like this, I realized a lot of things! The reason I couldn’t read the lines properly before seems to be because I was half-remembering things and trying to imitate Riko-san.”

“…………!”

──Half-remembering, and trying to imitate Riko-san…?

I see… So that was the source of the discomfort I’d been feeling…!

Everything clicked into place. The strange sense of wrongness I’d felt toward Ai-chan’s Mikoto.

It wasn’t that Ai-chan couldn’t act Mikoto’s lines well. She’d been deliberately trying to match her performance to her vague memory of Riko-san’s acting—and failing. As a result, it became an act completely different from her usual style, and that’s why it felt off.

But after properly reviewing Riko-san’s actual performance, she seemed to have regained her confidence.

“But I think I’ll be fine now! I’ve properly engraved the previous Riko-san’s acting into my head! With this, I won’t hesitate anymore! I’ll definitely win the role of Mikoto with my own hands!”

“No… please don’t do that…”

“Eh…?”

“Stop that kind of acting!”

At my sudden shout, Ai-chan recoiled in surprise.

“W-What…? Why are you suddenly yelling? What’s wrong…?”

“I’m telling you, I want you to stop. Acting while using the previous voice actress as your base…”

“Eeh!? Why!? How come!?”

This time, Ai-chan shouted back at me.

“There was already a voice actress who played the same character before, so of course it makes sense to use her as reference, right!? Even if some time has passed, Mikoto from 『Kimizora』 is popular! People who watch the anime probably want a Mikoto like that, don’t they!?”

“That’s true… Being conscious of the previous person might be important… When a voice actor changes and a character’s way of speaking changes drastically, a lot of people complain… And even aside from that, I think learning from others’ acting is important…”

“Right!? That’s why, until just now, I was—”

“But! If it’s just imitation, then there’s no meaning in you acting her, Ai-chan!”

“……!”

Ai-chan fell silent.

“Being bound by Riko-san’s acting and forcing yourself to use a voice completely different from your usual one—that’s absolutely wrong! In fact, I didn’t think your acting just now was good at all!”

At my words, Ai-chan’s expression stiffened with sadness. Maybe she was shocked that I—someone who called himself her biggest fan—was denying her so directly.

“Because… that acting just now wasn’t your acting, Ai-chan. That was Riko-san’s style. If you imitate it, you’ll only end up as a lesser version of Riko-san.”

“That can’t be…”

“Riko-san’s acting is definitely amazing. Fans might want that kind of performance in the next anime too… But if you’re just copying it, then anyone could do that, right? At that point, there wouldn’t even be a reason to hold auditions.”

“B-But… then what am I supposed to do!? If I can’t imitate Riko-san, then what kind of acting should I—”

“Isn’t it obvious!? Do the acting that only you can do, Ai-chan!”

That was my honest wish. I wanted her to bring out her own individuality and portray a Mikoto that was uniquely hers—different from Riko-san, the former voice actress.

“T-The acting only I can do…? But if I do that, the audition—”

“You’ll pass for sure! Because your acting is charming, Ai-chan!”

If her acting didn’t have charm, a fan like me would never have existed! I fell in love with her after seeing her true acting in 『Magi☆Mari』. My very existence is proof that her acting has appeal!

“So believe in yourself. And I want you to compete with your own acting. ──No, you have to. Because that’s the kind of cast the directors are looking for.”

I grabbed Ai-chan’s shoulders and looked straight into her eyes.

“If you’re going to do it, then surpass the previous cast with your own individuality!”

“…………!”

Ai-chan stared back at me intently. Her expression looked as if she’d suddenly come to her senses—like she’d realized something important. There was a strength in her eyes that hadn’t been there just moments ago.

Then, she opened her mouth.

“…Alright. I’ll try. I’ll compete with my own acting…!”

“Ai-chan…! That’s the spirit!”

“Then let’s redo the acting plan right away! You’ll help me too, Kanata, right?”

“Yeah, of course! There are still three days left until the audition! Let’s think it through together—only the Mikoto that you can do, Ai-chan!”

Ai-chan nodded and spread out the audition script.

And so, the two of us began working out the acting plan once again.

 

※

 

[Ai-chan's POV]

 

──The evening before the audition. I arrived in front of the office.

Ever since Kanata convinced me two days ago, I had been desperately reworking my acting plan.

I took another look at Mikoto’s character, searched for my own strengths while using Kanata’s opinions as reference, and kept experimenting to figure out what kind of charm I could bring out in Mikoto.

And now, there was something about the acting plan that I absolutely wanted to consult him about, so I came to see Kanata, but……

“Is it really okay to just drop by out of the blue…?”

To be honest, I don’t really know what kind of work Kanata usually does. He should be a regular office worker, so I should be able to see him if I come, but…… he won’t send me away, right……?

“No, that probably won’t happen…… I think……”

I don’t want to get in the way of Kanata while he’s working, either. Even today, I was originally supposed to be practicing other scenes while waiting for him to come home.

But the audition is tomorrow. I want to clear up my doubts as soon as possible.

Honestly, it’s strange that I’m still polishing my acting plan when the audition is already tomorrow…… but this is also for giving it my all. I want to think things through with everything I’ve got until the very end.

“For now, let’s just go inside……”

I pushed open the glass door of the office and headed straight for the elevator. After stepping onto the floor where Kanata worked, I quietly peeked inside to see what was going on.

Then──I found him. Kanata was working in the back, mixed in with the other office staff.

“Yes, yes…… about that…… if possible, that would be fine…… yes……”

It looked like he was making requests to someone over the phone. He kept bowing his head as he talked, then, after finishing the call, he immediately dialed another number and started bowing again.

“Kanata…… he might be busier than I thought……”

It’s kind of hard to talk to him like this…… but I need to resolve this quickly too……

No choice…… I’ll get closer without getting in his way, and talk to him as soon as I see an opening. I’ll finish it quickly.

Having decided that, I walked over to Kanata’s side. As I got closer, I began to hear his voice more clearly.

“Yes…… yes…… at that time, by all means, please use ours…… yes, yes…… we’ll be waiting……”

Even though the other person couldn’t see him, Kanata bowed again and again. Just as I thought he’d hung up, he called someone else right away.

What in the world is he talking about……? I’m starting to get really curious. I know I shouldn’t, but my curiosity got the better of me, and I started listening in.

Just then, someone spoke to me from behind.

“Good morning, Ai-chan. Do you have some business with Kanata-san?”

“Npyah!?”

A strange sound slipped out of my throat.

When I turned around, there was a female office worker standing there. If I remember correctly…… Maya-san, was it?

“I’m sorry. Did I startle you?”

“N-No! I’m the one who’s sorry! I just came in here without permission……”

“That’s fine. You’re here to see Kanata-san, right? He’s on the phone right now, so could you wait just a little while?”

“Y-Yes! Of course!”

Looking over, I saw that Kanata was still on the phone. As always, he kept bowing his head, repeating things like 『Thank you very much』 and 『Would you consider using ours?』 over and over, as if making some kind of request.

What is this all about……? Just as my curiosity reached its limit……

“Still…… this is wonderful, Ai-chan. I think you’re very lucky, you know?”

“Eh……?”

While looking at Kanata, Maya-san spoke to me.

“U-Um…… what do you mean by that……?”

“Oh? You don’t understand? I’m talking about Kanata-san. Even now, all those phone calls he’s making are for your sake.”

“Eeh……?”

“He’s promoting you to increase your work. To directors who have connections with our company.”

That much……? He’s really going that far? Even though I’m about to get fired? Even though if I fail tomorrow’s audition, I’ll have to quit being a voice actress—why would he start promoting me now……?

“He must believe in you. That you’ll definitely pass the audition.”

As if sensing my feelings, Maya-san answered my unspoken question.

K-Kanata……! To think he believes in my ability that seriously……!

“But even if you pass the audition, without other work, you’ll eventually hit a dead end. He wants you to be more active, Ai-chan. That’s why he’s promoting you now, for the future.”

“So that’s how it is……”

“By the way, the audition you’re taking tomorrow only became possible thanks to Kanata-san’s hard work. Haven’t you heard about that?”

“Eeh!? I haven’t heard a single word about that……”

Kanata…… for me not to get fired, he’s been working that hard behind the scenes……!

“He’s no longer just a fan—he’s a proper manager now. Even considering that his own job is on the line too, it’s rare to see someone with that much passion, you know?”

“Y-Yes……! That’s true……!”

Really…… I can’t imagine anyone other than Kanata caring about me this much……!

What is this……? I’m so happy…… too happy…… I feel like I want to hug Kanata right now……!

“Ai-chan…… please do your best tomorrow, okay? For his feelings not to go to waste.”

“Yes……! I’ll do my absolute best!”

I’ve never felt this motivated before. That’s how passionately I answered.

Just then, Kanata called out to me.

“Huh? Ai-chan, you were here? Did something happen?”

“Ah, yeah! There’s a scene I want to talk to you about—”

As I talked with him, I reaffirmed my resolve.

I will definitely pass the audition safely—and repay Kanata for everything he’s done.

 

※

 

[Kanata's POV]

 

──And then, at last, the day of the audition arrived. Ai-chan and I came to the venue together.

We entered the waiting room with a comfortable 30 minutes to spare, but several female voice actors were already inside. They were reviewing the audition script, quietly checking how to read their lines, and putting all their energy into their final preparations.

“…………”

Seeing her rivals with her own eyes, Ai-chan’s face stiffened. Not everyone here was auditioning for Mikoto, but there were still many competitors. It was only natural for her to be on guard.

Wanting to ease her nerves even a little, I silently placed a hand on her shoulder. Then, bringing her along with me, I sat down on an empty bench.

We tried to wait calmly for our turn, but……

“Hey…… Ai-chan……? Are you okay……?”

“Shake, shake… tremble, tremble… shake, shake… tremble, tremble…”

Ai-chan, sitting next to me, was so tense it was almost unbelievable. She didn’t seem to hear my voice at all, sweat pouring down her face as her body trembled in small, constant shakes.

“H-hey, Ai-chan……? Hellooo……?”

“Uhyahhh!? Eh, what is it……!? I failed……!? I didn’t pass……!?”

“No, you haven’t even performed yet……”

“Ah, right…… fuu…… fuuuuu……”

She let out a long breath, then immediately started trembling again. This is scary. Is she having convulsions or something?

On top of that, she looked around nervously, her eyes darting about in fear.

“……Haa. I see now……”

It seemed she was bothered by the other participants nearby, all of them reading their scripts.

Normally, as her manager, this would be the moment to clearly tell her, 『Don’t worry about other people. Focus on yourself』.

But this time, it felt unavoidable. Because──

『Hey, Kacchan〜. Come on, wake up already〜 will you? We’ve got a test today, you’re gonna be late〜?』

『I know better than anyone how great you are, Kacchan〜. So please don’t feel so down, okay〜?』

『Kyaa! Don’t look, Kacchan〜! My panties today aren’t cu-cute〜!』

Every participant practicing Mikoto was imitating the previous actress, Riko-san. When Ai-chan watched the BD she borrowed, the former Mikoto spoke with a sweet, slightly slurred, very distinctive tone. A cute sound that made your ears happy, something you could listen to forever. Everyone was copying that.

“…………”

Listening to everyone else’s performances of Mikoto, Ai-chan’s expression drooped even more than it had at the previous audition. She was probably feeling uneasy because her acting direction was different from everyone else’s.

“Am I…… really going to be okay……?”

Her hands trembled as she held the script, muttering to no one in particular. Her voice sounded like she was about to cry.

“Ai-chan.”

I called her name and leaned in to look at her downcast face.

“You’ll be fine. Ai-chan, you put in the right kind of effort. You can be confident about that.”

“K-Kanata……”

“And besides…… I think Ai-chan has the most ability out of everyone here.”

At those words, she looked up at me.

“At least when it comes to acting for the role of Mikoto…… everyone here is worse than Riko-san. With that level, they won’t pass the audition.”

I said it quietly so no one around us could hear.

From what I could tell, all the other participants who were following the previous Riko-san were nothing more than inferior copies of her. Since the role and lines were the same, that difference stood out even more clearly.

“But Ai-chan is different. Your acting isn’t some watered-down version of the previous one—it has your own unique flavor. There’s a kind of Mikoto that only Ai-chan can portray!”

Ai-chan’s original way of acting wasn’t something that could be simply compared to Riko-san’s. Each of them had their own strengths in their performances.

“Ai-chan is the only performer here who can stand shoulder to shoulder with the previous actress──no, you might even surpass her! So have confidence!”

“……Yeah. Kanata, thank you!”

Ai-chan nodded firmly, her almost-tearful expression changing into her usual cute smile.

“I’ll do my best! I’ll give it one hundred percent and definitely win the role!”

“Yeah, that’s the spirit! Go get ’em!”

As I said that and tapped her on the shoulder, it happened to be exactly time for the audition to begin.

“Alright, our first participant. Yamamoto Misaki-san, please.”

“Yes!”

The first participant was called, and the girl whose name was announced headed into the recording booth. After her performance ended, the next name was called.

In this way, the performances were evaluated one by one, and before long, it was Ai-chan’s turn.

“Aizaki Yuka-san. Please.”

“Ah…… yes!”

At last…… it was finally time. The decisive moment had arrived.

──It’s okay. Don’t overthink it, just give it everything you’ve got!

I sent her a look filled with that meaning, and Ai-chan nodded once more.

Then, holding the audition script in her hand, she headed alone into the recording booth.

 

※

 

[Ai-chan's POV]

 

──Thank goodness…… Thanks to Kanata, I think I can finally give it my all……!

As I walked down the hallway toward the booth, I let out a quiet sigh of relief, placing a hand over my chest.

If it weren’t for Kanata’s encouragement, I would’ve started doubting my acting again. In that state, I probably wouldn’t have been able to bring out even half of what I’d practiced. All the effort I put in would’ve gone to waste.

But I’m different now. I believe in everything I’ve worked for up until now—and in Kanata, who acknowledged that effort. I’ll pass this audition!

“Excuse me!”

First, I opened the door to the control room and showed myself to the staff inside—the sound engineers, the director, the producer, and the others.

I’ll make them recognize my ability……!

With that determination in my heart, I finished my self-introduction and greetings. I bowed in response to a kind “Do your best” from someone who seemed to be the sound director, then left the control room.

And finally, I stepped into the recording booth.

──But at that very moment, I hesitated, just a little.

“……”

Inside the booth were a monitor mounted on the wall, a few floor chairs and a long bench lined up in the corner, and in the center, standing alone, the familiar microphone on its stand.

And the only one here…… is me.

──It really does feel so lonely……

It’s obvious, but auditions don’t have visuals, and there’s no one to act alongside you. This isn’t my first time in this studio, but standing here alone makes it feel surprisingly vast. That emptiness feels unbearably lonely… and scary.

This sense of isolation always brings negative thoughts with it whenever I audition…… The low chances of passing an audition with so many applicants…… All the effort and materials I’ve gathered that become meaningless the moment I fail…… The anxiety of not getting work, of not earning income……

Just when my spirits had finally lifted, my knees started shaking again from the tension. Even my steps toward the microphone felt heavy.

Getting anxious over something like this again…… I hate how weak my heart is……!

As those thoughts ran through my mind……

“Ah……!”

Feeling someone’s gaze, I suddenly turned around.

And then…… I saw Kanata standing in the control room on the other side of the glass.

Kanata came to watch my performance as my manager……!

『Ai-chan is the only performer here who can stand shoulder to shoulder with the previous actress──no, you might even surpass her! So have confidence!』

Seeing him smiling gently, I remembered his encouraging words. And strangely enough, just like that, the trembling in my knees disappeared.

Really…… Kanata is always there to help me……!

Over the past few days, Kanata has done so much for my sake. When I struggled with how to act, when we discussed Mikoto’s character, even during actual practice—he always gave me advice with genuine care.

I don’t think there’s another manager like Kanata anywhere in the world. I’m truly happy that I met him.

That’s why I have to repay him. I need to give a great performance, win this audition, and make Kanata happy. By landing this role, I have to prove how capable he is as a manager.

Thinking that, strength welled up inside me once more……!

“Aizaki Yuka-san, are you ready?”

“Yes! Please begin!”

I bowed toward the sound director in the control room.

“Alright. We’ll light the CUE lamp, so please state your agency, name, and role, then begin.”

“Yes!”

I turned back toward the microphone and confirmed the lamp lighting up red.

This is where my battle begins!

 

※

 

[Kanata's POV]

 

"I'm Aizaki Yuka from 『Light Road』. I’ll be playing the role of Shinonome Mikoto!"

Ai-chan declared inside the booth, and at last, the audition began. I quietly watched the scene from the control room.

Shinonome Mikoto──the ultra-important main heroine of 『Kimizora』. An honest and cheerful girl, a slightly airheaded childhood friend. Her charm lies in the little offbeat remarks she shows from time to time.

Focusing on those traits, the previous actress had played her with a sweet, cute voice, stretching the ends of her lines. That approach fit the character well, which was probably why the other audition participants were all imitating Riko-san’s acting.

But Ai-chan’s approach was…… a little different.

『Hey, Kacchan. Come on, wake up already, will you? We’ve got a test today—you’re gonna be late!』

Compared to Riko-san and the others, Ai-chan went on the offensive with a clearer voice and a slightly calmer tone. That was because Mikoto wasn’t just a cute character—she was someone who hid a strong core within herself. To express that inner strength, Ai-chan had carefully refined her performance.

“Ho…… I see……”

I could hear the sound director murmuring. His voice sounded like he was weighing her performance—yet clearly impressed. The other staff members were also watching Ai-chan intently.

This feels…… not bad at all……!

『I know better than anyone how great you are, Kacchan. So please don’t feel so down, okay?』

This is just my and Ai-chan’s opinion, but this way of acting feels more in tune with Mikoto’s true nature than simply pushing her cuteness to the forefront. That’s exactly why I recommended this approach—one that could bring out Ai-chan’s strengths to the fullest. This was the Shinonome Mikoto we created together, one that only Ai-chan could portray.

And there was more than just that secret weapon.

『Kyaahn! Don’t look, Kacchan……! My panties today aren’t cute…… haa, haa……!』

『…………!?』

At Ai-chan’s glossy, provocative line and tone, the directors sucked in a sharp breath.

This was the scene where Katsuya barges into the changing room while Mikoto is changing and ends up seeing her underwear.

When acting erotic characters or scenes, Ai-chan had a tendency to get too immersed and go out of control. When that happened, it was like the brakes came off—her acting became intensely provocative and indecent, yet undeniably captivating.

And now, thanks to the past few days of practice, she had learned how to control that tendency—at least when it came to Mikoto. In service scenes like this, she could now fully unleash that erotic edge as a weapon unique to Ai-chan.

Yes, yes……! This is good……! She’s doing great! She’s not losing to Riko-san at all!

『Kacchan, thank you. I’m really glad…… that the person I love is you……!』

Next was the scene where Mikoto, on the verge of giving up on her dream of becoming a manga artist, is encouraged by Katsuya.

Here, she read calmly, yet let the emotions overflowing from within slip through. Feelings she couldn’t suppress. Mikoto, just moments away from bursting into tears due to emotions she couldn’t control.

And then, at last, came the final line……! The scene where Mikoto tells Katsuya, in their park of memories, about her resolve to go to Tokyo for the sake of her dream.

How would Ai-chan perform it? Everyone in the control room focused on her acting.

『…………』

For a moment, Ai-chan took a breath. Then, after a brief pause──

『I won’t run away anymore!』

Ai-chan’s voice echoed through the room.

『No matter how painful things get, no matter how high the wall in front of me is, I’ll never give up!』

Ai-chan’s──Mikoto’s heartfelt feelings……

『I’ll make my dream come true myself! That’s why I’m leaving this town……! Even if everyone’s against it!』

Her firm resolve turned into words,

『But Katsuya…… I want you—only you—to keep supporting me…… Even if we’re far apart, I want you to keep thinking about me……』

Shaking our ears──our very souls……!

『Because I…… I love Ichinose Katsuya!』

“…………!”

My body trembled, goosebumps rising on my skin. I could hear my heart being shaken by her acting.

Those words were unmistakably Mikoto’s own. In that recording booth, Shinonome Mikoto truly existed. She herself was there……!

The strength of Mikoto’s resolve to absolutely fulfill her dream, the sadness of parting from the man she loved, Katsuya, and the depth of her love for him all surged into my heart at once. The sheer realism and power of it nearly brought me to tears. It felt as if I myself were Katsuya, hearing Mikoto’s confession.

“A-amazing……!”

A completely inadequate, vocabulary-poor murmur slipped out.

To be honest, Ai-chan’s ability as an actress is probably still a work in progress. And yet, for her to deliver such an incredible performance……! This is an unbelievable surprise!

“Haaah……”

A burning sensation welled up in my chest from the joy of witnessing such an overwhelming performance. A sigh of admiration escaped me naturally.

This might be the first time in my life that watching someone act has made me feel like this.

Voice acting is a profession that can truly move people. Thanks to Ai-chan, I felt that firsthand……!

At the same time, the Ai-chan who had delivered that performance somehow looked dazzling──

“You’re her manager, right?”

An elderly director sitting nearby suddenly spoke to me. Startled, I still answered, “Y-yes, I am!”

“She’s pretty good. I think she’ll grow. Keep it up.”

“……! Th-thank you very much!”

Praise……! That’s a huge response! I felt joy as if I myself had been praised—no, even more than that. Just as I thought, Ai-chan has what it takes to become a special kind of voice actress!

“──Alright, thank you. We’ve received your audio.”

“Yes! Thank you very much!”

After being told the audition was over by the sound director, Ai-chan bowed deeply toward us.

You really did great…… Ai-chan……! I offered her words of praise in my heart.

Then, she turned her face toward me. And……

"……（Niko！）"

[TLN: 'Niko (ニコッ)' is an onomatopoeia (sound effect) for a cheerful or gentle smile.]

“……!”

Perhaps feeling confident about her performance, Ai-chan smiled brightly.

I’ll probably never forget how adorable that beaming smile she showed me at that moment was.

Because this was the first time. The first time I felt a special charm from her—for reasons beyond just her being a voice actress.

 

※

 

The audition results came out one week later.

“Ai-chan………… you passed the audition.”

“Eh………………?”

The moment she heard that, Ai-chan opened her mouth—and froze.

“Th-that’s…… really…………? You’re not lying……?”

“Yeah. I’m not lying. You passed.”

“Are you sure it’s not some kind of mistake…? Or a really bad joke…?”

“Not a mistake. Not a joke.”

“Then it must be a dream…… or an illusion……?”

“No, it’s not. This is reality!!”

“………………”

Ai-chan’s eyes slowly widened.

The light that had vanished from them due to tension gradually returned, and her expression regained its strength.

And then──

“I did it…… Kyaaaaaaaa! I DID ITTT───────────!!!”

She screamed loud enough to shatter the house.

“No way…… no way……!? I can’t believe it! Me, actually passing……! What do I do!? What do I do────!”

“That’s great, Ai-chan! This means neither of us is getting fired!”

“Yeah, yeah! I can keep being a voice actress───!”

Ai-chan kept spinning around with her arms raised. What even is that movement? That’s hilarious.

“But why did they choose me? Was I really okay……?”

“Of course you were. The directors seemed to really like your acting. They told me directly, 『While almost everyone else just copied the previous actress, Riko-san, her individuality really stood out. We’re looking forward to the recording』”

“I see……! So after all…… it really was the right choice to show my own acting……!”

Perhaps from relief, Ai-chan went limp. She’d been crushed under the pressure of waiting for the results this entire week…… I’m really glad it turned out well.

“Alright, Ai-chan! We can’t just sit around! Let’s go to the agency right now! We’ll tell Kisaragi-san about this and make him regret underestimating us!”

“Y-yeah! You’re right! I’ll make him apologize until he cries!”

Alright! I’m getting fired up now! I can’t wait to see the look on that guy’s face!

Filled with excitement, we grabbed our things and headed for the entrance together.

“Hey, Kanata……”

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

Suddenly, Ai-chan stopped. I turned back, wondering what it was.

“Really…… truly, thank you very much!”

“Eh……!?”

All of a sudden, Ai-chan took my hand.

“Because you supported me, I was able to make it through the audition…… I can keep being a voice actress……! No matter how much I thank you, it’s not enough…… Truly, really, thank you!”

“N-no……! I just wanted to sincerely support my favorite voice actress……!”

“That feeling—and those actions—really helped me…… That’s why I’m so happy……!”

She wrapped my hand in both of hers. From her grip, I could feel just how big her joy was.

──But it wasn’t just Ai-chan. I was happy too. If the advice I gave helped her, if my encouragement gave her strength, then as a fan, there’s no greater happiness than that.

“Hey, Kanata…… at this chance…… will you listen to my resolve……?”

She stepped away from me and looked straight at me with a serious expression.

“Resolve……?”

“Yeah…… I want you to hear it.”

Ai-chan took a deep breath. Then, in a clear voice, she declared:

“I won’t run away anymore! No matter how painful things get, no matter how high the wall in front of me is, I’ll never give up!”

Those were the very words she’d spoken during the audition. Mikoto’s lines from 『Kimi to mita sora』.

“I’ll make my dream come true myself! But I want only you, Kanata, to keep supporting me……! Even if we’re far apart, I want you to keep thinking about me……!”

The lines were slightly different now. The name had been changed—to mine……!

“Because I…… I like Shidou Kanata!”

“…………!”

My heart thumped loudly.

As if Ai-chan’s words had pierced straight into my chest.

“──S-so, um…… that’s what I mean! That’s how it is!”

After finishing her performance properly, Ai-chan looked away, her face bright red.

“A-and! When I say ‘like,’ I mean as my manager, okay!? Don’t misunderstand that part!”

“Ah, ah……! Right…… I get it……”

That was a lie. I totally expected more. Like, wait, is this a confession? Where are we holding the wedding? Those kinds of thoughts were already starting to pop up.

But…… after hearing her words just now, I understood one thing.

Ai-chan must have deeply resonated with Mikoto’s lines. 『No matter how painful things get, no matter how high the wall is, I’ll never give up!』 『I’ll make my dream come true myself!』 Those words are surely Ai-chan’s true feelings as a voice actress as well. That’s why her emotions came through so strongly—strong enough to shake my heart during the audition.

People can’t do things beyond their own ability, no matter how hard they try—or so I believed. But she proved me wrong. She showed me, in that audition, skill that no one would ever believe came from a rookie. After seeing that kind of growth, how could I not want to support her even more?

“Ai-chan…… thank you. I’ll be watching your future success right by your side.”

“Yeah……! Look forward to it! As a fan…… and more than anything, as my manager!”