[Vol 1] A Romantic Comedy About Flirting and Getting Married to a Popular Voice Actress Chapter 3
After school ended, and after my part-time job.
I walked out of the agency alone and headed home while calling Ai-chan.
“…She’s not picking up.”
It had been three days since the audition, yet I still hadn’t managed to make up with her. Ai-chan hadn’t been able to bounce back, shutting herself in her room the whole time, and I hadn’t had the chance to talk to her.
I want to apologize for not being able to help… for only offering irresponsible encouragement…
She must still be feeling down. After that huge mistake, her heart might have snapped. Maybe she’s lost the motivation to practice… maybe she’s even thinking about quitting as a voice actress…
“N-No! No way! I’m not letting that happen!”
If Ai-chan quits being a voice actress, I won’t get to enjoy her adorable voice ever again! And I’ve been looking forward to watching her play a new character—especially a main character—so badly I could go insane!
And if she gives up on her dream… I’d lose my job too.
That’s bad… seriously bad…! If I lose my income now, I won’t even be able to buy food. And I definitely wouldn’t be able to pay my school fees. Dropping out of high school scares me…! If that happens, I don’t even know if I can become a proper adult…!
A-Anyway… I need to make sure she doesn’t lose her motivation. I have to properly cheer her up.
To do that, I need to talk to her soon. Besides, I have news I want to tell her…
Thinking that, I walked until I reached home. I hesitated a little before opening the front door and stepping into the hallway. Then—
A loud voice reached my ears.
『My name is Sessha Oyakata. Some of those gathered here today may already know me──！』
It was Ai-chan’s voice. Clear, sweet, unmistakably girlish.
『Departing from Edo, twenty RI to the north, passing through Isshiki-chou in Soushuu Odawara──』
[TLN: RI is an old unit of distance, and chou in Japanese means town or district.
It seemed she was in the middle of vocal training. She was reading the famous practice passage, 『Uirou-uri』.
Listening to her voice, I headed toward the living room, where she was likely practicing.
And the moment I saw Ai-chan—she noticed me too.
“『If you go up through Aomono-chou──』 Kya!? Kanata, you’re home!?”
“Y-Yeah… I’m back, Ai-chan. …You’re working hard on your vocal practice, huh…?”
“U-Um… thanks…”
I spoke gently to Ai-chan, who looked startled. She averted her eyes awkwardly, but it didn’t look like she had lost her motivation.
No… If anything, she had already bounced back.
“I just couldn’t sit still anymore… I wanted to do something, anything, to improve…”
“…Huh?”
“I don’t ever want to repeat the same mistake I made at the audition… So I thought, I should train more. So I’ve been practicing long lines to avoid messing them up next time…”
That was a wonderful mindset. She must have thought a lot about things over these past three days. Realizing my worries were unnecessary, I let out a relieved sigh.
Then… Ai-chan suddenly blurted out:
“K-Kanata…! I’m so sorry about the other day!”
She bowed her head abruptly. Eh? What’s going on!?
“On the way back from the audition… I said such selfish things… You tried to comfort me, but I told you not to follow me… I’m sorry! I feel like I did something horrible, like betraying a fan!”
“N-No… I didn’t feel betrayed or anything…”
“But… I still caused you a lot of trouble, didn’t I…?”
It was true that I’d been worried about her the entire time. And now that she had recovered, I was relieved… but still.
“Because of that mistake, I was so upset and embarrassed that I couldn’t get my feelings in order and apologize. But clearly the one who was wrong was me. So… I’m really sorry!”
“Ai-chan…!”
“To make sure you don’t get fired, I’ll definitely redeem myself at the next audition! So… it would make me happy if you’d forgive me…”
After apologizing, she anxiously peeked up at me, her eyes beautifully trembling with tears.
Hearing her say that relieved me. It looked like we could finally make up.
However, I couldn’t just say 『I’m not angry』 right away.
Because there was something more important I needed to tell her.
“Hey, Ai-chan… aren’t you misunderstanding something…?”
“…Eh?”
“Ai-chan… you passed the audition.”
“…Fue…?”
Her eyes went blank in shock.
“No seriously… you passed. You got the role of Akiyama Rika. Congratulations.”
“Eh……? ……Eeeh? EEEEEEEEEEHHHH!?”
Ai-chan let out a scream so loud I worried about the neighbors.
“W-Wait, what!? I didn’t fail!? Wasn’t I supposed to be instantly rejected!?”
“I never said anything like that… The results came in today. The studio called—they want you for Rika.”
“B-But why!? I don’t get it! I messed up my line, you know!? I said ‘fruit chinpo!’ I blurted out ‘chinpo’ during the audition, you know!?”
“Calm down, calm down! Stop saying that word! Girls shouldn’t be yelling that!”
Personally, hearing my oshi say something erotic is just fanservice, but anyway.
“But why would that result in a pass!? I can’t accept that!”
“Ah, I actually asked about the reason.”
According to the director, Ai-chan’s voice matched the character’s image perfectly. Her cute acting was appealing too, and they felt she fit the role. Sure, she made a mistake, but her unpolished, rookie-like charm actually worked in her favor. In other words… messing up the line might’ve helped.
“I-I see… So that’s how it is…”
Understanding the explanation, Ai-chan finally calmed down.
“I still feel kind of conflicted about messing up, but… if they really did appreciate my acting and voice, then… maybe it’s okay…?”
“Yeah. You should be proud. You got the role thanks to your own ability, Ai-chan!”
As expected of Ai-chan… my oshi! I knew she’d do it!
“I did it… I really did it! I passed an audition for the first time in twelve attempts…! They’ll call me in for weekly recording…! Nothing could make me happier!”
“Our main goal is still to get you a protagonist or heroine role, but this is a huge step forward!”
“Yeah! At this rate, I’ll definitely land a leading role! And of course, I’ll give everything I’ve got to this job too!”
Her spirits were completely lifted. As her manager, I couldn’t be happier.
“Oh yeah… the leads in that project were Mikusa Kanon and Segawa Mio, right? So, who got those roles? The results for that should be out too, right?”
“Ah, right. I heard that too. The lead role, Kanon, went to 『Ezaki Nene』, and the sub-lead, Segawa, went to 『Yumeno Rin』.”
Ezaki Nene—known among fans as 『Nene-chan』—is a rising young voice actress. As far as I know, she hasn’t had much media exposure yet, but she’s been appearing in many rom-coms like 『Okute Kanojo no Karikoi Seikatsu (The Shy Girlfriend’s Fake Love Life)』 and 『Renai Sharing (Love Sharing)』.
Yumeno Rin, goes by the nickname 『Rinrin』, on the other hand, is a brand-new voice actress. Her only work so far is her debut role in 『Checkmate!』, but she’s already gaining a name among hardcore fans.
I don’t follow them as obsessively as Ai-chan, but I love both of them too. And if I go to the studio with Ai-chan… I’ll get to meet them…!?
Uwooooh seriously!? Being in the same space as my other oshis!? The voice acting industry is tight-knit! Amazing!
“It looks like the cast will mainly be the three of us… so we might be recording together… They’re both more popular than me… Uu… it’s kind of nerve-wracking…”
“Don’t be so tense! If they’re more experienced, you can learn from them! Think of it as a great opportunity!”
“You’re right…! I’ll give it my all and learn as much as I can!”
She straightened up with renewed motivation.
But back then, I had no way of knowing—that the two main cast members besides Ai-chan would turn out to be those people…
※
And so, the first day of recording finally arrived.
The session for today was scheduled to start in the evening. I had the day off from my part-time job at the agency, so the moment school ended, I headed straight for the train that goes toward the studio area.
There was still some time before the actual recording began, but Ai-chan would probably show up soon. Thinking that, I went to the break lobby to wait for a while. And then──
“Uwoah…!?”
There was already a woman sitting there.
A girl with beautiful, long black hair. Her gentle eyes, plump lips, and refined, mature features, paired with a stunning figure, gave her the kind of aura that would make you instantly believe she was a model.
What… she’s insanely pretty…! Too pretty to suddenly appear in my field of vision without warning. But if she’s here, does that mean she’s one of the voice actresses appearing in Momoiro LIPS?
No, wait…? Somehow, I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before…?
“──A.”
As I stood there staring at her, she seemed to notice me as well.
“Eh… no way…? Kanata-kun…!?”
“Eh…!?”
She called my name. Why does she know who I am…?
“This is surprising… Why is Kanata-kun here…? This is a recording studio, you know?”
“A-Ah…? Um…? Excuse me, who exactly are you──”
“You don’t recognize me…? Ahh, well, that makes sense… This isn’t how I normally look.”
She hurriedly rummaged through her bag and took out a plain-looking pair of glasses. After putting them on, she looked at me again.
The moment I saw her like that, chills ran all over my body.
“N-No way…! A-Are you… Nene-san!?”
“Yes. Long time no see, Kanata-kun.”
The face before me was one I knew well. The daughter of the owner of 『Tsubasa Bookstore』, Saeki Nene-san.
“I-It really is you, Nene-san…!? You looked so different, I didn’t notice at all…!”
“Fufu. I guess I change quite a bit without my glasses on?”
“Yeah… And I never imagined I’d meet you in a place like this…”
But wait…? Why is Nene-san at this studio…?
Just as the question formed in my mind, she must have sensed it, because she spoke first.
“Um… I’m here for work today. I have a recording session coming up.”
“Recording…? D-Don’t tell me… your job is…?”
“Yes… I’m actually a voice actress. I work under the name Ezaki Nene.”
“Ezaki Nene… You’re kidding me!?”
No way…!? She’s that Ezaki Neneーthe one who plays the main heroine, Mikusa Kanon…!? No, that has to be a joke! She must be teasing me…!
But she didn’t look like she was lying. And if she wasn’t, then her showing up here made perfect sense…
Which meant this was the undeniable truth…!
N-No way… The friendly bookstore girl I knew was actually the super-popular voice actress 『Nene-chan』…!
“But Kanata-kun, why are you here? You’re not a fellow voice actor, right?”
“N-No! I’m here as a manager. I recently started working part-time at a talent agency, and due to circumstances, I’m acting as manager for a voice actress named Ai-chan.”
“I see… So Kanata-kun is also involved in voice acting work now…”
What an unbelievable coincidence. Voice acting isn’t exactly a common job, yet somehow both of us ended up connected to it…
“Still… it’s a little embarrassing. I never thought my secret would get exposed to you, Kanata-kun.”
“But… why didn’t you tell me!? Being a voice actress is amazing! You could’ve told me earlier…”
“It’s not really something I go around announcing. Besides, there are advantages to keeping it quiet.”
“Advantages…? What kind?”
“For example… I can hear Kanata-kun praise 『Ezaki Nene』 a whole lot?”
Eh…?
“You praised her so much, remember? I still remember it clearly. 『Sexy yet clear voice of hers had such a unique charm that nobody else could pull off』ーthat’s what you said.”
“…Ah!”
Right… I did say that… When I visited her bookstore…!
“You said you really loved my voice, right? That made me really happy♪”
Uwaaaaah!? What was I thinking!? I went and passionately talked about how cute Nene-chan’s voice was, without realizing the real person was right there in front of me!
Oh man. This is bad! Embarrassing! Complimenting your oshi is fineーI do it with Ai-chan tooーbut passionately talking about her voice right in front of the actual person without knowing is just… stupid!
“Don’t be so embarrassed, okay? Thanks to you, I felt really encouraged. Hearing someone praise me that much made me want to work harder. So thank you, Kanata-kun.”
Nene-sanーno, Nene-chanーsmiled warmly at me. Well… if she’s happy, then I guess it’s fine…
“But since we’re here, I should give you something in return, right?”
“Eh── wait, whoa!?”
Nene-chan suddenly hugged me. Huh…? What? What is happening…!?
“As thanks for your praise, you can do whatever you want to me today, okay?”
“Eeeeh!?”
“I mean, I’m your favorite voice actress, right? Don’t you want to let out all your desires?”
Saying that, she very intentionally pressed her breasts against me.
FuoOOOO!! FuoOOOOOO!? S-Soft!! Her ridiculously huge chest is bouncing against my stomach and it’s dangerously blissful! What is this chest made of, happiness substance!?
Then, she whispered into my ear.
“Come on, Kanata-kun. Do whatever you want with me…?”
"…………!"
……This seductive sexy tone…! There’s no mistaking it. This is Ezaki Nene’s voice…!
Her smooth, ear-tickling voice was melting my sanity in seconds.
“You can use me however you like, you know? Don’t you want to play something naughty?”
She traced her finger along my body as she spoke.
Her clear voice and explicitly seductive behavior made my desire spike uncontrollably. I didn’t know whether she was kidding or being serious, but at this rate, I really might lose control…!
“N-Ne-Nene-chan! I really can’t! I don’t need any kind of ‘thank you’ like this!”
“No. I won’t be satisfied unless I repay you properly…”
“But other people will arrive soon! If someone sees this, rumors will spread and you’ll be in trouble!”
“Ah.”
Nene-chan froze at my words.
“Y-You’re right… That would definitely affect work… I guess I’ll have to endure it…”
Reluctantly, she let go of me. At the same time, I was released from her dangerously soft chest.
That… that was close… If that had gone on any longer, who knows what would’ve happened…
“Too bad… I thought I could seduce Kanata-kun while thanking♪”
Nene-chan smiled seductively. No, please stop plotting weird things…
“Ah. Speaking of people, the other cast members should be arriving soon, right? We have twenty minutes until recording.”
“Y-Yeah… Ai-chan should arrive any moment now. And the other one is 『Yumeno Rin-san』…”
I wondered what the last voice actress would be like. Maybe because I was already overwhelmed by Nene-chan’s secret identity, I began imagining all sorts of things.
And then, just moments after I started thinking──
“E-Excuse me…! G-Good morning…! I’m Yumeno Rin from 『Sirius Entertainment』…! Um… it’s a pleasure to meet you!”
A young girl stepped into the lobby, stuttering as she greeted us.
“Oh, good morning. I’m Ezaki Nene from 『Shinonome Amusement』.”
Nene-chan turned and greeted her.
“You’re playing Segawa Mio, right? This is our first time working together, but I hope we get along.”
“Y-Y-Yes! I’ll do my best as your kouhai, so please guide me…!”
Nene-chan smiled warmly, while the girl bowed deeply, clearly nervous.
But I, on the other hand, froze.
Because──
“Eh… Rion…!?”
“Eh…? Huh… Senpai!?”
The girl who walked in was none other than my club juniorーNarumi Rion.
“Wait, why the hell are you here!?”
“S-Senpai, why are you here!? What business do you have at a recording studio!?”
We pointed at each other in shock. Nene-chan tilted her head, confused.
“Kanata-kun…? Do you know her?”
“Y-Yes… She’s my junior in high school. We’re in the same club…”
“N-No way… I can’t believe Senpai is here…”
Rion clutched her chest and blushed intensely. Honestly though, that’s my line too.
“So Rion, why are you here? And you said your name was Yumeno Rin… Don’t tell me…”
“Uuuh… Yes… I’m here for recording. I’m the voice actress playing Segawa Mio…”
“No… Seriously…!? Then the rookie voice actress 『Rinrin』 is…”
“Y-Yes… Rinrin is my nickname…”
N-No way… This is insane…!
Even the fast-rising Rinrin was someone I knew!?
“Aaaaah! This is so embarrassing! I wanna die! I can’t believe Senpai found out—!”
Rionーno, Rinrinーcollapsed face-down onto the sofa and kicked her legs in panic.
Oi. Stop that. You’re wearing a miniskirt. Ah. I saw her panties. Black with pink polka dots. Oof. That’s kind of sexy.
“Getting exposed to someone you know is so embarrassing! I knew Senpai loves voice actresses, so I figured you’d find out eventually… but I didn’t think it would be this soon…!”
“Wait, hold on! You don’t have to hide it from me! Same with Nene-chanーif you're working as a voice actress, you could’ve told me! Also, when did you even become a voice actress…?”
“Uuuh… It all started from my own personal projects… I admired voice actresses, so I started releasing my own voice works online… and then one day, I got scouted…”
Scouted…!? Seriously? That’s amazing. Becoming a voice actress isn’t something you just stumble into…
“I hid it because I was embarrassed, and… also because I wanted to tell you properly after preparing myself… as a surprise… I wanted to see your shocked face…”
“Well, I’m definitely shocked, don’t worry…”
Yeah… I’ve been shocked nonstop since earlier.
Nene-chan, Rinrin… All the main voice actresses in this show turned out to be people I personally knew… Am I dreaming…? My heart feels like it’s going to explode…!
“But Senpai, why are you here? Is Nene-san your acquaintance…?”
“Yes, well… We do know each other. But Kanata-kun is here because he’s Ai-chan’s manager.”
“Eeeh…!? Ai-chan’s manager…!?”
I nodded, and explained to Rinrin that I had started working part-time at a talent agency.
“I see… You said you started a new job, but I didn’t think it was in the voice acting industry… And you’re managing your oshi, too…”
“Sorry for not explaining sooner. I didn’t think it was something I should talk about too freely… Are you angry?”
Seeing her troubled expression, I got nervous and asked.
“N-No…! I was hiding things too, so I can’t complain. Besides… in a way, I’m kind of glad…”
“Glad…?”
“Yes… Because thanks to Senpai entering the industry, I finally got to see you again…!”
Rinrin’s adorable face bloomed with a bright smile.
Then, overflowing with emotion, she suddenly jumped into my arms.
“Senpaaai! I’ve been so lonely!”
“W-Woah!? W-Why are you suddenly clinging to me!?”
“Senpai said you were busy with your part-time job, but you barely came to club anymore…! I was really lonely, you know? On days without recording, I always spent after-school alone… And even during lunch, you hardly came to the clubroom…”
“Ah… yeah… Sorry… Work stuff kept me thinking about things in the classroom…”
“I get that, but still! I’ve been lonely! Since I’ve been holding it in all this time, you need to spoil me a lot now!”
She squeezed me tightly, her arms wrapped around my stomach.
“H-Hey, Rinrin…! L-Let go! Nene-chan is watching!”
“Noo! I’m not letting go until you pet me! It’s a rule that senpai have to pamper their kouhai like a cute little cat, you know?”
Rinrin had always shown that she liked me, but she had never clung to me this much… Did she really get that stressed because we couldn’t do club activities together…? Still, this is honestly embarrassing…!
Anyway, it didn’t look like she would calm down unless I played along. With no choice, I reached out and patted her head.
“O-okay, I get it… Look… there, there…”
“Nihehe… yay, this feels so nice. Being patted by Senpai feels really good, you know〜? I like this warmth too.”
This time she rubbed her cheek against me. Just how much does she need to be spoiled before she’s satisfied…?
“This isn’t nearly enough yet! My heart, worn down from loneliness, won’t be healed so easily! Because… I was really lonely, you know…? Senpai wasn’t… by my side…”
“Ugh…!”
Rinrin looked up at me, her eyes slightly filled with tears. Was it really that hard being alone…? Well, considering she doesn’t seem to have any friends, she must’ve truly felt isolated…
“So at least when we finally meet again after a while, you have to spoil me properly… okay?”
“O-okay… I’m sorry for making you lonely… There, there…”
“Nihehehe… thank you, Senpai…!”
When I gently patted her head again, Rinrin smiled brightly—so bright it almost sparkled.
“Muu… talking just the two of you is unfair, you know…? Could I also join in?”
“Ah, no! It’s not like we’re excluding you, Nene-chan…! And Rinrin, seriously, get off already. You’re satisfied now, right…?”
“Muu… I suppose it can’t be helped. Then I’ll stop here for today.”
Saying that, Rinrin finally stepped away from me. Her face was glowing with satisfaction.
“Still… this is an amazing coincidence, isn’t it…? That Senpai already knew Nene-san… And on top of that, you’re also connected to your oshi, Ai-chan…”
“Eh? So Kanata-kun is Ai-chan’s fan…?”
For some reason, Nene-chan asked that with a slightly disappointed tone.
“Ah, yes… My top oshi is Ai-chan.”
“…Oh really…? Somehow, that makes me a bit jealous…”
Nene-chan puffed out her cheeks adorably. And it wasn’t just her—Rinrin too…
“Indeed, it’s a little unpleasant. I feel kind of frustrated. It means that, in Senpai’s heart, we’re at best second or third place…”
“No, that’s not true… I like both of you a lot too.”
I watched every episode of Nene-chan’s series 『Okute Kanojo no Karikoi Seikatsu』, and Rinrin’s 『Checkmate!』 as well. The characters they play are also some of my 2D waifus.
“Eh, really!? You like us too!?”
“Fufu. In that case, I’m happy.─Then maybe I should give you a little service? As the voice actress, 『Ezaki Nene』.”
“Eh…?”
Nene-chan suddenly made a mysterious declaration. A moment later, she wrapped herself around my arm and whispered.
『Kanata-han… just give in already. My body is burnin’ this hot, ya know…? Take responsibility and unleash all yer desires on me, okay?』
“Eh……!”
T-This is… from 『Okute Kanojo no Karikoi Seikatsu』—the sub-heroine, Kujou Mai! That sexy seductive, melting, honey-soaked voice slipping right into my ears…! To hear her sensual voice this close…!
Then—on my other side, Rinrin leaned in toward my opposite ear.
『Hey, darling! If you abandon me I won’t forgive you, okay〜? Since I love you sooo much, you’ll take responsibility and enter the same cemetery with me, death!』
This voice was… Amelia, the sub-heroine from 『Checkmate』! A wild, clingy foreign girl beloved by hardcore fans! And she’s whispering right next to me…!
What is this… what is this situation!? Different types of happiness are attacking both my ears at once!
More…! I want more! I want them to say all sorts of lines!
『You don’t need to hold back, okay? I like honest men…』
『I love you too, darling…? I think about you all the time, you know…』
Uwaaaaah! No good! I’m melting! My eardrums are being melted by pure happiness!
My reason was fading, and instincts were starting to take over. Sandwiched between two beautiful voice actresses, I begged for more lines.
“More! Please give me more! Whisper something even sexier!”
“Good morning! This is Aizaki Yuka from 『Light Road』!”
──At that moment, someone suddenly stepped into my field of vision.
“A……?”
“Wha…?”
Ai-chan froze when she saw me being clung to by two girls. And then──
“K-Kanata!? Eh!? What are you doing!?”
“Uwaaaa!? Ai-chaaaaan!? This isn’t what it looks likeee!”
Ai-chan shouted in shock at the very questionable situation she had walked in on.
After that, I hurriedly explained everything to her before she could get the wrong idea. NeNe-chan and Rinrin also gave polite introductions of their own.
And before we knew it, it was already time for the recording session.
※
The studio where the recording would take place was the same one used for the audition. And just like back then, I entered the control room and watched Ai-chan and the others inside the recording booth.
“We’ll begin recording for 『Momoiro LIPS』 starting today. First, let’s go over the script corrections──”
Ai-chan had told me beforehand that, before recording starts, the sound director explains script notes and revisions. That intimidating director—who was strangely weak to fruit-chinpo—went through typos and updated lines that needed correction, relaying everything to Ai-chan and the others.
Once that was done, the sound director returned to the console and instructed the three standing before the microphones.
“Alright, let’s run a test for Part A.”
『Yes! Thank you very much!』
The test was essentially a rehearsal—performing the entire scene once before the actual recording. The staff listens and discusses the acting, gives feedback to the performers, and then they move on to the real take.
In other words, this wasn’t recording yet. But it was finally the moment where the voice actors would start performing.
I was about to witness a real production site for the first time.
Honestly, I was excited. And with my favorite voice actors all together? I was way too hyped to see how they’d bring the script to life.
『…………』
Meanwhile, the three of them—who had been so lively earlier—were now composed and focused. NeNe-chan especially looked fully prepared, and even though Rinrin seemed nervous, she took deep breaths to steady herself.
But there was one thing that worried me…
“…………!”
Ai-chan’s shoulders were stiff with tension.
Come to think of it, ever since failing the audition for Kana in 『Maji☆Mari』, she hadn’t been getting any roles. So this was probably her first recording session in quite a while. No wonder she was nervous…
In my heart, I silently cheered her on: 『Do your best…!』
Then, the test began.
『Hey, Mio! Have you ever done anything pervy before…!?』
With a shocking line delivered by Mikusa Kanon—voiced by NeNe-chan—the story kicked off. Watching the footage on the monitor, she matched her lines to the movements of the character.
『Wh-What are you even talking about!? Are you crazy or something…!?』
In response to Kanon’s words, Segawa Mio—voiced by Rinrin—fired back. And their exchange continued.
『──Stuff like romance, how to kiss, or even a few pervy things! If you don’t know those, you’ll be in trouble when you’re an adult! We need to study them properly!』
『But this is an all-girls school, you know? There aren’t any boys around. How are we supposed to practice?』
『I know! That’s why we have to practice… with each other!』
The story continued as the two talked—curious about romance and naughty things at their age, and since there were no boys around, they decided to practice with each other.
『H-Hey… are we really doing this…?』
『Of course we are…! We can’t back out now…!』
Then they hugged… and, carried by the moment, even shared a kiss.
Watching their performance, I realized I was completely drawn in.
Since I liked the original work, I could clearly tell—they were bringing out the full charm of their characters. NeNe-chan perfectly captured Kanon’s constantly high-energy personality, while Rinrin expressed Mio’s cool-yet-easily-swayed nature through her tone and delivery.
Shy, introverted Rinrin—who didn’t fit in at school—was now working as a proper voice actress. It made me feel oddly proud. And NeNe-chan’s performance was amazing even to an amateur like me; I could see why she was chosen for the lead role. Knowing both of them personally made me feel… honored, somehow.
Then, at last, Ai-chan’s character—Akiyama Rika—finally appeared.
『Good work today, senpai-tachi. So, what are we playing today〜?』
Completely unaware of the two’s intimate moment, Rika entered the clubroom in a carefree voice.
But inside, she found Kanon and Mio lying on top of the desk, clinging to each other.
『U-Uwaaah~~! Um── you two, what are you doing──!?』
Rika shouted in surprise. But… something felt off.
『C-Could it be that──… you two were just doing something weird──…?』
『N-No way! We didn’t do anything! Rika, your imagination is too wild!』
『T-That’s right… This happened because we slipped and fell…』
『R-Really──…? It didn’t look like that to me~~…』
As expected… something was off with Ai-chan’s delivery. Clearly different from practice. Her elongations, breaths, and intonation were unnatural—strangely stiff.
And as she kept reading like that…
“『This is looking kinda suspiciousー… maybe you two really are──』 Ah!”
Her timing slipped badly, and the scene switched before she even finished her line.
Why…? During practice, she read it normally and cutely…
“Hmm… Something’s not right…”
“Yeah… maybe she’s not feeling well?”
Of course, the others started to notice. The staff watching along with me began murmuring about Ai-chan’s odd performance.
But in a test run, they don’t stop for mistakes—they push through. So until the end of Part A’s test, Ai-chan continued her stiff, awkward acting.
※
After the test, once the staff finished discussing things among themselves.
The sound director walked over to the recording booth and gave instructions directly to the three of them.
“Alright, first, Kanon-san. For the line in Cut 45, I’d like a bit more sexiness. Like you’re trying to seduce her.”
“Yes. Understood. Sexiness.”
“And Mio-san. For the exchange from Cut 72 to 85, keep the anger a little more restrained. Something like how you did Cut 42 just now would be fine.”
“I-I understand! I’ll do my best!”
“And then… lastly, Rika-chan.”
The moment her character’s name was called, Ai-chan’s shoulders twitched.
“First, a general point… could you read it a bit more naturally?”
“Naturally…?”
“Yeah. The intonation feels kind of unnatural. Also, for Cut 35, make sure the line fits within the scene. I think you noticed the mistake yourself.”
“Y-Yes! I’m sorry…”
“And then, the line in Cut 58—and also the part in Cut 69—”
As expected, Ai-chan received far more corrections than the others. Even an amateur like me could tell something was off with her acting, so a professional would naturally have a lot to say.
“──Alright, that’s all. Please take care of those.”
“Y-Yes… I understand…”
With the corrections delivered, the sound director returned to the console.
Then, the actual recording for Part A began. This was the real thing—the true main take, based on the test.
But even now… Ai-chan still──
『U-Uwaaah~~! Um──hey you two, what are you doing──!?』
“Sorry, let’s stop here. Rika-san, could you try that line again, but with a different approach?”
“Ah… yes… I’m sorry…”
The recording was stopped again and again, with corrections given every time she acted.
Hey… what’s going on with her? Ai-chan…!
During practice, she could read normally. She could properly express Rika’s cuteness…!
『U-uwah…! H-Hey, what are you two doing…?』
“Sorry. One more time—try sounding more surprised.”
『U-UWAH────!!! Hey, you two, what are you doing───!?』
“Hmm… that’s a bit too surprised. Try something more natural.”
Forced to repeat the same line over and over, Ai-chan was visibly flustered. Honestly, it was painful to watch.
“What should we do…? This is getting kind of rough…”
“Yeah… it seems like this is the only kind of delivery she can manage right now…”
“Well, let’s just go with the last take. It was comparatively better, at least.”
The staff exchanged looks, discussed briefly, and came to a sigh-filled conclusion.
No—wait! Ai-chan can do better than this!
I desperately wanted to object. But I couldn’t. The truth was, among the three of them, Ai-chan was the one dragging things down the most.
“She seemed good during the audition, though…”
At the sound director’s muttering, I couldn’t respond.
“──Alright, that wraps up Part A.”
By the time the first half finally ended, we were already an hour over schedule.
※
After the recording for Part A ended, there was a break before moving on to the test and recording for Part B.
However, Ai-chan was already completely wiped out.
“…………”
She sat down on a sofa in the lobby, staring down in silence with an overwhelmingly gloomy expression, as if the world itself had ended.
I walked up to her and sat down beside her.
“Hey… Ai-chan? Are you okay…?”
“……uu… sniff… Kanata… Kanaaataaa…!”
Ai-chan turned toward me with teary eyes, her voice trembling and choked with sobs.
“Kanaaataaa… I… I… Waaahhh～～～!”
“Eeeeh!?”
She collapsed onto my lap and burst into tears, shouting her frustrations as she cried.
“I was terrible～! It’s been so long since I last recorded anything, and the other two are rookies like me but they’re so good that I got nervous… I tried to do better, tried to catch up, put too much pressure on myself… and it all came out weird～～～!”
I-I see… so that’s why her acting today was so strange and unstable…
“Please, Kanataaa… comfort mee…? Let me stay like this for a bit, okay…?”
“O-Okay, okay. Just… please don’t cry so hard…”
I spoke as gently as I could, trying to calm her down.
“You’ll be fine, Ai-chan. If you just act normally, I’m sure you won’t lose to those two.”
“No… They’re both my age, but they’re way better than me… And they’re more popular too…”
“Ai-chan…”
To be honest, compared to Ai-chan, the other two were clearly more skilled as voice actresses—even to an amateur like me. Ai-chan did have the weapon of her cute voice, and it fit this role well. But beyond that… when it came to the fundamentals of acting, she was undeniably less polished than them.
“Hey, Kanata… Do you… like those two better…?”
“Huh…?”
“Kanata… do you actually support Nene-san or Rinrin more than me…?”
She looked up at me with watery eyes as she said that.
“They’re both so much more charming than me… Maybe you’d be happier being with them instead of a voice actress like me who’s practically about to be fired──”
“Don’t be stupid! That’s not true at all!”
The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop myself. Startled, Ai-chan’s body stiffened.
“I became your fan because I fell in love with the characters you play and all the different charms you have as a voice actress! No matter how good those two are, there’s no way I’d just switch sides that easily!”
“B-But… in reality, their acting is better than mine…”
“That doesn’t matter! We don’t become fans of whoever’s the best actor! We fall for their voice, the way they talk, the unique charm only they have! Of course I like those two as voice actresses too—but the one I like the most is you, Ai-chan! That will never change! Doubting that is disrespectful to your fans!”
“……Ka-Kanata…!”
Ai-chan’s eyes widened in surprise, and then──
“Thank you, Kanata! I like you too──!”
She stopped crying instantly and broke into a radiant, sun-like smile.
“You really are my greatest ally! The best fan ever! I love you──!”
“A-Ah… yeah… thanks…”
This is bad… hearing that from my oshi makes me happy, but it’s also incredibly embarrassing.
“I’ll treasure you forever and ever too! If you want fanservice, I’ll give you tons of it! You can ask for anything, anytime!”
“Then for now, please do your best with the Part B recording…! So you can give a good performance.”
“Got it! I’ll review my acting again! I’ll redeem myself in the second half!”
At last, light returned to Ai-chan’s eyes, and she stood up.
“That’s the spirit! I’ll help you however I can!”
Both of us raised our voices with renewed motivation. And then──
“In that case, we’ll help too.”
“Ai-chan! Let’s all practice together!”
“Eh…? Nene-san… Rinrin too…?”
When we turned around, NeNe-chan and Rinrin were standing right beside us.
“We want to check our acting too. If you’re practicing, we’d like to join.”
“The second half is mostly scenes with all three of us together, after all. We should practice as a group!”
“You two… um… I’m sorry about earlier… I caused trouble during the recording…”
Ai-chan said that dejectedly, but the two of them smiled kindly.
“Don’t worry about it. I was the same when I first debuted. I really understand how you feel.”
“I’m still a rookie too! Let’s practice together!”
“Nene-san…! Rinrin…!”
The three of them looked at each other, as if confirming their friendship.
Ahh… this is precious… Beautiful girls bonding together. This is what they call kimashii, right?
[TLN: “Kimashi” is fan slang used to hint at yuri (girl–girl) vibes, often when something romantic seems to be happening.
“But there isn’t much break time left… We can probably only do a light read-through…”
“Yeah… I’d like to do something that helps Ai-chan a bit more, though…”
“N-No…! You don’t have to go that far… I’ll do my best on my own! And if I can just act like I usually do, it’ll be way better than before…”
Rinrin and the others tried to help, while Ai-chan hesitated out of consideration.
Watching them, I spoke up.
“Then why don’t you actually try acting it out together? Not just reading the lines, but performing the next scene.”
“Eh…?”
It was a spur-of-the-moment idea. I hadn’t thought it through at all.
“If you move the same way as in the original, you might understand the characters’ feelings more deeply.”
“I-I see… but Senpai, the next scene is…”
Rinrin said with a troubled expression.
That reminder made me recall what the main scene of Part B was about.
“Ah… right… The next one is the scene where everyone hugs each other…”
In Part B, Kanon and Mio bring Rika into their lover practice, leading to a scene where all three of them hug and flirt together. Rika becomes flustered, but is gradually swept up in the pleasure.
If we were to practice that scene, it would mean the three of them actually getting touchy here. Realizing that was too much, I was about to retract my suggestion──
“That sounds great! Nice idea, Kanata-kun!”
──but before I could, NeNe-chan eagerly agreed.
“Eh…? NeNe-chan, are you serious…?”
“Of course. If we move our bodies, we might discover something new. Alright then, let’s start──ei!”
“Hyaah!?”
Without hesitation, NeNe-chan wrapped her arms around Ai-chan from the side and pulled her close.
“N-Nene-san!? What are you doing all of a sudden!?”
“This is part of practice. You need to feel what Rika feels when Kanon and the others cling to her, so you can act it more realistically.”
“N-No, but… this is…! E-Ecchi stuff is not allowed…!”
“We’re just getting started. 『Didn’t Rika say it herself? That she wanted to know everyone’s secrets and be included? So it’s too late to back out now～♪』”
NeNe-chan began acting, delivering a line from the scene where everyone hugs each other.
“Hiaaah!? H-Hey, stop…! Don’t touch me there…!”
Boldly, NeNe-chan grabbed and kneaded Ai-chan’s chest.
…Huh? She’s really grabbing it?
Is this actually okay? We’re still in a studio, you know.
“A-Amazing…! So that’s what it takes to become a famous voice actress…? In that case, I’ll do it too—for the sake of learning!”
“Ah—”
Rinrin joined in and hugged Ai-chan as well, delivering her line while grabbing her chest.
『Rika-chan, sorry… but this is part of practice too…』
“S-Stop… ahh…! Please pull away for a moment—ah, ah, hyaah!”
Even as she desperately begged them to stop, Ai-chan couldn’t suppress her breathy moans. My ears were far too happy—and it hurt.
“Come on. If you don’t practice properly, the next scenes will need a lot of retakes too, you know? Here we go♪”
“Nngh… o-okay…! I get it already…!”
Unable to withstand their advances, Ai-chan finally steeled herself and delivered her line.
『I-I understand… both of you…! Please… get cozy with me…!』
Just like in the original, Ai-chan begged NeNe-chan and Rinrin. And then she endured their relentless teasing—Nene-chan kept kneading her chest, while Rinrin rubbed her hips.
『Nngh, ahh… no, both of you…! Don’t play with me so hard there…!』
“Yes, that’s it. Your breathing and the flush on your face—your emotions are really coming through.”
『Haa… haa…! If you keep doing this… I’m starting to feel… kind of strange too…』
“This is great, Ai-chan! If you can recreate this, your acting will feel very real!”
For a while, Ai-chan was subjected to their obscene teasing. After this point in the story, the humiliated and aroused Rika turns the tables and attacks them instead.
『I-I can’t anymore…! I… I can’t hold back anymoo…!』
Still letting out seductive moans, Ai-chan pushed NeNe-chan and Rinrin down onto the sofa.
『Kyaaah!』
The two cried out together as they fell.
However, what came next wasn’t depicted in the original. The scene cuts to black before showing what happens when the two are attacked by the aroused Rika—though it’s easy enough to imagine.
There should’ve been no need to continue acting beyond that. But…
“H-Huh…? Ai-chan…? What are you doing…!?”
For some reason, Ai-chan began taking off her clothes. Despite supposedly being bad with ecchi things, she casually discarded her shirt and skirt, revealing matching light-blue underwear.
『Both of you… this is where the real thing begins… okay…?』
She was trying to keep acting, her cheeks flushed as if in heat.
This… it’s just like back then… just like during that audition──
『I want to get closer to both of you… Let’s all become one together… okay…?』
“N-No way…!? Ai-chan—ah, nngh, yaaah!”
Her breathing grew heavier as she lifted NeNe-chan’s clothes, unclasped her bra, and kneaded her exposed chest—what are you doing, Ai-chan!?
“A-Ai-chan!? What’s wrong!? Calm down—nyaaah!?”
『Mio-senpai too… let’s show each other our embarrassing parts… okay…?』
With deft hands, Ai-chan removed Rinrin’s skirt as she tried to stop her, even pulling down her panties. As a result, more than half of Rinrin’s hips were exposed as she lay face-down—a small but firm, beautiful backside.
“Kyaaaaah!? Ai-chan, what are you doinggg!?”
『It’s okay… I’ll show you my naughty boobs too…! Let’s all get naked together and do perverted, embarrassing things… okay…?』
As she spoke, Ai-chan removed her own bra and slid her panties down slightly. Her perfectly-sized chest bounced, and her half-slipped panties barely covered her crotch.
I knew it! She’s doing it again! Losing herself in the role during acting! She’s so immersed that she’s forgotten reality! She says ecchi things are bad, yet she’s the one turning into a pervert!
『Nngh…! Doing lewd things with other girls…! Showing each other our naked bodies feels so good…! Touch my boobs more…! Let’s all go crazy together… okay…?』
“Hyaaah!? S-Stop it! Ai-chan—nngh, ah…!”
Ai-chan pressed her chest against NeNe-chan’s, their nipples rubbing together and drawing an embarrassed cry from her. At the same time, she also went after Rinrin.
“Ai-chan, don’t grab my butt! My body jumps when you do that…!”
『Haa, haa… Mio-senpai… touch my butt too… stroke it… molest me… okay…?』
Ai-chan had completely gone off the rails, acting out even parts not depicted in the original. The way the three of them tangled together obscenely felt exactly like the cut content from the story.
“Nngh… if you squeeze my boobs that much… ahh…!”
“S-Senpai! Please help—! Ah, but don’t look!”
『Everyone… let’s flirt lots together… okay…?』
This was already far beyond what I could watch…! I kept my eyes averted until the break ended and Ai-chan finally came back to her senses.
──And perhaps thanks to that experience, during the Part B recording that followed, Ai-chan’s yuri scenes improved significantly, and the session proceeded smoothly.
※
“Phew…… we really went through something intense…… Even I was surprised by that……”
“I never imagined Ai-chan had such a… unique trait……”
“Noooo! I said I’m sorry, so please don’t talk about it anymoreee! It’s so embarrassing I could dieeee!”
After the recording, once they finished greeting the staff, the girls rested again in the lobby. Perhaps because of what had just happened, they all looked completely exhausted.
Watching their condition, I walked over to them.
“Ah, good work today, Kanata-kun. What did you think of our acting?”
“It was amazing! I was really moved!”
Between the joy of watching a recording for the first time and the relief that everything had ended safely, I replied a little louder than usual.
“Somehow… it’s still a bit embarrassing, you know. Being watched by someone I know while acting……”
“But Rinrin, earlier you whispered your character’s lines right into my ear yourself, didn’t you?”
“T-That’s different! During the recording, you’re seeing our serious acting……”
Rinrin turned her reddened face away from me. That reaction felt just like the girl I knew from school.
“Still, I’m glad the second half went well. Ai-chan was really good too.”
“Yeah! That practice during the break really became great motivation, didn’t it?”
“Th-thank you…… I guess that really was… a valuable experience…… maybe……”
Ai-chan muttered with a sigh. Well, it’s definitely not something you get to experience often.
“This was thanks to you too, Kanata-kun. Without that advice, the B part would’ve been tough as well.”
“Senpai, you’re an excellent manager! I’ve totally reevaluated you!”
“Eh…? N-no, that’s not true! I’m just an amateur!”
I do try my best to be helpful to Ai-chan, but I’m still lacking in both experience and knowledge.
“I don’t think that’s true at all! Senpai is definitely a highly capable person!”
“I agree. By the way, Kanata-kun, if you don’t mind… would you like to be my manager?”
“Eeh!? Wait, Nene-san! Are you trying to steal my manager!?”
The sudden proposal made Ai-chan, not me, raise her voice in shock.
“Yes. If Kanata-kun is okay with it. I’d be happy if he were my manager.”
“Ah! Then I’d like to apply too! I want Senpai to be my manager! That way, we could talk even without club activities……”
No, no, you can’t just decide that on your own…… First of all, you’re from different agencies……
Just as I was about to say that to the two of them—
“N-No! That’s absolutely not allowed! Kanata is my manager!”
Ai-chan clung tightly to my arm and began defending it with all her might. Huh—seriously? Ai-chan is… holding onto me!?
“Really? That’s a shame. But I wouldn’t mind sharing him with Ai-chan.”
“Me too! I’m fine with sharing! So please lend Kanata-san to me!”
“E-Even so, it’s no good! If he spends less time taking care of me, that’d be a problem!”
Saying that, Ai-chan absolutely refused to let me go. Somehow, it felt just like a possessive lover protecting her partner, and I nearly broke into a grin.
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