[Vol 2] A Romantic Comedy About Flirting and Getting Married to a Popular Voice Actress Interlude 2
May, 2026.
Gazing at the scenery spread out before her eyes, Ai-chan couldn’t hide her excitement.
"Uwaaa──! It’s Akibaaaa──!"
The otaku district everyone knows—Akihabara. Since Ai-chan’s day off had coincidentally lined up with mine, we’d decided to come hang out in this town together.
For otaku like us, this place was a utopia that made your excitement skyrocket.
However──
"Ai-chan, you’re way too hyped. You’re going to bother the people around us."
"But it’s been so long since I came to Akiba! I can’t help it—my blood just starts pumping! Hmph!"
Her heavy breathing and sparkling eyes told the whole story of just how excited she was. Well, I guess it’s understandable. Ai-chan is aiming to be a voice actress, after all—she loves games and goods like crazy. Plus, there are items you can only buy here. Anyone would get super hyped.
"Still, keep your voice down. In your case, there’s also the risk of being recognized……"
That’s right. Since Ai-chan is a famous voice actress, she has to be careful. Especially here—the holy land of otaku. She’s wearing sunglasses and a hat to avoid being recognized, but there are definitely some fierce fans who could identify her just from hearing her voice. She really needs to be more cautious……
"It’s fine. I’m taking the bare minimum of precautions. Even if I raise my voice a little, the crowd will drown it out."
But Ai-chan, clearly in a great mood, didn’t seem very aware of the danger. Well, I do think it’ll probably be fine—but I still wish she’d be a bit more careful.
"Hey, hey, Kanata! Where should we go first? I wanna go to my usual anime shop! There’s some merch I’ve been looking for from an old anime I started watching recently! And I wanna stop by a bookstore too! I’m curious whether 『Koutetsu no saibankan (The Steel Judge)』—the new anime I’m in—is selling well!」
"Got it…… Then let’s just go into different shops along the way. The closest one to the station is…… yeah, that shop over there."
Listening to Ai-chan’s requests, I roughly map out a route. For now, we decide to head to a large otaku-oriented bookstore.
Passing through the narrow entrance, we arrive inside. Like most bookstores in Akiba, the sales floors are spread across multiple levels of the building, each organized by genre.
We start by carefully browsing the entire first floor.
"Waa! Hey, look! They have the novel you like, Kanata! The new volume just came out yesterday!"
"Oh, seriously!? Then let’s grab it while we’re here! Hey—wait, isn’t this the series where you played the heroine, Ai-chan?"
"You’re right! It already finished, but there’s a short story volume out! I have to check this out!"
As we take our time going around together like this, the number of things we want to buy just keeps increasing. While keeping an eye on the total cost, we greedily pick up everything we want.
After conquering the first floor, we move on to the second, then the third, checking each one in turn. And when we finally reach the fourth floor, the biggest event of the day happens.
"Huh……? W–what……!? Th-this is……!"
Right after climbing the stairs. On this floor full of manga, there was a shelf in the most prominent spot—set up as a special display.
It was a special corner dedicated to Ai-chan.
To commemorate the broadcast of the new anime 『Koutetsu no saibankan』, where Ai-chan plays the protagonist, a full lineup of manga works in which she had played main roles up until now was displayed together.
Famous manga were lined up prominently on the shelves, regardless of the magazines they were published in. Among them were an ecchi romantic comedy that became a hot topic thanks to Ai-chan voicing it, and a dark fantasy where she starred in a serious role for the first time—works that carried a lot of emotional weight.
On top of that, a monitor was installed above the shelves, endlessly playing the PV for the new anime 『Koutetsu no saibankan』. In the empty spaces, there were photos of Ai-chan from live events and POP displays supporting her, turning the whole thing into an extravagant display stand.
"Yeeah! The whole display is filled with Ai-chan stuff! Woo!"
"H-hey, Kanata……! You’re getting too excited……! Calm down……"
Ai-chan whispers a warning into my ear, keeping her voice low. Even as I hear her, I can’t suppress the pounding in my chest.
"Of course I’m excited! There’s a whole display just for my oshi! This is your big moment, Ai-chan! How am I supposed to stay calm!? First, I gotta take a picture……"
"Uu…… for me, it’s a little embarrassing……? Of course, I’m really, really happy, though……"
Blushing, Ai-chan looks down shyly.
Since Ai-chan became famous, I’ve seen displays like this plenty of times—but my excitement never fades. Thinking about how far she’s come, from the days when I was her only fan, makes me feel like I might burst into tears—both as her oldest fan and as her manager.
"Oh! Check this out! It’s Ai-chan’s corner!"
"Ai-chan really is the best. 『KimiZora』 season two was seriously god-tier."
Suddenly, two male customers around high school age step into the area. Spotting the Ai-chan feature, they head straight toward it.
"…………！"
Ai-chan pulls her hat down low to hide her identity. I gently tug her shoulder and move us to a slightly more distant spot.
『This is the end of your games! Uoooooo────!』
"Ah…… amazing……! What an unbearably precious voice……"
"Seriously, Ai-chan is way too cute. I can’t even believe she’s human."
As they chat excitedly while watching the monitor and looking at the merchandise, we observe them from a distance. From their conversation alone, it’s obvious—Ai-chan really is absolute justice.
"Ai-chan’s insanely popular. Those fans are praising her nonstop."
"E-eh heh heh…… Yeah. I’m really happy……"
Trying to keep her voice down, Ai-chan still bounces with excitement.
"Ah, look, look! There’s a whole Ai-chan feature here!"
"Oh, really? Probably because the new anime’s starting, right?"
After that, more and more customers gather around the corner, having noticed the display. In no time at all, a small crowd forms.
They buy manga, talk passionately about their love for Ai-chan with friends, and linger around the shelves.
If they knew Ai-chan herself was right here, their hearts would probably jump out of their chests. Of course, for her safety, that could never happen—but just imagining it makes me smile.
"Man, I just wanna go on a date with Ai-chan once in my life!"
"Same…… I want her to whisper sweet words to me in her oshi character’s voice……"
Listening to them share their fantasies. Yeah, yeah, I get it. I used to imagine that kind of thing every day too.
But I’m different now.
For me, those fantasies have become a reality that will never fade.
"Fufu…… Everyone’s saying the same things you do, Kanata."
Saying that, Ai-chan giggles softly. Thinking that I get to monopolize this smile and her adorable voice fills my heart with an indescribable sense of superiority.
The Ai-chan everyone loves is right here beside me. That fact makes me so happy that, without thinking, I pull her closer by the shoulder.
"Ehehe…… Kanata♪ I’ll always be right by your side, you know?"
"Thanks, Ai-chan…… By the way, I kinda want you to whisper sweet words in Kana-chan’s voice……"
"Eeh~? I guess I can’t help it. ──『I love you, Kanata-kun♪』"
Ai-chan whispers it into my ear so no one else can hear. Receiving this fanservice from Ai-chan—something no one else could ever experience—I think to myself that I could die happy right now.
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