"Well?" Ryuko asked. "Did any of those match the Meiko voice you had in mind, Mizushiro-sensei?"
Haruki leaned back in his seat, thoughtful.
"…They were close," he said. "But the one that really stuck... was actually the very beginning of your audition. The first two lines."
Ryuko blinked. "The first two?"
She furrowed her brows, trying to remember. Everything had been such a blur.
Still, after a long pause, she hesitantly repeated the opening lines.
Haruki's eyes twitched.
The tone, the texture—it instantly brought Meiko's voice to mind. It wasn't perfect, but it was the closest so far.
"Almost," Haruki said. "Just... a little more lively."
"More lively?" Ryuko tilted her head.
"Like the tone of a child," he explained. "Meiko never really grew up—her voice stayed soft, innocent. But the script didn't go into much detail, so that nuance wasn't obvious."
Ryuko's expression shifted as she seemed to process it.
Her voice lightened—sweeter, more playful.
"That's it," he said, genuinely impressed. "That's the Meiko I imagined."
Ryuko's eyes widened. "So that's the voice you had in mind all along…"
Haruki frowned slightly. "But if you can do that, then why did your audition feel so off?"
Ryuko scratched her cheek, sheepish. "I was nervous! I saw all those producers and animators I'd only ever seen on posters… it completely scrambled my brain. I wanted the role too badly."
"But I won't mess it up again at the callback."
Haruki nodded. That, he could understand.
His own rise had been strangely smooth—working alongside major names like Haruka Sato and Kazuya Mori within a year. But for someone like Ryuko, still carving her way forward, the pressure must've been intense.
He glanced at her and sighed inwardly.
Weren't you supposed to keep your distance?
That plan had clearly derailed. He hadn't done anything improper—he didn't intervene in the audition or pull strings—but somehow, here they were, spending an hour together, walking through performance notes.
Still, if she could replicate that delivery at the callback, the role of Meiko was as good as hers.
Assuming she didn't choke again.
Silence stretched between them. Ryuko looked like she wanted to speak but wasn't sure if she should. She didn't want to overstep.
Half an hour passed before the rain finally let up.
Haruki looked at his untouched coffee, took a few quick sips, then waved to the waiter.
"Excuse me—can I get the bill?"
The waiter bowed. "Ah, sir, the lady already paid."
"…She did?" He turned to Ryuko.
"I'll transfer you the amount—"
"No need!" Ryuko waved frantically. "You helped me so much—talking to Producer Mori for me, helping me with the voice... Let me treat you. Just coffee, okay?"
Haruki studied her for a second, then gave a small nod.
He stood and stretched. "The rain's stopped. I'll grab a taxi. Want to share one?"
The offer surprised her.
"You mentioned you're studying Broadcasting, right?" Haruki said. "I'm at the arts university nearby. If you're heading back that way, we can ride together."
Ryuko blinked. "You're a university student?"
She had looked up Mizushiro-sensei before. There was no mention of him being enrolled. Balancing manga work and classes had to be exhausting.
"Animation Production," Haruki said.
Ryuko looked at him strangely. A successful, nationally-known mangaka… still studying animation like any other student?
And at her cousin's university?
"Then… is there someone named misaki Mei in your class?"
Haruki blinked. "Not sure. I've been enrolled for a while, but I spend most of my time drawing. Don't really know many classmates."
He knew a few—his roommates, class reps, and maybe one guy who always borrowed pencils.
"She's my cousin. She's a freshman in Animation Production."
"Oh, then maybe. New cohorts start every year," Haruki said with a shrug. "Could be."
He gave a soft sigh. "Tokyo's big, but sometimes it feels like a small town."
Then he added, half-teasing, "But just so we're clear—knowing your cousin won't get you any points next week."
"..." Ryuko wasn't sure if that was a joke or a warning.
"I'm heading out," Haruki said. "Coming?"
After a brief pause, she nodded. "Sure. I don't mind."
She didn't believe Haruki was the type to do anything inappropriate—and besides, this gave her a chance to ask more about Meiko during the ride.
An hour later, the taxi stopped in front of Haruki's apartment building.
He stepped out and leaned in to speak to the driver. "I'll cover the fare. Please take her to University's entrance."
Ryuko immediately protested. "Wait—Haruki, that's too much! At least let me send you money!"
He turned and smiled wryly.
"If your cousin really is in my class, just call me Haruki from now on, alright? 'Sensei' feels weird outside of work."
He waved off her offer. "And if you insist on paying me back, I'll just return your coffee money. Let's not get stuck in a cycle."
"I'll see you at the re-audition next week. I'll probably still be on the judging panel."
With that, Haruki turned and headed toward his apartment, hands in his pockets.
The taxi rolled on toward campus.
Inside, Ryuko sat quietly, staring out the window.
Then she whispered to herself,
"Mizushiro… no, Haruki."
A small smile played on her lips as she stepped out into the night air.
(TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-atreon.com/Alioth23 for 50+ advanced chapters)