<CHAPTER 4: Reward>

The 16th of January

The past few days are very tiring, taking up lessons, and looking for part-time job is something that's very tiring. And the date of the audition is coming up.

The strange dreams have stopped, but who knows if it's only for a while or if it really stopped.

But in these past few days, I've met quite a few people, To-chan, Sha, the suspicious man, the money-sucking landlord and the abusive VA instructor… ah, also the tall dog from the mall… I've never been this active in my life…

I think the coming days will be different compare to my last year's events. Can I really get the Seiyu Award? To-chan is giving me such a big burden, but at least I got Sha, talking with him is starting to get interesting.

It's still early in the morning when I received a text message. I opened my phone and To-chan's name appeared. Since it's from To-chan, I can ignore it for a while, I'm still a little sleepy.

I'm preparing to sleep when To-chan send another message…

"Geez, To-chan is acting like an obsessive boyfriend… okay, okay… I'll get up." I said to myself. I stretch out my lazy limbs and I heard some cracking bones… should I start exercising then? I get up from bed and head to prepare myself to attend VA lessons again.

"It looks like I forgot something… did I?" I looked at the mirror and saw that I'm already ready. "Well maybe I just got up too early."

--

"Now, the lessons are done… and I have nothing to do, should I visit Sha? Yeah…let's head there… the view there is something that I really wanted to see every day." Either the city or Sha, both of them are great views… hahaha.

I head to Sha's elevator and saw something different, the poster is already gone and I don't think if the elevator is cleaner than before… well, I'm excited to see SHA. I pressed the button going to Sha's floor and after a while the door opened.

"I'm here again!!" I said enthusiastically as I enter the condo as if this is my home. I felt familiar after roaming here yesterday.

I saw Sha in front of the computer again, wearing his usual yukata and there's a bit difference in the atmosphere than before, maybe it's just me, I greet him again and this time he looked to me and nodded, but still, he's expression never changed, maybe that's his unique charm.

"Are you happy to see me?" I asked half-jokingly. Unexpectedly, Sha nodded his head and I can see his ears getting a little red, but it still get back to normal after some seconds.

"That's good to hear- I mean to see… hehe, I'm here to be your talk-mate again…" I smiled at him and he nodded back. I approached him and Sha continued to type as usual.

"Sha, I haven't asked, what's the title of your book?" I asked.

"…" Sha didn't replied.

"Hey, what's with the silent treatment?" I said but his next word confuse me.

"There's no book." Sha said while typing.

"No way, does that mean you're not yet releasing it? Can I have the honor to read it first?" I asked excitedly. But if he haven't released a book yet, where does his money come from? And he can also afford my salary at the same time?

"I-it's complicated!" he said after a while. Well, I guess he don't want to talk about it, he normally go straight to the point whenever I ask him about something.

"What about you? What's your job?" Sha asked me.

"Me?" he's actually starting a topic… what a rare occurrence. "I'm your talk-mate of course but aside from that, I'm a voice actor, that's my main job. But you know, you pay much more than my VA projects… should I shift this job to become my main then?" I smiled after…

"Oh… I see." Then Sha continued typing again. I guess that's the end of the conversation.

After that, I monologued about my voice acting career and as usual, he nods or shakes his head as an acknowledgement that he's listening. At least, I can say the things I can't to To-chan. Talking this way has never been much exciting.

--

After my regular 4hour talk with Sha, I head to the VA agency to take extra lessons since tomorrow will be the start of my battle, this will be my first project for this year and my first step towards the Seiyu Award.

Speaking of project, am I really not forgetting anything?

I continue heading to the Agency when I saw To-chan in front of the Agency door.

"To-chan!!" I called and run to him but he also run to me so I stopped.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!? HAVEN'T YOU READ MY MESSAGES!! IT'S ALMOST TIME AND YET YOU'RE HERE!!" To-chan's sudden outburst freeze me and think of something…

"To-chan… is the audition's date today?--" I asked slowly.

"YES!! COME WITH ME, I'LL BRING YOU THERE!" To-chan grab my hands and bring me to his car.

--

"I thought it will be tomorrow" I worriedly said "sorry To-chan"

"That's why I told you to pay attention to the job description. And I sent you a message reminding of the audition… are you prepared?" To-chan worriedly asked.

"Hmmmm, I took extra lessons and studied hard. But I almost lost my first step..." I replied with low spirits.

"That's fine, as long as you're there, you're first step will be there as well. I can see that you're fine, so I think my worries should be ashes now." To-chan sighed but it's a sigh of relief.

"Did you-" To-chan interrupted me "we're here… go to the front desk and ask about where the audition will take place.

"hmmmm." I replied and smiled at him "Thank you To-chan, wait for my good news then." I get down the car and hurriedly go inside.

"Why do you have so much hope for this kid dad? What's special about him that you dotes him and want to keep the company alive just for him?" Toshiyuki asked himself, then he made his way going back to the agency.

--

"Whoa… I'm feeling kinda nervous! Everyone else looks so experienced!" I look around as this unfamiliar room gives me a chill. I sat down at a stool and saw everyone either vocalizing or doing something weird…

"Okay listen everyone, as you have seen in the job description…" the staff started giving instructions on how the audition process will take place. Honestly, I don't understand a thing, what I'm certain about is I should do my best, pass the audition, and bring back the trophy. Nothing more, nothing less.

The staff finished her sentence and distributed the script for the auditions. We are given 5 minutes to practice the script and after that, the audition will formally start.

After some time, one by one, the voice actors enter the room until it's my time to go inside.

After I go in, I've read the scripts with proper emotions and tried to remain calm as I can since being nervous will make my voice shaky and I can crack my voice and when that happens, it will be game over.

Luckily, I finished my audition without any flaws and I'm confident that I'll be picked by the judges. One of the judges, the one who's in the middle with short blondie hair, spoke and said

"You did a job well done, the emotions are there, and the pitch is controlled. I looked at your resume and found it interesting, Mr. Hirai, I'll keep my eyes on you."

"Thank you ma'am, thank you sirs. I'll be taking my leave then" I bowed to them and make my way out.

After an hour, I saw the same judge before approached me.

"Mr. Hirai, I am Ms. Elizabeth, and I'm here to say that we chose you to give life to Orishiku as his voice. Congratulations! Please take care and I hope I can see you again on the next auditions." Ms. Elizabeth congratulated me again and leave the hallway together with the other judges.

--

I hurriedly travel from the audition place going back to the agency to bring my good news to To-chan. When I reached the agency, I entered hurriedly and go straight to To-chan's office.

"TO-CHAN, TO-CHAN!! I PASSED THE AUDITIONS AND GOT PICKED!" I said excitedly the moment I opened the door.

I saw To-chan having a phone call, and he ended the call right after.

"Yeah, I just heard from Ms. Elizabeth, Congratulations on your first step Keito" as he was saying this, he's walking towards me and when he's in front of me, I suddenly felt a chill down on my spine.

"(It was the same as my dream, the way he walked, and the way he looks at me, it feels like he's 'that' man, could it be?)"

To-chan lowered his head into my level and then…

"(Is he really that man? Will he kiss me? then? If that's the case, everything will be resolved, right? Nothing will go wrong, right? But why do I feel so much unease!)" I froze at that position when suddenly...

I felt something is rubbing my head…

"Congratulations Keito, you did a great job!" To-chan is patting my head and he's smiling face is right before my face.

"T-thank you To-chan. Hehe" I pull back myself and clear my thoughts.

"You should rest now, since tomorrow will be the recording date, you have to rest your throat. Don't drink soda or anything cold and sweet. Do you understand?" To-chan said.

"Yes Sir!" To-chan removed his hands from my head then I suddenly realized "You should reward me!"

"What? Why would I, if I were to reward you, then all of the employees should be rewarded every other day, don't you think so?" He rebutted.

"Tsk… Stingy To-chan. CHEAPSTAKE!" I annoyingly turn around when...

"Fine, fine. Come with me then! I'll give you my reward." To-chan surrendered to me again… hehe, should I take the CEO position then? Hehe.

--

We take the stairs from his office because To-chan's house is right above the agency. When we entered the room, it's not the normal look of a room of a CEO, it's just a studio-type room but with better quality. but despite of it being a studio-type, there's a divider separating the bedroom and the kitchen.

To-chan look at me and smiled seductively, he go near me as he removes his coat.

"T-To-chan… why are we here?" I asked him excitedly.

"You said you want your reward right?" then he unbuttons 3 buttons revealing his upper chest.

"T-To-chan… is this will be my reward?" I smiled at him, and when he's already in front of me, he gave me a piece of paper. "Huh?"

"Go and buy those ingredients, my stored food is only for one person, if you want to eat, then buy these ingredients. Just show the list to the staff and they'll take care of it." To-chan said as he step back and head the kitchen island.

"Tsk… you're giving me hopes for nothing… tsk" I turn around hurriedly and close the door with a bang.

BANG

"Huh? Why's Keito being weird just a moment ago? Hmmmm, why do I feel like a young parent who sends his son on his first errand? Let's just hope he doesn't encounter any trouble in the way..." Toshiyuki laughed at his own thoughts.

--

I reached the grocery and saw the crazy cashier… should I still call her crazy since she helped me get a job? Well…

"Little Beauty!" I call out the cashier and she looked at my direction, she smiled and wave at me. I go to her and gave her the list.

"Can you get me these ingredients? I don't know how to get them and also To-chan said that I should just give the list to the staff." I said immediately since I'm really starving.

"Oh, these are rare ingredients and we're not selling it in public, only special customers can get touch of these." Little Beauty said.

"Oh? Then you can get them right!" I asked worriedly.

"Of course… please wait here, I'll get them for you." She replied respectfully.

"Then I'll wait here… sorry for the trouble Little Beauty." I smiled at her.

"Anything for you" she blushed and hurriedly go to the storage room.

While waiting, I wander around the grocery, since this is my workplace, a little help to the elderly can be offered. As I wander I saw this suspicious looking red haired punk staring at me… viciously?! Did I offended someone before? He looks like a master of a gangster…

His stare is killing me!