"A great man once said, science is the only test of truth. As a materialist warrior, even after my faith crumbled, I still don't buy into coincidences or fate," Takizawa said with a low hum. "Female fans? Let's prove it with an experiment."
"How?" Shimazaki asked, puzzled.
Takizawa snapped a photo of the sizzling grill piled with meat, then angled the phone for a group selfie. He began typing.
Soon, Matsuoka saw his friend's post pop up in his followed list.
[Life's a one-way ticket—tough roads, long journeys. Pausing to rest isn't a sin. Regroup, then stride forward. Afternoon, workers.]
[Grill.jpg, GroupShot.jpg]
"Didn't you say to lay low? Now you're posting chill vibes?" Shimazaki tilted his head.
"My caption's pure positivity, meant to inspire. Don't call it food flexing," Takizawa said, shaking his head.
"Comments already," Matsuoka said, refreshing.
[Clicked the second I saw the notification. I follow you for this? Where's the new model pics?]
['All-Japan Jokes' is outworking you, blogger—step it up.]
[Got more Hidaka-chan shoot?]
"…Seems most of your followers have ulterior motives. Though, your reposts are high quality," Shimazaki said, browsing Takizawa's feed and hitting follow. "What's this experiment?"
"If they're screenshotting videos for my wiki gallery, they won't miss this crisp selfie. The faster it's uploaded, the more female fans I've got," Takizawa said.
"Frankly, your loyal fans seem like dudes using you as a content hub… maybe mixed with some rabid Idol King 2 haters," Shimazaki said.
"Online's like society—fractured. Strangers follow you, then DM to unfollow. Some treat it as an open world, others a private diary. Women especially guard their desires, walling off their hearts," Takizawa said, pushing up imaginary glasses. "We're on a placid island of ignorance, adrift in a vast, dark sea…"
"You sound all intellectual, but flipping me off with that fake glasses push is rude," Shimazaki said sincerely.
"Sorry, I'll wear real ones next time."
"?"
"No way this works," Matsuoka said, flipping meat and sprinkling spices. "Why do you care so much about female fans?"
"Childish, greedy, loves showing off to cute girls. Since forever, men are hopeless creatures," Shimazaki explained slowly. "Bound by instinct—the chains of nature. I call it the Chains of Heaven."
Takizawa picked a raw beef slice, tossing it on the grill. Fat sizzled, soon turning golden. Perfectly cooked, he plated it, dusted it with salt, pepper, and scallions—pure class. He sipped his icy beer, waiting for it to cool.
"Whoa! It happened?!" Matsuoka, mouth full, waved his phone. "The gallery updated!"
Shimazaki refreshed and saw the photo, uploaded seconds ago.
Familiar decor, grilling steam, and that cool, playful smile—definitely the selfie.
But him and Matsuoka?
Cropped out!
Onscreen, Takizawa's face glowed under warm light, eyes clear as a winter lake, reflecting the bustling world.
Then, a glance at the real thing.
"This meat's still warm," Takizawa said, savoring a cooled bite.
"Unacceptable!" Shimazaki wailed, like he'd sunk cash into a gacha and missed the prize, face contorted.
"Elders say fortune follows misfortune. This mess led us to true fans," Matsuoka mused.
"Where's our 'fortune'?" Shimazaki asked.
"Not yet, but it'll come."
"Bro, is that fortune or revenge?"
"Damn it, why? I'm destined for harem anime protagonist greatness. Female fans just confuse agents and companies, derailing my path to pure otaku roles!" Takizawa sighed, worried.
"For a fellow moonlit dreamer, I'd walk away from such a fame-chasing poser," Shimazaki said, torn between anger and sorrow.
"Drink, drink."
The Tokyo Trio, like other tables griping about bosses and coworkers, clinked glasses in sync, the sound crisp and bright.
Meal done.
Shimazaki dragged Takizawa to pay, throttling him for saying, "You guys settle the bill, I'm hitting the restroom."
A tragic era, a broken society—trust in tatters. Poor guy just needed a bathroom break.
Outside.
"I'm free this afternoon," Shimazaki said, stretching.
"Same," Takizawa replied, rubbing his reddened neck.
"Game?" Shimazaki's eyes sharpened.
"Game," Takizawa nodded gravely.
Just an arcade trip, not a siege, Matsuoka thought, speechless.
"You, Matsuoka?" Shimazaki turned.
"Got work."
"Man, you're always busy. Next time you're free, join us. We'll show you real man's fun," Shimazaki said, regretful.
"Maybe…"
With a wave, Shimazaki and Takizawa slung arms over shoulders, heading to the testosterone-fueled arcade paradise. Matsuoka boarded the subway for the studio.
Truth be told, Tokyo's small, with only so many pro recording studios. Lately, Matsuoka had nearly hit them all.
This afternoon's session was with the same senpai who'd guided them before.
By chance, Yoko Hikasa was there too, now a minor role with three episodes' worth, not the lead.
Even top voice actors took small parts—handling big projects or supporting others showed maturity.
Matsuoka smoothed his worn clothes, entering respectfully. Thanks to Takizawa's influence, he greeted the cast smoothly, especially showering Yoko with praise for her style and hair, expressing gratitude and eagerness to learn.
"Sit by me? Plenty of empty spots," Yoko said casually. But as Matsuoka flashed a simple smile, waved off, and took the farthest corner seat, she paused.
Unfazed by fame, polite but not fawning, ignoring a chance to cozy up to a popular, approachable senpai, he stayed professional, even with just a few lines.
What a promising rookie, Yoko thought, impressed.
Matsuoka hid behind his script, heart racing.
Was she testing my grasp of studio seating etiquette?
Since middle school, he'd tried to read people, even working at a busy furniture market. Progress was slow, but he'd learned a bit.
Meeting Yoko before, he sensed she wasn't as gentle as she seemed. Despite her refined, poetic charm, she held something back, maybe strictness.
Possibly a sharp, high-powered pro who'd scold a newbie for a crooked tie.
He peeked from behind his script. Yoko was staring, her gaze thoughtful, enigmatic.
Yikes—terrifying.
Matsuoka ducked back, heart pounding.
***
Hi everyone, I hope you're all doing well. I just wanted to let you know that right now I'm working on a really good and promising fate fanfic. If you're interested in reading it, feel free to give it a try:
[Fate/Max Level Returner]
Synopsis:
What if you took your max-level account and replayed the entire story from the beginning?
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