The word "school reopening" was like a nightmare.
Still, there was something grand about it—an uplifting feeling as if a major festival were about to begin.
Perhaps thanks to that kind of atmosphere, Akira's business had picked up recently, and he even had to travel for work from time to time.
After all, not all wealthy and prestigious families lived in Tokyo.
As his name gradually spread and gained recognition, more and more clients from outside the city began to request him.
At the same time, Nanami resumed her voice acting studies while attending regular classes.
She went to lessons every weekend, and once Utaha realized that, she cleverly rescheduled her "cat time" to Friday nights.
She would then laze around most of Saturday, thoroughly washing away the fatigue of the week before heading back home, looking completely satisfied.
This made Akira feel like he should raise her "rent," because she clearly wasn't just freeloading a place to stay and some feline therapy anymore—she was freeloading his maid's services too.
If not for the fact that she helped Nanami with that package delivery last time, got along well with her, and had clearly looked a little worn out recently, Akira really would have sat her down for a talk.
And so, in the midst of these peaceful days, the once-scorching weather finally began to cool.
Another Friday came, and like clockwork, Utaha arrived at Akira's house.
After a short rest, she took a bath, then came downstairs in a somewhat revealing black nightdress and had dinner before leisurely heading back upstairs.
Watching her act like she was staying at a hot springs inn—or maybe just being plain lazy—Nanami, now in maid mode, frowned slightly.
"Mr. Ogiwara, Miss Kasumigaoka can't go on like this, can she?"
Even though Utaha did a decent job hiding it, always looking a bit drowsy in general, Nanami had once been overly self-reliant and was now a skilled maid.
Hiding fatigue from her was simply impossible.
Akira gently stroked Kuro, who was sprawled out on the sofa, and replied with an almost indifferent tone,
"I don't know if she can or not, but don't interfere. Let her grit her teeth and hang on. The moment she lets herself relax, she might not be able to repay her debt."
Nanami understood all too well what it meant to survive on sheer willpower—after all, she had lived that way for quite a long time.
But she didn't know what was going on with Utaha, so she didn't use her own experiences to object. She simply asked, "Why?"
Akira patted the spot beside him on the sofa.
Nanami obediently sat down and, seeing Hikaru approach, scooped her into her arms.
Framing his reply as a question, Akira began to explain. "Can you tell that she's burning up inside? Like you were on the day of your voice acting showcase."
"That day…"
Nanami remembered that strange state she had been in.
It wasn't just gritting her teeth—it felt like gasping for air at her limit, trying to suck in just a bit of oxygen to keep going, to make it past that already-visible finish line.
But in the end, she collapsed just before crossing it.
To her, Utaha now seemed more like how she had been in the days of part-time jobs before the showcase. Still, there were some clear differences.
Seeing Nanami struggle with the thoughts, Akira stopped being cryptic and said plainly,
"Unlike building up slowly and bursting during an exam, writing is a long-term grind.
From the moment you start, you're always in a state like that showcase—every word you write is like every line you perform on stage."
This shift in perspective helped Nanami understand—but also confused her further. "But what does that have to do with not being able to relax?"
"Because she's not like you. You're chasing a dream—something uplifting. She's repaying a debt—something heavy."
Akira pulled Kuro into his lap, getting bit a couple times in the process.
But once he started petting, Kuro settled down quickly, purring just like Hikaru on Nanami's lap.
Holding their respective cats, Akira continued,
"Dreams carry the hope of future happiness. But her debt is pure suffering.
The only reason she chooses that pain is to avoid another one—one that would damage her conscience and self-respect."
"And humans, by nature, avoid pain. In the long term, if all you have to do is lower your head or give up a bit of pride to be freed from it… that's a very tempting offer."
That's why, when Utaha chose to repay the debt, Akira had praised her—but he mostly watched silently.
He didn't know if she could endure it, or if she would eventually give up—or even turn back.
It's easy to make a decision in a rush of emotion. What's hard is proving it through time and perseverance.
Not knowing the full story, Nanami only half-understood. But she could at least follow his words. Her concern deepened.
If she had pursued voice acting not out of passion or dreams, but only because of obligations or family expectations, she doubted she could have held on the same way.
She probably would have given up after a while or started going through the motions.
If she wanted to keep going…
"Miss Kasumigaoka must be out of patience already," Nanami said softly, finally catching on.
Akira nodded and said lightly, "Yeah. Her patience is spent. So now she's burning herself."
"She can't take it easy?"
"No. Not even a little. You can fool others with half-hearted work, but not yourself. And with her pride, if she can't hold her head high, she'll collapse."
Remembering that night when Utaha gave up on her dream and threw her original plan onto him as debt repayment, Akira pushed Kuro off his lap and picked up a cigarette from the table as he walked outside.
He left behind a scoffing comment.
"Don't learn from that foolish woman."
Nanami tilted her head in thought for a moment, then also put Hikaru down, got up, made a cup of coffee, and headed upstairs.
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