Ebina Hina sometimes said the strangest things, but when she sang, she became like a completely different person.
Her entire demeanor softened, her voice carrying a gentle warmth that matched her expression.
When her song ended, she looked at the others with a sweet smile.
Yuigahama Yui clapped enthusiastically, though Miura Yumiko's expression seemed a little complicated.
"Akira-kun, how was it?" Ebina asked, tilting her head slightly toward him.
"It was really nice. Much better than mine," Akira said honestly, giving her a high evaluation.
"Thank you for the compliment," Ebina replied, her smile widening as she handed the microphone to Miura Yumiko.
Yumiko stood up with quiet confidence.
"Yumiko is the best singer among the three of us," Ebina whispered to Akira as she sat down.
Akira turned his gaze to Yumiko.
She stared seriously at the TV screen, preparing herself.
"No matter what Yumiko does, she always seems to pull it off well," Yui muttered, a hint of envy in her voice.
Akira glanced at Yui, reminded of something Yukinoshita Yukino once said in the anime — that those who feel envy often fail to see the effort behind someone else's success.
Just by looking at Yumiko's expression, Akira could imagine how much work she had put into this. Among the three girls, she naturally stood at the top — and it was for a reason. Yumiko Miura worked hard, and that's why she could maintain her position.
The music started.
Yumiko began to sing.
Yui and Ebina watched her in silence, and so did Akira.
At that moment, it felt as though Yumiko was standing on a real stage, her voice filling the room with confidence and skill. Unlike Ebina's soft gentle singing, Yumiko's singing was polished and professional — as if she would debut as an idol tomorrow.
When the song ended, Yumiko slowly closed her eyes, still lost in the emotion.
The three of them broke into applause.
Yumiko opened her eyes, her lips curving into a faint smile.
"Yumiko, you should really become an idol," Ebina teased.
"Your singing is always so beautiful," Yui said earnestly, her admiration clear.
"Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if I saw you on TV someday," Akira added.
"Thank you," Yumiko replied calmly, as if she'd already grown used to such compliments even though her smile widen a little.
Next, it was Yui's turn.
She stood up nervously, her hands fiddling with the microphone. After Ebina gentle singing, followed with Yumiko's stunning performance have put her under enormous pressure.
"Yui, now do you understand why I went first?" Ebina grinned playfully.
"Hina, you're so cunning!" Yui puffed her cheeks in mock frustration, though she clearly understood now.
"Don't worry, Yui. Just relax," Yumiko encouraged.
"Yeah." Yui nodded, though her nervousness lingered.
"You're not the worse one here," Akira said reassuringly.
Yui blinked in surprise, then smiled shyly, her cheeks turned red.
"Yui, now that you've been cheered on by Akira-kun, don't you feel full of energy?" Ebina teased again.
"Hina…" Yui blushed even harder.
The music began.
Yui faced the screen and took a deep breath before singing.
Her performance wasn't as polished as the others, but that was exactly what made it charming. She was just an ordinary girl — her slight mistakes, her shy smile, and the way her cheeks turned red with embarrassment gave her a natural cuteness that couldn't be faked.
When the song ended, Yui immediately sat down, clutching the microphone as if to hide her embarrassment.
Akira gently took it from her hands.
"You made a lot of little mistakes… but you were really cute when you sang," he said with a light smile.
"C-cute?" Yui froze, her mind going blank for a second.
Then, her thoughts exploded. Akira-kun said I was cute?!!!
Her face turned crimson as she struggled to calm her racing heart.
But her fluster only deepened when Akira began to sing.
She looked up, wide-eyed. His voice… it wasn't just good — it was almost indistinguishable from the original singer's.
Even Yumiko, usually composed, was caught off guard.
Ebina listened quietly, smiling faintly.
When Akira finished, Yui and Ebina clapped instantly.
"Akira-kun, did you practice that song for a long time?" Yumiko asked curiously.
"I've just listened to it a lot," Akira replied casually.
Yumiko nodded, convinced he was the type to quietly practice and put in effort without showing off. She didn't realize that he had simply memorized the lyrics and singing style.
.....
For the rest of the afternoon, the three girls relaxed more.
Akira only sang once, then excused himself to prepare dinner.
The girls were surprised — and a little impressed — that Akira could cook, their curiosity making them look forward to the meal.
From the kitchen, Akira could still hear their laughter and occasional singing.
Halfway through cooking, Yumiko came over.
"Do you need my help?" she asked softly.
"No need, it'll be ready soon," Akira replied, glancing at her.
But despite his words, Yumiko still stepped inside and peeked at the pot.
"Can Miura-san cook too?" Akira asked, noting the way she stared at the curry.
"I've learned a little… but not as well as you, Akira-kun," she admitted with a small blush.
"Did you learn it for someone you like?" Akira asked casually.
Yumiko's face grew warmer. "…..Yeah."
She had indeed practiced for Hayato Hayama, though her results had never been very good.
Akira stirred the curry and said slowly, gently, "I think when a girl cooks for someone she likes, the taste doesn't matter much. What's important is the thought. If I had a girlfriend, I'd eat everything she made — even if it didn't taste great."
"…The thought behind it?" Yumiko's eyes softened.
"Yes. If it's Hayama, I don't think he'd refuse. At the very least, he'd try it."
"Th-thank you, Akira-kun." Yumiko's face turned bright red, but her smile was genuine.
"You're welcome," Akira said simply, focusing back on the curry.
Yumiko walked out of the kitchen with a lighter heart.
Half an hour later, Akira emerged with dinner.
The three girls had already cleared the coffee table and turned off the karaoke system, eagerly waiting.
"What an amazing smell! Akira-kun, you're incredible," Ebina exclaimed.
"Akira-kun, how did you do it?" Yui asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Don't be afraid of failure. Just keep trying," Akira said with a small smile.
The three girls exchanged amused glances, smiling at his words.
They waited until he sat down before digging in.
Akira tasted the food first and was satisfied.
In his original world, living alone had made cooking a necessity — and it showed in the quality.
The girls each took a bite.
"…Delicious!" they said in unison, their eyes lighting up.