When it came to how to address her, Yin Ze had actually thought it through in those few short seconds—because, unfortunately, people around here *really* cared about proper etiquette.
"Sakura-kun" felt a bit too stiff.
"Sakura-san" was safe, but she was clearly younger.
"Sakura-chan" sounded overly familiar, almost flirtatious.
As for "Sakura-sama," "Lady Sakura," or "Miss Sakura of House Sakura"—yeah, no. Way too much.
Luckily, some words worked anywhere, anytime.
Like the way he'd always call streamers "boss" when sending them tips. Or how phone booth vendors always greeted him with a "handsome guy," and how cab drivers at Baiyun Airport yelled "pretty boy" like it was a broadcast. Or that time in a mobile game when someone wiped the floor with a quad kill and begged to call him "dad."
For students, though, there was a perfect catch-all title:
*Classmate.*
Close, casual, humble, polite.
"Fancy running into you here. Bet it's been tough—using your winter break on work instead of hanging out with friends," Yin Ze said, making small talk.
The girl, who had just taken a delicate sip of her coffee, suddenly dropped all signs of frailty. Her gaze turned frosty and sharp.
Was the coffee bad? Yin Ze felt a chill and quietly scrapped the idea of buying another bottle.
"Um… have you eaten lunch yet?" he tried again.
"And if I haven't, are you offering to treat me?" Sakura Ayane shot back bluntly.
"Uh… so is that a yes or a no?" he ventured.
"Take a guess."
"..."
Yin Ze fell silent. This girl was smooth. She shut down topics like a pro.
"What are you doing here anyway?" Ayane asked, stealing a side glance.
"Manager called me in for a voice test. You too?"
"Yeah…" she nodded slightly, a bit dejected. "But I think I blew it."
"They already told you?"
"No, but I can feel it. I did badly." She shook her head.
"Then it must've been a really tough piece." Yin Ze tried to comfort her. "C'mon, just getting signed by an agency at your age already puts you ahead of most. You're doing way better than your peers."
"Really?" She looked up, skeptical but curious.
Yin Ze immediately thought of Hidaka from this morning. She probably wasn't much older than Sakura, yet she'd already landed a lead role. Not that it stopped him from talking big.
"Totally!" he said confidently.
"Oh please. You've barely met any voice actors," she muttered. But she didn't sound entirely unconvinced.
"Anyway, I haven't even seen the audition script yet." Yin Ze glanced around. "Where's the manager? And the producer?"
"They're still in a meeting," she said, handing over the copy of the materials she'd gotten earlier. "You can look through it first."
They sat on a bench in the hallway. It wasn't as cozy as the break room, but Sakura was bundled up and had a warm drink in her hands, so she didn't mind.
She absentmindedly swung her slender legs while pretending to scroll through her phone, but couldn't help sneaking glances at the boy beside her, who was reading the script with quiet focus.
Hair brushed back, a gentle profile, smooth pale neck, the faint curve of collarbones under a layered cotton shirt...
*Okay, seriously, where did they find this campus-romance male lead? He's way too good-looking.*
The restaurant uniform had looked cheap and awkward on him. But in regular clothes, he gave off a totally different vibe.
"So this is a short story, huh?" Yin Ze flipped through the last few pages.
"Pretty sad and poetic, right?" Ayane asked, trying to sound casual.
"Yeah, classic bittersweet-with-a-healing-twist type. I get it." Yin Ze shrugged. He'd secretly flipped through girly magazines like *AiGe* and *Hanabi* back in high school, so he had some idea.
"Hey! That's your big emotional reaction?" she huffed. "Can't you be a little more moved?"
"I'm a hardened worker, okay? I've been mocked by clients, looked down on by goddesses, and laughed at by classmates at reunions. I've trained my tear ducts well."
He spread his arms with a dramatic sigh.
"Honestly, the whole 'vanishes when touched' thing is a bit forced. It's clearly a setup for tragedy. Like, couldn't she just wear gloves?"
"Excuse me?!" Ayane folded her arms. "It's *beautiful*, thank you very much! A fated encounter, fragile love, loneliness soothed by connection, eternal moments in a fleeting world—take it seriously!"
"I mean, I guess…"
Seeing him scratch his head helplessly just made her angrier. She had *cried* reading this story, poured her heart into the audition, and this jerk had the nerve to call it cliché?
And worse, she'd actually been a little touched earlier when he smiled and gave her a warm drink.
*Ugh, of course not! He's just a smooth-talking flirt who messes with girls on sight. A lightweight Casanova!*
Ayane snatched back her script. She wanted to throw a sharp insult, but her good upbringing stopped her short. Instead, she turned away and went quiet.
Yin Ze watched her sulk, hesitated, then said, "Hey..."
"I'm not talking to you," she snapped.
"You really love this story, don't you?"
She didn't reply.
A familiar silence fell between them.
"I was being too dismissive," Yin Ze finally said with a faint smile. "Everyone's been through different things. What touches you might seem small to someone else, but it still matters. A single line or image can bring back memories and stir feelings long buried."
She side-eyed him, still skeptical.
"You shared something meaningful, and I picked it apart like a critic. That wasn't fair to you."
"I didn't *share* anything," she muttered.
"Still, I'm sorry." He pressed his palms together in apology.
"You sure know how to hog the stage," she grumbled. She had no idea how to deal with someone this earnest and smooth at the same time.
"But hey, this script is mostly the two leads talking, and the length makes it perfect for an OVA or maybe even a movie. It's a rare opportunity. Then again, we're in the same agency, so they probably won't cast us both."
"Not like I was hoping to work with you or anything." Ayane pouted, then sighed. "Besides, I probably won't get the part."
"They haven't said anything yet, right?"
"I already know how it'll go."
"Try to stay positive. If you keep expecting the worst, life just gets gray." Yin Ze gave her a cheesy fist pump and said in a bright voice, "Believe it! Miracles and magic *do* exist!"
"Are you trying to babysit me?" she rolled her eyes.
"What, you don't believe in that stuff anymore?" he teased.
"I'm in high school, not elementary school!"
While the two were bickering, their manager, glasses on and phone in hand, spotted them and jogged over.
"Takizawa-kun! Perfect timing. The producers just finalized the casting for the female lead. Get ready for your turn in the booth."
"Excuse me…" Ayane asked hesitantly, fingers fidgeting, voice suddenly much meeker now that she was addressing an adult. "What about… my result?"
"Ahaha, it's you, of course! Who else could it be?" Manager Kashiwa beamed like a proud parent.
"Really?" She blinked, not quite daring to believe it.
"Really," he repeated.
"See? Miracles." Yin Ze grinned.
"Ever consider it might've been my *own* talent?" she shot back, kicking his sneaker lightly with her boot.
Apparently out of respect for her manners, she held back her strength—and settled for a gentle nudge instead.