Amane Minato

I didn’t expect anyone to be in the school’s underground storage room. I just wanted a quiet place — somewhere Rua wouldn’t be.

I opened the first door—

“KYAAAH!”

I jumped back and slammed it shut. “S-sorry! I didn’t know someone was inside!”

After a few seconds, the door creaked open. A girl peeked out, her face bright red. She wore gym clothes and hugged a towel against her chest.

“I-it’s okay…” she said, avoiding eye contact. “I overreacted. Sorry for screaming.”

It was Amane Minato — a quiet, gloomy girl. I only recognized her because she was a voice actress in some anime… and she worked with Rua.

“You were changing?” I asked, awkwardly.

She nodded. “I was practicing… singing and dancing. I have a role next week.”

“So you’re in the entertainment world too.”

She shook her head. “Not really… I’m not popular or anything. My voice and face are just… like this.”

“I think your voice is cute,” I said honestly.

Her face turned even redder. “N-no way! There are tons of people with better voices. I only got paired with Rua… so people started messing with me.”

I frowned. “Why’d you team up with that pig anyway?”

She gasped. “Y-you can’t say that! What if someone hears?!”

“It’s fine. Nobody’s around.”

She looked down. “We’re in the same agency. She’s the star… I’m just support. That’s okay. I don’t want to drag anyone down. I just want to do my best.”

I paused. “Still… why aren’t you in class?”

She hesitated. “M-my desk and chair were outside this morning. Someone taped a sign to them… ‘No seat for you.’”

“…But aren’t you a scholarship student?”

“N-no! That’s not true!” she said, flailing her arms nervously.

I looked at her—awkward, flustered, but honest.

“…Want some company while you practice? I can’t do much, but I’ll give you feedback as an amateur.”

She blinked, then smiled softly.

“I’ll be counting on you, Suzuki.”

And she gently took my hand.

Amane Minato is a quiet, withdrawn girl who blends into the background wherever she goes. She’s known among a niche circle as a voice actress, but at school, most people barely notice her — or worse, treat her like she doesn’t belong. With soft features, downcast eyes, and a habit of flinching when spoken to, Amane comes off as gloomy or awkward at first glance.

But beneath that timid surface is someone earnest and deeply passionate.

Amane doesn’t speak up often, but when she does, it’s usually to apologize — even when she’s done nothing wrong. She’s constantly second-guessing herself, afraid of being a burden or stepping out of line. She’s the kind of person who would laugh off her own pain and say “I’m fine” while holding back tears. Years of being overlooked, ignored, or quietly bullied have made her internalize the idea that she doesn’t deserve to stand out.

And yet, she works harder than anyone.

Amane doesn’t dream of fame. She doesn’t want to be in the spotlight. What drives her is the hope that she can help others shine — to be the background voice that supports a performance, even if no one remembers her name. She trains in secret, dances alone, and pushes through loneliness without complaint. In her mind, that’s what people like her are supposed to do.

Even when paired with someone like Rua Takayashiki — a powerful, cruel idol figure — Amane never fights back. She simply accepts her role and tells herself it’s enough to be useful.

But deep down, there’s a part of her that wants to be seen. That wants to be told she’s worth something — not because of who she supports, but because of who she is.

All it takes is one person willing to listen… for that quiet voice to finally rise above a whisper.