I Know This One-It's from the Urban Legend Series!

Shuya said helplessly.

The young women nodded instinctively. They hadn't officially debuted yet, but their training schedule was already incredibly demanding.

They'd only held back because he was the director. They'd probably been making fun of him in their heads for ages.

"Uncle Tanaka, let's record my part first."

Shuya had to step in and defuse the situation. "Let my dad rest for a while."

Tanaka hadn't even had a chance to speak when Inoue Hikoo collapsed flat on the floor and cried out, "No! I can still be saved!"

Shuya trotted over and patted Inoue Hikoo on the back, soothing him. "There, there. Everyone knows how hard you've been working, Dad. But this isn't going to help. Be good and don't cause trouble for everyone."

"I don't want to! I can keep going! Waaaah!"

"I know you can, but everyone has an off day sometimes, right?"

"An off day... Right, right! I'm only like this because I'm having an off day!"

Inoue Hikoo had found himself an excuse to bow out. Overjoyed, he scrambled to his feet and hurried off to the side.

What a pain...

Shuya shook his head.

"Shu-chan-senpai is so cute when he's exasperated!"

"So cute!"

"So cute!"

Shuya couldn't help covering his face. That's enough, you silly Japanese girls!

The staff brought over Shuya's special little step stool. He climbed up, then adjusted the microphone to the right height.

"Then we're counting on you, Shu-chan-senpai."

Uncle Tanaka called out playfully.

"OK, leave it to me."

Shuya smiled and gave a little wave toward the booth behind the glass.

He felt a little pressure—not because he was nervous, but because he wanted to nail it and dispel the gloomy atmosphere Inoue Hikoo had created.

Hikari-chan's first appearance came at the end of Part A of Episode One. Uesugi Yuichi went to explore the park out of curiosity, where he heard the faint sound of a baby laughing.

Shuya didn't have a script in hand. He simply focused on the simple visuals. There weren't many lines, and he'd memorized them all.

Everyone watched Shuya's small back, their expressions growing tense as they wondered whether he'd be affected by a certain someone.

Everyone except Inoue Hikoo, who watched Shuya with a proud fatherly smile, as if Shuya had already succeeded.

On the rough animation, Uesugi Yuichi cautiously crept into the park.

Suddenly, he stopped and looked around in confusion.

Watching the screen, Shuya knew it was time. His little face lit up with delight, and he let out the clear laugh of a baby.

"Amazing!"

The young women's hearts tightened.

They closed their eyes and could almost picture an innocent, adorable baby rolling around on the grass.

Aww, I'm dead!

"As expected of Shu-chan-senpai."

In the control room, Sound Director Tanaka couldn't help telling his colleagues beside him.

The staff nodded one after another.

Especially after the useless performance before him, Shuya's talent stood out all the more.

Section 5: I Know This One! It's from the Urban Legend Series!

Shuya hadn't only done voice work once, at six months old.

Over the next few years, he often appeared in his dad's animations for free.

His mom's agency had also relied on him to hold things together, and he'd been to plenty of studios.

He'd appeared in TV commercials and news features, and had posed for all sorts of photos.

He'd even done voiceovers for films from other prefectures a few times.

He was truly the youngest veteran in the industry, "Shu-chan-senpai."

With five years of experience, he was no longer a rookie.

He'd even won a New Voice Actor Award, but given his talent and popularity, the award was only to be expected. It was nothing to be proud of.

Shuya didn't have many scenes in the first episode of Alien Baby Hikari-chan, so the recording went quickly.

Uesugi Yuichi found a big pit in the park. He leaned over to look and was stunned.

A chubby little baby was lying at the bottom.

The baby spotted him, giggled, and reached out both arms to be picked up.

Shuya voiced the scene with vivid realism, improvising the baby's mysterious babbling.

He brought it to life.

His presence was even stronger than that of the other young actresses.

Uncle Tanaka never called a stop. He thought it was perfect.

On screen, just as Uesugi Yuichi was about to give up, a sudden downpour began.

"Waaah—!"

Shuya scrunched up his little face and let out a pitiful cry on cue.

"So pitiful!"

"So pitiful!"

"So pitiful!"

Hey! You finally changed your lines!

Shuya caught their soft exclamations.

"But so cute!"

"So cute!"

"So cute!"

"Waaah—!"

Shuya cried even more convincingly.

He couldn't help it. Their stupidity was making him cry.

"Perfect!"

Uncle Tanaka slapped his thigh.

In the next scene, amid the baby's cries and the sound of sirens, Uesugi Yuichi gritted his teeth and jumped into the pit. He gathered the baby into his arms and raced home through the torrential rain.

There was a small detail on the way: Uesugi Yuichi slipped and fell. Instinctively, he shielded the baby with all his strength. Before even trying to get up, he checked to make sure the baby was safe.

In the pouring rain, the handsome middle-aged man held the adorable baby and met his big, dark eyes. The look of relief and tenderness in Uesugi Yuichi's eyes at that moment was later chosen as one of the show's iconic scenes. It was a prime opportunity for countless housewives and young women to feast their eyes on him and shout, "Marry me!"

As the scene continued, Uesugi Yuichi avoided the crowds and sneaked the baby home. He hastily tidied up the room and cleaned himself and the baby.

The first episode was nearing its end.

Just then, exhausted Uesugi Yuichi lost his balance, bumped into a wardrobe, and fell over.

The rickety wardrobe wobbled, then toppled toward him.

Startled, Uesugi Yuichi hurriedly turned his back to the wardrobe and covered himself with his arms.

He closed his eyes and waited, but the expected impact never came.

He slowly opened his eyes and saw light filling the cramped room.

The baby Uesugi Yuichi had brought home was floating in midair, glowing softly.

The light stopped the wardrobe and protected Uesugi Yuichi.

Shuya laughed innocently along with the scene, his voice full of adorable babyish sweetness.

At this point, Uesugi Yuichi was supposed to stammer, "S-s-superpowers?!"

But Inoue Hikoo was sprawled out on the floor, so the scene ended right there.

"Brilliant."

"Impressive."

Everyone applauded without reservation.

Shuya bowed politely.

"As expected of my boy."

Inoue Hikoo picked Shuya up and planted a loud kiss on his cheek.

Shuya wiped his face in disgust.

Inoue Hikoo set Shuya down in a chair off to the side, then strolled over to the microphone with a knowing air.

Holding his script, he said without looking back, "All right, let's continue with my part."

Tanaka said, "...You don't need to rest a little longer?"

"No. Watching Shu-chan's performance helped me get into the right frame of mind."

Inoue Hikoo dropped his clownish act and put on a cool, nonchalant front.

Tanaka studied Inoue Hikoo's back for a long moment. "Then let's begin."

In the next moment, Shuya sensed that Inoue Hikoo's presence had changed.

He'd become world-weary.

The scene returned to the beginning of Part A. Class was about to start, and a handsome middle-aged man opened the door as Yuzuki Sasaki watched expectantly.

"Good morning~ Yawn..."

Uesugi Yuichi yawned as soon as he came in.

The young actresses shuddered and stared at Inoue Hikoo in disbelief.

His voice was exactly how they'd imagined Uesugi Yuichi would sound.

His deep, sensual voice concealed an unshakeable sadness, like a breeze sweeping into their hearts.

Th-this was the skill of a renowned director... Inoue Hikoo?

The young women gazed at Inoue Hikoo's handsome appearance, momentarily entranced.

This recording went incredibly smoothly. He sounded like a completely different person.

"Dad, what brought on that change of heart?"

Shuya asked the question everyone was dying to know.

"Well..."

Inoue Hikoo stroked his stubbly chin and said wistfully, "I was thinking that if you hadn't helped us cry back then, and the company had gone bankrupt and you and your mom had starved to death, just how down-and-out would I have become? Once I put myself in that situation, the emotions came right out."

Shuya: "..."

No question about it. He really was my dad.

Oh, you!