Mm

Just as the torrential rain began outside, Gu Xue finished cleaning up the last cut of the grassland scene. The more-than-three-week-long drawing assignment finally came to an end when she confirmed and filled in the time on the Dope Sheet.

It had taken a full twenty-five days, from mid-August to early September, but now it was finally over. If you asked how Gu Xue felt, of course she was happy. But more than happiness, she mostly felt relieved—that feeling of Ah, now I can finally relax, have some fun, and get some proper rest. As for a sense of accomplishment, there wasn't much.

It really was pretty impressive that she'd handled all the ridiculously complicated fight cuts for the episode on her own, cleaned up Kiyo-Nigen herself, and even helped revise the storyboards.

She set the final cleaned-up drawings aside and leaned back in her chair, stretching.

She'd been planning to head home, but the downpour had interrupted her plans.

She never checked the weather forecast before going out—and even when she did, she couldn't remember it—so Gu Xue hadn't brought an umbrella. She loved lying in bed after a shower and falling asleep to the sound of rain, but that didn't mean she liked getting rained on. So she planned to wait until the rain let up before heading home.

Now that the work was done and the weight had lifted from her shoulders, everything felt great—except for the fact that she was a little bored.

Killing time was fun in its own way, but Gu Xue still preferred watching her favorite variety shows, anime, and manga while curled up in bed. Watching that sort of thing at the office always made her feel like she was being publicly humiliated. After watching for a little while, she shut off the video and looked around at her coworkers.

Everyone who'd finished their work had already gone home. The rest were still hard at it, burning the midnight oil, but things probably weren't too bad. Two hours ago, Mihara Chisa had confirmed that they should all be able to finish on time.

Gu Xue trusted Miss Mihara.

Besides... even if there was someone with nothing to do right now, Gu Xue figured she probably wouldn't have anything to talk about with them.

Ever since coming to this world, Gu Xue's life had been stuck in a two-point routine: either going home to get scolded by her older sister or working herself to the bone. Under those circumstances, making friends was little more than a pipe dream.

So Gu Xue really wasn't close to anyone around her. They were only acquaintances. Her coworkers usually saw how serious she looked and rarely bothered her, which meant that at work, she did little besides work.

She glanced around, only looking for Mihara Chisa.

At this company, the only person Gu Xue thought she could call a friend was Mihara Chisa.

Whenever Gu Xue talked to her, Mihara always wore an expression that kept people at arm's length and urged Gu Xue to draw faster...

But she brought her a carton of strawberry milk every day, so Gu Xue had decided that they were friends.

It was some strange need for validation at work. Gu Xue couldn't figure out why Mihara brought her a drink every day, so she just assumed it meant Mihara valued her. I mean, did she bring milk for anyone else? No, right?

She brought it for me—so she must think I'm pretty important—which means we're friends.

With some ridiculous logic and a little wishful thinking, Gu Xue had managed to convince herself. Whenever Mihara Chisa came to collect her cuts, Gu Xue would strike up a conversation, even though Mihara always wore that distant expression. Gu Xue just assumed she was tsundere...

It wasn't like she'd never shown her softer side...

My logic is perfectly sound.

But tonight felt a little strange.

Gu Xue looked down the hallway again, toward the production office. Usually, Mihara Chisa would show up around this time to check on her progress or collect her cuts, but she hadn't appeared today.

Just as Gu Xue was wondering about it and growing bored, she was about to trace the lines of the main character in the key animation she'd just finished, to lighten the in-between animators' workload and kill some time.

Footsteps sounded beside her.

Mihara Chisa's footsteps were usually so light that Gu Xue wouldn't notice them when she was absorbed in her work. But she was bored tonight, so she immediately turned around, a warm smile appearing on her face as she prepared to say hello.

But when Gu Xue saw what Mihara Chisa looked like, her smile froze.

Mihara Chisa looked absolutely miserable.

She was soaked through, like a drowned rat. Her skirt suit and blouse were covered in water, her hair was dripping wet, and there was even mud on the left side. Droplets ran down her forehead and cheeks before hitting the floor and bursting apart. She seemed not to notice. She stood beside Gu Xue's desk, holding a storyboard book in one hand and a carton of strawberry milk in the other, saying nothing.

"What happened to you!?" Gu Xue asked, startled. She began looking around for something like a cloth that could serve as a towel, but she didn't usually bring a bag to work. She just grabbed her phone and earphones before leaving, so there was nothing of the sort nearby.

In response to Gu Xue's question, Mihara Chisa pressed her lips together and said nothing.

Please help me.

How did you say that?

An unusual flush appeared on Mihara Chisa's face. Her fingers tightened around the milk and storyboard book, squeezing harder and harder until they turned white.

As she looked at Gu Xue's anxious face, her knees slowly began to bend.

Swish.

Gu Xue shot to her feet and grabbed Mihara Chisa firmly by the arm. Remembering what she'd overheard in the restroom, her face turned livid.

Mihara Chisa raised her head slightly, the flush still lingering on her face.

"Sit down!" No matter what expression Mihara made, Gu Xue pushed her into her own chair. Then she rummaged through her miniskirt pockets, finally remembering that she sometimes carried a pack of tissues with her.

Luckily, she had some today.

She pulled out the tissues and tore open the packaging.

Gu Xue took out all the tissues, stacked them together, and rubbed Mihara Chisa's soaked hair vigorously.

Unfortunately, there weren't many tissues, and Mihara Chisa had mud in her hair. They were quickly drenched, and Gu Xue rubbed them into a ball.

Gu Xue tossed the balled-up tissues aside and glanced around. She didn't see any more tissues, but she did notice several curious pairs of eyes.

Gu Xue's temper flared. Raising her voice, she said, "Are you idiots? If you've got tissues, bring them over here!"

No matter how nasty or stubborn Mihara Chisa was, and no matter how much you disliked her, you didn't have to act like this. You saw her wandering around looking like a drowned rat, and not one of you even asked if she was okay. And even if you didn't ask, you could see what I was doing. Was it so hard to hand me a tissue or a cloth?

Look, look, look—what are you staring at?

Gu Xue glared at them, genuinely angry.

Luckily, she had one of those faces that made people think she wasn't angry even when she was. The others assumed she was just a little anxious, and everyone who had tissues on their desk hurried to bring over a whole pack.

Gu Xue took the packs and tossed them onto the worktable. She didn't look at the others again. Silently, she pulled out a large wad of tissues, held it in her hand, and continued cleaning Mihara Chisa's hair.

Her face stayed cold the whole time.

The people who'd brought the tissues finally realized that she really was angry. There was nothing they could do, so they gradually slipped away without a word.

Gu Xue ignored them. She rubbed Mihara Chisa's hair over and over with tissues. Throughout it all, Mihara kept her head down, gripping the storyboard book and milk, her body rigid as she let Gu Xue do as she pleased.

After using up a whole pack of tissues, Mihara Chisa's hair was finally a little cleaner. At least the mud was gone, and it wasn't dripping anymore.

Gu Xue pulled out another large wad of tissues, gathered up her skirt, and crouched down. As she cleaned the ends of Mihara Chisa's hair, she looked up and asked gently, in a very quiet voice, "What's wrong?"

"..." Mihara Chisa still pressed her lips together, clutching the milk and storyboard book tightly.

Gu Xue glanced at what she was holding and made her movements even gentler. "Are you having trouble with the key animation?"

Mihara Chisa: "..."

"Do you need my help? I'm free right now." Gu Xue showed not the slightest impatience.

After a moment of silence, Mihara lowered her head a little, letting her bangs hide most of her face so Gu Xue couldn't see her expression. Then she slowly raised her right hand and placed the slightly crushed carton of milk on the worktable.

Gu Xue nodded and said earnestly, "Mm, I understand."

Thanks to Lantern Grass Under the Moon.