Hmm

Just as a torrential downpour began outside, Gu Xue finished the final cut of the grasslands. The animation task that had spanned over three weeks finally drew to a close as Gu Xue confirmed the final timing entries on the Dope Sheet.

Twenty-five full days, from mid-August all the way to the beginning of September—it was finally over. If you asked how Gu Xue felt at this moment, she was certainly happy, but more than happiness, she felt a sense of relief. It was that specific feeling of, "Ah, I can finally relax and get some proper rest." As for a sense of accomplishment, there wasn't really much of that.

Although it was quite an impressive feat that she had single-handedly taken on the incredibly troublesome action cuts for the entire episode, handled the second key animation herself, and participated in revising the storyboards.

Tossing the finalized, cleaned-up drafts to the side, Gu Xue leaned back in her chair and stretched.

She had intended to head home just a moment ago, but the heavy rain had interrupted her plans.

As someone who never checked the weather forecast before going out—and couldn't remember it even if she did—Gu Xue hadn't brought an umbrella. She loved the feeling of lying in bed and falling asleep to the sound of rain after a shower, but that didn't mean she enjoyed getting soaked by it, so she decided to wait until the rain eased up before heading back.

Once the work was done and the weight was lifted from her heart, everything was fine, except for the fact that she was a bit bored.

While slacking off was a pleasure in its own right, Gu Xue actually preferred watching her favorite variety shows, anime, or manga while tucked in bed. Watching such things at the office always felt like a public execution. After watching for a while, Gu Xue closed the video and turned to observe her colleagues.

Those who had finished their work had already left, while those who hadn't were still working at a frantic pace. It probably wouldn't be an issue, though; two hours ago, Mihara Chisa had confirmed that everyone should be able to complete their tasks.

Gu Xue still trusted Mihara-san quite a bit.

And... even if someone were currently idle, Gu Xue doubted she could strike up a conversation with them anyway.

Since arriving in this world, Gu Xue had lived a life of going straight from home to work and back again. Between being nagged by her sister at home and grinding away at work, making friends in such a state was a complete fantasy.

Therefore, Gu Xue wasn't really close to the people around her; she merely recognized them. The people around her usually saw Gu Xue looking serious and rarely bothered her, which resulted in her doing almost nothing but work while at the company.

She scanned her surroundings, simply wanting to find Mihara Chisa.

In this company, the only person Gu Xue considered a friend was Mihara Chisa.

Even though Mihara Chisa always wore an expression that kept people at arm's length whenever Gu Xue spoke to her, and she was always desperately urging her to draw faster...

However, considering she brought a carton of strawberry milk for her every day, Gu Xue had decided that this person was her friend.

It was a strange sense of being acknowledged at work. Gu Xue couldn't fathom why the other woman brought her a drink every day, so she automatically rationalized it as a sign that the other party valued her. Look, did she bring milk for anyone else? No, right?

She brings it to me—so she must think I'm quite important—therefore, we are friends.

With this bizarre logic mixed with a little bit of sympathy, Gu Xue successfully convinced herself. Every time Mihara Chisa came to collect the cuts, Gu Xue would take the initiative to chat with her. Even though the other woman wore that cold, distant expression, Gu Xue just assumed she was a tsundere...

She had acted "dere" once before, hadn't she?

My logic is perfectly sound.

However, tonight was a bit strange.

Gu Xue looked toward the side of the hallway again, in the direction of the production office. Usually, at this time, Mihara Chisa would arrive right on schedule to check her progress or collect her cuts, but she hadn't appeared today.

Just as Gu Xue was feeling both curious and bored, and was preparing to trace the lines of the main character in the key animation she had just finished—partly to lighten the workload for the in-between animators and partly to kill time—

Footsteps sounded beside her.

Usually, Mihara Chisa's footsteps were very light; if Gu Xue were engrossed in her work, she wouldn't have noticed them at all. But today, she was bored, so she immediately turned her head, a healing, heartwarming smile appearing on her face as she prepared to greet her.

But when Gu Xue saw Mihara Chisa's current state, her smile instantly froze.

In truth, Mihara Chisa looked absolutely wretched.

She looked like a drowned rat. Her skirt suit and blouse were covered in water stains, her hair was soaking wet, and there was even a bit of mud on the left side. Droplets of water from her hair ran down her forehead and cheeks, splashing onto the floor, yet she seemed not to notice. She stood next to Gu Xue's desk, holding a storyboard book in one hand and a carton of strawberry milk in the other, standing there in silence.

"What happened to you!?" Gu Xue, startled, asked immediately. She began looking around for something like a cloth to use as a towel, but unfortunately, she didn't have the habit of carrying a bag to work; she always just left the house with her phone and earphones, so there was nothing of the sort nearby.

Facing Gu Xue's inquiry, Mihara Chisa pursed her lips and said nothing.

Please help me.

How did that phrase go again?

An unnatural flush appeared on Mihara Chisa's face. Her fingers, gripping the milk and the storyboard, tightened until they turned white.

She looked at the anxious Gu Xue, and her knees slowly began to buckle.

Swish.

Gu Xue stood up rapidly, gripping her arm tightly. Thinking of what she had heard in the restroom, her face turned pale.

Mihara Chisa lifted her head slightly, the flush on her face still not fading.

"Sit down!" Regardless of the expression she was making, Gu Xue pushed Mihara Chisa into her chair. She then rummaged through the pockets of her short skirt, finally remembering that she sometimes carried a pack of tissues with her.

Luckily, she had brought one today.

Pulling out the tissues, she tore open the seal.

Gu Xue pulled out all the tissues, stacked them together, and began vigorously rubbing Mihara Chisa's soaked hair.

Unfortunately, there weren't many tissues, and with the mud in Mihara Chisa's hair, the tissues were quickly soaked through and balled up into a clump by Gu Xue's efforts.

Gu Xue dropped the clumped-up tissue and looked around. She didn't see any more tissues, but she did see several pairs of curious eyes.

Gu Xue's anger flared up, and she raised her voice: "Are you all idiots? If you have tissues, bring them over here!"

Even if Mihara Chisa's personality was unpleasant and tough, and even if you didn't like her, there was no need for this, right? Watching her wander around like a drowned rat without a single person asking if she was okay—at the very least, ask if she's alright! Even if you don't ask, surely you can see what I'm doing; is it that hard to hand over a tissue or a cloth?

Staring, staring, what the hell are you staring at?

Gu Xue glared at them, truly angry.

Fortunately, she had the kind of face that made people think she wasn't actually angry even when she was. Others assumed she was just a bit anxious, so those who had tissues on their desks brought over entire packs.

Gu Xue took the packs of tissues and tossed them onto the workbench, no longer looking at them, simply pulling out a large wad of paper in silence and continuing to clean Mihara Chisa's hair.

Her face remained cold the entire time.

The people who had brought the tissues finally realized the fact that she was angry, but unable to do anything about it, they slowly and quietly slipped away.

Gu Xue paid them no mind, rubbing Mihara Chisa's hair over and over again with the tissues; throughout the process, the other girl kept her head down, clutching her storyboard notebook and milk, her body stiff as she let Gu Xue handle her.

After using up an entire large pack of tissues, Mihara Chisa's hair was finally a bit cleaner, at least no longer caked in mud and dripping wet.

Gu Xue pulled out another large wad of paper, gathered her skirt, and crouched down, cleaning the ends of her hair while looking up and asking in a very soft, gentle voice, "What's wrong?"

"..." Mihara Chisa kept her lips pressed shut, gripping the milk and storyboard notebook tightly.

Gu Xue glanced at the items in her hands, her movements as she cleaned the hair becoming even more gentle, "Are you having trouble with the key animation?"

Mihara Chisa: "..."

"Do you need my help? I happen to be quite free." Gu Xue showed not a hint of impatience.

Mihara Chisa was silent for a moment, then lowered her head further, letting her bangs cover most of her face so Gu Xue couldn't see her expression, before slowly raising her right hand and placing the slightly crushed carton of milk onto the workbench.

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

Thank you to Lantern Grass Under the Moon~