The meeting ended. Only after everyone had left the conference room did Yūki Chinatsu slowly get to her feet.
"Honestly, everyone is so optimistic."
As she was leaving, Yūki Chinatsu handed Kamiyā Yuu a strawberry milk-flavored lollipop. Under his surprised gaze, she turned her flushed little face away, her eyes flickering as she muttered,
"Well, ~ You've worked hard. Anyway, let's all do our best together."
Kamiyā Yuu nearly choked on the air. Taking the lollipop, he said with a strange expression,
"Chinatsu, I didn't know you had tsundere traits."
"Tsundere?"
Yūki Chinatsu's brows rose. Her round eyes stared at Kamiyā Yuu in confusion. This world's Japanese animation industry had not yet produced that specialized anime term, but her instincts told her Kamiyā Yuu was teasing her.
"Give it back if you're not eating it."
After putting away the lollipop, Kamiyā Yuu reached out and rubbed her golden hair with amusement.
"Thanks."
A few black lines appeared on Yūki Chinatsu's forehead. With lightning speed, she grabbed Kamiyā Yuu's right hand and bit down hard.
Kamiyā Yuu reacted just as quickly, twisting his hand away so she bit empty air. Cold sweat broke out as he asked,
"Chinatsu, what are you trying to do? If that bite landed, I'd be missing a chunk of flesh."
Yūki Chinatsu was not as strong as Kamiyā Yuu. Her slender hands barely managed to hold onto his right hand to stop him from breaking free. Her cute little face puffed up with anger as she said word by word,
"Yuu, just now, you treated me like a child again, didn't you!"
Being treated like a child had always been her taboo. In particular, every time Kamiyā Yuu showed signs of doing so, it made her angry.
"I can wake up by myself. I can complete company work properly. I can legally drink alcohol. I can even drink Aoi's black coffee."
Yūki Chinatsu narrowed her eyes as she listed signs of her maturity. When she mentioned black coffee, she deliberately emphasized it. In Japan, being able to drink black coffee was itself a symbol of maturity.
Wake up by herself?
Wasn't she still woken up every morning by Morishita Aoi or Uehara Etsuki?
Completing company work properly was true. Since her registered age was already over twenty, she could naturally drink alcohol as she pleased.
As for black coffee?
Kamiyā Yuu still remembered how she forced herself to gulp down a mouthful, only for her little face to turn bitter like a gourd as she nearly spat it back out.
While Kamiyā Yuu was thinking about these things, Yūki Chinatsu finally caught an opportunity. Her little head slipped past Kamiyā Yuu's movement blockade, and she bit his arm hard.
The weather had not fully warmed up yet, but the company had heating inside, so Kamiyā Yuu was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt.
"Hiss~!"
The sharp pain made Kamiyā Yuu inhale coldly.
When Yūki Chinatsu finally let go, a neat row of teeth marks tinged with blood could be seen on his arm.
Seeing that he was bleeding, Yūki Chinatsu also froze. Feeling guilty, she let go and stepped back a few paces, forcing herself to snort.
"S-Serves you right. As long as you don't treat me like a child again, I won't bite you."
After saying that, she stood in place like a child who had done something wrong, pursing her lips and not daring to meet Kamiyā Yuu's eyes.
Seeing Yūki Chinatsu like this, Kamiyā Yuu did not know how to get angry.
Treating Yūki Chinatsu like a child was not an unconscious habit. It was simply a way of interacting that he liked. He had not expected it would provoke such strong resistance from her.
Kamiyā Yuu smiled bitterly.
"I understand. But Chinatsu, couldn't you bite a little lighter?"
His straightforward apology instead made Yūki Chinatsu uncomfortable. After a moment of silence, she said,
"Wait here for a bit."
With that, she turned and left the conference room.
Before long, she ran back carrying an emergency medical kit. Placing it on the table, she pulled over Kamiyā Yuu's right hand and giggled.
"Relax. I won't bite you this time."
Looking at the blood seeping from Kamiyā Yuu's arm, Yūki Chinatsu hesitated before licking the blood clean from the wound.
The contact of her warm little tongue against his skin brought Kamiyā Yuu a subtle sensation. Afterward, she took some external wound medicine from the medical kit and applied it.
"All done. It should heal in a few days."
"Thanks."
Kamiyā Yuu withdrew his arm and casually thanked her.
As Yūki Chinatsu carried the emergency medical kit and left the conference room, she paused. Turning around, she smiled lightly at Kamiyā Yuu.
"Yuu, I'm also really looking forward to Episode Seven of 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica'."
······
"The line layering here is too cluttered. It should be paired with changes in color layering to reduce the sense of visual messiness."
"In these cuts, Akemi Homura's facial expression isn't strong enough. Though that should be the Original Art Department's responsibility. Ruri, please tell Director Uehara in the Original Art Department about it later."
"Mm... Overall, the animation quality is very good. You've worked hard, Kuroneko."
Kamiyā Yuu reviewed the animation direction on the computer and spoke thoughtfully.
Originally, animation direction was Kuroneko's responsibility, but her experience was still shallow, and her ability was not yet sufficient to fully handle the position. Kamiyā Yuu still needed to conduct a second review.
Standing before the desk, Kuroneko finally relaxed her tense little face and bowed deeply to Kamiyā Yuu.
"Um... President Kamiyā, thank you very much!"
Kamiyā Yuu shifted his gaze from the computer screen to her and smiled.
"Your performance didn't disappoint me. Rather, I should be the one thanking you. You've helped me a lot."
Kuroneko straightened up. Her small hands kept fiddling with the hem of her gothic dress. After the joy and excitement on her face faded, her expression became solemn.
"President Kamiyā, I have a request!"
Kamiyā Yuu paused.
"Let's hear it."
"Could... could President Kamiyā please become my animation teacher?"
"Oh... Of course."
"Although I don't have enough experience and I'm clumsy in many areas, I truly love animation, and I also truly love President Kamiyā's works. No matter what requirements President Kamiyā gives me, no matter how difficult or exhausting, I can endure... Hm? P-President Kamiyā, you agreed?"
Kuroneko asked in disbelief, swallowing all the lines she had prepared.
Kamiyā Yuu raised an eyebrow.
"Was I not allowed to agree?"
Kuroneko hurriedly waved her hands, nervously smoothing the hem of her dress as she stammered,
"N-No, that's not it. It's just that President Kamiyā is so busy, so talented, and such a famous person. I'm only an ordinary animator, and I've only been at the company for a little over half a year, so, um..."
Kamiyā Yuu smiled.
"When I was just an original artist who knew nothing, I also shamelessly went to ask Teacher Uehara to become my original art teacher. Now, I see in you the same qualities I once had. Kuroneko, you're the company's assistant animation director. If your animation production skills improve, it will be very useful to both the company and me."
Of course, he was talking nonsense.
There was only one reason he had agreed to Kuroneko without hesitation.
She was Kuroneko.
That Black Cat.
"Yes. Please guide me from now on, President Kamiyā."
"Shouldn't you change how you address me?"
"Teacher... Kamiyā?"
Kuroneko asked hesitantly, her beautiful contact-lens-covered eyes filling with surprise and joy.