Akira headed to the art room after his last class, expecting to find Aoi working alone on the festival backdrop. Instead, he found both Aoi and Rina there, deep in conversation.
"No, see, you need to blend the colors more here," Rina was saying, pointing at a section of the massive canvas. "The transition from light to shadow is too harsh."
"I know, but I'm trying to create contrast…" Aoi paused mid-sentence when she noticed Akira in the doorway. Her face lit up. "Akira-kun! Perfect timing. Come tell Rina she's wrong."
"I'm not wrong," Rina protested, grinning. "I'm just saying it could be softer."
Akira walked over, studying the painting. It had grown significantly since the last time he'd seen it: the mystical forest now covered nearly the entire backdrop, trees reaching toward an ethereal sky painted in shades of purple and gold.
"It's incredible," he said honestly. "Both of you are right, though. The harsh contrast works for some areas, but others need that softer blend."
