"How should I put this—the art style is very polished, but the plot is a bit too clichéd."
Shirai Mio carefully flipped through Mashiro's manga. Though it differed somewhat from the "Love Around the Corner" she remembered, the plot still felt very dated.
To put it bluntly, it was a completely overused trope.
"Ayano said the same thing before." After hearing Shirai Mio's evaluation, though Mashiro's expression didn't change much, her tone clearly became somewhat dejected.
Shirai Mio reached out and gently patted Mashiro's head. If this were Sakurasou, Shirai Mio could follow the original story and have her use the happenings at Sakurasou as source material. But unfortunately, this wasn't that place.
Moreover, she and Mashiro had known each other for too short a time, and too little had happened between them. If they used their experiences as material, there simply wouldn't be enough content.
"Actually, I have a suggestion. Want to hear it?"
"Hm?"
"Mashiro, you know manga artists can debut as teams, right? Your drawing skills are amazing, but currently your plot construction is a bit weak. While I'm not good at drawing, I do understand a thing or two about plot construction. Before you've accumulated enough experience to become an independent manga artist, how about partnering with me? I'll write the script, and you'll do the art."
"A team?" Mashiro blinked, seemingly contemplating what Shirai Mio had just said.
"Yeah. Lend me your computer for a bit. I can write out a story outline for you to see right now. After reading it, you can decide—it's not too late."
Shirai Mio carefully recalled the plot of "White Album 2." She'd originally encountered this work through internet memes, then watched the anime, and because of the anime, played the game.
Because she'd been so emotionally devastated at the time, the impression was particularly deep. And when she'd been surfing the web earlier, she hadn't found any information about this work—not even anything similar.
Now it could be put to good use.
Shirai Mio's typing speed wasn't fast—after all, it wasn't her familiar language or input method. But this actually suited her purposes, since the task was to make Mashiro proactively ask her to stay overnight.
As time passed minute by minute, before she knew it, it was midnight. Shirai Mio hadn't finished the outline yet, having only written part of it.
But even just that part was enough to captivate Mashiro.
And Shirai Mio had played a trick—cutting off at a crucial point in the plot.
Shirai Mio yawned lazily and glanced at the time before saying, "Mashiro, let's stop here for today. I should go back, take a shower, and sleep. You should rest too."
As soon as she stood up, Mashiro grabbed her hand, her tone somewhat urgent: "Stay tonight. Write more."
"We still have class tomorrow."
"Don't need class anymore!"
Shirai Mio sighed helplessly, then said, "Then you have to let me go back and take a shower first. When I come back I can write a bit more, but you have to promise me you'll sleep after reading it."
"Mm."
Probably worried Shirai Mio would disappear forever, Mashiro followed her home like a little tail, waiting for her to finish showering before pulling her back into the room.
By the time Shirai Mio finished writing another section, it was already two in the morning. She was exhausted, while Mashiro seemed to have no sleepiness at all. Was this what it meant to be cat-like?
"Time to sleep."
"Look a bit more."
"No way! Read more tomorrow. If you don't sleep now, I won't write tomorrow."
Under Shirai Mio's threats and coaxing, Mashiro finally obediently got into bed with her.
Despite being drowsy earlier, after lying down, Shirai Mio became much more alert. After all, this was her first time sleeping in the same bed as a girl—and that girl was Shiina Mashiro. It would be strange if she could just fall asleep easily.
When she'd transmigrated and slept in Yuigahama Yui's room, it had only been the same room, not the same bed. And back then, her mind had been full of thoughts about how to survive in this unfamiliar world—she hadn't thought about anything else at all.
Unable to sleep, she couldn't help teasing the system: "System, I'm already lying down—why isn't the task complete yet?"
"Host can't sleep, so don't bother me. The system needs to sleep too, okay?"
"?"
"To prevent you from sneaking back in the middle of the night, when you wake up tomorrow morning, the task will naturally be complete. If there's nothing else, I'm going to sleep."
After saying this, no matter how much Shirai Mio called out, there was no response, as if it didn't exist at all.
If only it could be like this during the day too.
She didn't know how much time passed before Shirai Mio finally drifted off to sleep in a daze.
When the alarm rang in the morning, she opened her eyes once more.
What met her gaze was Mashiro's cute sleeping face. Before she could observe more closely, the alarm suddenly stopped, time froze again, and the system's voice, sounding like it hadn't woken up yet, rang in her ears: "Task complete. Shiina Mashiro's affection toward you has increased by 3 points. Please select your desired reward."
[Shiina Mashiro's Drawing Skills] Your drawing skills will improve significantly. This card is part of the Shiina Mashiro series.
[Shiina Mashiro's Photographic Memory] Your memory will improve significantly. This card is part of the Shiina Mashiro series.
[Big Eater] Your appetite can increase significantly. Selecting this repeatedly can upgrade the card.
Still drowsy, Shirai Mio instinctively wanted to choose the photographic memory, but just then, she suddenly remembered something important and turned her attention to the drawing skills instead.
To become Mashiro's partner, if she didn't understand drawing at all, that wouldn't be very appropriate. Plus, drawing skills might help her complete the task involving Eriri. So after only brief hesitation, Shirai Mio chose [Shiina Mashiro's Drawing Skills] as her reward.
Worst case scenario, she could draw her own adult art. No matter how she looked at it, she wouldn't lose.
As Shirai Mio made her choice, the alarm sounded in her ears once more.
After turning off the alarm, Shirai Mio resisted the urge to go back to sleep and reached out to shake Mashiro, who was using her as a body pillow. "Mashiro, time to get up."
"Mm."
Mashiro responded groggily, then buried her face directly in Shirai Mio's chest and slept even more soundly.
...