Her creativity was running in overclock mode, sparks and lightning of inspiration flying everywhere. She was producing drafts so fast that even Ayase Miki started wondering if she had taken some kind of smart drug.
But the good times did not last.
When she moved on to a high-difficulty scene of two bodies tightly intertwined in an ambiguous pose, her mental RAM once again hit the "out of memory" error.
In the image, the man needed to lift the woman up in his arms. The muscles in his arms, waist, and legs would all enter a state completely different from ordinary exertion.
The heroine's body, in turn, would, due to being supported and pulled by her own weight, form a beautiful, seductive reverse arc.
Rinko stared at the blank canvas, biting her stylus, falling into the most painful contemplation of her entire artistic career.
Her mind was completely blank.
That bastard Tanaka... yesterday he had only demonstrated muscle changes in normal standing and lying positions. As for this kind of "high-difficulty lift", her "database" had absolutely no corresponding records.
How was she supposed to draw it? Just imagine it?
Would that not send her straight back down the old, soulless road she had just escaped from?
No. Absolutely not.
Once you get used to luxury, it is hard to go back to poverty.
Inside Rinko's heart, a full-blown ethical drama was unfolding between heaven and earth.
The little angel Rinko inside her head, wearing a pure white dress, spoke solemnly. "Kurosawa Rinko, you must know shame. How can you, for the sake of drawing, go and ask that walking pile of dirty thoughts for help again? Where is your dignity? Your pride?"
The little devil Rinko, on the other hand, lounged in a skimpy succubus outfit, tail swaying as she coaxed sweetly. "How much a pound is dignity worth, exactly? If you cannot finish the art, the company collapses and you will be drinking cold wind for dinner. Besides, that guy's body is... ahem, I mean, that 'reference' really is top-tier. This trade is pure profit."
The two little figures brawled viciously inside her skull. In the end, the devil Rinko executed a clean shoulder throw, beat the angel Rinko black and blue, stepped on her, and declared ultimate victory.
"Ugh..." Rinko let out a long sigh and slumped over her desk in resignation.
She finally understood that some things really were like contraband. Once you got a taste, you were never quitting again. For example, a high-quality, living, breathing reference for human anatomy.
Time ticked by, second after second, until at last the workday ended.
The others in the office gradually packed up and left. Before heading out, Ayase Miki even went over to Rinko and patted her shoulder with the sympathetic look of someone seeing a "fallen girl".
"Rinko, do not overwork yourself. Some things you just have to let go of. If you cannot draw it, we can always change the script."
Rinko buried her face in the crook of her arm and gave a muffled "Mm".
When the office was finally empty except for her and the so-called newcomer who was still "diligently studying", she at last gathered her courage and shuffled step by step to Tanaka's desk.
Tanaka lifted his head at just the right moment, his trademark harmless smile in place. "Kurosawa, you are still here. Do you need me to turn off the lights for you?"
"..."
Rinko's cheeks flushed so hot they could have fried an egg. Her heart was pounding like she had just spent the entire night raving in a club.
She opened her mouth, but her throat was so dry that no sound came out.
The two of them stayed locked in that awkward stalemate for a full thirty seconds, the air between them thick with embarrassment and something far more suggestive.
In the end, Rinko steeled herself.
"Tonight... in the reference room, there is... there is a part about flexibility that I... I still do not quite understand."
As soon as she said it, she felt like all the strength had been drained from her body.
She did not dare look at Tanaka's reaction. As soon as the words left her mouth, she spun around and practically ran in the direction of the reference room.
Watching her, Tanaka could not help it and let out a quiet giggle.
"It would be my pleasure. For the future of the company, and for Kurosawa-sensei's pursuit of art, I am always at your service."
...
Flower Company's "reference room" was basically just a tiny storeroom packed with artbooks, setting collections, and various reference materials.
It was not much bigger than the pantry, but with all the bookshelves squeezed inside, it felt even more cramped and enclosed. The air carried that faint mustiness unique to old paper.
Rinko went in first. With her back to the door, she pretended to tidy a bookshelf, though her hands were slick with sweat from nerves.
Tanaka followed her in. With a soft click, he very naturally turned the lock on the door.
At the sound of the lock engaging, Rinko's body shivered, barely perceptible but very real.
That sound was like a switch, instantly dragging her back to the crazy memories of the pantry from yesterday afternoon.
"Ahem." Tanaka cleared his throat, breaking the sticky silence. "Kurosawa-sensei, today's research topic is human flexibility and dynamic states under extreme stretching, is that right?"
"Mm." Rinko squeezed a single syllable out of her throat, still not daring to turn around.
"This topic... is rather advanced," Tanaka mused, with a thoughtful tone that sounded almost academic. "Conventional observation and touch may not fully convey the tension of muscles stretched to their limits."
"To obtain the most precise and impactful visual effect, I would suggest... we make use of some auxiliary tools."
"A... auxiliary tools?" Rinko finally could not help it. She turned around, her eyes full of wary suspicion.
She watched as Tanaka, like a magician, reached into an inconspicuous corner and produced a roll of brown hemp rope, thick and sturdy.
Rinko's pupils dilated on the spot.