My 2D anime story

As the sunset bathed the city in warm hues, Su Yu closed his laptop, stretching slightly before looking up at Yukino Yukinoshita.

The golden light framed her elegant silhouette, making her seem even more breathtaking.

But—

Today, she wasn't in her usual school uniform.

She was wearing a sharp, tailored suit.

It suited her—yet, somehow, Su Yu felt a pang of regret.

He preferred her in a school uniform, with her long hair flowing freely in the wind.

Perhaps sensing his lingering gaze, Yukino turned her head towards him.

"Something on your mind?"

"Not really."

Su Yu leaned back, his eyes drifting towards the window.

"I was just reminiscing about the time before we became friends."

Yukino arched an elegant eyebrow.

"We are not friends."

"You're friends with Yui. That makes you my friend by default."

"That only makes you a friend of a friend—not a real friend."

"When you finish your manga, maybe then I'll acknowledge you as my friend."

Yukino's lips curled into a slight smirk.

A Dangerous Trick

"Yukino, did you know?"

Su Yu's voice dropped slightly, his tone mischievous.

"Sata-san thinks I'm your boyfriend."

"She assumes all my money comes from your family."

Yukino blinked, clearly confused.

"What are you—"

Before she could finish, Su Yu raised his phone, capturing a quick snapshot of her expression.

Then, with a few swift taps, he set the photo as his wallpaper—and tilted the screen toward her.

Yukino frowned.

"What are you playing at?"

"What do you think Yui will say when she sees this?"

Su Yu's voice was calm, almost amused.

A split second later, realization dawned on Yukino's face—

Her expression froze.

*"She'll think—why is Su Yu's wallpaper a picture of Yukino?"

"And why does Yukino look so cute in the photo? What happened between them?"

Su Yu paused deliberately—letting the thought sink in.

"Then—"

"I'll casually leave my phone behind, making sure she sees the wallpaper…"

"I won't have to say a word—but your relationship with Yui…"

Su Yu trailed off, letting the silence do the work.

Yukino's glare grew colder.

"Now, do you finally acknowledge that we're friends?"

Su Yu's smug smile mirrored hers from earlier.

Yukino clenched her small fists.

Her entire body tensed, as if contemplating punching him.

Su Yu sighed dramatically.

"All I wanted was to be your friend."

"I even went through all this trouble."

"But if you still don't want to acknowledge it, then I guess there's nothing I can do."

With a mock sigh of resignation, he changed his wallpaper back to its original image.

A Moment of Weakness

Yukino sat there, stunned.

Her face warmed slightly, her fingers loosening around her clenched fists.

"I… I was only joking."

"So was I."

Su Yu glanced at her, his voice casual.

"But you got mad—so I had to back down."

He stood up, walking over to the window, gazing out at the city below.

Yukino bit her lip.

She had already considered him a friend—she just hadn't admitted it.

She opened her mouth, about to say something—

Bang.

The office door swung open, cutting her off.

Miyazumi Uta strode in, followed by a group of animators.

They stiffened slightly at the sight of Su Yu and Yukino.

"Sit down."

Su Yu turned around, stepping away from the window.

"I'll walk you through the plot."

The team quickly settled into their seats.

Uta moved efficiently, pinning the character designs onto the whiteboard.

Su Yu stepped forward, pointing at each illustration as he began his narration.

The room fell silent, the animators hanging onto his every word.

Some took notes on their laptops, others scribbled quickly in notebooks.

Even Yukino was jotting down key details—not just from the script, but from Su Yu's additional insights.

Two Hours Later

By the time Su Yu finished, Uta looked over the notes—then glanced at Su Yu and Yukino.

With these details, the structure of the anime was locked in.

Now, all that remained was refining the scenes.

"Oh, right—"

"I already finished the opening theme song."

"I'll send it over later so you guys can start working on the opening animation."

Su Yu took out his phone, casually mentioning it.

The music director, a young composer, stared at him in shock.

"Wait… you wrote the music too?"

Su Yu smirked slightly.

"I dabble."

The young composer looked at him like he was some kind of alien.

Writing a full anime script was already impressive.

But to also compose music?

What kind of monster was this guy?

A Promise to the Team

"The first episode still needs some final polishing."

"I've only outlined the general flow—you'll be in charge of filling in the details."

Su Yu glanced at the head scriptwriter, a young woman.

"Think of it as an exam where I gave you the answers—you just have to show the work."

She nodded eagerly, her eyes shining with admiration.

With Su Yu's detailed script, the writing process would be far easier than usual.

"This is my first anime."

"For many of you, this is also your first time working on an original series."

"But we all have dreams."

"If this anime succeeds, you'll be able to proudly say—"

"'I was part of the team that created Madoka Magica.'"

"And if you guys meet my expectations—"

"I'll personally give everyone a bonus."

The animators exchanged excited glances.

They were already thrilled to be working on such a strong project.

But now—

A bonus too?

This was a dream project.

As the meeting wrapped up, Su Yu sent the opening song file to the composer.

Uta immediately began delegating tasks, organizing the team.

Although it was already past office hours, no one wanted to leave.

Uta herself planned to sleep in the studio.

Meanwhile, Su Yu and Yukino had to return home—

After all, they still had school tomorrow.

A Silent Car Ride

The ride back was quiet.

Su Yu watched the city lights flicker past.

Yukino sat beside him, stealing glances at his profile.

She had wanted to apologize earlier—

But she had missed the chance.

And now—

The car was approaching his apartment.

She couldn't hesitate any longer.

"Su Yu, I—"

"From now on, as the director, you need to send me daily reports."

"I'll guide you through the rest of the plot, and I'll also cover for you in tutoring sessions."

Su Yu cut her off smoothly.

"I… I understand."

Yukino lowered her head slightly, clenching her fists.

Then—

She felt warmth around her fingers.

Su Yu had gently taken her hand.

Her face flushed deep red.

She instinctively wanted to pull away—

But then, she remembered—

She still hadn't apologized.

So—

She looked away, cheeks burning, but relaxed her fingers.