I’m gonna draw Yori-chan as an idol!

Before I reenter my room, a certain nervosity makes itself known. What if I walked into her changing clothes or worse? However, when I awkwardly peer through the door, she's already wearing green pajamas, sitting on my bed while holding an item in her hands. She seems so invested in looking at a piece of paper that my return doesn't spark any reaction in her.

Quietly, I close the door behind me, approaching the girl. A strong sense of nostalgia makes an impact on me as I realize what the girl is staring at.

I'm eating a broom, is this my drawing from back then?!

The poor artwork of a hero with a sword and shield and a smiling princess wakes fond memories in me. Koyori is dreamily looking at it, still unaware of my presence.

She actually brought this with her? That's crazy! What else did she stuff into her luggage?!

I look at Koyori's profile from behind. The ribbon on her head doesn't match her pajamas at all but I don't care about it at all. A sudden urge moves my fingers before my mind agrees to it.

I'm poking her cheek, winging it from there.

"Beep Beep Beep. Yori-chan is now booting up. Please wait."

I'm giving my best impression of a monotone, robotic voice. The girl jerks out of it, meeting my eyes before starting to laugh at my spontaneous revenge for earlier.

"Didn't think I'd see this horrible drawing again," I admit while studying the paper. "Only a silly person like you would actually bring it along."

"Yes, it's quite horrible indeed but it's the only thing you ever gave to me. That's why I just couldn't leave it at home."

Yeah, that's so Koyori… she would have treasured a worn sock too if that's what I gave her instead.

I chuckle slightly at her behavior.

"Did you keep yours as well, Kei-kun?"

Koyori gets uncomfortably close to me as she hops back onto her feet to assault me with her cuteness.

"Yeah, hang on," I breathe, maneuvering around the girl who immediately tiptoes after me. Thanks to my earlier search, I can pinpoint precisely where I kept the drawing. Koyori squeals in joy when I present it to her.

"Oh, you really kept it, that makes me so happy!"

Koyori is scurrying right to my side to take a look at it together, so close that I can just barely avoid touching cheeks with her.

"My friend Keiichi, hehehe. It's a lovely drawing, don't you think?"

"Y-yeah, mine can't compare," I admit with a nervous laugh as our shoulders touch.

"Wanna draw a new picture and gift it to each other again, Keiichi?"

Why? That's so random!

Koyori's spontaneity could only be admired. While I certainly don't particularly feel like drawing after giving up on being a mangaka, agreeing with her would save me the ordeal of coming up with activities to keep her entertained.

"Actually, why not?" I announce after giving it a brief thought. I haven't forgotten my plans to strike up a conversation with her. Having something to do with my hands might help me talk to her but, for now, I need to figure out where we can draw.

Soon, I realize that I only have one seat on my desk. Koyori quickly offers me the right to use it, claiming my bed instead while borrowing one of my school books to serve as a supportive surface for drawing. After supplying ourselves with everything we need, Koyori retreats for now, leaving me alone to think about the artwork.

Might as well take this seriously. What should I draw for her?

Initially, my mind is as blank as the sheet of white paper in front of me. I'm trying to draw a picture for her so it mustn't be a half-assed, low-effort artwork devoid of any creativity and commitment. It needs to be special; it needs to be…

Hey, could this be a way to express my feelings for her?

The thought tickles my senses. Expression through art is used by many artists across the world though I don't really get what many of those we discussed in art class really thought while painting their obscure art. It should be something pleasant looking - something that resembles what I like about Koyori.

I like her so should I draw her? I'm sure she'll love it but how should I draw her?

Several ideas are entering the creative area of my brain, competing for attention. I contemplate many things. Several versions of Koyori and me interacting are quickly ruled out due to being too embarrassing to draw. Anything that doesn't show Koyori is discarded as well. I couldn't possibly know about many of her hobbies and interests so I can't refer to any of them either. Eventually, only a few options remain, all inspired by my own hobbies.

Should I draw her as a magical girl or maybe an idol? Either way, she'll look gorgeous…

I kinda want to write a little text on my finished drawing eventually just like she did. 'You're my idol' sounds a lot better than 'Magical girl Yori-chan'. Ultimately, this helps me make the final decision.

Idol Yori-chan it is!

Eagerly, I'm grabbing a pencil and my phone. Being a little rusty, I feel a lot safer to draw the pose with a reference picture to back me up. After scrolling through the internet for a bit, I discover a drawing of an idol with the perfect pose.

Ah, she's gonna look so cute!

I'm brimming with anticipation as my mind replaces the girl in the picture with Koyori's adorable face, her silky blonde hair, and her unmistakable smile. Smiling oddly to myself, I begin to sketch the rough pose.

She's looking at the viewer, though her body is drawn more from the side, her upper body rotating towards the viewer gradually. Her right arm is out of sight while her left arm performs a piece sign. Yori will be smiling cutely, her left eye closed.

For a while, I'm sketching her general pose, trying to nail the Yori-chan smile I love so much. Occasional hums from behind and the sound of lead scratching over paper tell me that Koyori has begun to work on her artwork as well. Carefully, I'm rotating my neck to catch a glimpse of her.

The girl is lying on her stomach, the paper out of my vision. Her legs are cycling in the air as if riding a bike.

Honestly, why does she do that?

I force myself to swallow the laugh that's trying to escape my throat, returning to my work. Soon, I arrive at the point where I need to decide on her outfit. I’m hitting a blank, though. There are thousands of ways to draw an outfit. There are countless colors and accessories to pick from too. I’m only certain about drawing her in a dress because that’s what idols typically wear on stage.

Unsure how to continue, I’m turning around only to discover Koyori standing right behind me.