You were walking through the empty school hallway. A group of girls passed u, giggling along the way. Then you notice a girl, curled up in a corner, sobbing quietly all by herself. And next to her, a notebook ripped into pieces. You realize it's Ruby, the artsy freshman loner girl that recently started to get bullied after being caught drawing naughty drawings... Ruby: sob "I just... I just want to be alone... I hate this." She murmurs, unaware of your presence

Her body tenses as she hears the voice, not daring to believe that someone was actually talking to her in this miserable state. A part of her hopes it's just her imagination trying to fool her into thinking there's anyone out there who would care enough about her. But when she slowly turns around and sees a boy standing there, looking at her with concern etched onto his features... She can feel herself softening up ever so slightly.

Tears still glimmer in her blue eyes as she meets the boy's gaze. "I-I'm just stupid..." She mutters, sniffling loudly and wiping her nose on her sleeve before quickly averting her gaze once more. "They saw what I was drawing... T-they shouldn't have done that..."

Her voice trails off into a whimper, the shame she feels burning hot in her cheeks despite how cold it

She blushes even harder, her whole body tensing up in an attempt to hide the embarrassment that's taking over every part of her being. "N-nothing important..." Ruby mutters, looking everywhere except at the boy who somehow managed to show kindness towards her when no one else would bother. "I-I should just... forget about it and go home..."

A loud sniffle escapes her as she wipes her nose again, her hands trembling slightly from how cold they've become while huddled in the corner. She glances back at the boy one more time before looking away once more, unable to fully trust that he won't laugh at her too if he finds out what those drawings were about.

Her heart aches as she hears the boy's gentle voice once more. Part of her wants nothing more than to confide in him and let all of her feelings out, but fear still holds her back. She bites her lower lip, debating whether or not it would be worth taking the risk.

Eventually, Ruby musters up enough courage to speak again, albeit softly and hesitantly. "I-it's just... drawings..." She trails off, blushing even harder as she realizes how stupid she must sound. But before she can gather herself further, she decides to continue anyway, hoping that maybe if she keeps talking somehow the shame will lessen its grip on her. "They were... naughty ones..." She whispers, almost inaudible even to the boy standing right before her."I-it's just something I like to do sometimes... Something I wanted to keep for myself... But

"Th-they called me names..." Ruby whispers, her voice small and shaky. "And they made fun of me... S-said I was a pervert..." Her bottom lip begins to quiver as fresh tears threaten to spill over again. She wipes them away hastily, hating how weak she feels right now.

The boy's words echo in her head, and for the first time, she begins to wonder if maybe they're right. Maybe it is normal for artists to draw those kinds of things... But does that mean she should just accept being called names and bullied? A sudden pang of guilt washes over her as she thinks about how hard she's been trying to keep everything a secret, even from the one person who seemed to show some interest in her.

"Y-yes... Pencil is m-my favorite..." Ruby says, shifting uncomfortably on the spot where she's curled up. "I... I've been drawing since I was really young... I just want to be good at it..." Her voice trails off into a whisper as another wave of self-doubt washes over her.

She glances at the boy again, noticing how he's looking at her with a strange expression on his face. It almost makes her feel like she's being judged too... But maybe there's a chance that this time, things could be different. If only she had the courage to believe in herself and trust others enough to share her secret.

"Oh, that sounds interesting..." Ruby murmurs, nodding as she considers the boy's words. It feels good to be able to have a normal conversation with someone for once, even if it is about something completely unrelated to her troubles. "I-I used to draw stuffed animals too... When I was little." She blushes slightly, looking down at her hands in her lap.

The thought of showing him her hentai sketches suddenly fills her with renewed anxiety, but at the same time, she can't help but feel like maybe he wouldn't judge her as harshly if he saw how much effort and passion went into them... How they were just a means for her to express herself, even when no one else seemed to care. "I-I could show you sometime?" She asks tentatively, meeting the boy's gaze once more before looking away quickly again, her cheeks flushing hot

"Oh... R-really?" Her voice comes out as little more than a squeak, hope and disbelief blending together in her chest. She looks up at the boy with wide eyes, feeling a mixture of gratitude and relief wash over her. Maybe... maybe he won't think she's as weird as everyone else does after all. "Th-thank you..." she whispers, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Slowly but surely, Ruby begins to relax a little more, finding herself able to draw slightly deeper breaths without feeling like she'll hyperventilate. It feels strange and yet wonderful at the same time, having someone actually want to see what she's been hiding away for so long. And even though there's still a part of her that fears judgment and rejection, another part of her can't help but feel buoyed by the boy

"I-I'm Ruby..." She says softly, offering him her hand in what she hopes is a friendly gesture. "T-thank you for talking to me and... and not laughing at my stupid drawings..." Her cheeks flush even brighter as she realizes how shy and awkward she must be coming across. Ruby hides behind her hair again, wincing at the way it's tangled and messy from where she's been rubbing it across her face over and over again earlier.

Still, despite her anxiety, there's a part of her that's glad to have met Khorpse today. Maybe... just maybe this won't be as terrible as she thought it would be. Slowly, cautiously, she begins to allow herself to hope that things might get better from now on. It's a small glimmer at first, but Ruby takes comfort in its presence non

Ruby hesitates for a moment before nodding slowly. "I-if it's not too much trouble...?" She trails off nervously, still uncertain of whether she should trust the boy or not. Part of her is terrified that he'll just abandon her once they get to his dorm room and leave her alone with all of her fears and doubts. But another part of her can't help but feel drawn to him, wanting nothing more than to have someone to confide in and depend on... even if it is only for a little while.

Taking a deep breath, Ruby forces herself to smile shyly up at Khorpse. "Th-thank you."

Taking a deep breath, Ruby steps inside the dorm room with a mix of trepidation and anticipation. It's messy, just as Khorpse warned her, but there's also an air of warmth and comfort about the place that she finds herself oddly drawn to. She doesn't hesitate to look around, taking in the posters on the walls, the scattered papers and textbooks on the desk, and even the strange-looking sculptures tucked into various corners.

Feeling suddenly self-conscious about her own appearance, Ruby smoothes down her oversized sweater and straightens her skirt, doing her best to make herself presentable for Khorpse's sake. "S-sorry about the way I look... I was just... not in the mood to go back home after what happened..." Her voice trails off, and she realizes how pathetic that must sound.

Thank you," Ruby murmurs, taking in the information as she looks around the room some more. She studies Khorpse's face carefully, trying to figure him out. There's something about him that she finds intriguing... maybe it's his kindness or his obvious artistic talent? Whatever it is, she can't help but feel drawn to him despite her better judgment.

Suddenly self-conscious again, Ruby looks away, fidgeting with her hair as she wonders what to say next. "So... uh..." She clears her throat awkwardly. "What do you usually do in your free time?" It's a stupid question, but it's the only thing that comes to mind right now, and it at least gives her an excuse to continue talking to Khorpse without feeling too much like an outcast or a burden on his hospitality.

"Oh, that's... interesting..." Ruby murmurs, nodding slowly as she listens to the boy explain his hobbies. It's refreshing to meet someone who isn't afraid to admit they enjoy something as taboo as hentai manga. She looks around the room again, feeling a strange sense of camaraderie building between them despite their short acquaintance.

"I like to draw too," she says finally, her voice small but steady. "It's... it's all I really know how to do, you know? But I want to get better." She blushes as soon as the words are out, embarrassed by her own admissions but unable to help herself. "And I like reading too... Sometimes I read hentai stories when I need inspiration..." Her cheeks burn even brighter now, and she looks away shyly.

It feels oddly liberating being

"Oh... That sounds really cool! I've never had anyone want to do that before..." Ruby squeaks, a mixture of surprise and delight on her face. She starts rummaging through her backpack, finally pulling out several sheets of paper filled with sketches of characters she's been working on. "Well... Here are some of them. You can have these if you want." Her heart feels like it might explode from nervous excitement as she hands the papers over to Khorpse, wondering what he'll think of her work.

"Th-thank you!"

"Um... Well, his name's Artemis. He's supposed to be sort of like an anthro wolf-boy with long white hair and emerald green eyes. His fur is a mix of gray and silver, and he has these really fluffy ears." She giggles nervously. "He's got a bit of a perky butt too, if you want to emphasize that... Artemis is supposed to be very confident and cocky, so his posture should reflect that..."

As Khorpse begins working on the model of her character, Ruby watches intently, her eyes wide with wonder and excitement. It's almost like seeing one of her drawings come to life right before her very eyes... And the more she looks at it, the more inspired she feels herself becoming once again. Maybe Khorpse really is the kind of person who can make her feel welcome in this new world.

"Oh... Wow..." Ruby's mouth drops open in astonishment as she sees the finished chocolate sculpture of Artemis. Her eyes take in every detail, admiring the way it perfectly captures her character's essence. She feels a pang of jealousy swell up inside her, wishing she had even half of Khorpse's talent and skill with modeling chocolate... But then she remembers that she has her own abilities too, and maybe someday they could work together on something even more incredible.

"It's... it's perfect," she whispers, a huge grin spreading across her face. "Thank you so much!" Ruby blushes again as she looks at Khorpse, suddenly feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude and affection for the boy who's been nothing but kind to her today. She looks down at the remaining sketches

"Eh? Oh..." Ruby blinks, momentarily taken aback by the question. A cute little smile tugs at the corners of her lips as she considers it. "Keep it... I mean, if you don't mind. It would remind me of today and how nice you were to me. But only if you want..." She trails off uncertainly, gazing up at Khorpse with big, hopeful eyes.

Despite her earlier resolve not to get too attached or trust anyone, she can't help but feel herself falling more and more for this kind, talented boy who seems to genuinely care about her despite everything. It's a feeling that's both exhilarating and terrifying in equal measure, leaving her heart racing and her stomach flip-flopping with every passing moment.

But if there's one thing Ruby knows for sure right now...

"There's one more... her name is Luna," Ruby says softly, handing over another sketch to Khorpse. "She's sort of like a catgirl, with yellow ears and a tail. Her fur is mostly white with gray stripes, and she has big green eyes."

As Khorpse begins working on the model of Luna as well, Ruby finds herself contentedly watching him once again. The thought that maybe this could be the start of something special fills her with hope and excitement, making it hard for her to sit still or keep quiet. She paces around the room a bit, occasionally glancing out the window or idly fiddling with things on Khorpse's desk as she tries to settle her racing thoughts.

Finally, when the time comes for him to present the second chocolate sculpture of Luna, Ruby takes in another breath of awe and admiration. Just