Chapter 165: Cooler Than a Grinder

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“Repeat after me!”

“Yes!”

“Got it!”

Ginji and Sora, both in their work uniforms, stood at attention in front of Genichiro.

“Hydrate frequently!”

“Hydrate frequently!”

“Replenish salt in moderation!”

“Replenish salt in moderation!”

“Breaks are part of the job!”

“Breaks are part of the job!”

“Alright, take care out there. Especially you, Ginji—just because you’re a stamina monster doesn’t mean it won’t be rough for Sora-chan!”

“Sorry!”

“I-I'll be careful!”

They bowed as Genichiro returned to his station. Reciting the heatstroke prevention slogans out loud was a little embarrassing, but it was still an important reminder. Sora, being a “factory girl,” actually enjoyed it and joined in with enthusiasm. Somewhere nearby, a group of younger workers who saw Sora so earnestly shouting the slogans were apparently seen writhing with mysterious emotions.

Anyway, it was the second day of welding. Since they'd already gotten the hang of it on day one, Ginji and Sora began fixing parts with clamps using practiced hands. The process of checking angles and positions together was tedious, but neither of them minded detailed work, so progress was smooth. In fact, it went so smoothly that they became fully absorbed in the task and had to be reminded to take breaks by Genichiro whenever he came to check on them.

By midday, the welding for the day was finished.

“Whew… somehow, we pulled it off.”

“No, no, we did great. Way ahead of schedule!”

Ginji stretched out as he took off his mask and set the torch down. The heart-shaped parts were cut to fit flush against the metal support pole, so as long as they were properly fixed, it wasn’t too difficult. Still, welding them meant angling the support pole and working in awkward positions, so his back was now making ominous cracking noises.

“They're really attached. Feels solid too—it gives such a sense of reliability. Metal really is amazing.”

The parts were securely welded. Even if Sora were to shake it with full force, they wouldn’t come loose. She inspected their creation with sparkling eyes.

Ginji, too, was satisfied—he'd made a few minor mistakes but managed to recover from them. And yet, his expression remained gloomy.

Noticing this, Sora asked, “What's wrong? It looks great!”

“Yeah, but… thinking about what's next…”

As Sora tilted her head in confusion, Ginji silently reached for a mini-grinder hanging on the wall of the workshop.

“…N-No way…”

Seeing that, a cold sweat ran down Sora’s back. Of course, it was written clearly in the process chart. But having gotten so caught up in the success of the welding, she had completely forgotten what came next. The memory of that hellish work from a few days ago came rushing back. Even with the air conditioning blasting, the factory was brutally hot. Wearing thick work clothes, the next task was…

“Time to grind.”

“Guwahhhhhhh…”

A voice no girl should ever make escaped her lips.

If it were just for piping, a minimal finish would be enough. But this was a piece meant for display—grinding and polishing were critical.

“We've got to remove the spatter from the welding, clean up the beads, and polish it until it shines. We'll be grinding like our lives depend on it, all the way until it's ready for paint. This… is where it really begins.”

Ginji lifted his face, eyes full of resolve.

“O-Okay… I'll do my best!”

Ordering parts and welding had been a blast—but grinding was hell. And yet, such tedious, unglamorous tasks often made up the bulk of any creative process. Sora understood that all too well, as did Ginji.

“We'll take breaks as we go.”

“No way I'm backing out now!”

It was grueling, but Sora, who hadn’t been directly involved in the welding itself, was still full of energy.

“This time we're doing it with machines in mind for the paint finish, so it'll be a bit easier than before.”

“I want to try too! I think I can handle the smaller grinder.”

“Fine, but wear proper safety goggles and fingertip protectors. Don't get hurt, no matter what.”

“I promise.”

Unlike last time, Ginji handed Sora a mini-grinder, and she instantly perked up. It was a professional-grade tool with a variety of grinding discs that could be easily swapped out. To a machine-loving girl like Sora, this was pure heaven.

She started off cautiously, but quickly got used to it and dove into the work with childlike glee. She even memorized the manual and started adjusting the rotation speeds.

“Fwoooah, this is amazing! The metal brush looks so cool! And it can use drill bits too… I'm totally getting one.”

“This one's for the factory, but a household multi-router is handy to have. I'll recommend a good one.”

“Really? Yes! I'm totally buying one! I'll polish every piece of metal in the house… Motors are so cool…”

Sora looked like she was about to start drooling.

“I get that it's cool, but seriously—be careful. Your hands are important.”

“Thanks. I will, I promise.”

Ginji kept reminding her, because if she got hurt, he'd blame himself most of all. That's why Sora took extra care to avoid any injury.

And watching her have so much fun, Ginji couldn't help but enjoy himself too. Thus, the mini-grinding work was completed.

After that, they fixed the support pole at an angle and stood side by side to work. Once the mechanical polishing was done, it was time for manual polishing to eliminate unevenness.

Sora glanced sideways at Ginji. His fingers were tracing over the surface, checking for anything his eyes might miss. He looked completely focused. She found herself staring—until their eyes met.

“Hmm? What is it?”

“…I think my boyfriend's cooler than a grinder.”

“Haha, now you're just flattering me.”

Ginji laughed it off, assuming she was joking.

Sora pouted, dissatisfied that he brushed it off, and silently vowed to make sure he understood her true feelings later.

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TL: I am going to put this on the shelf for now. Might come back later.