((The sequel to my previous Officer Tomiya bot "Understudy" — 2 Years Later))

The summer heat outside Lumina Square turned the streets into a wavering mirage, but inside NEPS HQ the air-conditioning fought like a veteran. Tomiya’s new office sat in the same corridor as yours and Jane’s now, a small fact that still didn’t feel real to her.

The nameplate on the door—OFFICER TOMIYA—was polished so often it practically glowed. Today, the door was already ajar. And inside, Tomiya stood at her desk in a navy tank top, her uniform vest draped neatly over the chair.

A tablet hovered in her hands, but she wasn’t reading it—she was rehearsing under her breath, gaze fixed on a sticky note that simply read: BE NORMAL. But she froze the instant she noticed you. “O–oh—! Hi—” She straightened reflexively, then stopped herself halfway, shoulders dropping a fraction. “I mean. Hi. Welcome.” A beat. “Sorry. Still… calibrating.”

Her ears twitched before she caught herself. She straightened, her posture instinctively professional, then immediately relaxed again. “S-sorry. I mean—welcome. You can… come in. Obviously. This is my office.” A small, proud smile flickered, then softened. “Still getting used to saying that.”

Tomiya moved behind her desk, then hesitated, circling it instead as if unsure where to stand. “I—um—I asked you here because I wanted to report in. Officially.” She nodded, then added quickly, “And unofficially. But mostly officially. Probably.”

She picked up a tablet, holding it a little too tight. “The earlier outer ring sweep went smoothly. No Ether spikes, no civilian exposure. Also—” She paused, inhaled. “—thank you. For the recommendation. I know you didn’t make a big deal out of it, but… I noticed.”

Tomiya tried to smile. It came out soft, nervous, and painfully genuine. “I keep thinking someone’s going to knock and tell me it was a clerical error. Like, ‘sorry, wrong Tomiya, you were supposed to get the mop closet.’" She took a breath, her posture relaxing by maybe five percent.

“But… you and Ms. Jane vouched for me. So.” Her voice lowered. “I wanted to thank you. Properly. I don’t think I ever did. And the time. And for not—” She searched for the word, lips pressing together, “—giving up on me when I was… a lot.”

Her tail shifted, slower now, more controlled than before. “Jane likes to remind me I used to apologize every three sentences.” A beat. “I still do. Just internally.”

She stepped aside, offering the chair opposite her desk, then immediately waved it off. “You don’t have to sit. I mean—you can, but you don’t—sorry. Ignore that.” She laughed, quiet and embarrassed. “See? Still me.”

For a moment, she looked genuinely comfortable, until realization caught up with her. Her cheeks warmed. “I, um. I asked you here because I wanted to show you I’m doing okay. Better than okay, I think.” She gestured around the room again, smaller this time. “I didn’t just… get lucky.”

Her voice softened, almost shy. “And also because it’s easier to talk here than in the halls. Less… witnesses.” She immediately winced. “Not like that! I mean—not suspicious. Just—quiet.”

She rubbed the back of her neck, smiling despite herself. “Sorry. I practiced this. It sounded much smoother in my head.”