In crossover anime, who isn't a childhood friend?

And since Rikka found out, Eriri naturally found out as well.

So the two little ones naturally joined in as well.

On the morning of the 31st, everyone gathered at the entrance of Zongwu High School.

This period coincides with the peak blooming season for cherry blossoms.

Pink petals fluttering in the wind truly evoke the romantic feeling of starting a new school year and entering a new phase of life.

Everyone met successfully.

Saeko and Shiwa invited Chiya and the others, but their families weren't left out and naturally came along as well, so there was no conflict.

Shiyu's parents were both present.

Her father had a DSLR camera hanging around his neck and looked somewhat excited today, his eyes seemingly constantly brimming with tears.

Yuan Qianye could easily guess what he was thinking at that moment.

Seeing his daughter, whom he raised from childhood, now wearing a high school uniform and becoming a representative of the new students, he must be filled with joy and pride, as well as a complex mix of relief and reluctance.

Mrs. Kasumigaoka stood next to Utaha like sisters. If it weren't for her clothing giving off a mature and somewhat married woman vibe, no one would doubt that she was a senior in high school if she were wearing a high school uniform.

Yuan Qianye then discovered something quite amazing: all the mothers of his female friends were stunningly beautiful women who seemed to defy aging. Not only did they not look old at all, but they were also incredibly charming and eye-catching in any crowd.

"Qianye, why have you been staring at her mother ever since we met?"

Utaha Kasumigaoka, completely ignoring her father's complicated gaze, came to Minamoto Chiya's side and whispered in his ear.

Even though his focus had been exposed, Yuan Qianye remained calm.

"Because Auntie is very beautiful, when I think about how you, Shiyu, will grow up to be a beautiful and mature woman like Auntie, I become a little concerned and can't help but take a few more glances."

"Eh~"

I don’t know if it counts as passing, but Shiyu was definitely smiling at the moment. Perhaps this answer just hit the spot she was looking for.

That's what Yuan Qianye thought, but Shi Yu thought about it, glanced at her mother, and quickly leaned close to his ear again.

"Let me tell you a secret, Mom actually got up very early today and spent at least an hour in front of her dressing table. In other words, what you see now is just the result she carefully prepared and wanted to show you. It may not be the real thing."

"...!"

Ah this...

As Yuan Qianye looked closely at Shi Yu's beautiful, large eyes blinking, he was deeply moved.

What kind of motherly love and filial piety is this? How can you be jealous of your mother?

Mrs. Kasumigaoka noticed the intimate behavior between the two and asked with a smile, "What are you two secretly talking about?"

With her hands behind her back, Shiyu smiled innocently and replied, "We didn't talk about anything, except that Qianye just said that Mom looks very beautiful today."

"Oh dear~ you silly child... What's with all this talk about being pretty? I'm already an old lady..."

Mrs. Kasumigaoka waved her hand gently, seemingly belittling herself, but her actual expression revealed considerable satisfaction.

"By the way, Qianye, why are you wearing a mask the whole time? Are you not feeling well?"

"Oh, thank you for your concern. I'm perfectly healthy. I'm wearing this just to avoid any unnecessary trouble."

Mrs. Kasumigaoka suddenly realized: "Oh right, right, you're a celebrity now, you have to be careful."

"Okay, Mom, let's stop chatting now. It's almost time. Let's go to the ceremony."

After gathering at the school gate and pausing briefly, the group walked into the school chatting and laughing.

Rikka looked on with envy: "Utaha-nee, Saeko-nee, your uniforms are so pretty."

Eriri chimed in, "Indeed, the Western-style uniform is exquisite, and the skirt has a very fashionable feel to it."

Shiyu smiled gently and said, "Thank you."

Today is a relatively important opening ceremony, and there are also parents present. Therefore, these two people, who don't usually get along well, are behaving like good friends today.

Saeko tossed her hair and smiled, saying, "Don't worry, you'll be wearing uniforms like this soon too."

Rikka looked worried: "It's hard to say. Soubu High School has a high standard for admission, and my current grades are a bit risky."

Eriri also looked worried. They were now in their third year of junior high school, and it was indeed time to start to get serious.

Yuan Qianye replied irritably, "Now that you know, start studying hard from today onwards. Do at least one practice test every day, and put games aside for now."

Rikka retorted, dissatisfied, "Chiyo, you've changed. You're becoming more and more old-fashioned. Now you're starting to resemble my older sister more and more."

“Chiya, this is for your sake too.” Saeko’s reply was much gentler: “If you don’t mind, I can help you catch up on your lessons when I have time.”

Her grades weren't top-notch, but they were good enough that she could easily tutor Rikka and Eriri.

"Saeko-neechan is the best. I wish you were my older sister." Rikka stepped forward and took Saeko's arm.

In a sense, she already is.

Yuan Qianye secretly grumbled to himself.

They were chatting casually together.

While the other three were two steps behind, they walked together at home.

Today is a very important moment in his daughter's life, so Saeko's father took time out of his busy business abroad and returned home late last night.

He had briefly met the Kasumigaoka couple at his father's bar before, so they weren't exactly strangers. Now that the child was around, chatting about them wouldn't leave the atmosphere feeling dry.

The opening ceremony began at 8:40 a.m., with the principal and the chairman of the board of directors giving speeches in turn.

"...Next, we will have the freshman representative, Kasumigaoka Utaha, give a speech. Let's give her a round of applause."

In the spacious gymnasium, upon hearing her name called, Kasumigaoka Utaha, sitting in the first row, stood up and walked towards the stage under the excited gaze of her parents.

She stood gracefully on the podium, her eyes calm and her breathing even, showing no emotion despite the hundreds of people in the audience.

In her current vision, all the colors in the room gradually faded into black and white, with only Yuan Qianye remaining a vivid and alive presence.

She just wanted him to know that she was also excellent, and that she didn't slack off at all while he was working hard.

Although I am still not as good as you, I did keep our promise and came to this school to wait for you.

It's not far off; in just one more year, we'll be attending the same school...

"Respected leaders and teachers, dear classmates, I am Kasumigaoka Utaha, a first-year student. It is an honor to be here..."

There's not much to say about Shiyu's speech.

It's a very standard and standardized system.

More than what she said, the freshmen in the audience were clearly more interested in her as a person.

She has long, straight, jet-black hair with a lustrous sheen, an exquisite and perfect face like an angel, a perfectly developed figure with prominent curves, and a melodious, bell-like voice.

These external conditions, coupled with her first-place ranking in the academic year, made her a formidable asset.

She's almost too beautiful, and perhaps a little too outstanding...

The male students below the stage were staring at the stage more intently than the school leaders, their hearts pounding wildly. They sincerely felt that it was wonderful to be able to come to this school.

Kasumigaoka Utaha spoke on stage.

At first, Yuan Qianye was very focused on her, but halfway through, he unconsciously turned his gaze to the female teacher on the side of the podium with her hands on her hips.

There was nothing particularly special about it; it was just that the female teacher, wearing a long white trench coat, stood out quite a bit among the group of male teachers.

"...Finally, I sincerely hope that we can enjoy our next three years on campus. Thank you everyone."

After Shi Yu finished her speech on the podium, the audience erupted in much more enthusiastic applause than expected.

The applause was much louder than when the principal and chairman of the board had finished their speeches.

As expected, the presence of beautiful girls is far more appealing than the authority of so-called leaders.

Shiyu returned to her seat: "How did I do just now?"

Saeko laughed and said, "I always felt that you, Shiha, had a talent for being a speaker."

Rikka had just put down her phone: "So cool, Utaha-nee, I took pictures of it."

Even Eriri reluctantly said, "It's not bad."

Shiyu thanked them one by one, and finally looked at Yuan Qianye.

Yuan Qianye glanced around and said, "You can understand by looking at everyone's reactions."

Shi Yu tilted her head, having lost count of how many times she had moved slightly closer today, and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "But it doesn't matter to me what everyone else's reaction is. I only care about what you think of me."

It's aggressive to the maximum in some respects.

"..."

Yuan Qianye could feel that the moment she approached, hostile gazes, seemingly tangible, came from all directions.

Well, he hasn't even enrolled yet, and he's already become a public enemy among men.

But it didn't matter; he was wearing a mask, and nobody knew who he was.

"You're amazing, I'm captivated by you."

Finally, he gave this answer in a low voice.

This answer clearly surprised Kasumigaoka Utaha.

Judging from her slightly flushed face and composed posture as she sat back down in her seat, she seemed quite satisfied.

After the opening remarks, the ceremony featured performances by various school clubs to welcome the new students.

Saeko left her seat after Utaha left the stage and went to the back of the stage to prepare for her performance later.

The choir, light music club, and manzai club take the stage in turn.

The fourth group to appear was the Kendo Club.

After the two members from the Kendo Club finished their enthusiastic sparring session, Saeko officially took the stage.

"That's...a real knife, isn't it, Saeko-nee?"

The moment Saeko appeared in her kendo uniform, Rikka noticed that the sword she wore at her waist was not the bamboo sword she had just used in her performance, but a genuine scabbard that gleamed with a cold, metallic light.

Yuan Qianye nodded.

"Since it's a solo kendo performance, in addition to demonstrating kendo etiquette and techniques, there will also be a segment involving slashing and cutting through straw, so naturally we'll have to use real, sharpened swords."