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

She thought about it again and realized it made sense.

Qianye only met with his mother today recently, and he spent most of his time giving speeches on stage. When he came off stage to listen to the audience, he did not sit with them.

She stayed by her mother's side almost the entire time, and he hardly had any opportunity to talk to her alone.

So, Yukino finally shook her head gently, attributing her inexplicable doubt to her own overthinking: "It's nothing... never mind."

She felt she needed to have more confidence in herself, and perhaps it was because she gradually put her mother at ease as she grew up that she made this decision.

In any case, this is a good thing, and there's no need to overcomplicate things.

At this moment, Yuan Qianye had already somewhat realized what had happened during the short period of time that Yukino had just left, and it was most likely related to his mother-in-law.

He was a little curious, but not in a hurry. In any case, even if Yukino didn't say anything, he would find out what happened from Haruno later.

So he casually flipped over the page, told Yukino to sit down quickly, and his face returned to that pleasantly surprised state that clients have when they see their contractors exceed expectations. He didn't hold back his praise and affirmed her work process.

Of course, this was Yukino's first time handling such a formal, commercial manuscript polishing job, so there were still some flaws in the details.

"...You mean, the environmental description of the surrounding scene when the protagonist first appears is too detailed, and it overshadows the main character?" Yukino frowned slightly, her gaze returning to the text she had edited on the screen.

“Hmm.” Yuan Qianye patiently explained, “I understand your original intention. You want to follow the basic elements of writing and enrich the reader’s reading experience as much as possible, so that they can construct a picture in their minds more accurately. This idea is good in itself and applies to most types of novels. However, it is a completely different matter for mystery novels.”

Yukino is very smart, otherwise she wouldn't have become the number one study buddy that Minamoto Chiyo cherished and loved so much when she was a child, and who wanted to stay close to her all the time.

She pondered his words for a moment, then calmed down and glanced at the original manuscript and her own revised version. She then put herself in the shoes of a reader who knew nothing about the story but was full of anticipation, and immediately discovered the problem.

“I understand, that’s true.” She let out a soft breath, her tone filled with understanding: “Although deliberately rich environmental descriptions enhance the density and elegance of the writing, detective novels often don’t need such complicated language. Pursuing beautiful rhetoric at all costs can make it seem like a pile of words, creating a disconnect in the reader’s experience, adding unnecessary reading time, and even prematurely revealing certain clues or atmospheres that should be hidden.”

This is a typical example of using force, but not focusing it on the right thing.

It's like trying to cram in a book or memorize vocabulary on a swaying tram or a crowded bus. It may seem diligent, but it's far less efficient than focusing on studying in a quiet environment. Instead, put on headphones, listen to music to relax your mind, and use the saved energy on more important things.

"Yes, I'm glad you understand. That's roughly the idea."

Gen Chiyo nodded, and seeing that Yukino seemed visibly downcast after realizing her mistake, he immediately offered words of comfort in a gentle tone.

"Actually, Yukino, your writing is quite excellent, there's no doubt about that. If I write a more literary work in the future, it's perfectly fine for you to polish it like this. In the end, it's just a difference in preferences due to the different themes."

Light novel readers crave a light and heartwarming experience, suspense novel enthusiasts enjoy thrilling and unpredictable plots, and science fiction readers prefer grand narratives that intertwine scientific facts and fantasy… You're just suffering from a lack of experience; with more exposure, you'll naturally be able to grasp the nuances.”

Yukino shook her head, her expression as serious as ever: "There's no need to make excuses for me. It was indeed my carelessness. I should have been aware of it, but I wasn't. This mistake was too much, and I will reflect on it."

"I already told you this is your first time doing this kind of work, it's normal to have blind spots beyond common sense, so there's absolutely no need to be so..."

"That's not the case."

Yukino interrupted him, her gaze clear and resolute.

"When I was helping you polish the original manuscript, I was already aware of it. For example, when I read the descriptions of the police investigating the crime scene and the victims' injuries, I clearly realized that those straightforward, calm, and even somewhat cruel descriptions should never be changed."

However, when revising other parts, I failed to consistently apply this approach of examining whether the content aligns with the subject matter. Therefore, in conclusion, this was entirely a work error caused by my own negligence and a certain…arrogance.”

"It hasn't even been officially announced yet, calling it an accident is just too much..."

"In short, this time it's undoubtedly my fault." Yukino's tone was resolute. She sat in the chair, but faced Minamoto Chiyo with her head bowed respectfully. "I'm sorry for wasting your time. I will revise it again, and next time, I will definitely satisfy you."

Her apology was quite formal, carrying the unquestionable seriousness characteristic of Yukino Yukinoshita.

"...I don't think you have anything to apologize for, but whatever, if you insist, I'll accept it."

Yuan Qianye looked at the fair nape of her neck exposed by her lowered head and felt a little helpless.

Over the years, he had dreamt of Yukino bowing her head in front of him more than once, but he had to apologize, because without exception, the reason she made that gesture in those scenes was not out of remorse.

This overly serious personality has been with Yukino since she was very young, which indirectly fostered her willingness to accept defeat in bets. After losing bets with Minamoto Chiyo time and time again, she left behind a lot of embarrassing stories with him.

Yuan Qianye was secretly pleased at the time, but he also felt a little heartache.

Regardless of the era, people with this kind of personality often live a harder life than others.

Indeed, this is true. Yukino had no friends since she was very young. Minamoto Chiya was a special exception. Eriri later formed a very deep friendship with her because of him.

However, there seems to be no way to change her. Since she's willing to be this way, let her be.

It doesn't matter if she encounters difficulties or is ostracized because of her sharp and not-so-smooth edges, because... he will protect her. This is something he secretly decided a long time ago.

"You're laughing again..."

When Chiya came to his senses, he saw Yukino pulling up her perfectly neat collar, with her other hand held horizontally across her barely heaving, rather modest chest, and her face displaying a deliberately feigned wary expression, as if she were being harassed by a lecherous man's gaze.

Gen Chiya sighed silently.

He discovered that after he announced he was no longer single, the second young lady had become increasingly fond of interacting with him in this way.

It's probably not that he's sexually frustrated; he just wants to solidify his suddenly transformed image as a "womanizer" in her eyes.

"Yes."

Gen Chiyo readily agreed, even leaning forward slightly, his gaze calm as if appraising a work of art, scanning her from head to toe before beginning his critique in an almost academic tone.

"Yukino's white shirt today seems to be made of a rather thin material, and in bright light, it has a subtle texture that looks... well, sexy."

The length of the skirt was just right, barely covering half of the thighs, leaving an absolute territory that invites imagination.

The faint crease left by the top of the over-the-knee socks on the thigh makes one want to take a closer look and measure its elasticity and pressure.

I've always thought Yukino was a bit on the thin side, but observing you so closely today, it's quite counterintuitive; I feel like certain parts of you are unexpectedly…”

"Okay, shut up!"

Despite having initiated the conversation herself, Yukino was decisively defeated by Chiyo's scathing critique.

Even though Yuan Qianye didn't unleash his full power with a lecherous expression befitting the situation, he still read the above words in an extremely calm and respectful tone.

But this meticulous way of analyzing everything, every word felt like a feather scratching her skin, bringing an indescribable tingling sensation.

Even though he didn't make any movement, he somehow managed to make her feel, in a peculiar way, that her body was being wantonly tasted and caressed by him...

Yukino pursed her lips, trying to suppress the heat that surged up her spine, but she felt even her neck starting to feel slightly hot.

That was a huge mistake; I shouldn't have brought up these things with him.

The hand resting on her knee quietly closed, her fingertips gently sinking into her soft palm.

She turned her head away, took a deep breath, and tried to calm her voice: "Could you move aside? I'll revise the parts of the manuscript more thoroughly."

"now?"

"Is there anything else?"

"I'm fine..."

However, since we are alone in a room, if you go and concentrate on revising the manuscript, what am I supposed to do?

The question was revealed in Yuan Qianye's eyes.

Some things don't need to be said; Yukino can understand his meaning at a glance.

The tacit understanding between childhood sweethearts is undoubtedly of great value.

In the past, this feeling of unspoken understanding would bring her a subtle, unknown joy.

But now... that subtle sense of pleasure is still there, though she instinctively refuses to acknowledge it.

"I have a lot of books in my room. Pick one and read it to pass the time."

Yukino's words inexplicably caused Chiya Minamoto to see the future.

After a complicated and back-and-forth process, they finally got together, albeit awkwardly. After that, he went home and wanted to initiate intimacy, but Yukino used a similar phrase to tell him to do whatever he wanted to pass the time while she finished...

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Responding with a tone that was hard to decipher—whether it was obedience or indulgence—Yuan Qianye smiled slightly and stood up to give up his seat.

Yukino naturally noticed the suggestive tone in his words, but she really didn't want to, or rather, dared not, continue to dwell on this dangerous topic.

A good argument, with its back-and-forth exchanges, is called bickering. But if it goes on and on, sparks fly, then it can only be defined as flirting.

She sat back down at her desk, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled.

After repeating this process twice, I felt my heartbeat and the heat on my face subside considerably. Only then did I slowly open my eyes, refocus my gaze on the computer screen, and prepare to enter a state of focused editing.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Yuan Qianye had indeed walked towards the bookshelf and was browsing her collection of books with great interest. She then stopped being distracted, deleted all the problematic parts that she had previously polished, and compared them with his original manuscript, starting from the beginning and scrutinizing the words more carefully.

She had only just gotten into the zone when she suddenly remembered her mother's earlier advice.

She turned her head and saw that Yuan Qianye had been leaning against the headboard of her bed at some point, holding a novel she had taken from her bookshelf. He looked relaxed and at ease, as if it were his own territory.

When he noticed her looking over, he paused his novel and asked her with a natural look, "Is there something you need?"

Yukino hesitated for a moment, but ultimately didn't comment on his nonchalant attitude of taking the initiative. She simply relayed her mother's words in a flat tone: "Mom asked me to tell you that dinner might be a little late today because we're waiting for Dad to come home."

Just as she expected, Yuan Qianye didn't mind at all and gave an OK sign to indicate "I understand, no problem" with a bright smile.

After that, the two maintained a strange, peaceful, and tranquil way of getting along in this room filled with the faint scent of ink and the fragrance of a young girl.

During this time, Yang came over under the pretext of delivering fruit. He saw that one of them was focused on typing on the screen, while the other was lazily leaning against the headboard reading a book. They were not saying anything to each other, but the atmosphere was harmonious. He couldn't help but smile knowingly.

As she put down the fruit plate, she exchanged a meaningful wink with Minamoto Chiyo in a place where Yukino couldn't see her. Without disturbing them further, she closed the half-open door tightly before leaving.

Even as it approached 7 p.m., when Mr. Yukinoshita arrived home, their peaceful and focused state of mind remained unchanged, as if it had always been their way of being.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Now that Father has arrived home, it's time to eat.

Yang came over and called over Yuan Qianye and Yukino. The three of them moved together to the spacious and bright restaurant.

On the table was a platter of sashimi that looked quite fresh. The sea bream was thinly sliced ​​like cicada wings, the plump tuna was bright red and fresh, and the sweet shrimp were neatly arranged.

Next to it is teriyaki cod, with a rich, dark sauce evenly coating the snow-white, garlic-clove-shaped fish.

Tempura baskets, with thin, crispy batter of shrimp, eggplant, and perilla leaves, and a small earthenware pot filled with chicken meatballs stewed with soy milk.

In addition, there are chawanmushi served in delicate little bowls, tender radish and pork belly stewed until soft, and several plates of exquisite pickled vegetables.

At first glance, the dishes were plentiful and exquisite, showing that Mrs. Yukinoshita and Haruno had indeed put a lot of thought into preparing tonight's dinner.

Mr. Yukinoshita was already seated at the head of the table.

"Good evening, Uncle Yukinoshita," Gen Chiya greeted politely.

"Yes, Qianye-kun, no need to be so polite, please sit down." He nodded slightly to Qianye as she approached, displaying the composure typical of a man of his age and status.

—But that's only on the surface.

His inner thoughts were a completely different story.