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

"You're welcome. But I'm afraid I can't help with anything too detailed. In the kitchen, I tried to make fried rice with eggs at home last time and failed. The rice stuck to the bottom of the pan and I couldn't wash it off."

"It's okay, just wash these vegetables and peel the potatoes for me."

"No problem, watch me."

Eriri tied on her apron and immediately went to the sink to work as Saeko had instructed.

Saeko looked at her, smiled gently, and casually asked, "How is Yukino?"

"Um." Eriri carefully chose her words: "She seems a little upset, but it has nothing to do with you, Saeko-nee. That's just how the competition is. She should recover quickly."

"That's good."

"Ah."

After a brief silence, only the sounds of running water and chopping vegetables echoed in the kitchen.

“Eri-ri,” Saeko suddenly spoke again, her voice gentle.

"Hmm?" Eriri looked up at Saeko.

"Do you remember what I told you before?" Her voice was very soft, as if it were just a casual question.

"What are you talking about? What is it?" Eriri blinked, completely confused.

Saeko stopped cutting the meat, turned slightly to the side, and met Eriri's bewildered eyes.

"It was when we all went on a picnic in the countryside and were about to head back that I said those things to you alone..."

Yingli suddenly stopped washing the vegetables.

Her eyes widened slightly, and she stared in surprise and bewilderment at Saeko, whose eyes were gleaming with a meaningful light.

Some memories are resurfacing.

Saeko had already turned around again and continued to calmly cut the meat. Her hand holding the knife was steady, and her knife-cutting movements were precise, without the slightest hesitation or deviation.

"Judging from Eriri's expression, she hasn't forgotten. That's great. It's just a bit of a pity that since that time, I haven't received any answer from Eriri about whether she wants to become my 'fellow enthusiast'."

"Ah...that! No! I just..."

"Eri, you don't need to be in such a hurry. I understand. After all, it is a very important decision for your life. I don't want your decision to be influenced by me too much. After all, everyone should be in charge of their own life. It's just that this opportunity is hard-won, and I can't just keep quiet about it. I still thought I should give you a little reminder."

"Just a reminder... about me?"

"Yes, just like I did back then... On the night of the hot spring retreat, I deliberately used my body to make Chiya unable to refuse while everyone was asleep. Eriri, it's the same for you this time, living under the same roof as Chiya. If you really want to take action, now is the best opportunity."

"Saeko-nee! What are you saying?!"

"It's okay, didn't I already tell you a long time ago? I don't care at all. Besides, isn't it a good opportunity for you to give Shiyu a little retaliatory treatment? And also..."

Saeko stopped what she was doing, and as Eriri's pupils widened in shock, her cheeks flushed, and she was on the verge of fainting, she leaned close to her ear and whispered something seductive in her ear.

"...Just like in Eriri's drawings, being with Chiya... is really quite comfortable."

…………

Volume 2: Chapter 122: Don't you like me just the way I am? (6k) (5)

"..."

"Britain……"

"Eiri-ri——?"

It wasn't until Rikka raised her voice and gently nudged Eriri's shoulder with her elbow for the third time that Eriri was finally pulled back from her daydreaming state.

Eriri, snapping out of her daze, blinked and let out a bewildered "Huh?", looking at Rikka who was staring at her with a probing gaze.

Under the warm yellow light of the bathroom, steam rose in wisps, and her expression seemed somewhat sluggish.

"What do you mean, 'ah'?"

Rikka puffed out her cheeks and leaned closer; the warm water rippled gently with her movement.

"I've called you several times already. What are you thinking about that's making you so lost in thought? I thought you were dizzy from soaking in the bath for too long, and I was just wondering if I should call Qianye in to help carry you out."

"No, not at all, Qianye!"

These words seemed to have triggered some kind of switch, and Eriri's voice suddenly rose, and she abruptly stood up from the warm bath water!

The sudden movement created a large splash of water, which landed on the bathroom floor tiles and even splashed onto the nearby shelves.

Rikka was startled by her overreaction. She remained seated, momentarily stunned, her eyes wide as she stared at her friend who had suddenly sprung up and was standing in the bathtub, soaking wet.

After Eriri blurted out that exclamation, she immediately realized her lapse in composure, and a burning sensation shot from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.

She frantically grabbed the towel floating on the water, clutched it tightly to her chest, and plopped back down into the water, burying most of her face in it.

After her initial surprise, Rikka's eyes quickly flashed with a look of understanding.

Her inner goofball instantly surged, and she grinned like a little fox, a sly smile on her face. She slowly moved closer and touched her shoulder.

"Eri-chan, you were just spacing out so intently, were you... thinking about my brother?"

"T-What are you saying?!" Eriri trembled violently, as if her most sensitive spot had been touched, and her voice rose sharply, filled with obvious panic: "I was just... just thinking about whether the water, electricity, and gas were turned off properly! Yes! That's what I was thinking about!"

"Why would you react so strongly to things at home? And shout out Chiyo's name so loudly? It's completely unrelated." Rikka's eyes were almost certain, her gaze seemingly able to penetrate the water and reach right into Eriri's heart.

That expression clearly indicated that something was wrong with you.

"Well, that's because you said you wanted to let Chiya in! Given our current situation, my first reaction was definitely no!" Eriri retorted weakly, her cheeks burning hot, knowing full well that her excuse was far-fetched.

She really didn't want to, and dared not, continue to dwell on this dangerous topic, so she simply gave up and turned around abruptly, her back to Rikka, her mouth submerged in the water, gurgling and blowing bubbles.

Seeing her awkward, over-the-top expression, Rikka's smile deepened.

She leaned close to her bright red ear and gently blew on it, while her fingertips casually and swiftly brushed across her smooth back.

"Ahhh—!"

"Hmm~ Eriri, you're so sensitive. Your voice was kind of cute just now."

"Six-flower!"

"Don't be angry. I was just curious. You definitely didn't tell me the truth just now. You were spacing out like that. You must have been thinking about something very important. You even had to hide it from me. Do you still consider me your best friend?"

"I already said no!" Eriri was getting annoyed, mainly because she was afraid that if Rikka continued to interrogate her, she wouldn't be able to keep up the act and give herself away. So she stood up and said, "I'm done soaking and I'm going to take a shower."

"~" Rikka narrowed her eyes, watching Eriri's almost panicked escape. Her womanly sixth sense, which was naturally sensitive to gossip, told her that Eriri was definitely in trouble!

Then her gaze slowly moved downwards, her thoughts subtly drifting.

It has to be said that although Eriri seems modest about her chest, her curves are surprisingly perky and cute, with rounded lines, like an inverted teardrop-shaped peach.

Eriri, feeling extremely uncomfortable while taking a bath under Rikka's watchful gaze as she rested her chin on the edge of the bathtub, resolved that she would never go into the bathroom with Rikka again for the foreseeable future.

Without clothes to cover us, facing each other naked, I felt that all the turbulent, chaotic, and shameful thoughts in my heart were about to be revealed.

"Take your time washing up, I'll head out now." Eriri changed into her cotton pajamas with a panda pattern, gave Rikka a perfunctory greeting, opened the bathroom door, and practically fled the scene.

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.

The wall lamps were on in the living room, casting a soft light.

The television was also on, but the volume was turned down very low, and it was playing a scenic travel documentary with azure sea and white sand beaches on the screen.

But nobody watches.

Only Blackwing curled itself into a fluffy oval, its little head facing the screen, appearing exceptionally focused.

For Eriri, this scene, while heartwarming, also carried a subtly eerie feeling—letting her pet watch TV or something…

Well, thinking about it carefully, given the crow's intelligence, it doesn't seem so strange.

Eriri glanced at the clock on the wall; it was already past ten o'clock, but Toka-nee hadn't come home yet.

I overheard Qianye mention in a casual conversation that since she started managing the restaurant, she's been going home late all the time, which seems a bit tough, but she's also very capable.

After dinner, and after everyone had a lively discussion about the general plans and schedule for their summer trip, Yukino and Chiya chatted in the living room for about half an hour about the specific details of the revised parts of the novel before saying goodbye and going home around 8 p.m.

As for Kasumigaoka Utaha, she also left around nine o'clock with Saeko.

The thought of Saeko made Eriri's cheeks start to feel hot again.

She walked quickly to the kitchen, took out an ice water pitcher from the refrigerator, poured herself a large glass of cold water, tilted her head back, and gulped it down in one go. The icy liquid slid down her throat, bringing a brief cooling effect.

She shook her head vigorously again, trying to shake off the fantasies and daydreams that were swirling in her mind.

Don't overthink it, don't overthink it! What Saeko-nee said... no matter how you look at it, it's just a joke! So you have to stay calm!

Eriri took a few deep breaths, while her father's face kept flashing through her mind...

The effect was remarkable; the little deer that had been running wild in my mind due to certain hints and associations instantly became much quieter and was temporarily suppressed.

Feeling a little calmer, Eriri walked towards Rikka's room, which was also where she had been resting at night recently.

We passed by Chiya's room on the way.

His door wasn't closed tightly, leaving a crack through which warm yellow light leaked out, casting a thin beam of light on the hallway floor.

Eriri's gaze was invisibly drawn to the slit and the light.

Like a fish that has spotted bait, its pace slowed involuntarily, and it eventually stopped in front of the door.

I just wanted to take a look out of curiosity at what Qianye was doing, maybe say goodnight to him, I didn't have any other intentions... Yeah! That's all!

However, despite her thoughts, Eriri's actions of peering through the crack in the door and pressing her eyes against it were rather furtive, and she even subconsciously held her breath during the process.

The next instant, the scene inside the room burst into her view through the narrow gap.

The first thing she noticed was her feet dangling in mid-air. She paused for a moment, then quickly looked down.

Gen Chiya was standing on one hand, steadily supporting himself on the floor of the room.

He was only wearing a pair of loose-fitting athletic pants on his upper body.

The arm supporting the weight on the ground had smooth and strong muscle lines, without the slightest tremor, steadily bearing the weight of the whole body.

His body was not still, but rather moving up and down slowly and with excellent control while maintaining an amazing balance.

Even in such a difficult posture, he was still trying some small twisting and core tightening movements that Eriri thought completely violated common sense about the human body, demonstrating an almost inhuman level of body control.

Of course, none of these were the main points of Eriri's focus at that moment.

Her gaze was fixed on Yuan Qianye's completely exposed back, as if drawn by a magnet.

The warm yellow light flowed over his taut skin, outlining the clear and beautiful lines of his muscles.