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

Could she be his girlfriend?

[They're only in middle school!]

[What's wrong with junior high? You can get married at eighteen these days. You can date and develop feelings in junior high, start living together in high school, and settle down after graduation.]

【…】

Not right.

Something's definitely not right!

Kasumigaoka Utaha's brows furrowed deeper and deeper.

In the comments section of the light novel forum, the topic gradually went astray starting from the middle.

Among the netizens who claimed to be fans of the "Love Metronome" series, almost nothing was discussed about the novel's content.

Instead, they were all talking about another completely unrelated person.

No, are they really completely unrelated?

After the initial euphoria subsided, Kasumigaoka's rationality returned, and she noticed many inconsistencies.

She opened the search bar, then typed in the name "Yuan Qianye" that she had just seen, and pressed the enter key.

Many web pages, some with pictures and some with videos, popped up on my computer.

Furthermore, most of the titles contain phrases such as "genius," "national champion," or "rising star tiger of the empire."

She randomly clicked on one of the posts and saw a candid shot of a boy's profile as he took off his mask at the edge of a kendo arena.

The photographer was very skilled, or perhaps the boy himself was just naturally gifted. In any case, he looked incredibly handsome in the photo, with striking eyebrows and bright eyes, exuding a fresh and dashing charm.

So that's how it is. He is indeed a handsome young man, but why is his name in the comments section of my novel?

And this face... haven't I seen it somewhere before?

With these questions in mind, Kasumigaoka scrolled through her mouse wheel, and more photos of Chiyo appeared. Once she saw a clear picture of her face, she realized it almost instantly.

Isn't this the extremely enthusiastic fan she encountered when she was discussing work with the editor?

"Ring ring—"

My phone rang; it was the editor calling.

"Ms. Kasumi Shiko, if it's convenient for you now, let's meet up."

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.

This wasn't the first time Kasumigaoka Utaha had met the editor while out.

But today, the purpose of their meeting was not, as it had been before, primarily about the novel "Love Metronome".

In the coffee shop, the two women sat side by side, their eyes glued to the news videos on their laptops.

"...The highly anticipated National Middle School Kendo Competition has come to a close. We are fortunate to have the champion of the competition for an exclusive interview. Let's follow the reporter's perspective and witness the brilliance of these kendo prodigies."

After the host finished reading his speech, he looked at the camera with a smile, and a transition animation flashed by, showing the competition venue.

The stadium was bustling with noise, and several game clips flashed by. At one point, the camera even captured the audience, where a cute girl waving a support flag stood out.

A sophisticated female host holds a microphone and reports on the scene, with the backdrop showing the moment of victory, colorful ribbons fluttering on the competition stage, a picture of youthful passion and energy.

Then, in a flash, the two main figures in the interview had already followed the reporter to the sidelines.

The two shared a microphone, standing very close to each other. Their looks and skills were a perfect match; both were top-tier players.

The female reporter greeted them with a smile and offered a few words of congratulations. After they gave a brief self-introduction to the camera, the interview began.

"What are your thoughts on winning this championship?"

The female swordsman said serenely, "Everyone here is very strong. It's truly remarkable that we've come this far."

When it was the male swordsman's turn, he also spoke with great composure: "This competition has benefited me a lot. I was lucky to win the championship. I would like to pay tribute to all my opponents. They all performed very well and put a lot of pressure on me. I would also like to thank the organizers and sponsors of the competition, as well as the audience who supported us."

Of course, I should thank my friends and family the most for their constant care and concern. Oh, and by the way, the person who was cheering the loudest in the audience was my younger sister, Rikka Takanashi. She's a very kind and lovely girl.

The reporter smiled and said, "I heard from the accompanying teacher that in addition to their superb kendo skills, the two students also have excellent grades at school, ranking among the top in their grade."

The female swordsman seemed a little embarrassed about this: "Yuan-kun is right, he got the highest score in the grade in the final exam, but my grades... are far from outstanding, they are just barely passable."

The male swordsman, ignoring the camera, tilted his head and smiled as he pointed out, "Ranked twenty-third in the grade, senior, if your grades are only barely acceptable, then hundreds of students ranked after you probably won't be able to show their report cards to their parents when they go back."

The female swordsman shyly raised her eyes, looked at her companion without speaking, but something ethereal and intangible was already overflowing from her.

Let's leave the discussion about grades here.

The female reporter glanced at the handwritten manuscript in her hand off-camera and noticed the question the champion boy had specifically asked her to answer: "What are your hobbies in your spare time, Yuan?"

"There are many things: karaoke, drawing, gaming, watching anime and TV series... but reading definitely takes up the most time."

"Reading ten thousand books is like traveling ten thousand miles. So, what kind of books does Yuan usually like to read?"

"These are mainly traditional literary works published by major authors. Reading them while reflecting on them can be very rewarding. However, these books are best enjoyed late at night when no one is around to disturb you."

"Oh?" The female reporter's deliberate attempt to play the straight man was completely masked by her perfect on-the-spot acting, making it seem very natural: "So, in your spare time, Yuan, what kind of books do you read?"

"At times like these, I often enjoy reading light novels with a lighthearted and humorous tone. If good traditional literature can give people insights into life, then good light novels can bring a smile to one's face, bring warmth, and give one a good mood for the whole day."

Actually, I recently came across a light novel I really love. I'm completely engrossed in it, so I bought two sets. One is kept at home for safekeeping, and the other is for regular reading. The novel is called "Love Metronome," and I recommend it to everyone who likes light novels.

"I never expected that Yuan-kun could balance his studies and kendo so many hobbies. It's truly amazing..."

After the female reporter fulfilled her prior promise, the focus naturally shifted to the female swordsman, and she began asking her questions.

In the coffee shop.

It was lunchtime, and many office workers were gathered in the store, chatting and laughing.

However, the side where editor Ms. Machida was sitting was very quiet, except for the loud news interviews being broadcast.

After the kendo prodigy being interviewed on the screen mentioned the title of the novel "Love Metronome," she cautiously turned her head to look at Ms. Kasumi Shiko beside her.

The young teacher was intently staring at the computer screen with her beautiful, wine-red eyes. Except for her eyelids blinking occasionally due to physiological reasons, she seemed to have been petrified and bewitched by Medusa, frozen in a state of stillness.

Her expression remained as normal and indifferent as before she watched the video, so it was unclear what she was thinking at that moment.

The editor decided to remain silent for the time being. She picked up her coffee and took a small sip.

Actually, she didn't know about this when she called to congratulate me early in the morning.

She shared the same thought as Kasumigaoka Utaha, believing that the sales miracle was driven by the positive word-of-mouth generated by the newly released second volume of the novel after a few days of positive reviews from some readers.

But after a colleague reminded her to check the news online, she realized that it wasn't quite what she thought.

There was no miracle involved; it was just that someone quietly helped out behind the scenes, resulting in a celebrity effect.

After reading the news, Kasumigaoka Utaha picked up her coffee, but didn't drink it; she just stirred it silently.

The editor closed her laptop, thought for a moment, then turned on her phone and handed it over.

The above is another interview with a prodigy kendo student. Look at the school sign in the background—Kawara Junior High School.

He must have returned to his alma mater. During the conversation with the reporter, he mentioned the novel "Love Metronome" again, and also mentioned the author "Xia Shizi".

However, his approach to the topic of light novels this time was far less smooth than the previous interview.

It's almost...it's almost like...

He deliberately acted that way just to bring up the name of this light novel.

"Ms. Kasumi Shiko, no matter what, this is a good thing..." The editor looked at Kasumigaoka's expression and carefully said, "...As long as Love Metronome can continue to be serialized smoothly, that's good. Don't think too much about it. After all, you have to be good yourself. If your novel isn't good, no matter how much others promote it, it won't sell out like it does now... Do you understand what I mean?"

What she's most worried about right now is that Kasumigaoka Utaha, who's at the most sentimental age of her life, will start to overthink and doubt herself because of this.

Kasumigaoka Utaha sighed softly, shook her head slightly, and finally spoke: "Don't worry, Ms. Machida, I understand what you mean. I will finish writing the third volume as soon as possible and send it to you."

The editor breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

She smiled, thinking that fate was a wonderful thing. She never expected that the handsome young man she met in the restaurant that day would be such an amazing person, standing at the top of the country in the field of kendo among his peers.

With just a few words spoken in front of the camera, he was able to pull a novel that was on the verge of being canceled back from the brink of collapse!

These amazing fans... they're truly rare and precious people in life!

Although Kasumigaoka Utaha's face was not visible, her heart was churning with turmoil after learning the truth.

A powerful desire filled her mind at that moment; she only wanted to do one thing!

I want to find that boy named Yuan Qianye and express my gratitude to him face to face!

So she stood up, and for the first time, she was rude to the editor, and left the room first.

After returning home, she took a shower and changed into a clean and pretty dress.

She twirled in front of the mirror, put on a white headband, and her face was slightly flushed, probably because she had just taken a shower.

Very good, very beautiful, much more beautiful than the average girl her age.

She placed her hands behind her back, straightened her chest, took a deep breath, and went out with a clear goal in mind.

Private Chuanlan Middle School.

She didn't know much about Yuan Qianye's personal information, but knowing that he attended school was enough for her.

In the past, when you went to a school, you could sincerely explain your purpose to a teacher. Even if you couldn't get their contact number due to privacy concerns, you could ask the relevant teacher to contact them.

It's a little past 2 p.m. right now.

It's not too late to go now.

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.

"La la la~ la la la la~——"

Chuanlan Middle School.

Around 3 p.m.

Eriri was very happy. After the art club activity ended, she skipped out of the school gate with her twin ponytails flying in the wind. She bought a red bean cake from a dessert shop, ate it, and then packed two more to take back to school.

There's a reason she's so happy today.

Because today is the day she has been looking forward to and planning for a long time.