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

Rikka nodded in sudden realization: "So that means that the two people who tried to commit insurance fraud did so because after they discovered that the amount of bleeding from the stab wound to Ms. Matsui Yuki's body was so little that it was obviously unnatural, that's why there were so many wounds on her body."

Eriri, with her sharp eyes, continued, "Let more of Ms. Matsui Yuki's blood be left at the scene. This will help to cover up the fact that the knife wounds were left on Ms. Matsui Yuki's body after her death, and also give us a better chance of completely deceiving the police."

"Well, that's pretty much it. Okay, let's not talk about it anymore and let's eat."

Minamoto Chiya, who didn't think anything of it, was subsequently stared at with extremely complicated expressions by the other four people besides Saeko.

Dinner that night took quite a while because we were chatting the whole time.

Time flew by and it was already past seven o'clock.

The dining table inside was then cleared away by the staff.

Gen Chiya explained the decision to set off fireworks later to everyone, contacted Hattori to meet at the hotel entrance, and then everyone walked out of the room together.

In the hallway, Saeko was the last to close the door.

She quickened her pace and walked forward. As she passed Yuan Qianye, she quietly leaned closer, her warm lips almost touching his earlobe, and murmured in a very soft voice, "Tonight, after everyone is asleep, I will come to find you."

After quickly finishing her sentence, she walked forward almost without stopping to Shiyu's side.

As Chiya inhaled the lingering fragrance of Saeko in the air, a smile crept onto his lips, and he felt an extra sense of anticipation for the evening.

It just so happens that he had similar thoughts before, so this can be considered a mutual and willing commitment between the two of them.

…………

Volume 2: Chapter 138: Come up tonight, I'll demonstrate for you.

On the surrounding beaches, many people shared the same thoughts as Yuan Qianye and his group.

As night falls, listening to the soothing sound of the waves and feeling the cool night breeze, friends and family gather on the beach, carrying buckets to set off small fireworks – a truly delightful experience.

As a result, many local residents push carts to the coastal road to sell fireworks, snacks, soft drinks, and other similar items, starting their evening business.

It's not a big city, so management is relatively lax after nightfall. As long as it doesn't affect traffic or the environment, this situation is tacitly allowed to exist, so the scene is still quite lively.

Gen Chiya and Hattori Heiji bought fireworks and gave them to the girls. The two of them each held a bottle of Ramune soda and watched them set them off, enjoying a quiet and warm moment during their journey.

The two chatted casually.

"Tomorrow morning, Kazuha and I will check out of the hotel and head back to Osaka. We've already bought our train tickets."

"Huh? Didn't you guys say you were going to visit Ryusen-do in Iwaizumi-cho nearby?"

"That was originally the plan, but this afternoon, while cooking at home with Ye's mother, I accidentally burned my foot. During the video call, although her aunt said she was fine, Ye and I still couldn't completely put our minds at ease when we saw the bandage wrapped around her foot, so..."

"Indeed, it's only human nature, but it must be a bit of a shame for you."

"Regret? What regret? The truth of the case has already come to light, just as we deduced. The perpetrator has confessed and accepted punishment. There's nothing to regret."

"...Oh, yes."

Dude, you're really slow on the uptake. You should be glad I got a pure love story.

At that moment, Saeko, who was gathered with everyone nearby and playing with baby's breath, quietly gave Minamoto Chiya a meaningful look.

Following the direction of her gaze, Yuan Qianye saw Shiyu walking alone to the side.

She walked alone to the edge of the sea, further away from the crowd, with her back to the lively fireworks and people, gazing at the sea as if immersed in her own world, completely out of place with the joy around her.

Yuan Qianye finished the rest of his soda in one gulp and came to her side.

Shiyu tilted her head to look at him, and this time she was finally not as aloof as before, and spoke: "Why don't you go find your beloved Sawamura-san?"

Yes, it was that familiar, saccharine talk that came out as soon as she opened her mouth, with all the sourness hidden beneath her seemingly calm tone.

"Well, I think I can explain it."

"Okay, I'm listening."

"...At the time, I just went with the flow, you understand? Given the situation, I instinctively grabbed Eriri's hand, who was closest to me, to demonstrate to the police officers on site."

"Yes, go with the flow. But you've already turned back and walked outside the door, so why can't you go one more step as you suggested?"

Or perhaps you could have stretched out your hand a little and grabbed me, who was right next to her. Or even if it wasn't me, I wouldn't have said anything if you had just held Saeko's hand at that moment.

It must be said that Shi Yu's appearance when she was angry was quite imposing, and her rational thinking ability was also greatly enhanced.

At that time, Yuan Qianye did have some selfish motives, which made him feel awkward and unable to speak with confidence.

Well, as time went by, Shiyu and I became more and more intimate and familiar with each other, both emotionally and physically, which is why she was able to so keenly perceive some of my thoughts.

Generally speaking, this state of mutual understanding between couples is the best thing, but in the current situation, it's hard to say that this state brings only benefits.

According to an unverified urban legend, a wife even deduced that her husband was having an affair by observing the changes in his sexual positions and the way he patiently comforted her in his arms afterward.

Without any other concrete evidence, she castrated her husband that very night while he was asleep.

That's not the worst thing. The worst thing is that the wife guessed correctly.

"You never even said 'I love you' to me, yet that blond idiot beat you to it. Ha, in the end, you're still the long-time childhood sweetheart. You definitely hold a much heavier place in your heart than me, this newcomer, right?"

“You’re wrong.” At this point, Yuan Qianye had to correct her: “I have clearly said I love you countless times, so many that I can’t even count them.”

Shi Yu glanced at him sideways: "Oh? When I had to hold your neck tightly with both hands, wrap my legs around your waist, and was so overwhelmed by you that I could only rise and fall with your movements, crying and begging you to be gentler and slower, the 'I love you' you said to me while you were panting in my ear could count?"

Although it's a bit inappropriate to talk about these things now.

But Yuan Qianye absolutely adores the way Shiyu is making suggestive jokes while she's in such a cold and aloof state right now! The contrast is just too amazing!

"Why can't it be considered? I think what is said at that time is often the most genuine expression of feelings and the least controlled by reason."

"If that's really the case, then the fact that I even called you 'Dad' back then doesn't mean you've truly become my biological father."

Yuan Qianye hesitated for a moment, then, as if making a difficult decision, said in a somewhat hoarse voice, "Shiyu, if you're willing, I'd... Ouch, ouch, ouch..."

Kasumigaoka's expression turned even colder as she pinched his stomach.

Her face was gloomy, and she leaned closer, looking like a sickly sweet devil, and asked slowly in a soft yet eerie tone, "Do you know what I'm thinking right now?"

"About for forgiving me?" Yuan Qianye guessed.

"Yes, I want to forgive you, but before that, I want to follow Ms. Matsui Yuki's example and punish you, the philanderer who openly flirts with other women in front of his girlfriend." Shiyu's fingertips poked at his chest, moving upwards to his Adam's apple.

"...What do you want to do?"

"Don't worry, I won't kill you first. I'll kill you first and then commit suicide, and ask someone else to cremate us together. Then, I'll put our ashes in a box for burial, so we can be together forever."

Shi Yu's eyes were lifeless, and she chuckled as if she were broken, cupping his face in her left hand.

For some reason, an extremely terrifying image uncontrollably flashed through Yuan Qianye's mind.

His own lifeless head, with its eyes wide open, was carefully and gently held in the hands of Shi Yu, who was dressed in white and had a sweet smile.

Her face covered in blood, she gazed at "him" with deep affection, placed a kiss on his cold lips, then pulled him tightly into her arms, pressing her cheek against his lifeless face, and sighed contentedly... entranced...

goo...

Gen Chiya's Adam's apple bobbed.

"I'm sorry, Shiyu. I'll try to see things from your perspective more often in the future."

Yuan Qianye softened his tone and took the initiative to apologize, a familiar tactic of retreating to advance.

He wasn't backing down; he just felt he really needed to take responsibility for Shi Yu's little emotional outburst.

His heart was already divided in two.

Of course, that was from Shiyu's perspective.

If we include Toka and Haruno, it should actually be divided into four.

If we continue calculating to the later stages, it wouldn't be surprising if it were divided into five or six parts.

Shi Yu tilted her head, staring at him with a scrutinizing gaze, her words carrying a hidden meaning: "Just an apology?"

Sensing that she seemed to want to move on from the matter, Yuan Qianye quickly said, "Of course I will make amends. Shiyu, just tell me what kind of compensation you want! How about this, when we get back later, I'll treat you to the hotel's signature floral sauna, plus a full-body essential oil spa. I've heard the techniques are top-notch and can completely relax your mind and body. It's incredibly comfortable! How about it, just to help you relax?"

Shi Yu looked at him quietly for a few seconds, the dangerous look on her face slowly fading away: "No need for that. I'll come to you tonight. You'll have to repeat what you said to that idiot today to me a hundred times."

If this matter can be resolved so easily, then it couldn't be better for Yuan Qianye.

However, he suddenly stopped just as he was about to nod subconsciously.

Shi Yu narrowed her eyes: "What?"

"Um, Shiyu, I can actually tell you right now."

"No need, I'll tell you when I come to see you tonight. Is there a problem?" Her tone carried a hint of pressure again.

Yuan Qianye immediately replied, "No problem, I'll wait for you tonight."

Shiyu hummed softly, seemingly in a better mood, and turned to join the others in setting off fireworks.

Yuan Qianye watched her retreating figure, raised his hand to rub his temples, feeling that this was even more mentally taxing than solving a case.

Thinking that he would have to find an opportunity to explain the situation to Saeko later and help her understand a little, he thought he would be able to do so.

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.

On the other side, Eriri and Yukino were squatting together.

Eriri's last slender incense stick had burned to its end; the small flame flickered a few times before emitting its last glimmer of light.

Then it quickly dimmed and shrank, turning into a tiny dark red dot of light that fell onto the sand, leaving only a wisp of almost invisible smoke and a trace of charred blackness.

"It's all done," Eriri murmured.

Yukino looked at Rikka and the others and said, "I'll go get some more."

"No need, sigh..." Eriri sighed softly.

"What's wrong?" Yukino keenly sensed her friend's melancholy.

"It's nothing, I've just been thinking about what happened at the hotel today."

"Do you think it's terrible?" Yukino thought instinctively. After all, someone had indeed died because of it, and the weight of life was truly something to feel sorry for.

"Not that one." Eriri shook her head, stuffing the sparkler she was holding into the empty sparkler box.

"I was thinking... when Ms. Matsui Yuki left this world, she must have been very, very sad when she made that final decision, and she must have struggled and suffered for a long time."

After all… no matter what those two people did later, no matter how hateful they became… for a very long time before this, they were the closest and most trusted people to her.

Betrayed by both her husband and best friend, and then having to face illness and despair alone in the final days of her life, ultimately choosing to end it all that way... Sigh..."

In the end, Eriri sighed softly again.