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

Before setting off, Chiyo didn't forget the plan she had used to lure Yukino. The plan to go to the aquarium to see the penguins was tentatively scheduled for the day after tomorrow. They had plenty of time, so there was no need to rush the itinerary and they could take their time.

Yuan Qianye planned these itineraries in a reasonable and interesting way, and everyone agreed that no one had any objections.

The dinner ended peacefully and warmly.

After dinner, we returned to the suite.

Yuan Qianye pretended to squat down next to Shi Yu, touched her forehead with concern, and then gently touched her cheek. His eyes were full of sincere concern about her physical condition and whether she could travel with everyone tomorrow.

The culprit's hypocritical act prompted Kasumigaoka to silently pinch his waist, applying pressure until he showed pain before letting go with a slight sense of relief.

After checking on Shiyu, Yuan Qianye took a towel and a yukata to take a bath.

After he left, Saeko loosely clenched her fist and rested it on her chin, then coughed lightly to attract everyone's attention.

Seeing that everyone was looking at her, she spoke up directly: "Everyone, it's still early, I have a suggestion."

Rikka got a little excited: "Is it like before, where everyone gets together to play some games?"

Saeko shook her head: "That would be nice too, but considering that we've all come out together so often, let's do some activities that we don't usually have the chance to experience."

"Saeko-nee, you mean..."

"The massage spa at this hotel is said to be very professional. I saw that the online ratings are quite high. Maybe we can give it a try. Everyone has been out and about for so long today, and it's inevitable that our bodies will feel tired. This is a good opportunity to relax our muscles so that we can rest better tonight and be more energetic for tomorrow's activities."

Saeko's proposal is perfectly reasonable from a conventional point of view.

Getting a massage to relax after a tiring trip is a normal choice for many people.

However, Shi Yu immediately refused, saying, "You guys go ahead, you don't need to count me in."

Thanks to someone, her whole body is now as soft and limp as a bloated noodle, making it impossible for her to get a massage in this state.

Yukino and Utaha have always been at odds, but on this matter, their attitudes are the same: "I'll let it go. I'm really not used to being touched by strangers."

Saeko's reaction to Shiwa was entirely expected; in fact, it could be said that it was part of her plan.

However, she wanted to try again after Yukino's rejection.

"Massage, as a relaxation method, is not actually as... intrusive on privacy as you think, Yukino."

Saeko tried to persuade her gently, attempting to dispel her concerns.

"You can choose a local massage, such as having the masseuse simply relax and soothe your shoulders and neck, or massage your legs and feet that are a little sore and tired after a day's walk. You don't have to choose a full-body massage, and you don't have to worry about gender differences. We can choose a female masseuse."

After listening, Yukino thought about it seriously and mentally simulated the scene Saeko described—a strange female masseuse touching her shoulders, neck, or calves with her fingers...

"..." She paused for two seconds, then shook her head more firmly: "I'm sorry, I still can't accept it. Just imagining it makes me feel very uncomfortable."

"Oh, that's alright. Everyone has things they're not used to." Saeko looked rather regretful, but since she had already achieved her goal, she didn't press the matter further.

She then asked the remaining two people what they wanted: "Eri and Rikka? Don't worry about the expenses, I'll treat you."

Rikka immediately raised her hand: "I want to go!"

She, who loves to join in the fun, gave an answer that was no surprise to everyone.

That leaves Eriri all alone.

As Eriri's longtime friend, Yukino subconsciously felt that Eriri's answer would be the same as hers.

After all, she was quite conservative in this regard, much like him. In addition, Chiya had mentioned at the hotel where they had lunch today that everyone should go for a massage to relax during the lunch break. It was only after he and Eriri shook their heads first that he opted for fish spa as a second choice.

However, quite unexpectedly, Eriri thought for a moment and then nodded directly: "If Rikka is going too, then I'll go too."

Catching Yukino's somewhat surprised gaze, Eriri explained, "I...I also want to try some things I've never experienced before, Yukino, are you really not coming with me?"

Yukino looked at her and said, "I'll just leave it at that. I'll wait for you guys in the room. You guys have a good time."

"Ah."

Saeko clapped her hands and concluded: "Then it's confirmed. There are three of us: me, Eriri Rikka, and Chiya. That makes a total of four."

She picked up the phone in the room and dialed the front desk to inquire.

After a brief conversation, she hung up the phone.

"We're lucky, we don't need to make an appointment, we can just go directly there."

Saeko asked the two people who stayed in the room to pass on a message to Chiya later, while she, Eriri, and Rikka headed towards the massage room.

The door closed, and Yukino withdrew her thoughtful gaze, leaving the room in silence.

Shiyu's gaze happened to shift over.

There was no spark, and no communication.

They simultaneously looked away, remaining silent as if their brief eye contact had never happened.

Shi Yu, seemingly unconcerned, refocused her attention on her phone screen, swiping her finger to continue reading her novel.

Yukino turned around, gently opened the glass sliding door leading to the courtyard, went out, and dialed her mother's number at home.

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.

Eriri and Rikka followed Saeko to the massage parlor area inside the hotel.

Unlike the traditional Japanese-style decor in other parts of the hotel, the décor here leans towards a modern, minimalist, and soothing aesthetic, with soft lighting and a subtle herbal essential oil scent in the air.

The receptionist, dressed in an elegant uniform, greeted them with a professional and friendly smile.

She led them through a quiet, dimly lit corridor to a room with a sign that read "Mindfulness".

She gently pushed open the door and gestured for the guests to enter.

The room was more spacious than I had imagined. There was no glaring main light; the light came from warm yellow LED strips cleverly embedded along the edges and corners of the walls.

In the center of the room, four massage beds covered with clean, soft white towels are placed side by side. The beds are separated by soft partitions with elegant bamboo leaf patterns, which can ensure a certain degree of privacy without making the room feel completely closed off.

In addition, other details were also designed with great care.

The incense in the air seemed to be stronger, a calming blend of lavender and a hint of sandalwood.

As the waiter opened the door and turned on the lighting system, a soft, white noise, mimicking the babbling of a mountain stream, began to flow from the room's concealed sound system, gently washing over the eardrums and further isolating the room from external noise.

One corner of the room was even meticulously decorated with a miniature dry landscape garden, with white fine sand arranged in neat ripples and a rounded black stone placed in the center.

Under the warm yellow light from the side lighting, the whole space exudes a Zen-like tranquility and peace.

"Here are slippers for guests to change into. And here are the different massage packages we offer, each with different durations and focuses, allowing you to target different parts of your body for relaxation and to relieve fatigue."

"Ok."

The waiter gestured to the price list on the wall and spoke with Saeko.

Taking advantage of this moment, Rikka curiously pulled Eriri's hand and looked around the room.

Soon, Saeko made a decision: "Rikka, Eriri, how about we get the recommended full-body massage?"

"Okay, I'm fine with it."

"Me too."

Rikka and Eriri showed no abnormalities.

Saeko said to the waiter, "Then it's decided. The three of us will choose the full-body massage package."

"Ok."

“Also, we have a male friend coming over later, so I’ll make arrangements for him as well.” Saeko pointed to the most expensive item on the price list: “Could you tell me about the ‘Full Body Essential Oil Spa + Thai Massage + Lavender Sleep Aid + Steam Therapy’ package?”

"Of course, you have excellent taste, sir. This is our highest-end 'Exclusive Tranquility' package. It will take a bit longer, and our professional therapists will first communicate with you to understand your recent physical condition, areas of fatigue, and preferred intensity before starting the treatment, to ensure a personalized experience."

Regarding the process, our therapists will first give guests a foot bath with warm water containing rose petals or herbs, followed by a full-body massage. You can choose different scents of essential oils, such as relaxing lavender, invigorating citrus, or soothing sandalwood.

During this time, we will also use disposable steam eye masks, which use gentle steam of about 40℃ to relieve dryness and fatigue caused by prolonged use of the eyes, promote blood circulation around the eyes to help reduce dark circles, relax the nerves, and help improve sleep..."

The waiter gave a very detailed introduction, his tone full of pride.

Eriri, standing to the side, took a deep breath, looking somewhat nervous.

It's come to this...

Her thoughts drifted back to an hour earlier—

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.

Inside the shower stalls next to the hot spring.

A misty, watery atmosphere in a cramped space.

Eriri and Saeko were alone together.

After finally overcoming the huge psychological barriers of "hesitation" and "fear" in their hearts, the distance between the two seemed to shrink instantly.

Some things that were once difficult to say or ashamed to talk about can now be said smoothly and frankly.

Saeko wiped away the large water droplets that had slid down her neck to her chest with a towel, and calmly began to explain her plan.

“I do have an idea, Eriri, you can listen to it first. I plan to create an opportunity for you after dinner.”

Eriri's heart skipped a beat, her azure eyes filled with tension and confusion. She stammered, "After dinner... but... everyone shouldn't be resting yet, right? They're all still in the suite... what exactly should we do?"

"The key lies in..." Saeko turned her head, her eyes appearing exceptionally deep and bright through the misty steam, gleaming with wisdom.

"...We need to get rid of as many unrelated people as possible who might cause trouble, or have them choose to avoid us, so as to create a relatively private space where we won't be disturbed, and let this environment last for as long as possible, so that the right opportunity will naturally arise."

Eriri was confused and couldn't follow Saeko's train of thought. At this moment, she just watched her with a nervous and racing heart, waiting for her to continue.

"In conclusion," Saeko stated the first step of her plan, "I intend to suggest that we all go and experience the famous massage spa at this hotel later at a suitable time."

"Massage...?" Eriri blinked, still not quite understanding. "If it's a massage, there's definitely no way we can leave everyone else behind and go together. In that situation, there are too many people around, and the masseuse is also there... So the kind of... opportune moment you mentioned, Saeko-nee?"

She simply couldn't reconcile the two situations: a massage in a public place and an opportunity to be alone.

"Is that really the case?" Saeko gave a meaningful smile.

Eriri was even more confused.

Saeko began to patiently explain step by step: "You've seen Shiho's condition. Given her current state of being too lazy to even move, do you think she would readily agree to my massage suggestion and immediately get up and come with us, full of energy?"

"Ah!" Eriri seemed to understand a little!

Kasumigaoka doesn't seem like someone who would be interested in massages, or rather, she doesn't seem to have the energy to enjoy one right now!

Eriri continued excitedly, "So, Yukino is the same. She rejected Chiya's massage suggestion at noon, saying she doesn't like strangers touching her body. So, she probably won't go either! That basically confirms that the two of them will be absent!"

Saeko nodded with satisfaction. "She's a quick learner. Eriri isn't the fastest learner, but she's clever enough to understand right away."