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

There was nothing she could do. For some reason, ever since she talked to Qianye tonight, she had been in a state of extreme excitement and couldn't fall asleep no matter how much she tossed and turned in bed.

I kept thinking about Qianye, about how he gently touched my face and spoke those tender words. I kept savoring them in my heart, feeling that there was no greater happiness in the world than this.

So she thought that even if he was asleep and couldn't talk to her, it didn't matter. She just wanted to steal one last look at him before going to sleep, just one look would be enough.

Given their now closer relationship, doing something like this shouldn't be a problem at all...

Eriri, her face flushed, walked step by step to Chiya's window.

She reached down with both hands, but Toka noticed and gently bit her as punishment.

"Wait a little longer."

"I can't wait any longer!"

It's about to explode!

Even so, Yuan Qianye took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down: "...Don't worry, I'll arrange the time and accompany you."

"You can't come with me, and I never intended for you to come with me."

"?"

"I'm leaving the day after tomorrow."

"Huh? So urgent?"

"After all, the qualifiers are just a few days away, and there's no time to waste. But don't worry, I'll arrange everything at the restaurant before I leave, so it won't affect normal operations."

"I'm not worried about that..."

"Don't worry about the competition. I originally planned to wait for your approval, then go home to pack my clothes after finishing the dinner rush at the restaurant tomorrow and head to Kyoto overnight. But after Mr. Yukihira found out about my decision, he asked me to come see him tomorrow. He didn't say exactly what he wanted me to do, but I think he probably wanted to give me some last-minute training before the competition."

The "Teacher Yukihira" that Toka mentioned is the owner of the popular restaurant Yukihira, which was introduced to her by Touma Yoko to improve her cooking skills.

The owner's culinary skills amazed Yuan Qianye, who had tasted his cooking.

Since this master chef has taken the initiative to offer his help to Toka, and given Toka's already impressive culinary skills, she will likely achieve some success in this cooking competition.

Even if things don't go perfectly, as she said, she could learn skills or knowledge from other opponents that she hadn't noticed, which would actually be quite satisfactory.

“I’m still a little worried about you going to Kyoto alone. If it’s not feasible, I’ll have Miyoko go with you,” Minamoto Chiya said, offering a compromise.

"What are you going to do if I take over your assistant and manager? Don't worry, I'm not alone. Numaguchi-san and Matsuda-san will be with me."

The two people Shika mentioned, Yuan Qianye also knew; they were a front-of-house receptionist and a kitchen chef responsible for plating at the Night Moon Restaurant, respectively.

Shihua explained, "The competition will be conducted in teams, so you won't be worried with them by my side, right?"

"Since you've already said all that, what else can I say? It's just that you left a little too quickly, which is why I'm only just coming back."

"So that's why I came to find you on my own initiative." Toka's voice was tinged with coquettishness as she finally touched his chest and poked her head out from under the covers.

Yuan Qianye finally managed to hug her as he wished: "So this is your parting compensation after feeling guilty?"

"That's not it..." Tohka's gaze shifted to the side: "...It's because you've been gone for so long...I kind of wanted it too..."

The voice was very soft, but who wouldn't get annoyed by what they said?

Driven by Chiya, Toka's melodious murmur, like a song, melted into the warm summer night.

Then, at that moment, Yuan Qianye suddenly paused and made a loud shushing gesture towards Shika.

Shihua immediately realized what was happening and buried her head in his chest, asking softly, "What's wrong?"

Gen Chiya replied in a low voice, "There seems to be a sound outside. It sounds like Eriri or Rikka got up in the middle of the night."

It wasn't just a coincidence; through her God-like perspective peering out, Gen Chiya had confirmed that it was Eriri outside.

If she hadn't slipped and let out a brief scream as she walked through the dimly lit corridor past the bathroom door to the toilet, Yuan Qianye wouldn't have noticed that she had left the room at that time.

After all, when he's doing something that makes him extremely happy, it's not that he can't, but that he's unwilling to spare even a tiny bit of energy for defensive matters.

Upon hearing this, Shihua froze, immediately shrinking into the blanket in nervousness.

Yuan Qianye found it amusing: "It's nothing, he's probably just going to the bathroom, and he'll go straight back to his room when he's done."

Shihua replied anxiously and in a very low voice, "Don't speak!"

The two of them listened intently to the sounds outside from inside the room.

As Minamoto Chiyo had said, Eriri went into the bathroom, then came out feeling a bit more relaxed, preparing to return to her room.

Just as Gen Chiya, who had been silently observing the whole thing, breathed a sigh of relief, Eriri slowly returned to his room.

How strange, do you all have to come looking for me tonight?!

"Shihua, did you lock the door when you came in?"

"Wh...what do you mean?!"

Eriri's footsteps seemed to stop at my door; it looked like she was about to come in.

"ah?!!!"

"Keep your voice down, my sister! Did you lock the door or not?"

"It seems... no, no... I was planning to leave right away, but coming in was a sudden idea later."

Well done...

Oh well, it's my fault for not thinking of that beforehand.

Yuan Qianye is feeling increasingly unwell.

"What to do, what to do, what to do..."

Shihua is starting to panic.

"It's okay, don't move, just shrink back in."

"What should we do... If she comes in, she'll definitely be discovered..."

"You won't be able to find out. Just bury yourself in my arms and I'll pretend to be asleep. Even if Eriri comes in, she won't be able to wake me up, don't worry..."

The two spoke at a rapid pace.

Even after being comforted, Toka was still somewhat lost, but at this stage it seemed that there was no other way but to do as Chiya had said.

She huddled under the covers, curling up into a ball, and was held in Yuan Qianye's arms as he lay on his side.

"Don't move at a time like this! What if Eriri finds out?!"

"I want to too!"

But the body is out of control.

And if you have anyone to blame, it's your despicable body!

And how long do you think I endured this before you arrived?!

Eriri gently knocked on the door, then leaned in so close to the crack that she whispered, "Chiya, are you asleep?"

There was no response, which is to be expected, as it was already past 2 a.m.

Eriri, having failed to get anywhere with her probing, was prepared to leave as she had originally planned, but for some reason, she didn't go.

Instead of leaving, he swallowed lightly, as if he had made up his mind.

She turned the handle and easily pushed open the door, then slipped inside smoothly.

The movements are very similar to the previous Shi Hua, even to the point of being nine-tenths similar.

Eriri gently closed the door and patted her rapidly beating heart.

I hesitated for a moment, but then I came in anyway...

There was nothing she could do. For some reason, ever since she talked to Qianye tonight, she had been in a state of extreme excitement and couldn't fall asleep no matter how much she tossed and turned in bed.

I kept thinking about Qianye, about how he gently touched my face and spoke those tender words. I kept savoring them in my heart, feeling that there was no greater happiness in the world than this.

So she thought that even if he was asleep and couldn't talk to her, it didn't matter. She just wanted to steal one last look at him before going to sleep, just one look would be enough.

Given their now closer relationship, doing something like this shouldn't be a problem at all...

Eriri, her face flushed, walked step by step to Chiya's window.

A dimly lit environment provides the perfect cover.

She didn't notice anything amiss.

Since Qianye was sleeping on her side, she needed to turn to the other side of the bed to vaguely see her sleeping face.

Eriri was about to go around it when...

Gen Chiyo made a soft "hmm" sound, which startled Eriri, who immediately squatted down. She thought he was about to wake up and stood there for a while, but then she realized that Chiyo was still fast asleep and didn't make any further moves, so she was relieved.

However, this situation did make things easier for her, as she no longer needed to go around to the other side.

She moved closer, using the moonlight from the window to vaguely gaze at the boy she had liked since she was very young, her eyes shimmering with the first gentle warmth of spring.

In the quiet environment, she could almost hear her own chaotic heartbeat.

Goodnight, Qianye.

After squatting by the bed, resting her chin on her hand, and quietly watching for a few minutes, Eriri was finally satisfied.

He stood up and walked towards the door.

Actually, she wasn't quite satisfied with just watching, but remembering Qianye's earlier words, "We can take it slow," made her a little more reserved, not wanting to be seen as such a casual woman.

Gen Chiya, who had been pretending to be asleep with her eyes closed, and Toka, who was burning up from being cooped up in bed, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

And then at that moment—

"Haha, I knew it, I knew it! Eriri, you tossed and turned and couldn't sleep, sneaking out in the middle of the night, you definitely had something up your sleeve!"

The door was pushed open, and Rikka, with a smug look on her face, caught the bewildered Eriri right in the act!

…………

Volume 2: Chapter 160: What kind of mess have we made?! (6k)(11)

The appearance of Rikka caught Eriri off guard, and also caught Chiya and Toka off guard.

Especially Shihua, who was hiding under the blanket, suffered a sudden cardiac arrest!

The body, which had been curled up and reduced in size, bent even more forcefully at this moment, pressing even more tightly against Yuan Qianye's chest.