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

A while ago, she was granted leave to go home and take care of her injured father. In the countryside, there weren't many forms of entertainment. Her boss was on vacation, and she didn't have any work to do. So, with nothing to do, she touched her soft belly and spent her free time doing aerobics.

I did see some results after sticking with it for a while, and I lost some weight, but I never expected my own boss to notice it so quickly.

"It must be hard taking care of Dad at home. Actually, I should give you more time off, but I've been busy with a lot of things lately, and I really can't do without you."

Yuan Qianye pondered for a moment: "How about this, when you have some free time later, you can choose a place to travel and relax, and bring your parents along so the whole family can have a good time together. Don't worry about the expenses during the trip; you can just reimburse yourself from the company account when you get back." "No, no, no, no!" Miyoko naturally declined this arrangement immediately.

I'm very happy and touched!

But I still declined!

The boss's intentions are good, but if she actually agrees, she'll be overstepping her bounds! It would also make her seem incredibly inconsiderate!

"Boss, you have one work assignment after another, how can I possibly take a vacation? And what kind of assistant would abandon their boss to go on a carefree trip!"

"Are you being polite with me?"

"It's not just being polite!"

"Let's talk about this later. Let's go have lunch first."

"There's no need to bring it up again. I won't abandon you, boss, to go on a trip alone; that would be too irresponsible..."

Miss Miyoko, clutching the documents in her arms, quickened her pace to catch up with her boss.

So, even at the very end of the day, the secretary still couldn't figure out the real reason why her boss seemed to be in a bad mood, with a hint of melancholy and sadness.

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.

As night falls and the city lights come on, the streets of Tokyo shimmer with neon.

As agreed beforehand, Yuan Qianye had reserved a table in advance at a French restaurant located in a bustling area.

Choosing this restaurant wasn't because Yuan Qianye was deliberately pursuing high consumption or style, but rather because high-end restaurants like this, with their hefty average cost per person, usually have a more elegant and tranquil environment.

The tables are spaced appropriately, offering better privacy, making them ideal for serious business that requires a quiet environment for in-depth conversations.

For example, the aftermath of last night's room raid incident, and his further conversations with Eriri and others about the future.

Miyoko drove her boss to his apartment building.

Since the evening's events were somewhat private, Gen Chiya simply told her to send a message to Eriri and Rikka after get off work, and that he would take a taxi to the restaurant on his own.

Rikka and Eriri clearly took tonight's date very seriously, and both dressed up carefully for the occasion.

Both women were dressed in appropriate dresses, but their styles differed.

Rikka chose a black dress with a dark gothic style. The dress was not exaggerated in design, but it was well-tailored and decorated with delicate lace at the neckline and cuffs.

The skirt features an irregular, layered design, paired with black over-the-knee socks and small leather shoes. She also wears a choker adorned with a small cross, making her look like a princess with a slightly rebellious air, who has stepped out of a mysterious ancient castle.

Eriri, on the other hand, chose a completely different style, a bright, lively, and youthful pale yellow floral dress. The dress featured refreshing puff sleeves and a fitted waist, with a length above the knee, perfectly showcasing her straight and slender legs.

Her long, golden hair cascaded smoothly over her shoulders, the ends slightly curled. She wore light makeup, her lips a delicate cherry blossom pink, making her look bright and refreshing, like a sweet and juicy water droplet sparkling in the summer sun.

When she came downstairs and saw Yuan Qianye, a hint of shyness and nervousness flashed in her eyes, and her cheeks flushed slightly, revealing the unease in her heart.

Although Rikka was brought along, this should be considered their first date together...

Rikka opened the car door with a grin. After Eriri and Chiya got in, she closed the door and then walked around halfway to sit in the passenger seat.

Its intention is self-evident.

Eriri became even more nervous, and her posture became even more upright after the car started moving than it was in class.

However, nothing actually happened as she had imagined until she got off the bus.

I was a little worried when it didn't happen, but I was also a little disappointed after the worry subsided...

Am I being too strange?

Eriri, who was arm in arm with Rikka, followed behind Chiya and looked at his tall and straight back, and couldn't help but think this.

…………

Volume 2: Chapter 162: This time there shouldn't be any problems, right?

Upon entering the restaurant, we were led to our seats by a waiter.

Because we had made a reservation in advance, the food was served quickly.

"Hey~ Tell me quickly, don't be shy~" Rikka excitedly asked as soon as the waiter left.

"The food's all served, it'll get cold if we don't eat it," Yuan Qianye said casually, taking a sip of water from his cup.

"I feel like there are ants crawling inside me right now, it's so itchy, so I don't care about cooking or anything, I just want to know how things are going between you two!"

"Actually, there's not much to say..." Eriri lowered her head shyly.

Gen Chiya put down his cup: "Don't rush, I'll tell you about the development between Eriri and me. I invited you here tonight for this very reason, but before that, I need to ask you for a favor."

"what's up?"

"You must keep what you've noticed about my relationship with Eriri a secret."

"I understand this without you having to tell me."

After all, if either Utaha or Yukino knew about this situation, they would probably explode.

It refers to my own brother's side.

“I mean keeping it a secret from everyone,” Yuan Qianye emphasized.

This made Rikka realize something, and she tentatively asked, "Does that include Saeko-nee too?"

Gen Chiya nodded: "That's right, including Saeko."

Rikka thought for a moment, then covered her mouth and chuckled, "Is it because you're worried that Saeko-nee will be angry with you because of this?"

Gen Chiyo chuckled leisurely, "Why are you angry with me? The fact that things are going so smoothly between me and Eriri is largely thanks to her help behind the scenes. This is something she should be happy to see."

"Huh?" Rikka was dumbfounded.

She believes she has kept this a secret all along.

Eriri, sitting next to her, wasn't surprised. Since Chiya was so clever as to directly perceive the specific situation in the massage spa room, it was only natural that she would also realize this.

"Besides, why are you still pretending to be confused with me? You've often done strange things before, and it's no surprise that Saeko was behind it all."

She always touted herself as the most considerate and adorable younger sister in the world, always firmly on my side, but then she quickly switched sides after being slightly swayed or asked to do something by someone else. You really disappoint me.

"This...that...I, I'm doing this for your own good, bro..." Rikka began to evade the question.

“Ah.” Eriri raised her hand and added, “As a friend, Rikka has said similar things to me in private. Also, when I was talking to Yukino, I learned from her that Rikka had said the same thing to her.”

“Oh~” Gen Chiya raised an eyebrow and nodded knowingly, looking at Rikka with a teasing expression: “So for you, the so-called ‘I’m on your side’ is not a guarantee or anything, but just a catchphrase or something unimportant that you can say casually to gain trust, right?”

"...Ugh!" Rikka's forehead began to sweat. She suddenly picked up her knife and fork: "Haha, hahaha... Don't just stand there, eat up, the food's getting cold!"

After saying that, he started eating first.

Gen Chiya smiled as he looked at Eriri, who was also very happy at the moment.

Eriri saw a special emotion in his eyes that she had never seen before.

Dinner was delicious and the atmosphere was nice.

Chiya and Eriri had only recently confirmed their feelings for each other, and were entering a new phase in their relationship.

It's the kind of relationship where you've known each other for so long, the old bond is still strong, and the influence remains, so you're both a little embarrassed to be intimate.

While they were indeed very familiar with each other, it was precisely because they were so familiar with each other that they felt a little awkward. However, this awkwardness was perfectly mitigated by the addition of Rikka.

Therefore, Chiyo didn't keep pressing Rikka after that. He just wanted to find a suitable excuse to teach her a lesson, so that she wouldn't think that she had discovered his little secret and would become arrogant and try to stand on his head. He wanted her to know that in front of her brother, a sister will always be a sister!

Although it's impossible for Rikka to do something so malicious given her personality, it's always good to be prepared.

During dessert after dinner, Chiyo didn't hide anything and recounted to Rikka the general process of how he and Eriri had confessed their feelings for each other.

Rikka cupped her cheeks in her hands, her eyes sparkling, and kept whispering, "This is so good...", looking completely satisfied.

Moreover, she felt quite proud of her role as a behind-the-scenes figure in the project.

Then, after these topics had come to a temporary halt, we inevitably returned to the most crucial question.

"Brother, and Eriri, about Yukino... how are you planning to tell her about this?"

Rikka felt this was an unavoidable topic, mainly because she was genuinely concerned about it and wanted to know their specific plans in advance. She didn't want their smooth-progressing relationship to affect their original circle of friends, so she took the initiative to ask.

Upon hearing this question, Eriri, who had been blushing and looking shy, suddenly froze.

She had actually thought about this problem before, but she hadn't come up with a suitable solution or an attitude and expression to be honest with Yukino.

The three of them had been together since they were very young. Back then, they naively believed that their relationship could continue into the future. But people grow up, their thoughts change, and so do their relationships.

She had always thought that she would be the first to be left behind in this special trio, because from every angle, Chiya was a better match for Yukino. But reality quickly showed her what the unpredictability of the future meant.

Saeko's sudden appearance shattered the peaceful and harmonious atmosphere between them.

Her forceful intervention instantly reduced the time Qianye spent by their side, gradually pulling him away from them.

She really wanted to hate this dashing and powerful yet gentle and kind kendo girl, but as mentioned above, she really couldn't hate such a perfect girl with an impeccable personality who had even saved them several times.

At this point, Chiyo no longer belonged solely to her and Yukino in a sense, and the close-knit atmosphere between the three of them had become increasingly distant.

However, if you consider Saeko as a companion, you can at least deceive yourself into returning to that time in the past.

The entry of Kasumigaoka Utaha into the game extinguished Eriri's last glimmer of hope.

Neither she nor Yukino could get along with this person who was incompatible with them from the start.

At this point, the feelings from before are completely gone forever.

The bond between childhood sweethearts seems to have come to an end.

No matter how close the feelings were when we were young, they can't compare to the love between lovers who go from school to marriage and then support each other for the rest of their lives.

As a result, from that time onwards, Chiya naturally became closer to Saeko and Kasumigaoka.

Left behind, all she and Yukino could do was hold each other's hands tighter to warm each other.

She wouldn't see Chiya's actions of distancing himself from her and Yukino due to objective reasons as betrayal, because he also had his own thoughts and couldn't always live according to her wishes.

On the contrary, she would be even more strict with herself because of this. There was no way to deal with Chiya, but it was different for her. They were both girls, so at least she had to stay by Yukino's side as before and always regard her as her best friend.

Eriri had always been unwavering in her convictions, and then... and then she... in this situation,

Silently, guided by Saeko, and following her own inner desires, she half-heartedly developed a deeper relationship with Chiya.