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

And then, the most important thing tonight—

"Go take a shower first," Shiyu said to Minamoto Chiyo. "I have something to say to Saeko."

"..." Gen Chiya glanced at Saeko, and after Saeko nodded slightly to indicate that he didn't need to worry, he turned and left temporarily.

Shi Yu, who had witnessed this subtle interaction between the two, didn't say much, but sighed silently and sat down on the sofa.

"Shiyu, would you like some tea?"

"We don't need to be so formal between us."

“That’s true.” Saeko sat down next to Utaha. “I’m sorry, I didn’t even tell you beforehand, it was just so sudden…”

"Saeko." Utaha interrupted her abruptly, her gaze sharp and direct: "Just how far are you willing to go for Chiyo?"

"Ok?"

"Being willing to sacrifice your own interests for him, even giving up your status as someone who came first, just so that he won't have to worry so much... Saeko, just how deep are your feelings for him?"

Saeko looked at Shiyu's serious expression and chuckled without any sign of tension: "Shiyu, you're exaggerating."

Shi Yu's eyes remained sharp: "But that's the truth, isn't it? From the very beginning, you were willing to make your side back down for Qian Ye's sake."

Eriri is also feeling this way. She doesn't want to see him disappointed because of me, so she's thinking of doing this today, disregarding her own gains and losses, just hoping that it will make me calm down and reconcile with him.

"What you said is all true, but it's not all for Qianye."

"You still want to say it's for my sake?"

"of course."

"It's better not to say such nice things."

"But that is indeed the truth. I love Qianye very much, but I also like Shiyu very much. Both of you are very important to me. I have long regarded you as family. And when there are conflicts between family members, I will definitely be the first to mediate. It is impossible for me to be indifferent, right?"

"But in your heart, Saeko, the so-called 'family' you're referring to on my side is entirely derived from Chiya, isn't it? If Chiya weren't between us, would you still view me in the same way?"

"I think many things don't need to be distinguished so clearly."

"So I didn't come here to discuss our relationship. I just wanted to know clearly today why you were able to go to such lengths for Qianye?"

"..."

Faced with Shiwa's almost aggressive questioning, Saeko finally let out a slow sigh.

In this situation, if some things aren't made clearer, Shiyu probably won't let it go. Today, all of Qianye's and her uncle and aunt's efforts will likely be in vain.

Some cards only have an effect the first time they are played.

"The Busujima family isn't exactly a prestigious noble family, but they do have some background. So, from a very young age when I started to understand things, I began to receive a series of ladylike lessons under my mother's influence."

Even after my mother passed away, I continued to persevere, studying tea ceremony and flower arrangement every day, learning complex etiquette, and practicing kendo, which was both a way to exercise and cultivate my character.

This wasn't for anyone's attention; it was just that I felt from the bottom of my heart that someone had to inherit my mother's elegant and dignified demeanor and show it to outsiders, so as not to disgrace the name 'Poison Island'.

And that person, of course, can only be me.

Saeko spoke calmly and slowly, seemingly unrelated to the question raised by Utaha.

But Shiyu still vaguely sensed something, knowing that this was just the beginning of a crucial moment.

Tonight, she would finally get the "truth" she had always wanted to know, so she patiently and quietly listened to Saeko's detailed explanation.

"Day after day, I persisted in this way and demanded so much of myself. Over time, my mind and body became accustomed to this kind of life. I always thought that my future would continue like this until I met Qianye. He changed my life, which I was very reluctant to admit but was indeed extremely boring."

"I remember that your first encounter with Qianye stemmed from a terrible accident."

"Yes, I mentioned this to you before, but I didn't explain the details. That incident wasn't because I was unlucky enough to become a target of criminals. Rather, I deliberately chose remote and sparsely populated paths to lure others into committing crimes against me, and then used that opportunity to brutally beat them to satisfy my violent desires."

"...!"

"Sorry, did I scare you?"

"No... I'm just... a little surprised."

"Chiya wasn't surprised at all at the time."

"What was his reaction?"

Saeko looked nostalgic: "When Chiya saw me acting like I was insane, and watched the blood of those two scumbags slide down my hair and face... the way he looked at me wasn't out of fear or disgust, but... like it was glowing... a mixture of longing, yearning, and awe."

"..."

Faced with Saeko, whose face was flushed and extremely unnaturally red as she was lost in her memories, Utaha had no idea what to say.

Saeko's self-confession contained a great deal of information, and she needed time to process it.

"Shiyu, you asked me before why I like Chiya so much. Now I can give you the answer—it's not the dignified and awe-inspiring Saeko Busujima, but the real Saeko Busujima with violent tendencies, the most authentic Saeko Busujima, who has been recognized for the first time in her life."

He was willing to lie to the police for the sake of that dark side of me, and he clearly expressed his longing for that version of me, his concern for that version of me, and his gentle advice to me not to do such dangerous things in the future. He genuinely cared about me.

"So, Saeko, you showed him your whole self, and he accepted you completely... That's why you stood by him so unreservedly."

Saeko nodded: "What makes us human, and not beasts, is that from birth we live in an orderly society. Whether we like it or not, we are always influenced by various factors, constrained by family expectations, social ethics, and laws... In this world, no one is truly free."

I tried hard to suppress my true nature and lived cautiously in this society, but I was not happy until Qianye appeared. He made me no longer have to worry or endure anything, and I could show this side of myself to him.

Now, I am constantly grateful for his presence in my life.

These words sounded touching, but Shiwa quickly realized something was amiss: "Saeko... what do you mean, you can freely show this side of yourself to him?"

Saeko rested her chin on her left hand, revealing a gentle smile, but what she said next sent chills down Utaha's spine: "Chiya knew my true nature, and I later accepted him, knowing that he was a trustworthy man. Therefore, during the time when he privately studied kendo with me, I didn't have to suppress my true nature at all."

Shi Yu raised an eyelid: "...What happened to him?"

Saeko realized what was happening and quickly explained, "You misunderstood Shiho. No matter what, I could never have seriously injured Chiya like I would a thug. I was just a little stricter with Chiya during that period of time."

However, back then, Chiya was a complete novice and no match for me. The sounds of pained gasps she made from being hit repeatedly are still quite unforgettable to me when I think back on them...

In short, my relationship with Qianye is not complicated. It's just that I was always lonely, insecure, and living a repressed life. He happened to see my true self and completely liberated me. I am grateful to him for that. In our subsequent interactions, I was also captivated by his handsomeness, gentleness, and excellence. It's that simple.

"Shiyu, is there anything else you'd like to ask?"

"..." Shiyu's gaze towards Saeko became complicated. She subconsciously leaned back and slowly shook her head.

She needs some time to process this.

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.

Yuan Qianye deliberately took a longer bath, giving the two ample time to communicate. When they returned to the living room half an hour later, the situation had changed somewhat.

The TV in the living room was turned on, and Shiyu and Saeko sat on the sofa. The atmosphere between them was not as tense as when they first came home, but rather very relaxed. They occasionally chatted quietly about the content of the TV programs.

Hearing his footsteps, Saeko looked over gently, and Utaha also turned her head to look at him. There was still a slight resentment in her eyes, though it wasn't as intense as it had been during the day.

"Then I'll go wash up first."

"Okay, remember to get a change of clothes from my room."

"Ah."

Shiyu stood up and brushed past Yuan Qianye.

Aside from that brief moment when their eyes met, she didn't show any other reaction to her lover from beginning to end.

Watching Shiyu's retreating figure leave the living room, Gen Chiya cast a questioning look at Saeko: "What did you just talk about?"

"Well, some trivial topics, that's not important. Just remember to go see Shiyu tonight."

"She...accepted it?"

“I think it’s about time.” Saeko pulled his hand and made him sit down.

After all, Shiyu is so competitive. If he doesn't want to be outdone by her, he should probably give in by now.

"But it mainly depends on your own efforts. Try to put in a little extra effort tonight and have a good talk with Shiyu in a way that she likes."

Yuan Qianye looked towards the bathroom through the wall and nodded.

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.

Just as Saeko said, after today, Shiwa is not as angry as before.

Thinking about it more carefully, consider the difference in abilities between her and Qianye, and the fundamental reason why her light novel was able to revive...

The more Shiyu thought about it, the clearer it became that the only thing she had left to be capricious in front of her lover, besides her somewhat sensual body, seemed to be the feelings between the two of them.

For Qianye now, the existence of a body that could be described as erotic is completely dispensable.

With financial resources, physical advantages become completely insignificant.

He could find countless substitutes if he wanted to, not to mention that Saeko was in no way inferior to her in terms of appearance or figure.

As for their relationship... compared to Saeko, she felt that she had no advantage at all.

Since they started dating, Saeko has always trusted and indulged him unconditionally.

Aside from... aside from the fact that they seemed to have had a complicated history of active abuse and passive acceptance before.

However, those were all results that both parties agreed to in private.

And what about her? She was upset for a long time when she first found out that he was with Saeko.

Some time ago, after he confessed to having an ambiguous relationship with that blond guy, she threw a huge tantrum again.

Looking back now, all I relied on was my accurate assessment of his feelings for me, and that inexplicable confidence I had.

But if we really go to the point of breaking up, who will be the one who can't live without whom?

The answer seems self-evident...

Shiyu soaked in the bath for a long time with a messy head, her body completely limp. After what seemed like an eternity, she got up from the bathtub, still feeling dizzy, changed into Saeko's pajamas, and returned to the guest room that the Busujima family had always prepared for her, where she lazily lay down.

In the middle of the night, the door was pushed open.

Knowing who had come, Shiyu curled up, her back to the bed.

Then she felt the mattress sink slightly, and then she was pulled into a warm embrace that made her feel incredibly safe.

"Do not touch me……"

"Shiyu, what you said is a bit ambiguous. Does it mean you don't want me to, or do you want me to touch you?"

"..."

Shi Yu's inherently awkward and troublesome personality kept her from making concessions so easily.

However, the intensely pervasive hormonal scent emanating from her caused her heart to flutter, instantly shattering her already fragile defenses.