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

Some things are already quite obvious now, and don't need much explanation; the answers have been swirling in each other's hearts for a long time.

But now, she simply cannot convince herself to confront and refute the clarification.

Therefore, maintaining the status quo and keeping this tacit understanding and distance unchanged might be the best choice for both of them.

"We're about to have a formal meeting with the other school," Yukino Mi took the initiative to steer the conversation back to business, trying to dispel the somber mood in her heart. "Even if it's just so I can prepare myself mentally, can you at least tell me which school you've reached an agreement with?"

Gen Chiya readily replied, "It's Shuchiin Academy."

Yukino raised an eyebrow in surprise: "That prestigious school?"

"Ah."

“…” Yukino was silent for a few seconds, seemingly processing the information, before slowly speaking: “…It’s amazing that you were able to reach a cooperation agreement with that school. Most of the people who can enroll in that school are either rich or noble, and their family backgrounds are either from wealthy families or the families of high-ranking officials and politicians. Putting aside everything else, their families are probably much more economically powerful than the ordinary students at our Soubu High School.”

Yuan Qianye understood what she was worried about: "It's a joint school trip, not a direct competition of wealth. In the end, it's just an educational activity mainly for students. The economic impact isn't as big as you think. The most important thing is that everyone can have fun and make more friends."

That's not wrong.

"I hope everything goes well."

"The architecture of Shuchiin Academy is indeed very magnificent, but the students I met yesterday evening were all very approachable, as were the student council members. Don't worry, everything will go smoothly."

"So, shall we go directly to Shuchiin Academy to talk now?"

"No, the meeting place is the Municipal Community Center. I have already reserved the activity room in advance. Their school dismissal time will be a little later, so we can go there first and wait for them."

The dedicated shuttle vehicle had been waiting by the roadside for a long time.

Gen Chiya opened the car door and let Yukino get in first, then he closed his umbrella and sat in the back seat.

As the car doors closed, Yukino suddenly realized that the driver in the driver's seat was not the Kudo Miyoko she had thought, but a strange middle-aged man she didn't recognize.

She hesitated for a moment, so she leaned close to Yuan Qianye's ear and whispered to ask about his identity and whether she should take the initiative to greet him.

Yuan Qianye smiled and told her that he was just a driver she had hired, and that she didn't need to be so reserved and could relax.

To be honest, after he expanded his team, he never had time to introduce the members of his new team to Yukino.

The journey was peaceful.

Yukino didn't waste any time on the way. She took out her notebook and phone and used them together to tell Chiyo about some plans she had prepared for the upcoming activities and asked for his opinion.

It's strange, really. This half-hour drive, coupled with her intense focus on her eyes while the car was moving, would have made her feel dizzy in her own car most of the time, but she didn't feel that way at all today.

It's because of the car.

School ended quickly in the afternoon.

Tokyo's weather is unpredictable. Yesterday the sun was shining brightly, but starting last night a strong southwest wind began to blow, and then a light drizzle began to fall at noon.

After school, Gen Chiya went straight to the shoe changing area.

He originally intended to wait indoors, but the damp weather caused the smell in the shoe cabinet to intensify and spread, making it unpleasant. So he eventually moved to wait under the eaves outside.

Yukino arrived shortly after, quickly changed her shoes, and came to his side.

"You're here." Hearing footsteps approaching, Yuan Qianye turned his head and gave her a gentle smile: "Let's go."

"Aren't Saeko-nee and the others coming along?"

"Saeko has important internal selection arrangements at the kendo club and simply can't get away."

Rikka insisted on coming along, but I felt that she probably wouldn't be of any real help, so I let her stay with Eriri to work at the student council.

"After all, we can't afford to be short-staffed over there. It would be a real problem if a student had an emergency and we couldn't find anyone to help," Yuan Qianye explained.

This arrangement is perfectly reasonable.

So that means there are only the two of them on today's itinerary.

Being alone together...

It feels like it's been a really long time since I've had this opportunity.

Suppressing the slight ripples in her heart, Yukino nodded to indicate that she understood.

"Aren't you cold, still wearing your summer uniform?"

Compared to the students around him who were almost all wrapped in coats or sweaters, Yuan Qianye was still wearing only a thin white summer shirt, casually with the school's suit jacket over it, and his tie loosely tied, making him stand out from the crowd in this damp and cold rainy day.

Yukino herself was also quite bundled up. Although her lower body was still dressed like most girls, with over-the-knee socks and a school uniform skirt, she wore a thick wool blend winter coat on top and a light gray cashmere scarf around her neck, protecting her neck and half of her face completely, only revealing a pair of cool and beautiful eyes and a delicate and upturned nose.

Yuan Qianye smiled nonchalantly: "Don't you know that I've been like this since I was a child? I'm used to it."

Indeed, this guy has had a constitution as good as a robot since he was a child, seemingly completely unaffected by changes in external temperature.

In her memory, he never seemed to take sick leave or go to the hospital; he was remarkably healthy.

Yukino took out her folding umbrella from the side pocket of her backpack and was about to open it when Chiyo naturally took a step closer to her, tilting his umbrella slightly to indicate that she could share it.

She paused, looking at Yuan Qianye's profile so close to hers, and the large umbrella in his hand that could easily accommodate two people.

After hesitating for less than a second, she silently put her umbrella back into her bag, moved lightly to his umbrella, and stood side by side with him.

The two shared an umbrella and walked slowly towards the school gate.

Raindrops pattered on the umbrella, making a crisp crackling sound, and the air was filled with the scent of earth and damp vegetation.

A combination of handsome men and beautiful women is always quite eye-catching.

People around them kept glancing at them, and the two of them had gotten used to it.

"Ah, it's been so long since I've felt like this," Yuan Qianye suddenly remarked after walking a short distance.

Yukino tilted her head slightly, revealing her clear eyes above the scarf, and looked at him with a puzzled expression: "What do you mean?"

"What does it refer to? Of course, it refers to the two of us walking and chatting alone like this. Think about it, before I met Eriri in the third grade of elementary school, we did this almost every day. Whenever we had time, we would get together and stay inseparable."

Yukino withdrew her gaze and looked ahead again, her tone devoid of emotion: "It's amazing that you still remember something from so long ago."

"Of course I remember. After all, we were really carefree during that time. We only needed to focus on what was in front of us: studying, practicing calligraphy, reading, and wandering aimlessly in the park... We didn't have as many worries as we do now."

"Aren't you much different now than before? You're still freely doing what you want to do, and your life seems quite fulfilling, doesn't it?"

“Perfect…” Yuan Qianye chewed on the word, his gaze drifting towards the distant future: “…That’s still a long way off.”

"..."

Out of the corner of her eye, Yukino caught a glimpse of Chiya's gaze as he quickly looked at her and then abruptly looked away... a gaze that was both tender and complex.

Some things are already quite obvious now, and don't need much explanation; the answers have been swirling in each other's hearts for a long time.

But now, she simply cannot convince herself to confront and refute the clarification.

Therefore, maintaining the status quo and keeping this tacit understanding and distance unchanged might be the best choice for both of them.

"We're about to have a formal meeting with the other school," Yukino Mi took the initiative to steer the conversation back to business, trying to dispel the somber mood in her heart. "Even if it's just so I can prepare myself mentally, can you at least tell me which school you've reached an agreement with?"

Gen Chiya readily replied, "It's Shuchiin Academy."

Yukino raised an eyebrow in surprise: "That prestigious school?"

"Ah."

“…” Yukino was silent for a few seconds, seemingly processing the information, before slowly speaking: “…It’s amazing that you were able to reach a cooperation agreement with that school. Most of the people who can enroll in that school are either rich or noble, and their family backgrounds are either from wealthy families or the families of high-ranking officials and politicians. Putting aside everything else, their families are probably much more economically powerful than the ordinary students at our Soubu High School.”

Yuan Qianye understood what she was worried about: "It's a joint school trip, not a direct competition of wealth. In the end, it's just an educational activity mainly for students. The economic impact isn't as big as you think. The most important thing is that everyone can have fun and make more friends."

That's not wrong.

"I hope everything goes well."

"The architecture of Shuchiin Academy is indeed very magnificent, but the students I met yesterday evening were all very approachable, as were the student council members. Don't worry, everything will go smoothly."

"So, shall we go directly to Shuchiin Academy to talk now?"

"No, the meeting place is the Municipal Community Center. I have already reserved the activity room in advance. Their school dismissal time will be a little later, so we can go there first and wait for them."

The dedicated shuttle vehicle had been waiting by the roadside for a long time.

Gen Chiya opened the car door and let Yukino get in first, then he closed his umbrella and sat in the back seat.

As the car doors closed, Yukino suddenly realized that the driver in the driver's seat was not the Kudo Miyoko she had thought, but a strange middle-aged man she didn't recognize.

She hesitated for a moment, so she leaned close to Yuan Qianye's ear and whispered to ask about his identity and whether she should take the initiative to greet him.

Yuan Qianye smiled and told her that he was just a driver she had hired, and that she didn't need to be so reserved and could relax.

To be honest, after he expanded his team, he never had time to introduce the members of his new team to Yukino.

The journey was peaceful.

Yukino didn't waste any time on the way. She took out her notebook and phone and used them together to tell Chiyo about some plans she had prepared for the upcoming activities and asked for his opinion.

It's strange, really. This half-hour drive, coupled with her intense focus on her eyes while the car was moving, would have made her feel dizzy in her own car most of the time, but she didn't feel that way at all today.

Is it because of the car?

But Qianye's car doesn't seem to be much more luxurious than his own...

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.

Chiya and Yukino got off the car and walked into the community center where they had agreed to meet. The time was 4:20.

Just as Minamoto Chiya had predicted, the students from Shuchiin had not yet arrived.

Yuan Qianye suggested, "Let's leave the backpack here and go outside to buy some drinks."

It would be perfectly reasonable for his driver to do these small things, but he's free anyway.

Furthermore, even for small matters, it depends on who you are doing them with.

On her way to the store, Yuan Qianye was recognized by passersby and asked for autographs.

Yukino, who was with him, was also stared at by passersby. Before leaving, she turned back to ask for his autograph.

Faced with Yukino's head full of question marks, the passerby's reasoning was: "This girl is so pretty, she must be a celebrity, so even though I don't know who you are, it's always good to get an autograph."

Yukino, exasperated, refused.

On the way to the convenience store and back, Yuan Qianye kept laughing because of this incident.

"Have you laughed enough?"

"Don't look so angry. You're actually quite happy inside, aren't you? Being told you're good-looking by a stranger is definitely a compliment."

“I’ve been bored with this level of praise since I was three years old; there’s nothing to be happy about.”