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

This guy's eyes are like hooks, easily pulling out all the hidden thoughts in her mind, roots and all!

She quickly looked away, gazing at the street scene outside, no longer daring to meet his gaze.

Yuan Qianye stared at her hand, which was naturally resting at her side. His throat moved, but seeing the extremely stiff look on Kazusa's shoulders, he withdrew his hand, which he had intended to reach out.

He knew he couldn't rush things, and continued in a casual tone, "It's still early."

"Mmm," Kazusa replied sullenly, her head bowed.

"This is the first time I've had so much free time since I came here. I feel like I'd be wasting it if I didn't make good use of it."

"Ah."

"The teacher didn't set a curfew for us today, so it shouldn't be a problem to play a little longer."

"Ah."

Kazusa's repeated reticence amused Chiya Minamoto: "Could you give me some other reply?"

"I'm fine with anything, consider it keeping you company." Kazusa had an indifferent attitude.

"Then I'll arrange it however I like."

"it is good."

The next moment, Yuan Qianye immediately hailed a taxi on the roadside.

Before long, the two arrived at the banks of the Danube River.

Kazusa thought it was already quite romantic that he would take her for a stroll along the picturesque riverside path where the noise of the crowds was fading away.

But then, unexpectedly, he acted like a local, knowing the way perfectly, and led her to rent a vintage boat.

The two sat in the boat, drifting slowly on the calm old Danube River.

The lights on both banks were reflected in the water, and the starry sky overhead made it seem as if the world consisted only of the two of them and the sound of the flowing water.

Kazusa was completely captivated by this unexpectedly romantic arrangement.

Looking back, he did the same thing, taking her to experience new things she had never been to or even imagined in the bustling streets of Tokyo on Christmas Eve.

"It's been a long time since we've had a date like this."

As the two sat together on the small boat, their hands supporting them as they looked up at the starry sky, Yuan Qianye suddenly said something like that.

It appears to be a statement, yet it also appears to be a question.

Kazusa's heart pounded even harder as she cautiously tilted her head to look at the expression on his face.

Yuan Qianye had been staring at her intently, his gaze both gentle and domineering, seemingly sweet, making it impossible for her to resist.

Kazusa didn't know what to say at that moment.

She thought back to her mother, the person closest to her, under whose guidance she had grown up since childhood.

Therefore, I subconsciously began to think about how my mother would react if she were in such a situation.

After imagining it all, Kazusa's face turned even redder!

She can't do it. She simply can't do anything like her mother's way of doing things!

While she hesitated, Yuan Qianye's hand had already touched the back of her hand.

Kazusa's eyes widened in an instant!

"If you hate it... break free from me now, or I'll continue..."

Yuan Qianye's voice became somewhat hoarse.

But it was also incredibly magnetic to Kazusa's ears.

But... continue?!

What is he going to continue?!

Kazusa's heart pounded even faster, as if a drum was beating, and she felt as if the small boats on the lake were being rippled by her!

But Yuan Qianye's next step was simply to gently tighten his grip on her hand.

Then they remained still, returning to the way they had just started, raising their heads slightly to enjoy the precious night view, facing the night breeze and the moisture in the air.

Is it... just holding hands?

Kazusa's body temperature gradually cooled down for some reason, and she seemed somewhat disappointed.

However, the clear sensation of their hands clasping together the next moment still made her smile with a simple and satisfied expression under the cover of night.

The swaying on the Danube that night brought the two of them closer.

As each day went on, Yuan Qianye gradually maintained and deepened this unspoken change between the two of them.

He no longer routinely went out twice a day to buy groceries and household supplies.

As soon as they stepped out of the villa, he began to take Kazusa's hand with increasing familiarity and ease.

Kazusa remained silent, letting him lead her.

They gradually started doing things that couples do together.

Every morning, we greet each other with "Good morning" in the shared washroom on the third floor.

A hug before bed and a goodnight wish.

They even share the same ice cream.

As time went on, Kazusa didn't even realize how quickly and naturally things had progressed between them.

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.

It was the sixtieth day since the two arrived in Vienna to study.

According to the initial plan, two-thirds of the time that Yuan Qianye had spent studying here had already passed.

Ms. Ilsa was indeed a very capable and knowledgeable teacher, and his learning progress was quite good during this period.

His progress in systematic music theory, in particular, has been remarkably rapid.

"I'm leaving for Salzburg this afternoon to take care of some things. If all goes well, I should be back the day after tomorrow evening. Grace will be coming with me, so you'll have to stay home for the next two days."

At the breakfast table that morning, Ms. Ilsa told the two students about her plans for the next two days.

Kazusa was slightly taken aback.

The teacher left this afternoon, and Aunt Grace went with her, which means...

Today, tomorrow... for two nights in a row, it will just be her and Qianye at home...

Being alone?!

Kazusa quickly lowered her head!

She vehemently despised herself, realizing that the teacher's absence immediately sparked this association.

Yuan Qianye nodded: "Don't worry, teacher. We will take good care of ourselves at home. You don't need to worry about us while you are away. Please take care of your health and don't overwork yourself."

Ms. Ilsa shook her head: "I'm not worried about those things. During my absence, you two must follow the study plan and not slack off for even a moment, understand?"

She looked at the two students with sharp, serious eyes.

Yuan Qianye nodded frankly: "This student understands."

Ilsa looked at Kazusa, who had her head down: "And you?"

"Yes, teacher, I understand."

"Ah."

Ms. Ilsa nodded in satisfaction.

After breakfast, the morning classes proceeded as usual.

In the afternoon after lunch, Chiya and Kazusa helped carry the luggage on either side of their teacher and saw her off to the taxi stand at the gate of the courtyard.

"Remember, you all need to practice harder while I'm gone. I'll check when I get back."

Before leaving, Ms. Ilsa gave this final, anxious instruction.

After Chiya and Kazusa made one last promise, she finally got into the car and left.

As the vehicle drove away, its outline disappeared from sight.

Yuan Qianye withdrew his gaze.

At that moment, quite by chance, he and Kazusa looked at each other at the same time.

Kazusa blushed bright red, from her cheeks down to her collarbone, just like a steamed shrimp.

She immediately turned around and walked into the courtyard.

Yuan Qianye chuckled as he watched her awkward, clumsy gait and slowly followed after her.

…………

247: Night Raid

This wasn't the first time the two of them had been alone together.

Previously, Chiya Minamoto had been asked by Yoko to go to the Touma family to take care of Kazusa on several occasions.

He even ended up living under the same roof with her for almost half a month due to an accident.

But this time is different.

This time, being abroad, far from the circle of life I grew up in, with no familiar people or things around me, only the person next to me who could be considered close, this realization completely changed my state of mind.

After the teacher left, Kazusa's mind was in turmoil.

The thought of her and Qianye's intense, unspoken relationship, which had developed without any explicit statements from each other, made her feel uneasy.

They accepted that kind of relationship and acted discreetly, right under the teacher's nose.

Now that the teacher has left, it's just the two of them at home. What changes will occur in their situation?

Will it... develop in a further direction, or...?

In short, Kazusa couldn't concentrate on the piano at all that afternoon.

Yuan Qianye did not do anything outrageous as she had expected.