I really just want to grind for entries related to crossover anime/manga.

“Moshi Moshi, /A?un-siliuqin wo si Ushi mai sang?”

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a slightly tense and subtle voice from Mai Sakurajima.

"Genkawa-kun, is now a convenient time to talk?"

"Well, you said."

Genkawa Yu glanced at Kato Megumi, who was still quietly organizing her belongings, and spoke in his usual tone.

"Do you have time tonight? I'd like to... find a quiet place to talk to you, since we'll be going back soon."

Mai Sakurajima's voice was soft, carrying a barely perceptible hesitation.

Yuan Chuanyou could sense the unusual tone in her voice. He didn't ask any further questions, but simply agreed: "Okay, this is Xia Country, so I'll choose the location."

"it is good."

The girl seemed relieved and spoke a little faster.

"Okay, I'll come find you later."

Considering that Mai Sakurajima's Chinese proficiency might be limited in complex environments, Yu Genkawa naturally added.

After hanging up the phone, Genkawa Yu stared thoughtfully at the darkened screen.

Although Kato Megumi was busy tidying up, her hearing was very sharp. She vaguely heard keywords such as "evening" and "chat," as well as Genkawa Yuu's gentle response.

However, she showed no curiosity and continued with her work, carefully hanging the suit that Genkawa Yu would be wearing tomorrow into a dust bag.

At exactly 8 p.m., Genkawa Yu knocked on Sakurajima Mai's door.

The door opened quickly, and Mai Sakurajima was already ready. She had changed into a smoky gray silk shirt, paired with black high-waisted trousers, and a beige long trench coat, which made her look both capable and feminine.

Her long hair was tied into a loose low bun, with a few strands falling beside her cheeks. Her light makeup accentuated her perfect features, and under the corridor lights, she exuded a cool yet captivating aura.

"Let's go."

When Mai Sakurajima saw him, her eyes flickered for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure and spoke calmly.

Genkawa Yu nodded and naturally walked ahead to lead the way.

The two walked side by side on the streets of Shanghai at night, the early summer breeze carrying a hint of warmth.

The streetlights stretched their shadows, then shortened them, maintaining a polite and subtle distance between them. There was no conversation, only the sound of footsteps and the distant hustle and bustle of the city as background noise.

Based on the address he had researched beforehand, Yuan Chuanyu found a quiet bar hidden in an old-fashioned Western-style house.

The storefront is extremely understated, marked only by a small bronze plaque.

Pushing open the door felt like entering another world. Warm yellow lighting created a lazy atmosphere, and soft, melodious music replaced the noise of the street. The air was filled with the aroma of coffee and alcohol.

The booths are designed to be very private, with the seats spaced far apart from each other.

The waiter led them to a quiet corner behind the house. Mai Sakurajima took off her trench coat, revealing a silk shirt underneath, the fabric gleaming softly under the light.

She ordered a signature cocktail, while Genkawa Yu ordered a classic single malt whisky on the rocks.

After the waiter left, a brief silence fell over the small space.

The only sounds were the soft rustling of ice melting in the glass and the languid music playing. This was not their usual way of interacting. Whether it was the tacit understanding between work partners or the entangled ambiguity and arguments in private, they rarely created such a deliberately quiet atmosphere.

Mai Sakurajima seemed to be organizing her thoughts, her slender fingers unconsciously stroking the cold glass. After discovering that Megumi Kato and Yu Genkawa had gone out alone today, her feelings had indeed become more complicated.

Yuan Chuanyu, sitting opposite her, seemed to have noticed her hesitation. He didn't urge her, but quietly sipped his wine, waiting for her to speak.

After a while, the girl took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind, and finally raised her eyes to look at Genkawa Yu.

"Genchuan-kun..."

Mai Sakurajima spoke, her voice lower than usual, trying to make it sound like a casual question, but her slightly tense jawline betrayed her.

"This afternoon... I noticed you weren't at the hotel, did you go out for a stroll?"

After asking the question, she seemed a little annoyed and immediately picked up her wine glass and took a small sip to cover up her unease.

Mai Sakurajima knew she was asking a question she already knew the answer to, and she also knew she had no right to inquire about his whereabouts; their relationship wasn't even clearly defined yet.

But Kato Megumi's situation did evoke many similar emotions in her, a mixture of dissatisfaction with her own circumstances and uncertainty about the future, which ultimately led her to ask the question.

Genkawa Yu was slightly surprised that Sakurajima Mai would ask this question, but he didn't think much of it.

Given his personality, he never felt there was anything to hide.

"Oh, yes."

He picked up his glass, took a sip, and felt the rich liquor slide down his throat, bringing a touch of warmth. His tone was very calm.

“Isn’t today a day off? I saw that Kato has been busy, so I let her relax a bit and we went out for a walk together. She’s been learning Chinese recently, so this is a good opportunity for her to practice in real life.”

Genkawa Yu's answer was so direct and honest, without the slightest evasion, and he even took the initiative to explain the reason.

This aligns with Mai Sakurajima's understanding of him; he possesses an almost cruel honesty in certain aspects. Since he dared to directly make that "absurd" suggestion back then, he wouldn't lie or cover up such a trivial matter.

However, it was this honesty that made the girl's heart sink.

He mentioned that Megumi Kato is learning Chinese, an area she cannot yet access.

Sakurajima Mai's mind was uncontrollably filled with the staff's comment, "Kato-san looks like a different person in his casual clothes," and her own imagined scene of the two of them walking side by side on the streets of Shanghai.

The shadow assistant, who was so quiet he was almost silent, became incredibly clear in her imagination at this moment.

Mai Sakurajima understands Yu Minakawa and knows that he most likely hasn't yet realized Megumi Kato's possibly hidden thoughts.

Or rather, given his current predicament with his relationship with Akane Kurokawa, he might not have the energy to notice the subtle changes in the feelings of another girl beside him.

His feelings for Kato Megumi may genuinely have stemmed from a superior's consideration for a capable subordinate and a friend's concern.

But here's the problem!

Ever since Mai Sakurajima met Yu Genkawa, Megumi Kato's role as her assistant has been quite unique; they're together almost every day.

Needless to say, during working hours, Kato Megumi was involved in every aspect of his life, from scheduling and script coordination to business negotiations and daily life matters. They probably spent more time together than Kurokawa Akane, who was already living with Genkawa Yu.

As a woman herself, Mai Sakurajima believed that her conjecture was not unfounded, since Megumi Kato, as a woman, often took the initiative to touch Yu Minakawa's body.

Would a typical female assistant go to this lengths?

Genkawa Yu may be completely unaware now, but what about in the future? Who can guarantee that this companionship, accumulated over time, won't quietly change its nature one day?

Especially... if I actually end up giving in to his "absurd" request.

A thought that made her feel even more powerless and even somewhat self-destructive crept into her mind like a venomous snake.

If he ultimately compromises and accepts the reality of "sharing" Minakawa Yu with Kurokawa Akane.

So, can she still tolerate Kato Megumi continuing to stay by her man's side in this current identity and at this intimate distance?

One Akane Kurokawa might already be the limit of what she can endure.

But what if we add Kato Megumi, who is by your side day and night, has a sensitive mind, and clearly also has special feelings for Genkawa Yu?

Wouldn't that be like planting a time bomb next to you?

Thinking of this, Mai Sakurajima felt a deep sense of weariness and powerlessness. All she ever wanted was a pure love, yet she had fallen in love with such a man, putting herself in such an awkward situation.

Genkawa Yuichiro, the sixth-ranking official, quietly watched Sakurajima Mai sitting opposite him.

He didn't miss the change in her eyes when she heard his answer, nor the complex emotions that flashed across her face, nor her slightly pale complexion and tightly pursed lips.

Genkawa Yu roughly understood the complex emotions in her heart, so he put down his wine glass, leaned forward slightly, and looked at Sakurajima Mai across the small table with a gentle and determined gaze, a helpless smile playing on his lips.

“Ma Yi Sang”.

He spoke softly, breaking the suffocating silence, "I was planning to come see you this afternoon."

The next moment, Mai Sakurajima suddenly raised her head and looked at him in surprise.

Genkawa Yu continued slowly, his tone carrying a reassuring quality.

"However, when the event ended earlier, didn't you say you felt tired and wanted to rest? I didn't want to bother you. Going out with Kato was just a coincidence. I saw she was working and I wanted her to relax too."

His explanation was clear and direct, instantly dispelling Mai Sakurajima's doubts.

Yu Minakawa continued, "Besides... Mai-san, we have a long time ahead of us."

"After we return to Japan and the promotional activities are over, won't we immediately join the production team together to film 'Sparkling Love,' which you are in charge of? At that time, we should have a very, very long time... to spend together."

"Sparkling Love," a pure love film, is the first project since the establishment of Mai Sakurajima's personal agency, I?I.Y., and it is also her second collaboration with Yu Genkawa as the male and female leads after "Alice in the Land of the Dying," making it exceptionally significant.

"Well..."

Mai Sakurajima nodded. The filming period for a movie is at least three months, and they will be each other's most important partners, spending countless hours together.

A long-lost confidence and fighting spirit, unique to Mai Sakurajima, rekindled in her eyes.

Although Akane Kurokawa seems to be in the lead due to the advantage of "cohabitation", so what?

Would she give up so easily?

The girl believed that given enough time and opportunity, she was fully capable of becoming the most important person in Yuan Chuan You's heart!

As for Kato Megumi

Mai Sakurajima's gaze hardened and sharpened again. The girl was indeed a variable that needed to be watched, but not enough to throw her off balance.

Having figured all this out, her tense emotions finally relaxed.

The girl picked up her glass and took a small, truly relaxed sip. The sweet yet slightly bitter liquid slid down her throat, seemingly bringing new energy.

They chatted about some light topics, about the fun things that happened during the Xia Kingdom promotion, and about their anticipation for the upcoming movie. The awkwardness and tension from before were gradually replaced by a subtle and harmonious atmosphere.

Time slips away unnoticed.

The wine in the glass gradually emptied, and the number of people in the bar dwindled.

Genkawa Yu checked the time and gestured to the waiter to settle the bill.

The two stepped out of the bar, and the cool night air invigorated them.

The walk back to the hotel was short, and the two walked side by side as before, but this time, the distance between them had shortened considerably.

As they arrived at the hotel, Mai Sakurajima looked up at him again, her eyes, which always held a hint of pride, now clearly reflecting his image.

She slightly raised the corners of her lips, revealing a genuine, confident smile.

"Then, Yu-kun,"