Anime Crossover: My Part-Time Job as a Giant of Light While Studying Abroad in Chiba

The static-like sensation made Kaguya Shinomiya's hand tremble slightly.

Seeing Kaguya's obviously flustered but trying to appear calm, Duan Zilian had a brain fart and accidentally blurted out her inner thoughts.

"I almost forgot, Shinomiya-kun doesn't know how to use a smartphone. She's just as cute as she was when she was little."

Upon hearing this, the air suddenly fell silent.

Just as cute as when she was little... Just as cute as when she was little...

These words instantly transformed into stereo sound, echoing endlessly in Kaguya Shinomiya's mind.

The plan to salvage her image as a young lady was completely thwarted at this moment!

He's still making fun of me about that incident!

Kaguya Shinomiya instantly lost her temper. Overwhelmed with shame and anger, she couldn't help herself and stomped hard on Rei's instep with her little leather shoes!

That kick was delivered with real force, showing no mercy whatsoever.

"Hiss—!!" Duan Zilian gasped in pain, wincing in agony.

But in that split second when he was stepped on, Kaguya Shinomiya, in an attempt to cover up her embarrassment, randomly tapped something on the screen.

And it was precisely this point that, by sheer coincidence, triggered the shutter button.

"Crack!"

The image freezes in the next second.

In the photo, the two are standing very close to each other, with a high-end Italian restaurant and bright sunshine in the background. The scene looks like a loving couple having a high-profile date in Tokyo.

Of course, this is on the premise that the photo doesn't show the boy's grimacing expression of pain and the girl's vivid expression of shame and indignation.

Just then, the waiter came up with an elegant tray.

"Oh my, you two have such a good relationship."

Seeing the two flirting, the waiter couldn't help but make a good-natured teasing remark.

"Not good at all!!!" The two blushed deeply and exclaimed in unison.

This unspoken understanding startled the waiter.

Kaguya Shinomiya quickly fled the sofa like a startled rabbit and returned to her seat opposite her.

She stammered as she picked up the hot black tea that the waiter had just brought, trying to use drinking the tea to hide her flushed cheeks.

To cover up her embarrassment, Duan Zilian grabbed the cappuccino that had just been served and gulped it down.

next second.

"Pfft—It's hot! It's hot!"

Duan Zilian was so burned by the scalding coffee that she stuck out her tongue and tears were almost streaming down her face.

"Hey, you idiot, how can you drink hot coffee like that!"

Kaguya Shinomiya quickly pulled out a napkin and handed it to him across the table.

"Wow, it's burning me!"

Duan Zilian's cheeks were burning red from the heat. She was fanning herself and panting heavily, looking like a dragon about to breathe fire.

He wiped his mouth with a tissue, then looked up at Kaguya Shinomiya across from him.

The girl's face was also flushed, but it was clearly not from being burned by the red tea.

Their eyes met in the air as they looked at each other's disheveled yet genuine appearance.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, Kaguya Shinomiya and Rei Danji both burst out laughing in unison.

All the previous embarrassment, awkwardness, and shame seemed to dissipate with these soft laughs.

What are you doing?

"You were the one who started this mess, weren't you!?"

The midday sun shone through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, making the white tablecloths in the restaurant shine. The crisp sound of cutlery clinking together mingled with soft Italian classical music flowing gently in the air.

There were inevitably people in the restaurant who knew each other, and they all gasped when they saw the young lady of the Shinomiya Group being so close to a young man.

Inside the restaurant, the young master watched this heartwarming scene and couldn't help but sneer.

"What a lively and vibrant youth! But it's a pity that this warm atmosphere will soon dissipate."

He picked up the red wine, took an elegant sip, and savored the sensation of the wine sliding down his throat.

"Duan Zilian, it looks like a nice piece of jade. I wonder... Kai, how's your carving of this jade coming along..."

Chapter 121 When He Turned Back

(Recommended to be enjoyed with Tatsumi Yano – a love-themed dish)

Makuhari Beach Park, Chiba Prefecture.

"The weather is really nice today."

The old man's voice was gentle and deep, carrying a strong sense of longing for the scenery before him.

He turned to look at the undulating sea in the distance, then slowly began to speak:

"I haven't seen such good weather in a very, very long time."

Yukino Yukinoshita felt that the old man's expression was very familiar, as if he was looking at an extremely beautiful scene and expressing his heartfelt feelings.

But it also added a touch of sorrow for the impending destruction of this scene.

She remembered; she had seen that look before.

Long ago, she and Duan Zilian stood on the rooftop of that dilapidated art museum for the first time, watching the sunset in the distance.

The sunset was truly beautiful back then, but a purple crack still remained in the direction of Yokohama.

That was the expression Duan Zilian had back then—an expression of watching this beautiful world about to shatter yet wanting to do everything in her power to preserve it.

"Yes, sir, the weather is lovely today." Yukinoshita bowed slightly in greeting.

The old man exuded a calm and dignified charm, like a mountain, that made people unconsciously want to stop and show him respect.

"You came here alone, are you waiting for someone?"

The old man looked at her gently.

Yukinoshita slowly shook her head: "No."

"So...who are you thinking about?"

Snow paused slightly, her long eyelashes trembled, but she didn't speak, simply avoiding the old man's gaze.

The old man smiled kindly.

"Were you taking pictures just now? Can I see them? Here's a picture of the scenery you took."

After hesitating for a moment, Yukino stepped forward and showed him the picture she had just taken in her phone's photo album.

The old man stared at the photo for a long time, and finally couldn't help but sigh.

"It is indeed very beautiful. Humans are truly amazing to have invented such a thing, which allows us to store these beautiful memories in a camera and relive those wonderful memories anytime in the future."

"However, if one continues to wallow in the past, one will be trapped in it."

Yukinoshita responded calmly, her tone revealing her usual clarity.

This statement caused the old man in front of him to pause for a moment, somewhat unexpectedly.

"Is that so...that makes sense."

The old man laughed heartily without refuting, and looked at Yukino with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

"So the more important thing is to look at what's in front of you and see the most beautiful scenery right now."

"But unfortunately... things aren't very peaceful right now."

"Yes, Chiba just went through a monster attack a few days ago and is still rebuilding."

Yukino put away her phone and looked at him with some curiosity.

"So, sir, what are you doing here at the beach all by yourself at this time of year?"

The old man slowly turned around, facing the vast sea.

"I used to work as an astronomical observer, but I don't do that anymore."

"But I still retain the habit of observation. Every time I see these beautiful scenes, I can't help but stop and admire them."

He turned around, his eyes, which seemed to hold the stars, gazing down at the snow.

"Young lady, when you walked over just now, you seemed to be thinking about something, you looked very preoccupied."

Under the snow, it tilted its head slightly and habitually erected a defensive ice wall.

"It's nothing, just a trivial matter."

"If it's a small matter, would you mind telling this old man?"

The old man smiled, like a grandfather listening to the troubles of his younger generation.

“I’ve lived a long time, been to many places, and seen a lot of things, so maybe I can give you some advice.”

"..."

Silence fell beneath the snow, while the sound of the waves echoed in my ears.

Normally, she would have ended the conversation with polite words.

But under the old man's gaze, her "heart that didn't know what to do" actually softened a little.

The sea breeze ruffled her long hair beneath the snow. She remained silent for a moment before finally speaking softly.

"I just... can't understand some people's logic."

Snow weighed her words carefully, her tone tinged with confusion and frustration.

"Sir, if you have a terrible friend who keeps promising to be honest with you, but you can clearly sense that he's hiding many things from you... what should you do?"

"Hidden from you? Is it some kind of emotional entanglement?" The old man was somewhat surprised.

"No, no..." Yukinoshita's cheeks flushed slightly as she hurriedly denied it.

"If I had to say, it's about protection. He always thinks about protecting everyone, but he always hides his true self with some clumsy lies."

"I think this kind of one-sided concealment is actually pushing away the people around you, and it's completely irresponsible."

"Protect..." A glimmer of light suddenly flashed in the old man's eyes, as if he were reminiscing.

"No matter what, no matter in what form he did, did he manage to protect you?"

The old man suddenly asked in a deep voice.

"...I did it, I did it every single time."

Yukino bit her lower lip.

"That's enough."

He spoke suddenly, his voice becoming solemn and sacred.

"Some people protect because of their ideals, some because of their beliefs, and some... simply because they have the desire to protect those around them."

"If he is desperately protecting you but refuses to reveal the truth, it means that what he is carrying is heavier than you can imagine, and it may even drag you into an abyss if he tells you."

"But he has been misunderstood and scolded by many people because of this protection."

Yukinoshita suddenly raised her head, her eyes revealing a hint of heartache and indignation.

"Even if he later gained support, that support was false and could crumble at any moment..."

Is it really worth getting hurt to protect someone like that?

"Aren't there still people like you who care about him? As long as there are people like you, then he deserves it."

“Heartache…” Yukinoshita was stunned; the word sent a shiver down her spine.

"Little girl, aren't humans just complex and ever-changing creatures, with good and evil coexisting?"

The old man smiled, a smile so dazzling in the sunlight that it was almost blinding.