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

That's totally a child's mindset.

Yuan Qianye was somewhat amused.

Kazusa understood the perfunctory and teasing tone in his words, but even so, she was still somewhat happy because of his praise.

However, he still outwardly displayed the look of someone staring at an idiot.

Touma Yoko and Miyoko, who were covering for their daughter and Chiya to deal with the enthusiastic reporters, pushed open the door to the lounge.

"You two have done a good job. You've worked hard these past few days. You can take a short break now."

Yoko had one arm around each of them, and she was laughing very happily.

Oh dear, I guess I'm getting old in terms of my mindset.

Seeing their growth makes me even happier than when I achieve something myself.

“Miyako, take a picture of the three of us.”

Yoko placed her hands on the shoulders of the two of them and made a V-sign.

"Good~"

Ms. Miyoko took out her phone and snapped several pictures in a row.

"Can we go back now?"

Kazusa pushed her mother's head away, seemingly impatient, but in reality, she was very reluctant to let her go.

Because the competition has temporarily come to an end, this also means...

Yuan Qianye will not be staying at her house like this for a while.

She had never experienced the feeling of having someone she liked and who shared her ideals by her side before, so she didn't feel anything about being alone, and she could get used to being lonely and persevere.

But now, I know what that feeling is like.

The two bickered playfully, competed fiercely, progressed together, and walked hand in hand...

After understanding all these wonderful things, when she returned to being alone, she still couldn't maintain the same calm and fearless attitude as before.

Am I going to be alone again...?

I didn't want it to be like that...

Yoko glanced at her watch: "Going back is fine, but it would be too much trouble to make a special trip back here afterward, and we might not have enough time. So let's rest here for a while, and we'll set off on time when it's almost time."

Yuan Qianye asked, "Is there anything else planned?"

With great professionalism, Ms. Miyoko opened her notebook and replied, "There will be a banquet hosted by the organizers after the competition, which will invite the winners of this competition, major sponsors, and reporters from music magazines, newspapers, and television stations."

The banquet will be held in Hall 1 of the nearby Seaside International Restaurant. It starts at 6 PM, but considering travel time, we should leave at 5:30 PM.

It's 4:10 now, and we still have a little over an hour of rest time.

Yoko pulled the two of them down on the sofa: "I know you're a little tired after the competition, but it's okay. You can stay by my side at the banquet tonight. You don't need to do anything. I'll take care of everything for you."

That's really reassuring.

However, looking at Yoko's sly, fox-like smile, Gen Chiyo always felt that beneath her thoughtfulness, there seemed to be many other hidden thoughts.

Even so, he still thanked the other party very politely.

Who cares? In any case, all I need to know is that Touma Yoko sees me as her savior and would never do anything to betray me.

"Alright, you two rest here. Miyoko and I are going out for a bit, we'll come back to pick you up later."

"Mom, where are you going?"

"It's been a while since we've appeared in front of the domestic media. Let's get a facial!"

Meeting her daughter's speechless gaze, Yoko blinked and walked out of the lounge with Miyoko.

They had only taken one step when they turned back.

Miyoko picked up the bouquet of flowers placed at the door, which was more elaborate than the previous ones, and handed it to Minamoto Chiya.

When Yuan Qianye took the bouquet, it was so big that it completely covered his head.

Kazusa watched with a deep gaze as Minamoto Chiya opened the small card with the message.

Congratulations on winning second place!

As before, no one signed their name.

"Looks like it's that mysterious fan of yours again." Yaozi smiled, seemingly unconcerned.

As beautiful as she is, she has been pursued by all sorts of men in all sorts of ways over the years, so this kind of simple trick is nothing more than that in her eyes.

After exchanging a few words, the two adults left the lounge.

“You seem to care a lot about who gave this to you.” Kazusa noticed that Chiya Minamoto kept staring at the small card on the bouquet, turning it over and over.

Yuan Qianye nodded slightly: "I do care about it a bit."

Seeing that he didn't even look at her when he replied, Kazusa pouted and instantly turned her head to the side.

"When Mom and the others first came in, there weren't any flowers at the entrance, which proves that someone put them there after they came in. Go out and look for them now; you might be able to find your mysterious fan, who might even be a very cute girl."

"No need for that. I already have cute girls around me."

"...!!!"

puff!

Kazusa shuddered, and a few wisps of white smoke seemed to suddenly appear on her head.

She kept her face turned away from Yuan Qianye and walked silently towards the bathroom.

After Kazusa left, the philandering arsonist, Gen Chiya, looked at the card without realizing it.

Unlike the previous messy, industrial-style handwriting.

The handwriting on this card is quite neat and beautiful.

In addition, there were discoveries made on the awards stage today.

Upon reflection, he remembered an old friend he hadn't thought of in a long time.

Could the flowers I've received these past few days have been secretly sent over by her because she recognized me?

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.

After the awards ceremony, third-place winner Kaguya Shinomiya, escorted by bodyguards, was shielded from the reporters' pursuit.

He arrived at a nearby hotel in his own Rolls-Royce.

The staff below have already booked a suite for her.

Although it was just a short rest, it was the most luxurious room in the hotel.

As the eldest daughter of the internationally renowned Shinomiya family, her lifestyle naturally differs from that of ordinary people.

But today's result... still left her extremely dissatisfied.

Third place, just a mere third place...

From the moment she learned the result of the competition, Lady Shinomiya kept a cold face.

The same was true on the awards stage, and now it's the same in the suite where we're resting.

Such emotions were clearly noticed by the attendants who served her.

Everyone was on tenterhooks, not daring to utter a single unnecessary word.

The room was deathly silent.

Until the young lady's closest attendant, who had been by her side since childhood, gracefully entered the room.

The blonde girl in the black and white butler's uniform glanced at the young lady's ice-sculpted state and said to the other two attendants in the room, "You may leave now."

The two attendants breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and quickly left the room.

After the others left, only Lady Shinomiya and the blonde girl were alone in the room.

Kaguya Shinomiya's previously cold expression suddenly turned into a pitiful look, and she immediately lay down on the middle of the bed, accompanied by vigorous pounding motions.

She had completely lost the air of a young lady she had previously tried so hard to maintain, and was clearly venting her frustrations.

Well, I guess I was right...

The blonde girl silently approached the bedside, offering no words of advice or attempt to stop the young lady from venting her anger.

A moment later, the young lady sat up again, muttering softly with her head down, "Hayasaka, don't you think it's a bit too cunning to play a Liszt piece in a competition of this level? How can you do that? It's completely beyond the scope of the curriculum..."

Well, this part appeared as expected...

Hayasaka Ai listened silently to the young lady's complaints with a blank expression, occasionally offering a few simple responses.

I wonder how the young lady would react if she knew that I had been secretly sending bouquets to her rival to show my support and congratulations.

It'll probably be a constant fuss, like when they clench their little fists and pound their chests.

But it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter if she doesn't know.

That's right, all the bouquets that Minamoto Chiya has received recently were done privately by Hayasaka Ai.

Back when Yuan Qianye won the championship in the Yulongqi competition, it was widely publicized by the news media.

Upon seeing the related reports, Hayasaka Ai inadvertently recalled the little boy who had helped her during her childhood.

I never imagined that someone I thought would just be a kind passerby in my life would become famous under such circumstances and become known to her.

After finishing her daily work, she returned to her room and carefully looked up his information.

It turned out that he had already gained some fame long ago, and with this Jade Dragon Flag competition, he has won two kendo championships in less than a year.

The contrast between the little boy I remember who was easily knocked down by me and the strong boy I am now is striking.

As Hayasaka Ai watched his match videos, she felt that every move he made was incredibly stylish.

Watching him decisively defeat one opponent after another is quite stress-relieving.