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

"Hayasaka, when will this finally end..."

More than an hour into the banquet, Kaguya once again finished chatting with the people who came to greet her, all with a smile on her face.

He turned and ran to a quiet corner, immediately revealing his impatient nature.

"The banquet has only just begun. It would be inappropriate and impolite to leave now. Please be patient a little longer, Miss."

Hayasaka Ayane, who was being complained about, still skillfully offered words of comfort, soothing the young lady's emotions.

She's lost count of how many times similar situations have happened since she was a child, and she's long been used to it.

There's nothing we can do about it.

To outsiders, she might seem like the heiress of the Shinomiya Group, living a life of luxury and comfort.

But little do people know that beneath this seemingly glamorous facade lies immense pressure that is unimaginable to ordinary people. They lack freedom and cannot make their own decisions about their lives, like birds in a cage.

At the same time, because it is located at the very center of a vortex of interests, it cannot escape the attention of various forces, leading to even more excessive surveillance...

"Alright, I understand." Lady Shinomiya sighed softly, "I'll stay here obediently for a while longer, so Hayasaka, please don't make that serious face anymore."

"..." Hayasaka Ai's somewhat gloomy eyes slowly returned to normal because of the words of the young lady she served.

She didn't show that expression because of the young lady's complaint.

Rather, the thought of having to report the young lady's recent situation to the main family after returning home tonight made him feel somewhat disgusted with himself as a "traitor."

But there's no way to tell her this directly.

Suddenly, Hayasaka Ai noticed a few people approaching from not far away.

Especially when she saw that among the people who came was the one she had been silently supporting during this time, her heart started beating very fast.

However, as the personal maid of the young lady Shinomiya, she did not forget her duty at this moment. Suppressing her emotions, she whispered a reminder: "Someone is coming, young lady."

Upon hearing this, Kaguya Shinomiya quickly adjusted herself to the demeanor of a wealthy young lady, displaying a gentle smile and a very refined appearance.

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.

Touma Yoko's idea was actually very simple: she knew that one of the sponsors of this competition was the Shinomiya Group.

If she saw someone from the Shinomiya family at the banquet, even if it was just a child, she felt it necessary to go up and say hello.

Actively expressing goodwill is the social philosophy that Yoko adheres to.

Her comfortable way of doing things over the years has led her to make many influential friends and reap rewards far exceeding her expectations.

The eldest daughter of the Shinomiya family, upon seeing the two people accompanying her, realized that they were the champion and runner-up who had just won the competition.

At first, I was in a bad mood, and I had a dark feeling that this woman with a fake smile was here to show off.

But as the conversation progressed, she gradually let go of her prejudices and had to admit that the woman in front of her had a high level of emotional intelligence.

As the conversation continued, Yoko didn't mention anything related to the competition, but instead talked about other completely unrelated things in a very familiar way.

For example, he mentioned Kaguya Shinomiya's outstanding achievements in koto and archery competitions and offered his congratulations in a subtle way.

Although Lady Shinomiya could tell that she was being flattered, she didn't feel indifferent or even disgusted like she had when faced with flattery from others before.

The reason is simple: Yoko gives people the feeling of being very sincere, and she has a very clear understanding of the specifics of her previous matches, and can explain even the smallest details.

To put it simply, it's flattery that hits the nail on the head, which makes people feel very comfortable.

"...Congratulations to both of you on achieving the championship and runner-up titles in this competition." Since the other party had taken the initiative to show goodwill, it was natural for Kaguya Shinomiya's side not to appear rude.

She always remembered that she was a member of the Shinomiya family and that she could not bring shame to the Shinomiya family in any way she did.

"Thank you," said Yuan Qianye, who was mentioned.

But when he replied, his gaze only lingered on Kaguya Shinomiya for a moment before turning to Ai Hayasaka beside her.

No one present noticed his extremely subtle little gesture.

But Hayasaka Ai, who was being stared at, keenly sensed that his simple thank you seemed to have a hidden meaning.

It was as if his words were directed not at the young lady, but at himself...

Did he recognize himself?

No, no, that's not right.

The thought had barely crossed her mind when Hayasaka Ai immediately denied it.

She hadn't left any clues during the flower delivery process.

In addition, they were just children when they first met.

She remembers such a distant event so clearly because it was the first major crisis she experienced in her life.

The baby contact book with mom was almost lost, and the situation took a turn for the better amidst the panic.

It is because of this dramatic emotional rollercoaster that she has such vivid memories of things from so long ago.

But for Yuan Qianye, it was probably just a chance event from his childhood that he didn't remember much about, something he had probably long forgotten...

When Minamoto no Chiyomi met Hayasaka Ai's gaze, she silently looked away without any change in expression, as if she were looking at a stranger. Chiyomi was a little puzzled.

Could it be that his previous assumptions were wrong? Or was there someone else who sent him the flowers?

The other person's expression was indifferent, as if she were a servant to her master, so he certainly couldn't directly start a conversation with her.

Finally, Yoko smiled and said that it was time to call it a day, and after chatting for a while, she took the initiative to leave with the two of them.

"As expected of a famous pianist, it's no accident that he has achieved such success. His speech and manners are outstanding." Kaguya said with admiration, looking at the business card that Yoko handed her.

She waited silently for a few seconds, but unexpectedly did not receive a reply from Hayasaka Ai.

Kaguya turned her head and was surprised to find that Hayasaka was staring intently in the direction where the three had just left, his hands, which had been hanging naturally at his sides, were now slightly clenched into fists, and his eyes showed particular concern.

"Hayasaka?" Kaguya called out softly again, concerned.

Hayasaka heard this time: "What's wrong, young lady?"

Ah, it's back to normal now.

Kaguya thought to herself, "This is something I'm not happy about."

I've been busy with competitions lately, and Hayasaka has been running around helping me a lot; he must be exhausted...

"Nothing much. Do you have any plans after we get back?"

"This banquet is the last event of the day."

"Really? Then I'll go to my room early today, and you should get some rest too."

"Yes, Miss."

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.

Without the aid of external tools, humans generally cannot see what is behind them.

But Gen Chiya is an exception.

He not only saw it, but he saw it very clearly.

She could see it even more clearly than Kaguya Shinomiya, who was right next to Ai Hayasaka just now.

Although the blonde maid appeared calm when he was facing her, she still revealed her weakness after he turned around, even though she thought she was safe.

He's now certain that she's the one who sent him the flowers.

The reason she didn't directly say she knew him, but deliberately concealed it, can be explained by putting himself in her shoes.

After all, he and Kaguya Shinomiya were originally rivals in this competition.

On this basis, it is somewhat inappropriate for her to secretly support the rival of the master she serves.

Having understood her predicament, Yuan Qianye felt relieved; it was truly a matter of necessity.

Everyone has their own hardships in life.

The three of them arrived at the edge of the banquet area.

This side is by the window, and you can see a fantastic night view through the floor-to-ceiling glass.

Touma Yoko took a small sip of red wine, temporarily ignoring her daughter's cold and displeased expression, and instead spoke pointedly to Minamoto Chiya.

"That was an extra lesson I taught you besides piano."

"what?"

When she suddenly blurted out that sentence, Yuan Qianye was a little caught off guard.

Yoko gently swirled her wine glass: "It's like that situation just now. That's a very important part of interpersonal communication. If you want to get closer to someone, you first need to know a little about their personal information so that you can better cater to their preferences."

As soon as she said that, Yuan Qianye roughly understood what she meant.

Although he really wanted to say that he had used this trick on a certain twin-tailed girl back in elementary school, he nodded and gave Yoko a knowing look, indicating that he had indeed learned it.

"Humph!"

Kazusa gave a soft hum and turned to walk away.

Seeing this, Yuan Qianye asked, "Where are you going?"

Without turning her head, Kazusa replied, "The restroom!"

"What's going on all of a sudden...?"

Yuan Qianye could tell that she was angry, but her anger seemed to be acting without any basis.

"Don't misunderstand, it has nothing to do with you. She's just angry with me." Yoko shrugged and explained, "Although she doesn't usually show it, I am indeed the goal that girl is trying to catch up with. So, when I went to befriend a girl whose piano skills are not as good as hers and took the initiative to lower my stance, it was probably quite unacceptable to her."

Yuan Qianye silently curved the corners of his mouth: "That's definitely Kazusa's personality, but it's okay. Right now, she can't know the hardships of life. When she grows up a little more and her thinking matures, she will definitely understand that everything you've done is for your career and indirectly for her own good."

Yoko stared at Yuan Qianye without moving until he became a little uncomfortable, then sighed softly and said, "You child, it's a good thing to be understanding, but sometimes you don't have to be so considerate."

It's one thing to do this to me and Kazusa, but don't always do this to others; it's easy for people to misunderstand.

Well, I only thought about that last sentence in my mind.

After all, if you just say it out loud, your intentions would be all too obvious.

After Kazusa returned from the restroom, her anger subsided somewhat. Yoko then introduced them to several well-known figures in the piano world and had them appear in front of a group of reporters.

At 8:40 p.m., the three of them left the banquet together.

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.