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

"Hey, look at that person, doesn't he look familiar?"

"It seems so..."

"His name is Yuan Qianye, right? I've seen a compilation of his dozens of consecutive victories in kendo competitions."

"Oh, it's him. I remember that novel he published, wasn't it?"

"What novel?"

"Wait, you mean he's a kendo champion and has also published his own book?"

"real or fake……"

"Let me search his name first, what's it again..."

Gen Chiya's keen hearing picked up on these subtle discussions.

Given his circumstances, it was foreseeable that this would happen.

He took out his phone and, like the other lone wolf players in the classroom, decided to ask his teammates how they were doing.

Rikka was clearly on the same wavelength as him, and acted even faster.

As soon as I opened the messaging app, a group chat invitation popped up.

He agreed to join and discovered that Eriri had already started chatting with Rikka, but Yukino hadn't joined yet.

Rikka patted you.

[Rikka: Bro! How's it going over there? (????)]

[Rikka: Eriri seems to have run into an elementary school classmate!]

[Rikka: Waaaaah, I don't know anyone here, it's so awkward QAQ]

Eriri: I'm not much better off! I wasn't close to that classmate before, and now I don't know what to say to her at all (￣▽￣)ゞ

[Rikka: That's still better than being all alone! I'm surrounded by cliques, I feel like the whole world has abandoned me. *sobs*]

Eriri: It's not that dramatic, is it? I'll come find you after the opening ceremony.

[Minamoto Chiya: @Rokka, I have something to make you happy. I'm also all alone here.]

[Rikka: Really? That puts my mind at ease~ By the way, Yukino still hasn't joined.]

Eriri: Maybe... she's made some new friends and is chatting with them?

[Rikka: As expected of Yukino! Ah! I almost forgot to include Kazusa too!]

[Yuan Qianye: Panda Head Arrogant.jpg]

[Eri: Chiya, don't worry about us! Aren't you supposed to give a speech as the freshman representative? Take a break and get ready!]

[Rikka: Yes, yes, yes! Mom and Dad are waiting for me to take pictures and send them to them! You have to make me proud when you go on stage, don't be nervous and don't bite your tongue, bro! (っ：°Д：°;)っ]

Yuan Qianye was about to lock the screen when a new message pop-up appeared on her phone.

It was sent by the maid.

There were no extra text messages, only a selfie.

The background is outdoors, with her leaning against a thick tree trunk. The camera pans down, cleverly avoiding her face, focusing instead on her body in her brand-new Shuchiin sailor uniform.

Considering it's the first day of school, the meaning behind sending her a selfie was clearly that she wanted him to see her high school uniform.

The uniforms of Shuchiin Academy are different from those of Sobu High School, which are Western-style uniforms. Instead, they are sailor uniforms with a more distinctive Japanese style.

The high collar and narrow distance between the placket and the top of the collar give it a more elegant and luxurious look.

Unlike the common lightweight sailor uniforms, Shuchiin's uniforms are made of thick, heavy fabric with a crisp texture, giving them a very high-end look.

However, judging from the bulges in certain areas of the maid's selfie, she's probably wearing padding again today...

Won't this continuous pressure cause poor blood circulation, leading to stunted growth and a vicious cycle?

[Hayasaka Ai has retracted the message.]

[Hayasaka Ai: Sorry, I was chatting with my best friend and accidentally sent it to the wrong person.]

Yuan Qianye looked at his phone screen and narrowed his eyes.

From his omniscient perspective, the maid sat against the wall in the classroom, intently staring at her phone under the table.

Furthermore, her chat list on her phone clearly only contained her own chat history.

Playing hard to get, is that it?

Yuan Qianye typed "It's okay, I'll be more careful next time," intending to ignore her comment and click send directly.

But seeing Hayasaka Ai's unusually concerned expression, and recalling the many nights she had spent using herself as a side dish to fuel her own growth, she finally softened.

[Yuan Qianye: It's a pity I withdrew it too late; it had already been saved.]

[Hayasaka Ai: ...]

[Yuan Qianye: Don't be so shy, the new school uniform looks great and suits you very well.]

[Hayasaka Ai: Thank you.]

After giving a simple and polite reply, Hayasaka Ai revealed a healing smile, like a cat being gently stroked on the back.

The maid is similar to Rikka; she's a really easy child to handle...

Having silently uttered these thoughts, Yuan Qianye stopped paying attention to his phone.

He took out a neatly folded speech for the new students from his bag.

Two days before the start of the semester, he received a call from the school, telling him to prepare in advance.

Shortly afterward, the preparatory bell rang.

A smart and capable long-haired beauty walked into the classroom with unhurried steps.

She placed the list on the podium and clapped her hands loudly: "Alright, everyone, please be quiet!"

The noisy classroom fell silent instantly.

She was very satisfied with the reaction, nodded, smiled, and softened her voice as she continued, "I am Shizuka Hiratsuka, the teacher of Japanese, and I also serve as your life guidance instructor. For the next year, I will be your class teacher. Please take good care of each other."

Everyone in the classroom applauded.

Hiratsuka Shizuka smiled and waited for the applause to subside: "In the days to come, you can call me Hiratsuka-sensei, Shizuka-sensei, or any name you feel comfortable with."

A bold and lively boy immediately raised his hand: "Teacher! Can we call you 'A-Jing'?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka shrugged indifferently: "Of course, one of my teaching philosophies is to become friends with my students. If anyone else has any questions, they can ask them directly now."

A relaxed laugh rippled through the audience, and no one asked any more questions for the time being.

The atmosphere in the classroom was noticeably more relaxed.

"Looks like everything's alright for now? No problem, there's plenty of time, we can get to know each other slowly. So, what's next..."

She picked up the list.

"...I'll begin taking attendance. Students whose names are called, please stand up and briefly introduce yourselves. Kawasaki..."

…………

Chapter 003: The Pianist's Entrustment, a So-Called Win-Win Situation

"...My name is Watanabe Akazawa. I used to attend Qingyou Private Junior High School. I have been practicing track and field since elementary school, so I am quite good at sports. I hope to become friends with everyone in the future."

Sparse applause rang out in the classroom.

This is the self-introduction of the last student in Class F.

Overall, there wasn't much special about the process.

When Yuan Qianye stood up, a murmur arose in the classroom.

Hiratsuka Shizuka gave a brief summary, and then quickly moved on to the second segment.

"Very good. Now everyone has a basic understanding of each other. I hope everyone can get along well in the days to come. Today is the first day of school, and there are still many things to deal with. Let's take it one step at a time. First, let's rearrange the seats."

"Hey—" A series of groans erupted in the classroom, mostly from the boys.

"Isn't it good to just leave it as it is?" some people said.

“I understand that some of you came from the same middle school and have a good relationship, sitting together and not wanting to be separated. But now that you've entered a new class, you should naturally try to integrate into the new group.”

Hiratsuka Shizuka appeared easygoing, but she was still a teacher after all, possessing a natural authority over her students. In the end, she followed her plan and rearranged the seats by drawing lots.

Yuan Qianye drew 3-6, which means that the sixth seat is the third row of desks from the classroom door.

It's fine; he's still last, and he's very satisfied with this seating arrangement.

"Since we don't have a basic understanding of each other right now, we'll hold the selection of class committee members until after the performance test a week from now. For now, we'll just appoint a temporary acting class monitor and vice class monitor to help me organize and manage the class. There aren't any special requirements, just a sense of responsibility. Anyone want to volunteer?"

No one raised their hand, but some people looked at the key figures in the small circle with smiles.

Some people also looked at Gen Chiya.

For example, the girl named Kawasaki Saki sitting to his right didn't move much at the moment, but her eyes subtly drifted towards him.

No, why are you looking at me? I have absolutely no interest in things where the effort and reward are disproportionate.

Yuan Qianye kept his head down, writing several rows of equations on a blank notebook, ignoring the stares coming from around him.

He was calculating how much passive income he could earn each day without taking on any extra work.

There was nothing he could do; a shop in the city center had instantly emptied most of his savings. Although he appeared quite well-off in front of Shihua, he still felt the pressure.

Money is something that is earned little by little and gradually accumulated, but spent like a flood bursting through a dam—two completely different extremes.

The final candidates for acting class monitor and deputy class monitor were Hayato Hayama and Yumiko Miura, both of whom were quite popular and had outstanding appearances.

They helped distribute student handbooks, while Hiratsuka Shizuka stood on the stage explaining the important points about the opening ceremony that would follow.

The rest of the process proceeded smoothly.

"Alright, it's almost time. Let's head to the school stadium. There are signs indicating the location of Class F. Just sit down quietly over there and wait for the ceremony to begin. Be careful not to push or shove when going down the stairs. Class monitor and vice class monitor, please help direct the order."

"Yes."

Yuan Qianye propped his chin up and slowly got up only after almost everyone in the class had rushed to the classroom door.

Standing on the podium, Hiratsuka Shizuka waved to him with a smile.