Anime Crossover : Living in the Heart of Tokyo

"Mom, why are you still standing there?"

Yamauchi Sakura, now dressed in her workout clothes, looked at her mother, who was still standing in the same position by the door, and tilted her head in confusion.

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just waiting to go downstairs with you."

"Then let's go!"

As she spoke, Sakura couldn't help but swallow hard.

"Yamauchi, are you really ready to go jogging?"

"Of course not! I just… want to see what Hojou brought for me first!"

Even though she was just a child, Sakura already had her own set of principles.

For example, right now, even though she hadn't seen Kyousuke yet, she knew he had brought something delicious to entice her into jogging with him.

So even if the treat turned out to be something she didn't like, Sakura would still go jogging with him—not for the gift itself, but for the thought behind it.

Deep down, she also wanted to spend time with this boy from next door.

Although they hadn't known each other for long, she could already tell that Kyousuke was different from other kids her age.

He felt more like an older brother than a peer.

Yesterday morning, even though the jog had been exhausting, it had also been fun.

When she wanted to stop because she was too tired, he kept encouraging her.

And when she really couldn't run anymore, he took her hand and ran alongside her.

After they finished, he even gave her a delicious juice and patiently taught her how to stretch to avoid muscle soreness.

'Sigh, I guess I'll just have to take pity on him for being so lonely jogging alone', Sakura thought.

When she reached the living room, Sakura saw Hojou Kyousuke.

His short, neat hair, sharp features, and those gentle eyes that seemed to hold an indescribable warmth.

He was wearing a matching workout outfit (just in a different color) and sitting on the couch with a thermos in his hands.

"Yamauchi, you're here," Kyousuke said, noticing her workout clothes.

He flashed a big smile. 'Perfect, the plan's working!'

"What are you doing here? I already said I'm not going jogging with you!"

Sakura's face turned red at his smile, but she pouted and acted stubborn.

"Fresh milk stewed with papaya. Come try it while it's still warm."

Ignoring her act, Kyousuke opened the thermos and took out a spoon from the bottom.

'Wow, it smells amazing!'

When the thermos was still closed, Sakura had thought her mom was just making things up to get her out of bed.

But as soon as Kyousuke opened it, the rich aroma of milk mixed with the sweet scent of papaya wafted out, filling the room.

"Give it to me, give it to me!"

Sakura immediately ran over.

She wasn't the type to play hard to get—she was more straightforward and lively.

She'd only acted stubborn earlier because she didn't want Kyousuke to think she was a glutton.

But now, faced with such a delicious treat, she dropped the act entirely.

Taking the thermos, she saw round, golden papaya balls floating in the milk, bobbing up and down as the steam rose.

'This looks so good!' Sakura thought, her eyes widening.

She quickly scooped up a papaya ball with the spoon and popped it into her mouth.

'Delicious!' The papaya was soft and tender, having absorbed the milk perfectly.

The creamy sweetness of the milk blended with the fresh, fruity flavor of the papaya, creating a burst of flavor with every bite.

Another spoonful, and another!

Sakura's eyes closed in bliss as she savored the taste.

"Don't eat too much. We still have to jog. It'll taste just as good later if you save some."

"Ugh! Couldn't you have waited until I finished eating to say that?"

Sakura's expression froze, and she pouted in annoyance.

But her hand obediently stopped scooping.

"If you eat too much, your stomach will hurt while jogging."

"Fine, fine! Let's go!"

After sealing the thermos, Sakura stood up.

'What a tough morning. Why does a third-grade girl like me have to go through this?'

When Kyousuke finally announced the end of their jog, Sakura collapsed onto the ground, her face a picture of relief.

"Get up, Yamauchi. You can't sit down right after jogging. You need to walk for a bit."

"I can't! I'm done! Just kill me, I'm not moving!"

Sakura weakly protested.

"Come on, I'll help you."

Kyousuke chuckled, walking back to her and crouching down to help her up.

He let her lean against him as they slowly walked together.

"Hey, hey, Hojou, don't you know you can't just touch a girl's body like that?"

Sakura's face turned red as she shouted.

"But we're both just third-graders."

"Oh, right. Fine, I'll forgive you."

After stretching and rehydrating, the two returned to Sakura's house.

"This is so good! Did your mom make this?" Sakura asked between bites of the papaya stew.

"No, I made it myself."

Kyousuke sat beside her, sipping water and watching her devour the food with a satisfied smile.

'With this, her pancreas should be fine, right?' he thought to himself.

"You made this yourself?!"

Sakura looked up, her face full of shock as she stared at the boy who was the same age as her.

"Hojou, you made this?" Sakura's mother, Makoto, also asked in surprise.

"Yes, it's not that hard. You just scoop the papaya into balls, put them in the thermos with milk, and let it stew."

"No way, that's amazing!" Sakura exclaimed excitedly.

"If you like it, I can make it for you every morning."

"No! If I eat it every day, it won't be special anymore!"

"Don't worry about that. I can make other desserts too."

"You can make other treats?!"

Sakura's eyes sparkled like stars.

"Of course. There are lots of variations of papaya stew."

"You can add snow fungus to make papaya and snow fungus stew, or mix in other fruits like dragon fruit to make a mixed fruit version."

"There's also papaya coconut milk jelly, papaya with lotus seeds and lily bulbs…"

As Kyousuke listed off the desserts, Sakura listened intently, her mouth watering.

He felt a twinge of guilt, as if he were luring a little girl with sweets, but for the greater good, he pressed on.

"And if you get tired of papaya, there are also desserts made with yam."

"Yam? That slimy stuff? I never eat that!"

"Are you sure? Yam pancakes—steamed yam mixed with milk, eggs, and sugar, mashed into a paste, sprinkled with black sesame seeds, and pan-fried until golden."

"One bite, and the crispy exterior gives way to a soft, creamy filling bursting with the flavors of milk and eggs."

As Kyousuke described it, Sakura's mental image of yam as a slimy, unappetizing food began to shift.

Instead, she pictured golden pancakes covered in sesame seeds.

"Yam ice cream—steamed yam mixed with milk and sugar, frozen, and then scooped into balls."

"Top it with blueberry or strawberry jam. The blueberries are from my hometown, and they're super delicious."

"What?! Yam can be turned into ice cream?"

"Of course. You can also make yam cakes…"

"Stop, stop! I get it! I'll go jogging with you every morning!"

Sakura clasped her hands together and bowed her head dramatically.

"Please make all of those for me!"

"Good girl," Kyousuke said with a satisfied smile, patting her head.

Makoto watched the interaction between the two children, her mind reeling from the list of desserts Kyousuke had mentioned—dishes even she didn't know how to make.

"Kyousuke, did your mother teach you all this?" Makoto asked, thinking of Kyousuke's mother, Mikiko Hojou.

Mikiko had a youthful, almost naive air about her, and Makoto had always doubted whether she could even cook.

"No, it's just a personal hobby. To be honest, my mom isn't great at cooking."

"Then why are all the desserts you mentioned made with yam and papaya?"

"Yeah, Hojou, why?" Sakura chimed in, her eyes wide with curiosity. 

'He's so amazing!'

'All I can do is heat milk in the oven, but he can make all these dishes!'

"Call me Kyousuke, Yamauchi."

"Then you call me Sakura too!"

"Alright, Sakura. As for why it's all yam and papaya, it's because both are good for your pancreas!"

Kyousuke said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

If it weren't for that, he wouldn't have bothered learning how to make these girly desserts.

Well, his eternally youthful mother liked them too.

"Good for your pancreas?"

Both Sakura and her mother looked at each other, confused.

"Yes, Sakura. From now on, you should also avoid high-fat, high-calorie foods."

"No carbonated drinks, eat regular meals, don't overeat, and avoid putting too much strain on your pancreas. Also, try to eat less…"

As Kyousuke droned on like a health guru, Sakura's face fell, imagining her future life of deprivation.

Makoto, on the other hand, was utterly baffled. 

'Why is a child this age already so focused on health? Jogging, healthy eating…'

What Makoto didn't know was that the first time Kyousuke met Sakura, a line of text had appeared above her head:

[I Want to Eat Your Pancreas · Yamauchi Sakura (Main Character)]

She was also the key to unlocking Kyousuke's system.

Before meeting Sakura, Kyousuke had tried everything to find his "cheat" as a transmigrator, but nothing had worked.

Just as he was about to resign himself to a mundane life, the system activated the moment he met the little girl who had moved next door due to her father's job transfer.

Unlike Nishimiya Shoko, whose fate he didn't know, Kyousuke remembered Sakura's story all too well.

In his past life, her story had left him heartbroken.

Sakura, who suffered from a pancreatic disease, had only a short time to live.

Yet she faced life with a smile, always cheerful and brave, right up until her tragic end at the hands of a murderer.

From the moment Kyousuke saw her, he knew what he had to do.

First, he would get Sakura to exercise with him.

He believed that a strong body would reduce the risk of illness.

Second, while improving her physical health, he would ensure she ate a pancreas-friendly diet.

Pancreatic diseases were often linked to diet, so he would feed her foods that were good for her pancreas and eliminate harmful ones.

With this plan in mind, Kyousuke began his mission to "lure" the little girl into a healthier lifestyle.

But even after all these years, Kyousuke hadn't received the "gift of the maiden," which meant Sakura's fate hadn't changed.

He didn't know whether it was her pancreatic disease or her encounter with the murderer that remained unchanged.

All he could do was stick to the plan—keep jogging with her, feed her healthy foods, and ensure she grew up strong and healthy.

Now, as a sixth-grader, Sakura had grown accustomed to her morning jogs with Kyousuke and his delicious treats.

She even reported her daily meals to him.

She didn't see it as a restriction. Instead, she felt cared for.

Whether it was the exercise or the food, everything Kyousuke did was for her health.

'Kyousuke must have liked me from the moment we met!'

'Why else would he be so good to me?'

'No one besides my mom would make me delicious food every day and constantly update my workout plan based on my progress.'

Sure, it was a little annoying when he stopped her from eating fried food or soda, but it was only a tiny inconvenience.

The moment she tasted his carefully prepared "health food," she forgot all about it.

'Well, I'll forgive him. After all, he likes me so much.'

With that thought, Sakura skipped happily behind Kyousuke as they walked home together.

"Kyousuke, what song is your class singing for the choir competition?"

"Trying to gather intel, are you?"

"What? I already know you're singing 'The Monster's Ballad.' I'm just giving you a chance to show off!"

"If you already know, why are you asking?"

"Well, even though you didn't tell me what your class is performing, if you ask me, I'll tell you!"

Just as Sakura had grown used to jogging with him, Kyousuke had grown used to her endless energy and quirky logic.

"Alright, Sakura, please tell me what your class is performing for the choir competition," Kyousuke said casually.

"Since you asked so nicely, I'll tell you. We're singing 'Red Dragonfly.'" Sakura's voice was sweet and slightly childish, utterly adorable.