That little brat's mouth is still just as sharp as ever...
Miko couldn't help thinking that as she looked at Wendy standing behind her. Sure, Wendy had been there for her when she was hurting — but the moment things were fine again, the girl snapped right back to her old self. Every other sentence was a little jab at Miko's expense. Honestly, it was the kind of thing that made her want to love her and strangle her at the same time.
"Oh, so you're all gathered around here eating?" It was then that Wendy noticed the plate of stir-fried pork with chili peppers sitting on the table.
Eating, she says...
I just want your dear sister Kiana to understand what normal food is actually supposed to taste like.
Miko turned to look at the plate she'd stir-fried and kept that thought firmly to herself.
She'd always held back from saying it outright — she had a feeling that directly calling Kiana's cooking a culinary catastrophe would genuinely hurt her feelings.
Actually...
Should I drop Wendy a hint that Kiana just fried up her own plate of stir-fried pork a moment ago?
That way she...
Hmm...
Maybe not...
Knowing this particular little loudmouth, she'd probably blurt it out in the most blunt way possible and send Kiana storming off. That wouldn't end well.
The idea had barely surfaced before Miko quietly let it go.
Besides, there was something more important — she was heading to Liyue soon. She could bring it up with Kaito directly when she got there, and see if he had any good ideas on how to handle it.
"Looks to me like you're the one who wants to eat, little brat," Miko finally said to Wendy, leaving out entirely the part about Kiana having just stir-fried her own plate.
"Wendy, are you free right now? If you are, take Miko down to Liyue for me." Acheron spoke up.
"Liyue? Why is Miko going to Liyue again? She just got back not long ago." Wendy looked genuinely baffled by the whole thing.
"Just take her, would you? And while you're at it, check in on Kaito for us — make sure he's been eating and sleeping properly these past few days." This time it was Kiana who chimed in.
She'd felt, just a moment ago, like she hadn't been acting much like Kaito's girlfriend — a little too unconcerned. So she made a point of adding that.
"Fine. Consider it a little detour for this tiny fox." Wendy glanced sideways at Kiana and gave a nod.
This little brat...
Maybe I should just go by myself...
Listening to Wendy call her "little fox" every other breath, Miko found herself genuinely wondering if she'd be better off going alone.
Being called "little fox" all day by someone half her height was genuinely irritating. But the aggravating part was that she couldn't do a single thing about it — and on top of that, she still needed the girl's help. So she just had to sit there and stew.
"Alright, Wendy — stop calling her that. How about you call her Sister Miko instead?"
Miko: !
Miko had been mid-thought, debating whether to make the trip to Liyue on her own, when Mei's words snapped her back to full attention.
She knew perfectly well Wendy had no desire to call her that — but Wendy listened to Mei. Which meant this little brat was about to be forced, against her will, to call her big sister. The thought was almost too delicious.
"...Fine. Sister Miko." Wendy said it like the words physically pained her, her voice completely flat and listless, her expression a portrait of pure suffering.
And the more Wendy looked like that, the better Miko felt.
"Mmm~" Miko drew out the acknowledgment with a long, contented lilt. She looked absolutely radiant.
That's more like it. This is the only way this little brat can actually make me happy.
She watched Wendy promptly spin around and pointedly refuse to look at her again — and found it utterly entertaining.
Afterward, Miko turned and gave Acheron a grateful look.
"So are you two leaving now, or do you need a moment?" Kiana, who seemed to have entirely missed the little exchange, looked over at Miko and asked.
"Now's fine."
After a quick mental run-through, Miko decided it was better to get to Liyue sooner rather than later.
"Then Wendy, you—"
"Got it." Before Kiana could even finish the sentence, Wendy had already whisked Miko away, and the two of them vanished on the spot.
After they left, Kiana picked up another piece of meat with her chopsticks and took a bite.
She had to admit — Miko really could cook. It was hard not to keep coming back for more.
Acheron, on the other hand, didn't quite share that sentiment. For her, everything tasted the same — flavor was more or less a foreign concept.
-------
Liyue Harbor.
"Here we are. I'm heading back."
The moment Wendy had dropped Miko off at Liyue Harbor, she turned right around and disappeared back to Inazuma.
Huh? Where'd she go?
Miko had only just touched down, still getting her bearings, when she looked around and found no trace of Wendy anywhere. She stood there blinking.
She'd half-expected Wendy to dump her halfway there out of spite over what had happened — but before she'd even registered what was going on, Wendy had already carried her all the way to Liyue.
And then, before she could react to that, Wendy was already gone.
Is that little brat really that upset?
Miko turned to face the vast, open expanse of sea on the horizon, and couldn't help the thought from surfacing.
She could feel it — Wendy was genuinely hurt this time.
Still, she figured that was probably for the best. Maybe it would knock some of that boundless, reckless energy out of her for a while.
Alright.
Better go find out what that guy is up to.
He hasn't run into Mobius already, has he?
Miko turned back around to face the bustling, lively Liyue wharf, and with that thought in her head, set off in the direction of the little courtyard where Kaito was staying.
The little courtyard.
Miko's on her way over.
Better tell Mobius to stay out of sight for now...
Sitting on the bed, flipping through one of Liyue's novels, Kaito glanced toward the doorway and quietly turned that over in his mind.
He'd been well-fed earlier, and one thing had led to another — so he and Lumine had gone three hundred rounds, and now she was in her room sleeping it off.
Haah...
I wonder if Lumine's going to have thoughts about things when she wakes up and sees me with Miko...
The thought caught him off guard, and he felt a small knot of unease settle in.
He should've had Miko come later — at least after Lumine woke up. That way Lumine would already be up and around when Miko arrived, and it wouldn't feel quite so jarring as Lumine opening her eyes to find him already deep in conversation with Miko.
Forget it...
Better slip out for a bit first...
Let Miko come in and wake Lumine up...
Then I can come back...
Yeah, that'll work better...
With that settled in his mind, Kaito stood up and quietly blinked out of existence.
And right on cue, the moment he was gone, Miko arrived at the little courtyard.
Given that things between her and Kaito had already progressed to that point, Miko didn't bother with formalities — she simply stepped over the closed gate and walked into the courtyard.
____
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