As you were about to leave that place, your feet felt heavy, as if rooted to the ground. You suddenly stopped after a few steps, your heels grinding against small pebbles. Doubt held you back, like an invisible hand gripping your shoulder.
Not long after, you slowly turned around.
You stared at her in silence.
Ganyu's defenseless face appeared in your eyes. She was sleeping there, under the ginkgo tree whose leaves were falling like golden rain. Her peaceful face, with long eyelashes touching her cheeks, looked so fragile in this harsh world.
You were worried. Worried that something might happen to her if she was left there alone.
That's normal, right?
Worrying about a girl who seemed unguarded and clearly showed her vulnerability.
Your mind started to wander, imagining stray monsters, sly ones, or even thugs like the Dragon Tattoo Boss, suddenly emerging from the bushes with ill intentions, then attacking her while she was unconscious.
You immediately felt chills imagining that. Your skin prickled, a cold shiver creeping up your neck.
No. You couldn't let that happen.
How could you possibly allow it!
So you returned. Your steps were careful, not wanting to make a sound. You kept a safe distance, about five meters from her, and sat on a large, cold, mossy rock.
You daydreamed, letting time flow around you. Your thoughts drifted, imagining everything that had happened in the past when you first arrived in this world.
The confusion upon waking up in a strange place.
The piercing hunger.
The fear when facing thugs.
And of course, about that damned quest.
The quest to conquer the heart of an Adeptus.
As you imagined the quest's objective, you looked back at Ganyu. Your eyes locked on her face, which looked so comfortable in her sleep. Her breathing was steady, her chest rising and falling slowly.
At that moment, the golden sunset light bathed her face, making her glow like a goddess descended to earth. The light reflected on her blue hair, creating a mesmerizing halo.
You smiled at that. A small smile you didn't realize, a smile born from pure admiration.
After that, you gazed at the darkening sky. The first star began to appear, twinkling shyly. You thought about something more serious again. You started sorting your feelings, separating them like sorting grains.
Which one was admiration?
Which one was fear?
And which one was... love?
You convinced yourself and set firm boundaries in your mind.
Remember, this is a mission. Don't cross the line. Don't get carried away by emotions. Emotions are weaknesses. Emotions can make you careless.
Always prioritize logic.
Logic is the only weapon you have in this crazy world.
You closed your eyes, letting the increasingly cold night wind brush your face, carrying the scent of the sea and incense from the temple. You tried a makeshift meditation, attempting to calm the storm in your chest.
When you opened your eyes, time felt like it had passed so long, yet so quickly.
The day had turned to night.
The sky was now a deep dark blue, adorned with thousands of stars and a large, bright full moon hanging there.
You stared at that moon, wondering if the Moon Goddess was laughing at you. Whether she really existed or not. You didn't think too much about it.
At this moment, you heard a sound from Ganyu's direction.
"Eghmm..."
The sound was soft and low, hoarse like someone waking up, but as gentle as a mother's voice telling a bedtime story to her child.
You turned quickly, observing her movements: stretching slowly, extending her arms upward. Her movements were too sweet, too natural.
Then she rubbed her eyes gently with the back of her hand, like a child. She sat up, her hair a bit messy, with a few ginkgo leaves stuck in it. She woke up.
She looked around with a bit of awareness, dazed. Her beautiful eyes blinked, trying to adjust to the moonlight.
Then her gaze stopped on you.
She froze.
At the same time, you also froze, gaping for a moment, mesmerized by her just-woken-up gaze.
Then, you remembered manners. You smiled, the best smile you could muster amid your nervousness.
"Good morning," you said, even though it was already night.
For you, placing a little joke was perfect to break the frozen atmosphere right now!
Ganyu was silent for a moment. She still stared at you with the same expression—confused and surprised. But then her awareness fully returned. She realized her position. She realized you were there, watching her sleep.
Her mouth opened slightly, agape.
Not long after, her face flushed red. Even in the dim moonlight, you could see the red hue spreading from her cheeks to her ears.
She covered her face with both hands, hiding her embarrassment.
"Ah!" she squeaked softly.
After that, she turned her face to the side, not daring to look at you.
Clearly, she felt mortified knowing you saw her sleeping in a pose that she probably thought was ungraceful.
In reality, it was the opposite!
It was very graceful to you!
You were surprised by that reaction. A very... human reaction.
Then you smiled again, this time wider.
Cute! you muttered in your heart. She's really cute!
"Was your sleep sound?" you asked softly, your voice gentle, trying not to make her more panicked.
She was silent, unwilling to answer. Her shoulders rose slightly, tense. She still turned her face away, staring at the ginkgo tree trunk as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.
"How long have you been there?" she finally asked, her voice small and muffled by her hands.
The moonlight bathed her, and you saw her ears, still glowing red.
You tilted your head, thinking for a moment. She's embarrassed? Well, that's fine... it's normal.
Then you nodded, even though she couldn't see you. "Since this afternoon. When the sun was still up. You looked so sound asleep, so I didn't have the heart to wake you."
She slowly turned to you, lowering her hands a bit. Her face was still red, her eyes glassy from embarrassment.
"So..."
Just one word. But her tone... her tone was a mix of gratitude and deep embarrassment.
She's so cute! you muttered again, this time louder in your mind.
Seeing her blushing face under the moonlight made your heart pound so fast. Thump-thump-thump-thump. And you felt your own face heating up quickly.
The embarrassment virus was contagious!
If there was a mirror in front of you, you could be sure that now your face was red, as red as a ripe tomato, rivaling the color of her horns.
You immediately turned your face away, staring at the ground, at your dirty shoes.
What now? you panicked in your heart.
What if she thinks I'm weird? A stalker? A jobless person who watches people sleep?
What if she thinks I'm rude?
You let out a long sigh, trying to expel the heat from your face. Calming your overthinking mind.
Remember, stay in control of yourself. Don't get carried away by emotions. Don't let emotions disrupt your logic. And you must limit interactions so as not to bother her further.
Then you cleared your throat. Ahem. The sound was awkward in the night silence.
After that, you forced yourself to look at her again. Gathering all your courage.
"Do you usually sleep here?" you asked. Trying to display a calm and relaxed expression, as if this was a normal conversation between friends.
Ganyu looked down for a moment, fiddling with the hem of her clothes with her fingers. Then slowly and hesitantly, she looked at you. Her eyes sparkled.
"Not always. Only when... when my work is done and I need fresh air."
"You seem to really like sleeping, huh," you chuckled softly, trying to joke.
"Eh? N-not really..." she denied softly, her face blushing again.
At this point, you started feeling nervous. Your hands sweated. You swallowed. Running out of topics.
After that, Ganyu didn't respond anymore, and was silent for quite a while. Silence fell again, this time feeling more awkward. She looked down, her body shivering slightly from the cold night wind.
Or... because of nervousness, maybe?
Occasionally, she stole glances at you hesitantly, then looked away again when your eyes met.
At the same time, you also scratched your cheek gently.
At this moment, the scene in the narrow alley last night crossed your mind. The sound of that bell. And the question you hadn't had the chance to ask her because you ran away this afternoon.
Now you had that opportunity. The heavens gave you this private moment. How could you let it slip away again, right?
At the same time, you hesitated to ask this. Afraid the answer would change everything. Afraid she would deny it. Or afraid she would get angry because you got involved with thugs.
But then you still resolved to ask.
Your curiosity overcame your fear!
"Um... I want to ask one thing," you said, your voice a bit more serious.
Ganyu looked at you, waiting.
"Were you the one who saved me from those thugs? Last night? In the alley near the harbor?"
Ganyu put on a surprised face. Her eyes widened. She didn't expect you to know!
Then she looked down for a moment, hiding her expression. She seemed to be weighing things. And finally, she looked at you again, then nodded slowly. Very slowly.
"Um..."
"So..." you said softly, exhaling a breath of relief mixed with awe.
So it was true.
It was her!
But after that confession, she fell silent again. She seemed unwilling to continue the conversation on that topic. She looked uncomfortable being discussed as a hero.
Is my presence here bothering her? you thought. Am I making her uncomfortable by bringing that up?
Should I just leave?
You felt disappointed imagining her rejecting your presence here. You felt heartbroken, a small ache in your chest, imagining the scene where she ignored all your next questions, ignoring you as if you never existed, returning to being the Qixing Secretary.
So you intended to stand up. You braced your hands on your knees, preparing to lift your body. You were about to step away, leaving that place before you got kicked out.
However, before you could do that, Ganyu pursed her lips. There was worry on her face.
And she said in a soft voice, "Are you hurt? Back then... they hit you."
You were silent for a few seconds upon hearing that.
Does she care about me?
This... she's worried, right?
Then you nodded and smiled, a sincere and relieved smile. "Thanks to you, I can stand here. My face... well, it's healed."
You didn't mention the magical needle, of course.
How could you mention it.
Only a fool would do that!
"Thank goodness." She closed her eyes and sighed in relief. Her shoulders dropped, the tension in her body disappearing.
She then looked at you again, this time with curiosity. She tilted her head slightly, a movement that made the bell on her waist chime softly. Kling.
"How did you know it was me? I... I didn't show myself."
Hearing this, you thought for a moment. You wanted to answer honestly, but a mischievous side emerged in you. The side that wanted to tease this innocent Adeptus.
You nodded with a serious face. You decided to joke.
"Fate told me it was you."
Ganyu, hearing that explanation, opened her mouth. She was blank. Her eyes blinked in confusion. She tried to process the concept of "fate" telling you. Not a single word came out.
A few minutes later, or perhaps just seconds that felt long, she put on a serious face. She believed it!
She thought you had some fortune-telling ability or something!
You, feeling panicked because you made her misunderstand and afraid she would think you were a shaman, hurriedly explained while waving your hands.
"I'm joking." You paused and nodded. "That was a joke."
Ganyu was surprised. Then her eyes narrowed. She puffed her cheeks a little, pouting.
Annoyed because you teased her!
That expression... that sulky expression... was so adorable!
I want to photograph it and keep it forever!
"Sorry," you said while laughing softly, unable to hold back the amusement. "I knew from your bell... The sound is distinctive."
When you said this, she became shy again. She touched her bell, as if wanting to hide it.
Seeing that expression, your heart pounded so fast again. Thump-thump-thump.
You started being disturbed again by the overflowing emotional feelings. Your logic wall cracked badly.
Damn! you muttered in your heart. Why does she have to be this captivating? This is cheating!
When she looked at you with her deep purple eyes, you hurriedly turned your face away again. You couldn't bear to look at her too long.
Even though you couldn't see her face because you looked away, you were very sure that she was confused by your sudden action, she probably tilted her head again with a big question mark above it.
You sighed several times again, regulating your breath. Then you looked at her again, forcing a friendly smile.
Bothersome?
At least you had tried to position yourself as a non-troublesome presence!
But in reality?
You yourself were doubtful!
After that, you intended to make small talk for a while. Diverting the topic from things that made your heart want to drop. At least you thought this was the right step to avoid feeling awkward. Moreover, you were a bit curious about the "magic" she used.
"By the way... how did you freeze them?" you asked, leaning your body slightly forward in enthusiasm. "I mean, those thugs... They turned into ice blocks in a second!"
Ganyu looked at you confused.
"Um... don't you know the function of a Vision?" she tilted her head again.
You shook your head innocently. "Is it the same as breathing?"
She put on a hard-thinking face, trying to find the right analogy for a layperson like you. Then she nodded slowly.
"If put into words, it's like that... for Vision holders, using it is as easy as breathing. It's part of ourselves. However, technically... I just concentrated the Cryo elemental energy in this world into the form of arrows."
"Arrows?" you asked softly.
You imagined cold arrows enveloped in ice, shooting through the night silently. No wonder you didn't see them.
Ganyu nodded and continued explaining with a slightly more confident tone. "By using the Cryo Vision I have, I can shoot ice arrows that explode on contact, freezing the target and the surrounding area in an instant." She paused, looking at you intently. "Do you understand?"
Not at all! You really wanted to say that. It sounded like sci-fi to you. But you didn't want to look stupid. So you curved your lips into a knowing smile and nodded as if you understood.
"A little. Maybe I just need to see it directly later to really understand."
You paused, then asked again, "Why didn't I see the ice arrows you mentioned back then? I only saw a flash of light and... poof, they were frozen."
She smiled.
"That's a secret!" she answered playfully.
You were surprised, then smiled back. So she can joke too...
Knowing that answer, you decided not to continue the same topic. That was enough. You already knew she had god-like powers.
Instead, you felt an impulsive urge. An urge to extend the time with her.
You stood up from the rock where you were sitting. You walked closer to her, but stopped at a polite distance.
You scratched your cheek with your index finger, hesitant for a moment. Your heart pounded again, this time from the courage you were gathering.
Then you said in a soft but clear voice, looking into her eyes.
"If you have free time... would you like to accompany me? For a short walk? The night breeze is nice."
As you said that, the night wind blew, brushing your and Ganyu's faces, fluttering her hair and your clothes. Ginkgo leaves fell around you like natural confetti.
You widened your eyes hearing your own invitation. Did I just ask her on a date?!
Ganyu also looked surprised. She stared at you, her purple eyes widening.
But then, slowly, a smile bloomed on her lips. A smile sweeter than Sweet Flower.
"Of course!" she answered cheerfully.
And at that moment, under the moonlight of Liyue, you felt that maybe, just maybe, that damned system wasn't entirely wrong about your fate.
...
A/N: Alright, that's it for this chapter because I'm confused about what else to write (I think 2000 words is too short, but whatever...). I tried to make a lot of sweet conversations, but it feels really difficult because I've never experienced it directly IRL (hopeless romantic T-T), but I think this is enough, considering how their relationship isn't too deep yet. By the way, in this chapter, the second objective is already ⅔ done. For me, showing weakness (her liking to sleep) is a form of basic trust in someone. The remaining ⅓ was completed during their dinner together... in that moment, Ganyu shared her concerns about living alongside humans. Sharing that with someone else is a form of basic trust. So, I've completed my task for this week, see you on Monday (if I'm not lazy). Anyway, if you guys are too tired of waiting for the next chapter… please check my Patreon, where I update much faster than on this platform! (Now there are already 15 chapters I've updated!)
You can see the next chapter sooner on my patreon whose link is below:
https://www.pâtreon.com/Junxt
Replace "â" with "a" and search for it in your browser.