"Ms. Kamisato, are you sure you are not interested in attending? At the very least, you would put on an excellent show of force on behalf of the Yashiro Commission regarding-"
Sigh. Again?!
"I respectively decline. I've already informed my brother that I will not be present at the meeting, and he assured me that that was okay. I also believe that Thoma would do a fine job representing the Yashiro Commission. And, this is a relatively simple meeting, all things considered."
"...I understand, Ms. Kamisato. I apologize. Since you were the one who pushed for progress on the damaged bridge leading to the Grand Narukami Shrine, I assumed that you would want to be a part of the initial planning."
Ayaka simply smiled to herself at the comment from Kozue, the shop's assistant and servant at the Komore Teahouse. Sipping on her cup of Mocha Tea, Ayaka replied. "It's quite alright. Plus, I've enlisted the help of a certain adventurer, who I know will be more than capable of assisting with the bridge repair. He and his companion personally insisted actually….. "
Kozue simply looked at Ayaka, slightly confused, before realizing who she was talking about. Ever since the enactment of the Dangoo Milk Decree, Ms. Kamisato had started spending even more time with a certain outlander. It was clear to everyone at the Yashiro Commission what was happening between the two of them.
"Ahh, I understand. Very well, I will let them know that you will not be in attendance at tomorrow's meeting." Kozue hesitated, before awkwardly continuing. "...Umm, shall I prepare another pot of tea in the meantime? I assume that you will be entertaining guests again this afternoon?"
Ayaka could tell that Kozue was trying her best not to intrude on her personal affairs, but the way she went about it wasn't subtle. And that didn't surprise Ayaka. Before meeting Aether and Paimon, she had rarely had any personal get-togethers with anyone. And, Ayaka was pretty sure that the cat was out of the bag, in terms of her relationship with Aether.
Perhaps it's best if I announced that I am currently seeing Aether? But then again, that comes with a whole host of new problems and possible issues.
Understanding the potential fallout of announcing their relationship, the two of them had decided against publicly saying anything in terms of their relationship. After all, they had seen firsthand how things like this can affect things in Inazuma. Aether had played a key role in helping her brother with the possible marriage between the other two clans. Being from the famed Kamisato Clan had a whole host of problems and inconveniences, and this was just another one.
But people were starting to get suspicious. And that wasn't a surprise, as the two of them hadn't exactly been subtle about where their relationship was heading.
"No need, Kozue. I'll make the next pot of tea myself. You are correct that I will be entertaining Aether and Paimon again this afternoon. They mentioned that they would be bringing some treats today, so there is no need to prepare any meals this afternoon."
Kozue nodded. "I understand. For now, I'll return to my post. Please let me know if you need anything else for me."
"When you see Aether and Paimon arrive, please let them in right away, I'll be in our usual tearoom. He should be here at the usual time."
At Ayaka's final comment, Kozue gave a deep bow before leaving the private room of the Komore Teahouse. Looking at Ms. Kamisato as she closed the sliding door, she could see the lady smiling to herself and blushing slightly. She was clearly looking forward to the arrival of the famous traveler.
All of the staff at the Kamisato Clan could see what was going on, and Ms. Kamisato had their full backing. With that in mind, Kozue decided to put a bit more effort into cleaning up the outside Sand Garden. She had a feeling that Ms. Kamisato would be thanking her later.
"Welcome Aether, it's a pleasure to see you again. Umm, where is Paimon? Is she not with you today?"
As Aether changed his shoes at the entrance to the tearoom, he glanced at the tableware that Ayaka had prepared. Just a pot of tea, along with some empty plates. Knowing that Ayaka was the formal and proper type, it had taken a lot of effort on his part to convince her not to prepare anything for today. But even being insistent, he gave in a little, allowing himself to enjoy a pot of Ayaka's famous Matcha tea.
"Hello, Ayaka. I told you to stop using your formal voice and tone with me, you know? And yeah, it's just me today. Paimon got recruited into some sort of eating contest by the Arataki Gang. Long story short, this morning we ran into Kuki Shinobu. And she said that it was something that the gang had decided to host out of the blue today with no preparation beforehand. As expected of the Arataki Gang. And Paimon was interested in helping, so there you go."
"Food is really the only thing she thinks about sometimes."
Closing the sliding door behind him, Aether began to make his way over to the table where he began to set down the plates and goodies that he had brought with him. Just as he put down the last platter of food, Aether was suddenly engulfed in a hug from behind. Smiling, he quickly turned around in the arms around him and returned the favor.
"I told you, I have a reputation to uphold. Plus, it's expected of me to act a certain way in front of my staff and servants." Wiggling herself in Aether's embrace, she looked up at him still in his arms. "So, only in private like this, okay?"
Looking down at the blushing Ayaka in his arms, Aether's heart couldn't help but skip two beats. This version of the famed Shirasagi Himegimi was simply too cute sometimes. "Well, let's make the most of this then shall we? Without Paimon here, we have more of these cookies to ourselves….."
"Mondstadt Cookies?! You finally brought some!? I am really curious about what and how these will taste like….." At the mention of Cookies, Ayaka's eyes lit up. The girl in Aether's arms was now super interested in the platters of food that Aether had brought with him.
Letting go of Ayaka, Aether reached over and lifted the cover off one of the plates on the table. "Here they are, Mondstadt Cookies! I also brought some Mondstadt Hashbrowns, arguably the more well-known delicacy from Mondstadt. Plus, if you don't mind me using the kitchen here in the Teahouse, I bought enough ingredients to make more of both, if you want to that is….."
"Oh, that sounds like a lot of fun! That is perfectly fine with me. I would love to see more of your cooking skills in person. I'll go and clear the kitchen. And I'll grab some Dangoo Milk too. We can dip the cookies into that right?!"
Aether simply smiled happily at his excited girlfriend. The entire Cookies and Cream thing that Paimon had talked about on their way to the Grand Narukami Shrine during the Dangoo Milk Decree had really captured her imagination.
Hopefully, the act of dipping cookies in milk is as exciting as she thinks it is….
"...So this is the act of dipping cookies into milk... Hehe, I see. It feels like I'm learning more about different cultures from you all the time!
"Why does it feel like I've heard you say that already to me, Ayaka? ...Hey! Don't dip the cookies into the teapot! It's not a Hot Pot. And we are not playing the Hot Pot game today! Wait, Ayaka~!"
-{}-
"A blade is like a tea leaf…... Only those-"
"Umm, Ayaka, you don't need to be slicing the dough with the knife. Just separating it by hand is fine. Also, I don't think you need a knife while we are baking, period ."
-{}-
"I'm beat, I didn't realize that baking with you would be such a workout. What do you want to do while we wait for the cookies to bake?"
Aether, now covered in flour and dough, looked over to the girl standing next to him, who was also covered in flour from head to toe. The countertop and kitchen around them was also a mess of flour and baking supplies.
"Sorry, baking goods like this is all new to me." Ayaka did her best to wipe the flour off her face before turning and facing Aether. "Hmmm, in the meantime...might I interest you in a game of Go to stimulate the mind?"
Before Aether could reply, he suddenly felt a poke on his nose. Deciding to have some fun, Ayaka poked his nose with her finger, leaving a small piece of dough on Aether's nose. Glancing over, Aether could see a mischievous smile on Ayaka's face.
"Ohh, you asked for it now!"
Your request is quite unusual for me. Since I see you as a friend, it would only be fair to be open and honest with you, but if this means sharing secrets of the Kamisato Clan... I would ask that you keep anything I tell you in strict confidence.
As the day came to an end, the duo had simply messed around and had hung out at the Teahouse all day. Ayaka, having reserved the entire building beforehand, allowed them the privacy that the two had wanted.
While having been against her doing so in the first place, Aether had decided to give in, as his girlfriend did have appearances to keep up in public and when dealing with her Clan's affairs. It wasn't easy being the public image of one of the main Commissions that ran Inazuma. With that being said, they had made the most of having the entire building to themselves. Eating cookies over tea and milk, to having a brief food fight in the kitchen.
The two of them found themselves ending the day outside, standing in the Sand Garden of the Teahouse. Being situated on the edge of a small cliff provided the two of them with a magnificent view of lower Inazuma City. As the two of them took in the view, they helped themselves to the leftover cookies and Dangoo Milk from the earlier afternoon. Sipping on their cups of Dangoo Milk, they could see that the main market in the city square was still full of life, as people went about enjoying their evenings.
As the sun began to set over the horizon, laughter could be heard from Naganohara Fireworks, where Yoimiya was entertaining a group of small children while setting up some experimental fireworks with her father. While no festivals or events were coming soon, Naganohara Fireworks was always trialing new types of firework designs, much to the annoyance of Kujo Sara, who was always making sure these "test" shows ended before the nightly noise bylaw came into effect.
"…Ordnance 09.28 specifically states that unusual noise in a manner that disturbs inhabitants of the City is an offense after 10 pm!"
Do fireworks really count as 'unusual noise'?
Lost in her thoughts about Kujo Sara and fireworks, Ayaka was nudged on her shoulder by the boy next to her. Getting her attention, Aether pointed out to Ayaka that on the lower levels of the city, Kujo Sara was currently scolding members of the Arataki Gang and Paimon. Looking from above, they guessed that it probably had something to do with the so-called Food Eating Contest that they were hosting.
"...Should we go and give some assistance? Paimon might be in trouble…"
Aether laughed at Ayaka's concern. "Haha, no need. Paimon will be able to talk her way out of it, I'm sure. Plus, Kuki Shinobu assured me that she would make sure nothing happened to Paimon today, and I trust her in that regard.
"Wow, Paimon must really mean a lot to you, if you asked Kuki Shinobu to keep an eye on her." Ayaka replied absentmindedly.
"... Let's just say, Paimon means a lot to me, at this point."
A moment of silence came over the two of them as their conversion came to an end. The two enjoyed each other's company as they gazed upon the town below them. Glancing over at her partner, it appeared that Aether had wanted to say something else about Paimon, but had decided against it. Aether grimaced and looked somewhat nervous. Noticing this, and wanting to calm his nerves, Ayaka closed the distance between the two of them, and lightly pecked his cheek. Leaning back, the two of them now had blushes on their faces.
Feeling brave, Aether decided that he would make the next move. Taking their cups of Dangoo Milk, he set them aside on the nearby railing. This time, it would be Aether that finally broke the silence, as he took the girl in front of him into his arms, and softly whispered into her ear.
"Remember what you told me way back when we first 'officially' became friends? You said that you were willing to share with me the secrets of the Kamisato Clan? I guess at that point, I had your trust, didn't I? You were basically willing to spill your heart out and all the dirty secr-"
"...I was not! Th-that was a…..I was just saying things that I thought you would like! At that point, I was not willing to tell you the personal affairs of the Kamisato Clan…..but I guess at this point, you're a part of it now…." Ayaka looked away embarrassed, giving in to Aether's questioning.
"Haha, it's alright. I don't mean that in any way. It was just something that stood out to me when we were talking back then. You were right though, the two of us have come a long way. A journey for the two of us that has yet to have an ending."
Looking up into the eyes of the boy embracing her, Ayaka had a question about Aether's comment. "Does that mean that your journey will have an ending?"
At this point, Ayaka had a pretty good idea of what was going on with Aether and the journey he had been through. After their encounter with the Abyss Order and his sister, Aether had opened up to Ayaka about everything that had happened up to that point. He had told her his suspicions about what his sister had wanted to accomplish. And what her future plans might be.
"...I'll say this again Ayaka. When fates become intertwined, it's hard for them to become untangled. I think certain powerful people realize that, like the Raiden Shogun and Yae Miko. And there are some people who don't, or they wish to challenge it."
"...At the end of it all, I just want Lumine to be by my side. That is still my very first desire. But my second desire is an equal one and has already been met. I'm very grateful to her. The suspense of meeting her for the first time when I arrived at her Estate was nerve-racking, to say the very least…"
Aether paused to collect his thoughts as Ayaka giggled and rubbed his back with her one hand, letting him find the right words to say.
"But nonetheless, all stories of journeys have an ending of some sort….complete or incomplete. Ones that satisfy you, and ones that do not."
"I would say that my story has only just begun, and now I see you fully along for the journey, Kamisato Ayaka."
In each other's arms, Aether reached down, and raised Ayaka's face by her chin, looking her directly in the eyes. He could see the determination and drive that made her into the lovely girl in his arms. Closing his eyes, he slowly began to move closer to her. Ayaka, noticing what was happening, closed her eyes as well. Before the two of them realized what was happening, Ayaka's lips had moved onto Aether's own.
As the two were lost in their own little world, the fireworks that the Naganohara family had set up finally went off, dazzling the children and townsfolk of Inazuma City. Breaking their kiss, both simply smiled at each other, embarrassed at their display of public affection. Breathing heavily, Aether once again pulled Ayaka into his embrace. Under the starry light, the two enjoyed the impromptu fireworks show while finishing off their personal samples of Dangoo Milk.
.
..
…
I only wish life could be as leisurely as this a little more often... How greedy of me. How picturesque.
Ayaka let out a quiet sigh of pure pleasure, and made herself more comfortable. Wiggling in his arms, she moved herself deeper into Aether's embrace. Realizing what his girlfriend was doing, Aether simply tightened his grip around Ayaka's waist, never wanting to let go of the girl in his arms.
Another View
"Paimon, all this work better have paid off. The boys of the Gang really didn't like the two of us canceling the Food Eating Contest. And it's taken the two of us to make sure they don't go and interrupt Aether and Ms. Kamisato. After you let it slip that the two of them were-"
"Shinobu, Paimon said it's fine! Something in Paimon's heart tells her that everything worked out! Besides, Paimon knows for a fact that Aether left us some Cookies for tonight! Let's have an eating contest when we get some! Ohhh, Paimon bets that she could easily beat Itto in a Cookie eating race!"
"...Kuuu-kiiiii? As in Kuki? Like my last name? Or like Coooo-kies? Is this some sort of desert Paimon? What on Teyvat are you talking about?"
Another View
So in the end, feelings and bonds drive a story. Any and all stories. And his first and second desires are of the same overall importance to his story? ….I see. So that's what you mean...
"Something like that, I explained this already, Ei! Sigh, Anyway, you probably need to go play the role of benevolent dictator to those two again. While they have finalized their feelings, the so-called Dango Milk Decree hasn't been finished yet! Konda Village never got their free samples~."
…Ah right, we should probably get them to finish handing out those samples. All of this just to get the two of them together. And who's idea was this in the first place?! Quite frankly, we should have just confronted The Abyss Order ourselves and just told the Traveler to confess to-
"Ah Ah Ah! Ei, you have to understand that these relationships are delicate! Plus, I think you agree that all of this was necessary. We confirmed a hypothesis that we had. And you admit those two are now a force to be reckoned with. The Abyss and so-called enemies of Inazuma will never see these two coming."
"Plus, all of this makes excellent material for the next volume of The Miraculous Adventures of the Traveler! I've already sent it to print too~!"
Sigh. Yae, I thought you told me that the series is inspired by him. While he had a say in the first few volumes, I believe it's not a good idea to-
"-I just need to make arrangements for a new cover for the volume. ~How do I get the two of them to come back to the shrine to take a photo together under fireworks while drinking Dango Milk? We need to highlight them at the Dango Milk Festival that happens in the latter half of the book..."
…..A Dango Milk Festival….. I could simply decree it to happen, Yae…..
"…..You know me all so well, Ei."
Closing Comments - AN /
And this is it. The current end of something that means a lot to me. When I first started brainstorming and writing this, I wanted to do my best to make something that would live up to my own expectations, and I'm very proud of how this turned out. While it's not the best thing in the world, this story, and the characters inside of it mean a lot to me.
I only started playing Genshin Impact a month after its launch. One of the main reasons that I did was actually seeing Ayaka in the Storyline Preview Trailer. I fell in love with the game and its characters, and the community that plays it.
This story is something that I'm truly proud of, and is my contribution to the community. I hope that people will enjoy reading this for years to come.
A shout out to everyone who reads this. Consuming content, making content or just playing the game. We all have a place in this community and have a place for Ayaka in our hearts. I hope my story can inspire you and provide enjoyment like all of you did for me.
This story started as a compilation of all my novice writing skills, to become a love letter to the characters that are Ayaka, Aether, and everyone else. I'm very happy with how this turned out, and I am glad that I'm able to do her justice here.
It's very bittersweet to end it here. Thank you so much for your time. Happy Dango Milk drinking!
Art by nana_monqey on Twitter, commissioned by me.