As she dance, the ground shatters. As she moves the mountain quakes, and the soil around her starts to move along, resonating as she sings. The first time I saw her singing on top of Jade Chamber, it all made sense. From then I understand why everyone fell in love with her voice. Soon after her first performance, fate let us meet again.

For as long as the time allowed we became friends. Or so I tried to convince myself. We hung out together, she let me see her as she is. Cheerful, bubbly, yet diligent. Every single moment we spent together is a moment of observation. A moment of learning. About nature, about people.

About each other.

But just the other day, when we snuck into the crowded night harbor, someone stumbled into her, she bumped into me and my hand catch her in reflex. Her eyes widen in surprise and time goes slower when our eyes meet.

I held her hands, her grip is firm yet cold and calming. We did not speak much as both of us felt awkward. But at that moment I knew

This story must not go on.

Tonight, I steady my heart to talk to her for the second time which will be the last for a while.

I lean on Yanshang railing, the city of Liyue is oddly quiet tonight. I took a deep breath as I heard the creaks on the stairs.

I dare not to look at her.

"Its been a while isn't it." She walks closer and stand beside me.

"So when will you leave to Inazuma?" So she already knew.

"I will miss our time together, Aether. But I always knew that this is to be, sooner or later."

My heart break inside but I tried my best not to show it to her. I do not want to leave but it is precisely why I must leave.

I did not say anything since she already knew what I needed to tell her.

She starts to take a step back from the railing. I thought she was leaving but when I turn my head around and saw her bowing elegantly.

She starts to hum, and slowly dance. At that moment, it felt like the world has stopped moving.

After her performance I look at her, she smiled and giggled.

"You finally see me. How do I look?"

I tried to say something, but my voice doesn't come out, I am at loss of words.

Yunjin slowly put her hands on my cheek, washing my tears I didn't know had fallen. I look at her and she looked back at me with that beautiful smile she always had. She pulled something out of her pocket.

"Show me your hand Aether"

Yunjin took my hand and put a bead made from the blue Jade on my hand.

"I am sorry Yunjin, I-"

Yunjin hold my hands and she shrug her head.

"This bead is not a gift, I just borrowed it to you. After you found your sister, after you have explored every continent, after every single quest you need to do is finished. If your feelings have not change then, return this bead back to me.

I will wait for you to come back, by then I don't know if I already have someone by my side, but I will still tell you everything I felt since you entered my life, and I will listen to every single thing you want to say today.

But...

If instead you figured that what you want to say right now is not as relevant anymore, you can just sell it or throw it away, it is nothing but a cheap bead I bought on my way here."

Yunjin smiling lips start to waver, and she tried her best to keep on smiling.

"Liar. Your handcraft is as sloppy as it always been." I smirked.

Yunjin facade fell on the floor. Her smile was gone.

Her love for music, her life for the opera house, it was not something I wished to take away from her life. It would not be a life she would have wanted either. But if I stay here a little longer, I will be the one who will give up on my sister.

"The beads might not be my farewell gift for you, but this is."

She pulled me by surprise, and she put her arms on my back.

I hold her firmly, I do not want this to be our ending, but this is just how it should have been.

My time here in this world might not be too long, but before I met her, all I see are objectives after objectives. I was prideful, but she showed me how wonderful the world is, how wonderful people can be, she broadens my vision, and without her. I just might not be sane.

"Thank you YunJin." My last words before the daybreak and the rising sun marks my leaving.

As my ship leaves, her figure starts to become more and more distant.

I sat down beside the resting crew and the pain starts to sting. Realization starts to hit me hard. The sting that slowly builds up inside of me. I knew it was for the best and yet it still hurts.

But as soon as I look at the beads on my wrist, I took a deep breath and whisper to myself,

"Don't worry Lumine, I will absolutely bring you back, no matter what it cost me."