Disclaimer: due to the fact that English is not my first language and that I have no beta reader, this one shot will for sure have mistakes and weird phrasing and I'm sorry for that, please still try to enjoy!
Funnily enough, the first thing she discovered about her was her kindness. The mature yet soft gaze in her eyes was leaning on her, scrutinizing the tears she couldn't avoid. The pain was real – the reasons behind it more blurred. And yet, despite the sorrowful loneliness, she felt her arms hugging her against all odds. It was just soft, an everlasting instant to wipe off the tears. It was just an autumn night between two bleak days – the sky was dark, but among the stars the reddish flowers that bloomed into her calm pupils simply burnt her.
Saying that Yanfei was a classic schoolgirl perhaps was a lie. She was from a well-known family, herself was more than well-known at school: the student council treasurer, popular among boys and girls and cherished by all the teaching staff. Not really sure which one was the cause or the consequence, but linked to that the pinkish girl never was lacking in any sort of confidence. Maybe, that was the reason that drove one of the teachers to send her a curious request: to bring back to school one of the equally well-known troublemaker.
Well, Hu Tao was not one of the "I will burn down the school and all the motherfckers in it" kind of troublemakers, but miss pranks was actually famous for the jokes she used to make. It wasn't necessarily physical nor material, some sharp words were able to have a stronger effect on some people. And Hu Tao wasn't the kind of girl to shut up – quite the contrary.
Yanfei herself never faced her directly. While her walk brought her far away from to the school, to a somehow shop where the other girl was supposed to work, the pink was thinking about how, surprisingly, she never was the target of her ghostly humour. She was aware of her presence, but like two magnets facing the same pole, their wills never collided.
"- Actually, I wonder why I was the one sends to search her" she whispered, sipping the cold tea in her hands. "I mean, I know I am part of the student council, but Zhongli is at its head. And actually, I'm pretty sure they're kind of close too. It would be way easier for him to understand the reasons why she plays with the school regulations like she does. He's not the president for nothing."
"- The law can be both a help and a hindrance" couldn't help but repeat the younger one in a slight laugh "That's your motto, isn't it? I guess they just think you're amazing enough to perfectly cover the situation!"
"- Yeah, the problem is really not in my skills. I am used to this, I have enough experience to deal with the matter. I will bring back this girl, have faith in me Xiangling ~"
Again, the youngest let a smile be drawn of her childish face – the future cook was used to pair with weird characters, pretty sure she was one too. Thereby, Xiangling also was an acquaintance of Hu Tao; that mainly was the reason today she was guiding the stuco girl to her shop. Yanfei indeed was a little bit older that all of the gang, was it the reason the sharp eyes of Hu Tao never met hers? Or was it something else? To be honest, Xiangling didn't really have a clear answer – but her senior seemed to be determined enough to also find an answer to this question herself without worrying her.
"- Anywayyy, the restaurant is this direction so we will separate here! Have fun with this prankster Yanfei!"
"- Be safe too" she politely said back, whereas her junior was heading back farther than her sight.
Let's go! She also whispered for herself, walking the last meters that separated her from the curious shop. And what a surprise it was to discover the beautiful yet heavy frontage of the funeral parlor.
The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was rising from the ground, superbly. The decoration engraved in the dark wood almost were shining in the daytime, nourishing the feeling that behind the doors, the front line between life and death wasn't a clear river – the feeling of a big cloud suddenly overwhelming her was blown, let her kind of struggling to keep her bare face.
She wasn't afraid – nor excited. She was actually just pretty admirative because Hu Tao was working here. Maybe also because she already crossed this door once, was it only some months ago? The pressure and the sadness that devour her this time felt like coming back again as she was observing the structure, but Yanfei couldn't lose to such weak feelings. Because the girl behind this wall never did – that was her, wasn't it?
"- Excuse me, I am Yanfei from the Genshin Highschool. I'm here fo – is this supposed to be a ghost? I'm sorry to say to you that ghosts don't really exist in our world, so there is no way I could be afraid because of that. But actually, there are people who are afraid so they could easily faint. It would be quite ironic to die in a funeral parlor."
"- Quite the contrary, I will never say no to a new client!" happily shouted a girly voice "Too bad you're too composed to fall in this trap …"
"- Don't underestimate me and show yourself. Now that you know I'm too aware of you to be surprised, there is no need to act like this."
Her voice was calm and objective, while she was simply exposing all the tricks of the other girl. She was used to speaking directly, and Hu Tao was not going to be an exception to her own sharp words. Thus, the troublemaker finally decided herself to confront her somehow new client – actually, she hadn't any clue about the reason that brought her … schoolmate? To come here. Oh!
"- Who do you need to bury? Or are you here to sign a pre contract in case you uunfortunately are going to be hit by a truck the exact moment you will leave the parlor?!"
Yeah, she was clearly excited. And somehow a light laugh crossed the lips of Yanfei, because the other girl clearly never lost sight of her job. And it would be a lie to tell that the oldest didn't like that.
"- Sorry to tell you I'm not here for that kind of business. I'm from the student council. I'm here because you are close to fail your attendance at school, so the teachers asked me to come here and talk to you. I know you treasure your job, but school is an important matter that you can't just skip like you do. If you need any help for arranging your program and continue both, then I'm your girl."
"- Is that so." Sighed Hu tao while finally coming from the back of a pillar.
Yanfei never had faced Hu Tao, it was just a name without a face.
And yet, in a shattering corner of her memories there was this soft gaze and smile that once warmed up her. So, when the two sides of the same coin finally coincided, the overwhelming feeling of being burnt ceased her. It was strange, unsettling. She, who was known as bold and composed, suddenly just wanted to forget everything she was here for and just gently lock her gaze in the instant.
"- I'm sorry, did we already meet?" she couldn't help asking, she needed an answer.
"- I… don't know…" softly hesitated Hu Tao before talking again with confidence like nothing happened "I mean, I only remember my clients and as you proudly say, you're not a ghost and you don't even believe in them. So there's no way I could remember you – what a shame a cute face like you has nothing to do with me… Aya, I know! If you choose a coffin, I will answer all your question, hehe".
"- I would happily help you with your trade, but it's not the time nor the moment."
"- Not even worth the tease … I guess I'm stuck with answering your questions … for now~"
The wink Hu Tao offered to Yanfei only let her sigh again, concealing the fact that her beating heart wouldn't stop. Was it the price of this fate encounter – or whatever gods named this situation?! Was she supposed to read between the lines and guess the real intentions of her junior – was there even any hidden intentions …?!
"- You don't have to feel this concerned y'a know." However talked the browned hair girl again
Few were the ones who actually know about this naïve and cheesy part of Yanfei – because she always was wearing this cute or smug smile that defines her so bad, that she was also trying to keep at the exact moment. And it was a total no to let Hu Tao also know about this.
"- I am just trying to think about the possibilities for you. As your senior and a student council executive, I am in obligation to help you. Does your rejection to come frequently to school come from another reason that the Funeral parlor? Is this something linked with your relationship with other students?"
"- As if I care" only giggled Hu Tao "Actually I don't really understand their closed-mindset, but anyways, not my problem. I'm perfectly fine with the situation y'a know, you're the only one making a fuss!"
"- Again, that's my duty, Hu Tao. I have to admit I was asked to do so in the first place, but now that is a personal matter. I'm sure you perfectly know all the rules of the school, thus you can finely play with them. But I cannot allow a student to put their schooling in danger, us seniors are actually here to allow our juniors to enj – "
And again, words were flooding from the girl, naturally and yet so annoying – and yet kind of cute, because Hu Tao difficulty held back a slight laugh again. How could she help, facing the seems-so-serious Yanfei from the student council, who was actually simply rambling to hide her burning cheeks? She was not totally sure about the reason she was in that state, but for sure, the awkward glance that shattered them despite their wills was definitely involved.
"- Allow me to interrupt you here" she finally smugly whispered, stopping Yanfei in her monologue
"- Is there something you don't understand in my plan for you?"
"- I'm okay, don't worry" she answered while vaguely shaking her hands "How to put that – maybe you would understand if you came here more often, dont'cha?"
"- That is an intelligent way of thinking, but I must decline" Yanfei replied, ignoring as she could the wavering of her own voice "My whole point is that you – and in some extent, I too – have to go to school. Even the time we spend here nonchalantly speaking could be used better."
"- Oh, does that mean you don't like that?" Hu Tao teased her again
"- I-It's nothing like that! Or either that I don't like you! Oh, wait, that's not what I mean – what am I even saying? I think I'm a bit tired, I'm sorry I'm just saying nonsense…"
She could feel it – she could feel the burning feeling that was setting ablaze her whole heart and soul, because she knows she was just fantasying things again, as always. But the smile that was not weathering from the lips of the brown-haired girl was printed in her gaze, preventing the lesser coherent thought to cross her mind.
"- Aya… Let me rephrase this then. If we spend more time together, you won't have any reasons to force me to go to again, I promised."
Spend more time together…? It didn't sound that bad, didn't it?
Weeks passed as wind blows, whispering to their hearts the conversation of that day – and of all the followings. Because after that, Yanfei didn't lose hope. For her mission, as well as for the memory that she couldn't name. She was half-aware, half-convincing herself she was doing all of that for the sake of student council. But after all, days after days, she was still going every day to the Wangsheng funeral parlor; she was still chatting with Hu Tao, never forgetting her goal and still enjoying so much the moment.
And, mirrored by the light of the flames, Hu Tao had to admit she didn't hate at all the daily life that now was hers. Actually, she did go to school once in a while, because as Yanfei said, she was close to fail her attendance, not actually failing it. Somehow, she also met the pink at school, which almost was even funnier – and motivating, to be fair.
And she was pretty sure that all was going to continue on this smooth sailing for a while, because whereas she on day put a name on the burning feeling that linked her to her senior, it was pretty obvious that the senior in question was still believing she was fantasying things. What a shame.
"- Say, I have a question" however once asked Yanfei, unconsciously stepping forward with no return
"- Go on miss-legal-adviser" only teased her Hu Tao in response
"- You know this common tale about mourning a stranger, don't you?"
The youngest raised an eyebrow, surprise overflowing her. Yeah, she knew it – she was working in a funeral parlor after all. She knew all the truth behind it, all the tears and the shattering feelings of this unknown pain.
"- What do you want to know?" she still smirked
"- It's true, isn't it? It's more than just a lost folklore."
"- Tell me more."
Yanfei slightly sighed, leaning on the front desk where papers were perfectly arranged.
"- The legend says that when a person dies and no one miss them, the mourning is assigned to a random human. That's why sometimes, we feel sad for no apparent reason. It seems to be all fun and games, but I made research since the first time I came here for the stuco' sake."
"- Since the first time you came here ummm" jokingly repeated Hu Tao
"- N-Not the question now! I mean, I'm pretty sure you recalled the fact that I have the feeling I've already met you."
"- And what if?"
"- Then that's it. That's the mourning. I already came here because I was the one assigned to this mourning. But for whatever reasons, this feeling guided me here. And that is when we really first met, Hu Tao."
Ah. The shivering feeling of her saying her name at the end of this sentence among all of her talks was melting her, the fiery gaze that was locked in her not helping at all.
Because she was right, because she knew it.
Because it was not that they never met after that fateful day, it was just Hu Tao trying to deal with the situation all by herself.
"- And what if?" she whispered with a closed voice, her eyes still lost in hers
"- Then..."
Then what? Then it was a fate encounter for real? Then they were destined to be exult by the current atmosphere, lost somewhere being myth and reality – time and space?
Yanfei had did it. She had exposed all she thought to be true, with the rate of 99.99 percent in her side. She was confident, as always – but that was only the theory. When her last sentence broke apart, the mighty feelings that she couldn't control pervaded her, making her pupils shivered again.
"- T-then" she still succeeded pronouncing with pride "We were maybe destined to meet"
Hu Tao only let slight laugh cross her lips, only some centimetres apart from Yanfei's, from the other side of this front desk. It was almost as she could hear her beating heart, as she could feel her gentle warmth.
"- Maybe? You're quite pessimistic, Yanfei... You did come here every day during weeks, and you think it's a bare maybe?"
"- What do you mean... ?!"
"- ... What do you mean? Do I really have to kiss you to make up understand?"
An only thrill swiped her spine and heart, let her only abashed when Hu Tao's lips finally leaned on hers, with a softness that simply melt her. It was neither lust nor defiance – it was a gentle breath of love, a caress to tell her all that words couldn't bear. And with the shyness that hide in her heart, Yanfei simply responded to her kiss: as it was her first love, as if the contact of their hands was the only memory that now mattered. Because death and life were intertwined, and what was a better proof of living than love?
"- Do you understand now?" finally laughed Hu Tao
"- Shut up" only admitted her lover with ruddy cheeks "It's not that I didn't understand, it's just that objectively speaking the f–"
"- Yes yes" laughed again the younger while lodging a soft kiss on Yanfei's lips again, silencing her "However, you really were right about the mourning thing. With my position, it didn't take me one second to understand why you came here the first time – I mean, for the mourning. But people are afraid of death, so it's an unspoken rule to not tell people about it. Some people like you feels it, maybe because you ancestors were more than simple humans or something like that."
For once, Yanfei only let her thoughts wander, thinking about the clear explication of the girl right in front of her. Is that so. Was it really some genealogical background who pushed her in the arms of her junior? Not romantic at all.
"- Let say it was fate, that's cuter." thus she pronounced with a grin
"- Aya, what will I do with such a hopeless romantic girlfriend…" only answered Hu Tao, contrasting with the soft smile on her face
Because yeah, family background couldn't explain all this story. Somehow and somewhere, constellations perforce drew a fate in the night sky to guide her here – and looking into the bright eyes of Yanfei, Hu Tao was sure of that fact.
ayo this is the first time i write a one-shot in English ~ despite the mistakes and cie im still kinda proud and i welcome very warm all your criticism ! fiction speaking yeah this is fluff all over again for my favourite girlfriends in genshin, the story is kinda a mess but anyway lmao… (tagued h/c bc it lowkey is but i know this is not enough developed to be a real h/c) btw the mourning thing is not my idea, this is from a random post on tumblr but i thought it would fit well hu tao and yanfei. as always, leave a review to say anything (just a "it's cool" is great yk) see u !
cover by /izacchii on twitter