«You can do this, Furina. After all, it's just an act»

As one thought coming to the head of dancing girl, she continues her marvelous performance. Each step, swirl and move of her body were accurate and perfected in their own way, even considering the exterior of her performance, room she was in, her dress and music choice. She was at home, training as she always does at this time of day, in the room full of the mirrors, and as she goes on and on, a little tear comes down her cheek, in the exact moment of culmination, the most important part of any performance, and as she does her adieu arc, she gazes upon the mirror, into the eyes of her mirror-self.

«You truly are my perfect human»

These words... Is it another play of her mind, or distant memory? She doesn't exactly know, but they feel so familiar. Each time she sees herself in a mirror, while wearing this wig, each time she gets some distant ghost or a memory, something she couldn't fully grasp or comprehend, something hidden by mist she couldn't allay. Distant emotion and words that were hidden deeply into her heart and soul. Something she wanted to leave for her. But, as she got rid of the wig, which just imitated what would her hair look like if it was long enough, she heard three claps. It's always this three claps. As she turned her head towards the source of the sound, she saw Surintendante Chevalmarin, beautiful lady with strict, emotionless face, she always had her glasses on, and this lady is the person responsible for all her plans, trainings and free time management. After all, this is the order she had from Egeria, mother of Furina. "Nice work, Focalors. Now you can rest for fifteen minutes and have a tea, after this, you'll continue your singing classes." she said, without any emotion behind her words. Coldness, that pierced through girl heart. As it always did.

"I see, thanks for your work, Surintendante. Will you join me?" answer with a glimpse of hope left Furina, but, she only saw a negative head shake as response, and with that, she leaves the room, coming towards kitchen. It was one of the houses that family «de Fontaine» had, Egeria wasn't living with Furina after the certain event happened, which took one dear to them both person away. It was her sister, Focalors. Actually, they were twins, similar in everything, but only difference was their talent. Focalors - natural born actress with great imagination, and Furina, on the other hand, always loved music and singing over everything else. But, even thought their mother loved them both, Furina always was... More shy. Closed, even. She lived in her sisters shadow, and while her sister shined so bright to be called "uprising star of all Fontaine", she herself never had much interest or hard work invested into her, not before Focalors died by disease. It struck so hard that even Egeria started to call her Focalors, and it didn't end there, Furina herself made a promise for her sister to make her dream come true and live a life she always wanted to.

Actually, for some reason she doesn't remember exact wording of that promise, but this "act of becoming Focalors" started from there, with grieving mother trying to return something she lost, and grieving sister trying to leave a strain of her star to this world, something everyone would keep as memory, so she will be alive, forever, not in the matter, but in the minds of people. The only bad part is that Furina herself doesn't have chance to show her own personality to anyone, and, honestly, with each passing day it's becoming harder and harder to keep this burden on her shoulders. She has some friends, or course, they're not so close as she thinks of it, but they're nice people. Even though it's the teachers of university she attends to...

"Oh, Furina! Welcome to the table, I've got your favourite cake, shall I ask Gentilhomme Usher to make some tea?" welcoming, warm voice of Mademoiselle Craballeta, her maid and person that raised her instead of Egeria. Every time she saw Furina, her eyes showed happiness. Something, that Furina truly adores from this woman. No one else showed her something like that, on this behalf, Craballeta is the most close person she has as of right now.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mademoiselle, but, i don't have much free time to attend today's tea party, so, I politely shall deny your request." she answered with exhaustion in her voice. But instead of agreement, she saw how Craballeta took a spoon, came closer to refrigerator, got the piece of cake, and her hand slowly reached the piece on dish.

"Oh, such an inconvenience... This cake is so sweet when savored fresh, oh- Strawberry cheesecakes, well. If you don't want to, Lady Furina, I will eat it for myse..." but as she tried to end her sentence, Furina sneaked to her back and stole dish with the piece right from her hands! "Well, as I can see, you definitely crave that piece. Usher! Wake up, you old man, and make our lady some fine tea!" Craballeta continued, upping her tone in couple of octaves, making poor, old Gentilhomme Usher wake up from his nap right at the table, and only thing he answered was typical «Ho-ho...»

Well... Furina never heard him saying something other than this "Ho-ho" in completely separate intonations, that signified his perception of different situations. She truly adored each one of them. Usher and Craballeta did so much things for her, and Chevalmarin too... But some reason she was so cold and distant, this distance between them makes Furina think that it's her failure. As if she needs to work even more, so she will get approval, or even slightest, smallest smile? These people were her entire world, after all. If we won't consider those friends from University. "Thank you so much, Gentilhomme!" she smiled when old man handed her tea, and they began their little bonding tea party.

Furina was telling about all little silly stories that happened with her during day, Usher answered with different tones of "Ho-ho", and Craballeta, while listening, seemed that Furina's monologue was the most interesting thing she ever heard. Everything was alright, even more, this time was so great for her that Furina forgot about time completely, and instead of 15 minutes she stayed here a little more than half an hour. And in the moment of one of her stories coming to an end, door opened again. Surintendante Chevalmarin face always lacked emotions, but Furina could tell when she is more tense.

"Miss Focalors, I hope you have a worthy cause for your tardiness?" said Chevalmarin, piercing through Furina with her eyes.

"Oh, Chevalmarin, sit with us, let's drink some tea. You don't need to stand there." Craballeta answered, seeing how sad Furina became in one second. But she quickly returned her self control. What a girl...

"We have appointments, day is not ended yet, and she still should attend to classes..." cold logic and plans, something she always related to much more, than emotions or thoughts of «what would be better». At least, Furina never saw her to think over those matters.

"Yes, I'm sorry for causing trouble. Let me just..." Furina stood up, but feeling emotional exhaustion and understating that she won't be able to contribute to everything Chevalmarin needs from her, Furina dramatically closed her eyes with a hand and fell on her back with exhale.

"See? Poor girl. She's falls out of nowhere! Give her some time." Craballeta, of course, saw through her plays, but couldn't help herself worry a little. "Usher, get the bath ready, I think it'll be a perfect end to such an exhausting day for Lady Furina."

"Usher, Craballete. We have orders." said Chevalmarin.

"We will discuss that later, and now, don't make things even harder and let little girl get some rest. Go, watch your beloved Liyue Dramas" ended Craballeta seeing how Chevalmarin surrendered with another exhale, leaving the room.

"Well... You can stand up, Furina. Bath will be ready soon, don't mind it, I'll talk it over, just go straight to sleeping after you end bathing, tomorrow you have classes, right?" Craballete asked, while helping Furina to stand up. Sadly, she got a little bruise from falling, but there was nothing she could do. Furina, without answering, just left to the bath.

Water procedures in any form were one of her most favourite ways to spend time, especially bathing in warm water. "Water wash all thoughts away" as someone said, but it wasn't certainly true. Or, maybe, just not her case? She keeps overthinking over anything happening in her life, and while water covers her, she can dive in, fully covering her face, to let those thoughts leave her head with couple of tears. This calm nothingness and feeling of cutting yourself out of reality actually helped her to keep herself together at certain times, and now too, after all, she still can't play this «perfect role of Focalors» everyone wanted to see. Well, actually, more like only her mother and Chevalmarin? Other "close" people she had were nothing more than persons she'd consider «closest to friends» out of everyone. She can't be herself with other people, because she already lost the grasp of where is this "she", and where is the «act» she needs to play. Which emotions are her own, and which are emotions Focalors would show? She didn't know. But someday she hoped to take this burden, at least for a minute. No, ten, maybe, would be enough? Or, at least a day... A day of being herself, isn't this something... Magnificent? Feeling that so many people have, but will not appreciate till everything starts to fall apart. With those thoughts she ended her bathroom procedures, using hair dryer to dry out hair, and putting on a bathrobe, leaving bathroom and heading to her bedroom.

"No, Craballeta. We. Have. Orders. My whole life is circling around them, and everything M'lady Egeria would ever ask me, I'll do without any doubt, even if I'll feel as a monstrosity doing this." Yelling. Again. Nothings new, «I again caused a trouble» Furina thought.

"I don't care what type of grooming you've came upon and what she did to you, but you're not Lady Egeria servant anymore, you serve to Furina, just as me and Usher, but also you need to understand that this girl is not her—". Furina puts on her headphones, closes the door, and plays first song she saw on her phone playlist. She didn't really care which one of them it would be, she just needed something to cut herself out of the world for the next thirty minutes. She knew that Craballeta hates to make her uncomfortable by those kinds of situations, but it's something that happens at least once per month. Well, actually, that's the perfect moments for her to cry out, no one will hear this or ask what happened. Something she'd never actually experienced, but also felt like she would never want to. And as time passed by, her phone got a message saying «One match found».

"I thought, that I deleted that thing already... Huh? Ha...ha-ha-ha... Is this Evangelion reference? This guy definitely has some sense of humour to him." she said, with... interest? "But what about this pickup line, Neuvillette... Oh gosh... Phahaha~"

Even though in normal circumstances she'd never in her life would consider this profile as something she'd be interested upon, but right now, it's something that made her emotions and thoughts fly away to complete other direction, she stands up, comes to her bed and lays down, researching his profile. They're from the same university? Law court... This guy should be pretty serious and smart? Image does not give off that looks at all tho... But she couldn't help but smile for some reason, so, she decided to answer after some time. "Ha-ha, you're a desperate one, I see? But there's some match in our interests, and we even are from same university~ Wanna meet up after classes?" she texted with grievous smile on her face. He for sure will back off after that, yeah? Who with profile picture LIKE THAT would EVER consider meeting up a precious lady like her on the first day?"

"I'm sorry about that line... Don't think about this much. If you'd be comfortable enough, I know a great cafeteria, well, it's more like an cafe with home cooking made by one old couple, not so popular, but a great place to talk."

"D-did he just... Invited me to a date for himself!? After I already did it??? Who this guy thinks he is, huh?" she sounded confused, but... There was some happiness behind it. She decided to play some more. «oh, you won't back up after that pick up line, boy. It's nothing someone could ever forget. In the sense of how miserable this attempt was» inner dialogue slipped through her mind again.

"Already asking me join you on a date?~ You're that type of guy... I see... Well, you're lucky today, I will accept that." after this he should consider backing up! For this time for real!

"I'm sincerely thankful, Lady Furina. Let's meet up at the back exit after the classes end."

"Lady? •/• Well.. Okay. I'll be there." she threw her phone off with fully red face, not only this guy just reinvited her to the date, but also tried to be a gentleman after such a line he gave? Who is this chaos incarnated? She couldn't think of no one of the people she knew... There was no one she knew from law court for sure, so... Everything that is left is to await tomorrow? Maybe... Maybe it's the chance? But Chevalmarin would never approve something like that... "Only if I ask, though. Hm~" With these thoughts she didn't even noticed how she fell asleep. But, also, she didn't have any dreams, for the first time in eons, per se! Incredible night.

"Ho-ho." Sounded right at the door.

"O-oh? Gentilhomme Usher? It's you? Ugh... just leave tea on my table..." answered still sleepy Furina to her butler, which, as in every morning, made her some tea to wake up. And she, as always, was thankful for that.

"So... This is the day, yes? Oh, i hope I won't regret it..." Quickly standing up, she even more energetic ran towards bathroom, brushing teeth, making those kinds of girl preparations that would take hours in normal situations but she didn't want to, so she did everything in thirty minutes or so, and then, she started to deciding about her clothes... It's gonna be a long date, as she hoped, at least, but there's one problem... She didn't want to attract any interest towards her in the university, so, at the same time it should be something that would let her to blend in the crowd... And she chose skinny jeans, oversized navy coloured tucked in sweater, and then she tied her short hair into a small, but pretty cute ponytail, also wearing a mask. Well, with mask she's almost invisible, without it she is breathtaking, everything's she planned. "Let's see what this day will bring, shall we, Furina? " she said with a soft smile, while all her thoughts just floated towards expectations.

"I DIDN'T MEAN TO BRING ME BEING LATE ON LAST CLAASSS THOOO" she whimpered, while running to music classroom, well, that was quite a story, actually! For some reason, today EVERYTHING was against her. She was chosen to bring some papers to other classes by her group headman, she got late on her act classes, art history, teacher of Fontaine national opera history asked her to stay after class to discuss her last work, that he, actually, found exceptional. Well, who could think of opposite? She's one of the most intellectually talented students of University. But, anyway, as she ran vigorously, she... Slipped. And with fear in her eyes started falling, this will hurt, or even make her unable to walk...? How much of a failure she'll be if she won't go to the date SHE accepted??

"Oh... Good that I've chosen this path today. Are you okay?" someone with pretty and soft voice asked. This certain someone catched her with one hand, and she, seemingly, just kept laying on him, and as she looked who it was, she saw a tall man with silver hair, glasses, in turtleneck and coat... And less to say, he was hot as hell. What even worse - they maintained eye contact, and oh god, from what moment humans have eyes like this?? And purple color? Well, she feels how her face got all red in an instant.

"He-he... Uh... Pretty eyes you have?" she said, while her inner Furina answered «Degenerate. Burn in hell. OUT OF ALL THINGS YOU SAID THIS?»

"Oh... I'm sincerely thankful for your kind words, M'lady. Yours are extravagant too, I'd say." his face didn't show any emotion, but, for some reason Furina felt that he was amused by this little talk.

"Well, I think we both need to continue heading to our destinations, don't we?" he continued, after caringly putting her back on foot, so she could continue her path.

"T-thanks again." she added

"Nothing for, it was a pleasure to have this little chat." he answered, continuing his path.

"Don't even think about this, Furina. O-oh! Class! I forgot!!" And she continued her running, but, she got lucky and attended last class in time, thankfully, it's the class led by Venti, and he's either seemingly drunk, or really drunk-drunk. No one knows why he's allowed to lead class in national university, but his knowledge towards music is outstanding, like, there was no question about a song or part he didn't know, maybe, because he always had a way to make his students interested in his classes and had all that knowledge behind him, he's allowed to keep doing those «little mistakes». Today, at least, he was just «seemingly drunk».

"Well, everyone is here, so i can start. To my «deepest regret», it's one of our last lessons for this semester. But, for you, my students, I thought... Would they really like this big, boring text examination? And theeen... Well... Nah, I'm going to do it my own way. Every one of you in order of how you entered class will play or sing your favorite song you learned this semester, that'll do for me. After all, it's a knowledge test, and music is not texts you write, but everything that makes you whole as a person, poured through your soul to everyone who listens". Thankfully, Furina entered as last person, so, she just sat there listening to changing of genres, styles and experiences upon each student, jazzy motives, rock, ballad-like songs, opera singing. Each one of her class was extraordinary in their own way, and, honestly, all that thanks to Venti, he somehow knew how to take that sacred "best" part of your talent and make it shine. Even tho he didn't care about homework and exams, everyone, always attended to them. Not because they made to, but because they truly wanted to. He's a blessing to this University.

"Well, Focalors, before we start, will you start what makes you so... uh... «out of typical»? You're nervous." he definitely was interested. Venti is not the type of person to be easily fooled by someone's act, especially if he knows this certain someone for a long period of time. And he for the first time in pretty long period saw a crack of her mask.

"Well, let's get back on it after I'll finish the song." she answered, preparing herself.

"Oh, and what was your choice?"

"The Little Oceanid". she added, seemingly acknowledging herself. It's not an easy part. And she knows how hard this song is and how challenging it is to sing it without enough time for preparations, but she was ready.

"O-oho~ You've made a great one, well, shall we listen to your skills?" He chuckled, and as he did, she started singing giving it all out, after all, there was no one around anymore, honestly, even Venti was charmed. Her voice is outstanding, out of this world, when she really tries to give herself into music. And for some reason today she was more "her" than she ever was. And if he already knew that she passed with highest grade, his interest towards her little nervous state that she always masked before was bigger and bigger with each second. And as she ended her part, Venti stood up out of his table, coming at her and clapping.

"Great. I hope someday I'll be able to accompany your singing with my instruments. You pass, Focalors. But, is there a reason for this state?"

"...Well, you are my friend, so, I think, it's nothing if I'll tell you? There's that guy... Let me show, actually." she quickly took her phone out of pocket and started to search something in her photo gallery.

"Guy?" he said with shock on his face, Furina, tho, didn't even catch that, her mind was in another place at this point.

"Yeah, yeah... Oh, found him! We're getting on a date after classes. Here he is." and then she shown his photo, this 144p atrocity of evangelion reference. Venti felt like he will burst out in laughter, but he did hold himself, it wasn't a place or time for this.

"Date? He?" Venti for real was shocked. He didn't seemed so, but he truly was. Especially considering what abomination of a profile picture he looked at. That's some sort of joke, ye?

"Well, am I free to go?"

"O-oh. Yes, yes. I won't take your time anymore."

"Thank you, Venti. I shall go then, have a nice day~"

"Y-you too..." And as she did leave the classroom, he waited for half a minute, and then RAN towards teachers room, where his friends should've gathered at this point, he was there in no meantime, opening it and trying to shout out info, but...

"I... I don't want this, thank you, Ei." said person that stands right at the window, drinking green tea out of chinese style cup. History teacher, Zhongli.

"Zhongli, I've made this bento for you... You can't live out of one tea!" answered woman with long, purple hair, she had a bento box in her hands and tried really hard to give it to Zhongli. But, each time someone of this group tried her cooking... well... No one saw them for weeks... Technology teacher, Raiden Ei.

"W-well, Ei, let him be, you know?" asked woman with long, pointy ears, white hair and emerald-green eyes. Psychology/Philosophy teacher, Nahida.

"But Nahida... It's the best seafood bento I've ever made..." at this point Ei sounded so sad, that Zhongli couldn't ignore it anymore, and made heroic statement:

"Well. I will eat it. Leave it on my desk, friend."

"Okay~ Oh? Venti? Have you already ended your last class" and now she reacted to Venti, who for all this time just stood at the door and breathed heavily.

"EMERGENCY SITUATION, YOU ALL, F—" he tried to say, but was interrupted by people who already had more than hundred of those «emergency situations».

"I won't give you money anymore." said Zhongli.

"No, I won't make a marionette clone of you, so you could sneak off work." said Ei.

"Eeh... I don't quite want to drink with you after last time, Venti..." said Nahida.

"You guys really think so low of me?!" Venti asked

"Yes?" all of them answered in perfect synchronization.

"FURINA IS GETTING HIT ON, YOU ALL." Venti made last, desperate attempt to get their attention.

"...So?" asked Zhongli.

" ..Isn't that... Normal, considering her age?" asked Nahida. Ei, though, stays silent.

"You all don't understand? What if it's another freak?" Venti tried to get this thought in their heads, but, Zhongli and Nahida just exhaled.

"...And what do you want for us to do about it? Read the future?" Nahida asked.

"No, it's much easier. We should just go and look on them, Teehe~" he said, like it was most logical thing, even though he just asked 3 teachers to stalk on a student.

"Your concerns are formidable, but don't escalate situati... Ei, where are you dragging me, can you tell, please?"

"Venti, don't do this..."

Ei took Zhongli by elements of his clothes, Venti, on his manner, took Nahida by the hand and they 4 gone to an exit. What was happening on the "back exit"? Well, Furina already made her last steps towards main surprise of the day, this photo she saw couldn't give any info regarding his appearance, all she known was his name, and even though she is pupil in this University, she has almost zero people she knew here, not regarding teachers, of course. But, as she exited building, she saw a familiar figure.

"Oh, so, after all, it is you, Lady Furina. Just as I thought. I couldn't miss that eyes of yours." he said with same emotionless expression, that somehow gave off warmth. «Are you kidding me? He is Neuvillette?» the only thought she had in her head at this moment. This was unexpected, but... What else could happen this day?

"Well, and you are Monsieur Neuvillette, as I can say. That's pleasure to see you again." she said, as she took her mask off. Eyes of Neuvillette widened a little, he didn't look like he was in shock, but she for sure could say that he liked the view, and that made her smile even more.

"Be careful on the stairs, please. Need a hand?" he took some steps towards her and asked her to take his hand.

"You're full of surprises, don't you?" she laughed off, but took his hand to come down to him. Well, this day truly must be interesting.