Chapter Text
If Guizhong was at home, she would scold Xiao for lying on the bed still covered with his school uniform. Thankfully she was with Ganyu and Ningguang for her weekly girl's day out.
Xiao couldn't care more about his 'terrible life'.
Zhongli, his long time crush and history tutor, just walked in with a sparkly $1000 (which Xiao think) engagement ring while tutoring him for his upcoming history exam, breaking the news that he was engaged with the guy who's name sounds like a toilet cleanser, Ajax.
Oh, how bad does Xiao wanted to rip off someone's head that time. Instead, he congratulates Zhongli with a hint of jealousy which he is sure his tutor won't pick up the damn hints.
Xiao was madly in love with Zhongli since he has been tutoring him for the past 2 years, calmly teaching him, giving encouraging notes, sometimes snacks for the younger before exam weeks, even giving small pats on the head when he excels his studies.
How can't Xiao fell for the older man?
Suddenly there comes Ajax, the guy Xiao sees as a rival for Zhongli. He knew Ajax had set his eyes on his tutor on the first day Zhongli introduced both of them.
The Snezhnaya boy had a smirk on his face while snaking a protective arm around Zhongli's waist, giving an eye to the shorter boy who had the urge to snap his fingers in a matter of seconds before Zhongli changed the topic. Xiao knew that him and Ajax had the same feeling to the clueless tutor and it's a race of who would have Zhongli for their own.
Xiao had kept a promise to himself that in one year he would gather up courage and confess his deepest feeling for his tutor. He had come with a bunch of plans, ideas, even he had set up the date for the confession only to be shattered down by a diamond coated ring on Zhongli's left ring finger.
The younger was the first one to open the topic, he could feel his heart squeezed as Zhongli explained that he was proposed a day before his weekly tutor which disappointed Xiao. He thought if he confessed his dying love to the tutor earlier would it make any difference ?
Instead of telling his real feelings, Xiao ended up congratulating the new couple despite the weight on his chest.
Furthermore the rest of his week didn't go well, from getting soaked head to toe after forgetting to bring his umbrella to a sprained ankle during his running warm-up.
Great his chances to be signed up for this year's Liyue Nationals just burn into ashes just because a stupid sprained ankle.
"Cheered up Xiao! There's still a chance to be signed up next year!" Xingqiu, Chonyun's boyfriend, tried to cheered him up.
The day Xiao sprained his ankle, he was immediately brought to the school infirmary and was treated by the school's nurse, Ver Goldet.
"Third years aren't allowed to sign up for the Nationals 'cause of our college entrance ex- ouch! I'm stating the facts"
Xingqiu glared at his boyfriend.
"It's nothing now, you know what? I'll just give up for the Nationals"
"What?" Both Chongyun and Xingqiu stared at their friend, disbelief.
"Wasn't the nationals your goal from the start? You've been practicing for 4 months now! You still have 2 days before the sign up closed, and-"
"Xingqiu no"
Xingqiu didn't have time to finish his sentence.
"Ver told me it would take at least 5 days before I can start running again, she prohibited me from going to the tracks"
"But, 5 days is too long! Maybe you could sneakily sign up, nobody will know that you had-"
"Xingqiu! I said ENOUGH!"
That was the first time Chongyun saw Xiao snapped at his boyfriend, he knew he's not equally physically strong to slap Xiao for yelling at his boyfriend.
Instead Chongyun stood up and helped Xingqiu who seemed on the verge of tears, "You know what Xiao? We get it, you need time alone"
As the couple walked out from the infirmary, Xiao lay back on the bed trying his best to forget everything that just happened.
Sometimes Xiao wanted his life to be perfect, okay scratch that- just got well with his expectations, not like what he had experienced now.
If only he could live a better life that's just not as miserable as his life now.
He shuffled on his bed trying to find a comfortable position to take a small nap before Guizhong comes back and started yelling at him.
...
"Venti"
Who?
"Wake up"
That's not Guizhong's voice.
"You're gonna be late for class"
???
"That's not how you wake him up, Aether"
Who is Aether?
"Then you wake him up! I'm going to be late for my class"
In a matter of seconds, Xiao could feel a hard slap on his head and waist making him groan in pain.
"The fuc-"
"Wow, drinking 11 shots of alcohol has made you brave enough to curse, huh?"
The first that Xiao saw was a girl with bright blonde hair and golden eyes, behind her was a boy with the same features. Xiao concluded both of them were twins due their similar face structure.
"What are you staring at? Get up! Do you want to graduate college or not?"
"Wha-"
"Come one Venti, you're going to be late"
The twins left Xiao in a confused state, Venti? College? Drinking alcohol?
Xiao's not even close for the legal drinking age in Liyue, who were the twins?
Why are they calling him Venti?
And why-
Before Xiao could think much further, his eyes met his reflection on the mirror beside his bed.
That day was started with Xiao's new terrible high pitch scream and the blonde girl throwing him a fist for screaming in the early morning.