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She was beautiful..
She was the most beautiful creature he ever did see..
Blonde hair..
All dressed in blue for the occassion..
Dancing gracefully on the dance floor..
"She's beautiful, isn't she?"
He blinks out of his stupor, forgetting that he's been standing there, staring at the blonde girl while she dances with her partner.
"What are you talking about?"
"I see you've been staring at her for awhile now.."
"You love her, don't you?"
He turns to look at another blonde girl beside him.
"You should've said no to my proposal, Master Diluc."
She hasn't called him that ever since they became together. Why now?
"Lumine.."
"I knew you didn't love me, Master Diluc."
"That's not true, I do love you--"
She touches his lips with her index finger to shut him up, smiling but with a hint of sadness and pain. She looks at him with unshed tears, while he looks at her apologetically.
"Don't lie to yourself like that."
"But, I'm not--"
"Don't lie to me either. I know she still has your heart."
She takes her finger off his lips, taking a step back. He takes a step forward to her, but she takes another step back again.
"Lumine.."
"I'm letting you go now, okay?"
"What--"
"Diluc..!"
He turns his head to the blonde girl dressed in white. Lumine stares at him then to Jean, she shakes her head with a pained smile, before slowly walking backwards to blend into the crowd of people dancing.
"She said yes! She finally said yes!"
"She did? Congratulations on your engagement."
"Thank you so much for helping me, for giving me confidence."
"It was no problem, glad I could help."
He indeed love Jean. But, Jean was in love with someone else. She loved Lisa for so long already. Long before he could realize that he is in love with her.
"Where's Lumine?"
"I don't know, she was just here a minute ago." He looked around for the other blonde.
"Oh.. I wanted to ask her if she can stay long in Mondstadt for our wedding. I'll go find her."
"No, it's okay. I'll find her."
Diluc runs out of the event area, looking right and left for his blonde girl, but she was no where to be found. He asked people; Amber, Noelle, Diona, Venti.. But they didn't see her either. He approached Kaeya maybe he saw her.
"She left. She was wearing her everyday clothes already when I saw her walk exit the venue."
"Did she tell you where she was going?"
"She never told me. Shouldn't you know where she goes?"
I never ask her about her locations, because I know she would be alright, she's a tough girl.
He waited that night for her, but when morning came, she never did.
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Days, turned to weeks, turned to months, but still no news about her. Even his sources hasn't seen her nor heard from and about her. He's been dreaming of her. Every night he would see her smile, hearing her soft humming like she always does every night when he has nightmares, but it showed that she was in pain. He did that to her.
"Master Diluc, I've liked you for a very long time now. And.. Well.."
"What is it, Lumine?"
"Will you have dinner with me sometime?"
"Uhm, sure.. I'd love to have dinner with you."
"Really??"
"Yes, really." That brought a smile on his face.
"Thank you, Master Diluc! I'll see you later!"
He watches her run somewhere to the Adventurer's Guild, while Charles just chuckles at him.
Their dinners grew to everyday company. After doing her commissions, she would wait for him in Angel's Share, then they would go home together to Dawn Winery. 'Master Diluc' became 'Diluc' soon after.
He can't lie, she brings a smile to his face. Not even Jean can do that.
But, she always knew that he never loved her like she did. It was always Jean that had his heart, but she never said anything. Even though her heart is already breaking into pieces.
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Another dream of her. Her soft humming echoing all around him.
"Lumine?"
She turns around to face him. Her eyes widen.
"Lumine.."
"Master Diluc, what are you doing here?"
"I came looking for you."
"Why?"
"I.. I was wrong. I made a mistake. I'm sorry."
"Your heart still chooses someone else, Master Diluc.."
"Stop.. Stop calling me that. Call me by my name like before. And, you're wrong.. You're wrong. I choose you!"
Lumine shakes her head, tears falling on her cheeks. He approaches her, hugging her tightly, but her body.. It was slowly crumbling and turning to dust.
"No.. No, no.. Lumine.."
"I love you, Master Diluc. Even if you don't love me back."
Knees meets ground, as her body fully fades away into the wind.
"LUMINE!"
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The dreams were always the same, but, instead of her body crumbling, she just disappears before he could say anything. He should have chosen to run after her, instead of turning himself away from her.
He was desperate. He needed to know if she was alright. As he was in Mondstadt walking towards Angel's Share, he saw the Fatui boy and asked a favor.
Where could she be??
_______________________________________________________________
"Master Diluc?"
Adelinde's voice brings him back from his thoughts, then looks at her with a worried expression.
"What is it?"
"Someone named Tartaglia is here, asking for you."
"Tartaglia?"
The Fatui boy?
Childe waits by the center of the house, eyes dull, but this time, it was duller.
"What brings you here, Fatui?"
"Master Diluc.."
"Well?"
"I'm here about Lumine."
Diluc's eyes widens a bit.
"We found her."
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"Where is she?"
"Beidou. She saw Lumine lying on the ground on Guyun Stone Forest--"
"How is she?"
Childe shakes his head looking down on the ground. "She was no longer breathing when she got to her."
What..
"Master Diluc, Lumine is gone."
"What..?"
"Lumine's gone.."
"She's in Wangsheng Funeral back in Liyue. I'm sorry, Master Diluc."
"No.. No, that's not true. That's not true! You're lying, Fatui!" He grabbed the Fatui by the collar, unshed tears in his eyes. Childe's eyes may be dull, but it was telling him that he wasn't lying.
He really didn't lie.
His heart. It felt heavy.
He could feel it breaking into pieces as seconds pass by after hearing the news.
Those dreams were true?
His knees started to feel weak.
Before his eyes could close, he could see the Fatui calling out his name and seeing the maids running to his aid.
She's gone.
He let darkness take him.
Take him deep into whatever dark corner he could imagine. But, it won't stop the pain in his heart. The churning, punching feeling in his heart. His heart once was filled with someone else, was breaking even more at the news of Lumine being gone in this world.
No more soft humming to keep the nightmares at bay.
No more soft laughter to fill his mansion.
No more hearing her voice calling out his name.
No more..
Please.. Come back..
Lumine..
I'm sorry..
I'm so sorry..
He falls deeper into darkness and unconsciousness as her soft humming voice slowly fades away into nothing.
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She was beautiful.. She will always be beautiful to him.
She was the most beautiful creature he ever did see. And she will always be.
Beautiful blonde hair like the sun, surrounded by blue and white flowers.
All dressed in white.
A red rose by her hand. His heart is with her, and will always be with her until the end of his time.
Floating gracefully on the water.
And her soft voice fades away as she floats.