Chapter Text
Have you ever wondered what it feels like to pose as your twin replacement feels like? Are you wondering whether this kind of thing is exciting or not? Well, the answer to those questions is it feels terrible to do this, and I feel like in hell right now. Wait, before you can argue with me regarding my answer to those questions, let me explain my situation first.
A few days ago...
“Quick! Switch the channel to channel 7. Your twin brother is performing right now!!!” Amber who is sitting beside me quickly grab the remote and switches the channel from a fashion channel to a music show channel.
“Geez… As expected from 4NEMO hardcore fans, never miss a single music show that 4NEMO attend.” I heard Keqing shouting from the kitchen after hearing the commotion Amber made just now.
“Oh, shut up… as if you didn’t do the same when DCKZ is having their comeback show, you DCKZ’s nerd.” Said Amber with a little pout on her lips.
I could only laugh while listening to my friend's small bickering because of their idols. Amber and Keqing are both my friends since I started living in the university dorm. At first, we live in the university dorm and we decide to rent our own place since it is giving more benefit for us than living in the dorm. Amber is a hardcore fan for 4NEMO, meanwhile, Keqing is a hardcore fan for DCKZ. 4NEMO and DCKZ are both popular boybands that has a large fanbase. It is no wonder that the two groups are often depicted as a rival when it comes to a year-end award for the grand prize. Although their favorite boyband is each other rival, they still support each other since they believe that behind the stage, both 4NEMO and DCKZ are friends with one another.
“Lumine, will you meet Aether this weekend? I heard you mention you will be coming home for a family dinner this Saturday.” Amber asked me while her eyes were still glued to the TV screen.
“Yeah, probably. I haven’t heard from him whether he is attending or not. He is quite busy as you know he still needs to practice since they just finished recording a new album.”
Well, you must be wondering why I speak as if my twin brother is part of the idol world. Yes, you guess it right. My twin brother, who is Aether, is part of the 4NEMO boyband. It is not a secret from my friends regarding Aether is my twin brother. After we decide to live together in this rented apartment, they accidentally saw a picture of me and Aether in my room when we clean our apartment together. At that time, it was total chaos since Amber could not believe that she lived together with the twin sister of the person that she idolized. Well, as for Keqing, since she is not interested in 4NEMO she just asks me whether I knew DCKZ members or not.
“So, this weekend you will sleep at your home?” Keqing who had just finish cooking her pasta decides to join us for watching the music show.
“Yeah. Do you guys want to give something to your idols? I could relay it to them.” Both Amber and Keqing quickly nod their head. Sometimes, when I meet Aether, I will give a present from Amber to him, and sometimes Keqing will also give her handwritten letter to me to give to Aether, and Aether will relay it to Zhongli, one of the DCKZ members when they meet during a show.
***
I nearly drop my eyes when I saw Aether with a wheelchair in my rented apartment. I just finish packing my stuff and decide to hop on to the kitchen to pack some snacks for my trip to my home tomorrow. Before I could reach the kitchen, I heard our apartment bell is ringing. Quickly I open my door and there he is. In a wheelchair with the rest of the 4NEMO members behind his wheelchair. Aether just casually push his wheelchair with his hands to come into my rented apartment. While the rest of the 4NEMO members are politely entered my rented apartment with apologetic faces. I quickly scan the hallway for making sure no one saw 4NEMO entering my rented apartment.
“Lumine… Who is com…..” I heard Amber and Keqing coming outside of their room and there they are… frozen in the spot when they saw 4NEMO in our rented apartment.
“Oh… My… Gosh…”
“Ke… Keq… Keqing… Ple.. Please… Pinc… Pinch me…! This is real right? Aaaaaa!!!!” Amber starts frantically pinching herself after not receiving any reaction from Keqing since she is still frozen in her place. I think Keqing is also shocked since a literal idol is in her apartment even though she is not a fan of 4NEMO. I hurriedly go to my friends and tried to snap them back into reality.
“Guys… I know this is sudden, but please be quiet… we don’t want to alarm the neighbor and cause commotion right?” Keqing finally snap from her frozen state and nodded in agreement when she heard me. Meanwhile, Amber still trying to normalize her heartbeat with a deep breath while I take it as a yes from her to keep quiet.
With both of my friends on my side, we approach the 4NEMO which now are sitting on our sofa in the living room. With a deep breath, I decide to open the conversation. “Now… please kindly explain what is the meaning for all of this?”
“Oh… my twin sister… What’s with the serious look? I just want to visit and meet you. You know, I kinda miss you since we almost didn’t meet for a month.” Aether grinning from ear to ear. Yeah, the last time I saw him was last month during 4NEMO’s concert. And after that, Aether has been busy preparing for their new music album so we don’t have that chance to meet and hang out.
“Oh, please Aether. Tomorrow we are gonna meet. I know that is not your real reason to be here. Besides, you will not bring these three with you if you just missed me. Oh, and do also explain why you are in a wheelchair.”
“Okay… But before that, why not introduce ourselves first? Since I never meet your housemates.” I respond to his statement with a glare which means I need his explanation first before anything else.
“Okay, okay… geez what a strict twin sister I have. Okay, so here is the thing. We are practicing for our future performance, then I twisted my ankle, and apparently after going to the doctor, the doctor informed me that my tendon in my ankle is torn and I need to undergo surgery which will be healed completely in 12 weeks, but I can also use it again after 4 weeks.” Then, Aether stops explaining while I still waiting for the continuation of his story.
“And….?”
“And… here I am in a wheelchair.” Aether starts grinning from ear-to-ear again as if he is proud of his little accident. I rolled my eyes and decide to ask the other members since I know that Aether will not give me a straightforward answer to my question.
“Okay, Venti. Now explain why you guys decide to accompany Aether here.” Venti who is one of the eldest members of 4NEMO flinched when I called his name. Weird, usually he will respond all giddy whatever the question that comes his way. I almost never see him in a flustered situation.
“Uhm… you see, as Aether said we are practicing for the future performance right. And then he tore his tendon and now he cannot perform with us.” Venti stops his answer as he is fidgeting with his braid.
“And then?” Okay, now I feel like I want to punch something since both Venti and Aether are not giving a straightforward answer.
“So, sincewecannotpostponedtheperformanceweneedyoutoreplaceAether.” Venti quickly finishes his answer at a really quick pace until I cannot understand what he is trying to say.
“Is it only me that I can’t hear what is he saying?” I turn my head to face both my friends who still standing beside me. Both Amber and Keqing said that they also didn’t quite catch what Venti mean since he spoke so fast.
“Dear Archons, please can you speak normally. It’s not like I will punch you guys because of Aether's injury.”
“Okay, Lumine. We are gonna straightforward now.” Kazuha who is the youngest member finally decided to jump in since he thought that the rest of the members are not gonna able to tell the real reason they are here.
“Finally, someone who is brave enough to give a straightforward answer,” Keqing said quietly beside me, which makes me hold my laughter since she said the exact same words that are inside my mind.
“Since Aether is injured and we cannot postpone the performance and future shows, we kindly ask your cooperation for replacing Aether for 4 weeks. Since you know, you two are practically a twin and you can just wear a wig to match Aether’s hair length.”
I feel like a bomb just drop inside my rented apartment which makes my mouth drop open and not only my mouth but also Amber and Keqing. Yeah, I guess it is the most human reaction upon hearing something so shocking. It is not every day that you will hear something to say “Heey, you need to pose as your twin brother and do his work.” And most importantly, his work is part of coming out for a music show that can be seen by the whole world that has a TV in their home. I feel like I just want to faint and wake up with all of this as a dream.
“Hello…? Teyvat to Lumine, are you still here?” I heard Xiao asking me and saw his hand waving in front of my face. Which snapped me back into reality. Now I feel I really want to punch my twin brother that makes this ridiculous situation a reality.
“Uhm… do you guys need something to drink? Is orange juice ok with you guys?” I decide to brush the information I just received as misinformation that I don’t need to process further.
“Yeah, orange juice is fine.” Venti looked a little apologetic while answering my question.
“Okay, while I prepare it you guys can introduce yourself to my housemates.” I quickly go to the kitchen and prepare the orange juice for those people.
***
Back to the present time
Well, that’s my story. And you know how it ends right? Yeah, after a thorough explanation for the second time and most of it Aether and Venti frantically begging me to do this for a while, with an addition of some pushes from both Amber and Keqing I finally decide to agree on this plan of replacement while Aether is recovering from his injury.
And here I am, sitting in a meeting room together with the other 4NEMO members while wearing a wig and a band-aid over my chest to suppress my breasts to look exactly the same as Aether.
“Lumi… I mean, Aether today we are meeting Dainsleif who is in charge of our TV show with DCKZ.” Venti said brief me about today's meeting.
“Oh, I see…” I just nod before realizing something,
“WAIT… WHAT?!?!” I cannot suppress my shocked voice after realizing I need to act as Aether in front of other people beside people on the other side of the TV. Oh, Archons please have mercy on me. I desperately pray that Aether will happily walking inside the meeting room and said that he is healthy to continue his job.
“Sssshhh… Lumi…, I mean Aether please keep your voice down. It’s only a meeting.”
“What you guys never told me that in the near future I need to interact with other groups.” I glared at the three of them and they just answer with an apologetic face, again.
Not long after that, I heard the door is open and I saw four men walking into the chair opposite us to take their seats. I know they are DCKZ, since Keqing has their poster fill out her bedroom. I think the one who sits in the opposite direction from me is Childe. Accidentally, I made eye contact with him and quickly I avert my gaze towards Xiao who is sitting beside me.
“What happened?” Xiao asked me since I abruptly faced him.
“Nothing, I just made eye contact with Childe. I don’t want them to find out that I’m not the real Aether.” I whisper quietly to Xiao as I slowly return to face Childe but without looking straight to him.
“Don’t worry, we are gonna protect your identity. Besides, it is our promise when we offer this thing right?” Xiao answered with a little smile that reassures me. Kazuha who is silently listening to our conversation also smiles and nods as an assurance that they will protect me. Meanwhile, Venti is busy arguing with Zhongli about whose Pokemon is the strongest.
“I see you all already in here.” I heard a man's voice when the door is open, and I saw a tall guy with a blue cape and an eyepatch. I think this is the man called Dainsleif that Venti just inform me about not long ago.
“Can we start the meeting now? I guess we are all excited about this tv program, right?”
What kind of TV program is crazy enough to invite both 4NEMO and DCKZ together? I guess this TV station got a load of the budget since they can invite both of the top boybands in the whole Teyvat.
“As you guys already know, you guys will live together in a house that the TV station has rented out for this program. And we will observe and show your daily life together since apparently there are many people that want to see your friendship despite your rivalry in the music chart.”
After hearing what Dainsleif is saying, I feel like another bomb has been exploded in front of my face for the second time. I slowly step on Venti’s feet and glared at him when he tried to shove my feet away.
“We will start filming the TV program next Monday, which is in three days. So make sure you are ready and informed that your daily life will be filmed between 10 AM and 6 PM for one month. This also means, that you will not have any other schedule besides filming this TV program or you can call it a full month holiday for your hectic schedule.” Dainsleif finally finished his briefing while I still stepping on Venti’s feet.
***
“What the hell was that?!” I frantically ask the rest of the group. As expected, all of them avoided my eyes and my question.
“Oh, I forgot that I still need to meet with Gorou to discuss our new song arrangement. See you later guys.” Kazuha immediately fled to the front door and vanish before I can stop him from leaving.
“Well, this boy should also leave since I got something to do as the leader of this group. I need to make a few arrangements before putting off our schedules for one month. Now please excuse this boy.” And there he goes, Venti also gone as fast as using the glider when in this universe the glider doe does not exist.
Ok. My last hope. “Xiao? Care to explain?” I looked over to Xiao, and I realize Xiao is not in the room anymore. These boys sure are moving fast as the wind when there is a typhoon. Well, I guess I will get my answer from my crazy beloved twin brother.
“Hey, how’s your first day at work? Nice right?” I was greeted by a cheerful face that have the exact same features as mine. Who else if it is not Aether. I have decided to seek the answer for this dumb TV show that I need to attend while posing as Aether’s replacement.
“Nope. Don’t give me that cheerful expression. I believe you owe me some explanation.”
“Uh, about what? If you could enlighten me, I shall answer any question you have O my dear savior.” I rolled my eyes looking and listening to Aether's dumb little act.
“Cut the dumb act, Aether. I’m serious. You must know what I’m talking about. The other three members must have told you about what happened. Oh, forget it. You probably already know about that dumb TV show and that’s why you ask me to replace you since you cannot go missing in that TV show. Plus, that TV show cannot be postponed right?” and now I guess smoke can be seen escaping from my head.
“Well, you are correct. Ding dong Daeng… 100 points for my clever twin sister, Lumine. I’m proud of you sist.”
“AETHER! SERIOUSLY!”
“Ok… Ok… Geez. Chill sist… It’s just a TV show, right? And besides, you already know them.”
“That’s not the problem. The problem is you ask me to be your replacement to cover for your upcoming new songs promotion. Not to cover your to live with a bunch of boys while I tried to conceal my identity as a girl to the other four boys. Oh, and for the note. I don’t know them at all.”
“Okay, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the TV show. But, I’m not lying though. It is correct that the TV show is for promoting the new song since it will be aired when the new song is released next month. So it is indeed a promotion activity.”
I could not believe what I had just heard. I feel dumbfounded because I silently agree that is part of a promotion activity for the new song and it is not entirely wrong though.
“Come on, Lumine. It’s only for one month and I promise the other 4NEMO members will protect you. Besides, if you help me this time. I will help you even when you ask me something impossible to do.” Aether practically starts begging on me again. Well, I do feel bad for him, since Aether works really hard to become part of the 4NEMO.
“Really? I could ask you anything? Even the impossible?”
“Yeah. You got my promise, as long as you help me while I’m recovering. You can ask me for anything. Even the impossible.” There he goes with the big round eyes looking at me desperately. Aether know that I cannot reject him when he got these eyes looking straight at me.
“Okay, fine… I’ll help you until you recover. Just wish me luck that no one realizes it’s me, not the real Aether.” Finally, I gave up and decide to really help my twin brother to save his ass from losing his job.
Well, I guess I will experience what it feels like to live in hell for the next 4 weeks.