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“Xinyan, Really, now? A dainty maiden like you~ with Xinyan?”
Yun Jin bowed, careful to hold down the fabrics of her dress as she crossed her legs, “now, if I may pass without any issue—”
“Heh, you’re damn crazy if you think I’ll let you through, you'll have to go back to the opera house, pretty lady,” she rolled her eyes.
She’d been at the Liyue Harbour for every concert, never missed a single one, and there was no way in hell she was going to be stopped because some guard said so. Prior to today, she had been able to sneak past without any trouble, but it seems her seniors caught wind of her secretive ways. She sighed and turned back, the guard’s voice audibly perking up.
“That’s a good girl now, sing lots of songs of your own, you hear? Make your grannies proud!” The guard waved goodbye, confirming her suspicions. Of course, her seniors had only wished the best for her, but that was the problem.
Licking her lips, Yun Jin hatched a plan.
Plan A) Sneak around
Plan B) Murder?
If the elders found out about that second one, she wouldn’t hear the end of it, but they didn’t particularly like Xinyan so it would cancel out. And, hey, it’s not like she’d have to resort to it, anyway. Probably.
She hopped carelessly out towards Heyu Tea House, humming in her steps a sweet melody. A skilled songstress she was, but tonight her singing will take to the side, and her acting the forefront.
Liyue Harbour was beautiful, as were its residents, Yun Jin glanced at the citizens she passed by, jotting down potential inspiration. There were the fishermen, but she doubted she’d be able to get together a suitable outfit and the particular odour they wore to convincingly pass by the guard in time. There were also the waitresses, it wouldn’t be too difficult to camouflage herself as one, and working at the tea house from time to time had given her some first hand experience to play the role right. Nodding to herself, the edge’s of her mouth raised into a grin.
A detour was necessary, so she took a sharp turn towards the Xinyue Kiosk to gather the materials she needed for her next performance. Hoping for the best, she went up to the head waitress with her “order.”
“May I have a waitress uniform, for I will need it for a play you see…” The waitress didn’t look all too impressed, after giving her the side eye she ignored her. “e-Excuse me, would that be a yes, or a no?”
“Why would you ever want that? Order something normal, would you? If you need a waitress so bad… Ask me to play that role. Or is the famed troupe leader also a famed restaurant hand?” Yun Jin tilted her head, had she done something wrong? Or was it mere jealousy? Whatever it may be, it posed an obstacle for Yun Jin.
While the affair was ongoing, a man happened to pass by, it was Zhongli of the funeral parlour? He was a regular at the Tea House Yun Jin worked in, admiring her plays whenever he was in town, but why was he here? The waitress scrambled to his side, her pen and pad in hand. Although, Zhongli had already heard enough.
“Mr. Zhongli, I didn’t expect to see you here!” He folded his arms, staring the waitress down. The woman furrowed her eyebrows, slowly growing more distressed. She looked at Zhongli, Zhongli looked at her. A drop of sweat was starting to form on her forehead, she was tied up. Coughing, she tapped her foot, “ ahem —Mr. Zhongli, could I offer you anything from our menu today?”
“The dress,” the waitress cocked her head. “If it will give you no trouble, give her the dress, please.” There was nothing she could do, defeated she nodded and went off to fetch a uniform for Yun Jin.
“Mr. Zhongli, why, I must give you my sincerest thanks! For without you breathing down her neck, I doubt I would have been able to acquire what I needed,” Yun jin lowered her head in gratitude. “But, if I may ask… Forgive me for intrusion, but is there a reason you came to my aid?”
“...Not particularly, no. Rather, all your play’s have been lovely, so I had thought it would be a small act of kindness for the entertainment you give,” Zhongli smiled, bending down to hold his hands over her shoulder. “Now that I have answered your question, answer mine. Why do you seek a waitress outfit? I didn’t know of any tales with waitresses in them.”
“Well, heh, I suppose there exist none. This uniform was instead a selfish desire,” she lowered her voice into whispers, moving closer to Zhongli’s ear, “I wish to watch Xinyan tonight, but I am forbidden to do so.” She broke apart from him, looking out solemnly, as if she was a baby bird who was separated from her mother. Zhongli couldn’t help but feel sympathetic.
“I had a friend once, he was a skilled bard, you know. His music was enchanting, truly one of the things I remember fondly of him. Sometimes I yearn to listen to it once more, like the good old days,” Yun Jin perked up. “So, enjoy it while you can Miss Yun jin.”
Yun Jin’s eyes beamed at him eagerly as she couldn’t help but beat her head side to side in excitement, “oh, thank you Mr. Zhongli! I do not know how I would ever repay you for this, erm, I know it’s not the same as listening to your old bard friend’s songs, but would you like to come with me to the concert?” Zhongli shrugged, there was no reason to refuse. Perhaps, it may even be a refreshing change of pace? Taking it as a yes, Yun jin threw her arm to the sky, “wonderful! Simply, wonderful! After I get dressed, you shall accompany me to the Liyue Harbourfront.”
The Xinyue Kiosk waitress had come out with a fresh pair of clothes, Yun Jin reached out to accept them graciously, thanking the woman and heading back out on her way, but before she was completely out of sight—”Mr. Zhongli, meet me in front of Heyu Tea House when the sun starts to set in anticipation of the evening!”
-
Xinyan sat on one of the benches overlooking the great sea at the harbour in great thought. She hadn’t been a performer for all too long, but it seemed she had made quite the audience for herself. There was a divide among them, one half embracing the change of pace with the addition to rock n’ roll in the otherwise calm, dignified, Liyue, whilst the other vehemently against it, wanting to keep to tradition. Groaning, she fidgeted in her seat.
“Maaan, rock n’ roll is what’sa ‘pose to unite us! All those instruments comin together to make a smashin rhythm, it’s somethin new, somethin’ excitin… guh I wouldn’t give it to these pansies to get rock n’ roll.”
She got up and left to stare at her reflection in the water, using it to adjust her hair. She held a strong and confident demeanour, she was a rockstar after all. Being passionate, she’d say it was her “middle name,” adding to the fires was her pyro vision. Truly it was a match made in heaven, her feisty energy is only enhanced by how she’d use her vision in her performances. Yet, there were times where she couldn’t help but feel weak, juxtaposing her usual persona. Being Liyue’s sole rock n’ roll artist was a heavy burden to bear, getting in trouble with the Millelith, having to be cautious of all the naysayers. It was tough, but there was one person in the crowd who always caught Xinyan’s attention.
“That opera girl, what's her face? Yun Jin, yeah… I wonder if she’s gonna make it to tonight’s performance too. Wonder what a girl like that cares so much for unrefined, loudmouth me, heh.” Night had fallen, Xinyan took a deep breath in and left the seaside to return to her stage.
It wasn’t anything special, just ground that had the sea as its background. There was a microphone at the front, but that was basically it. The ambiance was carried by the shops that resided on the harbour, some lanterns there, a fish stand there. It was comfy, but nothing too elaborate. People had begun trailing into the docks, awaiting Xinyan, if they were fans or guards she didn’t care. It was time, and that’s all that mattered. Walking to her mic, she scanned the room for her mega fan, but… Nothing. Mumbling under her breath, “I guess a girl like her was bound to get sick of this eventually, huh?” There was a sombreness in her tone, disappointment. She shook her head, now wasn’t the time for this she had to give these people a show—a show they would never forget.
“Heya everybody! Are yer bodies ready or are they REA~DY!?” The audience started to cheer, or boo—it was all tomatoes tomatha’s to Xinyan. “I didn’t quite getcha, c’mon give me some real noise ya city freaks!” The crowd erupted, the energy had started flowing into Xinyan. “Kay’, so tonight’s performance, it’s a special one, ya hear? I ain’t too sure how y'all feel bout romance but that’s just another ‘r’ in rock n’ roll, so let’s get this party started!” She hit her lyre, causing an outburst of flames behind her.
“Truly fascinating, isn’t it Miss Yun Jin?” Yun Jin pulled the man down, startling the old soul.
“Shhh! Careful, okay? I can’t get caught,” Zhongli hesitated before getting back up, putting his hands over his mouth like he was trying to say “my bad.” Yun jin, satisfied with the response, continued to gleefully watch over the performance.
There was something about Xinyan that just captivated Yun Jin, she was as different to her as the sun was to the moon. Different techniques, but similar results. Where the sun gave life during the daytime, with flowers which bloomed, people who were busy at work, the moon also gave life—just in another way. It gave the will to continue on each day in life. Without the moon to give you rest, a break, the day wouldn’t be very pleasant at all. It would be one continuous grind, everyday would be the same. You needed both night and day for the world to be in homeostasis.
Yun Jin thought of Xinyan as her moon, perhaps it wasn’t too well thought out, with Xinyan’s spirit she was bound to be the sun, but to Yun jin she was the moon. Xinyan brought light to the night, she made it shine just as bright as the day, but in a totally different way. She mixed up the routine, played with it, and made it something special—it was like a get away from the chores of the day. Yun Jin, she didn’t want to brag, but deep down she knew, subconsciously, she was the sun. She was the shining star of Liyue, her opera was famed and widely beloved, people would come far and wide to watch her. She was the norm of this society—the everyday. They both entertained, but while Yun Jin kept in tradition, Xinyan carved a new path, and for that Yunjin admired her. Xinyan and Yun Jin had never met, their distance was too great, for their paths would never converge directly. She was content with just being her fan from a distance. It didn’t matter if Xinyan knew who she was, everyone else already knew who she was there was no need, rather she just wanted to stand in solidarity with the girl.
She was playing something new tonight, as expected she never stuck to one song; but, this song. The lyrics struck Yun Jin right in the heart, they made her turn red, just as hot as Xinyan was, she was on fire. They both were.
I was made for lovin' you baby, You were made for lovin’ me ♫
She had to get out of there. She hadn’t left a performance early before, but it was getting too much. She was going to cause a scene, perhaps even faint, her elders would find out and she’d surely never see Xinyan again. She started to awkwardly shuffle away from the crowd, Zhongli cocking his head as to why. The music was good, Zhongli didn’t want to leave that soon, but he decided to follow after Yun jin, as best he could.
Xinyan, on the cusp of hitting the next note, noticed a waitress in the crowd trying to run away. No biggie, people left all the time, she must’ve had work, however… The hair, it was familiar to Xinyan, but she couldn’t quite put her finger as to what. And, wait, the guy chasing after her, that was the guy from the funeral parlor who had asked her to perform before! Something was up, and Xinyan had to figure out what. Strumming her lyre one final time, the crowd went wild. It was a sound that could probably be heard all around Liyue, much to the dismay of those who were catching up on some sleep right now.
“I’m sorry everybody! Tonight’s performance has been cut a bit short~ I hope y’all will be here next time! I gotta run, kay’?” The crowd began to disperse, making Yun jin’s escape much more difficult. All the entrances in town were blocked off by the scrambling crowd, so there was only one place to go, out. Yun Jin made a race to the town’s outskirts, she couldn’t be caught. It was risky, she didn’t have a weapon on her, and enemies wandered the night field’s freely, but it was her only chance. By now, Zhongli had lost hold of the girl with all the chaos in town, where on Tevyat had she gone?
“Hey, Funeral Parlor dude! What’re ya doin here?” Zhongli lost one child, and yet another had popped up. He shook his head, there wasn’t anything he could do but play along.
“My… er, Niece invited me to the concert, but it seems I’ve lost her, so I was just—”
“I’ll help ya look for her! The one in the waitress garb, yeah? I’ve got it covered,” before Zhongli could respond she was off.
“Children these days…”
-
Xinyan ran up right behind Zhongli's “niece,” catching up to her in succession. Closing in, the hair really reminded her of Yun Jin’s, but this was Zhongli’s niece and unless there were some familial connections Xinyan didn’t know about, something was up.
“H-hey *pant* *pant* Slow down, girlie! Please don’t be a-scared,” scared?
That voice sounded familiar, Xinyan? Was Xinyan chasing after her, and if she was, why would Xinyan think Yun Jin was scared of her? No, she only held the greatest of respect for her. She couldn’t stop now though, not until she was completely out of town, the risk was too great; especially, if it turned out this wasn’t Xinyan’s voice she heard.
“Please don’t be scared! I know everybody’s scared of me, y’kno I get that, but I’m a pretty chill guy, ‘kay? So don’t judge, er… a book by its cover? Yeah that, c’mon your uncle’s worried about ya!” Uncle?
By now Yun Jin had left the Liyue Harbour entirely, Xinyan was still behind her, so she closed her eyes and stopped to turn around. What was she ever saying, Yun Jin wondered. “I am not fearful of you, whoever you may be, but I am quite curious on who this “uncle” is, for I was not aware I had an uncle doting after me.”
“Yun Jin?”
“Yes, that would be my,” She started to open her eyes. “XINYAN?! ” Xinyan waved at her nervously. “W-why, why are you here, my, oh… How do you know my name? i, I must apologise for my behaviour, oh dear…”
“Well, it’s not exactly hard to miss the famed Yun Jin, y’kno? Plus you always come to my performances, I didn’t know why ya weren’t here today but turns out, you were? Uhm, I’ve gotta ask, why are you wearing that… Waitress thing. Opera not pay enough?” Yun Jin giggled, easing up a bit.
“Hah, heh, no it’s not like that… I wanted to watch you today but security got in the way and well… One mess led to another.” Yun Jin bowed in apology, “sorry for disrupting your performance today.”
“Don’t be, hey, yer like my biggest fan or somethin’, ya could disturb me all ya want. I never got the chance to talk to ya before, so if I gotta blow another performance for us to meet, I’d do it!”
Xinyan walked closer to Yun Jin, locking her eyes with her own. It was dark now, and they were both pretty far away from Liyue, making that trip back was going to take some time, but Xinyan wanted to spend some more time with Yun Jin, maybe they could even be friends?
“I’m sorry for always rushing out of performances, my elders are strict in their ways… I must come see you in secrecy, or they’d have my head… But if we could become acquaintances of the sort, that would make me quite happy.” Xinyan smiled, reaching her hand out to Yun Jin in agreement.
"Y'kno, havin a pal ain't sound too bad, but those hags coddlin ya like that do sound like a pain in the arse. Heh, rock n' roll is 'spose to unite us, so maybe us formin a bond will lead to some change 'round here, not that it's the only reason I wanna be you friend. You're, er, quite... Cute! Especially for an opera lady, can't say I've been a fan but you make it work." Yun Jin smiled at the girls attempt at complimenting her, accepting her hand in delight.
"Then it's a deal, we shall be friends!"
“Screeeeech! ”
“!?”
An enemy ambush, it was a hoard of hillchurls coming towards them in abrupt aggression. Xinyan held onto Yun Jin and pushed her behind, taking out her claymore and facing them head on. “Yun Jin, stay still, ‘kay? I’ve got this. I’ll give ‘em the performance of a lifetime,” she winked.
Much like her lives at the harbour, red flames engulfed the area, taking out the hillchurl. The smoke completely covered the area, neither of them could see the scene. Xinyan stepped back, still holding onto Yun Jin’s hand, to stay away from the fires. Strange sounds began going off, it sounded like someone was swinging their weapon. Perhaps the enemies had confused each other as foes and started to attack and take themselves out? Regardless, the area started to clear up, and the pair started to relax.
“That wasn’t too bad, eh?” Yun Jin nodded in agreement, they had gotten out relatively unscathed. With a sigh of relief, they started to move back towards Liyue.
-
The journey back was dead quiet, the only noises were the ones coming from broken tree branches they stepped on along the way. Yet, they both grasped onto the other’s hand as tight as one possibly could. The stars in the night sky were lovely tonight, but the only thing in Yun Jin's head was how lovely Xinyan was. She was her inspiration, and today her hero... If she was one of the star’s in the sky, she'd surely shine the brightest. Reaching the front gates of Liyue, they stopped.
Yun Jin began to spoke, “despite the circumstances… I am truly happy to have formally met you, and you saved my life today… I am eternally in your debt. Let’s meet again, I shall make it up to you,” a blush crept upon her face as she pulled closer to Xinyan. Xinyan didn't say anything, curious as to what Yun Jin was attempting to do, she raised her eyebrows curiously. “Once again, thank you,” pecking her cheek, she ran off.
Xinyan, stunned, couldn’t move. She raised her finger over the spot Yun Jin kissed in awe, ignoring the dark Liyue.
-
Bonus:
“Damn kids,” Zhongli stood in a burnt field by his lonesome. Dusting the charcoal off his body, he groaned. “I bet that child back at the parlor is going to have a blast with this one.”