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It had been some time since Yin Yu’s banishment, and few years since the beginning of his employment with Crimson Rain Sought Flower. Jian Yu had been buried and Yin Yu was officially the Wanning Moon Officer. Considering how his banishment started, Yin Yu wasn’t doing so bad. His title held some weight in Ghost City, he had room and board, and he was paid for his efforts. That wasn’t to say he was paid well, and he was constantly working towards a raise. However, the chances of that happening were just as high as Yin Yu ascending again. Rather, either happening had a one in one million chance. Yin Yu chose not to focus on the impossible and found small joys in-between his endless errands as Hua Cheng’s number one lap dog.
Tonight happened to be one of those precious nights where his skills were not required and he could take time to himself. He rarely left ghost city, and if he had a choice he wouldn’t ever leave ghost city. It was one of the few places heaven left unmonitored and the perfect place to hide. Hide from people, hide from his past, and hide from his shame.
The night started with Yin Yu wandering the busy city streets and taking in the strange stalls and even stranger vendors. He was even tempted to visit Ghost City’s most popular chicken soup restaurant, but another urge had pulled him into a simple tea shop.
The shop was larger than it appeared on the inside, and while busy, it was also one of the few stores in Ghost City that could be described as peaceful. Most of the guests were lulled into a quiet hush by the sound of music. The second story was fairly empty as the guests crowded the first floor tables trying to get as close as the could to the musician.
Yin Yu nodded to the waitress as he went upstairs with the promise of some privacy and ordered tea and some sweets. The tea was served, but Yin Yu made no move to eat as he too was gently pulled into the singers sweet song. It sounded nostalgic, bittersweet, and reminded him of a simpler time. He could almost feel the sun on his face, and then the shade of leaves as he conjured memories while she sang.
My sweet boy
Your soft voice calls
Though you’re not here
I can still hear you from the ocean
All too soon the song ended, but the artist continued her set, her voice never losing the bittersweet edge.
Yin Yu continued to remember his time as a disciple, studying in his sect. The gentle wind blowing from an open window as he copied texts in his old room. Before long the feeling of shade from leaves grows. The light from the sun no longer reaching his face, the shade had grown larger. In his memory he was in the shadow of another person. When he looked up, two giant eyes surrounded by a massive ball of unruly hair stared back. His heart was suddenly in his throat, and the feeling of wetness graced his check.
He was shocked out of the memory and quickly went to dry his eyes. Turns out he was moved to the point of tears, not only in his memory, but in his current state as well. Unhurried, he looked around and that seemed to be the case for the majority of guests in the establishment.
He called to the waitress and asked, “The music being played, is it…?”
“You’ve come on a rather special night, young master. The music does indeed have some magical properties. It depends on our musicians mood for the night, but often she sings songs that cleanse the mind and body. Would this young master be interested in a more private setting to discuss with the artist herself?”
Ah. It seems Yin Yu wandered into that kind of establishment, “That’s not-…perhaps. My master has been irritable as of late. Might I inquire her rates on his behalf?”
What? He wanted to hear the first song again. Maybe Crimson Rain would also appreciate a cleansing of his own spirits as well.
So they discussed rates and time passed. His tea and snacks remained untouched, but after a while the artist came to sit with him. She was modestly dressed and, if not for the deadly bruise adorning her neck and the paleness of her skin, one might never guess she was a ghost.
“Young master, I’m please to make your acquaintance. If I may be so bold as to ask, who is the one hosting me tonight? You’ve yet to reveal the identity of your master.” Her voice was soft and sweet, not unlike how she sang just a few moments before.
“…” Yin Yu had gotten this far, but had yet to ask if Hua Cheng actually wanted entertainment in the first place. He had made it very apparent that his boss was not to contact him on his days off, and neither had the precedent to be in each other’s presence for anything other than business. Perhaps it would be best if he confessed now, this was for himself and not his master.
“Do your songs intentionally make the listener relive memories?”
The young lady ghost smiled and nodded her head, “That is the intention, yes. I can call forth pleasant memories and feelings, and I can do the opposite.” She opened one eye, thoroughly examining Yin Yu’s face.
“The later won’t be necessary.” Yin Yu paused, taking a breath and exhaled slowly, “My master hasn’t requested entertainment tonight. I’m truth I wandered in here on my own. Forgive me for being forward, but your talents are truly worthy of praise. However, my masters moods are fickle and-“
“Ah, and here I’d gotten my hopes up that Lord Chengzhu had requested me by name. Wanning Mood Officer, if you yourself wanted my company, you can just ask” She said in a low voice, her hand slowly making its way to his thigh. He was shocked she knew who he was, seeing as he left his mask. He knew not to question the residence of Ghost City, their web of information and rumors was as deep as the ocean.
Quickly but gently Yin Yu gripped her hand, removing it from his person, “Please don’t misunderstand, I am praising you for you talents in music and nothing else.”
Her smile dropped and she opened both eyes to stare at him.
“However, if it isn’t too much trouble, I would like to hear your songs again. As long as we both understand I only want your songs and nothing else.”
“Not even my discretion?”
The officer bristled, frozen a bit, and knowing that news of this interaction would be making its way through the grapevine as soon as he left the tea house.
“I’m willing to pay for both,” he all but whispered. He had not planned to spend that much tonight, but oh well. He knew better than to place too much hope in his meager savings.
“We also offer private rooms,” at a price. Though it went unsaid, it was what Yin Yu heard.
Yin Yu looked away, but closed his eyes and nodded. Before he could change his mind the musician grabbed his hand and lead him further into the second floor of the building. A secret door lead the to a hallway with four or five doors. Seemingly at random she chose one and sealed Yin Yu’s Fate.
As soon as the door closed she release his wrist and went to start brewing the tea, “We are alone now, you can relax.”
She spoke softly with her back turned but the words made Yin Yu tense.
“Forgive me for being blunt, but I know better than to let my guard down in this city,” he replied coolly.
“I do not mind. Whatever Wanning Moon Officer is comfortable with,” she said, reminding him that it mattered little. She already knew his identity and his master. Still, it felt like she was asking him to strip bare. Instead he took a seat at the ground level table in the middle of the room. There were two cushions placed on opposite ends of the table, and the room itself was fairly small. Large enough to have a small fireplace for warming tea, but small enough the two were in close quarters, and with little effort would be in each other’s space. At least there was no bed to be seen.
“If I may be bold again,” as if asking had stopped her in the past, “which song was your favorite, young master?”
Yin Yu exhaled a breath he didn’t know he was holding as she prepared tea behind him, “Ah, I walked in when you were singing the one about the soft voice, and hearing it in the ocean. I would like to hear it again.”
The lady ghost hummed, “This one?” Yin Yu hmmed in agreement, “How peculiar.”
“Is the song not popular?”
“That’s not it, but as I recall this young master was interested in songs to cleanse the souls, rather than the opposite.”
The banished god bristled turning his head as the musician finished brewing tea and sat down at the table. He was going to ask her to clarify when he noticed her appearance had changed. For one, she was taller, and more muscular. He straight black hair had turned to a dark brown, and curled. It framed her face, which was no longer her face, but one that haunted Yin Yu’s past. He immediately stood up and made for the door.
The musician grabbed his wrist, and suddenly changed back, “Wait, please. I didn’t mean to startle you,” her frame may have been small but her grip was strong and stopped Yin Yu from leaving.
“I won’t be made a fool of,” he ground out, anger and fear rolling off him in waves.
“Please, let me explain. I’m sorry for startling you, I had just assumed that was the person you were missing the most. Please forgive my impudence,” she stood and moved in between the officer and the door, “It’s just your song request made it seem like you might want to see him again. Please sit and I will explain.”
Yin Yu was sure he could leave by force, therefore forgoing any discretion he might have been able to pay for and assuring Hua Cheng’s teasing when the rumor finally made it to the ghost king. While this weighed heavily on his mind, so did those haunting brown eyes and curly hair. He looked towards the window, thinking up an escape plan just in case.
“Fine, but I want to renegotiate price. This is not what I was promised.” He stated boldly as he sat back down on the cushion.
The lady ghost bit back a laugh and smiled gently as she sat back down as well, “of course young master. It’s just the song you requested, Source D’espoir. While it’s name suggests hope, there’s also an implied longing. It can be used to show you what you most hope to see in the world, which can be a blessing or a curse. While it can show you lost loved ones, often it reminds the listener they’ll likely never see those people again. I wanted to ease this young masters suffering. I have the ability to look into my listeners memories, so I may conjure only the sweetest of dreams. Usually, most of my guests are elated to see this person, I apologize for assuming you would be the same. Not all memories of hope are without pain, I was too quick to judge.”
Suddenly Yin Yu’s throat became dry, and the tea served in front of him, an oasis in a desert. As he digested the information presented to him, he took a few long sips to ease the dryness of his throat.
“I am still willing to pay for your discretion,” He mumbled.
“I will offer it at a discount young master. On the house this time. All I ask is payment for the song, if you still want to hear it.”
Slowly Yin Yu shifted into a half lotus position on the cushion, refusing to look the lady ghost in the eye.
“I was startled. Sorry for trying to leave without payment,” his drank some more tea before placing a gold piece on table, “I don’t need-,”
“Please, young master, I insist. If you were to leave with this turbulence in your heart my pride as a musician and escort would be wounded. After hearing the one song, I promise your heart will be lighter.” She reached across the table and lightly traced her fingers atop the hand grasping the tea cup. Her cold fingers contrasted with the warm cup in a manner that wasn’t unpleasant.
Still Yin Yu slowly moved his hand back, sighing. He really did want to hear that one song again. “At your leisure.”
The lady ghost laughed softly, sounding like chimes in a summer breeze. She pulled out her instrument and began to sing again. Slowly the same bittersweet nostalgia started to swell inside of Yin Yu. The same warmth from the summer sun, the coolness from the shade of leaves, and eventually the same shadow that eclipsed this Wanning Moon Officer.
Yin Yu didn’t realized he had closed his eyes, but when he opened them again he was back in his old room, his shidi sitting in the window. It was truly nostalgic.
“You can use the door you know,” Yin Yu admonished, though his tone was too light, his heart too full for it to sound anything but fond.
“There’s too many people in the hall who would have stopped me from entering. Your window is the most convenient,” Yin Yu remembers this exchange. It was right before his ascension, the last time him and Quan Yizhen had spoken as mortals. The last time before everything went to shit.
“And is there a reason you wanted to see me,” In this memory Yin Yu was copying some scrolls, and at this point he had put his brush down, giving Quan Yizhen his full attention.
“Mm, no. I just wanted to see Shixiong,” Quan Yizhen let a leg lazily hang over the edge of the window seal, “Maybe there’s a reason.”
Yin Yu propped his right elbow on the table and rested his cheek in his hand, “Well, are you going to tell me?”
Quan Yizhen hopped off the window and slowly walked towards Yin Yu before sitting right in front of him, “I missed you.”
Startled Yin Yu dropped his hand, his mind swimming. That’s right, they hadn’t seen each other in a long time. He was…wasn’t he hiding from Quan Yizhen? Before panic could set in Quan Yizhen gripped Yin Yu’s wrist, gentle but firm, and made unblinking eye contact with him, “I wanted to see you again. And…I want to apologize.”
Tears began to swell in Yin Yu’s eyes, “Apologize? Why? When I…..I’m the one who-“
Quan Yizhen shook his head back and forth with a great force, “No, I’m always causing trouble for Shixiong, even when I don’t mean to.”
Yin Yu looked at Quan Yizhen in shock, and without blinking the tears in his eyes started to fall.
“Shixiong?” Quan Yizhen brought his other hand up to Yin Yu’s face gently wiping away the tears.
Yin Yu closed his eyes and took in a shaky breath. He leaned his face against the hand holding it and relaxed in the hold of the other, “You little fool, if it was too much trouble I would have…I wouldn’t have, how could I have said that to you, I-,”
When Yin Yu opened his eyes again Quan Yizhen’s face with much closer, his eyes flickering from his eyes to his lips. Yin Yu held his breath, unsure of what to do next.
Quan Yizhen spoke softly, “let’s go home Shixiong, I just want to go home,” and he leaned in, gently pressing his soft lips to Yin Yu’s.
Yin Yu remained frozen in shock with his eyes open. Slowly the lips on his began to move, sending a sharp shiver down his spine. More tears began to poor out of Yin Yu’s eyes and he closed them. Slowly, he brought up his hand to gently caress Quan Yizhen’s face.
When they broke apart Yin Yu no longer felt like sobbing, but his senses were beginning to return to him as well. He noticed the two were sitting in silence, and that there was no more sunlight in the room. And the room was not his old room in the sect…but in fact,-!
“Again?!” He yelled, jumping up and out of “Quan Yizhen’s” gentle hold. This time he dove towards the window, opening it, pausing to throw some more gold pieces at the table, and making his escape. When he looked back towards the musician, she was again in her normal form, waving and smiling at him. He barely made out the soft “Come back soon.”
Yeah, as if. He was going to spend his nights off in his room reading and never leaving by choice again. As he neared Paradise Manor, though he was loath to admit it, he noticed he did feel a great deal lighter.
The next day he appeared before Hua Cheng to receive his orders for the day. With his mask on, no one would never know he slept like shit the night before. Whenever he closed his eyes he was met with the image of Quan Yizhen kissing him. While he prayed for a day of light work, his prayers rarely went answered. Hua Cheng laid out his mountain of tasks, and added one more at the very end.
“I heard a fantastic tale last night,” Yin Yu’s back bristled, “This manor has been quiet for a time now. I also wish to invite a talented musician to the manor. See to it will you?”
Yin Yu was never going to live this down.