Chapter Text
Yae Miko treasures the solitude of Narukami Park. She loves how quiet it gets in the afternoons while everyone else is studying or hanging out with friends. It means that her reading would be uninterrupted as she sits sipping a Starbucks latte under the shade of the Great Sakura tree in a secluded corner.
But of course, today, it just doesn’t seem to be going that way.
“Did you hear about the new girl?” Lisa speaks next to her, not looking up from her own book.
Yae Miko becomes momentarily distracted from the pages, eyes flicking up to watch Lisa as she talks. She takes a small sip from the coffee cup and waits for Lisa to continue, curiosity piqued.
“No, why?” Her voice is soft and contemplative. She carefully balances the cup on her lap as she resumes her reading again, easily picking up from where she left off.
Lisa lets out a small chuckle, smiling behind the cover of her book.
“Of course you haven’t” She murmurs, quietly laughing to herself. “But anyways, she’s a good friend of Jean’s apparently, and you know the band Jean’s in?”
“Jean’s in a band?” Miko tilts her head, placing her bookmark in between the pages she’s currently up to, and sets the book down next to her on the grass. Lisa doesn’t even try to hide her laughter this time, clearly finding Miko’s obliviousness amusing.
“Oh Miko, you really do live in a world of your own sometimes. Yes, Jean is in a band, she’s studying both music and business here.” Lisa rests her chin in her hand as she turns to Miko, her reading material now joining Miko’s on the grass.
“She, Ningguang and Dehya all study the same course, so why not play together? But anyway, they’ve been wanting to take just practising together to something a little more organised, and they were contacted by some company recently about doing exactly that.”
Yae Miko nods appreciatively. It’s not uncommon for groups formed in Teyvat College to take their passions further and rise up in fame, so she believes Jean and her band have a decent shot at doing the same.
“They’re getting signed?” She questions, taking another drink of the latte.
“That’s what I’m getting to,” Lisa responds, “They’ve only got 3 people so far, with Ningguang’s vocals, Jean’s guitar playing, and Dehya’s drumming. But surely you know what’s missing right? They’re a more sort of rock band”
“Bass.” Miko says simply. She wonders how they even formed without a bassist in the first place.
“Correct. They used to have one, but for some reason, he left.” Lisa sighs and twirls a strand of hair around her finger, mindlessly looking up at the sparse clouds. There’s a brief comfortable silence before Miko breaks it.
“So the new girl,” she starts, genuinely intrigued, which is rare for her, “Is she their new bassist?”
“I don’t actually know for sure, but she joined Jean’s class a couple of days ago, and she seems pretty talented from what I’ve heard. I also know she’s taken an interest in their music, so it’s more than likely she’ll join eventually.”
“And when she does? Are they going to get signed?” Miko’s curiosity deepens. Lisa lets out a soft chuckle.
“Knowing Jean’s dedication, and, from what I’ve heard, this new girl’s talent,” She smiles brightly, “I think they have a good chance.”
Miko wants to find out about this new girl. She’s imagining all sorts of potential possibilities. Perhaps she shares some interests with Miko? Maybe they could even become good friends.
All these thoughts rush in and out of her head, completely distracting her from her now-neglected book which was collecting dirt on the grass next to her, alongside Lisa’s. She wonders if Lisa could potentially introduce her to some of the band members; she’s always wondered what the people in other courses are like.
She and Lisa both study English Literature, and aspire to become published authors one day, which completely contrasts with some of her friends’ goals of running businesses or becoming bigshots in the sporting community.
Her thoughts are interrupted, however, as a jolting noise from elsewhere in the park rings out.
Miko clenches her jaw at the sudden noise, trying not to cry out at the interruption. She’s never been good with loud sounds, especially when they come out of nowhere… and especially especially when she’s in her safe space in the park.
“What in the Archons’ names was that?” She mumbles to herself more than to Lisa. There’s another noise as she’s just about to pick up her book again.
Miko clenches the coffee cup in her hands with frustration as she realises that the sounds interrupting her quiet time with Lisa, are in fact derived from a small group of girls over by the stage they established a couple of years back for regular performances. From what she remembers, however, they completely flopped a couple of months in, and since then there’s only really been the odd show here and there.
“Who are they?” Miko turns to Lisa, clearly agitated, “And why do they have to practice here?
Lisa, unlike Yae Miko, seems completely unphased, and surprisingly, a little smilier.
“Did you hear about the festival happening here next week?” Lisa picks her own book back up and resumes reading from exactly where she was, evidently without needing a bookmark.
Miko opens her page, marked by her own pink bookmark, shaped like a small fox. She tries to find the paragraph she left off at, but to no avail, as the plot seems to have utterly dispersed from her memory.
“I didn’t, no” She responds dryly, clearly annoyed at the ruckus. She attempts once again to continue her book, hoping that if she indulges herself enough, she can eventually drown out the unwarranted disturbances.
“I don’t even know why I bother asking anymore.” Lisa quietly murmurs to herself. “Well, if you even bothered trying to have a social life outside of self-indulgent literature and fiction, maybe you’d be aware of the fact that there is, in fact, a festival happening next week to celebrate some sort of important person.”
“And what’s this got to do with my reading? If you’re asking me to go with you, I’m sorry but I have a study date with a friend of mine, and I could really use the extra work time.” Yae Miko’s voice has undertones which say a lot more about her current mood than the words she says.
“No it’s nothing like that, I’m planning on skipping it myself. What I was trying to say is that there are a few bands playing and performing, so I’m guessing those are probably one of them.” Lisa doesn’t bother looking up from her book, once again far more interested in the words than, once again, filling in Yae Miko with the social status around Teyvat College.
Miko eventually gives up on attempting to re-read the same page she’s been on for the last few minutes now, opting for instead watching the people mill about the rest of the park. Her eyes unconsciously drift to the sound of instruments being tuned. She tries to get a better look from her secluded place against the tree, and can only very barely make out a group of 3 girls.
She shivers now that the sun has dipped behind a cloud, pulling her cardigan tighter, and fixing her glasses on the bridge of her nose. She squints, trying to discern the characters up ahead, and makes out a rather tall woman with blonde hair. Could that be…?
“Lisa?”
“Mhm?”
Lisa looks up from her page momentarily, fixing her own reading glasses.
“Is that Jean?”
Lisa’s head immediately snaps towards where Miko’s slender fingers are pointing. Miko finishes the rest of her coffee, placing the empty cup next to her.
“Oh it is, is her band playing this festival?” Lisa squints against the sun, which was now emerging from the cloud again. A soft smile was playing on her lips, almost unnoticeable, but Miko’s sharp eyes picked up on it. She looks back at the group, trying to identify the other two standing alongside the blonde.
“Which ones are the other two? I know I’ve seen them around campus but I’ve never really talked to anyone except… well you and our classmates.” Miko confesses, rather shyly now that Lisa has mentioned her extremely lacking social life.
Lisa snickers, but doesn’t comment any further on her disaster of a friend
“The one with the dark hair is Dehya, the drummer. The other blonde one with the orange highlight is Ningguang, their vocalist.”
Miko lets out a noise of understanding, nodding her head along. She contemplates Lisa’s words, and realises just how out of touch with the rest of the college she is, despite having been there for a few months now.
“Would it be possible for me to sit with you at lunch one day? I realise now how…
unsocial
I am” Miko asks timidly.
Lisa turns to her swiftly, beaming a bright grin at her friend.
“Are you serious?” Lisa eagerly blurts.
“Uh, obviously if it’s any trouble for you at all then it’s fine, just forget the whole thing” Miko feels her cheeks becoming pink with embarrassment that she even asked in the first place.
“Nonononono!” Lisa quickly hushes her, “This is wonderful! You’re finally opening up more! I mostly sit with Jean and her band, so maybe you can get to know them more, and if the new girl joins, potentially we can all be friends”
Miko stays quiet, but a small smile is slowly making its way onto her lips.
“In fact… why don’t we go over there right now so I can introduce you?” Lisa snaps her book shut and goes to stand up before Miko hurriedly stops her
“Huh?! But what if they don’t like me and they think I’m wei-!?” Miko begins spluttering, but she’s quickly cut off by a loud laugh from Lisa
“Oh Miko, please, trust me, you’re nowhere near as weird as most people they deal with in some classes. You’re like… mild at best in terms of ‘weird’” Lisa places her book in her tote bag, waiting for Miko to do the same.
Miko considers the offer one last time, before caving in and packing up her own things. Her book is quickly shut, the bookmark slipping her mind and getting thrown to the bottom of her bag without a second thought. She picks up her empty coffee cup and tosses it into the nearby bin.
Lisa takes her hand and begins swiftly walking over to her best friend and her band.
“Are you sure you don’t mind me sitting with you?”
“Hush before I change my mind for real” Lisa rolls her eyes. She strolls up to the trio and approaches Jean, whose back is turned to the approaching duo, Miko awkwardly shuffling behind her.
“Hey Jean” Lisa places a hand on the blonde’s shoulder, causing her to shout and jump a little at the unanticipated touch. Dehya breaks out into hysterical laughter, Ningguang silently giggling to herself. Jean whips around and glares at Lisa, before realising it’s only her, and lets herself relax.
“Oh Archons, Lisa, you terrified me!” Jean sighs and turns back to Dehya, giving her a death glare. Dehya quickly hides next to Ningguang, her expression screaming “GUILTY!”
Miko looks between the four girls in front of her. Jean spots her first, giving her a polite smile and a small wave. Lisa turns back to the pink-haired girl and quickly remembers the whole reason for her bringing Miko over.
“Is this Yae Miko?” Jean asks, holding out a hand. Miko hesitantly takes it, trying her best not to seem awkward or weird. How did she know her name?
“Yeah, she’s going to be sitting with us at lunch from now on.” Lisa smiles at the two interacting. Jean beams, “Oh really? That’s great! I’m looking forward to becoming friends with you, Yae Miko”
“Please, just call me Miko” Miko smiles a little brighter now.
The group talks a little longer, expressing interests and genuinely just getting to know Miko a little more.
“I hate to interrupt the conversation, but we should actually probably get some practice in, that is the reason we’re here you know” Jean smiles apologetically.
“Ah, shit, you’re right, if we don’t get started soon, I think Ei’s gonna get mad” Dehya chuckles.
Ei? Is that the new girl? Yae Miko’s thoughts drift again.
“Mad about what?” A slow, yet gentle voice speaks out from the side of the stage, and Miko’s head snaps towards it. Her lavender eyes meet twilight ones, as she focuses on the new person approaching.
So she’s the new girl? Ei?
Oh.
Oh.
“Shit,” Yae Miko thinks as her face turns slightly red under the gaze of Ei, “she’s cute.”