The next morning.
Qin Yu lazily climbed out of bed, picked up the thin blanket that had half-fallen to the floor, tossed it back onto the bed, and went to wash up, yawning.
Looking at her slightly disheveled reflection in the mirror, her sluggish mind slowly began to recall today's plans.
Today, I'm going on a date... going out with Keqing.
Last night, Qin Yu had considered planning the route, but then she thought: Keqing's reaction time could probably circle the entire Teyvat continent! She only realized to invite me out when her vacation was nearly over.
So it's not unreasonable to let her handle the preparations, right?
Thus, Qin Yu had simply left it all to Keqing.
After all, with her current skills, she could still ensure a pleasant atmosphere. Even if they didn't have a particularly thrilling time, it certainly wouldn't be a disaster.
After a night's sleep, her mood had finally improved somewhat.
Of course, the complex emotions that haunted her like a shadow hadn't vanished entirely. A mere thought in that direction would cause them to spread throughout her heart once more.
No, no, no—better not think about that.
But the thought of being with Keqing... No, no, no! I really need to stop thinking about this! My face is starting to freeze.
Qin Yu massaged her cheeks, trying to soften her expression.
I can't let her worry.
If I show up looking like this, it would be downright disgusting.
I'm the one who forgot everything we shared. If I hadn't forgotten, Keqing wouldn't be avoiding me.
So why am I putting on this "I'm suffering so much" act when I see her? It's truly sickening.
Exhaling deeply, Qin Yu sat down at her vanity.
Let's think about something else, like...
"Has Keqing made any preparations?"
Not that it really matters—it's just a casual outing alone together. But if she has, that would be best.
Still, if she shows off too much about having prepared, it'll be awkward. Expectations just make things complicated, and I've been disappointed by Keqing plenty of times.
So, I hope she doesn't make it too obvious if she has prepared.
Even though in the end, it's always been her deceiving herself... Tsk. Every time Qin Yu thought about this, she felt a pang of irritation.
Right, let's create a scoring system. Maybe that will distract me and keep my mind off unnecessary things.
For example:
"Qin Yu, you look beautiful today," Keqing might say.
+5 points.
Why? Because it's cheesy, so +5. When Qin Yu chuckled at her own lame joke, she couldn't help but think, with a resigned sigh, that there was definitely something wrong with her.
Another example:
"Qin Yu, your hair is one centimeter shorter than yesterday. I don't like it."
-100 points.
Though she knew Keqing would never say something so absurd, the principle was clear: positive mood = points added; negative mood = points deducted.
As for the exact numbers... well, that depends on my mood.
While lost in these whimsical thoughts, Qin Yu finished getting ready.
Complexion... OK.
Expression... OK.
Voice... OK.
Mood... so-so.
But aside from that, everything else was perfect, flawless. Qin Yu gazed at her reflection in casual clothes and nodded in satisfaction.
Alright, let's go.
Time to see Keqing!
Unlike Qin Yu, who habitually slept in, Keqing always woke up early.
After washing up, she would begin her daily sword practice, a ritual she never missed.
Sword practice not only maintained her physical prowess and kept her fit, but also cleared her mind of doubts and distractions.
It offered nothing but benefits, with no drawbacks.
"Hah!" Her blade struck the wooden training dummy, leaving a clean and precise cut.
My form feels excellent today, Keqing thought, better than usual.
The reason, she suspected, was her excitement about going out with Qin Yu.
A good mood naturally invigorated her body.
After finishing her sword practice and showering, Keqing changed into simple, understated clothes.
While she would have liked to dress up more for this rare occasion, drawing too much attention would be counterproductive. Considering this, she reluctantly settled for practicality.
I hope Qin Yu won't mind, she thought.
Keqing gazed at her reflection in the mirror, suddenly feeling nervous and restless. She hadn't felt this way even when she was a child, anticipating meeting Qin Yu.
But that was when we were children, she reminded herself.
Keqing knew Qin Yu well from their childhood, but she didn't fully understand the Qin Yu of the present.
Familiarity mingled with unfamiliarity, a fact that became more pronounced the closer their relationship grew.
It wasn't unpleasant—in fact, it felt refreshingly novel—yet it sometimes left her confused, unsure of how to act.
In such moments, Qin Yu often took the initiative, responding naturally to the emotions that welled up within her.
But maintaining this state indefinitely was unsustainable. The relationship would become fragile.
Keqing would also lose respect for herself.
The best thing was to avoid dwelling on the past—Keqing believed this to be the right course, but it had led her to do many things she shouldn't have.
For example, she hadn't been there for Qin Yu, even watching her adoptive mother's funeral from afar.
No, stop dwelling on this now!
I can't face Qin Yu with this expression.
Forgetting everything had been the price of her survival, and avoiding Qin Yu had been her own choice. If she hadn't done these things, Qin Yu wouldn't have suffered so much.
Going to see her looking miserable would be inappropriate.
I should think about something else... like...
Is Qin Yu expecting me?
If only she were...
Keqing thought as she continued meticulously getting ready. Though she couldn't draw too much attention, there were still plenty of details she could refine.
As for whether Qin Yu would notice... only time would tell.
If she does notice, that would be wonderful.
But if she doesn't, it's not the end of the world.
If Qin Yu notices, what would she say? How should I respond? Keqing pondered, slightly troubled. Should I just brush it off casually?
Or should I take this opportunity to compliment her?
Huff...
Keqing exhaled deeply, rubbed her cheeks, and tried to relax as much as possible.
Complexion... excellent.
Expression... should be fine.
Voice... clear and steady.
Mood... need I say more?
Everything was perfect, flawless. Keqing gazed at her reflection in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction.
Alright, let's go. Time to meet Qin Yu!
But no sooner had she stepped out of her house than officials from the Ministry of Civil Affairs rushed up to her.
"Forgive me, Lady Keqing, but an urgent matter has arisen!"
Damn it, a critical matter at a time like this? Keqing cursed inwardly.
Meanwhile, Qin Yu had already arrived at their agreed meeting spot, sitting patiently on a bench. Her eyes scanned the passersby, searching for Keqing's figure.
Nothing. Still nothing.
Did I arrive too early? But knowing Keqing's personality, she'd probably be here even earlier than me, right? Qin Yu idly fiddled with her bangs, thinking casually.
Whatever, I'll wait a bit longer.
I'm used to it.
Fifteen minutes passed.
I'll wait a little longer.
But it had to be -10!
Half an hour passed.
"...She's so slow."
-100.
Forty-five minutes passed.
Endure...
-1000.
An hour passed.
"...Tch."
-10,000!
Just as Qin Yu was starting to suspect she'd been stood up, her temper flaring, the sound of hurried footsteps approached and stopped beside her.
Panting breaths reached her ears.
"I'm sorry, I'm late," Keqing gasped, out of breath.
Seeing Keqing, Qin Yu's anger immediately subsided by nearly half. It was clear Keqing had been running non-stop to get here.
Why is she like this?
Qin Yu was both surprised and perplexed. Something must have happened to her.
But there were more urgent matters at hand.
Qin Yu stood up, took out a handkerchief, and gently wiped the sweat from Keqing's face and neck. Then she pulled a small water bottle from her bag and offered it to Keqing.
"Don't worry, I haven't been waiting long. I'm just glad you could make it. But Keqing, what happened to you?" Qin Yu said, smoothly telling a white lie as she deftly changed the subject.
Evaluation: D
Keqing finally snapped back to her senses.
She hadn't expected Qin Yu to prioritize concern over reproach. No, ever since she was little, she's always been so caring. It's no surprise she would act this way.
Last time, she even personally tended to Ningguang... um...
Is she this gentle with everyone? Keqing's mood turned complicated.
"There was a sudden emergency at the Ministry of Civil Affairs that required my immediate attention," Keqing explained guiltily. "I resolved it as efficiently as possible, but it still took longer than expected. It was my fault for being late. I'm sorry..."
Hearing the full explanation, Qin Yu's anger vanished completely.
Sigh, well, there's no helping it.
After all, she's one of the Qixing. Her work concerns the entire nation of Liyue, and the choice between that and our personal agreement is obvious.
In fact, if Keqing had ignored her duties and rushed here directly, Qin Yu would have been angry and disappointed—she wouldn't approve of that kind of Keqing.
Wait a minute... couldn't she have at least sent someone to notify me?
To think she left me waiting here like an idiot for so long! The more Qin Yu thought about it, the more irritated she became.
-100!
"Oh, I think you did the right thing, Keqing. There's no need to apologize."
Yet Qin Yu still praised her.
Unbeknownst to Keqing, in Qin Yu's heart, her score was plummeting like an elevator with no brakes. Watching Qin Yu's seemingly unangered expression, Keqing was momentarily surprised.
"Thank you, but I still need to apologize," Keqing said with a smile.
Evaluation: D+
Hmph. Did she think I'd throw a tantrum? I'm not that kind of woman.
Qin Yu secretly curled her lip.
Another -100!
What a disastrous first meeting.
Qin Yu sighed deeply to herself. Oh well... what's done is done. Getting angrier won't change anything.
After all, Keqing had made her mad more than once before.
Keqing's breathing finally calmed, her mind following suit.
With newfound composure, she noticed that Qin Yu was dressed more elaborately than usual.
"Qin Yu."
"Hmm?"
Keqing said candidly, "You look very beautiful."
So she did notice after all.
Qin Yu also noticed some subtle differences in Keqing's appearance. Twirling a strand of hair around her finger, she smiled and replied, "Thank you! I put a little extra effort in for today. You look stunning too, Keqing!"
"Though my outfit is rather simple," Keqing said with an embarrassed laugh.
There's nothing wrong with that. If Keqing were dressed too extravagantly, the 100% head-turning rate from passersby would be quite bothersome.
Still, I didn't think Keqing would even notice.
I'll give her a reluctant point.
+1. Hmm, about right. It's only natural, after all. No need to be particularly pleased...
Evaluation: C
Ha? What's this pop-up? Who's pleased? Get lost.
Keqing opened the water bottle, took a few sips, exhaled, and handed it back to Qin Yu with a word of thanks.
Feeling thirsty, Qin Yu also took a drink.
When Keqing saw Qin Yu press her vividly colored lips to the bottle's opening, she suddenly felt a pang of shyness. Her gaze subtly shifted away, but unable to resist, she stole a glance back.
"Um... what's wrong?" Qin Yu asked, puzzled.
"Nothing," Keqing replied hastily, shaking her head.
Ha? Then why were you staring at me like that? Qin Yu didn't believe Keqing's explanation, but she figured asking further would be pointless.
-50!
"Why don't we sit down and rest for a bit?" Keqing suggested.
"Okay," Qin Yu agreed.
Thinking it was time for a break, Keqing sat down beside Qin Yu.
"Qin Yu, is there anywhere you'd like to go?" Keqing asked tentatively.
She had made some preparations and had places she wanted to take Qin Yu, but she still wanted to hear Qin Yu's preference.
Why is she asking me that? Could it be she didn't prepare anything?
-20!
"I'll go wherever Keqing wants to take me! Just being with you is enough..." Qin Yu said with a smile, but her expression flickered slightly as she finished.
Together. Half. Qin Yu was reminded of that incident again, and she felt utterly ashamed in front of Keqing.
No, I can't let her worry. I don't deserve that.
Qin Yu quickly composed herself, forcing another smile. "Anywhere is fine."
"I see. Then... I'll take you to some of my favorite spots," Keqing replied with a smile.
After resting briefly, Keqing rose and led Qin Yu out to stroll through the streets.
As a child, Qin Yu had been fascinated by strange and unusual things, but Keqing couldn't be sure if she still held the same interests now.
To play it safe, Keqing decided to continue as she had been, planning their activities based on what she would do with her current friends.
This approach had worked perfectly before, with Qin Yu showing no signs of unhappiness. Now... it was still the same. Excellent.
Keqing felt slightly relieved, but she couldn't shake the feeling that they should be doing more.
In truth, Qin Yu wasn't dissatisfied.
Ordinary window shopping, ordinary clothes browsing, ordinary meals, ordinary conversation... there was nothing wrong with it. These were the things friends did together.
But it was only "not bad."
It felt like something was missing. Expressing this vague feeling would only confuse and disappoint Keqing.
So this was fine.
"How was that just now?"
"Huh? Oh... uh-huh! Very interesting."
What had they even done just now? No recollection whatsoever.
Well, this answer should work.
Hearing this, Keqing smiled genuinely. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."
Enjoyed? So-so.
"Then let's head over there next."
Over there? Where are we going?
"They have affordable and practical clothes you might find useful."
Another place like that, huh?
"Come on, let's find our sea!" Qin Yu suddenly remembered Lady Keqing's words from their childhood.
Back in reality.
"Let's go find some nice clothes," Keqing said.
Qin Yu understood why she couldn't muster any enthusiasm.
The current Keqing wouldn't take her to do anything special or go to special places.
She wouldn't take her to that vast sea, nor would they forge those "shackles" to bind each other.
As her memories gradually returned, Keqing became increasingly special to Qin Yu, but Keqing's attitude toward her remained unchanged. She didn't share Qin Yu's desire to continue wearing those "shackles."
Their interactions now felt like those between ordinary friends.
If only we still wore those "shackles."
But Qin Yu had no right to complain.
She suddenly stopped walking.
"Qin Yu?"
"I... want to go over there." Qin Yu pointed in a direction.
Keqing followed her gaze and saw a fortune-telling shop. "Fortune-telling?" she asked, surprised.
"Mm-hmm."
"Why?"
Keqing didn't particularly like fortune-telling. She hesitated to enter the shop, unsure what the fortuneteller might randomly predict—something that could upset both her and Qin Yu.
Instead of answering, Qin Yu took Keqing's hand.
"Let's go?"
At least we can do something different.
"...Mm."
Since Qin Yu had already made up her mind, she agreed.