Hearing Keqing's voice, Qin Yu's heart began to race.
Why would she visit at this hour? Could last night... No, no, she must just be passing by and stopping to say hello. That's all.
It has to be.
Qin Yu calmed her racing heart and went to open the door.
"Good morning," Qin Yu said with a smile.
Keqing returned the smile. "Good morning."
See? Nothing to worry about.
Just as Qin Yu was mentally breathing a sigh of relief, Keqing's gaze lingered unnaturally long on her lips, a faint blush rising on her cheeks before she quickly looked away.
This awkward behavior didn't escape Qin Yu's notice, and she found herself involuntarily averting her own gaze.
Why is Keqing staring at my mouth? Could what happened last night really have been real?
The mere thought sent heat surging through Qin Yu's body, her mind spiraling into disarray.
Evaluation: D+
"May I come in?" Keqing asked.
"Ah, of course! Please, come in." Qin Yu stepped aside, and Keqing smiled slightly, thanking her as she brushed past.
The moment their bodies brushed, Qin Yu's body instinctively tensed.
Only after Keqing had moved a safe distance away did Qin Yu press a hand to her chest, catching her breath.
I feel so awkward.
But if she showed any sign that something was amiss, the atmosphere would undoubtedly become awkward.
It's best to remain calm, Qin Yu thought.
Even if we really did kiss, it was just a kiss. And a kiss is just the act of lips touching lips. What's the big deal? There's no need to be so agitated about it.
Besides, Keqing is my childhood friend. We probably had playful kisses as kids anyway.
Qin Yu tried to convince herself, but the more she thought about "kissing, kissing," the more a feeling akin to restlessness stirred within her.
"It's nothing"—that's terrible;
"It's something"—that's equally terrible.
It made her feel like a fickle flirt, as if she didn't care about kissing others.
But if she admitted "it's something," it would be like acknowledging that Keqing was someone she liked romantically.
To be honest, she did like Keqing, but only in the way one likes a childhood friend.
Yet it was this very self who had kissed Keqing...
Exhaling a warm breath, Qin Yu closed the door and followed her at a distance.
"Would you like some tea?" she asked with a smile.
"No, I need to handle some business shortly."
She won't be staying long, then.
Keqing added, "But I'm a bit thirsty. Can I borrow your cup?"
"Mm."
Keqing casually picked up a cup. Qin Yu noticed it was hers, but pointing it out might change the atmosphere. It was best to pretend nothing had happened.
Keqing grabbed the kettle, poured herself a cup of water, and took a few sips.
"Hah..." She exhaled softly, her lips glistening with moisture.
Qin Yu couldn't help but recall the intimate touch from the night before, her ears instantly flushing with heat.
Evaluation: C
Keqing held the cup, though she wasn't actually thirsty. She just wanted a drink to calm her mind.
Before coming here, she had mentally prepared herself to the fullest extent.
Maybe last night was just an accident... After all, Qin Yu was drunk.
Perhaps she's already forgotten. If I act strangely, the atmosphere between us will definitely become awkward.
So I need to stay calm.
Yet the moment she saw Qin Yu again, Keqing's memories of last night flooded back—the feeling of their bodies pressed together. Her heart pounded so fiercely that maintaining her composure was nearly impossible.
Keqing wanted to ask Qin Yu how she was feeling, but hesitation held her back.
Qin Yu remained silent as well, creating a brief, awkward silence between them.
"How are you feeling?" Keqing finally asked.
"Eh? Oh, I'm fine!"
"That's good. You drank a lot last night. You didn't seem completely drunk, but you might feel a bit unwell. Fortunately, it's your day off today. You should get plenty of rest."
Keqing rattled on and on, but Qin Yu only registered the first sentence. The rest went in one ear and out the other.
I drank a lot last night? So everything that happened last night was real.
Keqing's words were the most compelling evidence.
Last night, she had been here, in this very room, sharing intimate conversation with him, and then... Qin Yu unconsciously touched his lips.
Seeing this, Keqing's words died on her tongue.
"Qin Yu, about last night..." Keqing shifted her tone, setting down her teacup.
"W-w-what about it?" Qin Yu stammered, his nervousness palpable. Keqing felt an inexplicable itch in her heart, finding Qin Yu utterly endearing.
It wasn't that Qin Yu wasn't cute normally, but this intense feeling was entirely new. Perhaps when their body temperatures had melded, Keqing herself had been subtly altered by the warmth.
Yet Keqing remained perplexed by this strange, incomprehensible emotion.
Why am I experiencing such incomprehensible, strange feelings?
Ignoring the question for now, Keqing flushed red and asked, "What do you think about it?"
"M-me? I don't quite understand what you mean..." Qin Yu stammered.
"You still remember, right?"
Qin Yu desperately wanted to deny it, but such a clumsy lie would be exposed instantly.
"I... I remember."
Evaluation: B-
Keqing fiddled with her ponytail. "Then..."
Then what? Keqing was slightly confused; she wasn't even sure what she wanted to say anymore.
"Do you hate it?" she finally asked, her voice trembling slightly. It was a question that had been weighing heavily on her mind.
Ha? Why would she ask such a thing?!
This was the absolute last question Qin Yu wanted to answer, bar none. Whether she said "I hate it" or "I don't hate it," neither answer would be good.
Don't interrogate me.
Qin Yu countered, "I should be asking you, Keqing... Why did you kiss me back then?"
She had clearly reined in her impulse.
A mere centimeter's distance had led to vastly different outcomes.
At the time, Qin Yu had drunk quite a bit, but the "drunken rampage" trope didn't apply to her. She wasn't the type whose personality would be drastically altered by alcohol.
Alcohol only made her consciousness feel light and floaty, amplified her emotional fluctuations, and made her drowsy—nothing more... Wait, the more she tried to explain, the more it sounded like she had wanted to kiss Keqing all along.
But that was absolutely impossible.
In any case, she hadn't been particularly clear-headed that night. Keqing, on the other hand, had been perfectly sober.
Keqing could have pushed Qin Yu away, but instead, she had deliberately closed that one-centimeter gap to zero, ultimately leading to this outcome. Of course, that wasn't to say it was Keqing's fault.
Keqing, caught off guard by Qin Yu's question, fell silent.
At that time...
She had wanted to lean in—her body had acted on instinct, driven by a primal urge.
Keqing couldn't bring herself to continue her response.
Qin Yu, equally embarrassed, didn't press the matter further.
"I just... I want to know what to do," Keqing murmured.
Don't make it sound like we committed some earth-shattering crime.
But Qin Yu understood what Keqing meant.
Friends don't kiss. At least, their friendship shouldn't involve such things.
Once that line is crossed, the relationship faces the test of "change."
Keqing felt bewildered, and Qin Yu was equally at a loss.
If they were no longer friends, what future lay ahead for their relationship? Qin Yu grew uneasy at the uncertainty.
She felt uneasy about the change, even though it was her own impulsive actions that had led to this development.
Since the fundamental assumption was that "this is wrong," what if they simply decided "it's not wrong"?
While it undeniably was wrong, if Keqing acted as if it were normal, and Qin Yu pretended to agree, would that make it okay?
They could pass it off as "playful banter between childhood friends," for example.
...It felt forced no matter how she looked at it, but still, she decided to give it a try.
Logically, all Qin Yu had to do was deny the kiss from the previous night, tacitly pretending it had never happened.
But the mere thought of doing so filled her with inexplicable rage.
If Qin Yu could go back to that moment, she knew she would never choose to act that way again. Looking back now, she felt like throwing herself into the sea. Yet, she had no desire to deny it.
It actually felt quite... comfortable. Wait, no! That was my first kiss!
Leaning against the wall, Qin Yu lowered her head and said stiffly, "I don't think there's anything strange about it."
Keqing was startled by this declaration.
"Have you done this with other people too?"
Why would she even think that?! No, it's not surprising she'd think that, but am I really that kind of person?! Qin Yu felt deeply offended by Keqing's misunderstanding and rushed to explain:
"Of course not! I've never done anything like that before!"
"Oh... I see. My apologies, I misunderstood."
Hmph, you better be.
Keqing hesitated before asking, "Then... was that your... first kiss?"
"Mhm..."
What else would it be?
For some reason, Keqing felt relieved. "Me too," she said softly.
"Huh?"
"I mean... that was my first kiss too..."
Qin Yu's face flushed crimson as she fiddled with her bangs. "Ah..."
Can you just stop saying nonsense? Even if it's true.
Evaluation: A
Shoo, shoo.
Keqing pressed a hand to her forehead, thinking, What am I even saying? My usually orderly mind has become a complete mess, utterly chaotic.
More than anything, she was focused on Qin Yu's words.
"You say you don't find it strange, but we're both women, and we're friends. Friends don't do things like this."
There was no easy rebuttal.
But right now, she had to resort to twisted logic.
"Precisely because we're both women... there's nothing wrong with it—that's how I see it."
Yeah right. There's definitely a problem.
"Besides, there are many kinds of friendships! Some friends only see each other occasionally, while others meet frequently. Different people have different ways of interacting, and therefore, what they do together also varies from person to person."
Exactly! No, that's not right. But it has to be this way.
"So I don't think it's a problem... at least not for us two. Most importantly, we're not just ordinary friends." Qin Yu touched her bracelet and smiled.
Not ordinary. Hearing those words, Keqing felt a warmth spread through her heart.
That's right, it was special.
Together, they had forged "shackles" that bound each other, and together they had sought their own sea... Together they had experienced and shared countless moments and emotions.
"So... is it really okay... for us?" Keqing murmured.
Evaluation: A+
Eh? She's actually accepting it?
Qin Yu was genuinely surprised. She had braced herself for a much harder time convincing Keqing, yet here she was, already embracing this flawed logic.
Perfect! Just one more sentence!
"Yeah, just be more careful in the future. That's what I think."
Perfect.
Keqing sensed something amiss. "What you're saying contradicts what you said earlier."
Huh?
"You said there's no problem with us doing... those things. Then you said to be more careful in the future. Only problematic things require caution."
O-oh... she's right, isn't she?
Qin Yu secretly cursed her misfortune. She had been trying to simultaneously convey that "last night's events should be forgotten" and "it won't happen again," but Keqing had deftly pinpointed the contradiction.
"According to what you said earlier, shouldn't we..."
Keqing blushed and averted her gaze.
"Ahem... I should say—I was just asking a question! Shouldn't I say... it wouldn't matter how many times we kissed in the future? If our relationship is truly as you say, then we shouldn't think there's anything wrong with it."
Evaluation: S+
Qin Yu's mind went completely blank with a bang.
How many times wouldn't matter? Impossible, impossible! Absolutely not! Even though she didn't actually dislike it, it was still impossible. Don't even think about it.
Has Keqing awakened as a lesbian?
But I'm not that kind of woman... I don't think.
Flushing crimson, Qin Yu stammered, "Logically speaking, you're right! But..."
"Then Qin Yu, do you think there's a problem?"
Duh!
"N-no..." Qin Yu stubbornly clung to her stance.
She didn't want last night's kiss to be considered a "problem."
But to prove her point, she had to pay a price.
Keqing approached Qin Yu, who found herself struggling to breathe, likely due to her overwhelming nervousness. Yet she stood her ground.
Keqing removed her glove and slowly placed her hand on Qin Yu's cheek.
Skin met skin, warmth seeping between them.
Now fully conscious, Qin Yu was a different person from the night before. She no longer craved warmth, and Keqing's suggestive actions only made her subconsciously tense up and hold her breath.
"Qin Yu," Keqing called out her name, her voice carrying a tone and emotion Qin Yu had never heard before.
As Qin Yu could hear her own heartbeat pounding in her ears, Keqing lowered her gaze, hesitated for a moment, then looked up again and asked softly, "If it's okay with you... may I?"
Evaluation: SS
No.
But recalling that unique yet comforting sensation, Qin Yu couldn't bring herself to reply.
Keqing, receiving no response, grew even more anxious. She leaned closer, but Qin Yu continued to stare back at her.
Keqing almost retreated, but in the next instant, Qin Yu closed her eyes, allowing Keqing to press her lips against hers.
Evaluation: SSS-
Moments later, Keqing pulled back slightly, just as she was about to lean in again, Qin Yu opened her eyes. Her amber eyes, glistening with moisture, met Keqing's before she turned away, covering the lower half of her face with her hand.
"Don't..."
Snapping out of her daze, Keqing turned away as well, her face flushed crimson.
"Mm-hm."
Keqing had already guessed Qin Yu's thoughts. She could have selectively ignored the contradictions in Qin Yu's words, but instead, she seized upon them.
The reason was simple.
I just felt like kissing you for no reason—this was something she could never bring herself to say, nor was it something friends should do. Yet when Qin Yu said it didn't matter, Keqing inexplicably had that thought.
The result was an even more awkward and delicate atmosphere between them.
Maybe I shouldn't have done that, Keqing couldn't help but regret.
"Keqing... I want to ask you something," Qin Yu said.
"What is it?" Keqing asked, surprised.
The question was incredibly difficult to voice, but Qin Yu had to ask it.
"You... do you like girls?"
"No!"
"Really?" Qin Yu pressed.
"Yes."
I can't believe it.
"I'm sorry, it's almost time for me to leave," Keqing said awkwardly.
Ha? Kiss and run? How unfair! Qin Yu thought, both helpless and resentful. She desperately wanted to express her strong displeasure at Keqing's actions.
But surprisingly, she didn't feel as angry as she expected.
That didn't mean she approved of Keqing's actions! If she ever dared to do that again, she'd pay dearly.
"Qin Yu, should we have dinner tonight?" Keqing asked.
No, go eat by yourself.
"I need to return to the Jade Chamber tonight."
"If that's the case... what about tomorrow?"
No, I won't agree to that.
"I think I'll be quite busy tomorrow. I'll be staying by Lady Ningguang's side."
Hmph.
"Ningguang..."
Keqing's expression turned subtle. Just hearing Ningguang's name from Qin Yu earlier had already irritated her, and now that feeling had intensified tenfold.
"What about the day after tomorrow?"
"I'll be with Lady Ningguang."
Ningguang again? Keqing's frustration deepened.
"Fine, then let's find another time when we're both free to go out. See you later."
Keqing sighed softly. Just as she turned to leave, before she could take a single step, Qin Yu grabbed her hand. This forced her to look back at Qin Yu.
"Tonight, if it's early, I'm free," Qin Yu said.
Keqing paused, then smiled. "Alright, I'll come find you then."
Qin Yu hadn't forgiven Keqing for her behavior.
However, Keqing was her important childhood friend. She didn't want to strain their relationship. Compared to their bond, a momentary kiss meant nothing.
This is the answer, Qin Yu thought.
No matter what happens, they would continue to wear these new "shackles," continuing to bind each other.
But to reiterate, this didn't mean she had let it go!
This was the second time!
Don't even think about a third time.