Raising her head, she saw a relatively quiet street.
The young Qin Yu listlessly played with the doll in her hand.
The doll had been a birthday gift from her Teacher earlier that year.
Though not particularly fond of it, Qin Yu, lacking any friends, had to rely on the doll to alleviate her frequent bouts of boredom and melancholy.
By this time, Qin Yu had already begun attending private school. Logically, she should have been able to make at least one or two friends in her class. Yet, to this day, she remained utterly alone.
Initially, there had been a few classmates she could talk to and play with.
But then, one day, a child in the class suddenly declared, "Stay away from her! My parents said she cursed her parents to death!"
"What does 'cursed to death' mean?"
"Uh... it means she killed them, right? Like, being near her will get you killed!"
Rather than being frightened by this baseless claim, Qin Yu found it rather amusing.
"Whoa, don't play with her! You'll die~"
"Can she curse mice to death too?"
"I don't know, but stay away just in case! Hey, what does 'dead' even mean?"
Whenever Qin Yu tried to speak to the other children, they would laugh and run away, shouting variations of the above phrases at her.
Qin Yu's foster mother naturally heard about the incident and gave them a stern scolding, patiently explaining why their actions were wrong.
But this did nothing to improve Qin Yu's social standing.
Perhaps because the teacher's scolding had been so terrifying, Qin Yu herself had become someone to avoid.
Left with no other choice, the teacher transferred Qin Yu to another class.
Yet it made no difference.
Today, Qin Yu remained alone.
While playing with her doll, she suddenly heard voices nearby. Casually glancing up, she met the eyes of children playing nearby.
"Is she the one?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Waaah! Waaah! Don't come near us! We don't want to die~"
Qin Yu glared at them, her cheeks puffing up with anger. The children dissolved into laughter and resumed their boisterous play.
Finding it amusing, they began making faces at her and rushing forward, scaring Qin Yu so badly that she leaped to her feet and fled.
On her way home, Qin Yu tripped and fell.
"Ugh..."
She sucked in a breath, rubbed her throbbing knee, and felt an inexplicable warmth welling up in her eyes.
But she couldn't let the teacher see her like this. She didn't want to worry her. Forcing herself to remain composed, she limped home, step by painful step.
"Wait!"
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice called out from behind her. Qin Yu startled and instinctively bolted away without a second thought.
Rushing home, her teacher noticed the dust clinging to her clothes and asked in surprise, "What happened to you? Did you fall?"
"I... I was rolling around on the ground," Qin Yu stammered, improvising a clumsy lie.
"Rolling around? Are you feeling..."
"I'm going to bed!" Qin Yu interrupted, scurrying to her bedroom before the teacher could finish. She locked the door, brushed off the dust, and burrowed under the covers, pulling them over her head and body.
She exhaled deeply.
Here, I'm safe. The door's locked—no one can get in.
The outside world held no interest for her.
"Qin Yu? Did something happen?" her teacher's voice drifted through the door.
"No."
"...What do you want for dinner tonight?"
"Chicken drumsticks."
"Alright, I'll call you when it's ready—oh? Someone's here... They're here! Who is it?" Her teacher's voice faded away as Qin Yu curled up, closing her eyes.
Just as she was drifting off to sleep, a knock came at the door.
"I'm trying to sleep!" Qin Yu mumbled.
"Before that, let me return what you dropped!"
The unfamiliar voice snapped Qin Yu awake.
Who is it?
-
Lately, Keqing had been particularly preoccupied with a certain girl.
With her black hair, amber eyes, and adorable features, she was always seen sitting alone somewhere, lost in thought. The more Keqing saw her, the more curious she became, yet she never mustered the courage to strike up a conversation.
Will I see her today? And if I do, should I finally approach her? Keqing wondered.
Today, she planned to observe the daily lives of the people in Liyue Harbor, wanting to get a good look at what everyone was doing.
Just as she was about to round a corner, a girl suddenly darted past her, tripped over her own feet, and fell to the ground.
The incident happened so quickly that Keqing didn't even have time to react. By the time she regained her senses, the girl had already begun to run off again like a speeding arrow.
I feel like I've seen her before...
"Hmm? What's this?"
Keqing's sharp eyes spotted a doll on the ground. She picked it up and examined it closely.
"Not very cute... What strange taste... Is this hers?"
Muttering to herself, Keqing noticed the girl was getting farther away, still unaware she'd dropped her doll. She decided to chase after her.
"Wait!"
She called out, but the moment the girl heard her voice, she bolted off again like a sheep fleeing a wolf.
"Stop a moment! You dropped something!" Keqing called again.
This time, the girl seemed not to hear her at all, continuing to run.
Fortunately, she stopped running soon after.
Unfortunately, she entered someone's house.
Keqing stood panting at the doorway, the doll in her hands, her gaze darting between the doll and the door. A sudden wave of frustration washed over her.
How troublesome... But if she loses this, she might feel bad. Ugh, no choice. Keqing slapped her cheeks, steeled her resolve, and knocked on the door.
"Hello? Is anyone home?" she called out.
"Coming! Who is it?"
A woman with an air of refined intellect opened the door. She first glanced around before noticing young Keqing.
"Oh my, little one, what's wrong?" she asked, crouching down with a smile.
Keqing stammered nervously, "Uh, excuse me for bothering you. My name is Keqing, and I'm here because of this."
She held out the doll.
The woman's eyes widened in surprise. "Qin Yu's doll?"
Qin Yu? What a trendy name.
"Ah, yes. I found it and wanted to give it to your daughter, but she ran straight here..." Keqing straightened her posture as best she could.
The woman looked thoughtful.
She studied Keqing closely. Born into a prominent noble family, Keqing was acutely aware of such scrutiny. But she didn't find it strange, so she met the woman's gaze without flinching.
"Thank you," the woman said, but she didn't take the doll.
Keqing asked, puzzled, "It's... it's no problem. Helping others is only natural, but... won't you take it back?"
"Actually, my daughter has locked herself in her room right now."
"Eh? Why?"
The woman sighed. "She seems to have something on her mind, but she won't tell me. Since you seem so mature, I wanted to propose a deal."
"A deal?"
"Yes. If you personally return the doll to her, I'll cook you something delicious. How does that sound?"
Keqing was naturally pleased by the woman's compliment about her maturity. After a moment of hesitation and thought, she shook her head and said, "No need. Handing it to her personally isn't a big deal!"
Besides, she was already concerned about the girl.
"Wonderful! She's right this way."
The woman invited Keqing into her home. Keqing walked to a bedroom door and took a deep breath.
She knocked gently.
"I'm trying to sleep!"
Wait, don't go to sleep!
"Before that, let me return what you dropped!" Keqing quickly replied.
-
An unfamiliar voice. Was there someone standing at the door whom she didn't recognize? Judging by the voice, they seemed to be around her age, Qin Yu thought curiously.
She wanted to see who it was.
But, as expected, she decided against it.
"Teacher?" Qin Yu called out.
"I'm here, Qin Yu. She's here to play with you."
"Eh?! Wait a minute, I... Ah, so that's what's happening. That's right, Qin Yu, I'm here to play with you! Hurry up and open the door!"
Play with me? Qin Yu blinked, her curiosity about the girl outside the door growing stronger.
But still, she decided against it.
"No!"
"Why not?" the Teacher asked gently.
Qin Yu nearly blurted out the truth, but she held back.
"Just because I don't want to!"
So she's one of those difficult girls, Keqing thought, forming her first impression of the girl behind the door. She'd encountered this stubborn attitude in other children before and had never liked it.
But she'd already promised to play along, so she had to keep going.
Suppressing her impatience, Keqing said, "I really want to play with you. Please open the door."
"...Why?"
"Just because I want to play with you. There's no other reason," Keqing said, desperate to get Qin Yu to open the door.
After a brief silence, Qin Yu spoke again.
"I... I don't know you. What's your name?"
The voice behind the door drew closer.
"Keqing, what about you?"
"Qin Yu..." The voice seemed to be coming from right behind the door.
So it's Qin Yu, not Qing Yu, Keqing realized.
Realizing Qin Yu was speaking while pressed against the door, Keqing thought, This might actually work! Seizing the advantage, she pressed her own ear to the door and continued her persuasion.
"Don't you want to play with me?" Keqing asked.
"I do... I do. But I don't know if you'll suddenly run away too."
"Suddenly run away? What do you mean?"
After a moment of hesitation, Qin Yu whispered, "Everyone says I cursed my parents to death... They tell me to stay away..."
Keqing noticed Qin Yu's foster mother looking deeply troubled.
Furious, she retorted, "What kind of nonsense is that?! Curses? Accidental deaths aren't anyone's fault! If someone gets stabbed, blame the criminal, not some stupid curse! I hate that kind of talk!"
"This is the first time someone other than my teacher has ever said that to me..."
"Because it's the truth! Don't let those false claims get to you," Keqing insisted earnestly.
Qin Yu muttered again, "But what if it is true?"
"There's no 'what if.' I simply don't believe it. You shouldn't believe anyone who says such things to you either," Keqing declared.
"Oh... So you don't care?"
"Of course not. Now, open the door," Keqing urged.
She was desperate to see what kind of girl was behind that door.
Receiving no response, Keqing tried the handle, but it remained stubbornly locked.
Open the door?
Inside the room, Qin Yu, draped in a blanket, wavered between conflicting desires.
Why can she say things no one else can? The thought only intensified her longing to see the girl at the door, yet she couldn't bring herself to act.
As long as the door remained locked, no one could open it, no one could enter.
In this small world, she didn't need to worry about anything.
The outside world was dull and utterly uninteresting.
But if what she said is true... Qin Yu looked up at the lock.
A powerful longing surged from her heart. She reached out and gently unlocked the door. With a soft click, the door was no longer a barrier between her and Keqing.
Instead of opening the door, Qin Yu retreated a few steps to wait.
Actively open the door? She couldn't.
If you're telling the truth, then take me away.
Outside the door, Keqing and the Teacher's eyes widened slightly as they heard the lock click open.
She wants me to open it? Keqing held her breath, nervously gripped the doorknob, twisted it, and gently pushed the door inward.
What greeted her was...
A huddled mass of blankets.
"Huh?" Keqing froze, bewildered.
The Teacher, who had been peeking, sighed and massaged her forehead in exasperation.
Completely covered in blankets and sitting on the floor, Qin Yu couldn't see them but knew from the sound that Keqing had entered. She stammered, "W-welcome!"
Snapping out of her daze, Keqing asked, "You're in there?"
"Mmm..."
The blankets wriggled in acknowledgment.
"Can't you at least put the blankets down? It's rude to talk to people like this," Keqing said.
"But..."
"No buts. Besides, how am I supposed to play with you like this?"
Qin Yu extended a hand.
"We can play rock-paper-scissors now," she said.
"Good point... wait, no, that won't work! Fine, I'm going to pull the blankets off, okay?" Keqing walked over to Qin Yu and grabbed the edge of the blankets.
Before Qin Yu could reply, Keqing yanked the blankets away.
Their eyes met.
Jet-black hair, lively amber eyes, and features still childlike yet already hinting at future beauty—Keqing seemed to sink into a trance, murmuring involuntarily, "So cute..."
It's her after all! No wonder she looked familiar. She's the girl I've been so worried about.
I never expected to strike up a conversation at a time like this.
"Hm?"
"Ah, nothing." Keqing's gaze drifted away as she shook her head, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.
"Here, I'm returning this to you. You dropped it earlier," Keqing said, handing the plush toy back to Qin Yu.
"Thank you..." Qin Yu wasn't particularly interested in the toy. After placing it back on the bed, she cautiously asked, "Can we go play now?"
"Mm, of course."
Originally, Keqing had only said that to entice Qin Yu to open the door, but now she genuinely wanted to spend time with her.
"Then... can we hold hands?"
"We... we could..." Keqing stammered, embarrassed.
Qin Yu beamed and clasped Keqing's hand.
"What shall we play?" she asked.
"I want to observe how other people live and work. Come with me!"
Keqing had expected Qin Yu to say something like "No way," but to her surprise, the girl eagerly agreed.
"That sounds really interesting!"
"You can understand?"
"I think so."
Keqing, thrilled to find a kindred spirit, exclaimed, "You can understand! That's wonderful! Let's go!"
"Wait a moment."
Just as Keqing was about to pull Qin Yu out of the room, she was stopped. Turning back, Keqing saw Qin Yu looking up at her with anticipation.
"Are we friends now?"
"Mm, yes."
"Will we always be?" Qin Yu pressed.
"I'm not sure yet, but I hope so. I... I don't have many friends either," Keqing stammered, blushing again.
"I feel like I understand!"
Keqing paused, surprised. "Understand?"
"Yeah," Qin Yu replied with a candid smile. "I get the feeling you don't quite fit in. But I don't think there's anything wrong with that. What you said earlier? I thought it was really cool."
Keqing's face flushed even deeper red. "Cool..."
Just as Keqing was about to bask in Qin Yu's praise, she caught another keyword.
"Not fitting in?"
"Yeah, that's right."
Keqing suddenly realized that Qin Yu wasn't just an ordinary child; surprisingly, she seemed to possess a keen understanding of people—likely a sign of her sensitive nature.
Still, Keqing felt a little conflicted. Being told she didn't fit in was hardly cause for celebration.
"Y-you don't fit in either, do you?" Keqing retorted stubbornly.
"Yeah, but it doesn't matter anymore, because I've made a friend like you, Keqing!"
Embarrassed, Keqing said, "Okay, okay, you don't need to say it so many times."
"Hmph hmph. Hmm? Teacher, what's wrong?"
Qin Yu noticed the teacher had her back turned, her shoulders twitching slightly, and asked curiously.
"Nothing. Go play now, and be careful," the teacher said, sniffing.
Keqing's expression softened. Seeing through the facade, she chose not to point it out. Instead, she continued holding Qin Yu's hand as they walked out of the foyer and onto the bustling street.
The street teemed with people, far more lively than before.
"It's crowded. Don't get lost," Keqing said, squeezing Qin Yu's hand firmly.
"Mm..."
Keqing didn't have a specific destination in mind. Her goal was simply to observe how others lived, so any place with people would do.
But Qin Yu had a clear destination in mind.
"Please give us this!"
It was a place to eat.
"Do you have any money?" Keqing asked.
"Of course! I help Teacher with chores every day. If I do a good job, she gives me pocket money. Look! A lot, right?" Qin Yu proudly opened her small pouch of Mora.
"Not bad," Keqing said approvingly.
"Right? Here, this is for you."
Qin Yu tore the bread in half, offering half to Keqing.
"Is this okay?"
"Mm-hmm. Half for you, half for me—perfect." Keqing smiled and accepted the bread.
"I'm sorry for making you go to all this trouble," Qin Yu murmured suddenly.
"It wasn't any trouble at all," Keqing replied.
Keqing understood what Qin Yu meant—she was referring to what had happened earlier.
"You just... came to return my things, right?"
"At first, yes, but not anymore," Keqing replied.
After finishing their bread, Keqing clapped her hands, took Qin Yu's hand again, and pulled her along to wander around. They observed people's lives and casually bought snacks from the stalls.
"This is really interesting," Qin Yu remarked.
"Yeah, I think so too," Keqing said with a smile.
If she had come alone, she would have found it just as boring as before.
But coming with Keqing was different.
Will Keqing take me to many more places? Qin Yu wondered, when she happened to spot a group of children playing nearby. They were the same kids who had frightened her earlier.
Seeing her being led by Keqing, they were astonished, as if they had never imagined Qin Yu could have friends.
Noticing their surprise, Qin Yu wrapped her arm around Keqing's.
I'm not alone anymore! Thinking this, Qin Yu stuck her tongue out at the children.