Just then, Shao Yun walked in.
As he stepped into Yoimiya's living room, he grinned and said, "Haha, I'm here! For a second I thought you two might've gone outside to set off fireworks."
Hearing his voice, Yoimiya quickly got up and greeted him warmly. "Hey there, Mr. Shao Yun! Long time no see!"
Lumine stood as well, smiling as she explained, "We were just chatting. Yoimiya said fireworks are best enjoyed at night—it's more atmospheric that way."
At that moment, Yoimiya turned and pointed toward the table behind her, smiling brightly. "Oh right! Mr. Shao Yun, come try my freshly made seaweed crackers—"
Her voice trailed off as her eyes fell upon the plate—now nearly empty, save for a few lonely crumbs of seaweed.
Paimon, meanwhile, sat contentedly at the table, licking the last traces of seasoning from her lips.
Catching Yoimiya's gaze, she scratched her head sheepishly. "Ahaha… sorry! Your crackers were too good, I kinda… ate them all."
Yoimiya blinked, then laughed heartily and waved her hand. "Don't worry about it, Paimon! If you liked them that much, that just means my cooking's a success."
"Since everyone seems to enjoy them, I'll make another batch! Honestly, I did feel like the first round was a bit too few anyway."
With that, she hurried off to the kitchen to prepare more.
…
Afterward, Shao Yun joined Lumine and Yoimiya in their conversation.
Time slipped by unnoticed. The bright daylight outside gradually faded into the warm hues of dusk, and soon darkness covered the sky.
When Yoimiya finally glanced toward the window and noticed the night had fallen, she nearly jumped. "Oh no! We've been talking that long?"
She laughed awkwardly. "Sorry about that! You two just got back to Inazuma today, right? You probably haven't found a place to stay yet… Tell you what, why don't you spend the night here?"
Shao Yun had just taken a sip of warm water when she said that—and almost choked. "Cough—wha… what!?"
Yoimiya tilted her head, blinking her lively eyes in confusion. "What's wrong? Isn't it normal for friends to stay over?"
Lumine smiled softly, brushing a strand of golden hair behind her ear. "Not strange at all… just didn't expect you to be this hospitable, Yoimiya."
At that, Shao Yun and Paimon exchanged a mischievous glance. Both of them leaned close behind Lumine and whispered.
Shao Yun murmured, "Are all Pyro archers this enthusiastic? I'm getting déjà vu here…"
Paimon nodded in a hushed voice, "Yeah, it's giving me Amber vibes. Maybe that's just a Teyvat-wide stereotype?"
Lumine, sensing their whispers, turned around sharply. "Hey, what are you two mumbling about back there?"
Caught red-handed, Paimon panicked but tried to act casual. "N-nothing! We were just… um… discussing what to eat for dinner!"
Yoimiya clapped her hands, suddenly enlightened. "Oh, right! Seaweed crackers aren't exactly dinner. Lemme think what else to make."
Shao Yun stepped forward, eager to contribute. "How about I take care of dinner? My cooking's not bad—I can show off a bit."
But before he could even move, Paimon raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Shao Yun, maybe keep your thick stew and roasted ribs for another day, yeah?" She gave him a skeptical look.
He frowned. "What? My cooking's not that bad, is it? It's definitely better than Pearson's organ stew…"
…
Although Shao Yun wanted to help, his culinary repertoire consisted of just two dishes—so in the end, Lumine and Yoimiya took over the kitchen, with Paimon assisting.
Shao Yun, relegated to miscellaneous chores, helped carry unsold fireworks into Yoimiya's storage room.
Later that night, outside the Naganohara Fireworks Shop, Yoimiya was busy setting up a cozy guest room for her friends.
Shao Yun sat at the doorway, resting after moving boxes, quietly admiring the night view.
Then—click—the door slid open. Lumine stepped out, sat down beside him, and exhaled softly.
Without hesitation, Shao Yun wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.
They sat there quietly, basking in the rare calm and warmth between them.
After a while, Lumine looked up, her golden eyes reflecting the moonlight. "You went to see Yae Miko today—that's what brought you to Inazuma, right?"
Shao Yun nodded without hesitation. "Yeah."
Well, nothing to feel guilty about, he thought. Though… she probably wouldn't look good in a pink hat anyway.
Lumine continued, "Was it about Scaramouche?"
Shao Yun raised an eyebrow. "You knew?"
She nodded. "Before we left Sumeru, Nahida told me… well, technically, she said it came from Irminsul's records."
At the mention of Nahida, Shao Yun's lips twitched slightly. "Let me guess—she didn't just tell you the facts, did she? She probably gave you a whole speech about how tragic and pitiful Scaramouche was, trying to tug at your sympathy?"
Lumine's eyes lit up in amusement. "Wow! You guessed exactly right!"
Shao Yun snorted. "Heh. Figures. That little diaper fairy really does see herself as some merciful savior of the world…"
He then asked, "So—what did you tell her?"
Lumine hesitated for a moment, then said, "I did give her an answer…"
She paused, glanced around to make sure no one else was nearby, then leaned close to Shao Yun's ear and whispered, "Fuck you."
Shao Yun blinked, then burst out laughing. "Wow—you cursed out Nahida?"
Lumine nodded proudly. "Of course! Scaramouche tried to kill you, and Nahida wanted me to pity him? No way! She was asking for that!"
Hands on her hips, she mimed the scene dramatically. "I even asked her—'If Scaramouche had succeeded, what would you have done then?' And she couldn't answer!"
Shao Yun chuckled, brushing his hand through her silky hair. "Wow, Lumine—you've grown a lot. More decisive than ever."
Her cheeks flushed slightly at the compliment, though she tried to hide it. Then she remembered something. "Oh, right! Shao Yun, in a few days, we're joining Yoimiya for the Lantern Rite Festival in Liyue.
After that, we'll head straight to the Yilong Port in Chenyu Vale, then move on to Fontaine. What do you think?"
"Fontaine, huh?" Shao Yun asked. "Not going back to Sumeru?"
Lumine shook her head lightly. "Nope. We've already done everything we needed to in Sumeru. Going back now feels unnecessary, don't you think?"
He nodded thoughtfully. "I don't mind either way. But… aren't you at least gonna say goodbye to Dehya, Dunyarzad, and Nilou? You're pretty close to them."
At that, Lumine hesitated, humming softly. "Hmm…"
Seeing her conflicted, Shao Yun smiled and waved it off. "Hey, don't overthink it. Let's enjoy the Lantern Rite first—then decide."
Lumine brightened. "Yeah, you're right. Let's do that!"
Just then, Paimon burst out of the shop, flitting excitedly. "Lumine! Shao Yun! Yoimiya says the fireworks are ready!"
But as she spotted them sitting side by side on the steps—snuggled close, practically glowing under the night sky—her excitement turned into exasperation.
She muttered under her breath, "You two do realize we're staying at someone else's house, right? Maybe tone it down a little…"
Shao Yun smirked, glancing at Lumine. "Maybe we should just send Paimon to study at the Akademiya."
Lumine laughed, clearly enjoying the idea. "I vote yes!"
The two of them nodded in unison, completely ignoring Paimon's horrified stare.
Her face puffed up like an angry little pufferfish. "Hmph! You two are so mean! How could you gang up on me like that!"
===BREAK===
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