Chapter 1: Chapter I: The Meeting of the Minds

Liminality

by springfieldofcherryblossoms/umi-sen-yama-sen

— × —

He has never been captivated, let alone paid attention to a single flower— except for Glaze Lilies.

Guizhong, the Goddess of Dust— would often hold up two or three of those flowers and offer them to him. Even though he was perplexed as to why she was giving him delicate flowers out of the blue, he could only nod in gratitude and scrutinize the flowers in silence.

Fascinating thing, he mused inwardly. It was always a mystery to him how a mere flower— with such a short life— could be so resplendent. Its appearance, especially in full bloom, never failed to enchant him. Who would have thought that the common sight of its closed bud during daytime is paler in comparison to its glorious petals in full bloom at nighttime?

Morax could only bask in the tranquility of the enchanted place as he gazed up at the sky, observing the massive moon staring back at him in silence. It was a habit of his to moon gaze in his favorite spot, with an old large tree and blooming Glaze Lilies to accompany him.

But then, his moment of reprieve was cut short the moment his eyes caught a certain object from above. Its plain white color was enough to draw his attention as it fluttered in slow circles in the sky, like a plucked bird feather falling from the heavens as it followed the whims of the wind.

Intrigued, he stood up from his lax position. His bare feet padded softly among the soft grasses, while intentionally avoiding not to trample the delicate flowers with every step he took as he moved forward towards his destination.

As he patiently waited for the object to descend, he looked up and reached his arm full of ancient marks that almost shone brightly in the dark. When it finally stopped on his large palm, he couldn't help but be curious, and he was even more intrigued when he discovered it was a flower.

And a peculiar flower at that.

In his entire life, he was certain that he hadn't seen anything like this in Teyvat. Not even the silk and sweet flowers could compare in its strange appearance.

So for confirmation and out of curiosity, he looked at the bed of Glaze Lilies around him— looking at the soft pointed petals that almost glowed in the moonlight.

He shook his head inwardly. No. Not even close.

But, where did this unusual flower even come from?

As he marched back to his original position, he sat down under the tree and began to scrutinize the flower like a mad scientist eyeing its specimen from a microscope.

The flower was large enough to fill his palm but not so large as to crowd his hand. The flower, in his opinion, was not too flashy and eye-catching at first. But its unique colors enhanced the flower's simplicity, particularly the bright single color of one petal that differed from the rest.

There are five smooth petals. Four of them were ivory in color, with the remaining one resembling the bright blue sky he enjoys seeing during the day.

He just realized, after a few moments of scrutiny, that the flower has a closer resemblance to lilies. Was it a lily? Or a new kind of lily species in Teyvat that he was not aware of? He was not certain, but he can only speculate in silence.

Maybe he could ask Guizhong, or Cloud Retainer? Perhaps they might have known what kind of flower it is.

— × —

When he met them in the usual spot for their pre-arranged gathering, he was not surprised to see a small banquet laid out on the marble table for three people.

As usual, they discussed future plans for the thriving region. While it was true that Guizhong and Cloud Retainer did the majority of the talking, he also made an effort to contribute whenever the both of them ran out of ideas.

But somehow, he doesn't find himself listening to them chatter. At first, the sound of chatter was a soft background to his ears, until it gradually dimmed out and he could no longer hear their voices anymore.

While studiously sipping his fair share of tea, he spotted some colorful flowers sitting innocently on the table. His thoughts flew out once again to the flower that he found two days ago, and he couldn't help but check the flowers to see any resemblance. If there was any at all.

"Rex, you seemed preoccupied. Is there something wrong?"

He blinked slowly, breaking out of his trance, and responded to the sudden question.

"I found a strange flower." He knew he was being vague about mentioning it, but he doesn't feel like elaborating it to his dear friends where he found it— yet. "However, I have no idea what it is."

Guizhong leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. It was not a surprise, because he knew how much she adores flowers. "A flower? You haven't seen it across the region?"

"I believe I don't."

Guizhong's enthusiasm was obvious, that Cloud Retainer could only shake her head in amusement. "Is it possible that it's a new kind of flower that grew here?"

He pondered her words for a moment, his brows slightly knitted. Even though he has no idea where the strange flower came from, he doesn't believe it grew in the region.

Just how could he tell his two comrades that he saw it fall from the sky? He didn't even hand-pick it from somewhere. It just fell and appeared out of nowhere, and he only catched it because his curiosity won him over.

No, the flower doesn't belong in their region. It was unique, definitely foreign, and the flower was different from any flowers in Teyvat.

In fact, it was way otherworldly. Of course, only by his standards.

He shook his head after a few moments of silence, "I do not think that is possible."

"Oh? A foreign kind then?"

"...Perhaps."

Cloud Retainer eyed him, her glassy eyes were almost eerie but he paid it no mind. "I am curious; do you have it with you? Would you mind showing us?"

Heeding her request without hesitation, he summoned the flower with a flick of his hand. The white flower with the blue petal that he found two days ago was carefully encased by a crystallized orb— perfectly preserved with his Geo element— that the flower within it almost glowed, surrounded by thousands of shimmering glitters.

His friends' gazes were drawn immediately to the orb. Guizhong's delicate features were filled with fascination, while Cloud Retainer looked at it with a mixture of curiosity and mild interest.

Morax extended his palm forward as a courtesy, allowing them to see the flower up close and in greater detail.

"My insight tells me that this flower does not look like it belongs here," The avian adeptus craned her neck to look at him.

"I...think so, too," Guizhong murmured in agreement. Her hand raised up and began to prod the crystallized orb as her eyes drank in the sight of such exotic flower in his possession. She averted her intense gaze and regarded him politely. "Rex, I'm afraid this flower has piqued my interest. I would like to examine it carefully without this protective construct. May I touch it?"

Nodding, Morax lowered the defenses of the orb. The flower simply hovered in their eye level and the Goddess of Dust could only stare at it with unbridled delight and fascination. Guizhong brightly gushed at the sight, holding the flower in her dainty palms with care— as if the flora was so delicate that even a little rousing would break it.

"It's... beautiful," she touched the smooth petals, "This is exquisite, Rex."

Somehow, he seemed out of words for a moment and it took him five seconds to answer back. But he expressed his genuine opinion nonetheless. "It is."

"Do you think we can cultivate this flower in the gardens, Zhenjun-sama? It is pretty, like the Glaze Lilies."

Zhenjun, or Cloud Retainer, perked up and agreed with a nod. Guizhong's point of view was unassailable, he thought to himself. After all, the flower was interesting enough, and its unusual aesthetics were enough to catch any eyes.

"I believe so, and even though it is not as close to the native flowers that grow in this area, I think it would be a great addition."

The goddess beamed like a little child at her words, nodding enthusiastically as she agreed to her suggestion.

"Right? It would be a great addition to the region! I am sure the children would love to see this new kind of flower," she said cheerfully, turning to him. "What are your thoughts, Rex?"

He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't notice Guizhong and Cloud Retainer's worried looks. He couldn't even understand the surge of emotions he was feeling, let alone comprehend the feeling of uneasiness coursing through his body as if he had just eaten a swarm of bees.

He couldn't put a finger, or name this irrational desire within him. He doesn't want to indulge them. He doesn't even want them to get close to it, nor let them touch the flower for their own leisure.

But why?

"Rex? Are you alright? Are you still with us?"

Cloud Retainer and Guizhong exchanged glances for a moment when he was still not responsive to the latter's worried prodding. But as fast as his troubled expression appeared on his face earlier, it disappeared instantly when he faced them again with those beseeching, stoic eyes. As if his momentary lapse didn't happen at all, he flicked his wrist once again and the flower in Guizhong's hands was now back to its original place— back to its enclosed crystallized orb.

Quite surprised by the (somewhat) cold gesture, the Goddess of Dust could only fold her hands back to her lap which didn't go unnoticed by the adeptus beside her when her dainty hands clenched the silky robes of her person. "Was I being too forward? If so, I deeply apologi—"

He shook his head as he stopped her from completing her sentence, "Please don't. I apologize for making the two of you uneasy. I have a lot of things on my mind right now, and I didn't mean to make you both uncomfortable."

As if being summoned to get closer to him, the crystallized orb floated back in his personal space. He looked at it for a moment, oblivious to the slight change in his expression that morphed into tenderness, which both Guizhong and Cloud Retainer noticed in less than a few seconds.

"I am quite skeptical if this flower can even grow in the beds of my dominion though."

"Now that you mentioned it, it doesn't have any roots. I noticed it was cleanly cut." Guizhong realized, "Are you the one who cut it?"

"No, I didn't. I just saw this flower from above and catched it as it fell."

"From above?" They both asked, perplexed.

Morax almost wanted to join them in their bafflement, but he couldn't, so he only nodded.

"That's strange," Guizhong commented.

"Indeed," Cloud Retainer agreed.

He couldn't flatly deny their claims, because it was indeed strange from anyone's perspective.

"Anyway, although the proposition that you both suggested can be beneficial for enhancing floral aesthetics in the region," he bowed his head slightly in reverence, much to the surprise of his allies. "I apologize, but I must decline your brilliant plan; I hope you understand."

"You are planning to keep it?" Cloud Retainer asked.

With a nod, he replied. "Yes, I am planning to."

"Hm," The adeptus hummed, somewhat surprised.

Looking at the orb one last time before he sent it back in his secret inventory, he reached out for his forgotten tea and took a sip. "I think it would be a great addition to those Glaze Lilies I have back home," he said almost casually, unaware of Guizhong's soft gasp. "That is why I intend to keep it with them."

He was so preoccupied with his thoughts as he sipped his hot beverage with his eyes closed that he did not notice Guizhong's flushed face, fidgeting slightly in her seat with a shy smile adorning her delicate features.

"I am glad," Guizhong murmured, and Cloud Retainer could only watch in silence as the Goddess of Dust started to develop feelings for the region's most dense ruler.

— × —

Just as what he promised to his comrades, he made sure to care for the unnamed flower, along with the Glaze Lilies that he had kept in his abode. He was still skeptical about the flower's longevity (given that it lacks roots), but if it is like any other flower in Teyvat, he can only guess that it will last at least two weeks before losing its allure.

As he slightly twirled the flower by its small stem, he hadn't thought of a good name to bestow yet. But he was not worried if it got delayed for a couple of days.

He was far preoccupied with important matters. Like his newly established region, the warnings from the Gods above, the unremitting war and bloody clashes with other surface gods and—

Celestia

The mere thought of it gave him a bitter taste in his mouth. What was Celestia up to this time? He would not admit it, but just thinking about them made him queasy. After all, it was them who instigated the war and established the rules of engagement. It was their idea that started the never-ending war in the first place.

And to think it was all because of Celestia's proposal to the surface gods like him. The path to ascension. To achieve more divine power. Domination. Morax thought the notion was really absurd in some way. Competitive gods were literally out for blood to secure their place in Celestia, just all for one divine seat.

To be honest, a simple god like him doesn't want to get entangled with the irrational whims of others, but Celestia had already done a good job of coercing him to participate for the sake of protecting the lives of his subjects from the war.

Doing underhanded tricks was an all-time favorite of lowly gods. To gain the upper hand against a formidable foe like Morax, they would resort to targeting those people under him— leaving him no choice but to fight back and retaliate in exchange for the safety of his people and region.

To protect meant to kill as well. To stain his hands with the divine blood of every foolish god he slaughtered on a regular basis to protect himself and the region he governed. When that happened to him for the first time, he realized he could not ignore Celestia's shady plot of battle royale any longer.

In other words, it was undeniably inevitable for him.

He fell head first, like a bug caught in a spider's web, and he knew he couldn't get out of Celestia's clutches unless he fought tooth and nail until the end.

It was to kill or being killed along with his subjects, that was the only thing that drove him to entertain the whims of Celestia.

It was no use frying his brain with those unwelcome thoughts, so with a small exasperated sigh, he decided to banish all of it out of his mind.

Morax was still holding on to the flower in his crossed lap when he thought his sensitive ears caught a soft lyrical tune. He was not sure if the sound came from his subconscious or not, but regardless of how strange it was to hear such an indistinct tune out of nowhere— he still found it pleasant to listen to, causing his eyes to close slowly, as if he were in a trance.

The soft hum was almost lullaby-like, causing him to slowly close his eyes and succumb to the darkness.

Morax had fallen asleep.

— x —

When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the brightest colors he had ever laid his eyes upon. Light pink and purple. Everything was blurry at first, but after a few seconds, his vision adjusted and he found himself admiring what he saw above with bated breath.

It was a sea of pink and purple petals fluttering in the breeze. Both delicate colors seemed to complement each other so well that he couldn't help but admire in absolute silence.

It was a massive tree covered in thousands of tiny flowers. A tree so lovely that he was captivated just by its appearance alone. This was once again beyond his comprehension, reminding him of the flower he had taken a few nights before. What was the name of it? To be sure, he still doesn't know. But before that, where was he?

With a serious expression, he pushed himself into a sitting position and began assessing the enchanting, yet suspicious location. Morax swore that the last time he was conscious, he was staying on his respectful abode, engrossed in his darkest thoughts about Celestia's nefarious plots. But the more he thought about his whereabouts, the more clueless, lost, and skeptical he had become. This was not his territory, that he was certain. It didn't heed to his calls, it didn't even quake beneath him. And most importantly, it didn't hum in gratitude when he pushed some of his raw energy.

He was weighing his options for what to do with his current situation when his ears perked up at the soft rustling sound somewhere behind him. It was not far, but not too close either. Morax could only stretch his palm to summon his weapon, but much to his surprise, it did not appear at all by his silent command.

"Unbelievable," he said in utter disbelief, frowning at his empty palm as if the sight offended him greatly. Perhaps it did, which aggravated him even more.

Not only the lands didn't respond to him. Even his element didn't appear as he tried to call it forth. The lands, his element, his weapon..

What could possibly go wrong?

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The soft rustling sound was getting closer, as his arms full of ancient marks suddenly tingled, making his whole body so tense as ever.

"Ah, you're—"

He moved so fast like a blur, as his powerful hand caught someone's throat in a tight grip and harshly dragged them on the large bark, winded. He pushed his large frame against the person by locking his thigh with theirs. With his body so close, Morax could hear the soft whimper coming out from the person in front of him; as small hands clawing pitifully against his arm to pry his tight grip away.

He had just realized, after a few moments of rumination and clarity, that his body was intimately pressed against something so soft and feminine. He can even feel some distinct curves, a pair of well-endowed mounds pressing against his torso and his thigh pressing against something so soft and warm beneath—

It took him a few seconds to realize that this person— that he was choking against a tree—was undoubtedly a woman. Somewhat aghast, he let go of the gasping woman immediately, as if he had been burnt solely by her touch. His tongue was also prepared to offer a thousand apologies for rudely manhandling her for no apparent reason. But before he could fully apologize to the woman, his vision began to blur again, and he felt as if he was about to collapse.

His vision began to blur and his senses had followed suit.

He remembered the worried, blurry face of the faceless woman he had just manhandled, reaching out for him as if she wanted to catch him before the darkness engulfed him.

— × —

After he had that dream, his mind was filled with nothing but troubled thoughts that continued to swarm and distract him from his daily duties in Guili Plains. He can also feel that his comrades could sense his troubles from a mile away, but thankfully, no one bothered to ask him about it (much to his silent relief). Morax remembered waking up in a jolt that day, flower almost forgotten in his lap, and he couldn't believe what had just happened.

It had been bothering him for days, and he was not sure if he could ask Guizhong or Zhenjun about his thoughts.

Only mortals could dream, right?

While he was thinking about that mind-boggling question, he felt a light tug on his flowing robes, which brought him back to reality and was greeted by Guizhong's worried face.

"Rex? Are you alright?"

"Aa," he confirmed, albeit a little bit winded. "I apologize; I was out for a brief moment, and that was impolite of me."

"No, not at all. I do not mind. It is your thoughts, and you can keep them to yourself if you want, but Rex, I am worried."

He couldn't help but look at the woman in question at that point. "Worried?"

"Yes, worried," Guizhong said seriously, "about you." she finished with a slight purse of her lips, "Tell me. Something bothers you a lot, don't you?"

To say he was not surprised by her words alone was an understatement. But this is Guizhong; she was intelligent and highly perceptive of other people's needs and troubles. She could always sense something was wrong, and she was more compassionate than he was. She also inspired people along the way, and he thought it was impressive in its own right.

He was kind of dense, and he doesn't deny it. Not at all. He just couldn't understand what it means to be human. He had no idea how to adapt, let alone understand and socialize with mortals. For him, it was almost agonizing in some way.

But, in order to learn something beyond the scope of his abilities, he still sought Guizhong's advice. He was, after all, a ruler. And it was his job to learn and understand the ways of his subjects, as well as to connect with them.

However, he had to admit the experience was kind of jarring though. But he can always try. Gradually. Regardless of how much taxing it would be.

After a few moments of silence, he finally relented. It wouldn't hurt to ask, isn't it? Perhaps he would find an answer from her, hopefully. "Do gods dream?"

Surprised by the seriousness of his question, the Goddess could only look him in the eye— probably trying to size him up as to why he asked such an odd question.

In an agonizing lapse of silence, he waited for her surprise to mellow down. "I wouldn't know about the other gods, but if you are asking for my opinion on that question based on experience— then no, I haven't."

With a hum, she continued. "I was once told by a dear friend that dreams were a luxury by mortal standards, which makes me curious about what it would be like for us to dream as well," she said in a wonder, "Would that bring us closer to mortals?"

"Why are you so adamant to connect with mortals?"

Surprised, but she smiled nonetheless. Not taking offense to his blunt question. "It is an instinct, Rex, an instinct to bond with others, regardless of the differences. We may be gods and they are mortals, but we both share the same air that we breathe on a daily basis."

"It doesn't make sense why we have to be attached to them. We can protect them, lead them. But there is no requirement for us to attach ourselves with humans, are there?"

"Attachment is a part of life, Rex." Guizhong murmured but he heard her alright.

"Even though you knew how futile it was? You know that their lives were like a fleeting mist that would gradually vanish as time passed," He knew his words would strike a nerve while adding salt to Guizhong's non-existent raw wounds, but he could not help himself. He just did not get it, and all he wanted was answers. "Those who were left behind must have suffered from their memories; then why so eager for more pain?"

If you have been abandoned by a mortal you used to care about, why would you want to get involved with another one?

These so-called attachments do not make sense at all.

Guizhong smiled even more at his question. It somewhat unnerved him, a little bit perplexed by the meaning of her look; but he didn't say anything about it.

"Who says that? Pain is what makes a person— human, isn't it? Whether they are painful or not, people dwell on their feelings because they know how to feel, Rex."

"But we're gods, Guizhong."

"So? What if we're gods? It didn't stop us from bonding with mortals, didn't we? There is no law stopping us from doing so, not even Celestia. We are not so different from them, except that our lives are longer than theirs. Like them, any day will get us killed as well. And also we, gods, know how to feel. We feel happy and sad. We also feel sorrow—"

"But I don't—"

"—And by the look you're sporting right now," Guizhong narrowed her eyes at him, serious hazels pinned him on the spot. "You looked so troubled, that your typical aloofness has been reduced to nothing. You feel, Rex. And yet you're a god. Does that answer your question?"

They stared at each other for so long, neither willing to back down from the silent challenge that she started.

Try to refute me. And I'll indulge you more.

The underlying message from her stare wasn't left ignored by him. And it took a lot of patience for him not to refute her quite sensible answers to his blunt questions and mild provocations. However, refuting her claims would lead to endless debates, which he was attempting to avoid.

With his arms crossed, he closed his eyes and turned away from her. It was his way of letting her know that he understood her implications and that he was not interested in refuting her explanation with another round of debates. He could almost feel the smirk on the woman's lips as she hummed beside him.

"You know that these so-called attachments are meaningless to me because I can not feel them."

"But you are getting there, and that is more important."

"..."

"We are getting ahead on the main subject, don't you think? So pray tell, what is boggling your mind?"

Quite hesitant, he opened his eyes to look at the grand scenery before him and answered.

"Nothing really," He said, a lie so obvious that Guizhong wouldn't believe it if it were not for the next words that came out of his mouth. "I was just thinking about what you said," Another lie, but she was too stunned to respond. "So it is nothing to worry about."

In the end, he couldn't tell her about what he experienced.

He couldn't be so sure of himself if it was a dream or just a figment of his imagination. Perhaps he was just out of his mind that day, considering he was brooding about Celestia's shady agendas.

He was not certain if he would experience the same thing again.

So, why even bother?

— × —

When he awoke to the sight of beautiful pink and purple colors, he was inclined to believe that the heavens above enjoyed making fun of him in some way.

Earlier, he even believed that it was nothing but a one time thing. Just a mere figment of imagination or hallucination, or anything alike. But there he was, absolutely back in the place that he almost called a dream.

Dreams were a luxury by mortal standards.

He could almost hear Guizhong's wistful tone. He was back again. To the place that he really wanted to know out of curiosity. But how was he going to deal with it? This is completely out of his scope of knowledge. A domain that he can not even begin to comprehend with theories, let alone wild guesses. A realm of dreams that he unintentionally entered. He has no idea how it happened because he was not a mortal—he was a god, and gods do not dream. They do not have the luxury of dreaming as mortals do. However, looking up at the tree above him in a vulnerable supine position leads him to believe otherwise.

So he was an exception then? He begged to differ. Unbelievable.

Morax was almost comfortable in his position when he remembered that something was missing.

The woman. He forgot he needed to apologize, no matter how possibly uncomfortable it could be. He sat immediately, his amber orbs scanning the area with searching eyes. Was she even present?

As if someone summoned the woman because of his desire to see her once more, he spotted her petite shell not far from him— crouching over some flowers that seemed eerily familiar.

Wasn't that the same flower that boggled his mind for several nights already?

Morax could hear the woman in the distance humming softly. He stood up, his bare feet almost tingling as the soft grasses beneath him made contact with his soles. It was soft and warm. He almost knelt to touch it with his hands, but the sight of the unknown woman took precedence.

He wanted to apologize.

When he got a little bit closer, he made sure to leave some noises with his feet just to alert her to his presence. But much to his slight befuddlement, she didn't even bother to shy away from him; let alone warn him to step away from her when he was getting closer to her respective space.

In fact, she only stopped humming— but she doesn't even appear to be wary of him. Before Morax could scrutinize this woman up close and appreciate her soft colors; he instantly kneeled down with his palms on the ground, head bowed— that his forehead almost touched the tips of the grasses, that seemed to tickle his very senses.

"My deepest apologies for what happened last time. Rationality had left me instantly when I woke up in a foreign place. I was too wary," he said politely, but sincerely, and he could feel her eyes on him as he continued, "I should have been more calm and assessed the situation before lashing out carelessly to you; it was wrong of me to manhandle you like that, Miss. I hope you forgive my careless misdeeds."

He waited for her to say something, even waited for her to lash out at him out of revenge for what he did last time. But neither came to him much to his confusion.

Was the apology woefully inadequate? Or did the woman not hear him clearly? Still, she didn't utter a single word, which made him a little bit queasy. His insides were doing somersaults, which was uncharacteristic of him. He had to admit, it was an odd feeling.

It was getting…. uncomfortable. And he doesn't like the feeling, not even a little bit.

Just in case she didn't hear him, he guessed he would just have to repeat it again. "My deepest apolo—"

"Um.." she started softly, her voice almost breathy and lyrical that it sent unbidden shivers through his spine. "Can you please... raise your head?"

Heeding her request, Morax raised his head and was greeted by striking gold, framed with thick and long gold lashes. His amber eyes clashed with hers, and it almost felt like the time stood still as they sized each other.

Aside from the golden eyes, Morax noted that the color of her hair was in a similar shade as well. Albeit slightly lighter than her almost bright eyes, it was still in the same shade of gold nonetheless. Gold. For him, it was a regal color. It reminded him of the glowing Geo crystal flies he used to see in Nantianmen.

Her long golden hair was kept on a loose braid with several fringes framing her innocent face. He also noticed a unique looking ornament on her left ear— a beautiful feather dangling on her lobule, touching her golden braid neatly plastered on her left shoulder.

And she was undeniably beautiful in her own right. A kind of beauty that you couldn't help but indulge looking at. Kind eyes were blinking up at him, soft plump lips with the color of sunsettias slightly parted, and flushed cheeks with a kind of glow that he somewhat found... endearing. It just reminded him of those happy children that he and Guizhong used to see from time to time. They had this certain natural glow in their cheeks, that pink tinge clinging on their fairest skins.

She tilted her head to the side, her long braid following the motion as well as the feather dangling on her ear. "Would you mind repeating what you are trying to say?"

"I humbly apologize for what I did last time. It was unbecoming and shameless of me."

"...Ah," she blinked even more, brows furrowed as she looked even more troubled.

Was she dissatisfied with his apology?

Was the apology so bad that she had to make that strange expression on her face?

But somehow, after a few moments of silence between them. Her bewildered look was instantly replaced with a wry smile.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you with my lame response. If I have to judge what you are trying to do just by looking at you, I guess you wanted to apologize about what happened last time?"

He gave a curt nod.

Her smile widened at that, "You understand what I am telling you?"

Blinking at her question, he nodded again in confirmation; albeit almost in confusion.

What was she talking about?

"Hmm, this is kind of puzzling. I honestly do not understand what you are saying, but you seem to understand mine."

What?

He couldn't help himself, he asked. "What do you mean?"

"Right now, I do not understand any of the words you are saying to me, so I have to guess what you are trying to say based on your tone or your expression alone. You are trying to tell me 'what do you mean', aren't you?"

"You are correct," he murmured.

She hummed, "Let me guess, that's a 'yes' or something closer to it, then?"

He didn't need to nod or respond to her question. She was startlingly astute, deductive— and quick to guess things right.

The more he thought about the inconvenient situation between them, the more he realized it would be a shame if the conversation between them had to be one-sided. She almost reminded him of Guizhong in some manner. She seemed intelligent and had a way through words. People like her were unquestionably conversationalist. If he happened to regale her with his countless tales, she might be a good listener as well.

But there was nothing he or she could do about it. Only he understands her, not the other way around— not even a single word.

What a shame. He might have enjoyed exchanging stories with her.

— × —

(Crossposted from AO3)

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