[Genshin Impact] Can the Anemo Archon Fall for a Chuunibyou?

A lighthearted slice-of-life story. Set before the end of Natlan's main storyline.

"If Venti came to the modern world, would he be dazzled by the canned liquor on supermarket shelves?"

*

Bai Yue is an ordinary high school senior with a bit of a chuunibyou streak, and a simple, devoted Venti fan. But on the first day of Venti's rerun banner, her final ten-pull for the guaranteed five-star crashes her computer. When she opens it again, her Venti is gone.

Haha, gone...

In despair, the girl gazes up at the sky. Only a forty-five-degree upward stare can keep her tears from falling. Even a child favored by the gods can be let down one day, can't she?

Just then, a shooting star wrapped in golden light streaks past. The fleeting shadow leaves her frozen in place. Was that... Venti?

Her despair is put on hold. She has to go find her fave.

*

Venti sits by the roadside, feeling annoyed. He'd been idly relaxing when he was brought to this strange world, and now he's run into a weird girl, too.

The girl is strange. She's been staring at him ever since they first met.

Though he is grateful that she pulled him out of a thicket last night.

"Don't your eyes get tired?"

Bai Yue shakes her head. "I'm Bai Yue."

Venti counts on his fingers, exasperated. "You've introduced yourself so many times already."

No money, no job, but at least he has a legal ID card. If he weren't going hungry every other day, Venti would really like to praise how considerate this transmigration has been.

Singing at bars, busking on the street, and having his ID checked countless times a day to verify his age.

Seriously, what's wrong with being cute?

Bai Yue takes Venti around to experience all the exciting new things the modern world has to offer: all kinds of little cakes at pastry shops, dazzling drinks at bars, all-you-can-drink canned liquor at buffets, roller coasters at amusement parks that Venti handles with ease, and even the college entrance exam, which she talks him into taking.

"Venti, do you believe in fated bonds?"

Bai Yue bites her pen, looking solemn.

Venti knows the girl is being chuunibyou again, but that's all right. Maybe she'll meet new friends at university.

*

One day, Venti is invited into Bai Yue's bedroom for the first time, only to find the walls covered in pictures of him.

Venti is a little surprised. He can tell the girl likes him, but has she really become this obsessed?

He steps inside and sees that the dates written on the pictures all predate the day he met Bai Yue.

Some of them are even labeled "Barbatos, God of Wind."

He freezes. He never told Bai Yue his true identity. What's going on?

The strangest thing is that the cover of the diary on the desk reads: "I am Lord Barbatos's dog!!"

Huh?

Venti turns to Bai Yue uncertainly. He thought she was just chuunibyou. What is this supposed to be? Has she been hiding this side of herself a little too well?

Before he can process it all, Bai Yue opens her wardrobe and tells him there's a school cosplay convention.

"Huh? What's that? Wait, Bai Yue, I don't want to wear weird clothes, okay!"

*

Years later, when Venti confesses his feelings, Bai Yue remains unmoved. She even treats his confession as a new piece of writing to print out, asking whether he prefers Song or Kai font.

Venti is baffled. "This girl used to be so crazy about me, acting like she liked me so much. Was it all fake?"

Bai Yue: "My admiration for the gods is pure. I believe my god wouldn't be hung up on romantic love between men and women! Like god, like follower!"

Venti sighs. "I might as well have been batting my eyes at a blind man."

Theme: Set out toward a bright future.