EN | An encounter she will never forget | ᴄʜɪʟᴜᴍɪ

32 - The headbutt that set Lumine straight

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUMINE!"

Two words not including her first name. That's what it took to make Lumine completely break down. If she had been careful never to divulge the date of her birthday, it wasn't for nothing. She knew in advance that if she had to spend this day without her brother, she would fall apart.

But now Childe knew exactly what the date was, and even had baked her a cake to mark the occasion. She didn't know how he had found out, but she decided to save that question for later. In any case, her voice didn't answer her anymore, her throat being too tight by the emotion to be able to articulate the least word.

However, the emotion that gripped her heart wasn't what anyone would have expected, that is, the joy that loved ones decided to surprise her on her birthday. On the contrary, her emotion was nothing but a great sadness. Sadness at the idea of spending this day without her brother. It was her first and only birthday that she was celebrating without him. But more importantly, and correlatively, it was her brother's first and only birthday that she wouldn't wish him.

Just the fact of remaining immobile on a bed bringing back again and again memories spent in his company made her heart ache. So when she realized that Childe wanted to celebrate her birthday without her brother present, her pain was only greater. She had gone from having a Geovishap Hatchling crush her chest, to having Azhdaha take over and crush her heart.

She wanted to scream, to throw away the splendid cake made with all the love that Childe had for her, and to go out in the snow so that the cold would pierce her with thousands of needles. But she knew she couldn't do that. At that moment, the means she had to externalize her feelings of sadness, frustration and anger could only be summed up in one word: crying.

Without her even realizing it, she suddenly stood up, tipping her chair over and smashing it on the floor at the same time, and then took a step back, tears threatening to spill over.

Childe, who certainly had expected a reaction from the young woman, didn't seem to have expected a reaction of such intensity. He hastily circumvented the table to approach her now that she was completely in tears. He stood right in front of her, obviously unsure of what to do. After a moment's hesitation, Childe spoke up while reaching out to her, certainly to ruffle her hair in a comforting gesture.

"I'm sure your brother would rather see you having fun than feeling downhearted."

This simple sentence had the effect of making Lumine fly off the handle. Knowing Aether, he would certainly have retorted to her this same sentence: have fun. That was the worst part, knowing that this was what her patient, gentle and caring brother would have said.

Without even thinking twice, the young woman put aside with the back of her hand the one that Childe was affectionately stretching towards her. The latter said nothing, contenting himself with putting back his hand along his body as if nothing had happened.

Lumine had her head down, staring at her feet, so she didn't know what look the Harbinger had. Was he hurt that she had rejected him? Was he going to be angry with her? However, at this very moment, that was the least of her worries. The only thoughts she had at the moment were a mixture of sadness and despair, plus anger and hatred, both towards her brother, herself, and Childe. She had tried to contain it as best she could, but all her walls were crumbling in turn in her mind.

"I didn't want to... hear those words..."

Lumine said this sentence in an infinitely tenuous and almost threatening voice. All she wanted for this day was to be left alone, but of course that was too much to ask.

"I didn't want to celebrate it, I didn't want anyone to wish it to me, I just wanted to be alone!" she continued louder, clenching her fists as if her life depended on it.