We weren't supposed to be Main Characters ✔

Chapter 3

The next day, Childe greeted both of them in front of the guild, "morning, I'm guessing Lumine had told you?"

Aether nodded with a friendly smile, "yeah, I will introduce you to them."

The three of them arrived at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Aether knocked and entered the place.

Hu Tao exclaimed, "Oh ya!", and Zhongli sat up from the chair when he saw guests with Aether.

Aether introduced, "Zhongli, Hu Tao, this is my twin, Lumine, and her friend, Childe."

Lumine stepped up with a smile to shake hands, "it's nice to finally meet you, both of you. I have heard plenty of things about you from Aether."

Hu Tao shook her hands excitedly and replied, "as do we. It's a shame that you can't handle commissions with spirits. One extra hand would have been quite helpful."

She awkwardly chuckled and the twins' eyes switched to the two men beside them.

Childe held his hand with a smile, "I'm Tartaglia from Fatui but to be less formal, call me Childe."

Zhongli shook his hand, "I'm Zhongli, the consultant of the funeral. This young lady is Hu Tao, the current director."

Azure eyes met amber eyes steadily with a firm handshake. The twins gulped unconsciously as they were nervous for the main leads' first encounter.

Their handshake last longer than 10 seconds. They seemed to be checking each other but ... not in the way they thought they would be. Childe seemed to sense something from Zhongli while Zhongli seemed to be cautious about why Fatui is here.

Hu Tao interrupted, "Fatui? It is rare pairing with our adventurers."

Childe broke staring with Zhongli and turned to her with a smile, "I'm not interested in all adventurers either. Just these two."

Lumine throw a glare at him which he returned a teasing wink.

Zhongli shot a question, "so, what's the occasion for this visit?"

Childe changed his tone to a business manner, "it's about the Rite of Descension."

~

"That wasn't what we expected at all", Aether exhaled after the twins got back to their place. The introduction and meeting were successful. They agreed to meet tomorrow morning for the necessary funeral items. Since getting things won't involve any ghosts or spirits, Lumine agreed to help out. Childe said he would be bored without having her to annoy so he said he would come along as well.

Lumine took off her flowers to comb her hair and said, "yeah, they were all about business."

He nodded as he unbraided his hair, "well, their eyes did linger on each other just not the same feelings we expected. Zhongli looked at him like 'I'm watching you Fatui' and Childe was like 'he seemed interesting, I wonder if I can fight him after this'."

She turned to him, "ok, let's back up and recap the original story. Their first meeting was at the restaurant. They got interested in each other from that moment. Then, they met again for the Rite of Descension. They gathered necessary items together. By then, there is no tension between them anymore."

He continued, "then, Tsaritsa sent Signora to get his Gnosis with a contract. When she came to Liyue, Childe found out Zhongli is the real Geo archon. They fought against each other but yet could not bring themselves to finish one another. The two confessed their feelings during the battle. With some twists in words of the contract, they decided to give Signora a fake one to buy some time. She returned to Tsaritsa."