VIOLET [ k. ayato ]

09. roommate

The dorm room looks even cosier than my own home, Adette thought to herself.

The teal walls perfectly contrasted the cream coloured flooring. Empty photo frames were hung up, probably waiting to be used. Adette pulled the forest green curtains open and the view of the whole campus greeted her.

She decided to take the bedroom nearer to the windows, marking it by placing her trunk and backpack on the bed. She hoped Yoimiya wouldn't mind.

A click of the door made Adette turn around.

A girl wearing a Sarashi under an orange-red kimono with blond hair stood there, a radiant smile immediately taking over her features once she saw Adette.

"Hey, you must be my roommate! I'm Yoimiya," Yoimiya shut the door and dragged her luggage across the floor.

"I'm Adette, pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine! I hope we'll be great friends," she smiled again. "Have you already chosen which bedroom you want?"

Adette nodded, "I hope you don't mind occupying the one further from the windows."

"It's fine with me, I'm not too fond of the sun shining down on me so early in the morning," Yoimiya replied. "So, where are you from?"

Yoimiya's cheerfulness and bubbly energy was very appealing to Adette. She decided that she could trust her new friend.

"I'm from Monstadt, you?"

"Oh, I've lived in Inazuma my whole life. I'd like to travel across the seven nations one day," she sat down on the couch, crossing her legs. "So, what's Mondstadt like?"

◛

"I'm going to head out for a while," Adette said. They had been chatting for over three hours and the sun had already started to set.

"Alright, I should start making dinner. See you!"

Shutting the door behind her, Adette made her way down the hallway and kept a lookout for dorm 1520.

Her own dorm number was 1555, so it would be a long walk if she ever wanted to go talk to Ajax.

What if Ayato was his roommate?

"No, that would be impossible. I'm overthinking this whole situation," Adette muttered under her breath to reassure herself. "Everything is going to be okay."

She had finally reached door 1525. 1524, 1523, 1522, 1521...

1520.

She ran a hand through her hair and after a few seconds of hesitation, she rang the doorbell.

Voices could be heard from inside the apartment, Ajax was probably asking his roommate to get the door for him.

The door swung open.

The same man she had met at the bookstore stood there, wearing their school sweater with the words 'TEYVAT MED' in big bold letters.

His eyes were wide but he did not seem all that surprised.

"Hey," Ayato said. "Want to come in?"

Adette's thoughts were all over the place. Did Ajax tell him about her? Was that why he acted like he expected her to be here?

"I need to talk to you, Ayato."

"What about?"

She sucked in a deep breath. "Feelings that I might have."

Maybe it was because of the lighting, but Adette swore that she saw his face turning red.

"Are you comfortable talking about it in front of Ajax?"

A twinge of guilt ate at her heart as the words left her mouth. "No, I'm not."

Adette's heart was hammering in her heart, regretting telling him about how she felt. Most people only confessed when they were at their limit and needed to get their feelings across, whereas Adette was confessing- was this even considered confessing?- to him when she wasn't even sure of how she felt. Yet.

"Okay, let's head to the cafeteria."