The Idol in Teyvat High?!

'Jealousy + Friendship?' = chiscara angst

Two days had passed since the incident at the hospital, and the absence of Venti's usual vibrant presence weighed heavily on Xiao, Childe, and Scaramouche. Lunch period began, and the three of them sat together in the cafeteria, their eyes drifting to the door every so often, waiting for a familiar laugh, a lighthearted comment, anything that hinted at Venti's return.

"When do you think he's coming back?" Xiao murmured, poking at his food with little interest.

Childe leaned back in his seat, frowning. "Who knows? It's been too quiet without him around. It's... weird."

Scaramouche, meanwhile, remained quiet, fingers drumming against the table. His gaze was distant, unreadable, though the tension in his posture was unmistakable.

As they continued their conversation, a buzz started up around the entrance of the cafeteria. Students gathered, whispering to each other as they craned their necks to get a better look at whoever had just entered. Xiao noticed the crowd first, his eyes narrowing as he tried to catch a glimpse through the throng of students.

"What's going on?" he asked, already starting to stand.

Childe's eyes sparked with interest. He grabbed Scaramouche's hand, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Come on, let's go see what all the fuss is about!"

Scaramouche grumbled but allowed himself to be pulled along, rolling his eyes as Childe wove through the crowd, dragging him behind. Xiao followed close behind, his curiosity piqued.

As they finally made it through the gathered students, Childe stopped in his tracks, eyes widening as he recognized the figure in front of him. Diluc stood guard, his frame blocking the view of the person behind him. But when Diluc shifted, they all caught a glimpse of Venti.

Except... he wasn't the same Venti they knew.

Venti's damp, split-dyed hair hung loosely over his shoulders, unbraided and falling freely in soft waves.

He wore baggy pants and a slim, oversized shirt with long, loose sleeves that seemed to engulf him. The familiar sparkle in his eyes was gone, replaced with a dullness that sent a pang of worry through Xiao's chest. As he took a closer look, he noticed faint scratch marks trailing along Venti's exposed arms, fading lines that had Xiao's mind racing with questions he wasn't sure he wanted answered.

Before he could step forward, his feet frozen in shock, Diluc's watchful eyes caught the slight movement. Diluc turned back, his expression dark but protective, and with a subtle nod, he guided Venti through the crowd toward Jean's office.

Venti looked up for a moment, just long enough for Xiao to catch a glimpse of his face. His eyes were red, as though he hadn't slept—or had been crying. Though he'd tried to hide it with makeup, the darkness under his eyes was still evident, marking his face with an unfamiliar heaviness.

Xiao felt a lump form in his throat, his hand clenching tightly at his side as he struggled to process the changes in his friend. He exchanged a worried glance with Childe, who was equally frozen in place, his hand still resting on Scaramouche's shoulder as if grounding himself.

"What... happened to him?" Scaramouche muttered, his tone unusually soft, tinged with an edge of anger and worry. None of them had answers, but in that moment, all three knew one thing: whatever had happened, it had left its mark on Venti in a way none of them could ignore.

—

...

Venti woke up feeling... hollow, his limbs leaden as he lay in bed staring at the ceiling. The ache of exhaustion, both mental and physical, seeped into every part of him, leaving him numb. He knew he could stay like this, just lying there, but a flicker of something kept him moving—the thought of Diluc, of Childe, Xiao, and Scaramouche. The last thing he wanted was for them to worry more than they already had. So, with a quiet sigh, he pushed himself up, his movements slow and mechanical.