On the other side.
Sandrone stood in front of a roasted chestnut stall.
She had been standing there for a while.
The boss looked at her. "Girl, would you like some?"
How much...?
"Get two ounces free for every pound you buy."
Sandrone was silent for two seconds.
"Give me a pound."
She paid.
Holding that bag of still-warm chestnuts.
Stand still.
It didn't move.
Her gaze swept back and forth across the street.
Finally, it fell on Columbina.
Columbina was standing in front of a flower stall, looking down at a flower.
Sandrone's fingers clenched on the paper bag.
Then it loosened.
She took a deep breath.
Then I walked over.
"Give."
Columbina turned her head.
Sandrone stood before her.
The hand is outstretched.
A peeled chestnut lies in the palm of my hand.
Columbina paused for a moment.
Then she smiled.
"... For me?"
"... Hmm..." Sandrone's gaze fell on the wall beside her, not looking at her. "Just bought it. It's hot."
"Did you peel it?"
"... Just doing it casually."
Columbina remained silent.
She took the chestnut.
Put it in your mouth.
"It's sweet," she said.
"Hmm."
"Thank you."
Sandrone's ears turned red.
"You're welcome."
She turned to leave.
He took two steps, then stopped.
I peeled another one from the bag.
Hand it over.
"... Anything else?"
"... Don't you like eating this?"
"When did I say that?-"
"Last time," Sandrone interrupted her, "You peeled sixteen at the tea party."
Columbina smiled.
She simply took the second chestnut.
"Then I won't be polite."
Sandrone grunted in response.
Odette was standing across the street.
She was holding a skewer of grilled cheese in her hand.
She watched as Sandrone peeled chestnuts for Columbina.
She glanced again at Varesa wiping Bai You's mouth.
She took a bite of the grilled cheese.
Suddenly, the skewer in my hand didn't smell so good anymore.
... redundant.
She felt a little superfluous.
no.
It is completely unnecessary.
Those two couples were sticky, one more so than the other.
She was all alone.
Holding a skewer of grilled cheese.
Standing in the wind.
She sighed.
If only I had known—if only I hadn't come.
Odette--!
Varesa waved to her from the other side.
"Come here! I have honey-glazed carrot and pork stir-fry!"
Odette finished the grilled cheese.
He wiped his mouth.
Force a smile.
"Here it comes!"
Five people sat down at a small table on the street.
One serving of fried pork with carrots and honey sauce per person.
Odette also ordered an extra basket of bread.
The Bai You was eaten very quietly.
But she stopped eating halfway through.
Varesa looked at her.
"What's wrong?"
"How about a drink?" Bai You pointed to an iced drink on the next table.
"Wait."
Varesa stood up.
He returned two minutes later, holding a cup in his hand.
It has a straw inserted.
He held it to Bai You's lips.
Bai You took a sip from her hand.
Is it cold?
"... just right."
Varesa sat down opposite her.
She didn't touch her own portion of fried meat.
I just watched them eat the Bai You.
Odette watched from the opposite side.
The chewing of the bread slowed down; it seemed I was getting a little full.
She lowered her head and ate her bread.
I've decided to stay silent.
Sandrone sat next to Columbina.
She barely touched her portion of fried meat.
She is peeling chestnuts.
One by one.
They were peeled and placed next to Columbina's plate.
They were piled up in a small heap.
With each bite of fried meat, Columbina would casually pick up a chestnut.
Put it in your mouth.
Neither of them spoke.
But that scene-
It looks so much like it...
Odette took another bite of bread.
The bread doesn't smell good anymore.
I wish I hadn't come to Mondstadt...
After finishing their meal, the group continued strolling through the market.
When they came across a shop, Varesa stopped.
This shop is different from the others.
A string of seashell wind chimes hung by the door, and what was displayed in the shop window wasn't clothes or jewelry—it was swimsuits.
Various colors and styles.
Varesa walked to the side and said:
"Shall we go in and take a look?"
"No way?"
"Aren't we going to the beach this afternoon?" Varesa said, "We should at least buy a swimsuit."
Bai You's fingers were twisted together.
"I've never worn it."
"I know," Varesa said, "I'll help you choose."
The shop was very quiet.
The owner was a woman wearing glasses. Seeing them come in, she smiled and said...
"Look around as you like."
Columbina was the first to walk up to the clothes rack.
Her fingers slowly traced across a row of swimsuits.
It stopped on a light blue item.
The fabric was thin and embroidered with extremely fine silver threads.
"... This one..." she said softly.
"Good eye," the owner said. "This just arrived at our store today."
Sandrone stood behind her.
Her gaze fell on the light blue dress.
Then it was moved.
She walked to another row.
His finger stopped on a brown garment.
"This one," she said.
The sound was very flat.
Odette peeked her head in through the doorway.
"Wow--you've already started picking?"
She rushed in.
I walked around in front of the clothes rack.
Finally, it stopped on a white item.
It has small, delicate lace on it.
"This one, I think," she said, holding it up. "They look quite good together."
Varesa and Bai You didn't move.
They were standing in the innermost row.
Those weren't ordinary swimsuits hanging there.
It's a swimsuit.
There's no way around it; once you wear a swimsuit, you can't turn into Water Nymph sprite.
The top is a simple halter top. The bottom is layers of tulle that flow when you walk.
Varesa stood at the front of that row.
Varesa's fingers slowly traced across a row of swimsuits.
Red is too bright.
White. Too plain.
Pink—her fingers paused for a moment.
It's not a bright pink; it's a very light pink, like the pink of cherry blossoms when they first bloom.
It is decorated with extremely fine water droplets.
"... this one..."
Varesa took it off.
She compared it to the Bai You.
"Give it a try."
When Bai You came out of the fitting room, Varesa was waiting outside.
She looked up.
Then her breathing stopped for a moment.
Bai You stood at the door of the fitting room.
The light pink swimsuit fit her perfectly. The material was thin but not see-through.
The shoulder straps are thin, and the sheer fabric underneath reaches down to the knees.
It made her skin look like jade.
She didn't know where to put her hands.
Her face turned bright red.
"... Is it... good-looking?" Her voice trembled.
Varesa didn't say anything.
She walked over.
She reached out and tucked a strand of Bai You's hair, which was hanging in front of her chest, behind her ear.
Then she lowered her head and whispered something in Bai You's ear.
The sound was very soft.
So softly that only Bai You could hear it.
Bai You's face instantly turned from red to burning hot.
She raised her hand and punched Varesa.
"--What did you say?!"