middle.
Odette pulled out a thin star chart book at some point and, by the moonlight, looked at it expressionlessly.
"That area is the Cygnus," she pointed, her voice soft.
"You even know that?" Columbina leaned closer.
I read it in a book.
" Odette is amazing!"
"It's noisy." She said this, but her finger moved to the next bead, "That one is for the Vega."
Bai You suddenly sat up halfway. " Vega?"
Odette paused for a moment, but ultimately decided to tell her anyway.
Legend has it that she and the Cowherd on the other side of the river could only meet once a year, and they had to cross a bridge formed by magpies to meet.
"... Only once a year, it's such a long time." She whispered, lying back down and quietly squeezing Varesa's hand tighter, "Let's not do that."
"We don't do that," Varesa laughed.
On the other side.
Columbina lay back down, turned to her side, and propped her head up to look at Sandrone.
Sandrone gazed at the starry sky, her neck stiffening again—she knew that look all too well.
"... Look at the sky," she squeezed out through gritted teeth, "Don't look at me."
"Nothing in heaven is as beautiful as you."
" Columbina!"
"Okay, okay," Columbina laughed, lying flat and pointing to the sky. "Then tell me, which star is the prettiest?"
Sandrone remained silent.
"I'm asking you."
"I don't know."
"I know." Columbina's voice suddenly became very soft, so soft that only the two of them could hear it.
The most beautiful one isn't in the sky.
Sandrone's eyelashes trembled.
"Next to me."
"..."
Sandrone abruptly turned his face away.
Darkness obscured her flushed face, but it couldn't hide the tips of her bright red ears.
Columbina looked at the bright red ear, laughed for a moment, then quietly reached out and found Sandrone's hand.
Sandrone's hand froze.
It wasn't taken back.
Two seconds later, the hand gently flipped over, allowing her fingers to clasp together.
"... Just for a little while." Sandrone looked up at the sky, his voice muffled.
"Okay."
"Hold my hand while we look at the stars, and let go when we're done."
"Okay."
"Don't tell anyone."
"I won't say."
The two lay side by side, their hands clasped tightly under the cloth, neither of them speaking.
Just then...
A streak of silvery light flashed diagonally across the horizon.
Soon, it left a faint tail.
"Shooting star!" Bai You sat up abruptly.
"Make a wish!" Columbina sat up and closed her eyes.
Five people, four different ways of closing their eyes.
Sandrone hesitated for a moment, then closed his eyes as well.
A few seconds of silence followed the sound of the waves.
"Is that all?" Bai You opened her eyes, her eyes sparkling.
"I've finished making the promise," Columbina laughed.
What did you promise?
"It won't work if you say it out loud." Columbina's eyes darted around, and she looked at Sandrone.
"But I can roughly guess what someone wished for."
"I didn't make a wish," Sandrone said immediately.
"Is that so?" Columbina drawled.
"Then I'll speak for someone—she hopes that next year at the beach, it will still be these five people playing together."
Sandrone opened his mouth.
After a long pause, she turned her face away and muttered softly, "... Who... who said that?"
"That's what I meant." Columbina smiled and lay back down. "Anyway, that's my wish."
"It was so much fun playing together! This was such a wonderful time."
After she finished speaking, a barely perceptible sadness seemed to flicker in her smiling eyes.
Bai You lay back down, leaning against Varesa's shoulder, and whispered her wish again:
"I hope we can always be together, in the water, on the shore, wherever we are."
After saying that, she seemed a little embarrassed; compared to Columbina, her wish seemed a bit selfish.
Varesa reached out and pulled her into her arms.
"Yes."
Odette remained silent.
She lay in the middle, looking at the Milky Way above her head, and suddenly spoke softly.
"Shooting stars don't grant wishes."
All four of them looked at her.
"You have to make your own wishes come true." She closed the star chart book, her voice flat, yet each word was spoken clearly.
"If everyone comes to the beach next year, I'll still buy the ingredients."
She paused.
"You are responsible for bringing all the people here, without missing a single one."
There was a moment of silence.
Bai You burst out laughing and rushed over to hug her arm, " Odette is the best!"
"It's hot, release it."
"Don't loosen it!"
Columbina smiled and reached for Sandrone's hand. Sandrone tried to pull away but couldn't, her ears turning bright red as she let Columbia hold her hand.
The five of them burst into laughter, their shadows overlapping under the starlight.
I've had enough of this, let's lie down again.
The Milky Way lay silently overhead.
The waves crashed gently, and the wind blew in gusts.
Bai You leaned on Varesa's shoulder, listening to her heartbeat, her eyelids slowly growing heavy.
Sandrone's hand was still being held by Columbina, and this time, she didn't specify when to let go.
Odette lay in the middle, the star map covering her chest, listening to the four breaths around her, and slowly closed her eyes.
Meanwhile, in City of Mondstadt at night.
In the house where the Fatui had settled in City of Mondstadt, Rosalyne stood by the window.
Outside the window, the lights of City of Mondstadt twinkled, and windmills turned slowly in the night breeze.
She didn't like the city.
There was a gentle knock on the door.
"Enter."
A debt collector pushed open the door, knelt on one knee, and presented a confidential letter with both hands.
"My lord, our spies over at Windrise have sent back a message."
"Say."
"Two days ago, several... acquaintances arrived in City of Mondstadt, and they are now on the coastline City of Mondstadt."
Rosalyne didn't turn around; she took the letter and opened it.
The sealing wax seal is the emblem of the Fatui.
She lowered her eyes and read through the lines one by one.
As I looked, my fingertips stopped.
"Third seat, Columbina."
She uttered the first name in a flat, emotionless voice.
"Seventh seat, Sandrone."
She turned a page.
"And... the newly appointed Bai You?"
The room fell silent for a moment.
Even the debt collector kneeling on the ground slowed his breathing.
Now, all four Harbinger appeared in a city-state at the same time.
"That Water Nymph," Rosalyne gently folded the letter, "Didn't she always stay only Snezhnaya?"
"Reporting to you, sir," the debt collector said, head bowed, "They've been in Mondstadt for the past few days."
What to do?
"... It should be considered a vacation; they went towards the beach today." He paused.
"During the day, we bought barbecue equipment, and the night before last, we put on a show in City of Mondstadt while the adults were out conducting research..."
Rosalyne: '...'
She was silent for two seconds, then suddenly chuckled softly.
There was little warmth in that laugh.
"Three Harbinger have arrived," she turned around, her skirt sweeping across the floor.
"Just so I can sunbathe next to my mission?"
She continued reading.
At the end of the letter, there was a name.
Odette.
This time, her gaze lingered a little longer.
"Even she came?"