Kaito's residence.
"Hey, Miko — can I ask you something?"
After Kaito had left the room where they'd been entertaining guests, Lumine — who was tidying up the teacups — glanced toward the doorway, then turned to Miko, who was doing the same.
She'd been curious about this the whole time, so the moment she had an opening, she asked.
It was already obvious to her that this "tidying up" business wasn't as simple as it sounded.
"What's the matter, Lumine?"
Miko looked up, eyeing her instinctively as she asked.
Then, before Lumine could say another word, Miko had already guessed what the question was going to be.
"You're not actually asking about the tidying up, are you?"
She'd caught the look of puzzlement on Lumine's face earlier, so she figured that was exactly what Lumine wanted explained.
"Yeah — Miko, you all seemed to understand what it meant, and I was the only one who didn't."
Now that Miko had guessed it, Lumine was even more certain that the so-called "tidying up" meant something other than its literal meaning.
"Oh, you little thing — you really don't know? How adorable."
Setting down her teacup, Miko looked at Lumine with the expression of someone humoring a small child.
"Well, if you tell me, then I'll know," Lumine shot back.
Her curiosity was only growing now. She couldn't help it — Miko had made it so much worse by acting like that.
"Oh, come on, little one. Haven't you already been 'tidied up' yourself?" Miko said, unable to help a secretive little smile when Lumine still looked lost.
"Huh? I have? When?"
After hearing Miko's answer, Lumine was even more baffled. She couldn't recall a single time Kaito had ever "tidied her up" — whatever that meant.
She knew by now that the phrase wasn't meant literally. But she still had no idea when exactly Kaito was supposed to have done this to her.
"I've been 'tidied up' by him too, you know."
When Lumine still didn't get it, Miko added that with a satisfied look.
She felt her meaning was quite obvious at this point.
Was this little girl really so clueless about that sort of thing?
She found herself genuinely curious about how Kaito had ever managed to get through to her…
Watching Lumine still puzzling it over, Miko decided this was actually a perfect opportunity to ask.
"Miko, you've been 'tidied up' by Kaito too?"
Lumine scratched her head, still no closer to understanding — and now even Miko was almost tempted to just say it plainly.
"Oh, you hopeless little thing — are you actually playing dumb with me right now?" Miko decided plain was the only way to go, and pressed on: "Think about it this way — what exactly does a man and a woman do together in bed? And don't you dare say 'sleep,' Lumine."
Miko had always been straightforward. But faced with Lumine looking quite this oblivious, she'd held back a little — until now. Now she had no choice.
Lumine: "!"
"Oh… so that's… so that's what it means…"
A flush crept across Lumine's face as she finally understood what the so-called "tidying up" referred to.
Wait.
If that was the case… did that mean she and Miko were both going to do that kind of thing with Kaito…
Together?
The memory of Miko and Kaito's conversation from just moments ago rushed back to her all at once, and that thought arrived right on its heels — and her face went red almost immediately.
That sort of thing was usually done between two people, wasn't it? So how was it supposed to work with three?
Would they… take turns?
And being seen by Miko with that kind of expression on her face…
She would die of embarrassment.
Just thinking about it for a second had already left Lumine completely flustered.
Still — even so — she was curious. Genuinely, hopelessly curious about how exactly three people were supposed to manage.
"Is it really that embarrassing? Lumine, it's just one more person." Miko looked thoroughly baffled by the reaction.
Lumine: "..."
Looking at Miko's utterly uncomprehending face, Lumine found herself almost in awe of her. She couldn't imagine ever finding it as natural and matter-of-fact as Miko apparently did.
"Lumine, are you worried I'll catch a glimpse of some weird little habit of yours?" Miko asked with a wicked grin.
Though the moment the words left her mouth, Miko suddenly recalled that she herself had a few such habits.
But if Lumine turned out to be the same way, then they wouldn't be weird at all — they'd just be something they had in common.
Might as well ask her, she decided.
And just as the thought formed — a knock at the door.
"Who's coming to knock now?" Miko muttered, her gaze drifting toward the courtyard gate.
She'd been right on the verge of asking Lumine something, and of course this had to happen.
Nothing to be done about it. She'd have to deal with the door first.
"I'll go get it." Lumine had heard the knock too, and stepped forward to answer it.
"Sure, I'll leave it to you." Miko gave a small nod and went back to gathering teacups.
One person was plenty for opening a door — no reason for both of them to go.
That said, Miko was quite curious who it might be.
Lumine went to the entrance and opened the door.
"Hello — I'm looking for Kaito. Is he in?" The moment the door opened, Keqing asked without missing a beat.
"He is. I'll go get him for you."
Lumine gave a quick nod, then turned and headed toward Kaito's room — or rather, their room.
She remembered the person who'd knocked. It was Keqing, if she recalled correctly — one of the Qixing, someone they'd met before.
"Who was at the door?" Miko walked over.
"One of the Qixing."
Lumine answered quickly.
"Ningguang?" Miko asked immediately, the name jumping to mind.
"No, the other one — her name is Keqing."
Lumine shook her head and said the name plainly.
"Keqing?" The name told Miko exactly who it was — the Yuheng of the Qixing.
They'd never met, but she'd certainly heard of all seven.
"So what does she want with Kaito? Is it about Mobius as well?"
Ningguang's visit had been on account of Mobius, so Miko naturally assumed this one was the same. Different person, same organization — the reasoning seemed to hold.
That, at least, was what she hoped.
"I don't know — she just said she was looking for Kaito." Lumine shook her head.
"Then I'll go ask her myself."
Since Lumine hadn't found out, Miko decided she'd handle it, and made her way toward the entrance.
So this is the Yuheng, is it?
Why does that man always have women showing up at his door…
Stepping out and catching her first look at Keqing, Miko sized her up quickly, then spoke: "So you're the Yuheng? And what exactly do you want with Kaito?"
____
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