MARCH RAIN : luo tianyi
↻ Wing Yi, 圣月樱泪
TODAY YOU'VE PASSED BOTH TIME AND SPACE
ALONE, ONLY I REMAIN
UNABLE TO SEE YOU, FACE TO FACE
WITH ENDLESS YEARNING AND PAIN.
March rain.
The once ruthless and merciful lord of geo had once adored the blooming glazed lilies during the nighttime back in the calm terraces of Qingce village. For the succeeding months of winter, the land was covered underneath a thick blanket of white snow, ceasing all flora and fauna to live beyond its subzero climate.
Usually, the season of winter is not experienced as there's no clear sign of snow from the past years of Rex Lapis' reign among the region. They say that the gods also control the weather and temperature, as it directly correlates to the emotions of the governing god.
Zhongli, the former reigning god of Liyue, had ultimately resigned and stepped down from his position to give way for the Liyue Qixing to rule over Liyue. In the year he stepped down, Liyue has been experiencing a huge change in climates lately. From harsh thunderstorms to unwanted hailstorms, the people thought that because of Rex Lapis' departure, Liyue is susceptible to such extreme conditions.
However, these temperatures soon stopped when he met a certain person in Qingce Village. Their name was (Y/n), and he learned that they have a terminal illness that prevents them from living their life normally as they should. They age faster than the average human being, thus their life is shorter than anyone else's.
"Hmm~ hmm, Zhongli, why don't you try and sing to the plants as well?"
Your smile still shines brightly like gold within the god's memory as their memory of your first encounter had soon became one of Zhongli's most cherished ones.
"The glazed lilies seem to sway with the wind while I sing them a song. They must've liked them!"
Zhongli was currently walking through the riverbanks of Qingce Village while wearing the Liyuen traditional outfit. A brown colored Hanfu, much like Inazuman's kimono outfit, with loose sleeves and an ankle length robe to prevent the hem from getting wet by the flowing waters. The clothing has a pattern of his dragon form, sewed in a gold colored thread and his signature geo elements on the sleeves.
Looking at him, one could misunderstand that he's someone of such high caliber. But he's merely a consultant in Wangsheng Funeral Parlor that is here in the village for a funeral wake. Your funeral wake.
"Be careful of crossing the river, you might slip and fall." He reminisced his voice to be authoritative, filled with nothing but pure abhorrence towards the people around him. "(Y/n). Come back."
At first, he didn't know why Guizhong liked the humans. But upon learning how fragile they really were, he became aware of their tendencies and prevented them from being involved in the great archon war, ultimately losing the lord of dust herself. Though, she did teach Zhongli a valuable lesson, which he carried on up to this day.
"But the kite is flowing away. I must get it!" You stubbornly reached for the colorful kite, which was currently stuck in the middle of the rocks. With you on a slippery stone, you eventually lost balance and fell into the flowing river as well. "Z-Zhongli..!"
"Hold on!" The lord of geo had never once imagined himself swimming through a flowing current just to reach some mere human who needed saving. However, it felt like his feet automatically carried him to where you were just to pull you back to the riverbanks. "Are you alright?! Are you hurt?!"
You let out a couple of coughs as an attempt to let out the amount of water you inhaled from a near death experience.
I'm okay. Don't worry about me.
Zhongli felt a cool breeze blow right past him, soon cutting him off from his thoughts. The smile from someone who melted the god's heart was continuously showing up within his mind with the beautiful memories slowly coming in, like the sound of a Guzheng zither underneath a cherry grove.
For the past few days, he found himself visiting Qingce village more often than ever before. Specifically, he wanted to learn more about you and how your lifestyle within a venerable village. It was a wonder why a youngster, such as yourself, chose to stay within a calm place rather than find a job within the bustling city.
The god has been asking you that same question, over and over again, but you simply change the topic every time you both talk about it. Though, he soon noticed how fast you get tired as the weeks go by. There was even a time when you refused to get out of bed because of exhaustion, leaving Zhongli to nurse you back to health.
One day, he went to the village for a surprise visit, with a basket filled with bread and glazed lilies from the harbor. He noticed the door was slightly ajar. As the male was about to fully-open the door, he heard a couple of painful-sounding coughs in the middle of the house and saw your dark silhouette, stumbling over the table and collapsing on a pool of a crimson colored liquid.
You never told me you were sick. Zhongli mutters to himself while letting his hair fly through the spring breeze. He noticed how the sky was slowly turning gray, rain clouds were gradually covering the sun.
"Zhongli... I'm done picking flowers.."
The god felt a drop of rain fall on his cheek and it slowly cascaded down like a teardrop escaping his eye. He felt discomfort along his chest, it felt like his feelings of both disorder and confusion were swirling like a hurricane. Pain, remorse, regret.
"...I... sang them... a song as well.."
Gentle rain falls down from the clouds, yet Zhongli does not care if he gets wet or not. He continued to watch over the flowing river, feeling at peace as the rain envelops him within an empathetic embrace.
"I'm sorry. I guess the saying is that whenever you age, you get weaker and weaker huh..?"
Who cares if your hair turns into an everlasting snowy-white color? Even if wrinkles adorn your once youthful face, you still hold the beauty that captivated the lord of stone.
A regretful smile adorned the god's lips upon seeing a lone glazed lily float along the stream, remembering that this once was merely a memento mori. Although Zhongli understood that life is such a precious thing and the inevitable end will soon come to most of us, he still thinks that time is too short for both him and you to begin with.
NOTE :
this is a sequel for memento mori :)