Chapter Text
The snow was still as thick as ever in the month of February. The only difference is that at this time, the air would slowly grow warmer by the day. The winds are much more gentle as it’s the last month of winter. To foreigners, February is the month where you can celebrate love but for the locals of the nation of Anemo, it is nothing but another month. The only thing making it relevant is that it’s the month before the Windblume festival. The time where Mondstadters gather their skills and creativity to prepare for the long awaited festival.
The locals were busy, busy with the gossip and planning (but mostly gossip to be exact). All the rumours and speculations about who will give who what and the products of the shops in competition are spreading through the air. This time of year is when the people of the God of Freedom are bound by something. Those are the deep secrets they do not wish to drift along the wind to arrive at the wrong person. Only during the Windblume festival will they reveal all of those that they hide.
Take Sara from Good Hunter and Blanche from General Goods for example. Great friend, those girls. But they become different types of people this time around. Sara, the friendly and transparent girl she is, becomes more secretive and wary. Especially towards her best friend, Blanche, seemingly sweet and chatty who works in General Goods. This girl, despite being all nice and chatty, becomes nonchalant and quiet to most people during the month of February. General Goods doesn’t entirely sell the same items as Good Hunter most of the year. They just sell ingredients and as their name suggests, general goods, but when the festival comes, Blanche and the owner of the shop go all out in making food and selling them. The things they make are always unique every year. This is why Good Hunter considers General Goods as their competitor. There is always war between those two when Windblume approaches.
Another example is Fleur from the flower shop Floral Whisper. The woman in her mid-twenties is always outside enjoying the sun and the ever-changing breeze of Mondstadt with her two year old daughter Flora but during this time of the year, she stays inside secretly making decorations and making up ideas for bouquets to give her business a big push. Every March, it’s her husband who is always outside managing the store and gathering more customers. Mind you, her husband hates going out. He prefers the comfort of their house and making bouquets behind their huge counter.
But all these changes are a yearly expectation. What the townsfolk of Mondstadt are actually looking forward to are the new couples that will soon bloom during the Windblume festival. One of those people that are super excited about this is none other than Kaeya. This little is extremely hyped about what’s about to go down this Windblume festival. Why? Because he was able to convince Diluc to confess to Jean during new years.
It was 00:01 am in Mondstadt and people in their manor were shouting, making a bunch of noise, and shooting out fireworks to celebrate the new year. The heat from the excitement alone was enough to keep them warm from the harsh cold of January. Kaeya and Diluc were obviously there as well. They screamed and jumped along with all the other people with them. As the wild celebration went on Crepus went to the two of them and carried them up high. They saw beautiful lights of exploding fire with many different colours. First it was red, then it was blue, then it turned, then green, then there was a huge pink heart. The boys were mesmerised by the unpredictable show of magical fire. Crepus was glad to see their faces. Happy and content. It wasn’t their first time to see fireworks but every time they saw those colourful sparks, it was always memorable just like this one.
What made it super memorable wasn’t just the fireworks, it was the conversation Kaeya and Diluc had as the noise continued. ‘What’s your goal this year?’ screamed Kaeya. ‘WHAT? CUT FOUR HOLES THIS YEAR? WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?’ yelled back Dliuc. ‘I SAID WHAT’S YOUR GOAL THIS YEAR?’ shouted Kaeya, louder than his previous words. ‘I DON’T HAVE ONE, WHAT ABOUT YOU?’ Diluc answered, finally understanding what Kaeya asked. ‘MY GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE YOU AND JEAN END UP TOGETHER,’ the blue haired boy said with a smirk. Diluc clearly understanding what his brother said, flushed red. There was no way he was ready to let Jean know that he likes her. Their exchange of words had abruptly stopped there since Diluc was too flustered to even talk but Kaeya knew what he was supposed to do. Pester Diluc until he loses it. That was Kaeya's first mission for this year.
He kept bringing up Jean and the idea of Diluc confessing to her until they were supposed to go to their beds. The younger redhead couldn’t handle his brother’s pestering anymore. He stomped his foot and faced Kaeya with a red face.
‘Fine! I’ll go and confess to her during Windblume, on one condition,’ said Diluc with a flustered and irritated face.
Kaeya looked at him with a bright face followed by a confused one, he asked warily, ‘What’ your condition?’
‘You have to go to the weird purple thing up on Musk reef in Cape Oaf,’ declared Diluc with a smirk.
‘That weird purple goo up in the air?? The one that only you and I can see? You can’t even see it by yourself!! You gotta hold my hand just to see it!! We don’t even know what it is and only the both of us have seen it!’ exclaimed Kaeya.
‘Oh please Kaeya, if I’m taking a risk on my friendship with Jean, you gotta take some kind of risk too,’ rebutted Diluc.
Kaeya stared at his brother in shock. ‘DILUC. Even Father can’t see it even if I hold him. Even the knights can’t see them if I hold their hands. What if it is something that targets and lures children in?’
‘Come OOOON Kaeyaaaaa!! I am totally not going to Jean if you won’t go there,’ Diluc whines.
Kaeya frowns and says, ‘Goodness gracious, fiiiineee.’
Diluc cheers after hearing his brother's acceptance of defeat but soon realises that he has to confess to Jean because of that. His face turned pale.
* * *
And that is why Kaeya is excited about this year’s Windblume. Of course he’s nervous about the portal but he gets to be Diluc’s wingman. He even planned out how he’s going to help out his brother during his wedding day with Jean in the future. Talk about a delusional optimist.
Kaeya is not the only one excited over people confessing at the festival. There are many pairings people are wishing and expecting to get together. There has been a rumour circulating in the high school department of their previous school. Marla and Marvin from the 10th grade have feelings for each other and Marvin is planning on confessing to Marla during the festival. Another rumour is that Rudolf and Marjorie’s relationship has been rocky these past few months so the people who know of this wish for them to reconcile. There are things happening in this town of Mondstadt other than couples and their shenanigans. Kaeya’s that his elementary teacher’s father just died and is quitting her job to take care of her mom and children. So the parents and students she previously taught have decided to show her an appreciation party during the festival.
Windblume festival is a time of love, appreciation, devotion, and freedom of feelings, words, and actions. The citizens of the Nation of Freedom know that from the very bottom of their hearts. The people make sure to show their appreciation not just to their loved ones but to the city, the people living there and themselves. To celebrate these things may seem silly, but this is what Mondstadt exactly needs after years of struggles their nation faced, past and present. They have their God, Barbatos, to thank for such a wonderful celebration. This is what makes Mondstadt such a great nation.
That is why Kaeya loves it so much. Such a warm and safe home. The blue-haired boy smiled warmly and grabbed his dairy and wrote:
‘February 15th – 13 years old – 6 years after arrival in Mondstadt
Today was pretty normal but super fun!! Diluc and I went out to play near the statue of Lord Barbatos. We caught some anemo crystalflies and climbed trees. I nearly fell off while climbing but Diluc caught me. We had yummy pancakes for breakfast, Goulash and some grilled pork for lunch!! I think I smell sweet and sour fish being cooked so I’m assuming that’s what we will have for dinner.
The snow was still pretty thick but I noticed them slowly melting away. So sad. I like snow. I like throwing them at Diluc and Father. Also today, I listed flowers for Diluc to give Jean. He doesn’t know what to give her, that’s why. Diluc is an IDIOT. He likes someone but he doesn’t know how to show it like a man. Give flowers and a turtle, duh. Jean loves flowers. People love turtles. Turtles are the ‘it’ animals right now. I am such an expert. Diluc will not survive without me. Idiot. I will also prepare a gift for Diluc and Father too. I will also give Jean something. LIKE A CUTE ROCK. I will draw a face on it. She is going to love it. I am so excited for the festival. It is a very happy and awesome time.
P.S. ‘My scar’ is the same as before. I’m worried about it. But it’s okay right now I guess. After the scar appeared, my covered eye started to change colour. It went from galaxy-ish black to gold like the light from the burning sun with this pupil being the same diamond shape as the other eye but make it white with a tint of brown at the edges. It is still very sparkly like before though. I don’t think it’s anything bad.