"Maple leaves always come around the right times don't they?"
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*Kazuha x Female Reader
*All genshin characters belong to Hoyoverse
*Cover photo is not mine!
Mom and Dad used to always be on good terms. Even big brother was different before...
In our little home in Qingce Village, everyone knew each other and we all looked out for one another. Mom was healthy and helped in the fields. Dad was a retired adventurer, but still went out every now and then. I was always shy and was unable to talk with most of the kids by myself. My big brother was my best friend.
I always thought... that everything would stay the same. Our happy life in our small village where there was almost never a day of sadness. That was my little dream. One I knew wouldn't last forever.
I knew he couldn't yet I still asked. I became a hindrance to him. That cold glare he gave me while still tightly gripping his sword... It scared me.
Mom and Dad kept fighting because Dad was almost never home anymore. He repeated over and over again... how much he wished he wasn't trapped here with his "stupid, sickly wife" and his "naive, little daughter." How much of a mistake it had been to let go of adventuring and settle down for once.
That night, my big brother and Dad left Qingce Village and never returned.
"Y/n? Is something wrong? You seem a lot more zoned out today."
I turned to the voice and my eyes met with Kazuha's. He seemed a bit worried, but what's there to worry about? I shook my head with a smile. Kazuha sighed and ruffled my hair a little before leaving.
The resistance had been busy this week as news had arrived that the traveler would head to Tenshukaku to abolish the vision hunt decree. Gorou and many other soldiers including Kazuha decided to go help them. I figured Kokomi might've also asked them to, but either way it was their decision.
"Y/n, have you made up your mind yet?"
"Why are you so insistent that I come as well, General? I thought I was a 'potential danger' to the resistance." I replied sarcastically.
"Well, after this past week or so, I realized I had been wrong. Sorry about that." The general sighed. He sounded genuinely apologetic so I let it slide.
Hopping off the small cliff, I landed on the beach and looked up at the surprised general.
"Give me another day. I'll have made up my mind by then."
The faint sounds of weeping came from my mother's room. I was 12 at this time. 2 years since father and brother left. Mother was already growing sick yet she continued to move around like before, worsening her condition. I opened the door and found mother packing her stuff.
"Where are you going?"
She jerked her head into my direction with red eyes. My heart sank when she told me that we were going to go back to her homeland, Inazuma. I didn't want to leave. Qingce Village is my home. I've never been outside of Liyue. But, I was never in position to make these decisions.
Leaving Qingce Village while only knowing the basics of sword fighting was dangerous. Mother and I both knew that. Even tagging along with an adventurer couldn't and wouldn't guarantee any kind of safety. That's why mother delayed our trip to Inazuma for a month. To have me learn sword fighting for the trip and for my future.
I looked up from the dead leaves on the ground and was met with golden eyes. The boy laughed and sat down next to me. He gently pushed some of the leaves as if looking for something. I leaned over to see what he was looking for when his arm went up and in his hand was a red leaf. The leaf was a different shape than most of the others on the ground.
"You're not from here, right? Then this must be your first time seeing Ritou's maple leaves!"
"Uhm..."
"Right! The name's Shikanoin Heizou!"
"M-my name's Y/n."
That was how I met Heizou. We became close friends and he helped me become more confident in myself. Though every year, something tragic seemed to happen when the maple leaves began turning red. Even so, Heizou always seemed happy when the leaves changed colors. I always wondered... What made him enjoy them?
