𝗜 𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗔 𝗚𝗢 𝗛𝗢𝗠𝗘 ✦ 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁

𝘼 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙩

"Y/n, could you tell me more?"

Y/n halted, turning in the boat so she could make eye contact with Haiyang, "Tell you more? More about what, Sui?"

Haiyang, having rested his arms on the side of the boat so he could maintain eye contact with his new friend, pointed at her, "About you. I know very little about your past."

"Huh..." y/n frowned, "Well... I'm an orphan... I was raised by the people at the Grand Narukami Shrine in Inazuma for a short while before I was adopted by an elderly couple."

"The Grand Narukami Shrine?" Haiyang echoed.

"Yes! Here's a picture!" y/n chimed, passing a photo to Haiyang, "I got a Kamera when I was very young and I used to take a ton of picture of home! It sort of followed me into adulthood, so here's one of the shrine!"

Haiyang took the photo and observed it for a moment, "Wow... beautiful. Breathtaking, actually."

"Haha, I know, right?" y/n exclaimed, "It's a shame my big head was in the way though... I kinda ruined the picture."

Haiyang heaved a sigh, giving y/n an almost exasperated look. 'I was talking about you, y/n. Not the shrine.'

"You mortals... I'll never understand you." Haiyang murmured, "Tell me more."

"Hm... well... after my adopted parents passed, my friend and I just survived on our own." y/n continued then chuckled to herself, "And we had to take care of his year old baby sister. This went on for several years before Ayumu and I met Gramps."

"You've mentioned both of those people before. Ayumu and Gramps." Haiyang spoke up, "They sound like they mean a lot to you."

"They do. So does Kaori." y/n hummed, "All three of them are the only family I have. Well, had if things didn't go well back at home."

Haiyang frowned but didn't question any further about that particular topic. He had a feeling it was something y/n was sensitive about.

"You mentioned something about training to be someone's successor..."

"Oh! Gramps was training Ayumu and I to be his successors." y/n explained then smiled wistfully, "Ayumu used to sleep through training all the time but he's always been the talented one out of the two of us."

"You speak very highly of him."

"Well, yeah. He's my best friend. Kind of."

Haiyang gave her a doubtful look and she stared back with a puzzled expression.

"Are you implying something?"

"No, not at all." Haiyang looked elsewhere, "You may continue."

Y/n shook her head with a tiny sigh, "There isn't much else y'know."

"Tell me what's on your mind then."

The h/c haired girl paused, thinking before murmuring, "Well... I wanna go home. I miss getting up at the ass crack of dawn just so I can help Kaori collect sakura blooms."

Haiyang remained silent, choosing not to speak and only to listen as y/n continued talking until she dozed off.

When he was sure he was asleep, the god carefully pat her on the head.

A little chat with y/n was always nice.

'I want to help you.' Haiyang thought as he gently pushed y/n's boat back towards the harbor, 'Even if getting up early doesn't sound very pleasant, you seem to miss the people who would make you get up so early.'

These people y/n talked about so often.

They seemed pleasant.

Haiyang found himself smiling, "One day I hope that you'll introduce me to them."

Ah, but y/n wasn't immortal.

Haiyang couldn't stray too far from Guyun Stone Forest and at this rate, he wouldn't be able to leave until after y/n passed away from old age.

The downside of befriending a mortal.

(Behold)