High Impact || Genshin Impact H.S AU

Chapter 4.4

Yoimiya grudgingly walked down the hallways of her new school, feeling uneasy all day. It was one thing to be nervous since it was her first day at a new school, but it was also entirely different to tell someone that a loved one of theirs died. She felt extremely guilty, wondering if she did the right thing or not or even if she was the person who should’ve done it in the first place. Maybe could’ve been dealt with by someone who was related to Tomo and wasn’t in a class when they were both young.

She sighed, looking around the hallway for a sign of Kazuha. She had asked around, hoping that someone might have an idea of where he was but, everyone she asked claimed they haven’t seen him. Some say he wasn’t appearing in classes which worried her more. She took a big gulp and trudged on forward, wanting the day to be over.
She looked around in the hallway, seeing other students. She couldn’t help but be fascinated to get to know them.

Back in her home, she knew everyone in her village, having connections and building bonds with people, some thanks to herself and some thanks to her family’s name. But now she was back at square one, having to build new connections and friendships. Weirdly though, she was up for it, excited for a challenge.

The school alone had so many interesting people, all coming from different backgrounds and having their own stories. Yoimiya was curious and eager to get to know them all and learn more about them. It also triggered a bit of her business networking as her family owns a firework brand, about to open a shop in the Genshin District after leaving their old shop to a cousin and brother back in Inazuma.

Her parents may be old a bit too old to build connections and somewhat out of touch with people especially the younger ones, so Yoimiya knew it was up to her to impress and wow her peers. She exhaled deeply, wanting to get off the weird start and funk her day had begun with and followed into her last period.

Sadly, due to the turn of events, she had been stuck in her head, for once not talking and contemplating her actions. With this, she didn’t pay much attention to the other students or engage with them very much. It saddens her but she refused to not let it affect her anymore.

She pulled out her phone, wanting to reconfirm with the P.A.I.M.O.N app that she was supposed to go to Art as her final period. She had to talk to another student, Amber, and figure out how to use the school app. she also found the origins of the app amusing and got her mystery interest tingling a bit but she put it aside, needing to focus on herself and becoming a part of the school.

Looking at her schedule, it was supposed to be Art for her final period. She smiled, grateful for it. After all, fireworks are an art form and she sure was hella good at them.

She turned around a corner and found the art room she was assigned to. She saw other students walking through, noticing a peppy blonde student being followed by a taller goth-looking girl whose eyes seemed to shoot daggers.

Yoimiya gulped, surprised at the combination of what looked like friends. The school just felt very odd to her and she was excited to see it all.
Yoimiya walked up to the doorway, walking slowly into the classroom, and inspecting with a glance. She noticed the big tables that students were sitting around, the large cabinets and drawers filled with what she could only imagine being art supplies and artwork. She also saw a storage room to the side of her, holding more art supplies as well.

She saw the students clambering and calling out names, wanting to sit with their friends. Yoimiya didn’t have any friends she knew too well so she felt at a slight disadvantage. Then someone bumps into her from behind.

“Oh, I’m sorry Yoimiya,” Kazari said, Yoimiya recognizing the voice from earlier in the day. Seeing her chance to not sit alone, she turned around beamed a smile at Kazari.

“No problem Kazari, anyway um want to sit together?” Yoimiya said. Kazari glanced to the side and then nodded. Yoimiya smiled and linked arms with Kazari, choosing a spot to the far side away from the door and against the wall. The two sat and chatted.

“So Kazari, what brings you here?” Yoimiya asks, curious to know about the fellow Inazuman.

“Oh, I was a Shrine Maiden at the Grand Narukami Shrine but then I got invited here so I decided to live out my teenage youth,” Kazari said. Yoimiya’s eyes widen, surprised at the background. She had only been to the shrine a few times in her life and it was a great sight. She knew that Shrine Maidens put in a lot of work for the shrine, so it surprised her to see one in casual clothing, living a rather normal life.

“Wow! That’s crazy, even crazier than Thoma’s story earlier today” Yoimiya said, referring back to the conversation she had before Kazuha interrupted.

“It's not too big of a deal,” Kazari said, then added, “or maybe it is, I don’t know ha-ha”. The two chuckled a bit. 

The two were about to continue their conversation before they heard a loud yelp as a brown-haired girl rushes through the doorway and sits down next to them. Yoimiya immediately recognized her as Amber, the girl that helped her earlier today.

“Oh my gosh, Amber, hi!” Yoimiya said, turning her attention from Kazari who began to sketch.

“Oh, hey Yoimiya, I just got back from helping someone get out of the trash,” Amber said, huffing out of breath and grabbing their art supplies.

“Did they just trip in the trash or did someone put them there?” Yoimiya asked, curious about the story.

“I didn’t have time to ask, I just went and grabbed them out,” Amber said, chuckling a bit.

“That’s so kind,” Yoimiya said. Internally Yoimiya was mildly dying to know what made the student fall into the trash.

“To be fair, they’re notoriously known for having bad luck, so it makes sense if they randomly fall into trash cans” Amber added. Yoimiya nodded, confused about the detail but she had a feeling she’ll find out as she continues to stay at the school.

“Hello class!” a voice said. Yoimiya turned around and saw that it was their art teacher, Kokomi. She read the name on the app, not really believing that it was the famous Kokomi but seeing her now, it was the infamous Kokomi.

“Oh my god, it’s her” Yoimiya whispered, stunned to see her.

“Huh, what’s so big about her?” Amber whispered back, curious.

“She’s famous in Inazuma, known to be a philanthropist and High Priestess of Watasumi Island” Yoimiya explained.

“I guess she’s not the High Priestess now” Amber commented. Yoimiya nodded, finding that Kokomi's appearance peculiar. She thought that she saw everyone at the meet and greet but she thought wrong because she someone how missed Kokomi. Though as Yoimiya recalls, she couldn’t help but remember a bunch of teachers gathering around something, to which Yoimiya connected the dots and realized it was probably Kokomi the teachers were gathering around for.

“Hi students, I am the new art teacher here,” Kokomi said sweetly, giving a gentle wave. Her eyes beamed bright and brought on a mystical feeling that exudes calmness. Fitting for a former High Priestess.

“I can’t wait to see you all grow and become great artists if not already. Now I shall introduce the first project” Kokomi said. She then began to pass out rubrics to the classroom to which the students all muttered and murmured, reacting to the new project.

“Yes, as you can read, the project will be a self-reflection of yourself. I am new here, so I want to get to know you. You shall any mediums to express and tell me who you are” Kokomi said, back at the front of the classroom again.

“If you need any help, I am here. I’ll walk around and give input if needed” Kokomi adds before concluding her speech and letting the class off to work on their projects. The class exploded with chatter, and Yoimiya was not joining it, not yet anyway. She looked at the rubric, thinking.

“Any medium, huh” an idea began broil inside her head, making her eager to begin working on it.