High Impact || Genshin Impact H.S AU

Chapter 9.5

Her nerves felt aflame, standing in front of the large crowd before her, student’s eyes colored grey. She gulped, hearing her name being called as a candidate for Student Council. Running as one of the Inazuman members of the Student Council, she looked down at her paper, written by Ganyu.

She genuinely had no idea what to write for her speech but seeing what Ganyu wrote, she felt at ease, loving every word.

“She’s really good at writing,” Yae Miko thinks, looking at the cool ideas and other techniques Ganyu added to exemplify the speech.

She had reached the podium and glanced out in the audience of fellow students. Then in the crowd, she saw two familiar faces, Sara and Ei, who were giggling, ignoring Yae Miko in total. She winced, missing them, and wishing she knew what they were giggling about.

With a deep breath, she began her speech.

“Hello students of Genshin High, I am Yae Miko, one of the new Inazuman students here. I do genuinely appreciate seeing you all. And while I haven’t been here long enough to know most of you, I do hope for you to get to know me. Especially right now,” Yae Miko speaks, then pointing to a large buffet table, the smell of numerous flavors pouring into the gym.

“I bring to you, food that was a part of my childhood,” Yae Miko announces, Mona, Keqing, and Ganyu at ready to hand out food to eager students. It was Yae Miko’s idea, wanting to overcome the barrier of not knowing her classmates by connecting with the easiest and most common form of human connection, food.

Yae Miko felt her stomach growl a bit, seeing the Tuna Sushi, Egg Rolls, Tri-colored Dango and so much more. It did give her a sense of nostalgia, reminded her of times spent at the Sakura Tree, reading, and having fun with her friends.

With all the students too busy with food, Yae Miko saw it as a break, descending from the stage and wandering into the crowd. She hears classmates compliment and thank her for the food, making her feel giddy.

Then amongst the many heads, she saw Ei’s head, her purple highlights all the more familiar to her. She gulps, taking a risk and deciding to see them.

Pushing past students and saying “excuse me” she eventually reached the two, in a corner talking while eating on paper plates. Yae Miko coughed, hoping to get their attention. Ei and Sara turned their heads, seeing Yae Miko stand by them, nervous.

“Uh hi, we haven’t talked for a bit of time,” Yae Miko says casually, praying it was a good enough opening.

“Yeah, I guess,” Ei says, tense. Yae Miko felt it was a mistake and she should leave but then Sara spoke.

“Um hi, it has been a while. I do wish to know how you’re doing,” Sara says, catching Yae Miko off guard. Ei was also surprised by the response. Yae Miko believed she was going to have to get Ei to convince Sara to forgive her, let alone talk to her. Years of rivalry between the two seemed to have disappeared.

“O-oh same too,” Yae Miko says, grateful for Sara’s willingness. She wished she knew why. “B-but um don’t you hate me?” Yae Miko asks straight up.

“I wouldn’t say hate you, but you’re not competition for Ei’s heart anymore and I do wish to see how you’re doing now, especially more as a competitor. I also understand the feeling of fearing you’ll be left out,” Sara explains, holding Ei’s hand. Ei blushes a bit.

“Cute”

“And Ei just wishes for an apology for kissing her without consent,” Sara adds. Yae Miko bounces to her feet, fully apologetic for that.

“Oh Ei, I am truly eternally sorry for doing that to you, I-I have no excuses,” Yae Miko says, bowing a bit, shameful for her actions. She gulps, awaiting, the consensus of the purple-haired girl before her.

“I-I forgive you,” Ei whispers out, Yae noticed the girl was a bit red, clearly flustered. Yae Miko smiles, grateful and happy to be on better terms than before with her friends.

“Thank you Ei,” Yae Miko says, about to say something else before she was interrupted by a loud feedback sound.

She realized it was Ganyu trying to call her back to the stage. “Oh shoot, I got to go, I’ll talk to you guys later,” Yae Miko says, dashing her way back to the podium, finishing her speech.

After finishing her speech, she was met with roaring applause. She tucked a hair strand behind her ear, smirking a bit. She had a good feeling she was going to win. The speeches were over and students began to leave the gym, heading out for the day.

She descends from the stage, searching around in the audience for her friends. Then she felt someone tug her arm, pulling her back.

“Yae, girl are you going to join us, we’re going to the Keqing’s,” Mona says, pointing to Keqing and Ganyu who were cuddling. Yae Miko then glances to her side and sees Ei and Sara, walking away and out of the gym.

“Uh that sounds fun, but I got to catch up with some other friends, but maybe next time,” Yae Miko says, pulling away Mona’s hand and dashing to Ei and Sara. She felt her heart pound a bit, excited to be able to talk to her friends again, happy that it had been fixed miraculously.

“Hey, guys!” Yae Miko exclaims, seeing two familiar faces turn to her, smiling at her for the first time in weeks.

A few weeks later, Yae Miko won the campaign and joins the Student Council, as planned.