i'm only posting this so i can convince myself to continue writing right now.

--------------

the next day, xiao finally stopped procrastinating on sending the photo, and so he sent it.

[[email protected]] (FAKE EMAIL!!!!)

x: here.
{one attachment}

vbcontest: thank you!!

vbcontest: i shouldn't do this because im faceless and all but here
{one attachment}

x: wait what

vbcontest: i'm barbatos! i run this emal. i should've said that on the postr

x: and get a shit ton of fans spamming it?

vbcontest: oh yah

x: your spelling went to shit.

vbcontest: ik im in the car, my friend's driving thou

x: friend?

vbcontest: yeah! his nme's diluc, and m next to his brothr kaeya.

x: oh. you're from mondstadt then, right?

vbcontest: yeah! ^u^

vbcontest: wait, how d you know?

x: diluc runs that famous winery, and kaeya's literally part of the mondstadt knights, or whatever they're called.

vbcontest: oh yeah.

x: im from liyue.

vbcontest: liyue! :0 that's so fuckig cool!

vbcontest: i used to have a friend there, but i think he moved :(

x: who is he? i might know him.

vbcontest: i never got his name but he gave me his number

vbcontest: and then blocked me

vbcontest: we met because i helped him with a panic attack he was having at the mall because he had to go somewhere.

----

xiao set his phone down for a moment, before mumbling to himself. "that was him...?!"

the person whose music would calm him in a panic, was the person who had helped him in the middle of that one store???

and he was going to be meeting him soon?

----

[vbcontest]

vbcontest: hello?

vbcontest: you went extremely silent

x: sorry, just thinking. how are we going to meet up?

vbcontest: oh yeah! let me change this email's name and block the other contestants.

x: why...?

vbcontest: im changing it to my actual name.

----

[venti]

v: there we go.

x: you didn't even do your stage name?

v: it's my personal email now :)

x: oh.

v: and i know your name, so its only fair!

v: that is, if xiao is your name?

x: it is...

v: anyways i can meet you in liyue, i do have to go there soon anyway.

x: alright.

v: where should we meet up?

x; teyvat mall?

v: ooo good choice! i would've chosen in front of that jade chamber place, but okay!

x: anywhere but there.

v: mkay!! :DD

v: ill be there in twoish days, so thursday at 4 good?

x: yeah. so you're taking a day to rest?

v: mhm.

----

xiao set his phone down, taking in the fact that he was going to be meeting the other in 3-4 days.