- END OF FLASHBACK -
A light gasp escaped my lips as I slowly opened my eyes. The sensation of warm skin enveloped my hand and I slowly turned my head on the pillow to see Zhongli sitting on a chair, his head resting against the mattress. Though it looked like an uncomfortable position, the man still had a peaceful expression as he slept.
"So that's what you hid from me this entire time...in the end, it was all my fault," I whispered, wondering why I went through all that trouble when the love I had was never unrequited from the very beginning.
"Do not blame yourself..." Zhongli opens an eye with a small smile. I was startled as he slowly sits up, stretching his arms. "I am also to blame for going along with the contract."
"Why didn't you stop me?" I tried to conceal my blushing face as he took off his wrinkled shirt, exposing his muscular upper body.
"That is a good question..." He places the clothing on a wooden rack, taking his time. "I suppose I... wanted an excuse to love you."
"That doesn't make sense." I squeezed my eyes shut when he walked towards me.
"Oh yes, it does!" A playful voice interrupts us and Zhongli backs away in a hurry, flustered. Hu Tao enters with a knowing smirk and approaches me with a bowl of porridge.
"My little boo, you were unconscious for three days straight! Do you know how worried I was?!" She pouts while sitting on the chair and feeding me the porridge, occasionally blowing off the steam. I had no chance to talk as Hu Tao kept poking the spoon between my lips with a grin.
"And he might not look like it but Zhongli is the type of man who finds it hard to express his feelings at first! You should've seen how hard he tried to hide his thoughts of me the first time we met! I bet he was thinking something along the lines of 'I can't stand her!'" She giggles. The story made me laugh a bit too.
"That is not true..." Zhongli coughs, slipping his shirt back on.
"Sure it isn't..." The girl teases before whispering to me. "You see? He's trying to hide it even now!"
I laughed, trying not to move around too much and spill the porridge on the sheets.
"Tsk, if only he was more honest about his feelings at the very start, he wouldn't have gone awry with his decisions. At least, that's what I think. I don't know anything about what's going on between the both of you after all!" Hu Tao winks and blows on the last spoon of porridge. I swallowed it with a grateful smile.
"Thank you..."
"Hehe, I'll take gratitude..." Her face suddenly turns dark. "Through labor."
"Ah." I gulped as she hops out of the room. I even hoped for a 'just kidding' but I suppose it would be too much to even hope for. After all, I've done nothing for the funeral parlor so far.
"I hope the work isn't too difficult..."
-
"Confidentiality is part of my job..." Yanfei slumps as Hu Tao snickers wickedly. They rarely met and conversed with one another but the funeral parlor director's outgoing and eccentric personality soon brought them together after she pestered Yanfei countlessly about Zhongli and Y/n. In the end, Hu Tao brought it as far as meddling with her work, causing the Adeptus to think of her even when helping others.
"Correction. It was. Anyway, it's not like I will use it for evil deeds." Hu Tao smiles. "But to think that they have such a history! It truly is sad..."
"Evil deeds or not, that isn't the point!" Yanfei cries. "If only I did not give in..."
"I mean... I did threaten to lock you in a coffin so I would say giving me the information is a pretty nice deal!" Hu Tao exclaims, her pet ghost giggling along with her. "Besides that, aren't you surprised about Zhongli's romantic life?! I thought he would be a professional but he's actually a conflicted man when in love!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about..." Yanfei puffs her cheeks, annoyed.
"No, no! Listen to me, my dear Yanfei!" She places her hand on her shoulder, leaning close in. "You told me that Zhongli went along with such a bogus contract when Y/n was drunk!? Who would believe that? Such an esteemed and respectful man made such a ridiculous decision? The sun might as well rise from the west!"
"It really is." Yanfei points at the horizon and Hu Tao looks before laughing at how she got trolled.
"You tricked me!" Hu Tao slaps her back, making the victim sigh.
"Why did you even think the sun would rise from the west..."
"Anyway, as I was saying, the only plausible reason that he approved such a contract was that he was too embarrassed and didn't know how to confirm his love to Y/n. It's not everyday that you see such a reserved man confessing to a lady! But if such an opportunity comes where he can finally show his love to her, he will obviously say yes."
"Hmm... I was also wondering why he accepted it but I suppose that makes sense." Yanfei nods slowly. "But then again, what do you know about love?!"
The Adeptus stands up abruptly, brushing off her skirt with a pout. Not only had she wasted her time, chatting away, she also broke one of her rules as a legal adviser.
"I must repent. Mister Zhongli!" She rushes off to the man she mentioned, leaving Hu Tao behind.
"Looks like we're alone again..." She sighs, rubbing her ghost's head. "But don't worry! The parlor is lively now! We got Zhongli and Y/n!"
"This may be the end of this story, but it is only the beginning of theirs." Hu Tao winks, her ghost tilting its head, confused as to who or what she was winking at.
YOU ARE READING
Contract | Zhongli
Fanfiction「 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑, 𝐋𝐄𝐓'𝐒 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘 𝐀 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄! 」 She was once revered as Rex Lapis's most devoted Adeptus. No one would have expected her to break a contract with her own master. However, the moment she finally opened her mouth, everything went so...
