xiao's POV
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"I haven't seen Aether in a few days, he hasn't been to school in three days and won't return my text, do you think he's okay?.." I ranted on about Aether to Ganyu.

"I'm sure he's alright, maybe he's just been too sick to reply?" Ganyu suggested trying to comfort me.

"What if he's too sick to get up?" I say starting to panic, "What if-"

Ganyu interrupted me, "Maybe you should go visit him, and check up on him yourself?" Ganyu suggested.

"That's a good idea.. you're full of good ideas today." I say, "Erm-.. would you mind coming with me to visit him?"

"Sure!" Ganyu replies immediately in a squeamish voice, "This is the first time you ever invited me to do something!" Ganyu says happily in joy.

"Do you have time today?.." I ask hoping she would, she stops her excitement and looks over to me with saddened eyes, "I actually have something to do today.. I'm sorry.."

"But I have some time tomorrow!" She says.

"I guess we could wait until tomorrow to visit Aether.." I say a bit disappointed, "Ok! G-great!" Ganyu replies with a soft smile.

—
Tomorrow, after school
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Third Person POV
—

knock knock, Xiao knocks on the door, Xiao and Ganyu waited at the door before Xiao, knocked again, knock knock.

"Aether?" Xiao say looking at the door knocking once again.

"Maybe he's not home?.." Ganyu says.

"Where else would he be besides his home?" Xiao asks while thinking of Aether. (🥰)

"I'm not sure.." Ganyu replies.

Suddenly Xiao thought of an idea, "H-huh? What is it?" Ganyu asked shocked by Xiao's sudden movement.

"Maybe he's at his job." Xiao tells Ganyu excitedly.

"Yea.." Ganyu replies still a bit shocked from Xiao's sudden outburst, "Should we go there?" Ganyu asks.

"Yea.. I want some answers.." Xiao says.

—
In Xiao's car

vroom vroom, driving noises

—
Aether's POV
-

'Crap- what is Xiao doing here?' I thought to myself hiding behind the counters.

"What are you doing down here?" Amber asks crouching down besides me.

"Shh.." I shush Amber, "I'm kind of, sort of, maybe, avoiding Xiao?" I whisper to Amber.

"What? Why? Did you get rejected?" Amber asks whispering back.

"What! No!" I reply whispering loudly, "Then why?" Amber asks peeking her head over the counter.

"It's complicated.. can you just tell him I'm not here?.." I beg Amber, "Fine.. but just this once!" Amber sighs, getting up from behind the counters.

"Hey Xiao! What can I get for you?" Amber says walking over to Xiao.

"..Is Aether here?" I hear Xiao asking Amber.

"No, sorry.." Amber lies, "Have you seen him at all the past three days?" Xiao asks in a worried tone.

"W-what- three days?" Amber asks confusedly, "He hasn't been to school in three days, and he won't return my messages, so have you seen him?" Xiao asks.

"I-" Xiao interrupts her, "Please tell me if you've seen him, I'm really worried." Xiao pleads.

Amber sighs, ".. Yea, he's here..." She confesses, "Amber!" I scream popping up from behind the counter.

"I'm sorry! He just looked so sad.." Amber says frowning. I sigh, "Aether, why are you avoiding me? Did I do something wrong?" I shake my head.

"Let's go talk in the back.." I say walking to the back, "Wait here Ganyu." I hear Xiao telling someone named Ganyu.

—

Closing the door behind us, "What are you doing here?.." I ask him staring at the ground, refusing to look at his face.

"I was just worried about you." Xiao replies.

"You didn't have to come find me here."

"You weren't answer my messages, I was really worried.." Xiao says sitting down onto one of the chairs.

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why?"

"It's really not a big deal, so why are you worried?"

".. because we're friends, of course I'd be worried."

".. Okay? You can go now, I have to get back to work, sorry for making you worry.."

Xiao gets up from his chair and walks towards me, placing his hand onto my shoulder for a few moments, "we're friends, if something's bothering you, you can tell me, just call me if you need something." He says leaving me in shock.

"Wa-" I turn around but he had already left the room.

—

I keep thinking about what Xiao said.. I really don't know what to do.. I think to myself while staring at the grey blank ceiling while lying on my bed.

And I can't get the thought of Xiao calling me a friend out of my mind.. I don't get it, why would he be so worried about me when we are in fact just friends. It's frustrating me just thinking about it! I wished we were more than friends..- wait what! What the hell am I thinking about?I shoo the air trying to get rid of my stupid thoughts away.

Sigh- "Maybe I should message him?" I say out loud, rolling onto my side and reaching for my laptop that was sitting on the edge of the night stand, I open it up immediately and look at my messages.

I started scrolling through them, most of them from my friends asking about where I am, I ignored them all trying to find Xiao's message, "Wait.. what is this?" I say looking at a message from a familiar number.

I pull open the message,

Hello Aether, this is John from the detective agency. (Remember him, the detective guy Aether talked to that one chapter.. and only once, well his fat ass' name is John)

The detectives you we are saying, they have information about your sister, but they are demanding 1,000,000 mora in advance..

If they don't receive the mora by the end of the week, unfortunately they are saying they will delete all files on your sister.. I sincerely apologize, when you and I hired them I really believed they wanted to help you.. There is not a lot I can do, I will keep trying to help you.

Sincerely, John

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