I happily waved goodbye to Stelle as she gave me one last smile before descending the stairs of my secret base. Tomorrow would be another great day, I was sure of it.
I wonder where she'll take me...
Stelle had told me to leave everything about our date to her.
"It's only fair, I'm the one who technically asked you out," she'd explained, puffing out her chest.
Maybe she was just trying to show me that she wasn't embarrassed at all by this situation. For my part, I could already feel a hint of nervousness. Of course, I had spent a lot of time alone with Stelle during the tour I gave her at the Golden Hour, but now that we were officially dating... things would be different.
How should I act during a real date?
Maybe I was just complicating things again.
I should ask Wolfie for advice again. But first...
I took out my phone and quickly dialled her number. Having discovered the reason why she had ignored my calls before, I was half expecting her not to answer, but after a few rings she did:
"Yo Firefly! Sorry I was a bit busy with Herta earlier and couldn't pick up, I heard there was a bit of a ruckus on the Feldspar. Are you OK?"
So she's still trying to play dumb...
"I'm fine, can you come here? We need to talk."
In a moment, my colleague Stellaron Hunter appeared at my side. Her gaze immediately went to the meteor shower on the horizon.
"Woah," she exclaimed after popping her chewing gum, "so this is your secret base!"
"Beautiful, isn't it?" I said, leaning against the railing.
"Yeah... I was expecting something like a cave or some kind of abandoned building!"
She was silent for a few moments before asking:
"So how did it go? Sorry I wasn't able to..."
"I know everything, Wolfie," I cut her off.
"You know... what?!" she exclaimed in surprise.
"The Masked Fool you hired spilled the beans with Stelle. I know you were behind everything she did," I explained calmly.
Silver Wolf's eyes widened for a second before they fixed on the ground:
"That little... I knew I shouldn't have trusted her with this..." she muttered angrily.
But then she looked at me with an embarrassed expression:
"Firefly... I'm sorr-"
I couldn't resist, before she could finish apologising, I hugged her with such force that I lifted her small body off the ground.
"What the...?! Let me go!" complained Silver Wolf as she tried to wriggle free.
But I had no intention of listening to her.
This embrace was very different from the one I had shared with Stelle. Silver Wolf felt cold in my arms, as if I were holding a marble statue.
I guess it's already something that I can even hug an hologram... her power is really crazy. But I should definitely do this again when we meet in the real world.
"Won't you let me go?" asked Silver Wolf after a while, ceasing her attempts to resist.
"Nah.This is your punishment for hiding things from me!" I replied jokingly. If she wanted to, she could have made her hologram incorporeal anyway.
"Uff, I guess I deserve it... I'm sorry... You're mad at me, aren't you?"
"Maybe a little, but... most of all I'm really grateful. You did everything to make sure I was safe, right?" I said, pulling away from the hug to look at her face.
Wolf looked away and muttered grumpily:
"That stupid cat and his absurd scripts... Three deaths! How could I ignore it, knowing how stubborn and reckless you can be?"
"So you..."
"I knew I couldn't act myself or you would have found out. So I decided to hire Sparkle. I leaked her your script and told her to make sure the deaths happened in a safe way."
"I see... and you had to hide it so that I would think I really would die at the end..."
"Right... of course I didn't expect her to go over the top like that. That's a Masked Fool for you... but I guess it all worked out in the end."
"It really did!" I smiled at her, finally releasing her from my grasp.
But Silver Wolf didn't smile back, instead she looked down with a look of shame:
"Sorry, Firefly... about what happened at the hotel. I tried to trick you into getting into SAM... I didn't know how bad it would make you feel. And then I lied to your face."
"It's okay... I think that moment really started my journey of self-discovery."
"I see..." Silver Wolf finally gave me a small smile, "so how did it go with the Trailblazer?"
"I did it Wolfie! She returned my feelings!" I exclaimed overjoyed.
"Congratulations! I told you you just needed to get on the right route! Looks like that unforgettable reward Elio told you about was getting a girlfriend!" she said with a grin.
A girlfriend...
I couldn't help but blush at the sound of that word. But that was only part of it:
"You know how Elio is... you can't really get him to talk straight. But I think he kept his end of the bargain by letting me come here. At least a part of it at least. What it means to be alive... I think I found the answer, Wolf," I looked at the horizon at the edge of the dream.
"Nothing lasts forever. But that's why the time we spend in this world is so important. We suffer, we fail and sometimes we cry. But we also get up, try again and succeed. We smile and laugh happily... and eventually we fall in love. I want to experience all these things for a lot longer, even though I know I'm inevitably going to die in the end. I'm going to make my choices and bear the consequences of them, whether they're pleasant or not. Isn't that what it means to be a human being and not a weapon?"
"I don't really think about these complicated things..." Silver Wolf said, scratching his head, "but it sounds to me like you've decided something important."
"I will take everything Elio has promised me. I'm going to defy my fate... I'll still hold up my end of the bargain as the Stellaron Hunter Firefly but, from now on, I'm going to try to find a cure for myself with all my strenght. So that one day I may just be Firefly."
"I already know what you're going to say," Silver Wolf said with another grin, "'I'll do it alone, because this is my fight!' But I don't care, just like this time, I'm going to pull the strings and help you behind the scenes whether you like it or not!"
"Wolfie... thank you!"
"Oh, I'm not doing it for you," she said, averting her eyes, "you know, I like cheesing what people call hard levels. Cheating fate sounds like an easy challenge to me!" she concluded with a smirk.
All this time... I was never alone. I was just the one averting my gaze from her and the others...
"Well... I've kind of unlocked a new difficulty too, Wolf. So I was hoping you could give me some advice."
"Shoot it!" she said excitedly.
"What... should I do on a first date?"
For some reason, Wolf seemed annoyed that I asked this. Maybe she thought I was talking about a literal video game.
"Oh... well, haven't you hung out enough already for you to know?" she asked, pouting.
"Yeah... but this time is kind of different."
"Well, I don't really know what to tell you. It's not my area of expertise..."
"But you gave me a big hand with the confession! I raised my affection level with her and it worked!"
"You... oh my Aeons, you are so stupid!" said Silver Wolf, hiding her face in her hand.
"What?!"
"Forget it... let's talk to an expert about this."
She took out her phone and started fiddling with it. After a while she held it horizontally in front of us. A beam of light came out of it and formed a screen in the air, as if her phone had become a small projector.
"What are you...?"
Suddenly the screen began to show something: a woman, smiling at me, sitting at a table. Behind her was a tall man, leaning against the wall of what looked like a kitchen.
"Kakfa! Blade!"
Kafka chuckled at my excited voice.
"Oh my, you sound very chipper, Sam. Long time no see... From what I can see, Silver Wolf's little plan seems to have worked."
"Was I really the only one who didn't know about it?" I asked, but Wolf started whistling as if nothing had happened.
"What would you have done otherwise?" asked Blade in his deep voice, "would you have given in to temptation?"
"I... no. I was willing to risk my life if it meant saving Stelle and the others... but I didn't want to go out like that. I've got a lot more to do before I can put my name on a tombstone, like I told you."
"Looks like you found your answer," Blade replied unperturbed.
"I think an answer is not the only thing she found there in Penacony, is it?" said Kafka.
Even through a video call, she seems to be able to read me like a book.
"Yes..." I replied shyly.
"I look forward to hearing all about your and that child's adventures when you get back. But it seems you have something to ask me now."
I glanced sideways at Silver Wolf, who gave me an encouraging nod.
"Kafka... how do you behave on a first date?" I asked.
I could feel my cheek burning with embarrassment.
The scene that was unfolding on this rooftop was truly absurd. Sam, the Molten Night, was seeking love advice from his fellow Stellaron Hunters, the most dangerous and notorious criminals in the universe.
I wonder what the IPC would think if they saw us like this...
Kafka laughed at my question, but when she answered, she was serious:
"There are many ways to approach a relationship. There are people who do their best to accommodate their partner's tastes by pretending to be someone they're not. Others try to be difficult and hard to catch, to make their love interests chase them".
I don't think I'm capable of either... and I don't really want to act that way.
As usual, Kafka seemed to understand what I was thinking:
"Don't worry. In your case something like that is unnecessary. You and that girl are very straightforward, if you just behave as you usually do, everything will be fine. You got on well from the first moment, so there is no need to do anything special".
"So... I should just be myself? Is that really all? What if I mess up? I really have no experience with romance!" I asked worriedly.
"I'm sure that girl would find that funny and be happy about it."
She was right... I wasn't going out with a random person, but with Stelle. She wouldn't have judged me for my mistakes. We'd have laughed about them together.
"Thank you, Kafka," I said, smiling at her.
"You're welcome. For your next date, I'll help you pick a special outfit. For now, just go with the one you have. I see I was able to teach you some fashion sense, unlike with Wolf."
"I told you... these clothes are very comfortable!" blurted out Silver Wolf.
I burst out laughing, but soon stopped.
"Kafka... do you really think we'll have the chance for another date in the future? After I leave Penacony... I'll be back inside SAM and..."
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
I was cut short by a collective sigh. Both Silver Wolf and Kafka shook their heads. Even Blade was raising an eyebrow.
"How can you keep doing this, Firefly? You spent so much time in your room dooming about never being able to see her again, and lo and behold, here you are, going on a date with her!"
"Wolfie..."
"You've got a lot of blank spaces before the end of your script," Kafka said, "a few dates don't seem like a bad way to fill them."
"Guys..."
I felt tears welling up in my eyes.
"I'm sorry for..."
"Stop!" Silverwolf cut me off, "you'll have plenty of time to make it up to us. For now, just think about tomorrow!"
Smiling, I wiped away a tear and nodded:
"Alright. Thank you! I'm looking forward to tomorrow, but I also can't wait to see you all again!"
"Enjoy your vacation. And remember to buy something fabulous for us," said Kafka, waving at me.
Blade gave me a small nod before the communication was cut off.
"Wolfie... thank you!"
"Sure, sure... let's stop with the sappy stuff, I'm getting diabetes..." she said, putting her phone back in her pocket.
"Alright!" I replied with a smile, "I just hope Kafka is right..."
"She's never wrong about these things," Wolf said with a huff, "and anyway... if that girl makes you cry, I'm going to delete her Simulated Universe save files!"
"You're really starting to sound like an older sister!" I said with a chuckle.
I really don't mind it...
"Shut up!" she said, heading for the stairs.
"But Stelle would never do such a thing!" I said, sprinting to her side, "Besides... isn't that kinda what Herta did to you?"
Wolf's expression immediately darkened.
"Don't remind me of that, please..." she quickly changed the subject, "Let's go to Oti Mall."
"Oti Mall?"
"If you really want to increase those affection points... you need to get her a present."
"A present?" I repeated, "but what am I going to get her for such an occasion?"
"Don't worry, I'll help you find the coolest gadget ever!" exclaimed Wolf, puffing her chest, "we can also stop for those Oak Cake Rolls you mentioned... what are you d-?! LET ME GO!"
I was sure now... a girlfriend was definitely not the only thing I had gained from this journey.
----------------------------------------
My eyes were lost in the clouds as I fidgeted nervously with my skirt. The sun had just set in the Blue Hour and would never rise again. This particular moment of Penacony was frozen in time just after dusk... the most romantic time of the day.
In the bright orange sky my eyes saw the Radiant Felspar flying lazily above me. Just the day before, something crazy had happened on it and the night that surrounded it. And it was not over yet... Something I had never expected was about to become a reality. I was extremely happy, but... very nervous. The reason my eyes were fixed above me was to avert them from the scenery around me.
Couples... so many of them. With a sigh I finally lowered my gaze. Not far away, the gates of a crowded amusement park opened. Compared to Aideen Park, this place had a completely different atmosphere. It was, after all, the most popular dating spot in Penacony.
I know this was the most obvious place, but I wish Stelle had chosen something a little less...
I blushed as I saw a couple holding hands and cuddling on a nearby bench.
Are we going to act like that in a bit...?! I feel so out of place...
But before I could get any more nervous, I saw a familiar figure in the distance.
"Firefly!" yelled Stelle as she ran towards me, "sorry I'm late!"
"Don't worry... I... I just got here!" I squealed, reciting the sentence Wolf had told me to say.
"Really?" Stelle said with a questioning look, "oh well! Y-you're super cute as usual!"
"Y-you too!" I replied.
We stood there for a moment, both red in the face.
"Um... let's go!" said Stelle, starting to walk towards the gate.
"Wait for me!"
As usual, she walked fast. But she stopped at my call.
"Oh yeah... sorry... I guess we should..."
She held out her hand to me. I swallowed as I stared at it. It wouldn't have been the first time we'd held hands, but...
"Could you... take the glove off?"
For a moment I thought I was about to activate Complete Combustion without even being inside SAM.
"Oh yeah... you're right..." she said, turning even redder.
She complied and this time held out her bare hand. I took it and we started walking side by side.
Wait, wait... this is not right! It's like I'm her daughter or something! Come on Firefly... you need to be more assertive.
So I shifted my hand inside her grip and slowly our fingers intertwined. Stelle's hand was very soft, as she always wore gloves. I could feel some calluses on her fingers, though, probably from holding her bat so often.
"Pretty busy place, huh?" Stelle asked, looking around at all the other couples as we entered the amusement park.
"Yeah..."
"Everything seems very... pink."
"Yeah..."
Why is it so awkward?!
I'd thought that meeting Stelle would have made things easier. But I couldn't help feeling like I had a spotlight following me, along with a sign that said 'This person does not belong here'.
"I think we should go for a ride," Stelle said.
"Yeah..."
WHY CAN'T I SAY ANYTHING ELSE?
"This one seems to be popular, l-let's go for it!" said Stelle, with a bit of hesitation in her voice.
I let her guide me to a long queue of people. In front of us now stood a sign.
‘THE TUNNEL OF LOVE.’
...
We remained silent until one of the attendants let us into a small boat.The boat began to move slowly through a dimly lit river. Floral scenes were painted on the sides as we approached the tunnel.
"This is pretty... romantic!"
I just nodded to avoid saying yes again. As the tunnel we had just entered suddenly lit up by dozens of fake stars, I saw the couple in front of us having a very passionate display.
Should we do that too...?
I turned to Stelle, who was also looking at them. I was about to put a hand over her shoulders, but... something stopped me.
How... am I supposed to do this?! Yesterday it felt so natural... but...
In the end, the ride ended with us still locked in an uncomfortable silence.
"I knew it... I'm really not good at this! I'm sure Stelle has realised that too," I thought as I got out of the boat.
We began to walk aimlessly, not even holding hands. But suddenly Stelle grabbed my wrist.
"Firefly..."
"Stelle?" I asked, looking surprised at her sad expression.
"I'm so sorry. I was cocky yesterday, but I really had no idea where to take you for a real date... I saw a flyer saying this place was great for couples, but... it kinda gives me the creeps! I feel so out of place here!"
For the umpteenth time, I felt a wave of relief wash over me.
The others are right... I never learn. I really should stop doubting myself.
"Stelle, it's okay. I'm sure we'll find a way to have fun anyway... we're here together after all."
"But..."
"I think we just need to be ourselves! Who cares what other people do!" I said, squeezing her face between my hands.
Stelle's expression lit up:
"You're right! Let's go, let's find a real fun ride!" she exclaimed, and after taking my hand she began to pull me energetically.
"This... this feels right!" I thought, although my fingers were a hurting a little.
After a few minutes Stelle suddenly stopped. Looking into her sparkling eyes, I immediately understood why.
"Let's go!" I said.
"Are you sure? Won't you get bored?"
"No, how about you teach me a bit?"
"I thought you said that a bat is an inefficient weapon?"
"Well... you can try and change my mind!" I giggled and walked closer to the batting cages in front of us.
We were the only ones there and the attendant looked almost surprised to see us. It was clear that this wasn't a very popular attraction.
I laughed when I saw how happy Stelle was when she got a couple of helmets. But soon the darkness blinded me.
"Oof sorry!" said Stelle, adjusting the helmet on my head, "you look pretty cool!"
"So do you!"
"We may soon be known as the Galactic Baseballers Couple!"
"I guess I don't hate the sound of that," I thought as we entered one of the cages.
Stelle grabbed one of the bats from a nearby rack.
"Pay attention," she said as she took up her position.
I only have eyes for you...
As the ball was fired from the cannon, Stelle took a strong swing and hit it squarely with a thud! Soon the cage was animated with applause coming from the speakers as Stelle hit a perfect home run.
I joined in, jumping up and down:
"You are so cool!"
"Thank you, thank you! Your turn now!"
"But..."
"Come on! I'll show you!"
I couldn't help but gasp as Stelle grabbed my arms and started to put them in the right position. Then she put her head over my shoulder.
"Keep your chin up, don't think about where the ball is, think about where it's going to be!"
But I was only half listening.
She's so close...
So, impulsively, I pecked her cheek with a kiss.
"Ehi!"
"Sorry!"
"Um... you're not a very good student... let's see, if you hit a home run, I'll give you a reward!"
"A reward!? Alright coach!"
"Much better!"
So I started to go at it. At first I could hardly hit the ball, but soon my swings became more and more precise until...
"No way!" said Stelle when she saw my ball hit the centre of the target up in the air.
"Uhmf!" I grinned, satisfied. Maybe it was because of my enhanced senses, but baseball was kind of easy.
"You're amazing! A prodigy!" said Stelle, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me.
"What are you talking about! What about my reward?" I asked, smiling.
"Oh... right!"
"Wait! You didn't think I'd actuall-mmh!"
Stelle had already closed my mouth with a kiss.
That's not fair...
But I closed my eyes and once again enjoyed the sensation of her soft lips against mine.
"So... shall we find something else to do?" Stelle asked, like nothing had happened but I could see her cheeks were on fire.
"Yeah!"
We started walking through the park, snobbing most of the popular rides.This time it was me who froze.
"That's.. so cute!"
On a shelf in a booth was a giant stuffed animal.
"A shooting game? Sure, that sounds fun... wait, do you want that thing?!"
"Isn't it cute? It kind of reminds me of you!"
"Of me!? A raccoon?! We look nothing alike! But sure, I'll get it for you."
Stelle approached the stand and took the gun from the attendant.
"This will be easy!" she said and took the first shot.
Her bullet lost itself in the back of the booth, missing the target by at least three feet.
"Ah! A sudden wind current, I see... I'll have to adjust my aim for that."
The next pellet came dangerously close to hitting the clerk in the head. At the end, she had barely grazed a target out of 10.
Stelle looked gloomily at the box of tissues she had been given as a prize.
"This... no, I won't be defeated! One more try, boss!"
This time the attendant just left the booth before she actually started shooting. 10 minutes later, there were 6 boxes of tissues on the counter.
"I'm sorry..."
"It's okay. Can I try one time?" I asked.
"Sure... be careful, this gun is faulty, I'm pretty sure."
"Alright!"
I took the toy gun from the attendant.
Um... it's very light, probably not much recoil. I'll have to make sure I stabilise it and take the wind into account. It's coming from the west. About 4 to 7 mph. The sun isn't up, so I don't have to worry about being blinded by it.
I took a deep breath and then:
"Executing scorched earth operations!"
"WHAT?!" the clerk and STelle shouted in unison.
In between my shots, I could see their mouths hanging open wider and wider. In the end, I hugged the raccoon plush happily. It could hardly fit in my arms.
Stelle had a look on her face that was both amused and sad:
"You're crazy....Man, I'm so uncool. I can't even win a prize for my girlfriend!"
Her girlfriend... I'm her girlfriend!
I handed her the stuffed toy.
"What?" asked Stelle, confused.
"So you can give it to me!" I giggled.
"That's just cheating... but ok, here you go!"
"Thanks!" I said. Overjoyed, I instructed the attendant to send the plush to the Miss Samuel account that Silver Wolf had set up for me.
"Don't worry though... I have a real present for you... more than one actually!"
"HUH?! What did you get me?" I asked, my eyes twinkling.
"It's a secret! You'll find out soon enough!"
"Not fair..."
But I couldn't really blame her. After all, I had something for her too.
I wonder if she'll like it...
"Whatever! I refuse to be beaten like this! Let's go over there," she said, pointing to another ride.
"There? Oh, bumper cars! That sounds fun!"
By the looks of it, all the couples were getting on the same car. Meanwhile, Stelle and I went on two different ones. From the look on her face, I knew she wanted a bit of revenge from the shooting game.
"Sure... but I won't go easy on you," I thought, looking at the controls of the Bumber car.
Compared to SAM, this is child's play.
I grabbed the steering wheel and stepped on the gas, looking for Stelle between all the other adventures of the attraction.
"Target sighted."
Soon we were surrounded by a circle of cars occupied by frightened couples as we began to crash violently into each other.
"Just give up!" shouted Stelle as she rammed into my car.
"No way! I'll show you the meaning of ultimate departure!" I retorted, escaping her attack and pinning her to the wall of the track.
In the end, we couldn't really declare a winner and left the ride with all eyes on us. But I didn't care... our date was going great.
"How about we go eat now?" asked Stelle, wiping a bit of sweat from her forehead, "all pf this has made me really hungry!"
"Sure... before they ban us from coming here!" I chuckled and took her hand.
"Well, you're used to being chased from places you're not supposed to be!"
"I swear, if those two Bloodhounds show up here, I'm going to roast them a bit."
"That would certainly liven things up. Look, there's a snack bar! I'll order, you sit at a table. It's my treat today!"
"Alright!" I said with a smile.
That smile faded a little when Stelle returned with enough Oak Cake Rolls to feed a small army.
"Stelle! Don't you think it's a bit much?" I said, helping her put the many plates she was carrying on the table.
"You said it yourself, you can't put on weight in a dream!"
"That's not what I'm worried about!"
But I started to eat anyway.
"Aaaah soo good! I must get the recipe for this!"
"Oh, I really want to eat something you made!" Stelle exclaimed excitedly.
"I never really cooked much. Apart from barbecuing..."
"Barbecuing? Wait, you don't mean...?" Stelle asked, her eyes widening.
"Well, you know... one time we were stranded and there was a big wind, so it was hard to keep the fire steady, so... I sort of used Sam to grill some meat. You should've seen Silver Wolf's face," I giggled.
"I can imagine," she chuckled, "you two are really close, aren't you?"
"I used to think we weren't, but... she's my best friend now. She looks after me a lot... almost like a sister!"
After all, the person who was once my best friend is now my girlfriend.
"I see..." Stelle said with a strange look on her face.
I wanted to ask her what was wrong, but she started to smile again:
"Looks like you didn't have to worry too much!"
I lowered my eyes to the plates. They were all empty except for one.
"What?! Did you eat them all?"
"Oh no, you already ate like 5!"
"That's not true!... I ate 6!" I said as I grabbed the last Oak Cake roll.
"Ehi!"
But Sam the Stellaron Hunter wasn't a heartless monster like people said. I gave them half of it.
"Thank you, Stelle! Consider your debt repaid!" I said after we had finished eating.
"Oh, that's too bad... I wanted to treat you to many more meals before we leave Penacony..."
"Oh... well, let's take turns then! That way we can always repay each other!" I replied, smiling happily.
"Sounds like a plan! Now, time to burn those calories!"
"But we can't get fat!"
"Doesn't matter... I've found something interesting we can do," Stelle said, leading me to the edge of the park.
I soon saw what she meant. A small television sat in the centre of a deserted booth.
"Is that... the Hanu game from the audition course?" I asked in surprise, "How did you know it was here?"
"I received a strange message from its creator. Apparently these are supposed to be some very hard stages! Are you up for the challenge?"
"You know I am."
Boss Stone's minions were no match for our combined might. Stage after stage, we cleared everything out with ease, leaving behind smoldering piles of scrap metal.
"Behind us!"
"Got it! Wait, this one's much bigger than the others!"
"Nothing my rocket launcher can't handle!"
"You're right! Ready? Looks like the tail is its weak point."
"Of course! We shall..."
"SET THE SEAS ABLAZE!" we shouted, laughing together.
----------------------------------------
"That was so fun!" I said, straightening my skirt after getting out of the TV.
"Right? Too bad we finished everything. I hope they release new levels by the time we come back her!"
"Stelle..." I looked at her with a smile.
"What? This is not our last date. Meeting outside of Penacony will be hard, I know... but we can always meet here between our missions! Or... well I'll tell you later..." she said, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"Alright!" I replied, covering her hand with mine. I already had a suspicion of what she wanted to say to me.
We stood in silence for a few moments before...
"What's this noise?" I asked.
It was like an excited buzzing that seemed to be coming from the centre of the park.
"Oh, looks like it's starting already!"
"What's starting?" I asked, confused.
"You'll see!" she said, grabbing my hand and pulling me in the direction of the sound.
Every person in the park seemed to be moving in the same direction. Soon I could see it. A stage had been set up near a giant Clokie statue, and on it stood...
"Robin?! What is going on? I was checked if she had some concerts planned but... wait... STELLE!"
This was one of her presents I was sure of it. I looked at her teary-eyed as she smiled at me.
"Well, let's just say I asked her a little favour! You didn't get to hear her sing on the Feldspar, so..."
"Stelle! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"'Anything for you, Firefly... seems like she's starting."
The notes that echoed through the crowded park were happy and upbeat.
"Sway to My Beat in Cosmos!" I shouted.
"You really are a big fan, aren't you? Don't worry, I'll get you an autograph too!"
"Stelle..."
My girlfriend bowed slightly and held out her hand to me.
"Would this pretty young lady do me the honour of dancing with me?"
"I... sure! But I don't really know how..." I said, putting my hand in hers.
"Perfect! Because I have no idea either!" she laughed.
We probably looked very funny... but it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered to me was Stelle's smile, her eyes narrowed in happiness, and Robin's voice filling my ears and my heart.
Soon the melody changed, the tempo slowed and familiar piano notes began to play.
As the song that had accompanied the precious moment we had shared on the rooftop began to play, Stelle took me into her arms. We began to dance slowly, embracing each other.
"Stelle... I love you. Thank you for everything you have done for me."
"I love you too. Don't worry, Firefly, this is just the beginning. It may take a while... but I'm going to help you make every single one of your dreams come true."