Everyone had finally arrived. Neptune and Noire were holding a party — because of course they were. There were banners all over the place, celebrating the story's one year anniversary, and balloons and food and all other kinds of typical party favors and delights were strewn about all over the tremendous room. One might have thought it a ballroom, if not for the fact that the walls were decorated like some kind of video game museum. Thankfully, the decorations blocked off most of those.

There was eating and mingling and much excitement to be had. Everyone at the party was having a great time.

There was just one... teensy eensy weensy little itty bitty problem with the whole thing. Totally insignificant in the grand scheme of things, really. Not at all important. Didn't change a thing.

It was just that the guests of honor had yet to arrive. Neptune and Noire were nowhere in sight.

The partygoers all had their own ideas regarding what was taking the lovely Neptune and Noire so long to arrive to their own party. Wouldn't they want to be here? It wasn't like there were any scenes running alongside this one where they were bonding elsewhere like when they had gotten married or anything like that...

"They are aware this scene isn't at all connected to the last one, right?" Sighing, IF crossed her arms. Everyone had gotten dressed up — even that weird guy in the pink power suit had worn a black version of his normal armor so it looked like a tuxedo! Or... At least so IF had thought it was, but apparently he was calling it a dress...? Happy place, happy place! "I hope they didn't decide to really do something together for the sake of 'realism' or anything like that...! This is probably going to be the only time we ever get to do something like this!"

"Don't worry about it, Iffy...!" There was Compa, smiling brightly and dutifully standing at the brunette's side in a stunning dress that was none too showy but still made her look as great as ever — though IF may have been just a little biased in that assessment. "Nep-Nep knows what she's doing."

IF smiled ruefully at the girl's optimism. If only that were true more often. She supposed she could let it go for now though. It was a party, after all! If Neptune and Noire wanted to do... whatever they might be doing, who was she to complain?

"I'll take your word for it then, Compa." IF reached for the girl's hand to give it a squeeze, but in that moment, the sound of a door slamming echoed throughout the spacious room. The sudden noise caught the whole by surprise, and this surprise caused IF to miss her target by quite a bit. Instead of grasping the hand that had been at Compa's side...

"O-Oh!"

... she got the girl's rear end instead.

While the rest of the room's occupants were looking in the direction of the noise, Compa and IF could only look at each other. IF's face was burning bright red and she looked like she had just been caught trying to steal some of Neptune's pudding. Obviously she hadn't meant for this, but now she was simply too horrified to move! What was she supposed to do?! Compa was... Compa was...!

Compa was... just looking at her...! How was she supposed to react to that...?! Sure, she was blushing too, but IF knew if she were an outsider looking at their expressions, based on the way Compa looked compared to her, she would have thought it had been her that had just gotten groped! Compa looked... Compa looked way too at ease with this!

While it was no secret what kind of relationship some of their friends had (they could just read the story after all), theirs was... well... It wasn't... Like that. They were childhood friends, after all! They were taking it slow! They were going at their own pace! They were happy with things being as they were now! They were... They were...!

They were... still... not moving... from this position...!

"Now what in the world is going on here?"

At the sound of an all too familiar voice, IF's body moved on its own. There was only one thing she could think to do — move that hand away from that (great) behind! In her urge to get out of the situation as fast as humanly possibly, however, IF didn't put much thought into how she was going to go about it. All she wanted was to simply move that hand.

In hindsight, sliding it up from Compa's rear and up her side to firmly hold her by her waist, so she could then tug her very close all in one swift, totally not possessive looking movement might not have made all that much difference in the long run.

At least Compa seemed to be enjoying the attention the brunette was giving her, and thoroughly at that, though IF didn't seem to notice this at the moment. While her friend, her date more than that, was positively glowing as IF held her at her side, IF could only pay attention to the reason she had brought Compa to her side in the first place.

For standing before her in a stunning dress of her own was none other than Purple Heart, gloved arms crossed and an almost taunting smile on her face as she looked at her two friends. Not too far behind her was Black Heart in an equally lovely dress, though she was currently entertaining some of the other guests. If IF had to guess, the sound that had caused all of this in the first place had been the two CPUs making their entrance.

"We were just waiting for you, Nep-Nep!" Compa, clearly not perturbed by any of the events that had led to IF's hand winding up keeping such a firm hold on her waist, gave Purple Heart a cheerful reply with a smile. Purple Heart returned this smile with one of her own, and with that, it seemed as though the ice had been broken. IF's hand relaxed somewhat at Compa's side... though she made no attempt to move it, or step away from Compa. "It's your party after all."

"Noire and I just wanted to make our entrance all the more memorable... I don't get to appear much in this form in the story after all." Eyes twinkling, Purple Heart looked from Compa to IF, still smilng ever so slightly at the two of them. "It appears as though you two missed it all the same. It appears as though something much more memorable was happening over here."

Compa, apparently not understanding what Purple Heart was referring to, simply tilted her head to the side in confusion before glancing at IF in the hopes of an incoming explanation. IF, on the other hand, lowered her gaze as a renewed blush began to spread across her cheeks. It wasn't like she could deny what the goddess was saying or anything like that, but...

"T-That's..." Shooting a glance at Compa, IF decided that she wanted what had happened, accidental as it was, technically not even part of the story's canon as it was, to be something for the two of them only. With that in mind, she raised her head to give Purple Heart an almost defiant look. It was time to change the subject! "Did you two really have to start this off doing something like that?"

Purple Heart had expected as much, though she decided to let it slide for now. She knew all too well what it was like when a moment was spoiled, and it was clear the two of them still had quite a way to go before they caught up to her and Noire. It was... cute, in a way. Maybe this was how Cave had felt when she had talked to her that day?

"Like what?" That didn't mean she was just going to accept everything IF said, of course. Raising an eyebrow, the goddess placed a hand on her hip. For Neptune, such an action wouldn't mean anything at all, but to see the mighty Purple Heart doing it, and in such an elegant dress no less... Even though she was still Neptune, it gave an entirely different impression. "I'm afraid you'll need to elaborate. Do you mean how Noire and I caused you to...?"

IF's eyes widened. No, she didn't mean that! She was trying to change the subject, not stick to it even more!

"N-N-N-No! I meant the first scene! How you two opened this!" Shaking her head furiously, IF shot a look Black Heart's way. The other CPU seemed to be none the wiser, as she was currently engaged in some kind of conversation with her sister, but IF almost felt like she knew all the same. Glancing back towards Purple Heart, IF frowned. "You got poor Histoire all worked up over it, and made yourselves out to look like... like..."

IF realized that she had nothing to finish that with. It was just so... It felt like just a little while ago Neptune was coming to her for advice and Neptune hadn't even known what she was feeling, and now here she had gone and totally surpassed IF... What was she supposed to do with that...?

"Like... the married couple that we are?" Purple Heart supplied innocently. IF was silent. What could she say to that? It was true, after all. Purple Heart didn't especially want to push the subject further either, but it seemed poor Iffy was feeling conflicted over how things had developed while she hadn't been looking. She supposed she could understand that.

Looking between her two friends, or rather, her goddess and her girlfriend, Compa was at a loss. This conversation was... strange, to say the least, and more than that, it was starting to sound like something better left for the main story! Why were they doing it here when they should have been having fun and enjoying the party?

It was time for this nurse to deliver to these girls their medicine!

"You two, I think that's enough." Compa's interjection brought both goddess and girl's attention where they should have been, which was something Compa found herself quite thankful for. "This is supposed to be a party, right? Why don't we do some party things instead of have these silly serious talks? Come on, IF, let's dance...!"

"W-Wait, Compa, I don't even know this song...!"

Purple Heart laughed quietly as Compa pulled IF out onto the dance floor. There weren't many couples out there at the moment, considering her and Noire's entrance had temporarily halted things. The only pair out there now that she had been paying attention to prior to her friends heading out had been Peashy and Plutia trying to slow dance to a song that was not at all slow in any way whatsoever.

"That's Plutie for you..." the goddess murmured to herself after checking up on that slow dance situation again (Peashy was clearly starting to get very frustrated, whereas Plutia looked like she was falling asleep on her feet — the other Noire was, of course, watching a short ways away, torn between jealousy and amusement at watching Plutia in such a predicament), shaking her head as she returned her gaze to IF and Compa.

It was an initially awkward affair. They clearly hadn't done too much dancing, at least not in a crowd like this in clothes like those, but they were both clearly enjoying themselves — and, as they continued dancing, each other more and more as they danced. A soft smile graced Purple Heart's lips as she watched them, knowing from experience that at this point, they had probably long since forgotten that there were people in this enormous room besides the two of them.

They danced and danced and danced. Purple Heart wasn't sure for how long they had been going, but already a few songs had gone by — and they were having the times of their lives. She didn't mind being an observer for once either. There was a brief interruption when Peashy finally transformed into Yellow Heart to try to get one of her many "parents" to dance properly with her, but that only caused a little bit of a commotion — and luckily, Iris Heart did not decide to make a special guest appearance for the occasion.

As things began to settle back down, more than a few pairs of eyes besides for Purple Heart's finally managed to pull away from the sight of IF and Compa being so happy together — or more specifically, the sight of IF being so happy with someone other than the person looking herself. It was later said that the owners of these pairs of eyes, a well known idol and even a CPU among them, all of whom who supposedly had "proper" love interests in the main story, would leave the party early and be found later at a Rebooted and Unrequited Relationships Anonymous meeting. That, however, is a tale for another time.

"Well this is an odd way you're choosing to celebrate." Purple Heart didn't need to look at the owner of the voice the came from behind her to know that it was her wife speaking, still transformed if she had to guess from the tone. Purple Heart didn't take her eyes off of the dancing couple as Black Heart approached her, choosing to stand next to her. "Something particularly interesting about them that I'm missing? All I see is IF trying not to fall over herself."

"I'm just happy for them is all." Finally tearing her eyes away from the sight of her happy friends, Purple Heart looked to her side to see the person who had made her forget there was a world outside of the two of them on more than one occasion. "Is that a problem?"

"Wha-" Black Heart opened her mouth to retort, but seeing the expression on Purple Heart's face, she instead chose to close her mouth and glance away, a blush forming on her cheeks. She crossed her arms and shot a look towards the couple, still dancing, that Purple Heart had been so enamored with. "It's just... This is our celebration, isn't it? Why focus so much on them when it's about you and me?"

Purple Heart chuckled.

"Is it, though?" She smirked knowingly at the confused look on Black Heart's face, but didn't do more — the CPU was clearly watching the dancing duo of IF and Compa more to appease Purple Heart than out of any real interest of her own, which was just amusing. "This isn't like our wedding celebration or anything of the sort. It's celebrating a year of this story, and The Proposal as a whole, having been told for this long and for it continuing to be told. They're just as much a part of that whole as we are, aren't they?"

It was fun watching the gears turn, seeing the different thoughts going through Black Heart's mind so blatantly shown on her face.

"Yes... It is primarily our story, but you know what?" Purple Heart returned her gaze to the two girls on the dance floor, who looked positively taken with their partner. She smiled at them, shaking her head and closing her eyes. "Even for the supporting roles, it's their story too. We're all only here because of this story, but... You and I have the whole story to have more moments. Maybe they do too, but who knows? They might never appear again for all I know." Opening her eyes once more, Purple Heart returned her gaze to IF and Compa. "Even if it's just this scene... I want this one to be for them. For once, I want to be part of their supporting cast."

Black Heart was silent for a few moments. Purple Heart wasn't sure if Black Heart agreed with the sentiment, but with the scene ending in a few moments, it probably didn't matter at this point anyway.

"I guess... you really can act like a main character sometimes... even if you're trying not to be right now."

Purple Heart was taken aback. Eyes widening ever so slightly, she offered her wife a smile. As the two looked at each other, Purple Heart found herself swallowing. She supposed it wouldn't hurt too much if she just... leaned over a little and... maybe just gave Black Heart one little kiss... Maybe another after that... That wouldn't be a problem, would it...?

As the music began to come to an end and one genre of music was being changed for another, still out on the dance floor, IF and Compa slowed to a stop. Both of them were looking radiant — feeling positively wonderful, and it was all IF could do to not grab her girlfriend right there and... well, do something to her! If only they were alone...! Then she would... She would hold Compa's hand! Yeah, she would hold the heck out of Compa's hand! That's what she would do!

"Awww... Look, Iffy..." Compa pointed to something behind the blushing Leanbox native. More than happy to have a distraction, IF cast a glance over her shoulder, before turning back to Compa with a wry smile on her face, a smile that soon turned into laughter — one Compa returned with a giggle.

"Sheesh... Look at the two of them go... You'd think they'd let someone else get the spotlight once in a while. Well, it is their party, so I guess there's no harm."

Looping her arm with IF's, Compa looked up at her surprised girlfriend brightly, an idea starting to form in her mind.

"Be careful what you wish for, Iffy."

IF didn't have time to ask what Compa meant by that. In fact, she didn't have time for much of anything at all — if IF wanted to see what it was like for the spotlight to be off of the CPUs, then Compa was more than willing to give her that chance and then some.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was how Compa and IF finally shared their first kiss.

It was a moment during which all eyes were on the two of them. It was a moment that none of them would soon forget. It was a moment that...

"... is actually going to be forgotten at the end of this chapter by everyone but the audience faster than the first game was, but hey, who's keeping track of that?" White Heart held up her hands defensively at the glares those around her quickly gave her. What? It was true, darn it!

Despite that being as it was, the girls on the dance floor still looked like nothing else mattered in the world to them as they pulled away from each other. Whether it was retconned or not, this moment was still real as far as this moment mattered, and in this special moment, Compa and IF still didn't care one bit about anything other than each other.