"Ok, all is ready, now I am free to go to the beach." The assured voice that rings through the palace belongs to one of the Dark Lovers, the piano player Yuri, who is currently checking herself to make sure everything is as it should. Despite her statement, she isn't dressed for the beach (not that anybody would expect her to be, considering the weather). That in fact is just the appointed place for a meeting with a certain someone, someone special, and her outfit certainly mirrors it.
Yuri has her hair held up in twintails by two red scrunchies with yellow borders. Dangling from her ears are two red hearts, earrings held in place by a string of silver spheres.
A yellow coat with silver buttons is covering her upper body, a neck warmer of red fur just above it. Just above the belt section, a red ribbon is circling the coat, tied tightly to it. A silver bag with a velvet light red handle is hanging from her arm.
A bi-layered red skirt with yellow borders proceeds from the end of the coat, its many folds giving it a wavy appearance. Her legs are covered by yellow stockings, and finally she wears a pair of red boots.
The other three Dark Lovers are all occupied: Maria is spending all her time in Gaito's library, seemingly having made it her life's mission to check all the books in there. Izuru has taken a habit to keep a ledger of all the possessions in the castle (and nobody has told Maria that, Yuri giggles), Eriru though, she is just checking the halls like they are about to be under attack from one moment to another.
Her form fading away, the Dark Lover leaves the abyssal haven of Gaito's castle, and in a matter of seconds the sea breeze is caressing her hair, the coastal town extending in front of her. Joyous feelings exude from her face like a spring while she walks towards a very precise destination.
Moving furtively, the green haired girl smiles widely as she spots a blonde guy wearing a white beret with a red ribbon, a white jacket with red strings holding onto blue buttons to connect the two sides and blue knickerbockers and white-blue trainers.
Even better, his back is currently turned to her, leaving her with the perfect occasion to make him regret ever looking the other way. It's perfect! Pouncing upon her prey, the Dark Lover places her hands over his eyes, a metallic ring of two objects clashing being heard from her bag. "Guess who this is?"
"Yuri!" he doesn't hesitate to say, leaving her with a smile. "You weren't replying, you were just calling out to me, right?" the green haired girl teases, taking her hands off his eyes.
"Eheh, you got me", the blonde replies, turning around to give her a hug, the goofiest smile possible on his face, clearly hopelessly smitten. "I'm so glad you could come, I missed you so much", he affectionately declares as he holds her tight.
"Hippo, that has been the same for me", she replies, hugging back just as strongly. "I got you a gift this time, a bit on the nose but, have it", Yuri adds, pushing a package into his arms after detaching herself from him.
His face had betrayed he would have liked the hug to last longer, but it shines again once she mentions her gift for him. He doesn't waste time opening the gift and soon enough the package's content is in his hands, glistening in the winter sunlight.
"Yuri, it's awesome", he cheers, giving her a kiss on the cheek, then appointing the pin of his hippocampus form right onto his clothes. "Thank you", he smiles before adding "We have a long day ahead of us, but this is to start us off", the blonde boy says before taking a few breaths.
"Hippo? What are you doing?" Yuri stares at him quizzically.
"Oh, oh", he starts singing, using a phone to have the background music. Yuri starts having an amused smile as she catches on.
When the visions around you
Bring tears to your eyes
And all that surrounds you
Are secrets and lies
I'll be your strength
I'll give you hope
Keeping your faith when it's gone
The one you should call
Was standing here all along
Hippo takes Yuri's hand in his, bringing it up. He turns around, putting passion into the singing with practiced movements, not missing a beat.
And I will take you in my arms
And hold you right where you belong
'Til the day my life is through
This I promise you
This I promise you
Hippo opens his arm wide, never breaking eye contact with her, dancing to the right and to the left.
I've loved you forever
In lifetimes before
And I promise you never
Will you hurt anymore
I give you my word
I give you my heart (give you my heart)
This is a battle we've won
And with this vow
Forever has now begun
He spins around, taking a few steps back and forward, his own face coming really close to Yuri's before pulling back.
Just close your eyes (close your eyes) each loving day (each loving day)
And know this feeling won't go away (no)
'Til the day my life is through
This I promise you
This I promise you
With an extension of his arm forward, not quite enough to reach Yuri, he lightly sways left and right to the beat of the music, he puts the yearning he feels for Yuri's presence into his every gesture.
Over and over I thought (over and over I thought)
When I hear you call
Without you in my life, baby
I just wouldn't be living at all
He kneels down, closing into himself, his body posed as if holding deep introspection.
And I will take you in my arms (I will take you in my arms)
And hold you right where you belong (right where you belong)
'Til the day my life is through
This I promise you, babe
He gets back, looking back at her eyes, giving her an embrace before going back into position with a backwards twirl.
Just close your eyes each loving day (each loving day)
And know this feeling won't go away (no)
Every word I say is true
This I promise you
Hippo sweeps his arms over his head with a wide gesture, still swaying left and right,
Every word I say is true
This I promise you
Ooh, I promise you
He ends the song with an embrace, whispering the last words into her ear. Yuri hugs him back, her tone very moved and happy as she speaks. "Oh, Hippo, you goof, that was so adorable. I didn't expect to be greeted with an entire choreography. You didn't tire yourself out with the rest of the day, right?" "Don't worry, Yuri, I have more than boundless energy with these things", he stares lovingly at her.
The two lovebirds are moving along with their day, Hippo excitedly heading somewhere off the beach, excitedly leading Yuri by hand somewhere. "I have got a nice place for you to see, it's very fun, or at least I hope it will be", he declares to her, leading her to a big circular building, at which point the gig was up.
"Hippo, I have never skated on ice", Yuri complains, apprehensively imagining the huge expanse of slippery ice. "It's ok, it's not too hard, and it's actually quite fun", he replies with unbridled optimism.
"Whether it's quite fun or not, you'd better stay nearby since you did it before already", Yuri says. Being stuck on ice alone isn't enticing at all. Hippo doesn't let this resistance deter him, instead he takes it in stride. "Yuri." he says. "Don't worry, of course I will, and I am sure you will do great."
Leaving behind her reservations, Yuri grabs Hippo's hand and tells him "Ok, I trust you, let's go in". The two of them walk in, registering their presence and grabbing their skates, eagerly lacing them up as they look at the ice expanse with trepidation.
Hippo walks in first backwards before holding her hands. Securely following the direction Hippo is providing her, Yuri smiles at him, taking slow steps on the ice as she uses him for support, initially wobbling a bit before adjusting to the sensation of the ice beneath her skates. "This is quite amusing", Yuri says, her breath forming small clouds in the chilly air. "How so?" he asks, still slowly moving backwards in a straight line. "Just, you know, being taught to go on ice by a penguin. What better teacher could there be?"
"I see your point", he laughs, this time attempting a curve. "Ok, we are about to make a turn here", he announces a warning to Yuri, slowly guiding her through the movement. "Woah, ok, I got it", Yuri smiles, her eyes dazzling as the movement goes fairly well, the only obstacle where her leg slipped a little too far.
She had feared a crash at that moment, already imagining herself falling and bringing Hippo down with her, but the assurance in his eyes and the grip of his hands on her? Yeah, no, she is doing this.
Recuperating from the slip thanks to that infusion of confidence and Hippo's own presence, Yuri breaks through the sudden challenge, and that small turn on the slippery ice is soon at an end, and the Dark Lover and the guardian of the princesses both are lovingly staring into each other's eyes.
"How do you feel?" Hippo asks, the confidence now mixed with a tinge of worry that may turn to be a deal breaker in the experience. "Perfectly", Yuri replies, tightening the grip onto his hands, her voice warmly in contrast with the winter air. Nothing at all could make her feel perturbed with how close he is to her, as they gently scrape through the ice expanse.
He stares for a few moments there, forgetting to reply with the affectionate gesture and tone of voice before waking himself from this stupor. "Alright, Yuri", Hippo smiles, "but if you really feel yourself falling, bend your knees and try to fall onto your side." Gliding a bit closer to her, he adds "I am here with you though, that will just be our last resort."
Yuri nods in the midst of the sound of blades scraping on ice. The apprehension in his tone is clear, and rather cute, even, despite her not being particularly scared. "Hippo, you are adorable", she smiles at him. "But you don't have to worry so much, ok? I haven't fallen over, and I am having lots of fun."
"Oh, you are?" he smiles relieved, before skating close to joyfully hug her. "I am glad!" That simple reassurance seems to dissolve all uncertainty, and as Yuri and Hippo continue to skate under the latter's guidance, their movements become more synchronised, and from those simple practice moves, they slowly start moving on basic sequences, gliding with most worries behind them. The initial hesitation has dissolved just like the winter cold under their mutual comfort, each glide on the ice sharing a rhythm that resonates with laughter and joy.
Eventually, Hippo suggests, "How about we try a little dance on ice? It's simple, just follow my lead." With a serene admiration of how well Yuri has taken to it on his face, he begins a graceful sequence, guiding Yuri through turns and spins, their skates tracing patterns on the glistening surface. Yuri, caught up in the moment, follows his lead effortlessly. The two lovers' surroundings fade away, as they twirl and sway to the memory of the song that Hippo had prepared for Yuri, leaving only the two of them immersed in the magic of the frozen dance floor.
Eventually, they start making their way outside, their laughter accompanying them after an emboldened Hippo had tried a jump and land-on-stomach manoeuvre he wanted Yuri to watch with how the momentum had carried him all the way to the exit of the rink.
"Are you starved, Yuri?" Hippo asks the very instant they have gone outside. That perfectly normal question is a great way to introduce the next step of their dates after all. Yuri, clinging to his arm with evident satisfaction, answers: "I am not starving, but I certainly could eat something after all that skating."
"Yuri, I have actually prepared something for this occasion too, a basket of food to try a picnic on snow. Well, everyone helped", Hippo admits, awaiting her reaction with bated breath.
"A picnic on snow", she repeats while she digests the news before the food. She certainly has never tried sitting on the cold ground, and it does not really sound like a good experience either. She pulls him into a hug before replying. "Thank you for preparing the food, that sounds really good timing. But we could simply eat at the Pearl Piari. The ground is too cold for a picnic", she explains her reticence.
"Oh, that sounds right", Hippo smiles awkwardly. He is pretty sure there are no sour feelings between them now, and besides Yuri is aware of what she is asking. "I doubt Nikora will raise a fuss about reserving us a table while we eat on our own."
Later, at the hotel: "I can't give you a table", Nikora tells the two lovers. "We are just under Christmas, and we are so packed Lucia is turning like a top out there. No place for you two, sorry", she denies their request, even if her tone made it clear she didn't want to.
"Come on, Nikora, you know Hippo! Can't you even do this for him?" Yuri reacts, ticked off by the refusal, marching right in front of her.
"I suggest you take a good look there, because there is no way you can find a table", Nikora replies, all the more irked to be chastised by a Dark Lover.
"Well, there is still a desk in my bedroom, we could have lunch there!" Hippo is quick to bounce up with another proposal, trying to separate the two before things could turn for the worse. Yuri scoffs a bit before turning to Hippo. "That's ok, please lead the way", she says, still thinking about how a single table is too much to ask for before giving one last annoyed glance to Nikora, who for her part has already turned around and gotten back to serving the Pearl Piari's customers.
In Hippo's room, the bright lights show a modest bedroom, and Hippo, who is carrying two bags of food, places them on the aforementioned desk's left side while Yuri places an extra chair next to the one naturally present.
As the two settle down in the cosy room, Hippo unpacks the bags, revealing an assortment of delicious treats carefully prepared by him and the mermaids. There are sandwiches with a variety of fillings, colourful salads, fresh fruits, and a selection of desserts that would make anyone's mouth water.
Yuri's eyes light up with delight as she surveys the spread. "Hippo, this looks amazing! You really went all out for our lunch." She takes a seat, eagerly picking up a sandwich with prawns and taking a bite. The flavours explode in her mouth, and she can't help but compliment Hippo on his culinary skills.
"These sandwiches are fantastic! And I can't wait to try out that fruit salad over there" she comments between bites, the savoury taste lingering pleasingly in her mouth.
Hippo grins proudly, taking the other seat, next to her. "Well, I had some help from Hanon and Coco. The two of them were really insistent on contributing their own creations, especially Coco. She wanted to turn this into the best day ever for the two of us. She is also the mastermind behind these delectable desserts, and Lucia chimed in for those salads. It may not have been just me, but with everyone's help I am sure you would have gotten the special lunch you deserve."
Yuri nods appreciatively, the ecstatic expression communicating how happy she truly feels in this moment.. "I can tell. It's not just about the food; it's the thought and effort you all put into making this moment special. I feel truly lucky."
Despite the unusual location, the room is quickly filled with their laughter and chatter as they enjoy their meal, talking about their favourite moments back at the ice rink and the anecdotes Hippo shares over the making of the food. clinking of cutlery as they enjoy their picnic.
"So there was this thing Hanon did while making the salads", he starts narrating while Yuri dives into the vegetables. "Coco was right over there preparing the desserts while Hanon… I don't remember, but all of a sudden Lucia starts singing, and not singing in general like she was in the mood, but singing directly to the salad like it's supposed to make it taste better."
Hippo picks the bowl of the salad and starts cradling it as if it were some precious item. "She was looking at it with this almost comforting expression, I would say, as if she were throwing on some encouragement. We started laughing after that, but you know, it's the kind of thing that really puts you in a good mood, so we all started singing along. I can't tell you how surprised Nikora was that day."
The anecdote has the intended effect, and it doesn't take long for Yuri's eyes to shine with amusement as she laughs at the mental image of Lucia endearingly singing to the salad, and the thought of everyone joining in a chorus right after? That warms her heart. "You all really have a special bond", she comments. Hippo bashfully smiles when Yuri tells him that. Not that she is wrong, he thinks: despite all the scoldings they get from him every once in a while, they are quite tight.
As they finish their meal, Yuri looks at Hippo with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Hippo. Words can't express how dear you are to me. Skating, dancing on ice, and now this delightful lunch. I couldn't have asked for anything more."
"Well, prepare to be amazed even further, because the day isn't over yet", Hippo declares confidently, with pride over the proceeding of his date plan. He leans closer to Yuri and adds after sneaking a kiss on her cheek, saying "About 1 hour from now there is a festival starting in the city, so that's an awesome occasion to take part."
Yuri blushes and smiles when Hippo kisses her cheek, and in response she brings him in for a full hug, clinging tightly to her boyfriend. It feels sooooo good not having to be separated by conflicting missions any longer, and now they can just walk through the town out in the open with no worries? That sounds heavenly.
"What are we waiting for then?" she exhorts him, exiting the Pearl Piari with so much haste they barely have the time to say bye to a passing by Nikora. It doesn't take them long to reach the festival location, the various stands of foods and games extending in two rows before their eyes with promises of fun.
The vibrant colours and lively sounds of the festival instantly envelop Hippo and Yuri as they step into the bustling scene. The air is filled with the enticing aromas of street food and the cheerful chatter of families and friends. Many people are wearing yukatas, but thankfully Hippo and Yuri don't stick out: just as many have come there with different styles of clothes. Strings of orange lanterns crisscross above their heads, casting a warm, inviting glow over the festivities.
"Look at all these games!" Yuri exclaims, her eyes wide with excitement as they pass by rows of stalls, each offering a different challenge. "Let's try some of them!"
Hippo nods enthusiastically. "Absolutely! How about Daruma Otoshi?" He points to a nearby stall where a crowd has already formed a small queue, the game's participants taking turns trying to knock out the pieces of a colourful wooden Daruma doll without making the top piece fall.
They make their way to the stall, and after paying a small fee, they each get a turn. The game requires a mix of precision and patience, and the anticipation of whether the top piece will fall adds to the excitement. Yuri goes first, her concentration palpable as she carefully taps at the bottom pieces with the small hammer, trying to keep patient to be as precise as possible. Both Hippo and the merchant look on as Yuri keeps knocking off each wood piece in order. She is certainly feeling the tension the further she goes, but finally, with a gentle yet skillful strike, she removes the last piece, leaving the Daruma still standing.
"Nice job!" Hippo says, impressed. "Now it's my turn." He takes the hammer, his face a picture of focus. He successfully removes a piece, but on his second attempt, the top piece wobbles dangerously before finally staying put, eliciting a gasp from Yuri. "Be careful!" she shoots out a warning
As he continues, the tension builds up with each piece removed. The daruma has stayed mostly in line since then and it's finally down to the last piece. Yuri holds her breath as she watches Hippo aim for the last time. The last tap proves to be fortuitous: the daruma isn't shaken off with the last piece and lands quietly on the bottom tier, marking Hippo too as the winner of his session.
Yuri erupts into applause, and Hippo turns to her with a triumphant smile. "We did it!" he exclaims, his eyes shining with joy.
"Congratulations!", exclaims the shopkeeper. "Since both of you won a game, you are allowed to choose one of the prizes on the left column", she explains. The two lovers turned their heads in the direction she indicated, taking note of a rack of plushies. Yuri is the first one to make her move, picking up a frog plushie with a friendly expression from it. "Why don't you take this?" she proposes, pushing the plushie onto him. "It's nice, is it not?"
Hippo takes a look at what his girlfriend is giving him, the frog's mouth open in a friendly smile actually rather captivating. "Of course, thanks a lot, Yuri!", his eyes shine as he says that from the consideration she is showing him.
"Oh, that looks nice!" Yuri says, pointing at four photo cutout boards, one of Klimt's "The Kiss", one of an astronaut and a blonde girl in a flowing white dress, one of a violinist with a blue-haired girl looking at him and lastly, one of mermaids, the last of which incite an impish look on Yuri's face. "Why don't we try them all?" she suggests. "Starting from the one with the mermaids."
They walk over to the mermaid cutout, Yuri's steps light with anticipation. A tourist sees them approach the cutouts and immediately steps up offering to use their phone to take pictures. The two lovebirds look at each other uncertainly before Hippo nods and takes out his.
Yuri's thoughts meanwhile are more inclined towards suspicion than acceptance. If something happens to Hippo's phone, the tourist won't have enough time to regret their choice before getting a nice visit to the local hospital in exchange. With aggressive thoughts of this kind, she positions herself behind the board, her face aligning with the mermaid with long, flowing hair.
Despite that, Yuri is enjoying the moment smiling widely in her position, a good part of it because of the joke involved in their choice. Hippo stands beside her, peeking through the cutout of a merman with an equally amused grin, the meaning of the situation not lost on him. "Say 'seashells'!" the passerby jokes, snapping a picture with Hippo's phone. The image captures their joy and playfulness, immortalising the moment.
After leaving one last amused gaze to the merfolks, the two of them move to the cutout of "The Kiss", taking their respective place in the recreation of the painting. "It's a bit awkward", Hippo comments before the photo. "What is?" Yuri asks. "For a romantic cutout, it doesn't really allow me to lose myself in your splendid eyes", he answers, a cheeky blush on his face as he drops the stealthy compliment.
"Oh, Hippo", the Dark Lover comments, her tone communicating how pleased she is at his sentence. "Just you wait until I am free from here", she adds. "What do you intend to do?" he asks, puzzled. "That's for me to know and for you to find out." That said, they finally dedicate their attention to the photographer, who has been standing there awkwardly waiting for them to finish.
"Ok then, be sure to have a wide smile", they say before finally taking the photo.
The astronaut and the blonde girl in the white dress are next. Hippo laughs as he takes the role of the astronaut, and Yuri becomes the ethereal girl in the flowing dress. As they take their places, the scene of the blonde girl, floating in space and her curious gaze looking down at the astronaut is complete, and though it can't be seen from the outside, Yuri's hand is reaching out towards Hippo, caressing his. The passerby captures this whimsical scene, both of them laughing heartily.
Finally, they approach the violinist and blue-haired girl cutout, definitely the weirdest one of the four, the violinist's distracted expression making him seem more focused on the violin than the girl who is clearly a friend at least. Hippo takes the spot of the violinist, while Yuri stands behind the girl, gazing at Hippo with an expression of admiration and a paradoxical sad joy that actually befits the scene.
With the last photo taken, the passerby gives the phone back, to Yuri's relief that her suspicions were wrong. As they thank the kind stranger, Yuri and Hippo scroll through the photos, which actually came out rather nicely. The mermaid one especially instill laughter in the two of them still. "These are going to make such great memories," Yuri says, her eyes sparkling with happiness. "Definitely," agrees Hippo, wrapping an arm around her and gazing fondly in her eyes.
"But that's not all, though, there is so much more still to do", he adds. Taking the initiative this time, he leads Yuri to a Yo-Yo Tsuri stand, and the two of them waste no time in starting to play. The stand is brightly lit, with rows of colourful, water-filled balloon yo-yos bobbing gently in a large pool. The atmosphere is filled with the excited chatter of children and the cheerful calls of the stand owner encouraging players. Yuri looks at the array of balloons with childlike wonder, her eyes reflecting the myriad of colours.
"Let's see who can catch one first," Hippo suggests with a playful grin, picking up a paper string with a tiny hook attached to its end. Yuri nods enthusiastically, her competitive spirit ignited. "Oh, you're so on!" she replies with a fierce grin, picking her own paper string. Preparatives made, they both lean over the pool, concentrating on the floating balloons. This being the first time for both of them, many failures occur as they try: it's no easy task and every time they think they've hooked a balloon, it slips away or the paper string threatens to break.
"They are really slippery", Hippo comments, huffing with each missed balloon. "Come on, don't tell me that's all it takes to get you to quit", Yuri provokes him. "Oh Yuri, just you wait", he smirks, going back to trying with so much energy you would think he came fresh from rest. Despite Hippo's bravado, after several attempts, it's Yuri who lets out a triumphant cheer as she successfully hooks a bright blue balloon. Hippo looks up, his failed attempts forgotten, and laughs at her excitement. "You did it!" he exclaims, his eyes shining with pride. "I sure did!" Yuri says, nuzzling against him in joy.
Hippo, determined not to be outdone, asks Yuri after the two of them enjoy the shared happiness over her victory: "Want to continue?" An assured nod is her reply, and they are both at it again in the span of a few seconds. With a steady hand, Hippo finally manages to hook a green balloon. "Looks like I'm not too far behind," he says with a satisfied smile. They keep doing rounds after rounds for a while, but after many attempts of mixed success, they decide to move on.
"Let's see what else we can find," Hippo says, his hand finding Yuri's as they move away from the stand. "Actually, is it ok if we grab a bite?" Yuri proposes, her gaze already wandering towards the food stalls. "The food looks tasty, and I really want to try it out", she explains. "Sure thing! Anything in particular you would like?" Hippo replies promptly. "I have been eyeing some okonomiyaki", Yuri explains, pointing at a stall at a stone's throw's distance.
Hippo's eyes follow Yuri's gaze, landing on the bustling okonomiyaki stall adorned with vibrant paper lanterns that sway gently in the evening breeze. The savoury aroma wafting from the stall makes his stomach rumble in agreement. "Okonomiyaki it is then," he says with a smile.
They traverse the crowd yet again and finally reach the stall, decorated with many strings of paper lanterns, illuminating their faces with a warm, inviting glow. The queue luckily is short, and they watch the cook preparing meals as they wait for their turns, Yuri's eyes captivated by the cooking food. "Watching them prepare the okonomiyaki right in front of us really whets your appetite, don't you think?" she says, watching the chef expertly pour batter onto the hot griddle and add a mix of ingredients with a practised hand.
Hippo nods, equally mesmerised by the culinary performance. "It's like art, isn't it? The way they mix everything together, then flip it at just the right moment." Soon, it's their turn to order. Yuri chooses a classic okonomiyaki, while Hippo goes for one with extra cheese and prawn. They find a spot nearby to stand and eat, the hot plates in their hands.
Taking a bite, Yuri closes her eyes in delight. "Mmm, perfect!" she exclaims. As they settle down, the warmth from the freshly made okonomiyaki mingles with the cooler night air, the vapour rising in mesmerising wisps of air. creating a comfortable ambiance. Yuri spends some time savouring the complex flavours – the rich batter, the crispness of the cabbage, the unique tang of the sauce. "This is amazing," she says, the warmth of her eyes only matched by the paper candles.
Hippo watches her with a content smile, enjoying his own dish. "I am glad you are appreciating this so much," he comments, his gaze fixed on Yuri. "You look so happy," he adds, and Yuri's eyes meet his, shining with a joy that's infectious. "Of course, I would always be happy with you, Hippo, no matter what we do. And the food is a compelling bonus, it's really delicious. Try some", she demands, pushing her plate towards him. "That sounds nice!" Hippo exclaims with enthusiasm for the idea, placing his plate to the side and grabbing Yuri's.
His face tells Yuri he likes her choice way before his words do. "I like this! Now it's your turn to taste mine", he says. "Ok, got it", Yuri smiles, grabbing the plate he has left aside and tasting it now. Her reaction wasn't quite as happy as this. Something about the cheese mixed with the prawn really doesn't sit well with her stomach. "Oh, yes, it's nice", Yuri tells him with a strained smile. She doesn't really want to ruin the atmosphere, and anyway, all she has to do is bring out her surprise.
"Yuri, you don't have to tell me otherwise", Hippo reminds her, not really falling for her trick. He approaches her, but instead she starts rummaging in her bag, bringing 2 thermoses out of them and using one of them as a shield against Hippo's advance. "Look what I got us! This is my own surprise for the two of us."
"What is that?" Hippo says, opening the item and sniffing the aroma that comes out of it. "Hot chocolate?" he says in recognition of the smell. A little chuckle follows before Yuri answers him. "I imagine it's warm chocolate by now even with the help of the thermos, but I prepared it myself. Wouldn't want you to do everything yourself", she comes closer staring at his eyes, before hugging him, the contents of Hippo's thermos sloshing a bit before settling back down.
"Consider this my thanks, and since it's almost night, what do you say we drink this while watching the stars? The sky is clear enough for it." Yuri suggests, pointing out to a spot far away from the festival. Hippo's eyes lit up with a mixture of surprise and delight, the tension from their playful exchange dissolving into the warmth of the moment. "That sounds perfect," he replies, his voice softening. The two find a comfortable spot, a gentle hillside that offers an unobstructed view of the night sky, twinkling stars beginning to make their grand appearance as dusk faded into night.
As they settle down, Yuri hands Hippo one of the thermoses, their fingers brushing briefly in the exchange. The warmth from the thermos provides helpful comfort in the cool night air. They lean back against each other, creating a sense of closeness that was both cosy and calming.
When Yuri opens her thermos, she realises it has conserved the heat way more than she expected, steam rising into the air, carrying with it the rich, sweet scent of chocolate. She takes a careful sip, her eyes closing in appreciation before she turns to Hippo. "I hope you like it. I added a bit of cinnamon for an extra kick," she says with a playful wink. Hippo tries his, and the taste is a delightful blend of sweet and spicy, the chocolate rich and creamy. "It's amazing," he replies honestly, his eyes meeting hers in the soft starlight. "Thank you, Yuri."
They sit in comfortable silence for a while, sipping their warm chocolate, the night around them peaceful and serene. The stars seem to shine brighter, the joy of the moment contributing to making everything feel more vivid. "Look, there's Orion," Yuri pointed out, her finger tracing the constellation in the sky. Hippo follows her gaze, nodding.
"And there's Cassiopeia," he adds, pointing to another part of the sky. While pointing out the stars like that, their hands meet as they find different constellations, the accidental act feeling intimate and special.
Even as they take their time pointing out the different constellations, with Cassiopeia located, tracking the Heart Nebula is an easy matter, and soon the two lovers lose themselves in the celestial heart at the Perseus arm of the constellation, looking at it as a visible representation of the love between them.
The warm chocolate is slowly consumed, but the warmth between them only grows. Yuri leans her head on Hippo's shoulder, her voice a contented whisper. "I couldn't have asked for a better end to our day." Hippo wraps an arm around her, pulling her closer. "Neither could I," he agrees, feeling like the luckiest person under the starlit sky. In that moment, with the stars as their audience and the Heart Nebula watching over them as their guardian, Hippo and Yuri's bond deepens, a beautiful end to a day filled with fun, laughter, and the sweet taste of warm chocolate.