The wolf tapped his claws on the windowsill, sitting in his modest home. He usually spent the night at home, in Hidden Condo, which was slightly improved with the money he received as a reward from the police – although he spent one night on the club's attic, burying nose in the unusual scent of dragon mane.

Despite Sisudatu calling herself a water dragon, she hardly smelled like water and the usual scents that accompanied it – fish, mud, algae. Instead, she emanated a rain freshness and a slight variety of natural aromas – flowers, meadow grasses, the scent of the forest with all its palette. A complex but pleasant smell. A fable.

He looked at the phone clutched in his hand and let out a barely audible whine. Legoshi didn't like making calls. He really didn't. Any necessary call plunged him into terrible despondency; when people called him, everything was much easier – the inevitability of answering the call didn't allow for prolonged suffering.

But… this was Jack…

Legoshi thought and lowered the phone. He pressed the call button and activated the loudspeaker. Maybe the voice would sound more vivid then.

"Legoshi! How are you, buddy?"

The wolf could almost confidently say that the Labrador's tail was wagging right now. As was his own, really. And what was there to be afraid of?

"Hey, Jack. I'm fine! How about you?"

"I… uh… yeah, I'm good too. Haven't called in a while, busy with work?"

"No… just…"

"Just still don't like making calls?" Jack warmly laughed. Legoshi lowered his head – his childhood friend had figured him out.

"Maybe we could meet? A couple of egg sandwiches, a walk in the park… like old times."

"Oh, sure! I'm totally in! By the way, I suggested that myself two weeks ago," his friend said offended, "but you said you were too busy."

"I was… asked to help, sorry, Jack" Legoshi replied evasively. He and Gouhin were taking shifts at the tiger's bedside, keeping the sedated and extremely strong tiger under control. The old panda didn't particularly like asking for help, but that time he called Legoshi himself.

"One of those secret friends I can't know about?"

"Safer that way. They… don't like publicity."

"So where do you want to meet?"

"Not sure yet. I was thinking of coming to South University tomorrow, and then you know the area around there much better than me."

"Great! Then tomorrow… when's good for you? Afternoon?"

"Yeah," Legoshi smiled. "I'm still not functional in the early morning."

"Afternoon by the west gates of South, the ones that lead to the small market there. You might not believe it now, but I'm jumping for joy with the phone in my hand!'

"I believe it. See you tomorrow, Jack."

"See you, buddy!"

The short conversation gave the wolf strength. He looked out at the evening street from the window, then unfolded the futon and lay down, holding the phone above his head.

I hope it's not too late at this hour

"Yes?" came a pleasant voice with a slight ringing age timbre from the speaker. "Legoshi, is that you?"

The wolf took a deep breath, scratching the gray fur with his claws.

"Hey, grandpa. Just… wanted to call and ask how you're doing. Are you okay?"

"Yeah… Thanks, Legoshi! I'm doing fine. We're just having tea…"

"With whom?"

"Is that Legoshi?" The wolf's ear involuntarily twitched. He certainly didn't expect to hear that voice. "Say hi to him."

"With Yafya. He says hi."

"Yeah, um… thanks," Legoshi hesitated. "And to him too, I guess."

"How are you doing?" Gosha asked warmly. Perhaps all "dragons" had such big hearts to encompass the whole world. Except Dokugumi, of course…

"Thanks, grandpa, I'm doing well. Changed jobs, I'm now a technician at my old school. And Louis is here too."

"Good, good… he seemed like a good friend to me. But you shouldn't sever ties with old friends either."

"I'm going to Jack's tomorrow. Don't worry about me, grandpa," Legoshi stumbled on the childhood habit. Gohsa let out a couple of hoarse chuckles.

"Sorry, Legoshi… I still can't forget."

"I don't get into trouble anymore! And I try to think before I act…"

"That's not so important. Even if you didn't think but acted from the heart, the action is unlikely to bring you bitterness and disappointment."

"I've thought too much with my heart. Took risks, upsetting those close to me," the wolf admitted guiltily and abruptly. "I don't want that anymore."

Laughter sounded again.

"You know… Yafya has stepped back from business too. The Sublime, of course, otherwise he's still the same lively horse he was before… My friend, are you getting old? Your mane is still as black, no sign of fatigue in your eyes…"

"Right diet and a little black paint for the thick wool," the answer came barely audible. "I pretend, Gosha, I'm actually starting to crumble in places like sand."

"Oh… sorry, Legoshi," Gosha regretted, tapping the speaker with his claws. "If you want to come by on the weekend, I'll make my signature omelet."

"Another time, grandpa. But thanks for the invitation, I'll definitely come visit you sometime."

"And bring Haru!" the old lizard demanded. "It's outrageous, all this time I've only seen photos, and they're blurry at that…"

Legoshi wrinkled his nose.

"Okay, grandpa… don't grumble. When we get together, I'll invite Haru. If she wants to."

At the club's Saturday practice, Bryson agreed not only to join the picnic but also to help with the shopping. So now they, along with Goro, Tao, and Tsutomu, were riding the metro, laden with bags, packets, and backpacks. Tao had a voluminous hiking backpack, not matching his light-hearted pale yellow turtleneck and black wool pants. Bison settled for a standard school polo with jeans, and the lion and flying squirrel both dressed purposefully for outdoor recreation – a thin gray windbreaker for the maned one, a black hoodie with spacious sleeves for Tsu, and pants with plenty of pockets for both. Only Goro brought a backpack, while Tsutomu managed with a canvas bag slung over his shoulder, filled with food.

They gathered a variety of items — fruits, spices marinated vegetables, bread and marshmallows for toasting (Tsutomu's acquaintance promised there would be space for a grill), and rustling bags of snacks. Most of the water, juices, and beer were distributed between Goro and Bryson, as the most powerful carriers, but the third-year panther still complained about the weight several times.

"Tao-senpai, there's no need to lament fate," the flying fox allowed himself a slight smirk. "Our friends left us with less cargo anyway."

"Could have chosen not to help," grumbled Goro. He understood that without the smaller cat, they would have had to carry much more, but how annoying his whining was!

"You volunteered, so you'll help," Tao replied offendedly. "We could have bought much less…"

"And more beer, I agree!"

"Well, quiet, birthday boy. Not everyone can officially drink here."

"Actually, no one can," Bryson said quietly. Goro raised an eyebrow.

"Only strong alcohol is allowed from twenty-one. Beer is from sixteen or even fourteen."

"?!"

"Well… yeah."

The white lion adjusted the strap of his backpack, which quietly jingled its contents in confirmation of his words. The guys smiled synchronously, and Tsu, after a pause, asked, "Where did you find such a fashionable backpack, Goro-kun? It's more for hardcore hiking… with panels on the detachable part, a rechargeable battery, a special rain cover, sheath… I myself was drooling over something like that, but they're expensive."

"My father gave it to me for one of birthdays. I love nature, even though I'm studying at an elite school," Goro answered shyly. The fox let out a quiet low laugh.

"Does your father need another son? At least temporarily?"

They laughed, but it seemed that the topic touched the lion somewhat. He pursed his lips and looked out the window. The train was passing through open space, preparing to dive back into the darkness of the tunnels after some time, vegetation and steel supports of the track flashed by, going to a level above the rails. Not daring to continue the topic, Tsutomu carefully examined Goro's clothes, trying not to stare too much. There was nothing strange or super expensive, even their pants were from the same brand, albeit different colors. He didn't look like a rich dandy, of course, but the backpack was expensive. And the phone, by the way, too, Tsu saw it at the club. A tech-savvy dad?

"If my dad ever gave me something, it was a good thrashing after I screwed up again," Bryson shrugged.

"Your dad's tough…"

"Stepdad. My real dad left when I was five. Well, actually, he was moving to another hemisphere for work, and mom didn't want to go. They had a big fight, and then a divorce."

"Wow… dude, I'm sorry," Tao put a hand on his shoulder. He nodded, shaking his long black horns.

"It's nothing. I've burned out already, don't blame anyone. Sometimes it happens that animals don't get along…"

Goro sighed loudly but remained silent.

"Funny," Tao remarked, ignoring the sighs. "Kibi told me that the recruiter was assembling old club members among animals… well, those who had some issues. With family, social skills, with… you get it. Honestly, things aren't entirely smooth for me either. And when Louis recruited exclusively from volunteers…"

"Still ended up with those who had something off?" Bryson continued, not too enthused. The black cat shrugged.

"Seems that way."

"We're celebrating Tsutomu-kun's birthday," Goro almost roared, stubbornly staring out the window, even though there were only occasional lights from the tunnel outside. "Maybe let's not dwell on that?"

Bryson looked at him. "Touchy subject?"

"Yes…"

"Understood. Alright, guys, let's really not dig into other people's problems. Whoever wants to — can share. Let's keep it quiet," he added.

The subdued group exchanged a few more remarks on school and club topics, but overall, the conversation faded. Tsutomu could only hope this moment wouldn't define the whole day.

When the quartet of different heights and species left Hogiyaka Station, Tsu scanned for the landmark — the diner "Freddy's" — and pointed directly at it.

"That's where we're headed, and to the right."

"Tao, look, they named it after you," Bryson clumsily hinted at his role as Freddy Mandrill. But Tao still bared his fangs in a genuine smile and turned his head to Goro.

"Yeah, exactly! Da-ad, c'mon, let's eat."

"We brought food with us," the white lion replied coldly, then, unable to resist, burst out laughing as he looked at the panther's pitiful face. Tao had really embraced his simple character and shamelessly used it.

"You… are a talent, Rex tear you apart."

"And you too! You're not a schoolboy at all, but a ready-made single dad!"

Seeing Goro's lip twitch, Tao realized he'd stepped somewhere he shouldn't have again.

"Sorry… okay, we won't tread on your sore spots anymore."

"Relax," the buffalo squeezed his friend's shoulder with his fingers. "We came here to relax. No more talk about family, okay, Tao-senpai?"

He mumbled an apology, looking down at the asphalt.

"Yeah. Sorry, Goro."

"It's okay," he sighed. "Is that the lake, Tsu?"

"Yeah. Cool, clean… well, not on summer Sundays, of course, when it's crowded, but at the end of March only the most daring risk swimming."

"The girls are already waiting. And the rest."

Bryson was right — the group of animals by the lake had taken a couple of the best tables, flashing with colorful clothing and fur where it wasn't. The large and fluffy tail of Fumiko stood out, next to her calmly and somewhat reservedly was sitting the tiger Beatrice, and Fumi-chan was talking animatedly about something to Eri, perched right on the table. The badger and raccoon from the decoration group were discussing something clearly important at the edge of the lake — both were waving their hands so vigorously and emotionally that it seemed like one of them would definitely fly into the water.

There weren't too many animals around, though. Perhaps because the main influx came on Saturday evenings, or maybe the end of March played a role. It was indeed too cold for swimming. Although above the water on the opposite shore, the heads of a couple of otters cruising and diving were visible; for them, the swimming season started almost from February. And for some, it never ended.

"Hey!" Tsutomu waved his bag, and, not calming down, yelled even louder, "He-ey-y!"

Not satisfied with that, the flying fox let out a deafening whistle, hoisting up his bag and packages. The theater club company also responded with a cheerful noise, seeing them and waving their hands.

"Quite… energetic," Tao smirked. Bryson sarcastically commented, "If you saw him in the morning during classes. A natural zombie. The undead would build him a temple and worship him like a god."

"I'm still lucky," Tsu admitted, kicking a random stone under his feet. "Flying foxes handle the daytime routine much better than smaller species of bats. You should see Yagi, my neighbor — now that's a zombie."

"And who is he?"

"A bat. With that kind of muzzle," Tao made a half-circle gesture with his fingers around his mouth. The buffalo grumbled from behind, "Tao-senpai decided to take three daily doses of tactlessness today…"

"Oh, come on! It's a unique trait! Everyone has their own charm. My species doesn't even exist, I'm just an ordinary leopard," Tao chuckled, "and almost everyone who studied carnivores even a little knows that. But because of this pigmentation, we were given special status, a hundred years ago, if not more."

"Lions have no flaws," Goro arrogantly declared, dramatically lifting his nose. Tsu chuckled, "They often fall because they're too proud to watch where they step."

"Cats? Fall?!"

Goro finally regained his upbeat mood, and the playful banter continued as their fellow club members approached the occupied and already partially inhabited spot — the grill, a small structure with a grate made of rough metal, already lit by someone. Moreover, two neat bundles of firewood and a sack of charcoal about half Tsu's height stood nearby. The fox nodded at the grill as he approached the company first, "Hey, everyone! Who went the extra mile?"

"Hey, Tsutomu-kun," Eri smiled sweetly. Tia, the Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, waved silently. The rest chimed in randomly:

"Hey, guys!"

"Hey, Goro!"

"Mokichi brought the firewood, and Beatrice managed to get the charcoal!" Ryu boasted of others' achievements. He clearly took aesthetic and somewhat perverse pleasure in contemplating the large, embarrassed tigress who tried not to make eye contact with anyone.

Kibi approached and nudged the "leopard" with his fist, "What, no greetings? Getting too full of yourself?"

"Give me a break, jerk," Tao pleaded. The anteater grumbled, "When I see how weak you are, it makes me feel inadequate…"

"Kibi… did Juno bite you?"

"And you want her to?!" his friend exclaimed dramatically.

"Kibi!"

Laughing, the anteater took one not too heavy bag from his friend and poured its contents onto the table. Chips, crackers… ah, there they were, dried fruits. Kibi rudely tore open the bag and bit into an apple ring.

"Alright, help out," Tsutomu ordered. "All the alcohol goes on that table for now, everyone takes what they want. Let's start with preparing everything for the grill…"

"Forget it," Dave, the badger, who had approached the table with Mokichi, interjected. "Just scatter everything and let everyone take what they want."

"I suggest pouring into cups, and let's drink a toast to Tsutomu first," Yuki said sternly, shaking her mane. "You can fill your stomachs anytime."

"For example, now," Kibi mumbled. "How is this not 'anytime'?"

"You're an insectivore, give up the dried fruits!" the raccoon smirked, Kibi only stuck out his long tongue in response. Dissatisfied with the lack of response, Yuki took it upon herself to arrange the plastic cups and personally ask each one what they wanted. After Goro demanded a bottle of beer, none of the guys chose anything else. The skunkess said mockingly:

"Males…"

"I love beer!" Tao declared, flicking his tail. "What did the others choose for themselves, doesn't matter."

"So," Bryson cleared his throat and stood up with a glass of frothy drink. "As the acting — albeit only on stage — military rank, I would like to call for order."

"Ha-ha!"

"Well said!" someone from the far end of the table chimed in. Nora supported the buffalo, shushing the rowdies, "Okay… quiet there! We can always turn the gathering into chaos, let's at least start properly. Bryson-kun, continue."

"Despite the fact that we're missing a dozen club members here, I find it remarkable that we managed to… gather like this on the first try," he paused slightly. "Look around — you saw these faces for the first time just over a week ago! And yet here we are, playing together, dancing together, and… drawing, and sewing. Or whatever it is you guys do?"

"Silly stuff," Mokichi grinned. "Don't get distracted, future star."

"I… just wanted to say thank you to Tsutomu for wanting and being able to spend his birthday with us," the buffalo raised his glass slightly in the direction of the guest of honor. "Strangely, I already feel like we've known each other for a year. Or two. Happy birthday, Tsutomu-kun!"

"Yeah! Happy birthday!" Eri exclaimed triumphantly and knocked over her juice with one swift motion. "And now, the gift!"

"Gift?" Tsutomu's eyes widened, almost choking. "Guys, what gift, for Rex's sake? I just wanted to get together… what if my birthday is actually in the autumn, and I fooled everyone?"

"It doesn't matter," the Labrador slapped him on the shoulder. "Guilty as charged." Eri already dragged a shapeless object wrapped in white paper with a strange pearlescent sheen from under the table. Even after carefully examining the packaging, the fox couldn't understand what was hidden inside, but with a lilac ribbon tying the gift together, he had to struggle while the girls kept talking over each other:

"We had little time… and no one knew what you liked!"

"But we definitely know what awaits you, Tsutomu-kun!"

"Sounds like a prophecy…"

"It is!" the serval exclaimed joyfully, twitching her rounded ears and smiling. "You're going to amaze everyone! Remember, even Pina said about the role of Alfred, that it's very important…"

"So we decided to embellish the stage a bit and at the same time give you a memory of your first performance," Bryson smirked. Tsu looked even more surprised at him, "And you're in on this too?"

"Everyone chipped in a little. But the gift was bought yesterday morning, some manipulations had to be done with it," the buffalo said mysteriously. "So I contributed my share later. It was Eri's idea, if anything, bite her first."

Eri protested, "Don't bite me! Hey, Ryu, and what if he likes it?"

"Bite? Or the gift?"

"The gift, you horny mischief!"

"Then… don't bite, do something else, but still with Eri," Ryu gloated.

"I don't know what you have in mind, but something tells me I don't want to know," Fumiko said, coldly pushing away from him. The bandicoot snorted, "All animals do it. And by that, I meant an innocent kiss, not what you thought."

Tsutomu finally managed to tame the unruly bow. There was a temptation to tear open the package with claws, but… what if something fragile was inside? The gift was clearly lightweight and not very voluminous… Finally, under the rays of the spring sun, a hat was extracted. And what a hat it was! A gentleman's small bowler made of soft felt, with ear slots, dark green, with a flashy dark-purple ribbon, a silvery buckle, and three short, colorful feathers tucked under the buckle, matching the green hue. The fox stared at the headwear, slightly parting his mouth. He honestly didn't expect a gift… and, frankly, he had never worn a hat, but this one begged to be put on. Tsu deftly placed the clothing in its rightful place, but unfortunately, not a single line from Alfred Dallittle's lines came to mind. So, he slyly squinted his eyes and asked those around him, "Well? How is it?"

"It suits you, Tsutomu-kun," Eri exclaimed admiringly. Even Beatrice uttered a concise, "Mhmm."

"Thank you!" he smiled contentedly, running his fingers over the brim of the hat. "Didn't Gadzmir show up?"

"Nope. Neither him nor our armadillos," Kibi shook his head and unexpectedly yelled, "And now — let's eat!"

"Grill first!" Tao shouted, tossing a bag of chips at the anteater. Bryson chuckled heartily, finishing his own drink, and the promised chaos began.

The animals behaved more and more relaxed. Yes, they had only known each other for a very short time, but Tsutomu couldn't have thought of a better opportunity to get to know each other better. In the process, their food preferences were also revealed — for example, Fumiko couldn't stand dry snacks, Yuki liked peanuts and unpopped popcorn, and Tsu himself simply adored mango juice. However, as expected of a fruit bat. They first grilled bread, then vegetables, then gathered around the smoldering coals with marshmallows on sticks, previously sharpened by the carnivores' claws and Goro's knife. Naturally, along with his expensive backpack, he also had a multi-tool knife with which the lion eagerly opened beer bottles and sliced vegetables for grilling. The beer was running out too.

Ryu flicked the nearly empty bottle on the table and smirked, looking at the animals standing far away, who were laughing relaxedly, reminiscing about various school incidents. Kibi, already full and having entrusted his precious marshmallow to Tao, glanced at him, "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking we should play something. Get the crowd pumped. Something like spin the bottle. With all necessary undressment…"

"Nonsense," Kibi succinctly evaluated the idea. "The girls won't agree. It's better to play truth or dare, then there's intrigue and it looks safer… at first."

"Hehehe," the little bandicoot rubbed his hands together.

The idea appealed to the animals. Tao even rewarded the anteater with another piece of roasted marshmallow from his branch — he skewered a total of four.

Eri asked eagerly, "Who's first?"

"Tsutomu-kun," Yuki looked at her reproachfully. She blushed, "Oh… right. Tsu, start!"

"I'm thinking, how about we don't stay until dark. The park doesn't have very good lighting here."

"We are many," Gorou said solemnly. "We'll be able to defend ourselves if necessary. But you're right, we shouldn't linger. Right now… it's four o'clock. That means we still have an hour and a half to two hours before it starts getting dark."

"Spin it faster," Ryu hissed eagerly. "The faster it spins, the more fun we'll have!"

"You could do with spinning less," Dave glared at him. "How much beer have you soaked up, bottomless barrel?"

"Shush… I think no more than two," Ryu winked at the badger. Tsutomu spun the bottle. It hesitated for a few turns, contemplating whether it wanted to roll off the table, but fortunately, it didn't. The bottleneck pointed at Bryson.

"You'll have to answer, Colonel Piggering," the birthday boy grinned. "Truth or dare." The buffalo grumbled, "I've eaten so much I don't want to do anything… truth."

"Boo-o-o!" several voices exclaimed around the table.

"Have mercy. Truth."

"Alright, alright… Bry, I saw you in the school corridors once with a bird on your shoulder… what's the deal between you two?"

"What?! You think he and I…"

"I don't think anything," Tsu said cunningly, spreading his wings. "Just curious, purely out of interest."

Bryson frowned, "It's an oxpecker named Chiro, we're friends. Strange question, Tsutomu-kun…"

"Every question is strange! This game is about strange and delicate questions when it comes to truth. And him, being an oxpecker… 'kay, 'kay, your turn to spin."

This time the bottle pointed at Yuki.

"Dare," the horse said immediately, sounding frightened. Bryson scratched his head, "Hmm… ah! Take a charcoal from those on the side, cooled ones, and draw stripes on yourself like a zebra!"

"Oh… cruel," Tao chuckled. "Buffalo-san, you're a very mean creature."

"Come o-on! What kind of game is this if nobody is going to give really tough tasks? Besides, you can wash off in the lake. But later."

"Oh, Rex almighty… just not this," Kibi exclaimed dramatically. Half of the club turned their heads towards him in bewilderment. "You want to bring back Ellen! Better kill me now!"

Tao, already chuckling, now slid under the table laughing. The newcomers remained puzzled until Yuki returned from the grill with a clumsily smeared face. She grumbled, "Satisfied?"

"Yes, but now you'll be able to get back at him if the bottle points to Bryson," Ryu conspiratorially informed her.

"I'll get him…"

A few turns later, no luck. It was Tsu again. The fox lamented, "I knew I should've chosen a different beer… this one hates me!"

"Truth or dare?" the camouflaged horse squinted. It was her turn again.

"Shit, I feel like I'm going to regret this… dare!"

"Aha!" Yuki exclaimed triumphantly, clenching her fists. "I've pre-decided, just in case it lands on you. Since Akihito didn't show up, you're the only one here who can fly…"

"And?" Tsutomu prompted.

"Fly! Just fly at least twenty meters there and back…"

"Yuki, we can't without a license…"

"In the park? By the lake? This is a recreational area, who knows what animals do here!"

"The oath of action is sacred, buddy," Kibi nodded solemnly. Tsu gave him a scorching look, "You realize I'm already thinking ahead of what you'll be doing, right?"

"That's the point of the game!"

Tsutomu muttered awkwardly, "I'm not even in flying gear…"

"Strip," Eri chuckled. Fumiko supported her, "Just take off your hoodie, your shirt is loose!"

"Nah, it's not," he shook his head. "I'll have to take off the shirt too."

Unfortunately for him, it wasn't like females all were totally disgusted by this option. All the flying fox got were more cheers.

The reason Tsu hesitated had nothing to do with being ashamed of his body. He was perfectly fine even with nudity, although he admittedly felt slightly more confident about females of his kind. However, the bat was embarrassed about how he flew. The jerky, erratic manner of flight, inherent to all winged mammals, with rare moments of gliding or diving, couldn't compare to the smooth and sometimes mesmerizing flight of birds. But Yuki didn't have to persuade him for long… so was he chickening out? Absolutely not.

Tsu stepped aside and decisively removed his hoodie, then his white T-shirt, causing a stir around the table. He shivered, feeling a light spring breeze against his back fur, stretched his membranes, and took off with a powerful leap. The flying fox, flapping his wings desperately, flew almost halfway across the small lake, then sharply turned in the air and zigzagged back. His chest muscles ached; he hadn't practiced in a while, but he didn't disappoint – Tsu landed sharply on the grass, steadying himself on his legs and bending his knees. The animals cheered him on, but upon landing, simple cheers turned into a storm of emotions and enthusiastic applause. Breathing heavily, Tsutomu approached the table and exhale resolutely through his white fabric, pulling the T-shirt over his head:

"Now I definitely need to eat again."

"Tsu, that was so beautifu-u-ul," Eri exclaimed, dancing on the spot. It seemed she also wanted to take flight, but then remembered she couldn't.

"Beautiful will be what I dare the next unlucky one to do," he grinned, tying his hoodie around his waist – his heated body stubbornly refused to get dressed. He grabbed a small pastry made of sweet rice, spinning the bottle.

Ryu.

"Aha, the main worrywart," Tsu sneered cunningly.

"Truth!" the bandicoot blurted out quickly, eliciting a few chuckles.

"Aha, scared!"

"N-no… I just can't fly, and it's still too cold to swim…"

"Tsu's just a show-off," Tao chuckled. "He could've just flown above the ground, but he chose over the lake."

"It's easier to take off from a sloping bank. So, Ryu… let's start with something spicy, shall we?"

The bandicoot shrugged silently.

"Or not…"

"Come on already!"

"Fine. How many girlfriends have you had?"

"W-well… if we count everyone I've dated…"

"At least up to a kiss."

"Uh…," the bandicoot trailed off. He glanced around for support and quietly said, "If so, then none. But! I've dated three…"

"And they all ran away before getting to know you well?" Fumiko said sternly. "Or because they did?"

Ryu had already earned several demerits in the eyes of his clubmates for his sauciness, and now the animals were just chuckling teasingly. Finally, the bandicoot declared angrily:

"It's my turn to spin!"

The bottle unrelentingly pointed to Eri. Ryu exclaimed:

"Aha! Truth or dare?"

"Dare," the serval said with a smirk. "And how bold will this be?"

"Nothing too dirty, buddy," Bryson warned, wagging his finger in the air.

"Alright," he waved his hand. "Take off your hoodie."

Eri came in a long semi-sporty dark red hoodie with a zipper and large pockets, and now, shrugging, she simply took it off. Underneath was a short black top, which now, with gray pants, looked very harmonious and attractive. Even without mentioning her natural and very cute fur color – a warm sandy hue with small black spots. She snorted and spun the bottle:

"And how many talks have there been…"

"If it weren't for Bryson…" Ryu grumbled. Another victim. Fumiko.

"Truth," the skunk tilted her head slightly. Eri pondered:

"So… you definitely had guys, I know that much…"

"Not even a guy, but guys?!"

"Nope, our girl is quite popular," the serval chuckled. "Tell me, Fumiko, what was the biggest age difference between you and your boyfriend?"

"Well… you tried to find something interesting, Eri, but missed. Two years, he was older. Although when I was five, I threatened to marry my own uncle, Henry the spotted skunk. He was thirty then," she joked.

"That's good too," Kibi approved. "All ages deserve love!"

"Kibi, do anteaters kiss with their tongues?" Fumiko blurted out at him. Kibi blushed slightly but then pointed to the bottle, relieved:

"You didn't spin!"

"I just asked!"

"Wait, do they kiss or not?" Nora asked in surprise. Kibi became completely embarrassed and simply said:

"Well, now everyone at the table is interested. Yes."

There was a being at this table who definitely knew the truth, but Kibi would never betray this being for anything in the world. Never. He'd rather die.

"But then I'll spin!"

"Fair enough," Bryson nodded, chewing the last marshmallow and subtly eyeing Dave's branch, where one more remained. Kibi swiftly spun the fateful pointer, and this time it stopped precisely between Tsutomu and Tao sitting to his right. The fox objected:

"I've already had a turn!"

"Fair enough!" the buffalo said importantly, munching on the bandicoot's marshmallow. The latter tapped the table and looked at his neighbor with a surprised and offended look. He pretended not to see him, but then with a subtle finger movement pointed towards Yuki. Dave bit his lip but then squinted cunningly. The hunt for marshmallows has begun.

"Tao-kun…"

"Dare!"

"Hmm. Let each of the girls pull your tail!"

"I won't!" Beatrice immediately retorted. Kibi grimaced irritably:

"Well, alright… let those girls who want to, pull Tao's tail!"

"My poor tail…"

"I could have said 'each of the guys.'"

"Or not the tail."

"Ryu!"

"What? Ears, for example. They're sensitive."

With a resigned sigh, Tao went around. The tail received accolades from everyone except Bea – Eri, Yuki, Fumiko, Nora, even the silent pig Tia timidly pulled the panther's black tail.

"To the tail!" Tsutomu jokingly raised his glass. He felt a bubbling, boisterous joy that he hadn't felt for several months, since the trip to Bali with his parents.

"And for its survival…" Tao raised his fist upwards. Grasping the bottle, which, after a little twist, again stopped at Eri.

"I won't undress further," she warned immediately.

"Well, then choose truth."

"Boring! I want a dare."

"Fine," Tao wickedly lifted one corner of his lips in a villainous smirk. "Then kiss Tsu."

"Isn't that too fast?" someone from the decorators puzzled. "Or is the beer talking?"

"Stop! This dare involves two participants," Bryson intervened, who apparently decided to appoint himself as the keeper of rules in addition to the honorary title of marshmallow trickster. Tao objected:

"It almost stopped on him last time! Besides, I'll reassign if Tsutomu-kun refuses… it's not his task after all."

Rex tear you apart, flashed through the flying fox's mind. They're taking me for a ride the second time, and this time it's even worse. Or better. Eri… he couldn't say if he liked Eri. I mean, she's a nimble, flexible cat with a beautiful fur pattern… and he's a novice actor. And they've only known each other for barely a week, and besides drama club, they haven't crossed paths anywhere else.

And… she's insanely attractive.

The pause lingered.

"Well?" Tao impatiently asked.

The serval smiled. "I'm waiting for Tsu's decision."

"Tsu?"

"What? Oh… right, of course. But if it points to me again, then you'll do my dare in addition to whatever they assign me," he nudged Tao with his finger, trying not to show it.

"Deal," panther nodded with a smirk.

Tsutomu looked at Eri with an indescribable expression. The fox desperately hoped it was indeed indescribable. She got up from the table, having to navigate past Yuki and Goro, who was enthusiastically spreading jam over peanut butter on previously toasted bread, then leaned towards the birthday boy. Unable to resist, the flying fox closed his eyes slightly and parted his lips, feeling a soft touch on them. He raised his eyelids, trying not to miss the moment, but Eri had already pulled away and smiled sweetly at him:

"Happy birthday, Tsutomu-kun."

"Now he'll be wondering what's better – the hat or this gift," Goro remarked impassively, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"We all pitched in for the hat, but this gift was made by Tao and Eri," Fumiko snorted.

Tsutomu barked incredulously, "I didn't kiss Tao!"

The table chuckled with a dozen different voices. The game continued. Tao, despite getting soaked in the cold lake after a humiliating task, still felt great. He almost physically sensed new bonds forming among the members of the new club, and a slight envy pricked him that none of them had ever thought of gathering the old crew and having a good time together. Even after Goro accidentally broke a claw after a failed attempt to jump onto a tree. Even when Tia burned her finger on the still-hot grill, and they comforted her for a long time.

Even when Beatrice… she refused to dive for a long time, although everyone at the table knew that tigers loved water. But Beatrice was adamant. Then, when they finally annoyed her enough, the tigress silently stripped down to her underwear, showcasing her strong and beautiful body, then silently plunged into the water, and then, emerging on the shore, suddenly burst into tears. Tao rushed to her.

"Bea! It's okay… nothing happened! It's just a silly game. Here… take the towel," he covered her shoulders and back.

"Thank you, Tao-senpai…" Bea sniffled and rose, leaning on his shoulder. Tao staggered under the weight of the larger predator, while the white lion on the other side supported her, gently leading her to her discarded clothes. Compassionate Nora leaned down, peering into the green eyes, now moist with tears:

"Bea… what happened? You don't like water? You could have said…"

"No…"

"So what's wrong?" Eri joined in.

"Did you see my back? Did you see it?!" Bea snapped, tears streaming down her cheeks again. Nora said stunned:

"I can't understand what's going on…"

"Stripes," Goro muttered under his breath. "She has an asymmetrical pattern on her back. Tigers take great pride in their flawless coats. Let's go," he said in Bea's ear and gently lifted her by the elbow, waiting for the tigress to dry off and dress.

"There's not a single tiger here," Nora reassured her. "Bea, everything's fine. You're very beautiful, honestly."

"You're just saying that to calm me down," she whispered, unable to speak properly.

"No, silly. Lift your arms… here's your sweater. There, no one sees it. Although many wouldn't mind taking another look," Eri said a little louder and shouted to the others, "Right, guys?"

"Cool!" exclaimed Bryson, with his thumb raised. Tsu supported him, "Hot and cute! No need to cry!"

"I'll have a great dream tonight, and it'll be even better if…"

"…you just be quiet for a bit," Fumiko firmly squeezed the bandicoot's muzzle with her fingers. "It will be absolutely wonderful."

And even this incident didn't overshadow their picnic. The tigress was quickly brought to her senses, showered with compliments by the whole club, and then she found the strength to spin the cursed bottle and wrap the loser, Ryu, in a wet towel so that only his head stuck out.

But it seemed he didn't mind much.

Tsu wore a satisfied smile. It was a great day.

As the sun began to gradually set behind the horizon, the theater club gathered to head back to their dorms. The animals carefully collected trash into the trash bags brought in advance by thoughtful Tsu and Goro, then stirred the coals and doused them with water from the lake, before starting to pack up, splitting into small groups. Some exchanged phone numbers and were already sending welcoming messages.

Tsu lagged behind a little, making sure everyone had taken everything, but eventually hurried after the others through a small park. He knew for sure that some of the streetlights here didn't work, and while it wasn't a problem for predators, darkness wasn't an ally for Yuki or Bryson.

"Tsu-kun," Tao, who was walking ahead, turned to him. "That was insanely cool. And the picnic, by the way, too."

"Glad to be of service," the fox joked, lifting his hat a bit, still planning to ride the metro like this and catch some surprised looks.

"I'll go check on Beatrice," Tao winked and dashed ahead. The black cat still had a fair amount of energy – he hadn't had any exhausting tasks, only funny, albeit not always pleasant ones. Although it was strange that he was the only one of the "oldies" trying to take care of the newcomers.

The flying fox smiled at the thought. He would like to repeat this again. Maybe not by Lake Kieko, somewhere else, perhaps at the third-year graduation or after their premieres, but definitely all together. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice a shadow darting out from behind a tree, grabbing him by the collar, and dragging him back into the semi-darkness. Tsu was about to scream in horror, but he found himself staring into emerald green cat eyes. Eri smiled, baring her fangs.

"You… scared me," Tsu hoarsely said, clutching his chest. "My heart nearly jumped out."

"Sorry," she said without a hint of remorse. Then, after a pause, she asked, "Was it just me, or did it take you a while to decide? When Tao dared me…"

"I… was thinking."

"About what?"

"About what I think about you in general. After all, I'm not in the dance group. And I can't dance. Kobayashi looks brilliant with you," Tsu confessed, sighing enviously.

"Kobayashi is boring. And even if you can't dance three hundred times, you flyin' is nuts!" Eri shook her head, still holding onto his hoodie. "And what do you think about me?"

Tsu summoned all his eloquence to the rescue, but it refused to obey. The cat's tail twitched restlessly; the fox saw it out of the corner of his eye.

"You… are not boring," he finally found the awkward word. The rest spilled out on their own, "Beautiful, energetic. Very fun."

"That's also 'not boring'," she smirked, tilting her head to the side. The female's gaze was scorching, but the fox couldn't move a muscle, only gaze back and not look away. He added, feeling an uninvited smile stretching his lips, "And impulsive, judging by how easily you succumb to mood."

"Trouble of all felines. I'm used to it…"

Tsu slowly exhaled and confessed, overcoming a barrier in his own mind, "I really like you. And I would like to repeat… the task given back there." He hugged her, feeling Eri's flexible body pressing against him in an instant. As she touched his lips, the cat withdrew a few millimeters and whispered softly with closed eyes, "As do I. And not just once."

"So… erm… we're dating now?"

"Shush… wait, unshush, I still like that voice of yours. But… yeah. We do, I guess…"

It was a splendid day.

The narrow mountain road seemed to lead nowhere. The small truck with the furniture company emblem first climbed uphill for a while, then began to descend. The beach Pina was thinking of was located some distance away from the city – hardly anyone would go there on a Sunday evening. That was the plan. Although his driving skills left much to be desired, the ram felt confident enough on the road. It was much scarier to reverse into the club entrance and wait for Sisu to dive into the truck bed. He had thrown a few thick blankets there beforehand, hoping it wouldn't be too hard on her, and the dragoness seemed satisfied, though she had to curl up.

Pina gently tapped his fingers against the back wall of the cabin and heard three quiet taps in response. Good. Two would mean she had some problems. His heart was pounding – it felt like the truck was being pushed forward not by the pistons of the old but well-maintained diesel, but by Pin's heart valves. He wanted to release Sisu, not keep her in the cramped bed… it felt like kidnapping. And like his personal obsession.

After bypassing a wide strip of forest, Pinа cautiously turned onto a dirt road. Among the advantages of the sandy beach was not only its obscurity but also its concealment from prying eyes – the road was completely covered by trunks and the needle-like crowns of wide-crowned Japanese pines. In his childhood, when his father took them with his mother to this place, five-year-old Pina immediately, without much thought, ate young needles and suffered from stomach upset for another week. The ram grinned with a shy smirk.

He dressed so as not to arouse unnecessary suspicions. The perpetually ironed and polished clothes of fashionable brands were replaced by a red checkered shirt and a khaki vest. He didn't like them, although they didn't evoke disgust, but light deliberate tastelessness was part of the image. The truck shook, Pina cursed like a proper truck driver, and, muttering something unintelligible, slowed down to a minimum speed. After driving at such a pace, almost at walking speed, for about another kilometer, he turned onto an improvised observation platform, once paved with thick concrete slabs, and turned off the engine.

He released the steering wheel and breathed out tensely. Grabbing the keys, he jumped outside and rushed to the rear doors of the cargo hold, swung them open, and instantly relaxed. Beautiful violet eyes looked at him curiously.

"Are we there yet?" Sisu asked excitedly. Pina nodded silently, smiling. He had never lost his ability to speak to such an extent, but in her presence, everything turned upside down.

"Hooray!" She gracefully slipped outside, looking around.

The ram approached her head and ran his fingers through her blue mane. "Here… is our sea. Remember what Louis said about real predators – if you see a group of not very large whale sharks, it's better to get out onto the shore. They might be orcas. Sharks don't hunt in packs, but they can still bite painfully. And they might just swallow me whole without even biting," he added with a barely noticeable chuckle.

Sisu turned around and hugged him tightly. "Pina… thank you. I've missed the open water so much…"

"Then let's not waste any time," Pina said softly. She dashed down the slope with long leaps, kicking up grass first, then sand. Four, five, six jumps, and the dragoness plunged into the surf, raising splashes and foam.

"Darn, the doors," Pina muttered to himself and headed back. After locking both the rear and driver's doors, he pressed the alarm just in case. The car silently blinked its side lights at him, and then he sat on the outermost slab, old, cracked, with protruding thin reinforcement, and began to watch. The sun was almost setting behind the horizon, and the glimmers on the water had almost dissolved into calm ripples, through which now and then the long body of a mythical – but real, material creature appeared.

Sisu was genuinely enjoying herself, feeling the unusually salty water washing over every cell of her body. She swam incredibly fast, faster than any ship back home, and could chase speedboats here in their world. Although Sisu had only seen them in a couple of movies, she had no doubt about her abilities.

Gaining speed, the dragoness surfaced from the water and, arching her back, re-entered, like a giant but much more flexible fish. And speaking of fish – she could usually snatch a fish or two here and there, but here… even after Legoshi awkwardly explained that it was perfectly normal for sea dwellers, Sisu still didn't understand. And just in case, she decided to be very careful.

Having quenched her thirst for the sea a little, she climbed out and vigorously shook herself off, squinting with pleasure. The cool wind wasn't cold enough to be unpleasant. Opening her eyes, she saw Pina laughing and shielding himself from the flying droplets. His soft, ringing voice reminded her of Raya's father's voice – calm and expressive. However, Pina seemed not as kind.

Although the most frightening of the small company, their makeshift secret order, was still Louis. In him, there was an inner strength and a certain coldness that even Juno couldn't always melt. Whether it was molded by the local cruel world or the deer had been like that since childhood, Sisu didn't know.

Well, if he wants to, he'll tell himself.

She ran to Pina with burning eyes. "You have no idea how much I owe you! I won't pay you back with goodies in my life! Come here!"

"No!" Pina exclaimed, shaking off his dreamy reverie and backing away. "You're wet! I don't have any other clothes, and I don't want to get soaked and then walk around with snot until summer…"

"What a long snot. Well…" Sisu put her finger on her chin, but she didn't think for long. "Take it off!"

Pina swallowed. No. No-no-no-no-no, he shook his head dumbly and squeezed out, "Sisu, do you want to drag me into the water?"

"Why not?!"

"It's cold there! First, I'll run out to the shore as soon as I'm knee-deep, and secondly, I swim like a log!"

"Sit on me," the dragoness insisted relentlessly. "It doesn't matter if you can swim or not, just hold on tight, that's all!"

"And thirdly, I didn't plan to swim. I didn't even bring swim trunks; it's not the season yet. So, if I want to keep my clothes dry, I'll just be naked."

Sisu collapsed onto the sand and rested her head on her paws, making a contented sound. Then, after a short pause, she said cunningly, "Pina, I'm naked. Dragons don't wear clothes."

"I understand!" Pina looked away.

"I know you might feel embarrassed around other animals, but there's no one here! Just you and me…"

"That's the problem!" Pina exclaimed desperately, spreading his arms wide. "For us, this situation is considered… delicate. And we usually either go without clothes or only wear them in special places like public hot springs, or in the company of very close friends, or… with our significant other."

"I thought we were friends. Good friends," she said, twisting her neck, looking at him upside down and burying her horn in the sand. Her mischievous toothy grin completely threw him off balance.

"Come on…" muttered the ram. He carefully took off his vest, then his shirt, removed the pistol from his belt and put it under his clothes. Took off his shoes and rolled up his pants to about his knees. Turning to Sisu, who was watching the unveiling process with interest, ram asked, "Satisfied?"

"Almost," giggled the dragoness.

"You're killing me," Pina smirked. Usually, he wasn't shy… he loved his body. He loved posing in front of the mirror, combing his long white wool locks, which were now swaying in the breeze, then rubbing a special cosmetic wax-based polish into his horns, sometimes experimenting with nail polish or eyeshadows… but now Pina was afraid. Not of being found funny, cute, or, on the contrary, unattractive.

He was afraid of inappropriate thoughts and his possible reaction to them.

Yes, Sisu would probably find it amusing, but the fear did not prevent this conclusion.

"But I'm not going swimming," the ram warned and took off the rest of his clothes. The dragon in front of him, who had already rolled around in the sand quite a bit, was examining the herbivore with interest. Sisu had seen pictures, seen some scenes in movies that she absolutely didn't understand, but in reality… it was something else.

She admired Juno inwardly with her perfect wolfish forms. However, here, in the natural light in the twilight and under the slow glow of the emerging moon, Pina looked magical. And his large twisted horns seemed to emphasize, not suppress, the delicacy of the creature. He was very remotely similar to humans of Kumandra, perhaps only in figure – if a slender person in well-groomed fur looked like this, it must be admitted, with a sheep's head. But kumandrians were simply different. Beautiful in their own way, but Pina…

"You're beautiful," she simply said.

"Thank you, I know," he proudly replied, returning a fragment of his former self. "Usually, I would make some joke on the verge of failure, but in the beauty contest on this beach, I would only take an honorable second place."

"And who… oh, you…" she exclaimed. "Well, now you won't escape, no more excuses."

"I won't go swimming!"

"It doesn't matter, you'll get wet anyway!"

With these words, Sisu jumped on him, pressing the ram against wet mane. She smelled of the sea, salt, and something indefinably distant… Pina hugged her neck, turning his head to breathe, and for a moment envied Legoshi. How he wished he could distinguish this whole spectrum of scents. His feelings were mixed. There was nothing intimate in the touch, although love was definitely present – the love of a creature that believed that in response to any friendship, one must give a hundred times more.

His body instantly got wet, the wool stuck, a few blue strands hung from his forehead in a silly fringe, obscuring his view, but Pina felt almost happy. Sisu's fingers were gently squeezing him; she, as Legoshi had rightly noticed earlier, very softly defined the boundaries of influence.

"Thank you," the dragoness breathed heavily, flicking sand with her tail. The ram stubbornly objected, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Thank you for accidentally stumbling upon us. I wouldn't forgive myself if I had never seen…"

"Such perfection, yes, yes," Sisu covered her embarrassment with a gruff scoff, releasing her little companion.

"So, what do you say? Do you want to ride a dragon?"

"It's audacious… but I do," he admitted. "Just don't dive, please. With your speed, I'll gulp down icy water in no time, and you definitely don't know first aid."

"I don't even know what that is, so I definitely don't know it," Sisu said worriedly, sprawling on the sand. "Hop on. Closer to the neck, or you'll fall off. I'm pretty slippery in the water."

"Can I hold onto your mane?"

"You have to! I won't take reins in my mouth, don't even ask."

"Reins?" Pina asked in surprise, shaking the sand off her back. "You've gathered the whole beach on yourself…"

"It's fine," Sisu replied carelessly. "It washes off in no time!"

And she jumped into the water. Pina screamed in surprise, clutching onto her long strands, wrapping them around his weak fists for security, but Sisu was already writhing, swiftly moving away from the shore. The wind beat forcefully on his face, salty splashes soared here and there. Of course, his father had an almost new motorboat, but this… Pina let out a cry, this time of admiration.

His legs didn't feel very good in the cold water anymore, but for the proximity to Sisu in her native element, the ram would have given any leg he could choose because the powerful, beautiful, amazing creature instilled in him such confidence, such an incredible mood that Pina had never experienced in his entire life. He forgot about nudity, forgot about the things left on the shore, and just yelled, singing something incomprehensible in time to a bravura melody, resonating deep within his soul. Finally, they slowed down. Pina breathed heavily, still holding onto her mane, then Sisu's head, crowned with two horns in the forehead, emerged, and she turned to him, arching her neck.

"Well, how was it?"

"Exhilarating," he honestly replied with a trembling voice. "I'm a little scared, but… yes, I'm somewhat happy."

"Ah…" she sighed mournfully. "If only we were in Kumandra right now…"

"What then?"

"I would show you running in the rainbow clouds!"

"You fly like that, don't you?"

"Yeah! And a couple of times I've carried people. Although human warriors are heavy, but you're very slim and light, flying with you would be a joy," Sisu grinned broadly. Pina asked cautiously, "What if I fall?"

"You won't fall! And besides, I have magic for some cases! And so do many other dragons…"

The ram gently stroked her neck. "Do you miss it?"

"Yes. But it's no reason to be sad… here I found new great friends!"

"We all love you very much, Sisu," Pina said warmly. "I wish I could show you our world without putting you in danger… all the wonders of our architecture, museums, beautiful nature… maybe even the depths of the ocean, I would even learn to swim for that."

"I don't understand how it is — not to know how to swim," she shook her head, raising a cloud of splashes. Awkwardly shrugging, the ram said, "Well, that's how it is. My horns get in the way, my head weighs down, and I start to choke. Dogs swim well. Tigers live in water… sometimes. I won't even mention otters and beavers."

"Maybe… when it gets warmer, you could take the truck again?"

"Did you enjoy it?"

"I would show you how, but I'm afraid to drop you," Sisu grinned. They swayed slowly on a small wave, relaxed, in nirvana — each in their own — and the moon, as a sign of respect, stretched a shiny path along the sea to the horizon. Pina pulled his leg out of the water and awkwardly rubbed his shin through the wet fur. The frozen skin immediately responded with tingling sensations. Sisu sympathetically asked, "Cold?"

"Y-yes, a bit," replied the ram, trying not to shiver.

"Hold on!"

And the second lap of the high-speed water track rushed towards them. Finally, Pina, exhausted, made it to the beach and almost collapsed in the sand. Sisu dashed to the truck, unsuccessfully poking at the closed doors, then ran back to him.

"Is the door closed?"

"Yes… calm down, Sisu, I'll catch my breath and go get a blanket," Pina grinned through his exhaustion. His fur would be one big clump of salt by tomorrow. As they finally wrapped the herbivore in a blanket and Sisu circled around him, trying to add warmth, they both relaxed a little. He slowly warmed up, finally threw the blanket off his half-dried body, and leaned on Sisu.

She tickled him with her tail. "The animals here are so funny."

"Why?"

"Well… I'm used to humans being humans and animals being animals. Among us, only magical creatures are sentient… the rest, unfortunately, are devoid of reason and walk on all fours. And without clothes, of course."

"Yeah…" Pina nodded. Sisu looked away awkwardly. "And… it was somewhat unusual for me in the first few days."

"First few days… how long have you been here? Ten days?"

"Approximately."

"See… and it feels like it's been six months already," he sighed. And unexpectedly smiled at his thoughts.

"What's up?"

"I thought it's now a hundred percent nudist beach."

"What?"

"We call places where clothing isn't welcome nudist or naturist. Remember we talked about B-Strike? There are similar places for some animals…"

"Ah," Sisu nodded. "It's one of those places I really want to visit."

Pina laughed brightly, stroking her side. "I can just imagine how I walk in and right from the threshold I say, 'We need a relaxation room for a Kumandran water dragon.' How will they look at me?"

"The same way they look at me," Sisu smirked, scrunching up her face. Pina, admiring the aforementioned face, couldn't hold his tongue: "You have beautiful eyes. And that soft, enchanting purple color… we don't have anything like that in anyone."

"Your blue eyes are beautiful too. They suit you."

"I would only try not to get close to them," the ram joked. "These eyes have provided me with so many dates…"

The dragoness inquired curiously, "And what do you usually do on dates?…"

Stupid ram head, why did you even mention dates? Everything was fine…

"Various things," he smiled. "We walk, go to cafes, restaurants, to the movies."

Yes, if you don't consider that all your dates were for one and only purpose, suggested the mocking voice in his head.

Pina clenched his fist imperceptibly.

Shut up.

Oh, and why did such a filthy soul like yours forget about this wonderful shore with an innocent magical creature?

The Dall's ram couldn't even answer himself. He felt that Sisu filled some place in his heart, previously invisible but always present. Was it the feeling of highest aesthetic pleasure, as Legoshi said, or something else? Pina didn't know. All he could do — resisting the dull pain in his chest — was to thank fate for every moment that passes here, now, with her.

"Warmed up?" Sisu craftily inquired. He exclaimed dramatically, "You want to go back into the water again?!"

"I can live there, of course I want to!"

"Let's… go without me one more time, and then I'll join," Pina promised, wrapping his legs tighter in the blanket. He would build a fire, but he was extremely clumsy with any "natural" and tourist entertainments. Besides, he had nothing for it.

Also, he definitely wouldn't just sit and watch the fire — he had something much more eye-pleasing in front of him.