Ruby could barely contain herself as she darted through the courtyard, eyes scanning every corner for her sister. She had noticed Yang's unusually cheerful mood all day and was determined to get to the bottom of it. After combat class, she finally spotted her: Yang was sitting on a stone bench, headphones in, eyes closed, looking totally at peace. Ruby grinned. She knew just how to get Yang's attention.

With a sudden burst of her Semblance, Ruby appeared in front of Yang in a gust of rose petals. Yang's eyes flew open, taken aback by her sister's sudden appearance. She pulled her headphones off and raised an eyebrow, chuckling as she shook her head.

"Jeez, Ruby! A little warning would be nice!" she laughed.

Ruby folded her arms, tilting her head and giving Yang a playful but determined look. "You've been acting all… happy since last night. And don't even try to give me that 'I went to the movies' excuse again. I want the real story, Yang. Spill it!"

Yang tried to hold back a smirk. She glanced around to make sure no one else was nearby, then leaned closer to her sister, whispering, "Alright, alright. If you have to know… I had a date."

Ruby's jaw dropped, her eyes wide with shock. "Wait, what?!" She blinked, then quickly continued, "With who? Who's the mystery person?"

Yang just smiled, refusing to give more away. "Let's just say she was a great date."

Ruby's eyebrows shot up even higher. "She?" Ruby leaned in closer, practically bouncing with curiosity. "Wait… since when are you into girls?"

Yang shrugged nonchalantly, a mischievous grin on her face. "Boys, girls, giants, mermaids… I like 'em all."

Ruby threw her hands up, "I am… so flabbergasted right now!" She shook her head as they started to walk, still processing what Yang had said. "So… how'd it go? Did you guys do anything fun?"

Yang smiled, recounting the evening in a softened tone. "It was simple but really nice. We had ice cream, talked a lot, then went for a walk. We even sat in a park just talking for a while. No drama, no craziness… just a nice, quiet date."

Ruby's expression softened. "That sounds perfect," she said with a smile. "So… is there a second date coming up?"

Yang hesitated, suddenly remembering that their second date was planned at the Vale Carnival, a place Ruby, Weiss, and Blake would definitely be at. Ruby watched her sister's face change, a bit confused as Yang suddenly muttered, "Gotta go, Rubes," and took off, leaving Ruby blinking in surprise.

Meanwhile, in another part of Beacon, Velvet was happily humming as she brushed her hair, her mind still replaying the wonderful evening she'd had. Coco, sitting nearby and polishing her sunglasses, noticed Velvet's unusually cheery mood and couldn't help but be intrigued.

"Velvet, you've been smiling non-stop since this morning," Coco remarked, giving her a curious look. "Did something happen on your date last night?"

Velvet blinked, looking up in surprise, then smiled sheepishly. "Oh, nothing went wrong. Actually, it went even better than I expected."

Coco grinned. "Alright, now you've got me curious. Who's this mystery guy?"

Velvet hesitated, then shyly replied, "No mystery guy… mystery girl, actually."

Coco's eyes widened, pleasantly surprised. "Oh! I had no idea." She gave Velvet an approving smile, impressed. "So, are you going to tell me who she is?"

Velvet laughed, shaking her head. "Not yet. I'll tell you when the time's right."

Before Coco could press further, a rapid knock on the door startled them both. Velvet opened it to see Yang, panting and looking slightly frazzled. She gestured for Velvet to join her outside.

"Uh, can I borrow Velvet for, like, five minutes?" Yang asked, glancing at Coco with a nervous smile.

Coco smirked knowingly. "Sure, take your time."

A few minutes later, Yang paced in her team's empty dorm room, fidgeting nervously until she heard a gentle knock. Velvet stepped in, closing the door behind her, looking curious but calm.

"Yang?" Velvet asked, noticing her unease. "What's going on?"

Yang sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "So, um… about that second date we planned at the Vale Carnival…"

Velvet tilted her head. "Yeah? What about it?"

"Well…" Yang hesitated, looking up at her with an apologetic expression. "My team's going to be there too. Ruby, Blake, Weiss… none of them know about us yet."

Velvet nodded thoughtfully, realizing the situation. "Actually, you're not the only one. My team doesn't know either." She smirked. "Not even Coco, and she usually knows everything about everyone around here."

Yang raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Wait, really? You kept it from Coco? I thought that was impossible!"

Velvet chuckled. "She knows a lot, but I'm the one person who can keep things from her." She shrugged. "Besides, I trust her… she just doesn't need to know everything right away."

Yang sighed, feeling a weight on her shoulders. "Guess I didn't think this through. I've… kind of told my team that I'm only looking for fun and hook-ups. I didn't really mention that I'd want anything serious."

Velvet's eyes softened, and she gave Yang a gentle smile. "Is this… just a hook-up to you?"

Yang quickly shook her head. "No, of course not! I just didn't think it'd happen like this, and I… didn't realize how much I'd care."

Velvet smiled, her expression kind and understanding. "It's okay, Yang." She gave Yang's hand a squeeze. "We don't have to go to the carnival together. We can plan for another time—no pressure."

Yang looked down, feeling both touched and grateful for Velvet's understanding. "Thanks, but… I actually do want to tell them. I just wanted to make sure you were okay with it."

Velvet chuckled, her eyes sparkling. "Yang Xiao Long… actually nervous for once." She gave Yang's hand a reassuring pat. "Tomorrow night, when the carnival opens, will be perfect. I'll be there, right by your side."

She leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on Yang's hand before leaving. As Velvet exited, Yang lay back on her bed, a wide smile spreading across her face as she replayed their conversation. For the first time since before the Battle of Beacon, she felt genuinely, completely happy. And as that warmth settled over her, she realized something startling: she was falling in love.