01.26 - A Midsummer Night's Dream

Turning back the clock by quite a few hours, Luc’s sister, Hannah, was about to arrive at their designated meeting spot. The preparations had taken longer than expected, but her schedule comfortably accommodated the delay. She now felt confident enough with her basic makeup skills to manage on her own, without Uriah’s guidance or help fixing minor issues.

She wore a traditional yet stylish dress she had bought days earlier. Mirai and Sascha had been less than helpful during the shopping trip. Rem, on the other hand, seemed to have a natural eye for fashion, which had helped to mend her relationship with Hannah after the botched makeup incident.

Hannah arrived at the central plaza of a large garden park, adjacent to an area filled with small stalls and huts selling various food and festival items. They had decided to meet near the fountain in the center and explore the festival together.

She glanced at her wristwatch. There were still seven minutes left.

The park was bustling with people. Some were families with children, quickly passing through. Those who lingered were mostly other young couples meeting up.

She was about to look for a good place to wait when their eyes met.

Altair stood beside the fountain, dressed casually but stylishly.

They shared a long hug and a quick welcome kiss.

“Have you been waiting long?” Hannah asked.

“A bit,” he said bluntly.

Hannah pouted. “You’re supposed to deny it and tell me, ‘Not at all.’”

He chuckled softly. “Knowing you, I had to be early. I was even a little worried. I thought you would be here sooner, and…” He shook his head. “I mean, sorry. You look beautiful.”

Hannah smiled. “So… what’s the plan?”

“I thought we’d mingle with the crowd, explore the stands, and get something to bite…” Altair paused, rubbing his right hand against his left shoulder. “I mean, eat.”

Hannah’s smile broadened.

He paused again. “Then, we could go to a nearby spot I recently found to watch the firework show from afar, before settling down for the night. How does that sound?”

Hannah embraced him again. “Sounds lovely,” she whispered in his ear.

They slowly strolled around the festival stalls and stands, picking up some cotton candy here and a candy apple there.

The next hour passed in a pleasant blur.

They reached their viewing spot shortly after.

It was a wooden bench atop a small hill within a minor park, offering a clear view of the distant waterpark and the beach and sea beyond.

Hannah leaned her head against Altair’s shoulder as the first fireworks illuminated the surrounding darkness with a burst of white light.

Altair’s arm remained wrapped around Hannah for the entire duration of the show.

Just as they were about to leave, the celestial Cuddle-Fish pattern lit up the night sky, bathing them in all hues of the rainbow.

They kissed as the darkness of the night sky enveloped them once more.

“So… what now?” Hannah asked.

“The night is still young,” Altair said, beginning to whisper in Hannah’s ear.

Hannah’s blush was hidden in the darkness beneath the starry sky.

They slowly descended the dimly lit staircase from the hill, their hands intertwined, and walked towards the tourist area near the beach.

Another hour passed as they found themselves in a rather spacious hotel room Altair had rented for the night. A long hallway led to a central bedroom, featuring a luxurious, padded, round bed in the center. A large wooden door opened to an opulent bathroom, complete with a shower big enough to fit several people at once.

The setup wasn’t as impressive as the largest bath in the Stellaris estate, but even with his parents away, Altair refused to return to his family’s home. Not tonight.

“Guess I’ll hit the shower first,” Altair said, unbuttoning his shirt as he slowly walked towards the bathroom.

“I don’t mind your scent.”

“But I do.”

Just as he was about to close the door behind him, Hannah followed him inside. One look at her told him she wouldn’t back down this time.

He freed his upper body from the slightly sweaty shirt, revealing numerous hickeys and a few bite marks on his torso, the most recent and prominent one centered on his left shoulder.

Hannah moved closer to the right side of his neck and delivered a gentle but firm bite.

By now, he knew better than to resist. Instead of turning away, he aimed for her right shoulder.

For a moment, they both endured. Then Altair pulled back.

Hannah searched his lips and drew him in for a deep kiss.