Enchanting Nocturnal Promenade -1-

Yuriy's consciousness fully returned as he realized the presence of the girl. His embarrassment quickly overcame the lingering daze, prompting him to sit up abruptly. He took a step back and exclaimed, "Y-You! Is that you again? Wait a moment, did you see my face while I was asleep? Nooo... My face while sleeping is probably the ugliest sight one could witness."

Yuriy's head had been resting on the stone beneath the slender legs of the girl, but his consciousness returned swiftly, pushed by the weight of embarrassment. Stepping back, he muttered, "Y-you! Is it really you again? Wait a moment, did you see my face while I was sleeping? No, no... my sleeping face must be one of the ugliest sights."

The girl's laughter was delicate, embodying her femininity as she responded, "I don't think you're quite accurate on that. You seemed rather at ease." Yuriy's quick retort burst forth, "Exactly, that's the problem." He caught a glimpse of the girl's orchestrated smile, a smile that could turn any man's face beet red, including his own.

With a swift reaction, Yuriy retorted in a mixture of jest and earnestness, "This is exactly the issue." He observed an almost mischievous glint in the girl's smile as she maintained her façade, his own cheeks reddening at a pace that would have been challenging to control for any man.

Returning to his calm demeanor, Yuriy absorbed the girl's words as she spoke, addressing him directly, "Yuriy, we've encountered each other once again. I saw you earlier, looking completely exhausted. Your legs, eternal as they may be, bore the weight of the day. That's why I applied some ointment to them, hoping not to seem intrusive." His gaze shifted swiftly down to his feet, revealing them devoid of their usual footwear. The conclusion was evident – Yulia, the lady who went by that name, had removed his boots with care to administer the soothing balm.

Yuriy gazed at his legs for a few moments before delicately wiggling his toes, his elbows mirroring the circular motion. The sight was peculiar, almost surreal, before he tumbled to the ground. One thing was certain – he wouldn't be able to move for at least a week of rest. Yet, there he was, defying the exhaustion that had gripped his limbs only moments ago.

Standing once again on his feet, Yuriy began to hop in place, his face radiating pure joy. His elation was contagious, and his beaming expression brought a flicker of contentment to Yulia's heart. Her own smile, tinged with a hint of bashfulness, grew wider as she watched him. Her fingers toyed with a strand of her hair, an unconscious gesture prompted by her emotions. There was a certain sense of pride in Yulia, a feeling of accomplishment for having aided Yuriy.

"Thank you, really. I'm sure the officer will punish me again, so with your treatment, I'll be ready for another round of punishment," Yuriy's words left Yulia slightly puzzled. She couldn't help but inquire about his mention of punishment. "You said punishment?" she questioned, her curiosity getting the best of her.

Yuriy reassured her, his expression calm. "Yes, it's not a big deal. Just that darn officer trying to impose his opinions on me. But I'm not the type to give in so easily." Yulia was still struggling to fully grasp the situation when Yuriy interrupted her thoughts with a moment of awkwardness, saying, "No worries, it's not important. Now, tell me, where did you acquire these healing abilities?"

A smile appeared on Yulia's face as things began to make sense, and she responded to Yuriy's question. "Well, after schools turned into military bases, my father personally took charge of teaching me medical skills. He was delighted when I asked him for that, so he spares no effort in passing on his knowledge. Actually, seeing you able to move now brings some joy to me. It's an indication that I got the right medication for you."

Yuriy smiled, saying, "Yes, thanks to your accurate diagnosis, you saved me a lot of time that I would have wasted in rest." The girl's eyes twinkled with happiness at Yuriy's words, and in a moment, she stood on both her feet, addressing Yuriy confidently. "Well, don't assume that a simple thank you is enough for someone I just helped. As you mentioned before, I've saved you a significant amount of time."

Balancing on both his feet, Yuriy replied, "Of course, ask for anything." Yulia answered with a smile, "Take me for a stroll."

After a few moments, a smile formed on Yuriy's face, showcasing his relief. Just before the girl joyfully made her request, that seemed to be the least he could do, Yuriy nodded his head affirmatively. "With pleasure," he replied, and then continued, "But first, I need to clean up. Sweat is covering my body from the constant running. Would you like to come with me?"

As Yuriy mentioned that, a blush of shyness appeared on the girl's face. It seemed she had misunderstood something, a notion Yuriy picked up on from her reaction. Blushing himself after understanding the misunderstanding, he waved both his hands in a disapproving manner, clarifying, "No, no, it's not what you think. There's an outdoor shower behind the training area. You can wait there while I finish washing myself."

The girl smiled and quickly asked him to show her the way. Yuriy thoroughly rinsed himself with water from a bucket he carried. Despite his passion for video games and reading novels and manga, Yuriy's physical strength stood out compared to his peers, thanks to his father's genetics. This showed in his well-defined muscles, which glistened under the light of the setting sun.

Seeing this, the girl blushed and averted her gaze, seemingly embarrassed by what she saw. Yuriy noticed and smiled, waiting for a few moments before calling out, "Hey, Yulia." As the girl turned, a full bucket of water met her, thoroughly soaking her. Silence hung in the air for a moment, and an awkward moment seemed about to unfold, but the girl quickly redirected the situation by shouting, "You foolish boy!"

Yulia headed straight for the outdoor shower, which Yuriy hadn't used, unaware of its presence. She grabbed the long tail of the shower and directed it towards Yuriy, saying, "Where will you escape now?" Yuriy exclaimed in panic, "Damn it, I didn't know there was a shower here. That's why I bathed with the bucket." Yulia opened the shower with a mischievous smile on her face, and water jetted toward Yuriy, drenching him without any sympathy. Yuriy pleaded for Yulia to stop, but she continued, creating an atmosphere of mischief.

Yuriy ran in every direction trying to evade Yulia's assault with the shower, but she relentlessly targeted him wherever he went. Eventually, Yuriy ran towards the forest that led downhill from the plateau where the training area was located. Yulia left the shower and chased after him, and Yuriy fled the area in a hurry. The two of them ran in laughter, seemingly oblivious to the fact that they were about to leave the military zone. They were caught up in the excitement, not caring too much.

Their playful chase was interrupted by a guard in the distance. The guard patrolled the area with a wide-beam flashlight. Yulia's casual behavior almost exposed her body to the flashlight's beam, but Yuriy pulled her towards him, hiding behind the grass on the hillside.

Yuriy gestured to Yulia with a hushed voice, saying, "When I signal you, head directly towards the path that leads out of the forest." After the daring plan of the two, Yuriy counted to three, and upon his signal, they sprinted at an incredible speed, leaving the forest. The sound of breaking branches under their feet caught the attention of the guard, but as he turned around, he saw nothing, thinking it might have been his imagination.