Chatter Chatter Chatter
The sun was high in the sky and the city was bustling in one of its busiest hours. It was eleven in the morning and the people were doing what they usually do, going about their daily lives as they walked down the streets and greeted one another.
There were grumpy old men scolding naughty children, the gossip-loving ladies whispering to one another, the adventurers who just finished their quests, and the energetic children running around. It was a lively scenery, full of life and colors.
Clack Clack Clack
The doors opened and the doors closed, two figures exiting the game center with smiles on their faces. It was, of course, Grey and Yuna who just finished playing a lot of games and satisfied as one can be, not even breaking a single sweat.
"That was a lot of fun, wasn't it?" ［Yuna］
"Yeah, it was. Though... I didn't think you'd be so into it. You really were energetic back there. I was a little surprised." ［Grey］
"Mou... Forget about it already..." ［Yuna］
Said Yuna, her face a little red. Though she went there so that Grey could have fun, the excitement was too much that she completely forgot her original purpose and gave it her all instead, breaking all the high scores there has ever been.
Well, it was not like Grey didn't have fun either. Just seeing Yuna's bright smile was enough for her. Of course, he also broke a lot of records just like Yuna. All eyes were practically on them, cheering on them as they competed with one another.
"Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing you. But, on one condition." ［Grey］
"And that is...?" ［Yuna］
"Nothing much... You just need to uphold your promise later, alright?" ［Grey］
Said Grey as he put one of his fingers in front of his lips, a teasing smile forming soon after. There were no more words needed to be said. Yuna immediately understood what promise Grey was referring to, blushing even more.
"Of course. I'll also give Yuna her 'prizes' if you want." ［Grey］
"Mou... You said you'd stop teasing me already..." ［Yuna］
"But I'm not though? Is it wrong to shower my super-duper lovely and adorable girlfriend with all the love in the world?" ［Grey］
The compliments were too much. Though Yuna doesn't hate it, she couldn't help but feel that Grey was teasing her. She could only pout cutely, making Grey chuckle at the cute and flustered expressions she makes.
'Mou... Just where did he learn to speak such words...' ［Yuna］
Yuna pouted, sneaking some glances at Grey from time to time, only to see a bright and smiling Grey. Unfortunately for her, no matter how much she thinks, she would most likely not get and answer. All she could do was heave a short sigh.
"Anyway! Since it's almost noon, how about we have an early lunch? I know a good place! I'm sure you'll like it!" ［Yuna］
Skillfully avoiding her embarrassment, Yuna quickly tackled lunch. Her attempts were obvious, but Grey just let her do as she wants, chuckling softly as he let the former grab his hand and lead the way for them.
The sun continued climbing up, and it wasn't long before Grey and Yuna arrived at their next destination. It was a high-end restaurant, walls and windows made of glass, and fancy tables and chairs arranged neatly all over the place. Even the outside was beautifully decorated with bright and fragrant flowers.
They haven't even stepped foot inside, yet they were already garnering a lot of attention. The very moment one of the employees spotted them, a smile bloomed on her face, soon opening the door and bowing her head slightly.
"We've been waiting, Your Highnesses. It's a great pleasure to serve you lunch on this lovely day. Welcome and I hope you enjoy your time."
It was just like the theater previously. Before they could even go to their seats, they were guided by the employees, giving them a warm reception. It was as if they were celebrities entering a store. Everyone was smiling at them.
"I see... So you already made a reservation, huh..." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! It's your birthday, after all." ［Yuna］
"Hahaha. If that's the case then I wish everyday would be my birthday." ［Grey］
"Mmn... That might be a little much..." ［Yuna］
A troubled expression was what loomed over Yuna as she thought of Grey's words whilst furrowing her brows. Though she isn't against the idea of celebrating Grey's birthday everyday, she would quickly run out of ideas if such was the case. She was feeling conflicted.
Meanwhile, Grey could only look at her warmly. He was only joking after all, he didn't think Yuna would think of it so seriously. He couldn't help but chuckle, once again realizing how adorable his girlfriend was.
Soon enough, Grey and Yuna were sitting on their seats. But there wasn't a single menu on the table nor were they given any. Rather, the waiters only came out from the kitchen one after another, delivering dish after dish to their table.
"Please enjoy your meal!"
And enjoy they did. As soon as all the dishes were displayed before them, they quickly sent their prayers to the heaven above and started wolfing down the dishes one after another, in a graceful manner, of course.
"Here, Grey, say ahh～!" ［Yuna］
The only time Yuna stopped was to feed Grey a slice of steak with a large smile on her face. And of course, Grey didn't reject her invitation, opening his mouth wide, letting Yuna spoil him for a change.
Lunch continued and so did the flirting. In fact, there was too much flirting that the other customers could barely taste their food, only able to watch them in silence. Even the employees were frozen and dumbfounded. The sweetness was just too much, like candy dipped in honey.
The dishes disappeared one after another and a mountain of plates, cups, and bowls soon formed. They really were amazing. A course which could feed more than a dozen people was taken care of by them easily.
"Phew... That was a good meal!" ［Yuna］
"It really was. Though... it was a little expensive..." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! It's alright to splurge a little from time to time, isn't it? Didn't you also say that back on our early dates?" ［Yuna］
"Well, I suppose I did say that... Then, where are we going next? I suppose our date isn't over yet, is it?" ［Grey］
"Of course! I still have a lot to show you, after all! Just follow my lead!" ［Yuna］
After their delightful lunch, they then continued on with their birthday date and did a lot of activities. There was watching puppet shows and street performances, art class, dancing lessons, market exploration, and many more.
One of the activities they made was fruit picking at a nearby grape vineyard. It has been some time since they've picked some grapes and fortunately, the owners were more than happy to allow them to spend a little time there. Yuna was very lucky.
"Look, Grey! I got another big one! It's cute, isn't it?" ［Yuna］
"Hmm... What's cute about it?" ［Grey］
"Just look! It's round and purple! So it's cute!" ［Yuna］
"Eh...? But almost all grapes are like that, you know? Doesn't that mean that all of them are cute?" ［Grey］
"No! You aren't looking carefully! Just look! It's different!" ［Yuna］
And one way or another, they got in another silly argument once again, debating whether the grapes looked cute. It was an argument one could only tilt their heads and rack their brains the moment they heard it.
Well, they were still on their date clothes, clothes unfit for picking grapes. What's another weird aspect if they were already unusual to begin with. All there is to be seen is a sickeningly sweet idiot couple, flirting by the vineyard.
"Oh? Are those Their Highnesses? They look really gorgeous..."
"I know right? I hope my daughter grows up to be like Lady Yuna someday."
"Hahaha. I feel the same. Though... Rather than Heroes, they just look like normal teenagers to me. It's quite refreshing."
"I thought so too. At first, I was nervous, but seeing them act like that, I could only look at them warmly."
"Hahaha. You could say that again."
Of course, there were also other workers working in the vineyard. They were all looking at them with warm eyes like parents watching over their children play. No matter where they looked, they just seemed like normal kids to their eyes.
"Ah... We're out of grapes..." ［Yuna］
"Don't worry. We can just grow some more." ［Grey］
Well, they looked normal until Grey suddenly used magic. With just a single wave of his hand, the plants suddenly started growing some more, buds appearing from thin air, soon turning into flowers then grapes. All happened in the span of a few seconds.
"Yaay～! Thank you, Grey! You're the best!" ［Yuna］
"Hahaha. Anytime." ［Grey］
It was as if it was just normal. Grey and Yuna just laughed merrily, continuing to pick grapes with excited smiles on their faces. And they weren't just normal grapes. As they were enriched with mana, they were of even better quality. Sweeter and juicier.
Meanwhile, the workers were all frozen, with some rubbing their eyes to see if they were still working. But it was useless. No matter how much they rubbed or blinked, the plants were still large and fruitful, grapes all over the place.
"About the part where I said they're normal... You can forget it..."
"Ah, yeah..."
The workers were still shocked, time passed some more and the sun, time and time again, climbed down from the sky. The carriages continued to pass the streets and the city folk continued hustling and bustling, stopping and moving about.
After picking grapes, Grey and Yuna continued on with their dates. They bought some snacks from a number of stalls, went to the library, admired the garden, and watched the sunset atop the roofs with their hands interlocking with one another.
It was only when the sky faded from amber to black that their date came to a closeー Well, almost to a close. There was still one more surprise awaiting our birthday boy, blindfolded by Yuna as she led the way.
"Yuna... You do know I could just use my 'Divine Eyes' to peek." ［Grey］
"And I'm telling you not to. Just play along for now, okay?" ［Yuna］
"Alright, alright. As Milady wishes." ［Grey］
Hand grabbed by Yuna, Grey was dragged along, not a single speck of light gracing his eyes. Soon enough, they both entered the building, deathly silence looming over them. It was then that Yuna finally removed the blindfold.
"""Happy Birthday!!"""
A loud cacophony of cheers. Such was what greeted Grey as light returned to his eyes. In front of him were several of their friends and acquaintances, all gathering in the Rabbit's Den. All of them were smiling brightly.
Of course, it wasn't just the people. The food, the decorations, and the arrangements. It really seemed like a surprise party if he's ever seen one. Especially the large cake sitting atop one of the tables. Grey didn't even need to guess who baked it.
"Grey... Are you okay? Do you not like it?" ［Yuna］
"Ah, no... I'm just a little surprised is all. I'm a little overwhelmed..." ［Grey］
Grey already figured out something similar was up with how Yuna was acting, but seeing it happen for real was still a little overwhelming. He felt very moved, a gentle yet powerful emotion surging in his heart. It was warmth and happiness.
"Oh, are we finally going to see you cry?" ［Kris］
"I'm not going to! I'm not like you on your wedding day!" ［Grey］
"Hey! When did I start crying?! I don't remー" ［Kris］
"Kris, Dear, please shut up." ［Aria］
It was a touching moment, but Kris just couldn't help himself from teasing the young man. Thankfully, Aria was there to stop his antics. It was fortunate that they were in public, otherwise, Kris would have already been pinched by the sides. A stinging and painful one at that.
Well, what would you expect? It was Kris, after all. Though they've been through a lot, his attitude was still the same, nosy and meddlesome. Grey couldn't help but think just what Aria saw in him for her to marry him.
"Happy birthday, Big Bro!" ［Galvin］
"Happy birthday, Older Brother Grey." ［Elnart］
"Happy Birthday!" ［Bella］
The very first to greet Grey personally was none other than the three children who were now great friends. They all gave Grey a bright and heart-melting smile, followed by a tight embrace from Galvin and Bella, all receiving a head pat in return.
"Older Brother Grey, Father says sorry that he couldn't make it. He actually wanted to come but he's still busy. I hope you understand." ［Elnart］
"No, it's fine. I know how busy he is. Rather, please tell him I'm grateful. The thought is already more than enough." ［Grey］
"Okay. I'll make sure to tell him." ［Elnart］
Grey wasn't even a little bit disappointed. In fact, he was already more than thankful that he even greeted him despite his busy schedule, even allowing the children to participate in the surprise Yuna had planned.
"Grey～! Happy birthday! How was your date with Yuna? Was it amazing? Did you enjoy it? Huh? Huh?" ［Helen］
"I knew it... You were the one who gave her all those ideas, weren't you?" ［Grey］
"Teehee!" ［Helen］
After the children, everyone then gave their greetings one after another. There was Helen, Gerd and Selia, Tilda, Dale, the familiars, and a lot more. Even the usually irritating Kris gave a sincere and heartfelt greeting like a caring older brother.
While it was unfortunate that not all of their acquaintances could make it due to their busy schedule, Grey was already plenty satisfied with everyone in attendance. It was a blissful moment he never got to experience in his past life. He never knew he would feel so happy.
"Okay～! Everyone, the dishes are ready. Please line up～!" ［Selia］
It didn't take long before dinner finally started. Everyone neatly organized themselves and took their seats properly beside the dining tables. As soon as they were given their plates, they then started lining up, getting a serving of the dishes they liked.
Of course, as everything cooked was made by the Rabbit's Den with Yuna's help the days before, everything looked and smelled very appetizing. Everyone was excited as they filled their plates with a number of amazing dishes.
"Oh right, Grey, since it's your birthday, you'll be making a speech in front of everyone, right? I'm looking forward to it." ［Kris］
"Oh? You're making a speech, Lad?" ［Bartolos］
"A speech from Grey... I can't imagine it..." ［Tilda］
Grey couldn't even say a word. Before he knew it, it was decided that he'd be making a speech in front of everyone, and as if it was a formal occasion, for some reason or another, everyone was unexpectedly expectant.
Before long, everyone finally settled down in their seats, their meals served in front of them... Well, almost everyone. One figure was still standing, and that figure was Grey who was about to give his speech, feeling a little bit nervous all of the sudden.
"Ahhh... This is a little nervewracking... Actually, as you might have known, I didn't really know about this party, so you'll have to bear with me for this speech. Don't get your hopes too high, alright?" ［Grey］
Everyone was smiling and laughing, a warm atmosphere over the place. After all, in no world were Grey's words how one would start a speech. Not that they minded it, rather, it made it even better.
"In this past year, I've been through a lot of things. There were things people would normally experience, and others... Well, not so much... Actually, me and Yuna have met a lot of trouble just this past year.
But I don't regret any of them. Because, it was due to all those troubles that I met such amazing and fantastic people. People I would never get to meet if things were even a little bit different. For that, I'm very thankful..." ［Grey］
Grey's speech continued and everyone listened attentively like children listening to their grandparents' stories. Be it Grey and Yuna's adventures or their daily life in general, everyone listened closely and carefully.
Of course, it wasn't just all serious talk. There were also lighthearted moments where Grey simply told everyone about all the silly and embarrassing moments they experienced and the joy of living in the moment,
"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is... Everyone, thank you for everything this past several months. I hope you accompany me in this year of my life again," ［Grey］
"Hahaha! Cheers to another year!" ［Kris］
"""Cheers!!"""
Clinks and clanks echoed in the air as wine and juice moved about their glasses. The sound of cheers and applause soon followed, and finally, everyone enjoyed a hearty dinner with smiles, laughter, and merry talks all over the place.
A delicious meal, lively companions, and a warm atmosphere. There was nothing more Grey could wish for. He could only be grateful to everyone, cherishing them deep in his heart, wishing such bliss would continue.
If there was anything worth noting, it was that a number of customers returned with confused faces. After all, even if the diner was closed, there were still people going home to their rooms. It was a little bit awkward, but it made things more interesting.
The night went on, and soon, it was finally time for everyone to go home. After helping out with the cleaning, Grey and Yuna too, also went back to their sweet home, the resting familiars in their shadow. They could still feel the merriness from the party.
"Haah... That was quite a day, wasn't it?" ［Grey］
Said Grey as he plopped himself down the couch, taking off his coat and necktie one after another. Though it was comfortable, it was still more refreshing without such garments on him. He could finally feel the cold, nightly breeze.
"But it was fun, wasn't it?" ［Yuna］
"Of course. It was one of the best days of my life. I can't believe you managed to pull that off without me knowing." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! Stealth is my specialty, after all!" ［Yuna］
Boasted Yuna as she puffed her chest proudly, showing off her large assets with a smug smile on her face. And again, Grey couldn't help but smile with how adorable she is. He just wanted to embrace her tightly,
"So, how was it? Did I make your heart race a lot of times?" ［Yuna］
"Haha. Is there even a need to ask that? Even now, my heart is still pounding madly. It can't seem to calm down." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! That's good then, but! It's not over yet! There's still more!" ［Yuna］
Another bold declaration rnag, and this time, Grey couldn't help but tilt his head in confusion. Before he could even ask, Yuna suddenly grabbed her storage ring and with a flick of her fingers, a number of bags and boxes appeared before them.
"Oh? These are...?" ［Grey］
"Hehehe. You'll have to open it to find out." ［Yuna］
And open them he did. What greeted him with each and every box was a variety of surprises. There were clothes, accessories, books, small utility tools, and many more. It would be an understatement to simply say there was a lot. There was a mountain.
"What do you think, Grey? Do you like themー" ［Yuna］
Yuna couldn't even finish her words when Grey suddenly came at her and gave her a tight embrace. It caught her by surprise, her eyes wide open from shock, feeling Grey's beating heart and his warmth.
"I like it. I like it very much." ［Grey］
Yuna couldn't see his face, but his voice alone conveyed that his words were sincere. She then returned his embrace, enjoying the sound of his heartbeats to the fullestー Or at least she was going to, until she remembered something important.
"Ah, right... I still have something to give you." ［Yuna］
"Oh? There's still more?" ［Grey］
"Un. I made them myself." ［Yuna］
Her words drifting in the air, Grey slowly let go of Yuna so that she could retrieve her final gifts. Soon, two items appeared on her hand. One was a small glass bottle with some flower petals and clear liquid inside, and the other was a chained accessory.
"Perfume and a pendant...?" ［Grey］
"Well, you rarely have some cosmetic products, so I thought I'd make you one with the use of alchemy. As for the pendant... It's just a bit out of my selfishness, but I want you to always remember me... Is it weird, after all?" ［Yuna］
The young lady asked with eyes riddled with anxiety. Though she knows it's normal for couples to give each other pendants, she didn't want to seem over-possessive, worries which didn't last long at all.
Before Yuna could even notice, Grey launched yet another surprise attack, hugging her even tighter than before. It wasn't just his embrace. His heart is now racing even faster than before like a wild stallion galloping by the meadows.
"It isn't weird at all! I love it! I'll make sure to treasure it as long as I live!" ［Grey］
As if the dams finally broke down, Yuna's heart was flooded with relief by Grey's words. She was so happy she was about to cry, thinking how silly it was to worry about such a thing. Happiness was overflowing in her heart.
"I see... You love it, huh..." ［Yuna］
"Of course. I'll say it as many times as you want." ［Grey］
"Then... Can I be a little more selfish?" ［Yuna］
"Sure. You can be as selfish as you want." ［Grey］
"If that's the case... About your 'prize'... I want to give it to you now." ［Yuna］
Voice soft and meek, fluttering in the air like a little butterfly. Yuna's face was redder than the sunset, her blue eyes looking at Grey as the rhythm of her heart quickened the pace, dancing like e winds freely blowing.
There were no more words needed to be said. As the stars glimmered and sparkled, Grey and Yuna's lips sealed one another, their eyes closed as they shared a soft and sweet kiss. There was a cold breeze, but all they could feel was warmth and comfort.
"You know... I think I'm falling even harder for you now." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! What a coincidence, me too!" ［Yuna］
"Hahaha! Then, shall we eat some cake for now? There's still a lot leftover from the party. Let's have a little party of our own." ［Grey］
"Un! Let's party!" ［Yuna］
A cheerful and radiant atmosphere enveloped the room, light footsteps echoing soon after as two figures ran around. There wasn't anyone else. It was a time for the two of them, and the two of them alone. A little celebration if you will.
The night went on and the moon continued to illuminate the night sky along with the stars. Soon, there was only peace and quiet blanketing the sleeping city. Even then, even if the day had ended, it is a precious memory. An unforgettable day.
CHAPTER 214 END