After craning their necks to look up for a while, the two of them moved on, while the tourists around them raised their cameras to capture the moment.
Neither Sylvia nor Firefly, however, felt the urge to take a photo in front of Miss Herta's statue.
Firefly fiddled with her phone for a moment, then smiled and held the screen out for Sylvia to see.
"Come on, Sylvia, let's go grab some pastries first. How about a cup of coffee? I know a nice place nearby."
--+--
Following Firefly's pace step by step, Sylvia gradually realized that Firefly seemed to have planned out an entire day's worth of date activities.
Starting with that pastry shop, then strolling through the commercial street, accidentally discovering some cute little gifts along the way.
Then came lunch, an afternoon movie, and so on…
Though it all appeared spontaneous, the whole flow had a subtle, smooth rhythm to it.
And the places she picked were all quite lovely, too.
If she hadn't mapped everything out in advance, Sylvia couldn't understand how Firefly could be so familiar with this city on The Blue.
By the time they left the cinema, the sun was already beginning to set.
Sylvia glanced at the charm hanging from her phone case—a small gift they'd picked out for each other earlier that day while browsing an accessories shop before lunch.
It was a meticulously crafted miniature replica of the hammer used by Herta's puppet, with a gear in the middle that spun satisfyingly.
Though it was seriously overpriced, Sylvia had plenty of funds to spare, so it wasn't a problem.
It wasn't that Firefly had particularly unique taste—more that Sylvia had spotted the little hammer the moment they walked into the shop.
Even though Firefly didn't quite get the appeal, she thoughtfully picked it out for Sylvia anyway.
As for Sylvia's choice for Firefly—it was a small green firefly-shaped plushie that lit up when you flicked its tail.
"The sun's setting already?"
Firefly glanced at the sky, where the distant horizon was gradually tinged with streaks of red.
Even though she'd planned the timing in advance, it seemed the sun was dipping earlier than expected.
In no rush to head to dinner, Firefly and Sylvia walked side by side along the clean, spacious sidewalk.
As the streetlights flickered on with the fading light, Sylvia spoke up, "Thanks for planning today's date. I thought we were just hanging out—I didn't expect you to put so much into it."
Compared to Firefly, who not only planned the date but even asked Kafka for help with makeup—something she'd never worn before—Sylvia had been far more casual.
Her long hair was simply tied in a ponytail, and her outfit was everyday wear.
Placed side by side, it made Sylvia seem almost… inattentive.
"If there's a next time, let me handle it," Sylvia said, poking at the charm on her phone with a smile.
"Ah…"
The moment the words left Sylvia's mouth, Firefly let out a soft gasp, raising her hands to cover her face in embarrassment.
"...How did you notice? I followed the instructions exactly—I thought it all looked natural."
She turned it over in her mind, feeling like her acting had been perfectly smooth, without any missteps.
"Because it was too smooth," Sylvia replied, amused. "We're on an unfamiliar planet for the first time, yet our date didn't hit a single snag."
She looked at Firefly fondly. How could she not notice when everything was arranged so perfectly?
If it really were spontaneous, there's no way things would've flowed this seamlessly.
It's not like either of them had some kind of supernatural luck skill.
"Of course I'd assume you planned it."
"Mmm…"
Firefly was at a loss for words.
This wasn't how she'd expected things to go.
How could she slip up in a place like this? Then again, how could Sylvia be like this!
Wasn't it a good thing the date went smoothly? Did she have to overthink it? Wouldn't it be better to just enjoy it without overanalyzing?
The reason Firefly hadn't wanted to tell Sylvia about her planning was precisely to avoid making her feel any extra pressure or obligation.
In Firefly's eyes, everything she'd done was meant to thank and repay Sylvia for her own kindness.
But if Sylvia reacted like this—saying she'd take over the preparations next time—wouldn't that mean today's effort had missed its mark entirely?
Firefly sighed quietly. She was truly happy spending time with Sylvia.
In fact, Sylvia—as someone almost completely separate from the identity of "Sam"—not only helped Firefly gradually adjust to her new self, but also made it easier to talk about many things.
But Firefly didn't want Sylvia to expend too much energy on her affairs.
Sylvia didn't pick up on Firefly's inner conflict, assuming she was just still feeling shy.
But Firefly's favorability took a small leap.
--+--
[Target: Firefly]
[Favorability: 75 (Touched & Expectant)]
[Relationship: Friend]
['The first friend you made as Firefly, existing outside the Stellaron Hunters—your presence undoubtedly holds special meaning.']
['Of course, that meaning isn't deep enough yet. Your bond remains fleeting, like the glow of a firefly.']
[Reward: Green Card Draw ×1]
--+--
Thanks to the events of the past couple days, Firefly's favorability had jumped to seventy-five.
Sylvia gave a slight nod.
Once their relationship deepened further, she'd earn another purple draw opportunity.
Dates should stay on the agenda, but they couldn't be the only thing—Sylvia wasn't actually trying to play the heartbreaker.
Favorability didn't have to mean romance alone; friendship was just as valid.
She wondered what Firefly usually liked to do in her free time.
The two walked along the roadside, settling into a temporary quiet.
The sun continued its gradual descent. In the evening, as the sky blushed with color, its downward arc became easy to trace.
A cool breeze lifted strands of hair, carrying with it the fresh scent of grass and leaves.
Sylvia let her mind drift, strolling aimlessly.
One moment she was thinking about the storyline back at Herta Space Station, the next she was curious whether people from The Blue received any special treatment there.
She even briefly forgot that a certain lovely young lady beside her was currently tangled in her own thoughts.
Just as Sylvia was wandering through these idle musings, Firefly seemed to be gathering her courage—stealing glances at Sylvia now and then, quietly psyching herself up.
After walking quite a distance, Firefly finally seemed ready.
She turned to find Sylvia gazing ahead, walking relaxed, her bright blue eyes softened by a gentle smile meant for no one in particular.
Firefly suddenly felt she might be a little greedy—because she wanted that tenderness directed at her.
So, she reached out and tugged lightly on the hem of Sylvia's clothes.
Once she was sure Sylvia had noticed and turned to look at her…
She found herself at a loss for words, and instinctively smiled back at Sylvia instead.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.