While forcibly dragging Celitia along, Sophia continued walking deeper into the garden and said excitedly:

"A few plum trees bloomed the other day—I'll take you to see them!"

"Aren't you busy anymore? To have such leisure time." Celitia muttered quietly. "Just a few days ago, you were so busy you didn't have time to pay attention to me."

"The past few days were all preparation for the ball. Now that the ball is over, of course it's different."

After explaining, Sophia stared at Celitia with great curiosity, as if discovering a new continent.

"Eh? You couldn't be jealous, could you, Lily?"

Celitia's cheeks reddened slightly as she awkwardly turned her head away, refusing to look at her.

Only her mouth remained stubbornly hard: "No."

Sophia glanced at her, drawing out her tone: "Oh, what a hard mouth..."

Before Celitia could react, she laughed mischievously: "A few more kisses should make it soft, right?"

"...!"

Celitia's earlobes turned bright red and her heartbeat instantly accelerated.

Fortunately for her, Sophia didn't immediately embrace and kiss her on the spot.

"Hmm?" Sophia poked her head in front of Celitia. "Someone wouldn't be expecting something, would they?"

"Of course not!!" Celitia shouted back in embarrassed anger.

Sophia giggled and continued forward, holding her hand.

However, contrary to Sophia's expectations, they hadn't walked long toward the plum trees when it really did start raining from the sky.

And it was quite heavy and urgent.

Bean-sized raindrops pounded down from above, forcing Sophia to pull Celitia along as they ran back.

Celitia didn't forget to tease her: "I said it was going to rain."

Sophia's face reddened as she gritted her teeth: "This rain has no respect for me at all, daring to interrupt my date!!"

"D-date?!"

This time it was Celitia's turn to blush, not knowing how to respond.

The two ran through the rain. As Sophia ran, she didn't forget to take off her cloak and drape it over Celitia's head with a laugh.

"Perhaps walking in the rain could also be considered a type of date? As long as I can be with you, I'm happy doing anything. But you absolutely can't catch a cold, so wear the cloak properly. Otherwise, if I get another chance later—"

Celitia had originally wanted to return the cloak to Sophia, but hearing the latter half of her sentence and remembering last night's intimate atmosphere, her face immediately burned red as she silently wrapped the cloak tighter around herself.

After jogging for a while, Celitia gradually became short of breath and felt her head starting to feel stuffy.

Fortunately, they finally saw a pavilion, and Sophia pulled her into it.

Taking off the cloak from Celitia's head, Sophia shook off the water droplets before wrapping it around her again.

"Are you cold?" Sophia asked gently.

"I'm wearing quite a lot," Celitia shook her head. "I'm not cold."

"I see."

Sophia was obviously very disappointed and unhappily puffed out her cheeks.

Celitia was stunned and confused, looking at Sophia in bewilderment.

Sophia's eyes lit up as she looked at Celitia with anticipation, but getting no response from Celitia, she angrily looked away again.

After spacing out for quite a while, Celitia finally realized and had to change her answer: "...Sophia, I'm cold."

"I thought so!"

Sophia immediately cheered up, happily undoing the cloak around Celitia and squeezing her own body inside, not forgetting to say:

"Then I'll reluctantly help warm you up!"

Celitia didn't know whether to laugh or cry for a moment.

Wasn't she just wanting to huddle together for warmth? Did she need to be so roundabout about it?

The two squeezed together tightly, sitting on the pavilion's long bench, listening to the pattering rain outside together.

Her heart seemed to gradually calm with the sound of rain, and all those things she didn't want to think about were buried beneath this curtain of rain and mist.

How wonderful it would be if time could freeze at this moment when they were pressed close together?

As Celitia's thoughts gradually drifted away, Sophia gently placed her hand over Celitia's, slowly grasping her cold hand.

"Lily, would you stay and have dinner with us tonight?"

Celitia hesitated: "But I didn't go home last night, Luna and the others might be worried..."

"It's fine," Sophia smiled. "Last night, I already sent someone to your house to inform them."

"But I should go back for a bit today," Celitia said quietly.

Thinking about having dinner with Marianne and even Gorman, Celitia felt immense pressure.

Although they had privately acknowledged each other, her mindset hadn't completely changed. To Celitia, the two were more like her future in-laws...

"Then go back for a visit and come over in the evening. I'll send someone to pick you up."

Sophia still said expectantly: "Because tomorrow is New Year's, I want to spend this last evening of the year with you."

Celitia was slightly stunned.

Yes, she had almost forgotten that today was actually the last day of the year.

The old year was about to pass, and a new year was about to arrive.

So starting tomorrow, would they welcome a wonderful year?

Celitia couldn't give a definitive answer.

Faced with that face full of expectation, Celitia couldn't say any words of refusal.

"Alright," Celitia slowly nodded. "I'll tell Luna and the others."

Sophia was extremely happy: "That's wonderful!"

She knew she was being selfish, because for Celitia, Luna and the others were also very important family.

Now she was asking Celitia to abandon her family to have the year's last dinner with her.

Sure enough, Celitia had agreed.

She always accommodated her like this.

Gripping the girl's hand tightly, Sophia felt her heart overflowing with happiness, incredibly sweet.

Celitia suddenly asked quietly: "Sophia, when is your birthday?"

"Hmm? It's March 22nd."

Sophia tilted her head and smiled happily: "Why the sudden question? Are you planning to prepare a birthday gift for me in advance?"

Celitia's heart skipped a beat—her birthday was also March 22nd.

They really had been switched right after birth, which was why no one had discovered it all these years.

"Of course," Celitia maintained a calm voice. "I must seriously prepare your coming-of-age gift."

"Then I'll really look forward to it!" Sophia was very happy. "What about your birthday?"

Celitia paused slightly, her voice somewhat complex: "Also March 22nd..."