Morning.
The sun rose in soft pink, the sky clear, the air smelling like spring.
Tomas woke up first, but Laura was already in the kitchen wearing an apron, frying pancakes.
"Good morning," he said quietly, standing in the doorway, smiling wider than usual.
"Morning! Sit, it'll be ready in a moment!" Laura waved the spatula like a conductor's baton.
Breakfast was full of laughter and nervous excitement.
"So… ready?" Tomas asked when they were both standing by the door.
"Ready!" Laura pulled on a warm puffy jacket, put on a hat and a light scarf – she looked like an adorable fluffy bunny.
Tomas just nodded and opened the door.
A rented black sedan was waiting outside – nothing special, but clean and new.
"You're driving?" Laura blinked.
"I have a license. And I wanted you to be comfortable," he said calmly, opening the passenger door for her.
Their first stop – the Old Town market. It was only ten in the morning, but already buzzing with life.
Tomas parked two streets away and pulled a small canvas bag from the trunk.
"Close your eyes," he said, taking her hand.
"Tomas! I'm tripping over the sidewalk!"
"I've got you, don't worry. Now… open."
Before her lay a narrow cobblestone square surrounded by old houses with wooden shutters.
The market was full of colors and scents:
piles of red tomatoes,
fresh bread still steaming,
bundles of lavender, sage, and rosemary,
handmade ceramics, wooden spoons, wool socks.
An old man played "La Vie en rose" on an accordion while a little girl in a puffy dress danced beside him.
Laura lost her breath.
"This is… like another world," she whispered.
"It's like this every Saturday," Tomas smiled. "Come, I'll show you my favorites."
First stop – an old lady with a big basket of fresh strawberries.
"Take the sweetest ones, dear boy!" she shoved a handful at Tomas.
He took one and held it out to Laura.
"Open your mouth."
"What?! Here? In front of everyone?"
"Right here." He popped the strawberry into her mouth and smiled when her eyes closed in bliss.
"Oh my God… this tastes like sun and summer in one bite…"
Second stop – a ceramics stall. A young woman was shaping tiny cups with starry-night glazes.
Laura stroked one.
"I'd love to have something like this someday…"
Tomas quietly paid and slipped the cup into the bag when Laura turned away.
Third – an old man selling silver jewelry.
The table was covered in black velvet, shining with hundreds of pieces.
"Choose one," Tomas said softly.
"No, I don't need—"
"Laura," he took her hands, "let me give you at least one small thing to remember today by. Please."
She looked for a while, then pointed to a thin chain with a small black obsidian stone – not perfectly shaped, but with rainbow reflections inside.
The old man smiled.
"Obsidian – a tear of the volcano. It protects from evil and reflects the true light of whoever wears it."
Tomas clasped the necklace around Laura's neck. His fingers paused on the back of her neck.
"Now it's yours," he whispered into her ear.
Laura touched the stone.
"I'll never take it off. I promise."
Fourth – the chocolatier.
Tomas bought a small box of nine handmade chocolates.
Fifth – the accordion player.
He played "Bella Ciao," then "Besame Mucho."
Laura swayed to the rhythm. Tomas tossed a few coins into the hat.
"May we?" he asked the old man.
"Young people, dance while you're young!"
Laura held her hand out to Tomas.
"Dance with me?"
"I don't know how!"
"Neither do I. That's why it'll be our first time together."
He wrapped an arm around her waist, she placed her hands on his shoulders.
They swayed slowly, completely off beat, but laughed so loudly that passers-by started clapping.
When the music ended, Tomas didn't drop his hands.
"Thank you for dancing with me," he whispered.
"Thank you for bringing me here," she answered, eyes shining.
They wandered for another hour, ate warm bread with cheese, drank apple juice from a glass bottle with a cork, took photos by an old stone well.
When they finally left the market, Laura was holding Tomas's hand – naturally now, with no excuses.
"So… where next?" she asked.
"Now… we'll buy you a dress I won't be able to take my eyes off," he said, opening the car door.
From the market they drove to the biggest mall in the city.
Sun poured through the skylights, and Laura kept touching the obsidian stone, smiling.
First – the men's section.
Tomas stood by the mirror like someone who had never owned a suit in his life.
The saleswoman looked him over and said immediately:
"Slim fit. Navy blue. Your shoulders were not meant to be hidden."
Laura's jaw dropped.
"Yes! Definitely slim fit!"
Ten minutes later he stepped out of the fitting room – navy suit, white shirt, top button undone.
Laura froze, eyes wide.
"Well?…" Tomas asked quietly, his ears red.
"You look… like the guy in movies who walks in and everyone forgets to breathe," she whispered.
Now it was Laura's turn.
The third dress – emerald green, silky, knee-length, with thin straps.
She walked out. Tomas looked up – and nearly dropped his phone.
"You look… like you stepped out of my dreams," he breathed.
"I think we found the one," the saleswoman smiled.
Then shoes, a small clutch, a cashmere jacket, and perfume with vanilla and orange peel.
Laura wanted to protest about the price, but Tomas shook his head.
"This day is just for us. Just once… don't worry about anything and be happy."
At the register Laura hugged him in the middle of the corridor.
"Thank you. For everything."
"It's not everything yet. The evening is still ahead."
The restaurant "Aurum & Lace" – on the 22nd floor, all glass, the city below like a sea of stars.
They sat by the window, champagne, a seven-course dinner, sharing chocolate fondant from one spoon, dancing to "Moon River," fingers intertwined on the table.
When they left, Laura said:
"I'll never forget this dinner."
"And I don't want you to."
Last stop – an abandoned multistory building.
Climbing twelve flights of stairs had them laughing breathlessly.
The door to the rooftop creaked open.
A Persian rug, blankets, pillows, string lights, a bottle of wine, a telescope.
The sky was cloudless, the Milky Way a silver ribbon.
"Tomas… this looks like a fairy tale."
"I found it two years ago. Never showed it to anyone. You're the first."
They lay down, Laura snuggled into him, he covered them both with a blanket.
"Look – Orion's Belt… the Big Dipper…"
"You learned the stars for me?"
"These past nights, all I thought about was how to show you something beautiful."
Silence. Only breath and heartbeats.
"Today was the best day of my life."
"Mine too."
Their noses touched.
Tomas leaned in and kissed her – slowly, gently, as if afraid she might disappear.
Laura kissed him back, arms wrapping around his neck.
The second kiss – bolder.
The third – long, deep, burning.
They lay wrapped around each other.
The blanket slipped off, but they didn't care.
Laura's head rested on his chest, her hand over his heart.
"This isn't a dream now," she whispered.
"No, it's not," he answered, kissing her hair.
They lay there until dawn.
The first rays of sunlight painted the sky pink, and they were still holding each other, as if afraid to let go.