"Polka?" A silver-haired teen poked his head into the cozy home in Tenuto Village.

He glanced around before calling out the name of his blonde-haired crush; he stepped inside ignoring the complaints from his shorter companion. The cozy home hadn't changed at all since the last time he was in Tenuto.

"Polka…?" Worry filled the silver-haired teen's voice as he walked around the home.

He checked every room before he stepped out of the house to hear: "I told you it wasn't a good idea, Retto… You probably got her mad at you, right?"

"Beat… She wasn't in there…" Allegretto, the silver-haired teen, sighed crossing his arms.

The two of them had walked all the way from Ritardando; well Beat followed Allegretto…

"Stay here… I'll be back before dark…" Allegretto told Beat as he headed into the flower fields that Tenuto was famous for.

He ignored once more the complaints from his smaller companion; as he approached the field he saw a void within the vast field.

"Huh? That's weird…" He quietly walked over to the void, hoping that if it was an animal that he wouldn't anger it.

Instead curled up laid the blonde teen he had been looking for; "Polka… You shouldn't fall asleep here…" Allegretto chuckled, kneeling down and gently nudging her.

"Hm…? Allegretto? W-what are you doing here?" Polka sat, covering her mouth as she yawned.

"I… uh… There's this fireworks festival in Ritardando… and um… I… Beats wants you to come…" His lame attempt at hiding the real reason behind his and Beats' sudden appearance in Tenuto.

"Oh, Yes… I'll come…" Polka's response just barely hid the obvious disappointment in her voice.

A slightly embarrassed chuckle escaped Allegretto's lips as he glanced to the side, willing his blood away from his face.

/Try it out next time you see Allegretto…/

Viola's words still echoed in Polka's mind as she watched Allegretto's brown eyes dart to the side; she was glad that her long white sleeves hid her hands while she formed her right hand into the shape that Viola had shown her back in Baroque City. The two teens stood in silence until a loud childish voice called out to them: "C'mon Retto! We're gonna lose our favorite spot! Did you find Polka?"

Allegretto glanced over his shoulder as Polka jumped slightly in surprise; "We're coming, Beat…"

Allegretto sighed; as usual Beat never listened. The two walked beside each other as the tense atmosphere slowly disappeared between them; "It's good to see you, Beat." Polka greeted the shorter boy with a smile.

Beat smiled, nodding his head; the trio started out for Ritardando together, it would be 30 minutes before they saw the familiar scenery of Ritardando. In the meantime, they would deal with whatever monsters they crossed paths with. After several round-shaped creatures, the trio finally reached the ocean-side town!

"Hurry!" Beat complained, running ahead of the two disappearing into the crowd.

"Beat," Allegretto's voice trailed off as it dawned on him that Beat wouldn't be able to hear him.

Which meant: he was alone with Polka again! He swallowed the hard lump in his throat as he eyed her quickly from the corner of his eyes. She stood, glancing around before asking: "So where are we going to watch the fireworks?" in a soft voice as she moved closer to Allegretto to avoid being pushed by the townspeople.

He swallowed again as he grabbed her by the wrist and weaved both of them through the crowd before anyone could notice the familiar floral powder-seller; he didn't want to make Polka feel uncomfortable. He guided her towards the cave where the children of Ritardando usually played near. Beat had already found a spot inside one of the old, unused rowing boats.

"What took you two so long?" Beat pouted, crossing his arms across his chest.

"You're the one who ran off ahead of us… Beside we're not short enough to slip through everyone…" Allegretto teased Beat, ruffling his friend's hair.

"Don't start acting like Salsa, Retto…" Beat's eyes narrowed as he pouted more.

"Speaking of Salsa," gasping before raising a hand to hold in the giggle that was threatening to slip out, "Have you talk to her lately?" Polka added with a smile.

Pink immediately flooded the brunette's face at the question; Allegretto chuckled, "Go on, Beat… Answer her question," knowing the answer.

"Yesterday…" Beat fidgeted under the eyes of the two smiling teens.

"He invited her to come… Her and March…" Allegretto explained to his blonde crush.

"Is anyone else coming?" Polka asked curiously, tilting her head to the side making her long blonde pigtails blow in the wind.

"Viola and Jazz might come… and we have no idea where Falsetto is…" Beat answered her since Allegretto was too busy forcing the blood from his face.

"Might come? What are you talking about?" A familiar female voice asked from behind Allegretto and Polka.

"Viola!" Polka greeted, swinging on her heels to see both Viola and Jazz holding hands.

"Whoa… When did this happen?" Allegretto asked, eyeing the man he admired.

"A couple days after you asked us to come," Jazz chuckled with a wide smile.

"Aww~" Polka giggled as her and Viola went and sat down on the blanket that Beat had laid out.

"Still haven't said anything…" Jazz's statement caused Allegretto's head to hang in shame.

Allegretto had a crush on Polka ever since he saw her for the first time in Ritardando, hell he had almost gotten caught by the baker lady because of her appearance! He glanced over at her taking in: how her blonde hair shimmered in the setting sun; how her skin held it natural pure glow; her playful blue eyes; her clothes that hugged her curves.

"…no…" He whispered depressed.

"You know… You should act before it's too late…" Jazz advised his friend.

Allegretto felt a soft yet firm nudge in his side, pushing him towards Polka who was still talking to Viola excitedly.

"Hey… Nice of you two to join us," Viola teased as Jazz sat beside her, leaving only the spot next to Polka open.

Allegretto quickly sat next to her, his heart beat speeding up as he tried to indulge in the conversation within their small group. Salsa and March showed up right as the fireworks began; the twin sat in the boat with Beat. Allegretto never really took an interest in the fireworks festival but the look on Polka's face made him watch them with a small smile on his face.

"Alright… I'm thirsty," Viola stretched the moment the fireworks stopped.

"Well we have about 30 minutes until they start up again." Allegretto explained, looking over at Viola.

"Then Allegretto and I will get some drinks… You girls keep our spot," Jazz suggested, standing up.

Allegretto followed Jazz's lead heading towards the vendors on the beach; "You really should confess to her." Jazz teased on their way.

"Easier said than done…" Allegretto pouted slightly, biting his bottom lip.

The two argued as they ordered drinks; meanwhile, Viola was interrogating Polka: "So have you told him yet?"

"Told who?" Polka asked, innocently.

"Allegretto, of course."

Red flushed the blonde's cheeks as she realized what older brunette meant; she fumbled with the hem of her shorts.

"I doubt he feels the same…" Polka's voice grew quieter with each word.

"Did you try out that charm on him?" Viola asked, sneaking a peek to see how far away Jazz & Allegretto were.

"Yeah… but I don't think it working…" Polka sighed sadly, playing with the hem of her shorts.

"Well then, no offense Allegretto is an idiot… Just look at you, Polka. You're dressed so cute," Viola changed the mood that fallen between them.

Polka wouldn't argue that her outfit was cute, it was brand new. She was wearing a pair of beige shorts that hugged the curves of her hip and butt, a thin white long-sleeved shirt which flared out at the end of each sleeve and a light pink t-shirt that perfectly hugged her torso. Her sandals had a plastic flower on top of them; she actually was planning on going to Ritardando today anyways but was still surprised to see her silver-haired crush in the meadows.

"Hey… We're back—" Jazz trailed off when Viola wrapped Allegretto by the arm announcing she needed to talk to him.

She handed the drinks to Beat, Salsa and March before she (literally) dragged the unsuspecting Allegretto a couple of feet away. Polka watched as she sipped the drink Jazz had handed her, the taste was amazing.

"Jazz… What is this?" She asked the older man, taking her eyes off Allegretto,

"You'll have to ask Allegretto… He specifically ordered that for you," Jazz chuckled at the reaction Polka gave him as he blue eyes darted to Allegretto who was walking back.

She hid her face as he sat down, followed by Viola; she quietly sipped her drink arguing with herself about whether to thank or ask what she was drinking that tasted so amazingly good.

"Do you like it?" Allegretto's question caught her off-guard as she accidently inhaled some.

Like magic, Allegretto was in front of the coughing teen; "You okay?" concern expressed everywhere on him.

For the first time that day, Polka took in all of Allegretto's appearance; he was wearing dark baggy cargo shorts and a blue t-shirt, his black sneakers were worn out in the front. She slowly nodded her head responding: "I liked it… What was it?"

"I call it a 'Rose Shake'… I came up with it…" Allegretto rubbed the back of his head, ruffling the hair back there.

"It's good," Polka whispered, drinking more of it.

"Hey Retto, can you get us some snacks?" Beat asked, before Allegretto sat down.

"C'mon Beat… I haven't even sat down yet," Allegretto complained, standing back up.

"Polka, why don't you join him? Allegretto could use the help." Viola suggested with a smile.

The teens avoided everyone's attention as they walked away together; Jazz turned to his girlfriend sighing, "You can be really evil sometimes," with a chuckle.

"Let's hope they do something with this time together," Viola mused, curling up to him.

Meanwhile, the two (talked-about) teenagers stood in front of the snack vendor waiting for the free cookies that were often given out during the festival. They hadn't spoken really to one another since the drink incident and the air was creating a wall that was begging to be broken.

"Here you go four bags of cookies." The vendor held out four medium-sized bags for Allegretto and Polka.

Each teen carried two and were trying to make it through the large crowd once more when—

BOOM!

Fireworks exploded over their heads, meaning it would be impossible to get through; slipping the bags into one of his hands, Allegretto grabbed Polka's wrist dragging her away, as if heading for Forte City.

"Where are we going?" Polka was the first to break through the thick wall between them.

Allegretto didn't respond until they reached a small ledge that stood a few feet from their spot. He jumped down onto the soft sand below, motioning Polka to follow; "Just toss down the bags first," He instructed her as he set the two he had been holding down.

He caught the two bags, placing them down beside the other two before motioning Polka to jump.

"I'll catch you, I swear!" Allegretto yelled up to her over the sound of the fireworks.

"Oof!" Allegretto grunt as he fell back onto the sand, holding onto the blonde teen.

"Allegretto, I'm so sorry," Polka apologized to the pinned teen beneath her.

"Nah, its fine…" Allegretto groaned, waving it off.

Allegretto tried to lift himself up but at the sound of yet another firework going off; he collided with the ground again, groaning.

The blonde stared down at her silver-haired crush with worry filling her blue eyes at the sight of his brown eyes filling with pain. Her hands planted beside both sides of his face; Allegretto opened an eye expecting to see Polka beside him instead he blushed a dark shade when he saw a familiar pair of blue eyes above him.

"P-Polka?" He gasped, surprised by the position that they were in.

The sand wasn't much support for Polka's small hands; in a matter of minutes she collided with something firm; lifting herself up a little she saw she had landed more on top of Allegretto! She blushed at the realization as did he!

/…Allegretto is an idiot… Just look at you, Polka. You're dressed so cute… /

Viola's earlier words echoed in Polka's mind as Jazz's words echoed in Allegretto's:

/…You really should confess to her… /

"Polka…" "Retto…" They both started at the same time but stopped as a couple of things sank in:

(in Retto's mind) She just called me by my first name

(in Polka's mind) I just called him 'Retto'

It was now or never…

"Why don't we both go at the same time?" Allegretto suggested, with a small smile.

They both took a deep breath, ready to finally confess to the other: "I love you,"

Those three words came out in unison as the teens stared at one another wide-eyed before Allegretto found the strength to sit up. He held Polka in his lap as he leaned in, hoping she would as well; she did get the message and leaned in meeting Allegretto in their first kiss. As if by magic, another firework exploded above them making them both laugh at the cliché moment before they handed the cookies over to the others. The two slipped more towards the cave behind them, hand-in-hand.

"I wonder, does this mean we have the same relationship as Viola and Jazz?" Polka asked absent-mindedly.

Allegretto turned away, covering his mouth in a lame attempt to not chuckle at how cute she always looked when she asked such innocent question.

"Alle… I mean Retto… Are you okay?" She asked noticing the shaking teen.

It would be a while before she was use to saying his nickname over his birth name. Allegretto straightened up with a soft smile on his face: "Yeah I guess," his voice dropped to more of a murmur as he continued, "If that's what you want…"

He had hoped that Polka hadn't heard the uncertainty in his voice but her response seemed to say she had: "I would," gently smiling up at him.

His hand reached out towards the stray piece of blonde hair that had escaped from one of Polka's pigtails, he slipped behind her ear smiling afterwards. A light pink tinted Polka's face as she moved closer and the two shared their second kiss that night.

-The End-