After they pulled out of the embrace, the air fell quiet for a moment. The warmth of their hug still lingered on their skin, and neither of them spoke first.
Bai You instinctively looked away, her fingertips unconsciously clutching her dress. The blush on her cheeks refused to fade.
Varesa also turned her head slightly, a faint pink creeping over the tips of her blue-green, fish-fin-like ears.
Usually serene and composed, she suddenly didn't know what to say. She tapped her little feet awkwardly against the snow twice, kicking up a small flurry.
The awkwardness quietly spread between them, and neither broke the silence.
After a while, Bai You gave a soft cough and turned first, looking toward the snowman standing quietly in the snow not far away.
"Come to think of it... the snowman we made looks pretty good." She changed the subject, her voice a little softer than usual and tinged with embarrassment.
Hearing that, Varesa seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. She quickly followed Bai You's gaze, a faint smile returning to her face.
She moved forward a couple of steps and came to the snowman's side, looking down at the little thing that belonged to them.
"Yeah, this snowman belongs to just the two of us."
Varesa reached out and gently touched the snowman's round head with a fingertip. Fine flecks of snow slid off her finger.
"Here, it'll never melt. If we move it somewhere the snow doesn't fall, it won't get buried under fresh snow either."
"Maybe it'll be like us, never separated from each other," Bai You suddenly chimed in.
Varesa's fingertip abruptly froze. She turned slightly to look at Bai You beside her, a flicker of startled fluster passing through her green eyes.
The intimacy that had only just faded suddenly rose between them again, and the tips of her ears quickly turned pale pink.
"You always say things that make my heart beat faster. You're so mean." Varesa spoke very softly, her voice a little airy and bashful.
Bai You scratched her head and gave an awkward chuckle.
"All right, now that the snowman's done, I'll teach you something else fun. Take my hand and come with me," Varesa said excitedly, back to her usual self.
Bai You held out her little hand, and Varesa clasped it tightly in the blink of an eye.
Gently pulling Bai You along, she hurried toward the giant shell from earlier.
Before long, they stood on the shell's broad rim. A pool of tranquil, deep blue lake water filled its hollow, its surface rippling faintly and reflecting their cute appearances.
Varesa let go of her hand and pointed at the lake water inside the shell. She turned to Bai You beside her, unable to hide the joy in her eyes.
"I really like blowing bubbles in the water. When I first met you, I was playing here, blowing bubbles underwater. You even bit... at the time."
Bai You laughed awkwardly a few times, then turned and bent over to peer curiously into the lake water inside the shell.
Beneath the clear surface, she could just make out the bottom of the shell. It really was huge.
Bai You turned back to Varesa. "Blowing bubbles underwater? I've never tried it. But I..."
Halfway through her sentence, Bai You suddenly remembered that she had just transmigrated and gotten the Mermaid Physique from her newbie gift pack. She immediately felt reassured.
"It's easy. I'll teach you. I know you can't stay underwater all the time, though."
"But give it a try anyway. See if you can blow a few bubbles. It's lots of fun," Varesa said, her eyes curving into a smile.
"I forgot to tell you, I'm a water spirit. I was born able to breathe freely underwater."
As soon as she finished speaking, she gave a gentle backward leap and landed in the water inside the shell with a splash.
As a small spray of water flew up, a luminous sheen spread over her pale, tender legs. They swiftly transformed into a long, beautiful blue-green fish tail, its fin swaying briskly through the water and sending ripples outward.
She floated not far from the shell's rim, her upper body above the surface and her wet hair clinging to her shoulders. Looking up at Bai You on the rim with green eyes, she reached out a hand.
"Come on in, don't be afraid. I'll catch you."
Bai You hesitated for a moment, then placed her hand in Varesa's outstretched palm and carefully slid into the lake with her help.
The cool lake water surrounded her lower body. Varesa gently tightened her grip on Bai You's hand and raised her other hand to her lips, her eyes full of smiles.
She gave a slight twist of her waist and thrust her blue-green tail backward, taking Bai You underwater with her.
The light around them quickly dimmed. The shell's inner walls cast a soft glow that wavered through the water, where tiny, sparkling flecks of ice and snow drifted.
Varesa didn't dive too deep right away. She stopped just below the surface and turned to look at Bai You beside her.
With her other hand, she gently pointed at her own mouth, signaling Bai You to blow bubbles with her.
But the moment her body entered the water, Bai You distinctly felt the Mermaid Physique quietly take effect.
The lake water didn't choke its way into her lungs. There was also an inexplicable sensation in her legs, as if something were about to pop out, along with a strange feeling of comfort.
"Try holding your breath, then slowly let the air out through your lips, little by little. A string of bubbles will come out. Give it a try."
Varesa swam over and leaned close, gently tapping Bai You's lips with a fingertip.
"Relax. First, breathe out slowly underwater, little by little. Don't let it all out at once. Blow a few bubbles and I'll take you back up, or you'll drown."
Bai You tried as she was told. A thin stream of air drifted slowly from her lips, and a string of tiny bubbles rose gently to the surface and popped.
"Yes, just like that." Varesa smiled happily, her tail brushing Bai You's calf and stirring up little ripples.
"In a bit, I'll take you up for air, then you can try a few more times. There'll be more bubbles, and it'll be even more fun. When I'm here alone, I usually blow bubbles to pass the long hours. There's hardly ever anyone to play with me."
Just as Varesa positioned her tail and prepared to take Bai You's hand and swim to the surface, Bai You gently caught her wrist.
"Wait," Bai You suddenly said in a soft voice. "I... I don't think I need to go up for air. This whole time, I've actually been able to breathe underwater."
Varesa froze, her green eyes full of surprise, and stopped swimming upward.
She leaned closer and studied Bai You carefully. "Really?" she asked softly. "Could you... be a water spirit too?!"