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They sat under the quiet sea of stars. It was early spring, the night still carried the winter breeze. Klara helpfully adjusted the extra blanket she brought. Isolde felt warm, more so because of the person beside her rather than the blanket. Especially when the person kept speaking with such vigor about the constellations she learnt recently, how they were used to guide travellers of the past, and how much harder it is to see them due to light pollution.
Now, she's listening to her finding the constellations in the night sky. Having done her homework, Klara quickly spotted the Big Dipper, Leo, Virgo. Isolde's eyes followed the directions Klara pointed at, like a learner eager to be taught.
"And that one is Boötes." Klara traced a group of stars to supposedly shape a herdsman, "It has the brightest star in the Northern Hemisphere, Arcturus."
Klara dropped her busy hand into the blanket, slightly moving closer to Isolde. Her voice lowered to an unsure whisper.
"Sorry, I talked so much I didn't even ask if you're interested to hear all these. I hope I didn't bore you."
Isolde shook her head, "I never minded listening to you." If it were anyone else, she wouldn't have agreed to ride outside the city in the first place. "Besides, the stars are beautiful tonight."
"But... I must confess," Isolde continued as she gazed deep into Klara's twinkling eyes, "I've seen brighter stars."
Klara smiled like the morning sun.
"Really? Like Sirius or Canopus? Oh, I'd love to see them someday with you, Isolde!" She said with renewed excitement before asking Isolde more about the stars she had seen during her work travel to the Southern part of the world. Based on Klara's hypotheses, Isolde might had seen Sirius, Canopus, Alpha Centauri, or the Southern Cross system. Isolde nodded to each and every suggestion, much to Klara's protest. She wanted to keep it to herself a little longer that the stars she meant weren't hung in the night sky.
"I have a performance at New Zealand next year in March," Isolde moved to hold Klara's idle hand, "Come with me, Klara. We can see the stars there."
It was almost presumptuous to invite a friend to visit the opposite side of the world together. However, for Isolde, Klara wasn't merely a friend. Couldn't be, with how much gravitational pull they had towards each other. Klara certainly had a gravitational pull so strong that her denseness became unquestionable, Isolde thought in resignation.
"March next year..." Klara hummed as she did a mental calculation. Undoubtedly ensuring her patients' needs before her wants like a proper psychiatrist. Klara beamed at her, "Let me know the dates. I will free my schedule for a few days. I want to watch your performance, and when you're free, we can explore the city too."
What Klara proposed was more than she expected. Isolde couldn't help flying closer to the sun, "Is that a promise?"
"Yes." Klara said with no hint of uncertainty in her voice, so sure that fate itself wouldn't take part in the plan.
Isolde leaned and sank further into Klara who seemed happy to have something to look forward to, even if it's as far as next year. Klara adjusted the blanket again and draped her arm around Isolde, making sure she was comfortable before launching a new topic about the moon tonight.
How many more plans will they make together? How many more stories will Klara tell her? How many more places are they going to explore? Isolde silently wished with a sliver of hope that, perhaps, Klara would be a permanent presence in her life.
For now, she simply listened to her dear friend, and enjoyed the warmth despite the winter breeze of early spring, under the quiet sea of stars.