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Yuri, Chloe, and Chadwick were sitting at their desks in the SSS office completing paperwork for some of their recent missions. It was almost the end of the day so once Chloe completed her assignment, she turned to Yuri. She noticed he had also completed his assignment and was now doing some extra research for tomorrow's mission.
“So…Friday will be here soon,” said Chloe to Yuri, in a voice she hoped sounded casual and off the cuff. “The weather’s going to be real nice.”
“Oh yeah?” said Yuri, still focusing on the report he was reading.
“Comfortable dew points, low humidity,” said Chloe. “It should be a good day to spend some time outside.”
Yuri didn’t respond.
“Do you…have any plans on Friday?” said Chloe.
Yuri looked up from the report, and glared at her suspiciously. He squinted his eyes, trying to figure out what she was up to.
“I do,” said Yuri, curtly. “I’m going out to dinner with my sister.”
“Oh?” said Chloe. “What’s the occasion?”
“What makes you think there’s an occasion?” said Yuri bluntly.
Chloe shrugged. “I don’t know,” said Chloe. “I just…felt like there might be….”
“Well there isn’t!” said Yuri.
“Like I don’t know…” said Chloe. “An occasion like…a birthday?”
“I knew it!” said Yuri, standing up suddenly. He pointed at her. “How do you know when my birthday is!”
“Oh, is it your birthday on Friday?” said Chloe. “I had no idea.”
“You liar! I can see it in your liar face! ” said Yuri. His eyes darkened threateningly like they usually did during interrogation. “Now tell me who your source is or I’ll be forced to make you talk!”
“Relax,” said Chloe. “Mrs. Smith at reception showed me a document with everyone’s birthdays.”
“I hope you know only spies go through personnel records to figure out personal details about someone behind their back!” said Yuri. “I should have you executed!”
Chad rolled his chair from his desk to face the group. “Oh, did I hear that it’s your birthday soon, Yuri?”
“No,” said Yuri.
“It’s on Friday!” said Chloe.
“We should go out to happy hour,” said Chad. “Celebrate our most annoying coworker turning twenty-one.”
“That really won’t be necessary,” said Yuri. “I don’t want you all to make a big deal on my account.”
“No, it’ll be fun!” said Chad. “An excuse to drink and get in some team bonding.”
“Did I just hear someone mention drinking?” asked Captain Nicholson. He had been walking past their desks when he overheard the conversation.
“Yeah,” said Chad. “We’re getting together for Yuri’s birthday. Invite whoever else is available.”
“Oh! It’s your birthday Yuri?” said Nicholson. “What day is it?”
Yuri was red now. He shot Chloe a glare.
“It’s Friday,” he said. “But I’m going out to dinner with sis so there’s no need for happy hour.”
“Nonsense,” said Nicholson. “Let’s get drinks on Thursday then! It’ll be fun. I’ll let the rest of the team know too. Oh! And also, we’ll pick up a cake! What type of cake do you like?”
“A cake really won't be necessary,” said Yuri.
“I think he really likes that apple cake from South Street Bakery,” said Chloe.
“Oh, I think I’ve heard some good things about that bakery,” said Nicholson. “Can’t wait to try it. Sounds like it’ll be a good time.” He walked away.
Yuri crossed his arms and started fuming.
Chloe smiled mischievously.
The next day, Chloe was starting to feel bored while working on her current assignment. She realized she needed to take a small break to regain her energy. She glanced at Yuri who sat next to her and decided to chat with him.
“So…” said Chloe, turning to him. “Should I come to your birthday happy hour?”
Yuri glared at her.
“That’s up to you,” he said.
“I was thinking about going…but I did have a load of laundry I wanted to get done…..”
“Then prioritize the laundry,” said Yuri bluntly.
“Yeah, I guess I could…..” said Chloe. “...unless…you wanted me to be there?”
“I don’t care if you come or not!” said Yuri. “I’m not the boss of you!”
“Alright…alright…” said Chloe. “If you really want me there…I’ll see if I can drop by.”
“I said I don’t care if you come or not!” said Yuri.
The day had arrived – Yuri’s Birthday Happy Hour. Yuri was sitting with Chadwick, Captain Nicholson, and some of the other SSS officers at the bar. The place was still mostly empty, the crowd light because it was still the start of happy hour. Yuri was nursing a bottle of beer with the rest of the coworkers. He stole a glance at the door. Chloe still hadn’t arrived.
“You didn’t hear this from me but I just heard that Director Wilker wants to start an initiative to surveil East Ostania more,” said Nicholson.
“No way!” said one of the other SSS officers. “That’ll completely change the roadmap that was planned last year for the SSS.”
“You’re so lucky your boss tells you confidential intel like that,” said another SSS officer. “I always hear the latest news last minute.”
Yuri took a swig of his beer. Maybe this happy hour wasn’t so bad. He was getting some interesting intel from his coworkers about the organization. Yuri glanced at the door again.
“Don’t worry, she’ll be here,” said Chad. “She said she had an errand to run before she came by.”
“I wasn’t looking for her!” said Yuri.
Chad chuckled. “Sure you weren’t.”
After another beer, Chloe came by.
“Chloe!” exclaimed Nicholson and the other SSS officers in unison as a form of a greeting.
“Hey guys!” said Chloe, brightly. “Sorry I’m late. I had some laundry I needed to drop off at the cleaners.”
Oh, so the laundry thing wasn’t a fabrication? thought Yuri.
“Now that you’re here, I can ask the bar staff to bring out the cake,” said Nicholson. He went to go talk to a bartender.
Chloe made eye contact with Yuri. Yuri looked away immediately, and scowled. Chloe smiled and decided to stand near him.
“What did I miss?” she asked in Yuri and Chad’s direction.
Chad started explaining the East Ostania surveillance lore, and Chloe listened in intently. Yuri wondered why Chloe hadn’t said anything to him personally yet.
Nicholson brought out a beautiful cake with pink and white frosting. The candles on the cake said, “21.”
“🎶Happy Birthday to you🎶," Nicholson started singing. All the SSS officers, including Chloe and Chad, joined in. “🎶Happy Birthday to you🎶,” Yuri turned red and immediately felt embarrassed.
Nicholson placed the birthday cake in front of Yuri on top of the bar. Yuri looked around and realized the other patrons of the bar were now also looking at him and joining in on the song. This was so embarrassing.
“🎶Happy Birthday, Dear Yuri🎶,” they sang.
Yuri looked at Chloe under the glow of the candle lights. He noticed she was smiling to herself and seemed to be having a fun time singing to him. He wondered if that smile had an aspect of smugness since she was the one who had landed him in this mortifying position.
“🎶Happy Birthday to you!🎶” The song ended.
Yuri blew out the candles.
Nicholson clapped his hands. “Our boy is growing up!” he said.
“Soon he’ll be able to rent a car in every county of Ostania,” said Chad. “They grow up so fast.”
Yuri glared at them. The bar staff cut the cake into slices for everyone.
Yuri took a bite out of his apple cake. It was delicious just like he had remembered.
“Mmmm,” said Chloe, as she took a bite of the cake. “This was a great choice, Yuri.”
“You’re the one who picked it,” said Yuri.
“Yeah, but I only chose it because you mentioned you really liked it when you bought a sample slice for Yor last month,” said Chloe.
“You remember something I said a month ago?” said Yuri.
“Of course,” said Chloe, with a smile, not missing a beat. “I take cake recommendations very seriously.”
The happy hour continued with the SSS officers chatting about work, their lives, and just random current events. The older coworkers started leaving first, mentioning they had to go home to tend to their children. Eventually it was just Yuri, Chloe, and Chad sitting at a small table, drinking and laughing with each other.
“Well, I gotta get going,” said Chad, standing up and putting on his coat. “The missus will be mad if I don’t join her for tonight’s episode of Berlint in Love.”
“See you later, lieutenant!" said Chloe.
“Happy Birthday, Yuri,” said Chad, ruffling his hair a little. Yuri leaned away from him and made a disgruntled face in protest. Chloe giggled. “Hope you’ll find today’s happy hour at least one-eighth of fun as your birthday dinner with your sister tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I suppose it’ll clear the one-eighth threshold,” said Yuri, gruffly.
Now that Lieutenant Curtis had left, it was just Yuri and Chloe sitting at a small circular table in the corner of the bar. The lights were dim and the sound of the bar faded into the background. Now that it was just the two of them alone together, the atmosphere felt a lot more intimate.
At first, neither of them said anything.
“So…” said Yuri, twirling the beer bottle that was in his hand. “I noticed you haven’t said Happy Birthday to me yet.”
“I said it when we were singing," said Chloe. “Don’t you remember?”
“Yeah…but I don’t think that counts,” said Yuri. “And did you really have laundry that couldn’t wait?”
“Why? Did you want me here sooner?” said Chloe, crossing her arms and leaning towards the table, with a teasing smile.
“No,” said Yuri, staring down into his drink. “I was just wondering….” he mumbled.
“To be honest…it wasn’t just laundry,” said Chloe. “I also wanted to get you a gift.”
Yuri jolted in surprise. But then he gave a small smile and said, “Awww…you didn’t have to do that.”
Chloe rummaged through her bag and brought out a small gift bag.
She smiled at Yuri and said, “Happy Birthday!” in a cheerful voice, handing him the gift bag.
“Thank you,” said Yuri. “And I’ll consider that ‘Happy Birthday’ greeting a valid one. Should I look inside?”
“Yes!” said Chloe.
Yuri brought out the gift from the gift bag. It was a gift box of apple candy.
Yuri gasped. “It’s me and sis’s favorite apple candy!” he said, with a big grin on his face. “Thank you!”
“Yeah, I thought maybe you can share it with her during your birthday dinner tomorrow,” said Chloe. “And make sure to tell her it was a present from me!”
“I’ll definitely do that!” said Yuri, excitedly.
He paused. His eyes lingered for a few seconds on the candy box set that was in his hands.
Then he looked back at Chloe.
“Or…” he started to say hesitantly. “We can…share some right now?”
Chloe looked surprised. “If you’re really okay with me taking some of your sister’s candy?”
“Yeah, big sis won’t mind,” said Yuri. “She’s such a kind-hearted sweet soul, she’ll be happy I shared this delicacy with you.”
“Oh…okay…” said Chloe. Yuri handed Chloe a piece of candy, and took one out for himself.
“Cheers,” said Chloe, as she bumped her candy with his. Yuri looked at her with a “what are you doing?” face. Chloe giggled at his reaction.
They both unwrapped their candy and took a bite.
“It’s really good!” said Chloe, as she ate her piece of candy.
“Yeah, big sis has such good taste,” said Yuri, as he ate his piece of candy as well. “So…when’s your birthday?” he asked.
“Confidential,” said Chloe simply.
“Hey! How come you get to know my birthday, and I don’t get to know yours!” said Yuri.
“Because I’m the one who was able to procure the intel,” said Chloe.
“Intel you stole! Just like a spy! You shouldn’t be rewarded for acting like a spy!” said Yuri.
Chloe shrugged. “Not my fault if I’m just that good at gathering data,” she said.
Yuri chuckled.
“But seriously…I need to know so I can get you a gift for your birthday,” he said.
“Well…if you really want to get me a gift, you’ll have to do some information gathering of your own to find out…’’ she said, teasingly.
The two of them continued to chat and drink for a couple of minutes more, before they started walking to the train station. They were heading to different locations so they decided to say goodbye outside the station.
Yuri turned to face Chloe. It was dark outside, a soft breeze flowing near their hair and faces.
“Well…thanks for coming to my birthday happy hour,” said Yuri. “And for the apple candy.”
“You’re welcome,” said Chloe, with a bright smile.
Yuri gave a small smile, before it disappeared and he looked away. A hint of seriousness settled on his face. Chloe tilted her head in confusion.
“Yeah…it was really nice….” said Yuri, softly.
Chloe nodded.
She noticed Yuri was now staring at her with that serious look on his face, his eyes focused directly on her. She wondered why Yuri hadn’t started saying goodbye yet.
“Yeah…?” said Chloe, confused.
“I guess I should be going,” said Yuri.
“Yup, it’s kinda late, and we still have work tomorrow,” said Chloe.
“Right, yeah…” said Yuri, but he still didn’t budge. He just stood there facing her, staring at her face.
He lowered his eyes, a blush forming on his cheeks. His eyes darted just for a second to her lips, before quickly looking away.
Hmmm, thought Chloe. Her eyebrows tensed. Why is he looking at me kind of weird?
He then inched forward.
“Umm…so do you know if your train runs this late?” asked Yuri.
Chloe looked at her watch. “It’s only 9pm,” she said. “Of course, it’s still running.”
“That’s good to hear…” said Yuri. “Sometimes the 7 train has closures around this hour. It’s so annoying when they don’t announce those ahead of time.”
“True…” said Chloe, squinting at him.
“And the SSS just recently got wind of some bribes the higher ups in the Berlint transportation authority have been taking,” said Yuri. “Those traitorous pigs! Making the lives of Berlint citizens harder for their own greed! And that’s why it’s important to be alert for any delays and closures-”
“Alright weirdo,” interrupted Chloe. “Stop stalling, and let’s just say goodbye already.”
“Oh okay…” said Yuri, hesitantly. He gulped.
He glanced away again. Then he took a hesitant step closer.
Chloe watched him raise his arms a little bit. What is he doing…?
Then his arms were wrapped around her back. Oh! A hug!
Chloe smiled, once she realized he was trying to hug her. She wrapped her arms around his torso, and gave a small squeeze. Chloe liked the way her head rested on his chest. His embrace felt warm and cuddly, like it was just the right place to be on this slightly chilly night. It felt peaceful even if their relationship mostly wasn’t.
Yuri’s face was red when they pulled away.
“Goodnight,” he said, gruffly. He turned away from her. “Get home safe.”
“You too!” said Chloe. “Happy Birthday again!”
The two of them parted ways.