Your Love

“It would be so nice if I could eat your cooking at school too~” Anon grinned at Soyo as she shoved a spoonful of curry in her mouth. “Mm! So goooood!”

“Is that so?” Soyo only responded dryly as she ate.

“Mm!” Anon nodded with a grin and continued eating.

“Meet me at the station in the morning.”

“Eh?” Anon dissected the sentence. “What do you mean…? You’d really do it?”

“Why don’t you just come and find out?”

“Eh? I- I’ll go!”

Anon wished the next morning could come faster.

“Put your hands out.” Soyo ordered as Anon stared at her confused. The two of them stood outside Soyo’s house’s building complex.

“Like this?” Anon put both of hers out, palms up. Immediately a lunch box wrapped in pink cloth was dropped on her hand. “E- Eh…? Two layers…?”

Soyo put her bag on her shoulders and tucked a tuft of her hair behind her ears. “I just happened to cook too much today.”

Anon only looked at the lunch box and then Soyo’s back that was turned to her with a teasing smile. “What a big fat liar. There’s no way you’d cook so many if you just live with one other person.”

“What?” Soyo turned to look at her with raised eyebrows. “Go on. Your school’s the other way, right?”

“I’ll walk you to school!” Anon smiled at her, the usual fang smile one.

“No. You’ll be late.”

“I have plenty of time!”

“Do what you please.”

“Then I’ll do just that! Hehe~” Anon smiled as she followed Soyo, holding her precious lunch box in her arms.

~*
A lunch box cradled carefully in her arms, Anon panted as the bell rang.

“…Saaaafe.” She quickly arranged her bag and stuff and prepared their first class’s materials as their teacher entered the classroom.

Tomori quickly turned to her. “Are you okay?”

Anon panted and showed her a fang smile with a peace sign. She smiled at the pink cloth covered lunch box before carefully putting it inside her desk. “I can’t wait for lunch break!”

Anon excitedly took her class notes and listened attentively to the teacher. She felt like a new person with a new motivation.

Once the lunch break bell rang, Anon felt a buzz inside her pocket.

Soyorin💗
[Were you late?]

Anon pouted at the message and quickly typed a response.

[Not! I did kind of have to run though.]

[This is why I told you, you didn’t have to walk me to school.]

[We just have to meet earlier in the morning!]

[No way.]

Anon knotted her eyebrows at the message. “Soyorin, you meanie.”

“Soyo-chan?” Tomori asked as she watched Anon right with her phone.

“Ah, mm. Let’s eat lunch?” Anon smiled at her. She quickly took out the lunch box and put it on her table.

Anon excitedly untied the neatly packed lunch and opened it. She spread out the first and second layer on her table and marvelled at the amount. The bottom layer was all rice with a cherry tomato at the center, and furikake scattered all over it. The other layer with the viands had omelettes, a piece of salmon, pickled vegetables, and some broccoli, and finally a few slices of apple.

“Uwah… Eh…?” Anon blinked. “Could it be… Soyorin might actually love me a lot?”

“Soyo-chan… Loves a lot, doesn’t she?” Tomori smiled as she looked at the lunch box. Anon returned the smile at her and before she could speak, another classmate who was passing by spoke.

“Whoa, Chihaya… That’s not something a parent would make for their daughter…”

“Whew, how to be loved like that? What the heck. Give me one omelette!”

Anon immediately smacked away her classmate’s hand. “Mine! All mine!”

“Tsk.” Classmate only clicked her tongue, then smiled at Anon and they both laughed.

“Are you not eating?” Tomori asked with a warm smile.

“Wah! You’re right. I’ll have to savor and finish all these but before that… time to take a photo.” Anon smiled and took out her phone from her pocket. She snapped a few photos and set it away. She held the chopsticks in her hands. “Thank you for the food,” and dug in.

Anon blissfully ate each bite with the worry, “If this’ll continue like this, I might have to work out every day or I’ll put on some pounds…”

~*

“Soyo-chan, seems like you’ve been packing lunches nowadays.” A classmate passed by Soyo’s desk.

“Ah, well… I had the time so I started making them.” Soyo nodded at her classmate.

“I guess it’s for a special someone?”

“…I suppose so.” Soyo smiled and turned to her lunch box. “Well, not today.”

Anon-chan
[Uu… Soyorin, I’m really sorry! Please don’t hide umeboshi in the lunch box!😭 They’re so sour…]

[Serves you right. Stupid Anon-chan.]

[Soyoriiin! I’ll be your slave today! Please forgive me!]

Soyo smiled as she put away her phone. Well, what Anon did wasn’t really anything much, but she just felt like toying with her that day… Not to mention, it was she who kept a secret.

~*
Anon sulked over the remnants of very sour plum in her tongue as she waited outside Tsukinomori. In her hands were the new sunflower scented aroma sticks she saw from the shopping district and quickly purchased to appease “bad mood Soyorin”.

“See you tomorrow.” Soyo waved at her classmates and immediately turned to where Anon was waiting. “Let’s go.”

The cold voice almost made Anon shiver. “Soyoriiiin~ I’m sorry~”

“Hmph.” Soyo just walked ahead as Anon walked behind her.

“I really just fell asleep after going home, I didn’t mean to make you wait two hours! I won’t do it again! I swear!” Anon clasped her hands together as she apologized, walking with her back turned to the road.

“At least you didn’t fall asleep in the train or an unknown place. It’s fine. Also, that’s dangerous, quit it.” Soyo grabbed Anon’s arm and quickly made her face the road as they walked.

“As apology I bought new aroma for you!” Anon grinned at her, and handed the box in her hand packed in a paper wrapping. “It’s sunflower scented aroma sticks. They said it helps with mood!”

“So you pissed me off so you could raise my mood?” Soyo glared at Anon but nonetheless, accepted the gift as they walked.

“Pissing you off was outside of my life goals! Soyoriiin~ Forgive me…” Anon hung her head in sadness as she walked in auto mode.

“Okayokay. Walk properly, geez.”

“Hehe.” Anon smiled as she gently took Soyo’s hand into her own.

Soyo only gave her a small smile and sighed. Arguing with Chihaya Anon was always like that. Of course, she had already given her a scolding. They were meant to go to the library and study together the day before, but Anon went home to bring back errands her mother had asked her, and apparently had fallen asleep, making Soyo wait for her for over two hours. She was worried, after calling so many times and not having it picked up.

She was glad nothing bad happened to Anon, but still, she hated waiting (and being worried) so she planted a few of her hated umeboshi under the rice, and concealed inside some of the viands, to toy with her. So, not to repeat what happened, they’ve decided to study together at Soyo’s house instead of the library.

Soyo unlocked the front door to the 45th floor penthouse that was her home, and Anon immediately zoomed past her. She only sighed in exasperation and entered with her.

“Welcome home, Soyorin!” Anon greeted with a big grin.

“Yes, yes. I’m home.” Soyo smiled at her and entered the house. She had gotten used to it, having dated the pink haired girl the past three months. At first, Soyo thought it was such a stupid thing, but quickly had gotten used it.

Due to the nature of her mom’s work, she always returned to an empty home with no one to greet her, so Anon promised that every time she’d stay or visit, she would be the one to greet her home. Of course, Soyo refused it, but could she really stop her?

Anon quickly went towards the kitchen and prepared the tools that Soyo used to prepare her favorite earl grey tea, while Soyo set her bag on the living room. Soyo then took out her books and notebooks and put on the table, then quickly exchanged with Anon in the kitchen as Anon did the same.

Anon then went to the toilet to take off her contacts, soon replaced by her circle rimmed eyeglasses. The two of them walked towards the living room, Soyo with a tray of tea and some cookies, and Anon with her contact solution and case.

“Soyorin! Thank you~” Anon grinned at her and took a seat at the floor.

Soyo removed the cups from the tray and placed it at a safe area without notebooks, but within arms reach. She then took the space opposite Anon, and opened her text books and notebook.

From there on, it was silence, save for the occasional clinking of tea cups, calming breathes, and movement of pencil.

If Soyo was going to praise anything about Anon, sometimes she’d be stupid, but if it was academics, she was actually very studious, which would surprise people.

She studied hard, and played hard; that’s how most people would probably say it. However, she also practiced her guitar, and worked hard on it. If someone asked her of what part of Anon could she probably like… maybe it would her hardworking side.

Soyo had been stuck on this English passage for a while. She stretched her arms in front of her and eyed her tea cup, and Anon’s. It was definitely time for a refill. She slowly stood up from her side and Anon immediately followed her actions with her gaze.

“Break time?” Anon asked.

“Only making more tea.” Soyo answered.

“Mm. Okay.” Anon nodded and continued writing on her homework. Her pen moved continuously until it stopped. “Eh? Oh…”

She quickly checked her pencil case for pencil lead… and found none.

“I ran out of pencil lead… Soyorin, do you have some?” Anon raised her mechanical pencil and waved it up in the air.

Soyo looked at her briefly before turning her attention back to tea. “I have one in my pencil case. It’s in my bag.”

“Roger~” Anon stood up and waded through floor pillows and towards Soyo’s bag. She unclasped it quickly and searched for the pencil case, all the way a creme colored envelope caught her attention.

She opened the pencil case, and was immediately greeted by the refills she so needed. Anon quickly took it out, but the envelope distracted her. Her mouth was open as she stretched one hand, that had the refill, towards the center of their study table, and her eyes was focused on the letter.

“Did you find them?” Soyo asked as Anon hadn’t moved in a while. “Oh? Did she find it?”

“Eh? Ah. Mm. I found it but… Soyorin…” Anon carefully picked up the envelope and inspected. “This…”

It was a creme colored envelope with embedded flower designs. The front didn’t have an addressee.

“Is this a love letter?” Anon blinked as she stared at it. She then flipped it over and noticed the bright red lip mark on the closing flap. “Uwah… That’s so bold…”

“It probably is.” Soyo answered nonchalantly as she busied herself with washing their used tea cups and wiping it.

“Have you read it?” Anon asked the obvious. The letter was still properly sealed, but the fact that Soyo brought it home unsettled her.

“No. I haven’t had the time.” Soyo watched the kettle as she answered. There wasn’t a follow up question so she turned around and looked at her pink haired lover.

Anon slowly set the letter on the table. She then sat back and crossed her arms as she stared at the offending item with a knotted forehead and a raised eyebrow. Her lips were pursed, and she seemed to be in deep thought.

The scene made Soyo smile. She turned back around to prepare tea cups before Anon could catch her smile. “She looked just like an angry puppy staring at something that offended it.” If may be against her will but she did find it cute.

Soyo poured tea into cleanly washed tea cups, refilled the plate of cookies, and returned to the living room.

“Do you want to read it?” Soyo placed the tea cups in their spots, the plate of cookies somewhere, and set the tray aside.

“Mm~~~” Anon put both her hands over the envelope… then swiftly placed it back into Soyo’s bag. “It’s not mine so, nope!”

“Unexpected.” Soyo shrugged and sat on her spot.

“Y- You say that as if usually I would!”

“You would.”

“…I would.” Anon hung her head in defeat.

“You should know my response, regardless of whether I read it or not, right?” Soyo returned to her school work.

Anon only stared at her, mouth open.

“Anon-chan?”

“Yeah!” Anon smiled at her brightly. If it was even possible, Soyo thought she saw the sun and flowers bloom at her smile.

The comforting silence then conrinued until…

“Can’t concentrate!” Anon suddenly pumped her arms upward, then stood up from her spot. Soyo only watched her as she walked towards her. She then slowly crawled into Soyo’s lap, pressing her face onto Soyo’s stomach as she hugged her waist. “Soyorin Tiiime~~~”

Soyo let the pink haired girl use her thighs as pillow and enveloped her waist in a bear hug. She didn’t say anything aside for putting her free hand on Anon’s hair and continued working on her homework.

After a while, there were inaudible grunts and sounds coming from her stomach.

“Mmrrrphh!”

Soyo closed her eyes.

“MMRRRHHH!!”

She put her pencil down and opened her eyes to stare at the pink haired girl on her lap.

“MRRHH!”

“What?”

Anon only turned to look at her with a grin.

“Play with me–“No.”

“Muu…” Anon then buried her face back onto Soyo’s stomach. “Brrgghh…”

Soyo sighed and patted Anon’s head with her free hand. Anon started rubbing her face onto Soyo’s stomach, moving it left and right. Soyo confinued to gently brush soft pink hair with her hand.

“Mrrgh.”

“What is it now?”

“Hungry…” Anon mumbled on her stomach with a shy, but playful smile.

Soyo tapped her phone that was on the table. It lit up and she noticed the time, which was 18:48.

“Okay. I’ll go and cook something.”

“But I want Soyorin Time too…”

“Haaa…” Soyo sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

It was such a bother when Anon goes into “Spoil Me!” mode. Even if she spoiled her, she still acted like a brat, if she doesn’t she just wails for no reason, and Soyo would feel bad for doing nothing.

“What is it? Is it the letter?” Soyo watched Anon get up from her lap, then turned to look at her, and nodded. “Your hair is all over the place.”

Anon blinked and just offered her hair towards Soyo.

Soyo only sighed and fixed Anon’s hair for her. “It’s like fixing a dog’s hair…” A pink long haired chihuahua.

She patted Anon’s head after she was finished, and Anon just flashed her with a bright smile, then started talking.

“…You told me that I should know what you’re gonna respond with, but I still feel uneasy.”

“And?”

“…That there’s someone else out there who likes you.”

Soyo raised an eyebrow as she watched Anon turn away and fidget with her fingers.

“Don’t you have them too? Like the fans you always fanservice to.”

“They’re fans! They stay that way! They won’t give me a love letter with a kiss mark!” Anon pouted at Soyo before sighing. “You’re a beauty so I get it.”

“She sure just said that with a straight face.” Soyo raised an eyebrow at her. “And?”

“A- And! They’re also from the same school as you. I can never compete with people of money!” Anon knotted her forehead and raised her eyebrows. Soyo opened her mouth to say something, but Anon interrupted her. “I’m not saying that you would be swayed by such things! It just… stings. A little.”

Soyo realized that there was nothing she could do about it. What she said were true… and to be quite honest, now she wasn’t sure of what to do.

“Haha~ Anyway! Let’s cook something, Soyorin!” Anon immediately smiled and stood up from the floor. She extended both of her hands towards Soyo, who hesitantly took it and stood up with here. “What are we making?”

Soyo fixed the creases on her skirt after standing up and walked towards the kitchen. “Curry.”

“Curry!? What kind of curry!?” Anon trailed behind her excitedly.

The rest of their evening went as it usually did whenever Anon stayed over for a study session. Soyo cooked, Anon cleaned up their study materials, set up the kitchen, and such.

The next day was a date day, followed by band practice, and so on and so forth.

A week later.

It was time for another one of their study sessions. The two of them were settled into their usual setup.

Soyo opened her bag to layout her books and notebooks. Soon, she stood up and walked towards the kitchen… and suddenly something odd caught Anon’s eyes.

It was still there. The love letter.

Anon blinked as she silently crawled towards Soyo’s side of the table and took the offending object into her hands.

“…Why do you still have this?” Anon stared at the intimidating letter.

“I haven’t had the time to read it.” Soyo excused as she poured tea leaves into the strainer, and dunked it into hot water.

“…Aren’t you making the other party wait too long? Why haven’t you given them an answer?” Anon placed the letter on the table, then turned to look at Soyo in the kitchen. “…Do you like it? When you receive stuff like this.”

Soyo’s eyes widened as she heard the pointed words. She’s in the mood for it, so maybe she’ll toy with her a little. “Yes.”

Anon suddenly became silent as she sat there and glared at the letter like it was a ball, and she was a dog who was told she can’t play with the ball. “Muu…”

Soyo would never say it out loud, but it was really cute, she was glad to have seen it again.

“Do you want to read it?”

“……” Anon blinked as she continued staring at the letter.

Soyo returned to the living room with a tray of tea and cookies, and at the same time, Anon decided to finally open the letter. Soyo sat adjacent to the pink haired girl.

Anon carefully opened the letter, and took out a white post card. It had pretty handwriting that said:

“Chihaya Anon-san, I like you. Will you go out with me? Well, we are already dating. – Nagasaki Soyo.”

“…Ah… Eh…?” Anon blinked multiple times in surprise.

“If it was that letter. I’ve already read and replied to it last week. I said: ‘I’m sorry, but I already like someone else’.” Soyo took a sip from her tea and turned to Anon who was still holding her little prank. “Well, now that you’ve read that, it’s time to throw it aw–“

“N- No way!”

Soyo only looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

“B- Because, this!” Anon picked up the envelope and pointed at the red kiss mark. “This is yours, right? So it’s mine!” She put the letter inside it and hugged it.

“Haaa…” Soyo could only sigh. It wasn’t like she did not expect this result. “If you wanted my lips, then why don’t you just go for the real ones?”

Anon grinned at her. “But… hehe. You like me, huh…” She stared at the envelope… then realized. “Still! What a mean prank! Soyorin, you idiot!”

Soyo closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “That’s why I said to throw it away–“

“No way! This is my first and probably last love letter from you, Soyorin! I’m going to keep it!”

“It was meant to be a bad prank, so you shouldn’t keep it.”

“Then, if you say what’s written on it, you can throw it away.” Anon pouted at Soyo who only glared at her.

“…Fine, you can keep it.” Soyo looked away and sipped her tea.

“Yay~” Anon smiled brightly at the letter then turned to Soyo. “I like you too, Soyorin.”

“…I know.”

“So…” Anon smiled a little as she looked at Soyo from her peripheral view. “…I kind of want a kiss from the real Soyorin-san, too.”

Soyo slowly put the tea cup onto the saucer. “Why don’t you close your eyes?”

Anon’s eyes lit up. She quickly closed her eyes and waited patiently. Soyo slowly moved towards her. She quickly gave her a chaste kiss on the lips, but before she could move away, Anon opened her eyes and gently grabbed her nape. Anon softly kissed her once again, their lips staying connected for a few more seconds as Soyo closed her eyes this time.

Anon parted from the kiss as Soyo slowly leaned her head towards Anon’s shoulders. “Anon-chan, you idiot.”

“Ehehe~” Anon laughed as she gently ran her hand over Soyo’s head. “Soyorin, so cute~”

“Haaa…”

“How many times until you don’t get embarrassed every time we kiss?”

“Never.”

“Eeeh~”

(Your Love/END)

“Soyorin~”

“What?” Soyo finished combing her hair as she set her hairbrush on the dresser. She turned on the night light, then turned off the lights in her room as the small light illuminated the room.

“Tell me more about the love letter!” Anon smiled at her, the cute fang smile, as she got into Soyo’s bed, glasses still on her face.

Soyo only raised an eyebrow, skeptical, but her smile does seem genuine. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to tell her about it.

“The letter send was a girl from the brass band. A soft spoken upperclassman.” Soyo got into her bed as she sat, using the wall as a back rest, like Anon was. “She said the kiss mark on the envelope was a stamp, and felt embarrassed about it, said it was a stupid suggestion from a friend.”

Anon nodded as she listened. She slowly moved her hand over the bed sheet, as she searched for Soyo’s hand. She finally found it under the blankets and held it. “Continue.”

“The letter was something about waiting for me near a tree behind the school. I wasn’t able to read it until two days after I received it, so I suppose I made her wait a little.” Soyo squeezed Anon’s hand as she continued recalling the story with a flat expression. “She told me she liked me, and would like to get to know me more, but I told her I liked someone else.”

“Soyorin, you’re amazing.”

“I would feel bad if I can’t face their feelings, it was the least I could do. Speaking of that.” Soyo turned to Anon and glared at her.

“Gueh…” Anon made a wry expression as from hereon it was probably ‘sermon time’.

“You’re incredibly stupid. I will only say this once, so get this through your thick skull. You’re smart right?” Soyo raised her index finger from her free hand and pointed it at Anon. “I choose who I want to be, and I chose you.” She pushed Anon’s forehead square at the center, making her head bob a little. She then let go of Anon’s hand and repositioned to put her head on the bed and turned off the night light.

Anon stared at the darkness for a while as she digested the words that went inside her ears. Soon she was smiling from ear to ear as she removed her glasses and set it on the side table.

“Soyoriiiin~”

“What?”

“…May I please cuddle?”

Soyo sighed. “Do what you want.”

“Yay~ Soyorin, love~”

“Okayokay.”

Anon swiftly spooned Soyo’s back as she rested a hand over Soyo’s waist. Soyo placed a hand over Anon’s as they slept.

“Good night, Soyorin.”

“Good night, Anon-chan.”

“Wait. You said, the sender’s kiss mark was a stamp… Yours are…?”

“I wonder.”

“S- Soyoriiiin!”

Then a cute giggle.

“Soyoriiiiiiiin!!!”

(END)