This story is a sequel to “Your Smile“. It is recommended to read that first before reading this story.
“I’m weird.” Anon nodded to herself as she sat up on the Nagasaki home living room couch. “Am I weird? I’m screwed, that one I definitely am.”
Glasses on her face, and a few lines of eyebags under her eyes, she started recounting her dreams, and why she may have been screwed.
Ever since the last time… All Anon could ever think of was how soft Soyo felt under her touch, and how her voice sounded as she moaned her name.
“Darned kettle deserves a good bonk!”‘Anon raised a fist above her head as she gritted her teeth. She then silently crossed her arms in front of her once more as she pondered her dilemma with a red face. “Why am I blushing!? Ahhhh!”
Anon let her back fall onto the couch with a pomf as she continued staring into the dark. When she closed her eyes, all she could see was Soyo, which was why she couldn’t sleep next to her. She’d want to touch her, and do things.
“Is this what they call adolescence? That’s so stupid. Have some self control, Chihaya Anon. You’re not some relentless beast who can’t control their own hands.” Anon nodded to herself endlessly and closed her eyes.
What immediately clouded her mind was Soyo’s half-lidded eyes, and soft voice. “Mm… Anon-chan…”
“GYAAAAAHHHH!” Anon bolted up from the couch and covered her mouth with a hand, afraid she would wake up Soyo, then removed her eyeglasses in exasperation. She put it on the table and covered her face with both her hands. “Are you some horny teenager??????”
She fake sobbed as she contemplated her life from then on and promptly passed out on the couch.
~*
Bluish gray eyes opened, slowly taking in the dimly lit room. An arm moved towards one half of the bed, searching for another person’s warmth, and not finding it there. Soyo slowly sat up on her own bed, sheets clutched to her chest as she solemnly looked at the cold empty space next to her.
“She’s not here… Again…” She closed her eyes as she brought her legs up to her body, resting her face over her knees. “Do you hate me now…?”
Recently, a certain Chihaya Anon had stopped sleeping next to Soyo whenever she stayed over the Nagasaki home. When invited, she’d still be as excited as she usual, but when night came and they slept beside each other, halfway through the night she would move to the couch inside Soyo’s room or the one in the living room. At times Soyo would find her outside the veranda.”
A normal person would just ask, ‘Why?’ but given Soyo’s reclusive and reluctant personality, she could never bring herself to ask. If anything came up, Anon would normally be the one to bring it up, but for this one, it’s been close to two months, and Soyo could not figure it out.
“She always went, ‘Can I hug you to sleep?’ ‘Can we sleep together please?’ and now she won’t even stay in bed until morning. So stupid…” Soyo sighed as she tried not to let it affect her too much, but it always bothered her. “Stupid, idiot, Anon-chan…” She closed her eyes and let the sleep in. What started this change?
Soyo woke up, feeling colder than usual. She put on a shawl and left her room… True to her suspicions, once again, she found Anon sprawled on the living couch, with one foot on the floor. She looked cold so she brought back a blanket from her room and covered her body.
“Sowoyinn… Mm…” Anon rolled and pressed her back onto the backrest as she hugged the blanket to her body.
Soyo smiled at the action, murmured a short, “Idiot”, and started her day by making lunch boxes for the two of them.
Doubts and worries aside, once they were both awake, they were back to ‘normal,’ the way they would have been. Anon would kiss Soyo good morning, who would just accept it and greet back. Anon would walk Soyo to school, hold hands until the allowed distance, bid good-bye and text each other afterwards.
However, what clouded her worries was the fact that she didn’t know what started this behavior within Anon… She had an idea but… Following that line of though, did Anon just simply start to not like her after touching her?
The teacher closing the classroom door snapped Soyo out of her thoughts, and before she had realized it she had the tips of her hair in her fingertips in deep thought, a mannerism she hadn’t done in a long while since they started dating.
Anon-chan
[Soyorin! Sorry, I’ll have to take a raincheck today! I completely forgot I promised the science club I’d help out today! (｡-人-｡)]
Soyo hadn’t been checking her phone because of a headache she had been nursing since second period; she had only noticed the message on her way home.
[It’s all right. Good luck.]
It was exactly what she felt, just that it was such bad timing. Soyo looked forward to spending more time with Anon, hoping that maybe she’d finally be able to bring up her worries…
However, maybe, just maybe, finding some distance would be for the best.
Soyo wished for a peace of mind, but she also knew as well that she wasn’t going to have it. She survived school by hyperfocusing on the lessons, or because there was someone else who spoke and yapped her ears off, but once everything was quiet it was back to all the ‘whys’. She had skipped breakfast and lunch, prioritizing studying and other school activities.
…Coming back home to an empty spacious home wasn’t going to help her problem nor her appetite either, so she did something she had not done since they started dating: aromatherapy.
Soyo picked out her favorite lavender oil and put it into her favorite aroma lamp. She lit the candle and let the scent in her senses. Without thinking much of the weather, she opened the sliding door and let the cold in as she hugged her coat around her body.
Lavender was best for relaxation, and it was what helped her sleep at night, during her nights alone without her mother, which was far too often.
Maybe she would be doing this more often in the near future. Soyo let go of her hair in her fingertips as she felt the chills through her body. She promptly closed the sliding doors, blew out the candle of the aroma lamp, and retreated to her room.
Neither the cold weather nor the relaxing scent of lavender could put her mind at ease.
“Maybe my choice of oil was wrong.” Soyo sighed as she sat on her bed, her room’s window partially ajar as her mind continued to send mixed signals. “Why is it so cold today?” She gently laid a hand over to her chest as she solemnly faced a lonely evening, alone with only her thoughts to herself.
Anon’s busy days continued, and Soyo’s aroma scented cold nights went on as well. Until…
Taki raised an eyebrow when her phone vibrated because of a message. She looked up from her phone, and set her gaze towards a certain pink haired guitarist, who was humming, evidently in a good mood.
“Oi.” Taki called to Anon who only looked at her. “Come here.”
“What’s it, Rikki?” Anon walked towards the drumset, confused.
Taki turned her phone towards Anon.
[Taki-chan, I think I caught a cold so I wouldn’t be able to attend practice. I should be better by next practice but I’ll let you know soon.]
Anon’s mood immediately turned sour as she checked her own phone in her pocket, realizing she didn’t receive any messages of the sort.
“Haah? Why would she message you instead of me?” Anon frowned at her phone, as Taki took her hand back.
“Dunno. That’s what I want to know too.” Taki shrugged and quickly typed up a ‘get well soon’ and put her phone in her bag. “You gonna go?”
Anon frowned at her phone. “No, I’m already here so I’ll practice, then go.” She stared at it, hoping for a message to come, that maybe she only messaged Taki first out of urgency. “But she sent a normal good morning!”
“Are you two fighting? Because if she stops coming to practice again–” Taki clicked her tongue as Anon only glared at her.
“I said I was going after practice, okay? You don’t have to be snarky.” Anon sighed as she fixed her guitar over her body and pocketed her phone, giving up on waiting for a message. “She really isn’t texting me. Stupid Soyorin.”
Taki could only sigh. She was taken aback by Anon’s genuinely angry response, but she didn’t dwell on it. She’s sure they’ll fix it in no time. “Anon.”
“What?”
“If you need help…”
Anon stared at Taki who struggled to complete her sentence in surprise. She then gave her a small smile. “Thanks, Rikki.”
“M- Me too…!” Tomori walked up to Anon, notebook in her arms, with a determined expression.
“Thanks, Tomorin.” Anon smiled at her as well.
The door opened and Raana entered with her hand truck, and Taki immediately turned to her. “Hurry and get ready.”
~*
“…I’m here but… What do I do?” Anon knotted her eyebrows as she waited for the elevator in the tall building’s lobby. “Would she even let me in? Well if she doesn’t I’ll just eat all these myself.” She looked at the plastic bag with some jelly and energy drinks and rode the elevator after the doors had opened.
She had a big mouth, saying she’d practice then go, but in the end, she was kicked out by everyone for being so unfocused. Tomori couldn’t kick her out, but being told “Anon-chan, go to Soyo-chan’s side.” with such a caring tone was likely her way of softly kicking her out of practice.
Anon waited for the elevator to reach the 45th floor before she nervously stood in front of the familiar door.
“Why did she not message me? Did I do something wrong?” Anon pouted at the door and pressed the doorbell. “Not to mention, she hasn’t sent any other messages since this morning’s ‘good morning’…”
Usually one ring would already have an annoyed Soyo at the door, but after waiting a while, there was nothing.
“One more.” She rang it again, then a few more times. “Haaah? Is she not home? Did she just skip practice? To go where?”
Anon pressed the door bell once more, impatiently. It rang, and still, nothing.
“Stupid Soyorin. What did I do now?” Anon took her phone out and scrolled through her contacts. Before she could tap on Soyo’s name, the door clicked open.
An extreme disheveled Soyo, face flushed and wobbly, opened the door. Before Anon could say anything, Soyo’s hand on the door knob slipped as she stumbled forward.
Anon immediately rushed to her side, dropping her phone in the process to free both hands to catch the brunette. “S- Soyorin! Soyorin!?”
Soyo didn’t know what was happening. All she knew was that she was resting until there was a barrage of doorbell rings.
“Is it an emergency? Mom…” She struggled to get to her feet, using whatever energy remaining in her arms and holdong onto anything to get to the door. She stumbled a little, but persevered.
The ringing stopped as she approached the door. Afraid that whomever it was might start leaving she ignored the pounding in her head and the spinning surroundings as she pushed the door open.
Then everything was dark. All she could hear were bits and pieces of a familiar voice she hadn’t heard all day.
The next thing she remembered was waking up in her bed, a comforting blanket over her body.
“Who…? Mom…?” Soyo closed her eyes as she fought back nausea and a throbbing headache. “Anon-chan…?” She tried her best to open her eyes and look around and found no one as she dropped her body back onto the bed.
Her head spun and throbbed despite having her eyes closed and remaining stationary. She felt an urge to regurgitate as a sinking feeling in her stomach returned.
“Of course she wouldn’t be here… There’s no way… Especially when lately, she doesn’t even want to be near me.” Soyo whispered softly as tears fell down to the side of her eyes. Soon, it was all black once again.
Anon stood outside the door in surprise, a small metallic wash basin with a towel in her hand.
“Was that what she thought it was? Chihaya Anon, you’re a freaking clown.” Anon closed her eyes in frustration. She then shook her head left and right and entered the room quietly to place the basin near Soyo’s bed.
Anon sat next to Soyo’s bed, putting a hand over her forehead. “Wah! That’s definitely not a normal temperature…” She then wrung the towel in the basin and folded it over Soyo’s forehead.
She stood up from Soyo’s bedside and quietly exited the room. “Now, to find some medicine…”
What Anon suspected, having been over a few times, was correct: there was little to no medicine in this home.
“I mean… it does look mainly unlived, for the most part. Recently Soyorin did start decorating with some flowers but… Oh well. I guess I’ll have to go and buy some flu medicine.”
Anon grabbed her purse and phone and immediately left the house. She wedged the door a little with some thickly folded paper so she won’t have to ring the doorbell when she came back.
Soyo opened her eyes to the dark and comforting ceiling of her own room. Rays of the sun shone just below the curtains as her world was suddenly engulfed in silence. Her head no longer pounded as much as it did, but she felt a burning sensation in her throat, and a painful prick in her stomach.
As she was attempting to sit up on the bed, the door to her room opened, and an unexpected pink haired girl entered with a tray of what seemed to be porridge.
“Ah, Soyorin. Good morning.” Anon greeted and quickly set the tray onto the nearby table.
“How are you here?” Soyo glared at her as she slowly sat up from her bed, trying her best to hold back the nausea. “I’ll call the police.”
“Ahh. Yes, yes. Feel free. I’m sure the CCTV camera would point out that I totally got inside an auto lock door by myself.” Anon walked towards Soyo, brushing off her anger with sarcasm. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine.” Soyo still leered at her as Anon sighed.
“I doubt that. It looks like you haven’t eaten anything yesterday, nor today. You were burning up too.”
“I’m fine. Some medicine and it’ll be fine.” Soyo immediately stood up, likely too fast for her body and mind to process as everything spun around her, and her nausea decided that it was time to expel her dinner.
With Anon’s surprise and quick reflexes, she thanked Anon of a few moments ago and grabbed the wash basin she brought in earlier and put it under Soyo to catch the incoming vomit.
Soyo immediately sat back down on her bed as Anon put the wash basin onto the floor. Soyo held her head in pain as Anon took out her handkerchief from her pocket and wiped Soyo’s mouth clean.
“Anything to say for yourself?” Anon raised an eyebrow as Soyo only glared at her.
Thankfully, the brunette quietly went back to bed without saying anything else. Anon properly put the covers over her body and patted her head.
“Good Soyorin.” Anon smiled at her softly and quickly went back to the tray she brought and handed her the glass of water. “Now, I’m going to feed you and you can’t do anything about it because I can.”
Soyo glared at her the whole time after she had drank some water and while Anon prepared the tray of food on the table nearby. Anon left the room once to clean the basin, then came back with a pitcher of water.
Anon slowly helped Soyo sit up on the bed before putting the tray over her lap. She then picked up the spoon, blew on it a few times to cool it down, then put it towards Soyo’s mouth.
Soyo quietly accepted the spoonful of warm porridge and chewed slowly before swallowing. “I can’t taste anything.” Anon only raised an eyebrow at her, and followed up with the next spoon. Soyo didn’t say anything else and accepted the next spoonful.
It was true that her appetite hadn’t been the same the past few days. She would often skip meals as time passed while she sat in a room quietly as an aroma candle burned together with her dark thoughts. Finally being able to put something inside her stomach immediately made her feel slightly better. Her heart felt warm as it calmed down.
Anon continued feeding Soyo the porridge, smiling on each bite as she slowly watched the bowl become empty. “I made sure to taste it, it’s probably just your cold.”
“I don’t have a cold.” Soyo answered almost immediately. “It was a little salty.”
Anon scooped some leftover porridge with a finger and put it to her mouth. “Okay, I guess it was a little salty. Oh well.” She cleaned up the plates and took the pills and handed them to the brunette, who was oddly still receptive of her help. “Here.”
Soyo accepted the medicine and looked at it. “I really don’t have a flu, I’m quite sure of it.” She handed the medicine back to Anon.
“I wasn’t sure, but here’s another one for fever.” Anon took the medicine back and replaced it with another. “I bought one for coughs and colds too, but you don’t seem to be coughing. Just take the fever one then, just in case?”
“…Okay.” Soyo accepted the fever medicine and drank it with water. “…Why did you buy so many?”
Anon raised an eyebrow at Soyo as she accepted the empty medicine foil and the glass of water. “I’ve been here so many times, and I’ve never seen a hint of medicine anywhere. I’m stocking them up.”
Soyo could only blink once and sigh. “Do whatever you want.” She then slowly slid down into bed and pulled the covers over her body as she turned her back away from Anon and said nothing more.
The next time Soyo woke up, it was already dark outside. She slowly sat up from bed, her room completely engulfed in darkness, but it didn’t feel like she was all alone. After finally getting a comfortable position on her bed, she looked around and found the small light of a forgotten phone somewhere near the couch in her room, and noticed Anon was there sleeping.
Not wanting to disturb her, Soyo slowly tried to sit up on the edge of her bed on the other side, letting the cool but carpeted floor of her room touch her feet. Her body didn’t feel as hot as it did a few hours earlier, her headache was gone, but she still felt weak.
Soyo tried to stand up, her hands holding onto the bed for support as she slowly walked around the foot of the bed, hopefully towards the door, but her legs soon gave out soon. She braced for impact, for her rear to meet the hard floor, but instead, there were arms around her body, and a warm presence in front of her.
“Soyorin! What are you doing?! Are you okay?” Anon held Soyo’s body in her arms and gently let her sit at the foot of the bed. “Soyorin…?”
Soyo willingly sat on the bed as Anon bowed a little and looked at her face. She turned to look away as she held her arm with a hand. “I felt sweaty and tired so I thought a shower would freshen me up a little…”
“If it’s that, I can wipe you down instead?” Anon offered.
Soyo looked at her before turning away. “…If you’re fine with touching me, and being close with me, then, okay.”
Anon swallowed but with a determined expression, nodded. “Yeah.”
With little to no talking, Soyo complied as Anon left the room to grab a wash basin of warm water and a towel, while Soyo unbuttoned her pajamas all the way to the end. She removed and folded it on her bedside table. She put on the change of underwear, and short shorts Anon gave her, and held the towel in front of herchest as she waited for Anon.
The door to her room creaked open as Anon entered slowly with the wash basin and a towel. “Soyorin, are you covered?”
“Yes.” Soyo answered softly as she solemnly looked at her hand that was on the sheets, as her other held the towel over her chest, and the bed sheets covered her legs.
Anon entered the room and slowly sat behind Soyo. She moved the alarm clock and set the wash basin on the side table. She put the towel into the water, wrung it, then folded it. Anon faced Soyo’s very very naked back, and her very very soft looking skin. She made the sign of the cross in front of her, and swallowed a lump in her throat before pressing the towel on Soyo’s back.
Soyo felt the warm towel on her back and relaxed as Anon continued wiping her back down. Anon kept quiet as she gently wiped every spot, lifting Soyo’s hair a little as well to get the part around her shoulders and her neck.
Anon then slowly took Soyo’s free hand and started wiping down her forearms, to her hands, before moving to her next arm as Soyo held the towel on her chest with her other hand. Still spending their time in silence, Anon then slowly took off the blankets, and started wiping around Soyo’s feet, legs, and thighs.
Soyo sighed as the silence continued. “I’ll… do the rest.”
Anon blinked as she finished wiping over Soyo’s legs and realized that ‘the rest’ meant her chest and stomach. “O- Okay.” She handed Soyo the towel. She then took the wash basin and set it on the bed, she then sat in front of the basin, her hands holding onto the sides of it behind her, to keep it steady while her back was turned to Soyo. “I’ll be here so you don’t have to reach too far.”
“…Thank you.” Soyo removed the towel from in front of her and started wiping her body, her chest, and stomach, as well as using her other towel to wash and clean her face.
The occassional splish splash of water continued, followed by dripping sounds of a towel being wrung. There was nothing else but those, and the calm breathing of two people inside a room, and the dim lights of the night stand.
“Anon-chan.” Soyo called.
“Y- Yeah?” Anon answered immediately without moving.
“I’m done.”
Anon turned around and breathed a sigh of relief as Soyo was finally dressed in a comfy sweater she had prepared for her. She smiled at Soyo and put the wash basin onto the floor table not far away from the bed. She then returned to Soyo’s bed side, sitting on an empty space next to her.
“How do you feel?”
“…Not as clean as I wanted to be, but all right.”
Anon pouted at her with a raised eyebrow. Soyo sighed.
“I don’t have a headache, but I do kind of feel weak and lethargic.” Soyo answered.
“Do you need anything?” Anon asked next with a worried expression.
Soyo then looked down at her hands on her lap as she played with her fingers without saying anything. “Talk to me. Tell me your worries.” Words she wanted to tell her lodged up her throat as she pushed her thumbs together.
“I’ll get you some water.” Anon tried to get up but Soyo took her hand with both of hers and held her back. “Soyorin…?”
“…Stay.” Soyo only looked at Anon briefly before turning her attention back to her lap.
“I got it.” Anon sat back on the bed and properly held Soyo’s hand in her own.
Anon watched Soyo, and Soyo only watched her hand on her lap as the silence engulfed them. Soyo occassionally squeezed Anon’s hand as if to make sure she was still there, and Anon would squeeze back as an answer.
“Soyorin…” Anon started after a while. “I’m sorry for leaving the bed at night. The truth is… ever since that day, I kept on thinking about it.” She gave Soyo a wry smile as Soyo looked at her in mild surprise.
Soyo squeezed her hand, as if urging her to go on.
“When I remember the you from then, I uhh, I kind of just panic. I’ve never thought of anything past this,” Anon raised their hands, then put it slowly back onto the bed, “o- or kissing. It’s just that, I’m afraid that if I had such thoughts and stayed next to you, I might do something you don’t like, but beyond that, I wanted to take that next step with you.”
Soyo squeezed her hand tight, not to the point of pain, but she knew that it was a signal for something.
“Again, I thought only about myself, and never thought of you, or how you’d have felt waking up to an empty bed. I’ll do better. I… I’ll try my best.”
“I…” Soyo turned away as she started playing with the tips of her hair with her free hand. “…It was the same for me, too.”
Anon blinked, doubting her ears for a second. “Eh?”
“I think about that day too.” Soyo sighed then released the tension on Anon’s hand. “…I didn’t dislike it.”
“Soyorin…” Anon breathed her name out in relief.
“That’s why… Don’t worry about it.” She squeezed Anon’s hand, took a glance at her, then turned away.
“…I was worried for nothing. I did it again.” Anon sighed and squeezed back on Soyo’s hand.
“For real. Such an idiot.” Soyo sighed and gave her a small smile.
“I’m really sorry, Soyorin. Is there anything I can do to make up for it?”
“Then… I know it’s a little late, but I think I am kind of famished.”
“There’s still some porridge left, I’ll re-heat it for you.” Anon smiled at her and stood up from the bed, but Soyo still wouldn’t let go of her hand. Anon gently untangled their fingers and gave Soyo’s body a big warm hug. “I’ll be back soon.”
Soyo nodded to her chest as they hugged. Anon gave her a few head pats then left quickly to get her some food.
Anon returned with a tray of food and water, only to find Soyo already asleep in bed. She smiled at her and quietly put the food back into the kitchen fridge and went back to Soyo’s room.
“Good night, Soyorin.”
The next morning, with a clearer head, but a hungry stomach, Soyo opened her eyes to some shuffling next to her bed. She watched a pink haired girl put on the necktie to her uniform, then her blazer.
“Ah. Good morning, Soyorin. Sorry, did I wake you?” Anon smiled at her. “Here’s a tray of porridge and some toast for you. I’m sure you’re hungry.”
“I’m going to school too.” Soyo sat up from bed but immediately had hands over her shoulders. “What?”
“You said you felt weak, right? Get more rest. I’m sure one more day won’t make a difference.” Anon put her hands on her waist and raised an eyebrow at Soyo.
Soyo only sighed and submitted without another word.
“I’m coming back during lunchtime. So stay put until then, okay?” Anon smiled at her.
“Go attend all your classes, I’ll be fine.” Soyo took the tray of food and started eating. “This tastes better today.”
“Yay! But no. I’m coming back at noon.”
“Attend all your classes, Anon-chan.” Soyo glared at her without saying anything else.
Anon glared back at her, then backed off with a sigh. “Fine. I’ll send a message at lunch break, if you don’t respond I’ll be coming home. Okay?”
Soyo sighed.
“Okay, fine.” Anon tried to kiss her but was met by a hand over her lips. She only raised an eyebrow at Soyo who only glared at her.
Soyo pushed her face away before putting the same hand on her own lips, then towards Anon’s lips. “…Bear with this for now. Take care.” Soyo said dryly and returned to her food. Anon only smiled at her and left silently.
A phone vibratted at exactly twelve noon and a hand reached to check on it.
[Soyorin, Soyorin. Knock knock. Are you awake?]
Soyo smiled at the message and responded.
[Sleeping.]
Then an immediate response.
[Sleep talking, I see.]
[Then, this is a message from the awake person, to the sleep talker.]
[I love you.]
Soyo felt her temperature rise as she read those three simple words, in text form. Her eyes stared at the words longer as she was stuck with a response. Anon has always gone over and over about liking her, or ‘Soyorin Love’ but these three words carried a different weight.
“…What an idiot.” Soyo sighed. “You’re going to give me a flu.”
She closed her phone and set it under her bed.
Anon quickly locked her phone and put it face down under her desk as she put her hands over her head and rested her forehead on the desk as she blushed furiously.
“Gaaaah… Was it always that embarrassing…?” She closed her eyes as she felt her heart beat into her ears, then there was a realization. “I’ve not told her this in person!” She lifted up her head and stared at the blackboard, as her classmates, eating their lunches stared at her. “S- Sorry.”
She balled her hands into fists with a new resolve. “All right. Today, I’ll tell her.”
Her phone buzzed before she could take out her lunch box.
[The door code is XXXXXX.]
[This is sleeptalking.]
Anon smiled as she swiftly sent a cute sticker that said ‘OK’. The ‘read’ came up immediately.
“Soyorin, so cute.”
(Your Actions/END)
Mega Bonus
“Soyorin! I’m back~” Anon entered the Nagasaki home with her newly acquired door code and made a beeline through the living room only to notice the brunette in the kitchen. “Are you going to cook? You shouldn’t be cooking though.”
“I’m looking for what you’re cooking.” Soyo answered dryly as she suddenly took out some chicken from the fridge and put it towards Anon’s direction.
Anon blinked and quietly took the chicken to the sink and put it in a bowl with tepid water. She waited around for a bit but nothing was happening next.
“So… What happened to you yesterday?”
“I was just tired, and maybe was pushing myself a little. It was probably fatigue.” Soyo answered swiftly as she held up carrots for Anon to take.
“I see. How do you feel today?”
“Better.”
Next were some onions, potatoes, then finally a box of curry roux.
“Ohh. Curry time?” Anon smiled at Soyo who only nodded at her.
“You can make it, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.” Soyo then walked past her and went towards the couch, grabbed a cushion and sat there with the cushion on her lap… as she watched Anon, or anything that she could see of the kitchen from the living room couches.
Anon just sighed with a smile on her face and started making the curry that she was ordered to make by the sick person, AKA the owner of the house. About an hour and a half later, Anon woke Soyo up from her couch nap and told her that food is ready.
Fresh from the shower but having just woken up, Soyo was very quiet, and less annoyed (from usual), but she seemed skeptical of the curry presented before her. However, still not saying anything, she put a spoonful in her mouth and chewed slowly.
“…Not bad. Could have been better.” Soyo commented curtly, and continued eating.
“Yes ma’am, I’ll be practicing from now on.” Anon removed the apron she had been borrowing and hung it to where it was. She sat in front of Soyo and started eating. “Mm… I guess I could have added something sweet. What would you have added, Soyorin?”
“Not telling.”
“Stingy!” Anon stuck her tongue out and continued eating. After a while, she started going on about what happened at school, and Soyo listened as she ate, as they usually did.
Anon insisted on washing the dishes and shooed Soyo back to her room, who complied without anything else. Anon also mentioned about borrowing her shower so Soyo at least knew she’d be a while before she could go back.
Soyo took her phone from the side table and opened her messages with Anon, and stared at the three words she had sent earlier in the day.
“…Do I love her back too? Can I say it?” Soyo blinked as she continued repeating the words in her mind. It made her heart race, and her face flushed, at least she was sure she was feeling better, and that it won’t likely turn into a flu, but was it always something that made someone’s heart race this fast? She never knew.
When was the last time someone told her they loved her?
Lost in her thoughts, Anon knocked on the door before entering, since Soyo didn’t say anything, she must’ve been preoccupied by something.
“Soyorin?” Anon handcombed her now dry hair as she checked on the brunette.
Soyo only turned to look at her, trying to hide her surprise as she locked her phone and put it face down on her bedside table.
“What did you do the whole day?” Anon walked towards the bed and sat next to Soyo. “Can I sleep with you today?”
Soyo nodded to the last question, to Anon’s surprise. “I slept.”
“Are you sleepy now?” Anon slowly got on all fours and crawled towards the other side of the bed.
“No, but I thought I should rest anyway.” Soyo answered after shaking her head. “Why?”
“Ah, no, I was just curious.” Anon blinked and got inside the sheets as well. After scuttling a little into the center of the bed, Anon had accidentally put her hand on top of Soyo’s as they faced each other, a little too close for comfort.
Blue-grey met with equally surprised gray ones.
Anon swallowed at their proximity. “…Can I?”
Soyo didn’t say anything but closed her eyes.
Anon swallowed once more and gently nudged Soyo’s nose as their lips met in a chaste kiss. She parted from Soyo’s lips, closed her own eyes, then kissed her again, gently pushing her shoulders down the bed as it continued into soft multiple pecks.
Soyo felt a hand on her waist, near her stomach, and tensed. On Anon’s third attempt, Soyo opened her eyes and pushed Anon’s lips away softly with two fingers as they stared at each other.
“Anon…-chan.”
Anon backed away as Soyo removed her fingers from her lips. She then shuffled to hold Anon’s hand that was near her stomach and held it in her own.
“…Soyorin…?”
“I’m… not ready, yet. I…”
“I- I’ll wait.” Anon nodded and held onto Soyo’s hand as well. “But, let me say–“
“Ah–” Soyo tugged on her hand as Anon stopped talking, and they stared into each other’s eyes. “That… I don’t know… When I’ll be able to say it.” She looked away shyly.
“It’s okay, I just want to–“
“No, I…” Soyo let go of Anon’s hands and wrapped her arms around Anon’s neck as they softly fell into the bed embracing. “…Before you tell me yours, would you wait… until I can say it back? That’s why… Please, don’t leave.”
Anon felt her heart race as she heard her words. “Okay. I’ll be here.” She wrapped her arms tightly around Soyo’s body as she felt a nuzzle on her shoulders.
“Anon-chan.”
“Mm?”
“I love you, too.”
(END)
