“Rikki.”
“What?”
“Have you seen Soyorin smile?”
Taki quickly turned to Anon, just missing the cymbal she was trying to sound check, because of the question. “What in the idiotic world are you asking now?”
“Well, I mean, you know, you, Soyorin, and Tomorin, have been friends for a while, right?” Anon turned to Taki while removing her tuft of hair stuck under her guitar strap, and flung it back as she fixed her guitar on her body.
“You’re correct, but you two are dating right? Don’t tell me you haven’t made her smile.” Taki raised an eyebrow and turned to Anon, sticks calmly placed over her snare drum. “If you haven’t made her smile, I think you and I need to have a talk.”
“What? Are you like Soyorin’s other mom? No way.” Anon raised an eyebrow at Taki, who only glared at her. “No, I didn’t mean that, yes I’ve seen her smile.”
“Then what in the stupidity are you babbling on about?” Taki crossed her arms and legs.
“She smiles, like, you know, the small smiles, but what I want to see are the big ones.” Anon put her index finger under her chin. “Like when Tomorin finds a new rock, or Raana-chan and her matcha parfait.”
“Then you should just do something that’d make her smile like that.” Taki sighed and shrugged.
“I don’t know what else would make her genuinely happy.” Anon frowned as she stared at the floor.
“You’d just have to find it. She surely has something.” Taki stepped on her bass drum a few times as it made loud thumping sounds.
Anon turned to Taki with a sad smile.
“I can’t beat CRYCHIC, you know?”
Taki’s eyes widened as she looked at Anon.
Outside the rehearsal room, just right behind the doors were Soyo and Tomori who just stood without doing anything because it was hard to go in.
“Soyo-chan…” Tomori whispered to Soyo, who only gave her a small smile.
Taki tried to think of a quick retort to Anon, but the pink haired girl only grinned at her.
“Welp! Nothing comes out of thinking about things that are outside of our control.” Anon smiled wryly and then turned away. “Practice, practice!”
After a while, the doors to the rehearsal room opened slowly and Tomori went in, and Soyo arrived just after.
“G- Good morning.”
“Good morning.”
The two greeted each other as they entered. Taki and Anon greeted them back, as Soyo immediately beelined for her corner.
She set down her bass as she stole glances at Anon who immediately had an interesting story for Tomori. “…Such idiotic concerns.”
Soyo sighed as she took her bass out and put it over her body. She thought back on Anon’s words.
“A smile? Don’t be stupid.” She turned to look at Anon who was still busy talking to Tomori. “…I thought I was already smiling more than usual when I’m with you.”
Soyo turned around to tune her bass, and the moment she lifted her gaze up, she noticed Taki staring at her. She only stared back at her, in a sort of understanding way, and soon rehearsals began.
About ten minutes later, Raana arrived, who received a scolding from Taki.
“Soyo. Could you stay for a bit? I have something to consult about the new song’s rhythm.” Taki called for Soyo who had no intentions of cleaning up her bass.
“Mm. That’s all right.” Soyo gave her a small smile.
“Ah. Should I stay too?”
“Anon, you’re fine.” Taki crossed her arms and sighed. “As much as it is a pain for me to admit.”
“Eh? Really? Did you guys hear that? Rikki just praised me!” Anon smiled brightly. “Ah, but…” She turned to Soyo who only nodded at her.
“We can do the study session tomorrow.” Soyo gave her a small smile and turned to Taki. “Take care going home.”
“All right.” Anon nodded and finished cleaning up her guitar.
Soon, Raana, who had already disappeared, Anon and Tomori, left and the studio only had Taki and Soyo.
“You heard our convo?” Taki asked as she kept her sticks and stepped away from the drum set.
“…It was a bit hard to go in.” Soyo removed her bass, and returned it to its case.
“What do you think, then?” Taki placed her drum sticks into her bag and started cleaning up the set.
“…I don’t know what you want me to say.” Soyo zipped up her guitar case and turned to Taki.
“Are you happy?” Taki asked directly.
“…I thought I was.” Soyo answered as well, with no hesitation. “Does there need to be something else?”
“I don’t know. I don’t watch you as much as she does, but…” Taki gripped her stick bag tightly. “…I might have to agree that you had a different smile back then.”
“The me from ‘back then’ is gone.” Soyo looked at the ground as she hugged herself, squeezing her forearm with her hand. “This is who I am now. What I was back then… I don’t know, Taki-chan. I don’t remember.”
Taki stared at the ground as well. “Well… All of us probably lost something back then.” She looked at Soyo, their eyes meeting as Soyo looked at her too. “Me, Tomori, even Sakiko and Mutsumi, too.”
Soyo tightened her hold onto her arm. She knows and understands that it just wasn’t her. “…Was there really a need to take back what we lost?”
Taki smiled at her wryly. “Maybe yes, maybe not. We’re lost, remember?”
“Lost… huh.” Soyo sighed.
“I don’t know how you and Anon are doing. You don’t fight as much, and you seem to get along, but just like all of us, she has worries and concerns of her own too.” Taki smiled. “You should be honest with her every now and then.”
“I do think I’ve been honest with her, more times than I could remember.” Soyo sighed.
“Well, ain’t that a sight?” Taki walked towards her and gave her a slight nudge with her fist. “Be more honest. I’m sure it’ll make her happy.”
Soyo unconsciously let go of her forearm as she smiled wryly at Taki. “…We’ll see.”
Outside, Anon touched the rehearsal doors, then left silently. Beyond RiNG’s lobby was Tomori, who was waiting for her.
“Tomorin.”
“Ano-chan.” The two of them smiled at each other, then Tomori started fidgeting as if she wanted to say something.
“Earlier, did you hear…?” Anon asked with a meek voice.
Unable to lie, or more like, not really wanting to lie, Tomori nodded. “Mm…”
“I see.” Anon smiled at her wryly.
“U- Um! I… don’t know what’s different, from the Soyo-chan before, and the Soyo-chan now. They’re all, Soyo-chan, to me, but…” Tomori nodded at Anon with determined eyes, to tell her what she thinks. “I think Soyo-chan, is happy!”
Anon’s eyes widened at Tomori’s straightforward words.
“I- I don’t know, much, about love or… or being in love with someone, but, I’m positive that, Soyo-chan is happy.” Tomori nodded. “That’s why, Ano-chan…! It’ll be fine!”
Anon smiled at Tomori and nodded. “Mm! Thank you, Tomorin!”
Soon, the doors to the rehearsal studio opened, and out came Taki and Soyo.
“Sorry, Tomori, didn’t mean to make you wait long.” Taki half jogged towards Tomori who only shook her head, then nodded at her.
Anon met Soyo half way as she smiled at her, her usual fang smile. Soyo nodded, and returned a small smile of her own.
“We’ll be going now. See you tomorrow.” Taki nodded at Soyo, then looked at Anon. Tomori also nodded at both of them.
“Take care, Ano-chan, Soyo-chan.”
Anon waved her hand at them. “Soyorin.”
“What is it?” The two of them walked through the glass doors and started walking the opposite direction as Tomori and Taki.
“Can I stay over today?”
“I told you we can do the study session–“
“No study session.” Anon smiled at her. “I just want to be with you more, today. Can’t I?”
“…My mom isn’t gonna be home today so it’s fine.” Soyo turned away and started walking faster. “Make sure to let your parents know.”
“Of course!” Anon gave her a smile with thumbs up, she then swiftly took Soyo’s hand into her own as they walked towards the Nagasaki household.
Soyo’s face relaxed into the hand hold as her lips slightly curved upward as they walked.
Soon they’ve arrived in the penthouse, and instead of Anon running in to greet Soyo, they both just stood in the doorway for a while, hand holding as they looked at each other.
“I’m home.”
“Welcome home, Soyorin.” Anon grinned at her as Soyo smiled at her.
They then entered the house as Anon immediately beelined for the comfy long couch after setting her guitar near a wall.
“Waaaah~ Finally~ Relaxation…” Anon’s body hit the soft couch as she wrapped her arms around a cushion. “Mm~ Smells like Soyorin~”
“Don’t say something so perverted.” Soyo only sighed as she set her bass and bag near the couch and walked towards the kitchen.
“I really like how you smell. Being here is my happiness~” Anon buried her face into the cushion and rubbed her face on it. “Soyorin~~”
Soyo sighed as she watched the water pour into the kettle before turning to Anon. “What?”
“Noooothing.” Anon answered mostly muffled, as she remained stretched on the couch, face into the cushion.
Soyo only sighed as she stood in front of the counter. She put the kettle on the stove, and put the fire on low heat.
“Soyorin.” This time, Anon’s voice was calm, and somehow, a bit determined.
“Yes?” Soyo looked up at Anon, who was already sitting up and looking at her. Anon waved a hand at her, and without thinking too much about it, she walked towards her.
Anon patted the space next to her, and oddly enough, Soyo took a seat, obediently. “Soyorin, so…”
“…Is this about my smile?” Soyo lifted her gaze and looked at Anon. Gray eyes meeting intense blue-gray ones that looked serious, but also carried a hint of sadness in them.
“Y- Yeah…” Anon looked away from Soyo’s gaze and turned to her hands. “What makes you happy, Soyorin?”
You. Were the immediate thoughts in her head, but there was no way she could just straight up and say it like that. “I…” Soyo looked at Anon, then suddenly started touching her own fingers over her lap.
“Since, you know, you did, try a lot, to get your old band back. I thought maybe, that, that would make you happiest.” Anon swallowed before she continued. “I mean… if it was what would make you happy, I…”
“Wait.” Soyo stopped her. “Don’t say anything else. Just, stop.”
Anon turned to look at Soyo and noticed that she had been staring intently on her hands, a habit she does often when she’s thinking of something. “S- Sorry, I didn’t mean to–“
“Shut up for a moment.” Soyo turned to look at her with a direct gaze. “Turn away, and listen.”
“Eh? Ah… Okay.” Anon turned away, her whole body facing the other direction. She felt Soyo’s hands on her shoulders, and a warm presence directly on her back.
“I’ll take Taki-chan’s advice, and try to be honest.” Soyo’s fingers lightly tightened around Anon’s shoulders. “I will only say this once, so listen carefully.”
Anon nodded as she sat still, unmoving. She waited, and will wait until Soyo finishes.
Soyo stalled as she tried to relax. Anon felt Soyo’s shaky hands over her shoulders, but said nothing about it.
“I don’t know, Anon-chan. I don’t know what makes me happy. Back then, I thought I’d finally found my own place, but I was wrong.” Soyo gently leaned her cheek onto the center of Anon’s back, near her nape as she spoke.
Anon felt Soyo’s breath tickle on her back. “Soyorin…”
“For a long long time, it was hard to find something to smile about. I didn’t know where Tomori-chan was, where Saki-chan was. Suddenly, everything was gone. My mom was never home. Outside school, I have none. I go home, I have nothing. I don’t have anything.”
Anon felt Soyo’s hands tighten as Soyo leaned her body closer to her. She wanted to say something, but bit her lower lip and stayed silent.
“I met you, made a plan, but it didn’t work. I hurt you, Tomori-chan, and Taki-chan, Raana-chan, but you all still welcomed me. I don’t say it enough, but it made me thankful and happy. Was I happy? Why is happiness so fleeting? Short lived.”
Anon was starting to regret her stupid concern. She started to realize that her stupid complex was exactly that. Stupid. She tried to move and face her, but Soyo held her in place.
“Soon, you confessed. It made me think about things for a while. You, me, this band. I answered your confession, and now we’re here. Soon, I started finding myself looking forward to every day.” Soyo leaned her body onto Anon’s back. “Now, I’m cooking food for more people. Now, I look forward to after school, because I have someone to spend time with.”
Anon wiped her hand over her face as she thought of a million apologies. She couldn’t even move. Soyo always told her she’s stupid, but this time she acknowledges that she had been one, the whole day. The whole time. “What a clown. I’m the clown.”
“I’ve never felt happier and excited for everyday than I am now. Often… I wonder if it was all right for me to be this happy, despite what I did to you, and Raana-chan back then.” Soyo closed her eyes as the tears that pooled up in her eyes fell. “I smile more when I’m with you. I’ve never smiled this much, not even when I spend time with my mom, as much as it pains me… This is the truth. Is that not enough?”
“It’s enough. Of course, it’s enough.” Anon knotted her eyebrows as she gritted her teeth after hearing Soyo’s sob. “Oh man… I did this again. I’m so stupid.” She forcefully moved away and turned towards Soyo.
Soyo covered her face with her hands as she sobbed. “I’m not good at showing my emotions. I’m not straight with my words, I’ve lied so many times in the past so I–“
“Soyorin, I’m sorry. I’m stupid.” Anon gently took Soyo’s hands into her own. “I’m an idiot for worrying. I should have asked you this, we should have talked about this instead of just randomly asking Rikki like that. I’m sorry.” She gently settled Soyo’s hands to her lap as Soyo continued to sob, tears falling down her cheeks.
“Really. Why are you so stupid?” Soyo looked at Anon as she sobbed continuously. “So stupid…”
“Sorry…” Anon apologized once again as she gently cradled Soyo’s face into her hands, softly wiping away her tears. “I like you, Soyorin. I will do my best to always make you happy and smile.”
“Then, do something.” Soyo closed her eyes as tears streamed down her face.
Anon smiled at her wryly and engulfed her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around her tightly as she rubbed her back. Soyo nuzzled her face onto the crook of Anon’s neck as she hugged her back.
“Please don’t cry anymore.” Anon gently rubbed her back as Soyo’s breathing calmed, and her sobs lessened.
Anon parted from the hug and looked at Soyo’s face, and those blue-gray eyes she loved glaring at her.
“Look at your hair, it’s such a mess.” Anon gently fixed Soyo’s hair as she wiped away any remaining tears on that beautiful face, gently cradling Soyo’s face in her hands. “Your eyes and cheeks are so red.”
“Whose fault do you think this is?” Soyo retorted back as she continued glaring at her.
“Apology kiss.” Anon kissed her forehead, her left eyebrow, and right eyebrow, then her nose. “…May I do a kiss of making up?”
Soyo stopped glaring at her, followed by a sigh, then nodded as she closed her eyes.
Anon gave her a small smile before gently nudging Soyo’s nose, as she pressed a soft warm kiss over her lips.
They parted from the kiss, and Soyo smiled at her as she opened her eyes. A shy and relieved smile, that showed all the way to her softened eyes.
Anon felt her heart beat loudly in her chest as Soyo’s smile warmed her heart. “I smile more when I’m with you.” Her shaky voice echoed in her head.
“Soyorin, can I kiss you again?” Anon swallowed an invisible lump in her throat.
Soyo didn’t say anything but instead, closed her eyes. Anon marveled at her pretty face as she softly ran a thumb over Soyo’s cheeks, before gently pressing their lips together. Soyo wrapped her arms around Anon’s shoulders, not wanting to let go of those warm lips over hers.
Anon closed her eyes as she angled her head and moved her lips softly for small bitey kisses as Soyo hugged her tighter. She slowly let go of Soyo’s face as she gently wrapped her arms around Soyo’s body, cradling her back as they kissed.
“Soyorin… I want more…” Anon thoughtlessly kissed, and still felt like she couldn’t get enough of her. Anon’s hand swiftly went for Soyo’s thin dark blue ribbon, as she unhooked one of her uniform’s buttons. “I need more of her…”
“Mm…” Soyo shortly parted from the kiss with a soft moan as she panted, short of air. “Anon…-chan…”
“Soyorin…” Anon breathed out as she kissed Soyo again, gently pushing her down the couch. She gently licked Soyo’s lips, who opened her mouth in response.
Suddenly there was a loud whistling sound coming from the kitchen. The two of them snapped out of their bubble.
Anon had one hand on the couch, to the side of Soyo’s head, holding her weight as she looked down at her. Surprised gray eyes stared into similarly shocked bluish-gray ones as they froze in position.
“Ah… I- I’ll get the kettle.” Anon almost tripped on her way towards the kitchen as her heart beat noisily in her ears.
“Th- Thank you…” Soyo muttered slowly as she slowly sat up from the couch. She looked down at her uniform, and immediately blushed as she noticed her undone ribbon and a few of her buttons loose. “When did she…”
Anon quickly turned off the stove, then put a hand over her chest as she stared at the bubbling water. She felt like cold water was just poured over her head, but before that her body felt like it was on fire. She wanted Soyo more than ever. She wanted to kiss her, touch her, hug her… hear more of her moans. “Am I a pervert?” She turned to look at Soyo, who was staring at her.
Soyo slightly averted her gaze, then looked at Anon once again, with a smile, so Anon smiled back at her.
“S- So! What do I do next with this hot water?” Anon grinned at her, with her fang smile.
Soyo sighed as she stood up from the couch and walked towards her. “You’re hopeless.”
“Hey now, I want to know the Soyorin-style earl grey tea!” Anon turned to the kettle and smiled at Soyo who stood next to her.
“Maybe I shouldn’t teach this to you, so you’d have to rely on me to make it for you every time.” Soyo teased as she raised an eyebrow at her.
“Ehh~ It’s not like I’m going to get it right on the first try. Please let me try and practice, Soyorin-sama!” Anon put both her hands together in front of her as she pleaded.
“If you remove the -rin, maybe I’ll consider it.” Soyo sighed. “Now, shoo. I’ll make tea and check for what we can have for dinner.”
“Eh~ I don’t have injured hands this time, please let me help~” Anon gently nudged Soyo with her arm. “I can cook a little, too!”
“Then decide what to cook.” Soyo turned to her with a judging look.
“This feels like a regular problem.” Anon returned the judging look.
“It’s difficult when you’re the one in charge of cooking.”
“You don’t seem to have problems when making boxed lunches!”
“Do you want umeboshi tomorrow, Anon-chan? You seem like you’re up for five pieces–“
“No, please! I’ll do anything!”
Soyo just turned to her with one of her sinister grins. “Now, decide what to cook.”
“Uhh…” Anon beelined for the fridge and looked at it. It was neatly stocked up, and there were so many choices, she couldn’t decide. “Uhhhhhhh…”
“Now you see my problem.”
“This is a first world problem!”
“Still a problem.”
“But first world problems are solvable by money!”
Soyo crossed her arms and closed the door of the fridge. “…And?”
“…So let’s order food?” Anon clapped her hands in front of her, followed by a wink.
“Great. You can pay all of it and treat me then. You made me cry, now I’m so tired I can’t cook.” Soyo put her hands up in a shrug and walked towards the living room.
“Uu…” Anon pursed her lips in defeat and hung her head.
Soyo sat on the couch and crossed her arms. “You’ll be taking responsibility, right?”
Anon only sighed, then smiled. “Well, well. I guess you’re in for a real treat for The Great ANON TOKYO will be feeding you her recommended food!”
Soyo raised her eyebrow at her, then suddenly laughed. “All right, The Great ANON TOKYO, show me your recommendations then.”
Anon looked at her with her mouth open. “She laughed at the joke!” She smiled and skipped over to Soyo as she took her phone out of her pocket. She quickly opened her food delivery app and sat next to Soyo, showing her the screen. “I really recommend this Korean restaurant’s food! Can you eat spicy food?”
“I can do some level of spicy.” Soyo nodded as she leaned in and looked at Anon’s phone screen.
Anon looked at Soyo and smiled, her heart warming at her natural smile. “Good mood, Soyorin~!”
From then on, Anon promised that she will always treasure Good Mood, Soyorin™ and would work hard to keep it that way!
No promises though.
“Embarrassed and slightly angry Soyorin, might still be a bit number one for me…”
(END/Your Smile)
Bonus
“Soyorin.” Anon, now dressed in her pajamas, opened the fridge and put in a water bottle inside, then closed it. “If you knew that I didn’t like umeboshi… Why do you still buy them?”
Soyo, also now dressed more casually, was just sitting on the couch, legs up and a pillow on her lap only turned to Anon who was walking back towards her. “Because I knew you disliked them that’s why.”
“Eh…” Anon stared at her in disbelief.
“So you’d know how much I’d torture you when I’m in a bad mood.” Soyo turned away as Anon plopped down next to her. “That aside, it’s healthy, and my mom likes them.”
“So she wasn’t joking about it…” Anon swallowed in nervousness after learning that fact. “Ah… That makes sense. Do you make lunch for your mom, too?”
Soyo touched the pillow on her lap as she stared into space. “If I wake up in the morning and she’s still there.”
“Ah…” Anon felt bad and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Maybe I should make lunch for you tomorrow.”
Soyo turned to look at her, eyes wide in surprise.
“What? I told you I can cook too.” Anon grinned at her. “I’ll do it.”
“…Okay.” Soyo touched her hair as she played with the tips.
“All right! Leave it to me!” Anon pumped a fist into the air. “But for now, I laze around~” She then stretched her arms and plopped her head over the pillow on Soyo’s lap.
Soyo didn’t say anything else and placed her hand on Anon’s hair.
“Hehe~” Anon grinned at her and Soyo only patted her head. “Soyorin, I like you.”
“I know.” Soyo smiled at her and lightly brushed her bangs. “Stupid.”
“The one who said stupid is the stupid one~ Bleh~”
(END)
