Until the Day I Die

Sorata had really crooked teeth, she noticed. Not the same crooked you get with one too many blows to the jaw, but the kind of crooked that just make you want to curve the edges of your lips into a smile. It was hard not to whenever he flashed those circus clown dentures at you.

He always smiled when he'd tell her that he'd die for her. It was probably the one thing that she hated most about him.

-

Sorata asked her what she wanted for Christmas, grinning so widely that it was almost a leer. He tried to reach out to hold her hand but she slugged him a good one across the jaw—a loud broken crack. She calmly said that all she wanted for Christmas was for him to stop following her. Sorata merely laughed (with as much effort as he could through his broken jaws), and said that nee-chan was "so aggressive".

-

On Christmas day, she found herself blanketed in pale red rose petals. The moment she lifted her head from the pillow, the door flew open and Sorata barged in, whistling merrily. Good morning! he crooned. He carried an absurdly large picnic basket, festooned with more of the brightly colored flowers. She only stared as he pranced his way to her bedside, sprinkling more petals into the air and singing Christmas carols in broken English.

Frozen stiff from astonishment, Arashi didn't even flinch as his thumb grazed her chin and his eyes gazed at her, brimming with love. I want to wake you up every morning like this, he said, opening up the picnic basket to reveal a platter of rice balls. Until the day I die.

-

Arashi wondered what Sorata put in the rice to make it taste so bitter.