Chapter Twenty-Two: Principles of Love:

-Tsuzuki-

I: Blessed

The sun is out this morning. But that’s not on my mind right now as Anna-chan sleeps peacefully in my arms. I kiss her on the forehead and sigh. Mornings like this are perfect. My angel with me, this happy feeling, I couldn’t ask for more. Okay, I still have work, but even that can’t bring me down. Six months already, huh? It doesn’t feel like it. I brush my lips against Anna-chan’s forehead again.

“I love you,” I whisper. She looks up, still partly asleep. I smile at her.

“Good morning,” I whisper. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes,” she nods.

I kiss her on the forehead. “I love you,” I whisper.

“I love you too,” Anna-chan says back. We share another kiss.

II: Dressing Up

Anna-chan has another interview today. I watch her pick out something to wear.

“You’ll do great!” I reassure her, from the comfort of our bed.

“Thank you,” she replies. Anna-chan picks out a black skirt and white blouse. “How does this look?”

“Good,” I replied.

Anna-chan glances over at me from the mirror. Somehow, I enjoy watching her getting dressed as much as I do stripping her. The skirt goes on first, then she slides her blouse over her scars.

“Don’t you have work today?” she asks.

“Yeah,” I say, waving her off.

“Shouldn’t you get going?”

“I will.” I lean forward, smiling. “I’ll go after you leave.” Anna-chan raises an eyebrow at me.

“Why?” she asks.

“Does there have to be a reason?” I ask. She buttons up her blouse without a word.

“Good luck today,” I tell her.

“Thank you,” Anna-chan says, picking up a pair of black stockings. Why is it so sexy for a woman to put on stockings? I quickly shake my head. No, it’s too early for that! Stop it! I happen to look up and see Anna-chan staring at me.

“What?” I ask.

“Is something wrong?” she asks.

“Nothing!” I lie.

“Okay…” she says with an unconvinced tone.

“Look, just forget it!” I shout red in the face. My wife bursts into laughter.

“Shut up!” I yell. Her laughing grows louder. I lower my head, sighing. Why do I keep walking into these?

Once she calms down, Anna-chan kisses me on the lips. “See you tonight.” She leaps off the futon and heads out the door. Afterwards, I go to work as well.

III: Our Lament

Today, I am reminded of one more hitch in our marriage. While out on a case, I take a small break in the local park. As I sit on a bench, a couple walks past me arm in arm. A man and woman in their late twenties to early thirties. Perhaps she's his wife or girlfriend. The woman is seven months pregnant. Her man, despite his many scary-looking tattoos, would stop occasionally to rub on the mother’s belly and talk to their unborn baby.

That will never be Anna-chan and me.

I am dead and Anna-chan’s body is basically sterile. We will never be parents. She won’t enjoy being a mother and me a father. I sigh and look up at the big blue sky hanging above. Maybe we can adopt? Maybe…

IV: Fiery Chemistry

I miss our bed again. Anna-chan makes want to teach her new tricks. I find myself wanting to get back to that sex store each day. I almost forgot what they could be like. Love swings, vibrators, lubes, handcuffs, toys, I could go on here. I smile at myself over my paperwork.

Damn, I’m getting horny again. I draw in a deep breath. Right, work first, sexy time later. I can do this. I smirk as I finish up my paperwork.

V: Tokyo Date

Anna-chan and I decide to go to Chijou Tokyo for our date tonight.

“Where do you want to go?”  I kiss her on the cheek.

She takes hold of my arm as she sweetly replies “Anywhere is fine.”

“Let’s eat first,” I whisper.

“Alright,” she says.

We end up at a new restaurant in a hidden Chinese neighborhood. I spend the whole night thinking about love. Ours is a strange path. Most of it came unplanned. We just kissed, slept together, fell in love, moved in, and got married. Do we regret any of it? No! I would happily do it all again. I know Anna-chan would do the same.

“How is your dinner?” I ask.

“It’s good,” she answers.

“I love you,” I tell her.

“I love you too,” she says back. After dinner, I pick up the tab.

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We don’t do much for the rest of our date. For the heck of it, Anna-chan and I ride around on a subway for the rest of the evening. There aren’t many people around tonight; it feels perfect like this. My wife lays her head on my shoulder and sighs.

I spot an elderly couple sitting across from us. I can tell they are still in love just by looking at them. Will that be Anna-chan and me in the years to come? The old man looks at me with a rather curious look on his face. I smile and rest my hand on Anna-chan’s knee. He squeezes his wife’s hand. He and I are no different. We love our wives dearly.

VI: Starts with a Kiss

When we arrive at our front door, Anna-chan kisses me.

“Would you like to come in?” she asks. I grin at her like a perverted schoolboy as I enjoyed where this latest game was going to head tonight.

“Sure!” I answer.