Chapter Thirty-Three: Taste More Like Honey:

Annabelle had her tastes. That was how she saw her world. She had only eight tastes she really adored.

I

Cherries

This had been her favorite since she was three. The first time was with cherry-flavored candy. Annabelle fell in love with taste. From then on, she had to have cherries.

Sweets, make-up, drinks, and men.

She can’t get enough. Annabelle could smell the cherry on Anna in the club. Maybe it rubbed off on Tsuzuki. She had to know.

II

Chocolate

Her next favorite came when she was ten. Her aunt gave her a mix of chocolate and cherries. Like heaven dancing on her tongue. She had to have more.

Treats, drinks, and men.

Chocolate is a building block to everything. She makes beautiful art with chocolate. Shouto has that strong bittersweet taste of European chocolate on his body. She refuses to share. Lucky for her, he feels the same.

Right now, she misses her chocolate.

III

Vanilla

This one is a little bit more mature. Annabelle used to find it bland. But now she adores it. It’s like the glue of everything. Blends with both chocolate and cherries. She learned that from the age of eighteen. It all clicked from there.

In her mind, Annabelle is building. First, the chocolate. Mix that in with fancy vanilla. Then splash in the cherry. Looks beautiful, doesn’t it?

But it’s not finished.

Still, the vanilla is very much needed. Just like the scent and taste of Tsuzuki. She had to have it.

IV

Alcohol

Another mature taste for her palate. Something bitter against the sweet. Alcohol slid nicely down her tongue. So smooth. So smokey. Annabelle can’t get enough.

Her first taste was when she was fifteen. Too bitter back then. But she was still curious. Over the years, she had more.

Today, she can’t get enough. Alcohol was like water. Annabelle ranked it as high as cherries. Shouto loved to give her wine for Christmas and her birthday. Right now, alcohol sounded good.

Alcohol will always float around the cherry, chocolate, and vanilla. But it wasn’t enough.

V

Cayenne Peppers

Here comes the spice. Annabelle loves some heat. The hotter the better. Shout wondered how she could take it. She smiled and just eats up.

The spice came when she was thirteen. Bombs went off in her mouth. This was her uncle’s idea. He dared her, really. Maybe he thought she couldn’t take it. But Annabelle proved him wrong. Now, she can’t get enough.

Heat goes with chocolate beautifully. Same with alcohol. Maybe same heat with the cherries. Never with vanilla.

She sometimes likes sweet. She sometimes likes bitter. But sometimes Annabelle wants the heat.

VI

Lime

She will do the sour too. Annabelle adored limes. Her mother gave her one of them. The sour taste made young Annabelle shiver. Tingles made her crave more. The girl has been chasing that the sensation.

Lime goes with alcohol. Lime goes with vanilla. Lime might go with chocolate. Lime really goes with cherry. But cayenne with lime? Hm… She would have to try it.

Annabelle smelled lime on Anna’s hair. She smelled lime on the baby too. Maybe the smell could wear off on Tsuzuki too. She needed more.

VII

Strawberries

Annabelle’s first love turned her to strawberries. Much sweeter than cherries. The taste playfully danced on her tongue. Nothing will replace cherries. But the other red berry sure loves to try.

Treats, make-up, drinks, boys, and a few girls.

Strawberries go with chocolate. Strawberries do with vanilla. Strawberries go nicely with alcohol. Strawberries go with lime. Strawberries even go with her beloved cherries. But strawberries with cayenne pepper? That’s something she would have to try.

Anna probably tasted like strawberries. Annabelle tasted a faint trace on Tsuzuki before. She had to taste it again.

VIII

Honey

This one is a new favorite to her. She tasted it on Tsuzuki before. Took her a night to figure it out.

He tasted like… a bitter honey. Mixed with a hint of strawberries, Annabelle had never tasted this before.

And now she had to have more.