1st Year Anniversary

Tringg! The ringing of the bell marks the first customer entering Koken Sushi Bar. The click-clack of the high-heels echoed through the rather empty restaurant which had just started their night shift. A unison and loud "Irasshaimase!" from the restaurant staff over-shadowed the high heels for a sheer moment as a customary greeting to the sole lady customer. She continued walking towards the sushi bar while clutching on to her maroon purse which matched her floral dress. She settled at the end of the bar and requested a bottle of sake from the waiter who attended her.

The chef at the sushi bar paid little to no notice to the customer as she was too immersed in slicing the vibrant-colored salmon to perfectly even width. The lady customer crossed her legs as she made herself comfortable on the barstool and stared intensely at the chef. "Pii," the lady customer called out. The chef was stunned momentarily at the familiar voice calling out for her name. She looked up and saw a shy smile from the girl in front of her, unable to respond. "How have you been?" The customer continued as if she was meeting an old friend. The chef placed her knife aside and directed all her attention to the girl in front of her with disbelief. Finally realizing that she was silent for too long, she blurted out, "Beam..." and was reciprocated with another gentle smile. Regaining her senses from the shock, the chef ran her fingers through her short black hair and said, "I'm well. What about you?"

"I am doing great as well. Are you seeing someone now?" Beam asked. A beaming smile just lit across Pii's face thinking about her cute girlfriend, Fah. Pii nodded. "Great. I am happy for you. I'm sorry for the things that I did to you. I really am." Pii waved her hand and said, "It's alright. I have gotten over it. Thanks to someone. So what brought you over here today? Some Pii-made sushi?" Beam chuckled, "I see that you still haven't lost your charm yet. Yes, some of your sushi and to invite you to my wedding." A hint of sadness swept across Pii's expression. "Is it still him?" Beam nodded, "Yes. I am getting married to Mike. Will you be coming? You can bring a plus one." Pii smiled and in many ways was grateful to her current girlfriend because she no longer felt the pain that almost broke her apart three years ago. "Yes. I will be bringing a plus one. Congratulations."

"Thank you. You can't imagine how happy I am that you are willing to come. Oh! I have another favor to ask from you. Can you teach me how to make sushi? It's just that Mike loves to eat sushi and I want to surprise him," Beam asked earnestly with a grin on her face showing her perfectly formed teeth. Pii raised her eyebrow, slightly taken aback by such a sudden request. Then she looked around to see if there are any customers around. Since it was still too early for dinner, they still yet to have any customers except for this long-haired girl here. Pii agreed to her request and said that she could only spare around 10 minutes before she gets back in preparing the fish. Beam's face lit up even brighter as she stood up in the excitement and ran behind the counter giving Pii a kiss on the cheek. Just then, the bell at the door rang as it opened. Pii looked up but there wasn't anyone entering the restaurant. "I am sorry. I was just too excited," Beam looked at Pii apologetically. "It's okay. Let's get to work, shall we?"

After quite a number of failures and some successes, the restaurant started to be filled with customers so the lesson had to come to a stop. "I hope it is enough for him," Beam looked at the amateur-looking sushi of all kinds in the take-away container and wiped away the imaginary sweat. "Don't worry. If this is not enough, I think he will be full if he had you for dinner," Pii smiled mischievously. "Baa!(Crazy)" Beam hit Pii's shoulder. "Hey! How dare you hurt this hand of a sushi master. It is my source of income," Pii pursed her lips and frowned. "Hahahaha! Okay. Okay. Thanks a lot, sushi master. I will have to leave now." Beam washed her hands and handed the wedding invitation to Pii. They bid their goodbyes and Pii went into the rush hour mode as the restaurant is booming with customers.

After the shift ended, Pii went straight home with a platter of sushi arranged in a love shape. Today is their first year anniversary since they started dating. Pii felt that she was the luckiest girl in the world meeting and falling in love with Fah, one who can make you feel comfort and warmth every time you lay eyes on her. Holding the platter with one hand and a gift in the other, Pii rang the doorbell, anticipating the surprised and touched look from Fah. She had been restraining to wish Fah and had sneaked out of the house before Fah even wake up. It is undeniable that Pii loves to make Fah sulk just for the sake of being able to pamper her later on. These arguments and making up, later on, is one of Pii's hobbies. She just could not get enough of Fah's diverse expressions. Her thoughts floated to the naughty things that she gets to do later made her smile sheepishly.

However, the anticipation started to waver as no one came to open the door. Pii rang the doorbell again and knocked on the door. No response. Noticing that something was amiss, Pii went on to open the door with her own set of keys. The light was not on. Pii began to feel worried that Fah was not home at such a late night. "Could she be that angry that she went to her parents?" Pii thought to herself. Noticing Fah's shoes disarrayed near the shoe cabinet, Pii dismissed the thought. She turned the lights on and yelled for the love of her life. No response yet again but she could hear soft sobs coming from their bedroom. "Oh shit! I never thought that my plans for surprise could backfire like this. I should have just stick to breakfast in bed next year." Pii bit her lips nervously as she walked to the bedroom. She tried to open the door but it was locked. "Fah, I am sorry. Are you mad at me?" Pii spoke softly with a regretful tone hoping to reconcile with Fah as soon as possible. She hit her own head congratulating herself for single-handedly ruining their memorable day, unaware that it was much of a bigger problem that is making Fah cry. Receiving no reply but just occasional sobs from the other side of the door, Pii made further attempts to reach out to Fah.

Knocking softly on the door, "Fah, Are you mad that I forgot our anniversary? I didn't. I was planning to surprise you so I didn't wish you this morning. Please just open the door so we can talk."

"Pii..." Fah sobbed.

"Yes?"

"Do you still.... *sniff* love.... *sniff* me?"

"Of course! You and only you for the rest of my life."

"Liar." Fah broke down again with an outburst of tears.

"What are you talking about?" Pii was shocked being labeled a liar by her lover and was slightly hurt. She teases Fah a lot but never lies to her. "Will you just open the door?" She pleaded again, desperately this time. She wanted to clarify this face to face.

"I saw you and another girl today. *sniff* I wanted to surprise you at your workplace. That is why i pretended to sleep until you leave the house. But when I reached there, I saw a girl *sniff* kissed you on the cheek! I ran and ran. *sniff* But I thought that maybe it was just a friend. It was a friendly kiss and I misunderstood. I walked back to the restaurant and saw that you were teaching her sushi-making the way that you thought me! I thought I was the special one. *sob* Am I not enough?"

Pii was taken aback at such an outburst from Fah. This is the first time that Fah is so mad at her.

"Fah...." Pii was unsure where to start.

"Let's break up...."

This statement came like a slap to Pii. Her heartfelt like it was being squeezed by a wrestler, almost suffocating her.

"Fah... Please don't say that. She was really just a friend. I admit, she was my ex but that was three years ago. She was the one that I thought I will spend the rest of my life with. I had my past flings, you know that, but she was the one who made me wanted to settle down. Then she came around to tell me that she had a boyfriend and planned to get back together with him. I was so broken. Torn apart. Thanks to Wine's support and advice, I got back on my feet but vowing never to fall in love again. I don't trust that love is forever. I am not even sure it existed. The pain never subsided. Until I met you...."

The sobbing stopped and Pii had all of Fah's attention.

"Fah... When I saw Beam today, I thought I would cry or my heart would hurt like crazy just as I imagined since we broke up. But to my surprise, the pain was not there anymore. Even when she told me that she is going to get married, all I could think of was our marriage instead. I thought of our future. I thought to myself that I am one lucky bitch to have you. You made me believe in love again. You made me believe that I am wanted even when I am different. Please.... Don't make me lose it all again." A tear slid down Pii's cheek as she stood by the door, unbudgingly like a loyal Labrador waiting for the master's forgiveness.

The door creaked open and Fah embraced Pii. "Sorry..."

"I'm sorry too. I should have told you how much you meant to me. I love you." PII pulled Fah in for a tighter hug and fondled Fah's layered brown hair as if it was the most precious thing in the world. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Pii loosened the hug just enough to get a good look at Fah's face. She wiped away Fah's tears gently and stared intently at her eyes. "Even the crying you looks cute." Fah turned away shyly, breaking the intense gaze. Pii held Fah's chin and turned her head to face her again. Pii moved in and kissed Fah's eyes and the dried tears on the cheek. The saltiness of it was something very new to Pii. She had never stuck around long enough or even bothered to assuage any of her exes but merely break up when hardship came by. Even the last one but she was at the receiving end. Perhaps it's karma. But now, it is different. She would risk it all just to stay by the side of this girl in front of her. The one that made her feel complete in every sense and made her grow so much as a person. The kisses slowly moved down to the lips and ended at the corner of Fah's lips. Pii distanced away again to look at Fah again in search of eye contact wanting to reassure Fah that she is the only one for her. "Happy Anniversary," Pii muttered softly and lovingly with a glint in her eyes. Pii leaned in to kiss Fah on the lips and just as their lips touch, Fah retracted and exclaimed, "Pii! I bought something for you!" Pii shook her head with disappointment, yet amused. Her lover sure knows how to spoil the fairy tale moment. Fah broke away from Pii's grasp and went to search for the present in her bag. Pii made a break to the living room where she left Fah's present. Both reuniting in the bedroom sat on the bed and smiled at each other. Their presents were similar in size but wrapped differently. They exchanged their presents, curious of the contents but knew in their hearts that they will be satisfied just from the feeling it carries.

"Do you want to go first?" Pii asked Fah giving her the discretion to be the one who unwraps her present first.

"Let's do it together."

Pii sighed, "I wanted to see your expression when you unwrapped it."

"No... It will be embarrassing," Fah blushed.

"You are already blushing. Plus I've seen more than just a mere embarrassed face of yours," Pii smirked.

"Pervert!" Fah hit Pii's shoulder.

"Why does everyone keep hitting me today?" Pii covered her mouth with her hands, realizing she blurted out something she shouldn't.

Fah raised an eyebrow but decided not to press on. Pii did a somersault inside, grateful that Fah chooses not to question further but could feel a tension in the silence.

"Let's open it together then." Pii immediately changed the topic.

As they both unwrapped the presents, they were bewildered at the similarity of the boxes inside. With a quick glance at each other, they both burst out in laughter. Both of them bought the exact same watch. Shining white digital-analog G-shock watch with a hint of gold in the interior.

"Our very first couple watch. Haha!" Pii said.

"But how?" Fah was still dumbfounded of the coincidence.

"Remember when we went shopping and I was preoccupied with my music album and you were sulking that I was constantly on the phone? I saw that you stared at this watch for a while. That's why I thought you wanted it."

"I was looking at it because I thought it would look good on you."

"Well, that is why we are fated together." Pii wrapped her left arm around Fah's waist and pulled her closer. Fah tensed up. Her face was just a breath away from Pii's, still moist from the tears that streamed down her eyes. The whiff of saltiness from the tear stains brought a pang to Pii's heart. Conflicted between the guilt of making someone you love cry and the happiness that there is someone who is crying because of you, Pii did what the moment called for and kissed Fah's cheek. Once. Twice. Thrice. Moving closer to Fah's lips each time and finally landed on the thin, moist lips she got to know so well this past year.