AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She rambles something that I’m pretty sure is Japanese, then mutters, “The real world sucks. If life were an anime, the good guys would come backdropped by sakura blossoms.”
“Mhm. Time would slow down, angels would sing—”
“Both time and the music would slow down as they run their fingers through their hair and catch sight of you, but angels wouldn’t sing. Stay with me, B. We don’t want American cartoon reality. We want Asian romance drama reality.”
“We’re not Asian.” And I’m pretty sure I don’t want any kind of drama to be my reality.
“We’re, like, two percent Asian. Remember? I did that DNA test a few years back. And we’re sisters. So we’re the same.”
“Is that how it works?”
“Absolutely.”
“Is that why two percent of the words you say come out as common anime phrases?”
“I resent that.” I picture her tiny nose scrunching in her round face. “All I’m saying is you deserve at least two percent of an anime romance in your life. It’s your birthright.”
“And all I’m saying is men are evil. Also, Oxford is all ready for his photo shoot, sooo…”
“You’re trying to hang up on me so you can take three hundred more photos of your dog.”
I begin drawing my phone away from my ear. “I can’t hear you over how adorable he is.”
“Brittny.”
“What? Alana? Hello? Oh dear. Oxford, your cuteness is too loud! It’s disrupting the cell service! Which is obviously very scientific and cannot be debated.” I hang up.
Sighing, I give myself a moment to pretend I’m not a disappointment to both my parents and my sister, then I lift my phone, intending to go to my camera.
A text buzzes through instead.
Alpha Sister: Scam.
Alpha Sister: I’m worried about you, imouto.
I wince. “I’m worried about you, too, sis.” No twenty-five-year-old should be sending texts half in English and half in romaji, then following them up with seven gifs of crying anime girls. It’s juvenile. Cringey.
Brave.
My favorite thing.
I love her so much.
To get on her nerves, I send back the gif of Homer Simpson disappearing into a bush, then I open my camera app. “Okay, love of my life and the only male creature who has yet to hurt me, say takito.”
Oxford yips, and I get a picture of him dropping his little taco.
¤
“I’ve fallen for your sunset lips and those earth-shade eyes. The way you move like paradise. After an eternal night, you crest the skies,” dolivers_not_trending hits a note that I can’t, so I just sink a tiny bit deeper into bed and let him sing to me from my phone.
“I’ve fallen for your heart of gold and that laughing smile. The way you overcome any trial. I know you’ll haunt me for a while.” Doliver strums his acoustic guitar with tan-and-white spotted fingers, a soft smile playing on his lips. “I’d trade the rest of my life for your sunshine. Whoa, oh. Whoa, oh. For your sunshine.”
My heart swells, and I melt, biting my lip. I’ve been trapped here for three hours. I have work in the morning. I don’t want to go. So I’ve been stuck on Leopard, replaying and replaying dolivers_not_trending’s latest song “Sunshine.” He is the most beautiful man I have ever seen—all lean muscle and grace, sandy brown hair and dark eyes, paint strokes of pure white cutting through his tan skin. He is probably the only man on earth I could still fall in love with.
If, of course, he weren’t an internet sensation who is—on all accounts—actually trending. Between when I found him something like seven months ago and now, he’s accumulated millions of followers.
His voice—ethereal. His presence—stunning. His manner—elegant. His flirty smile—to. die. for.
