A Smile That's True
Kokoro leaned on Vere’s shoulder as she scrolled through her phone mindlessly, not wanting to think at the moment. She enjoyed the quiet moments like this, those of which helped her to understand why her rather standoffish boyfriend preferred them. These times of relaxation were a rarity and she wanted to enjoy them to their fullest, but, unfortunately, they could come with a silence that provoked anxiety–and she wanted none of it. So, to combat that, she decided to look through her old photos to recapture forgotten nostalgia.
What she saw pertained to no interest of hers, all being similar in manner. Performative smiles of photos with fans and of concerts–none of it ever felt all real to her. Of course, she tried to be genuine with those who admired her and loved her art, but it all became tiring. Sometimes the smiles she truly wanted to be genuine could not be because she lacked the energy for them to be, and that sentiment made itself very well-known throughout most of the photos.
All except for one.
She stopped mid-swipe, something catching her eye on the picture she almost dismissed. Kokoro did not even realize what gripped her attention until she observed it further. There it was: her real smile. The only reason she could tell the difference at all is thanks to her boyfriend noless, the same man many accused of not even knowing how to smile (which he does, and Kokoro loves its uncommon sight). He pointed out that her eyes gave it away, shining a sparkle they did not when forced because she had no one to force it for.
In the photo displayed one of the happiest days of Kokoro’s life: her first date with Vere. Her grin spread wide across her face as she held him close, while his face showed nothing but confusion as to why she made him take a selfie with her. They leaned into each other, disorderly and disproportionate (mostly due to their significant height difference), with Kokoro clearly dragging the man down to her height. What amused her the most, however, is the blurriness of the photo and the sudden fear in Vere’s eyes. It all happened in impulsive seconds, and the thought made her chuckle.
“Hey, hon, look at this,” she said while almost shoving the phone in her boyfriend’s face…lovingly.
“What?–oh.” He took the phone from a rather awkward hold and squinted at it. “Yes, I remember this. You held me against my will to commemorate our first outing together.”
“It was affectionately against your will. How else was I supposed to immortalize it?”
“Mhm. Perhaps it is fortunate you made that decision, at least for your own sake. You are captured beautifully in it, whereas I am not so lucky.”
Kokoro giggled. “Aww, I think you were captured beautifully too!”
“How so? Is my startlement that appealing to you?”
“Yes. You are handsome in all of your expressions, when you so choose to express them.”
Vere hummed, not so much in agreement, but a playful annoyance. “You are truly something else, Koko.”
“Thank you. So are you, Lovere.” She brought her attention back to the photo and reminisced further. She recalled they had gone on a picnic together, a compromise of away from other people and under the stars. The night had been lovely, they managed to see a shooting star at the same time. Kokoro had excitedly asked Vere to make a wish, but refused, saying he didn’t have anything he needed to wish for. She didn’t understand at the time, though she believed now in this moment she did. She smiled and closed her phone, deciding to sleep on his shoulder.
What more could you wish for when you finally found your soulmate?