Free A Fox's Family by Brandon Varnell Page B

more than
necessary.”
    My
own characters hate me!
    “We
don’t hate you,”
Lilian
said reassuringly. “We just find you very annoying.”
    U-ugh…
    “Would
you two stop that already!”
a
red-faced Kevin shouted. “Stop talking to someone who isn’t
real!”
    Kotohime
and Lilian looked at Kevin like he was an idiot.
    “What
are you talking about?”
Lilian
asked. “Of course he’s real.”
    “Indeed.”
Kotohime
nodded her agreement. “We wouldn’t exist if he wasn’t
real.”
    The
next morning, the complex manager would arrive at their doorstep
after receiving numerous complaints about strange banging noises, as
if someone had been slamming their face into a wall, coming from the
Swift’s apartment.
    ***
    Kotohime
led the pair onto the balcony, where she had prepared what appeared
to be a romantic dinner for two.
    A
small round table with a white cloth placed over it sat in the center
of the balcony, with two comfortable-looking padded chairs situated
on opposite ends of the table. Kevin didn’t question where
Kotohime found the table and chairs, which he knew they hadn’t
possessed this morning. In the table’s center, a single candle
burned, its flame wavering and dancing to a transient tune beyond
human perception.
    “Oh,
um, wow.”
Kevin
didn’t know what to say. “This is, uh…”
    “I
didn’t really know what we should do to celebrate your last
track meet,”
Lilian
admitted as Kevin gawked at the scene before them. “My first
idea was to invite all of your friends over and have a really big
party, but we did that last time.”
    Kevin
remembered that. They had done really well on their second to last
track meet, getting first place in almost all of the competitions
except for pole vaulting and the shot put. Having been so elated by
their success, Eric had invited all of them to his house for a party.
    He
also recalled how that particular celebration had ended with Eric and
his pervy old man being laid flat by an irate Christine, who’d
shown up halfway through the party.
    A
small droplet of sweat trailed down the left side of his face. “Yeah.
I think not having a party was a good decision on your part.”
    “Thanks.
Anyway, that’s why I decided on doing this. I thought it would
be nice if we celebrated your success, just the two of us.”
    When
Lilian’s cheeks tinged a soft pink, visible even in the
moonlight, Kevin thought he would die of moe. Some things existed in
this world that were just criminal, and a drop-dead gorgeous girl
like Lilian possessing such an enthralling look of sweet demureness
was one of those things.
    “Uh…
ah…”
    When
Kevin opened his mouth and only got a few monosyllables for his
trouble, he realized how close he was to losing it. He quickly closed
his eyes and concentrated on his breathing. He would not allow
himself to act like a jabbering idiot. Not anymore. He refused.
    Opening
his eyes, Kevin showed Lilian his best smile. “I like this
idea. It’s sort of like we’re on a date at a nice
restaurant.”
    Lilian’s
smile made Kevin feel both lighter than air and like there was a lead
bowling ball in his stomach.
    “I’m
glad. Now then, shall we sit down?”
    “Oh,
um, right!”
    Remembering
his manners, Kevin held Lilian’s chair out for her before
sitting down in his own. Kotohime walked onto the balcony, carrying a
tray of food. Kevin followed the tray with his eyes, trying not to
let his mouth water as a delectable aroma wafted into his nose.
    With
her usually placid smile, Kotohime set the tray down, and then placed
two glasses on the table, which she filled with what Kevin really
hoped was sparkling cider.
    “For
a side dish, I have prepared tiropsomo ,
warm bread stuffed with feta. For Lilian-sama, I made bourtheto ,
and for Kevin-sama, spetsofai —sausages
with bell peppers.”
    “You’ve
really outdone yourself, Kotohime.”
Lilian
sniffed the food, her own mouth watering. “This looks
delicious!”
    The
perennial smile on