I couldn't love you more

Ring...Ring...

Leo's pocket vibrated... Someone was calling him...

He excused himself from the women's shopping section, pulling his phone out. It was Sarah. He picked up.

"Hello?" he responded.

"Babe! Bae! I've been calling, why weren't you picking up?" Sarah lamented on the other end of the call...

"Huh? It hasn't been a minute. What are you talking about?" Leo replied, slightly confused.

"Anyway," she continued, her voice bubbling with excitement, "I got the contract! I'm going to be in a movie! Yay!"

"Really? That's awesome! I'm so happy for you, babe," Leo responded, a genuine laugh escaping him...

"Miss Sarah, it's your turn!" a voice shouted from Sarah's background, faint and clear.

"Bae, I have to go now. Talk to you at home, okay?" she giggled...

"Hmmm," Leo hummed in response, his happiness for her laced with a familiar pang.

"Babe, what happened? You sound like you're in your head. Have you eaten your lunch?" she asked, her concern cutting through the excitement in her voice...

"Miss Sarah!" The voice shouted louder this time.

"I really have to go, bye! I love you!" she rushed out.

"I love you too," Leo responded, just as she cut the call.

Leo stood there, still holding his phone. He was genuinely happy for her, a proud smile on his face. But deep down, a familiar sadness began to settle. It wasn't jealousy of her success, but a quiet frustration with his own stagnation. It had been five months since they both finished university, and he still hadn't landed a proper, full-time job, stuck instead with part-time mall work. Meanwhile, she was a model, an actress, constantly moving forward. He felt like just an ordinary guy, a childhood friend who somehow got lucky enough to make her his girlfriend...

After his shift ended at 7 PM, Leo changed out of his uniform and left the mall. The sun was almost gone from the sky, a faint orange glow barely visible on the sky...

Leo walked along the busy streets, lost in his thoughts. Then, his eyes landed on a display in a café window... a limited edition strawberry and vanilla flavored short-cake...

He instantly remembered Sarah talking about how much she loved that specific cake, and how she longed to eat it again. A small smile touched his lips as he also recalled her earlier excitement about the movie role. The pieces clicked into place. He pushed open the door and stepped into the "Love Me Cafe."

"Welcome to Love Me Cafe, how may I help you?" the staff member questioned him.

"Ahm, I'd like to buy the limited edition Strawberry and Vanilla flavored cake, please," Leo replied.

"Okay, please have a seat. We'll be right back," the staff said with a polite smile.

After a short wait, the staff returned with a beautifully packaged box. "Here you go."

"Cash or transfer?" They asked...

"Cash," Leo responded, counting out the bills... He took the cake and left the cafe, moving back into the street crowd...

After walking for a while, his apartment complex came into view.

Then he saw someone on the second floor, waving excitedly at him.

He squinted his eyes...It was Sarah.

At that moment, a powerful surge of joy, so strong it almost took his breath away, flooded through him. All his worries, his self-doubt, the confusion about the drugs...they all faded.

All he felt was an overwhelming gratitude to be alive, and to be with her. He smiled a genuine, wide smile, and rushed upstairs. He didn't even realize he was running until he reached the top.

When he got to their floor, he saw her standing there, beaming.

"Welcome back! How was..." Before she could finish the sentence, he pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his face in her shoulder...

She stood still for a moment, surprised, then slowly wrapped her arms around him, patting his head. "It's okay, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere...

"Come inside."

After a while, he finally let go of her, taking a deep breath...

As they stepped inside, she started teasing him. "We were only apart for a few hours. Did you miss me that much?"

"God, you're such a mood killer," Leo muttered, his face flushing.

He walked over to the bed, pulled off his uniform, and dove right into the soft covers.

"Huh? Get up from the bed! You haven't even showered yet. Go, I'll microwave your dinner," she said, smiling warmly.

Leo raised his hand, showing her the limited edition cake he'd gotten from Love Me Cafe. "Congratulations on your movie role," he said, smiling genuinely.

"Thanks, Babe!" Her eyes lit up. "But how did you get this?" She practically leaped at him, snatching the bag from his hands in the process. She tore open the box with the excitement of a small child...

"Hmmm!" she hummed, already taking a large bite.

"Hey, at least use a plate," Leo said, shaking his head. He tried to remind her to save his vanilla half, but she was already devouring it. He walked off to the bathroom.

Minutes later, he came out, already dressed in his pajamas, a towel wrapped around his damp hair. Only for him to see Sarah's entire face covered in cake icing sugar... He glanced over at the small table in the corner where he'd planned to eat his share. His own portion of the vanilla cake was gone. He turned back to her, an exasperated look on his face...

"Are you kidding me, Sarah?"

"Don't call me by my name," she responded her mouth full, chewing down the last piece of cake. "And I'm sorry for eating your share."

"And you still didn't eat with a plate," Leo exclaimed, shaking his head. "You know, if you keep eating like that, you'll get fat."

Leo took out his phone and quickly snapped a picture of her cake-covered face.

"Ahh! Don't do that!" she rushed at him, trying to grab his phone. "Delete it!"

"No way! I'm going to add it to one of my collections. And if you don't behave, I'll show it to your co-models," Leo said, laughing triumphantly, dodging her attempts to snatch the phone.

Sarah started getting tired from the chasing, panting slightly.

"You see? You're getting fat. That's why you're exhausted," Leo responded, still laughing.

"God, I hate you," she grumbled, flopping onto the bed.

"Are you sure?" Leo asked, holding in his laughter.

After an hour of playful wrestling and chasing, Leo finally settled down, gaming. But his mind couldn't completely forget about the drugs he had seen. Sarah was lying on the bed, watching him play.

"Babe," he called her, pausing his game.

"Hmmm?" she hummed, turning her head towards him.

"I saw..." he hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "I saw your bag."

"What bag?" she asked, her tone innocent.

"One of your bags. The black one, to be precise."

"What about it?"

"Are you in any way taking medication?" Leo responded, trying to keep his voice neutral.

"Who, me? No. What makes you say that?" she explained, a slight shift in her posture.

"I saw packs of drugs in your black bag," he stated directly.

Sarah stopped smiling. Her facial expression changed, becoming serious, almost guarded. She looked downwards, her gaze fixed on the sheets. "It's for my mother," she replied, her voice soft, almost a whisper.

Leo immediately stood up, concern etching his face. "What happened? Is she okay?"

"Yes, she's fine. Don't worry about anything, okay?" she replied, still not looking at him, her voice lacking its usual cheerfulness.

Leo stood there, confused. Her answer didn't fully explain the situation.

"Babe, continue your game, really. It's fine," she urged, trying to push him back to the screen.

Reluctantly, Leo sat down and continued playing his game. He didn't want to push it any further right then, sensing her discomfort.

Then, she hugged him from behind, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Babe, actually, there's something I'd like to ask you."

"What is that?" he asked, still gaming. "I hope it's not a money matter. You didn't use my credit card, did you?"

"No," she said quickly. "It's... are you free on Friday?" she asked.

"Hmm, not sure. I'll check if I'm done with this mission," he replied, focusing on his game.

"Check it now, please," she insisted, resting her breast on his head, nudging him playfully. "Now, now."

"Fine," he sighed, pausing the game. "Hand me my phone." He scrolled through his calendar. "Wednesday... Thursday... Fri... Yeah, I'm free."

"Yay!" she shouted in joy, bouncing slightly. "Now we can go to the Anime convention together!"

"We? Who 'we'?" Leo exclaimed, turning to her. "Theft! Pay up for the two-piece hat you bought with my money before you even think of going to that Anime convention!"

"I said it, you don't love me!" she whined dramatically, letting go of him and flopping onto the bed.

"What does love have to do with anything, theft?" he countered, deadpan.

"Stop with the 'theft'! I'm your girlfriend! Your money is my money! That's how it should be!" she pouted, crossing her arms. "After all, I gave you a boob job and also a blowjob, so I have repaid my debts!" she added, a triumphant glint in her eyes.

Leo grumbled, grinding his teeth slightly. "If that's how it should be, then pay up for my cake you just ate!"

"Fine, I give up! You win! I'm a thief, not your girlfriend!" she said, bending her face downwards in exaggerated defeat.

Leo picked up his gaming pad, turned back to the screen, and started playing again, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Remind me," he said, without looking at her, "let's go shopping for your costume on Thursday."

She looked up, her face transformed. "Really?" She quickly hugged him from behind again and whispered in his ear, "I love you." Then she started licking his ear, a familiar tease...

"Bae, take your shirt off"