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"You've always been number one, Ana." Yasuo said in a near whisper as he leaned against her desk. "Ever since the beginning." Yasuo looked down at his shoes. "The women before you vacated my memory. The ones after you were my sorry attempts to find someone who could understand me in the smallest way. Asking them to understand me as much as you did would take a miracle!" he laughed lightly. "No, Ana." he said looking up at her finally, "you are it. I couldn't stop wanting you if my life depended on it."

Yasuo walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, gentle enough he wouldn't hurt her but firm enough to keep her there. "What are you talking about?" he asked her softly. He'd barely understood a word she'd said. The only thing he'd really understood was that she'd been hurt. "No more number two's." he said, surprising himself. Regardless of the fact that he hadn't meant to say it, he knew it was true. "From now on," he said, "I chase my number one until she'll have me."

Yasuo sighed with the realization that he might have to use the ring after all. For a reason unknown to him, he felt guilty about it. Never before had he hesitated, so why was Ana different. Because you love her, a voice screamed from the back of his mind. Yasuo turned Ana around gently to face him. Do I? he wondered. "Then I'll chase forever." he answered, determined. "Until you allow me to be the one you come home to, the one you call when nothing is going your way, I will chase you and spoil you in the smallest ways that you let me."

"You never did." Yasuo said in an empty voice. "Perhaps you trusted me with information and other facts, but not anything emotional. Everything you said or did was with your guard up. Just as it is now." he observed. "Is it really all about how I am with other women or did I do something else?" he asked, his brow furrowed in frustration. She was hiding something from him. It was evident in her expression she'd had just before she'd turned from him. Had he forgotten something important? Yasuo searched through his brain, coming up empty. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he walked to the door. "You don't have to come tonight, if you don't want." he said, a slight feeling of defeat settling over him. "I'll pass out your papers regardless."

"Okay." he said. "It'll melt in you mouth." he promised as he followed her out of her room. He headed back to his class with all intention of handing out those papers. The day passed quickly and Yasuo headed to the grocery store to pick up the nights food.

Yasuo carried home the two small bags of food without effort and hurried in to start on it. Pulling out a pot, he took the small ham that had been thawing and placed it in it, sticking it in the oven to cook first as it had the longest cook time. He then pulled out the pita's he'd bought at the store and cut them in squares quickly before mixing them with butter and a few spices and putting them in the oven to crisp. He mixed the spring salad before covering it and placing it back in the fridge. Assuring himself he had picked up the dressing to assist it, he set water to boil for the steamed vegetables. He wrapped two potatos in foil and popped them in next to the ham before heading to shave and shower quickly. Dressing in a button down white shirt with slim blue vertical stripes an inch apart and a pair of nice white wash jeans, he slipped on a pair of shoes he had yet to wear. Heading back to the kitchen after styling his hair and splashing on cologne, he checked on the ham and potatos before starting to cook the vegetables. A ring of the door bell told him the flowers he ordered to adorn the table were there. Thanking the man quickly, Yasuo set the three simple yellow daisies in the ready vase set between two candles in the dining room. While he was there he pulled the plates and silverware from their cupboards and sat the table. The wine glasses he pulled out were tall and slinder while the wine chilled in the corner of the room. Yasuo went back to the kitchen, starting to feel both anxious and nervous. Yasuo bit his lip. This was new to him.

Yasuo jumped at the sound of the doorbell, almost causing the pan he held to clatter to the floor. He looked at the clock, surprised she was arriving a bit late. He'd misjudged the time it would take to get the ham done, what a surprise. He gently sat the vegetables down and wiped his hands on a towel before heading to answer the door. Taking a deep breath he opened the door. Nothing had prepared him for the sight he saw standing in his doorway. For some unknown reason he'd rationed she'd appear tonight in about the same getup she always wore to work. He stared at her with the door open and his hand still on the door, unable to say anything. He'd yet to take a breath since opening the door. After a moment he cleared his throat and finally breathed as he took a step to let her in. His mind spun as he fished for what he usually said when he invited women over for dinner. Nothing really came to mind so he went back to the basics. "Hi." he said with a smile.