Five years. Nearly six, now that he thought about it. Had it really been that long? Hayate almost couldn't believe it. The six year anniversary of the final battle with Fenrir was in two months and nothing out of the ordinary was going on, besides the fact that Himeno was out of town for two more days. What on earth could have possessed her to agree to go on a trip to Hokkaido at this time of year? With Yayoi, of all people! Whatever the reason, her absence gave him some time to think things over. Not that he hadn't had four years to think things over.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Hayate jumped, startled by the voice of Sasame floating into his ear as though the Leafe Knight of Sound was merely inches away from him, instead of the four feet across the table.

"W-what?"

Sasame sighed gustily. "You had that face again."

Hayate stared at his friend. "What face?"

"The one that means you're thinking too much."

The stare became a glare. "And why shouldn't I think too much?"

"Don't you think you've let this go for too long? She's not going to able to wait much longer." Hayate looked away from Sasame's accusing eyes.

"She knows already."

"Yes, yes, yes, she's knows. But when are you going to ask her?"

Hayate decided to play dumb and brought his glass of lemonade to his lips. "Ask her what?"

"Look, buster, I know for a fact that you bought the ring six months ago. What the hell are you waiting for? I want nieces and nephews to spoil." The Leafe Knight of Wind choked on the tart liquid. Coughing, Hayate stared in shock at his friend, who was grinning like the cat that ate the cream. "Something wrong, Hayate?"

"Don't try to die please, Hayate. I would refuse to give you CPR and then I would get in big trouble." Goh's teasing voice trailed away from behind the now fiercely glaring Wind Knight, disappearing into the bustling café where he worked and where Hayate and Sasame were having lunch. Hayate huffed for a few minutes and then slowly his expression turned rueful.

"How did you notice?"

Sasame snorted and opened his hands wide, leaning back in his chair. "Took Takako shopping and saw you walking out of that one jeweler that specializes in rings. Wasn't that hard to leap to the obvious." The corner of Hayate's mouth hooked into a crooked grin. Sasame eyed his friend seriously. "But really, why have you waited so long to do this? There is no question of her love anymore…"

"I wanted to give her every chance."

"Every chance for what?" Sasame was not going to let his normally taciturn friend get away that easily, especially where Himeno was involved.

"Every chance to make sure she really wanted me after all."

Sasame gaped for a moment. "You… Moron! Do you really think after that whole fiasco with Fenrir that she wouldn't want you? And what about that guy she met when she was at college, Renji? She turned him down, multiple times if I heard correctly. She wants you, Hayate, and no one else."

Hayate was looking anywhere but at Sasame, though Sasame could tell he was blushing. "Just wanted to give her the choice."

Sasame blew out an exasperated breath. "Well, what's the plan?"

"Not sure. Probably ask her when she gets home."

"Just like that?" Hayate nodded once and Sasame took a deep breath. "Okay then. Good luck to you, not that I think you'll need it. I'm holding you to this, so don't let me down. She's been kept waiting far too long."

He was slightly surprised to see a soft smile on his friend's normally stoic face. It was small, but it was still a smile. "I'll do my best."

"That's the best I could ask for."

Not ten miles away, an automatic alarm unheard in more than half a decade began to blare. "…Not possible." A few seconds later, the alarm cut off.

"The hell?" Several moments of the clacking of computer keys, and the Leafe Knight of Light was even more confused than before. "Where did the Demon Larvae go?"