Thank you all for your reviews. They all make me so happy.

And thus, a mere two days after Chapter 11, I bring you this, Chapter 12 (but wait! I always update on Mondays and Wednesdays). Alas, but this is a special chapter. And thus, I most humbly present it to you.


"C'mon, Rin. Let's go out."

She looked at Haru curiously. "Huh?"

"We haven't been out in a while", said Haru, "And you must get bored being at home all day. Let's go out on a date."

"H-Haru..."

"Oh, who cares if people see you pregnant? If they talk bad about you, I'll beat them up."

"...you don't have to do that..."

"I know, but I'm serious!"

"I know you are, but I don't want you to make a scene or anything..."

"Don't worry. I'll try not to."

"Haru...! Never mind. Whatever. If you want to...then we can do it, I guess."

And thus, this earlier conversation had brought the two of them to this point--sitting opposite each other at a restaurant. Rin sat stiffly as though embarrassed, while Haru was slouched lazily in his chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him, one elbow resting on the chair back.

"Your hair's starting to grow out again", said Haru, "But it must have taken a long time to get it as long as it was before."

"...I was growing it since I was a little kid."

"Yeah, I know. It's the mane of the horse, trailing behind her as she freely roams..."

"Haruuuu. Don't say stuff like that in public!"

"Oh, why not? I thought it sounded rather poetic. Maybe I should make it into a poem. I'd call it 'An Ode to Rin'..."

Rin was trying to act annoyed, and not doing a very good job of it. "...you don't have to write me any poetry. It's not like I'm really into that sort of thing anyway."

"Ah, but clearly you have a soft spot for roses..."

Rin remembered Ayame's bouquet of congratulations.

"Don't remind me!" she replied.

"You know they all mean well", said Haru, "It's just that the way they go about expressing their...er...well wishes...may not be to your liking."

"I just wish they'd get a clue", she replied.

"Oh, yeah. I am curious about something. Shihan said Ayame keeps calling for you..."

"He didn't actually answer any of those calls, did he?!" cried Rin in horror. She could just picture the unsuspecting Kazuma answering the phone, only to find out the real reason Ayame kept calling--measurements.

"I...don't know. Why? What's Ayame want to talk to you for?"

"That's none of your business! Er."

Haru was looking at her curiously, wondering why she was getting frantic.

"It's...not like it's anything important at all", she tried to assure him, "Shouldn't our food be here by now?! What's taking so long?!"

As if on cue, their food arrived. The waiter looked a little confused when Haru asked him to put Rin's food in a takeout box, but it was done.

Kazuma's house was dark when they got back.

"Where is he? It's after dark. He should be home", said Rin, "I mean, it's a good thing I have a key, or we would've been stuck outside waiting for him! Where the hell is he?!"

"Maybe he had, you know, places to go, people to see."

"Are you serious?! In the time I've been here, he hasn't had anything that could really be called a 'social life'."

"Which doesn't really make sense to me. We Sohma men, for some unexplainable reason, seem to have an irresistable gift that charms females. And not only is he a Sohma, but he looks younger than his age...he's pretty well-off...and he's single. He should have flocks of women swarming him."

"...most women clearly like guys who are already taken."

Haru blinked. "The person you're talking about, it's not--"

"I didn't necessarily mean you! You shouldn't assume things!"

"Um...okay."

They went inside. Rin flipped on the lights, and the two of them sat at the kitchen table. Rin began eating her dinner.

"When you think about it, it really is surprising that Shihan's gone so long being single. I wonder if he'll ever get married?"

Rin shrugged. "Kyo would probably scare off anyone he was interested in."

"Maybe now that he's got a girl, he won't be so possessive of Shihan."

"That's too optimistic. Kyo's a hotheaded idiot."

"Which means Tohru must really care deeply for him, if she puts up with it. Love lets you put up with difficult people."

They met each other's eyes.

"Not that I was talking about you, necessarily", Haru added.

A silence passed between them. Rin went back to her meal.

Then Haru asked, quietly, "Do you love me, Rin?"

She was completely taken aback by the question.

"You...you even have to ask?" She looked hurt. "Haru, you even have to wonder?"

"Well...how much do you love me?"

"...what do you mean? What are you...asking?"

Haru had the strong sense that he was venturing into dangerous waters. It was best to just spit it out.

"Rin, I love you. I want to be with you. Not just now, but...always. I know that I'll always love you, that my feelings won't ever change, and if you feel the same way...what's the point in putting it off to some point in the future? Now's just as good a time as any."

"Haru, what are you talking about?"

"Rin...will you marry me?"

She stared at him, wide-eyed.