It was two days until their anniversary and Teru was no closer to finding a present for Kurosaki. In desperate need of help, she dragged Rena and Haruka with her to the mall.

"I think you should get this."

Teru idly glanced over at Haruka and her absent-minded 'Mm-hmm' quickly turned into a gasp. She pushed her friend and the thing she was holding up for the entire world to see behind a tall stand of clothes. "Are you crazy? I can't get that!"

"Sure you can." Haruka ignored her and held the pink, wispy, frilly, and mostly see-through negligee up to Teru's chest. "See. The ruffles on the bra part make it look like you actually have boobs."

"Will you shut up," she hissed, looking around for potential gawkers. "Why would I get that?"

"It'll be Kurosaki's anniversary present." Rena walked up beside Haruka and the two looked at each other, rolling their eyes. "Duh."

"You," Teru said, pointing a finger at Rena, "are such a bad influence on her." Blushing ten shades of pink, she grabbed the garment out of Haruka's hands.

"Oh, please." Rena waved a hand and wrinkled her nose. "It should at least be black. Here." She held out a jar. "I think you should get this."

Teru took it suspiciously. The writing was so tiny and discreet that she was having trouble making it out. "What is it?"

"A massage oil with a homeopathic aphrodisiac mixed in."

Haruka smirked at Rena even as Teru fumbled the jar. "Are you kidding? Like Kurosaki's going to need an aphrodisiac after waiting all these years."

They watched as Teru tried to hide the jar and the underwear under a pile of t-shirts. "It's really more for her," Rena admitted. "You know, to try and loosen her up a bit. She's going to be a nervous wreck when they finally get down to it."

Teru stomped back over to her friends. "Are you two going to help me or not?" She rubbed her cheeks in an effort to make the blush go away faster. "Because right now your suggestions suck!"

Haruka elbowed Rena before she could say anything in response to that. "We're sorry. Really." She put an arm around her shoulder and led her out of the store. "Non-sexual suggestions from now on, right Rena?"

"If you want to be a killjoy, sure," was her reply. "What about something electronic?"

They all turned to the bustling store covered with posters for game systems, handheld devices, and every conceivable electronic device on the planet. Haruka and Rena turned to Teru, who was chewing her lip in thought.

"Do you think they have the Kinect for Xbox One?" She mused. "Kurosaki was just grousing because he bought a game and it turns out it needs the Kinect."

The two girls grinned and looped their arms through hers as they headed into the store.

Kurosaki looked at his watch as he waited for Teru in the lobby. They lived right down the hall from each other, for crying out loud. Why were they always meeting in the lobby? If he went to her door he could at least badger her into moving faster.

He had just taken a step towards the elevators to do just that when the doors dinged and Teru popped out, breathless.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "I didn't see your message about what to wear until I'd already dressed so I had to change." She let go of him and stepped back before he could hold her to him. "Am I really late? Is this okay?"

Kurosaki looked her up and down. He always really, really enjoyed her in skirts, but her jeans...well now. He circled a finger, then pretended to ponder as she turned around. Oh yeah, he sighed. He loved how she looked in jeans. Her tshirt was new and featured the Tokyo University logo. He wondered if she'd picked it up after test while she was on campus.

"Good," he told her, taking her hand as she checked out his similar ensemble. "That's just what I had in mind. Did you bring a cardigan?"

She nodded and sighed herself at the way his baby soft T outlined his shoulders and back. "Where are we going that this is the dress code?"

"You'll see." He paused with his hand on the door and bent his head. "Happy Birthday, Teru."

She raised on her toes to meet him halfway. "Thank you." They shared a slow, tender kiss that had her smiling shyly as they parted. "Happy anniversary, Kurosaki."

"Oh," he held the door open for her, playing with her braided hair as she went past him. "Is that today?"

"Oh, you forgot too?" She teased as they headed towards the car. "That makes me feel sooo much better about not getting you a gift."

"Yeah, me too." He threw an arm around her shoulder, but just to hold her still as he went for her ribs. She shrieked and started to run for it, but he just picked her up and carried her the rest of the way to the car. "Thank god, huh?"

Teru sat in the car, fingers happily tangled with Kurosaki's as they drove into the Taito section of Tokyo. "I had a nice morning," she told him. "Riko woke me up with breakfast in bed and gave me this shirt." She pulled on the hem and looked down at Riko's alma mater. "She said if I choose Tokyo U. I'll need the gear and if I choose Chukyo it'll be a hometown momento."

He raised her hand for a kiss. "Are the results out?" He asked, referring to the tests she'd taken the week before.

"No," She blew out a nervous breath. "So this shirt could also potentially forever remind me of my failure and shattered dreams."

"Wow. That's a lot of pressure on one shirt."

"No kidding." She sat up a bit as Kurosaki turned into a parking lot. "Where are we?" She asked as he paid the attendant.

"What? Didn't any of your fancy pants schools ever take you to the National Museum?" He teased as they parked and got out of the car.

"Yes, but it's been years!" He laughed as she did a happy dance right there on the pavement. She grabbed his hand and headed for the walkway that led to the multi-building complex. "Did you know that they have one of the world's largest collection of ninja material? The only thing better than this would be to go to the Koka Ninja village itself!"

"Speaking of which...," Kurosaki pointed towards the stately front of the museum which was currently flying a banner that highlighted their special exhibits. "Look."

Teru stopped in her tracks as she read the giant sign. "'Special Exhibit: Koka Ninja Village and Ninja Mansion with live demonstrations'." She knew she was bouncing, child-like, on her toes, but she couldn't seem to stop. "Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh! Thank you!"

Kurosaki caught her with a laugh as she threw herself into his arms. "Seriously, how are you not going into history?" He set her down, grinning as she grabbed his hand once more and hurried towards the entrance. "I see your love of the Koga is alive and well."

"Best. Gift. Ever," she told him sincerely as he bought their tickets. "You'll see," grinned at him. "After this I'll sign you up for the fan club and show you the secret handshake."

Nothing made him as happy as seeing her so happy. "Can't wait."

Several hours later they walked back to the car, both of them wearing souvenir t shirts, their arms full of brochures and gift shoppe bags. Teru giggled to herself as Kurosaki kept up a running commentary that had been going on for the past half hour.

"...and then there was that backflip thing he did with just one foot after that other guy threw him! And what about how he just disappeared? Huh?" They'd even gotten to take part in one of the demonstrations where they'd taught them how to break a fall and how to tumble. He'd set it up beforehand, which was why he'd had her wear jeans and a T-shirt.

"And then there's the gear." He opened the trunk to us jeep and set the bags down with a sigh. "And the trap doors and stuff. Teru," he said when he took a breath. "The Koga were amazing."

Teru looked up to the sky and pulled an exaggerated fist pump. "Finally. Thank you, God. Finally." She reached out and pulled the ninja hood off of Kurosaki's head and put it back inside the gift shoppe bag. "I told you so times infinity."

"Yeah. Yeah." He reached inside the bag and pulled out a package of throwing stars. "Did you get the shurican or did I?"

She reached in and pulled out a box of throwing daggers. "You got the shumai and I got the shurican, remember?"

"Oh, right. These things are sweet." He took the box from her and started to open them, but stopped when she hissed his name and slapped at his hands. "Oops." He looked around and waved at the glaring parents walking by with their fascinated children. He put it back in the bag with a sigh and closed the trunk. "Later, then."

Teru waited until they were back in the car and away from curious eyes. "Kurosaki?" She said before he could start the car.

"Yeah?" He said vaguely as he made swishy noises and chopped the air.

She reached out a hand and touched his cheek and he finally looked at her. She got on her knees and leaned over the console between their seats, wrapping her arms around his neck as she kissed him softly. She pulled back and rested her forehead against his, nuzzling her nose against his. "I can't believe you remembered about the Koga."

"Are you kidding," he murmured as he stole another kiss. "You mean, forget about the poster on your wall, your ridiculous number of books on the subject, all the videos you rent, and that thirty page full marks paper you did for your history class last year on the topic?"

"How did you know about...," she started to ask, but was cut off with another kiss.

"Never underestimate my observation skills or my spy network, Miss Kurebayashi." He nuzzled her neck and thought about how it had even been one of the 100 questions that her brother had put to him in the labyrinth beneath the biology lab. "Kurosaki knows all."

"Then you know how perfect this was." She leaned forward again and simply hugged him, feeling tears prick her eyes as he buried his face in the crook of her neck and hugged her back. "Thank you."

He kissed her neck and let her go so she could sit down once again. "You're welcome."

He started the car as she buckled up. "Are you ready for lunch?"

She thought of the restaurant he'd taken her to last year and the fancy laputa pan dish she'd had. She looked down at her T-shirt and shrugged. "You bet."

Twenty minutes later she laughed as they pulled up to a dock.

One she recognized.

"Hey, isn't this where we..."

"Yep." He turned off the engine and grinned at her. "This is where we met after you tricked me into believing you were meeting Akira." His phone bleeped for an incoming message. "One sec. Wait here."

Kurosaki got out of the car and closed the door just as a cab pulled up further up the dock. Teru unlatched her seatbelt so she could watch him walk over to the cab. As she watched, a uniformed man got out and handed Kurosaki a duffle bag. He then went to the trunk of the cab and handed over a large box. The two men bowed to each other, then the mystery man left.

She got out of the car when Kurosaki stayed put and jerked his head towards the boardwalk. "Don't forget your cardigan," he yelled.

She was glad for the suggestion when she got out of the car. The wind was coming off the ocean as a light breeze, but it was still March. She shrugged it on as she walked over to him. "What was that? What's in the...oh, my god." The aromas coming out of the box had her all but drooling. "Please. Please tell me that's lunch."

He chuckled as she all but pressed her face to the lid. "It's lunch." He pulled it away and headed towards the picnic area at the end of the boardwalk with Teru trailing after him like he was the pied piper.

He held up a finger when they reached the tables, silently asking her to wait. He opened the duffel bag and removed a sparkling white table cloth, which he draped over the wooden table, securing it along the bottom with thumbtacks, of all things. He then pulled out two rolled up damask napkins, which he unfurled to reveal silverware. Then came the China, the glasses, and even a bottle of sparkling water.

He gestured for her to sit down with a sweep of his arm.

"Thank you, kind sir," she said demurely as she sat on the bench.

He set the box on the table and opened the lid with a flourish. "And today, straight from Merci's," said, mentioning a famous French restaurant. "We have," he removed a covered platter and set it on the table. "Lobster Thermidor with angel hair pasta and a cream butter sauce." Another dish. "Mushrooms with a bernaise glaze." And another. "Asparagus tips with, um." He closed his eyes as he tried to remember the menu. "Stuff."

Teru smiled at him, her eyes bright with delight. "Stuff?"

"Really good stuff," he clarified helpfully. He reached in and took out a single rose in a bud vase and put it on the table along with some serving utensils. "Well," he asked as he put the box on the ground and took a seat across from her. "Shall we eat?"

"Oh yes." She took out her handkerchief and dried her eyes, then picked up the Perrier. "Water?"

"And there," she pointed out as they walked hand in hand down the beach, pleasantly tired after their rich, luxurious, never-to-be-forgotten meal. "Is where you tackled me."

He rolled his eyes. "I did not tackle you."

"Uh, let's see, I ran. You chased me. And when you caught me, we both ended up on the ground." She poked him in the ribs. "How is that not a tackle?"

"I think you were too busy reading embarrassing, personal correspondence for all the world to hear to remember what actually happened?"

"I had sand in my hair," she reminded him. She paused, "and in my underwear."

He ran hand over his face. "Don't tell me that!"

"I'm just saying," she shrugged. "It was a pretty good tackle."

"And up there," he said hurriedly as he pointed towards the wooden stairs that led from the beach to the upper boardwalks. "That's where you ambushed me."

"You mean, that's where I tricked you into meeting me so I could tell you I knew you were Daisy, and that my brother's death was not your fault, and to come home?"

He thought about it for a minute. "Isn't that what I said?"

This time she rolled her eyes. "My mistake." She leaned into his side and sighed as she remembered how he'd cried after she'd said thank you for all the things he'd done for her and her brother. The hug he'd given her at that time, the wordless vow that said he'd never leave her side, was one of her most cherished memories.

Kurosaki looked down as Teru let go his hand to wrap her arms around his waist and squeeze. "You okay?"

"Never better," she sighed.

He stopped them where the boardwalk hung out over the water. "Here's the site of your famous cafe au lait." And where he'd blubbered like a baby he recalled with a wince. "Let's hope this stuff is anywhere close to yours." They sat down with their legs hanging over like they had before, only this time Kurosaki poured the drink from the thermos that had come with their meal.

"Mmmm," Teru closed her eyes at the first sip. "My coffee is put to shame and I completely don't care. What do you think?" She turned her head to find Kurosaki pulling an envelope out of his pocket. "Kurosaki?"

He held it out to her. "Part two."

"Part two of what?" She asked as she took it.

"Your birthday gift," he tugged on her braid. "Duh."

She bit her lip as she opened the envelope. "'Entrance certificate for Mayhadu Shika's Ninjutsu Dojo'," she read in a whisper. "Ninja lessons." She looked up at Kurosaki with impossibly wide eyes. "You got me ninja lessons."

"Well, ninjutsu lessons anyway. I can't believe after all that's happened that I haven't stuck you in a self-defense course before now. They have a dojo here in Tokyo and one in Nagoya, so whichever...oof!" He had reached out for the thermos to refill her cup, but knocked it over as Teru threw herself into his arms.

"I love you so much!" She pulled back and looked at the paper again before wrapping herself around his chest once more like a vine. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!"

He laughed and planted a hand behind him so he wouldn't tip over in her exuberance. "I'm glad you like it. Riko thought it was lame."

"Riko can stuff it. You are the best boyfriend ever." She carefully folded the paper and put it in her pocket, then she took his face in her hands and punctuated each word with a kiss. "Ever. Ever. Ever."

Kurosaki reached out and pulled her closer, scooping her up until she was sitting in his lap. He cradled the back of her head and kept her lips on his after the last 'ever'. Her arms slid back until she had them wrapped around his neck, while he wrapped one arm around her back, keeping her close.

They shared kiss after kiss, the mood soft and romantic. Still, Teru's breath hitched brokenly when Kurosaki finally pulled away to feather kisses over her face. "Teru," he whispered.

"Yeah?"

"About the boyfriend thing."

She closed her eyes as he moved down to her neck. "Yeah?"

Another kiss. "I don't want to be your boyfriend anymore."

It took a moment to sink in, then Teru jerked back. His hand on her back meant she couldn't go far so she just stared, dumbfounded, into his solemn eyes. "What?" She whispered.

"I don't want to be your boyfriend anymore," he repeated. He brought up his free hand so she could see the ring. "I want to be your fiancé."

Her brain had stopped. That was the only reason she could think of why she said, "What?"

Kurosaki smiled at her then scooped her into his arms and stood up. He deposited her frozen figure on her feet, kissed her once more, then got down on one knee.

"Oh my god," Teru whispered as she snapped out of it. "Kurosaki..."

He took her hand, smiling tenderly as tears started to fall down her cheeks. "I went and talked to Soichiro yesterday. I told him that I what I was going to do today and I asked for his blessing." He kissed her hand at her small sob. "I think he would've been all for it, don't you?.

He waited for her nod then went on. "I've loved you for so long, Teru. These past few years have been amazing; getting to know you, not just as Daisy, but as myself." He held her hand up to his cheek and she felt the tears there. "And having you love me for myself. That is just unbelievable."

"And this past year," he let go of her hand and took a moment to wipe the tears off of his face with his sleeve. "Having you as mine has been a surreal, perfect dream that I don't want to ever end. Be my family. Be my wife." He held up the ring; a silver band, the filigree perfectly woven into a raised daisy with a diamond nestled in the center. "Teru, will you marry me?"

Teru took a deep breath as she tried to stop crying and looked into Kurosaki's eyes. There was everything she'd ever wanted. Ever needed.

She nodded.

"Nope," he shook his head and pulled the ring away. "You gotta say it or it doesn't count."

She laughed even as she stamped her foot. "It does too!"

"Saaaay it," He waggled the ring in front of her nose before jerking it back out of reach. "Say it or I'm telling Madame Tamane."

"You are impossible." And perfect. "Fine." she took a deep breath and let it out. "Yes," she told him simply. "Yes, Kurosaki Tasuku. I will marry you."

"Damn straight, you will." He took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger.

They both stared at it for a moment, immobile.

"What...what do we do now?" Teru whispered.

"Well first of all..." He got up off his knee and picked her right up off of her feet. "I get to kiss my fiancé for the first time."

Which he did slowly, thoroughly, and passionately until he found his knees getting weak. Not, he realized hazily, a great thing to have happen right by the water. He broke the kiss and just hugged her, fighting tears once again as the reality fully sunk in.

Teru clung to him in much the same condition. "I love you, Kurosaki."

He squeezed her one more time and set her down, cradling her face for one more soft kiss. "I love you, too."

He picked up the thermos and their cups, then they linked hands as they walked back to the car where they'd already stowed the repackaged duffle bag and box from lunch.

She raised their hands so she gaze at her beautiful, perfect ring. "Do you think everyone's going to be surprised?"

"Nope."

"Why not?" She looked up at him with a bit of a pout that he wanted to kiss right off her face. "Did you tell them you were going to propose today?"

"Nope," he said again and brought up her hand so he kiss the ring. "But think about it. According to 'society'," he used air quotes. "We're already engaged."

"Yeah," she pressed. "But our friends know that was just a front for us dating."

"Then there was the time about a year and a half ago that I asked Riko what kind of metal you liked in your rings."

Her hand covered her mouth. "But that was before we started datin..."

"And then about a year ago I dragged Andy with me to find a good metal-smith." He wrinkled his nose. "Not to go into too great a detail, but that man does know where to get the best custom jewelry made."

"But how..."

"And Boss picked it up for me one day about seven months ago when I couldn't get out of work." He stopped walking and pulled her close for another lingering kiss. "After that it was just a matter of when.

She laid her head on his chest, enamored by the fast beat under her cheek. "So why now?"

He tipped her chin up so that their eyes met. "Because I didn't want to wait. Like I said," he dropped a kiss on her lips before starting to walk once again. "I didn't want to be your boyfriend anymore."

She laughed. "My friends are going to love this story." She sighed as she got into the car, holding her ring up to make sure it was still there. "This is the best anniversary present ever, Kurosaki."

He stopped putting on his seatbelt and slapped his forehead. "I knew I forgot something!" He turned to her. "I did it out of order. That's not your anniversary gift."

"Really?" She said dreamily, not really caring. "Was the ninja lessons my anniversary gift?"

"Nope." He started the car and turned in his seat to back out. "I quit smoking," he smiled at her heartfelt, joyful gasp. "Happy anniversary."

NEXT: The rest of the birthday/anniversary and then graduation!