Chapter 2

Courting someone you already have as a wife… that sounds easy enough. I mean, how hard could it be to court someone who already loved you before? It's not like we were complete strangers; we've been together for so long. I knew a lot about Asuka that other people didn't. For example, I knew that she'd easily get irritated with people who discriminate women; I knew that she doesn't eat apple skin; I knew that she loves the flower called Purple Aster; and I knew that she bites her lower lip and furrows her eyebrows when she didn't like someone or something.

So it couldn't be that hard… right?

While she was sleeping, I was thinking about what I should do to make her happy. It was getting very late, and my eyelids were really heavy, but I still couldn't bring myself to fall asleep. Not until I came up with something.

I stared at the sleeping beauty that was right beside me. She had the pillow resting vertically so she could hug it, although her head was rested on it. Her arm was outstretched vertically, and her other arm was above her head. She looked so beautiful and enchanting as her calm breathing made her chest slowly move upwards and downwards. Her golden hair looked so smooth and supple, that I couldn't help but caress it. She was so enticing, and I couldn't really understand why. She was only sleeping after all.

I glanced at the wall clock. 5:59 am. Damn it. It looks like I'm going to be a walking zombie today. After letting out a soft, quiet yawn, an idea suddenly popped in my head. I stopped, pondered on it for a few more moments, then decided that it would be best if I made the idea a reality.

It was now 8 in the morning. Usually, I would still be in bed, but this time, I was already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. I smiled as I imagined Asuka opening her eyes. First, thinking that I was there, she would greet me good morning. Then she would yawn and stretch, something that I've always known she would do every morning. Finally, she would swoop down and give me a quick kiss on the cheek- only this time, at least for today, she would realize that I was missing.

As I was placing breakfast on one of the plates, I heard Asuka's footsteps descending down the stairs. "Morning, sweetheart!" I called.

"Edo?" she said, "Why are you up so early?"

"To cook us breakfast." I answered. I placed the plate on the table. "Voila! Bacon and eggs. Dig in."

Asuka giggled. "You silly boy. What are you up to?"

"What?" I exclaimed, feigning offense, "I do one good deed and you automatically suspect that I'm up to something? What's a guy have to do to be good around here?"

Asuka laughed again, "I was only asking." She sat down and took one piece of bacon and took one bite. "Thanks for making breakfast," she said, "Bacon's my favorite."

"I know." I said with a smile.

Falling in love with Asuka was something unexpected. She was not, after all, a 'love-at-first-sight' thing, or a 'highschool crush' thing. She was just a normal girl who I happen to find attractive and smart. The first time I saw her was when my friend Saiou told me to duel this Duel Academy student named Judai. I enrolled in the school, and while I was dueling Judai, Asuka was there, accompanied by Judai's other friends. She was watching the duel, and when the duel ended, she came up to me.

I was about to leave the island, when I heard her voice from behind. "Hey." She said. I looked behind me. This was the first time I had a real good look at her; she was wearing the school's Obelisk Blue uniform, and I remember telling myself that it fit her well. "Hi." I greeted.

"You're Edo Phoenix, aren't you?" she said. When I was dueling Judai, I used a fake name; I didn't want anyone to know that I was a professional duelist who played in the Pro Leagues. It would only draw screaming fans, and it would be harder for me to concentrate on finding Judai. She was the only one who knew who I really was.

I brought my hands up. "Alright, you got me." I admitted. She giggled. I put my hands down. "So… you want an autograph or something?" I asked, thinking she was a fan.

"I'm not a crazy Edo fanatic, but sure. Momoe and Junko would be thrilled to have your autograph."

I smiled at her. Out of all the girls I met, she was the first one who talked to me like a normal person. Everyone else treated me like I was some kind of God. And I admired that in her. "Sure, no problem." I said, bringing out a pen. She handed me a picture. "That's Momoe and Junko?" I asked.

She nodded. "The red head is Junko, and the other one is Momoe." She informed. I studied the picture. "You're prettier than your friends." I told her as I signed the picture.

She giggled. "Edo Phoenix, I always knew you were a natural flirt. How else would you acquire all your screaming fan girls?"

I arched an eyebrow. "You're an obnoxious little vixen, aren't you?"

She laughed. "Alright, alright. I'll stop."

I handed back the picture. She took it from me. "Thank you." she said.

"Like I said, no problem."

"So… you'll be leaving now?" she asked.

"Yup. But I can guarantee that this won't be the last time you'll see me."

She smiled. "Am I supposed to look forward to that?"

I shrugged. "I dunno. Do you?"

And with that, I turned my heel and walked away. As I left, I felt Asuka's eyes following me. And I remember feeling that it was strangely comforting for her to follow me like that.

I watched Asuka as she ate the bacon I prepared, realizing that fate's unexpected turns led me straight to who I truly belonged to.

"What are you thinking?" Asuka's voice snapped me out of my trance.

"Huh?" I said.

"You were smiling," She observed, "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing… I was just remembering the first time we saw each other." I confessed.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes. Really. Do you remember?"

"Yes, I remember." She admitted. "I walked up to you asking for your autograph, so that I could give it to my friends, right?"

"Yeah."

She smiled. "Yeah, I remember." She said, "I was really curious about you back then."

"Really?" I exclaimed, "You never told me that."

"Well, I was." She said, "It's how a typical girl would react if an attractive guy was flirting with her."

"I wasn't flirting!" I protested, "I was just being nice."

"Well that's how it came across." Asuka said.

"Humph. Whether or not you were 'curious' about me, you still shunned me when I tried to ask you out the first time."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"Don't you remember?" I asked, "The second time I saw you again was at a street in Domino. I tried to ask you out for a snack, but all you wanted to do was to stay away from me."

The night when Asuka turned me down and told me to stay away was also the same night when she was attacked by two thugs. It was that night when I saved her from the two thugs that attacked her in an alley.

Actually, now that I think about it, if she wasn't attacked by those thugs, none of this would've happened; she would never have fallen in love with me; and I would never have been so happy with my life. You see, our love started to bloom in that alley where I saved her and took care of her. In a way, I was thankful that she was attacked by the thugs; how else would we have found each other?

"Oh that…" Asuka muttered. "You were asking me out?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yes, I was. Don't you remember what I said? I asked you if you wanted to stop by at a fast food or something."

She giggled. "Well, you didn't make yourself clear." Asuka stood up from her chair. "Actually, even if I did know that you were asking me out, I still would've turned you down." She winked.

I grumbled. I decided to leave it as that. "So, are you finished eating?"

"Yes, I'm finished. That was a really good meal. I'm full."

As I watched her go back up the stairs, I tried to repeat in my head the conversation that we just had. It made me wonder: has she really fallen out of love with me? It didn't seem like it. It actually seemed that she was comfortable around me. Wow, if Asuka would treat me like this just because I made breakfast, imagine what it would be like if I gave her so much more…

I smiled. This isn't over yet.