Yang's Best Progress

January 11, 20XX (Friday)

At a Cafe

It was silent in the Cafe. The three waiters on the side watched them with bated breath just as nervous as Yang was. The CEO had shifted on his seat like a four-year-old boy excited to stand up and roam around the cafe.

Mei Li smirked and giggled, breaking the silence that dwarfed the room. She liked how transparent he was to her. Not all people she knew where honest with her like Yang was. Mei Li gently took out a small box in her small pocket and threw it to Yang, "Here."

Yang, nervously, caught the box that was not even half the size of his hand, "What's this?"

"Open it," Mei Li beamed.

Yang immediately did what he was told to do. He pries the small box open and saw a simple male ring with a single loop on the front. His eyes widen as he stared with jaw-dropped at the ring sized for men. His eyes flickered from the black velvet box to Mei Li's brown eyes.

"What?" Yang's eyes flickered at the ring inside again as he asked.

"Why?" Both Yang's large hands clutched the small box, making it look awkwardly miniature.

"How?" Yang's wide eyes met with Mei Li's again as he asked not knowing what to do or say in this situation.

"I got impatient with waiting for you to ask me out formally so..." Mei Li shrugged her shoulders as if the words that left her lips were news about the weather. Yang's face bleached white in horror.

"Just kidding!" Mei Li continued with a grin on her lips and a blush on her cheeks, "I had a feeling you would ask me so I thought that I should ask you too. It feels unfair that you're the only one wooing me when this relationship should be equal."

Yang watched wide eye as he followed Mei Li's movements. She took the ring from its case, forcefully yanked Yang's left hand to her side, and slide the ring on his left ring finger while saying, "If the flowers symbolize all you promise to give, this ring symbolizes that my miser self will put you first than anything or anyone else. It also means that all I ask for you among all is your love and loyalty. I don't need to be financed nor do I need to be kept. The best thing you can give me is your time, just as you have been doing this past two months."

Yang stared at the white silvery colored ring with awe. The ring fit his ring finger perfectly. How did she know his ring size? Was his effort with writing a poem and buying preserved flowers topped by Mei Li's ring? It meant more because she bought it; Yang knew how much a miser she is. The fact that the conservative her was also willing to ask him out, made Yang's heartbeat run wild.

"So, Zhao Yang, will you be my boyfriend?"

Speechless and helpless at being upstaged, Yang touched his nose on habit and then bit his lips. He needed to step up his game. His eyes still gazed at Mei Li's deep eyes.

"I'll say yes to your question as long as you say to yes to mine." Mei Li grinned with all her teeth almost seen.

Yang runs his left hand to smooth out his hair and felt the ring on his finger awkwardly cool. He does not use to wear any jewelry, but it seems that he will have to get used to this one.

"Yes, " Yang sighed out the one word first feeling all the masculinity in him flushed into the toilet together with his alpha ego and dominant pride.

"Then, Yes for me too." Mei Li said with a small snicker hidden in her breath. Yang may act like he hated being upstaged, but the red tint in his ears that had spread to his cheeks said otherwise.

It seems that they're both made to surprise each other. Wasn't that fun? There will be no dull days spent with each other. Mei Li looked at the flowers inside the sixteen inches glass case with a smile; they were pretty. Her eyes glance at the ring she bought and wonder how Yue would react that instead of a collar and leash, she had tied him with a ring. Trisha had jumped in excitement when she had bought it.

"Oh yeah!" Mei Li snapped as she remembered something important to tell to Yang, "That's platinum so take care of it! That cost me thousands of dollars."

Yang couldn't believe that her miser self would emerge in this pink mood on the atmosphere. How inappropriate! He had just finished thinking about how romantic Mei Li been to buy him a ring, and now she's talking about how much its worth. Yang touched his nose again.

"And, Yang..." Mei Li trailed making Yang's eyebrow shoot up. She continued with a blush, "I like you too. Probably more than I realize that I do."

Yang felt a rush of adrenaline in every part of his body when he heard those words. He thought hearing her say yes would be the sweetest thing he could receive, but her confession stole his heart all over again.

They eat the crepes on the table with Mei Li rambling about the interior designs of Yang's buildings and Yang's past behavior these last few days. Mei Li had laughed when she had told him that his secrecy did not work and that she knew his plans, vaguely. Both of them always caught stealing glances with each other.

Nothing had changed with the way they treated each other, but subtle touches and obvious glances from Mei Li were now common. When they ate their crepes, she would so keep on glancing at him. When they went back to the car, Mei Li would grip his left arm with her hands, and she'd lean her head too. Yang love this more tactile version of her.

Arriving in his condo, Yang was surprised when Mei Li had crawled on his lap and curled herself comfortably on him as he watched the TV. Yang played with the ring on his ring finger using his thumb, twirling it around. With the woman in his arms, the brightness in Yang's genuine smile overshadowed the twinkle from the stars.

He had done it, his first giant step.

Today has been Yang's best progress so far. Now, he'll work on their engagement but first, he needs to make plans for Jerome Bonaparte's arrival.