14AmyChan: Okay, I just needed to throw this out there, but this couple needs more love!

Lin: Is that why this oneshot got its own story?

14AmyChan: Abso-friggin-lutely!

Madoka: I approve!

14AmyChan: I knew you would~! *^_^* *high fives Madoka*

Lin: Chan-san does not own Ghost Hunt.

14AmyChan: Lin, et tu?

Lin kept typing away at his keyboard, his fingers reflexively hitting the correct keys as his mind lay adrift somewhere in a vast ocean of thoughts and knowledge. Today was going to be a very big day for the Chinese man, as evidenced by the weight in his pocket. Now he just had to find the perfect time to ask.

Koujo Lin was never one to let his nervousness show. He was almost as bad as Noll when it came to sheltering how he felt from the outside world. The difference was that at least he could smile from time to time, and was slightly more expressive whenever he was displeased. However, at this point, he was fairly grateful that he could mask his emotions well. It would not do well to let any sort of nervousness—

"Are you all right, Lin-san?" a small voice asked from the door of his office. Lin turned his head to see that Mai Taniyama had opened his door slightly, bearing tea. Noll must have called for it again. Lin gave a nod of his head and the young girl entered, setting the tea upon his desk. She still looked worried, so Lin decided to act as if there were absolutely nothing wrong with him.

"Thank you, Taniyama-san," he stated politely. The young brunette girl smiled at him—albeit suspiciously—and turned around to walk out of his office and into Noll's. Now, Lin only had to wait for the shouting to pass—which it did—for him to continue thinking about his mission once more.

She was going to be in town today, as it was his young charge's birthday. Or, ex-charge. Today, it was Noll's birthday, and he was now legally an adult in both countries. Lin had already arranged everything concerning Noll with his parents and with the young man himself. The deal between parents and child was that he could remain in Japan so long as he gave his parents a call every once and again. Lin could continue to remain in Japan and serve in the Japanese branch of SPR or return to England's main sector and pick up work immediately there.

That decision was one he had put off on resolving. After all, she was going to be in town today, if not for anything else than to wish Noll a happy birthday and give him a splitting headache while she was at it.

But then again, that was what he loved about the woman.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NOLL!" the voice he anticipated practically sang through the front door. Lin did not even have to be in the same room as the young man to tell that he had rolled his eyes and continued doing his paperwork in his dark office. Such was the thing for Noll to do, even on his birthday. Or perhaps it was because of his birthday. Who knew what sort of thoughts the raven-haired boy was tormenting himself with today.

That was one of the reasons he had called her, one of the brightest persons he knew, to help him cheer up and celebrate the day of his adoption with the Davises.

But the story of Noll's birthday and how that progressed is a tale for another time. For now, our focus is on the constantly typing ever-stoic Koujo Lin who eventually did get roped into the party.

The day had been long and filled with much celebration. All of the irregulars had been there and even Noll had admitted to having a good time. He had left with Taniyama-san an hour prior, and everyone else had left earlier than that. This left Lin and Madoka Mori to clean the remainder of the mess that had been left behind.

"I'm glad that he managed to have a good day, that child deserves it every once in a while," Madoka chatted happily as she picked another streamer off the floor. It was a navy blue, Taniyama-san's choice. Lin gave a hum of agreement.

The air was silent for a few moments after that. Lin's height was taken full advantage of as he pulled decorations from the ceiling and Madoka's naturally bright outlook helped in making sure the menial task of cleaning up was not too boring. However, even Lin could tell that something was beginning to weigh on her mind.

He waited for her to come out with it. She always did. At least, always with him.

However, this time she remained tight-lipped, and it confused him. As he finished placing the last of the recyclables in the appropriate bin, he approached her. She had stopped moving and seemed lost in thought. He rested a hand on her shoulder, letting her know that he was still there and to please return to the land of the living.

"Koujo?" she asked, her normally bright and inquisitive voice now soft and wondering. Lin gave another hum, indicating that she continue. She turned around and looked him in the eye, and it was a few moments before she gave a smile—one of those sad smiles that tells you the person wearing the expression is thinking not so pleasant thoughts—and carried on.

"What will happen to you now?" she asked. "The professor told me you hadn't decided on whether you're going to come back to England or stay here in Japan..."

"That..." he began, not truly knowing what he was going to say next. It was always this way with the woman. He had been expecting her to break the ice on this conversation, but he had forgotten one important detail: what to tell her once she had. He had prepared nothing, and had no backup plans to fall on in case he needed to tell her something different. He had no plan, no idea what to say to her.

He finally decided to wing it.

"That depends," he stated, his voice not carrying a hint of the hesitation he was feeling. He forced himself to remain calm and continue, even as Madoka's head tilted in curiosity, a brief flash of some emotion in her eyes.

Was it hurt? Was it hope? He could not quite tell.

"You almost never hesitate in your decisions," she pointed out. "The only times you do is when you don't have enough information."

Lin nodded to show her statement was accurate. He was missing pertinent information. And that information was easily obtained by a scientific perspective. However, from the humane perspective, the simple task of asking was a huge weight and responsibility to bear.

"What is it that's stopping you from deciding?" she asked. He had no idea if she even noticed that she took the briefest of steps towards him. But he noticed.

"Something very important to me," he stated. Though his voice was cool, he began to panic slightly. Madoka was looking at him with curious eyes as she took another tentative step closer. She did not even realize she was doing it, did she? Or maybe she did. Lin could not tell.

"Can you tell me what it is?" she asked, her voice whispering, as though she were hesitant to say those words. But Madoka never hesitates. Not when she met him and determined that he was too quiet. Not when they continued to work together. Not when they began their relationship. Not when he had to leave England to look after Noll. She always barged forward, never taking the time to be cautious.

Except for now, it seems. She took another step. Lin placed his hand into his pocket, feeling for the weight that he knew it carried.

"It's one question," he admitted, grasping onto the box in his pocket. "And more importantly, it's one answer."

"A question?" she pushed, obviously confused. "You're holding off on what you want for a question? What is it? Who's it for?"

This time, Lin took a step towards her. It was obvious that she had noticed, though she did not say a thing about it. They were only a few hairs breadths apart from one another at this point and Lin could not help the hand that moved from the woman's shoulder to her face. Madoka leaned to his touch and rose her own hand to meet his over her face. Her eyes looked curiously at him, silently demanding that she get her answer.

Well, how was he supposed to resist kissing her when she looked at him like that?

Lin bent his head down just enough to capture Madoka's lips with his own, certain that it was joy he felt when she responded briefly. She, however, knew how to play this game and thought he was merely trying to distract her. She pulled back from the kiss after a few moments of bliss with a new fire in her eyes as she stared into her boyfriend's cool grey ones.

"What's the question?" she whispered, knowing full well that he could hear her. Lin withdrew his hand from his pocket, sans-box. He slid something into the palm of her hand, and murmured four words along with it, not breaking eye contact once.

"Will you marry me?"

Madoka's eyes widened.

She felt what had been pressed into her hand.

Lin could feel the hand that was over his own tighten a little.

She shifted her eyes downward to look at the ring that was now in her hand.

It was a small band that consisted of an intricate string of orchid flowers on the top, which came to surround a brilliantly shining diamond in the center. The ring was composed of Rose Gold, which made it seem as though it were made for the pinkette who held it now. Overall, the ring was practical and very beautiful in its own way.

Madoka glanced back up at her boyfriend, tears in her eyes and her mouth open in shock. She closed it. Then she opened it in a smile. Lin held his breath for a moment.

"Yes."

The answer was no sooner breathed than Lin had his girlfriend captured by the lips once more. This kiss was a rush of everything he felt. The nervousness he had undergone in how to ask her for the past few months. The relief that she had said yes. The joy that knowing she did say yes brought to him. And the excitement that he had for their future. She returned with equal amount of passion, and withdrew only to request that he put the ring on her finger himself.

It slid onto the finger it was made for with ease. Madoka giggled happily when the ring fit perfectly, given that she was a size six and a half finger. It took attention to detail to remember that fact, and she was ecstatic that Koujo had remembered. She looked into his eyes once more.

"So," she drew out, placing her hands over the shoulders of her new fiancé. "Which do you think: England or Japan?"

"It doesn't matter," he murmured, resting his hands around her waist in a comfortable embrace. "Martin told me that you had planned to transfer to Japan, but were holding off on finalizing it. Why?"

"I wasn't sure if you'd be here," she confessed. She had made the plans to transfer to the Japanese branch in an attempt to remain closer with Koujo, but his hesitancy had forced her to make backup plans to remain in England if she so chose. "I have to make a decision by tomorrow if I'm going to stay in England or transfer over here..."

"We can make that decision tomorrow," Lin said firmly. "I'm not staying here without you, and nor am I going to leave you behind while I return to England. We'll choose tomorrow, though..."

"So what are we going to do tonight?" Madoka asked, a smirk on her lips. Lin returned her smile with one of his own.

"Celebrate."

"Good, because I found a movie on the way here that I really wanted to see," Madoka announced, pulling her boyfriend along by the hand as they left the SPR building. Both were content with tonight. They could face the world again tomorrow, hand in hand.

But tonight was theirs to celebrate.

14AmyChan: Fluff, fluff, fluff galore!

Madoka and Lin: *are off celebrating*

14AmyChan: Please read and review~! *^_^*