The table was to the rear of the restaurant, but that only afforded them a little more privacy.

"You have something on the corner of your mouth," Yui warned in a whisper.

Gendo wiped his mouth as inconspicuously as possible. "Did I get it?"

"It's still there."

He tried again. "Now?"

Yui shook her head. "Let me get it." With her own napkin, she reached over and wiped gently at the side of his mouth, letting her other fingers caress his face. "Are you sure you can afford this?" she asked, trying not to damage his pride.

"Easily. Don't worry about it; just enjoy yourself." He couldn't afford it that easily, but there was no way he was going Dutch. That would have been flat-out tacky.

"Gendo, do you really not want me to work with Professor Fuyutsuki any longer?" she asked, seemingly out of the blue.

Gendo took a drink of water, not answering soon enough to calm her worries. He set his glass down carefully and looked at his dinner companion. "I would like to, but..."

Yui, who had been grimacing, perked up. "But what?"

"But I can't. I can't ask you to do something like that. I know how much it means to you." Gendo sighed helplessly and looked at the table. "As long as you say it's just work, I can't really... make you do anything."

It was Yui's turn to sigh, but it was more... relaxed. "I'm glad you told me that. Even if I don't necessarily agree, I'm glad you told me what you were thinking."

"I guess. It still feels... wrong to me. To just... not care about what's happening with you..."

"Don't be silly. I know you care," Yui scolded. "If you didn't, you wouldn't act like such a Neanderthal. I don't like it, but I know men, and that in some way, you can't help it. You're just born that way."

"Gee, thanks. You really know how to put the whole thing into perspective, don't you?"

"You do that on purpose, don't you? That sad look on your face doesn't work the way you think it does, so just give it a rest." She reached across the table and took Gendo's hand. "I don't mind, really. I like spending time with you, so I overlook your behavior."

"Every time you talk to me like this, I have to wonder why. Why would you ever want to go out with me? You know how..."

"I know plenty. Not everything, but enough to make me want to know everything about you. And maybe cure you of some of those problems."

"You sound like an animal trainer when you talk like that, Yui. Am I really that pathetic? I need someone to pity me and set me straight?" For once, Yui's touch didn't help him, didn't make him feel better.

"Gendo, don't say things like that. I just want... I want you to..."

"To depend on you? I don't depend on anyone for anything. I don't want you to take care of me!" Suddenly realizing the volume of his voice, Gendo lowered it. "I don't need you to take care of me."

Lips pursed, Yui stood and went to the other side of the table. She leaned down to whisper in his ear, "But I want to take care of you. That's how you make me feel." Yui stood up straight again and looked down. "I don't want to act like your mother. I want to act like your... your..."

Gendo watched her as her voice faltered. Like his... girlfriend? Like something more than that? That was hard to contemplate. "Yui, I told you all those things before, and I hope you... realize that those feelings just aren't going to go away. And that bothers me. I just can't understand..."

"Don't try to understand. Just accept the fact that I love you."