Despite Having Been Together For A Significant Time, She Is Instructed By Him To Put As Much Effort Into

Despite having been together for a significant time, she is instructed by him to put as much effort into date night as she did weren't they first met

That means spending time making herself beautiful. Choosing beautiful and attractive clothing, sometimes from his choice. Playing attention to little things about her body, her perfume, her hairdo

Her friends would have found it strange. Isn't the point of a relationship to get comfortable with each other, to have to do pretenses, they would ask

But she trusted his judgement. His judgement was that, there is a difference between comfort and complacency. Comfort meant being happy with who you are around each other. Complacency meant taking each other for granted. Complacency meant putting in less effort each day and yet expecting magic to happen out of nowhere.

No wonder why she still felt butterflies. No wonder why she blushed and felt shy yet aroused in his presence. No wonder why he claimed her body every time after the date. Because she made it special.

While her friends' relationships withered and waned and turned into roommates, hers flowered with devotion, attraction, and passion.

And yes, he put in just as much effort as day one.