"Ririko I bread do you want a-"

Rei was about to ask Ririko is she wants some coffee but he finds her sleeping in her desk near Yamato and her laptop is still on.

Rei smiles knowing that his wife is trying her best at school. He then gets a blanket and puts it into her and he turns off her laptop but now without saving everything.

"You did great" Rei said.

The Next morning

"This is so embarrassing I was never late in my whole life" Ririko said in a stoic but panicky voice.

"Did you forget anything?" Rei asked.

Ririko double checked her bag and it seems that she didn't forget anything that's why she and Rei and Yamato went out together.

Fortunately for Ririko she made it before her first class starts.

Ririko's P.O.V

Ever since I started college this has been my life, I get up in the morning and I go to class, I wanted to finish college, that's

I start my school by studying some academics and languages and the languages I chose to study is German, after that I study how to cook.

I've been in college for half a year now, and I'll be a student for two years. Still with the few months that I'm in college I've learned a lot. i think my cooking skills have improved.

I've learned so much in my class and because of this I enjoyed cooking even more, and I love learning more about other countries special dishes, so much so that I noticed that I've been focusing on cooking than the occult which is what I focus before I became pregnant.

At the class I'm not really much of a standout, I'm older than my classmates and I don't really have much cooking background. My classmates on the other hand has experience in working in a restaurant or has a relative that is a chef, they also seem to be knowledgeable when it comes to food.

I just found my passion in cooking because Rei and Yamato enjoys what I cook and I feel happy when they eat it and say that I'm good.

End of P.O.V

Class was over and everyone packed and went their separate ways. Ririko as usual will go home, it's still 3pm so she can go home earlier than usual because usually her class ends at 4.

But then

"After I graduate I'll go Italy and work at as a cook there, I'm sure my father will help me, I've been to Italy and I really love their pasta and gelato"

"As for me I plan on taking over our family's restaurant"

Ririko has overheard the conversations of her classmates, talking about their plans in the future, something Ririko realized that she has not been thinking about.

Ririko thinks of her future as she walks home but then.

"Ahh Ririko-san hello!" Hina saw Ririko and greeted her and she was with Chiho.

"Ririko-san it's been a while, say you should go with us we're having a karaoke!" Hina said.

Ririko was hesitant as first because it's true that she knew that Hina is a nice girl, but unlike Rei she is not that close to her. But knowing that Hina is a nice person and that Akari is taking care of Yamato while she and Rei are gone she went with her and Chiho.

Luckily for Ririko Hina knows how to get along with people like her, Rei was like that at first, he was aloof and alone, so it's just a matter of time before Ririko would open up to her.

Hina is aware that Ririko still feels awkward around her but she understands why.

Hina's 2 closest friends are Rei and Chiho 2 of the most people that she knew, so she has an idea on how to treat Ririko.

At the karaoke bar Hina sang some old school songs, something that she thought Ririko can relate because she is a country girl for most of her life.

Hina was also a good talker she first asked Ririko about her life as a wife, she would things about Yamato, about Manoyama and so on, and before she knew it, Ririko finds herself opening to her.

Not only this but Ririko and Chiho seemed to have gotten closer.

And then

"Ririko I heard from Akari-san that Yoshino-san is going on an overseas trip" Chiho said.

"Yeah, she's going to France for some meeting" Ririko said but her tone is sort of sad even though it's about her friend.

"Ririko-san are you okay?" Hina asked.

Ririko sighed.

"Hina do you think I'm a bitch?"

Hina's eyes widen for her choice of words and she asked why.

"Yoshino is going on an overseas trip, Maki is getting a role in a TV drama, Shiori and Sanae had been busier as Manoyama gets more and more tourists.

I should be happy for them but for reasons that I don't know I'm not. Is it because I'm jealous?" Ririrko asked.

"Just earlier, I heard my classmates talking about what they wanna do in the future once we graduate, and I started thinking, after I graduate, what's next?" she followed.

Hina understands where Ririko is coming from,

For Hina after college she plans to become a teacher in her Alma matter, but for Ririko what's next?

Should she go abroad and improve her cooking?

But she will leave Rei and Yamato.

Should she open a resutaurant?

That could be possible but at the moment they don't have enough money to do it, and she seems to worry much about how to managing it.

Hina does'nt know the answer because she doesn't know what to answer, she's not a career consultant and she does not know Ririko well, all she can do is listen to her problems and hopefully would pick the right words to say.

"Ririko-san, I don't know much about your life, but I do know that you're having a hard time right now, and apparently I'm not the right person to talk to.

I can listen to you and accept you and won't judge you, but I can't pinpoint or dictate to you what you should, all I can do is to give you some guides and support and that's it. It's not because I'm too lazy to do so but I'm not the right person to be asked for your plans, I'm sure you know the right person is, and besides I also don't know what to answer." Hina said.

Ririko looked down.

"But Rei, he's too nice for a person and a husband, If I would ask him something he will say sure I'll support you without any hesitation, I don't know it makes me feel guilty" she said.

Hina now gets why Ririko went to her instead of Rei.

"Don't worry let's talk these things to Rei-chan together, I'll help you" she said.

That night Ririko went home and she was greeted by Rei, and as she expected her husband was very caring, he offered a massage a dinner or if there's something she would like to talk about.

Ririko smiles

"I'm fine" she said.

Ririko didn't took a shower and just went straight to bed. Rei thought that she's just tired, so he helped her change.

Fortunately Yamato is already asleep and Rei has nothing left to do so he also went straight to bed beside his wife.

Suddenly Rei hugged Ririko, she was surprised because she knew that husband was the shy type and that he would end up getting flustered so hard just from a simple lean on her should her.

That move was quite surprising but Ririko loved it.

"Rei I'm really lucky to have you, you know that?" she said.

Rei blushed and suddenly stopped hugging her.

"What do you mean?" Rei asked in a shy tone.

Ririko blushed.

"You really hold onto your words that you won't leave me and you will make a great father" she said.

Rei blushed even more.

"Cut it out, I'm just doing what a good husband and father should do" he said.

"You cook, you clean, you go to work, I'm really lucky to have you" Ririko followed.

Rei blushed even more.

"Sometimes I thought you're so nice that what if I'm a spoiled brat would you still take care of me?" Ririko followed with a question.

Rei suddenl;y had a little pause on his thoughts.

It's true that he is nice, but he wonders, what if she Ririko is not the Ririko that he knew and that for instances Ririko is spoiled and selfish.

Rei imangines that kind of life but it's clear he doesn't want it, however.

"I wouldn't like it, but regardless she's my wife and as a husband If I think I saw something bad on her, I would try my best to change it" Rei said.

Ririko was somewhat surprised but she smiled and the two slept together.

A month later Ririko had her Christmas break from college and since Rei has earned more than enough money from his Shogi games they decided to spend the holidays in Manoyama.

This year's Christmas and new year is quite special, because not only Rei Ririko and Yamato are going to Manoyama, but the Kawamoto's as well.

"Akari-san It's really good that you're coming with us, the last time you saw Manoyama is when Ririko and I were wed" Rei said.

"I've also earned enough money for us to go to vacation, Grandpa says he wants to go somewhere and we missed Manoyama that's why" Akari responded.

They arrived in Manoyama the next morning, Shiori Maki and Sanae greeted them, the girls then helped the Kawamoto's to find a nice hotel to stay, meanwhile the Kiriyama's went to Chitose's house where Chitose happily greeted her great grandson Yamato.

"Grandma you're so happy" Ririko said.

"You don't know how happy I am knowing that I've lived old enough to see my great grandchild" Chitose said.

Chitose has been kind to Ririko, and like a typical grandmother she sometimes goes too far and ends up spoiling her, and it seems she's doing the same to Yamato, or at least she's getting a little too overboard than she was with Ririko.

After setting up their stuffs Rei and Ririko went outside leaving Yamato in Chitose's care, the couple roamed Manoyama and from the few years that they're gone Manoyama did have some improvements, though most of the buildings are still the same.

However if there's one thing that they noticed it's that Manoyama has gotten more busier and has more people than before, they have more tourist than before, so it seems that Shiori and Sanae did a really good job in promoting Manoyama.

They went to Angelica's resutaurant where they saw Erika and Kouske who are now dating, though Erika is really showing off her jealous side because Kousuke is now in college and more college girls are talking to him, but Erika is still in high school.

Sayuri has also given birth to a girl named Sayaka.

That afternoon Angelica's restaurant was livelier than the usual, Angelica really misses Rei and Ririko that she asked them a ton of question, and their conversation went smoothly.

Angelica then smiled.

"You two really grew up" she said.

Rei and Ririko looked at her.

"Back then when Rei was working he would freak out whenever he's approaching and is often apologetic. I still remember the customer ordered coffee but he ends up giving Hot Chocolate, still the customer accepted it" she followed as she talks about Rei.

Rei blushed then looks down.

Angelica turned her attention on Ririko.

"Ririko you really have grown, like Rei socializing is really challenging for you, It took a while before you became close with Yoshino-chan, but look at you now, you became a great mother and a great chef and while you might not feel it but you're growing as a person"

Angelica said to Ririko.

Like Rei, Ririko looks down but deep down inside her, she accepts her compliment.

Those words from Angelica are just what she needs right now, right now Ririko is in a limbo on what she wants to do in life after she graduates, either way Rei will support her whether she goes abroad or stay and just become a housewife.

But Ririko knows how kind of a person Rei is and how she doesn't want to take advantage of his kindness and it brings out the stress on her but right now she's glad to hear some compliments.