Mako meanwhile had not gone to college for the sake of academia. Her intention upon enrollment had always been to get some vague degree and find herself a husband before settling down, having some children, sending them off to school themselves, and maybe getting a job as a secretary if she started to empty-nest after they left. Just something on the side that wouldn't interfere with her cooking and cleaning.
She had a new crush at least once a week all the way through college, yet never seemed to gain a steady boyfriend. Somehow, having the obvious ability to snap men in two made them nervous to be around her. Men, right?
In the midst of her boy troubles after losing yet another young man's heart after a record-breaking win at women's weight lifting, Mako discovered a cooking class which she quickly joined, assuming that it would be an easy A and a good blow-off class. Also she might get to make some cookies and what could cheer her up more than that?
As it turned out, the class was devoted to serious culinary students and Mako found herself swept in a world devoted to the finest of fine French cuisine. In the end, she came out of the class with a modest B minus but far more importantly, she gained a love of true culinary art. From there on out, she knew what she wanted to study and devoted the rest of her college career to cooking.
So enthusiastic and talented did Mako prove to be, her professor recommended her for an internship in France where she would study under a five-star chef who had retired in order to share his knowledge and whip sharp young minds and hands like hers into shape.
It was there that she met Philippe, a dashing young intern like herself with a particular love of putting a western spin on classic sushi dishes. He reminded Mako strongly of her senpai. Actually technically because he was a year ahead of her, he was indeed her senpai which was all the more reason that they were meant to be together as far as she was concerned.
So she pined after him from afar like she usually did, obsessing somewhat creepily over a guy she had never bothered to actually introduce herself to. Same old, same old.
But then, something unexpected happened. They were assigned a project together and much to her shock and delight, Mako discovered that Philippe had been secretly admiring her from afar as well! As it turned out, she reminded him strongly of his younger sister, which had surprised him considering that Mako was Japanese and strangely did not look even remotely Asian. He had always been terribly fond of his little sister and so a soft spot in his heart had formed the moment he laid eyes on her. Of course, Mako had no idea that when he said "terribly fond of" he meant in the sense that he had in fact molested his younger sister and gotten kicked out of his family for it. She assumed they did not speak to him because they did not approve of his career path which just goes to show how little Mako knew about French culture and the prestige surrounding cuisine.
At any rate, the two fell madly in love, happily fulfilling one another's strange complexes and married in France, where they spent the rest of their days, teaching their children how to make every pastry under the froggy sun.