Shin wakes up refreshed. Years of sleeping in hard and uncomfortable beds and sometimes even no beds had trained him to be able to fall asleep in any condition. He gets up and stretches and watches the pale morning sunlight out of the window.
Just six months of staying with Kyoko, eating three square meals a day, and getting a full night's rest in a comfortable bed has done wonders for him. His cheeks have filled out and have a rosy glow to them, his hair, a beautiful shade of bronze now has a shine to it that makes it look glorious, falling around and framing his face. His golden eyes have added a mischievous twinkle that speaks of his happiness. Shin had been born to enjoy happiness and enjoy it he will.
He had been a bit disappointed that the America of his dreams was very different from the America he saw - he had presumed, naively that everyone would be wearing glamorous clothes, and living in gleaming high rises amidst film studios and flashing advertisements - sort of a mix of Tokyo, New York, and Los Angeles. Instead, he had found himself in Danville. But sleeping in the comfortable bed and waking up to the smell of cinnamon buns and coffee - his "Life is good" feeling comes back.

"My turn," Kyoko says behind him and he turns to watch her pour some coffee in a cup and three, then four teaspoonfuls of sugar. She brings over a plate of cinnamon buns and the coffee cup to him.
"Your turn for what?" he asks.
"To get you breakfast." she says and smiles, "I didn't make it myself though."
How did she know? All this while he had been careful to make things she would like for breakfast. "How do you know I like sweet things? Especially for breakfast?" he asks.
Kyoko lets out a laugh, "I've seen you pour the entire tin of sugar into your morning tea."
Shin bites into the bun. Mmmm. Heaven.
'Now to get the king of heaven back into his castle with his queen.'*
"What is your strategy for Ren?" he asks Kyoko taking a sip of the coffee - sweet and dark, just like he liked it.
"Strategy? What strategy?"
"You weren't thinking of going up to him and saying "Ren, it's me. Let's go home", were you?"
Kyoko stops and stares at him. Shin slumps his shoulders exaggeratedly and says, "You were! Come on!"
"I really hadn't thought beyond coming here and meeting him." She continues hastily seeing the look on Shin's face, "But I haven't been idle while you got your beauty rest. I'm have been trying to figure out what I should wear when I go see him. I have discarded multiple outfit options already."
"Which ones?" asks Shin looking around.
Kyoko looks sheepish, "I have been doing it mentally."
Shin puts down the coffee and the now empty plate.
"OK. First things first," he says."You are not going to see him today. I am. He works at a burger shop, right? So, let me go case the joint and see what I can find out about his life here. Then we can form a strategy."
"It might take you ages to find that out.," Kyoko protests. "Shin, this is ridiculous. He is still my husband. I should be able to go and meet him. I can and I will. And no one is stopping me."
Shin sighs in resignation.

And so, at eleven o clock the same day, after going through many outfits, physically this time, Kyoko turns up at Big Boy Burger in a maroon turtle neck, white fur coat, jeans, and knee-high boots. A white woolen cap with a pom-pom on top completes her ensemble. Behind her stands Shin in a black puffer jacket that came up to his thighs and was many sizes large for him.
"How was I supposed to know that US sizes are bigger than Japanese?" he had
complained when Kyoko had commented on it. But he had still worn it as it was the first piece of clothing he had ever bought for himself. He had his hood down even though Kyoko had tried to get him to have it up.
"You'll catch a cold." she had said.
"But I want to look cool." he had retorted.
And so they open the door to the diner looking rather mismatched. The bell tinkles to let those inside know they had customers.
"Welcome to Big Boy Burger." Rain says. "Please choose any open seat."
Shin afraid that Kyoko might have frozen up on seeing Ren, extends his hand to push her in but she is already walking in, with her usual confidence. They sit
opposite each other at a table near the window by unspoken understanding. Shin knew Kyoko liked looking out of windows.
Kyoko also has a view of the counter and she is now surreptitiously trying to watch Ren, seeing in vain for any signs that he had recognized her. She sees him walking over with a couple of menus.
"Here you go," he says handing them the menus. "I'll give you a few minutes to look them over." He smiles broadly at them and walks back.
Kyoko and Shin exchange a look. Either he had recognized Kyoko and was acting like he didn't, or he didn't recognize her at all.
'No. No.,' thinks Kyoko, 'He can't possibly have forgotten me so soon. Unless he was like Shino-san and psychologically ran away from the bad memories. No No. Such things happen only in movies. Get a grip Kyoko'
Shin says in a low voice, "That is him, isn't it? Do you think he is doing this on purpose? Acting like he doesn't recognize you."
"I don't know," says Kyoko and stops whatever she was about to say next because Ren is now walking towards them again. It is much too soon for him to come back for their orders. Kyoko's heart suddenly starts beating loud and wild, her palms become sweaty. What was he going to do? What was he going to say? For a wild moment, she imagined him sweeping her up in his arms and kissing her passionately.
"Are you, by any chance..." Rain says in Japanese, "Kyoko-san?"