My Romance Life System-Chapter 199: Saturday Recruitment

The rain continued into Saturday morning. Kofi woke to the sound of it drumming on the roof.

Nina was already up, laptop open on the kitchen table.

"Working already?"

"Reviewing staff assignments for next semester."

"You don’t start until January."

"I like being prepared."

He made coffee while she typed. The apartment smelled like rain and coffee grounds.

"We’re visiting Ruby later?"

"After my training session."

The dojo was quiet on Saturday mornings. Only the dedicated showed up for weekend practice. Today that meant David and two others.

"Where is everyone?"

"Sleeping off Friday night."

"Or they quit without telling us."

"That too."

They ran through forms and sparring drills. Without many people, the practice felt hollow.

"We need those recruitment events soon."

"I’m working on it."

After practice, Kofi stayed to write the wellness center proposal. Partner with martial arts programs for stress reduction. Free introductory classes. Wellness credits for regular attendance.

’Make it sound academic. Use their language.’

He wrote about mindfulness through movement, stress reduction through disciplined practice, community building through shared challenge.

It sounded good on paper. Whether it would work was another question.

Nina arrived as he was finishing.

"How’s the proposal?"

"Full of buzzwords the administration likes."

"Perfect."

They went to see Ruby. She was upright and dressed, which was progress.

"I’m functional."

"You look exhausted."

"I’m functionally exhausted."

Jake was there with homework spread across Ruby’s desk.

"We’re having a study day."

"Ruby can barely focus."

"I can focus. Just slowly."

They stayed for an hour, helping with homework and sharing campus gossip. Kevin was apparently panic-finishing his senior thesis while training his replacement at the paper.

"That’s you he’s training."

"Not officially until January."

"But he wants you ready early."

"Kevin wants everyone ready early. It’s his anxiety showing."

Around two, they left Ruby to rest. The rain had stopped but the sky stayed gray.

"Want to do something fun?"

"Like what?"

"I don’t know. Something not related to our responsibilities."

They ended up at the campus art museum, a small building most students ignored.

"I haven’t been here since freshman orientation."

"Neither have I."

The current exhibition was about urban decay in photography. Black and white images of abandoned buildings and empty lots.

"This is depressing."

"It’s artistic."

"Depressing can be artistic."

They wandered through the quiet galleries. A few other people were there, moving slowly and speaking in whispers.

"That one looks like the old music building."

The photograph showed a similar structure, windows broken, weeds growing through cracks.

"Where Jessica locked Ruby."

"Yeah."

"That feels like a long time ago."

"It was two weeks."

"Time moves strangely now."

They left the museum and walked around campus. The weather was clearing, sun breaking through clouds.

"Yuna sent another update."

Nina checked her phone. "Training is brutal but good. Made a friend who speaks some English. Eating lots of rice."

"She’s communicating more than expected."

"Loneliness makes people reach out."

"Is that what happened with us?"

Nina looked at him. "Are you asking if we’re together because we were lonely?"

"I’m asking if loneliness brought us together initially."

"Maybe. You were alone in your parents’ apartment. I was alone in my ambition."

"And now?"

"Now we’re together by choice, not necessity."

They got dinner at the campus pizza place. It was crowded with students pregaming before Saturday night parties.

"We could go to a party."

"You hate parties."

"I hate most parties. Maybe some parties are good."

"You want to go to a random party to prove we’re not boring?"

"When you say it like that, it sounds stupid."

"Because it is stupid."

But Nina looked around the pizza place at groups of friends laughing and making plans.

"We’re missing something though."

"Like what?"

"I don’t know. Normal college experiences."

"We’ve had plenty of experiences. Just not normal ones."

"Fighting corruption and saving buildings isn’t typical."

"Would you trade it for typical?"

Nina thought about it. "No."

"Then why do you care about normal?"

"Because sometimes I wonder what it would be like."

They finished eating and walked home. The campus was coming alive for Saturday night. Music from dorms, groups heading to parties.

"We could host something."

"What?"

"A gathering. Not a party. Just people coming over."

"Our apartment is tiny."

"So we keep it small."

Kofi considered the idea. "Who would we invite?"

"Jake and Ruby obviously. Maybe David from the team. Kevin from the paper."

"That’s five people in our living room."

"Six with us. It’s manageable."

"When?"

"Next Friday? Give Ruby time to fully recover."

"What would we even do?"

"Eat food. Talk. Normal things."

They decided to think about it. At home, they settled into their Saturday night routine. Nina worked on her editor transition plans. Kofi studied the techniques in Ren’s book.

"This move requires perfect balance and timing."

"Show me."

He stood and demonstrated the stance. "Your weight shifts forward while your arms move back. It’s counterintuitive."

"Looks uncomfortable."

"It is. That’s why it takes years to master."

Nina tried to copy the stance and immediately lost balance.

"How does anyone do this?"

"Practice and patience."

"Two things I lack."

They gave up on sword techniques and watched a movie instead. Something mindless with explosions.

"This is terrible."

"That’s why it’s perfect."

Halfway through, Nina’s phone buzzed. Message from her mother.

"She wants to know about Thanksgiving plans."

"That’s six weeks away."

"She likes planning ahead."

"Are you going home?"

"Probably. You?"

"My parents will be traveling again."

"You could come with me."

Kofi looked at her. "To meet your family?"

"You’ve already met them."

"Briefly. This would be different."

"Different how?"

"Thanksgiving with your family is a statement."

"About what?"

"About us being serious."

Nina turned to face him fully. "Are we not serious?"

"We are."

"Then what’s the problem?"

"Meeting families at holidays is a big step."

"We’ve been together over a year. We live together. We’ve fought actual criminals together."

"This feels bigger than criminals."

"My mother’s cooking can be criminal."

But Kofi understood what she meant. They were serious. Holiday family visits were just acknowledging what already existed.

"I’ll think about it."

"That’s all I’m asking."

They finished the movie and went to bed. Sunday tomorrow meant more recruitment planning and homework.

"Goodnight."

"Night."

But Kofi lay awake thinking about Thanksgiving and families and taking steps that couldn’t be untaken.