I Will Be Your Knight

Chapter 25

Graduation looms closer and closer each passing day. You had been sad to see spring break end, but also excited for the end of your last year in college. You, Ivan, the Baltics, Alfred, Feli, and Gilbert are in the graduating class this year. Everyone else you know has already graduated, or is still going to school like Lili and Matthew. Whether they've graduated or not, people are getting very excited in your town.

"Are you graduating this year hun?" an elderly lady asks you one day at work. 

You nod your head vigorously. "Yes I am!"

"Good for you dearie," she tells you before leaving. The person behind her in line heard her talking, and now they want to talk about it too. This becomes a regular occurrence at work. 

You spend the two weeks before finals working on your last couple essays you need to write. One of them is a research paper. Your topic is The Transformation of Serving Sizes and Nutritional Values from the 19th to the 20th Century. It's a pretty dry subject, and you're kind of regretting picking it, but there's nothing you can do about it now.

It doesn't matter to you how awful the topic is. You need to make this essay a good one to pass the class. Once you get your diploma you'll be able to work at the restaurant with Honda-san, which is your dream come true. You never really had solid plans for what to do after college, so Honda-san offering you a job was a godsend. It makes things so much simpler for you. Your dreams are finally coming true.

Ivan helps you study for exams and write essays. He's just as busy with his own classes, but he still manages to find time for you. You feel a little guilty, but you love spending time with him at the same time. He's also working closely with the Baltic Trio to start their construction company. The Baltics don't know the first thing about construction, but they do know logistics, finance, and investment. They'll be running business operations while Ivan oversees everything else.

"We're best suited to run the company from behind the scenes," Toris tells you. You're at Ivan's house studying, and the Baltics happened to be there, so you asked them about it.

"It's true," Eduard says. He pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "We have no construction experience at all."

"If we're being honest, we'd rather start some other business, but Mr. Russia insist-" Ravis is cut off by several hands clamped over his mouth. Luckily, Ivan isn't around to hear what he said.

"Ravis may be right, but there's no way we could tell Mr. Russia," Toris says with a sigh. "Construction is so..."

"Brutish," Eduard suggests.

"Boring," Ravis also says.

You're not sure how to help them, but somehow you wish you could.

All of your other friends' plans for after college are coming together too. Alfred wants to move to New York and try his hand at modeling, but if that doesn't work out he's going to be a school councilor and help little kids. His fun-loving personality is perfect for it. Feli is planning on moving to Italy with Romano. They're going to study ancient architecture to inspire designs of their own. Feli is actually really good at drawing, so it's a good career for him. You're surprised Romano agreed to go with him though.

Lastly, there's Gil. His plans are probably the best in your opinion. He's planning on going into advertising, which is something you think suits him very well. He's going to try to get a job, at the same company that owns the chain of grocery stores where you work, as an advertising consultant. Someday he wants to work his way up to chief advertising director. He and Ludwig can climb the corporate ladder together. This isn't the part of his plan you like the best. The best part of his plan is marrying Elizabeta. They're waiting until after he graduates before tying the knot, and you can't wait. You've been asked to be the maid of honor. You and Elizabeta had jumped around excitedly when she asked you while Gilbert watched on confused. He doesn't quite understand why women get into this kind of stuff.