years later, it's ritsu's first day of her first year at nekoma. she's definitely taken after her parents, becoming a gamer herself. she's even started her own twitch account, named ghostchan. i'm currently attempting to get her out of bed.
"five more minutes, mama.. please!" ritsu exclaims into her pillow.
"nope, you've already gotten ten extra minutes. you're gonna be late for your first day."
"fine." ritsu groans and gets up from her bed, going to her bathroom. yeah, she definitely takes after us. i go downstairs and to the kitchen to see kenma making breakfast.
"good morning, babe." he opens an arm to me.
"baby." i shuffle toward him and wrap my arms around his torso, burying my face into his chest.
"is ritsu up yet?"
i positively hum in response, taking in kenma's familiar vanilla scent. he randomly chuckles.
"what's so funny?" i move my head to see his face.
"you say i'm the clingy one, yet here we are."
"you are clingy."
"not as much as you."
"i don't think-"
"mom, this uniform sucks." ritsu interrupts from the kitchen door way. i look over to her to see she's covering her eyes. i let go of kenma and walk over to her, lightly grasping her wrist and moving her hand so she can she me.
"ritsu. i didn't like it either, but i wore it."
"that doesn't make the situation any better!"
i softly sigh and put my hands on her shoulders. "if you make it through the day, i'll bring you to the mall."
ritsu's eyes sparkle. "really?" she questions in anticipation.
"yes." i say with a sigh.
"in that case, let's go to school right now." ritsu lightly grasps my wrist and begins pulling me to the front door. i grab her wrist with my other hand.
"ritsu, we still have a whole hour until school starts."
she looks back to me in disbelief. "so why did you wake me up so early?"
"i'm sure you could've checked the time." i go back to the kitchen and grab plates for breakfast.
after eating breakfast with kenma and ritsu, i go back up to the bedroom to get changed. i still dress like i would in highschool, since it's still in style for some reason. i basically put on mom jeans and an oversized, graphic tee.
ritsu's friends say i'm the 'cool' mom, but that term doesn't sit right with me. anyways, after a bit, i head out to the garage with ritsu to head to school.
"uh, mom, can you pick up takashi..?" ritsu questions as i pull out from the driveway.
"ritsu, you-"
"i know, i know! i should've asked you yesterday, but his parents went away on a business trip." ritsu sulks in the passenger seat while looking out the window. i lightly shake my head and drive over to takashi's house.
"kozume-sama~ lookin good!" takashi exclaims, wiggling his eyebrows while getting into the back seat.
"good morning to you too, takashi." i drive off from takashi's place, towards the school.
"dude, ritsu, i heard usui is coming to nekoma."
ritsu snaps her head back to takashi. "what?! you're kidding."
"i swear! he posted it on his instagram yesterday."
"who's usui?" i question.
"ritsu's-" takashi starts.
"kashi!" ritsu exclaims, interrupting takashi.
"kidding~ haiba usui-"
"haiba?" i look at takashi in the rear view mirror as we reach a red light.
"yeah, he-"
"wait, wait, wait. haiba as in.."
"lev? yeah!"
"you're joking."
"you know lev?!"
"of course i know lev! i went to school with him."
"ritsu, why have you never told me this!"
"i didn't think it was important..?" ritsu says with a soft sigh. i wonder if lev is dropping off 'usui' to school. i hope so, i'd love to see him for the first time in a while.
we arrive at nekoma high. ah, the memories come flooding in. again, how kenma made me wear a maid dress, the volleyball games, and all that good stuff. i park the car and take the key out of the ignition.
"mom, do you have to come..?" ritsu questions while unbuckling her seatbelt.
"what, are you embarrassed to be seen with me?"
"n-no, that's not what i meant!"
i lightly chuckle as i lock the car doors, heading to the entrance of the school with ritsu and takashi.
"is that who i think it is? atsuko-chan?!"
i turn around after filling out paper work in the office to see none other than lev. i lightly gasp as lev makes his way to me.
"it is you, i haven't seen you in years!" lev bends down to my height and wraps his arms around me.
"how've you been?" i question as he adjusts his very, fancy suit, standing up straight again.
"good! busy with this trouble maker." lev ruffles usui sighs and goes over to takashi and ritsu, seated on a bench. "you? and kenma?"
"we've been good, dealing with our trouble maker too~"
after a bit of catching up with lev, he starts, "well, i've gotta get going. i have a meeting in about half an hour, but it was great seeing you again~"
i nod. "see you around~"
i turn around to the three first years. i point my index and middle fingers to ritsu and takashi.
"you two, i'll pick you up at the end of the day. don't get into any trouble. have a great day~" i give the three a small smile before heading back out to my car, heading back home.
arriving home and opening the front door, kenma embraces me with a hug and picks me up, bringing me over to the couch.
"what's this all about?" i question in confusion as he sits me on his lap.
"i missed you." kenma nuzzles head into the crook of my neck.
"i was gone for like.. half an hour..?"
"so? i missed you."
kenma and i stay in this position for a few minutes before he starts, "darling..?"
"yes, baby.."
"i love you.. for infinity."
"i love you, for more than infinity~"
kenma lightly chuckles before kissing my forehead. "impossible."
kenma was right.
it was her.