My Romance Life System-Chapter 200: Sunday Planning
Sunday morning was bright and cold. Fall was seriously arriving.
Nina made breakfast while Kofi read emails. One from Tanaka-sensei about bringing guest instructors for recruitment. One from the wellness center accepting his proposal for review. One from Yuna.
"Yuna wrote a real email."
"Not just a quick message?"
"Three paragraphs."
He read it aloud: "Training is different here. Not harder exactly, but more formal. Every movement has centuries of tradition behind it. We spend an hour each day just on walking. Not footwork for fighting, just walking with proper posture and presence."
"That sounds tedious."
"She says it’s meditative. Makes her reconsider everything she thought she knew about movement."
The email continued with descriptions of her fellow students, the strict schedule, the language barrier challenges.
"But I’m learning. Not just technique. Something deeper about discipline and purpose."
"She’s getting philosophical."
"Japan does that apparently."
After breakfast, they went to campus. Ruby was finally feeling normal and wanted to study in the library.
"I’m three days behind on everything."
"It’s Sunday. Take a break."
"Being sick was my break."
They claimed a table on the third floor. Jake had brought snacks and color-coded study materials.
"You made Ruby flash cards?"
"She learns better with visual aids."
"I learn fine without flash cards."
"Then why are you using them?"
Ruby was indeed going through the cards systematically.
They studied for two hours. Art history for Ruby. Economics for Jake. Journalism ethics for Nina. History for Kofi.
"This is nice."
Everyone looked at Ruby.
"Studying together. It’s normal."
"We study together all the time."
"Usually while planning something or recovering from something. This is just studying."
She was right. They were just college students doing homework on a Sunday. No crisis to manage.
Kevin arrived around noon.
"Nina, I need to go over more transition stuff."
"Now?"
"The sooner you know everything, the better I’ll sleep."
Nina left with Kevin. Kofi watched them go, knowing she’d come back stressed about new responsibilities.
"She’s going to be a good editor."
"She’s going to be a stressed editor."
"Same thing really."
After studying, Kofi went to meet Tanaka-sensei at the dojo. They needed to plan the recruitment events.
"I can bring three guest instructors. Each specializes in different aspects."
"What aspects?"
"Competition, meditation, and practical self-defense."
"That covers a good range."
"We want to appeal to different interests. Some want sport, others want mindfulness, others want to feel safer."
They scheduled three events over the next two weeks. Free introductory classes with different focuses.
"Will this work?"
"Unknown. But doing nothing definitely won’t work."
Tanaka-sensei was right. They had to try something.
That evening, Kofi found Nina in their apartment surrounded by papers.
"Kevin dumped three years of records on me."
"Physical records?"
"Budget reports, correspondence with administration, advertiser contracts. He apparently doesn’t believe in digital filing."
"That’s a lot."
"This is just the first box. There are four more in the newspaper office."
They ordered takeout and Nina talked through her stress while organizing papers.
"The budget is held together by hope and duct tape."
"Metaphorical duct tape?"
"I wouldn’t be surprised if it was literal."
"You’ll fix it."
"I’ll try. But I need advertisers and the local businesses aren’t interested in reaching college students."
"What about alumni?"
"What about them?"
"They read the digital edition. They have money. They care about campus happenings."
Nina stopped sorting papers. "That’s actually smart."
"I have moments."
"We could create an alumni section. Updates on university developments, profiles of successful graduates."
"Appeal to nostalgia and pride."
"While charging premium ad rates."
They spent an hour developing the idea. Nina got increasingly excited about the possibilities.
"This could actually stabilize our funding."
"See? Editor problems already being solved."
"One problem. There are hundreds more."
But she looked less overwhelmed.
Around ten, they got ready for bed.
"Jake wants to have a game night Friday."
"I thought we were hosting something."
"We could combine them. Game night at our place."
"Our living room isn’t big enough for competitive Jake."
"We’ll manage."
Monday came too quickly. Kofi had an eight AM class he couldn’t skip.
"Why did I take morning classes?"
"Because you’re a masochist."
"That explains a lot actually."
The history seminar was discussing immigration patterns again. Professor Chen was drawing parallels between different eras.
"People move for opportunity, safety, or connection. The specifics change but the human motivations remain constant."
Kofi thought about Yuna in Japan, pursuing mastery. Jessica somewhere unknown, seeking safety. People moving, changing, adapting.
After class, he had lunch with David from the team.
"How’s recruitment going?"
"Three events planned. We’ll see who shows up."
"I could get my roommate to come. He’s been talking about trying martial arts."
"Bring anyone interested."
"Even if they’re uncoordinated?"
"Everyone starts uncoordinated."
"You didn’t. I’ve heard stories about your first fight."
"That was adrenaline, not skill."
"Still impressive."
Stories had grown in the telling. Kofi’s actual fumbling victory had become something more legendary.
"Don’t believe everything you hear."
"But the stuff about fighting three guys to save someone?"
"That’s unfortunately true."
"And the gangster stuff?"
"Also true."
"Your life is insane."
"Was insane. Now it’s normal."
"Normal except for running a martial arts program and dating the future newspaper editor."
"That’s my version of normal."
After lunch, Kofi worked on recruitment flyers. "Free Introduction to Kendo." "Learn Discipline and Focus." "No Experience Necessary."
They sounded cheesy but that’s what marketing required.
Nina texted: "Kevin just showed me the advertising accounts. We’re losing two major sponsors next semester."
"Which ones?"
"The bookstore and that expensive restaurant downtown."
"Why?"
"They say student readership doesn’t convert to sales."
"So find sponsors who want student attention."
"Like who?"
"Tutoring services. Food delivery. Apartment complexes."
"Those don’t have much money."
"But they need students specifically."
"True."
She sent a thumbs up emoji then immediately sent another text: "I don’t usually use emojis. This job is already changing me."
That evening, they made actual dinner instead of ordering takeout. Chicken stir-fry that was slightly burned but edible.
"We’re getting better at cooking."
"The bar was very low."
"Still. Progress."
After dinner, Nina spread out more newspaper files.
"I need to hire new writers. Kevin’s graduating and taking two other seniors with him."
"Put out a call for applications."
"I need specific roles filled. Someone for sports, someone for administration coverage, someone for features."
"What about investigative reporting?"
"I’ll handle that myself initially."
"While also being editor?"
"I’ll manage."
"You’ll burn out."
"Possibly. But I want to establish the tone first."
They worked on their respective projects until late. Recruitment for Kofi, newspaper planning for Nina.
"We’re very boring."
"You said that already."
"It bears repeating."
"Would you rather be doing something else?"
"No. But I feel like we should want to."
"We’re building things. That’s not boring."
"It’s a different kind of exciting."
Before bed, Kofi checked his email. Another message from Yuna, short this time: "Learned new technique today. Felt like a beginner again. Humbling but necessary."
He showed Nina.
"She’s growing."
"We all are."
"Some faster than others."
They went to bed, another Sunday ending with plans and projects instead of parties.
"Goodnight."
"Night."
Tomorrow would bring the first recruitment event. Success or failure, they’d know soon if the program could survive.
