Semi and Rina found a small apartment in Nara, Kansai area. They moved out of their current apartment and started their new lives in a new environment. Rina and Semi used the money they have and returned back to Koichi, as a repayment that he helped Rina three years back.

Semi found several jobs and was working almost 20 hours a day. In the morning he delivers the newspaper, in the afternoon he works at a gasoline station, and at night he works at a convenient store. He could bring back some food from the store as their dinner. But Rina felt bad, that Semi is working so hard, he has almost no sleep daily, she worries for his body. Yet her body wasn't helping much, her pregnancy was a tough one. She was almost lying on the bed everyday.  She cannot go out to work, neither can she do house chores. Semi was doing them all by himself.

One day, Semi came home and immediately he fell dead on the floor. He was tired, but he has to hang on…

“Semi… come, go lie on the bed…” Rina helped Semi onto the bed.

“Rina…..I’m sorry….. I am still unable to give you a good life.” Semi seems like he’s talking in his sleep.

“Semi…. Life is good just with you around….” Rina Semi’s hair gently.

“I can’t afford a ring for you, I can’t buy proper food for you and our baby… I’m useless…” Semi was crying in his sleep.

“Semi……” Rina saw how stressed Semi was, she was feeling pain, she felt she made Semi so tortured…

Semi woke up with a tired and aching body when his alarm rang at 4am, he couldn’t see Rina anywhere, even though it’s such a small apartment, he couldn’t find her. He got worried, “Rina! Rina!! Where are you?!?!” He was shouting for a reply from Rina.

“Semi!!! I’m here!!!! You had a nightmare!!” Rina was right in front of Semi when he opened his eyes.

“RINA!!” Semi hugged Rina tightly… “You can’t leave me… I’ll die if you disappear…” Semi wasn’t joking.

“I’m here, I’m always here, Semi… You are just too tired…” Rina patted gently on Semi’s back.

“Rina… Shall we go on a date soon?” Semi realized the last date they have was the one Rina and him went on his birthday.

“Sure… Any time. Hehe~” Rina was happy at Semi’s sudden suggestion.

“My silly princess…”

Semi went out to work as usual, on the other hand Rina wants to do something. She wants to cook a meal for Semi, and decorate their home so that it’ll look more comfy. She went out to do some groceries, came back and cooked a proper dinner for Semi. She also helped to clean and change the layout of the house. Semi came home shortly after Rina’s mini surprise for him.

Semi entered the room, “....ah sorry! I entered the wrong apartment!!!”

“SEMI!! It’s the right room!!!” Rina wanted to laugh at Semi’s silly actions.

“AH? Wait! This is not my house….”

“Hehe~ I changed the layout of our house a little, and doesn’t it seem more comfortable now??” Rina was proud of her actions.

“HAH? What are you doing? You shouldn’t be doing such heavy chores!!” Semi was happy yet angry at the same time.

“No worries, I did not over exert my strength, and I won’t, I need to give birth to a healthy baby you see.. Hehe~”

“Silly girl….” Rina never fails to make Semi feel touched.

“I’ve put the bath for you! Go take a bath and have dinner!”

“You even cooked dinner?!?!” Semi was getting angry again.

“Semi… Don't get so agitated alright? You’ll scare our baby…” Rina knew Semi would get soft if she use their baby as an excuse.

“........”

“Ok ok go bath now!!” Rina pushed Semi into the bathroom.

It’s been long since they had a home-cooked meal together, it was simple dishes, rice, miso soup, and grilled salmon. But that was enough for them, being able to see each other daily was a blessing for them.

“Oh ya, Rina, shall we go on a date tomorrow?”

“Oh how about your work?”

“I took time off from them, I told them occasionally I need to accompany my dearest wife.” Semi and Rina married soon after they moved to Nara, there wasn’t any grand celebrations, Semi wanted to legally be Rina’s husband, and also for their new child.

“Hehe~ What should I wear for tomorrow then…” Rina got excited, she has been staying in their home ever since they moved here due to health reasons. Finally she gets to go out tomorrow for fresh air.

Semi brought Rina to Kyoto on train, he brought her around the iconic places, bought local delights dishes for her to try. After that, he brought her to a bench, where maple trees were surrounding them, and the red maple leaves were dropping, making it a really beautiful scene.

“So beautiful…… And so soothing…” Rina felt really relaxed, it’s been long since she felt so peaceful.

“Rina….” Semi’s voice was gentle, very very gentle…

“Yes… Ah! Semi why are you kneeling down again?” Rina saw Semi half-kneeling down to her again.

“I’m sorry for being late, this is the ring for our marriage.” Semi and Rina married without proper rings, they just filled in the marriage form and submitted to the registry of marriage.

Rina saw a blinking silver ring, “Semi…. Why did you spend money on this, you know that I don’t need anything except you…”

“I know, but this is the minimum I should do. Just take it that I have my pride, I don’t want my wife to not even have a ring on her hands.” Semi felt he hasn’t done enough for Rina, he was fortunate to meet her, where she accepted him without any complaints, she didn’t mind his past, she didn’t mind his occupation, she didn’t mind he’s unable to give her a proper life. She gave him all she has, what he can do is to make her happy.

“Semi…… thank you…. I’ll treasure it….” Rina stretch out her hands to let Semi put on the ring for her.

“Rina… I love you…” After putting the ring on Rina’s ring finger, he kissed her.

It was a beautiful scene, a romantic kiss with red and calming maple leaves around them…

On the train back home, “Rina… It’s December next week…”

“And..?”

“Your birthday is coming…”

“AH that’s right hehe~”

“What do you want?” Although Semi couldn’t afford any expensive things yet.

“What do you think I want?”

Semi chuckled, “I know, you wanna go to the amusement park again and ride on the ferry wheel right?”

“Semi…….. BINGO!!!” Rina was smiling really happily.

“You look just like a kid.” Semi laughed at this silly girl.

Rina and Semi smiled at each other, this was enough for them, such a normal life was enough for them…

However, as December started, and weather was getting colder, it made Rina’s pregnancy even more suffering. She was falling ill quite often, many times she couldn’t even get out of her bed, Semi often had to run home in between his shifts to look after her.

“Rina, how are you feeling?” Semi came home after his morning newspaper delivery.

“Hmm… No good, I’m still having terrible headache…” Rina was lying on the bed and speaking with a really weak voice.

“Let me check your temperature……………. 39 degrees!! I’m bringing you to the hospital.” Semi got really worried, Rina’s cold has been there for a few days, even with medicine, her temperature has been around 37 to 38 degrees, today it shot up to 39 degrees.

“Semi… I’m fine… Don’t waste unnecessary money…”

“No, I’m bringing you to the hospital today no matter what.” Semi cannot let Rina continue suffering.

“She’s suffering from slight malnutrition. Her weight is dropping even though the baby should be growing.” The doctor gave his diagnosis. “Do you have financial problems?”

“I……….” Semi felt his failure, he couldn’t even buy proper food for Rina.

“No, doctor, I just don’t have much appetite…” Rina knew Semi was not feeling good.

“I see… But under eating would cause problems for your baby’s growth. I’ll prescribe you some nourishment supplements then.”

“Thank you doctor.” Rina answered while Semi was still keeping quiet.

On the way back home, Semi was still looking very depressed.

“Semi… Don’t show such an expression… I’ll feel that it’s my fault that you are feeling so depressed…” Rina was worried for Semi, he’s already physically drained, she doesn’t want him to be mentally drained too.

“Rina… I’m alright…” Semi gave a forced smile.

*Pinches cheeks* “Don’t show me such a smile, I’ll get angry.” Rina pouted.

“Ok ok, my princess, look at my BIG SMILE!” Semi showed a wide smile showing almost all of his teeth.

“HAHAHA! That’s better!!!” Rina was feeling better after looking at Semi’s smile, “My Semi looks best when he’s smiling, right baby?” Rina touched her stomach and her baby.

“Dear baby, be obedient and don’t make mummy feel uncomfortable, ok?” Semi place his hands on Rina’s and her stomach gently too.

“Listen to Papa ok?” Rina spoke gently to their baby.

It seems like their baby really heard what they said, and started to give Rina less problems, Rina’s health got better day by day, Semi also made sure Rina is able to have proper food everyday. Soon, it was one week before Rina’s birthday.

“Rina, shall we go to the amusement park on your birthday next week?” Semi said while they were having dinner together.

“Really?? I wanna go!!! And then we need to ride the ferry wheel…” Rina blushed…

“And kiss at the peak, right?” Semi has been hearing Rina saying she wants to do this.

“YES! Hehe~” Rina was really looking forward to her birthday.

“Keito, I found the person you’ve been looking for.”

“Oh, finally we found her whereabouts huh… Thanks Yuya.”

“What are you gonna do about her?”

“She made me lost everything, I will take away what she has now too…” Keito said with a pair of scary evils, a pair of eyes, determined to revenge for his father.

Two days before Rina’s birthday, she was out as usual for grocery shopping. On the way back home, she sensed someone following her. She hastened  her speed, but suddenly a van appeared in front of her, a few men came out of the van and grabbed her into the van. Rina tried to escape but was in veins, she was then put to sleep by those men.

“I’m home!!” Semi bought some extra dishes tonight for their dinner.

“........” Semi didn’t hear Rina’s ‘Welcome home!’ Like he always hear when he’s back home.

“Rina..? Where are you? Are you in the bathroom?” Semi walked towards the bathroom, he looked inside and there’s still no traces of Rina… He searched around the apartment but Rina was no where around.

“.......Rina…..” Semi have a bad feeling, he ran out of the house and started running to the grocery store that Rina always visit.

On the way running to the store, his legs tripped onto something and almost had a fall. He took a closer look, it’s some bags of groceries from the store he was about to go to. His bad feelings were getting stronger and stronger… He took a look inside, he saw some eggs, onion, and raw chicken meat. He remembered, Rina said she would cook Oyako don today. Those are just the ingredients for Oyako don…

Then he looked up, and saw some wanted posters sticking on the lamp post, it’s Keito.

“Keito…” Semi recalled that the Okamoto agency has been raided by the police around two weeks back for their illegal drugs business. “……” Semi pieced all the puzzle pieces together, Keito managed to escape, and he kidnapped Rina as a revenge for his father.

“.....What should I do…” Semi was at lost, then he remember, he can ask someone for help.

He quickly dialed a number, “Koichi san… I need your help, Rina may have been kidnapped.”