The Old and the Restless

 

Ako moves to Finchwick in the fall with a plan to stay through winter.  After living her whole life in the city and suburbs she worries about the countryside. Asa assures her that Finchwick is very near the town center and that she will find plenty to do. Ako throws herself into minding Keely and also the new chickens!

Taeyang sticks around for a bit too, to make sure Ako settles in OK. He's one of the first to congratulate Asa on her second pregnancy! But eventually it's time for him to head to Chestnut Ridge with Jimin.

Ako enters her first fair with some of the chicken eggs! Though she knows she won't win, the effort to get a perfect egg has given her a new sense of purpose.

Even Queen Afua comes out to see her entry in the fair! 

Ako even convinces Asa and Cian to get some mini sheep! 

Between the sheep, the chickens, Ako and a new baby on the way Cian and Asa decide to make the move to Old New Henford. The larger house has plenty of room for everyone and the grounds are large enough for chickens, sheep, and even a tree house for the kids.

Following the new year it's time for Ako to stay with Ruka for while. Jungkook has gotten so BIG since she last saw him!  

 

While Senbamachi and Old New Henford are similarly quiet areas, Ako finds there is less to do here. Ruka teaches her to play soccer and encourages her to explore the area, but it's still winter and too cold to walk around much. Ruka promises that they will make it out to Yukimatsu to ski or maybe down to Wakaba to a festival there just never seems to be much time. Rukas training schedule is tight...

...and Jihoon is away in Tomorang for a conference. During the conference some of the programmers plan to break into the Sulea Tiger Sanctuary and they invite him to come along. When he arrives they text that they're already inside. Jihoon sneaks in but it turns out it was all a big joke! He gets banned from the sanctuary for a year! How emb

 

When he returns home Ruka is feeling under the weather in a very familiar way. But their house is still quite small and Jungkook is still just a toddler!! Ruka worries that another baby may set her career back even further as well!! A phone call with Asa calms her fears a bit but she does wish Ako was staying through the summer.

With spring over Ako is headed to Chestnut Ridge to live with the boys for awhile. She's happy to be out of Senbamachi but life in Chestnut Ridge is even MORE cramped. The boys own a pretty big stretch of land but most if it is stables for the horse ranch Jimin is dreaming of starting. The house is a one bedroom with not much space for Ako. Jimin and Taeyang share the pull out couch and let Ako have the room. They're overjoyed for her company. The house is finally clean, they have warm, delicious meals for once and Ako even helps out with the animals.

Ako finds a horse adoption center and they have an Appaloosa foal that needs a home. It's the perfect opportunity for Jimin to start his ranch. The horse is only $250 and they can all pitch in to train and raise it. Everyone seems to be settling into adulthood well and Ako couldn't be more proud of all of her children. But while bouncing from home to home has given her an opportunity to be more involved in all of their lives it has also been really hard o Ako. She is too old to be flying from place to place like this and she wonders where she should make her home.  She loves the rolling countryside of Old New Henford and found so much fulfillment in helping with the chickens and sheep. On the other hand Senbamachi was a bit dull and Ruka is working so hard that she and Jihoon are rarely around for company. Then there is always the option to stay here in Riders Glen.  There is plenty to do here and the boys certainly could use the extra help! But the house is not large enough for Ako and two grown men. Maybe she needs more time to decide.