The days after her leadership camp was quite uneventful. Althea retired from the student council and joined a cram school to study further in preparation for upcoming exams and selection she's gonna join.
While she was occupied by the studies and University admission preparation, Ray moved to the university's dorm and had been busy adjusting to his new life.
Even then, he kept maintaining contact will Althea and helped her with her studies wholeheartedly, not to forget giving her all the mental support she needed to succeed.
After all, it was hard for Althea alone to defend herself from growing doubts of her decision.
"You've never left home before, to suddenly leave for another country and not being able to go home at all... Are you sure?" was what Althea's aunt said when she passed the document selection.
"Don't you think it would be better to go to a college close by? It won't cost extra for accommodation and you can keep helping your parents." another of her relatives said.
Her mother has been telling others on what kind of prestigious university she'd be able to get in if she managed to pass, and it only caused the worried gazes which felt like tremendous pressure on her increased.
"Sometimes I feel like you're too idealist, isn't it better to register to the university I recommend you to? It's full scholarship as well and there is a guarantee of job."
Strangely, while her mother told the others about her goal, she also pushed her to a recommended university on her own while reminding her of the big chance of failure from the selection she is currently joining.
Truth be told, the university her mother recommended isn't bad at all. It's just that the educational system and field of the university wasn't to Althea's liking... and she wished to follow Ray's footsteps as well.
Choosing a university in her country might shackle her to her cage, and she wants nothing close to it.
At least, by going with her choice, she would then have the freedom to venture the world on her own.
"If you worry about your livelihood here, I'll make sure it's comfortable for you. And if you wish to stay in your country, while it pained me to death, I'll still support you. I will make it work somehow so that we can meet and have as normal relationship as we can get." These were Ray's words when she was torn on which to choose.
But more memorable than that was what Ray said afterward, "Any outside pressure shouldn't affect your decision at all, Althea. Not me, not your family." He said in a gravely serious voice at that time, "I wish for you to choose for yourself, sweetheart. As your partner, I wish only the best for you. I will definitely give you my advice and insights for your consideration, but in the end, it would be you who gets to decide."
Those words supported Althea more than she thought it would. She could lessen the burden of worrying about her family's opinion on her decision and focus to search more on what she wished to do, instead. She wished to walk her own path, not one her mother chooses without her consent, nor one which she forces herself to like.
With such determination, she worked hard to study for her tests and selections.
Her days which were usually full of work at school was now replaced with studies, and her mother fortunately even reduced the workload at home.
She gets to enjoy a short hour to play and study with her little brother before she focused on her own studies until late at night.
While still feeling pessimistic about her possibility to pass, Ray held her up enough not to crumble on the temptation to give up halfway or stop progressing from the fear.
He taught her how to keep going to the point of having no time for fear and worries. His ways were unique as always, and Althea was honestly surprised that Ray didn't make her study like crazy just how he once did.
Maybe understanding Althea too well, Ray would keep a balance on how much she should study and when would he melt her down to relax like a professional hands-on advisor.
As days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, Althea felt time flew by just as fast as she felt how exams were coming one after another.
Until the time for her hard work, combined with Ray's full support amongst the pressure from her family, showed its results.