35 Chapter four, 2016, early resolutions: 1 (1/2)

Mid May, and the temperature was reaching summer levels. Ryu wiped sweat from his face. The air-conditioner in their classroom definitely wasn't up to the task.

Mere seconds earlier fourth period finished, and he was out of the door running.

He jumped down the stairs, half a flight a jump, and bounced to the entrance floor. From the relative light in the stairwell he reached the darker corridor and shouldered his way to the cafeteria. More than a few he passed yelled insults after him, but he really didn't care.

The cafeteria was full as usual. The third years always made it there first. He rushed headlong anyway. They'd have lunch in the shaded area between the cafeteria and the gym hall, and he wanted to make sure they got seats there. By this time of the year any sunny day promised an invasion of the cafeteria backyard.

Behind him he heard Noriko declare his dubious heritage in a voice that carried through both wings.

He zigzagged his way through the cafeteria and left it from the great glassed doors facing the gym hall. Ryu found the seats he was looking for. Now he just had to wait for someone else in the gang to show up before he could buy his lunch.

He just had time to look at the great sails above him before he was greeted.

”Mind if we join you?”

He looked around to see who had addressed him. ”Yu-kun, please.”

”Go get your lunch. Urufu-kun and Kuri-chan are on their way here as well,” Yu-kun said and took the place offered.

'Their way?' ”Uh, sure.” Ryu rose and made for the glassed entrance. 'Their way?'

The queue to the counter had built up while he secured a spot outdoors, and he barely made it to Noriko's space in it.

”Seems we're getting company from the club core sis,” he said. He was probing for a reaction, and he wasn't disappointed. She blushed red and muttered something about not caring the least.

Still, it bothered him that Kuri-chan and Kyoko-chan hadn't joined them in their race for lunch.

”Did you see where Kuri-chan went?” he asked, not certain if he was probing his sister or himself.

”Kuri-chan went with Kyoko-chan to the left wing. She really has to make up with Yu-kun, you know.”

Ryu didn't need a name to know that Noriko meant Kyoko-chan. 'I wonder who went with whom though. Could it be that Urufu-kun is making a move on her? He's been on a roll the last week after all.'

All of a sudden he felt ashamed. 'I like Kuri-chan a lot, but sis, you've really fallen in love haven't you?'

He couldn't understand what the girls saw in the geek. It wasn't as if he was outgoing or anything. 'Well I can see what Kuri-chan sees in him,' he admitted to himself. 'They're both from the same country after all.'

The queue moved a bit forward and they got to make their picks. Bounty in hand they headed for the spots Yu-kun held. Over half a dozen students were already there. Yu-kun must have told them he and Kuri-chan were coming.

Ryu grinned at the girls present when they waved at him. ”Good to see this much beauty in one place,” he offered. Behind him Noriko groaned.

”Hello Wakayama-san!”

”Over here!”

Noriko groaned some more.

He took a seat on a bench and made place for his sister. Silently he nodded thanks to Yu-kun for keeping the spots open.

”Aren't we missing a few people?” Noriko said.

'So that's the limit of your patience?'

Ryu had just opened his pre-packaged lunch when the students around him fixed their attention on the cafeteria behind him.

'And we have incoming.'