60 Chapter six, 2016, springtime in summer: 1 (1/2)
They were taking their usual Friday walk from school to their mall when Urufu's trousers came alive.
Urufu dug up his phone from a pocket and took the call. ”Hamarugen speaking.”
Yukio looked at his friend. Who called him at this time? He took another step and tried listening in on Urufu's call through the sound of ever more insistent cicadas.
”Yes, that's correct. He was one of the four who assaulted Wakayama Noriko.”
'Now that's an interesting call.' Urufu had stopped dead in his tracks.
”You what? Sorry sensei, I mean would you please explain?”
Yukio couldn't help staring. 'A teacher calling this late?' This could take some time. He picked up his umbrella from the bag. The clouds hadn't looked promising when they were about to leave school. And by now it was darkening faster than dusk could amount for.
”Eh… what do you mean expelled?” Urufu's face had turned white in the lamplight.
'What on earth is going on? He's done absolutely nothing!'
”I see. Thank you sensei. I'm truly grateful.”
'Ah so it wasn't him who was expelled. Urufu, you're so going to tell me later.'
”I see. No I'm not familiar with Uyoku dantai.”
'Crap!'
”Right wing loonies? Yeah, we have those idiots back home as well. A bunch of them have seats in our parliament hidden in plain sight among a racist populist party.”
'OK where do those nut-cases fit into all this?' Heavy drops of water hit Yukio's forehead. 'And here comes the rain.' Yukio handed Urufu his umbrella and dug through the contents of Urufu's bag in search for another one.
”They what? Oh shit! Sorry sensei; that is unfortunate I mean.”
'Something really bad just surfaced.'
”Of course sensei. I'll immediately call it 'oh shit' if you say so.”
'That bad?' And there was the umbrella. 'Finally!' Yukio pushed the umbrella open and raised it above his head.
”May I tell Yukio? He's already heard half the conversation. Thank you. Yes I'll do that. Bye.”
'OK what was that all about?'
Urufu gave him a long look. ”Yukio, you should sit down.”
Eh? ”Urufu?”
”Please sit!”
'This has to be really, really bad.' Yukio searched for a relatively dry spot on the low wall they passed and did as Urufu had asked.
”Yukio you remember my reaction when you told me about the racist bullying at Red Rose Hell?”
Yukio nodded. He felt stupid. ”Yeah.”
”That's the reason I started cramming Japanese like an idiot.”
”Eh?”
”Hearing that crap but not being able to listen because I didn't understand the language. That's never, ever going to happen again.”
In hindsight it made sense. Yukio remembered the silent rage of his friend. ”What about the phone call?” He ruffled his hair dry with one hand. Some of that rain hadn't been avoidable.
”Seems some Nazi wannabes have a lot of clout in that school. Like controlling members of the board.”
”What?” Something contracted in Yukio's stomach. 'Red Rose. I hate that place!'