64 Chapter six, 2016, springtime in summer: 5 (1/2)

Kyoko looked up when she noticed Yukio entering the café.

”The tall foreigner isn't with you today?” one of the waitresses asked.

'Even the staff take note of his absence. Those two really lived their Fridays here.'

Yukio shook his head. He looked downtrodden.

'So tired. Does he worry you that much?' ”Over here!” She rose and waved.

Yukio had Ryu-kun in tow and both boys turned at her call. Ryu shot them one of his patented smiles. Enough of it to make Nori-chan wince by her side.

”Idiot bro,” she muttered.

Yukio's smile was shyer. 'More honest,' Kyoko thought. 'You can be the prince of Himekaizen for all you want, but for me Yukio is the more handsome.' That thought brought more heat to her cheeks than the summer's heat could be accounted for.

There was a small sound and Kyoko looked around. Kuri-chan had dropped her spoon onto the table. Kyoko cold see her looking out the window with an expression of helpless desolation in her face. 'I'm sorry but I don't think he's coming. Tomorrow, you'll see him at the club tomorrow.'

But tomorrow wasn't today, and Kuri-chan had told Kyoko earlier that she was taking the day off her part time job just to see Urufu without the rest of the fan-club drooling over her.

'I'll ask Yukio to make you some time alone tomorrow.' Her Yukio. In her mind he was already her Yukio.

He and Ryu-kun sauntered over to their table, a waitress in her uniform carrying their orders trailing behind them.

She liked this place, could understand why Yukio and Urufu-kun hadn't given up on it after they found it. It was a place away from school in a way James' coffee shop could never be. That place was part of the club by now and the new waterhole for the fan-club, now when it was known that both Ryu-kun and Kuri-chan spent their evenings there.

She liked the poorly wiped windows here, the tacky, plastic interior, the waitresses in white and pink uniforms that had seen a few washings too many, the very fact that she had been right that evening when she thought a couple of interesting students from her school had sat on the second floor and that it was a place important to Yukio.

Most of all she liked that it was a place within walking distance home for both her and Yukio. Because that meant he lived close to her and that meant safety in more than one way.

”… round?”

”Eh?” Kyoko looked up from her thoughts and saw Kuri-chan do the same.

”Another round?”

”Eh, yes sure. Same.” 'Kuri-chan, what are you thinking of. I'm happy even though he's not mine but you look so sad and Urufu-kun is all yours.' The thought gave her a start. 'Is he really? Sometimes when I look at you two I wonder.'

”I'll take my leave,” Kuri-chan said. ”Feel like the odd one out. My apologies.”

She rose and left the table.

Kyoko watched her go. A tall beauty on long, slender legs. A worried beauty.

Ryu stood and started after her and Yukio looked as if he was about to try to stop him. Nori-chan grabbed his shirt sleeve and stopped him with a shake of her head.

”He's not… he knows he can't, not now anyway,” she said, and when Yukio made another attempt to follow Ryu-kun she continued: ”He doesn't stand a chance. Not yet, so he won't try. He's just worried like the rest of us and she feels alone now.”

'You're loyal to your friend Yukio. I like you even more for that but right now Nori-chan is right.' ”Yukio trust his sister, will you?”

Yukio hesitated for a moment but he sat down again.