86 Chapter two, 2016, southbound: 3 (2/2)

Christina shrugged. 'They've planned it all. I could as well run with it.' ”Sure, please do. I'd be happy if it were to be someone who cared for me.”

Both Wakayamas frowned.

'What did I do wrong now?' It didn't matter, probably a bad choice of words. She had to salvage something from the awkward moment. ”I apologize. I didn't mean it that way. I'm happy if this person will care for me.” 'Gah, I really need to improve my Japanese.'

Mrs Wakayama lit up in a smile. ”You mean that you would want my friend to take care of you?” she said in a strangely accented but otherwise well-educated English.

”Yes, thank you!”

After a quizzical look from the other two Noriko's mother quickly translated.

Christina used the short respite to look out through the windows. Pale lamplights lit up the courtyard and the two cars parked there threw metallic reflections onto the ground. Apart from that the night was pitch black.

'Nothing like Tokyo. We're really not in the city any longer.'

The sound of a voice called her back to the lobby.

”Well, that settles it I guess. Now for the other part.” Mr Wakayama still leaned forward. ”I'm a former Himekaizen student. We both are,” he added and nodded at his wife. ”One of our classmates was born in Japan but moved to Sweden before coming back.”

Christina had a sinking feeling where this was going.

”He moved to your Sweden to be part of the German legislation,” Mrs Wakayama said.

'OK, they know.' ”Are we talking that German legislation?” Christina asked more for confirmation than anything else.

”If you're referring to the one with a penchant for black and brown uniforms, yes that would be the one. That was before he came back to Japan. Arrived back in Japan you could say.”

Mrs Wakayama suddenly grinned. ”He's the husband, by the way. Your future father if you will. He doesn't know you, yet.”

Christina felt irritation rise in her. ”OK, you're up to something. Apparently you know of my background, so spill it!” She was being impolite. She knew that, but she just couldn't help showing how much she hated being toyed with.

She saw Noriko's father share a grin with his wife. ”I believe we know more of it than you do, at least parts of it.”

That was it. 'If you know how old I really am, stop treating me like a kid!' Christina made as if to leave but Sato-sensei grabbed her arm and pulled her back. ”I think you should listen to this, even if I agree that they're being far too theatrical,” she said and glared at the two older adults.

Mr Wakayama wiped the grin off his face and bowed his head in apology. ”Ms Ageruman. Our classmate married a Swedish woman and they had a daughter. That daughter fell in love and got pregnant. She married after her daughter was born.”

'No, no, no, no! There's no way in hell…'

Noriko's mother gave her a look filled with compassion and concern. ”Your grandfather. Did he suddenly vanish around 1990?”

Christina felt all blood leaving her face. ”I was twenty five,” she said and sat down so hard it hurt her backside. ”I was modelling here in Tokyo, well the other Tokyo,” she whispered. ”Too busy to go back home. Mom never forgave me.”

”I'm sorry we didn't tell you before,” Mr Wakayama began, ”but we didn't know for certain until a few days ago. Sato-san,” he nodded at Ulf's guardian, ”found out when she ran the archives after we were asked to help with the contract.”

Christina shook her head numbly. 'Of course they wouldn't know. Mom took dad's last name. What was her maiden name?' ”Sano, Sato, what's his last name?”

Sato-sensei smiled. ”Sano. I'm Sato.”

”Sorry,” Christina said and blushed. ”Mitsuo Sano, yes I remember. But I only called him grandpa.” Speaking in English she automatically switched to the western naming convention.

”Mitsuo-kun. Well that confirms it,” Mrs Wakayama said. ”Will you accept your grandfather as your legal father in this world? Even if we can never tell, officially?”

Christina gulped down the last of her tea and nodded. ”Yes, yes of course.”

”Then my husband will break the news to him tomorrow. I won't proceed unless he accepts as well, do you understand that?”

'Unless he accepts. But he really acted like my father when I grew up, because dad was never home.' ”Yes I understand.”

For once she took a real bite of her bean cake. The intense sweetness helped shake her awake again. The conversation thus far brought her dangerously close to a dreamland where reality and fantasy blended together. 'This is the real world now. The old one is only memories.'

”Good, then I'll call our kids to dinner later. They're involved with the contracts, and we won't treat them like children when they deserve credit for handling this in an adult way.” Both parents leaned forward before Noriko's mother continued. ”Now, I want you to promise that you never tell them that we know of you and Hamarugen-san. It's important that they believe we've never heard of the transitions.”

'Transition, that's a way to call it I guess. Principal Nakagawa refers to us as arrivals so I guess transition is a good word to describe what happened to us.' ”I promise,” Christina said, even though she really didn't understand why it was so important to the parents.