114 Chapter five, 2016, extended stay: 2 (1/2)

That had indeed been a lot of leg. But right now Ryu was far too interested in grasping the finer points of what Urufu had to teach to care much about his sleeping habits, or Kuri's for that matter.

They were wrapping the gig, and Urufu ran the last kaizen-workshop. The businessmen had done a retrospective, but Urufu apparently disliked the term. 'Stupid crutch and semantically imprecise,' he said.

The restaurant served as lecture hall with only a flimsy curtain giving them some sort of privacy from the lobby area from where guests could be heard as they came back or made ready to leave through the entrance. A few voices lingered long enough for Ryu to guess they had taken seats in one of the sofas.

Urufu's voice recalled him to the cleaning up. ”Well, then we're set for the next one should I get another order like this.” Urufu looked at them. ”To be honest I believe it'll mostly be more operative workshops to where I bring you one or two at a time.”

”Urufu,” Noriko said. ”When do you think we can run our own?” She was waving he hand in the air like a middle schooler.

Urufu smiled. ”Good question. There are a few you could run independently right now. I'll see about that.” He dug his hands into a bag. ”Candy-time!”

Ryu looked up. This would be interesting.

”I learned that it's common to pay high schoolers in cash, so I'll do the same now that I verified that Nakagawa's contract was a real one.” Urufu looked at them and bent over the table. ”Kyoko, great work. I like how you're always observant to minute but sudden changes.” He offered her an envelope with both hands. ”Yukio, you're loyal and diligent, but learn a bit from that girl of yours.”

'I wonder what he thinks,' Ryu thought and looked at Yukio. There was only respect to read in that face. 'Those two dispensed with all bullshit a long time ago.'

Noriko had stopped waving her hands and stood gaping at her envelope. ”The brightest of you lot and the only one to see through me,” Urufu said and turned to Ryu. ”I'll make you our outward face, but I guess you knew.”

Ryu glanced at the contents in his envelope. 'Crap!' ”Urufu, that's more than...”

”And there's a small bonus for each of you. There won't be one every-time though, so don't get used to it.”

'Quarter of a million. That's quite a lot even for sis and me.'