118 Chapter five, 2016, extended stay: 6 (1/2)

”See you later.”

Just a few days until autumn term, so 'later' wasn't exactly some distant future occasion. Then why did it feel like a farewell? Ryu waved after Kuri and Urufu as they headed for the local trains. Yukio and Kyoko trailed behind because they would share another train anyway, and both wanted something to eat after the awful train-ride all the way from south of Ise to Tokyo.

He looked out the entrance to Tokyo central station. From the outside it was all red bricks and looking nothing like what anyone would have expected from Tokyo. Their mother would pick them up by car. After that Ryu guessed Kyoko and Yukio would return inside and head for their late evening train.

Ryu wondered about that. How quickly they all had gained the trust of his parents and Urufu's guardian. Too quickly. They had been left to their own devices the last week. Sure, Principal Nakagawa stayed to handle Kuri's make-up exams, but he didn't patrol the corridors at night to make sure they didn't sneak into each others' rooms.

It wasn't that Ryu disliked it. Freedom meant responsibility, and he guessed he had grown enough to want to shoulder some. Him and his sister.

”Ryu!”

'What?'

”Ryu, wake up!”

'Sis? Oh, mom's here already.' ”See you, guys,” he shouted to Kyoko and Yukio. Ryu waved after them when they turned and walked inside again. Kyoko almost vanished under her luggage, and Ryu was grateful he and his sister didn't have to drag their own halfway across Tokyo. With a grin he noted that Noriko wouldn't merely almost have vanished under hers.

”Coming sis.” He shouldered his backpack and with the help of his sister they carried the large bags to the waiting car. 'Mom, you're not supposed to park there, but you never did care much for rules, did you?'

He lifted all bags into the trunk and took his seat beside his mother. Noriko opened one of the rear doors and he saw her buckle up in the rear mirror.

”Fun field trip?” she asked as if she hadn't spent the last couple of weeks with him.

”Yes, but I'm tired and hungry now. Mom what's for dinner?”

”Hot pot. Dad's preparing it right now. It'll be ready when we come home.”

Ryu grinned where he sat. By now he longed for a bath and something more normal to eat than the food they had been served at the resort. It had been good food, but in the long run he missed his parents' cooking, and especially the bantering around a simmering pot.