145 Chapter one, 2016, the value of friends: 6 (1/2)

Normally he would have flirted a bit more with the girls from 9:1. They kind of knew each other from middle school after all, but at the moment he needed them to help out with the chaos 5:2 and 3:1 were responsible for.

Of course he couldn't help flirting a little. He was the prince of Himekaizen after all, just as he had been the prince of Red Rose half a year earlier. Right now he used the latter fact ruthlessly. As long as the newly transferred girls believed they had more right to his attention, because they had shared middle school with him, they were prepared to help him with his plans.

When his phone blared alive he left it on speakers on purpose.

”Ryu here, what do you want Urufu?”

”Some shit happened to our props. Christina's on it, but I'm sending Yukio over to the gym to help out as well. He has to help out with the play anyway.”

Ryu stared at his phone. From around him he could see the girls giving him questioning looks. ”OK? Noriko's tied up with sponsors for the rest of the day. I'm kind of busy myself.”

There was a muffled sound from the phone. Is he laughing? ”Stop picking up girls already!” the speakers suddenly said. 'Oh, no the bastard can see me from wherever he is. He's helping me.'

Ryu understood he'd been given a cue, but he wasn't exactly clear what it was. While their friendship had grown rapidly the last month, he still couldn't communicate by silent magic the way Yukio and Urufu sometimes seemed to do. He had to play the cards he'd been given by heart.

”Hard to avoid,” Ryu started. ”I'm with the only thing good Red Rose had to offer.”

The girls closest to him giggled with pleased amusement, and a couple of them blushed as well.

”With you saying that I assume you're dating a full length mirror right now.”

Now it was Ryu's turn to blush. 'Bastard!' Then he laughed. ”Wall mounted, Urufu. Wall mounted or it would be too small.”

”Yea yea, leave the toilet and get out here.”

'So he's pretending he can't see me. OK means I'm playing it right.' ”No need. I'm with the only real red roses from my middle school.”

That bought him more than a few gasps and shouts of admiration.

Above him the sky had clouded over, but there would be no rain for the length of the festival. He gave the clouds some more stares while he pretended to think about what Urufu had said.

”Ryu, can you handle your side of this. I had a chat with Christina, and I need to get some extra funding to set up a couple of unplanned stalls.”

'What's going on?' ”Sure, I can handle things here. At least with the help of girls I can trust.” And there he played the final card given to him by Urufu.

Ryu only needed a glance around him to see that they had bought it all. It wasn't fair, and it was a bit underhanded. Just like Urufu had taught him to work when time was of essence.

”Superb, I knew I could count on anyone leaving that hell hole,” Urufu said and sealed the deal. With 9:1 you could trust their almost fanatical hatred of Red Rose.

They closed the call and Ryu drew a deep breath. 'We're building an army here. There's going to be a showdown sooner or later, but I don't know what kind of war Urufu is planning for.'