179 Chapter four, 2016, the long, long night: 7 (1/2)

Noriko paid the cashier.

'Only two rooms left,' she thought.

Tomorrow she'd receive more than a few harsh words from their class rep, but Noriko didn't care. Joining the club members rather than going out with her class was a given, as it had been for almost everyone else.

”Bro, I've paid until eight, but after that anyone staying here will have to pay for themselves.”

Ryu looked back at her from a door opening. ”We'll only be one room by eight. I've told them already.”

'When did you grow up to be this reliable?' Noriko nodded and gave her brother a smile. More and more often he deserved her approval these days.

'And who was that Irishima High girl? I can't recall seeing you spend so much time alone with one girl.' Ryu without either harem or fan-club was a scary thought. 'You're changing.'

Her brother, no longer 'idiot bro', left the karaoke box and walked over to her.

”Any news?” he asked.

Noriko shook her head. A Line message told her Kyoko and Yukio were on their way to the hospital. They should have arrived by now.

”Haven café or home?” she asked instead.

Ryu grimaced. ”Haven,” he said. ”We need to break the news to them.”

”Do we have to?” Noriko said.

”Transparency,” Ryu said. ”That's the one thing Urufu is adamant about. They deserve to know, and we can't start cheating now.”

Noriko bit her lower lip and clenched her hands into fists. ”How much do you know?” Distrusting her brother wasn't fair, but if he knew anything more she had to know as well.

”As much as you,” he answered. ”Honestly. Nakagawa and Kuri might know more, and perhaps...”

”And perhaps Kyoko and Yukio,” Noriko filled in.

”And perhaps Kyoko and Yukio,” Ryu agreed. ”You know, sis, I'm scared. I don't think I've ever been truly scared before.”

”It's Urufu we're talking about. The barbarian knight from Red Rose. He's too stupid to know how to be hurt,” she lied. The words came out strange from her mouth, and Noriko hoped Ryu didn't notice. One look at him told her he had.

”Yeah,” he said, ”your idiot knight in shining armour.”

'Does my voice sound that forced?' It probably did, because Ryu's voice held no conviction. 'My knight in broken armour, more likely.'

Looking behind her brother Noriko saw Nao leaving the room.