195 Chapter six, 2016, three schools: 1 (2/2)

”We'll stick together I guess,” she said and boxed him on his arm when he pretended to groan.

”We don't separate tracks that way at Irishima, but something like liberal arts for me as well,” Ai-chan said. She snuggled up closer to Ryu and glanced at Kuri-chan with unspoken rivalry in her eyes.

'You really don't have to worry that much. Kuri-chan only has eyes for Urufu.'

”Liberal arts,” Kuri-chan said and pretended she had misunderstood Ai-chan's look.

'Well played,' Kyoko thought. 'You understand what makes people tick.' With a nod of approval to her friend Kyoko saw how Ai-chan relaxed a little.

Seven pair of eyes stared at Urufu who hadn't said anything.

”What?” he asked when he finally understood his opinion was wanted.

”What? What are you going to study next year?” Nao-sempai asked.

”Me? Science obviously.”

”Science? With your grades?”

Kyoko could only agree with Ryu's reaction. With Urufu's results she wasn't entirely positive he'd be able to handle liberal arts, let alone the much more difficult science track.

”Look, it's my written Japanese that sucks, not my brains!”

'Japanese? You're flunking more than your exams in Japanese.' Kyoko shook her head. If Urufu wanted to go through science hell it was his decision.

From the corner of her eye Kyoko saw Kuri-chan giving Urufu a look that told him that for those two the topic wasn't finished. 'Hmm, finished.' Kyoko looked at the clock. They had only a few minutes left. It was time to wrap it up and leave for Stockholm Haven café.

The last songs were a mix of birthday celebration songs. For most of them they didn't even bother with music, and after a last round of roaring laughter they left the booth and made for the streets.

On their way to meet the rest of their friends Kyoko hooked up with Yukio and pretended not to notice how Kuri-chan and Urufu fell behind them. There had been an uneasiness between those two the last days, and Kyoko guessed they needed to discuss something.

”Ai-chan, your friends coming as well?” Kyoko asked to clear her thoughts of her misgivings.

Ryu's girlfriend turned and met Kyoko's look. ”Yes, a few of them. Seems more fun than a goukon anyway.”

”And here I thought the last goukon delighted you,” Ryu shot in. That comment won him a pair of flushed cheeks from Ai-chan and friendly scowls from the rest of them.

”Be nice, man. She's your girlfriend,” Yukio suggested.

”I'm always nice. I was born nice.”

”You were born full of yourself.”

Yukio's last retort made Kyoko hug him closer to herself. 'You've grown,' she thought. 'You're manlier now.'

”You deserved that one,” Noriko noted and elbowed her brother. ”You can keep him, Ai-chan. He's damaged goods anyway.”

”Hey, it's my boyfriend you're talking about!”

”He's my idiot brother.”

”You can have the idiot part. I'll take the boyfriend material,” Ai-chan shot back.

Kyoko grinned. Ryu's surprise girlfriend had a lot more spunk than her looks gave away.