222 Chapter two, 2016, just another Christmas: 3 (1/2)

”Aren't you going dating on Christmas?”

”As in going out? Why?”

Yukio stared at him. ”Lover's day, you know?”

”Huh?”

”Christmas eve. One of the number one dating days in the year.”

”It is?”

He received yet another stare.

”Well, unless you've been living under a rock you'd have known that.”

”Now when you mention it. No, I haven't been living under a rock. Christmas is family in Sweden. You don't go out.” Ulf thought about it for a moment. ”OK, I don't know about youngsters these days, but for me Christmas is a day you spend at home with those most important to you. You can ask Christina. I think she'll say the same thing.”

Ulf thought about it. Japan wasn't a nation with a Christian background. Christmas and Easter came with traditions back home. If they were celebrated here at all they had to be purely commercial events. Kind of like Halloween in Sweden. Besides he'd spent last Christmas cooped up in that juvenile delinquent institution they sent him to after he got expelled from Red Rose Hell.

And no, he didn't intend to spend Christmas out. Christina had already agreed to spend it with him and Amaya. First she said something about staying home, but Christmas alone was just too sad a thought for him to accept. So he nagged until she caved in.

Yukio looked back at him from across the table. Soon they'd leave their soon to be former club room and walk down the stairs and to the gym for the year's end ceremony, and after that two weeks of winter break.

'Former?' By now most of what they needed had been moved to Stockholm Haven café, and the room looked pretty much like any other classroom in the school. Apart from the table and the sofa that didn't make the move; three wall mounted whiteboards looked horribly out of place as well. Ulf guessed someone would clean those out during the break.

”What about you?” he asked in return.

”Kyoko,” Yukio said as if that explained everything.

Ulf rose from his seat and beckoned to his friend to do the same. ”I guess this is it,” he said and left for the door.

”We made a lot of memories in here,” Yukio said.

The sound of the door sliding shut behind them signalled the end of something. And a new beginning? Well, they certainly had experienced a lot in the room they left. ”Yeah,” Ulf said at a lack of words. ”The best hangout for second term.”

”Man, what's with that depressing voice?”

'Depressed. I guess it shows, but it's not about the club.' Ulf forced a smile to his lips. 'Not going to burden you with my problems. Have a great holiday!'