292 Chapter two, 2017, schism: 4 (1/2)

Just as she picked up her phone from the table Noriko noticed someone heading for their table. She looked up. ”Yukio?”

After a moments hesitation he smiled. ”Yes, that would be me,” he said.

”How did you know?”

Across the table Urufu turned and looked over his shoulder. ”I'll be damned. Yukio the sleuth.”

”Even a moron like me could guess you'd go sulking here man,” Yukio retorted.

”Only a moron like me would have a date with his rival's sister in a shabby place like this.”

”A date?”

”A date?” Noriko echoed.

”Don't you people call everything when two people meet away from home a date?”

Noriko saw Yukio's smirk before he opened up a broadside. ”Cut it with that crap about 'you people'! You're part of us now.”

'Friends, they really are best friends.' She admired Yukio's courage to bite back at the older man. 'Kyoko, you sure got yourself a good boyfriend.'

”Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Urufu growled, but he grinned when he turned around and grabbed his cup of coffee. ”Just like old times,” he added. This time the smile reached all the way to his eyes.

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'I haven't seen that grin of yours for so long.' Thinking of the reason why Urufu never smiled with joy these days reminded Noriko of Nao, and a hard lump formed in her throat. She almost managed to keep her tears down.

”I had it repaired,” Urufu said just as Yukio sat down beside her.

'Had it repaired? Oh, my phone.' ”You didn't have to.”

”I wanted to.”

”It's not like I couldn't afford to myself.”

”Exactly why I wanted to.”

”Comedy duo, much?” Yukio interrupted.

”But he really didn't...” Noriko started. She stopped and slapped her hand to her mouth when Urufu threw up his hands in mock exasperation and grinned widely, and this time his smile twinkled in his eyes as well.

Noriko's heart almost stopped.

”I give,” he said.

'I remember now. It's been almost two years.'

”You're cute when you blush, you know that?”

”Say what again?” Then she felt her face heat up. 'No way! He can still make me feel this way?'

”Don't flirt with her like that. Nao could get grumpy.”

The fuzzy feeling in her stomach was immediately replaced by a burning pain in her chest, and Noriko saw Urufu's eyes throw daggers at Yukio. All the heat that just made her blush left her at once.