306 Chapter three, 2017, conflict: 7 (1/2)

Yukio looked at Kyoko when Noriko answered his call.

”I've placed the call on speakers, so I apologise in advance if the sound is bad.”

There was a moment of silence.

”No problem. I'll do likewise.”

'Huh? Why?'

”Hi Noriko, are you busy? We can call you later,” Kyoko said.

'Oh, she's doing something at the moment.' ”Yeah, no problem,” Yukio added. 'Kyoko's quick to pick up on that.' He leaned over the table and squeezed her hand.

”Haven't seen you in a while,” Urufu's voice suddenly said. ”I'll be absent from school for some time.”

'What's he doing together with Noriko?' ”Man, what do you mean by absent?” Yukio had a feeling he'd rather not hear the answer.

”I got suspended for insulting the principal.”

”Damn it Urufu, do you have to provoke him all the time?”

”I...” Urufu's voice got strangely muffled.

”I asked him the same thing,” Noriko said. ”He just won't listen to reason.”

Yukio stared at Kyoko's phone on the table. ”Man, I planned to take this with you later, but I guess now is as good as ever.” He met Kyoko's eyes across the table, and she nodded at him. ”We don't feel good about the situation with you and Kuri.” 'How am I going to explain this?' He fell silent for a moment.

”Shoot, I'm listening,” Urufu said.

Knowing it needed to be said was one thing. Saying it was another. ”Look, you're my best friend, but Kuri is Kyoko's. When the two of you are fighting you force us to choose, and we've decided that we refuse.”

”I won't pick Kuri-chan over you, but neither will I support you,” Kyoko added.

”So we'll just stay out of it all. Until both of you've got your brains in order don't expect to see us a lot,” Yukio finished.

”Wait! You can't do that. You're their best friends.” Noriko's voice almost broke.

Yukio had expected as much. That was the reason they wanted to talk with her first. Now she was with Urufu, so it couldn't be helped, but Yukio respected how she tried to protect the friendship of them all, but with Urufu and Kuri going as far as they had something drastic was needed.

”Noriko, we're doing this exactly because we're their friends. Friendship goes both ways. Urufu and Kuri need to respect our needs as well.”

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”Hear that, man? You're making Kyoko unhappy. You both are.”

The best thing with Urufu was that Yukio felt comfortable talking about awkward things with him. That way there was no better friend, and Yukio hated how they'd become estranged after Kuri and Ryu became a pair. Still, it wasn't just Kuri's fault. Urufu had a lot to answer for.

”Sorry about that. It's just that seeing her with him makes me so angry. I'm not used to being this way.” Urufu's voice sounded clearer now, as if he had sat down by wherever Noriko placed her phone.

”Urufu,” Yukio said, ”with the two of us being driven home every day there's no time left if you and Kuri are going to keep this up. Man up and get your grips together!” As if he could tell someone thirty five years his senior to man up.

Urufu's laughter didn't come as a surprise, but the honest mirth in it did. 'What did you do to him, Noriko? I haven't heard Urufu laugh like that in weeks.' ”Good to hear you're feeling better,” Yukio tried.