350 Chapter one, 2017, flashes of summer: 4 (1/2)

Noriko grimaced and stuffed another piece of clothing into her day pack.

A few days earlier she watched Urufu and Kuri show where their hearts truly belonged despite breaking up half a year earlier. The following morning Urufu dragged the entire club into a repetition of last year's camping session, murderous climb up the hill side included, and Kuri even managed to get a break from her photo sessions to attend.

Noriko didn't know what do do with her memories. Kuri spent most of the camp together with Ryu just like a good girlfriend should, and Urufu made good use of the senior club members to make the camp go much smoother than last year, which also meant he spent almost no time at all alone with Kuri.

After camp two days being worked to the bones took over her life. It involved getting a bunch of middle managers and senior systems developers on track working together as a team. As far as Noriko could see status and ranking were more important to adults than actually getting the job done. She had spent most of the first day using Kyoko's deliberate clumsiness and Hitomi's beauty to coerce their customers to at least start talking with each other. After that most of the club members returned home, just like they had done the year before.

Urufu grinned like a moron throughout it all.

They got through in the end and now it was time for Noriko's reward, one she had duped Urufu into promising her.

As far as her idiot brother knew the four of them, Urufu, Yukio, Kyoko and herself were headed for Ise shrine for a day trip. The first part was true. Yukio and Kyoko, however, had already booked a room with the help of their parents to get a precious night alone and away from the rest of them.

Noriko knew how far she could push Urufu, and booking one for them as well was by a wide margin too far. That meant she had to resort to a little bit of subterfuge.

So they'd travel to Ise, and they'd even enter the compound as a group, but after that Kyoko had promised to make Yukio and herself scarce as quickly as possible. So Noriko would at least have a full afternoon with Urufu all to herself.

'I don't know how many more chances I'll get,' she thought and fastened the clasps before she slung the pack across her shoulder.

She made her way down the stairs, the same stairs as last year, and in the reception she met Kuri on her way out.

”Ise?”

Noriko nodded.

Kuri gave her a wry smile. ”With Ko-chan?”

There was little point in lying. ”Yukio and Urufu as well,” Noriko said.

”Give Yukio and Ko-chan my best.”

'You could at least pretend you didn't take up mind reading as a hobby.' ”Sure. Any message for Urufu?” she asked.

”I don't think that'll be needed. I hope the two of you have a pleasant day.”