455 Chapter four, 2018, white Valentine: 7 (2/2)

Both Kuri and Urufu shook their heads.

”No,” Kuri said. ”That's a girl ten years younger than me. Damn she's cool!”

”Grew into it?” Urufu said.

This time only Kuri shook her head. ”Don't think so. She probably dared everything I didn't myself when I was fifteen. She's a natural you know.”

”Mum's awesome,” Noriko broke in.

”Yeah, she is,” Kuri said. ”She must have made a lot of enemies as a kid.”

”A lot of friends as well,” Urufu countered. ”I don't think being on her bad side would be good for your health.”

Noriko bent forward and poured some tea for herself. ”Mum's awesome,” she repeated with a happy smile on her face.

Ryu looked at his sister. They were twins. While outsiders always compared him with their parents, in truth Noriko inherited the invisible parts. Brains to begin with, but also the inner strength their mother really had and their father pretended he had.

The doorbell rang and Ryu hastened to it. Outside Ai waited with her best friend. Behind them four former Himekaizen students, all members of the club, lined up by the gate. They carried paper bags in their hands, and Ryu suspected Yukio and Kyoko would return home laden with presents.

Then Ryu noticed a surprise guest. 'Oh, been a while!' A classmate from middle school, and one of Noriko's few close friends from that time. What connection, if any, she had to Kyoko Ryu didn't know, and Yukio, well Ryu didn't even remember him from middle school despite sharing the same grade for three years.

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'Guess food will be enough for one more. Wonder what she's doing here though.' He invited all seven and waited for Noriko's surprised outburst when she saw who had come to visit.

It didn't happen. When the unannounced guest entered the living room Noriko just nodded, excused herself and followed the girl up the stairs to her room.

With a tinge of irritation Ryu shrugged it off. A boyfriend and girlfriend each meant brother and sister were no longer as close as he'd grown used to. Maybe it was as simple as a matter of age. He didn't know.

”We're having hotpot,” he announced after giving his sister another thought. ”A lot of hotpot. Who's helping me prepare it?”

Kuri smiled and raised her hand into the air like an elementary school kid.

”That's one. One more,” Ryu said. Spending time alone with Kuri in the kitchen wasn't time wasted, but she was an awful cook.

”Two more,” Jirou said.

Ryu looked for Sango by his side and she nodded. The couple followed him to the kitchen and with three and a half chefs they made short time of the ingredients. Preparations went even faster when Ai and friend unasked set the tables.