Noriko listened to the music from where the youngsters had their own party together with the local youth.

There will be a few broken hearts later this summer, she guessed.

She held on to her plate and stood standing in front of the grills Ulf had expertly used. Meat or fish? I don't want to choose. She picked up a slice and Ulf helped her with the fish. Last she got a large baked potato on her plate.

When she returned to the table Ryu was gone. She looked for him but he was still gone.

“Looking for your brother?”

Noriko looked over her shoulder. “Yes, do you know where he went, James?”

James smiled and put down an impossible number of glasses he had held in his hands.

Bah, I always forget he never really quit standing behind that counter of his.

“Yes, he'll be back with the fireworks.” James placed the glasses on the table and fished out a couple of bottles he had managed to keep hidden in his pockets.

“Fireworks? You know we don't do those in Sweden during midsummer?” Noriko watched how he mixed drinks with the liquor he had brought and whatever was in the bottles on the table. But he's not winging it, not really. He was a professional after all.

“I don't think that brother of yours cares. Whenever he sets his mind to something he usually just charges ahead.”

She had to admit the truth in that. So fireworks in the summer even in Sweden. An unplanned prolonged stay would make the similarity hilarious.