So he caught up with us in he end. Yukio grinned. Man, that was outright evil of you! He wondered how long Ryu had waited outside the restroom by the stairs before he understood Kuri wouldn’t appear there.

Between bites of food Yukio looked at where Ryu and Kuri stood talking. He felt Kyoko’s hand squeeze his and by now he knew her well enough to know how her smile threatened to spread into a grin without having to turn his head.

“He looks happy,” she said, and Yukio heard how it already had.

He swallowed what he had in his mouth. “Don’t you think he’s had enough?”

Yukio felt Kyoko shake her head through her grip on his hand. “Urufu’s your best friend. Ryu needs to learn to stay away.”

But Kuri’s your best friend. What about sabotaging their date? “Kyoko, I’m good for now. I believe Ryu got the message.”

Kyoko pulled his hand, forcing Yukio to turn and face her. A smidgeon of an ice cold gust gripped his neck when his muffler came loose for a moment. “He hasn’t. Maybe he never will.” Her voice held a hardness Yukio wasn’t used to hear.

“Give them a break, will you?” Yukio pulled Kyoko along with him and made some distance between them and Ryu. While Kyoko and Noriko were bound to come up with something sooner or later, Kuri and Ryu could at least enjoy the company of each other for now.

They caught up with Tomasu and Jeniferu and joined them in the queue to the shrine. Yukio glanced at Tomasu to see what he thought of the Japanese customs. Two years together with Urufu made Yukio look upon what was considered normal with new eyes. To his surprise Tomasu seemed perfectly unperturbed, but Jeniferu was giddy with excitement.

Strange. Yukio knew Tomasu hadn’t lived in Japan during his previous life. Ah, of course! He had, however, worked as a professor teaching Japanese in Sweden. It made sense that kind of work included learning about Japanese culture as well as the language. Urufu says the New Year’s celebrations is the big event for fireworks in Sweden. Apparently it was in most of the western world.

“You done this before?” Yukio asked the couple ahead of him. He didn’t direct the question to any of them, but given how Jeniferu bounced up and down in the queue he could guess about her answer.

Both of them turned and shook their heads. “I spent last year back home,” Jeniferu said. “And you?” she added and looked at Tomasu.

He smirked and looked back. “What do you think?”

Now that’s oddly cold, man!

Jeniferu didn’t look taken aback at all. “With your personality I think you’d rather read about Hatsumode than taking part in it,” she said.

He blushed.

No, you didn’t! “Man, really?”

He blushed some more. “I didn’t want to look like a foreign buffoon,” Tomasu admitted. “Then I found out you were supposed to go with friends and family.”

“So why didn’t….” Oh, now that’s just sad. “Sorry I said anything.”

Yukio watched Jeniferu cuddle up closer to her boyfriend. “You’re among friends this year,” she said.

Tomasu looked like he wanted to pull her even closer, but it was clear to Yukio how he restrained himself. So you’re still fighting those memories. I hope you’ll be able to move on. “Yep, lots and lots of friends,” he said in an attempt to banish the awkwardness.

Jeniferu threw him a grateful glance, bit her lower lip with a flash of determination in her eyes and stared at Tomasu’s arms. Another gust of wind found its way between people in the queue and caught her hair. She dug in under his arms and hugged him close to her. It was cold, but not that cold.

I admire your bravery.

Kyoko squeezed Yukio’s hand, and he knew she had seen as well. “Look, we’re moving forward,” she said. “Move on you idiot couple!” she added and dispelled the fears that had suddenly clung to the four of them.

“Thomas, we’re getting behind,” Jeniferu said and almost managed to lift her boyfriend from the ground.

She’s putting on a show of bravery, but man, she’s doing a damn good job at it. While Yukio felt sorry for Jeniferu, he admire the strength that made her go on.

The queue moved a little, the four of them kept bantering and after quite some time it was Tomasu’s and Jeniferu’s turn for prayers. Yukio noted how Tomasu discretely instructed his girlfriend, and being the bright girl that she was she caught on without a hitch. The sound of hands clapping followed by the dull, metallic rasp of the bell went by as if they had been natives. After that it was Yukio’s turn, and as he was most definitely a native he and Kyoko went through the motions without giving it all that much thought.

They stepped down, joined Tomasu and Jeniferu, and then Yukio turned to see if anyone else from their group had caught up with them in the queue. He saw none and decided to escort the three of them to a stall where they could have a little amazake to banish the cold.

Here the crowd thinned out, and Yukio had ample time to look for promising stalls. To his dismay the one he was looking for stood located side by side with where fortune slips were sold. That meant another queue.

Guess we’re getting both something to drink as well as our fortunes then. “Kyoko?”

She followed where he was staring and nodded. “Fortune slips?” she asked the other two.

“Fortune slips?” Jeniferu asked.

Kyoko didn’t answer and when Yukio was about to she tugged at his sleeve and shook her head.

“It’s a tradition here,” Tomasu said. “It’s reminiscent of visiting an oracle.”

“Oracle?”

You just had to turn this into a display of academic prowess, did you? “Tomasu, why don’t you...” Once again Kyoko tugged at his sleeve, and Yukio fell silent.

“That’s the origins of it anyway,” Tomasu said. “Now it’s just a cute ceremony where you buy yourself a yearlong personal horoscope.”

Jeniferu frowned. “A year is a long time if you don’t like what you read.”

Tomasu hesitated a little. Then his face lit up in a grin. “If you don’t like what you read I promise to tie your slip to the highest of those branches,” he said and pointed at a tree growing just by the wooden wall to where most of the bad luck slips were already tied.

You’re a good man. She might not understand it all, but I bet she understood you just offered something only for her.

***

Noriko frowned when she saw Yukio tip toe to reach a branch instead of doing the sensible thing and tie his fortune slip to the wall prepared for it.

Behind him both Jeniferu stood clapping their hands and alternated between throwing him joking cheers. By Jeniferu's side Noriko saw Tomasu palming his face. OK, I missed something. Yukio finally managed to fasten his slip to the branch and both girls laughed and made a victory sign each.

As long as they’re happy, Noriko thought just as Urufu came up from behind and slipped his arm around her shoulder. “What’s up?” he asked.

Noriko grabbed his hand and moved closer to him. “I have absolutely no idea,” she said. It felt good being so close to him. It felt good feeling how he pulled her closer. Urufu might have his ideals about women, but at least she herself needed to feel a little of the possessiveness he so openly despised. It made her feel wanted. “My boyfriend,” she said and hoped he got the hint.

“My girl,” he answered.

She felt him fumbling with something behind her back, and then his jacket opened and she was enveloped in lining still warm from his body. “Urufu, what are...”

He zipped his jacket closed with her inside. “See, there’s room for us both.”

“Urufu!”

“My girl,” he repeated, and Noriko could almost feel how he grinned.

For a moment she entertained the thought of giving him a verbal bashing, but in his own clumsy way he had just done exactly what she wanted. Embarrassing as it was with people staring and giggling at them she still enjoyed how he showed that he wanted her close.

She backed into his chest, and he met her act with both of his arms holding her. They pressed against her breasts, but she pretended she didn’t notice. Given how thick the lining of his jacket was he probably didn’t know.

“Man, what are you doing? She’s your girl; not your pet.”

Noriko looked at Yukio and stuck her tongue out at him. Joy and a slightly mean need to tease him a little rose in her and she meowed loudly.

“Noriko?” she heard from behind her back.

She meowed again and laughed.

Kyoko, Jeniferu and Tomasu joined Yukio in staring at her and Urufu.

“Noriko?” Kyoko asked.

It was warm inside Urufu’s jacket. She felt the heat of his body on her back, and he was close, closer than he had ever been since the trip to his aunt who wasn’t really his aunt in this world. Noriko purred, or at least tried.

“Just looking at the two of you makes me blush,” Tomasu said.

Noriko grinned when Jeniferu made a failed attempt at opening his jacket. Halfway through the grin Noriko noticed how awkward Jeniferu’s moves were, and on the verge of saying something nasty Urufu’s hand suddenly left her stomach and covered her mouth.

“Don’t say anything!” he mumbled in her hair. “She’s trying her best.”

Trying her best? Then a memory flashed through Noriko’s head. One of three Himekaizen students pressing her to the ground and the fourth doing… something else. Despite the warmth and safety of Urufu close to her she shuddered. She’s got guts. I wonder… Noriko firmly aborted that line of thought and shoved it into the darkest recess of her mind.

“Thomas, just give up! She’s got you outmanoeuvred,” Urufu shouted, and Noriko sent him thoughts of love for how he defused the minefield she had almost trampled into.

She looked at Tomasu and saw how he looked, not back at her but above her head. Something in his eyes told her he exchanged something with Urufu, and she knew she was right when he finally nodded once and ripped open his own jacket.

“Jennifer! I’m gonna get you!”

Noriko barely managed to stop a cough attack, but when she released the hand that covered Urufu’s, which was still over her lips, she saw Jeniferu screeching with glee. Ah, OK, so she has healed a little bit at least.

Tomasu hunted his girlfriend all over to the wooden wall, between the trees and back again.

Or maybe not, understanding dawned on Noriko when she realised that he not once ran fast enough to catch Jeniferu. It wasn’t until she stopped and leaned forward gasping and wheezing it became obvious, but then Jeniferu laughed and pretended to fall backwards into Tomasu’s waiting jacket.

He wrapped it around her, but Noriko couldn’t but help notice how he very much didn’t zip it closed the way Urufu had done with her.

Always able to run away. She still needs to be able to run away. Damn you pigs! I hate you! Noriko felt pressure build in her eyes, and then Urufu’s hand was there wiping away the tears that burst through.

“See no evil, say no evil,” he whispered. “I need another two hands for you to hear no evil,” he added, and she turned in his arms and hugged him desperately close to her.

I’m whining because I can’t make you take me to your bed. I never understood how lucky I am. She squeezed as much as her tiny arms could. At least I want to bed you.

“Noriko, you still make us blush.” This time it was Kyoko speaking.

Noriko wiped the last tears on Urufu’s sweater and faced her friend. Reluctantly she zipped open Urufu’s jacket and stepped out of it. An icy wind replaced his warmth, and standing in the open Noriko realised how much of Urufu’s love for her seeped through to her during the short time she played along with his tender prank.

“Better like this?” she said.

“Much better,” Kyoko said and nodded approal.

By her side Jeniferu shot Noriko a grateful look and stepped out of Tomasu’s jacket. Staying wrapped in his arms must have taken a heavy toll on her bravery. Staying wrapped in the arms of the man Noriko could so obviously see Jeniferu still loved to desperation.

I never want to be like that. Never ever! Just imagining being afraid of Urufu’s tough brought bile to her mouth.

“Wazzup?” A voice shouted in English awful enough for Noriko to cringe.

She turned around and met the eyes of her brother. “Nothing much,” she said. “We’re just looking for a toilet.”