Chapter one, 2018, Hatsumode, segment nine

Kyoko stared at Ryu’s expression when he heard his sister’s cold answer. So they’re still at it. They obviously were. She herself hadn’t forgiven Ryu. It was only Yukio’s insistence that kept her from helping Noriko with whatever mischief she had on her mind.

Right now mischief wasn’t on her mind however. Yukio’s adoring attempt to tie her ominous fortune slip to a branch higher than he could reach was. It was after all the very branch the taller Tomasu had promised Jeniferu, but since she received a mildly positive one she decided to keep it.

“Man, give me a hand, will you?”

She shot Yukio a smile. Try as he will tip toeing wasn’t enough, but it was the attempt that counted. She looked as Urufu sauntered over to them and helped Yukio tie the offending slip to the branch.

“I’m so uncool,” Yukio said and gave her a sheepish smile.

Kyoko ignored some girls giggling and pointing fingers at Yukio. “Where did it end up?” she asked.

“Did what end up?”

“My slip.”

He looked up at the branch and nodded at where Urufu had tied the piece of paper.

“What did you want to happen?”

Yukio smiled.

Kyoko smiled back at him. “An uncool guy would still be trying instead of making it happen,” she said.

He didn’t reply, but he did take her head in his hands and planted a kiss on her forehead.

He’s the best man I’ve ever met, Kyoko thought. As an afterthought she glared at the girls who had dared making fun of her Yukio. That brought a grin from him.

“You made me cool, Urufu.”

“He made Thomas cool as well,” Jeniferu said out of nowhere. She fidgeted a little. “But he was already cool to begin with.”

Kyoko looked at her. A shimmer of envy reached her eyes, but it was clear Jeniferu meant nothing bad with it. She’s envious of me? Kyoko glanced at Urufu and Noriko who had followed him to the tree. Jeniferu paid them no attention at all. In the midst of a mild confusion Kyoko decided Jeniferu had every reason to be. After all Yukio had done for her Kyoko felt safe in the world of two they had created for themselves. He even found us a small chance for a world of more than two. Yukio’s love bridged worlds. What more could she ask for?

Jeniferu’s reaction said something more as well. She must have seen how Noriko and Urufu yet had to share that platform of absolute trust. They might look like a perfect couple, difference in height be damned, but they still had a bit to go. Most of it, Kyoko thought, was Noriko’s fault. Urufu would never abandon her, but sometimes a flicker in Noriko’s expression showed how she yet had to believe that.

“We done here?” Urufu asked.

“What do you people normally do on Hatsumode?” Jeniferu replied.

Urufu grinned. “Don’t ask me. As someone Japanese.” He turned and gave them nonplussed stares when everyone fell silent and glared at him.

“Man, do you know just how funny that was?”

“What?”

Urufu’s perplexed face drew a smile to Kyoko’s lips, and she walked right up to him and stared into his eyes. “What my boyfriend here was saying is that you look Japanese and spoke Japanese, so why shouldn’t you be able to answer the question?” Or rather, given the absurd studying you’ve done you’re probably able to give us a historic recount of Hatsumode the last five hundred years or so. She didn’t say the last part loud. He wouldn’t understand anyway.

“Hey, looking Japanese and speaking Japanese...”

“Is a damned good start,” Tomasu interrupted him. “Wouldn’t you agree. Now just be kind to the kids and spill it.”

She had spent a year and a half with Urufu and Kuri, and over half a year with Tomasu. It didn’t matter. Listening to her junior telling Urufu to care for the kids still felt wrong. Professor in Japanese, was it?

“You do the spilling instead. With your academic merits and all,” Urufu said and answered her silent question.

Tomasu grinned. “I believe we already came to the conclusion I read about things instead of doing them.”

“He wasn’t here then,” Yukio protested when Urufu’s eyes widened in honest surprise. “So, man, what do we do?”

“We spend a night alone in a crowd and wonder what the hell happened,” Urufu said.

Noriko yanked his arm and gave him a furious glare. “That wasn’t her fault, and you know it!”

Her fault? Oh, last year. Kuri never showed up. “I think we’ve done just about everything we’re supposed to do,” Kyoko said. Now was a good time to take some of the heat away from Urufu.

Around them the crowd shifted a little. Families and the old were all on their way out. In their place groups like their own arrived, some of them high school students, but more and more university students. It really was time to leave.

“Should we wait for everyone to come here first?” Ryu said.

Kyoko nodded. She really wanted to say something nasty about finding him a public toilet instead, but Yukio had asked her to tone it down. “Yes, sounds like a good plan.”

She watched Yukio and Urufu walk away to buy a last something to eat and long before they returned Kuri-chan and Hitomi joined them after having done their prayers. Kyoko waved and got waved back at in return.

“Ko-chan, where’s Yukio?”

Kyoko nodded in the direction the two boys had vanished. “Shopping,” she explained.

Kuri-chan’s head turned as she looked where Kyoko pointed. Her hair billowed out and caught in the wind. A golden halo surrounded the goddess in wintry white and Kyoko grinned. Watch and despair, Ryu.

Beside Kuri-chan Hitomi just shook her head and smirked. She made a small gesture as if to cover her ears when gasps and admiring shouts reached them from those who had seen the spectacle.

Ryu, while not despairing, stared at his girlfriend with a stupefied look on his face. Of the Prince of Himekaizen there was nothing left; just a lovestruck boy.

“Christina, you look stunning.”

Urufu?

“Did you rehearse or was that natural?”

You loved her once. There’s no need to be that mean.

To Kyoko’s surprise Kuri-chan just list up in a childish and happy grin that detracted quite a lot from her looks but added all the life Kyoko wanted to see in her best friend’s face.

“Of course I rehearsed,” she said. “and you gave me all the time I needed.”

Urufu waved with some sticks of food he had in his hands. “Took me some time to get. What’s more in store for me?”

Kuri-chan’s grin grew wider. “Don’t you wish to know?”

Chapter one, 2018, Hatsumode, segment eight

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.”

Chapter one, 2018, Hatsumode, segment seven

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.

Chapter one, 2018, Hatsumode, segment six

Not funny you guys. Not funny at all!

There was a long line to the ladies restroom. Twenty minutes long. Ryu had timed it. That was quarter of an hour ago, so he was confident Kuri had never gone here in the first place.

This just has to be sis, or Urufu. Giving it another round of thought Ryu accepted it could be Yukio’s or Kyoko’s doing as well. They really, really disliked his tampering with Urufu and Noriko. Ryu grumbled, used the men’s restroom as a precaution and left the area.

Around him the crowd showed no signs of thinning out. People left and more people arrived. They’d do that for the rest of the day and the following day as well. Three or four days, depending on how you defined it, and the one time of the year when you’d expect to see men in kimono.

Grumbling again he went in search for his friends, even though he felt ready to redefine the very word ‘friend’ right now. He couldn’t fully understand why they were so cross with him. Noriko was his sister. Didn’t he have a responsibility to do what was best for her?

Another part of his mind nagged a little; ‘hubris’ it said, but it did with Urufu’s voice, and Ryu firmly shoved it away.

Morning had turned into afternoon, and with the sun slowly setting the overcast day slowly left the morning blue behind it and took on a more yellowish tone. As the day turned over so did the people visiting the shrine. There were less old people and more students coming here in groups that had gathered before climbing the stairs to the shrine. With different people came different voices. Muted talk gave way to laughs and a the cleaner timbre that goes with youth.

Now, or even a little later, was when they really ought to have shown up. When afternoon merged with evening and lanterns were the only thing abolishing the darkness both lightning and people would change once more as university students and those who still spent their days settling into new jobs replaced middle and high schoolers.

That didn’t give Ryu all that much time. If the rest of the gang planned to abandon him whenever they had the chance Hatsumode was bound to become some sick joke.

He grumbled a little. As if it wasn’t already. Determined not to sample too much of what there was to drink Ryu went in search for Kuri. While he did stop by a few stalls he made certain he only catered for his hunger. Strangely enough he enjoyed himself despite being alone. It gave him time to think and experience his surroundings rather than being part of a large group where people were more interested in each other than what was around them.

Is my world growing? he thought. Is it me growing? That was more disturbing in a way. Ryu felt perfectly happy being a child who never agreed to being one. It gave him both the freedom he wanted as well as the right to be needy.

A winter grey Tokyo sky accompanied him from stall to stall, and occasionally a biting gust of wind reminded him he was outside rather than inside an old style shopping mall. Snacks made company with traditional fast food lunch, and after some time Ryu forgot he spent hatsumode alone. He aimlessly walked the temporary street, sampled some more snacks, bought himself a fortune slip and read it while waiting for his turn to make his prayers.

Medium luck, it said, and after pocketing it Ryu decided upon something equally medium important to wish for. After tugging the bell rope he lefts to make place for the people behind him and went in search for some amazake. By now the chilly weather won over his wariness against getting caught in the men’s room again. After all he’d run out of luck finding the others anyway.

Just as that thought brought a frown to his face he caught a glimpse of a golden halo. Ryu quickened his steps, and after negotiating the crowd he finally caught up with Kuri.

“Kuri, sorry I’m late,” Ryu said and tried to make it sound like he hadn’t been on the receiving end of an elaborate prank.

She turned, half a head taller than most men around her, and made her coat, or whatever it was, swirl. “Ryu, finally! See, I’m really waiting for my boyfriend,” she said to someone Ryu couldn’t see.

“Aww, come on, he can’t be that good,” came the faceless reply.

Ryu took another step, came up beside Kuri and tried to see who had spoken. “She thinks I’m good enough for her. Isn’t that enough?” he said in the general direction of faces staring at the girl by his side. It usually ended any kind of argument like this in school, and he felt confident about the result here as well.

“Of course she got herself a looker,” someone said.

“Wow! That’s just unfair. Those looks and that boyfriend,” another added. This time a girl’s voice.

“You look absolutely fantastic!” Ryu said to Kuri. He didn’t have to pretend. She did, just like she always did whenever she made anything even slightly resembling an effort with her appearance.

“Why, thank you!” Kuri leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. “You’re stunning as well.”

Ryu hugged her back. He had no reason giving her an answer. He couldn’t aspire to her heights when it came to looks, but he knew very well what kind of impression he made among mere mortals.

“Where are the rest?” he asked to change the subject when he was sure Kuri’s admirers had given up.

She pointed a few stalls ahead, and of course she just had to flit her fingers through her hair so it cascaded into a golden flower. Sis is right. Kuri really is a stage monkey. But then again that was how she made her living.

He followed her outstretched hand with his eyes and saw Hitomi ahead of them. “And sis?”

“She is,” Kuri began and managed to give him a smile both predatory and beautiful, “looking for as restroom I think,” she finished with just an inkling of menace in her voice.