And another
failed exam. Summer break promised to be just as tedious as last
year. With both an M Sc and an MA (with a major in English literature
for the preceding BA to boot) in his pocket, the subjects themselves
didn't present any problems. The Japanese language, however, was a
major obstacle.
English, I
failed English. I could bloody teach the half trained monkey who
poses as an English teacher here. Ulf sighed again. Another week,
another twenty kanji to master. At this rate it would take him a year
before he would receive grades that at least remotely resembled his
real knowledge.
But still,
English. That hurt. According to the local tests his vocabulary
ranged in the low one thousand, which was a far cry from the stiff
twelve thousand words every decently designed international test
indicated.
What was
worse. They weren't taught functionally useful English at all here.
That would have to be rectified in the club. One more proof why
dubbing television is bad for your health, and they're even worse off
here than the Germans.
Well, he could
whine as much as he wanted. Complaining wouldn't yield any results.
Next week, another twenty kanji. Two years, two thousand kanji.
Ought to suffice.
***
Yukio counted
his steps as they walked from school. The last Friday. Next Friday
was summer break, and even if they met at their shared haven it
wouldn't be for sharing school. He had passed all his exams, and
Urufu most definitely hadn't.
He listened to
the sound of distant cicadas as they came closer to their mall.
Another block and he wouldn't be able to hear them any longer.
There were so
many questions, but until Urufu decided to talk he'd keep silent.
Failing just about every exam had been hard on his friend. Yukio
couldn't recall ever having seen him this morose. Angry, yes, but not
depressed this way.
Noriko had
promised to help out with the make up exams, and given her scores
Himekaizen literally had no better study buddy. Kuri had grinned her
usual 'I don't give a damn, but thank you anyway' -grin and promised
to do her best in return. Kyoko, ah what a girl, had gracefully
accepted the offered help.
Graceful
has to be your second name. OK, that was way too much syrup. But
I can't but help liking your good manners. Call me stupid for that if
you want, but I won't change.
So what should
he do for a month? His father had offered him to join a five day trip
along the west coast, and his mother had even promised him extra
pocket money should he agree. Club activities? But that would only be
a few days more.
Maybe he could
convince Urufu to hang out by the sea for a day or two. Coastlines
seemed to be all the rage in Sweden anyway. At least if he could
believe the tourist ads they had plastered all the walls with in
their club room.
A few hours in
their café, and then Urufu would ride his bike to the station, and
spring term would truly be over.
Kyoko.
There are a lot of days. Could we share some of them? Summer
break spoke of a new beginning.
***
Kyoko followed
Yukio and Urufu, but she made sure to keep her distance.
I'm
stalking him. Gods, when did I degenerate into this kind of a person.
But she
couldn't help it.
Yukio hadn't
exactly done anything to make her believe he hated her any longer,
but lack of hate was a far cry from like, or love.
Love. I'm
behaving like a middle schooler with a major crush. But then she
had been a middle schooler only a few months earlier.
Two weeks ago
she would have joined them, but without Noriko and Kuri-chan at her
side she didn't want to. Don't dare to. Be honest at least!
Especially not as this was the first time in almost a month that
Urufu made the route together with Yukio.
Summer break.
She'd visit her grandfather to show him proper respect. And after
that they'd visit her mother's parents for the same reason.
And, and,
summer school. The verbal bashing had been bad enough, but her
feelings of failure were far worse than any scolding she received
from her parents. Properly raised daughters didn't fail exams. That
made her improper. Her. Her parents weren't at fault. They had
brought her up the way a daughter should be raised. So she had failed
them.
Shame competed
with anger in her. One point. It had only been one point between
failure and a passing grade. In two subjects to boot. But one point
was one point. She had disappointed her parents, and nothing she
tried to say in her defence could clear that away.
She would make
up for it, and she would attend to at least the minimum of club hours
that was appropriate.
And, if she
was lucky, there would still be a couple of days she could use as she
wanted.
Summer break.
Redemption.
***
Well, those
results were disappointing, but she had already gained Nori-chan's
promise that they'd study together during the break.
And Ko-chan
needed to attend summer school for a couple of subjects as well. And
Ulf. She wouldn't be alone.
School
during summer break, who cares? I get to see him almost every day.
Same class for a month. Happy! Happy! Happy!
Christina
kicked with her feet, giggled and hugged herself. But lying curled up
like a ball soon got too hot. Her small flat didn't have an
air-conditioner worth its name, and the night was clammy.
She wondered
what Ulf was thinking about. They hadn't come any closer to finding a
way back home. Hadn't really come closer to an understanding of what
really had happened to them. But, she wondered. The most important
question.
Do I really
want to go home?
She had
come closer to building a new life here, and for each day that life
grew brighter, and for each day her old life felt more and more like
something she would willingly leave behind.
I lived
alone and felt alone. Now I live alone, but I'm in love. Do I really
want to go home?
***
“What are
you going to do?”
Ryu looked at
his sister before answering. “Do about what?”
She pushed
with her feet and swung backwards. “Summer break.”
He kept
looking at her. She was still small enough to use the playground like
a child. The swings were already too narrow for him to be
comfortable, so he sat still and watched her going back and forth.
They were
close to their house, and this close to midnight they had to ask
permission to go outdoors. Ryu looked over his shoulder. He could see
their living room windows. Getting permission hadn't been all that
hard.
“Apart from
Hokkaido?” he asked.
“Yeah,
that's only one week.”
That week was
important. He looked forward to it. Mom, dad, sis and the exotic
north. But his sister seemed to have grown distant from that need.
You're so small, and yet you're growing ahead of me. Sis, you're
getting all grown up.
“I don't
know. Club activities I guess,” Ryu suggested. He hadn't thought
all that much about summer break, and now it was here.
“Can't do
that for three weeks, you know,” she responded. “With our new
friends English conversation school just got obsolete.”
Despite the
discomfort he pushed his swing into motion.
“We should
get the gang together. Go to the beach or something.” Yeah,
definitely go to the beach!
“Ryu! Can
you use your brains instead of your libido? Of course you'd want to
go to the beach, as long as Kuri-chan comes along.”
“And you
wouldn't want to see Urufu?” he answered defensively. You really
should let that hair of yours grow. Right now you look like a boy.
Noriko said
nothing in return. She kept on swinging. For some time the silence
was only broken by the metallic squealing of the swings. Then she
seemed to have reached an answer. “Fair enough, idiot bro.”
“You?” Ryu
let the insult slip.
Noriko
hesitated for a while. “I've promised to help Kuri and Kyoko with
their summer school.”
“I'll stay
away from that. I passed with good grades, but I had to put in a lot
of work. You have it easier.” Noriko would have to admit that
truth.
“Not even
for Kuri?” she teased.
“Not even
for Kuri.”
Ryu grinned.
He grinned so wide he knew she'd see his teeth in the dark. “And no
help for poor, poor Urufu? That's mean.” And he couldn't help but
laugh, even if it disturbed their neighbours this late.
“I don't
think I can help him,” Noriko said silently. “Yukio says he's
different. Ryu, they're different.” She was all serious now. “Idiot
bro,” She fell silent and gathered speed. “why did we have to
fall in love with the two most impossible persons on earth?”
Ryu jumped off
the swing. “Sis, we're the Wakayama twins. How could we possibly
fall in love with anyone else?”
It was after
midnight. Spring term had ended. Summer break started.
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