Midsummer’s day, 2040, sunbathing

Ryu rolled over on his side. A flimsy blanket did little to alleviate the harshness on bedrock under him.

Why do these people do this to themselves? But there were stranger things to Swedes than lying down on stone and saying it felt good.

A cool wind drew salt to his nostrils, and Ryu was once again reminded of how what they called summer in this strange, northern country, felt more like late April than any decent summer. At least it didn’t rain incessantly like June in Japan, and there wasn’t as much as a trace of the oppressive heat starting in July.

And then there is those infinitely long evenings. But that still lay several hours away.

While the sun didn’t burn as mercilessly as back home, the relative cool made it easy to forget that it was still there. It could give him bad burns, especially this close to the sea.

Just in case Ryu smeared some more sunscreen on arms and legs. He did his stomach and chest as well, but reaching his back was difficult, and Ryu looked around for someone to help him.

Seems I’m alone. Kind of like he had been at the start of their second year. Surrounded by people and yet alone.

He smirked when he remembered. Sis, you idiot, and you tried to keep it a secret as well. He had been so angry, but really, he never had the right to begin with.

Going with the flow felt good right now. Someone else did the organising, in as much as any was needed. It had felt good back then as well, but that time his help had been needed.

Shit, I was so full of myself. Too late to apologise now. But damn, I really owe them big time.

All of a sudden he felt ashamed of what he had done quarter of a century earlier, or rather what he hadn’t done.