Transition And Restart

"If Ulf says no then I"m not interested . "

Yukio glared at Kuri . "d.a.m.n you and your stubbornness! Are you Siamese twins or something?"

He growled mentally realising the day had come to a bad start . An hour from now he"d deliver not one but two negative messages to Princ.i.p.al Nakagawa .

"Is there anything I can do to get your head screwed on right again?" Yukio said to a choir of amazed gasps from her cla.s.smates .

"Listen kiddo, you get Ulf to jump on the bandwagon I"ll do as well, but I"m joining c.r.a.p without my boyfriend . "

The high colour in her face had absolutely nothing to do with feelings of embarra.s.sment, and Yukio felt no major need to explore further from whence it came . Instead he sighed and bowed formally .

"I guess I"ve done my part in convincing you two then," he said and retreated from her cla.s.sroom . He even managed to give her a polite smile on his way out . Muttering could wait until the long walk through the corridor connecting the two wings .

"I think this is bad . Princ.i.p.al Nakagawa shouldn"t attempt to influence the student council elections in the first place, so why is he so desperate to get Urufu and Kuri on the council?"

Turning left at his wing Yukio made for their club room where Kyoko hopefully waited for him . He slid the door open and went inside .

"Yukio, here!"

She was . Waiting for him that is .

Yukio waved back at her and sat down in the sofa next to her . With an angry shrug he zipped open his bag and fished up the bento box Kyoko had given him on their way to school . Tomorrow he"d make their lunch .

"Grumpy much?" she asked when he slammed his box onto the low table .

"Sorry Kyoko," Yukio said . He took his chop sticks in one hand and dug for some rice . "It"s just that they"re so d.a.m.n stubborn!"

Her face split up in a wide grin . "Tell me about it," Kyoko said . "Noticed she"s seldom here during lunch?" she added .

None of them needed to explain who "they" or "she" was .

"Uhum," Yukio said and got in a hurry to swallow his mouthful . "Why"s that?"

Kyoko bit off half a sausage and chewed on it before answering . "She"s marking her territory . That"s why?"

"Huh?"

"There"s hardly a conversation where Kuri doesn"t insert boyfriend this or Urufu that . "

Yukio stared at Kyoko . He hadn"t thought of that, but then he didn"t spend as much time with Kuri as Kyoko did . "How come?" he asked . "Honestly, she can"t really be afraid of the compet.i.tion . "

"Yukio, I love how adorable you are!" Kyoko flashed him a grin that made his heart jump . "But you really don"t understand love," she continued as if their two month long relationship had made her some kind of love expert .

He bit down on a retort and mentally thanked his mother for teaching him to listen before he spoke . "How so?" he said to make Kyoko explain her thoughts .

In the background he heard and saw club members come and go, most of them sitting down in groups and pairs proving that the club had been operating long enough for smaller constellations to come into existence .

"You know, I couldn"t believe you wanted to be together with me," Kyoko began . "It was so obvious you should be interested in Kuri-chan like everyone else . "

Yukio mulled over Kyoko"s words before he answered . "I was never interested in her after I saw you, but I understand what you"re saying . " Hopefully that was the right thing to say .

"Now that"s why I fell for you . I can see how you made an effort not to hurt me right now instead of telling me I"m an idiot . "

It had been the right thing to say . "Still, I don"t see what that has to do with Kuri," Yukio said relieved he had navigated the minefield without stepping on something dangerous . "I mean, it"s Kuri we"re talking about . It"s one thing if people like you and I are afraid," he added and left his real question hanging in the air .

"To begin with she"s making it clear she"s unavailable . There are still a lot of guys calling her out for confessions . "

"And?" Yukio said .

"And I believe she"s afraid Urufu will get angry . "

Yukio could understand that part . He"d felt the same when Rie-sempai followed him around like a lovesick puppy during the cultural festival . "But there"s another reason as well, isn"t there?" he continued .

"Mm," Kyoko said and swallowed some food . She nodded at him . "Yeah . I think she"s honestly afraid she"ll lose him . "

"What?"

"She"s been pretty down since school started, and I think what happened to Urufu reminded her she could actually lose him if she"s not careful . "

Yukio shivered . Kuri wasn"t exactly the only one who had been reminded . Yukio planned to visit Urufu later for that very reason . "It wasn"t her fault," he said . "She can"t possibly believe Urufu would think like that . "

Kyoko"s smile thinned to a white line . "She can, and she made some fairly bad calls earlier, didn"t she?"

"So you can see she"s not without faults, can you now?" Yukio nodded back at Kyoko . "Uhum, she stood him up a few times . I can see how he"d sulk for a while, but he isn"t as fickle as you"re suggesting . Trust me!"

"I trust you . But none of us has anything to lose here . Kuri-chan does, and I think that makes her see less clearly . "

Yukio looked at Kyoko . He hadn"t thought of it that way . "So she"s using the time Urufu isn"t here to hammer down the message that he"s already taken by the Princess of Himekaizen?" he suggested .

"Yes," Kyoko said, but she didn"t smile, "and I believe she"s making a huge mistake . "

"A huge mistake? As in Kuri could actually lose?"

Kyoko nodded . "She"s famous, and not everyone likes her . Now she"s making Urufu famous as well . There are a lot of people who would want to come between them just to make them break up . "

Urufu hardly needed Kuri"s help to become famous . Not after the cultural festival, but Yukio understood how people targeting Urufu could destroy their relationship if Kuri was the jealous kind .If Ulf says no then Im not interested . Yukio glared at Kuri . d.a.m.n you and your stubbornness! Are you Siamese twins or something? He growled mentally realising the day had come to a bad start . An hour from now hed deliver not one but two negative messages to Princ.i.p.al Nakagawa . Is there anything I can do to get your head screwed on right again? Yukio said to a choir of amazed gasps from her cla.s.smates . Listen kiddo, you get Ulf to jump on the bandwagon Ill do as well, but Im joining c.r.a.p without my boyfriend . The high colour in her face had absolutely nothing to do with feelings of embarra.s.sment, and Yukio felt no major need to explore further from whence it came . Instead he sighed and bowed formally . I guess Ive done my part in convincing you two then, he said and retreated from her cla.s.sroom . He even managed to give her a polite smile on his way out . Muttering could wait until the long walk through the corridor connecting the two wings . I think this is bad . Princ.i.p.al Nakagawa shouldnt attempt to influence the student council elections in the first place, so why is he so desperate to get Urufu and Kuri on the council? Turning left at his wing Yukio made for their club room where Kyoko hopefully waited for him . He slid the door open and went inside . Yukio, here! She was . Waiting for him that is . Yukio waved back at her and sat down in the sofa next to her . With an angry shrug he zipped open his bag and fished up the bento box Kyoko had given him on their way to school . Tomorrow hed make their lunch . Grumpy much? she asked when he slammed his box onto the low table . Sorry Kyoko, Yukio said . He took his chop sticks in one hand and dug for some rice . Its just that theyre so d.a.m.n stubborn! Her face split up in a wide grin . Tell me about it, Kyoko said . Noticed shes seldom here during lunch? she added . None of them needed to explain who they or she was . Uhum, Yukio said and got in a hurry to swallow his mouthful . Whys that? Kyoko bit off half a sausage and chewed on it before answering . Shes marking her territory . Thats why? Huh? Theres hardly a conversation where Kuri doesnt insert boyfriend this or Urufu that . Yukio stared at Kyoko . He hadnt thought of that, but then he didnt spend as much time with Kuri as Kyoko did . How come? he asked . Honestly, she cant really be afraid of the compet.i.tion . Yukio, I love how adorable you are! Kyoko flashed him a grin that made his heart jump . But you really dont understand love, she continued as if their two month long relationship had made her some kind of love expert . He bit down on a retort and mentally thanked his mother for teaching him to listen before he spoke . How so? he said to make Kyoko explain her thoughts In the background he heard and saw club members come and go, most of them sitting down in groups and pairs proving that the club had been operating long enough for smaller constellations to come into existence . You know, I couldnt believe you wanted to be together with me, Kyoko began . It was so obvious you should be interested in Kuri-chan like everyone else . Yukio mulled over Kyokos words before he answered . I was never interested in her after I saw you, but I understand what youre saying . Hopefully that was the right thing to say . Now thats why I fell for you . I can see how you made an effort not to hurt me right now instead of telling me Im an idiot . It had been the right thing to say . Still, I dont see what that has to do with Kuri, Yukio said relieved he had navigated the minefield without stepping on something dangerous . I mean, its Kuri were talking about . Its one thing if people like you and I are afraid, he added and left his real question hanging in the air . To begin with shes making it clear shes unavailable . There are still a lot of guys calling her out for confessions . And? Yukio said . And I believe shes afraid Urufu will get angry . Yukio could understand that part . Hed felt the same when Rie-sempai followed him around like a lovesick puppy during the cultural festival . But theres another reason as well, isnt there? he continued . Mm, Kyoko said and swallowed some food . She nodded at him . Yeah . I think shes honestly afraid sh.e.l.l lose him . What? Shes been pretty down since school started, and I think what happened to Urufu reminded her she could actually lose him if shes not careful . Yukio shivered . Kuri wasnt exactly the only one who had been reminded . Yukio planned to visit Urufu later for that very reason . It wasnt her fault, he said . She cant possibly believe Urufu would think like that . Kyokos smile thinned to a white line . She can, and she made some fairly bad calls earlier, didnt she? So you can see shes not without faults, can you now? Yukio nodded back at Kyoko . Uhum, she stood him up a few times . I can see how hed sulk for a while, but he isnt as fickle as youre suggesting . Trust me! I trust you . But none of us has anything to lose here . Kuri-chan does, and I think that makes her see less clearly . Yukio looked at Kyoko . He hadnt thought of it that way . So shes using the time Urufu isnt here to hammer down the message that hes already taken by the Princess of Himekaizen? he suggested . Yes, Kyoko said, but she didnt smile, and I believe shes making a huge mistake . A huge mistake? As in Kuri could actually lose? Kyoko nodded . Shes famous, and not everyone likes her . Now shes making Urufu famous as well . There are a lot of people who would want to come between them just to make them break up . Urufu hardly needed Kuris help to become famous . Not after the cultural festival, but Yukio understood how people targeting Urufu could destroy their relationship if Kuri was the jealous kind .