Transition And Restart

A week pa.s.sed, and the contacts with their Swedish counterparts grew more sporadic . Apparently the third years in Sweden were busy partying .

Ryu didn"t understand fully what was going on in Sweden late May, but Urufu-kun promised that the third years spent most of May and all the few school days in June in a frenzied haze as graduation grew closer . The haze resulting from large amounts of legally questionable alcohol .

Skype conversations with their first and second year contacts only confirmed what he said .

A long summer was looming closer in Sweden, and most of the students there were openly concerned about being scattered for over two months . For the graduating ones this summer would see most of them split up permanently . As far as he could understand they had no club activities to build continuity with, but apparently a few in the exchange club planned to stay together during summer break .

One of them was even headed for j.a.pan mid-July and wondered if they could meet up . He was a bit taken aback when told about final exams, but early August presented an opportunity .

On the j.a.panese end things were progressing smoothly, and Urufu-kun was planning something for late June together with Kuri-chan .

Summer solstice held some special meaning for people in Sweden, and both of them wanted the members of the club to have a shared dinner outdoors . Kuri-chan even went as far as saying that voiding that was tantamount to sacrilege in Sweden .

Ryu shook his head remembering the spectacle at the amus.e.m.e.nt park . There was still a lingering impact from it on their cla.s.s and the club, but Kuri-chan and he were both somehow elated above mere rumours . And now he knew she had the experience to back her claims .

He went in search for the second one with experience enough to back all claims and found him in their club room . Urufu-kun sat on the floor playing with one of his gadgets .

"So, Urufu-kun, what"s up?" Ryu said to announce his arrival .

Urufu-kun flipped open the lid to his laptop and it flashed alive in a second .

"You sure got expensive taste . Never even seen one of those . "

"I"m setting up the Skype call, but this time we"ll need a projector . "

"Eh?"

Urufu-kun fished out a compact device from his bag .

"That"s a projector? Looks like wireless speakers . "

"Yeah . Wireless . Love it . Projector"s built in . " Urufu-kun was setting up the box with the eyes of a child in a candy shop .

"Why?" Ryu asked . He sat down on his feet and studied Urufu-kun .

"You"ll see . OK, people we"re ready . I"ll call Sweden . "

Shortly afterwards a face surrounded by blond hair waved at them from the wall . "Ready?" the projector blared .

"We"re ready in our end . You can run your presentation," Urufu-kun answered in English .

On the wall the face was replaced by a white screen, and then the screen wasn"t white any more .

The j.a.panese exchange student stood by it . The word "Welcome" was replaced by its counterpart in kanji with the help of some computerised graphic trick . "Superb," she said in j.a.panese . "Could one of you go on stage so I can finish the rig here?"

Urufu-kun waved at him, and Ryu obediently walked to the wall .

"Wow! A looker! Cute but too much of a kid for me," the projector said in her voice .

"You just get over here and I"ll show you kid," Ryu responded . It was just the kind of challenge he couldn"t avoid accepting .

"Cheeky little boy . You some kind of cla.s.s prince over there?"

"More like the Prince of Himekaizen," he said . It wasn"t just bragging, and he was always aware of how much attention he attracted .

"Then my prince, why don"t you stand there and pose a little while I finish the rig here . I promise to pretend to be very impressed with you and all that . If you want I can swoon a little as well . "

Ryu grinned . An entirely honest grin this time . If that girl had really been here he"d have been more than a little interested . Girls usually didn"t make fun of him that way .

"Rika, just tell me when you"re done in Sweden and we"ll have the club members inside for the presentation," Ulf said into his microphone .

Ryu shook his head . "First name basis with a j.a.panese uppercla.s.sman on another continent . And no honorifics . I wonder how long those are going to survive in the club . "A week pa.s.sed, and the contacts with their Swedish counterparts grew more sporadic . Apparently the third years in Sweden were busy partying . Ryu didnt understand fully what was going on in Sweden late May, but Urufu-kun promised that the third years spent most of May and all the few school days in June in a frenzied haze as graduation grew closer . The haze resulting from large amounts of legally questionable alcohol . Skype conversations with their first and second year contacts only confirmed what he said . A long summer was looming closer in Sweden, and most of the students there were openly concerned about being scattered for over two months . For the graduating ones this summer would see most of them split up permanently . As far as he could understand they had no club activities to build continuity with, but apparently a few in the exchange club planned to stay together during summer break . One of them was even headed for j.a.pan mid-July and wondered if they could meet up . He was a bit taken aback when told about final exams, but early August presented an opportunity . On the j.a.panese end things were progressing smoothly, and Urufu-kun was planning something for late June together with Kuri-chan . Summer solstice held some special meaning for people in Sweden, and both of them wanted the members of the club to have a shared dinner outdoors . Kuri-chan even went as far as saying that voiding that was tantamount to sacrilege in Sweden . Ryu shook his head remembering the spectacle at the amus.e.m.e.nt park . There was still a lingering impact from it on their cla.s.s and the club, but Kuri-chan and he were both somehow elated above mere rumours . And now he knew she had the experience to back her claims . He went in search for the second one with experience enough to back all claims and found him in their club room . Urufu-kun sat on the floor playing with one of his gadgets . So, Urufu-kun, whats up? Ryu said to announce his arrival . Urufu-kun flipped open the lid to his laptop and it flashed alive in a second . You sure got expensive taste . Never even seen one of those . Im setting up the Skype call, but this time well need a projector . Eh? Urufu-kun fished out a compact device from his bag . Thats a projector? Looks like wireless speakers . Yeah . Wireless . Love it . Projectors built in . Urufu-kun was setting up the box with the eyes of a child in a candy shop . Why? Ryu asked . He sat down on his feet and studied Urufu-kun . Youll see . OK, people were ready . Ill call Sweden . Shortly afterwards a face surrounded by blond hair waved at them from the wall . Ready? the projector blared . Were ready in our end . You can run your presentation, Urufu-kun answered in English . On the wall the face was replaced by a white screen, and then the screen wasnt white any more . The j.a.panese exchange student stood by it . The word Welcome was replaced by its counterpart in kanji with the help of some computerised graphic trick . Superb, she said in j.a.panese . Could one of you go on stage so I can finish the rig here? Urufu-kun waved at him, and Ryu obediently walked to the wall . Wow! A looker! Cute but too much of a kid for me, the projector said in her voice . You just get over here and Ill show you kid, Ryu responded . It was just the kind of challenge he couldnt avoid accepting . Cheeky little boy . You some kind of cla.s.s prince over there? More like the Prince of Himekaizen, he said . It wasnt just bragging, and he was always aware of how much attention he attracted . Then my prince, why dont you stand there and pose a little while I finish the rig here . I promise to pretend to be very impressed with you and all that . If you want I can swoon a little as well . Ryu grinned . An entirely honest grin this time . If that girl had really been here hed have been more than a little interested . Girls usually didnt make fun of him that way . Rika, just tell me when youre done in Sweden and well have the club members inside for the presentation, Ulf said into his microphone . Ryu shook his head . First name basis with a j.a.panese uppercla.s.sman on another continent . And no honorifics . I wonder how long those are going to survive in the club .