443 Chapter three, 2018, what happens in Kyoto: 6

"I hope you're having a good time," was maybe not exactly what he felt, but Noriko's messages spelled discomfort and Ulf wanted her to know that she had his support when Christina pulled her into whatever craziness Noriko had to endure. Most likely she was dragged from shop to shop in search for clothes she didn't need in order to look beautiful in his eyes. Possibly in search of clothes for him, and, well, most everyone were adamant about him desperately needing new clothes to look appealing, or even like a human being.

Still, for once he had prepared something of a dating planning and most everything in it went down the drain the moment Noriko vanished.

'Guess she needs some girl time.' Knowing that didn't make him sulk any less. Studying with her was all fine and well, but sometimes Ulf just wanted to share a day of sheer stupidity with the girl closest to his heart.

There was a time for work and a time for leisure. The latter were few and far between. 'Still, I'm whining like a teenager,' which, he reminded himself, the doctor a year and a half ago very much had said he actually was.

He managed to get permission to stay out a little longer than the curfew. Not that he really needed to apply for permission, but from what he saw the new principal wasn't an arse which meant Ulf could do well to keep up a modicum of good behaviour as well.

Permission granted Ulf felt fairly certain their new principal was in the know about the arrivals. Fifty year old men usually didn't ask if they were allowed to roam the streets during evening, and Ulf had absolutely no interest in neither seedier activities nor any consumption of alcohol. Visiting night clubs, sober or not, came in his twenties the last time he grew up, and it wasn't like he would have been able to talk himself past the bouncers now anyway.

'New life and all,' he thought. Night life in Japan belonged to the white parts on his map. Or at least night life for younger adults did. He'd spent a few nights out with his wife, but that came at an age when he'd lost interest in booming music and large amounts of the cheapest alcohol available. 'Guess Haven's the closest to nights out I've seen,' and the Stockholm Haven café closed at eleven.

Right now he slowly walked past burger joints and cafés. Crammed in between were places he still had to wait a few years before he was welcome inside. The streets were eerily empty, maybe because a lot of what attracted those looking for somewhere to spend a late evening was grouped together in two large entertainment districts. High school students like himself weren't welcome there.

'Wonder what she's doing.' Ulf imagined Noriko sighing and trying on yet another piece of clothing she didn't need, all the time surrounded by tall blonde and the body guards that came with that girl. 'Poor sod!' Still, he could see himself walking between rows of hangers, pulled along by Noriko in search for something she believed wasn't hurtful to the eyes of their surroundings.

'Would you sigh if I was there?' Somehow he hoped not. Making her happy had become increasingly important ever since he allowed himself to let his guard down. With Kareyoshi gone they could afford thinking about living instead of merely surviving.

'What a year!' A black one, and it hadn't even been a full year. Ulf knew very well why the darkness in his mind stretched to a full one. Kareyoshi wasn't to blame for the first two months. He wasn't certain he'd made it through all of it by himself. 'You saved me, you know that?' She was never merely a cute girl lovestruck with him for reasons he couldn't even fathom. Without Noriko Ulf suspected he would have reverted back to the violence he found himself capable of shortly after he arrived here.

A door beckoned to him and he went inside. Something hot to accompany his thoughts seemed perfect. 'Damn, wrong place!' He'd entered exactly the kind of place that catered to people like him. Large with sections like a diner, well lit and most probably not too expensive. Clusters of high school uniforms everywhere, sometimes mixed up by a bunch of middle schoolers and the occasional group of young people in their own clothes.

'Should I leave?' If he picked a more high end café he'd be able to have that something hot for double the price, which he could afford, but it also meant finding one in the first place. 'Screw that! I'm cold.'

Ulf found himself a table for four and sat down. For once he was grateful for the drab diner design since the sections limited how many could see him. His nondescript uniform made him stand out like a sore thumb. The kids inside wore an assortment of just about everything that would have looked better than the beige and black of Himekaizen.

Good looking uniforms definitely didn't make the list as to why anyone would pick the school. Possibly if you hated the gakuran and sailor uniforms enough. He smirked. 'Even so, if I didn't know better, I'd probably go for Red Rose Hell.' Their red and green was distinct enough to signal a student who belonged somewhere special. That it was special for all the wrong reasons didn't matter.

There was no Red Rose Hell these days. At least not for high school students. 'We got that right. But then the plague spread to Himekaizen instead. 'Funny that it never took hold over Irishima High.' Ulf guessed both staff and parents found the strength for integrity in the identity that came with that school. 'Means we need to make Himekaizen something special as well.'

He grinned. It wasn't his responsibility, not really, but still. 'One more year. I'll show you what can be done in a year!'

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From the next table a smile was sent his way. The girl probably failed to pin point his uniform. Ulf returned her smile and dug for his phone. He could as well try to find out when Noriko's shopping session ended.