Transition and Restart, book five: Spring of youth

Chapter one, 2017, a new year part four

Huh? "Sorry, I didn't quite follow you there."

Just as she was about to answer Ulf heard Noriko's voice calling out to him.

"Here," he said and tried to find her.

She came walking down the corridor from the wing Ulf was trying to lead Jennifer to. "Urufu, you found the other arrival?"

A year does wonders, Ulf thought. Noriko, do you even understand how fantastic it is that you take us for granted? "Yeah, Jennifer, meet Noriko."

"I'm Coperu Jeniferu, pleased to meet you," Jennifer said.

Ulf shook his head. Jennifer couldn't know Noriko was used to the western naming conventions by now.

"Wakayama Noriko, pleased to meet you." Then Noriko turned to Ulf. "Tomasu-kun agreed to join the club. He's waiting to meet her," Noriko nodded at Jennifer, "in his classroom. Reunite he called it."

"Jennifer, then follow me. As for the club, you have a standing invitation as well," Ulf said and led the three of them on.

"Age, your age?" Jennifer asked from behind his back.

"Sixteen here. Fifty two in total," he answered. "Noriko's born here, so she's the sixteen she looks." Better not give the new arrivals the impression we're crawling all over the place.

"Fifty two. And... no it doesn't matter."

"Wondering how many we are? At this school, apart from Thomas and you, it's just Christina and me. She's part of the club as well."

"Christina?"

"Yes, that Christina. The model. She's a year younger than me, well, same age here, but, you know."

Jennifer ran up to him and tugged at his sleeve. "Are we talking Kuritina?"

Bloody hell, the Japanese name sticks even to another Swede. "Yeah, but she was born Christina Agerman, so the Kuritina part is just a way to make her name possible to pronounce here."

They had arrived in the shorter corridor feeding the classrooms in the left wing. Christina's corridor just a few weeks earlier. It felt strange to walk up to 3:1 when it was no longer her classroom, or Noriko's for that matter. Ulf glanced down at his other side where she flanked him.

"Urufu?"

"Nothing," he said. "Jennifer, he's waiting for you."

She didn't move.

"Look," Ulf said, "he'll be looking a lot younger than you're used to, and it's been a year since you saw each other the last time. You just need to get used to it."

She just shook her head.

"Urufu, I'll fetch him instead," Noriko said and went inside.

Moments later she returned with Thomas.

"Thomas, meet Jennifer. We'll leave the two of you alone," she said, and Ulf felt her pulling at him to give the two freshmen some privacy.

"Stay!"

What?

"Who are you?" Thomas said. "You're not Jennifer. I've never seen you before in my life."

***

Noriko let go of Urufu at Tomasu-kun's surprising outburst. A little reluctantly, she admitted to herself. Despite her being in love with Nao there were still some lingering feelings for Urufu.