A week passed, 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 Japan 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 Japanese 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 amusement park . There was still a lingering impact from it on their class 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 Japanese 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 Japanese . "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 class 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 Japanese upperclassman on another continent . And no honorifics . I wonder how long those are going to survive in the club . '
Chapter end
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