Despite healing well, the aborted walking talking session still made Kyoko's stomach hurt a little.

She happily accepted Kuri-chan's suggestion they stop for a short something, or whatever that strange, Swedish word she used meant. 'Fika', a catch all for drinking coffee and eating anything baked, together with one or more friends. It apparently meant a break, a date, a snack with friends, a coffee session in the garden, and a few other things as well; going to prove that Swedes needed a thorough examination of their brains.

In any case, the result was that they sat three girls around a table, none of them having coffee and none of them eating anything out of a bakery, and yet Kuri-chan persisted in that they were having a 'fika'. Time to bring in the brain surgeons.

“So, girls,” Kyoko started and caught the others' eyes. “Valentine, what are your plans?”

Noriko tilted her head and returned the stare. “Buy an economy-pack for giri and a good looking one for Nao.”

“Yeah, that's Noriko, all-right,” Kuri-chan said. “Look, I'm not from here, and even I know you're supposed to make the one for Nao-kun.”

You probably know what accessories and make-up go well with it as well. Kyoko gave her best friend a long stare. I feel bad for you. You two are so much in love with each other, but things aren't going well, are they?

Noriko's lips became a thin line. “So, what about you, Kuri?”

A slender arm reached for the teacup. Kyoko guessed Kuri-chan wanted a moment of peace before she answered. “I don't know how to make chocolate, but I'll learn. Well, and then I'll buy loads of cheap chocolate just like you.”

“I'll make one for Yukio, and then I'll shop for a few nice ones for giri,” Kyoko said before both friends turned their attention at her.

“So, why don't we have a sleepover at my place in a week?”

Kyoko looked at Noriko. That sounded like you already had planned for it. “I'll ask my parents.” She really needed to dare meeting her friends again, or else she'd stay afraid of going out forever. Is this why you wanted us to go shopping? A tear threatened to push its way down her cheek. You're really a good friend, you know that?

“Sure, I'm game,” Kuri-chan said and grinned. “The ugly duckling, the geek and Queen Bitch, what could possibly go wrong?”

Sheesh, you really trust your friends never to get upset. “I'm a swan now,” Kyoko protested, just in case Noriko had skin thin enough to take offence.

“Hey, I'm just naturally brilliant. Fourth place at the beauty contest is better than swan-sama over here.”

OK, thick enough. It was time for payback. “So, the swan, the beautiful genius and Queen Bitch.” Kyoko purred. “Kuri-chan, you grew into that role so naturally.”

“The hell?” But her laugh belied her words. “Fine, you got me. You know, you're growing up kids. I like what I see.”

They finished their drinks and hit the mall in search for chocolate and gift-boxes. Kyoko felt a little out of place with women all around her looking for the same thing. The giggles and gossiping might be normal for girls, but she had little experience from it. Her overweight middle school years hadn't exactly lined the boys up for her, and truth be told she really didn't care all that much back then.

Today was different though. The mismatched trio were a strange one, even Kyoko knew that. Both loners had at least some experience from Valentine, but the famous model none at all. One look at Kuri-chan had Kyoko re-evaluate her thoughts a little.

But you only looked the model when we were preparing to leave middle school. Because when they met, Kuri-chan had been ugly in exactly the opposite way of Kyoko, tall and painfully thin, like a flagpole walking on shaky legs.

“Kuri-chan,” Kyoko said when curiosity overcame her. “What about when you were young last time?”

Kuri-chan stuffed a basket with more cheap chocolate before she turned. “What about it?”

The question was enough for Noriko to stop rummaging through what was to become giri chocolate and listen in to what was coming.

“You should have loads of experience from back then.” At least from after you became beautiful.

“Huh? You mean Valentine? We didn't celebrate it much in Sweden back then. Still don't, well at least not like here.”

“What?”

Kuri-chan scratched her hair. “It's kind of like Halloween. Young people have picked it up, but it was pretty much a non-event back in the days.”

“No chocolate?”

“Hmm, no. Maybe roses. I dunno.”

The answer made Kyoko oddly disappointed. She had expected something similar to America.

“So no White Day?” Noriko broke in.

“No. The only reason I know of White Day is because Chag had a line of inexpensive jewellery. Japan only.”

At least she knew of White Day. Then Kyoko had a sudden revelation. “You really have to buy a lot of giri chocolate, don't you?”

Kuri-chan nodded. “And I'd feel ashamed in Mars if I bought expensive chocolate now. Besides, I just don't know what to do with the return gifts.”

Kyoko remembered the chocolate she had received from Kuri-chan last year. A glimmer of suspicion flared up in her mind. “You cheated, last year, didn't you?”

“Cheated?” Noriko asked.

“Kuri-chan! That wrapper wasn't the one that came with the chocolate?”

Tall beauty grinned and sparkled enough to make both men and women around them stop and stare at her. “So, you guessed. No, it was for the crap I gave the old hag.”

“Your guardian?” Noriko wondered, and with that question she told Kyoko that she had realised exactly in what way Kuri-chan had cheated.”

From the corner of her eye Kyoko saw how Kuri-chan's personal bodyguard made discrete gestures telling them it was time to move on before too many fans found out exactly where she was. A lot of people already took photos with their smart-phones, and the tone of the conversations around them had changed in a way that Kyoko recognised by now.

“What did you give me?” she asked and pulled Kuri-chan in the direction the bodyguard motioned.

“Teuscher,” Kuri-chan responded.

Huh? Never heard of it.

At her side Noriko paled. “Oh dear! Yeah, that's cheating.”

What? “Noriko?”

Her friend just shook her head.

What?

***

In the end Kyoko didn't think she'd be able to join Kuri-chan and Noriko for the sleepover at Noriko's place. She'd ask, but it really hurt moving around like she had the other day.

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They had to run just a little too fast to get away from the growing crowd that day, when they went shopping for chocolate and some kitchen utensils to use for the home made ones.

She sulked a little, but at least she had Yukio to herself. Besides, planning got difficult, now when Nao finally was back from his school trip and managed to get some time to spend with Noriko.

At the moment Kyoko sat in the Stockholm Haven café, spending her time on one of those combined club and study sessions that had become more and more usual with Urufu leading them.

“Noriko,” he said. “Give them a hand with math. Especially give Christina a hand, a foot or preferably an entire carcass.”

“Go die!”

“You really want his carcass?” Noriko asked and slapped on a grin that quickly dissolved.

The question met with absolute silence, and more than one member threw a glance at Kyoko where she sat side by side with Yukio.

“Sorry,” Noriko said.

“Hey. Hey! I'm not made of glass.” Kyoko refused to be treated like some fragile victim. She was healing quickly and felt almost no pain these days. “Kuri-chan, which carcass?” she added to force the bad mood to evaporate.

“Not Ulf's, never Ulf's,” Kuri-chan said, and now first Kyoko noticed how she had paled when Noriko threw out the question.

Crap! Forgot she spent a night at hospital with him as well. I'm sorry. “Don't ask him to die in that case,” Kyoko retorted. Kuri-chan could take a verbal punch or two, and Kyoko relied on her to understand how a laugh was needed now.

She took her pen in a tighter grip and prayed that Kuri-chan would react the right way. Looking across the table she saw her friend blink in hurt confusion, and after that, a flicker of understanding.

“Fine, hand me Kareyoshi's head on a plate,” she said.

Crap! You're not supposed to tell anyone.

“Kareyoshi? He's not even your English teacher,” Hitomi-chan said.

Kuri-chan, no!

“Bastard had a hand in Ko-chan's stabbing. We just can't prove anything.”

No, no, no, no, no!

The room detonated with shouts.

“Kuri-chan, you can't tell anyone.” Kyoko barely finished the sentence before she understood the huge mistake she had just made. “Eh… I mean...”

The rest drowned in a second round of enraged shouts.

Shit! Take control, Kyoko!

Then a thought struck her, one that would have been impossible a year earlier. Coercion had never been her tool, but too much was at stake now. “You can't, really!” How do I force them to obey? At least she had their undivided attention. Ah, yes! “You can't. It would… it would be dangerous for me.”

To be honest she knew nothing about the game played out behind their backs, but just suggesting that someone else was out there with a dagger should do the job. This was the kind of gamble she had seen Urufu make use of, and Kuri-chan to a certain degree. Her friend usually went for a more direct approach than playing the guilt trip card though.

“Would you care to explain dangerous?”

Oh hell!

The last question reached into the room from the door opening. James stood there with a tray in his hand and wrath in his face.

So you were never told? Kyoko had to continue gambling. She massaged her stab wound so that everyone could see. “One of these is enough,” she said.

From across the table Kuri-chan shot her a long stare filled with disappointment, but also with respect. 'Well played,' she mouthed. 'You're my kind of girl.'

“Who?” James asked.

“There's no proof, or at least none we can use,” Urufu said. “We think we know he's from the enemy faction.”

Duh! The bastard had Yukio and me assaulted. Of course he's from an enemy faction. Wait! The enemy faction? Pieces of a puzzle fell in place. Urufu, you're brilliant!

In the doorway James nodded, and Kyoko knew he must have understood. “I see.”

“It's related to both Red Rose Hell and Himekaizen,” Urufu continued relentlessly. “A failed piece of human refuse who's unable to grasp even basic English.”

And with those words Urufu had just named Kareyoshi. James was a Himekaizen alumni.

“Guys,” Urufu said and turned to the club members. “Kyoko's right. I don't want anyone to put her in danger, so please keep quiet about this.” That sentence came with an edge pointed at Kuri-chan who threw her hands into the air in exasperation.

“Fine! Ko-chan, I'm sorry. I didn't think.”

“No problem. We'll take that swine down,” Kyoko said. Reflecting on her words she was surprised they didn't surprise her.

By her side Yukio stared at her. Funny, you I surprise, but not myself. But there was more to it than just surprise. Fucking pig, he took all my children from me. I'll hate him even after he dies! It was that simple. What Kareyoshi had taken, her future. A barren woman was a woman no longer. How could she ask Yukio to stay with her when she was damaged goods? And yet I love you so much it hurts. My Yukio, my lovely Yukio!

With a shiver Kyoko woke from her thoughts. The entire room stared at her, and she realised that whatever she had thought must have shown in her face. So be it. I don't care any longer.

“Yukio, I love you, but we need to talk.”

For the first time she had seen he shot her a frightened look.

Yes, you should be afraid, just like I'm afraid. I'll allow nothing to come between us but for you and myself. And maybe it had come to that point. What an awful way to celebrate your birthday!

“Could it wait until later?”

“Later is now. Father booked a table for the two of us.”

Yukio swept his hand across his eyes, but he rose and grabbed his jacket. “Later guys, I have a date.”