Chapter five, 2017, leverage: 10

Cramped was the kind version. The smaller bedroom in Urufu's flat had been used as a storage for a long time, and it showed.

Noriko stared at the futon barely fitting into the small space of floor she just cleaned up in hopes that it hid how her lips turned into a thin line of disapproval. 'Guess I did hope we'd sleep all three in one room.' But that had been a rose coloured fantasy of hers.

Sato-sensei gave them all a questioning look filled with misgivings when they turned up together earlier, but she didn't protest. She just made certain both girls had the approval of their parents.

By now Noriko had all but given up on bedding Urufu in the near future. She'd get her opportunity one day, but not now with their lives in turmoil.

"You look very young for being Urufu's mother," she heard Hitomi say from the living room that also served as Urufu's bedroom.

"That's because I'm not. I'm his guardian," Sato-sensei answered in her no nonsense voice.

'I really like that woman. When I grow up I want to be more like her.' Noriko smiled and eavesdropped some more.

Urufu stood behind her. He didn't touch, but she could feel his eyes on her back.

"You fine like this?"

"We'll make do," she answered.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," she heard Hitomi say from the other room.

"Don't apologise to me. Urufu's the one with dead parents," came Sato-sensei's cold reply.

Noriko slapped her hands to her face. With some luck it would serve to mute her giggling.

"Amaya, dammit, she hasn't done anything wrong. Don't be like that, please!" Urufu's voice, and she heard how he turned his head while delivering the admonition.

A pity Urufu couldn't see how funny it was. Well, they were planning to spend the night here. Bullying Hitomi might not be the best course.

"Secret, Urufu," Hitomi said, and Noriko felt how his attention left her and turned to the other room.

With a sigh she gave the futon a last glare and joined him.

"Urufu?" Sato-sensei's voice was filled with worry.

"We're telling her," Urufu said. "She came back. That kind of backbone should be rewarded."

Noriko found herself a place where she could feel Urufu close to her. Across the table she saw a small bookshelf, the kind you'd expect to find in any home. Then there were two big ones, from floor to ceiling. She threw them a glance, and then another one.

'Oh my!'

One was stacked with children's books. A wild mix of picture books, adventure stories for grade schoolers, light novels and the occasional easy to read classic. It lacked the right to exist in this home, but then Urufu's personality solved the riddle.

'So that's how you learned Japanese.' She stared at him. 'You never do things half heartedly, do you?' Noriko was about to throw her arms around him when the contents of the other bookshelf caught her interest. 'Ah, the other you.'

She knew she shouldn't be surprised, but she was. Volume after volume hinted at secrets unveiling unto anyone who would dare to read. All in English, and all about a corporate world that lay years ahead of her understanding.

"You're what?"

Hitomi's sudden outcry banished Noriko's inner bookworm and drew her back to the reason they were here. 'So he dropped the bomb?'

"You were the one who suspected something wasn't right," Urufu said. "Yes. Another dozen years in the Sweden I know and I'd retire with a healthy pension."

"You're saying that you're… No! Drop the act! I'm not an idiot."

"He is," Sato-sensei said. "And it's not as easy as you believe. He didn't time travel back into his youth."

"I don't understand."

Noriko didn't expect her to. She once spent an entire evening listening to Urufu and Kuri explain what had happened to them. It had taken Yukio's and Kyoko's combined persistence to convince her and her brother that the two foreigners weren't merely foreigners but that they came from another world.

"Hitomi, listen. You don't need to believe me yet, but let's pretend what I said is true. Let's pretend there are forty or fifty of us here."

Hitomi shook her head, but she smiled. "Fine, let's pretend."

'Good girl.' Noriko allowed a giggle to slip out and rose to help Sato-sensei who had gone to the small kitchen.

The two of them prepared a late snack and tea while Noriko listened to Urufu as he tried to convince Hitomi of the impossible.

"What if that kind of people were very successful, or at least very good at what they were doing before arriving here as teenagers?"

There was a short pause, and Noriko was tempted to look over her shoulder to see Hitomi's expression.

"Imagine that kind of people being given a chance to do it all over again. Then imagine the kind of people who would want to be in control of that happening."

This time Noriko shivered. It didn't matter that she lived in that reality. Hearing Urufu state it with that voice, cold and void of emotions, almost forced a scream from her. 'He was broken when he arrived here. Wasn't that what they said?'

She had to turn. With Sato-sensei's hand on her shoulder, sending warmth, worry and sympathy along her fingers, Noriko ate Urufu with her eyes. 'I'm so happy I won you to my side, but what did you have to give up?' And the answer made her cry. 'An entire life. You lost your life.' Sato-sensei's finger dug deeper into her, and Noriko leaned back into them for support.

"I'm going to pretend I believe you. I'm going to, because then my father's actions make a lot more sense."

"What did he do?" Sato-sensei said from behind Noriko's back.

Hitomi looked at them. "He paid a lot of scary people a lot of money. There's a diet member protecting Kareyoshi."

Noriko felt Sato-sensei nod. They already knew that much.

"He has a son. One of those who attacked Kuri. They got caught on security camera."

That was bad, or good, depending on point of view.

"My father managed to dig up something else as well. He can trace that son to the rapes."

Noriko gulped and Urufu swore.

"If you're smart you'll let the swine run," Hitomi said.

"Why?" Three voices. Urufu's, Sato-sensei's and Noriko's.

"As long as he gets away then Kareyoshi's support goes away as well."