With the field trip formally at an end Christina focused on her remaining shoots . She would have preferred to study together with Ulf, but he needed to clear out his last remaining subjects before the next group with paying course attendants arrived .

She hated that, but she went through with her work, and she even built a small reputation for having an uncanny taste when it came to pick out which clothes were best for a certain shoot .

After that the positively most boring week in her life started . Princ.i.p.al Nakagawa acted as her teacher, and she was the cla.s.s . The days started at seven and ended at ten in the evening . She only got breaks for two meals, and all the while the hotel echoed with the activity of Ulf and the others running workshops . There was only silence when they were out walking talking .

In three days she nailed her make up exams but for j.a.panese . Then it was cramming j.a.panese thirteen hours a day . At night she was so tired she even forgot to sneak out of her room twice, and even when she slept in Ulf's arms she barely had the energy to enjoy a quick kiss and the feeling of safety when she burrowed her back tightly against his body .

Ryu and Yukio never said anything, and neither did Noriko nor Kyoko when she stole her way back early mornings .

On the verge of breaking down, after over a week's worth of cramming, she finally pa.s.sed her last exam . That made her by a wide margin the worst freshman in all of Himekaizen . She didn't care one bit . Cramming h.e.l.l was over and there were still a few days left of summer break .

That was yesterday, and now was her first morning of freedom . She woke to the amused snorts of Ko-chan .

'When did I crawl back to my room?' Christina stretched, or rather tried to .

"Careful Christina, those are my eyes . "

'What?' She opened her eyes . 'What!' She hadn't . Crawled that is . She lay half naked in Ulf's lap showing lots and lots of leg . He had only made sure to cover her torso . By the window Ryu and Yukio sat watching the courtyard . Christina wasn't fooled for a second . Both boys were too adamantly not looking at her now, so she understood they had taken a good look earlier .

"Gah!"

"The snoring beauty," Ko-chan said .

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"Urufu, take this one as well, there's more snot," Ko-chan suggested and handed him a paper wipe .

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

Ulf wiped her nose . "Sorry, now it's gone . "

Christina hurried to cover her legs . "Why is everyone here?"

By the window both boys turned . Yukio gave Ko-chan a guilty look, but she just stuck her tongue out at him .

Ulf bent over Christina's head and caressed her hair . She closed her eyes and concentrated on his fingers in her mind . Feeling his hands ma.s.saging her head sent s.h.i.+vers of longing through her, but she quickly sent those thoughts away . She forced her eyes open again . "Ulf, why?"

She felt his thumb gliding along her ear . "Last day . We were planning," he said .

His eyes were large and brown . A deep, warm and caring brown; a little like her favourite chocolate . And she could see how his hair one day would be just as black as other j.a.panese .

"Why didn't you wake me up? What if Nakagawa finds out, or your guardian?"

Ko-chan snorted again, and she was joined by Noriko . "Do you honestly think Sato-sensei doesn't know already?" the latter said .

That made Christina sit up straight . "Trousers Ulf . " He leaned away and shoved them to her under the cover . "Where's my bra?" she whispered to him .

"Here . " Noriko shouted in reply, and the bra came sailing through the air .

'If Ko-chan is blus.h.i.+ng like that what do I look like right now?' Christina gathered up her bra, and after she had slipped into her trousers she quickly left the room and ran for her own .

'Maybe sleeping in my underwear with Ulf isn't so smart . But I want to be close to him, and it's not like we do anything . ' She changed clothes . Underwear and the T-s.h.i.+rt she had slept in went into the pile of dirty clothes . On her way down to the reception she popped in to the room where the others still sat planning and picked up her socks from yesterday .

For the first time since coming to the resort she didn't know what to do with her day .

'Maybe I'll look for grandpa . There's so much for us to talk about . '

With the field trip formally at an end Christina focused on her remaining shoots . She would have preferred to study together with Ulf, but he needed to clear out his last remaining subjects before the next group with paying course attendants arrived . She hated that, but she went through with her work, and she even built a small reputation for having an uncanny taste when it came to pick out which clothes were best for a certain shoot . After that the positively most boring week in her life started . Princ.i.p.al Nakagawa acted as her teacher, and she was the cla.s.s . The days started at seven and ended at ten in the evening . She only got breaks for two meals, and all the while the hotel echoed with the activity of Ulf and the others running workshops . There was only silence when they were out walking talking . In three days she nailed her make up exams but for j.a.panese . Then it was cramming j.a.panese thirteen hours a day . At night she was so tired she even forgot to sneak out of her room twice, and even when she slept in Ulfs arms she barely had the energy to enjoy a quick kiss and the feeling of safety when she burrowed her back tightly against his body . Ryu and Yukio never said anything, and neither did Noriko nor Kyoko when she stole her way back early mornings . On the verge of breaking down, after over a weeks worth of cramming, she finally pa.s.sed her last exam . That made her by a wide margin the worst freshman in all of Himekaizen . She didnt care one bit . Cramming h.e.l.l was over and there were still a few days left of summer break . That was yesterday, and now was her first morning of freedom . She woke to the amused snorts of Ko-chan . When did I crawl back to my room? Christina stretched, or rather tried to . Careful Christina, those are my eyes . What? She opened her eyes . What! She hadnt . Crawled that is . She lay half naked in Ulfs lap showing lots and lots of leg . He had only made sure to cover her torso . By the window Ryu and Yukio sat watching the courtyard . Christina wasnt fooled for a second . Both boys were too adamantly not looking at her now, so she understood they had taken a good look earlier . Gah! The snoring beauty, Ko-chan said . Am not! Am too! Urufu, take this one as well, theres more snot, Ko-chan suggested and handed him a paper wipe . Is not! Is too! Ulf wiped her nose . Sorry, now its gone . Christina hurried to cover her legs . Why is everyone here? By the window both boys turned . Yukio gave Ko-chan a guilty look, but she just stuck her tongue out at him . Ulf bent over Christinas head and caressed her hair . She closed her eyes and concentrated on his fingers in her mind . Feeling his hands ma.s.saging her head sent s.h.i.+vers of longing through her, but she quickly sent those thoughts away . She forced her eyes open again . Ulf, why? . She felt his thumb gliding along her ear . Last day . We were planning, he said . His eyes were large and brown . A deep, warm and caring brown; a little like her favourite chocolate . And she could see how his hair one day would be just as black as other j.a.panese . Why didnt you wake me up? What if Nakagawa finds out, or your guardian? Ko-chan snorted again, and she was joined by Noriko . Do you honestly think Sato-sensei doesnt know already? the latter said . That made Christina sit up straight . Trousers Ulf . He leaned away and shoved them to her under the cover . Wheres my bra? she whispered to him . Here . Noriko shouted in reply, and the bra came sailing through the air . If Ko-chan is blus.h.i.+ng like that what do I look like right now? Christina gathered up her bra, and after she had slipped into her trousers she quickly left the room and ran for her own . Maybe sleeping in my underwear with Ulf isnt so smart . But I want to be close to him, and its not like we do anything . She changed clothes . Underwear and the T-s.h.i.+rt she had slept in went into the pile of dirty clothes . On her way down to the reception she popped in to the room where the others still sat planning and picked up her socks from yesterday . For the first time since coming to the resort she didnt know what to do with her day . Maybe Ill look for grandpa . Theres so much for us to talk about .