Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Some say there’s a calm before a storm. I’ve never fully understood that feeling. Usually when I see a “storm” coming, calm isn’t exactly how I’d explain the sensation. More of a bracing sort of feeling, protecting yourself. 

There was no time to brace for this storm. I guess that could be best exemplified by Mikuru Asahina, my friend. Let’s just go through it.

Three days left until Valentine’s Day. February 11th.

Before the storm.

When I woke up that morning, my sister was already in my room at the door. This wasn’t too uncommon of an occurrence.. She went to my room early like this all the time, snatching our cat Shamisen or grabbing something she knows she isn’t allowed to have, trying to take it while I sleep. Though, that begged me the question, why was she at the door and not just snooping around?

“Kyooooonnn…” Dragging my name out all quiet-like. She made it a point not to make direct eye contact with me, rocking back and forth from her tip-toes to her heels. This meant she wanted something from me. More than that, she wanted something that I definitely didn’t want to give.

“Yes?”

“Well, I want to make some chocolate for my friends. Mom said she wouldn’t be home on Valentine’s Day to watch me.”

“Let me guess. You want me to watch you instead.”

Her cheeks went red, flicking her head to the hallway and back to me, back and forth. It would've been cute had I not been annoyed. I knew well that Haruhi was going to make us do something for the holiday, and if I didn’t comply she’d be upset. Not just upset, Haruhi upset. Casually changing reality to suit what I want kind of upset. 

Either way, I’d be in trouble in this situation. If I skipped, Haruhi would be furious. If I didn’t, mom would be furious. So I just chose which one would get me in less trouble.

“Sure. Fine. Just get out of my room for now. I have to change.”

“Okay! Thanks, Kyon!”

Once properly ready for school, I headed on out. It was early February, so there wasn’t much to be said of the weather. Sure, it was chilly perhaps. Nothing compared to the months that came beforehand, but it still had me wearing my big coat just in case it decided to lower itself. Or, worse, Haruhi harassed Miss Asahina again with her embarrassing outfits. 

“Man. I don’t know how you keep wearing that thing.” Taniguchi snuck up from behind me. His arms were tucked behind his neck, stopping it from slumping backwards. Would it kill him to just say hello? “If I were you, I’d just wear a hoodie. That bulky thing makes you look ridiculous.”

“Yeah, well. It’s what I’m wearing. Got any more complaints?”

“Woah, woah. What’s with the hostility? I’m just saying, it’s hoodie weather right now.”

There wasn’t much I could say in response, opting to shake my head instead.

“Oh yeah. I can’t let myself forget. Do you have anyone to do something with for Valentine’s Day this year, or are you staying with me and Kunikida in the lonely club?”

The answer seemed obvious to anyone who knew me. Every other year, I’d been wholly by myself when it came to this holiday. Not for any reason of not wanting to or anything, that’d be ridiculous. I was never much of the type of person to chase after a relationship. I was always content just helping my sister with chocolate and eating a couple bites as a reward. Better yet, enjoying the few trays I got on occasion from girls in my class.

This year, it’d be different. Haruhi would assure that. Fate’ll have me doing something that, for all sakes and purposes of prediction, will have me risking my life in some way. I’m content with it now though. I came to that realization after Miss Nagato… well, the other Miss Nagato helped me learn that.

All of this is to say, when typically I should have said no, I told Taniguchi “Maybe. We’ll see how it plays out.”

“Huh? No way.” Turning a few feet into a mile, he immediately starts to give me a smirk. Not one of confidence or even condescendance. More like he was telling me that he knew something. Whatever it was, I wasn’t in the loop.

“What? I’m just putting it out there. Something could happen.”

“Don’t play dumb with me. You’re totally asking Suzumiya out.”

“When did she come into this?”

I can’t blame him for this conclusion. With how much time we spend together, Haruhi and I, there have been tons of rumors already that we’re a thing. It just isn’t true. Never has been. Further in his defense, that is what I was somewhat leaning towards with that statement. Just probably not in the way he thinks it.

“She came into this when I stopped to realize there are no other girls who want anything to do.” He said with such certainty that it was kind of harmful. “Well, unless you and whatsername are a thing, the girl with the purple hair?”

“Nagato. And I already told you before, haven’t I? We’re not a pair.”

“So it is Suzumiya!”

“No, that’s…” I let out a small sigh. Arguing any further would just get me a headache here.

A blessing came in the form of the school, and our arrival to it. The only thing to overcome was the incredibly long hill, the one that has been crippling me ever since the first day I stepped onto campus. 

There I was, in class, staring out the window at nothing in particular, bored. I couldn’t really focus on what the teacher was talking about. She could be scolding my lack of concentration for all I know and I’d be none the wiser. 

In the reflection of the window I could see myself and just a peak of the person sat behind me. Haruhi. From what little I could tell, her boredom was mutual. To some extent. My boredom will never be powerful like hers is. Her boredom, on first glance, looks normal. But once you get behind the scenes, it’s the total opposite. The power to destroy the world or change it at her, completely unknowing, will.

So we try to keep her entertained. Well, that’s an overstatement. We more go along with the stuff she does to keep herself entertained. Such as holidays. I know that lunch time will bring out her more abrasive and energetic side. It almost makes me wish she’d be more bored more often. I guess things just couldn’t be that simple.

I felt a poke in my back. I didn’t have to make a wild guess who it could be. I turned my head around, making it a point to give an annoyed expression at her. 

“Have you been writing notes? I can’t pay attention this morning?” Haruhi questioned in a whisper.

“No. I’m having the same issue.”

A grunt came from her, leaning back in her chair. Her tied-up hair flew back when she did, bringing a smile to my face. 

Something else that’s different from Haruhi in class compared to Haruhi in the brigade classroom, the lack of arm band. It’s something she typically uses to signify what the members just so happen to be doing at the time. I’d have to say it just makes her feel like the brigade’s more “official” that way. Not that it really is, but so long as she’s pleased.

Minutes later, my interest in her was halted by a ring, telling us students to pack up and get going. My mind was so focused on her that I didn’t realize how much time had passed… man, my grades are going to suffer

“Kyon.” Coming to my attention, Haruhi stood up in an oddly tense manner. One foot resting on her shin, hands on her hips, and a scrunched up expression to boot. “You’re coming to the club today, right? There’s really important stuff we have to discuss today.”

I never skip the club ever. That’d anger her, causing our Esper friend to have some work to do, thus causing me to have someone scolding me. Not fun stuff. Not that I could tell her that, so I just shortened it to “I was planning on it. Don’t see why I wouldn’t.”

“Could you take this a bit more seriously? I’m talking about really important stuff here! I’ve advised everyone else too. Except Mikuru. I can’t find her anywhere.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s hiding from you.”

I said nonchalantly at the time. I didn’t think it was too off. After all, compared to everyone else here, Asahina is pretty normal. There’s a chance she was just home sick, or she overslept. Hell, she could just be skipping. I wouldn’t blame her, if I had to deal with Haruhi every day, I’d skip too.

I just had to ask Koizume later. He’d tell me what that’s about.

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Just come to the brigade room at lunch, and after school! You’d better not forget!” She shouted, running out of the room with her finger pointed vigorously at me.

That just about set every plan I needed for the day at that point. 

My brain was laser-focused on that, so much so that when lunch came around, it was actually hard to believe it arrived already. It was my legs themselves that led me to the room, not really any effort or brain power, it was like my body was on auto-pilot. They had the path down more clear than a GPS.

I opened the door to see, oddly, no Haruhi. Not so oddly, Nagato reading in the corner. Koizume and Miss Asahina hadn’t shown up yet, or at least Koizume hadn’t, I was doubtful that Asahina was even at school.

Taking my comfortable seat at the table in the middle of the room, it seemed my idea for what to do didn’t change from class to lunch. Gaze out the window and daydream. My eyes drifted to Nagato every couple seconds, but mostly out the window. When I saw her, it was just her reading. No emotion, no words said. Does she even enjoy reading those things?

In an attempt to make sure everything was okay just, in case Koizume wanted to make this a mystery of some sort, as he’s so good at. “Is Miss Asahina okay? I heard she wasn’t here today.”

Glancing up from her book, she held her head up just long enough for a nod to just barely make itself known, going right back to what she was doing. A small gesture that brought a lot of relief with it.

In complete contrast with that gentle, reserved nature, came Haruhi. I could tell without looking just by the way the door had slammed open. “Where the hell is she?! If she doesn’t get her butt down here this instant, she’s in so much trouble! We have a big event now!”

Sure, Haruhi, screaming so loud that it could echo through every hallway in the building is sure to entice her enough to get her down here.

“Miss Suzumiya, relax. If she isn’t here, I could relay the discussion to her after school. There’s no need for all this fuss.” Koizume walked in just after her. I assume he was helping her in this fruitless attempt to find the missing Asahina, or maybe he was just there to keep her from breaking something. Both?

“Mmm.. fine. That’ll have to do.” 

Pushing away a few chairs while she stomped across the room, she got to the white board. In red marker, she wrote “SOS Brigade Sweets Run”. 

“As you all know,” she started, “it’s Valentine’s Day in three days from now. Now, I’m not sure what kinds of lives you all live here. You may have plans and such for this day. I’m coming here to tell you that you don’t anymore! We have a mission that day.”

Once dropping that bombshell on us, she scanned her head back and forth around the room. The chance of any of us having an objection was zero-to-none. That pleased her, bringing a grin while she continued.

“The SOS Brigade will be gathering in this club room for a group activity to go along with the holiday. You’ve done this a million times, I’m certain. Unless you’re the boring type who goes out and buys a pre-made pack, that is. We will be making chocolates!”

It wasn’t hard to believe that this would be the activity on this day. Actually, I was kind of relieved. It was tame, and easily achievable, not requiring us to find a ghost or whatnot. I did have a question though, so I asked it. “How are we going to get away with that here? I don’t think the school would like that, nor is there the equipment.”

“Hmm…” An ounce of thought bounced through that head of hers. It’s supposed to be think before you speak, Haruhi. Not after.

I was almost assured that had killed her plan on the spot. However, things were never really that simple. “Then I guess we’ll just use someone’s house. Preferably yours, Kyon, since you’re the one who back-talked.”

Ignoring the comment, I responded. “Actually, that works perfectly. I have to help my sister with chocolates that day. You wouldn’t mind her being there, would you?”

“A brigade member is a brigade member! Whether official or unofficial!” I do enjoy just how kind she is to my sister. Her cruelty only extends to me and the other brigaders. That shows that, to a degree, she has mercy.

“That’s all for today, folks. For now, we’re dismissed! Come back at the end of the day!”

Haruhi took her bag and ran off, leaving Koizume, Nagato, and I. Without even turning from where Haruhi was, I could tell there was a glare aiming right at me. I knew Nagato wasn’t going to look up from her reading, leading to “what is it, Koizume?”

“Miss Asahina.”

“What about her? Nagato said she’s fine.”

“Well, she isn’t completely wrong.” Oh boy. Here we go. “She hasn’t been hurt or anything of the sort. Just a little something has happened to her. An incident. Caused by a familiar face we know in this room.”

“Okay, and what did she do to her?

“Well, I’ll just state it bluntly and go from there. Miss Suzumiya has erased Miss Asahina from this universe. Where she’s gone is questionable at best. Wherever it is, it’s a place we’re unable to contact.”

A dagger went directly for my chest. I bit my lower lip and gave a small nod of understanding. “Any clue what might have caused this? It’s not every day Haruhi wants to rid the world of one of her brigade members. Especially the one that serves her tea each day.”

“Well, I’ll actually let you figure this one out by yourself.” A sly grin rose from his lips. They quivered like he was trying to conceal laughter. That pissed me off. This is serious. “You are the reason this is happening, after all, and I believe I’ve given you more than enough to go off of here today.”

“Excuse me?”

“If I gave you all the answers, you’d never leave the nest and become independent.” His feet took him to the door, waving to Nagato and I. “Think outside the box. Just remember, Mikuru isn’t actually in any harm currently. There’s a possibility she won’t even know she was gone when she returns. So really, the only thing you have to worry about is how long you aren’t going to be served tea.”

And with that twisted message, he exited the room. 

I stood there a moment to gather my thoughts. Mikuru was no longer in this world. Yet nothing’s wrong? And where does Valentine’s Day factor into all of this? Does that day bring along some sort of unbridled rage? The Haruhi I know loves and celebrates every holiday. This one could be excluded though. She has never been one for love

I guess I’ll figure it out another time.

The school day came and went in a flash. Tsuruya, when I asked her, just began laughing it up when I asked. “Whaaaaa?! Oh, Kyon! Mikuru disappearing?! Man, Itsuki got you good! You should totally see yourself in a mirror!” That was my main lead, so it really made asking anyone else pointless. Maybe the thought of someone disappearing entirely was a bit too out of the norm for normal people.

I went to the club meeting at the end of the day, but all of Haruhi’s words came in one ear and left through the other. My mind was determined to find any trace of the problem. That unfocus from earlier in class was starting to dip into my personal life.

When everyone else was getting ready to leave, I followed suit and left the building.

The one saving grace I had was that she wasn’t in any way harmed. I’m not sure what being non-existent entails, but I’d have to guess there’s no pain involved unless her nerves came with her to non-existence. 

When I got home, I shut my door behind me in my room and threw my book bag off. I locked the handle to make sure my sister didn’t charge in and begin bouncing off the walls and playing. It worked too, I heard the doorknob swivel a few times. Then a pout, then her footsteps walking away.

I changed into some pajamas and opened my window curtains. It hadn’t even felt like that long a day and it was sundown. Time flew past in that club meeting. My body told me it’d just be best for me to sleep then. 

When my head sunk into my pillow, I relaxed. My mind just told me to sleep on it today. Tomorrow was sure to bring some clarification. Even Koizume wouldn’t allow Miss Asahina to sit in oblivion for too long had I not found out the problem. Right.

I fell asleep soundly. Little did I know, the storm hadn’t yet struck. 

Chapter Text

By the time I woke up, it was the next day. Yesterday was already bad enough, really.

Remember that whole “bracing” thing? I really had to hold in the next day, as this day, I lost another. 

Two days left until Valentine’s Day. February 12th. 

Before the storm. 

This morning, there was a different air to everything. Everything just felt all too strange. With Miss Asahina disappearing with little-to-no explanation whatsoever as to why, I couldn’t quite keep a completely carefree mind anymore. Even if she really wasn’t in danger, non-existence has got to be some sort of call-to-action, right?

I was just finishing getting dressed when my sister bursted into my room, running and making a low “vrooooom..” noise as she did, her hands both to her side like an airplane.

“What’re you doing?”

“Your friend’s here.”

“Huh? Which one?”

“The brown-haired girl.”

“…huh?”

Without telling her to shoo out of my room, I headed downstairs to see what it was. Haruhi never showed up to my house unannounced like this. She barely shows up here at all, really. Especially in the morning.

Before I opened the door for her, I peeped through the small window to see if she’d be up to anything. The result of this was rather scary— she was standing there with both hands on her hips, lips puckered as if she was already not happy with my actions today. What? Did I sleep a little too much for your liking, o’ Queen Haruhi?

Yet, scary as that was, there was also a hint of anticipation in her eyes. Was she just playing it up to make sure she was ready for when I stepped out? Would that mean she plans her scoldings in advance? That would explain how she’s so perfectly able to chew us out each and every time she starts on us.

Putting the notion aside, I finally opened the door for her. Had I waited any longer, she was sure to have more words than she already probably has for me.

Opening this door, I was met with the second door, the glass door. I used this as a bit of space between her and I, not wanting to be pulled by the collar or the scarf just yet. Too early for that.

“What took you so long?! You’re expected to always be prepared for your Brigade Leader!”

“And as a member of the SOS Brigade, I expect my Brigade Leader to inform me when she’s coming over.”

“I did!”

She pulls out her flip-phone, pressing it a few times. She slammed it against the glass so hard I was almost certain it’d shatter. Through the foggy morning haze that stained the window, I could make out the text; “I’ll be there in the morning to check if your kitchen is good enough for cooking!”

Now, I was about to call myself an idiot. Then I read the send time. 1:00 AM. One in the morning! Why would I be awake at that time? At that, why was she awake at that time?

“So?! Gonna let me in or what?” Haruhi put the phone awake, opting to press her face against the door instead. She then quickly regretted that, leaving a face-shaped smudge in the door. I will now never forget the sight of that dumb look in the door. Maybe her tiredness caused her to make a slip-up.

“What, are you a vampire? You can let yourself in.”

“Hmph!” Aggressively, she opened the door and stomped her way into the house. 

“Make sure you take your shoes off!”

“I— I was getting to that!” She pulled her leg up and hopped a time or two, pulling her shoe off her foot. She then repeated that for the second one and stepped into the living room. “Now, tell me. Where’s your kitchen? We don’t have all morning. If I get to school late because of you, there will be penalties!”

You’re already waaaaaay to late to be saying that. At the rate you’re going to go with this, we’d be lucky to make it by the end of first hour.

Haruhi slammed a list of everything we needed against my chest. It wasn’t much, actually. My sister and I do this every year, so most of what we needed was the actual cooking supplies rather than the utensils to make anything. This made her a tad-bit proud of me for once. “Maybe all my training really is paying off on you, Kyon. What would you do without me?”

That was a little angering to hear, but it was a compliment all the same. “Whatever. Can we go now? It’s already nearly the start of first hour.”

“Don’t you rush me.” Her mind suddenly shifted. As typical Haruhi did, she did something without asking. Namely, she began rummaging through our fridge. She pulled out a carton of eggs, her eyes pointing to the pan on the stove. 

My mind couldn’t comprehend the sight I was seeing, she turned the heat on the oven and stared down at it, waiting. I couldn’t quite put into words what the feeling was here. Confused? Impressed? ….relieved? Whatever it was, I wasn’t disappointed with it. Haruhi has always been full of surprises. This is no different, and for once it’s actually a welcome surprise rather than one that leaves me angry.

“So, Kyon… do you have any plans for Valentine's day?”

“Hm? I thought I told you— I’m not busy that day.”

“No, that’s not what I…” Haruhi trailed off, her eyes staying on the pan. I got the feeling I knew what she was asking. I didn’t want to suggest anything though. If I got it wrong, it’d be awful for me.

“Then what do you mean? You already asked it, so you might as well finish—“

“...do you have any plans with a girl?”

“Plans with a girl?” Her cutting me off had me a little shaken, the question being far more direct than I was expecting. “N-no – not really. That sort of thing isn’t really what I do.”

Those words were meant to ease her mind. I thought that if I made it entirely clear I was free for the day that she’d be happy. The result of that attempt was her seeming kind of pissy. I didn’t even know why. Does she really care about my relationship at all? If so, why? 

“Do you have any plans with a guy?” I ask. “Happen to run into any time travelers, aliens, or espers?”

“As if! Everyone at our school is so boring.” She said, taking out her momentary anger on the egg in her hand, cracking it over the counter and dropping it into the pan. “Can you believe that I haven’t found a single one yet!?”

“Maybe they’re playing hard-to-get. I don’t think any alien worth their salt would just come out and say it.”

“Well, that’s what our club is for, and that hasn’t worked either..”

“Then try and settle for a guy – or maybe even a girl – that isn’t any of those, huh? Maybe just a normal person, who is not an alien, who is not time-traveling, and who doesn’t have any secret powers. It’s boring, sure. But it is much easier.”

This is when she would hit me in any given conversation. Push me away, call me an idiot, tell me that there isn’t any way that would happen. 

That sort of reaction is what I was trying to create. But she didn’t give me that reaction. “Well.. I guess there is one human I might be interested in.” The way she said it almost made her sound normal, and if she didn’t use the word ‘human’, it would have been completely normal. The polar opposite of what she is.

“Huh? Really..”

“Yeah.. It’s a… guy.”

Okay, that’s a start I guess. Now what of it? To try and make her more specific, I risk my safety and press the matter further, “who is he? Have I seen him before- oh, wait. Is it Koizumi by any chance?”

“Koizumi?! Why the hell would it be someone like him- and- and- and why do you even care?! Put your nose where it belongs– far away from mine! Your Brigade Leader demands it!” Apparently she had enough of my questions.

The eggs were finished, topped with so many spices that I couldn’t tell which ones were which. I didn’t know we owned these many spices in the house. But when I took a bite into it, any care of which ones they were ceased to exist. I forgot that Haruhi was actually a really good cook. She just doesn’t show it too often on account of making me pay for restaurants all the time.

Only after making it did I notice it’s odd shape. It was put into the shape of.. a heart? I didn’t even know that it was possible to shape an egg. That must have taken practice. But practicing something like that would be a little much for Haruhi to do. 

“Haruhi, this is really well made.” I state. She shoved it off, not even bothering to eye me. Harsh. “How long did it take for you to get this right?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She said with sass to her voice.

“I mean- did you practice cooking this?”

“They’re just eggs!”

“The shape.”

“Oh..” Haruhi paused for a minute. Probably thinking up an excuse, if she didn’t have one planned already. Maybe she did and just decided to second guess it. “Well- I.. just a few tries yesterday! It isn’t that hard!”

“Huh.. could you have tried until 1:00 AM?”

“Wha—“ She stopped breathing entirely for a few seconds, taking a few steps forward and slamming her hand on the table, making the plate jump and land again. “Now- you- Kyon! You’re getting too comfortable giving me lip like that!”

“Giving you lip?” I ask as if I didn’t understand. ‘Course, I did, but I was having fun giving her a hard time. “Whatever do you mean? I’m just asking questions. Really!”

“Well, then you better stop! What makes you think 1:00 AM specifically anyway?”

I could reveal to her that much, but… “it was just a guess.”

“A guess?”

“Mhm.”

She crossed her arms and stepped back again, turning away from me in a real quick manner. She started washing the dishes that she had used, thorough in her cleaning.

It was this sort of thing that confused me most about Haruhi. One second she’ll be scolding you like no tomorrow, next she’ll be cooking you breakfast and cleaning like nothing happened.

“Don’t we have to get to school, Haruhi?”

“Gimme a second! Who cares if we miss an hour?”

But Haruhi, didn’t you say earlier that…? Oh, whatever…

On our walk to school, both of us were quiet. Haruhi even in her silence seemed a little uptight. Anxious about something. She kept fidgeting with the end of her skirt and scratching her shoulders. Every now and then, there was a glance shot up at me and immediately taken away.

So high maintenance… I thought to myself while we walked to school.

Before we arrived, I received a text message from Koizumi. I flipped my phone open and read the message. It was a pretty simple one, “ Come to the table outside during lunch. I imagine Miss Suzumiya might not enjoy that, but we have to discuss something.”

“Whatcha lookin’ at?”

“Got a text from Koizumi.”

“About what?”

“He wants to meet in the cafeteria. Says he has something important to talk about. Without you.” I don’t know why I decided to let her in on this at the time. Really, it only served to make her frustrated. And, well, it did.

“What?! But we have to plan for our meeting on Valentine’s! No skipping!”

“Sorry. We could always go after school.“

“Ugh.. what’s so important anyway?”

“Dunno. He didn’t mention what. Just said it was. And that you couldn’t be there.”

Haruhi puffed her cheeks like a squirrel with nuts in its mouth. With a new found anger, she marched ahead of me. “Make sure you come after school, or it’ll be both of your guy’s heads, got it?!”

Of course I would. But I didn’t decide to give her a confirmation. I felt that was sort of implied— I want to keep my head. So instead, I just gave her a smile. “Thanks for making breakfast this morning, Haruhi.”

“Wh… whatever.” She basically ran the rest of the way to school. I followed at a sluggish pace. We overshot first hour, and I didn’t care to be early to second. So there was no need for me to rush.

Later on in the day, once lunch came around, I got up from my seat. Before I could head out, someone grabbed at my back. I sighed and cocked my head back, “yes, Haruhi?”

“A-After school. Tell Koizumi not to show up! If he does, then it’s still both of your heads!”

“Huh? But aren’t we supposed to discuss the meeting—?”

Haruhi pushed me into my desk, making me hit my leg on it. And as quick as she was to hurt me, she was also quick to leave without another word. It was strange, yet expected of her. I went along with it, and headed to lunch as planned.

I headed to the cafeteria and took a right outside the doors there. Took another right around the corner of the building, and before me sat Koizumi. His face resting with mischief, he gestured to me to take a seat, all the while eating sushi from his lunch. Because of course he is.

“What is it today?” I didn’t care to engage in idle chatter with him. In fact, I wouldn’t had talked to him at all had I not been forced to here. My straight-forwardness was met with him taking his leisurely time finishing his bite, drinking down a bit of canned green tea he must’ve gotten from a vending machine. 

“Well, I have bad news. This time, it’s of actual importance.”

“Yesterday wasn’t?”

“Well- it was. Sort of.” He took another sip of his tea, and crossed his legs. “Yesterday, Mikuru Asahina vanished. And, while you and I cherish Miss Asahina, there is no universal, cosmic, or extraterrestrial threat were she to never come back.”

“Today there is?”

“That is what I’m saying, yes. It’s a little more.. no- it’s a lot more dire today. I would say this is probably the hardest situation we’ve gotten ourselves into so far.”

“What, did Haruhi find out her powers or something? Can you stop speaking in tongues and get to your point already?”

Koizumi showed a sign of irritation for once. He furrowed his brow and got up from his seat, his head hanging low ever so slightly, his eyes locked with mine. “At exactly 1:00 AM last night, Yuki Nagato vanished from our plane of existence. Just like Miss Asahina.”

At the time, to say I was in disbelief would be an understatement. Miss Asahina, and now Miss Nagato, I had thought, questionatively panicking. I shot up from my own seat, slamming a hand against the table. “But- isn’t she a part of the Data Integration whatever? There’s no way Haruhi had the power to up and make her vanish! Wouldn’t that cause some sort of.. I don’t know! Some sort of problem for them?”

“Of course, and that’s where the problem lies; it has. Without Yuki Nagato to properly analyze the flow of data from our dimension, the Data Integration Thought Entity will surely start to take matters into their own hands.”

“But— but..”

“Now, don’t get it twisted. There is no immediate course of action they’ll take. They aren’t so stupid.” Koizumi started to pace back and forth in front of the table. Even he was starting to seem anxious just explaining this. “They’ll wait and see if Yuki Nagato will appear again here. If not, there are two courses of action I could see them take.”

“If I’m correct, one would be to send in a replacement.”

“Right.” He nodded at me, “Yuki Nagato isn’t special to them or their modus operandi, and our relationship with her means very little to the Entity. If that happens, even if she reappears here, she’ll essentially be scrapped. She’ll be considered replaced by her superior, and will be taken out of the mission.”

“What about the second course of action?” I was getting scared at the moment. This would be the second time my friend with Miss Nagato would be threatened by the Entity, in such a short time too. “What could be worse than that?”

“Well.. to put it bluntly- preventative measures. We’ve been lucky that the entity only wants to observe Miss Suzumiya thus far. But, come to it, seeing that Miss Suzumiya could start affecting them, they might just.. terminate her.”

“Terminate her?!” My breathing was starting to pick up, and I could feel my balled fist tightening so much it began to hurt. I took a step back and put a hand on my mouth, looking down at the ground. 

Listen- for a guy in my situation, I have to brag, I’ve been pretty resilient. I’ve taken everything that has happened so far, for better or worse, rather well. When the universe reset, I got it back together. When Haruhi and I got trapped in another dimension, I kissed her and we escaped. When Ryoko Asakura tried to stab me, I watched as Nagato helped save me.

No matter what happened, I would always somehow come on top. I took it on the chin and pushed it off the next day. 

But in this situation, even I had to draw a line. Threatened with three of my friends- a time traveler, an alien, and what was essentially a goddess- being threatened by some other dimensional entity of which I haven’t even been able to see, or probably will be able to see, it was needless to say that I was furious. I was upset. I was.. kind of scared.

When I came to that realization around Christmas, coming to accept my enjoyment of the SOS Brigade and all the things that surround it, the last thing I could’ve possibly imagined was this.

“Kyon.” Koizumi tried to get my attention, approaching me. “I know this is probably stressful for you, but-“

“Oh, is it? Can you tell? Is it your ESPer powers that let you in on that secret, or what?”

“… but, I feel you may be taking it poorly. Still.” 

Tears fell to the ground from my face, but I didn’t care anymore. I felt hopeless. Nagato was usually the one to help me out more than any other. With her gone, this was something only Koizumi and I could hope to solve.

“It’s true that this situation is dire,” he continued, “but, unlike any other time, you have the ability to solve this outright.”

“You— you said yesterday that I was the reason this was happening.” My shaking body could hardly manage the question, my tear-filled eyes having difficulty seeing him nod, “then what is it? What did I do?”

He seemed conflicted in his gaze. Deciding between whether or not to tell me. He knew the answers to solve this conundrum, and if he told me now there was a chance this could be solved today. But, it seemed he didn’t care.

“That’s for you to find out. Still.”

I had a need jerk-reaction with that response. Without my brain even processing that I did anything, Koizumi fell back towards the table. He hit his back against the metal and sat down. A grunt of pain came out as he hugged his stomach and leaned down.

“Kyon.. I…” He struggled to form words, “hear me.. out.”

“What?! What do you have to say that’s so important now? You can’t even be bothered to help me save our two friends! I understand wanting me to grow- but… but..”

My now sore balled fist opened to drape my hand over my face in hopes of stopping my crying. It didn’t work.

Koizumi painfully got up from his seat and put his hand on my shoulder. “Kyon..” his voice was weak, and his stance was shaky. When he gripped my shoulder, I couldn’t tell if that was to make me feel better or to help keep himself up, “.. I believe you can do this.”

I almost felt bad for clocking him in the gut then. Almost. It would have been better if he just gave me the solution, but… “fine. I’ll do it myself then. As if I have any choice in the matter, thanks to you.”

By the time lunch ended, I had finally stopped crying, and Koizumi was in less pain than before. He was comfortable enough to walk now at least. “By the way,” I said, walking slow beside him back to the cafeteria, “Haruhi requested you don’t come to the meeting this afternoon.”

“Really? That’s unlike her.”

“I know. I guess she was a little frustrated that you pulled me by myself.”

“Wait- did you tell her this was happening?”

“Yeah? So what?”

Koizumi blinked a few times at me and shook his head. “Nothing, I just.. I thought you would make some sort of excuse as to why you weren’t meeting her. Not tell her directly.”

“Ah.. yeah. I don’t know why I did it. This morning was strange in general. She was acting weird, I was acting weird.”

“She was acting weird, you say? How so?”

“Well.. actually, this may somehow fit into our case here.” I put my hands in my pockets. I felt my cheeks heating up for some reason, but I couldn’t tell why. “Yesterday night, going into today’s morning, she stayed up practicing how to make a heart-shaped egg. Until 1:00 AM, in fact. At least. That’s when she sent me a text.”

Koizumi gave me the sort of look that I wasn’t in on something. I was stupid and he was far smarter— that kind of look. It frustrated me, actually. Enough to make me question why he was doing it.

“Huh? Oh, no reason. I didn’t even notice I was.” Yeah right. As if. “But that is odd. What did the text say?”

“Just that she was coming over this morning.”

“Did she make you those eggs?”

I didn’t answer him for a moment. So he asked me again, and then a third time. “Why do you care?” I cracked back, grunting.

“Is that a yes?”

“Don’t ignore my question.”

He did end up ignoring it. 

We had finally entered the cafeteria. Staff was cleaning up, all the students being to their classes by now. We must have been there way longer than I knew. And before we parted ways, “hey,” I told him, “I’m sorry for.. uh..”

“Yeah.” He brushed it off, a mostly genuine smile on his face, “it’s no problem. As an ESPer, you get hurt a lot more than this.”

And with that, we went to our respective classes.

Another long day of classes ended up with my routine of heading to the clubroom after school. 

Standing outside the room, I was a bit tense. Knowing that an already aggravated Haruhi would be awaiting me inside was honestly a little scary. An angry Haruhi who was also especially off today. There was quite a lot I wasn’t looking forward to here. But I tried to look past it, sucking it up and opening the door. 

“I’m here.”

“What took you so long?!”

“Nothing. I just didn’t feel like rushing.”

“Hmph..”

She was sitting at our computer. It blocked me from seeing her. So I of course approached her. Her hair was up in a gorgeous ponytail, and she was sat cross-legged. When I tried to get closer, she shooed me back in a snap, “hey! Don’t— don’t get so close! I’ll hurtcha!”

“Woah, woah. What’s with the sudden aggression? I just-!”

“Back off!”

With little room to argue, I did as told, hearing furious computer clicks from her. She typed and she clicked and she hit the monitor in a panic. Haruhi certainly wasn’t the best with technology, I know. But I’m not sure what could cause this sort of struggle.

“Is there something you need help with, Haruhi?”

“N— not from you, Kyon! Just sit down! What’s got you so nosy?!”

“What’s got you in such a fuss?”

I took my usual seat in the clubroom, hearing as she turned her computer off and got up from her seat. She took loud steps across the room and stopped at the side closest to the door, staring down the door as if she was in a standoff with it. No rhyme or reason. Just.. standing there.

From the profile shot I got of her, she seemed to be impatiently waiting for something.

“S- so?” She spat.

“So what?”

“Gonna say somethin’?!”

“Huh? You’re the one who wanted the discussion here. You’re the leader, right?”

“Ugh!” She turned around and took a step forward with a ground-shaking stomp, “no, no, no! Not about that! I don’t care about that right now! What I’m talking about is..”

She got shyer as her sentence went on. At that point, I knew what she was talking about. She wanted me to mention the ponytail. 

Compliment fishing was new for her. I always thought that Haruhi wouldn’t care for anything so trivial such as that. And when it was coming from me, someone who she hardly took seriously, I really began to question this.

“Oh, um..” It was a hard conversation to open. Thinking my words through, I open my mouth and try to speak like it was normal, “I— I saw you tied your hair up today, Haruhi.”

“Yeah, so? What do you care?”

“Wha—“ I.. don’t get her. “I just thought it was weird is all. You never—“

“So you think it looks weird , huh?”

“I never said that. It’s weird for you to do that.”

“Fine! Guess I’ll un do it then!”

“No, don’t! You don’t have to do that..”

Whereas she wouldn’t listen to me under any other more normal circumstances- today wasn’t at all normal. When I told her she didn’t have to, she literally stood there and didn’t do anything. 

“What were you doing with Koizumi at lunch?” 

“Talking. Not much.”

Haruhi didn’t like that answer. Or rather, she must have not believed it. Her face scrunched up like a cat getting sprayed with water, pursing her lips and squinting her eyes. I don’t know why that of all things sparked a reaction. This has happened so many times, I can hardly count it as an uncommon occurrence. 

Did she not know we had previously? That could be the only answer. The next question would be why does she care.

Honestly, I couldn’t begin to fathom what had gotten into her. Koizumi certainly seemed to understand. So why couldn’t he just spill it for me? Life and death is on the line, Haruhi is acting erratic, and two people have disappeared from this plane of existence— or maybe just existence all together. 

“I’m leaving!” Haruhi announced loudly to.. just me. She hastily exited the room, her ponytail flailing in the wind behind her.

I wanted to go after her, but honestly, I needed a break. There was one thing I had to check.

I got up from my seat and went to the computer. It was off by now. So I booted it back up and went to the browser, which I had assumed Haruhi had been so quick to get off of. There were all the tabs closed. There was however one friend of mine to help me.

Hitting CTRL and H at the same time, it would show everything that had recently been searched. Haruhi was unaware of this feature. So when I checked, it showed me what she had so vigorously tried to hide. 

Two searches from two minutes ago.

I tried to read them.

My eyes just.. couldn’t focus on them. As if the blue light within the monitor had gotten brighter, or I suddenly had only 5/5 vision, I just couldn’t see them. I could see there were words there, yeah. 

My mind tried to tell me I was just stressed from the day so my eyes were buggy. But I knew what was going on. Haruhi’s will was so desperate for me not to see these, I couldn’t. The laws of the universe, her universe, would not let me.

I had waited a little longer to see if she would come back. She didn’t, so I went home.

When I got home, I felt much the same as last night. I was tired to the point of hardly being able to hold my body up. 

Nagato and Miss Asahina were both gone. If some strange entity decided to show up- be it Ryoko Asakura, new alternative worlds, or some other dastardly beings- I’d be defenseless. Sure, I can solve this case on my own, but how long will I be given? The Data Overmind people would make their own solution any day now, and seeing how difficult Haruhi is, there’s very little chance I can solve it.

When you’re faced against someone who can shift the world to not allow you a simple answer, why bother trying? 

Despite that line of thought, I kept myself awake. If it was going to be anything like last night, someone was going to disappear. In all honesty, it could even be me. Realistically, the choices were me or Koizumi. And, again, realistically, there was a nagging suspicion in my heart it wouldn’t be me.

The clock was reaching 11:30 PM, and so I pulled out my phone and called Koizumi. It went through five rings, telling me it could not complete my call. When it said that, I instantly hung up and tried again. And again. One last time, and I was worried.

Ring…

Ring…

Ring…

Ring…

Ring…

Your call could not be completed—

I grunted, and limply held my phone down. “Of all times not to—“

because this number does not exist.

My heart jumped, holding up my phone again with new life. I checked my contacts first thing. Koizumi was there. His name, his number— everything was there that should be. So how could his number not exist?

Unless he.. doesn’t exist.

The pure frustration inside me was immeasurable. Haruhi had now made all of them disappear. For what? She made this stupid club, and now she’s getting rid of it? Just when I had finally accepted them all. A time traveler, an alien, an ESPer. 

I went to dial another number. Haruhi. Haruhi. Haruhi.

“Haruhi!” I shouted the first thing when she picked up, standing up on my bed now, looking down at my feet. 

“Wh— what?! You hurt my ear!”

“What do you want right now?!”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Just— anything! What do you want?”

Haruhi went silent for a heart-throbbingly long half-minute. “Meet me tomorrow before school! In front of—“

“No.” I was unable to wait that long. With the way I felt, waiting that many hours would be painful. It was already strenuous enough just having this call and not doing anything. “No! Tonight!”

“T— tonight? Are you crazy? What’s gotten into you?”

“Where are we meeting?”

“I— in front of the school!”

One day left until Valentine’s Day. February 13th.

The Storm.

I had arrived at the designated place. Haruhi must have been taking her sweet time. It was 12:15 AM. I snuck out of my house. I didn’t do this often- it just isn’t the sort of person I am. The situation was too dire not to now. 

I hadn’t even grabbed my jacket on the way out. This left me freezing in my wait. Even the burning sensation my anger had left me with could keep me warm. I was shivering, gritting my teeth, hugging myself to maintain warmth.

“Are you stupid or something?” I heard an approaching voice. Haruhi. She came at a walking pace. “You knew it was going to be cold! Why didn’t you bring a jacket?”

“It’s not that big a deal.”

“Sure seems like a big deal to me.”

We stared at each other. 

Haruhi understood that I meant business here. My heart was racing and I could feel myself sweating through the cold. My sore knuckles started to go a little numb in the cold. “Listen, I mean, what I have to say isn’t important..” She insisted.

“Spit it out.”

“Okay, okay!” Her cheeks went red, white clouds coming from her mouth. I noticed her hair was still in a ponytail. It was messier than earlier, so she must have undone it and redone it. “Just.. well.. ugh! Why is this so important that you have to call me here so late?”

It was impossible to even try to get across what I was going though. So I didn’t try. “Tell me what you want now!”

“Wh- who told you I wanted anything anyway?!”

“Haruhi! Tell me what you want now! I’m not playing games here!”

“Kyon! Stop being so confusing!”

“I’m being confusing?!”

Haruhi stopped talking, and I couldn’t stop.

“I mean— I’m sorry, but am I the one who came this morning and made heart shaped eggs? You told me you just came for an inspection, and it lead to that! And you’re calling me confusing!” And I kept talking, “after that you came in and practically forced me to comment on your ponytail! Not to mention you’re wearing one right now, and it looks drop-dead beautiful on you- but how does that make sense! You- you just said how cold it was!” And talking.. “And what was with you messing with the computer? What’s so important that I can’t see it? Just… god!”

Putting all this together, the conclusion came to me. I could figure it out, Koizumi, and I’m a little frustrated I didn’t find it sooner. It was so obvious. It’s always been so obvious. So obvious, just thinking about it is pissing me off.

“So say it!” I screamed, stomping my foot forwards towards her.

“Sa- sa.. say.. say what?!”

“Don’t play dumb with me!”

Months, I’ve put up with her. We’ve had so many life or death moments, it’s absurd. I’ve started spending a lot of time with Nagato, Miss Asahina, and Koizumi. She got jealous. I’ve always been partial to Miss Asahina, so she ridded of her first. Then Nagato when I spoke to her yesterday, and now Koizumi when he specifically called to talk to me privately.

I’m not the smartest person. I admit- I’ve been blind to these feelings of hers for a while now. And trying to empathize with her, I’m led to believe I’ve been bad to her. So guess what, Haruhi? I’ll say it for you.

“One last chance!”

“Or what?!”

“Or I’ll say it for you, Haruhi!”

“Wha.. Kyon-!”

“I love you!”

Fine! I’ll say it. Even when I accepted my place in the SOS Brigade, I couldn’t admit this to myself. It’s just one of those feelings. I never seeked it out, it never came to me, so I never bothered to think about it! Haruhi had to nearly kill me to get me to say it! Am I that dense? Is she that reckless?

The surroundings around us began to close in. Not in a tunnel vision sort of way, but a physical way. It was literally closing in, and snow began to fall onto us. There was no snow in the forecast, and there was no earthquake or other natural disaster happening either.

Haruhi was forcing the scenery to be perfect here. A love that she had always wanted. Or maybe she wanted it to be how I wanted it? Either way, it was perfect.

“I have loved you! I- I shouldn’t even have to speak it!” I felt myself getting closer to her. Not walking. Sort of just floating, really. “So you say it now!”

“Say… say what? What delusions led you to believe I.. that! You’re insane!”

She fought it. The snow picked up, and fog appeared. It was so strong, it pushed me backwards, my feet dragging across the ground. I was absolutely freezing. I couldn’t feel my nose anymore, and I could hear my teeth chattering together. Why does she have to be so resistant?!

“They aren’t delusions!”

While I was being pushed back the ground was still closing in. I was being pushed to the edge. I didn’t know what would happen if I reached the edge and I didn’t want to find out. 

Haruhi followed me, except she was walking normally. “Just- just want drawed you to this conclusion then? Explain to me exactly!”

“I already did!”

“Then explain it again!”

“We have no time!” I cried out, pressing my foot even harder against the ground. I couldn’t even tell if it hurt or not. My foot had gone numb too. “What’s keeping you from just telling me how you feel? What- what do you think is going to happen?”

“I…” She got closer to me. “I… what’ll happen to the club if we break up?”

“Huh?”

“What’ll happen if we break up! What if we have a fight so bad we break up?! Will we have to disband the club? How will we find time travelers, aliens, and ESPers?!”

“Don’t worry about that!” I quickly think of something to say back. “I wouldn’t want to break up with you anyway! You’re too close to me for that to even matter!”

“Do- do you—“

“Yes! Yes I mean it!”

I was approaching the edge. Fast. I thought when we talked it out, it would stop.

Now is about the time one of our friends would intervene. They’d give me advice, they would pull us out of danger— anything. 

“Wh- what about Mikuru?! Wouldn’t you prefer her-! Or- or Yuki!”

“They’re just friends! They always have been! Sure, I sort of pamper Mikuru and.. and I can’t say I don’t have a taste for her figure, but it’s nothing more than that! You’re who I have genuine feelings for!”

“And Yuki?”

“Who cares! Again! You. Are. Who. I. Want!”

The snow stopped, and the chill went away. I finally stopped sliding, and the floor stopped closing in. I was mere inches away from falling into the infinite void. Seeing down there finally, it’s just black.

I was breathing heavily. Haruhi got up close to me, “and Koizumi?”

“Wh— ..what about Koizumi?”

“… nothing.”

Things had finally calmed down. She seemed unphased by all of this. Everything. The huge blizzard, the limited ground. Why was she not weirded out by this? Or amazed at that.

“So.. s-say it.” I urged her one last time.

“… I love you too.”

I couldn’t feel myself smiling, but I think I was. After that, my vision started to go black. I took a tripped step towards her and pulled her into a hug.

“Ky- Kyon..” I hear her say. “Why does this have to be a dream..?”

I knew something was up.

This is closed space. Just like last time, she’s confusing it with her dreams. I can’t stand for that. I won’t stand for that.

“Haruhi.. when we wake up, can you promise me something?”

“.. yes.”

“Tell me, the real me, how you feel. Okay? I promise I- he- will accept it with open arms.”

“You’ll tease me..”

“He won’t.”

With that, I blacked out entirely.

I woke up in my bed. I checked my phone and it was an hour or two before school. 

I dial Mikuru and put the phone to my ear. She picked up pretty quickly. She was pretty shaken up. Worried that she was in a coma, or that she had been kidnapped. I calmed her down and explained, briefly, what had happened. Leaving out the last part, the confession.

“S- so everyone should be back?” She asked.

“You were the first to go. So if you’re back, everyone else should be back as well.”

After a little more talking, we hung up. And right on time, a text came to me: “ Kyon!!!!!!! You had better get yourself to the school gates pronto! For every second you’re not here, there’ll be a penalty! Starting in twenty minutes!”

I didn’t rush though. I was happy to take my time. As I got dressed, I called Nagato and Koizumi. Koizumi was rather cheeky, trying to dig deeper through my recounting of the events. 

“Are you sure you aren’t leaving anything out?” He knew exactly what I was leaving out. And why. “Nothing important?”

“I’m sure.”

Once the call was over, I headed to the school gates.

I grabbed my jacket this time I went to the gates. She was impatiently standing there for me. This is more like her. 

Her hair was tied up again, and she couldn’t dare face me when I showed up. 

“So?” I said. 

“… there’s something I need to tell you, Kyon— and- and don’t take it the wrong way!”

“Oh? What could it be?”

Haruhi crossed her arms together and changed her stance. Her posture wasn’t confident like usual. Her shoulders were slumped, her head was down, and her legs were shaky. Was she really that nervous?

“It’s just that.. you know!”

“Nope. Not at all.”

“Ugh! Do I really have to spell it out for you?!”

“Seems so.”

“… I like you.”

You know that thing I said about teasing her? Yeah, I lied.

“You’re only telling me this now? We’ve known each other for a long while now, and only now you like me?”

“Wha…” Her head rose, blood rushing to her cheeks, leaving her with a positively cute, surprised look. “Y— you know what I mean! A- and while we’re at it, why are you so smug?!”

“No reason. And I really don’t know what you mean.” I lean down, right to head level. “Could you tell me more clearly?”

“…d-dumbass!” 

She grabbed my shoulders and pulled me into a kiss. Not a long one, not a special one. No snow was falling. No closing floors. No giants. No darkness. No time travelers, aliens, or ESPers in sight. Including me. But she had chosen me anyway, for whatever reason. And I was lucky enough to be able to choose her. 

And that’s all I could really ask for, huh?

Chapter Text

Haruhi growls and furiously opens the door, heading out. That left me to shut and lock it behind her, falling a little behind and having to play catch-up with the now fast-walking Haruhi. Despite having shorter legs, she’s surprisingly fast.

We got to the front doors of the school. It was still cold outside, but all that running had my body feeling hot. 

Before any of us went home that day, Haruhi naturally scolded Nagato and Miss Asahina. Though, really, it was mainly Asahina. Haruhi seems to not see an issue with messing with her. It bugs me in a way- maybe through this relationship, she’ll take me more seriously and stop her ways of terrorizing that poor girl. They both left then- leaving only Haruhi and I.

Speaking of our relationship, Haruhi clearly didn’t know how one worked. Or, rather, it’d be more accurate to say she didn’t know how to start one. By now, she must have forgotten her antics with the computer yesterday. When I went to check the history again, I could clearly read what she had been trying to search up.

I felt a wave of second-hand embarrassment upon reading the words; “How to ask the guy you like out.” I couldn’t believe that. It’s so, well, childish for her. Not something you’d expect from someone of her intelligence. 

“Kyon!” She called out to me from the door, tapping her foot impatiently. I had told her not to watch what I was doing. And hey! She listened! That’s a start for her! “KYON!”

“Okay, okay!” I deleted that search from the computer and got up, grabbing my bag and heading to the door with her. 

“You have to walk me home, remember? Every day from now on! That’s your job as my partner! If you don’t, there’s a penalty! I can only accept the best from you!”

Nothing changes too much with Haruhi Suzumiya, I’ll tell you that. Bulls could only dream of the stubbornness Haruhi shows on a day-to-day basis. But knowing she has a softer, more caring side- a side that’ll be all cute and embarrassed when you kiss her on the cheek or tell her you love her, I think it drives me wild!

“You have that weird look on your face again!”

“H-Huh? Oh, sorry, I was just uh.. thinking of Miss Asahina!”

“You were what?!”

“J- Joking! Joking!”

“Kyon, don’t make jokes like that..” She avoided eye-contact and pouted, “you’re only supposed to think about me now! Are you stupid or something? That’s the basics of a relationship!”

“Hmph. Does that mean you’ll dedicate yourself to only thinking about me?”

This seemed to shock her, fluttering her baffled eyes and shaking her head. “No, no! It’s different with girls, Kyon! Way different!”

“Well, that doesn’t seem fair.”

“It’s the way of life!”

“Guess we just won’t have a relationship then. I want to keep thinking of my friends.” I close my eyes and take two steps forward, then stopping, opening one eye and looking back.

“O-Okay! Okay! One other girl! You can think of one other girl!”

I could definitely get used to this..

I walked her all the way to her house. It wasn’t anything extraordinary. I prefer it that way, if anything. It gives her one normal quality. 

“You’d better be ready for tomorrow! Don’t think I’ll go easy on you!”

I smile and wave at her, resigning myself to my inevitable fate. I’m sure that she’ll go way hard on me. Now her expectations may be even higher. I’m gonna have to step up my game then. To make sure I don’t let her down at all. 

I start walking in the direction of my house without a thought in mind.

But before I can arrive, just as I thought I could have a completely normal day- the bearer of bad news he is- Koizumi. A car pulled up next to me, with him in the back seat. “Hey, I saw you were walking home. Care for a ride? I’m sure it isn’t a short walk.”

“Yeah right.” I didn’t have any choice but to take the seat next to him. I forced him to scoot over, taking his seat and buckling my seatbelt.

“Heheh… you know, here’s where I would typically say “as if it could ever be that simple,” but, well.. this time around, it is that simple. I was merely going home when I happened to run into you.”

“Huh? You don’t have anything to say?”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far.” He raises a finger in objection, lowering it to point right between my eyes. “I don’t have anything to report. But that isn’t to say I don’t have questions.”

“What sorts of questions?” I asked, and yet something told me I didn’t want to know. 

“Questions about Miss Suzumiya and you.”

“What about Haruhi and I?”

“What about, indeed.”

I hated his smug expression. God, I hated it. He always did this whenever he knew something. And this is a situation I didn’t want him to really know. It’s not in his character to be out of the loop though. But how would he know? It pisses me off.

Despite how hard Haruhi had pushed the role of boyfriend onto me, she hadn’t gone public with it yet. And neither had I, not wanting to potentially embarrass her. It was rare Haruhi ever cared about someone this much so openly to me. So I respected her privacy and didn’t mention it. 

How could he possibly know? That’s what I asked him, without even mentioning what he knew. But he answered knowing exactly what I was referring to.

“Well, it wasn’t at all difficult.” He started off, looking out the window, his annoying grin still reflected. “You and Miss Suzumiya were so infatuated with one another—“

“Yeah, I’ll stop you real quick- that word, infatuated.”

He waves his hand dismissively, “sorry, sorry. Shall I say- you were so caught up in the moment that you hadn’t noticed someone there, listening.”

“Are you telling me you eavesdropped on us?!”

“No- no. Not me. What was his name? Was it.. Taniguchi?”

“…huh?”

Koizumi put one leg over the other and twiddled his thumbs, finally looking back at me. “His words, not mine, he didn’t know you were such a lady-killer ! Your technique was out of this world and he was jealous as can be .”

“Wait, wait, wait- you went up and asked Taniguchi about this?”

“No, he came up to me and talked to me about it. He figured me apart of the loners club as he called it— without a girlfriend. Which is true, I suppose. And he knew you knew me so.. well- I guess I was the only one to be subjected to that display.”

I put my head in my hand and sigh. There wasn’t much else I could do. It’s not a big deal, really. But it’s frustrating. “You’ll keep this a secret?” I ask, well, sort of demand, really.

“Of course. As will Miss Nagato.”

“She kno—” I couldn’t even act surprised. I doubt she cares anyway. “Anything else you have for me while I’m here?”

“Are you open to polyamory?”

“ Ha ha. No way..”

You win this time, Koizumi. You’ve earned a chuckle.

I was dropped off and I went inside. I was greeted at the door with my sister holding our cat Shamisen in the air. “Why are you home so much later than normal, Kyon?”

“None of your business.”

“Hmmmmm….” She pouted and zoomed off, Shamisen in tow.

I was about to let her run off, but I remembered I did actually have to tell her something. I called her back and she came zooming back with our cat. 

“Tomorrow, all my friends are going to be coming over, so you had better behave.”

“I will, Kyon!”

“Good. We’ll be making lots of chocolate tomorrow. So you’ll probably be getting a lot more extras than you have any other year. Don’t eat them all at once.”

“I won’t, Kyon!”

Valentine’s Day. February 14th.

After the storm

Valentine’s day was a warmer day than it had been the past few days. I didn’t have to wear my coat at all. Which made the walk uphill much more bearable. What didn’t make it more bearable was Taniguchi’s moaning over his lack of a significant other, and Kunikida yes-manning him.

“I should have just stayed home today. No point getting up when there’s nothing to look forward to.” 

“Yeah.. I’m not particularly excited either.”

“Right?! I mean- no cute girlfriend, no chocolates! And I’ll have to sit and watch all the couples be all cutesy, acting like it’s their honeymoon or something! Blah!” The only upside was Taniguchi’s exaggerated movements when he spoke. It was fun to watch, if not equally annoying.

“Oh, right, Kunikida. Something I forgot to tell you.” Here we go… “Kyon’s too good for us this year.”

“Why’s that?”

“Remember the other day? I was talking about him and Miss Suzumiya?”

“Yeah?”

Taniguchi’s eyes showed his distaste for me finding a relationship, “well, I was one-hundred percent right! Every bit of it I was right! I saw them kissing and talking and…”

He went on and on about it, sulking and whining about it. I eventually stopped paying attention. It was a little pathetic, even for him. But I can’t say I’m not the least bit sadistic- knowing he was jealous had me building an ego.

While he ranted on and on, a new voice entered. This was far more loud, and before too long, my arm was raised, and Haruhi ran under it. I must have not been the only one caught off guard, because Taniguchi fell over, trampled by her.

He was then picked up by his collar mid-air, “a-and— why is any of what we got going on your business?!” She shouted at him.

Taniguchi could hardly argue back, the awkward position he was in probably making breathing difficult. I wanted to help him. Really, I did. It’s just- I’m as terrified as he is of what Haruhi would do to me. Not to mention the slight satisfaction I get watching this.

His belated answer to her question was the shake of his head, signaling that it was none of his business. That didn’t seem to satisfy her- “are you gonna tell anyone else about this?!”

Again, his head shook. Once she was done with him, she gave mercy to his lungs and allowed him to breathe once more. It wasn’t needed, but just to confirm, she flashed Kunikida a devastating glare for good measure. Makes me happy I kept my mouth shut. I’ll hope Koizumi does too.

Once she was done traumatizing the two, she headed forward towards the school. This left me with a question. How did Haruhi even get here? Not a very important one. Just food for thought to my mind, I guess.

Once Haruhi was out of earshot, Taniguchi took the initiative to get up and dust himself off, pale in the face. Clearly he was still in shock. Not that I blame him. “Nothing but trouble!” He pointed a mighty finger forward, swearing. 

I’d like to hear him say that to her face. That’s what I told him, causing the second wind of anger he got to instantly fade away. “Well- I..” it was useless, there was no way he could even imagine it. “How do you put up with her?”

“The SOS Brigade is practically obedience training. You get used to it.”

Today was more relaxed than most days class wise. Teachers knew us teenagers wanted nothing more than to celebrate the day and get on with it. No work sheets were handed out, and there was a rule just not to be too loud. Even teachers get an excuse to be lazy every once and a while.

I turn back and see Haruhi, who had apparently been staring at the back of my head, quickly turn her attention away. Needless to say, I.. wasn’t so easily tricked. 

“Ready for after school?” I ask as casual small-talk.

“Am I?” I thought she would ask this with excitement- as if saying “duh!” to me. But nothing can be simple for her. No, her tone was rather lethargic. She was actually asking me. Haruhi, weren’t you the one who got all excited about this in the first place?

“Are you?”

“I should be..” She put her head down. “But something doesn’t feel right now. I don’t know.”

“Well, I don’t either. I feel just fine.”

It’s not as if I could just know what was going on in her head. Translating Lovecraftian gibberish would be easier than sorting through what goes on in her mind.

I couldn’t find the words to continue our conversation there and then. So I let the silence bring us to the end of our class. Which meant lunch. 

I got up from my chair. Her head was still down. Not asleep. Downtrodden. About what? Not sure yet.

I was about to walk out of the classroom when a raw feeling hit my chest. It left me a little restless. A feeling in my heart that was a little too familiar for my liking. I couldn’t quite place it…

Even if I left this room, with Haruhi in this state, who knows what could happen. Koizumi would likely report an influx of Shinjin. While she isn’t in eye sight, she’s bound to do something stupid to sate this need she has now. 

If I leave, something bad will happen. I can’t run from my issues like this. I have to face them head-on. Only after thinking that did I realize how cheesy it was. But I didn’t care. It was true.

That’s when it hit me. In our endless summer, I had something akin to this feeling when I was told the summer had repeated so many times. Or rather, when I had to fix the summer from repeating again.

At that time, I did whatever first came to mind. 

Though the issue here is that nothing does come to mind. 

Luckily, this time isn’t as rushed. I close my eyes and gather my thoughts. I reopen them and place myself in front of Haruhi’s desk.

I stand over her. She noticed too, her body stiffening. Pretending that she fell asleep. I’m not falling for it. Without thinking too much, I flick her right on the forehead, causing her to rise from the dead.

She shoots up, sitting completely straight, holding her forehead and overplaying her rather mild pain. “Ow! What the heck was that for?!”

“We’re going outside for lunch.”

“Huh?”

Haruhi didn’t like that I was the one giving orders again. 

Between this and her staying miserable, this seems favorable. I gave little mind to her whining- there was a lot of it. I took us outside and brought us to a tree, dragging her hand. I’m less cruel than her. I could have pulled her by her collar. Aren’t I so sweet?

The weather hadn’t at all gone up. So it was still freezing. Our winter uniforms didn’t do much. This is my dumb self again. I rushed outside and undermined the low temperature. Whatever. Haruhi didn’t seem too bothered by it either. 

When I stopped, Haruhi swiped her hand away. “What do you want?! You’ve been too comfortable not listening to me lately- do I have to beat you into line?”

What she says is true. I think Haruhi is starting to have an effect on me. She’s a bad influence, and I don’t know how much time is left until she and I are basically the same person. I’ve put up with this for almost a full year now. What would happen by a second year?

She waited in suspense for an answer. One that I didn’t necessarily have the words for. I could see she was nervous. If not on her face, then her shifting weight from foot to foot and tapping finger were great indicators. 

“W-Well?! You didn’t bring me out here for no reason, did ya?!”

“Haruhi.”

“What?!”

“Calm down a bit. Your crazy is showing.”

“I do not look crazy!”

Is… what a crazy person would say- that’s what I was tempted to tell her. I didn’t. My restraint is saint-like.

Looking at her eye to eye, she seemed to understand why I did this. Her mood shift couldn’t have been for no reason. She knew that. And she knew that I just wanted to help her. Figures that she didn’t want to say it in public, in the middle of the classroom. So I brought her out here.

She swallowed and swayed her body to the side. I’ve cracked the walls of her iron-built mind, and she couldn’t be anymore disappointed in herself that I managed. 

“Kyon, it’s really not that big a deal! Give it some time and I’ll be in the mood all over again!”

“That’s not like you and you know it. You’re always ‘in the mood’, so there’s got to be something else. I’m not here to laugh at you or anything.”

Her hands met her hips. “Oh yeah? How am I supposed to believe that?”

“Do you really think I’d do that? Come on.”

Haruhi is stubborn, not reasonable. Most of the time anyway. I knew she didn’t think that low of me, to come all the way out here to do that of all things. This is just her trying to avoid having to explain herself. But I couldn’t tell why. What was bothering her? After yesterday, I felt everything would be good now. 

“…no.” She spoke like a punished child, drooping her head down. 

“Then tell me.”

She sighed. “It’s just that.. don’t laugh-! Promise!”

“I promise!”

I get the apprehension, Haruhi. But please. A little faith can go a long way.. 

“Today’s Valentine’s Day, and, and… we don’t even have the chance to spend it alone..” She said…

Huh…?

“Lovers are supposed to get all kissy-kissy and stuff on days like this, right? It feels inauthentic to not get that way!”

HUH?

“Right, Kyon?! I always make sure to spend every holiday I can in the proper way! That includes Valentine’s Day! So now that we’re together, it feels wrong not to spent it together alone!”

“I think you’re jumping the gun here a little!”

I tell her for the sake of my own well-being. Haruhi? How’d she say it- kissy-kissy? I think Haruhi might be the alien now. Nothing about this makes sense for her! What’s worse- I think she genuinely means this!

“Not all lovers do that on Valentine’s! Sure, some do! But it isn’t a requirement or anything!”

“The hell do you mean it isn’t a requirement?!”

She starts to get impatient with me, tapping her foot on the ground. Guess she really wasn’t lying when she said she’d bounce back fast. 

“How about we just go to a restaurant?” I tell her, trying to think of an alternative. I take a step forward and clasp my hands together. Even when we’re partners, I have to beg for mercy. “We’ll end early, and we can go out to eat.”

“Bo——-ring!”

Oh, come on.

“But.. maybe that wouldn’t be so bad.”

Hours passed and it was finally time for us to go home. 

Haruhi was so close to me, it was mildly uncomfortable to deal with. But, in tow, was more than just her. It was the whole Brigade. It was embarrassing to have this sort of closeness with people watching, but I pretended it didn’t bother me.

“I brought extra cooking supplies just in case!” Miss Asahina, pleasant as ever, smiled like a kitten. It was so nice to see her again. Would it be selfish of me to ask her to make tea while at my house? “Kyon? Did you hear me?”

“A- ah! Yeah! It probably won’t be necessary. Knowing my sister, she used her puppy-dog eyes on mom and got her way. Which’ll mean more chocolate than we can use already.”

“Oh…” Her expression flattened.

“I mean— of course we’ll use it! We’ll use it all!”

“Oh! Hahah..” And rose again! 

“Hey, Miss Nagato? Could I ask you something?” Koizumi turned towards her, “just how much chocolate do you think we’ll be able to make within a few hours?”

“Melting chocolate and setting it isn’t a very long process. Every chocolate will take roughly five minutes to melt and ten minutes to set. Putting that with the time it will take to shape in in the ways we want, every batch will take likely upwards of half an hour. With the supplies Mikuru brought and the ones currently in his home, to bake them all would likely take several days. But, within the timeframe of two; a few hours, we would likely get done with twenty chocolates at least.”

“I.. see.”

Koizumi, I’m not sure what sort of answer you were expecting from her. But that was useful. That would mean four for all of us, including my sister. But what that would actually mean is eight for my sister, and four for everyone except me. 

“Then we’ll just have to spend more time!” 

There goes Haruhi, shouting for no good reason.

“If we have enough for several days, it’s no good to waste it all!” Not going to question how Nagato came to that conclusion without seeing how much we had? I can’t tell if that’s purposeful ignorance, or the holiday really got to her. “We can spend an extra few hours after that making some! And then- we can sell the rest at a marked up price! And Mikuru can dress up in that maid uniform to promote it!”

Yeah, we’ve tried promoting stuff like that before. Do you remember how it went? Of course you do. Quit being stupid. I tell her that, save for the stupid part.

“Mikuru, Koizumi, back me up!”

“I think that would be an excellent idea from you, Miss Suzumiya. As per usual from you.” Suck up.

“U.. um— I- I don’t think I’d want to do something like th-that… isn’t that wrong?” Miss Asahina… I’m so sorry…

“Ugh! Cmon, girl! You need to get some more confidence!”

Before Haruhi would barge towards her as she usually did, I caught her arm and gently tugged her back. 

“Hey! Your Brigade leader demands you let go!”

Something told me that wasn’t a good idea. So I didn’t, and eventually she got the memo and kept walking forward. 

At my house, the chocolate making itself went easy. Haruhi’s good direction, Mikuru and I’s knowledge of doing this already, and Nagato’s course correction led to a good couple of batches. I shaped mine like mini chocolate bars, and I helped my sister shape hers like little animals.

My sister’s eyes glowed like stars, chomping down on one, a big smile on her face. 

“How do you like them?” Haruhi fervently slammed her hands on the table and demanded an answer.

Without missing a beat, my sister nodded and called, “so goood! Thank you, Kyon’s friend, tee heh!”

“Hm-hm! Just as I knew they’d be!”

Mikuru also snacked on one as well. Just as satisfied. Makes me feel happy I decided to go along with this. But Haruhi caught me staring, so I rolled my eyes and quit. I’ll merely have to keep her smile in my thoughts. Hey, Haruhi did agree to let me think about one other girl.

I couldn’t be happier to have them all back. In a way, they’re all a part of me. Losing them makes me realize how much I rely on them. Not just for life-or-death scenarios, but to grow as a person. To realize who I am.. ugh- I hate that sappy crap. I can’t say it’s a lie though. If I have to, I’ll start fighting to ensure this stops happening. Really, I will. If it does, I’m gonna have a heart attack.

The day ended with everyone leaving, save for Haruhi. She used the excuse that she would help me clean. 

Haruhi shut the front door in an exaggerated manner. Her head down, hands against the door, leaned forward. Like a last-girl shutting a door in a slasher flick. And comparably, she turned her head to face me in a really awkward, quick way. “So, Kyon! How was that? We definitely gotta do that again next year!”

“Mhm. I’m guessing my sister’ll drag us along again anyway.”

“Mhm!”

“Mhm…”

“M— hm.”

You’re really bad at this, Haruhi. I get that you want to keep the words out of your mouth. Saying, “ so, how about that date?” is unlike you. But avoiding it like this sticks out like a sore thumb.

Despite the tension in the air, I resisted it. The urge to say it for her again. If I have to grow, I shouldn’t have to force it out of her mouth.

Her back went straight again, and she limply walked around my living room. Bossiness somehow still exuded in how she walked, as lost as it seemed. “So, Kyon. What now?”

“I’m not sure. There wasn’t much planned after all of that.”

That clearly ticked her off. I saw her fidget her eyebrow, furrowing them and pursing her lips. “Oh, really? Well then. I’ll go home.”

“Ah, well. Goodbye then, have a nice night. See you at school tomorrow.”

She stopped in her tracks. That’s when, “Damnit—!” She yelled at the top of her lungs, “the hell kinda joke is this?! You know what we’re doing now! Stop acting like such an idiot and get dressed already!” Pointing a finger authoritatively in my face.

Atta girl..

“Ah, right. Totally forgot about that.”

“Forgot about it my ass!”

The finger got closer and poked me between the eyes. Then it lowered and I heard a ‘hmph’. “Jeez.. you can’t tease me so much.”

“Sorry. I just wanted to hear you say it yourself. Is that so bad?”

“Well..” She sighed. “Whatever. Get dressed already!”

After that, well.. I’ll leave it to your imagination. I couldn’t properly describe it. Seeing these feelings all culminate into a dinner over candlelight, under the moon set my heart ablaze in a way I didn’t think imaginable. Having them shared with a stubborn girl who somehow felt the same way made it burn even further.

Let’s hope next time, I can get a similar result under less stressful conditions though, yeah?