Disclaimer: I claim no rights to The Haruhi Suzumiya series. The author, Nagaru Tanigawa, has created these characters. I am merely writing them into my own idea, but no profit will be made from it.
Pairing: Kyon/Haruhi :: Haruhi/Kyon
Summary: By coincidence, Haruhi and Kyon find themselves meeting in the morning to walk to school together. It quickly becomes something of a routine. But of course when Haruhi Suzumiya is involved, coincidence has little to do with anything.
REWRITTEN: 21.12.2010. Reviewers suggestions have been taken into account (hopefully).
SLIGHT REVISION: 04.04.2011
The Routine of Haruhi Suzumiya
1.
The first time was an accident, I guess. Haruhi doesn't really think of things by herself so much as stumble over the vague idea, walk on it for a while and then eventually dig her heels in and laugh hysterically.
No, my dreams have nothing to do with that mental image. Nightmares do.
I'll start simple, because so far I haven't made sense. So it was Monday and it was morning. That meant the joyous occasion of school and a snow-ridden hill was waiting for me. Safe to say, my enthusiasm betrayed me that morning and stayed in bed. Besides that, though, the only odd thing that happened that morning was that my toast didn't fall butter side down, which isn't much of an accomplishment, I know. What I mean is that because everything else was so normal, what happened was pretty unexpected. Good grief, that's an understatement.
I put off leaving until I was practically shoved out of the door and began to crunch my way through the snow. Ten minutes, a well aimed snowball to the neck and a few heart-jolting slips later, it happened.
Haruhi Suzumiya, stumbling into my path before school had even begun.
Somehow we caught sight of each other. I remember her standing there, surprised, looking at me as though she'd never seen me in the wild before. I was probably looking just as stupidly at her. Despite the time we'd spent together since SOS was created by none other than the semi-god before me, I didn't know much about her other than her love for all things paranormal and abnormal. The fact of where she lived was one of the last things I had considered about her, let alone whether she walked the same route as me. When it came to Haruhi, whether or not I was going to be attacked, trapped in closed space or transformed into a girl was more worrying than living arrangements.
Such was the life of a high-schooler.
But there she was, at the same time and same place as me. For a moment I wasn't sure what to do; my mind hadn't prepared itself for something like that so early in the morning. Haruhi took up a good portion of my energy during school, so I wasn't fully charged enough to deal with her before usual. I thought about saying something, but before I could think of what Haruhi had turned on her heel and started walking again. She didn't even look back.
Suddenly things felt normal again.
Sighing, I followed. School was calling and there wasn't much else to do but keep going towards it together. Now that I think about it, it seemed like she slowed down for me to catch up, but in the moment I barely realised that we were walking in time with each other. I mean, it wasn't like we were holding hands or anything (although there was an awkward moment where she slipped and I reached out without thinking, but her glare sent my fingers cowering into my pocket). There was a respectful distance between us, one that was close enough to be polite and yet far away enough so that the other could speed up or slow down if it was uncomfortable.
Honestly, I don't think there was that much thought in it at the time. It just happened that way.
2.
It happened again the next day.
Even though I had left earlier to avoid rushing up the icy hill, she obviously had too. We met at the exact same spot. It was less surprising to run into her, but I had forgotten our chance meeting from the day before so it was still weird. We stared at each other again, contemplating the bizarreness of the situation.
Haruhi was the first to twirl around and continue on, just like before. Blinking, I followed. There wasn't much choice. I had to go that way too.
3.
By the end of the week, it started feeling normal.
We grew into the routine of just meeting in the middle and coming together without stopping. Somehow our timing was near immaculate, which I can only put down to Haruhi's influence. I left at a similar time each day, but there was no way it was exact. No matter whether it was three minutes, four, maybe even eight, though, she was there, same time as me.
Even though I had promised myself not to think about it too much because the possibilities were endless and I didn't plan on going insane until school was over, I at least began to understand it. Had I not been told of Haruhi's 'abilities' by the other club members, our meetings would have been spooky.
Instead, it was pretty much just about right.
4.
The first person to call me on it was Taniguchi, exactly two weeks later. In order to save myself from the painful thought that he could actually have a brain and/or thought-pattern, I have decided that Kunikida mentioned it off-handedly one day and Taniguchi, cogs whirring to the point of almost-blue-screen-of-death, had come to the conclusion in his own way. In other words, Kunikida had said it outright but it had taken some time to enter Taniguchi's conscious mind and when it did finally process he had declared himself Sherlock Holmes and Kunikida as Dr. Watson. This is probably wrong. It is more likely that they overheard one of the girls in class talking about it. Either way Taniguchi is too much of an idiot to discover that sort of thing on his own due to his primary focus on two things only – a pretty face and good brea – er, a healthy BMI.
They cornered me before I could leave one afternoon and came right out with it.
"You don't walk with us any more, Kyon," Taniguchi said, hands pressed against the desk as he leant towards me. Like there was a secret between us.
"Unless you're gay and in love with me, I don't see the problem."
He grimaced, prodding my chest. "Dude, no. Breasts. You don't have them."
"Blame my mother."
Kunikida crossed his arms, apparently able to keep a straight face. "You're avoiding the point."
"I haven't even seen the point. I have no reason to avoid it."
"Jeez. The point is," said Taniguchi, leaning closer and grinning, "you're walking with a girl instead of us."
I sighed. "What?"
"Choosing breasts over us! It's supposed to be Bros. before hoes, man! Even I get that."
I blinked, scratching my cheek as I processed what he was trying to say. "No. I'm walking to school and other people are walking there too, at the same time. Some are girls, yes. But there are boys too. You just need to look up a bit."
"No, no," Kunikida said, smirking. "Just one girl."
"Yeah, Kyon," said Taniguchi. He looked almost menacing as he added, "You leave on a certain Suzumiya's time."
One of those frozen moments happened, like when you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar before dinner. I stared at him, internally panicking and outwardly laughing. While his revelation flooded my head to the point of rendering me senseless, I allowed denial to attempt to save me from further conversation.
"What? No I don't," I scoffed, standing and grabbing my bag and quickly moving past them. "Maybe we walk the same way, at the same time, because we have to get to the same place, but we don't walk together."
"Aww, come on, Kyon," Taniguchi said, following me. He threw an arm around my shoulder, attaching to me like a desperate barnacle. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about. You spend all your time with Suzumiya, thanks to that little club you helped her set up –"
"I was forced into that," I argued, trying to duck out from his hold.
He, of course, went with the motion and trapped me in a headlock.
"– S'no wonder you've grown attached. There's nothing to be ashamed of. You can tell us if you've bagged her. Even though she's a freak, she's a hot one too!"
Grumbling, I struggled in the hope of getting free, only to find my gaze travelling under his armpit to fall on Haruhi, who stood behind us all. Her hands were clenched, resting on her hips, and her eyes spoke volumes of annoyance. Taniguchi and Kunikida must have sensed my distraction because they turned too and froze at the sight of her.
"Oh look," Taniguchi mumbled, finally freeing me and raising his hands while he edged away. "There she is. We'll just let you two, um –"
They were gone, dashing away down the corridor without looking back. I sighed. Cowards.
"What were they on about?" Haruhi questioned, arms crossed behind her head as she came to stand by my side. Her eyes came to rest on mine. I had the feeling she was looking for something vital.
"N-nothing," I stuttered, straightening my uniform. "They're idiots. Assuming things they don't know anything about."
She hummed, lips pursed. "Whatever. Let's go."
Nothing much happened in the club room, as usual. It's hard to call it a club when we just sit around waiting for something amazing to happen - it's kinda more like a gathering of the insane. Asahina-san served tea, looking wonderful in her maid outfit, Koizumi played solitaire with himself and an old deck of cards, and Nagato read whatever book she had been reading all week quietly in the corner. I was distracted, so spent my time clicking on icons on the computer screen in order to make it look like I was busy while I collected my thoughts.
Haruhi sat in my usual seat with her legs crossed, one leg twitching in rhythm to a tune in her head. She stared at me on occasion, but didn't say anything.
5.
The next morning after that uneventful SOS Brigade meeting, I slipped a greeting to Haruhi as we came together.
I don't know why. It fell out from nowhere and seemed to echo like thunder. I didn't even intend to say it.
"Hi," she answered, eyes straight ahead.
That was the extent of our conversation, thankfully. We just walked to school. Not together, mind, but in the same direction.
Damn you, Taniguchi.
6.
Mother nature was as relentlessly cold as ever, but withheld on the ice, and somehow Haruhi and I actually started and held a conversation that following morning. Or Haruhi did. I'd opened the vocal gates, it seemed, with that simple greeting. She spoke about strange things she wanted to happen. Knocking others aside, she would stride about and look to the sky, lips curled in the strangest, most honest smile, gesturing wildly to the hidden stars and odd-shaped shadows. Her passion for it was incredible. And a little scary. But I usually spaced out when she went on a rant and just ... watched. Ah, that sounds weird. Don't get carried away.
Anyway, I quickly learnt there wasn't much stopping her when she was going on and on about espers, aliens and time-travellers. Sometimes the urge to tell her I knew one of each came forth, but I squeezed it back down. That was a sure disaster waiting to happen.
It didn't stop me from wondering what would happen if I did, though.
Thankfully, Haruhi didn't give me the chance to speak. If she had taught me anything about girls, it was to just nod along. And to follow. Never to lead or mention the truth.
7.
"Ugh, this is so boring!" said Haruhi, hands pressed against the glass of the window as she gazed outside. It was another club meeting – anotheruneventful club meeting, surprise surprise. "What's wrong with everyone? There must be something going on out there!" To emphasise, she waved her arms to the window, eyes ablaze with desperation and want.
"Most people don't have stories to tell," I sighed, leaning back in my chair, arms draped over the sides. "Or if they do, they're not stupid enough to tell them because they're too weird."
She huffed and did that glare of hers. "Guess I'll have to force it out of them then," she grumbled, grabbing her bag and leaving in quick time.
The door to the clubroom slammed, seemingly waking us all to our senses. Asahina-san sweetly mumbled to herself about whether it was safe to leave or not, but on seeing Nagato wordlessly close her book and disappear through the door, and Koizumi and I readying ourselves to follow behind, she bowed to us politely before scampering herself. I had no doubt she couldn't wait to get out of that costume.
"Kyon," said Koizumi suddenly. "Do you have a moment?"
Sparing him a suspicious glance, I shrugged as the computer began to shut down. "Yeah, I guess."
"An abnormality in Suzumiya-san's power has been detected," he told me, looking serious. Although that smile ruined it a little - just made him look creepy. "Well, actually it's the lack of anything that's the problem. She seems ... calmer. Things have been quieter, even when she's asleep. I just wondered if something had happened between you two that might have caused a change."
"You're worried because nothing has happened lately?"
He smiled with closed eyes. "It doesn't sound right, does it."
I said nothing, scratching absently at my nose and averting my gaze. But he kept looking at me expectantly, eyes burning into the side of my skull. I risked another glance at him, blinked at the sight of him watching me, and exhaled slowly. There was no denying it, then: they saw me as Haruhi's go-to man. The one with all the knowledge. Despite the fact that I had no knowledge at all.
"We've ... been meeting in the mornings and walking to school," I said, waving a hand and trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. "Not sure if that's really relevant, but that's the only thing that's changed that I know of. You're best to just ask Haruhi if she's feeling odd or something."
"No, no, that could explain it," Koizumi muttered, looking thoughtful. He smiled, sending chills down my spine. "Her routine has changed, then. You and Suzumiya-san are growing closer."
I snorted. "Not really. We hardly speak outside of here. It's only because of coincidence that we meet in the mornings."
Okay, okay, a little lie there. Haruhi and I probably speak more in the morning than we do during school. But that wasn't any of Koizumi's business. He, of course, thought otherwise. The esper chuckled, bag slung over his shoulder as he moved to stand by the window and stare down outside.
"Suzumiya-san is coincidence," he said, voice low. "Have you forgotten?"
Very aware that he was only behind me, I stared at the blank screen in order to keep an eye on his reflection.
"Don't let what is happening worry you," he said, apparently reading into my slumped expression. "This is how it should be for you two. Let it happen. There's no other way for it to work out. You and Suzumiya-san assure that."
"You mean Haruhi assures that," I corrected, reluctantly ignoring the fact that I had no choice in the matter. Koizumi was right that I had to let it work out as it would. I had learnt that there was no point in denying what I couldn't control. Better to accept it than keep being surprised all the time.
"No," he said. Stepping over, he placed a firm hand on my shoulder. I jerked, fighting the urge to move away from him. "It seems more and more like the both of you assure it. Like I told you before, you're very important in all this. Maybe more than any of us realised. Gods and Fate go hand in hand, after all."
Before I could question it, he had gone, leaving me alone.
Gods and fate? Aren't they the same thing?
Creepy guy.
8.
That next morning, Haruhi wasn't there.
It didn't really matter. Good grief, I could walk on my own. But... I was surprised, and a little put out, especially after Koizumi's thoughts last night. I realised I had grown accustomed to meeting up with her – accidentally – even though we often just walked to school talking about nonsense. It was nice to have the company, no matter what the conversation happened to be. The hill was easier to deal with somehow. So I found myself coming to a stop, wondering whether I should bother waiting or not. Of course we had never decided upon a time to meet, or that we would meet at all, but it felt odd to go ahead without her by my side.
I had a sudden understanding that I was pathetic.
I pulled out my mobile, staring at the time on the blue screen. There was plenty of time to get to school, and I couldn't exactly tell whether she was late or not because we had never agreed on a time, but I felt the need to check just in case. Maybe I had anticipated a text message or something, which was again pathetic. I wasn't even sure she had my number - no, let me correct that: I couldn't remember giving it to her, so logic suggested I hadn't. But I'm sure Haruhi defied logic almost as much as she defied sanity.
It didn't seem long at all that I stared at the screen, watching :37 turn to :39, but then –
"You're waiting for me now?" a familiar voice questioned.
I jerked, looking in time to see Haruhi walking straight past without a second glance.
"O-of course not," I said. Pocketing my phone, I followed, making no effort to catch up and yet finding myself by her side in quick time. The only reason I went after her was because it was almost time to be at school. There was nothing else to it but pure coincidence. I was going to be late if I wasn't careful. That was all.
Even though there was plenty of time left.
She glanced at me, scrutiny adorning her gaze. But there was nothing to be said, apparently. With a simple toss of her head, Haruhi turned her eyes to the path, muttering, "I overslept."
I shrugged as we fell in step together. "Whatever. ...Doesn't affect me."
Haruhi frowned. "Right."
9.
It seemed like it had gone on forever, us meeting without really arranging to. Nothing much else happened on the side; no strange activities linked to Haruhi's fluctuating powers; no killer-bots out for my head, so I gathered that it was probably a good thing we were carrying on as we were. Eventually - and it isn't too surprising, I guess, considering we walk the same way - it turned to us walking home together too, but only when Haruhi didn't have other matters to attend to. Which means: when she didn't have something better to do.
Perhaps a month passed of this, us walking together outside of school. Then one Friday afternoon, when I was packed and ready to go after the latest SOS Brigade meeting, I found Haruhi had already left. Now, it didn't matter. It didn't. But I had been under the impression that because she hadn't rushed off earlier with a new epiphany, Haruhi and I would walk the same way, at the same time.
But yet again, she was there one minute, gone the next.
Koizumi smiled at me, giving a casual wave as he left the clubroom with a cheerful, normal-uniformed Asahina-san. Nagato had already left. I nodded at them, strangely dazed. For a brief moment, I felt a little disorientated about it all. Like I didn't know what to do without Haruhi. But that was stupid. I could walk home on my own. Had done it on occasion, when Haruhi had decided there were more important things to attend to. It wasn't like I didn't know the way or anything. Unless Haruhi had unknowingly decided to move my house. The horror of it struck me hard and I hurried on, because that was just the sort of thing she could – would – do.
To my surprise, on stepping outside I immediately caught sight of that golden ribbon, brown hair and a slender, girlish figure leaning against the gates. I walked to her slowly, waiting for her gaze to find mine. Our eyes did meet, but only when I was within a few feet of where she stood. We stared at each other, without speaking, Haruhi unfolding her arms and grasping her bag strap with one hand.
"You're... waiting for me?" I finally said, somewhat stupidly.
She scoffed and pouted, looking away. "O-of course not."
Lowering my head and scratching my neck, I smiled. "R-right."
Unable to completely stop the muscles working at my mouth, I found something pulling me closer to her side until I could feel her heat mingling with mine. She blushed wondrously, glancing up at me as though she was ready to bite if I made the wrong move. To be honest I wasn't exactly sure what moves I was making, but it seemed right to just go with it. I allowed her to decide on her own where to go from there, as was best when dealing with Haruhi, and wasn't surprised when she stepped away from the wall, held my gaze, and stormed off as though I had done something wrong.
When I caught up with her, she was smiling.
Like always – had it only been a few weeks? - we walked together.
Because we lived in the same direction.
Sort of.