Another day for the SOS Brigade.

You know? One of those days that you think would last forever.

Here I am in the clubroom with the SOS Brigade – all four other members, and I'm wondering why I'm not hanging out somewhere … away from … her. Outside is nice. Clouds and air, and people, and grass awaits me just past the door. I could be watching a movie right now instead of Haruhi trying to fit Asahina-san into a new dress. Nagato was reading like always. What is she reading anyway?

I peaked – What?

Manga?

"I didn't know you were in to that kind of stuff," I said.

She didn't respond; I guess she figured out that that comment was where conversations go to die.

Or…

"Hey, Nagato. Wanna go to the library?" I said.

She looked at me, seemingly uninterested, yet somehow excited.

"You said you wanted to go to the library with me, right? Let's go now. I don't have anything else to do."

She stood up.

"Okay," she said.

"I'll come just in case!" said Koizumi, smiling as always.

Haruhi didn't seem to notice. She was probably too busy struggling with Asahina-san to even care.

I sighed.

And so we made our way down the hall to the school library. She always looked straight ahead, never even glancing sideways or up or down to notice a distraction. She was firm and had some sort of quiet willfulness to her. Koizumi looked cheerful and creepy at the same time. Like some child molester, honestly. He always said that he was an esper, but if he lied and could really read my mind, then I apologize. But it's true. Sorry, Koizumi.

Nagato looked the same as always, but I could tell that she was flustered. Perhaps because it was cold. It was winter after all. Maybe someone left the window open by accident.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said.

Something! I know there's something wrong! It takes a lot for you to look nervous, Nagato!

"Let's sit over there," she said, pointing to the corner.

She read, and I sat there, looking outside, and after about a minute, I noticed her eyes dart left and right almost in a spasmodic hurricane, and it wasn't because she was reading quickly. Was she looking for something? Koizumi didn't seem to notice.

"Uhh…Nagato. There's something wrong isn't there?"

I knew the answer she would give already. I know I'm just a bit panphobic today. Her answer is obviously "no."

"Yes."

Huh?

"What? What's wrong?"

"We are in closed space at the moment. We entered the closed space once we stepped through the door," she said,

"So you knew we were entering this space?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you stop?"

"It is my objective to collect as much information as possible regarding the existence of Suzumiya Haruhi."

"At the risk of my life?"

"There is no need for you to worry when we are in closed space with you."

I suppose…. I said nothing more. Koizumi just kept smiling and spacing out as if he were high. Sorry again, Koizumi.

"There," she said, pointing at the opposite corner.

I looked… and saw … Suzumiya Haruhi? Why didn't I notice her before?

"Isn't that Haruhi?" I said to Nagato.

"No. Although it looks like her, it is the sole inhabitant of this closed space. Data records show that only two instances of Haruhi-monster clones have occurred since the creation of the universe. This is the third occurrence," she said.

How can you be so sure that it's not her?

"That 'thing' doesn't have the aura that Haruhi usually gives out. Besides, Haruhi only enters closed space when she's about to remake the universe," said Koizumi.

Uh oh. You can read my mind, can't you, Koizumi? Since we're in closed space….

He just smiled.

"Watch," said Koizumi.

The Haruhi-monster clone started to grow, taking the all-too-familiar giant blob shape, but this time, it was green.

Koizumi started glowing orange. Nagato became tense.

"It's dangerous now. I have to destroy it," Koizumi said to Nagato. She nodded.

He hovered in an orange conflagration that stung my eyes. The trail of light as he flew through the air was like some shooting star except a thousand times brighter. Before I knew it, Koizumi had split the blob in half, and the library became warmer. Slowly warmer and slowly brighter.

Koizumi smiled his smile.

"I sensed an overwhelming flood of yearning in this one. It was like it wanted something from someone else," he said.

Uh oh. Here comes the Nagato translation.

"The data form that was constructed inside the closed space was due to a trigger set off approximately ten minutes and thirty-five seconds again, precisely when you asked me if I wanted to go to the library with you. Although Suzumiya Haruhi was occupied with Asahina Mikuru, she could still hear you and thus, pretended to ignore you. It seems that she feels that she has an insufficient quantity of your active consciousness.

I stood there, not sure of what to say, not sure of what to digest first: my lunch or her words.

"It is highly suggested that you lessen need for this by performing any activity that would cause a higher percentage of your consciousness to be diverted to her," she said.

Uh…

"I'm not sure if I understood a word you just said, Nagato,"

"In other words," said Koizumi, "Do something with Haruhi. Just the two of you."

"What?"

"If you watch a movie with her or something like that, then she wouldn't feel jealous of Nagato anymore. Although she is a god, she still has worldly emotions," said Koizumi.

I sighed, and then I sighed again because I didn't think that one sigh would sufficiently convey the tremendous amount of reluctance that I felt at that moment.

Koizumi smiled. Nagato read … peacefully. It really didn't take much to satisfy Nagato. Haruhi on the other hand, would have ended the world if she didn't win a baseball game.

I sighed again for the third time. I think that one did it.

I asked Haruhi out to the movies the next day during classes. Now the question was which one to see so that she wouldn't be dissatisfied and induce Armageddon.