Chapter 1

Time: Monday December 28th, 2009, 2:45:30 p.m.

"...that's two and a half minutes too late!" were the last words I heard coming out of Haruhi's mouth as she scolded me for being late for the SOS Brigade meeting, which she scheduled to start at 2:43 sharp. She always picks the most random times for SOS Brigade meetings to start, but I guess it's part of Haruhi's need to be different from everyone else. Oh, and if you're wondering why that quote starts irregularly, it's because I had spaced out a while after she started scolding me. If she knew that, she'd probably kick me in the shin.

"You are not to disobey your Brigade Chief any more!" she yelled before storming off to her seat in front of the computer. I'm pretty sure she didn't want to hear an excuse out of me, even though I planned to retort with "Well, sometimes you're the last one here too, you know." That would've gotten me a kick in both shins and the nickname of "smart-ass".

I made my way over to my usual seat and removed my bag from my shoulder. I looked around the clubroom to see if everyone was actually here, and I was the last one to arrive. Koizumi happened to be right across to me fiddling with his cellphone. "You know the thing that holds the battery in the phone? Well, it broke" he said, seeing that I was looking at him. Nagato was sitting in a seat in a corner to the right of Haruhi reading "The DaVinci Code". I knew she would be into those sorts of novels. And finally, Asahina-san was dressed in her maid outfit brewing a final cup of tea before she turned and started walking towards me. She placed a steaming cup of green tea on the table for me and smiled before giving one to Koizumi. I noticed she had her hair in pigtails, which I never saw before on her. She looked insanely adorable.

After she placed a cup in Haruhi's hand, Haruhi took a sip of the tea and smiled. "Very good, Mikuru-chan! You're improving your skills very quickly!" I raised my eyebrows at Haruhi; I don't think she ever compliments any of the Brigade members except for Koizumi. She caught me looking at her and she rolled her eyes before averting them back to the computer screen.

The room was quiet for a while since Haruhi was occupied with the computer. The clubroom was still decorated from the Christmas party we had had on the last day of school before break. What was weird was our school only gave us Christmas Eve, Christmas, and the weekend after off. Today was our 1st day back. There was still a wreath on the door, and there was a small tree at the front of the room decorated with ornaments. At the top of the tree there was a circular sign going around it that said all of our names on it. Another thing, which I thought was ironic, was that there was a mistletoe hanging above the table, which had been moved to the side of the room when we had the party so there was more space to walk around in the room. I thought of possibly kissing Asahina-san under it, but that thought made me feel like an amoeba. I then realized that the mistletoe was placed so that Koizumi and I sat directly under it right now. I guess that's my karma for thinking of Asahina-san.

"I can't believe our first year together is almost over" Koizumi said with that weird smile of his. It bothered me how he said "together", but maybe he wasn't talking directly to me.

Haruhi then snapped her fingers loudly and said "That's it!" I could imagine a light bulb turning on above her head. When I had illusions like that, it rarely led to anything good. "We should all have a New Year's party together!" she declared as she got up and stood on her chair, which she did when she talked to us.

Asahina-san came and sat down next to me, and Nagato and Koizumi put down their book and cellphone and looked up at Haruhi.

"We'll ring in the new year together SOS Brigade style! Scratch that! Ring in the new decade! This will make it doubly special!" she yelled enthusiastically as she shot her fist into the air.

"But won't the school be closed New Year's Eve? We won't be able to have this party in the clubroom, you know" I told her.

"You don't think I know that, Kyon?" she said, pointing a finger at me, then pointing it at her head. "I do have a brain up here, you know".

"And where did that brain plan to have this party?" I said.

"Hmmm...good question" she responded. Typical Haruhi. She snapped her fingers again and grinned.

"I got it! Stay put! I'll be right back!" she said jumping down from her chair and bolting out of the room, slamming the door behind her with so much energy that the wreath fell off. Asahina-san went to retrieve the wreath and place it on the table next to where she brews her tea. I finally got the idea that Haruhi didn't consider the fact that everyone might be spending New Year's Eve with their families, even though everyone except for me lives alone, but she doesn't know that. She really doesn't think things through.

After about 8 minutes Haruhi opened the door to the room panting heavily and sat herself down on the table to catch her breath. "Crap. I couldn't find her!" she said in between heavy breaths. She went running around the school, maybe? For who, I wonder?

"Oh! Mikuru-chan!" Haruhi said as she got up from the table walked over to her. She whispered something into her ear and Asahina-san nodded, though she looked a little reluctant.

"Okay! Then it's being taken care of! Dismissed!" Haruhi said before picking up her bag, putting on her cardigan, and walking out of the clubroom. I looked at Asahina-san who caught me looking and smiled.

"Don't worry, Kyon-kun! I can take care of it!" she said with a really cute, determined voice.

I wonder where she gets the strength to put up with Haruhi?