I found it was never right for me to not pay attention in class and, obviously, you would be right, but I just couldn't bring myself to listen to Mr. Okabe speaking about something that I knew was never going to have any impact in my future. Sure, I might regret it in the future when exams would sneak up on me but I knew I could always rely on her if I ever needed help. I know what you're thinking, and you'd be right again, she'd just stare at me with that stupid look on her face making me feel small and childish for not paying attention in my classes in the first place. Then she'd go on to say things like, "You're never going to get far in life if you keep this up, Kyon!" or "I will not have one of my subbordinates, and especially the first official member of the SOS Brigade, slack off! I need you all in tip-top shape! Mind and body!". I let out a small sigh as my vision slowly moved towards the board to see what was so interesting that everyone else in my class was paying attention to. I quickly glanced over to my other side to see that even Tanaguchi was paying very close attention... what was going on? The bell rang to signal the end of the day. After thanking Mr. Okabe for the lesson everyone in the class started packing up their things and were either getting ready to head home or go to their clubs. Me? Oh, yeah...I was headed there all right, plus it didn't help when she grabbed my collar from behind and yanked it backwards, making me yelp. I turned around to give daggers to my attacker and there she was, with that contagious, and albeit annoying, smile of hers. Haruhi Suzumiya. She wasn't sorry about what she had just done, I could tell, seeing as though she just kept that smile on her face.
"What?" Was all I got out as I fixed my collar.
"What do you mean, what?"
"What do you think I mean!" I said, raising my voice a bit, "You don't just grab someone from behind, choke them and then act like you did it for no reason."Her smile immediately vanished as her eyes leered at me and she pouted her lips, crossing her arms.
"Jeez, Kyon! Can't you figure this one out for yourself?"
I already knew the answer to that question and the answer was no.
"What ever! I'll meet you in the club room in a bit, I've got to go somewhere for a quick second." Haruhi grabbed her bag off of her desk hook and then dashed out the door, still looking quite upset. What was so special about today?

I opened the door to the club room after hearing the all-clear from the voice of an angel, Mikuru Asahina. She stood by the window dressed in her maid outfit, looking down into the courtyard. She looked up when I stepped in and smiled her beautiful smile.
"Kyon, good afternoon, how are you?"
"Can't complain," I said, "Hey, Nagato."
Yuki Nagato, the alien/android/humanized thing sat in one of the foldout chairs reading, yet again, another sci-fi novel that was at least 2000 pages long. Too long, in my opinion. Her lavender bob-cut hair, falling in front of her face, blocked my eyesight with hers, but she heard me. She hears everything.
"Cup of tea?"
"Sure, thanks."
I placed my bag next to one of the empty chairs and sat down, tired from school and tired from Haruhi. I tried reading the title of Nagato's book but it was in English and my English sucked. Don't tell Haruhi. She'd curse me, or something along those lines.
Asahina gracefully placed the tea cup and saucer on the table in front of me. I lent forward and took a whiff of the aroma of green tea that traveled through my nose. It smelt divine, like it was made by the hands of a goddess.
"Thank you, Miss Asahina," I looked up at her and smiled.
"No problems, Kyon," She smiled back, "by the way, where's Miss Suzumiya?"
Good question, I didn't have a clue. She didn't even say where she was going when she rushed out of the class at the end of the day.
"I see...I'm sure she'll be back soon." She nodded her head, I think to reassure herself more than anything.
I sat back in my chair, relaxed, and placed the hot cup of tea to my lips, daring to take a sip of the scolding flavored water I held in my hands. This moment right here, right now, was perfect. Just me, Miss Asahina and Nagato. Alone. It was peaceful. It was quiet. No Haruhi. No Koizumi.
A knock came from the club room's door then a voice spoke to us from the other side.
"Is it safe to come in?"
Great. Way to ruin this fleeting moment for me Koizumi.
"Yes, Koizumi, come in." Asahina called out to him, with that sweet, sweet voice again. Oh, could you please never stop being perfect Mikuru Asahina.
"Koizumi opened the door smiling at us all, walked in, shut the door and walked towards the empty seat next to Nagato.
"No Haruhi yet, Kyon?" He asked, looking directly at me with that devil's smile he always wears so well.
Seriously? No, she's hiding from you. Under a desk. Of course she isn't here.
"I'm sure she'll be here soon," He looked away from me and towards Asahina, who had started to pour him a cup of tea too. "You don't have to go through all that trouble, Miss Asahina."
"Oh...I...uh, I don't mind at all, Koizumi." She stuttered as she walked over to him with a full cup of tea.
Stay away from her, you hear me?!
"Well, thank you, anyway," He said as he was handed the saucer that held the cup, their hands brushed slightly. The hairs on my back stood up, my eyes widened, and anger was setting in. No, don't you touch her. Even if it was an accident.

As soon as Koizumi placed his saucer on the table the door burst open, revealing a wild Haruhi holding a shopping bag filled with-
Oh, no...really Haruhi?
"Ahoy, my fellow brigadiers! Sorry I'm late, I had to go make a quick emergency stop at the super market to grab some supplies!" Haruhi slammed the door shut and proceeded to her table, placing the bag carefully on top. Asahina started to pour Haruhi a tea.
"No time for that today, Mikuru! We've got to start setting up and Celebrating. Celebrating!" She grabbed what looked like an old piece of string from the bag and flung it high into the air.
"Celebrating?" Asahina asked.
"What exactly, Miss Suzumiya?" Koizumi continued.
She looked at me with an open mouth, disgust written all over her face.
Don't look at me like that! I wasn't going to tell them, and how did you find out anyway?!
"That's not important. What is important, my SOS Brigade members, is that today is a special day for someone in this room!" She started shouting without realizing.
I sighed.
"It's Kyon's birthday!"
Everyone, including Nagato, looked at me. The crappy streamer slash string that Haruhi threw up into the air, after floating down slowly, finally hit the ground, just like my soul.
"Look, it's not a big deal-"
"Why didn't you say something? Now I feel terrible." Asahina looked as if she was about to cry.
"Wow, another year older, Kyon. Slow down, you're growing up too fast." Koizumi sounded like a dad, a creepy dad.
"Happy Birthday." Nagato then continued to read her book.
I looked around the room, grateful I had friends on this day, but that's all it was, just another day.
"How can you say that? It's your BIRTHDAY! Your birthday, Kyon!" Haruhi was standing next to me now, towering over me while I stayed seated.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean that's something I want to celebrate. Another birthday just means I'm getting older." I protested.
"You're gaining wisdom! Wisdom that will stay with you for your whole life! That's what living's about! Back me up, Koizumi."
"Miss Suzumiya does have a point." He piqued up.
Shut up and stay out of this.
"Look, I'm just not a fan of growing up or celebrating the day of my birth. That's all." I locked eyes with Haruhi, trying to win this battle of wits and stares.
"Well too bad," She broke away, pouted and crossed her arms.
What do you mean by too bad?
"It's simple. 'Cause I got you a cake!" She looked back at me and beamed with happiness.
I was not feeling any of this joy in the slightest.
She rushed over to the bag and carefully took out a chocolate cake.

Look, I realize that this stand I was taking against my friends, mainly Haruhi, was ridiculous, But not once have I ever really celebrated it. It felt unnatural to do so, so I rebelled. Now, don't start thinking this young, chipper high school student doesn't like attention, especially from the "Top Ranking Girls In High School" (Taniguchi's terrible revised list of who's the hottest girl in school), it's just that I couldn't let Haruhi get her way. She always does. And I realize she likes to celebrate just about anything, mostly the birth dates of mythical gods. So, the fact that she's doing this, or even found out about my birthday, isn't really all that shocking. Even if I seemed shocked to my fellow club members. This girl knows everything. Everything!

While I was thinking to myself, Haruhi had gone ahead and placed the cake in front of me, decorated the room with cheap and tacky birthday decorations, placed a party hat atop every persons head in that tiny Literature Room (Even on the frog costume's head), and placed candles in the cake that all added up to the number I was turning this particular year. Everyone, but me and Nagato, seemed like they were enjoying this day of celebration. Yay for them. Enjoy it in my place, please.
"Okay, who's got a lighter?!" Haruhi stood next to me, feeling her uniform for a secret stow-away lighter.
"I...I'm sorry...I-I don't, Miss Suzumiya," Asahina said.
"Itsuki?"
"My apologies..."
"Yuki?"
"No."
"Kyon?!"
I went to open my mouth.
"Oh! Of course you don't. That's just not like your character!" She walked over to her desk and started rummaging around in the drawers.
Part of my character? What the hell does that mean? Seriously, Haruhi, I don't know if that's an insult or a compliment.
"Take it what ever way you-"
"Uh-h... Mi-Mi-...Miss Suzumiya?!" I looked at Asahina. She was spooked, no doubt about it, but from what?
"Yeah..." She looked over and her eyes widened. "No way! Who did that?"
I looked at the chocolate cake in front of me. The candles were alight. But how? There wasn't a single person in this room who had a lighter or something to create fire with. I quickly glanced at Nagato, who had now put her book down. This must've been something that struck her as odd right?
Haruhi ran over to me.
"Did you do this!?" She was angry.
"No! I swear I-"
"I did." Nagato's small, robot voice spoke out.
Nagato? But she just said she didn't.
"Oh really, Yuki? Did you find one tucked away in your bag?"
"Yes."
"And you did it so I wouldn't have to get too close to the flame, is that right?"
"Yes."
"You're so thoughtful, Yuki! I took away the point system, but it's coming back! Twenty five points!" She was now ecstatic. Too many mood changes in one day I think, Haruhi.

So, after the strange candle incident I went ahead, per Haruhi's instructions, and blew out the candles. Make a wish! She told me. So I did just that. I made a wish, didn't tell any one the wish and went home, after the SOS Brigade was done for the day, still thinking about my wish.

That wish.

That damn wish.

Haruhi should've kept her big mouth shut and never told me to wish for anything, because that next day everything changed.