- - -

Jealousy

- - -

"…she doesn't turn anyone down…"

"Ok class, listen up."

Kyon was jerked out of whatever thoughts he was having and lazily directed his gaze to where the teacher stood in the middle of the room. He was tired. Last night he was up late in the club room with Haruhi, simply because she wanted to finish editing the sequel to their movie that very night. And when Haruhi wanted something, it was quite hard to get her to budge from her position.

"Today we have a new student joining us. He is transferring from another school due to family issues. Please make him feel welcome."

The door slid open, and immediately the girls started to whisper among themselves. Kyon knew why. Even he, a male, could tell that this newcomer was quite good looking. Like one of those idols out of a magazine. He wondered, just out of curiosity whether Haruhi was looking at the newcomer. He peeked behind him.

She was looking out the window. He breathed a sigh of relief. Relief? Why would he feel relieved?

His thoughts were interrupted as the new student up the front started introducing himself. Apparently his voice had quite an effect on most of the females in the class.

Kyon checked again, just to make sure. Yup, she was still staring out the window.

- - -

Kyon soon forgot about the new transfer student. He was all the way on the other side of class; he didn't care. However, he did feel a tinge of worry, as Haruhi would definitely try to recruit him into the SOS brigade. Because one, he was a transfer student, and two, he was classed as 'mysterious' simply because he had transferred school without an 'explicit' reason. The only reason why she didn't really notice him right at this moment, is because she was probably too busy thinking up things such as what new costume she should get Asahina to wear, or what field trips the SOS Brigade club could go on next.

Pretty soon she would notice. He wasn't sure if he liked that idea.

Sure enough, when he got to the club room that afternoon, Haruhi was already there, newcomer in tow. Yuki sat in the corner of the clubroom, reading a book as always, Asahina was making tea, as always, and Itsuki… wasn't there.

Haruhi didn't even look up as Kyon walked in. To his surprise (disgust) the new guy was … flirting with her. Flirting? And, if he squinted, she wasn't too angry about it either. In fact, it looked like she was enjoying herself quite nicely.

He back-stepped his way out of the room, and leaned against the now-closed door. What the hell was that? Haruhi, the girl who wouldn't talk to anyone who wasn't interesting was now pretty much flirting with some guy she had just met. Oh sure, he was a transfer student in the middle of the term…but still.

A small voice in the back of his mind told him that if it was any other guy that didn't look (or was) flirtatious as this new guy, he wouldn't care. Take Itsuki for example. That guy had his own little fanclub, and Kyon didn't find him annoying. Well, annoying regarding Haruhi. His stupid philosophical tangents and his round-a-bout answers, well…they were a different story.

"Something wrong?"

Speak of the devil. The smiling student stood in front of the sitting Kyon. Kyon straightened up.

"Nothing," he lied.

The other boy raised an eyebrow, but strangely enough, didn't pursue. Kyon swallowed, and opened the door again.

"Come tomorrow, okay?" he saw her say, as the both of them stood up. Kyon felt sick. Since when did she use that kind of tone. Sickly sweet.

"It will be a pleasure," the other guy replied, in an equally sickening voice.

He walked out, brushing past the other two club members, only giving them a short nod of acknowledgement.

Haruhi skipped to her usual place in front of the computer, humming a tune to herself.

"I'm going home," Kyon said suddenly. With that, he turned and walked out, ignoring the yells of Haruhi Suzumiya.

- - -

"Sheesh. What the hell was that all about today?" Haruhi said out loud. Asahina had gone home, and Yuki still had her nose in the book. So, by the process of deduction, the question was directed towards Itsuki.

The esper simply shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know." He smiled. "But perhaps you should pay a bit more attention."

Haruhi frowned. Pay more attention to what? That stupid Kyon. He had ruined her good mood – right after she had been happy after meeting the new transfer student. Hopefully, the new transfer student would prove to be mysterious as he was supposed to be (transferring in the middle of the term and all) and then the SOS Brigade could really have some fun.

- - -

Two weeks passed. Kyon didn't come to club activities at all. He knew that guy was there. Haruhi had questioned his attendance more than once, but he had simply made up excuse after excuse. None of them which were true, but Haruhi seemed to accept them.

She's probably filled my place with that new guy, he thought to himself. Well, he didn't really like the club in the first place anyway. But for some reason, he missed club activities. He missed being with her.

It took him a while to realize this fact, but it soon dawned upon him, with the help of the esper. One day, while the rain was pouring down, Itsuki had come to him saying that he wasn't going to be at the club this afternoon. Kyon had shrugged, it wasn't as if he was going to go now. But then the esper continued, saying that Yuki hadn't come to school today, and Asahina had an important errand to run.

"You know what that means," the esper said, smiling knowingly. "It'll just be Haruhi and – "

Kyon didn't need any further explanation. He simply strode off in the direction of the club room. Even if he had to put up with that guy who irritated him for no particular reason, there was no way he was going to let him be alone with Haruhi.

- - -

He was stopped by the door.

Dammit. It's locked.

"Haruhi?' he called, knocking. There was no answer. "Haruhi?" he repeated, this time more urgently.

He was getting worried. Haruhi would definitely be at the clubroom, or else it wouldn't be locked. Yuki would have used the room earlier that day, so it being locked meant that someone had to have come in.

The fact that she wasn't answering made him act quickly. Breaking down a door was no easy task, as he had found out in their little escapade to the remote island. But perhaps it was his worry for the girl that gave him new strength as he broke down the door in one charge.

Haruhi was backed up against the wall, with the new student's arms placed on either side of her, their lips touching.

They broke away from their kiss as the door crashed down.

"We're busy, can't you tell?" the new student said, in that sickly voice.

Kyon walked slowly towards the two, his face still the same. "Sorry for disturbing," he said quietly.

"It's alright, just go –" his sentence was finished by a loud crunch as Kyon's fist hammered into the side of his face.

The transfer student staggered against the far wall of the room, leaning heavily against it to keep his balance.

"What the…" He straightened up and rushed at Kyon.

- - -

Haruhi couldn't believe her eyes. In the split second where Kyon had pulled back his fist, she saw his face contort into an expression which she had never seen before. She had never seen him this mad. Of course, when delivering the punch, his face changed back to normal, but she could still detect traces of rage in the pools of his eyes.

Why?

He couldn't be…jealous?

As if. The boy would never like her. He was always looking stupidly at Asahina, and seemed just like a typical high-school boy. And a typical high-school boy would not have such feelings toward her, Haruhi Suzumiya. Because that would just be…weird…and…strangely enough, embarrassing.

She shook her head. She should be stopping him! He needlessly attacked another member of the SOS Brigade. Not like Kyon would know, because he had skipped club meetings for at least two weeks, but still…if he was fighting because he was jealous of the transfer student…

She watched as the transfer student rushed at Kyon. The other boy sidestepped then grabbed hold of the transfer student's jacket, only to hurl him into the opposing wall.

As the transfer student shakily stood up, Kyon approached, his face still the same expression. Except those eyes…Pure jealousy.

He had definitely picked the wrong girl to mess around with. He readied himself for the next blow as the person known as Kyon pulled back his arm.

"Kyon!"

Kyon stopped. His breathing slowed.

He lifted the transfer student by the collar, fixating him with a stony gaze. "Don't come back here again."

- - -

The two of them sat in the club room, each not saying a word. "I demand an explanation, Kyon," Haruhi finally blurted out.

Silence.

"Do you like that guy?" he asked. He had calmed down enough to revert to his normal self. Even if she did like that guy, he held no regret whatsoever for punching the transfer student. It had felt so good. That asshole, taking advantage of Haruhi. Even if Haruhi was some 'special' being, she was still a girl, and girls were susceptible to assholes like that transfer student. He didn't want to know what would happen if he hadn't come.

Haruhi was taken aback by his calm tone. "Well…not really," she answered, wondering why she was feeling guilty all of a sudden. "He just kind of…came on to me. I wasn't expecting it at all," she said, defending herself, wondering why she even cared. Why Kyon even cared.

"He pisses me off," came the reply.

"Could it be that…" she paused. Should she ask him? He might get angry…and she was somewhat scared of him now…

Kyon looked up.

"…you're jealous?"

More silence.

"Yeah."

Kyon stood up suddenly. "Sorry about the mess," he said. "I'm going home."

"Wait!" Haruhi heard herself say. He stopped.

"Sorry…about these past two weeks. I think I ignored you a bit…because I was interested to see if this guy was anything different…"

"Yeah…I got it."

He continued his walk out the door only to be stopped by two slim arms that had wrapped themselves around his waist.

"I'm sorry," he heard her say quietly, something he would have never imagined her to say.

He turned around.

"But you being jealous…does that mean…you…"

Kyon sighed. In reality, he really would not have liked to fall for this girl. But through everything they had been through together, it had gently dawned upon him that he liked her. Plain and simple. And since he had never been the type to elaborate on matters much, as soon as he found out, he simply accepted it. And when one sees another guy kissing the girl he likes…well, he would react normally.

"Yeah… I like you. Unfortunately," he added, knowing that it would earn him some sort of punishment.

"Hey! Was it really necessary to add the 'unfortunately' bit?" she asked, reverting back to her normal tone.

He nodded, knowing that it would get a reaction out of her. But it wasn't the type he expected. She pulled on his tie, yanking him down to her level, kissing him deeply. For someone who had never kissed before (aside from that stupid guy) she was quite good, he thought, before his brain exploded.

"Still necessary?" she asked him, a mischievous grin on her face.

He nodded, wanting the consequences.