What He Is To Me
Disclaimer: SHnY is not mine.
Chronology: Somewhere in the early volumes of the light novel or shortly after the end of the anime.
Kyon found Nagato paused over a blank sheet of white paper, pen in poised, frozen hand. "Hey, Nagato."
The pale-haired girl nodded briefly but continued her staring match with the paper. That inhuman focus told him… something. "Is there something wrong?"
Again she nodded, surprising him. "What is it?"
"Homework."
Kyon blinked. Nagato Yuki, humanoid interface, infinite well of succinctly confusing Explanations and the true Great Goddess of this world, was stumped by human junior high school homework?
Okay, maybe it isn't that weird, considering Haruhi and all…
"Maybe I can help," Kyon delicately posed. "What is it about?"
The length of her answer (considering it was Nagato speaking) was yet another surprise. "It is Literature homework. I must write a positively themed essay about someone I know whom I find valuable on a personal level."
"Sounds simple enough." Realizing his words were rather insulting for the situation, Kyon apprehensively watched Nagato for any offended reaction.
Of course she isn't offended. She's basically a robot– Bad Kyon! Don't just label your friend like that!
With no answer forthcoming, he finally asked, "Have you picked anyone to write about so far?"
"Suzumiya-san."
Well, if there is anything to be considered an exercise in futility, it has to be Haruhi. How do you tell your Literature teacher that your club head is, for all intents and purposes, God?
"You might have trouble writing about Haruhi. Do you have anyone else?"
"Asahina. Koizumi."
Great. The list just gets weirder and weirder– or less and less weird? "How about me?" Kyon jokingly suggested. Hey, since everyone in the SOS-dan's been mentioned…
Yuki looked up to him intently and without a single shred of affront or sarcasm stated: "I have not considered you as a subject until you brought it up."
"Okay, my fault there." Despite himself, Kyon did blush. "Can't you make up someone to write about?"
"My thesis instructions state that my subject must be real, alive and personally known to me."
That sucks. Considering Nagato is always holed up in the Club Room and barely on speaking terms with us, much more the rest of the world...
Kyon shrugged. "Okay, use me as your subject, then. For convenience's sake," he elaborated. "How are you supposed to write your essay?"
"It is a descriptive essay focusing on the positive aspects of my subject."
"I see. Okay. How do you see me?"
Halfway into the simply-constructed yet complicated explanation about how her humanoid interface's physical manifestation mimicked a human's eye-brain interaction with regards to visual sight, Kyon decided to intervene for both their sakes. "Not that. What I mean is: what do you think of me? Your opinion of me," he hastily added.
Nagato didn't talk or stir for one whole minute. Kyon feared his question might have somehow damaged her.
To his unending relief, Nagato finally stirred. Her answer, however, took some swallowing.
"You are very brave and honest in what you believe is correct, as you are the only one who dares to stand up to Haruhi's demands. However, you are also a very caring person because you try to shield everyone and help as best as you can, Haruhi included and especially, despite the problems you encounter in doing so. You see the things we miss, worry about them, and you are the only one who fixes them. In the end, you are a moderating and positive influence on us all. Those are my observations of you," she finished.
Kyon blushed agape. "Okay," he tried, finally finding his voice, "I think you should base your thesis on those traits. Expand by mentioning examples that fit them. Then you conclude the entire thing by condensing all of that in a single sentence."
"I see." Nagato nodded. "Thank you, Kyon."
"No problem."
"Kyon!" That was the Tyrant Goddess sounding off just outside. Haruhi sounded extra miffed today. "Get over here! NOW!"
Sighing, he walked off. "Yes, ma'am." I wish you guys call me by my real name, he thought glumly as he walked out of the clubroom. "Good luck, Nagato."
"Thank you."
With Kyon gone, Nagato began writing.
"There is a boy we all call Kyon. His real name is…"
owari/end/katapusan