Chapter 1: Hands in the Air
A normal life.
That's all I had wanted. I never asked for any of this. I just wanted to focus on being a normal, sluggish, round-about average high school student.
Heh, well I've got to admit, I sort of enjoy this newfound bustling nature of my new, exotic life. I can't say I'm complaining, though I was very much so when it had first started. Of course, it's easier to say things rather than do them.
Living every day, going to school, basically just experiencing it. It would be easier to just look back on it as though it were the past. As though I'm over it. And even if I did get over it, that satisfying feeling of enlightenment never lasts. I find it to completely fade away as if it were never there the moment that door swings open. The moment I see those eyes full of mischief and eagerness staring down at me, consuming me in their infinite world of never-ending oblivion.
What the hell am I doing? I'm not some poet trying to write about my miserable life and horrific experiences. To be honest, though, I have been through a roller coaster of supernatural experiences, so many that I really wouldn't be able to describe them all. And they all trace back to that girl. The moment she busts open that door, all the rest of the world is doomed. And the one person who has to suffer the wrath is me. The wrath of Haruhi Suzumiya.
Yes, I finally passed that dramatic introduction, Haruhi's finally in the picture. And around here is where the story begins, as you could say. Just going about my daily routine, a very normal daily routine; go to school, reluctantly attend class, and then school ends. But this is where my routine edges of your average boundaries of "normal".
Today was just like any other day; habitually shuffle over to the clubroom, the home of the SOS Brigade. Lightly knock on the door to make sure I arrived at an appropriate time, then a quiet, high-pitched voice stammers, "C-come in!" The boundary that separates normal from supernatural is crossed, and I enter the sunlit, tea-scented room of the SOS Brigade.
"Hi Ms. Asahina." I lightly raise my hand in greeting, and the slightly clumsy girl, red hair falling across her shoulders, wavering chestnut eyes, just beams at me, cheeks flushed.
"Would you like your tea, Kyon?" she suggests as I plop down onto a chair.
"Yes, thank you." I settle in my seat and shift my gaze over to the motionless being sitting on a chair in the corner. "Hey, Nagato." The girl moves her eyes from the book in her hands and steadily holds my gaze while giving the slightest nod of acknowledgement.
I return the gesture and Ms. Asahina places a steaming cup next to me on the table. "Thanks," I sincerely respond, then lift the cup and took in the flavor of the most perfect tea ever created.
I hear a knock at the door, a "Come in!" from Ms. Asahina, then the door creaks open and in walks Isuki Koizumi.
I raise my hand with no effort of sincerity in my expression. "Yo"
"Hey." He then pulls out the chair opposite to me at the table and settles onto it.
"How's it been going for you?"
"Quite odd, actually. Haruhi's been ignoring me the whole day." And it's not your typical type of ignore; she didn't seem mad or anything. She just avoided looking at me, and when she spoke, she sounded as though I had driven her in a corner. "Not your standard Haruhi behavior."
"Yes, it does sound interesting. I'm worried this may spur up some closed spaces." But the look he was giving me had something deeper within it; his eyes told me he knew something. I just frown at his face, and he gave me that idiotic grin of his, so I frown harder and turn my face away from the moron.
"Want to take up a game a checkers?" he said, holding up the game board.
I just frown at him, then sigh. "Why not."
Soon we become intensely immersed in the game. Ms. Asahina keeps going back and forth between brewing more tea and watching in wonder at the intensity of our game. This time, I am not going to let esper boy beat me in a game of checkers.
I am about to make my winning move when the door swings open, revealing those boundless eyes, the short-cut brown hair, those chocolate eyes. "Hey everyone! I've got some great news!" Haruhi enthusiastically exclaims, then strides over to her chief's chair while Ms. Asahina hurriedly gets a new batch of tea ready. Me and Koizumi exchange glances, his an idiotic grin, mine a scowl. We then look at our Brigade leader, who now seems to be more interested in the computer than us.
I clear my throat. "So, what's this 'news' you speak of?" Haruhi pauses in her computer obsessing and her expression flips from excited to melancholy.
"Stop bugging me. I'll tell you when I'm ready. You've got no right to order me around." Wait, what? Hold up, that made no sense whatsoever! She said I'm ordering her around; all I did was ask her what the news was! Who does she think she is?! Of course, I don't say any of this and just glare at the table. From the corner of my eye, I can see Koizumi looking at Haruhi, probably with either his smile or his rare observing expression.
Haruhi continues to clack away at the keyboard, and Ms. Asahina nervously settles a steaming cup next to her arm before scuttling back to the brewer. I can feel sweat starting to drip down my neck, my face getting hot. I glance sideways, seeing Koizumi and his expression; it's quite odd, his expression, for it looks like he was smiling, but the only parts that prove his smile were his mouth and eyes. The rest of him render nervousness.
The air in the room has become disturbingly heavy when Haruhi finally says in her previous chipper tone, "Okay, since you guys are now patiently waiting for your Brigade leader like you should, I will tell you the news!" Then she suddenly pops her head from its downward position and looks Ms. Asahina straight in the eye. She flinches, then squeaks, "Y-yes Ms. S-S-Suzumiya?"
"Mikuru, you're going to be the greatest little girl anyone has ever known! Not that you aren't already! Those sorry-excuses-for-girls will be jealous, head-over-heels for you after I've executed this brilliant plan!" With that, she shoots up from her chair and strides up toward Ms. Asahina. What the hell is she talking about now? She better not be doing anything to Ms. Asahina she would definitely regret later when I see to it.
"W-what are you talking about, M-Ms. Suzumiya?" she starts to back away, and I prepare to launch out of this chair and save her.
"I saw this ad in a magazine that fell on my head this morning," she begins, finally stopping her forward march and pulling something out of her school bag. "They're looking for young girl models who have no experience whatsoever. The objective is to show readers that anyone can become a model if they want to. There are no requirements,—" she yanks the magazine out of her bag, "—they said; no beauty necessities or anything like that! But I know they'll fall for you the moment they see your cute little eyes!"
She starts to flip through the magazine. "U-um, I don't really think I want to be a model" Ms. Asahina slowly says. She takes another step back.
Haruhi stops on a page and declares, "Of course you do! It's an order from your Brigade leader!" Then she flips the magazine toward Ms. Asahina. "See? Doesn't it look fun?"
But Ms. Asahina's horrified expression tells me enough. "B-b-but t-that's a s-s-s-s—" Tears start to well from her eyes and slide down her pale face. "S-s-s-swimsuit model wanted poster!"
I just gape at Haruhi, gape at the magazine I couldn't see, gape at Ms. Asahina's sobbing eyes. I knew Koizumi next to me is just as surprised as I am, but maybe not as furious. "That's right! I ordered this fabulous new swimsuit that I know you'll look perfect in! C'mon, don't cry, we're going to have a tone of fun!" She starts back to the computer desk and reaches behind it, pulling out a plastic bag and marching back to Ms. Asahina. I feel the anger boiling inside of me, burning my insides alive. My hands clench into fists when Haruhi finally starts pulling out the swimsuit from the bag. "You see? Isn't it pretty?!" Pretty? It barely has any covering! That was the most inappropriate swimsuit I have ever seen! Ms. Asahina is whimpering and shaking, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'll start pulling out the tag, and then we can start fitting you into—"
"I don't want to wear it." A wavering but determined voice.
"Excuse me?" Haruhi abruptly stops rummaging through the bag and looks into Ms. Asahina's eyes.
"I-I said, I don't want to wear it. I don't want to be a swimsuit model. If you find something less exposing, I would be glad. But I-I-I really look forward to getting married! I won't l-l-l-let anyone ruin t-that for me!" Well said, Ms. Asahina! With that, she shields her chest with her arms and straightens herself. She's finally standing up for herself; I'm so proud! Koizumi's giving her a warning look, though. I remember he said a while back that as long as Haruhi can do what she wants, the world will be at peace.
"Mikuru!" Haruhi slams a fist onto the table, and Koizumi and I jump. "You know opposing your Brigade leader is against Brigade rules! Who do you think you are, talking back to your superior like that?!" I start to edge my chair backwards when Haruhi whirls around and looks me straight in the eye. Damn, I never realized how red her face was!
"Kyon, tell her that opposing the Brigade leader is against the rules! Tell her its death penalty or worse! Force her to wear that swimsuit if you have to!" I know my face right now looks completely dumfounded at this outrageous request. I then rise slowly from my chair and walk toward Haruhi, my footsteps echoing in the piercing silence she has created.
I walk right up to Haruhi and look her straight in the eye, then sigh. "Now why would I do that?" She then stumbles backward, searching for support from behind.
"You, too? You, the lowly servant, are the one who has least authority to say anything at all to the leader!"
My fists clench tighter, my breath becomes ragged. "I don't care whether you're the Queen of England or some rebel, but I have the authority over my own choices, you tyrant!"
"Wha-what did you just call me? You dare insult your Brigade leader, you filthy animal!"
I hadn't realized how loud my voice has become, bubbling with fury. "Yeah, and you got a problem with that?"
She stomps her foot. "Yeah I do! You, the first member of the Brigade, betray me like this?"
"You call this betrayal?! How do you think I feel, with you suddenly ignoring me like I never existed, then blowing up on me when I try to talk to you! What the hell are you trying to accomplish?" At this point, Haruhi has stopped talking, and her expression has become one of shameful realization. But I take no notice, because I had to cool down this boiling magma inside of me. I can feel it choking me at the bottom of my throat. "Then you throwing this ridiculous idea onto poor Ms. Asahina and forcing her out of her will. Not like that's any different from the usual torture session for the innocent." From my peripheral vision I can see Nagato and Koizumi quietly sneaking out of the room and closing the door. "What's your deal, huh? Do you ever think that there are humans around you, that they have feelings and opinions that should be respected?"
"Kyon, I didn't mean it like—"
My clamped fist shoots down onto the table. Teeth gritted, I snap, "I'm sick and tired of your damn mood swings and outrageous commands! You're literally like those tyrants in ancient history who ordered the innocent people to be their slaves and feed off of their money. What the hell can I do to make you see my point of view? Or Ms. Asahina's?! There's a reason I did not let you force her to do anything out of her own will; as I said before, she's human with human feelings and opinions! At least I respect that? How 'bout you, huh? Is there a time when you at least once think of someone else's feelings?" My voice was hoarse from all the shouting I had been doing. I was breathing hard, but the anger had not resided yet. But I had no more fight left in me.
I glare down at the floor. At the time, I had not realized Haruhi's flushed face and the tears streaming down her face. Her jagged sobs. I turn my back to her. "Why don't you get yourself out of your own mind and face truths, face reality?" I hiss, before gliding out the room and closing the door on her horrified face.