Haru
Nothing real ever happens here. As I feed coins to the vending machine, it all hits me at once. Everything worth remembering in the city of Nishinomiya, well, it's my job to make sure it never happened. So, nothing happens and nobody changes, especially the people who should.
Episode 1, Part 1
I fish the juice can out of the machine's mouth and turn my attention to the smiling young man beside me. I do this with grim determination, you understand. The young man is Koizumi Itsuki, serial nuisance, practicing his craft.
"May we resume?" he asks pleasantly. Out of excuses, I crack open the can and take a deep draft of the bitter stuff. When a boy resigns, he sighs. When a man resigns, he drinks. "As I was saying, we are approaching a potentially volatile period, and the risk of heightened activity from Miss Suzumiya is quite real."
If there's one thing that bothers me about Itsuki (there are a few hundred), it's that he takes twenty-three words to say 'things are bad'. Also, that he's so wordy I count his words out by reflex now. Bastard.
"That is certainly not to undermine your work," he offers, extending a finger on one hand as if to say 'See here, it's all right little boy!' "Your exemplary efforts, especially concerning the incident with your childhood friend, have given us a long stretch of relative calm. However—"
I know what he's going to say before he says it; for months I've been obsessing over it.
Tomorrow, we begin our third and final year at North High.
For those of you keeping score, this is amazingly bad. Miss Asahina—beautiful brigade mascot and official plaything of the chief—has graduated, and while she can stay until her college classes start in the fall, she will not be joining us afterward.
"I might have chosen a slightly more direct solution—" Koizumi? Direct? Never. "—but Miss Asahina's superiors seem to believe that Miss Suzumiya will require extended observation. Thus, appearances need to be kept up, and she will advance to university." It's only then that I realize he'd been narrating along with my thoughts, something he seems to do quite often when I'm worried.
"Stop doing that," I mutter after wiping the back of my hand across my lips.
"Doing what?" he asks, looking abashed.
How droll. "Just keep talking."
"Very well. Miss Nagato and I will be able to continue on with Miss Suzumiya as long as is necessary, as well. The problem, however, lies with you." The fact that he condemns me in so genial a tone just makes him sound like a condescending camp counselor. We reach a street corner and wait for the walk signal even though there are no cars on either of the intersecting roads. I can see him looking at me mournfully. "I will again extend the offer on behalf of the Tsuruya Family. Miss Tsuruya is quite fond of you, she would not object to—"
"I've already told you that it's something I have to handle on my own, okay?"
"I'm afraid I can't understand your willingness to refuse, but I must also admit that I seem to lack the leverage to guide you into doing what I wish," he says, smiling sadly. There was a time when that would have sent shivers up and down my spine, but by now we knew where we stood with each other.
"Let's go, we have the walk signal."
"Then, do you have some plan to resolve the situation neatly?" he asks. I hesitate, think better of saying anything, and raise the can to my lips again. "I see. I suppose we can table that issue for now."
Yes, let's.