"Why are you showing this to me?" My upper lip curls in disgust.
"As Suzumiya-san's most trusted individual, I thought it best to keep you up to date on the actions I have taken to ensure both her, and our world's well being."
Again with that pompous kind of talk followed by that plastic grin. How does he expect me to understand something like that while I have to look at…this?
"So, why did you go and do something like that?" I point at the scene and tear my eyes of it and face Koizumi's bloated-with-self-assurance head.
"Well, my actions were not entirely my decision. You see, the syndicate gives me orders, and I am forced to obey. To do otherwise might compromise Suzumiya-san's stability. So, even if I was given an order that I found personally distasteful, I'd still have to comply. However, in this case, my views were in accordance with that of the syndicate. This action was necessary, despite it's…..grizzly outcome."
So even that guy struggles to find the right word sometimes. Even though he's now got a sickeningly fake look of concern on his face. Like he's sorry for what he did. I take one more quick look at her lying there, and I'm this close to throttling him.
"So…why?"
Through gritted teeth, I ask again.
"I think you already suspect why. She knew something strange was going on. You know that. You said so yourself. The syndicate believes, and I agree, that it would be dangerous for people to learn of Suzumiya-san's abilities. I can't allow that to happen."
He slipped up for a moment. I can tell. He's broken character, like an actor glancing nervously about on stage when he forgets his line. He's let an ever so slight smirk creep onto his smug face.
"But still…you didn't have to…kill her."
My tie is starting to feel very tight and my fists ball up in rage. I'm about ready to sock one to that guy.
"Don't be fooled by her. Behind that enthusiastic smile, she was not as genial as you think. You have no idea what she could have been plotting inside that giant forehead of hers. Please be rational about the situation. The Tsuruya's are a very powerful family in Japan. Who knows what she could have been capable of? She could have undone all the hard work I have done. And not just me, but Nagato-san and Asahina-san. And yourself as well. Think of all the SOS Brigade has been through. Would you really be willing to throw all that away? Over one, single girl?"
I take one final look at her sprawled lifelessly on the clubroom floor, blood pooled around her head. Her body is laying near the table where I'd played countless games of Othello with that guy. Sure, he'd always rubbed me the wrong way a little, mostly from the fact that he always stuck that face of his way too close to mine, but I never thought he would do something this drastic.
Her forehead is cracked open, caved in like an unlucky watermelon at the beach. Asahina-san's English textbook is still lying next to her. She must have come to the clubroom to return it. How could she have known that everyone would be gone except for Koizumi, lurking, lying in wait for her to show up?
Even though it isn't winter, the heater I had to fetch from the appliance store is on for some reason. At this moment, all I can focus on is the grating sound it's making.
The room is hot. I take off my uniform jacket and roll up my sleeves.
"You…you talk too much."
I punch him directly in the face. He stumbles back and trips on the rack used to hang Asahina-san's various cosplay outfits. I imagine the look of grief on her angelic face when she finds out what Koizumi has done. This makes me even angrier.
There's blood streaming from his nose onto his face, but for some reason he's still smiling at me. The blood has gotten on and in between his teeth, making them eerily yellow and his fake grin all the more sinister. At this moment, he looks like some evil, otherworldly being infiltrating the city in some manga.
I hit him one more time and he goes down. His body is lying there, parallel to Tsuruya's.
I pick up my jacket and stomp out of the clubroom.
"Screw your syndicate! Screw you! Screw all of this bullshit! I've had enough. I don't care what happens. I'm going to tell Haruhi about John Smith! About everything!"
