A/N: This is more written-by-randomperson321 than Chpt 1, but unfortunately (?) for me, we're moving along at a steady pace. Anyways, expect Chpt. 3 to be new content. Starting from the end of this chapter, you can disregard the light novels and anime, for the most part. FOR THE MOST PART. Looking for reviews again. Whee. Enjoyz.
Chapter 2
"Kyon…"
She said my name in a sort of surprised tone. Yes, today is a surprising (-ly strange) day.
Yes, I do say weird things once in a while. Sorry for spouting nonsense.
"Kyon, it's not that there's… anything bothering me… it's just…"
She's talking in circles again. When Haruhi acts like this, it sets off every single alarm in my body and I instantly move into red alert mode.
"Haruhi."
She jumped a bit when I said her name. I turned to face her. She was fidgeting; playing with her clothes and her hair. She had turned away from me once again. What's with her? And what was I going to say?
"You turned around and you're acting all weird. I can tell something's up; you just have to tell me what it is."
It was weird saying that, but hey, I've got to say something right now, right? You know, sometimes I think what I say is pretty darn cool.
"I said it's nothing! God, Kyon, you're so annoying!"
Just when I think I said something cool she goes back to being her usual self. Sigh… I thought a different kind of atmosphere was building up between us, but it looks like she's back to herself again.
"Let's just forget about this whole thing and let the police handle it when they get here. I guess I'm just not fit for detective work."
Wait up. This is coming from the insanely impulsive I-will-never-give-up Haruhi? Is this for real? How can you say that when all you wanted to do when you came here was solve mysteries as a detective?
This is really unlike you, Haruhi. I know what you're like and I know when you're hiding something (I just don't usually seem to care).
I quickly stood up, grabbed her by her shoulders, and spun her around towards me. A wave of nostalgia swept through my body and I shuddered, but I kept my grip and looked straight at her. She was avoiding eye contact again.
"Just tell me what it is, Haruhi!"
I was yelling.
"It makes me feel really… bad to see you like this! Um… It's the responsibility of a member of the SOS-Dan to worry about his chief, right?"
What was I so worked up about, anyways? Do I really have a right to go seize Haruhi and make her tell me everything I want her to tell me? And if I really hate the way she acts, aren't I acting quite a bit like her right now? Why do I even bother…? I can't even explain my own actions right now. All I can say is that I am feeling quite flustered right now and if you held up a mirror in front of my face, I believe I would look as if I just ran a marathon wearing my winter school uniform.
She looked up at me reluctantly. I could see the apprehension in her eyes clearly now. But what is there to fear?
"You know, Haruhi… I'm here with you, so there really isn't anything to be afraid of…"
That line was so cheesy I suppose several cows died in the process of the production of that line. Man, do I feel stupid. It's not as if a girl actually cares for that kind of lame line. I mean, it's Haruhi! I was probably just imagining that fear, right? Fear probably doesn't exist in her genes!
"Actually, Kyon… It's kind of complicated… it has nothing to do with the murder! ... but it has to do with you…"
Oh crap. What did I do wrong? It's probably something I said. Wait, wouldn't she normally bash my head against a very solid surface if that happened? Her voice is back to a whisper, too. What an unpredictable girl. Ah well, at least she'll tell me everything now. Not that I really care or anything. I'm just doing this for the sake of the world.
"Kyon, I… I …"
This isn't the time to be stumbling over words! Just get on with it! I can deal with whatever evil thing you're about to say about me.
"…This is kind of embarrassing, but…"
What? Embarrassing…? Watching her say this, it seemed like she was getting a bit unsettled. She was getting redder by the moment and was looking down at her feet, kicking random pebbles around.
"Kyon… I-I…want you…t-to know…"
What is it that you want me to know!?
"Hey! Are you guys okay?"
That was a close one... I don't think I want Koizumi to see what I was doing there. He would totally misunderstand even though he's a "super powerful" esper. I would hate to think what Taniguchi or Kunikida would've said if they saw me like that. It'll probably be that "Kyon likes weird girls" line again or something like "Why didn't you tell us Suzumiya was your girlfriend?" God, just thinking about those two idiots makes me want to smash something!
My time in the shower was long. I wouldn't be lying if I said I was cleansing the dirt and salt off my body, but it wouldn't be telling the whole truth, either. What Haruhi said (or rather, didn't say) is really bugging me right now and I can't seem to get it off my mind! I mean, it seemed like something important! Way to go, Koizumi. You came in at a perfect time and ruined the moment. And by moment I mean nothing more than Haruhi spilling the beans.
Sigh… I did say some pretty lame junk back there, didn't I? Feelings of self-pity were filling my mind as I changed into a random set of pajamas I picked up from somewhere. Yawning, I walked aimlessly out the bathroom door straight into Haruhi.
"Ow! Stupid Kyon, watch where you're going!"
I'm the one that should be complaining! Geez, is your head made of steel? Besides, what kind of girl stands right outside a bathroom some guy is in, anyways? You weren't waiting for something, were you?
"Um…"
She looked away, seeming pretty pissed, and was still rubbing her head, even though it looked absolutely fine. Why am I the only one getting injured today?
Oh yeah! What were you going to say to me back in the cave, again? You know, right before Koizumi came… You said you wanted me to know something, right?
"Huh? Uh… W-Well…"
She jumped and started looking around at the floor tiles. Here we go again.
You said you wanted me to know something, right?
"No, I didn't mean to say that! It's nothing; just forget it. Here, as punishment for being such a nuisance, carry my clothes back to my room for me."
Haruhi was back to her usual bossy self. Sigh… It's not like I can just choose not to do what she says right now. She'll probably beat me until I'm ready to be mixed in with cake batter.
Well, better do what she says. Let's see… why does she have so many bags of clothes?!
"Clothes get dirty, you know, so I just had everyone's clothes washed! That's everyone except you, by the way."
Well, thanks a lot. I feel much better now, knowing exactly how much my chief cares about me.
"That's right, be forever grateful to your chief for looking out for you! Now hurry up and carry my stuff!"
When we were stuck out in the rain alone, it seemed like she actually did care about my well-being, sometimes. But now… Sigh, I guess it's just like her to change all of a sudden. I picked up about three bags in each hand and shuffled up a flight of stairs and down another hallway with that heavy load to Haruhi's room. Haruhi's room, huh… Asahina-san should be in there right now… In pajamas… or maybe less than that…
"Hey Kyon, don't just stand there like an idiot! Help me get this stuff inside!"
I quickly wiped whatever stupid expression I had off my face and started to pick the bags up once more before I realized something.
"Asahina-san is in there, right? Shouldn't we knock just to make sure she isn't changing or anything?"
Haruhi turned back to me with a look of disgust that said "I can totally tell what you're thinking, you pervert." Are my perverted thoughts that easily seen?
"Yeah, on second thought, I can do this myself. You'd better not come in here!"
She screamed at me before grabbing all her bags and kicking open the door.
If you're strong enough to carry all your bags in one hand, why make me do it in the first place?
"It seems Suzumiya-san enjoys making you work."
I spun around to face the too-handsome owner of this voice, Koizumi Itsuki. Just in time, too; I had something important to say to him.
Get your face away from me! How the heck did you get so close to me?
He increased the distance between our faces from three inches to a more bearable three feet, with a smile. Koizumi's smile is very disturbing at times, especially when it is three inches away from your lips. Koizumi just flashed another smile.
"So, what important thing were you going to ask me about? Unless it was about how I got so close to you just now, because I can explain that pretty well."
Tch. Stop being such an arrogant prick. We just need a place to talk.
Another smile.
"So… Suzumiya-san won't tell you what's on her mind, huh? Would you like me to tell you what it was that she couldn't tell you?"
That's kind of what I was hoping for, but yes, I'd like to hear it.
"It actually is all about the murder."
But Haruhi said it wasn't! She told me it had something to do with me!
Koizumi's grin grew even wider and his face grew even closer. He put a finger to his lip as if telling me to be quiet. That's disgusting, you know! Looking at him and the place where he chose to talk… well, it was pretty disturbing. Let's see… I'm in Koizumi's room with all but one of the smaller lights off. We're facing each other, sitting on beds opposing each other. The room seems to be perfumed and is decorated with roses… Okay, this is really too creepy. Normally, I would never have come in here, but this is important.
"Suzumiya-san was mostly correct, up until the part where Keiichi-san got up. He was awakened by our voices when we were knocking on his door in the morning."
Hurry it up so I can get the hell away from you.
"He was confused and when he remembered that Yutaka-san had tried to kill him last night, he locked the door and stood there in his dazed state."
Yes, I'm pretty sure I've heard that before.
"When we found the door locked, you, me, and Arakawa-san broke down the door."
So? That's when we found him on the ground. Hurry up and explain—
It hit me harder than a bull slamming into a man dressed in a red jumpsuit.
"Yep, that's right. The murderers in this case would be the ones who broke down the door. Suzumiya-san figured this out, and that's why she didn't want to say anything—to protect us."
So… we broke down the door and, by doing so, we drove the knife fully into Keiichi-san's chest… Wait, this doesn't make sense.
This doesn't make sense!
I jump up, wrench open the door, and run down the hallway, thankfully missing another of Koizumi's stupid smiles and leaving that wretched room.
"Haruhi!"
I yelled at the back of a figure slowly wandering around in the hallway. She turned her head around, as if she didn't notice any of my previous calls or my loud running footsteps.
"Kyon? What is it?"
She seemed kind of dazed, but I just got on with it.
"I know what it is you were trying to tell me!"
"EHH?! H-How did you know?"
She looked truly shocked and her face flushed bright red. Is it really that surprising for me to figure something out? I'm not that much of an idiot, you know…
"It doesn't matter how I figured it out!"
I gripped her firmly by the shoulders again. Her eyes were shimmering for some reason and her hands were clasped together at her chest. She looks almost as defenseless as Asahina-san… You can't catch me this time, perverted thoughts!
"B-But…Kyon… I think..."
"I just have to tell you, it's not the truth! I understand everything now, just listen!"
"EH? Not the truth? What the heck are you talking about, Kyon! Of course it's the truth! That's exactly how I fe-"
"I know that you think I'm the murderer!"
Haruhi was taken aback. Why the heck are you acting like that?
"Oh… That's what you were talking about…"
"Yes, except it wasn't me that killed Keiichi-san!"
And of course that's what I was talking about! Wasn't that what we were talking about the whole time!?
Haruhi seemed to make a complete revival in a matter of seconds. It was as if she had just used 'Phoenix Down' on her previously lifeless self.
"Yes, yes, of course that's what we were talking about! Now hurry up and explain everything, Kyon! You've got exactly four seconds to finish before heads start to roll!"
What's with you and decapitating people? Sigh… forget it. I began to explain as quickly as possible.
"Ah! I get it! Suzumiya Haruhi, the Ultra Detective, has just solved this case!"
What the hell?! Wasn't I the one that figured it out and graciously told you my clever deductions?
Haruhi just grabbed my hand and dragged me around the corridor.
Sigh…
We eventually reached Koizumi's room. Haruhi knocked loudly.
"Koizumi-kun, as the SOS-Dan Commander, I demand you to open this door!"
I thought the force she used would surely break down the door, but the door slowly slid open, and an annoyingly cheery face greeted my eyes. Huh… It seems the room's lights were all on and all the things I had seen previously were gone. Except that strong smell.
Haruhi stormed into the room, pulling me along. Koizumi merely shut his door with an expression on his face that one would probably find on a man who just stole the world's most valuable painting, only to have it stolen from him.
"Koizumi-kun! Your position as vice-brigade-commander is at stake here! This murder scene was a setup from the beginning wasn't it!?"
She said this with a triumphant smile. I could imagine hers on the face of the man who first climbed Mt. Everest. Needless to say, I think it looks a lot better than Koizumi's.
"Looks like we lost…"
Koizumi said with a melodramatic sigh and a quick shrug of his shoulders.
A/N: roflolmao. Finally, moving right along. Sorry to disappoint anyone who's still waiting for more original stuff, but I've got to get out of here first. Funny, the original story was going to be based around the cave and the island. Chapter 2 endured some massive rewrites. I'm also sorry for ignoring two main characters. I wonder if I'll be doing that a lot... Anyways, look to Chapter 3, it'll come out soon regardless of anything. 20 July Night or 21 July Night is the release deadline! And then, we shall move into Japanese Marketing Delay Tactics.
