We continued to sit, very uncomfortably I might add, in the tree watching Shinobu and the stranger eat dinner. Nothing too out of the ordinary seemed to be happening. I was getting irritated, "What exactly are we looking for?" I asked Koizumi. He continued to watch them intently as he answered me, "Anything suspicious." I sighed and looked back towards the window. To my surprise, they were done. Huh, that was fast. It usually takes my family an hour to eat.
After Shinobu was done cleaning up, they both sat down on the couch together and proceeded to talk more. "I don't think there's anything weird about him." I said finally. I was getting sick of being up that high and my legs were starting to fall asleep. Koizumi just grinned, "Wait for it." He said coolly. Obediently, I obliged. He was acting just like Haruhi. Oh, that was a scary thought indeed.
After a few more minutes of talking, the man got up and stretched. It looked like he was getting ready to leave. And so was I. I started to squirm around and stretch my legs out as far as I could. I didn't want my legs to crap out on me whenever I climbed down this blasted thing. However, to my surprise, it was Shinobu who began to gather up his things. Wait, wasn't this his house? Where was he going? Would we follow him again?
The older man walked Shinobu to the door and said something else to him before doing something that I would remember for the rest of my life. He leaned down and kissed Shinobu. Right on the lips. I inhaled quickly; I wasn't expecting that. And it wasn't just a friendly kiss either. Oh no. This was the real deal. They stayed like that for a couple of seconds before Shinobu finally pulled away slowly and waved goodbye as he exited the room.
I brought my hands to my mouth in shock. What the hell did I just witness? I glanced over at Koizumi, who was smiling like a maniac. "Got it." He said quietly as he began to climb down the trunk of the tree without me. "Hey!" I yelled as I scurried to catch up with him. "What have you got?" I asked as we climbed down cautiously. I couldn't see it, but I could feel Koizumi smiling wildly at me from down below, "We got what we came for. That was definitely out of the ordinary." I sighed, "So what? Are we going to report back to Lord Haruhi?" I joked. "Of course." Was Koizumi's curt reply.
Why couldn't I just live a normal life like everyone else?
The next day before homeroom started, Koizumi and I had to spill the beans to Haruhi about what we found out last night. We had to be extra careful about how and what we told her, as not only was Shinobu present at that time, but so were a bunch of nosy gossipers who would kill to get their grubby hands on this kind of dirt. I felt like them right about then. I mean, were we any different from those lousy gossipers just because this kind of information was considered top secret by an organization that wasn't even truly recognized by the school as a legitimate club? I didn't think so.
"Seriously!" Haruhi blurted after we had told her everything we saw. I shushed her quickly, luckily we only got a few stares. "Wow! That's definitely news to me! He didn't seem the type at all!" She announced her joy softer this time. I breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, he's a keeper!" She said excitedly. I looked at her, "Why? He's not that special. He's just gay. What makes him good enough to join your special club?" I asked. It sounded like I was defending the status that this club supposedly had. As if.
"Don't you see, Kyon? With him, we could finally have a person from every end spectrum out there! Plus, he would make us have an even number! He's like our little angel, sent to watch over us and to make sure we reach our goal! That goal being, of course, to find and solve all the world's greatest mysteries! With his help, we'll find them all in no time!"
I looked at her, then at Koizumi, who was still smiling stupidly, then at Shinobu, who was sitting across the room talking to some girls, then back at Haruhi, who was smiling at me. "So? I don't think you have a choice! I'm in charge, and I say he's in!" She stated fiercely as she marched over to Shinobu. I stuck out my arm to stop her but Koizumi grabbed it and smiled coyly at me, "Don't. This should be interesting."
I looked at him in defeat and glanced over just in time to see Haruhi begin preaching to Shinobu the rules of the SOS Brigade and what exactly his presence entailed to the daily activities of the club. It seemed to be the usual stuff; show up every day, go on roundabouts of the city with us every other weekend, do this, bring that, blah blah blah. I had heard this all before. I looked at Shinobu, who was staring up at Haruhi blankly. I guess I now know why he didn't take advantage of the perfect skirt shot he got of Haruhi yesterday after school.
Haruhi was about to list off all the clubs political views when teacher man Okabe entered suddenly with an unknown person at his side. Koizumi flashed me one last smile before returning to his own classroom down the hall. Haruhi pouted and returned to her seat in a huff. "Class," He announced shyly. He was never one to raise his voice unnecessarily. "I-I'll be gone today. S-So you'll be having a s-substitute." He stuttered. What's with him? He seemed a little out of it.
"I'd like to introduce you to Miyagi Yoh. H-He's a professor of literature at Mitsuhashi University. P-Please treat him with the..." His voice trailed off. The person, I assumed to be Miyagi-sensei, patted him on the back. He straightened up immediately and practically shouted, "Utmost respect!" His eyes suddenly widened at his the sound of his raised voice. He bowed hurriedly, "So then, if you'll excuse me!" He said as he ran out of the room. That was a bit odd. I wondered what had gotten in to him.
"Yo." Miyagi said coolly. We all stared at him. We had never had a substitute before. Okabe was always good about coming to school every day. What made him leave today? I glanced around the room. The majority of the students had the same dull expression on their faces. The usual, of course. My gaze fell over Shinobu. He had a much different expression on his face. He looked utterly shocked. Almost scared.
That's odd. Wait. I looked back at the substitute. Now that I really looked at him...I remember now! He's the one! He's the guy from the apartment last night. The one Shinobu was with! Good grief. What else could go wrong? Miyagi began to write the day's lesson plan on the board, oblivious to the fact that Haruhi and I knew about his little affair with Shinobu-chin. I decided to take action and get to the bottom of this once and for all.
I raised my hand. Miyagi looked surprised that I actually had a question this early in class. But he called on me anyway. "Yes?" I put my hand down and proceeded with this mock interrogation, "How old are you?" Miyagi blinked at my strange question. He coughed and answered firmly, "Thirty-five." I nodded my head; what a sicko! He tried to turn around to continue writing on the board when I interrupted him again, "Are you married?"
At this question, he hesitated. Uh oh, was he on to me already? I quickly looked over at Shinobu, who was giving me the coldest glare I had ever seen. I shuddered at the thought that crossed my mind just then; Shinobu brutally murdering me with a butcher's knife. I looked back at Miyagi, who was staring intently at me. Now I see where he gets it from. "No." He stated simply and turned around to finish writing. I let him this time, but I still wasn't convinced. He was hiding something else, I just knew it.
I sensed that Shinobu had stopped staring holes through my head and had returned his gaze to the front of the room. During the rest of the class, I kept glancing back and forth between Shinobu and Miyagi. Were these two really an item? If so, should I report it? I mean, he is thirty-five. Shinobu had to be no older than eighteen. That kind of situation was punishable by law. At least, that's what I thought.
I was relieved when I heard the lunch bell ring. The rest of the class got up monotonously and headed over to get their lunches. I was about to do the same, when I was blocked by a familiar baby face. Shinobu stood before, looking just as pissed as ever. "We need to talk." He said as he grabbed my hand and started to drag me out of the classroom forcefully. Haruhi just looked on as I was being dragged against my will. He was like her clone. He, of course, dragged me to the club room. He didn't know where anything else in this school was.
Yuki was there reading silently, like always. She completely ignored our presence. Shinobu threw me into an empty metal chair. My spine hit the metal with a loud thud. I leaned forward in agonizing pain. What the hell was his problem? "Hey, what gives?" I asked as I rubbed my back gently. He towered over me with that menacing glare he had given me earlier. "I'm on to you." He said angrily.
I looked up at him, "What do you mean?" I asked. Of course, I knew what he meant, but Haruhi would've made me play dumb anyway if she was here. Might as well go along with the charade. "What do you know about Miyagi?" He asked sternly. I looked away, "I don't know anything about him. I was just curious." I said. Shinobu slammed his hand against the table, "Liar!" He shouted. Nagato continued reading quietly.
I looked at him, half-expecting him to suddenly lighten up and tell me this was all just some sick prank he came up with. He was dead serious. He was about to yell at me again, when an unfamiliar face came barging in to the room. "Miyagi?" The man asked. Shinobu looked back at him and gasped. Well, who would've thought? He did a complete 180 when he saw the man who was standing in the doorway. "I know you." Shinobu said lightly.
The man looked at him, "Oh, it's you." He replied. I looked at them both, standing there with mouths agape. I was so confused. What was going on here? Shinobu's face then scrunched up again and he put on his angry voice again, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be teaching your class or something?" A teacher, I presumed. "No," The man replied. "I let them go early today." A college professor, maybe? Like Miyagi?
"Why are you looking for Miyagi?" Shinobu pressed. The man blinked, "He forgot to finish his work, as usual. He left it for me, but I don't have time to finish it. So I came here to tell him to finish his own damn work once he was done here." Shinobu scoffed, "A likely story." He said snootily. It was like Shinobu had forgotten that Nagato and myself were present. The man apparently noticed us though. "Who're they?" He asked.
Before I could say anything about who I was, footsteps were heard approaching the club room from the hall. Great, who was coming to the party now? "Shinobu!" The guy said as he reached the door and stood behind the man in the doorway. It was Miyagi. The man turned around and pouted, "There you are! Listen, I'm not going to do your work for you. You're an adult, start acting like one!" He said bitterly.
Miyagi caught his breath and realized who it was that was scolding him. "Kamijou!" He yelled happily. He threw his arms around the man and began to whine, "But the Dean sent me here himself and told me to tell you to do my work for me!" He sounded like a three-year-old whining to his mommy after she told him that he couldn't have any candy. The man named Kamijou sighed and pushed him off, "I don't have time for your shenanigans." He said.
Miyagi sighed as well, "Oh fine. I guess I'll just have to dismiss class for the rest of the afternoon." Shinobu butted in, "You can't do that, stupid. This is high school! We still have four more hours before we can leave." Miyagi noticed Shinobu standing in front of me. I guess he saw that I looked a bit disheveled. "What's going on here?" He asked quizzically. He looked directly at me while asking this. I blinked, "Nothing." I lied.
Shinobu ignored our little conversation and tried to get Miyagi's attention. "Hey!" He yelled as he started to flail about frantically. Miyagi looked angrily at Shinobu, "What have you gotten yourself into, this time?" He asked the boy. Shinobu flinched and glanced back at me. I flinched as well; If this wasn't the definition of awkward, I had no clue what was.
Kamijou suddenly thrust the pile of books he had been carrying into Miyagi's arms. "Off my hands." He said bitterly. Then he stormed off. Miyagi watched him all the way to the end of the hallway. After Kamijou was out of sight, he refocused his attention on me and Shinobu. Oh crap, we were going to get it now.
"Shinobu-chan," He said rather calmly, "I don't know what you're doing, but I think I may have an idea as to why you're doing it." Shinobu's brow furrowed, "And just what would that be?" He asked defensively. Miyagi looked at me, "You're getting upset because he asked all those questions about me, aren't you?" He stated. Shinobu looked away angrily. "You want to get revenge on him for thinking that he knows our little secret, don't you?" He continued. Shinobu looked utterly defeated. "Maybe." He pouted.
Miyagi nodded and said to me, "Well, now that the secret's out, what are you going to do?" I blinked twice; what did he mean by that? "Nothing." I said as I stood up shakily. My back was still aching from that chair. Miyagi looked at me curiously, "Really? You're not shocked? Disgusted? Furious?" He asked. I looked at him, "Look, it's no business of mine what you guys do on your own time. Now, lunch is almost over. Can I go back to class now?"
Miyagi's expression didn't change. He nodded slowly and stepped out of the doorway. I regained my composure and strolled out of the classroom nonchalantly. I looked back over my shoulder and found Miyagi and Shinobu heading the other way. Where were they going? The classroom was this way; the way I was going. Well, I guess you could get to it by going that way. But that's out of the way and rather pointless. What exactly were they up to?
I returned to class and casually took my seat. The quiet murmurs of the class were somewhat comforting. Right now, all I wanted was for my life to go back to the way it was before I knew the name Shinobu Takatsuki. Maybe Asahina could work her magic for me?
Haruhi grabbed my shirt collar and pulled me back forcefully. The back of my head collided with the front of her desk. I was then promptly pulled back up by the laws of physics and sat there with an aching back and a now aching head. "So? What did he say to you?" She asked enthusiastically. A bit too chipper for me right about then. "Nothing." I replied. I wasn't looking at Haruhi, but I could feel her cold glare boring a hole in the back of my head.
Interestingly enough, it was old Okabe who entered the classroom just then. What happened to Miyagi? And Shinobu too, for that matter. Neither of them had returned to class. It was about then that my suspicions about them grew even more. Just what were they hiding? "Alright class, in light of recent events, I have decided to release class for the rest of the afternoon. I've already cleared it with the principal, it's all good. Now then, if you would." Teacher man Okabe politely and calmly pointed us to the door. His way of saying 'Get out'.
We all filed out, confused as to what was going on. This was weird; Really, really weird. First Okabe was crazy and demented, then we get a mysterious substitute teacher, then Okabe returns all cool and collected. Well Haruhi, there was a mystery if I ever did see one. The whole point of the SOS Brigade was to solved mysteries, right? This would prove to be fun.
Fusosososo~
I changed my major from Nutritional Sciences to History! Yay me! c:
Anyways, this chapter had been sitting on my flash drive for a while.
Just thought I'd post it and whatnot~
