I do not own The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Truly, if I did, there'd be a lot more to the series, as well, as more to the Gender Benders . . . not that that has anything to do with this fanfic.
--o-o-o-o-o-
Chapter 3
Wait, we're doing WHAT?
-o-
Well, Haruhi's officially taken over my song. Which, surprisingly enough, completely pisses me off.
Not. Haruhi's always been like this, and, from what I saw, she always will be. I'm not pissed. I swear!
She dragged me to the clubroom, where she got Itsuki and me to write out the melody of Sunny Sunny Fun. Since I knew how it went by heart, it was pretty easy to get the idea across. Koizumi also apparently knows how to write music. I barely remember how the music classes in elementary school went, let alone how to write music.
Haruhi hovered in the background during the beginning, then declared that she had something to do, and marched out.
Koizumi chuckled. "Well, you seem to have done it again!"
"Done what again?" I asked, staring broodingly at the sheet music in my hands.
"You really can't tell? You seem to have a solution every time Miss Suzumiya has a problem, before it ever really reaches closed space level."
"Really."
Itsuki turned and looked straight at me. I'd never seen him quite so sincere. "You really hadn't noticed?"
I shrugged. "No. It's not like I try to. It just works out that way."
Itsuki's usual temperament was back.
"Well, let's just hope that is keeps going that way, okay?"
Careful. If this were some manga or anime series, that'd be labeled foreshadowing.
"In the meantime," Itsuki leaned closer to see the sheet, "That is an awfully good song. However, don't you think it'd be better a little faster?"
As he asked this, Mikuru came into the clubroom. I shrugged. "I dunno. Hey Mikuru?"
Her head turned to me, and her adorable smile –I GOTTA STOP THIS!- she smiled and blinked. "Yes?"
"Itsuki here says that the song should be faster. What do you think?"
"Ummmu . . . what does it sound like now?"
"Well," I cleared my throat, "I guess I could sing a little." I'd only be singing the first few verses, and she was family, no matter how bizarre that idea is to me.
"Well, It starts with If I solve the globe like a riddle, Then I can go anywhere with everyone, I've lived while wishing to be excited, Who granted it, and goes on from there."
Mikuru nodded. "I like it a lot so far, but . . . I-I think I agree with Koizumi-kun."
I furrowed my brow at the paper. "Huh. How much faster, do you think?"
"Ah, about 1.5 times, I think."
Itsuki spoke up. "That strikes me as too fast. Perhaps more like 1.35 times?"
Mikuru nodded in assent. "Yes, that sounds good, too."
Well, my song originally went at a fairly leisurely pace. I guess I was outvoted.
"Ah, and your singing was quite good, too, Kyon!"
My eyebrows shot up. "Really?"
Mikuru nodded. Itsuki grinned and added, "Yes, you're quite talented."
I scratched the back of my head, embarrassed, though a little cautious, too. "Aha, thanks." Koizumi complementing me made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, as though that comment on foreshadowing wasn't as off the mark as I would like.
At that very moment, Haruhi came bursting through the door. "Are you done yet, Kyon?"
"Yeah, we are, but we just decided to speed it up quite a bit."
Itsuki smiled. "But that simply means putting it to a different time signature, so it's essentially finished."
"Great! Let me see it!" I surrendered the sheet to Haruhi, and she scanned it quickly. "You're right, this is way too slow! It's gotta be livelier!"
"So I was told."
Haruhi began digging around, setting up one of the guitars. "Now, how does it sound, though?"
Itsuki stood up from behind the keyboard. "The piano's already on."
"Good idea!" Haruhi abandoned the guitar and took over the keyboard. She instantaneously began playing in what sounded like double time, which, for her apparently still wasn't fast enough, because she cranked the speed up a little faster yet. And she sang the lyrics with it. I admit, I actually didn't mind the new rendition.
About halfway through, Haruhi stopped. "Yeah, the melody's good, too. Now we just need to write the instrumentals, and we'll have the first song done!"
All thanks to me, though you'll never admit it.
-o-
Ever since that music session, my mind's been kind of restless.
Haruhi's been all-out in her work in making a band, and with impressive results. In fact, I don't think I can remember seeing her so busy for so long. She's written the sheet music for everyday, the vocals, and has already started practice. The computer club tried to complain about the noise, but gave up when they realized that we were the ones producing it.
Haruhi seems pretty content about it. But I have to worry; what about the next song? I mean, we can't just come through with just one song.
All my questions were answered the next day. Scratch that. Most of the questions were answered. Many more were added to my list.
"You will, Kyon!" Haruhi declared.
"What? Why??"
"Well," she folded her arms and grumbled. "I don't really like the idea of giving the job of song writing to such a lowly member of myself, but sacrifices must be made for the good of the S.O.S. Brigade!"
I said nothing. But really, does she have to keep insulting me? even if I did stay silent, I glowered at her.
So that's my new job. Stagehand and songwriter. AS if I didn't have enough to think about.
-o-
With the band practices and everything, Haruhi seemed to forget all about going on missions. It was kind of nice, Haruhi being so preoccupied. It let us relax, knowing that no outbreaks of supernatural, be it time traveling, alien powers, or closed spaces were going to occur.
It was almost . . . normal.
I'm actually kind of stunned.
-o-
Well, I've managed to cough up more songs, though none I'd particularly think of bragging about.
Haruhi received them with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Whatever the case, we finally amassed a selection of songs that we could use. Thank god that's over.
Thinking my work was done, I started packing up to go home while humming the melody of Sunny Fun. Yes, if I had to say, I think that that was my favorite of al the songs I wrote. Maybe because it's the only one I wrote voluntarily.
That was when I had my first warning. A little throat-clear. I, of course, ignored it. Everyone was coming down with colds. And since it was Haruhi, I thought it was simply just to catch my attention, so that she could bother me about something.
Sometimes I am a true idiot.
-o-o-o-o-o-
Sorry it took so long . . . I started my old method of writing it in a notebook, and then typing it up. It takes longer that way, but sometimes I get better results.
Does the length of the chapter help?
Reviews welcome, if not begged for.