Chapter 4
Meeting Kenichi
- For Real
I woke up the next day with a mild headache. It was 9 o'clock in the morning, and the sun was already peering through my room curtains. I sat up in my bed and sighed, knowing today was the day we were leaving. I stood up and prepared, taking a shower, putting on casual clothes, packing all of my essentials, and headed out. It was a warm morning, as usual. I walked all of the way to the train station, where I saw Haruhi and the others waiting, including Kenichi. I walked up to them, hesitantly, and they greeted me with smilies, expect for Yuki, who was reading, and Kenichi, who never really did anything. But this time, he was writing in his notebook. His pencil moved across the paper as I watched him, wondering what he was writing down. I sat down on the bench beside him, hoping to take a look, but he closed it, and for the first time I heard him speak. His voice wasn't a monotone, like Yuki's. Surprisingly he talked like any normal person would.
"You know, Kyon, you don't have to be afraid. I'm harmless."
I wasn't afraid. I was just concerned. Even after Yuki's story I haven't looked at him any differently than when I first saw him.
"I'm not afraid," I said. "I'm only concerned about how this trip will turn out. You know, I can't really understand who you are, but to me you just seem normal."
I looked at Haruhi to make sure she wasn't watching nor listening.
"I know you're a data entity."
He smiled, and then looked at me.
"I know you do."