Connection: 3

I checked the screen of my phone. It was lit, but blank. No caller ID, number, or anything to specify who it was that was calling me. I was sure that this was Koizumi's voice coming from the other end. Which Koizumi could it be? It sounds as if he knew something about this new world; however the term our world isn't enough to confirm that.

"Which Koizumi is this?" I said a little loudly into the receiver. "How do you know me?"

"I am the Koizumi Itsuki you knew in the old world." Koizumi answered. "Another version of myself exists in your world, however I do not believe you have met him yet.

"Tell me what this place is." I said. "It's pretty obvious that this is Haruhi's doing, but it isn't anything I've seen before. Something is very wrong with this place."

"It appears that your actions have resulted in Suzumiya creating another world parallel to the old one, the one I am in now. It is a strange type of Closed Space we haven't seen before. At the time it is impossible to identify exactly what it is from where I am. What I am sure of is that if nothing is done about it, the new world will replace the old one.

"What is it like there, right now?" I asked.

"Things are a mess." Koizumi said. "You and Suzumiya have disappeared. To describe the situation, it is as if Suzumiya has completely broken down a puzzle, scrambled its pieces, and is reshaping each piece, rearranging them into a completely different shape and picture. I do not know what has happened to the others, we have been 'separated'. However I am sure that they are safe, until this world ceases to exist of course."

"I thought it was already done for." I said.

"I am not surprised you think that way." Koizumi said. "However, Suzumiya is not the person to have ended everything then and there. Two worlds are now in existence, one threatening the existence of the other."

"I s there any chance of me going back to the Old World?" I asked sitting on the couch leaning forward determined not to miss a word.

"I cannot determine that in my position." Koizumi said. "Both worlds have gone through extreme alterations and may react to the slightest disturbance. However in due time they will both stabilize, from there we will be able to organize both worlds."

"So you can't get me out right this moment?" I asked.

"This is no ordinary Closed Space Kyon." Koizumi said. "If that were the case Agency members would have taken matters into their own hands. Even with my abilities it is impossible for me to enter on my own."

I leaned back and took a deep breath. So it was much harder than I thought.

"I did not say there was no hope, you just need to do your part." Koizumi said. "These worlds are still connected and can be connected further. No matter how small, each one is extremely vital. If enough connections are made it will be possible for me and the other factions to help you."

"I don't understand." I said. "Connections? How do you make them? What are they?"

"It is quite simple actually." Koizumi said. "Interact with the people around you. Interaction means everything to making connections. Relationships are no exception. I am not joking when I say these are important. The new and old worlds only exist because you had met Suzumiya, and accepted her. If you had not, everything would have been wiped out the moment it began."

I felt a dull shock run through my body. So it would have been over then and there had it? I wasn't even forcing myself to say hello it just happened naturally out of curiosity.

"Why is everything about Haruhi?" I asked.

"This is her world; therefore we must understand why she created it." Koizumi said. "The way you shouted at her, confessed your hatred, left her in tears, and left. Shortly after you are in a new world from the moment you first met her."

"She wanted to start everything over." I concluded.

"Most likely yes." Koizumi said. "She wanted to know if you would accept her as a different person. The first test was so, the moment you two met. If you had treated her coldly, even ignored her for the entire day, not having said a word to her, then it was over. There is nothing more to be done, forgiveness was impossible, and as a result of her changed personality it was unattainable on her own, not even knowing herself what she was seeking from you. What point was there in the world for her? Thus the end of everything."

"That's exactly what the problem is." I said irritably. "If it doesn't work out, destroy everything. She just doesn't understand! Give up just because I didn't say hi? That has to be the stupidest thing ever. Just who the hell was I supposed to forgive? This world's Haruhi is a complete stranger. She has nothing to do with any of this! If she really wanted forgiveness she would have come to me as her own moronic self and asked for it personally! Forget about destroying the world if the first try doesn't work out or starting over from scratch! If she doesn't even want to try, then to hell with it! I don't either."

Koizumi stayed silent for a moment. I thought I had lost connection.

"Suzumiya you see in this world is a part of the old." Koizumi said. "Overall, Suzumiya, she is a very insecure person. What you see is Suzumiya at her purest, her primary personalities stripped. The true Suzumiya, the Suzumiya you call a stranger. She is asking you to decide for yourself how you want her to be. Teach her about herself and you. Guide her to be the person you see best."

"She really takes the cake with this one." I said. "I don't believe that. She should decide herself who she needs to be, I have no intention of choosing for her. If something didn't work, she'd force the job on me. If that didn't work, find some other hopeless endeavour to fail at or blame other people for her misguidance. If every quitter had Haruhi's powers, I'd much rather be nonexistent than to try and solve all their problems. She has nothing to support her idiotic qualities."

"Suzumiya is not a quitter; her new world is proof of it." Koizumi said. "This is your chance, whether you like it or not. Take it or leave it, but do not forget that Suzumiya cares for nothing else. She will finish all of us if given the reason. I have no power over your judgment but in spite or sincerity do what you must to make connections, relationships. Play her game. It is the only way to end this world and the danger Suzumiya, no, Suzumiya's powers imposes on us."

There was a long pause between both of us. We had both thrown our reasoning into this conversation. We were locked in a momentary stalemate. He was obviously trying to force this on me, like Haruhi, you, and all the other people that were too busy but had the time to trust me with their own problems. I saw you sitting there quietly watching as Suzumiya abused all of us, as I yelled at her for it. What do you care?

"I haven't much time left; my abilities are nearing its limits." Koizumi said. "I'm sorry Kyon, I am asking too much from you as it is, but you have to understand what this means for everybody, please.

"If I make connections," I began. "You'll find a way in? You can help me right?"

"I can help, but it is nothing compared to what you can do." He replied.

"What I can do?" I said skeptically.

"What will you say to the Haruhi in this world?" Koizumi asked. "Everything depends on it.

"You don't have to keep saying it." I said. "I'll just do what I must to get you here. What about the others? Will I be able to speak to them again?

"That is up to you to decide." Koizumi said.

The call ended.

I woke up the next morning. As I lay half asleep in my bed I wondered if everything the previous day was just a dream, and that I'd be waking up where my mom would be making breakfast downstairs and I'll see the old Haruhi again in school.

"Ow…" I groaned feeling pain in my legs.

It appears that my little sister was waking me up as she always does. So she's here, I never was in another world after all, though she was unusually violent this morning. Ouch, what the hell?

"You." I growled, starting the day with a nice dose of surprise and annoyance. Not just that, the realization that all this was no dream. The little girl from yesterday was on my bed, pounding away at my leg. I recognized her short brown hair and the expression that would have warned anyone of her reckless personality. I was sure she knew I was awake from the way we met eyes while I was glaring at her, yet she ignored me and continued to hammer away at every part of me she could reach with her little fist.

"Stop!" I said jumping out of the bed and out of her range. "How the hell did you get into my house? I was sure I locked everything. You better not have broken anything to get inside!"

I was rushing into the hallway to check the windows downstairs. This brat, out of all the burglars, thieves, and serial killers, I let this one enter my house unnoticed.

"I didn't break anything!" She called. "You're the one who left a key under the mat!"

I stopped and turned around knowing that I did no such thing.

"There was a key under the mat?" I asked but decided to drop the question. "How long have you been here?"

"Since last night." She replied. "Nice place you got here. I'd love to say it's not as nice as mine, but then again, I don't have a home."

"You were serious?" I asked.

"Yeah!" She smiled.

"Get out."

She began to sniffle, acting as if she was about to cry.

"Please!" She begged on her knees. "I have nowhere else to go!"

"I said no!" I said.

The girl smirked immediately ditching her act of sadness with an almost disturbing speed.

"Too bad, I'm going to stay anyway, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!" She laughed.

I tried to grab her to throw her out manually, but she dived between my legs and made it down the halls to the stairs. After a long tiring chase around the house, somehow I managed to catch her. It was strange though. At first it was as if she was a phantom, slipping out of my grip when I was sure that I had her. She was having a great old time messing with me. Eventually I got her, it was difficult and I was expecting her to slip away again, but I got her. I wasn't letting go. I dragged her by the collar, placed her as 'gently' as I could outside at the door step, dusted my hands off, and did not hold back when slamming the door, as the brat continued to smirk at me tauntingly at the doorstep..

I was unable to believe how the second day in this new world had started. I'm beginning to doubt that I'd last long at this rate. I took a deep breath to help relieve some of the stress. That girl was outside, away from all range of my senses. She was out of my hair.

I had more serious matters at hand. Apparently, this world was nothing close to a dream. At times it feels more real than the old world; and at times more surreal. Not only that I was given a goal to work towards last night during that conversation with Koizumi. That's right; I had to get to school.

No matter how many times Koizumi tells me that the old and new Haruhi are the same, it doesn't get me any closer to saying what I need to say to the old Haruhi. Even if I did, I don't have a doubt that it won't get through to her. The new Haurhi knows nothing about me, or the old Haruhi. That's all it takes to separate the two.

When I arrived at the classroom, saw the long black haired Haruhi at her seat, unpacking her bag. The other people in the room were irrelevant.

Connections, relationships, how hard can it be?

"What will you say to the Haruhi in this world?"

I'll… say hello.