A/N: Everyone, I am terribly sorry for the excruciatingly, painfully late update. By right, I should be updating faster, now that I am out of work and back in school, but my old gaming habits have caught up with me, and my frequent 'house crashing with friends' does ruin my schedule a lot. With my sincere apologies, here's the fourth, and second final chapter to this story. I do hope you enjoy it, and if you notice any English or character mistakes I made, please drop a review so that I'll be noted (then again, if you wish to review this story for the sake of reviewing, go ahead).

Also, as stated, this is the second final chapter. Therefore, be prepared to wait quite a while for the next, and final, chapter, as I will do my best to make the finale the best. Your kind understanding is deeply appreciated. And sorry to everyone who enjoyed this story; I do not wish to make this fanfic too long.

Turning my back, I was greeted by the warm smile of a familiar face, and the emotionless stature of another recognizable character. The former waved his hand as if we hadn't seen each other in a long time. Busted.

"Here's some dessert for you, sir!" the waitress placed the serving of green tea ice-cream on my table, "compliments from the nice gentleman behind you!"

"Uh, right, thanks…" not knowing how to reply.

"Good afternoon, Kyon," Koizumi greeted me, "why don't you come over and have a seat with us?"

Not having the correct state of mind to improvise quick enough, and thinking that it would be better to stall for more time, complying seemed like the best option. Picking up the ice-cream, my cap, and not forgetting the library book, I took a seat next to Nagato, who seemed to have eyes on my library book.

"So, Kyon," Koizumi continued, "I do believe that Suzumiya-san said something about you having an errand to run, or something along those lines. Am I correct?"

"Yeah," I replied, trying not to give an explanation.

"So I believe that you've gotten it done already?"

Yep. It just ended the minute you greeted me.

"I guess so," I replied, still trying to run away.

"I see. And what did you want to do?"

Dammit, honestly, I don't feel good like this. The best option to choose now would be to make Haruhi happy, and lie to two of my closest friends. But, lying to them wouldn't be a good thing. Sigh, I give up. Let Haruhi bite me for all she wants.

"Tell you the truth, she wanted me to spy on you," I sighed at last, giving up.

"She?"

"Who else?" I gave him the 'Haruhi-totally-forced-me-to-do-this' look.

"Okay… but what I do not understand would be why she'd want you to do that," the eternal smiling face scratched his chin in wonder.

"Believe it or not," I swallowed an imaginary ball of air, bit my pride and decided to tell them Haruhi's mad plan, "she thinks the two of you are dating. Feel free to laugh."

What I expected was Koizumi to start laughing, and Nagato… to be like her normal self. What did happen though, was quite different. Koizumi just had this look of surprise on his face, and Nagato did have a reaction, if halting her hand in mid-air before grabbing another slice of her cake was called a reaction.

It really was quite awkward.

"Look here," I reasoned out, "it's Haruhi we're talking about here, right? Obviously she'll just think of something temporal, and then forget about it sometime later on."

"Perhaps…" Koizumi replied, looking to be deep in thought.

"When did this start?" Nagato asked all of a sudden, creeping the life out of me. She never asked anything that did not concern her… or did this concern her?

"Uh- just… yesterday," I replied, not knowing what to expect next. Nagato only asked questions that concerned the safety of Haruhi or anyone else… for her to ask something 'personal', that was something that meant I had to watch my back.

"I'm fairly certain that she suspected a little sooner than that," Koizumi commented, making me turn to him.

Wait a second… you mean they were together? My mind has just been blown.

"Okay, right now," I cleared my throat, wishing to make a stand, "I have absolutely no idea if Haruhi really did think of it that seriously, and I have no idea whether she's really hardcore about it too. What I do wish to know, though, is if there is something between the two of you."

Koizumi turned his head to Nagato, who was just looking down at the chair. If she had anything, be it an expression or whatnot, it was not visible. However, I could feel that she was trying to withhold something.

"I guess it's a secret no longer, Nagato," Koizumi sighed, as he took another bite off his dessert.

"What isn't?" usually, I'm not the nosy type, but the curiosity was too much for my stature to control.

"Let's just say, Kyon," Koizumi continued, "that you had the powers of Nagato. What would you do, if you had other intentions other than the ones given to you by your superiors?"

"You mean, like for your own personal intentions?" I replied, trying to grasp exactly what he was trying to say.

"Exactly," he replied, his smile fading, "and that is what our dear Nagato here has done."

Turning to the alien, I noticed that she didn't wish to make eye contact, with either of us, which I found strange. Was she trying to hide something?

"And what exactly did she do?" I asked in wonder.

"There has been some errors with me," the girl replied, still not facing us, "but the Integrated Data Sentient Entity believes that this does not interfere with the observation of Suzumiya Haruhi. It does not believe that terminating the errors will enable simpler monitoring."

Did that answer my question at all?

"And what errors would these be?"

"Emotions," Koizumi stated bluntly.

Remembering back to the events of entering the altered universe Nagato created, where everyone was a normal human, I recalled that Nagato said something about the IDSE threatening to delete her because of some errors, which I thought were emotions… but here, if what she and Koizumi are saying is true, that means the IDSE was actually okay with her having emotions…? Or was it because her emotions back then had something to do with Haruhi?

"Nonetheless," I said, breaking the awkward silence, "if what you are saying is true, and she does have emotions, it definitely has caught Haruhi's attention, which is why she threw me into this fray. What is puzzling me, though, is why the two of you are together."

"She knows it will catch Haruhi's attention faster if she went to contact you," Koizumi explained, his smile back on his face, "Asahina-san wouldn't do much to help her, approaching Haruhi herself wouldn't be a logical solution. Thus, being the only one who understands her best, I apparently was the most logical, and first choice of person she approached."

Self-praising show off.

"So she approached you to help her cope with these new… experiences of hers, am I correct?" I questioned.

"Apparently so," he replied, taking another bite off his dessert, "being someone special myself, I too struggle sometimes to wonder if I can get emotions to drive me. Sometimes it's best to go with what your mind tells you to do, but your emotions may guide you to a better outcome than what you originally believed."

"True that," I took another bite off my ice-cream.

Once the three of us were done with our meal and settled the bill, we walked out of the café, and decided to have a review of what we were supposed to do again.

"Well, Suzumiya-san apparently got the two of us to go mystery searching," Koizumi recalled, refreshing my poor memory of forgetting what I was stalking them for, "and you were supposed to be following us. So perhaps it would be a better idea if the three of us were not seen together, in case our dear Suzumiya-san tries to meet up with us?"

"Good choice," I replied, absorbing what the gentleman said. Though I was fairly certain I'd be able to come up with an excuse good enough to fool Haruhi if she did see us together.

And thus we split paths. Koizumi and Nagato walking off towards deeper into town, me trying to "stalk" them, just in case Haruhi had any ideas of spying us. What I did instead was just finish the library book I borrowed, not wishing to make a waste of the effort of going all the way to the library to borrow something, only not to finish it.

Once Koizumi and Nagato were out of sight (which was not supposed to happen), I decided to take a stroll, in the direction they last went, reading at the same time. But as hard as I tried to focus on the book, the words were the last thing to enter my mind, which was trying to think exactly what was going on with Nagato, and why the IDSE did not bother to threaten Nagato anymore.

My mind traced back to thinking of the Nagato back in the alternate reality, where she was the shy, and sole member of the literacy club. I shuddered thinking of the Nagato I knew now acting that way, and how Haruhi would react if that did happen. And, what's more, is the fact of the IDSE. If it threatened to delete Nagato back then, but not now in the present, what was the problem back then? Was it not emotions, or was it? Curse, all this really can make a worried mind hurt, a lot.

Still, I could not help but be happy for her. I was hoping that one day she could gain emotions, and get along with everyone else in the brigade, and now here, she practically has confessed that she has emotions, or at least that's what Koizumi thinks. Nevertheless, it was a sign of hope, and a good sign that I could build up a better friendship with her.

Also, I could not deny the fact that Koizumi was a suitable person to approach to, when in need of any consultation for… anything. He was the only one I could comfortably talk to in the brigade, and he does provide valuable insight to what I ask him for. Also, I have admitted the fact that Nagato and Koizumi being together is quite a good combination, and if they were together, I have no doubt that Nagato will learn how to manage her emotions properly, as well as gain a better understanding of emotion itself.

Sigh, all I can do now is wait and see how Koizumi will progress with Nagato. They are a good combination, but I do doubt that Haruhi's motives really are what she thinks it is. After listening to both Koizumi's and Nagato's explanation, I'm fairly certain it's just Koizumi counseling the alien, nothing more wild than that.

The vibration in my pocket snapped me out of my daydreaming, and I took out my phone to see something I didn't want to: an incoming call from our 'beloved' brigade leader.

"Hello?" I greeted.

"Kyon, you done yet?" I heard Haruhi's voice, calm and gentle. No screams or explosive greetings. This does not make me feel comfortable.

"I guess," I replied, "you've wrapped up the search?"

"Yeah!" came her energetic response, "Once I dismiss the search group, meet me and Mikuru-chan at the town square to tell us everything!"

"Yes ma'am," I replied, heading to the library to drop off my book first.

"They are acting pretty close, but that's all I could monitor from a distance," I lied, not wishing to expose Nagato's secret to Haruhi, "any closer and I'd be busted immediately. I doubt you'd want that."

"Well, no matter, it still confirms it!" Haruhi exclaimed, "they are together! I was right all along!"

"But-but, they may just be building friendships and-" Asahina-san stuttered but got cut off quite fast.

"That's evidence already! It's just the first parts of building a full relationship!"

I sighed, not bothering to make any comment. Already knowing that they weren't really together (at least in theory), I decided it wasn't worth the time to argue a pointless argument with Haruhi. Let her assume all she wants, it doesn't matter as long as she doesn't do anything too outrageous.

After a few exchange of words, or more like a war of words (a very one sided one), Asahina-san and Haruhi finally stuck to the conclusion that 'Koizumi and Nagato still do not want their relationship to be revealed', where everything would (hopefully) stay calm and where it should be. With that, Haruhi declared the meeting over, and I finally could utilize the most of my weekend for my own personal reasons.

"Anyway, good work, Kyon!" Haruhi praised me as she left for her home, "this won't be the end of your work though! We'll need your help next time!"

"No problem at all, glad I could help," I replied. Wow. Haruhi thanked me, that is going to take some time to get used to. Guess I've accomplished quite a feat there.

"Bye, Kyon-kun!" Asahina-san said as she too walked off, "sorry for landing you into this!"

Glad you recognize your wrong there, Asahina-san.

As I prepared my walk home, I saw a familiar face walking in my direction, oblivious to exactly what happened between me and the two ladies, or perhaps aware of it all along. Approaching him, I decided to confirm my suspicions about whether he was aware of Haruhi still being extremely persistent about seeing him and Nagato together, and whether he really was with Nagato.

"Ah, good afternoon Kyon, we meet again," Koizumi greeted me as soon as he saw me approach him, "had another meeting with our dear Suzumiya-san again, I believe?"

Suspicion number one confirmed. Proceeding with the second one.

"Good guess, you hit the nail," I replied, greeting him with a wave while at it, "she's still not giving up. Guess that's Haruhi for you."

"No denying that," he replied, "but besides brigade business, what would you be doing now?"

"Nothing in particular, really."

"Very well, could you spare a few minutes of your time? I was looking for someone to talk to. You just happened to be the first one I ran into. Mind a drink?"

"As long as it's your treat, I'm all for it."

"No problem at all."

I wondered why he'd want to talk to me; it seemed quite out of place for him to do so. Koizumi was the type who would seem quite steadfast, without any need of emotional support whatsoever. So perhaps this talk had something to do with Haruhi.

We ended up at the nearest McDonald's, which was just along the lines of the town square. After Koizumi ordered and got the drinks, we got seated, and I got the ball rolling.

"So really, what did you ask me out for? I doubt it's just for the company."

"Oh no, not at all," he replied, the usual smile on his face "I have quite enough company back in the Agency. This has to do with something else, not really related to the brigade and Suzumiya-san, but a topic where she has shown interest in."

"I see. This is about Nagato, then?" I asked flatly.

"Indeed," his smile immediately disappeared, his normal cheerful face replaced with one of a little sadness, "as you know, she already has given the both of us a status report of her current situation, where I am doing the best I can to help her."

"Alright. But there's been something strange happening with her?" I inquired, concerned for him.

"You are half right. There has been something strange going on, but not with her. To put it simply, the problem lies with me, down here," he put his right hand over his left chest, where the human heart would be.

"A problem with the heart?" I asked, not expecting it to be literal.

"Correct. As normal people would say, the heart is the one that guides emotions, am I right?"

"I believe so."

"Hmm. Then the problems with emotions will not lie with Nagato anymore then, it will be lying with me."

"You?"

"That's right," Koizumi sighed as he took a sip off his drink, a frown where his smile was supposed to be, "I am not sure whether it is Suzumiya-san's doing, or whether it is my own heart betraying my beliefs."

I waited for him to continue, as I never had seen this friend of mine behave in such a melancholic manner before. The next words that he spoke, though, shocked me.

"Whether it was Suzumiya-san triggering it or not, the end result is the same.

"I do believe I am in love with Yuki Nagato."