This update came later than you expected, eh? Hahahaha!!! (Evil laughter)

Yeah… this fanfic is nearing its end! Oh, yeah!

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It was all very sudden; all too sudden for my liking. It was the day of my birthday that even I had forgotten about; just too sudden. A mail came from Haruhi's mom bearing dreadful news.

Haruhi…

I arrived covered in oil, sweat, and other bodily excretions at the front gates of a large hospital. My heart was pounding and my legs were aching. My body was becoming heavier with each passing second like I was some kind of truck being loaded for an all-night delivery cruise.

"It's this place…"

I was on fire. It was blatantly obvious that I was worried about Haruhi to the point of death-by-worry. Even with the use of similes, I can't stray from that fact. Darn it. Why did that have to happen?

And on my birthday, on top of that…

This is no time to make hilariously stupid metaphors and clever, but sarcastic idioms!

I swallowed my pride and took my first step inside.

. .

Inside the hospital was like business as usual. There were nurses walking about doing their errands and responsibilities while patients were coming and going past me.

I guess nobody knows that the all-powerful god of the universe is currently lying in a hospital bed, eh?

"Are you perhaps Kyon-kun?"

I turn back and immediately recognized the woman who talked to me.

"Ah, Suzumiya-san. Good afternoon."

Since this here is Haruhi's mother, no matter how down I feel, I should act proper. And the least Haruhi could do is to do the same whenever she's with my obnoxious dad. Seriously, I can write at least a hundred and eight reasons why my dad and Haruhi are the most influential people in my life.

At least her mother's not anything like Haruhi…

"Good afternoon to you, too, Kyon-kun…"

She's being very nice today despite the fact that her eyes are red. She must've been crying the whole while I was not here.

"You came here a little late. I mailed you this morning."

"Ah, yeah. Sorry about that. I didn't check my phone until this afternoon…"

As I thought, she's a bit angry at me. However, I shouldn't cower on a corner like some wet and terrified cat facing a dog named Spike. I should just scratch my head and apologize again… right? Well, heck no!

"How is Haruhi right now?"

"My, my. You're a smooth one, are you?"

She forces a smile at me and holds her cheek with her hand.

Please. I'm not in the mood for that right now. Well, maybe I do need some cheering up but, as I said, not now.

"Follow me."

Her mother motions me to follow her, which I plan to do anyway.

We got on an elevator, which means Haruhi's room must've been on the upper levels of the hospital… Good going, Captain Obvious. Why else would you take the elevator on the ground floor when there's clearly no hospital rooms on the basement? Well, at least it's less obvious than that monologue that says "People die if they are killed".

Fourth floor, room 102 then.

I had a feeling that I'm gonna see something I wasn't going to like, so before I open the door for both myself and Haruhi's mother, I stop to brace myself. It's not like me to think about premonitions since I myself don't believe in them. But, when it comes to Haruhi, anything that comes to mind is all too possible.

That's not all, I guess. I think there's something else I'm going to find-out when I see her.

"What's wrong, Kyon-kun?"

Now that I think about it, her mother is also calling me by that horrid nickname despite me giving my real name for her.

That's not the time to think about those things, Kyon!

… Did I just call myself that, again? Quit it!

I need to get myself back together or I can't face Haruhi, especially in her condition right now. I don't know why, but I have the feeling that I'm gonna cry today.

"Ah, it's nothing, really. I was just murmuring to myself."

Ah, well. Time to suck it up.

I gulp a mouthful of delicious saliva and turn the knob to her door. The moment the door creaked open, Haruhi's mother dashed straight in, passing through me.

How rude, I must say, but I can't blame her. As a parent, she must be worried about Haruhi. It must've been tough leaving her just to pick me up downstairs… pressing buttons on the elevator and walking for a couple of minutes must be tiring.

I felt a chill on my neck. Yet another bad feeling comes to me.

Inside, unsurprising as it is, are a few familiar faces, as well as a couple of faces I could live through my whole life without seeing again.

"Kyon-kun…"

Asahina-san, combined with teary eyes of moe-moe, was the one of the few people there that I'm happy to see

"You're late, 'ya know!"

Tsuruya-san… Even with the disaster that happened, she still has a smile on her face… but it's rather obvious that the smile itself is forced.

"Ah, yes… I'm so very sorry…"

Besides the two girls, Nagato, and Koizumi was there as well.

Oh… and I shouldn't forget about…

"Oh, long time no see, Kyon-kun."

"Asakura-san… No. Yeah, it's been a while."

Asakura Ryoko-san is among one of the people there that I'd rather not meet ever again. Well, if she's here, then I guess she's worried or something. I wonder… if I get hospitalized, what would Asakura-san do? Heh, she'll probably take the opportunity and slice my throat! Hahaha!

Hmm… I think she's also wearing a necklace with a pendant the shape of a knife…

"Asakura-san, are you perhaps trying to tell me something with that necklace?"

"Oh, my, Kyon-kun. What ever could you be talking about?"

She smiles innocently; as innocently as that of a robber "kindly" asking for a bundle of cash.

I shouldn't start an argument in this situation.

More importantly, after the short greetings, I quickly turn my attention to the person I came here for.

Haruhi…

…? Where is she?

"She's been sleeping since the accident…"

"Sleeping…?"

Come to think of it, there is a bed on the room.

I think my heart suffered an electric jolt a million volts strong when I saw the occupant on the bed.

"She's…"

"Koizumi… care to explain what I missed?"

Koizumi looks distressed; a treat for me, but sadly, I cannot enjoy that treat right now.

"Well… Suzumiya-san was hit by a truck this morning when she was…"

Hit by a truck!? Isn't she God or something!? How the hell can she get hit by a truck!

Sigh… Calm down…

Koizumi stops his speech and clears his throat. It's blatantly obvious that he's hesitating to say any more details. Well, he's does still does have a human nature, after all, even if he can fly in the sky like some dandy fairy in a big blue ball of mass destruction.

Then, when I finally get the feeling that he was going to continue, he instead frowns and shakes his head.

"I need to get some air."

With that said, he goes out of the room.

That's one essential character down.

Ah, well. I can live without him any day!

"Suzumiya Haruhi was run-over by a truck speeding at forty kilometers per hour at exactly seven hours and nineteen minutes after midnight."

Ah, Nagato. You were so silent I forgot you were there. And please just say 7:19 a.m. will you?

Wait… don't. That would sound so unlike you that I'd bet dogs would cry just hearing it.

"During the accident, Suzumiya Haruhi sustained a fractured skull, right clavicle, right humerus, and left femur, internal bleeding, and a shattered pelvis. She lost consciousness immediately after the impact and has been under since."

Good old Nagato; informative and direct as always.

"The doctors said that she's fine now, but they also said that she'll most probably have a useless left leg after."

Asakura-san is as cruel as ever. Is she still pissed about that time when she failed to kill me? Actually, that was the time when I though, "Ah, Nagato is so cool. I bet she'd become a great on-screen fighter like Jackie Chan or Steven Segal; parrying millions of spikes like that."

Wait a minute. Jackie Chan and Steven Segal never did that. The feat alone is crazy!

That's the first I've ever heard of a limp god… not that I know a lot of gods, anyway.

"But Haruhi will be fine, right?"

Everybody in the room except, obviously, Haruhi who was sleeping soundly on her bed, nods their head.

I sigh. What's a limb or two if she's still going to be all right after all this? I mean, what? A man like me shouldn't lose interest in a woman just because she has some shortcomings, right? And we're talking about Haruhi here. If I was to list her shortcomings, I'd probably be able to save a notepad file a hundred kilobytes large.

And besides… I think her shortcomings were what attracted me to her…

"Kyon-kun…"

Koizumi's voice crawls eerily to my ear.

"Can I… talk to you about something? In private."

In private? No way in hell am I going anywhere in the world, even if it's to the convenience store with just you and you alone!

I glare at him and notice that Nagato was walking to Koizumi's direction. Oh, is she coming, too? Then there should be nothing to worry about!

No, Koizumi still bugs me.

"Asakura-san?"

This is Koizumi we're talking about. If by any chance that he's up to no good like I always get the feeling he will someday, I'll have Nagato there. But still, that's not enough of a security for my dignity, so I'll regretfully have to ask Asakura-san to go with me.

On one hand, I don't trust her, but since Nagato's not doing anything about her, she must be safe, and if Koizumi is going to talk about Haruhi, then normal people like Tsuruya-san and Asahina-san (minus the fact she's a time-traveler) shouldn't get involved.

"Yes?"

"Can you come with us for a second?"

She pauses, looking all surprised that I was asking something from her. But she quickly recovers from it like it was just a pinch on her cheek.

"Uhh… okay."

. .

Koizumi lead all three of us to the smoking area of the hospital where, unnerving as it is, is empty.

"So, Kyon-kun. Can I ask you something? Is it possible for a god to meet an accident in such a perfect sequence?"

Why are you asking me that? I never took world history seriously, so I'm sure I don't know the answer.

"Let me rephrase the question, then. Do you think it's possible that Haruhi, who is the all-powerful god, would meet such a terrible and painful accident that may cost her her left leg's use when she could've just controlled the circumstances unconsciously like she always did, and escape with barely a scratch?"

I think you just made the question a bit longer… but at least I can understand what you're saying better.

"I don't think that's possible."

Asakura-san giggles. I don't know why, but she knows something and that something is making her laugh.

"Then what was the reason for her accident, Kyon-kun?"

My instincts tell me that I'm being blamed somehow.

"Are you blaming me, Kozumi?"

He doesn't answer and, instead, asks me another question.

"Did you know what she was doing so early in the morning, Kyon-kun?"

How the hell should I know? I'm not a being as insane as an esper or a technologically advanced alien or some, no offense, freakishly irrelevant time traveler?

"No, I don't."

"And do you know what today is?"

What today is…?

Hmm……

Uhh…… Today is nothing so special, right?

"Kyon-kun. Today is your birthday."

Oh… Right. I got 'ya.

"So, what?"

Koizumi looks all disappointed at my response. What? My thought process isn't as complicated as an esper like him, right? I'm not as clever as those people in Star Trek nor could I think at superhuman speed like that male lead from some corny anime people watch with an accelerator on the back of the guy's molar.

"Let me ask you another question, Kyon. Have you received Suzumiya-san's birthday present for you?"

Now that I think about it, no I haven't… but I'm used to it. She never gives me any presents on the day of my birthday, anyway. Usually, she'd give it to me a few days after said date.

"No, I haven't."

"And did you notice that small package on the table?"

Where are you getting at?

"You mean that small thing wrapped in red foil with a green ribbon with a tab on it?"

Wow. I'm pretty accurate; spectacularly so. I should be a photographer instead.

"What about it?"

Koizumi, as well as Asakura-san, stares at me in disbelief. Nagato is staring at me with blank eyes… again. What is it?

"You're pretty dense, are you, Kyon-kun?"

I don't need to hear that from someone who wanted to kill me.

"We're saying that Suzumiya-san got into that accident when she was going to your house to deliver your present!"

Oh, so that's why she didn't come over today! She was delivering my present to…

Wait…

"Apparently, the driver said that she crossed the street on a green light, and that she had a light look on her face like she was spacing-out or something."

Koizumi is telling me opinions right now, which is weird…

"You can't be serious. Tell me what really happened!"

He pauses again and grunts, unsatisfied.

"You're really dense, Kyon-kun!"

I said I don't need to hear that from somebody who carries a combat knife to school!

"You're on your own."

Eh?

"What?"

He smiles at me.

"God would be angry at me if I told you."

I don't think God being angry with you is as much of an issue as having four angry knuckles making quick work on your handsome face. Ah, well. Your loss is the world's gain, right?

Hmm… Am I angry or am I pissed? It's a hard choice, really. But I guess all that matters is that Haruhi is going to be all right, limp on the left side or not.

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There! Short update as it is, I felt that I needed to in order to let you guys know that I'm still alive!

Special thanks to Col98 for proof-reading this small chapter and to my cousin for pointing out what could have been a grievous error on my part.

Read and review, please!