Chapter 11.
I went back to the brigade room.
"It's almost time, Kyon-kun. You ready?"
"Yes, but... Kimidori-san... what will we do when we go to the past?"
"We're going to meet with Asahina-san. Then we're going to stay the night at my apartment. Tomorrow we'll talk with Nagato-san and inform her of the current events."
I see... wait a minute. If we informed her of the current events, does that mean that right now, she already knows what was going to happen?
"Nagato... you mean you already knew what was going to happen? Uh..."
Kimidori-san chuckled at my reaction. "Don't worry about the details, Kyon-kun. We will only share the necessary information. You'll see."
"Okay... if you say so..."
Someone knocked from outside.
"Who is it?"
"John?"
Nagato swallowed and held my hand in anxiety. Yes, it was her. Finally, Haruhi had arrived.
"Yes, come in!" I said, noticing that Nagato dropped my hand right away.
And then, she entered. I felt chills running all over my body when I watched Haruhi wearing her usual North High uniform. With long hair, but it was her alright. And with Koizumi behind her, this really felt like going back home.
It was in this moment that I realized how much I wanted to go back.
"Hey, John, stop making that stupid face", she complained. "You look like an idiot."
"Ah, sorry."
"Yuki! How've you been?"
"Uh... fine, thanks..."
"So! Is this the famous SOS brigade room?" she asked. Walking around, she started complaining about how boring it looked. "It needs a lot of modifications... we would need someone to store clothes, hey, at least there's a fridge in here. Do you keep beer in here? So! Where's the time machine?"
"Please excuse her", said Koizumi. "She hasn't stopped talking about this adventure all the way."
I didn't mind at all. I even enjoyed it. The more she talked, the more I wanted to go back. Wait a second, I think I'm forgetting something. Nagato, are you alright?
"Yes, I'm fine", she said, smiling briefly.
"I..."
"It's okay."
"So... where's the time machine?" she kept asking.
"It's right here", answered Kimidori-san, pointing at the computer.
"Are you sure? It looks like an old computer to me."
Nagato answered, and her tone of voice reminded me of the old Nagato that I knew.
"Yes, but only in the three known physical dimensions. It also contains a time traveling program that will be activated -"
Nagato noticed my smile while I was looking at her, and blushed. "Anyway... it's also a time machine."
"So.. how does it work?." asked Haruhi, closing my pending game of solitaire. Hey, you shouldn't mess with other people's stuff! Well, not that I cared, but...
"Please leave that to me," replied Kimidori-san, gently pushing Haruhi's arm away from the keyboard. "We need to be very careful with this."
"Oh... okay."
"Suzumiya-san, I think it's time for us to sit down and explain the plan in detail."
"Okay."
Kimidori-san explained in detail what we should do, how we would meet the adult version of Asahina-san, and how she would take us to the present, before the world was changed.
"So, any questions so far?"
Haruhi raised her hand.
"Yes, Suzumiya-san?"
"Yes. I want to go, too!"
Haruhi's words froze us all.
"You say you're going to three years ago... just when I met John, right?"
"Yes..."
"Please!" Haruhi shouted at the same time she stood up and hammered her empty hands against the table. You have to let me go with you!"
I didn't know what to say. But then Haruhi stared at me. "John! Please! You have to let me go with you!"
"But... I don't know! This could complicate things further..."
"PLEASE!!!"
Then I heard Kimidori-san's reply.
"Sure! You can come, too."
Kimidori-san?!?!
"But there are certain rules you must follow."
"What rules?"
"First, you must avoid contacting your younger self at all costs. Second, you must not try to alter the past at all. Otherwise we would end up in a worse situation than the one we're currently facing."
"I see..."
I wasn't sure if Haruhi would obey the rules. After all, she was born a rule-breaker. Kimidori-san, are you sure everything will be fine?
"Yes, I'm sure, Kyon-kun. You'll understand later."
"Alright, if you say so..."
Someone knocked the door.
"Hello?"
It was Asahina-san.
"Come in!"
Asahina-san opened the door, and as soon as she entered, the computer beeped. The screen turned black, and I saw some words appearing on the screen.
YUKI.N If you see this, then I'm probably no longer myself. It's very probable that my memories may have been altered, too. If Kimidori Emiri is with you, please allow her to continue the process. Otherwise, press ENTER to read further.
"Nagato... you did this?"
Nagato looked at me. "Yes, the escape program is in process of activation."
"Let me handle this", said Kimidori-san. "Nagato-san?"
Nagato-san nodded. Then Kimidori-san pressed the CTRL, ALT and DELETE buttons, making the black screen disappear and the screen turned into the normal colorful display it was before. And a window opened, titled "Time travel Escape Program."
After a few clicks with the mouse, Kimidori-san entered the names of the people who would travel to the past:
Kyon (obligatory)
Nagato Yuki (obligatory)
Kimidori Emiri (obligatory)
Suzumiya Haruhi_
A window popped up, saying: "The subjects have been identified. Time travel program will start when indicated."
Everyone in the room stared at the computer screen.
"So, is that how it works?" asked Haruhi.
"Yes, I made it somewhat user-friendly. Kyon-kun, your backpack."
"I have it right here."
"Do you have the CD and the flash memory with you?"
"Yes, I have them right here."
"Nagato-san?"
Nagato nodded.
"Suzumiya-san, we're going to the past right now. Are you ready?"
"What? Uh..."
"Don't worry, you don't need to carry anything else."
"Okay, I'm ready then."
Kimidori-san clicked on a menu item, revealing a dialog.
"This is your last chance. If you choose to remain in this world, please exit the program. If you wish to travel to the past and return to your world, click on the "Go" button. To return to the main menu, click 'Cancel'. Ready?".
Kimidori-san spoke again. "Kyon-kun, it's your choice."
I looked at Nagato, at Haruhi, and everyone in the room. Did I really want to go back?
Of course I did. But there was a last question I needed to ask.
"Nagato... is it really OK with you?"
She smiled briefly, and nodded. That was all I wanted to know.
"Alright. Here we go..."
"WAIT!"
We turned all to the door, and found a worried Asakura Ryoko, who looked desperate. And from her cheeks it seemed that she had cried a lot. Before I could worry that she would foil our plans or something, she spoke.
"Nagato-san... before you go, I have a request..."
"Yes?"
"When you restore the world to its former state... I'd like to be brought back... even as a human... you know why... please?"
Nagato nodded.
"Thank you... you're free to go now..." she continued, while she began to cry and smile at the same time.
"Alright", I said. "Can we go now?"
Everybody nodded, except Asahina-san who was still guessing what was going to happen. I clicked on the "Go!" button in the popup dialog, and everything turned dark. I started to hear some voices, and felt that my stomach began to go to my throat. I had forgotten this feeling. Please, I feel like I'm going to throw up!
Then I felt like everything stopped moving, and the nauseating sensation went away. When I opened my eyes, everything was dark. "Hello?"
"John?" said a voice to my right.
"I'm here. Nagato?"
"Here", said a voice to my left.
Someone turned the lights on. It was Kimidori-san.
"Wh.. what happened?" asked Haruhi. "Where are we?"
This is... the literature club room! But things are different... there was no computer, but there was an old bookcase.
"Did we do it?" asked Haruhi. "We traveled to the past? And why is it so hot in here?"
"That's right, Suzumiya-san. Oh, it's hot in here because it's summer. But now we must go. Technically, we're trespassing the school."
Saying this, she turned off the lights and we proceeded to escape the school. Luckily, nobody noticed us.
"John..." said Haruhi. "I know that it's not winter, and that it's not afternoon. But still, It's hard to accept that we traveled back in time so easily..."
"Yeah. I felt like this the first time, before I met you here."
"Can we go to a mini mart? I'd really like to find out the date."
What does the date have to do with a mini-mart!?
"What do you mean what does it have to do? Would you like to go around people and ask them what year is it?"
Well, now that you put it this way, no...
"The best place to find out the current date is a newspaper. And where can you find newspapers at this time of the day?"
"Uh... a mini mart?"
"Right!"
But I didn't know if this was OK. After all, we had to meet with Asahina-san. What would happen if we miss the appointment?
"We still have time, Kyon-kun. Don't worry about it."
We arrived at a minimart, and Haruhi looked at a newspaper.
"John! Look at the date!"
"What?"
I looked at the date. It looked like a lucky number, alright. Hey, wait a minute! This is the date! It's Tanabata, three years ago!
"John, let's go!"
Haruhi pulled me by the sleeve and began to run frantically, but then stopped.
"Wait. Where are we going?"
"To the park", answered Kimidori-san.
"Well, what are we waiting for!? Let's go!"
Oh, how I missed seeing Haruhi's million-watt smile. It was exhausting, but I was happy. I was already back in my world... and with a beautiful Nagato that could smile, and blush. What more could I ask?
After a few minutes of running, we arrived to the park. I remember it as if it was yesterday. In that bench, I met with the adult Asahina-san, and she told me to go to the schools to help "someone".
Now, where is she?
"Over here..."
Hiding behind some bushes, there she was. Wearing her teacher attire, and a smile so radiant anyone could fall in love with her.
"Asahina-san!"
Asahina-san sighed in relief. "I was starting to get worried, I was worrying that the date and time could be wrong... but you're here, Kyon-kun", she said, smiling again.
"As I expected, you came too, Suzumiya-san... nice to meet you", she said, bending over a little.
"Uh... and you're..."
"Asahina Mikuru", she said, grabbing her right arm with her left hand behind her back. "A bit older than the one you met, but it's still me."
"Mikuru-chan?"
"That's right!" she said, smiling. "We still have time. What would you like to talk about?"
Haruhi interrupted. "The school... could I go take a look?"
"Just promise me you won't talk to your younger self, okay? Promise?"
Asahina-san stretched her pinky and made Haruhi promise.
"Kyon-kun, after Suzumiya-san finishes watching, remember there's something you have to do..."
"What?"
Realizing I was clueless, Asahina-san put her hands on her waist and tilted her head a little. "Don't tell me you don't remember? Perhaps Suzumiya-san can refresh your memory. Suzumiya-san, you remember meeting John Smith twice, right?"
"Yes..."
"Oh, you're right!" I shouted. That would be the me that is here right now, right? Wait a minute, Asahina-san. Who told you we would be here? Weren't you surprised that we arrived?
She smiled again. "Everything was planned in advance, Kyon-kun! How do you think I got to this rank?" she boasted, inflating her chest in pride. Hey, don't do that, you're making me nervous! You better be careful, or that button in your shirt is going to pop out like a bullet. Sheesh, what am I thinking?
"Now," she continued, "please take Suzumiya-san to the school while I discuss some things with Nagato-san and Kimidori-san. Suzumiya-san, don't go create a major paradox by disobeying Kyon-kun... er... John. Remember the whole universe is at stake. Okay?" she added, while winking.
Haruhi nodded.
"Oh, Kyon-kun, remember to hide from Suzumiya-san and from our other selves. Just in case you forgot."
"Oh, right."
"Well, I'll be waiting for you. Good luck!" she said, waving.
Haruhi began walking towards East junior high.
"John... you're such a perv."
"What?"
"You eyes almost popped out of their orbits when looking at her breasts. At least you could be more discrete!"
Hey, sorry for being a healthy male! And it's not my fault that she's grown so...
"Well, you're right. Now that you mention it, I'm a bit curious. I wonder what size they are now... do you think she'd let me check her out?"
DON'T SAY THAT! I'm nervous enough already!
"Idiot."
Haruhi began speeding up speeding up with every step she took. Wait, you're losing me!
"Well, hurry up!"
Here we go again... a few minutes later, we were there. We managed to take a look at what was happening inside the school. It was weird... looking at myself painting those signs on the sports field.
"So... it was you... it was you, alright..."
I looked at Haruhi at my left, and she was... crying? Is it just me, or everyone here is beginning to get sentimental? First Nagato, then Haruhi, then Asakura, and now Haruhi again. Never mind.
As the younger Haruhi was about to finish the last drawings, I realized it was time to go. If she saw us here, very bad things would happen. "Okay, time to go. Where did you meet me after you went outside the school?"
"A few blocks down..."
"Alright, let's go."
Haruhi and I began our jog downhill, making sure we didn't fall down. A few blocks later, we stopped.
"Here. I was going home this way, and you called me from behind."
"So, this is where we should hide?"
"Uh huh".
We hid behind some bushes.
"So, what did I say?"
"Take good care of the John Smith who would shock the world!", Haruhi whispered.
"Okay."
We waited a few minutes, and I began hearing some child steps approaching.
"Is that you?"
"Let me see... yes, it's me."
It was her, alright. A few steps after she passed us, I stepped out of the bushes, and yelled as loud as I could.
"Hey!"
The younger Haruhi turned around. Here I go.
"Take good care of John Smith, who would shock the world!"
Would that work? It had to, right? Otherwise we wouldn't be here... but deep inside, I said to myself: Please, Haruhi, remember that name.
The younger Haruhi disappeared from sight, and I sighed. "It's done."
"John..."
"Yes?"
I was quite surprised, because Haruhi began kissing me without giving me time to react.
W... what was that for?
"For everything. John..."
"Yes?"
"If you asked me to have sex with you, right here, right now... I wouldn't say no."
Hey, what kind of confession is that!? But before I could utter any word, I was pushed down to the floor, with Haruhi on top of me, and oh my god, they're so soft!
"John... I think... I'm falling in love with you..."
What the hell!?
"It's not fair, you know! You're already taken... at least... let me kiss you once more..."
Dammit, this wasn't in the plan! Haruhi kissed me and I didn't know how to react. Fortunately, we were interrupted by the steps and voices of some people approaching. Fortunately? I don't think so, it's my other self!
"Quick, hide!"
We quickly jumped behind the bushes until they, I mean Asahina-san and I, were out of sight.
"Should we wait a couple more minutes?" asked Haruhi.
"Yeah. Just in case."
"Haruhi, don't do that again. At least, not in critical times like this."
"Sorry."
"No problem."
"John..."
"Yes?"
"Did you like it?"
I had to turn away. "I... refuse to answer that question!"
"Okay..."
Haruhi sat down against the wall. "So, John...in that other timeline... did I fall in love with you?"
"Good question." I remembered the sealed space, and Koizumi's insinuations of telling her "I looooove you...". You know, I hadn't realized until now. I knew she liked me, but to the point of falling in love with me?
"I'm not sure... and I'm afraid of finding out. But you know, Haruhi, Koizumi told me that he likes you."
"Hmmm...."
For some reason, I felt comfortable openly talking with Haruhi about these matters. She had never expressed her feelings in a such straightforward way. She was always using her role as the brigade leader to hide what she really wanted to say.
"John, what will happen when the world changes back?"
What do you mean what will happen? Everything will go back to normal, and we'll be as happy as we've always been.
"Yeah, but what about me?"
"What do you mean?"
"Whose memories will remain? Mine, or my other self's?"
Whoa. I hadn't thought about this at all.
"John... I want to remember! I want to remember meeting you, I want to remember going back in time..."
Hey, that's not fair! Your other self has also the right to remember! Our adventures, our vacations in the lone island, your excellent concert in school...
"It's not fair!" she shouted. "Before I met you, I felt like my life had no sense at all, I don't want to let go! I don't want to lose you..."
"Look, Haruhi, why don't you talk about this to Asahina-san? Maybe we can come up with something."
Haruhi let a long sigh. "You're right, John. Well, let's go." We stepped out of the bushes and proceeded to walk towards the park, where Asahina-san, Kimidori-san and Nagato were waiting for us.
"We're here."
"Just in time, Kyon-kun. Time to go to Kimidori-san's apartment."
Kimidori-san added: "We'll stay there until your other self finishes explaining the matters to Nagato-san."
As we were walking to Nagato's apartment, I kinda imagined us as the hobbits in a jolly trip to meet with the elves in the council of Elrond. Quite a weird group we were: A former deity, a former alien... no, wait, two former aliens, and a grown-up time traveler. And of course, me, John Smith. Just as I was having fun with this mental image, my right arm felt a soft hug. It was Nagato. Nagato, is something wrong?
"I'm scared..."
"Of what?"
"I... don't want to lose my emotions... I like it being like this..."
What a coincidence. Haruhi told me exactly the same thing. Wait... I had forgotten that Nagato didn't want to go back in the first place. And yet, she was here, with me... because she loved me. I began to feel guilty for her.
"Don't worry, Nagato, everything will be fine."
We arrived, and Kimidori dialed the number of her own apartment. I could hear her voice answering from the intercom.
"Yes?"
"It's me, Kimidori Emiri. We have a few guests, including Suzumiya Haruhi."
"Well, that's surprising", replied the Kimidori-san from the intercom. "Come in."
As we were taking the elevator, I could notice that Nagato was getting more and more anxious.
"Kyon... I'm scared..."
"Don't worry, everything will be fine. Right, Kimidori-san?"
"You don't worry, Nagato-san. Leave everything to me."
"But..."
"Everything will be fine, Nagato-san", added Kimidori-san. "Trust me."
"Okay."
As we arrived to the 6th floor, we approached Kimidori-san's apartment. Finally, she rang her bell. Before I could notice, Nagato hid behind me. Nagato, what's wrong?
The door opened, and Kimidori-san spoke. "Come in, please."
Everyone stepped inside, except Nagato and I. Nagato kept hiding behind me, as if she would be somehow punished for being a bad child. She was shaking in fear.
"Nagato-san?" exclaimed the alien Kimidori-san. "What happened to you?"
The two girls, the alien and the human, looked at each other. Nagato's face went pale white, as if she had just seen a ghost. Before I could notice, she fainted.
"Nagato! Are you alright? Nagato!!"
End of chapter 11.
