- Chapter 5: Keep Me Happy
I then stood on the edge of a thirteen-and-a-half year cliff and prepared to leap. That was fun, though a little nauseating. It made me really appreciate how Miss Asahina must have felt after traversing a few centuries into this era. I then wondered if this was how Haruhi herself had felt, preparing to follow her mother into a dramatically unfamiliar situation. All her life, her home had been this nice, peaceful place. Now, there was this bus ride to a place she'd never been before to wake some of her feelings of insecurity. Maybe I'm being a little melodramatic. It does make this into a more interesting story, after all. I honestly wouldn't give myself that much credit, though. My life is interesting enough as it is without me being a drama queen about it.
I don't think Yuki could relate to any of this cognitive theory I was toying with. In her mind, psychoanalysis is really the more effective treatment for any kind of mental ailment, so there was no chance of her being able to pull this kind of stunt in the past. Even so, I now had an appreciation for her approach to things. I found myself wishing that we could have just talked this over with Haruhi, using symbolism and sympathy and interpretation to accomplish what we needed. It made a lot more sense than standing on some unfamiliar road going by an old farm. After a few moments, I started to recognize this hill, and I traversed to the top (where I knew there would be a bus stop).
With me, of course, was Miss Asahina. She seemed like she really enjoyed this method of getting around. She was certainly well-prepared, and that struck me as a pleasant surprise. I had been expecting her to continue the trend of being bumbling and a little scatter-brained (but that's probably just some projection on my part). The more I spoke with her, the more I really came to appreciate her point of view, and it wouldn't be a stretch to say that I was already infatuated with her. She does have a lot of weird, esoteric knowledge of future events and various time planes that she keeps to herself, and that bothered me in the sense that I could ruin her otherwise untainted view of the past with my idiotic perspective. I think this was probably part of the reason why she was so candid with me, as we approached the hill top.
"I should let you in on something," she said.
"Oh?" I asked.
She admitted, "I think I caused that little difficulty you had with Miss Suzumiya."
So, I was right? I asked her, "You're the same person as that Tanabata incident?"
"Yeah," she answered.
"How was any of that your fault?" I asked, skeptical now.
She replied, "I didn't really prepare the way I should have. I think you'd have been a little more discreet had I done that."
"Oh," I said.
She then added, "Plus, we did rendezvous too early. Miss Nagato had been about to prepare you, but I messed that up."
"No problem," I told her. "Actually, it's probably more fun this way."
"Jeez," she complained.
I explained, "I kind of like the idea of Haruhi thinking I had all the answers and then discovering that I was clueless."
It gave Haruhi an odd familiarity with me that I must admit was appealing. I initially hadn't wanted anything to do with her, but her way of being insistent was just too cute. It also gave her a much broader perspective on the world than she had had. It made her more in tune with the insanity in the world itself, and that in turn made her a much better artist (in my humble opinion). It was a dramatically valuable change in her life that I didn't want to see go away, and I wondered if that would be one of the effects of this little intervention.
"So, you formed a band?" Asahina then suddenly asked.
"It wasn't my idea," I answered. "Haruhi just suddenly decided that."
"But you turned out to be a musician?" she asked, sounding disturbingly skeptical on that point.
"You sound like that's surprising," I noted.
"It is, for me," she insisted.
"Why?" I asked. "It's a nice way to pass the time."
She answered, "You just don't strike me as the type."
"Why is that?" I pestered her.
"Well..."
"I never would have guessed Haruhi to be the type to be so in tune with the artistry of music, but you see how that turned out."
Asahina then had a look on her face like she had received an order of Kobe steak instead of hamburger, and was at a loss for how to handle it. It made me wonder about the way she perceived me, though. I'm an artist, damn it. But stupid school keeps getting in the way. I then noticed Asahina glancing at me in a knowing way. Interesting. Somehow, she understood, though she hadn't really expected me to act on this ambivalence. In a way, I was finding my way out of the machine of myself and discovering the mysterious world of feelings.
I then guessed, "You've never heard her music, have you?"
"I have," she answered, "but it's probably not what you're thinking."
We then found ourselves at the top of the hill. Just as I expected, there was the bus stop, though it was a little more old-fashioned than I had pictured.
"Is this it?" I asked.
"Yeah," she answered.
"We're here a little early, huh?" I observed, noting how it seemed like the middle of the day.
She admitted, "I wasn't sure what time we needed to target, so..."
"Right," I acknowledged.
I then went and sat at the bench.
"You have any idea what you're going to say?" she asked.
"No," I answered.
"Maybe that's a good thing," she decided. "It wouldn't be good to sound like you'd prepared a speech."
"Just wake me up when it's time," I said.
- x -
I had been kidding, of course. I didn't expect to actually fall asleep at the bus stop bench, but I did somehow. Actually, I was just surprised to suddenly find Asahina poking me in the arm with her finger.
"Whoa!" I said, bolting awake.
"It's starting to rain," she softly explained.
"Oh, is that all?" I wondered.
She added, "I just remembered that that was the trigger."
"You're prepared this time?" I asked, unnecessarily.
"I brought my umbrella," she answered, "if that's what you're asking."
I hadn't noticed the umbrella. One more thing to give her kudos for. Just as I was starting to realize that Asahina had over-prepared a little (probably a reaction to her screwing up the Tanabata incident), I saw this young woman and a little girl appear. It didn't register in my mind who they were when I first saw them.
"Oh!" the woman said. "Hello, there."
"Hello," I said, starting to recognize them.
"I hope we didn't intrude," she added, looking a little embarrassed.
I got up and invited her, "Feel free to sit. I just had a little nap."
"You sure?" she asked, then immediately began to sit. "That's very kind of you. Thanks."
"No problem," I assured her.
"So, where are you headed?" she asked.
"Nowhere in particular," I answered.
"Oh?" she said, doubtful.
I explained, "I don't have anywhere to be right now."
"That's too bad," she remarked.
"Yeah," I agreed.
I wasn't sure how, but it really did feel like a bad thing that I was stuck in one place. Things were about to get interesting for me, too. I cleared my mind of those thoughts. They weren't helpful.
"So," Haruhi's mother asked, "what do you do for a living?"
"I'm a musician," I answered.
"Really?" she asked.
"That's right," I answered. "I play guitar."
"Sorry to hear that," she casually returned.
I laughed and asked, "You know about playing music?"
"My husband plays," she answered, "so..."
"Oh," I said. I had somehow forgotten that detail.
"This is my little girl," she added, indicating young Haruhi. The girl seemed unrecognizable to me, though. She was far too sedate and calm to be Haruhi, surely!
"Your little musician-in-training?" I asked.
"Not if I can help it," she grimly responded.
"That's probably for the best," I admitted. "You wouldn't want to be a performer."
"Why is that?" she asked.
I answered, "It's a pretty messed-up way to live."
The woman looked down, a little unsure how to respond to that.
I added, "I'm sure you've heard this kind of thing dozens of times."
"Yeah," she answered.
"No point in boring you with my story," I said.
"Actually, I'm curious," she told me. "How did you end up becoming a musician?"
"My mother," I answered, "as it turns out."
"Oh?" she asked.
"I started playing guitar as a way to annoy her."
"I see."
"I guess I was a rotten kid."
"I'm sure you had your reasons."
I'm sure she was curious, too. Something told me that it wasn't quite the right time to say. It was just too personal, and she would never cross that line with a complete stranger. She glanced around and then noticed Asahina.
"She doesn't talk much," Haruhi's mother remarked.
"Huh?" I said, then added, "Oh. Yeah, Miss Asahina here isn't much for conversation."
"Really?" she asked.
"We just met, actually," I explained.
Nevertheless, this extremely beautiful girl seemed very relaxed around me, and I'm guessing that had to mean something in this woman's mind. I think it was at about this point that she decided to trust me.
She asked, "I don't mean to pry, but why...?"
"Why...?" I prompted.
"It's nothing," she dismissed it.
"Why did I annoy my mother?" I guessed.
"Yeah," she softly responded.
Just then, a bus pulled up, and the woman looked relieved. I sensed, however, that she was still curious. I waited until she started to get up, first.
"It was basically about money," I explained.
"Yeah?" she asked, turning to briefly look at me.
"Isn't that what it always is?" I asked.
She then seemed a little unsure about whether to get on the bus.
"Isn't this your bus?" I asked.
At that point, she then started to get on, but then she turned and looked at me again.
"I didn't catch your name," she prompted.
"That's okay," I said. "Maybe next time."
"Thanks for the chat," she said, then continuing on.
The bus then pulled away, a moment later.
"So?" Asahina asked. She sounded a little worried, but I just smiled.
"That should do it," I answered. "Yeah, I'm pretty confident we changed her fate."
Asahina observed, "It sounded to me like you might have made her averse to becoming a musician."
"You really see it that way?" I asked.
"Yeah," she answered, looking a little unsure.
I chuckled and nicely remarked, "How little you really know about Haruhi."
- x -
Haruhi does fret constantly about money. I'm pretty sure some of it comes from that little incident. My own mother has told me numerous times that I've never changed, so it stands to reason that Haruhi even at a very young age began to fret about money, as well. Haruhi's mother would surely observe that and decide that being a good role model was more important than money problems. It's not a huge change, but it is a change.
After explaining that, Miss Asahina was satisfied, as well. Or at least she seemed to be. We then leaped back ahead to my time, emerging in a park. A moment later, Haruhi somehow showed up.
"Having fun?" she asked me.
"Oh!" Asahina said, noticing Haruhi.
"Hey, Haruhi," I greeted her. "What're you doing here?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing," she answered.
I stated, "Probably the last fun thing for a while. Oh, and Merry Christmas."
"Christmas?" she asked.
I answered, "I assume you were told where I was as a favor."
She then turned to Asahina and said, "I really wanted to see this mysterious time traveler."
"Hello," Asahina greeted her. "You won't ruin my reputation, will you?"
Haruhi just sneered, looking for a moment like she might really do that.
"What am I saying?" Asahina asked herself.
"I told you, you know?" Haruhi reminded me.
"Yeah, yeah," I said. Sheesh. How long Haruhi likes holding onto her petty grudges.
"Anyway," she continued, "I had to agree to not interfere in your business."
"My business?" I asked.
She explained, "I assume she meant your pathetic student life. Or maybe this internship you insisted on taking."
"Oh, right," I said, remembering what Yuki had told me the previous night. "Yuki did tell me that she wanted to talk to me."
"Yeah. So..." Haruhi started, turning back to Asahina. "Any chance I can see the future?"
"Sorry," she answered. "That's classified."
"It was worth a shot," Haruhi remarked.
Asahina then complained, "I really should be getting home, actually."
"See you two later," I said, going home to my place.
- x -
I had been dreading that evening, but Yuki went easy on me. She arranged a rendezvous at a book store. It was a very relaxed atmosphere, and it did a good job of putting me at ease. For a while, we just sat and read.
"So, what's this about?" I eventually asked.
"Can I not persuade you to change your mind?" she asked me.
"This again?"
"I am not permitted an autonomous destination in this world. I must go with Suzumiya."
"You must?"
"While Suzumiya exhibits the data we need, I must be prepared to observe. That is my function."
It sounded weird. I mean, I know Yuki is an alien, but this is just too weird to believe.
"No," I said.
"No?" she asked.
"I don't believe it," I stated.
"Whether you believe it is irrelevant," she remarked.
"You can't just leave," I softly protested.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"Do you care at all how I feel?" I complained.
From the hurt look on her face, I could see that she really did.
"Sorry," I said. "I don't know why I said that."
"Did you care about your music?" she asked me.
"I guess I had that one coming," I admitted.
She then reminded me, "You would be rewarded for your work, if you were to go with us."
"Yeah, I know," I said.
She then added, "You could attend university there. You would find the opportunities are better."
I sighed and decided to reconsider. I then said, "Well, let's just suppose I were willing to go along with you on this risky adventure."
"Okay," she said.
I then asked, "Are you going to be able to translate for me? I mean, my English isn't that good."
"You would adjust," she said.
"Maybe," I admitted. I then asked, "Would I adjust to all my old friends and family being thousands of miles away?"
"Yes," she answered. "I think so."
"What do I tell my mother?" I asked.
Yuki didn't seem like she knew how to respond to that.
I then continued, "When she asks me about all my plans for the future, what do I say? Am I supposed to just abandon everyone? What about my professors and friends who gave me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work at a place I always wanted?"
"That's up to you," she answered.
Could I really throw away a good career just for Haruhi? No way! That's just asking too much. No matter how important Haruhi is or thinks she is, it just can't add up to the value of doing something you know you enjoy. I mean, how many opportunities do you get to work in radio nowadays? It's unheard of, right? And playing in a band is like the oldest cliche for not really working in the history of cliches. It's ridiculous.
"Yeah," I said. "I guess I just can't take that kind of leap, the way Haruhi can."
"Really?" Yuki asked.
"Anyway," I added, "I doubt Haruhi can stay away all that long, can she?"
"I don't know," she admitted.
I predicted, "She'll do another three or four albums and come running straight back home."
"Perhaps," Yuki said. "Perhaps not."
I then asked, "Does she really want to live in Canada? I just don't get that. Why so far away?"
"It's what she wants," Yuki replied. "I don't question it."
I then asked, "You sure you can't stay? Even if it's just for a few weeks in a year, that would be fine with me."
She paused for a few moments and said, "I'll see what I can do, but I can't promise anything."
- x -
As you can plainly see, I don't really deal well with stress. I suspect Haruhi is a little the same way, though she does enjoy inflicting stress on others. The next day at lunch, I went to the club room and was surprised to see Asahina.
"Hello," I greeted her.
"Hello," she responded.
I sat across from her at the table and said, "I thought you went back to the future."
"Not just yet," she said. "I have a few things left to do."
"Okay," I said.
"I still need to study Miss Suzumiya," she explained.
"I see," I said.
She added, "I was told that it will prove to be valuable for future research."
"Sorry," I sincerely apologized.
"For what?" she asked, sounding a little surprised.
"You'll find out," I predicted. "Oh... I don't suppose you mind life-changing drama going on around you all the time, do you?"
"Why do you ask?" she inquired.
"No reason," I answered. "Anyway, I'm sure you'll have lots of fun in Canada."
"Canada?" she said, looking surprised again.
"You didn't know?" I wondered. "That's where she's headed in another couple days."
"Really?" she asked. "During the holiday season and all the traffic?"
"I know," I said, thinking of all that waiting in line.
"You aren't going?" she then asked.
"I'm staying," I said.
"Okay..." she said, nodding.
I remarked, "Stressful, isn't it?"
"That's okay," she answered. "I don't mind this type of thing."
"Really?" I wondered.
She added, "It's a lot like what was going on with Miss Suzumiya's mother, actually."
"Oh?" I asked.
"She was deciding whether to go or stay," Asahina explained.
"Right," I said. "I forgot all about that."
She said, "You convinced her to be strong and stick it out. Or so I like to think."
"You don't know?"
"I haven't checked. I'm not sure I want to know."
"I have my moments."
"So, you're going to stay and be strong, too?"
"Yeah. I guess I am."
"I'm glad to hear it."
Hearing Asahina talk this way was really giving me second thoughts. Was I really being strong and sticking it out, or was I just taking the easy way out? I didn't know.
"What?" she said.
I asked her, "You don't think I'm being a coward and just avoiding doing the crazy things Haruhi would prefer?"
She answered, "I think staying is what she wants you to do."
"You think so?" I asked.
"Yeah," she answered.
- x -
A couple days later, I went to the train station to see everyone off. It's pathetic and cliche, but how could I possibly avoid doing this? I looked around and noticed Asakura. She seemed quite anxious to be leaving.
"Hey," I said.
"Oh, hello," she answered, giving me her usual smile.
I explained, "I thought I'd drop by to give my farewells."
"You should know better than that," she nicely scolded me.
"Yeah," I admitted. "Haruhi really hates this kind of thing."
"She really hates feeling sad," Asakura added.
Now that I thought about it, I'd never seen Haruhi really upset about anything. It seemed strange to even think of her that way.
Asakura then stated, "She doesn't show it, but she is pretty depressed about leaving."
"Really?" I said. "Maybe I can persuade her to not leave."
Asakura then chuckled and said, "Oh, no you don't. I went through a lot of trouble to arrange all this."
"Oh!" I said, realizing. "So, going to Canada was your idea?"
"That's right," she answered, "and if you were smart, you'd be coming with us."
I then folded my arms and told her, "You're not reeling me in that easily. Oh, hey. Look who's here."
Miss Asahina then appeared. Once again, she seemed like she was a little over-prepared.
"Hello," she said, seeing us. "I see we've started saying our farewells. Oh, jeez. I'm going to start crying, already."
"Is she...?" Asakura started to ask.
"I'm fully prepared," Asahina stated. "Which train are we taking?"
"Don't worry," I assured her. "If you miss it, I'm sure another will be along soon enough."
"That's no good," she said. "Whatever we do, we should just do it when we can."
Asakura then started to look like she was having second thoughts.
"You're right," I agreed. "No sense in wasting time."
Haruhi then appeared, and she said, "Oh, hey. Hello again."
"Hello," Asahina responded.
"So, you're going with us?" Haruhi asked her.
"That's right," she answered.
"All right," Haruhi said, starting to laugh. "We're trading up. I like it. Come on, Mikuru! We have a train to catch."
Haruhi then began pulling Asahina by the arm toward a stairway down to the train's loading ramp.
"Goodbye!" Asahina called out. "I'll see you later!"
Just about then, Yuki appeared, and I called out to her, "Hey. So, are you really going?"
She nodded, stopping to take a look at me.
"Oh," I said. "Well, have a good trip."
"Thanks," she said, then starting to leave again.
This was just too much. I wanted to be angry, but it was suddenly funny. I began laughing, and Yuki stopped and looked at me again.
I asked her, "Are you really going to leave without a goodbye?"
"I..." she started. She then stopped and turned, hurrying down the stairway after Haruhi.
"Ouch," Asakura remarked. "Well, talk to you later."
Oh, well. That was about what I expected, anyway.
- Fin
- x -
- Extra
- Closure
Proofreader: Is it just me or is this story missing something?
Author: Whatever could you mean?
Proofreader: I think you know what I'm talking about.
Author: (laughing) You crazy Hollywood types. Always expecting things to end on an upbeat note. Jeez.
Proofreader: We've had this discussion before, you know.
Author: Oh?
Proofreader: The first volume.
Author: It's provocative.
Proofreader: Yes.
Author: It requires a proofreader to exercise a little forbearance.
Proofreader: It forces me to come up with extras, is what it does.
Author: Go right ahead.
Proofreader: (sigh) I really prefer a nice, normal story.
Author: I know. This is why I like to write this way.
- x -
- Three weeks later
Back at Kyon's place. Yuki is reading while Kyon gets a call.
Kyon: Hello.
Haruhi: Hey!
Kyon: Oh, hey Haruhi. What's up?
Haruhi: Koizumi just showed up out of the blue.
Kyon: He did? Strange.
Haruhi: Yeah. Things are getting a little cramped here. What's it like on your end?
Kyon: Don't ask.
Haruhi: (laughing) Another fight with your mother?
Kyon: (sigh) You could help me out a bit.
Haruhi: Not a chance. Oh, you have those new riffs?
Kyon: Yeah. A couple. I'll email them, once I can figure out how to do that.
Haruhi: Just have Yuki do that. You know you aren't technically inclined.
Kyon: Yeah.
Haruhi: She really is my best writer. I hate to admit it, but it's true.
Kyon: She did do all our best sellers.
Haruhi: (groaning) Don't remind me.
Kyon: I think she's looking at me funny, now.
Haruhi: It kind of pisses me off, though.
Kyon: What?
Haruhi: She's been cranking out these lyrics over the last couple weeks. We played a couple of them here and the locals went absolutely nuts for it.
Kyon: Really?
Haruhi: I know. Maybe it's the weather around here. Asakura loves it, but it's really starting to get me down. Especially with these new lyrics.
Kyon: I see. So this is why Yuki is here.
Haruhi: Yeah. I figured she could use a vacation. I know I could use a vacation from this style. I mean, I like heavy metal, but this material is just brutal.
Kyon: Nonsense. You're having a ton of fun, aren't you?
Haruhi: (laughing) Oh god! I really am, huh? I'll talk to you later.
Kyon hangs up and looks at Yuki, responding to a look.
Kyon: She seems like she's in a good mood.
- x -
- The Book Club
A coffee shop. Kyon is sitting with Kunikida and Taniguchi.
Taniguchi: Have you read that?
Kyon: What?
Taniguchi: That latest Haruhi book. It's some crazy stuff.
Kunikida: Oh, you mean "The Apotheosis of Random Numbers?"
Taniguchi: No, I meant the new one.
Kunikida: There's another one?
Taniguchi: "The Exaltation of Madness." It's quite an entertaining read.
Kyon: I've never even heard of those. Books?
Taniguchi: You really should read them, you know.
Kyon: No thanks. I like to read good literature.
Kunikida: "Apotheosis" is really good, actually. It's this murder mystery about a young boy who witnesses a fight between his father and a yakuza boss. It turns out that the kid is an android.
Taniguchi: He doesn't realize he's an android, though. That's the cool part. He learns about that later on. At first, he refuses to believe it, but...
Kyon: What's the other one about?
Kunikida: Yeah. I'm kind of curious, myself.
Taniguchi: It's great. It's about this guy who transforms into a cat. The thing is, though... He gets stuck as a cat, and he ends up trying to figure out how to free himself from that form. In the process, he ends up falling in love with the two women who take him in. The first woman turns out to be an alien, and the second woman turns out to be a movie star.
Kyon: That sounds uncomfortably familiar.
Kunikida: I have got to read that.
Kyon: ...
Taniguchi: So? You want to borrow my copy?
Kyon: I'll pass.
- x -
- Spoilers
Proofreader: What? No spoilers this time?
Author: Yeah. I decided to just level with the readers, this time around.
Proofreader: How very mature of you.
Author: Ahem, yeah. That and I couldn't think of a clever way to segue into a psycho killer reference.
Proofreader: (laughing) That one is killing me. Don't worry, though. I think the readers will love it.
Author: ...
Proofreader: I love it that we've been spoiling everything long before we actually write it.
Author: What were we doing for volume 13?
Proofreader: Grab bag? Wasn't that whatever you wanted?
Author: Oh, right. Right. And I decided already. Jeez... Where did my mind go?
Proofreader: So? What did you decide?
Author: You'll love it. It's the 'Haruhi doesn't use her powers' volume.
Proofreader: Oh, wow.
Author: Yeah.
Proofreader: So, this explains all the homeless references, huh?
Author: Huh?
Proofreader: ...
- x -
