This fanfic is currently under construction and the chapters are therefore subjected to minor changes. I apologise for any confusion.

*: spoiler: happening during the light novel The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi. Yes, sorry about that.

SURPRISES

Koizumi Itsuki was released from the hospital the following Sunday and returned to school the next day.

He was rather glad that Nagato used her skills to reduce the harm and that he was able to be in good shape so soon. It wasn't that he got bored in the hospital; on the contrary, it was as though the clubroom has changed into an infirmary.

As Koizumi walked his way to school, he thought of the large work that awaits him after school. He wondered what Umi could've possibly said or done to worsen Suzumiya-san's mood or ignite her dislike. Umi's background seemed clean; perhaps Suzumiya-san saw her as rival for Kyon? Or had his incident perhaps caused her feelings to become unstable and sensitive? It was difficult to guess.

But speaking about his incident…

He still remembered faintly the expression of Suzumiya Haruhi seconds before he fainted and wondered whether she had worried over him when he was in comatose just as she had worried when Kyon was hospitalized*. He had asked Kyon this and the frowning young man had dryly answered with, "Of course" and added that she would be just as worried if the same should happen to Nagato or Asahina. This disheartened Itsuki a little.

Still, the thought of Suzumiya-san worrying about him was enough to warm his heart a little. Even if this kind of concern does not extend to him alone, even if she was perhaps a little bit more worried during Kyon's accident*, being aware that the Goddess he so admire – and wanted, but never got as close to as Kyon did – had stayed by his unconscious side, he felt that perhaps from now on, a little more of his smiling mask would be genuine.

- -

"Found out anything about Umi?" said Kyon as they walked together to the clubroom.

"I'm afraid not," said Itsuki, "So far, her record seems clean."

Kyon frowned as he tried to think of any reason why Haruhi would dislike her. To him, Umi seemed like a very friendly, polite and good-natured girl – not to mention cute. But it would seem rather odd if Haruhi disliked a person for no reason at all, even if she was a person who likes to do meaningless things.

"Kyon, if you frown for too long, you'll have more wrinkles than hair strands," said a voice behind him.

Their club leader caught up with them, carrying a paper bag in her arms.

"You should talk," snapped Kyon, "You're the one who used to carry a sour face 24/7 when I first met you."

"That's because now with the SOS Brigade, we've got nothing to be really sullen about."

Itsuki heard Kyon mumble something about "having even more reason to frown about", but Haruhi ignored him and turned to Itsuki.

"Good afternoon, Suzumiya-san," said Itsuki with a smile.

"Oh, hey, Koizumi, how do you feel?" said Haruhi.

Kyon raised an eyebrow. Well, this isn't something you hear everyday.

Itsuki thought so too. It was rare to see Haruhi showing concern this way.

"Oh, much better, like I haven't had that accident at all," replied Itsuki, this time his expression truly genuine.

"That's great to hear," said with Haruhi with a little smile.

Wait – did she just smile when she said that? thought Kyon and Itsuki.

"Anyways, look what I got," said Haruhi, oblivious that she had just stunned both boys with her sudden show of friendliness. She showed them the paper bag. "Tsuruya-san's given us local tea from Hokkaido. Let's hurry to the clubroom so we could get Mikuru-chan to make them!"

She ran ahead of them.

"It seems Suzumiya-san's in a good mood today," noted Itsuki.

"All the stress from your incident must've gotten to her," said Kyon.

- -

Haruhi didn't do anything else strange in the clubroom that day. Kyon thought that this could probably be one of those very, very rare occasions when she just felt like being friendly to someone and was almost sure that they won't see it happening again.

How wrong he was.

After the club, instead of running off by herself, for the very first time, Kyon saw her wait for Itsuki and walk with him outside the school.

Now this was a phenomenon. Who knew she would suddenly take interest in that plastic-smile esper?

It's not that Kyon had something against it, but he thought he'd better have a talk with Koizumi tomorrow about this.

- -

The next day, before going to the clubroom, Kyon cornered Koizumi outside his class and questioned him about his conversation with Haruhi.

"She didn't say anything special, really," said Koizumi, "We talked about how I would plan the next murder mystery, and thought up ideas for the next Christmas activity." He paused. "Actually, the one thing that intrigues me is the contraction of the enclosed spaces that day after a large expansion the previous days."

Kyon sighed. "Well, that girl has mood swings like a chameleon skin, so don't be so surprised."

As they walked towards the clubroom, however, Koizumi suddenly said, "You might this is too absurd to believe, but - well, for some reason, I felt that during our walk, Suzumiya-san seemed to have changed her attitude in a positive way towards me."

Koizumi saw Kyon frown at him from the corner of his eye.

"You're kidding, right? No offense, but I can't really see why she would do that. She didn't become more friendly to me after my comatose*, so why should she be to you? Plus, it wasn't really like you were dying there anyway." Kyon paused. "It's probably the aftereffect of all the stress and emotions in the hospital."

Koizumi couldn't disagree with that last bit. However, he'd stick to what he just told Kyon. Even though his conversation with Haruhi was nothing out of ordinary, he just felt there was a positive change in her attitude that he can't quite put his finger on.

- -

Haruhi didn't surprise them with more rare friendly gestures on that day and the next day. And the day after that.

She treated Koizumi the way the Brigade members are used to and never accompanied Koizumi after their club hours.

Kyon soon dismissed Koizumi's claim as his usual bullshit and snorted at the possibility that Koizumi believed this himself. After all, why should Haruhi decide to treat him better?

- -

As Haruhi walked out of the school building during the last school day of that week, she saw Koizumi standing out of the school gates, his face facing the other way.

Having went to the toilet, she was the last Brigade member to leave the school ground, so she wondered whom Koizumi was waiting for.

It wasn't until she got nearer that she saw him talking to some people.

Bowing in front of Koizumi, holding out an envelop in her hands, was none other Umi.

Though her face was facing downwards, her pink cheeks were obvious as she said, "Koizumi Itsuki, I really like you. Please accept this."

Another girl, dressed in the same uniform as Umi's, smiled by her side.

Koizumi wore a smile of surprise on his face, but before he could answer, a cold voice next to him said, "Well, what do have here."

To be continued...

Mademoiselle X

Hm, I'm a bit worried... Is it too fast paced? What do you think? Anyways, white pralines for those who've reviewed and got me out of my torpor! I'll do my best to finish the next chapter tomorrow! Look forward to it!

- Mademoiselle X