A/N: I apologize if my recapping of the Vanishment of Haruhi Suzumiya and the Prologue to the Intrigues of Haruhi Suzumiya was a bit dragged out, but I needed some exposition for the readers who haven't read the light novels, since those events are significant to the plot I have in mind. Peace. ^^
Chapter 7
I felt extremely disheveled today. After yesterday's events, I felt so dragged out to the extent that my fatigue right now would rival the time when Haruhi and I edited that accursed movie for the cultural festival.
Nevertheless, I was happy. Nagato and I have already come to an understanding of each other's feelings, and we already have a plan to prevent Haruhi from doing anything stupid. Only something like Asakura coming back to stab me again could ruin my day. Damn it, stop asking for more trouble!
All I need right now is too see Nagato's plan proceed from conception to fruition. When Haruhi is no longer threatened by my relationship with Nagato, things will be shipshape by then. Maybe by then the club might start doing more normal things, instead of running around, looking for mysterious people and events. Not that the SOS Brigade itself wasn't chock-full to the brim with mysterious people, but of course Haruhi doesn't know that.
I then began the arduous journey up the hill going to North High. I've already gotten used to this damn hill over time, and it might even be responsible for my stamina in keeping up with Haruhi. I could imagine Koizumi lecturing me on the cardiovascular benefits of such a trek. Irritation flickered through my mind, but when I imagined Nagato doing the same thing, it didn't sound so bad. Hell, it was great. After all, it did involve Nagato..
When I was halfway up the hill, I looked back and in the distance, I saw Kouyouen High, the exclusive all-girls school. My thoughts again turned to Haruhi's vanishment, and of course, to that other Nagato. At least I didn't have to sacrifice Haruhi and Asahina-san to have a Nagato that liked me. I may not look it, and I may always complain about her, but I never really regretted meeting Haruhi Suzumiya. After all this time, she's grown on me. She's also changed, for the better. If you had told me in my freshman year that Haruhi would trick me into a treasure hunt just to make me dig up Valentine's Day cakes she, Nagato, and Asahina-san made, I'd probably ask if your diet consisted of moldy curry and spoiled smoked cheese.
But now, to business. As I walked across the latter half of the hill, my thoughts were on Nagato's execution of the plan. She told me last night that it would take her quite a while to reprogram Haruhi's perception of our relationship. Hmm. I wonder how many days it would take..
I decided to just relax and let Nagato handle things. After all, like she told me so long ago after she had defeated Asakura,
"I am adept at manipulating data."
How adept she was though, remains to be seen. Though she had done exceptional things before, this time, she would literally be toying with a god's perception of reality. Notwithstanding that said god is oblivious to her omnipotence, her occasionally irrational thinking could really get dangerous.
When I reached North High, I checked my watch, and realized that I was an hour early for my first class. Yesterday's events probably screwed up my body clock. Or it could just be the fatigue. Besides, Haruhi probably wouldn't even be here yet, so I decided to kill time at the SOS Brigade clubroom. Put that computer to good use. Maybe even play Day of Sagittarius against the AI. As I walked towards the former Literature Club clubroom, I made a mental note to ask Nagato to teach me how to micromanage and divide my fleet up. I opened the door, all ready to get jacked into the game when I saw that Nagato was already there, reading a book. I had a split-second to see the title of her book out of curiosity, and I saw that it read Eclipse. She looked up at the source of the noise, and when she saw that it was me, she smiled and slightly tilted her head towards me. All my thoughts of playing Day of Sagittarius were gone. I started for her, tempted to engage in physical contact with her, just to let her feel that I would always be there for her.
However, it was as if she could read my mind. Perhaps she could. In any case, she held up a finger and said,
"Not now. Do you recall what I said last night?"
"Okay, fine," I dejectedly said. "We have to lie low until you're finished."
"That is correct. I am also suppressing my desire for you right now, if it makes you feel better," said Nagato.
"Don't worry, it does," I said sheepishly.
She nodded and went back to her book. I suddenly remembered the title of the book she was reading right now. Eclipse. How fitting. Our relationship right now would be akin to the moon blocking the sun's rays from reaching the Earth. We were deliberately blocking any signs of this from reaching Haruhi, not just for our own safety, but for the safety of the whole world. If she even considered hurting Nagato, I still had my trump card up my sleeve. The words came to me easily.
"I am John Smith."
That was my ace in the hole. And it all started because Haruhi made us write our wishes on bamboo leaves on Tanabata a year ago. That was when Asahina-san brought me back in time to four years ago, with respect to the present. That was when I helped the younger Haruhi Suzumiya vandalize the grounds of East Junior High, with a sleeping younger Asahina-san on my back. If it weren't for the presence of the older Asahina-san in that time plane, I wouldn't even have known what I should have done. The younger Asahina-san actually lost her Time Plane Destruction Device, and we only made it back because the Nagato there synchronized with the Nagato from three years into the future from her perspective. Having shared the future Nagato's memories, she froze Asahina-san and I in time, until Tanabata of last year. Mission accomplished.
I turned on the computer and waited for it to boot up. Since it was a top of the line model, it only took around half a minute for it to get started. I then booted the game software so I could play Day of Sagittarius. While I waited for the AI to randomly generate a map (I was playing a mod designed by Nagato herself, during one of her Computer Club sessions. The mod enabled the map to have a semblance of terrain, symbolized by asteroid belts. Those spots would be inaccessible to the fleet you controlled in the game.), I realized that at one point in time, which would be Tanabata last year, there were four Kyons and three Asahina-sans existing all at the same time.
Yare yare. Time traveling gives me a huge headache. I hope Haruhi doesn't amplify the one I'm having right now later. No doubt she would be pestering me about Nagato's love interest, which happened to be me. I still had to think of a good way to deflect Haruhi's attention from the matter until Nagato was finished.
The game's map finally was finished loading, and the words "GAME START" flashed across the screen. I decided to fully focus on this one on one AI game, so I could relax. I began my attempt at micromanagement, but I discovered that I could only manage up to four separate scouting fleets, the main fleet included. I sighed. I need Nagato's help on this one.
Then all of a sudden, I was looking at the monitor with a stunned look on my face. "GAME OVER."
"What the hell? I haven't even encountered the enemy yet, but the game's over? Hey, Nagato, what's with this map anyway?" I asked.
A year ago, Nagato would probably just ignore me. But past is past, and Nagato stood up when she heard my voice. She went to my side and inspected the game that ended before it even began.
"Ah. I see the problem. The asteroid belts that were randomly generated in this map were formed in such a way that you could not possibly find a way through them. Thus, the reason for the game's termination of the scenario."
"So you're saying that the game trapped me, and I couldn't get out."
"Yes. I apologize for that. I was the one who wrote the code for this modification. Perhaps after everything is over, I could rewrite some of the code," said Nagato.
"If it's not too much trouble Nagato-san, could you teach me as well?" I asked. Hey, a man can do what he wants to spend more time with his girl, right?
"Of course.. Kyon," replied Nagato with a small, but definite smile.
With that, she went back to reading her book, while I excused myself from the clubroom. Staying there any longer wouldn't benefit me, as I would only be tempted by Nagato's presence.
I immediately went to our classroom, and saw Haruhi sitting in her chair. I dropped my bag beside my chair, and sat down.
"Yo, Haruhi."
"Kyon! Any news on Yuki?"
Okay, here's the tricky part. I had to convincingly turn Haruhi's attention away from this whole business. The easiest way to do this would be to tell her that I was completely wrong.
I decided to do just that.
"Nagato told me that she didn't feel much for anyone, with an exception for the SOS Brigade. And even then, she told me that she didn't love anyone else in the Brigade," I said.
"Really," said Haruhi. She then lapsed into silence. She was probably thinking about my response to her question.
She was silent the entire morning. How uncharacteristic of her. Normally, she'd be poking my back with her pencil, ready to share some more of her ideas with me.
When lunchtime came, she did not bolt out of the classroom as usual. Instead, she grabbed my tie and dragged me out of the classroom.
"Haruhi.. What the?" I exclaimed.
"Shut up Kyon. Let's get somewhere private. Ah, this will do," she said, while opening a door to our right. Oh great. What luck. A broom closet. How cliché.
"What do you want, Haruhi?" I hissed.
"I considered what you said that Yuki told you, and I couldn't think of anything. Except one thing but--"
With that she broke into laughter.
"What?" I said scornfully. "What's so funny Haruhi?"
"You told me that Yuki said that she didn't feel for anyone else in the Brigade, right?"
"Yeah. So?"
"She was talking to you, wasn't she? Maybe she meant that she didn't feel for anyone else in the Brigade," said Haruhi.
"What's your point?"
"Damn it Kyon, do you even speak Japanese? In that context, she meant that she didn't like anyone else. What if she liked YOU?"
She then burst into laughter.
"The idea of Yuki having those feelings for you is just.. hilarious!" laughed Haruhi.
How could she be an idiot, and still hit the nail directly on the head by simply grasping for straws here? She never fails to amaze me.
"Damn right it's hilarious. Seriously, Haruhi, if you keep jumping to these insane conclusions, nobody is going to take you seriously."
"Okay, fine then. But the idea of Yuki liking you, you of all people, is just really funny!" giggled Haruhi.
Oh really? So how come Koizumi keeps implying that you like me? You don't think of yourself as funny, do you? Besides, I still refuse to believe that Haruhi Suzumiya likes me. No offense Haruhi, but I'm happier with Nagato anyway.
With that, she opened the closet door and said,
"See you Kyon. I'll be patrolling the school for more mysterious events."
And with that, she hightailed out of the closet and sped off.
I then went back to the classroom and just sat down in my chair. Taniguchi and Kunikida were both nowhere to be found. I was bushed, so I decided to take a nap.
When Okabe-sensei arrived, I was violently woken up by a blow to the back of my head. I reluctantly looked at the source of the blow, knowing full well who it was.
I wasn't wrong.
"What the hell Haruhi? You didn't have to smack me to wake me up!"
She just stuck her tongue out at me and sat back down. As usual, Okabe-sensei's words seemed to enter one ear and exit the other. Just like that, the afternoon proceeded uneventfully.
When the bell for the final period rang, Haruhi began to drag me to the clubroom. I resisted and said,
"Hey, at least let me drop off this heavy bag at my shoe locker."
Strangely, she relented, but not without a warning:
"If you don't arrive in five minutes, you're going to have to pay for everyone's lunch the next time we go out."
I sighed and went to my shoe locker. I was about to place my bag inside, when a bookmark fluttered out and fell on the floor. Ah, I wonder what Nagato wants this time? I checked the bookmark, and in Nagato's neat handwriting, the note said, "Meet me in your classroom."
Okay, now I had to go back to my classroom from my shoe locker. At this rate, Haruhi's going to burn through my wallet like a hot knife slicing through butter.
When I got to my classroom, there she was, stoically standing there, as though she had been waiting for quite some time.
"Hey Nagato. How long have you been waiting?" I asked.
"… Fifteen minutes. Do not worry about it," she replied.
"Okay, that's good, I guess. So, what's up?"
"Based on the data I have gathered today, I may have to inject more nanomachines into you."
"Why is that?"
"Do you remember Mikuru Asahina firing various weapons from her eyes?"
"Yes."
"That was Haruhi Suzumiya's doing. Every time she replaced the contact lenses, a new weapon would take the form of the Mikuru Beam. Do you also recall how I had to keep injecting nanomachines into Mikuru Asahina?" said Nagato.
"Yes."
"Good. I am letting you know that the situation is somewhat similar. For additional protection, I must do the same to you. I also cannot risk losing you now," said Nagato.
Aww. How sweet of her. I smiled at her when I heard that.
"Neither can I, so I guess I'll have to do what you say," I joviantly said. "Well, let's get to it! But first, shall we lock the doors, please? I don't want idiots like Taniguchi to run into us again, when we're alone in a classroom."
"As you wish."
Once I had locked all of the doors, Nagato immediately got to work, gently biting my wrists. I tried with all my might to prevent myself from showing her any form of intimacy, per her instructions. It wasn't easy.
"It is finished," she said. "Let us now go to the clubroom."
When we walked into the clubroom at the same time, I saw Haruhi's eyebrows turn up and rise about an inch. I sure hope Nagato does what she has to do quickly, before Haruhi catches on.
"What took you so long Kyon? And how come Yuki is with you?"
"I ah, uhm, had to ask her for help in stuffing my bag into my locker. You did see how huge it was, right?"
"Okay, okay, I guess," said Haruhi distractedly.
We better execute this plan, the sooner, the better.
Nagato just proceeded to the corner and continued reading Eclipse. Koizumi simply invited me to play a game of Othello, to which I obliged. Anything to distract me. My life points are too low right now for any more stress. And then that was when I noticed the anomaly.
"Where is Asahina-san?" I asked.
"Oh, she said she'd go home early today. Said that she had to teach her mother how to make some tea for their guests who are coming over soon," answered Haruhi.
Woah, she actually let Asahina-san go early. That certainly doesn't happen every day.
And so the afternoon just went by uneventfully. When Nagato closed her book and stood up, we all packed up and left the clubroom. As Haruhi, Koizumi, Nagato, and I were walking, I realized that I had left my bag in my shoe locker. I bid Haruhi and Koizumi perfunctory goodbyes, and I just nodded to Nagato, trying to follow her instructions. I dashed to my shoe locker and retrieved my bag, and walked out of the building.
However, someone intercepted me as I was walking out of the building.
"Kyon-kun.."
"Asahina-san! What are you doing here?" I asked. "Aren't you teaching your mother to brew some tea right now?"
"No. I had to think of something to tell Suzumiya-san so I wouldn't have to stay in the clubroom. There is something I have to ask you," said Asahina-san.
"What is it then?"
"Is there anything going on between you and N-Nagato-san?" she asked.
Oh crap. How could she possibly know? Or is she grasping straws as well?
"What makes you say that?"
"I overheard your conversation with Nagato-san in your classroom shortly after the last class ended, so I thought...,"
Oh crap. Mikuru Asahina had me.
"Oh. I see."
"Kyon-kun, I want you to be careful with what you and Nagato-san are doing. Be careful of what Suzumiya-san might do if she finds out about this. If ever there is something to begin with...," she mumbled.
"It's alright, we've got it covered," I said.
She flinched when I said that. It took me a second to figure out why. Oh no, I said "we." Well that definitely confirmed her suspicions.
"O-okay Kyon-kun. I wish you and Nagato-san… g-good l-luck," stammered Asahina-san.
I was horrified. As she said that, I saw tears forming in her eyes. Immediately, she turned away from me and ran away.
Oh no. She may have been able to deny wanting me because of her being a time traveler, but her finding out about me hooking up with Nagato might have been too much for her to handle.
As I walked out of North High, I sighed loudly. I'm sorry Asahina-san. I'll make it up to you after all of this is over.
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A/N: Sorry for making Mikuru-chan cry guys. :|