"I think space is beautiful as well. You don't need to know any of that complicated stuff. If you love it then just go for it. Nobody can tell you otherwise. Don't be ashamed." I replied, feeling high and philosophical. She stared from behind her book for a moment.

"Alright..." She replied with a bit more confidence.

"What part of space do you like the best?" I persisted although it was hard to keep a conversation with her. I'll just have to keep pulling her in.

"I can't remember..." She replied.

"Why not?"

"I just can't..."

"What do you do when you get home?" I asked the Haruhi, whom I knew to be always doing something crazy after school.

"I don't do much. I sit around and read..."

…

Shortly after morning homeroom period had ended, Haruhi had left for the bathroom leaving me sitting alone. I expected Taniguchi or Kunikida to come to talk, but they didn't look like they knew that I was even in the same room. I was about to go over to join them when-

"Kyon!" A very familiar voice called from behind me.

"Yes?" I answered to the voice. The caller turned towards me and approached. It was Asakura Ryoko. I considering avoiding her for a moment but the fact hit me that I'd look like a complete jerk if I did, receiving many glares from my fellow classmates male and female for rudely ignoring, our beautiful class rep. It was my first time meeting this girl. In this new world, I doubt she'd have any intention to stab me.

"Whats up Asakura?" I greeted cheerfully, glad to be on talking terms with Asakura again.

"You know my name! Have you been memorizing?" She asked with even more cheer.

"No, I just heard from somewhere around."

"Even so, it's amazing to keep the name of a person you've never met. I can't remember half the names in our class yet."

"How did you who I was? Let alone know my name."

"To be honest I only knew there was a person named Kyon in the class. I knew it was a nickname so it wouldn't do much good to check the attendance book. I tried guessing but I couldn't figure out who would have such a silly name like Kyon. So I just called it out hoping someone might answer."

Oh ho, that's pretty clever.

"Hm..." She hummed disappointed.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"You don't look like a Kyon... It's not what I expected at all."

"Why is that?"

"Are you the Kyon that joined the Literacy Club club yesterday?"

"Yes."

"Hmph..."

"What's wrong?"

"I was expecting someone more along the lines of Nagato's type." She said examining me.

And what would Nagato's type be?...

"So she told you about me?"

"Yes, lots!"

Lots huh? I only expect Nagato to answer yes and no to Asakura's questions. If it's Nagato, it'd be a miracle if she even answers.

"Thanks for joining Nagato's club, I hope she didn't beg too much."

"Beg? No, not at all." I chuckled.

"I'm glad that there's someone with her now. I was getting worried something might happen to her when she's alone in the room."

Yeah, like a paper cut.

"I have to go now, so I hope we get to talk some other time." Asakura said backing away.

"Sure then, see you later."

"Study hard!" She said as went off.

Now that's a class rep for you.

…

The end of school had finally arrived. After sleeping through square roots and equations for the second time in my life I shook myself out of drowsiness and turned to the person behind me, hastily packing her bag to leave school. After putting the last book in her bag, putting it around her shoulder (almost losing her balance I might add), and swiftly started to make her way out of the room.

"Nyah!" she exclaimed when she felt that her wrist was no longer following her. I was holding on to it.

"I have a place I want you go with me." I said.

"Where might that be?" She asked.

"You like books if I remember correctly."

"Yes I do. What does that have to do with the place you want to go?" she nodded as she asked.

"The last club you'll join for the rest of your life." her eyes opened wide in surprise. I could see her covered eye through her bangs. I pulled her along the hallways in the direction of the literature clubroom. Not sure why I wanted her to join, but it might create some sort of connection if I get two of the original brigade members together.

The door opened with a creak as we entered. Nagato looked up from her book.

"Welcome back." She greeted.

"I brought a friend." I moved aside to introduce Nagato to Haruhi. Haruhi was clinging on to the back of my blazer, hiding from Nagato. I tried shaking her off but to no avail. Nagato came up herself to meet this person. Haruhi jumped when she noticed the stranger had went around and came from behind. Pushing against my back to gain some distance, Nagato followed suit and came closer as Haruhi pushed me further and further away in an effort to dodge her scoping eyes. Having enough of being leaned on I seated Haruhi in a nearby seat and decided to explain to Nagato who she was.

"Her name's Haruhi. I thought she could be a potential club member." I introduced. "Do you think she has what it takes?"

Nagato and I looked at Haruhi, who was flipping through a manga book that Nagato had left on the table. She seemed very interested in it's contents, reading the wrong way. I can tell this was her first time with a manga book.

"Can she read?" Nagato asked pointing to Haruhi who was so entranced by the illustrated novel that she didn't hear our discussion.

"Sure she can. This is a high school, right?"

"Then the more the merrier." Nagato replied searching through some old papers for a club application. She does appear to be mildly interested in this particular new member. She took a seat next to Haruhi and read along with her.

"Is it fun?" Nagato asked.

"This is the first time I've read a book like this. What are these called?" Haruhi was thrilled to discover a whole new type of book that had more to offer for the eyes instead of line upon lines of words.

"It's called manga. We have many more in the club. Would you like to join?"

Nagato's doing a better job than I am getting Haruhi into this club. Perhaps it's better off to allow her to handle this.

"I'm not sure if I can. I have things to do after school." Haruhi said in an unsure tone.

Nagato merely took her by the shoulders and guided her to her bookcase collection of her other mangas. Haruhi pushed her bangs to one side so both eyes can take in the scene of this wondrous gathering of many titles. Sweeping the shelves from side to side she finally reached her decision.

"I would like to join!" She said happily, the first time I've seen her speak with such energy. "I love these new books." she said taking one out that fit her interest. To my displeasure it was book about aliens... I guess Haruhi is still Haruhi, and her inner desires will never falter even when she recreates the world and herself.

The two sat like sisters, both reading at an amazing pace. Haruhi asking questions about the characters, Nagato explaining whatever she had a hard time understanding. Things like, beach trips, festivals, camp outs, things that are obvious Haruhi had never done before. They could've gone all night with this. When it was late and the sun was just about to give out, we got ready to leave. Nagato had lent Haruhi some of her books which she sped home to read as soon as possible. Clutching the books to her chest, she shouted bye as loud as she can with her soft voice, sounding almost the same as the old Haruhi.

"She's cute." Nagato stated. She pulled out Haruhi's application form and looked it over. "So now we have three members. I'll hand this in tomorrow. I'm pretty busy tonight so we can't read together like yesterday" She said. "I have to go shopping. See ya."

Nagato walk off in the direction of her own house. Nagato shopping? It doesn't fit, I doubt Nagato would even know what to buy at a grocery store regardless of what reality we were in. I walked home too, worrying about what to eat for dinner. I don't have parents, I don't have money. The fridge is getting low. Should I have gone shopping with Nagato as well? I should consider getting a part time job... Too much responsibility!!!

"I'm home!" I called out to the empty house out of habit. It felt good to be allowed to shout whatever since I'm home alone.

"Welcome home!" The house called back.

"Man, was it a long day." I replied as I was answering my mother.

"Was it? You must be hungry." Said the house.

"I'm starving..." I gritted through my teeth as I entered the kitchen...

"Yo!" called the little girl from this morning. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. There's not much in the fridge. You know, you should go shopping to get some stuff once in a while. Food doesn't just pop up by itself you know!" She whistled standing on a chair to reach the range as she turned the fire on under the frying pan.

"How did you get in?!" I demanded. I was sure I locked everything. EVERYTHING!

"I used that key under you mat. I saw you the other day pulling it out from under."

I have failed...

"Leave." I snapped.

"Fine then." She hopped off the chair. "I won't make you any dinner. I'll just fine someone else to live with and cook for."

The words put holes in my gut. My hunger was outraged at this statement.

"You can cook?"

"Of course! What idiot doesn't know how to cook?"

As much as I knew that if I let her cook I'm taking chances that she might make something completely hideous and uneatable. It was between two choices. Eat a small bowl of plain rice, and cry myself to sleep with my hunger, or let this brat stay here, and cook. My decision was made.

"Fine! You can stay here! Just go make me some food!" I yelled from the pits of my empty stomach.

"Heh heh heh." She taunted. "What was that I heard?"

"Under one condition!" I added, I wasn't finished with her just yet. I'll milk everything I can out of this opportunity. "Since this is my house I will decide the requirements of living here. If you want to stay you must clean, do laundry, and last but not least cook! As well as any other medial chore I put you to. Basically, you're going to be my servant!" Ha! Take that! Too much? Beg for mercy from your master Kyon!!!

"Meh, no problem. Now get out I need privacy while cooking." She pushed me out of the kitchen and returned inside to get to work."

This wasn't the way I expected things to turn out. If I remember the ingredients that were left in the fridge were extremely hard to work with and can be used incorrectly in inexperienced hands. I'm going to be looking for anything I can find to hold her against and get her out of this house. This better be something top class or more. I sat at the table, waiting like a snobby food critic.

The various sounds from the kitchen worried me that this might be the last day that it might be considered as usual. The clanging of pots and pans, clattering of tableware, the bubbling of some viscous liquid she's cultivating over a fire. Something tells me she knew where everything was and has been using my kitchen a lot now.

It was finally quiet. She must be finished. My small hopes for a proper dinner had spoiled into a hopelessness that kept me from checking the kitchen for the sake of my weak heart. What was the damage? How much would it take to fix it?

The plate of the girl's cooking was placed in front of me, the contents were insignificant to the fact that it actually looked like something a human would eat. After a taste I was surprised to find out it was no different that my mother's home cooking.

"How is it? Better than you expected, right?"

"I am genuinely impressed. Where'd you learn to cook like this at such an age?" I asked with my mouth full.

"I had special training."

I didn't know what she meant. All that matters was this dinner, I can sleep easy for tonight. I was looking forward to eating like this everyday.

"By the way, the fridge is empty. I'd love to go shopping but you have no money!"

And then there was that problem... I hadn't a single yen to my name at the moment... The only way to get any at the time was to...

"Forgive me Buta-san..."

To Our Beloved Reader: It took me a few days to get to this one. Again, I don't have much to say. It is what is it is and whatever it might be I'm proud.

And as always, fan proofreading is very much accepted.

Once again I think it might take a while until I think up and organize the next chapter. I have to release the next chapter for my other story because I feel that I've put if off for too long. I'm almost there, I just need to boil it over some more.

Until then!

Thanks for Reading: LordPlagus777