I've felt out of place and uneasy in this reality before, but never like the feeling I got this Saturday morning. It was like my stomach had switched places with my heart and my gut was pulsating. In short, I wasn't feeling too good. I had remedial classes this afternoon. I have to get ready to go now. I overslept as I usually do on Saturdays.

"You're not eating breakfast?"Uru asked worried like my mom does when I skip meals.

"Maybe not today. I'll be looking forward to dinner though. I'll see you soon."

"Sure then." She waved as I walked down the front steps to in the direction of the school.

Remedial classes, as I remember from the 'old world' was a class held for students who made the bottom twenty rankings in the test exams. I was sure this reality was rigged so that my grade was included no matter how much I knew or how well I did. I was doomed from the start. How convenient, I was never able to contradict that anyway. I suck at tests no matter what the conditions are. Even so I can't help but feeling cheated. As bad as I did on my test in the old world, I wasn't that bad enough to sink into remedial class. Yes this reality as well as this exam was rigged. I couldn't believe who I was taking classes with. In a class where there were supposed to be about twenty people. There were only three open seats. Sitting in one was no one other than…

"Look who's here! Isn't this a big surprise. I guess this reality did it to you once again!" I said amazed at what was possible in this world.

"It appears that I have been cheated yet again by this cursed reality." Koizumi shrugged in a defeated tone.

I put down my bag in the desk closest to the door. The three desks were lined up in the front of the room in a row. Each a slight distance apart from each other. Koizumi at in the center one, and there was one still empty to the far left, the one closest to the window.

"I think you feel it as well." Koizumi pointed out. He must be talking about the feeling in my gut since this morning.

"I do. Does it have something to do with any connections?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. This reaction is certainly different from the others made by connections you've made. What puzzles me is that I can't exactly put my finger on it. It's difficult to detect and it certainly does feel unfamiliar with everything I've felt so far."

"It's Haruhi's universe. You can never tell what you'll encounter."

"Of course. There's just that one empty seat. I'm curious to know who it is."

"I don't think it's Haruhi."

"I hope not." Koizumi said. "Suzumiya does not yet know I go to the same school as she does. If she finds me here…"

"You're going to have to face her sooner or later. This is getting serious. Can't you at least just say hi?"

Koizumi stayed silent.

"If you don't I'll bring her over to the host bar and you'll be forced to meet her."

"I believe that would be a better Idea. Admit to her that you work at a host bar."

There was some noise outside it appears that someone was about to enter. Who could it be? Was it really Haruhi as I guessed?

"Hello…" Nagato waved from the small opening in the sliding doors. She entered.

"Nagato?" I exclaimed. This proves it, there's no way Nagato would would do this bad on an exam. Thank goodness I thought I actually did fall to remedial level. I knew my grades weren't that bad.

"This is indeed a very interesting turn of events." Koizumi sighed, relieved that the last person left wasn't Haruhi. "I wonder why we were put together though. If my guesses are correct then-"

Koizumi was interrupted by Nagato who stood in front of his desk.

"Excuse me…" She asked.

"Oh I see, sure. Here you go." Koizumi said moving to the furthest seat next to the window.

Nagato sat down in the center seat, pulled her table right next to mine, and took out a manga book to start reading. Now that I think about this isn't the all knowing alien Nagato that I used to know. Reading manga books all day. I shouldn't be surprised if she is in remedial. Nagato sighed and put away the manga book. It's unusual that she isn't as clingy as usual today.

"Is anything wrong Nagato?" I asked.

"Nothing is wrong." She replied.

"How about your test scores? How were they?"

She tapped me with her fist, I best interpret it as a punch with a good 'be quiet' coming from Nagato. I felt a weird tingling sensation in my shoulder where she punched me. Suddenly the image of her test score popped into my head. Indeed if I want to be on good terms with her I best not bring it up. Whatever that was, it was unusual. She quickly retracted her hand from my shoulder.

The front doors of the classroom slid open. There was our teacher for the rest of our extra classes. Asakura Ryoko walked up to the front podium with her books and looked upon her three students.

"So we're all here."

All here? You mean this is it? A class of a usual twenty people reduced to three? At least have Taniguchi here or something…

"Let's get started!"

…

As I thought. The purpose of these classes weren't so that I could review the stuff I failed on the exam. I didn't learn a single thing. The setting was similar to the host bar. Asakura relentlessly teased Koizumi with a near sadistic aura.

"What's wrong Itsuki-chan? You don't like me? Is it because you prefer Haruhi?

Nagato occasionally used my shoulder as a pillow to nap off the class time. I felt sleepy as well, I had a dream where I was in the sky with Nagato, it was night. One of the most realistic and beautiful dream I've had in my life.

"Wake up." Nagato shook me awake.

"Is class over?"

"Yes."

It was still late in the morning, but since it's a Saturday that would be the equivalent to late afternoon on a weekday. Koizumi and Asakura have already gone, leaving the two of us to sleep in peace. Since I lost him we should be able to meet up at the host club later. I just hope Asakura doesn't drive him too ragged. It's free for all outside of the host club. Without Koizumi's superball host suit, his usual empowering environment, and his weakness to his clients taking the lead he's as good as Asakura's slave if she wants him to be. Let's hope he can make it to the host bar in one piece.

"I have to get going now. It's late, Asakura's probably made lunch already." Nagato said leaving the classroom. "Would you like to come?" She asked.

Should I? Well I'm not very hungry right now, and I have to be at the host club in a while…

"I'm sorry but maybe another time." I replied.

"I see." She said as she left.

…

I walked around the front of the school with nothing much better to do than the hour I had to myself. I was surprised to find Haruhi standing at the front gate. In casual clothes the looked like she's been there for a while.

"Haruhi!" I called. He looked up, smiled, and waved.

"What're you doing out here of all places."

"I thought your classes were supposed to end a while ago." She said.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, I fell asleep."

"I'm not surprised." She sighed.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"Kyon…" She started turning red to the very corner of her ears. "Did you know that Itsuki- I mean, Koizumi goes to this school?"

Aha, so this is that moment, Koizumi spoke to me about. Haruhi gave in and turned to flee in the other direction. To keep her from escaping I grabbed her hand.

"Yeah, about that. Don't worry. That thing back there…" I meant the time I thought to be the first and last time I saw Haruhi in a host club. Apparently she nodded and understood. She still couldn't look me straight in the eye while saying it.

"He's in your remedial class, right?" She asked.

"That's right. What's the matter."

She took a deep breath and tried to cool herself down my fanning herself with her hands.

"I didn't know that… So he's in the same school… Tell me Kyon, he's not that stupid is he?"

"Wha?"

"He's in remedial classes…" She said with a hint of disappointment.

"Oh that! No way. He just got caught under the wrong circumstances. He's smarter than me, in some points… I think…"

"Is he dating Asakura?" She turned and asked with a determined look on her face.

What the hell is this? I thought that Haruhi was… Not with Koizumi!... Asakura?"

I took a deep breath of my own. I'm too confused to answer any of those questions. Haruhi picked up my signal immediately.

"So you don't know? Sorry. I asked the wrong person. Do you know any of his friends?"

"I happen to be his one, probably his only, best friend." I replied.

Haruhi's expression lit up like a child who just caught Santa dropping presents under the tree. She was, for a lack of a better word, speechless. The child wouldn't know what to ask or say if she really did meet Santa. It's my turn.

"I'm not sure what kinds of relationships he's in right now. Why don't you go ask him yourself?" I replied.

"Oh… I see… Thanks, I'll be off now." She turned around once again. I grabbed her hand and took her in the direction of the host bar.

"What're you doing?" She asked surprised.

"We're going to meet Koizumi."

"No! Wait! I'm not ready! What will he say when he sees me?" Haruhi frantically resisted.

"Don't worry. It won't be that bad. What can he possibly say?"

Haruhi calmed down. We started walking to the host bar.

"Fine… I just have to ask one thing."

"And that would be?"

"What were you and Nagato doing at the host club that day?"

"Koizumi invited us to visit. Plus we discussed a few other matters as well."

"Matters like?"

"My job application."

Haruhi almost tripped on herself.

"Job application? As what? A bartender? Cook? Cleaner?" She asked stuttering.

"Host."

Haruhi covered her mouth. She said something which was muffled by her hand. Probably 'how could you Kyon?' or something similar. She walked ahead the whole way to the host bar. When we arrived Haruhi stopped at the entrance of the stairs. What was she waiting for?

"Well, are you going to go?"

"Give me a minute I need to prepare." She said.

Just then Asakura came down the steps, smiling. I wonder what became of Koizumi.

"Kyon! I thought you were with Nagato." She exclaimed. Haruhi looked at Asakura with discomfort.

"No, Nagato went home thinking you had lunch prepared."

"Oh my…"

"What's the matter?"

"Nagato doesn't eat unless I cook for her. I'll have to rush now." She ran off.

"Wait! What about Koizumi?" I asked.

"Itsuki-chan will be fine!" She called back.

Haruhi covered her face with her hands.

"Itsuki-chan?"

…

We entered the bar. Koizumi wasn't at his corner. Just what did Asakura do to him? Either way I have to change into my host clothes now that I'm here.

"Hey Haruhi." I called. Haruhi lifted her head and came back to her senses. "It doesn't look like Koizumi's here so why don't we hang out at my corner for a bit until he gets back?"

"Y-your corner?" Haruhi said with interest.

"Yeah, it's the one right next to Koizumi's. I'm sure you'll be able to find it."

Mori was passing by and saw two of us at the front entrance.

"Hey Kyon! You're a bit early today." Mori waved.

"I am aren't I? Do you know where Koizumi went?"

"He just went to the backroom to cool down a bit. The last customer was pretty spicy. You've got to hand it to Koizumi to be able to pull off that vulnerable act."

Poor Koizumi, Mori didn't even help him.

"Anyways get changed! Host's got to be properly dressed for work." She said walking off. She turned around and looked at Haruhi.

"Aren't you the one who always picks Itsuki?"

"Y-yes."

"How about trying out Kyon this time? He's a real bomb. Just wait till you see him in a host uniform."

To Our Beloved Reader: I wrote this chapter faster than I had thought it would take. I'm still trying to decide how I should set up the plot combination. I'm not sure, but these things always work themselves out.

Thanks for Reading: LordPlagus777