Chapter 4 up.
While I made this, I kinda got carried away with the non-Slider parts. Oh well. I'm in the process of the next chapter already.
Where am I?
I have no idea what is going on.
One moment I am having a nice lunch and the second I blink, the world around me turns into a frozen landscape. Each step I take brings the world crashing down and raising another one the next instant. The Earth I know is nowhere and everywhere at once. How am I supposed to go back home when I don't even know where it is? I have no lead, I have no Yuki, no Haruhi, no Mikuru, no Koizumi.
Haruhi once mentioned a species beyond those of the three I've met.
The Slider.
I secretly feared their existence and the trouble they might've caused.
I never suspected that it would be me.
It was a rare evening. Why? Well, an event that occurred once in a million lifetimes was happening right now. Something more rare than the planets aligning.
I was treating my little sister to dinner.
"Don't play around," I droned, biting into my burger. "Eat your food." While it was cute, the pout she sent me had no effect.
"You're the one who suddenly took me out to eat," she retorted. "Why are you being so fussy?"
I just felt obligated to do so. Actually, you're not the sister I planned on taking out. The sister I promised to treat is not in this continuity of time, so you'll have to do. As long as you're smiling, my heart will be at ease. Just don't think that I'll be doing this often.
"What are you talking about?"
"N-nothing. Just finish up. Mom will yell at me if you're out too late."
"Hm...Still, Kyon-kun can be pretty nice once in a while." She continued to ignore my request to stop playing and started humming again.
"If you really want to make it up to me, you can stop calling me that." Not that I cared anymore. Being called Kyon for so long has made me used to it. Besides, my sister calling me Onii-chan like so long ago was very unlikely.
"Kyon-kun will always be Kyon-kun. My one and only Kyon-kun!"
"Uh-huh. That's what I thought."
By the time she started to eat her food, I had finished mine. All I wanted to do now was take a nap. With that in mind, I was so ready to take a rest, when...
"Oh, Kyon!" said a certain girl's voice. Crap, there was only one person in the world with that tone and voice. Looking up from the table, I found the one and only Haruhi Suzumiya standing at the cafe entrance. She was giving me a small wave. "I didn't expect to see you here." My little sister tilted into her view. "And with your sister, too." She hurried to us as if to make sure that I wouldn't try to run away.
"Actually, I'm more surprised to see you." The fact that out of all places that Haruhi decided to dine, she would choose that one I was in had to be part of some divine intervention...Oh wait.
Haruhi, with her usual Haruhi attitude, took the seat next to me without so much as a heads up. I didn't miss the fact that she scooted a bit closer to me. Ever since I fixed the timeline, she had been slightly more upfront with her newfound affection for me. It didn't really make sense, because the Haruhi I kissed also didn't exist anymore. I turned to the the small girl in front of us, who stared at us innocently as she munched on her meal. I could have sworn her smile widened.
"I'll just have some fries," Haruhi said to the waitress that came to her.
While she was distracted, I took the chance to observe her. Haruhi wore a grin on her face that was probably enough to light the darkness in anyone's heart...or darken them further depending on her desires. You never really knew if Haruhi's smiles were for everyone or for herself, but it was something anyone would easily be lost in. Myself included. In contrast, her clothes were very unassuming. That didn't stop her from looking gorgeous in them. People like her were the envy of those who try so hard to appeal to others.
"...yon. Kyon!" I was forced out of my blatant staring by the girl I was staring at. "Geez, you were staring at me and not saying anything. I was getting a bit worried." I shook my head to clear my thoughts.
"Sorry, I kinda spaced out."
"Oh." Haruhi sat normally and brought her straw to her mouth. Suddenly, her face became colored with a soft pink. "...Spaced out about what?"
"What?"
"You were spaced out...and you were staring at me...so what was it that you were thinking?" Oh, I see. I suppose that what I was doing could be interpreted as me fawning over her. Not that it was a bad thing. I looked away with a small smile.
"Oh. You know. I was just thinking that...I'm surprised that you're not telling me to pay for you." Whoops, wrong words. Her eyes narrowed in clear annoyance.
"Are you offering?" she threatened. Ah! Don't smite me, oh powerful goddess. My wallet can't take it anymore. After a while, she sighed. "I was stupid for expecting something there." Haruhi slurped up her drink in seconds before snatching up mine. The scowl that formed on her face was clearly directed towards me. If it hadn't been for that, I would've been embarrassed from her putting her lips on my straw
"Hey, that's mine!" I would've continued protesting, if not for the glare that dared me to keep going. "...Seriously, the only time I see you at a burger joint is when we're on one of your excursions. Or when you force me to treat you."
At that point, I knew I messed up. As I was about to say more, I forced myself to shut my mouth. My last sentence caused Haruhi to stop in surprise. She rarely EVER did that. Her eyes, at first staring in space, slowly became sullen. The light in her eyes wavered oh so slightly, but enough for me to notice. In other words, Haruhi was depressed.
"Do you really find being with me so unpleasant?" She muttered somberly. Guilt spread through my body at that moment as I scratched my head. "It hurts when you stay stuff like that, you know? Stupid Kyon."
...Where did this attitude come from? This wasn't like my usual Haruhi. I was expecting the usual retort, but here she was being bashful. The sight of the strong willed Haruhi looking like she was just rejected by her crush was something I didn't think I would ever see. And frankly, it was something I hope I never had to see again.
That was when I felt the effects of Haruhi's power affecting me. Talk about perfect timing. Still, I didn't try to fight it. Mostly because I was worried about Haruhi. I just hoped that whatever I was about to do wasn't something I was going to regret.
"Huh?" Haruhi looked down to see my hand over hers. Her genuine surprise almost made me smile from how cute it was. "Kyon, what are you-"
"Just be quiet for a bit. Please." Her downcast eyes lifted to meet mine. "First of all, I'm sorry. What I said was uncalled for. Second, I don't hate being with you, so please don't ever think like that again. Okay?" Haruhi slowly nodded. "...And I don't know how to say this, but...Seeing you sad, especially if I'm the cause, makes me feel horrible. I would much rather see you with your usual smile."
"Kyon-"
"Please, let me finish. I'm almost done." I cleared my throat and sat straight, causing Haruhi to follow my lead. "Now as the SOS Brigade leader, it's your job to make sure that your subordinates are never discouraged, right?"-nod-"Well then as your subordinate, I just need one thing from you: Whenever possible, please don't ever let me see you as anything lower than the Haruhi I've come to know. Being depressed doesn't suit you." I let go of her hand and waited for her answer. "Now. Can I get a smile? If you don't, I might just have to pay for your food after all and try again."
At that moment, Haruhi found herself unable to take it and started laughing. Well, it was an acceptable response. "Hahaha! Oh God, Kyon. I didn't know you could be such a dork." She wiped the tears from her eyes before facing me. "Kyon, I think you're forgetting that I'm human. It's only natural for me to feel dejected when my...friend is expressing some sort of discontent with me." I found myself awestruck once more when Haruhi directed at me, a genuine smile. There was no hint of sarcasm or any ulterior motive. It wasn't the kind of smile that usually graced her face, but one that held a joy that I had never seen before. I could feel my face getting hot from how beautiful it was. "But thank you. You said exactly what I needed to hear. I'll make sure you never have to see me like that again. And in return..."
Haruhi bashfully looked down. She stopped speaking.
"Hm? Wha-" I yelled in surprise when Haruhi leaned her face forward. The same faraway look in her eyes from yesterday morning stared deeply into mine as if threatening to unlock every secret I held.
"In return...just for now, can you let me be selfish? Not as Haruhi Suzumiya, but just a girl."
Huh...I was just given permission to kiss Haruhi. My mind was racing. Or rather it was already racing, and now it was going at mach speed. Should I kiss her, or should I stop? She was clearly not depressed anymore, but I was sure that if I didn't kiss her, she would spiral back and further than ever. I was not intent on making Koizumi's job harder than it already was. And actually...I wasn't really opposed to the idea. In fact, I was honored that Haruhi chose me to love. As I continued my supreme court trial of an inner monologue, my sister finally spoke up.
"Does this make Haru-nyan my sister?" reached our ears. The two of us were immediately brought out of our trances. My sister, who had long since finished her food, was staring intently at us. For a girl who just witnessed her usually straight faced brother express clear affection for a member of his opposite sex, she was surprisingly not freaking out. Instead, there was a genuine elation and curiosity to her voice. Perhaps when we get home, I'll properly scold her on interrupting a moment between people. Even if I was secretly glad that the decision on whether or not I should kiss Haruhi was made for me. "It would be nice to have an older sister. I would have more fun with her than with you."
Gee, thanks, my beloved little sister. It's nice to know just how much you love your brother.
"...Kyon." I turned to the brunette. She was trying not to look me in the eyes. "...You can let go of my face now." My eyes traced my arm to find my hand tilting Haruhi's chin. At some point, I must had done that, making it clear on what I was about to do...I had to be sure that I never mentioned that to anyone.
Haruhi's scowl combined with her blush created a charming look that I found hard to resist. I retracted my hand and sat straight. Haruhi did the same. She chose to be silent and timidly played with her straw. Not long after, the waitress from before laid Haruhi's fries in front of her. "Thanks," she mumbled with a small bow. The waitress returned the motion and turned around, but not before sending me a teasing smirk. The glare I sent back sent her running.
"Now the both of you are silent," my sister said. Oh, the innocence of a child. How irritating you can be. "Did I do something wrong?" Haruhi was the one to answer before I could even think of one.
"Nah," she replied as she reached over to pat the little girl's head. "You're not the one to blame. It's your stupid brother you should be mad at."
"Hey..." My retort went ignored by the two girls. Would it kill anyone to give me a little bit of respect? With my sister giggling at being patted by Haruhi, no one would think that she was my sister and not Haruhi's.
"Kyon-kun's hopeless when it comes to taking care of himself. He needs someone who can take care of him now and forever." Haruhi smirked and looked at me.
"That's gonna be a huge job. I don't know if anyone will ever be ready for that."
"Excuse me, but I am perfectly fine by myself. I'll have you know that I finally cooked eggs without throwing up." While I was relishing in my accomplishment, it didn't impress either my sister nor Haruhi. They both shot pitiful looks at me.
"We had to call the fire department once," my sister deadpanned, causing Haruhi to sigh.
"Oh, Kyon. What am I going to do with you?"
"What are you, my mother?"
"Or his wife!" My sister's addition to the conversation caused Haruhi and I to nearly choke on our meal. We glared in unison, but it didn't effect her at all.
"Your sister has quite the imagination," Haruhi said as she cleared her throat. "She has no fear when it comes to speaking her mind."
"I know. I'm sorry about her."
"It's okay. I don't mind." Haruhi composed herself.
Don't mind, huh? That's the same as telling me you don't mind being my wife. Or maybe I was over thinking things, and Haruhi was saying she was used to my sister's eccentricities. But then again, I was certain that Haruhi had feelings for me. Her little episode at school and a few moments ago were enough proof of that...And I suppose I wasn't exactly resistant to her charm. I'm sure anyone would be honored to go out with THE Haruhi Suzumiya. I wasn't an exception to that.
But then again, there were others who were pining for my affection as well. My mind instantly pictured Yuki, the charming and reserved alien, and Mikuru, the beautiful and gentle time traveler. They probably weren't the only ones. I was sure that Tsuruya-san, the rich and powerful heiress, was part of that mix. And who knows who else? Sasaki? Kuyou? Oh god, Asakura? The thought of the knife crazy Asakura being in love with me sent shivers up my spine. She alone made me shiver at the sight of knives.
...How about Miss Mori? I had to admit, she's quite attractive and dignified...and a maid...Nah. Someone like her couldn't possibly have feelings for me. Oh me and my wishful thinking.
I found myself brought out of my thoughts when I felt something poke my lips. I looked down to see Haruhi's hand holding one of her fries to my mouth.
"I don't want to eat these by myself," she said. "Have some."
"Well, if you're offering." I shrugged and opened my mouth for Haruhi to feed me. Now I may have been acting calm and cool, but inside, I was FREAKING OUT! I didn't understand how couples could do things like this in public, it's too embarrassing. That wasn't even the half of it. The other customers and even the employees were grinning at me. DON"T YOU HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO?
Whew...whew...calm down, me. Calm down. Just ignore them.
After finishing one fry, I was fed another. Oh well. Haruhi looked like she's having fun, so I didn't mind letting her do as she pleased.
That being said, it didn't help when Haruhi started saying, "Okay, say 'Ah~n.'"
"A-ah~n."
(Later)
Needless to say, I was the one to pay for both meals, though I didn't really mind today. When the three of us exited the cafe, Haruhi turned to me.
"Thanks for paying," Haruhi said. Being thanked for something I've always been doing was a first, so I was taken aback.
"Just pay me back tomorrow at school," I replied. I scratched my cheek. "...It was nice seeing you today, Haruhi."
"Same here. Hey, maybe I'll cut your brigade duties." I actually looked hopeful when she said that, but my hopes were dashed when she added, "Just kidding...I'll see you tomorrow." Haruhi waved at me, prompting my sister and I to return it.
As I led my sister back home, I couldn't help but review my actions in the cafe. Just remembering how close our faces were made my face heat up. If my sister hadn't stopped us, we certainly would have closed the gap between us.
"Kyon! Kyon!" I stopped walking when I heard someone calling me from behind.
"It's Haru-nyan," my sister said.
"Huh? Haru-" After I turned around, my voice was taken from me. And rather forcefully, too. Haruhi slammed into me, making me lose my balance. "Mm! Mmm...MM?" Those were my three reactions. First, I grunted from hitting the pavement. Then, I groaned from the pain. Finally, I found myself speechless. Not because I had nothing to say, but because my lips had been taken by the goddess of the SOS Brigade.
...
HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH?
Okay, let me think over this again. I said goodbye to Haruhi back at the cafe. I walked for about 5 minutes towards my house. Then, I heard Haruhi's voice. My sister confirmed it was her, so I turned around. That was when Haruhi slammed into me. And mid-fall, Haruhi had planted her lips on mine. I found my arms being pinned down with surprising force.
"Oh..." My sister stared at us with burning intensity while failing to cover her eyes with her hands. Close your eyes! Keep your innocence!
After another minute, Haruhi lifted her head and broke the kiss. The two of us were breathing rather heavily and with our position with her on top of me, the situation became even more awkward. I was lucky that no one was looking. At least I hope no one was.
"Haruhi," I whispered. "I thought you went home." As I looked at Haruhi, I saw the faraway look in her eyes again. That's twice today. It's been getting more frequent.
"I started to," Haruhi replied meekly. "But then I had the urge to see you again. Being away from you made my chest hurt." She clutched at my shirt, and laid her head on my chest.
"You might not have noticed, Haruhi, but we are in the middle of the street. This is not exactly the best place for this." Her head shooting up, Haruhi looked at me with a glowing face.
"A-are you inviting me to your house?" It was not a surprise that I joined her shade of red at the thought of whatever was happening at the moment continuing in my room. "You're surprisingly bold, Kyon."
"No, that's not what I'm saying. First of all, get up." I sat up, but Haruhi refused to leave my front. The result was a rather suggestive position. I quickly scrambled to my feet and helped Haruhi up. "You surprised me." Haruhi rubbed her arm and looked up at me.
"Did...did you like it? The kiss?"
GETTING STRAIGHT TO THE POINT? How in the world was I supposed to answer that safely? "Well...I would be lying if I said I didn't. It felt...good." Haruhi touched her lips.
"That's good. But...although that was my first kiss, I felt like I've done this before." My breath hitched. She couldn't possibly have remembered the time in closed space and the aborted timeline, could she? "That's...wei...rd." She wasn't able to think over her feelings for much longer. Haruhi's eyes rolled over and her knees buckled. I caught her in my arms before she hugged the concrete.
"Whoa, Haruhi!" I gave her a look over for any injuries. Luckily, there was nothing. "She's out cold...Maybe Yuki will know." I looked to my sister, who adopted a worried look.
"Is she okay?" she asked.
"Hey, I'm gonna take you home, then I'll drop her off at a friend's house. Don't worry, okay?"
"...Okay." Putting Haruhi on my back, I continued the road home.
We arrived at our house not long after. As my sister hopped up the steps, I called to her.
"Sis!" I whispered. I made sure that our parents couldn't hear. "Don't tell mom or dad about what you saw at the cafe and the kiss, and I'll treat you whenever you want." Her face lit up.
"Really? Whenever?" I nodded. After Yuki had walked out of my room, I had her alter everyone's memories so that they forgot about it. Even so, I didn't want to have to explain Haruhi to my parents. The now non-existent conversation I had about Yuki lasted several hours and some awkward moments. "Can I join your club activities more often too?" I resisted the urge to groan. Well, I suppose I could get Tsuruya-san to look over her. Perhaps they'll exhaust each other...or square their energy.
"I'll see. Promise, okay?" I shifted Haruhi's positions and held out my pinky finger. She nodded and intertwined it with her own. "It's a promise." She repeated the charm. I waited for the door to close before going to the apartment building.
(Yuki's Apartment)
I stood at the entrance and punched in Yuki's room number. After a few rings, I heard her silence. Strange, I know, but I could tell the difference between regular silence and Yuki silence.
"Yuki, I-" Apparently, that's all I needed to say before the alien allowed me into the building. I ignored the look I got from the manager, and made my way to Yuki's room.
By the time I reached her room, the door had already been open. It seemed she knew that my hands were full. Thanks, Yuki. The first thing I noticed as I exited the small corridor separating the door and the living room was the kotatsu that was sitting in the middle of the room. Not only that, but there was now a TV, a few paintings decorating the wall, and some gaming consoles. The consoles were most surprising to me. Yuki herself had her legs buried in the kotatsu and was sipping on some tea. She was watching an episode of that one anime. I think it was called the Melancholy of Haru Suzuki. I wasn't sure what it was about, but that wasn't my main concern.
"You can lay her down over here," Yuki informed. Beside her, a futon had been prepared.
"You always seem to know what I need."
"I could sense a disturbance in Haruhi Suzumiya's body. Let me have a look at her." After laying Haruhi down on the futon, Yuki kneeled against her and put a hand a few inches above her body. I sat in awe, as her hand began to glow a soft blue. She ran Haruhi's hand across the length of her body, creating a small shield-like layer above her.
"Haruhi suddenly collapsed. She's not sick, is she?" Yuki shook her head.
"I don't believe so. From the data I am receiving, I can conclude that her loss of consciousness was caused by the effects of her power. Was her power acting up?" I blushed from the memories playing out once more.
"Yeah. Twice, actually." I felt Yuki's piercing gaze boring a hole through me. Was she...jealous?
"...I see. Then direct use of her powers must have worn her out. Whenever Haruhi's powers leak out, it is mostly in small bursts." The time loop that one summer was a small burst? "Also, most of her reality warping affects the things around her. This time however, her power is affecting herself. Her body is not used to her powers flowing continuously through her."
"So it's like her immune system not being able to defend itself against a disease?"
"If it helps to understand, that is an acceptable analogy." Slowly, the glow faded to nothing. Haruhi was now sleeping gently. The sound of her soft breathing filled the room, making me very conscious of her. "She will be fine. Allow her to rest and she will be her energetic self in no time. For the time being, I will contact her parents to tell them she is sleeping over."
"Okay. You mind if I stick around for a bit?" Yuki gave me a smile.
"Of course not. You're very welcome here." The petite girl stood up and walked to her telephone. How she knew Haruhi's home number was beyond me, but I wasn't questioning it. I looked to Haruhi's sleeping form and noticed her hair tickling her nose. It looked uncomfortable, so I brushed it away. As soon as I did, I jerked my hand away. The moment I touched her skin, a strong electrical current flowed through my hand. I clenched my teeth to avoid yelling in pain.
"What the hell was that?" I groaned. My hand didn't show any sign of damage and the pain was already receding. At that moment, Yuki returned and put her legs under the kotatsu. She didn't seem to witness what just happened.
"Would you like to sit next to me?" She asked as she patted the space next to her.
"...Sure." Ignoring the electrical shock, I dragged myself beside Yuki and buried my legs as well. I sighed at the warmth. "So..." I tried to find something to talk about. "You redecorated, huh? The last time I was here, all you had was a table."
"Yeah. These new emotions made me realize that this room was frighteningly empty. That being so, I decided to get some furniture and other things."
"How did you buy everything? I can't imagine that the Entity provided you with money." For some reason, I imagined the Entity as a father giving Yuki her allowance and held back the chuckle.
"Well, when I was incapable of freedom, I did not need any money. Instead, it was given to Ryoko Asakura, who was programmed to act as a human." The mention of that woman made my eye twitch. "I was given access to the funds after her termination, but I never felt any use for it. Until now, anyway."
"Speaking of Asakura...it's not possible for her to return, is it?"
"No." I breathed a sigh of relief. "Not normally, anyways. There is a chance that she could be called back by the Entity for a purpose. Or, she could request to return." I felt my face fall.
"Yuki...You're gonna protect me if she tries anything, right?" The alien chuckled at my dismay. As insulting as it was, I couldn't resist that laugh of hers. It wasn't possible for anyone to be so charming, but here was an exception.
"I will not allow any harm to befall you if I can help it. After all, Haruhi would be displeased if something happened." Hm...Usually, it was the guy who said lines like that. But I suppose I could accept it from Yuki. After all, she wasn't human like me.
I didn't hold any power that could match any of the brigade members.
"While we are on the topic of Haruhi," Yuki started. I found myself holding my breath. "You said that her powers activated twice today. May I ask what happened?"
"Ah...well... that is..."
"It's okay. I am not mad or anything." She sipped her tea and I noticed that her hand clenched her cup tighter than usual. You are definitely perturbed, Yuki.
"Well, while I was treating my sister to dinner, Haruhi came by. I was surprised to see her. After conversing for a while, I...may have offended her." I looked to Yuki, who nodded for me to continue. "I felt Haruhi's power affect me, so I let it take over for a while. You can imagine what happened after that."
"I see. Continue."
"After we parted ways, I took my sister home. But as we were walking, Haruhi ran after me. At that point, she was already under her own influence. She tackled me, and she...uh..."
"She kissed you?" As always, it's nearly impossible to hide anything from the bob-haired girl. "As I was scanning her, Haruhi Suzumiya was expressing the emotion of love on her lips." She held up a glowing finger and pressed it against my lips. "The same goes for you." I couldn't help but sigh in defeat. I put up a weak smile.
"There are no secrets with you, are there?"
"That's not true. I'm just too observant. And I have powers." She held up her glowing finger again. "ET..." Referencing the famous movie, Yuki broke into laughter. "Don't worry, Kyon-kun. When she wakes up, Suzumiya will not remember the things she did while under her powers." I raised an eyebrow at the slightly relieved tone she displayed.
"You're not jealous, are you?" The girl smiled softly.
"Well...I would be lying if I say I wasn't. But I was prepared for it, what with the number of girls fighting for your affection." She set her cup down and lowered her head. Her ears were a slight pink. "A-actually...I was wondering if you could kiss me as well. Call it selfish, but I won't be able to settle these uneasy feelings inside me if I don't." I stared at the alien girl intently, making her take the silence as refusal. "S-sorry. I'll understand if you don-" With a laugh, I took her chin and raised it. "K-Kyon-kun."
"Yuki..." I pressed my lips on hers, alleviating her doubts. I could've sworn that she moaned a bit, but that was probably just from surprise. Just as I was about to pull away, Yuki grabbed my shirt and pulled me towards her. To say I was surprised to see Yuki be so aggressive is an understatement. All I could think as Yuki licked my lips was, "whoa."
Moments later, I managed to pry the girl away. Her superhuman grip was no joke and threatened to rip the fabric of my shirt.
"I assume you're satisfied?" I asked smugly. At that moment, I was tempted to announce myself the luckiest person in the world.
"Yes," Yuki replied. "Thank you."
"Is 'thank you' the right response to a kiss?"
"I'm not sure." The next hour was spent in silence. Haruhi was still sleeping the night away.
By the time I decided to leave, Yuki had started to play a handheld game. I got to say, I never took the alien for a gamer. I suppose it makes sense with her attitude towards that game the Computer Club made. I could even spot the Day of Saggitarius III disk on a table near her new computer.
"I'll see you tomorrow," I said. "Good night." Yuki looked up from her game and offered a smile. You know a gamer loves you when he/she is willing to look away from his/her game to talk to you.
"Yeah," she replied. "Be safe, Kyon-kun." She blew a small kiss at me.
(The next day, North High)
"Ah, Kyon-kun!" The sudden yelling so early in the morning made me cringe. I turned around to find my green haired senior running at me at full speed. "Gooooooood Mornin'!" With a sliding halt, Tsuruya-san made her way in front of me. I couldn't help but notice she was carrying another bag on her back, "You haven't seen Mikuru, have you?" I stared in a daze due to the fact that I was too tired to understand her fast talking. I couldn't help but envy that unlimited amount of energy she had. I could really use it about now. Anyway, I think she asked me where Mikuru was.
"Sorry," I said. "I just got to school myself."
"Hmmm...I suppose it can't be helped. I'll try looking somewhere else. A good run really helps you wake up, would you like to join?"
"As fun as that sounds, I'll have to pass." I don't think my body can take her level of exercise. Rumors have it that she's capable of fighting a bear empty handed.
"That's a shame. You and I have to hang out more."
"Perhaps when I have some free time. Anyways, if I see Mik-I mean Asahina-san, I'll definitely shout for you." I could have sworn that her little fang flashed with her grin.
"That'd really help. Thanks! Now before I forget..." Tsuruya-san took off the bag on her back pulled out a box wrapped in cloth. "This is for you!" She forced the box in my hands. "You seemed to like my lunch last time, so I went ahead and cooked an extra for you. It's nothing special, really." Speechless, I stared at the gift bestowed upon me. Could it be? Did I no longer have to buy yakisoba bread everyday for lunch? Was I just granted the privilege of eating a handmade bento by a girl my age group? ...Did Senpai notice me? "You're lookin' really happy there, Kyon-kun! That makes me glad!" My appreciation for the green haired girl made me bow to her.
"Thank you, Senpai!" My savior let out a hearty laugh.
"You can thank me once you've actually eaten it...I don't mind cooking for you from now on, if you want." As I rose from my bow, I witnessed a rare sight. Where her energetic smile usually was, a now soft one replaced it. She was scratching her pink cheek with her finger, giving her the look of a lovestruck girl. I probably wasn't wrong about that.
"I'll give you a review later. Again, thank you for the food."
"Hm! I'll see you around, Kyon-kun." The two of us exchanged waves and parted ways.
When I slid the door open to my classroom, my eyes instantly went towards the brunette who was laying her head on her desk as usual. If Yuki was right, which was almost always, Haruhi should've lost her memories of when she was possessed by her powers. The cover story was that after we had dinner together, she collapsed from exhaustion due to her excessive supernatural hunts. I then took her to Yuki because her apartment was close by.
I took my seat in front of her desk and turned to my brigade leader.
"Oooi," I called quietly in case she was actually asleep. That didn't seem to be the case, because Haruhi lifted her face so that only her eyes were staring at me. "Are you sure you're okay enough to be back in school? You surprised me when you passed out yesterday."
"I'm fine," her muffled voice responded. "I got plenty of rest at Yuki's. She even cooked me breakfast, did you know she could cook?"
My mind went back to when I had to accompany Michiru AKA future Mikuru. When we went to Yuki's apartment, she provided us with some curry.
"I suppose her appearance doesn't exactly give off the impression that she frequents a kitchen as much as a library."
"Well it was pretty good curry." It seems curry is all Yuki knows how to make. "Anyways, I had a pretty weird dream while I was unconscious."
"Oh, really? What about?" Instead of answering, Haruhi responded by covering her face. With the shade of red that I caught just for a second, I could conclude that her actions yesterday were still there in her mind, but only in her subconscious.
"Actually, you know what? Never mind."
"Well that's fine. How about you pay me back for yesterday?"
(Lunchtime)
She didn't pay me back.
When it was time for lunch, Haruhi sprang up for another hunt.
"Don't strain yourself," I warned before she could leave.
"The supernatural doesn't wait on slackers!" she retorted. "Besides, if I collapse again, I'll be counting on you to help me again. Oh, who am I kidding? Maybe an alien will take pity on me and heal me up." I scoffed.
"Where do you get off labeling me as useless? If you're in trouble, I'll always be there to help you!" Before I could stop myself, I had blurted out a very cheesy line. The reaction of the rest of my classmates was to give the two of us teasing looks, all while giggling and gossiping. Holding down my embarrassment, I wondered if I could get Yuki to erase some more memories.
I looked to Haruhi who stared back stunned and speechless.
"Hmph! Stupid Kyon!" Probably embarrassed, the goddess turned her back to me and slammed the door shut. I didn't think to mention how red her face was.
Oh well. I wasn't really up for having lunch in the classroom today. Not only was I going to get interrogated for what I just said, but I'm sure Taniguchi was going to wonder why I had a bento with me. He knew that I always bought bread from the school store.
(Clubroom)
I knocked on the literary club door and waited for a response.
"Come in~" sang Mikuru's voice from within the room.
"Huh?" I opened the door to find the time traveler and her best friend eating their lunch. Yuki, as always, was reading a book peacefully. "I didn't expect to see you two here."
"We usually eat in our classroom, but we decided to have a change of pace and eat here instead. Were you thinking the same thing?"
"Sort of..." I took my seat across from them and brought out the bento Tsuruya-san had given me.
"Ah, now I get to see you eat it," Tsuruya-san exclaimed. She supported her head hands and blatantly watched me as I opened the box. It was your average rice lunch with rolled egg, hot dogs and vegetables. To me though, it was a luxurious privilege. *sniff* It's beautiful.
"That's a nice looking bento," Mikuru remarked. Yuki looked up to see what was going on. "Did your mother make it for you?" I found myself a bit embarrassed from having to explain the origins for my lunch to the girls.
"Well actually, Tsuruya-san gave it to me this morning." The alien and time traveler looked to the proud-looking girl with surprise.
"She did?" There was an awkward silence comprised of Mikuru and Yuki looking like they were planning something, but I was so hungry that I could only ignore them.
"Well then, thanks for the meal." With the traditional announcement, I dug into my food eagerly. "Hmm! This is really good!" Tsuruya's expectant face broke into a happy smile.
"Really? I'm really glad. I actually had to brush up on my cooking before I was confident enough to give it to you. That you like it really makes me happy."
A few minutes later, I was patting my stomach. I was actually full at lunch for the first time since I started high school.
"So?" Tsuruya asked. "Did you enjoy it?"
"Of course I did," I answered honestly.
"Good! I guess I'll make you lunch from now on. Look forward to tomorrow!" My green haired senior stood up with Mikuru following soon after. The time traveler set a hot cup of tea in front of me.
"We have to go now, Kyon-kun," she said. "I made some tea for you, so enjoy." I waved the two goodbye before relishing the steaming cup in my hands.
"Ahh. Tsuruya-san's lunch and Mikuru's tea. What a time to be alive." Just as I started to drink, Yuki spoke up.
"I see..." she mumbled. I nearly choked on my drink from her sudden outburst. "I suppose it is important for the female partner to know how to cook. Unfortunately, I am unskilled in such areas. The Entity did not see it fit to give me the ability to make food." Yuki continued to speak in a monotone, almost sulking voice. "Kyon-kun must like girls who can cook. If I want to have any chance, I must correct my programming and expand from curry. I need to have a talk with the Entity."
"O-oi, Yuki. You alright?" She looked at me with a resolve I had never seen before. She stood up.
"I require information. Please excuse me, Kyon-kun." Yuki walked around before stopping in front of me. "As Tsuruya has said: Look forward to tomorrow." Holy crap, she looks so serious! And not in the stoic kind. She's genuinely serious!
"A-alright!" Yuki exited the room, leaving me to myself. "Man, Yuki can be intimidating when she wants to be...It was kinda cute." I sipped my tea while rocking my chair backwards. "I wonder what she meant by tomorrow?"
I was unable to think about it for long.
Because that was the moment it happened.
My first action was to tense up. Why? Because my hand started to act up. That feeling of electricity coursing through my body from my hand made me stop in my tracks. Unfortunately, I was leaning back and the result was a swift and not so graceful meeting with the floor.
...At least that's what should have happened.
Instead of the hard floor, I felt something break my fall. And it was cold! IN fact, everything was cold. The room temperature of the clubroom was suddenly replaced with a frigid breeze that made me shiver. My eyes, closed from bracing myself opened only to close again. It was bright.
"Huh?" I sat up and opened my eyes again. It took a while for my eyes to adjust, but when it did, I was sure that I was seeing things. After all, I was looking at a snowy wasteland. "What the..." I closed my eyes and opened them again, but nothing changed. The chair I was sitting on was gone. So was the tea cup. But most all, the clubroom was gone. I was no longer in the literary club room. I wasn't even in school anymore. Instead, I was sitting in a land full of snow and ice.
I wasn't in North High anymore.
Chapter 4 done.
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