Haruhi's Birthday

Chapter 18

"Let's go ahead and start the concert," Haruhi ordered. "We're going to rise up from the trapdoor under the stage."

"When'd we get one of those?" Kyon asked. Itsuki elbowed him. "Should have left while I had the chance…" He mumbled to himself. But he couldn't. Older Mikuru entrusted him to press a button, so he had to stay here. In this madness.

"Anyway," Haruhi continued, "Yuki and Kyon will take care of the stage. I'm going to go and make sure the party's awesome. Itsuki, you go and find our enemy esper."

As Haruhi left, Itsuki pulled Kyon aside. He pulled Kyon closer to him and whispered in his ear, "I've got some closed space to take care of."

"What? Why?" Kyon shouted.

"Hush! I'm not so sure actually. All I know is there is closed space forming downtown."

"But this crazy girl is happy! She's happy! Why on earth would closed space form?"

"Maybe she's upset about something. The food still isn't here. Look, I'll be really quick. Tell her that I'm with the esper."

"Fine."

And so they went to do their respective duties. Kyon and Yuki went to the back door of the auditorium and looked for the trapdoor. Kyon found a set of stairs and the pair walked downstairs to a door that said, "Trapdoor entrance." He opened the door and motioned for Yuki to enter. After she did, Kyon followed. The door slammed shut loudly, which kinda freaked Kyon out. They went deep into the dimly lit room.

"Where's the light switch in this place?" Kyon asked aloud. As if on cue, Yuki found the switch and the lights shone brightly. "Aw! My eyes!" Kyon exclaimed as he backed up. He tripped on something that looked like a switch. Something hissed and the room was enveloped by white gas.

"What is that?" Kyon asked, covering his nose with his shirt.

"Fog," Yuki answered.

"Oh, a fog machine…"

"Yes."

"We could use that." He looked around. "Where's the fog actually coming from?"

"Over there." Yuki pointed in the direction of the smoke. Kyon began to walk toward it and she followed. The machine was further down the room in a small corner. Kyon stared at it. "How do I work it?"

Yuki knelt down and examined the device. There was an on/off switch. She hit the off switch and suddenly a huge net fell over Yuki.

"What the hell?" Kyon shouted as he rushed to Yuki's side. He pulled off the net and threw it aside. "This place is really dangerous." He noted. "Let's do whatever we need to do quickly. What the hell was a net doing near a fog machine anyway?"

Yuki simply stared back at him.

"Okay, so what does she even want us to do?"

"Set up the stage."

"How?"

Yuki walked over to several levers and pulled a few of them. The trapdoor began to descend.

"Okay, so how do I work this thing?"

Yuki pulled another lever and it made the trapdoor rise. Then she pointed to the first lever she pulled. "This one is rise. This one is fall."

"And the other ones?"

"Do not work."

"Useless switches. Gotcha. So, do I stay here and work the switches or what?"

"The concert will start when Haruhi and the other girls come with the instruments. We will get on the stage, use the fog and play. Then you lower the stage."

"So I don't watch the concert?"

"No."

"Wonderful," Kyon said sarcastically. I actually wanted to see her play.

Yuki just stared at him. Then she looked around. The silence felt awkward to Kyon. He spoke up, "So, um, is there any news about the food? Or what?"

Yuki replied a concise, "No."

"She's gonna hate me."

"Maybe not."

"Alright then…"

To Kyon's sweet relief, Haruhi came into the room with the ENOZ girls. "Okay, we are ready!" She screamed. "Kyon! Get ready to lift the stage! And turn on the fog, and make sure the drum set is on the stage thing so that when the stage rises, the drums don't fall." She got in his face. "DO NOT MESS THIS UP BIG BOY."

"Big boy?"

"Yes, that's your nickname."

"Big boy?" Kyon repeated.

"Just do it."

"Big boy?"

Haruhi groaned. Kyon muttered , "Big boy…?" under his breath as he fixed the drum set. "Alright. Get on."

"Where's the opening act?" Haruhi asked.

"If you don't get your bossy ass on this damn stage—"

"Fine! Fine! You don't need to use such language Kyon!" Haruhi and the girls got on the stage and Kyon raised the stage.

"STOP!" Haruhi shouted.

"WHAT?"

"The fog, Kyon? Duh."

Kyon took a deep breath. Yuki stared at him. He calmed down. "Haruhi. You are so annoying sometimes."

"Deal with it. It's my birthday."

Kyon turned on the fog machine and raised the stage. When they were above, Kyon heard Haruhi shout something, but it was muffled. He actually wanted to see them perform, and the room was musty and creepy, so Kyon left and went to the main auditorium.

He could hear them play a familiar tune. Haruhi was singing her little heart out, and the crowd was cheering impossibly loud. "I've heard this before…" Kyon said. Suddenly Kyon realized that Haruhi ripped off that song, "God Knows" form the band. "This is that other song she played that other day at that talent show! She just wrote new lyrics to it! What?" Kyon was a bit surprised, but he expected no less from Haruhi. He just sighed and listened.

There's a feeling

That some people call true love

So why do I look at you

And get that funny feeling?

Is it really love

Or am I just crazy?

Maybe it's something else

Because it isn't possible!

The crowd went crazy as she sang the refrain. Kyon was bombarded with people jumping up and down. They were having a good time. Haruhi finished the song and there was so much cheering that Kyon couldn't help but smile.

Then it happened. Something happened to the stage. It started to shake unstably. The ENOZ girls got off quickly, but Haruhi was too preoccupied taking the applause.

"Haruhi!" Kyon yelled.

Yuki pushed Haurhi out of the way as the stage collapsed.