Haruhi's Birthday

Chapter 20

That seemed to be the climax of the party. After that, everything calmed down. Kyon was so relieved. He stood in a shady corner as he drank some punch. Then Itsuki appeared.

"Hey," he said as he leaned in beside Kyon.

"Do we need to have the personal space talk again?"

"I just never learn huh?" Itsuki said with a smile. "Haruhi cut her cake. She got a monster slice and let the rest have at it. I saved you a piece." Itsuki handed him a tiny slice of cake.

"Thanks, I guess…"

"The piñata is next."

"Awesome," Kyon said uninterested.

"We have to hang it up."

Kyon sighed. "Where?"

"She wants it to hang from the ceiling from some sort of pulley so that she can lift it up when people try to swing at it. That way, no one can actually hit it."

"What kind of bull—you know, that sounds like something Haruhi would actually do."

So they got a ladder from outside and carried it into the party area. Haruhi noticed and marched over to them. "What are you doing?" she shouted.

"Hanging up the piñata," Kyon replied.

"You're disturbing the party! You should've done this earlier Kyon!"

"Mr. Yumyums delivered it late!"

"Fine! Just hurry up."

Kyon and Itsuki got some rope and set up the pully system. Then Itsuki stopped.

"What's up?" Kyon asked.

"Um…" Itsuki started. "This thing is fifty pounds…"

"Why?" Kyon asked as he climbed down the ladder. Itsuki whispered in his ear.

"Look, I didn't order a piñata, and I know you didn't. Haruhi unintentionally provided one herself. Let's be grateful."

Kyon pushed Itsuki away. "Personal space man. Fine. No complaints. How do we get this up?"

"Um…" Itsuki stared at the piñata.

"Staring at it won't really help."

"Hush boy, I'm thinking."

"Why is everyone calling me 'boy' today?"

For a moment, Itsuki said nothing. Then he shook his head and smiled. "I got nothing."

"Don't say that as you smile nonchalantly."

Haruhi approached the guys. "The piñata? What's up."

"This crap is heavy," Kyon explained.

"Wow. Thanks for being useless Kyon." Haruhi frowned. "I guess we'll just keep it on the ground and blindfold the people. They can beat it down. Go get blindfolds, Kyon."

"We only need one. It's a one at a time thing."

"No. We can do this in teams."

"So you think it's a good idea to blind fold people and let them run around swinging sticks?"

"Yes! The SOS Brigade is not liable for any damages."

"Oh really? Wonderful!" Kyon replied sarcastically, clapping his hands. He stopped and looked her in her face. "That's a negatory Haruhi."

"Just take the ladder away!" Haruhi ordered. She went back to the stage, carefully avoiding the part with a trapdoor. She grabbed the mic and called the crowd's attention. "It's time for the piñata!" She shouted.

"Kyon, we don't have sticks," Itsuki whispered.

"I actually took care of that. I found some sticks in the drama club room."

Haruhi barked the rules and then approached the piñata. Kyon blind folded her, spun her around, and handed her a stick. She immediately swung the stick and hit Kyon on the shin. He shouted. Haruhi removed the blindfold. "Kyon? Move!"

"You little…" Kyon mumbled as he dragged himself away.

So Haruhi mercilessly beat the piñata, but it refused to break. She passed the blindfold to people in the crowd who wanted to take a go, but the piñata just wasn't having it. Kyon took a turn himself, and he relieved his rage on the piñata, but just would not break. So Haruhi ran and got a bat, and beat the crap out of the piñata without being blindfolded. Once she broke it, she took a deep breath and gave Kyon a thumbs up.

"You must have really wanted to do that…" he said.