After school ended, Haruhi dashed off, stopping on the right hand side of the classroom for a second to pass a note onto Ayumu, who simply stared, spacey as ever, and took the note. Personally, I preferred to take my time packing away my stuff, time also used in steeling myself for the ordeal ahead- the SOS Brigade meeting. I had already worked out that Haruhi intended to bring Izumi along, and judging by the note she bundled into Ayumu's hand, I figured that she also wanted the "alien" to make a guest appearance.

Having packed my things into my bag, I stood up and began to walk out, when I noticed Sakaki, who was staring out of the window as she packed her bag. Hoping I could make sure everything was okay, I walked over.

"Uh, Miss..Sakaki?" I said. As I spoke, I saw her jump slightly, as if she had been off in a dream world.

"Y...yes?" She said. No smile. I wondered if I was still on her bad side.

"I just wanted to apologise for Haruhi earlier. Oh, and for myself, I suppose. I was just...well, going over the names of everyone in the class, and Haruhi kind of caught me at a bad time, obviously." I laughed awkwardly. I didn't quite know how to compose myself in front of her- she did have a reputation for being a "lone wolf", hearing some of the other girls talking.

"Oh...yes." Sakaki smiled slightly. "Well, it's okay. I understand.

"G...good!" I exclaimed, rubbing the back of my neck, nervously. "I'm glad. Glad she didn't embarrass you or anything."

"Well..." Sakaki thought for a moment. "I am trying to...get over that. Our first performance is next week, after all."

"Performance?" I asked. "You're in a band?"

And we spoke for a short while, myself saying much, she saying relatively little. She was in a band- a light music club, apparently. I'd never heard of it, but tried to play along. I did manage to get the name- "School Teatime" or something familiar. I also managed to gleam from her that she played bass, and occasionally sang lead vocals- a role that I was surprised at- shy and quiet Sakaki, on lead vocals in a "light" band? It was bizarre.

As I reached the clubroom, I said my goodbyes and entered, only to come face-to-face with Haruhi, arms crossed and frowning. Oh dear.

"Who were you just talking to?" She said, her stare ice-cold.

"D...don't frighten me like that!" I exclaimed.

"Humph. It was that Sakaki, wasn't it? I knew it. I also know that she's part of that "light" club...Don't you think of converting there just so you can perv on her, Kyon!" Haruhi snapped.

"Alright, alright, give me a break already..." I had been there for 20 seconds and I was already exhausted. Saying brief helloes to Koizumi(Smiling creepily as usual), Nagato (Expressing no emotion, as usual) and Asahina (Who, looking delightful in a maid's outfit, served me some tea with a broad smile), then followed everyone's lead- I turned to our illustrious leader, to see what she had in mind for today.

"Okay, everyone! Today I-"

Her speech was suddenly cut off by the sound of the door slamming open. Our heads jerked up in surprise, to see a short girl with long, blue hair and a curl atop her head walk into the room. Her face held the expression of someone so relaxed, they could be asleep and no one would notice. Yeah, this was Izumi all right. Behind her were two purple-haired girls, one with short and one with long hair.

"S...sis, you didn't have to bang the door open like that..." The short-haired girl said, smiling awkwardly. I think her name was Tsukasa. I hadn't had much contact with her or her sister. Or Izumi, for that matter.

"Yeah? Well Shorty here had us walking around every clubroom in the school looking for this one, I think I have the right to be a little pissed off!" The long-haired girl replied. Her face was sharper, and angrier.

"Alright, Kagamin, we're done now. You girls can go home, I'll see you later." Izumi said, still smiling aimlessly. Her speech was almost too laid-back.

"Oh no, we are not done, Konata. You owe me big for this." "Kagamin" threatened, before slamming the door shut.

"Wow, she sure seemed angry, didn't she?" Izumi said, before walking past everyone, helping herself to some tea, and taking a seat.

"So, what're we all doing? Something fun?"

At this, Haruhi marched over and dragged her out of her seat, and over to the chalkboard. There was silence for a few minutes. Predictably, Haruhi was the one to break it.

"Okay!" She exclaimed. "Everyone, please welcome our special guest- Miss Konata Izumi!"

We applauded- Haruhi, Asahina and Koizumi more than Nagato and I. Konata looked slightly perplexed, but suddenly realised why she was there.

"Oh, of course. Thanks, you guys." She said, her expression staying the same.

"And now, Miss Izumi will illustrate for us the odd and truly ALIEN life form that walks among us. This girl's so spacey, she can't even tell the difference between a cupcake and a cup and saucer, an escalator and an elevator, even! That's right, I'm talking about the one and only, Kasuga Ayu-"

She was interrupted again by the creaking of the door, which made a nice change from the slamming earlier.

"Uhm...excuse me...but is this the "SOS Brigade clubroom? Ah wasn't sure, ah thought ah'd gotten lost..."

That trademark drawl could only be the voice of one person. Ayumu.

"Oh, yes! Yes! Here she is, everyone! Kasuga Ayumu, AKA...O-saka!!" Haruhi declared. Izumi joined in, yelling "Yeah!"

"Oh...then ah guess you were right, Chiyo-chan. Thanks fer walkin' with me."

"No problem, Miss Osaka! I'll see you tomorrow!" A high-pitched voice from outside the clubroom said. I envied her freedom.

"So, uh..." Osaka said, closing the door. "What did y'all wanna see me for, anyhow? I probably shouldn't stay here too long, ah gotta get home..."

Haruhi seemed to ignore that Osaka had said anything.

"Do you see, my loyal Brigade members? The wide, lightless eyes! The dopey, spaced-out expression! The bizarre mannerisms of her speech!"

"Not to mention all that weird crap she comes out with!" Konata continued, her face now as wide and enthusiastic as Haruhi's. "Seriously you guys, how could she not be an alien?"

"Yeah, you guys!"

"Uh...f...fine and all, but...do you have to get so close to me when you say that?" I said.

The two of them had worked their way forward, and were now inches away from my face.

"Well, Kyon, you're always the one who's sceptical about this kind of thing. So closed-minded..." She said to Konata, who nodded.

"I say he needs to be initiated into our way of thinking, somehow." Konata replied.

"Oy, oy. I'm fine thinking like a sensible person, thanks." I said. Haruhi huffed, shrugged her shoulders, and turned back to Osaka.

"Anyway, Konata. It's common knowledge that aliens always have markings on them, right?" Haruhi said.

"Oh, yeah! It's a sign from their home planet! So they can return without the aliens becoming suspicious!" Her partner in crime replied.

"So! Osaka! Where's your marking?" Haruhi exclaimed, baffling the girl.

"Is it on your back?" Konata inquired.

"No, no, it's on the back of her ear! Right?"

"No, her stomach!"

"Her chest!"

"Her butt!"

As the frenzied debate continued, I turned to Koizumi.

"So, uh, why are we here again?"

"Well, obviously it's to keep Haruhi happy. And to stop her from destroying the universe." He said, continuing to smile.

"W...well, yes, I know that." I gave up.

"Well, we did all want to talk with you anyway." He continued. "And seeing as Haruhi appears to be preoccupied, I don't think she'll mind if we slip out a little earlier."

I looked over at Haruhi and Izumi, who were frantically attempting to get Osaka's shirt off...and mostly succeeding.

"Ah've told ya! Ain't no markings on mah butt! Ah check there every night and there's nothin'!" The poor girl was saying. I felt sorry for her.

"What did you want to talk to me about? Usually it involves Haruhi, so I'm guessing that's the situation this time..." I said.

"Yes, it involves Haruhi. And her." Koizumi pointed at Osaka, who was now trying to hold her skirt to her waist. They had clearly given up on trying to get her shirt off.

"Then I think now's the best time to duck out." I said, looking at Asahina as I did. She nodded, and we both made our move. Koizumi motioned to Nagato, who nodded slightly and followed us. It was unfortunate that Haruhi managed to spot us.

"Oh, you're leaving early, huh? Well I guess I can let you just this once." She said, taking a break from trying to pry Osaka's skirt off. "But be warned! Any case of mutiny, or planning mutiny against your Brigade member will be met with severe punishment! I'm warning you all!"

"Yeah, yeah, we get it." I said. Koizumi nodded, and Asahina froze at the sound of Haruhi's voice, before nodding furiously, a serious expression on her face. Clearly, she didn't want to be manhandled by Suzumiya anymore. With that, Haruhi nodded to us and we opened the door to see a girl staring into the clubroom through the window-pane. She recoiled in shock at the sight of us.

"O...oh! Hello..." She said, shyly. She seemed to be in our year, and was quite a pretty young girl- long blonde hair, a soft expression, yet her distinguishing features were her rather large, blonde eyebrows.

"Uhm...well, I was just stepping out to get...I thought I saw...I do apologise!" She said, blushing, before running down the corridor and ducking into a clubroom on the left. As she opened the door, I thought I heard the sound of guitars and drums. Maybe that was the light music club. Or "Keion", rather.

"Ah...I could have sworn she was staring at Suzumiya and Izumi there. Is young love not so sweet, this time of year?" Koizumi mused, his smile ever on his face.

"Let's not go into "that" kind of love..." I said, and the four of us took off walking, setting the destination for our talk as being a cafe that the SOS Brigade frequents often.