I got this chapter done rather quickly, and it was fun. I'm really looking forward to writing the next chapter, which will be at the slumber party! I'm probably going to derive the demands in their King's Game with the ones me and my friends play in real life.

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Just as he'd predicted, the night proved to be long and tiresome for Itsuki. Much homework from various classes, as well as his deep thinking on the trivial event after the meeting that day, had left his mind filled with all kinds of unanswered questions. This wasn't anything new, though. Behind Itsuki's happy mask, he was a lot more troubled than one might think an ESPer would be.

It was the next morning, a bright, snowy Friday morning, and the cool air was calming instead of bitter, like it usually was. Itsuki clutched the strap of his messenger bag on his shoulder and walked up the icy path toward the school, making sure he didn't fall with every step, as a fall on the slippery cobblestone now would surely be sore all day.

As the ESPer continued down the path carefully, someone started to come into view, and sure enough it was Kyon, walking hunched over with his hands in his pockets, his bag sitting on his shoulder by the strap.

Itsuki started to walk a little faster to catch up to him, but that proved to be a bad idea as he hit a patch of ice and slipped, falling to the ground and landing on his bottom with a thud.

"Aughh," he groaned in pain, and as soon as he did Kyon whipped around to see him sitting down on the cobblestone path.

Kyon gave him a confused look and walked back to him, offering a hand. "This is no place to be sitting down," he said goodnaturedly, though a smile was absent in his presentation.

Itsuki looked up at him, a million thoughts running through his busy mind, before he actually was able to gather enough intelligence to grab the offered hand and let Kyon help pull him up. He smiled accordingly and stood up with a bit of pain in his otherwise happy expression.

"Are you okay?" Kyon asked, his face portraying no particular interest, which disappointed Itsuki a little bit. He was hoping for more of a worried response... Perhaps his body made him fall just to see if Kyon would worry?

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said with a soft laugh. "I just started walking too fast and I slipped and fell. Thanks." He breathed softly, and noticed that he hadn't let go of Kyon's hand after he'd taken it to stand up. Why hadn't Kyon said anything? He pulled on his hand, trying to free it gently, but the darker haired male had... a grip on his hand?

Itsuki's mind then went completely insane with more thoughts than he could process at one time. "Uhh, Kyon-kun?" he questioned, pulling his hand again, and this time Kyon pulled his hand back with a somewhat horrified expression on his face.

"Huh?" he asked, his voice sounding confused. "O-oh, sorry, I zoned out." He laughed nervously, and began walking toward the school once again.

Itsuki followed not far behind, being even more careful than before this time, and he watched the back of Kyon's head like a hawk. He felt compelled to, now, for one reason or another. What an odd action, he thought, his mind puzzled. Perhaps it was just a fluke. He smiled softly to himself in assurance and continued, and the two eventually reached the campus of North High
School.

It wasn't until a few minutes after Itsuki's monotonous school day had come to an end that he realized the next night he'd probably be sharing the same bedroom with Kyon. Of course, there would also be Haruhi, Mikuru, and Yuki, but he'd be in the same room, sleeping with the man who'd been making him so confused for the last day or so. He stopped his walk toward the clubroom, and thought about it for a moment, and sighed, shaking his head as well as the thought out of his head and continued his walk.

Once he'd reached the room, the meeting had already started, so he was deemed late by who he considered to be God.

Itsuki took a seat next to Kyon today instead of across from him, and let his bag drop to the floor, folding his arms and crossing his legs, giving Haruhi his most lighthearted smile. She smiled back, rolling her eyes, and Itsuki knew he was forgiven for being late.

Now, Haruhi looked over everybody and nodded. "Today, we're going to be planning details for our slumber party tomorrow night!" She looked incredibly happy; she was simply beaming at the whole room. She pulled a pad of paper and a pen off the table and tossed it over to Itsuki, who in turn caught both and looked at her.

"Koizumi-kun, you write everything down!" she said with a smile, and Itsuki nodded in return, taking the cap off the tip of the pen and sticking it on the other end. "First off, we need snacks. Popcorn, candy, and soda!" She looked at Kyon. "That's all Kyon's responsibility, so make sure to include that." Itsuki wrote everything she'd said down on the paper in a list format, making sure to write next to it that it was up to Kyon to take care of it.

Haruhi thought for a moment and looked at Mikuru, who wasn't wearing her purple maid outfit today for whatever reason. "Mikuru-chan!" she exclaimed. "What kind of things do you like to do at parties?"

Mikuru bit her lip at being called upon on the spot, and thought for a moment before responding with, "I don't go to parties, but aren't movies fun?" She smiled shyly at the brigade leader, who looked back at her and nodded.

"Of course, Mikuru-chan!" she burst. "You can bring a few movies with you to the party, okay?" And Mikuru responded accordingly with a single nod. "And Yuki-chan!" She pointed to Yuki, who looked up from her book, a look of little interest on her face. "What about you? What do you think?"

Yuki tilted her head in thought for a moment before she output a monotone response. "Aren't crude or provocative games a common practice for modern co-ed parties?" she asked.

Haruhi just laughed. "Games, of course!" she sang. "We have to play the game of all games, the King's Game!" She laughed powerfully, jutting out her chest proudly, and grinned with satisfaction.

"Kyon! As your superior, I demand you to see to it that this party goes accordingly!" she commanded, walking over to him and pointing her finger right in his face, leaning over so she could look him in the eyes. Kyon just groaned.

Itsuki, it the meantime, had written down every last detail of what Haruhi had said about the party, and he silently handed her the notepad.

Haruhi took the notepad with a bright smile and looked it over, nodding her head with approval. "This is beautiful, Koizumi-kun!" she exclaimed, smiling at him. "So, this meeting is adjourned for today. I want you all to go home and get ready for tomorrow night! Don't forget sleeping bags and pajamas!"

Itsuki took the announcement as an opportunity to talk to Kyon about the party. Once Haruhi had left, and Mikuru and Yuki were on their way out, Kyon rose from his seat with a sigh.

Itsuki stood up as well and gave Kyon his usual soft smile. "So is your little sister going to be attending this party, Kyon-kun?" he asked politely. He didn't think it was appropriate for a young girl to be at a party as such, if Haruhi was planning to play naughty games...

Apparently Kyon didn't think so either. "She'll be there, but she promised to stay in her room," he explained, an annoyed look on his face. "I should never have agreed to this..."

Itsuki gave Kyon a sympathetic look. "Miss Suzumiya will definitely be glad, though," he said, trying to be comforting. "That's what matters, isn't it?" And that's always what matters, Itsuki added as an afterthought.

Kyon sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly with his sleeve. "I'm starting to care less and less, Koizumi," he said lowly. "She's wearing me down, and if her happiness didn't effect the world, I'd quit this pointless brigade."

Itsuki didn't know what to think. What was Kyon trying to say, if anything at all?

"Yes, well, I think this brigade brings a little variety into what would otherwise be a very boring life," Itsuki said. He slid his messenger bag up onto his shoulder and cleared his throat lightly. "Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow night at your house, Kyon-kun." He waved casually with his usual smile, and he walked right out the door, leaving Kyon in the classroom with a confused expression on his face.

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Tori: Next chapter! *drools*

Kyon: What's so great about next chapter?

Tori: EVERYTHING, Kyon-kun. Everything.

Kyon: What are you planning?!

Itsuki: Oh, I know what's she planning.

Tori: Trust me, Itsuki-kun... you don't. Anyway, please review! I don't have any reviews on this story yet, and it makes me sad... See you next chapter!

Itsuki: *waves*