Disclaimer: Haruhi Suzumiya no Yuutsu is the creation and property of Nagaru Tanigawa, etc. There are no monetary gains whatsoever, I assure you. (If you want proof, see me languish in my day job.)
Extracurricular Activities
The place where the world thins to gossamer
Dec 31, 2010 / nautical dawn
Between the emasculating cold and constant bobbing of the cramped contraption she called, "boat," he wasn't sure which gnawed more effectively at his fraying nerves. Man overboard would be a quick solution—begrudgingly, even Haruhi would call the whole endeavor quits if he attempted to die and would likely try to get him somewhere warm before the hypothermia became permanent.
Maybe. He didn't think prospect of dog-paddling in the stabbing winter of the sea worth the risk.
"Kyon, stop quivering," she command, waving the videocam to stress her displeasure. "You're ruining the misce en scene."
There was only so many ways to say he was freezing and seasick.
"What are we looking for?" he said instead, managing to shape words despite his chattering teeth. "The time of day where the fabric of the world thins to gossamer? The place where morning touches night? Sliders?"
The smirk made an appearance, but only briefly. "Not bad," she said. "But that's just incidental."
"You want to be the first person in Japan to see this year's sunrise."
"Again incidental." The smirk ghosted her face once more, before being replaced by a glower. "I hope you figure it out before the sun shows up, Kyon. Don't disappoint me."
He supposed he could admit it, what with the vastness of the skies' palette, the endlessness of the ocean that mirrored the above, and the hint of her nape that peeped in between the coils of her fluffy muffler. He didn't feel the need to tell himself he didn't really care why she decided she could bring only him in her rented coracle.
"Take care of me again this year," he said.
Surprise, definitely. He saw it before the grin came and the movement that would precede a hearty slap in the back. He could move fast sometimes, and did, catching her with an arm around her shoulder and thereby trapping the slapping arm.
"It's not as bad as long as you don't rock the boat, so stay still if you don't want me ruining your film with my puke."
"... You big baby."
He meant every word.