The Dissociation of Haruhi Suzumiya
Page 18
“There’s something screwy with Yuki’s homeroom teacher. He should’ve said something! This is a breakdown in communication. He’s a failure as a teacher!”
It was an angry outburst, but for once I agreed with Haruhi.
Why hadn’t I been told?
It didn’t have to be a teacher. Somebody should’ve said something to either Haruhi or me.
Nagato—why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you tell me something as astonishing as you missing school?
“Mikuru, get changed.”
“Ah, yes!”
“And hurry!”
“Yes!”
Asahina started removing her maid outfit without even waiting for Koizumi or me to leave.
Haruhi was fully committed to leaving the school. Evidently she couldn’t even spare time to turn off the computer. Koizumi and I were the same way. We immediately grabbed our bags and headed out of the room.
From the other side of the closed door, I could hear the sounds of Haruhi helping Asahina change, and for once the two of them were silent.
I had to make the most of this chance.
“Koizumi.”
“What is it?”
“Did you know Nagato was missing school?”
“What would you do if I did?”
“I’d blame you for not saying something. I’d take you to task. I might string you up, depending.”
“I swear that I did not know.” Koizumi’s smile was hard-edged, as though he were wearing a glass mask. “Nagato’s fever cannot be caused by Earth-bound pathogens. She is not a Martian from the past. It is probably the same cause as before.”
The events flashed before my eyes, and I felt chilly. A snowy ski slope. A phantom mansion rising out of a blizzard. A closed dimension. The single episode was enough to make me hate winter forever.
And Kuyoh. A doll of a girl with hair like waves on a stormy sea. The humanoid terminal of the Heavenly Canopy Dominion. She hadn’t done anything the previous day. I imagined that was because Kimidori had been there.
“It’s restarted its invasion, this extraterrestrial intelligence that’s not the Data Overmind. And of course, their first target is Nagato, the SOS Brigade’s strongest line of defense.”
Koizumi’s commentary had become suddenly serious.
“If they force Nagato into inoperability, we humans, who call Earth our home, will be all that are left. Unfortunately, the Agency does not have the power to resist non-corporeal attacks. I don’t know about the more powerful time travelers, but the current Asahina will surely be powerless. However…”
The only brigade members left were Haruhi and I, and I was well aware that I was the most powerless of all.
But Haruhi—
If she knew what had caused Nagato to fall ill, Haruhi would beat that person to a pulp. She would upend heaven and earth to save Nagato.
But what to do? Was this the moment? Was this it? Was this the time and place to reveal my joker, the trump card I held?
“I do not think so.” Koizumi’s voice was beyond rational and well into indifference—or was that just because of my psychological state?
“That is probably their goal. A trump card can only be played once. It has its power precisely because it can never be played again. If we act in haste, we may play right into their hands. In addition, this may be an advantageous position. I am unhurt, as is Asahina. If our enemy had committed to a full attack, we probably wouldn’t be able to move with such freedom. There have been no reports of Kyoko Tachibana making any careless moves. By analogy, neither has the opposing faction of time travelers. This is a unilateral move by the Data Overmind’s counterpart. As such, our reaction must be carefully considered.”
The instant I was about to reply, the door slammed open and Haruhi flew through it, pulling Asahina behind her by the arm.
“All right, let’s go! We’re headed straight to Yuki’s place!” were the first words out of her mouth.
Her face was near rage as she ran ahead.
And of course—
Not a single member of the brigade argued with the brigade chief’s order.
—To be continued in
The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE
WELCOME
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
COLOR INSERT
COPYRIGHT
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Suzumiya Haruhi no Bunretsu copyright © 2007 Nagaru TANIGAWA Illustration by Noizi Ito
First published in Japan in 2007 by KADOKAWA SHOTEN Co., Ltd., Tokyo. English hardcover/paperback translation rights arranged with KADOKAWA SHOTEN Co., Ltd., Tokyo, through Tuttle-Mori Agency, Inc., Tokyo.
English translation by Paul Starr
English translation copyright © 2013 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at permissions@hbgusa.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
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First ebook edition: June 2013
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ISBN 978-0-316-22870-1