The number of papers that Koizumi had to cellotape together increased at the same pace as the number of times I turned to glance at my watch. Oh shit, at this rate, I’ll never make it on time…
Asahina (Michiru)-san would return on 4:16PM, so I had to send this Asahina-san away by 4:15PM, not to mention the time needed for her to change back to her uniform first.
The minute hand had already gone past 4 o’clock, but Nagato still hadn’t finished handing out the number cards, and Koizumi still had plenty of lines to draw.
Asahina-san stood by the side, holding the present box, her smile rather stiff for a mascot. Looks rather cold to cosplay as a miko at this time of year, doesn’t it? But there’s no point in wondering about these issues. As I was busy calculating how long it would take to change from a miko costume to a school uniform, the Amidakuji was finally complete. As expected, the papers used are together as long as a large scroll. It’s certainly a scene to behold.
Haruhi casually picked up a pen and randomly picked one line out of dozens of them, and drew a heart shape at the bottom, she then added another bunch of horizontal lines.
“Now come! Only one can reach this heart and win the Valentine Chocolate handmade by Asahina! You’ll definitely cry tears of joy if you win! We’ll begin on the right side!”
It was already exhausting trying to trace which line the heart would reach from, but are you trying to kill me by wasting so much more time!? Though the odds of winning in one go are now very slim, Haruhi is sure putting a lot of effort into stirring up the atmosphere, but I really don’t have much time for this!
Oblivious to my anxiety, Haruhi placed the portable hi-fi on the table and pressed the play button, a cheerful melody began to play. Orpheus in the Underworld? This isn’t a sports fair, dammit! ( It’s common for Japanese schools to play this song during sports fairs. )
Looks like I’ve got to resort to desperate measures, I must have pretty good karma for Lady Luck to be sitting right by my side.
“I’m sorry, Nagato,”
I pretend to look at the coins and paper money stacked up like a hill inside the senbei box as I whisper softly to the ear of the cashier sitting on the chair beside the table,
“Please let this draw be over in one try, there’s no time left!”
Nagato was staring straight at Asahina-san, shivering non-stop because of the cold wind, as she heard my prayer. She then turned to take a glance at me, and then silently stood up. Just before Haruhi began drawing lots from the right side with a red pen, Nagato quietly and elegantly adds one more line.
Ten minutes later, I was pulling Asahina-san’s little hand and rushing towards the club room.
“Wah, Kyon-kun…! It hurts, what’s going on?”
Even if it means having to drag Asahina-san and make her cry, I couldn’t care less anymore, as there are only five minutes left!
“I’ll explain everything to you afterwards, but we’ll be in trouble if we don’t hurry!”
I carried the tiny miko upper-classman and climbed up the stairs three steps at a time.
As expected from Nagato, the draw was over in just one draw. Seeing how the first student chosen had won the prize so effortlessly, besides being stunned, Haruhi and everyone else couldn’t hide their disappointment. Well, there’s only one winner after all, so don’t take it personally, guys. Still keen on keeping the atmosphere on a high, Haruhi changed the background music this time to See, the Conqu’ring hero comes. She then forcefully pulled the student who had card number 56 and made the student stand face to face with Asahina-san. By the way, the winner was a cute, curly-haired first-year girl - the way she looked shy and embarrassed sure was mesmerizing. Under a strange atmosphere, Asahina-san stiffly passed the chocolate to the girl, and under Haruhi’s instruction, they both shook hands, at which point the crowd suddenly roared into a thunderous applause. I didn’t understand what they were so joyous for. I still had to wait for Haruhi to take a photo of the two of them with a tripod camera she obtained from god-knows where. It’s gonna be troublesome if this goes on any longer!
I quickly grabbed Asahina-san’s hand before she even had a chance to say anything, and headed straight for the building complex without time to even come up with an excuse. Finally, we arrived at the door of the club room.
“Eh, where, wha…? Kyon-kun…?”
I can’t really blame Asahina-san for looking so confused after being dragged to the club room so suddenly.
“Hurry up and change!”
I took her uniform hanging on the clothes rack and shoved it into her hands,
“Do it in three minutes, quickly!”
I don’t know whether it’s the tone of my voice or the terrifying look on my face, Asahina-san trembled as she nodded her head, but she made no sign of taking off her costume at all. Dammit! I might as well take it off for you! Just as I decided to do it anyway, her little white hand pointed towards the door.
“Um…”
“What now!?”
“Can you please go outside first?”
I spun out of the room in less than a second and began to look at my watch as I leaned against the closed door. The time was now 12 minutes 33 seconds.
“Asahina-san, are you done yet!?”
“…N-Not yet!”
It’s just that I was already anxious enough trying to make sure Haruhi wasn’t chasing along. There was no time for me to daydream about the sound being made by the articles of clothing rubbing against each other.
“Asahina-san!”
“Just a little longer…”
It was now past 4:14 PM, I can’t wait any longer! I quickly barged into the room.
“Wah! Kyon-kun! I’m not, wah, kyaa!”
Asahina-san’s eyes widened as she stood stiffly with her hand placed on the zip of her sailor uniform. The white kimono shirt and red hakama on the floor was proof that she had been changing, but now’s not the time for tidying up.
I placed my hands on her shoulders and pushed her towards the broom locker.
“WAH! K, Kyon-kun!”
I was at fault for ignoring Asahina-san’s yell as I pushed her. Her legs tripped and as a result, I ended up falling on top of her.
“Wah! No, don’t…”
Just what the hell was I doing? I had no time to enjoy seeing her look vulnerable. I quickly picked up Asahina-san in her sailor uniform, loudly opened the stainless steel door of the broom locker, and promptly shoved her inside.
“Asahina-san, listen carefully. Please travel at once to eight days ago from this time! Don’t ask anymore, just do it!”
Still feeling shell-shocked, she said teary-eyed,
“…But, I still haven’t received authorization…”
“Please! There’s no time!”
“Eight days ago, is it? What time?”
Damn it! Hurry up and remember! Just what time was it then? What did Asahina-san say to me that time? “You told me to return here at exactly…”
“3:45 PM! Hurry up and go!”
“O-Okay… huh?”
Like a little animal, Asahina-san looked innocently at me. Her eyes then widened as she placed her hand on her head,
“The authorization came even before I even applied. Time coordinates… eight days ago, February 7th, 3:45PM… Right here? Huh? Top Priority Clearance…?”
“You’ll understand when you get there, I should be there waiting for you. My past self will take care of everything from here onwards, remember to say ‘hi’ to him for me,”
It was less than ten seconds to 4:15PM.
I nodded to a terrified looking Asahina-san, and gently closed the door to the broom locker. Within the stainless steel locker, I could not hear anything from within.
As the saying goes, what goes around comes around, karma comes back to haunt what one has done, I have never felt about this so strongly before now. The reason I’m catching my breath now was all because on the day before yesterday, I had set Asahina-san’s return coordinates at 4:1
6PM. At that time, I never thought it would be so nerve wracking, but in the end it’s all my fault.
“Asahina-san?”
I tried speaking through the stainless steel door, there was no response. I knew it was a waste of time as well. Besides, I didn’t give any warnings to my past self eight days ago, since I never heard of any warnings myself, and Asahina-san said nothing about it. Even if I wanted to, there was no time.
The watch now showed the time to be three seconds past 4:15 PM.
It was extraordinarily quiet. Besides myself, the only sound that can be heard in the empty club room was the breeze and the sound of the crowd outside, haven’t they dispersed yet?
I stood in front of the broom locker and waited quietly.
“Klunk!”
I don’t know how else to describe this - a strange sound emanated from inside the broom locker.
I knew there was someone inside even without listening to the sound of their breathing. It was exactly 4:16 PM, the stainless steel locker suddenly felt like an antique piece of furniture to me for some reason.
I opened the door and spoke the line that I prepared to welcome her back,
“Welcome back, Asahina-san,”
Wearing the large coat Tsuruya-san lent her, it had been 48 hours since I last saw this Asahina-san.
“Ah… um…”
Asahina-san blushed and lowered her head, and then slowly lifted it again. With trepidation, she slowly moved her crystal clear eyes upwards and finally stopped when they met my eyes.
A while later, a smile appeared on her face. Her pink lips blossomed like a cottonrose hibiscus as she spoke the following words,
“I’m back.”
It would have been great if I could continue to spend time alone with Asahina-san like that, but the circumstances simply would not permit me to do such a thing. I’d better get her to change out of that casual wear, but there was still no sight of the uniform that Tsuruya-san had promised to bring.
Looks like she’ll just have to wear the miko costume again for now, and once again, I stepped outside of the club room and leaned against the door.
By the way, it’s strange that Haruhi didn’t come to ask for my head. While it was good that everything was going fine, it’s worrying that it can sometimes be too fine for comfort. At the same time, along came a person carrying a paper bag, if she had arrived earlier, I wouldn’t have had to go through so much trouble.
“Hey! Sorry, Kyon-kun, here, Mikuru’s uniform and indoor shoes. I had wanted to give them to you during lunch, but I forgot,”
Tsuruya-san stepped closer to me,
“What’s going on? I see Haru-nyan up to something in the courtyard, and where’s Mikuru?”
Tsuruya-san smiled meaningfully when I silently pointed to the club room door, and proceeded to turn the door knob as though opening her own refrigerator door.
“Oh, Mikuru. Are you changing? Oh… that’s just excellent, you can take these clothes back home,”
She then turned to wink at me, and then walked inside. Though I could only squat outside in the corridor and stare at the wall, it’s not hard to imagine the surprised look on Asahina-san’s face, since I’ve seen that look many times already.
“Let me help you! Getting changed~ Huh? You’re cosplaying as a miko today?”
I leaned against the wall and heard Asahina-san’s confused-sounding yelps and Tsuruya-san’s child-like laughter. Tsuruya-san probably never gave a thought as to why Asahina-san would take off clothes of a younger twin sister she’s not supposed to have met before. We both knew it was pointless trying to explain further, yet the wonderful thing about Tsuruya-san is that she never seems to mind. Looks like I won’t be able to look at her without feeling inferior for the rest of my life.
As I began to smile wryly, Haruhi triumphantly returned, bringing Nagato and Koizumi, who was carrying the long table. She strutted in such a boastful way, tapping the floor tiles loudly as she stepped and shaking that money can in a loud and ridiculous manner. If she were on a fishing boat, she would probably be brandishing her flag to show off what a catch she’d made today.
“Why’d you suddenly take Mikuru-chan away? We were booed badly, you know?”
I was afraid she would catch a cold from wearing so few clothes. Besides, we’re giving these guys a good bargain. Just for seeing Asahina-san in that costume, we should charge them an extra 500 yen!
“Yes, you’re right! We should’ve charged more. These occasions are hard to come by, after all,”
Haruhi actually agreed to what I said without hesitation, has she already come up with a new activity?
“But Kyon, I sure was surprised. Yuki actually offered to give everyone a consolation prize,”
Haruhi patted her hand on Nagato’s slim back,
“You know those bargain chocolate packets? The ones with the chocolate brand names on them. Yuki personally went and gave one each to every person who didn’t win! I never thought she would prepare such a thing, good job Yuki! You sure thought it out well. This is a brilliant idea, this way no matter what contest we hold, people can always expect a generous consolation prize even if they don’t win!”
They’re probably only going to be looking forward to Nagato personally giving them a prize, I thought to myself. Before thanking her for thinking quickly on the spot, I should first of all thank her for buying time for me.
“…”
Nagato slowly turned around, as though in a hurry to rush back to the club room and bury herself into her book. Only I could understand the expression she’s made.
At this moment, the club room door opened suddenly.
“Oh, Tsuruya-san, you’re here? What’s with those clothes?”
“Hey, Haru-nyan! I’ve lent these to Mikuru, I’m just coming to take them back, so don’t worry about me taking her away from you!”
Tsuruya-san placed the long coat over her shoulders and stuffed the rest of the clothes into her paper bag, while spinning a shoe on the tip of her finger,
“See ya later, Haru-nyan!”
“Okay, see you tomorrow, Tsuruya-san!”
After clapping their hands together, Tsuruya-san disappeared at the end of the corridor. It was as though the stuff concerning Asahina-san and what she told me this lunch time never happened, she was still the same person as before. Not even I could act like her, she is just that amazing. The Tsuruya clan would definitely prosper with her in charge.
“…”
Nagato drifted into the club room, randomly took a book down from the bookshelf, and like water flowing in a stream, elegantly settled on a steel chair and began to indulge in the world of her book.
Haruhi stood by the side as she watched Koizumi and me carry the long table back inside, by which time she had noticed Asahina-san in her miko costume for some time. She said,
“Mikuru-chan! We’ve amassed a great amount of funds today, so you’d better buy the best tea leaves as celebration! This is all thanks to you. For this achievement, I’m officially promoting you to Deputy Vice Commander! There’s no need to be shy, Mikuru-chan, show some happiness!”
Seeing how Haruhi was feeling so pleased with herself while sitting on the commander’s desk, I picked the chair furthest away and laid exhausted on the long table.
I am truly worn out. Now I finally understand how exhausting it is to tamper with time, trying to make sure that the effects line up with the causes. Even if I wanted to blame someone, I only have myself to blame. The arrow would still circle 360 degrees back to myself. Is the work of all future time-travelers as stressful as this? Looks like I’m going to have to be careful when talking with Asahina-san, otherwise I’ll place a heavy psychological burden on her shoulders, and she’ll probably roll up into a ball like an armadillo whenever she gets jabbed.
“I don’t mind sharing some of that burden, cleaning up the mess is my forte, after all,”
Koizumi said to me in a volume in which only I could hear, while opening the wrapping of the box
of a card game,
“I’m beginning to understand a bit concerning Suzumiya-san’s plan,”
I lifted my head and found myself exchanging glances with Koizumi, who was studying his deck of cards with a grin. “I wonder which hair style suits you best?” said Haruhi while sitting Asahina-san on a chair and playing around with her hair. At the mercy of Haruhi, Asahina-san shut her eyes tightly like a cat whose hair was being brushed. I watched this scene play out as I said,
“Didn’t you say there was nothing unusual about Haruhi’s behavior?”
“That was what I meant, as treasure hunting and mystery searching are part of Suzumiya-san’s regular activities. Maybe I should’ve said she’s deliberately pretending as though nothing unusual is happening? Who would have thought that you would have completely forgotten about Valentine’s Day? It’s not just Suzumiya-san, I’m sure no one would forget. For guys like us, this is a day that we would at least pay some attention to even if we’re not confident of receiving any chocolates. Of course Suzumiya-san would have thought you would be anxious about it, that was why she pretended nothing was happening. Having two consecutive days of mystery searches was a clear indication of her plan to drive you crazy about whether you would receive any chocolates on that day.”
Then wouldn’t it be better if she could just directly put the chocolates in my shoe locker? That locker isn’t reserved for time travelers, you know!?
“Suzumiya-san is just the sort of person that likes to take such a convoluted route. If she had directly given them to you, she would have found it too boring. Besides, we worked very hard to dig out those treasures, so it was quite rewarding when we found them.”
Koizumi seems to be examining his cards as he continuously organizes them into various rows and columns.
“I sure had a lot of fun, didn’t you?”
What’s that supposed to mean? Is that a loaded question?
Just as I was about to make a witty response…
“Hey, Kyon! Koizumi-kun! Whispering time’s over!”
Volume 7 - The Intrigues of Suzumiya Haruhi Page 29