You are one of those idiots yourself.
Asahina-san placed the kettle onto the cooker and looked afar:
“First years…… New members? ……” That tone of reminiscence, is it because she realized that she was already third year and would be leaving the school in less than a year’s time?
I passed the paper that would only make those not in the know become more confused back to Haruhi: “I hope there will be someone who really comes, those people who have a screw loose in their mind and want to join the SOS Brigade.”
“I do not want people with a screw loose. But, you are right, I hope some people would come. Or my painstakingly prepared Brigade entrance examinations would be wasted.”
Remembering that she had started working hard on the computer since last week, so this is what it is for? Let me take a look.
“No way.”
Haruhi stuck her tongue out at me: “This is after all a Brigade secret, not something a small fry like you can read. If you want to take a look, rise in your ranks.”
I did not want such a high rank in the first place, so I immediately gave up wanting to do so.
Haruhi, who turned on the computer, clicked on the mouse while continuing:
“But, in actual fact, the examination questions could not really be described as complete. Yesterday, while I was making that notice I thought about it. I was so serious that I even lost sleep over it. Because this is part of the responsibility of the Brigade leader after all. Although I just pasted the paper up and it is unlikely for someone to arrive so quickly, in case someone really does, we shall just do the practical examinations first.”
How many stages are there in actual fact? I meant that exam of yours.
“This is a secret as well.” I pray for the unfortunate bloke who has to go through all this while moving to sit facing Koizumi. Taking a closer look, he already had the board and the pieces ready.
“How about a round?”
I thought it would be Chinese chess again, but it seems to be Classical Renju. Since it is rather boring here, I shall just treat this as some mind exercise and play a few rounds with you. But before that you must first tell me the rules.
“It is not much different from conventional Renju. You just have to remember the rules.”
I followed Koizumi’s lead, putting pieces onto the board while learning how to play through experience.
We continued playing like this until it was time to leave school. Unconsciously, I had won against Koizumi continuously for a few rounds by now. Don’t know if it is because I learn fast, or is it Koizumi that is plain weak. No matter what, these activities that did not help academics in any way continued for a while.
Haruhi seemed to be entering something into the computer, Asahina-san was reading some coloured book on traditional tea making, and Koizumi and I continued playing. How boring.
“……?” Wait, this seems strange, it’s too abnormal.
I raised my head and took a look around the clubroom. After noticing the abnormality, both Haruhi and I shrieked.
“Huh?” “Eh?”
“Where’s Nagato?” “Where’s Yuki?”
“Ah?” Asahina-san sat up.
“Talk…… Talking about it, we indeed haven’t seen her. But as usual, I made tea for her too.” Beside the book I placed on the table lay Nagato’s tea cup. It had not been drank by anybody and already turned into cold green tea.
I heard a click sound. Taking a look, Koizumi kept the various pieces and closed the portable board game set. The eyebrows on that handsome face curled upwards. That was his only response. The assistant leader remained silent.
“Could she have gone to the Computer Research Society to help?”
Before I stood up, Haruhi had already hurried out of the clubroom like a rabbit. What exactly is with such a rush? It is just Nagato not at the clubroom……
Haruhi returned with a speed faster than a boomerang thrown by even the most skilled.
“They said she did not drop by.”
“Ah, th-that, could she be involved in a committee meeting or cleaning duties?”
Asahina-san offered a more cheerful proposition, but I have never heard of Nagato being appointed as the head of decorations, disciplinary mistress, head librarian or anything related to higher postings.
There is a saying that goes “things will straighten themselves out as we go on”. Isn’t this a very appropriate for times like this? But Haruhi beat everyone in taking out her phone and made a phone call.
“Tip-tap. Tip-tap” went the indoor shoes of Haruhi against the floor.
After a few seconds.
“…… Ah, Yuki?”
She seemed to have picked up the phone. I felt a bit more relaxed.
“What happened to you today?” After remaining silent for about ten seconds, Haruhi, with her ears pressed against the phone, had a sudden change in her facial expression.
“Eh, at home? ……It can’t be!” Haruhi’s mouth formed a “?” shape.
“Fever? You caught a flu? Did you go to the hospital? ……Oh, you didn’t? Medicine?”
Koizumi, Asahina-san and myself were looking at Haruhi at the same time.
Nagato had a fever?
Haruhi frowned with a heavy expression: “Yuki, you should have contacted us at times like this. We were so worried. Did you sleep well…… Ah, sorry, did I wake you up? …… Is it? So sorry. But…… Dummy…… How can you say this is nothing! I can tell just from your voice, are you fine?”
Haruhi continued talking loudly while bringing her bag nearer to herself.
“Yuki, it is all right now. You return to sleep first.” After that, Haruhi asked for some directions from Nagato before hanging up and putting the phone down.
She stood there, biting on her nails: “This is not something as simple as “oh no”. We should have noticed this earlier. Kyon, Yuki did not come to school today. Did you know that?” If I knew, I wouldn’t be passing my time aimlessly here, watching you prepare some lame notice or play Renju.
“What a bother. Yuki’s form teacher has some problem with his or her brain. He or she could have at least informed me. She is not fit to be a teacher if he or she is unable to do something as simple as contacting!”
Although you are only finding any random target to vent your anger on, this is the only time I agreed with Haruhi’s words of anger. Why wasn’t I informed?
It would be all right even if it wasn’t a teacher. They could have at least sent someone to inform Haruhi or myself.
Nagato, why didn’t you tell me that you will not be coming to school, which is actually quite an extraordinary event?
“Mikuru, change quickly!”
“Ah, yes, yes!”
“You must be fast!”
“Yes!”
Asahina-san started taking off her waitress costume without even waiting for Koizumi and I to take our leave.
Haruhi was so determined to leave school quickly that she seemed to find turning off the power switch of the computer a hindrance. Koizumi, and I as well, dashed out of the clubroom right after picking up our bags.
Although sounds of Haruhi assisting Asahina-san in changing could be heard from the other side of the partition wall, those two were totally silent, which was quite abnormal.
I must make use of this opportunity.
“Koizumi.”
“What’s the matter?”
“Did you know that Nagato would be taking sick leave today right from the start?”
“If I did, what would you do?”
“I would blame you for not mentioning it. According to the severity of the situation, there is a possibility of suspending you in the air as a punching bag.”
“I swear to god I did not know about it.”
Koizumi returned a smile that seemed somewhat flinty. Such that is under a transparent glass mask.
“Nagato-san is not one who would have a fever due to the violation of Earth’s viruses and bacteria into her imm
une system. She is not a martian from the past. I am afraid it is the same situation as last time.”
Images of chilly winter currents flooded my mind once again. A ski resort with snowflakes everywhere, an unreal mansion standing on the dark shadows of the snow mountain. An enclosed space. It is an experience that would make anyone dislike winter.
And Kuyoh. A doll-lookalike girl with hair resembling that of the waves in a violent ocean. The humanoid interface of the Sky Canopy Dominion.
I am wondering what exactly is her motive in appearing. She did not do anything yesterday. I thought that was because of the presence of Kimidori-san.
“Their invasion had started once again, those intelligent lifeforms existing beyond Earth, unrelated to the Integrated Data Sentient Entity. Obviously, their first target would naturally be Nagato, the strongest wall of defense of the SOS Brigade.”
Koizumi’s explanation had an unprecedented level of seriousness.
“Once they force Nagato into an inoperable state, those left would be us humans who regard Earth as our mothers. What a waste, the ‘Organization’ is effortless against these thought entities. Although the situation on the time travelers’ side is unknown, Asahina-san should not be able to do much right now. But……”
The only members left would be Haruhi and I. I am very clear of the fact that I am the most powerless. But for Haruhi……
Once she knows who Nagato fell sick for, Haruhi would probably torture that person until he or she has all her skin torn off before deciding to stop. Even if it involves turning the world topsy-turvy, she would definitely rescue Nagato. Now what? Should my trump card be used at this time?
“I don’t think so.” Koizumi’s voice had exceeded calm and was progressing towards desolation. Is this some hallucination caused by my mental state of being?
“That may be their motive. Do you know that it is because the trump card can only be used once and not twice that it is effective. Any rash activity may just lead to the enemy’s advantage. In addition, this can be said to be a better situation already. I do not have any problems now, Asahina-san too. If they decide to launch a full-fledged attack, we would not be able to move around freely at this time. There are no reports of Tachibana Kyoko taking any rash action. The same should apply to the time travelers’ side. This must be a solo mission by the aliens not from the faction of the Integrated Data Sentient Entity. Since it is so, we should treat it with a more serious attitude as well.”
Just when I had squeezed my reply up to my tongue, the door opened with a slam and Haruhi rushed out, holding onto the arms of Asahina-san. Her first sentence when she opened her mouth was: “Alright, let’s get moving to Yuki’s house!” She screamed in an expression close to scolding before running ahead of us.
Obviously……
Members who dare to oppose this leader of ours do not exist at all.
————To be continued in “The Astonishment of Suzumiya Haruhi”
Table of Contents
Volume 7 Title
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
α-1
β-1
β-2
α-2
β-3
α-3
α-4
β-4
Chapter 3
α-5
ß-5
α-6
ß-6
Volume 9 - The Dissociation of Suzumiya Haruhi Page 20