Volume 6 - The Wavering of Suzumiya Haruhi

by Tanigawa Nagaru

  Seeing that Asahina-san would rather follow me to fetch some water rather than stay in the club room alone with Nagato, I could find no reason to refuse her, even if I were to dig all the way to the Mohorovicic discontinuity to search for one. Of course, if it were Haruhi then things would be different. Heck, there wouldn’t be any need to dig at all – all the reasons would come spewing out faster than an unearthed oil fountain. Luckily Haruhi wasn’t around, or else I would probably suffer another series of mechanical pencil jabs.

  With the kettle safely in my arms, I hummed to myself as I considered which route I should take to the water fountain. I finally decided to take the path to the Old Block, when…

  “Ah…… Wait for me…”

  Still clad in her maid uniform, Asahina-san stumbled along, like a young cat stubbornly clinging on to its mother.

  Walking side by side with Asahina-san, I felt a sense of pride swelling up within me. Although it wasn’t me who gave Asahina-san that perfect figure, those angelic features, or her charming personality, as far as I know, I was the only one to have ever been so close to her. Ahaha, what joy!

  Too busy feeling pleased with myself, I totally forgot all about Asahina-san’s melancholy. That’s why—

  “Kyon-kun.”

  Just as I started filling the kettle with water—

  “Are you free this Sunday? There’s a place I would like to visit with you.”

  Asahina-san’s tone was dead serious. At the same time, I was so shocked by her statement that no modern calculating device could determine the exact value of my surprise. For a moment, I totally forgot what day today was, and how many days it would take to reach Sunday. After much effort, I finally managed to croak out……

  “Sure”

  Even if I had something to do this Sunday, at Asahina-san’s invitation, all the red markings on my calendar had magically disappeared. Even if she requested we meet on the 29th of February, I would still be there. Who cares about something as trivial as a leap year?

  “Yeah, I guess I’m kinda free.”

  After forcing out those words, shrouds of mist began to slowly rise in my heart.

  —- Haven’t I heard this somewhere before?

  But then again, at that time we were traveling to three years ago. Time travel gets kinda boring after a while, you know? Sure, it may seem fun at first, but frequently hopping from past to future and vice versa, one has to wonder if one’s appetite grows larger after time travel.

  “Please don’t worry.”

  Asahina-san had subconsciously picked up the kettle, and had started playing with it. Her eyelids were drooping, as she casually watched the flow of tap water.

  “This time I’m not going to the past, nor the future. Actually, all I wanted was to get some tea leaves from the local supermarket. Kyon-kun, would you care to accompany me?”

  Asahina-san then proceeded to reduce her voice to barely audible levels, and placed her index finger on her cherry lips.

  “Keep this a secret from everyone…… Okay?”

  My chest once again swelled with pride, filled with so much confidence that I reckon I would still be able to tell a straight out lie after a full dose of Veritaserum.

  The days, hours, minutes and even seconds that soon followed never felt longer. Why is it that the more you stare at the clock, the slower it moves, as if intentionally mocking you? Could it have, by any chance, decided to take a holiday while I wasn’t looking? Even shaking the clock with my hands didn’t seem to speed up the movement of the accursed second hand. I finally realized how powerless we humans truly were subjected to the slow passing of time, as our dull and tasteless life slowly drifts by.

  Nevertheless, this was the first time I had an ordinary, time-unrelated outing with a time traveler, for the sole purpose of purchasing tea leaves. Now I’d been thinking these past couple of days (since there was obviously no better way of passing time). I didn’t think Asahina-san was one to have any problems doing the shopping all by herself, and she definitely wasn’t so indecisive as to need help deciding what brand of tea leaves to buy. Even if she bought the worst tea leaves available in the market and produced a cup of totally horrible tea, I would probably still enjoy it. And the rest of the SOS Brigade wasn’t that picky either.

  If so, what did Asahina-san invite me out for? And why so mysteriously?

  A boy and a girl, of similar age, walking together on a Sunday.

  That is to say, would that be what normal humans consider a date? Hmm, I can’t think of any other explanation. Yeah, it’s a date alright, just as I thought. Choosing tea leaves was just an excuse, after all. Aww, you didn’t need to be so mysterious. Couldn’t you have just told me right then? No, wait, this is how it should be. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be Asahina-san.

  With those thoughts in mind, Sunday finally came.

  I pedalled my bike furiously as I sped towards the agreed meeting spot before the train station. My trusty bike seemed to understand how I felt, as even without a motor, the pedals spun shockingly fast. This was probably the first time I had looked forward to a meeting ever since I joined the SOS Brigade, because this was an extremely ordinary outing. The destination was not a sealed space with blue giants, the tickets weren’t tickets to the future, and the mode of transport definitely wasn’t a UFO.

  Unless the one waiting before the station was the elder version of Asahina-san, with that secretive smile that screamed of a hidden motive, now that would be a different story.

  No matter how you look at it, I’m still a high school student with a moderate amount of intelligence. Thanks to that and my past few experiences, I could more or less predict how the future would turn out. Asahina-san (big) was no exception. She would appear whenever I got the feeling that she would. So even if she showed up today, I would not be surprised….

  “No way!”

  I forcefully parked my bike in the shade of the power poles, before proceeding to lecture myself.

  Even my thoughts had become biased! If things carried on like this, even if something did happen, I’d still remain perfectly calm. And that wasn’t good, either. The only person who can stare something weird in the face and remain perfectly calm is someone who’s missing a few screws in his brain. I want to be a normal person, or at least someone who’s mentally sane! Although it may already be too late for that, I should at least smile when it’s the time to smile. Now was definitely one of those moments.

  So, I tried my best, and forced myself to smile.

  The Asahina-san standing at the usual SOS Brigade meeting spot today was none other than my favorite version of Asahina-san.

  Standing amidst a busy crowd, she waved furiously at me with that tiny, lily hand of hers. That pose was enough to melt anyone’s heart.

  Sporting a simple yet elegant outfit, with a different hairstyle, she was like a girl trying eagerly to blossom into womanhood. Seeing such a change in her, I was moved to the point of tears.

  Faced with an elegantly dressed Asahina-san, I hastily pulled my bike to a halt, and revealed a Koizumi-style smile, which I had rehearsed over and over in the mirror.

  “Sorry I’m late.”

  Although there was still 15 minutes till the agreed time.

  “It’s okay……”

  Asahina-san breathed a sigh of relief, as she lowered her gaze to the ground.

  “I just arrived too.”

  That was followed with a smile.

  “Alright, let’s get going!”

  Asahina-san stepped forward, as her hair gently bobbed up and down.

  Looking at Asahina-san with her hair tied up, an indescribable feeling slowly welled up in my heart. I was like one of those loyal knights in your typical RPGs, with a sworn duty to protect a princess who had to flee the palace due to inner conflict in the royal court and wander all over the world.

  Asahina-san’s tiny footsteps, coupled with her childlike features, made me wonder, was she really a year older than me? Her footsteps could easily compare to
my sister’s, and to top it off, she was still very young-looking. Looking down at her small footsteps, an urge to protect her swelled up in my chest, so much so that I feared that if she turned back to look at me with those big, round eyes of hers, even she would feel uncomfortable.

  I mean, every single one of my actions was different compared to my usual self. Being cooped up in a small, awkward room together with the eccentric Haruhi, smiling Koizumi and silent Nagato, my actions were usually half-hearted and often chaotic. Now, there was only Asahina-san and me. Better still, no one knew about it. The tyrannical brigade commander, the reliable alien, and even the esper weren’t here. This was quite the change.

  I really wanted to announce this at the top of my lungs: Deciding to go out with Asahina-san alone is the best decision I have ever made in my life!

  To tell you the truth, I was happy. Very happy. Walking side by side with one of North High’s most beautiful students, even if someone chucked my Purple Diploma into the gutter, I would still not feel any sense of regret, seeing that the diploma was issued by a country that wasn’t renowned for literature anyway.

  We were headed to the mall near the train station.

  Sometimes, having nothing better to do, I would accompany my family here to do the shopping. This mall mostly sold food and apparel, and it also had a large bookstore inside. However, that was Nagato’s field of specialty, not mine. As I expected, Asahina-san took me to the lower level, where the food was sold.

  Beyond a row of shining ATMs was the store we were headed to. Specializing in dealing nothing but tea leaves, the racks inside were filled with all sorts of different kinds.

  “Good afternoon.”

  At the sound of Asahina-san’s cute greeting, the shop owner’s face immediately cracked a smile that resembled bitumen melting on a hot summer’s day.

  “Welcome, thanks for visiting us again.”

  It seems that Asahina-san had already become a regular at this shop, and was on friendly terms with the shop owner.

  “Ehh… Which type should I buy?”

  Asahina-san muttered to herself, while surveying the different type of tea leaves printed on a large poster hanging by the wall, complete with their corresponding names and prices.

  Of course, my knowledge of tea leaves was less than Asahina-san’s, so I was unable to give her any suggestions. I stood silently by her side as I inhaled the different aromas and fragrances of the various tea leaves, my nose itching wildly in the process.

  Turning serious at the topic of tea leaves, Asahina-san discussed with the shop owner the various methods of brewing tea, from the amount of leaves to the time required. I stood there listening, with nothing much to do or say, like a scarecrow after harvest.

  The only one who ever gave any comments on Asahina-san’s tea was me. Haruhi would usually down the entire cup in a single gulp, probably not even noticing whether it was tea or not, while I can’t even confirm if Nagato has any taste buds or not. Koizumi rarely voices his opinion on any matter anyways, so the only one left was me.

  I had already sworn that I would drink any tea that Asahina-san prepared, even if it was a silver goblet of hemlock. Seeking aid right after drinking should allow me to live to tell the tale. Most importantly, Asahina-san’s feelings would not be hurt.

  Seeing that I had no advice to offer whatsoever, I continued to stand idly by the door, playing the role of Asahina-san’s chaperone. It was not until Asahina-san finally made her decision and bought the type known as “High-classed-goddess” or something that I finally stopped standing guard like a sentry.

  “It’s such a rare chance that we get to come out together—-”

  Asahina-san looked at me with even politer eyes than usual.

  “Do you want to come in and drink some tea? The dango they serve here is quite tasty. We could ask the shop owner to help brew the tea leaves we just bought earlier……”

  Even by the time all the hydrogen in the sun had been consumed and turned into helium, I would still be unable to find a reason to refuse her offer. In a simple shop like this, it was surprising that tables and chairs were prepared, as if telling me to come in and sit down. Without a second thought, I followed Asahina-san into the store and sat down, as the aroma of freshly brewed tea soon filled my nostrils.

  There was one thing which I greatly missed.

  Asahina-san seemed to care a lot about the time, as she frequently shot glances at her watch, unable to calm down and enjoy her tea. Her actions, however, didn’t seem deliberate, and it was as if she was trying to hide it from me. My apologies, Asahina-san, but no matter how much you try to hide it, I can still notice. Because apart from looking at the time, you seem to be sighing every time you glance at your watch. Something must be bothering her.

  “The dango here is tasty, and the tea is also sweet smelling, just as expected from Asahina-san. Hmm… this is really delicious.”

  Even so, I pretended not to notice Asahina-san’s nervousness. I really must desist from praising myself for being such a kind and thoughtful soul. Oops, I’m sorry. Is it already too late?

  “Hmm…”

  Asahina-san took a bite from her dango, before glancing at her watch again.

  I suddenly had a bad feeling, like the calm before the storm.

  That’s right; this whole ordeal was fishy from the start. The fact that I was going out with one of the top three beauties in North High, who, even in that cute winter outfit, failed to conceal that hot body beneath it, would be enough to propel anyone to the roof of the school hostel and yell about it at the top of their lungs.

  I drank my cup of tea, and as the hot fluid slowly flowed down my digestive system, my suspicion began to grow thicker and thicker.

  There must be a catch.

  My analysis of past experiences and data has proven that the only upperclassman in the SOS Brigade, Asahina Mikuru-san, is indeed a time traveler. She was sent here from the future for some reason, which unfortunately remains classified information. As for how she became the SOS Brigade’s official mascot, well, that was all due to Haruhi’s tyrannical ways. It definitely has nothing to do with her original assignment.

  That’s right. Observing Haruhi is her official assignment. She’s also in charge of bringing me to the past and the future, in order to trigger future events or to clean up the mess my past self has unknowingly created. Those were the assignments her superiors gave her. No matter how you think of it, that more or less resembles her true mission.

  So the question is, was today’s date an assignment too? Was the whole tea leaves choosing business meant to camouflage the true purpose of events that were about to happen? Did Asahina-san know from the very start? Come to think of it, that expression on her face kinda gave everything away……

  After finishing our dango, Asahina-san insisted on paying on her own.

  “It’s okay, since it was me who asked you out in the first place.”

  Even so, I can’t let you spend so easily.

  “It’s really alright. You treat us every time anyway.”

  That’s because that idiot Haruhi made a self-proclaimed rule that the last one to arrive would be the one who would treat the entire brigade to a meal, and, for some unknown reason, the last person to arrive is always me. In the end, I was the one to settle the bill, something you don’t see outside the SOS Brigade. Today was different, though, and maybe it was due to the rare chance that the both of us got to go out alone, all the bills stuffed in my wallet seemed to be screaming to be let out. Perhaps they thought being spent this way would be more meaningful.

  “Let me settle this bill for once.”

  Asahina-san looked at me with pleading eyes.

  “Pretty please?”

  The expression Asahina-san wore was so genuine, I naturally nodded my head in agreement.

  After that, Asahina-san and I left the supermarket. Seeing that the both of us had nowhere else to go, we stood transfixed on the spot, under the harsh, winter sky, staring at the cr
owd that passed before us.

  The phrase “Well, see you tomorrow” is generally used when you want to take leave after everything is done, but even then it still seems ungentlemanly. Of course, I’m not the type of guy that would bolt once my job was done, and furthermore, it was still a long time before the sun set. A month has passed since winter, meaning that the sun should set really, really late……

  “Accompany me for a walk, okay? Kyon-kun……”

  Those pleading eyes again! Faced with those facial expressions and a voice that would make anyone’s knees turn into jelly, I found myself in no position to disagree.

  Asahina-san revealed a divine, aurora-like smile.

  “Come on, let’s go this way.”

  Without further hesitation, Asahina-san began walking. What a pity. I had secretly hoped Asahina-san would grab my hand as she walked. Seems like I had my hopes too high.

  With the winter breeze beating softly upon my shoulders, I chased after Asahina-san’s petite figure.

  And just like that, the both of us strolled for quite some time.

  Asahina-san seemed to have decided the destination right from the beginning, as she shot occasional side glances at me, trying to ascertain whether I was there or not, since I followed her without making a sound.

  I kept my lips tightly sealed, as I followed Asahina-san’s footsteps. Many questions were flooding my mind. The more I thought of it, the weirder today’s Asahina-san seemed to be.

  Err, how should I put it? The usual Asahina-san was a weak, pitiful little girl that would unconsciously stir up the desire to protect her in every man’s heart, and her cute little movements were enough to make anyone’s lips curl upwards into a smile. Today, however, her every movement resembled mine during a physics pop quiz.

  Not to mention that she would nervously look around as she walked.

  It’s as if she was afraid someone was staring at her… Wait, that’s not right either. Asahina-san wasn’t paying attention to her back, nor her front, but rather, her sides, like an elementary school girl looking for a missed checkpoint during orienteering. If she wasn’t the cute, doll-faced beauty she was now, but rather a middle aged man, she would probably be arrested by the cops for acting suspicious in the middle of broad daylight. Even if she did get arrested, with her absolute charm, any offense on her part would be easily pardoned. But that wasn’t the point.