“Ah, Kyon, if you’re bringing out tea, then get me one too, please. Mikuru-chan is in the middle of her work, and I’d hate to interrupt.”
There was no way I’d awkwardly oppose her like a stinking kid for this. As my little symbol of defiance, I gave a sigh upon hearing her, before I poured hot water into the teapot, filled up Haruhi’s cup and mine with tea, then turned into a temporary waiter as I brought them to the Brigade Chief’s seat.
Haruhi was in a good mood as she took a sip from the teacup,
“What’s this? It’s just hot, light-brown colored water. Change the tea leaves, the tea leaves!”
“You do it. I’m busy.”
Since I was, in fact, busy, this much mutiny should be forgivable, even if the chief would be grateful. You can’t say that serving tea is a higher priority than making the club journal.
“Hmm?”
Haruhi grinned widely,
“You wrote something, did you? Finally? Well done, well done. Just in time for the deadline. It wouldn’t do if we didn’t go into the layout work soon.”
As I sipped on the tea that I had poured myself, I searched for the source of Haruhi’s good mood. For some reason, it seems like the pile of A4 sheets that she had dropped at her desk was the main cause.
“This?”
As Haruhi sharply sniffed out my gaze,
“These are the completed manuscripts. From the people I had commissioned. Everyone really did their best. But since Taniguchi said he couldn’t write no matter what, I gave him an extension until tomorrow. And Kunikida was half-done. They’re diligent, so they should be submitting them tomorrow.”
As she hummed, Haruhi plucked each sheet one by one to check through the manuscript,
“This is the illustration I had requested from the Manga Club, and this one is the rough sketch of the front cover I had requested from the Art Club. And these are from the guys at the Computer Club. It seems like they worked on so many pages. What they wrote was pretty bland, but, well, that’s okay. Their enthusiasm shines through, and if people who understand this read it, they’ll find it interesting, I’m sure.”
Indeed. In short, it seems like she’s found happiness in the steady advancement of the creation of the club journal. Making a tangible thing from nothing, the process as we steadily approach completion, is something that even I find enjoyable. It’s sort of like assembling a plastic model, or being on the path that brings you to the last boss in an RPG. That should be fun. I’ve never been in the situation of a plastic model part or non-player character, myself.
“What are you mumbling about?”
Haruhi gulped up her tea in an instant, and as she toyed with her cup, she showed me a satisfied smile,
“Hurry up and get back to your seat, and like, keep writing. With the outsiders from the Computer Club working hard like this, you’re looking bad with your reputation for goofing-off. By all rights, this is a match we had accepted ourselves, after all.”
Haruhi was in high spirits from having found a rival organization that was formidable. To get her mad, I almost wanted to tell her about the Student Council President’s true character right then. I wanted to talk about it while I had the chance. About the false charge he had set against Nagato being a Literature Club member in the beginning, so that you, being a curious onlooker that had suddenly rushed in from the side, would end up taking leadership somehow. Until you put on that Editor-in-Chief armband.
I glared at Koizumi’s profile, and started thinking about what chapter we were on in the confusing plans for Haruhi’s boredom. With the lone island definitely being the first, was the jinxed snow mountain the second part? No, wait, there was Kimidori-san’s kamadouma―――or was that Nagato’s?
As I reminisced about that nonsense, a knocking sound echoed in my ear.
“Pardon the interruption.”
Opening the door without waiting for a reply, the tall figure invaded the clubroom.
Pi-king―――.
I was probably the only one who heard the sound that was like piano wire being cut by a nipper.
Just like the mid-boss of a shooting game, the Student Council President had suddenly appeared.
And behind him to his side was Kimidori-san.
The President was in diligent mode with his glasses sparkling meaninglessly, and as his eyes slowly traveled the room,
“This clubroom is pretty good. More and more, I’m thinking that it is being wasted on you.”
“What did you come here for? Did you come back to get in the way of our work?”
Haruhi switched to bad tempered mode faster than a special effects hero’s transformation. Folding her arms as self-importantly as the President, she stayed right in her seat.
The President met Haruhi’s murderous look attack head on,
“Think of it as observing the enemy’s movements. I have no intentions of becoming your perennial foe and a wall that you’d have to climb over. Though I only came to see the situation, I have a responsibility since I presented the requirements. To confirm whether you were working diligently or not, I had thought about making the rounds. Hmm. From what I’ve seen, it seems like you’ve been pretty busy with your work. That’s all well and good, but you don’t always see the amount of effort translate directly into results. Let’s just say that you should never ever neglect your diligence.”
Though I wanted to say it myself, the Brigade Chief (presently, the Editor-in-Chief) responded ahead of me.
“Shuddup.”
Kyururi. It was like I heard the sound effect for Haruhi’s eyes transforming into inverted acute triangles.
“If you came here to be sarcastic, then tough luck. I won’t fire any comebacks at such a weak opening.”
“I don’t have that much free time.”
The President snapped his finger in a forced gesture. Kimidori-san held up the bundle of booklets she had been carrying in her arms, and advanced gracefully in front of Haruhi.
The President snapped his finger in a forced gesture. Though he looked like he was going to shout “Garçon!” anytime now, the shrewd Student Council President was not calling for a server,
“Kimidori-kun, the things.”
“Yes, Mister President.”
Kimidori-san held up the bundle of booklets she had been carrying in her arms, and advanced gracefully in front of Haruhi.
Turning her eyes back to the pages of the hard-cover she had on her lap, Nagato kept perfectly still.
“…………”
While Kimidori-san’s smile widened, giving the impression that she had not even noticed Nagato,
“Here you go. Reference materials.”
She presented the multitude of musty old booklets to Haruhi.
“What’s this?”
Haruhi didn’t hide the annoyance in her face, but since she was someone who would take anything you gave her even if it were cursed, she nevertheless accepted the old booklets, and raised her brows conspicuously.
As the President toyed with his glasses in a cynical gesture,
“Those are journals that the old Literature Club had produced. Use it as a reference as much as you can. Considering how you think up such distinctive theories, there was a likelihood that you would misconstrue what literature, as a word, means. No need to thank me. If you feel any obligation, then turn it towards Kimidori-kun. The one who took the trouble to look around the bookshelves in the archive room was her.”
“Hmm, thanks. Though that doesn’t really make me happy.”
Wearing a face like the feudal lord of Kainokuni who had been given salt even though they weren’t running short, Haruhi dropped the bundle of booklets on the Chief’s desk with a thud, and then, looking like she had found what the messenger’s face was reminding her of for the first time,
“Oh, you……. Eh, you’re in the Student Council?”
“Yes. Just this year.”
Kimidori-san replied gently, gave a bow, and then returned to the Student Council President
’s side with graceful steps. Haruhi, like she couldn’t care less,
“How’s your boyfriend doing?”
The boyfriend Haruhi mentioned was no other than the Computer Club President.
“I’m really grateful for that time.”
Kimidori-san’s smile didn’t waver one bit,
“But, we’ve already broken up. Thinking about it now, it feels like we really didn’t have much of a relationship from the start; it’s all a distant memory.”
Even though she had answered in a roundabout way, I had a hunch that I knew the reason. I’m sure the Computer Club President would also agree with me. He wasn’t even aware they were going out. He was only getting punished for checking something like the SOS Brigade site. Well, it was somewhat pitiable, I guess.
“…………”
Nagato flipped to the next page of her book.
At that point in time, it felt like Nagato and Kimidori-san were having an Actively-Ignore-the-Other-Person Battle with each other. However, since Nagato was usually like that whoever the other person was, it was probably just me. Most recently, it felt like I had been made to wear strange-colored glasses.
“Hmm, is that so?”
Haruhi made a funny shape with her mouth,
“Well, you’re young. Lots of things happen.”
So you say, but you’re even younger―――I had no plan on throwing such a vulgar comeback. Ignorance was the standard here. Besides, Kimidori-san’s real age was probably about the same as Nagato’s. It was doubtful whether she had seniority. Could she have been a second-year student just by chance, I thought.
However, we can’t talk about something like that right now. Judging from Nagato’s response, Kimidori-san was not an enemy. I nonchalantly studied Asahina-san from the corner of my eyes. She had known that Nagato was an alien officer despite her slightness. Her astonishment when she was first brought here showed that. If I were to sense that she was that worried again, then that would justify the racing of my heart.
However―――.
“Hmm, ah. Err, huh-hmm.”
That lovely upperclassman, in all her fuss as she drew her picture book with all her heart, did not even notice the two intruders that had come into the clubroom, it seems. Should I be admiring her powers of concentration, or should I be worried about how she was steadily getting closer to being the dojikko? If it’s the latter, then that’s just the result of Haruhi’s training.
In the time that I was standing there blankly, Haruhi and the President had been trading verbal attacks back and forth.
“It seems like you’ve been working on the story digest.”
The President said with a nihilistic voice.
“But can you really write anything decent?”
“I’ll keep saying it as many times as I need. Tough luck.”
Came Haruhi’s resolute voice.
“I’m not worried one bit.”
Haruhi wore a face that was so full of confidence, I wanted to investigate which wormhole it was all springing from,
“You don’t have to teach us or anything; writing a story is simple. Even this stupid Kyon can do it. Because, most people can write characters, can’t they? If you can write characters, then you can write sentences, and then you can just connect those sentences. You don’t need any special training to write characters. We’re already high school students. So there’s no need for something like practice when you’re making a story. You just have to write.”
The President slid his glasses up,
“I can’t help but admire the optimism of your viewpoint. However, that’s just too childish.”
Though I generally have the same opinion, I wish he was a little more discreet about stirring up Haruhi. Even if that line was assigned to someone like the President, all of us here would have to bask in Haruhi’s burning aura.
Sure enough, Haruhi’s eyebrows rose steadily until they were shaped like sharp knives,
“I don’t know how big you think you are. But! Even if you really were all that, I really hate people who think so high of themselves. And if you act that way even though you’re actually no good, then that’s even worse!”
If it’s a mouth-off, then she’s someone who doesn’t get left behind. The way things stand, it seems like they’ll just fling words at each other indefinitely. At any rate, the President seemed more self-important than Haruhi. Though this was just another performance, acting cool while Haruhi was burning with anger nearby was no small feat. The President, and Kimidori-san, as well.
“Mm. Even if I was not particularly important. You are measuring a human being on whether or not he’s proud, aren’t you? If I had something to be proud of, it would be that I am in this position as the result of a fair election. And so, how did you come to be sitting on that seat? Oh, honorable Brigade Chief?”
As expected, I should tell Koizumi that he’d chosen a real man of talent; this President was the owner of one thick core. A person who could face Haruhi and grandly make sarcastic jabs; there must be no one else in this school but him.
However, Haruhi is the best at being Haruhi. I’m the one who’s saying it, so it’s no mistake.
“There’s no use in provoking me.”
Instead of getting angry, the boss of an illegal organization within the school let loose an ominous smile.
“The Student Council might want to destroy the SOS Brigade at the same time as the Literature Club, but you won’t be able to.”
Haruhi gave me a quick glance. What’s with those eyes?
Her sparkling pupils immediately moved to pierce the President.
“Because I will absolutely not move from here. Do you want me to tell you why?”
“By all means,” the President said.
Haruhi, if her voice were made of microwaves, spoke with a volume that made me feel like it was more efficient than any kind of microwave oven.
“Because this is the SOS Brigade’s clubroom, and the SOS Brigade is mine!”
She said what she had wanted to say, and after having said what he had wanted to say to Haruhi, the President, and Kimidori-san who was accompanying him, left.
“Ooh, how irritating. What did he come here for anyway, that Stupid President.”
Haruhi pouted her lips while grumbling, and flipped through the pages of the old Literature Club journals that Kimidori-san had brought.
Because of Haruhi’s war cry, Asahina-san had finally noticed that visitors had come, and though she was about to prepare tea in a panic, it was already too late, but thanks to that, I was finally able to refresh my heart with Asahina-san’s delicious tea, and I could make progress with my writing…………nope, didn’t happen.
For some reason, once my spirit was dampened, I also lost my will. More so, because, of the theme that was decided through lottery, and my own past episode.
But I can’t talk about that, either. Haruhi’s morale, which had been set ablaze by the President’s appearance, had now ended up burning the clubroom up to the ceiling.
“Okay, everyone.”
Haruhi opened her mouth like a duck’s and said,
“Now that it’s come to this, we’ll make that Club Journal even if we have to die, and even more, we’ll make it so amazing that it’ll sell out. We will not spare even one copy, and take down the Student Council. Got it?!”
A Club Journal is something you distribute, not sell, and though I wouldn’t mind dying for something like that, even if I don’t die for violating the deadline, it seems like I’ll be subjected to punishment games until death. Really, even though it’s his role, isn’t the President overdoing it? And Koizumi too; is this an occasion for you to be wearing such a satisfied smile?
“As for me,” Koizumi whispered to me as he usually did. “I am exceedingly satisfied. Because as long as Suzumiya-san’s eyes are turned towards routinary occurrences, I can stay outside those spaces of ours.”
That’s fine by you, I guess. But what happens to me then? I just wish they woul
d forgive us for rushing into a school conflict with the Student Council. Though I knew that the President was just pretending, Haruhi, who didn’t know, had no idea what she had just started. Should we be unable to pass the President’s conditions for making the club journal this time, Haruhi wouldn’t just obediently surrender the clubroom. If I’m going to be besieged in a place like this, I wouldn’t want to end up being held responsible for provisions.
“You’re thinking about it too much. What we need to focus on right now is completing the club journal. Then it’ll happen somehow. If it doesn’t―――”
In that gently smiling face, a scheming expression suddenly appeared,
“Let’s start another scenario. A siege battle; that would also be good.”
According to Tsuruya-san’s perceptive eyes, the Student Council President gave off a feeling like Shiba Chuutatsu, but for her, I wonder who would be Koizumi’s match? Someone like Kuroda Kanbe?
As I was feeling like the lord of Takamatsu Castle when their water supply had been cut off, I prayed that Koizumi, who seemed like he had an aspiration for campus conspiracies, wasn’t serious about hatching that scheme.
As it turns out, I was not able to complete my manuscript that day. Since the time the intruders had entered, I wasn’t able to progress by even one character.
Fortunately, when Haruhi had finished checking my manuscript so far, she left the clubroom in a rush. Did she think of a new outside source, or did she set off to give out pep talks……?
Haruhi returned just in time as the chime signaling the end of the school day had started, and Nagato closed her book right then in perfect harmony. Like Koizumi, who was making good progress on his writing, and Asahina-san, who was industriously doing her best, I stood up with my bag in hand.
Contrary to my expectations, Haruhi did not tell us to bring our notebook computers home and continue writing there. Though she might have just forgotten because of her seething anger, I was still grateful.
Next year, if a first-year student who wanted to join the Literature Club were to appear, would that person be automatically included in the SOS Brigade―――was what I thought about on the route that everyone takes on the way home from school, as my body was hit by a cold breeze that seemed like it had come down from a mountain, though I was sure it was just the breath of spring, until I arrived at home.
Volume 8 - The Indignation of Suzumiya Haruhi Page 9