December 20th.
It was the morning of the third day since the world had changed as I awoke from my dreamless slumber. As usual, I got out of bed, feeling as though my stomach had been stuffed with a few dozen .300mm bullets. Shamisen, who was sleeping on the blanket, rolled off suddenly onto the ground and laid flat. I stepped softly on his tummy and sighed.
Sticking his head through the door, my brother looked dismayed when he saw that I had awoken.
"So, did Shami talk?"
He had been asking me this ever since the night before last. My answer was always the same.
"No~pe."
As I reminisced about the soft touch of the cat's fur on my toes, my brother had begun humming his little song as he carried Shamisen out of the room. It's great being a cat, all they ever do is eat, sleep and lick fur. How I wanted to trade places with him for a day. Who knows, as a cat, I might even find what I was looking for in no time.
That's right, I still hadn't found the key. Nor had I found out what this key meant. Not to mention the system activation program. If I didn't do something today, the world would continue to remain this way, and it might even become more terrifying. As for the time limit - whose idea was it to have such a limit anyway? Was it already a pain for Nagato to provide a limited time offer?
I headed to school without making any progress. The gloomy skies looked as though it was about to snow as it loomed above everyone's heads. Seemed like we'd be getting a white Christmas this year; snow fall could be heavy. There hadn't been much forecast on the amount of snow, but judging by the frostiness of this year's winter, it'd probably be big. Haruki would probably be more excited than a puppy dog as he prepares for the winter field trip... That is, if Haruki still exists.
There was nothing worth my attention as I climbed up the slope as usual towards North High and finally arrived at the 1-5 classroom. My exhaustion manifested physically as I walked slowly, so I only managed to sit down on my desk just in time for the first school bell to ring. Like yesterday, there were a lot of sick absentees in class, but what was amazing was that Taniguchi only needed to rest for one day. Though she was still wearing her mask, she came nevertheless. It was only now that I realized that this girl loved going to school.
By the way, today Asakura, who sat behind me, gave me a rather intriguing smile.
"Good morning."
Asakura greeted me simply like he did everyone else. I merely nodded back.
As the second bell signalled the beginning of classes, Okabe-sensei entered energetically and began the home room session in earnest.
I'd lost track of what day of the week it was already. Today's timetable seemed different from what I remembered, though I wasn't sure. I wasn't even sure whether I was having the same subjects on this day last week. Even if yesterday's and today's timetables were to be swapped, I'm afraid I would barely notice. Was it just I that had become weird? The guy known as Suzumiya Haruki never existed, Asakura was the most popular classmate, Asahina-san was the unreachable senpai, while Nagato was the sole member of the Literature Club.
Just which was the real thing? Was the SOS Brigade and everything I'd been through all a part of my imagination?
Damn, my thoughts are becoming more and more negative.
During PE in the first session, I was the absent-minded player who was not interested in defending his section of the volleyball court. As expected I got hit on the face with a spike from the oposing team. The next session was math, everything just went in my left ear and out of my right; without even realizing, recess had arrived.
As I slumped onto my desk to cool my head down...
"Yo, Kyon,"
It was Taniguchi. She hung her mask beneath her chin and gave her usual idiotic grin.
"The next session's chemistry, today the teacher's gonna pick my row to answer questions, help me out."
Help you out? Are you nuts?! You do realize we both know each others' strengths and weaknesses inside out already, don't you? How am I supposed to know something that you wouldn't know?
"Hey, Kunikida,"
I called my other partner, who had just returned from the bathroom,
"Tell Taniguchi everything you know about sodium hydroxides. She especially wants to know whether they're on good terms with hydrochloric acids."
"Well that's simple, they get neutralized after being mixed together,"
Kunikida said as she flicked through Taniguchi's textbook,
"Ah, so it's this question. First calculate in moles and you'll be able to convert it to kilograms. Let me think..."
Seeing a knowledgeable person explaining so casually, one feels extremely helpless.
Taniguchi nodded her head non-stop, yet as Kunikida thought further, she didn't intend to calculate on her own anymore. She grabbed my mechanical pencil from my desk and scribbled a few numbers and symbols on the blank spaces on Taniguchi's textbook.
After it was all settled, Taniguchi gave me a weird smile,
"Kyon, Kunikida told me everything during the volleyball match in PE, you seemed to be up to something the day before yesterday."
Weren't you at school as well that day?
"I had to take a nap in the clinic during lunch, and I was feeling drowsy that whole afternoon. I only heard about it this morning. I hear you were in a state of frenzy, did you really say Asakura wasn't supposed to exist?"
"More or less."
I held my hand up and made a sign that read, "You can get lost now!" Yet Taniguchi smirked and continued,
"How I wished I was there as well. It's pretty rare to see you yelling around hilariously."
Kunikida seemed to remember something from then and said,
"Kyon's better today. That day it seems as though she had wanted to hit Asakura-san. Did he do something to upset you?"
Even if I said it I'd be treated as a lunatic. So it was pretty natural for me to keep quiet.
"Oh yeah, you said then that someone had been replaced by Asakura. Did you find that person? His name's Haruki, right? Just who is he?"
Would you please stop reminding me about this stuff? Right now I would shiver involuntarily every time that name is mentioned, even if it's being uttered repeatedly by a parrot.
"Haruki?"
You see? Even Taniguchi has bent her head. Not only that, she even said,
"That Haruki, you don't mean Suzumiya Haruki, do you?"
Yes, that Suzumiya Haruki......
The bones in my neck made a creaking noise. I slowly turned my head up to look at the silly look my classmate was giving me,
"Taniguchi, what did you just say?"
"I said Suzumiya, the Savage Hunk of East Junior High. I've been in the same class as him for three years. A real Pain if you ask me. Wonder how he's doing...... And how come you know who he is? You said he was replaced by Asakura, just what was that all about?"
My eyes went white in an instant......
"YOU! YOU WASHBOARD IDIOT!"
I yelled and leaped up at once. Perhaps intimidated by my sudden outburst, both Taniguchi and Kunikida instinctively backed up a bit. I landed on Taniguchi and forced her to the ground.
"Ouch! Hey! Who are you calling a 'washboard!?' These might not be big but they are definitely not flat! But what about you? You're as flat as a pressed waffle!"
That's none of your business! Sitting on top of Taniguchi, I grabbed her by her collar and pulled her towards my face until both our noses nearly touched each other.
"You said you know Haruki!?"
"How can I not know him? I couldn't forget him even after fifty years. If there's anyone from East Junior High that doesn't know him, they need a check-up to see if they're suffering from amnesia."
"Where?!"
As though chanting a mantra, I fired question after question,
"Where's that idiot? Where is Haruki right now? Tell me where!"
"Kyon, what's up with you? You're scaring me...”
“TELL ME NOW!”
“Are.. are you some kind of crazy taiko drum? Did you see Suzumiya somewhere and fell in love with him at first sight? Give it up! I'm only saying this for your own good. While his looks are the stuff of a guy's dreams, his attitude is enough to shatter those dreams to oblivion. For example, he......"
Drew mysterious geometric shapes in the school's track field with white chalk, right? I knew that already.
“How... how did you know that?”
That doesn't matter right now! I'm not interested in his past criminal record, I just want to know where the hell Haruki is right now!
"He's at Kouyouen School,"
Taniguchi replied as though reciting the atomic sequence of hydrogen,
"If I'm not mistaken, he's enrolled in the high school at the bottom of the hill, just in front of the station. He's already a bright person, so it's only natural that he would study in such an elite high school."
Elite school?
"Is Kouyouen really that good? I thought they were an all boy's school for the rich and famous."
Taniguchi looked at me with pitiable eyes and said,
"Kyon, I don't know what they told you in junior high, but that school's always been co-ed. Not to mention it's one of the top schools in university entrance rate in this prefecture. To have such a school in our district really pisses me off!"
As I listened to Taniguchi's mumblings, I let go of my hands and Taniguchi's head fell backwards and hit the floor.
Why did I not realize this before? I should commit seppuku for this.
Just because Haruki wasn't at North High, I assumed that he didn't exist in this world. As you can see, my imagination was worse than that of a giant cave cricket. When I return to my relatives' place in the countryside next summer, I should go and have a chat with one of its relatives sitting by the balcony, we'll probably get along very well.
"Hey! Will you get off of me now? You're heavy and everyone's looking at us!" Taniguchi tidied his collar and said, "Kunikida, you're right. She is nuts, and her condition seems to have worsened. I think she became a white eyed demon or something."
Say whatever you like, I'm not in the mood to argue with you right now, because right now there was someone who was pissing me off more than the backstabbing Taniguchi and the ever-nodding Kunikida.
This series of unfortunate events was truly unbelievable. If someone from East Junior High was sitting nearby that day, or if Taniguchi was in the classroom then, then I would have heard Haruki's name loud and clear much earlier. Just whose damn fault is it? Come on out so I can beat the crap out of that bastard! This score can be settled another day, though. Everything that needs answers has been asked, all that's left is to take action. I stood up and ran towards the door, stepping on Taniguchi's face on the way out.
"Where're you going, Kyon? The bathroom?"
I turned around while rushing towards the classroom door and said,
"I'm taking leave early."
As early as possible,
"What about your bag?"
That'll just get in the way,
"Kunikida, if Okabe asks, tell her I've got bubonic plague with dysentery, or flu, or something like that and it hurts like hell. Oh and Taniguchi!"
I gave my sincere gratitude to my wide-jawed classmate, who was seeing me off,
"Thanks!"
"Huh? Wha......?"
I last saw Taniguchi sitting up still with swirls in her eyes, I then bolted out of the classroom, and within a minute I was out of the school gates.
It was really difficult to run down a slope at a high speed. Because I was too excited, I ran with all my strength, after about ten minutes, even my legs and lungs were beginning to complain that I was pushing them too hard, let alone my heart. Come to think of it, I could have still made it if I waited for the third session to finish. At this time of year, Kouyouen was probably having a half school-day as well. It would have been fine as long as I arrived there before their last school bell rang. Even if I were to walk from North High, it would still take me less than half an hour.
By the time I realized how poor my time management skills was, I had already arrived at the private school by the station, the finishing point of my compulsory daily climbing route to school. It was very quiet inside the school, were they still having classes? I took a look at my watch, the lessons were about the same time as our school, they're probably in the third session right now. In other words, before the school gates open, I have one whole hour of free time. Being empty handed under this cold weather, all I could do was wait.
"Maybe I should forcefully barge in......"
If it were Haruki, he would do exactly that, and he would have handled it beautifully. Sadly I don't have that confidence, after walking slowly towards the gate, I frantically turned around once again. Standing outside the closed school gates was a stern-faced guard. As expected from a rich private school.
Actually, I could also infiltrate the school by climbing the fence, the problem was that the top of the fence stood at quite a distance from the ground, and there was barbed wire at the top to boot, it seems to be a better choice to wait for the school gates to open. If I were to forcefully go in, it'd be all over if I were to get caught. I've already come this far, I have no intention of letting the game end so easily. After all, unlike Haruki, I can still control myself when it was necessary.
And so, I waited for nearly two hours.
The school bell that rang for the last time sounded like a distant memory, and the opened gates poured with students coming out like a released flood.
Taniguchi was correct, this was indeed a co-ed school. The boy's uniform was a traditional gakuran uniform. Walking amongst them were girls in black blazers. This was exactly the opposite to North High, with the girls in sailor uniform and the guys in suits. As for the gender ratio, there seems to be more boys......
"How can this be...... Forget it."
There were a few familiar faces among the female students, they were the students from Class 1-9. And I had thought they'd all disappeared, turns out they were here in this high school all along. I don't know whether it's coincidence or what, but I've yet to see anyone from my junior high. Those that I've seen before didn't take much notice of me, and walked quickly past me after taking a quick suspicious look at me. Right now, they probably have a whole new set of memories, most likely a happier school memory, because at least they don't have to climb up the hill to school every day.
I continued to wait, and the chances of me hitting the jackpot were 50/50. If that guy had joined some club activity, or was busy planning something and had to stay in school, then I've basically become a scarecrow here. Please, just hurry up and be on your way home, and then appear before me.
What if there is an SOS Brigade in this Kouyouen School, with members other than myself taking part in all sorts of activities......
When I thought of this, my innards begun to tumble like mad. Wouldn't that make Asahina-san, Nagato, Koizumi, and me disposable trash? If that were the case, I'm even worse than a side-character, and would become a complete outsider. That's not what I want! I'll pray to just about anyone! Be it Jesus, Mohammad, Buddha, Mani, Zoroaster, or even Lovecraft! If any of them can ease my discomfort, I'll believe in any prophecy or legend that they preach. Even if it's by those doomsday cult preachers, I'll gladly follow them. Now I finally understand how it feels to be a person who would cling onto any piece of straw and still hopelessly sink down in a mud swamp.
After being consumed by anxiety and depression for about ten minutes,
"......Phew,"
I sighed deeply, not even I knew the meaning behind this sigh. Why was I making such a huge sigh of relief?
Because he had appeared.
Buried amongst a sea of suits and gakuran uniforms was a face I would never forget even until the moment I die.
Just like when he first introduced himself in the first day of school and clotted up the air inside the classroom, he had long hair which reached his waist. I looked stunned for some time, and then I began to count my fingers to figure out what day of the week it was. Today wasn't the day for his to let his hair down, looks like this Haruki wasn't interested in toying around with his hair.
As though unhappy that I was in the way, the students of Kouyouen School walked past by my left and right side. I had no idea what they thought of this girl standing like an idiot in front of their school gate, but they can think whatever they want, and I don't have time to worry about what they think either.
I stood still and fixed my gaze upon the girl in her suit uniform that was slowly approaching.
Suzumiya Haruki.
I've finally found you.
I involuntarily smiled, this was because it wasn't just Haruki that I've found.
Walking beside Haruki and chatting with him was a girl in a sailor uniform. Carrying a smile that I can never stand watching was none other than Koizumi Itsuko. Now that's a surprise addition.
So these two have now gotten so close that they're now going home together after school. Yet Haruki doesn't seem to be quite happy, his expression has remained as when I first saw him at the beginning of the school term. He would occasionally give a quick reply, and then turned his gaze back to the tarmac with a scowl on his face.
It's the guy from before. Before he even thought of creating the SOS Brigade, everywhere he went in school, he carried the expression of a martial arts master who was desperate to find a worthy opponent in order to showcase his abilities. That expression brought a sense of nostalgia for me. That was the Haruki who was bored with the mediocrity of everyday life, and working hard to find some excitement, yet never realizing he could manifest anything he desires.
Anyway, there can always be time for reminiscences, but not now. The two of them did not seem to notice me as they slowly approached me.
As hopeless as it may sound, already I could not stop my heart from beating quickly. If I were to see a doctor now, the two-beat rhythm coming from within would be so loud that he would have to take his stethoscope off. The weather was freezing and yet I was sweating. I only hope that my trembling legs are just a part of my imagination, I was sure I'm not that cowardly.
......They're here. Haruki and Koizumi have now arrived before me.
"Hey!"
It took me a lot of effort just to get my voice out.
Haruki lifted his head and exchanged glances with me.
His black stocking-filled legs then stopped walking.
"What is it?"
His gaze was as cold as a freezer's. He scanned my whole body with that gaze before moving his eyes off,
"What do you want with me? No, I should rather ask, who are you? I'm not the sort of character to let anyone say 'Hey!' to me. If you want to flirt, go somewhere else, I don't have any interest in such activities."
As I was already mentally prepared, that didn't come as too much of a shock. As expected, this Haruki didn't know me.
Koizumi stopped as well and looked at me with a cold stare. From her expression, I don't think she's even seeing me, let alone knowing who I am.
I turned and spoke to that Koizumi,
"Is this the first time we have met?"
Koizumi shrugged her shoulders lightly and said,
"I believe so. May I ask who you are?"
"Are you a transfer student in this school?"
"I was transferred here this spring...... How did you know I'm a transfer student?"
"Do you know anything about a group that calls itself the 'Organization?'"
"'Organization?' What are you implying?"
Her inoffensive smile was the trademark smile that I was familiar with. But the look on her eyes betrayed a sense of alert. Just like Asahina-san, this guy doesn't know me.
"Haruki,"
Haruki's face twitched and glared at me with his large black eyes,
"Who gave you permission to call me by my name? Just who on earth are you? I don't remember asking for the company of perverts or stalkers. Get lost already, you're in the way."
"Suzumiya,"
"You're not allowed to call me by my surname either. How did you know my name anyway? Are you from East Junior High? You must be from North High, I can tell from that uniform. Just what is a North High student doing here?"
Haruki snorted and then turned around,
"Ignore him, Koizumi-san. Just pretend she never existed. There's no need to waste time on this impolite fellow, she's just an idiot anyway. Let's go!"
Why was Haruki going home with Koizumi after school? Could it be that Koizumi has taken over my role in this world? Though that thought had crossed my mind for a while, but I wasn't frantically thinking of that then.
"Wait!"
I grabbed hold of Haruki's shoulder as he turned to avoid me,
"Let me go!"
Haruki turned his arm and swung my hand off. His face was now full of anger, but that level of fierceness won't be enough to let him just leave. As my hand flew away, my other hand grabbed his arm.
"You sure are annoying! Don't think that just because you're a girl I'll go easy on you."
Haruki then twisted his arm around, which made me lose my grip on him, and then pushed me back in one motion.
A pain emanated from my chest, it was so painful that I felt like I was about to suffocate, though not enough for me to crawl around on the ground. After finding my balance, I said disconsolately,
"Just tell me one thing,"
I took out my last ounce of courage. If this doesn't work, then I'm out of ideas. This was my last hope - I then threw out this question,
"Do you remember the Tanabata festival three years ago?"
Just as he was about to leave, Haruki stopped once again. Looking at that long dark hair of his, I continued,
"On that day, you sneaked into your school and drew shapes on the school field with white chalk."
"So what about it?"
Haruki turned with a furious look on his face,
"Everyone knows about that already! Why are you mentioning this for?"
I chose my words carefully, trying to finish it as quickly as possible,
"You weren't alone in sneaking into school that night. You were with another girl who carried Asahina...... A small guy. It was with her that you drew the patterns using white chalk. The patterns were a message for Hikoboshi and Orihime, which roughly meant 'I am here......'"
I wasn't able to complete my sentence.
Haruki yanked my ponytail withhis right hand and made me bow down a bit. He then lifted me up and carried me to a narrow street nearby and roughly put me down.
"Ouch!"
I looked at him in protest, and his eyes also looked back with ferociousness. His piercing gaze now shot right into my vision. That was a nostalgic gaze, Haruki's exasperated face was just as nostalgic as well.
He then spun me around and put me on a head lock. I was having difficulty breathing as my neck was behing held tightly by him. Such a savage guy treating a girl like this. No, now's not the time to indulge in memories of Haruki's amazing power as he asked.
"How did you know that!? Who told you!? No, I never told anyone. That time......"
Haruki suddenly stopped, his tone then changed dramatically as he noticed my uniform,
"North High...... Could it be......!? What's your name?"
My name? Should I tell him my real name, which he has never heard of, or should I tell him that stupid nickname that everyone has gotten used to calling me?
No matter which one it was, it would have no effect on this guy before me. I don't think he has ever heard of those two names. In that case, there could only be one name that I can use,
"Jane Smith,"
Though I tried to say it calmly, it's difficult when I'm being lifted up by the neck. Can't you see I'm having difficulty breathing....... Just when I was thinking of that, the strong pressure before my chest was lifted at once.
"......Jane Smith?"
Haruki finally released the choke hold and looked stunned as his hands stayed there in mid-air. I've rarely seen her like that. Suzumiya Haruki looked as though his soul has been taken by the grim reaper, as his mouth was wide open.
"So it's you...... You're that Jane Smith? The strange high school student...... Who helped me...... In East Junior High......"
Haruki suddenly tripped. His semi-long dark hair partially covered his eyes. He slumped back on a wall as Koizumi rushed to his side.
The link has now been connected.
What do mean 'helped you!?' You practically had me do everything...... But I wasn't going to waste my time arguing with her. That's it, I've finally found some clue! In this completely altered world, there was one person, and the only person, who shared the same memory as I did.
So it is you.
That person was none other than Suzumiya Haruki.
If this Haruki has seen me three years ago in Tanabata, then this world three years on could be traced back to that point in time. Not everything "disappears without a trace." When I traveled back to three years ago with Asahina-san, and returned to the present with the help of Nagato's power, that part of history did indeed exist. I don't know what went wrong in the process, but at least three years ago, this world was the same world as the one I had known.
Just what went wrong? Why was I the only one with the original memories?
I guess I'll think about this later on.
I looked at Haruki, whose jaw was widened as though he had seen one of the wonders of the world, and said to her,
"I'll explain everything. Do you have time? Because it's a long story......"
As the three of us walked shoulder to shoulder, Haruki spoke,
"I've seen Jane Smith twice. Not long after that, as I was on my way home, I heard someone shout behind me, what did she say...... Ah, yes! Something like, 'Please take good care of the Jane Smith who would shake the world!' What does that mean anyway?"
I've never said such a thing. After making sure Haruki was out of sight from the track field, I went and woke up Asahina-san and rushed towards Nagato's apartment. Could there be another Jane Smith? But just what the hell was that Jane Smith talking about?
It sounded as though she was trying to give some hint to Haruki.
"Was that Jane the same Jane you saw in East Junior High?"
"He was too far, plus it was dark at the time. I can't remember either of their faces very well. But her voice sounded like yours, and she was wearing North High's uniform."
Things seem to be getting more and more complicated. Just when I thought I had things linked up, the details didn't fit.
“I still say Jane Smith is kind of a stupid name.”
Will you give that a rest!?
We looked for a coffee shop nearby and went inside. I had wanted to go to the usual coffee shop the SOS Brigade used for their meetings, since it was a reunion of the SOS Brigade members after all. Though it was a bit far from where we were.
"This other you that I knew studied in North High, and on the first day of school, he said the following......"
Before our orders even arrived, I began my story right away. Before the cafe au lait cooled down to the point that you could drink it all in one gulp, I had told her the compressed version of everything that has happened so far, without holding back. Things like an alien, a time traveler and an esper coming together in the SOS Brigade and our club room being the Literature Club's room.
I especially told him in detail about my time traveling adventure during Tanabata, as I thought that was the most important part.
I gave Haruki a general picture about how he was potentially a god, a time distortion, and an evolutionary possibility, as neither of these theories were confirmed. I only told him that he had an incredible power hidden within, and how this unknown power could even change the world.
Just these was enough to make this guy very interested. He constantly went into deep thought, and then finally said,
"How come you could read the alien language that I thought up? It is true that those symbols meant 'I am here, come look for me.'"
"Someone translated that for me,"
"You mean that alien?"
"To be precise, a Living Humanoid Interface created by the aliens in order to interact with humans; I remember that's how she puts it."
I told them everything about Nagato Yuuki. At first glance he seemed like an extra gift from the Literature Club to the brigade, but he's actually only set up as an expressionless quiet bookworm. I then told them about Asahina-san. The serial-cosplaying mascot, as well as our public relations officer and the brigade's exclusive tea-serving butler was actually a time traveler from the future. It was he that I traveled back with to the Tanabata three years ago, and it was thanks to Nagato that we managed to return.
"So that means that Jane would be you, right? Then I'll believe you, since nothing bad would come from that. So you were engaged in time travel then......"
Haruki looked at me with eyes used to examine a time traveler and nodded his head like my little brother who had just received a gift.
Aren't you being a bit too trusting? I never knew you would believe someone so easily. That time when it was just the two of us looking around town for mysterious stuff, you treated my story like trash when I told you in that coffee shop.
"That other me is an idiot, but I believe you,"
I wish the other you would agree with me on that note.
Haruki leaned forward and added,
"Because believing is more fun!"
I was familiar with this very bright smile which was like a hundred flowers blossoming. This was the smile Haruki had when I saw him smile for the first time. It was the million watt smile he had when he suddenly thought about setting up the SOS Brigade during English class.
"Since that day, I went and investigated everyone from North High. I even infiltrated there for some time, but I never did see anyone who resembled Jane. I was angry with myself then for not remembering his face properly. But now it makes sense, since you hadn't even been enrolled at North High three years ago......"
There were two versions of myself back then, one was me living as a carefree junior high schooler, the other one was me being frozen in time with Asahina-san inside Nagato's guest room.
I might as well bring in the ordeals of this wonder kid here,
"In that world Koizumi is an esper. You've helped me a great deal, but you've also given me a lot of trouble,"
"If that's true, then that's pretty incredible,"
Drinking her tea elegantly, Koizumi said with a half-suspicious glance.
I turned once again towards Haruki,
"Why didn't you come to North High?"
"No particular reason, really. I was only interested in North High because of that incident in Tanabata. But by the time I entered high school, Jane would have graduated already, not to mention I wasn't able to find her before. Besides, Kouyouen has a higher university entrance rate, and my home-room teacher at junior high kept nagging me to enroll there, so I simply followed along just to shut him up. Actually it doesn't really matter which high school I go to, really."
I decided to ask Koizumi as well,
"What about you? Why were you transferred here?"
"You ask me why, well, my answer's pretty much the same as Suzumiya-san's. I simply went to where my academic abilities led me. Besides, now I'm not saying North High's in any way bad, but Kouyouen was just so much better in terms of campus facilities."
True enough, North High doesn't even have air conditioning.
Haruki sighed and said,
"The SOS Brigade, huh? ......Sounds like fun,"
All thanks to you.
"If what you said were true,"
Cutting in was Koizumi, she had now toned down her grinning smile and said with an amused look,
"Judging from your story, there exist two possibilities,"
Now that really sounds like something Koizumi would say.
"The first would be that you have entered a parallel universe, in which you have arrived from your world to this world; the second would be that the whole world has been changed except for yourself."
I've thought about that as well.
"Yet, no matter which one it is, there are still questions to be answered. If it's the former, then where did your counterpart in this world go to? If it's the latter, it's puzzling as to why you are the only one who remained unchanged. Unless you happen to possess some incredible power, then that would explain a lot."
I don't, and this I can guarantee.
Koizumi made her annoying trademark gesture by shrugging her shoulders gracefully and continued,
"If you have entered a parallel universe, then you must find a way to return to the world from where you came from. If it's the world being completely altered, then you must find a way to restore the world to its original form. No matter which possibility it is, in order to resolve this, you have to find the culprit behind all this, since it's possible that the culprit would know how to return things to normal."
Who else could it be besides Haruki?
"Who knows? Maybe it's some invader from an alternate universe using Earth as a gaming platform. There might even be some evil mastermind that would appear in the future."
I could tell at once that he was making up all of this as she went along, since it was obvious from her tone that Koizumi was bullshitting. Yet Haruki didn't notice this at all, and his eyes even glimmered as she said,
"I'd sure like to meet this Nagato-san and Asahina-san. Oh yeah, I'd also want to have a look at that club room. If it was really me that has changed the world, then maybe we would remember something if we were to meet. Don't you think so too, Jane?"
Yeah, that's right. I had no reason to object. If this guy really was behind all this - or at least that's what I think anyway - then maybe it could trigger something within her, and even Nagato and Asahina-san would be able to remember me. Once the alien and time traveler had returned to normal, then everything else can be resolved easily. Hang on, did he just call me Jane?
"You said you're called Kyon, right? Jane sounds better, since it feels more like a person's name, not to mention it's a very common Western name. Just who gave you that Kyon nickname? It doesn't sound as though people respect you at all."
It was my aunt who gave me that nickname, while my sister was responsible for spreading it far and wide. Despite this, I felt very satisfied at this Suzumiya complaining about it. I wonder why, as it wasn't that long ago since I last heard that nickname. But earlier, didn't you say Jane Smith was a stupid name?
"Then, let's go."
I might as well try asking,
"Now? Where to?"
Haruki had already stood up and yelled boastfully at me,
"To North High, of course!"
In a blink of an eye, Haruki, who couldn't even stand waiting for the automatic door to open, had already rushed out of the coffee shop.
That was so Haruki of him to do that, I was very relieved to see that.
Haruki, you sure are something. Once you think of something, you'll always get into action in less than two seconds. That's definitely you. Every time you kick the club room door open with a bullish attitude, we would know that you would have some amazing idea to announce. Nagato seemed to be the only one who would remain calm......
"Oh shit!"
I looked at my watch. It was way past school time. I had completely forgotten about the promise I made while I was at Nagato's apartment yesterday. I said I would go to the clubroom the next day, and yet I was late. An image floated in my head of Nagato looking depressed as he desperately waited for someone to knock on the door. Please wait a little longer. I'll be on my way.
Koizumi picked up the bill that Haruki left behind and said,
"So am I just paying for Suzumiya-san only?"
If you're paying for me as well, I'll tell you even more.
"Then, I'm all ears,"
I simply threw back everything that this esper girl has ever told me. Things like the anthropic principle, or how Haruki is a God, as well as how she went to great lengths to stage a murder mystery on a lone island in order to keep Haruki entertained.
Seeing Koizumi going into deep thought, I asked her,
"Could Haruki be the culprit or is it someone else altogether? Which do you think is correct?"
"If the Suzumiya-san that you mention really does possess omnipotent powers, then it's possible that it could be his doing,"
What about the fact the all our genders have been swapped? We should be guys, you know that.
“No, that's the faulot of the fanboys around the world
(writter's note: sorry.. couldn't resits
)
Well, I couldn't think of any other person. But then, if that's really the case, this means Haruki has kept Koizumi by his side while casting Nagato, Asahina-san and me aside. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, but I just don't believe Haruki's more obsessed with Koizumi than any one of us. Was this part of Haruki's unconscious powers at work as well?
"Does that mean I should be feeling honoured at being chosen by Suzumiya-san?"
Koizumi giggled and continued,
"After all, I...... Yes, I fancy Suzumiya-san,"
"......Are you serious!?"
You are joking!?
"I think he's a very captivating person,"
Now where have I heard that before? Koizumi went on in a serious tone,
"Yet, Suzumiya-san is only interested in my superficial attributes. He said it was only because I'm a transfer student that he bothered to speak to me. As I'm just a normal transfer student, he seems to be getting bored of it lately. In that SOS Brigade that you mentioned, what sort of special attributes did you have? If you have none, then that means Suzumiya-san is very fond of you, that is if that Suzumiya-san is the same person as the Suzumiya-san I know,"
No matter when it was, I don't think I've written into my resume any skills that would get me sent straight to a funny farm, besides the pretty useless skill of getting myself unwittingly dragged into mysterious events.
Haruki stuck his head through the door and yelled at us with a bright smile on his face,
"Why're you two still here? Hurry up already!"
While Koizumi waited at the counter for the waitress to count the change, I took my first step from the heat-filled coffee shop back into the cold outdoors where a single breath becomes visible.
A taxi awaited outside the entrance of the coffee shop. Seems like Haruki had hailed it. It looks like he wanted to get to North High as soon as possible. By the way, this wasn't the mysterious black cab that Koizumi and I would occasionally ride on, but a normal yellow cab.
"To North High, full speed ahead!"
Haruki ordered the driver as he leapt onto the cab. I followed with Koizumi and sat in the back seat. The middle-aged driver didn't wince at being ordered around by a youngster, but merely smiled squeamishly and stepped on the gas pedal.
"I don't really mind if you barge into North High," I said to the side of Haruki's face, "But your uniform would stand out too much. Students from other schools would need a reason to get in, or it'd be troublesome if the teachers found out."
Haruki was wearing his black gakran uniform, while Koizumi was in black suit uniform. There weren't many students around in the afternoon since it was a half school day, but if they were to enter the territory of sailor uniformed and navy blue suit uniformed students like that, they would be openly declaring that they were from another school.
"Well, that's......"
Haruki thought for three seconds, then said,
"Jane, did you have PE lesson today? No, it doesn't matter even if you didn't. Your PE uniform is placed in your classroom, right?"
Well, I was playing volleyball during PE in the first session.
"Then, did you bring your track suit?"
I did, but why're you asking that for?
Haruki smiled enigmatically,
"I will now tell you my plan for this mission. Jane, Koizumi-kun, lend me your ears."
Does it really matter if the taxi driver overheard everything? Yet we still obediently leaned forward and listened as Haruki quietly laid out his mission briefings.
"That really sounds like what you'd do."
I replied, and took a glance at Koizumi, who gave a complicated look as she grimaced.
A put my hand on my face and shook my head. “Yare yare...”
2008-06-02, 23:18
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