Epilogue

Epilogue
I began to contemplate what I should do next.
The end-of-term assembly was over, and I obtained my term report card from Okabe-sensei, thus
my high school life for this year had come to an end.
Today was December 24th.
The vanished Class 1-9 and its students had all been resurrected, including Koizumi, who didn't
appear much in this story. Asakura had disappeared from Class 1-5 over half a year ago;
Taniguchi continued his giddy mood of being in love; the seat behind me had once again been
occupied by Haruhi; and there was no longer any flu epidemic in class. When I saw Nagato in
the assembly hall, she wasn't wearing glasses. After the end-of-term assembly, I bumped into the
sisterly duo of Asahina-san and Tsuruya-san, who waved and greeted me simultaneously. I also
confirmed this while on my way to school this morning - Kouyouen School had now been
restored as a prestigious private girl's school for the rich and famous.
The world had been restored to its original state.
Yet, the choice to keep this world remained with me. I still had to go back with Nagato and
Asahina-san - back to the morning of December 18th. If I didn't, the world would never be
restored. Only by going back could restoration be possible. The thing is I still hadn't decided
when I should go back. I had yet to explain all this to Asahina-san. She'd probably hear it from
her future adult self. I did see her in the past few days, but I did not mention a single word to her.
"Damn!"
After moaning meaninglessly, I embarked upon the corridor leading to the club room complex.
Like a racing car, I would have to follow the golden rule of coming back to the starting point. It
didn't matter whether I was lagging by two or three laps, that wasn't for me to decide anyway.
The road and the scenery of the first lap and the final lap were the same, yet they carried
different meanings. All I needed to do was to be careful not to get myself eliminated, and safely
reach the finishing point so the checkered flag could be waved.
......Forget it, it's pointless trying to say anymore.
It was no use trying to justify my actions as it was I who made the decision to return to this side.
It was different to Haruhi's thoughtless rampages, this decision was my own free will, I have thus
chosen to be spun around meaninglessly.
In that case, someone needed to carry that responsibility and see things through to the end.
That person wasn't Nagato, it wasn't Haruhi either, but myself.
"Serves me right......"
I began to lapse into self-pity and made a cool pose. It didn't matter if someone saw me, since no
one would bother looking anyway. As I was thinking that way, I exchanged glances with an
anonymous high school girl who was walking by. Very quickly she turned her eyes away and
scuttled off. I said softly to her back a greeting which she probably couldn't even hear,
"Merry Christmas."
If this were the last episode of a soap opera, shiny white snow crystals would begin falling, and
the protagonist would catch one in his palm and exclaim, "Ah!" Or something like that. Looks
like there's no hope of a White Christmas this year. Today's weather sure was surprising, it was
actually a fine day.
As a result, I became one of the main characters. A bystander would have already disappeared
into the far corners of the galaxy by now, and become a relic of the past.
"So, now what?"
It was only now that I realized this. I really didn't know what to do. There's no doubt about it, I
belong here. I realized that long ago. From the day Haruhi dragged me to the Literature Club
room and I heard her declare indefinite occupation of the place, I had become part of this bunch
already.
Like the other members of the SOS Brigade, I would stand on the side actively protecting this
world. No one made me do this, I raised my hand out of my own will.
In that case, there's only one thing I need to do.
It was easier to get up after falling on something instead of falling flat on the ground, though
both involve falling. Let me rephrase this, I'll have to go back and pick up my other self who had
fallen down. From the outcome, I can say it's for my own good.
I walked up the stairs while focusing on today's upcoming activities. Haruhi and Asahina-san
were in charge of buying the ingredients. I was spared the pain of being a human shopping cart,
thanks to my being hospitalized. I didn't think this had anything to do with Haruhi being
merciful, on the contrary, she's probably keeping the menu secret until the final moment, where
she'd surprise everyone - that's what I thought anyway. Maybe she'd even use her experience
from the lone island to hold a cheap and big "Hotpot in the Dark Christmas Party."
I wondered what ingredients were being used. As Haruhi was the chef, she'd probably prefer
something stimulating and exciting. Who knows, she may have come up with an experimental
hotpot, never before seen in the history of human cuisine. Still, no matter what was being boiled
in the pot, it should be edible once cooked. Even Haruhi wouldn't be dumb enough to put
something she couldn't digest into the pot. Though it'd be another matter if she had the stomach
of a monster. Haruhi might be eccentric, but I'm sure her stomach's made of the same stuff as a
normal human's, right? The only thing beyond human standards would probably be that brain of
hers.
However, before having the hotpot party, I still had to dress up in a reindeer costume and provide
some sort of entertaining performance. You can't even imagine how it feels to have to think of
what the show would include.
"Yare yare,"
The sigh of depression that I sealed away just last month, had once again come out of my mouth.
Now don't be so picky! They may sound the same, but what I say may have different meanings if
you interpret it differently.
I gave myself an excuse for reusing this phrase, while jotting a must-do predetermined event
down in the diary in my head.
This predetermined event was something I had to do if I wanted to continue staying in this world.
I have to find a time in the near future to go back and restore the world.
As I approached the club room, I could smell the food coming to my nose. That was enough to
make me full. Where did this sense of satisfaction come from? I was supposed to go back to pick
up the mess some time later, yet I was already feeling so satisfied before I even made my move.
Now wasn't I a bit too easy to satisfy!?
Ah well, it's not too bad. Before then,
There was still time. The one in charge of the operation would be the me in the future, though it
was neither the me from the distant future, nor the me from the next moment.
I grabbed the doorknob of the Literature Club room and asked the world a question,
Hey, mind if you wait for a while? Before I go back to have you restored, can you just wait a
little longer?
At least......
Until after I've tried out Haruhi's hotpot. It shouldn't be too late to go after that, right?
Author's Notes
Author's Notes
In place of my own views, I'm going to write about one of my memories, so please bear with me.
I had a classmate in sixth grade, who could pretty much be called a genius. He was the leader of
the class, with a bright mind, good family background, and he was really good at creating a
cheerful atmosphere for everyone. The reason this extremely popular classmate, with a dazzling
saintly glow above his head, befriended me was because we shared the same interests. We both
loved fishing and reading foreign suspense novels.
Whenever the class needed to be split into teams, I would always end up with him, with him
being the team leader, of course. Once, when the school was having a festival, each class was
required to send a representative to perform for the whole grade's leisure. Our team was at a loss
on what to perform, as our wits came to an end, he would say, "Let's write a play." And he would
then begin writing the script. I will never forget how hard I laughed and even rolled on the floor
when I read that script, I never knew something that funny would exist!
Our performance faithfully kept to his comedic script. After watching our play, the whole sixth
grade laughed, even the teachers were laughing. Our team eventually won the gold prize, we
were even given a wooden shield sculpture as a reward. I can still vividly remember what sort of
character I was playing.
Later on, we both entered the same junior high. But he would go on to enroll in some high school
far away, and followed by some university even farther away.
I kept thinking to myself, could I ever make everyone laugh uncontrollably like he could? I also
wondered whether his script had changed my life......
That thought had taken root in my mind and became entrenched in my memory.
......Looks like there's still room for more. Might as well write a second reminiscence.
When I was in high school, I was briefly a member of the Literature Club. As I was also a
member of another club which I took priority in, I could only go to the Literature Club once a
week. The Literature Club only met on Mondays anyway, since the only members were myself
and a girl one year my senior. When I knocked on the door for the first time, I saw her in her
glasses, looking very knowledgeable. That was the sole member, and also the president of the
Literature Club. I had completely forgotten what my upper classman had said to me back then,
she probably never even said a single word.
After joining for a while, we began to work on a periodical published by the club. I really don't
feel like recalling just what I wrote in it, I just know that it wasn't novels. I was in charge of the
cover illustration as well, which I'm not keen on recalling as well. It wasn't possible to fill up the
pages in the periodical with just the two of us, so sempai called up some of her friends to write
some articles. Though they were all people I didn't know, one of their names left a deep
impression on me, to which I still remember to this day.
As sempai was approaching third year, she decided to quit the club to concentrate on her studies.
At the same time there were five new members coming in. I wasn't too sure why there were that
many coming in. I was having so much fun in the other club that I soon stopped going to the
Literature Club.
The next time I saw sempai was on her graduation day. I have no recollection of what we said
then. We probably just had some friendly chatter, and then she faded from my memory. The last
I saw of her was her back as she walked off.
As to what that sempai's name was, I could never remember. She probably doesn't remember my
name as well. But, I'm sure she would still remember that a person like me existed in her club
back then.
Because I too remember a person like her existed in the club back then.
......After wasting the whole Author's Notes section on two seemingly fictional and inappropriate
reminiscences, I sense how low I must have fallen. In perspective, excavating some old funny
memories was nothing, there were other things that were giving me such a headache that I think
I'm going to collapse......though I realized all things would eventually get sorted out, but it was a
useless act, kind of like being a football that had fallen into a stream, wondering where the river
would take it. Might as well put my energy somewhere.
Finally, I would like to thank the publishers, everyone involved in the publishing of this book,
and to all readers my most sincere thanks. May we meet again.

Chapter 6 - Vol 5

Chapter 6
Swish, swish
A swishing sound whisked past my ear.
As I slowly regained my consciousness from the darkness, my mind began to think groggily.
Maybe it was a dream. From what I can recall, it seemed like a very interesting dream. Usually
when you wake up, you would find a dream interesting for about five minutes. But when you
begin to brush your teeth, the details start to become blurry, and by the time breakfast is ready,
you'll have forgotten about it completely. By the time you realize it, all that's left in your mind is
the impression "that sure was an interesting dream." I've already gone through this experience
many times.
There were also times when I've had dreams that were hardly interesting, but the details were
crystal clear, and remained etched in my mind for quite some time. Maybe those were dream-like
experiences, just like that night when I was trapped in the Sealed Dimension with Haruhi, an
experience that had really occurred, but had subconsciously been treated as non-existent.
That was the first thing I thought of when I opened my eyes.
The ceiling was white; I wasn't in my own room. The translucent orange sunlight dyed the walls,
which were as white as the ceiling, all sorts of colors. I wondered if it were morning or evening.
"Oh my."
For a mind that had just started to become clear, this voice sounded as pleasant as church bells
would sound to a faithfully religious person.
"You're finally awake. Seems like you were sleeping quite comfortably."
I turned my head to find the owner of the voice. There sat the fellow on a chair next to my bed,
using a kitchen knife to slice the apple in his hand. Swish swish- The apple skin smoothly peeled
off and hung downwards.
"Normally I would say good morning, but the sun's setting right now."
Koizumi Itsuki revealed his gentle smile.
Koizumi placed the sliced apples into the tray and placed it on the table by the bedside. He then
took another apple from a paper bag and smiled as he said to me,
"Thank goodness you've finally woken up. I was really at a loss for what to do. Ah... Your eyes
look quite confused. Do you recognize me?"
"I was about to ask you that. Do you know who I am?"
"What a strange question. Of course I do."
It was easy to tell which Koizumi this one was just by looking at his uniform.
He was wearing a navy blue suit and not the black gakuran.
It was the North High uniform.
One of my arms was placed outside the blanket. On top hung a bag with some fluid injected into
it. I looked at that thing and asked,
"What day is it today?"
Koizumi revealed an expression that, for him at least, was one of astonishment.
"Is that the first question you've asked after waking up? It seems like you have an idea of your
own situation. As for your answer, it is now past five in the afternoon on the 21st of December."
"Twenty-first huh..."
"Yes, today is the third day since you went into a coma."
The third day? Coma?
"Where is this place?"
"A private hospital."
I took a look around. It was an impressive single-bed ward, and I was sleeping in the bed. For me
to actually check in to a single-bed ward, my family must be quite rich, and I never realized.
"A friend of my uncle happens to be the warden of this hospital, so you get special treatment
when you check in here."
Turns out my family isn't rich after all.
"Well, thanks to the intervention of the 'Organization,' you can stay here cheaply for a year with
no questions asked. That said, I'm relieved that it only took you three days to wake up again. No,
no, it has nothing to do with money. My superiors basically tore me apart for allowing something
like this to happen to you while under my watch, and I even have to prepare a letter expressing
my remorse."
Three days before the 21st would be the 18th. What was I doing on that day? ...Ah, I remember. I
was near the verge of death due to massive blood loss, and so they sent me to hospital... No wait,
something wasn't right.
I anxiously looked at the hospital gown I was wearing, then placed my hand on my right
abdomen.
I could feel nothing. Normally a wound would feel numb, but it hardly even itched. It would be
impossible to recover from such a wound in three days, unless someone patched me up all the
way from scratch.
"What was the reason for my hospitalization? Because of my coma?"
"So you've forgotten. Well, guess I can't really blame you for it, since you took quite a heavy
knock to your head."
I touched my head. All I could feel was my hair, there was no bandage or any protective netting
on it.
"What's amazing is that you didn't suffer any external injuries nor any internal bleeding. Your
brain functions were working normally as well. Even the attending physician was baffled. They
didn't know what was wrong with you."
"But...," Koizumi continued,
"We witnessed how you fell down the flight of stairs. It sure looked horrible back then. To be
honest, I think our faces all went blue. The sound of you crashing to the ground was so loud that
I wouldn't have been surprised if you'd fallen unconscious for good. Would you like to know
what happened?"
"Go ahead."
Accordingly, as I was walking down the stairs of the club room complex, maybe I tripped or
something, I just tumbled downwards and landed with my head on the ground. Wham! I then
stopped moving.
The way Koizumi described it sounded as though it really did happen.
"Things were pretty chaotic after that. We had to call the ambulance and get an unconscious you
to the hospital. Suzumiya-san's face was all pale, and it was the first time I ever saw her look like
that. Oh, the one calling the ambulance was Nagato-san. It was her calmness that saved your
life."
"How did Asahina-san react?"
Koizumi shrugged his shoulders and said,
"She reacted the way you would expect. She grabbed hold of you and cried as she kept calling
your name."
"So what time on the 18th did all that happen? Which stairway was it?"
I fired my questions in quick succession, since the 18th was the day the world changed
drastically and I went into a state of panic.
"You even forgot about that as well? It was right after noon, just after the SOS Brigade had
finished its meeting. It happened just as the five of us were about to go out to buy something."
Buy something?
"You don't even have memory of that? Are you sure you're not faking your amnesia?"
"It doesn't matter, please continue."
The smile on Koizumi's lips became gentle.
"The agenda for the meeting, hmm, was for what to do on Christmas Day. Suzumiya-san said
there was a party for little kids near her place, and the SOS Brigade would make a guest
performance there. This was so that Asahina-san's Santa costume could be put to good use. She
would dress up as a gorgeous Santa girl and hand out presents to the kids. This merry event was
all organized by Suzumiya-san."
Here we go again; that girl can be so reckless!
"Yet, it wouldn't be realistic just to have a Santa girl. So Suzumiya-san decided to let one of the
members dress up as a reindeer and carry Asahina-san into the scene. In the end we had to draw
lots... Who do you think was the lucky winner? Do you remember now?"
I have absolutely no recollection of it at all. If one could remember something that doesn't even
exist in his memories, then he is an impressive liar. He would need to be checked in to another
hospital. Though it was useless telling Koizumi about this.
"Never mind, just know that you were the lucky one. As we had to make a reindeer costume for
you, we had to go out to buy some materials, and it was when we were walking down the stairs
that you fell."
"Now that sounds really stupid for me."
Hearing me say that, Koizumi raised his eyebrows.
"As you were walking at the back, no one really saw how you fell. We only saw you falling from
the side like this," Koizumi demonstrated by deliberately letting the apple tumble off his right
hand before catching it with his left, "You basically tumbled over and over."
Koizumi continued to peel the apple skin.
"We quickly rushed towards you, who had become motionless. Suzumiya-san said she felt there
was someone at the top of the stairs. She saw someone's skirt just at the corner there, but it
disappeared thereafter. I found it strange as well, so I did some research. At that time, there was
no one else in the building besides us. Even Nagato-san shook her head. That girl just
disappeared like a phantom. We've been waiting for you to wake up all this time so we could ask
you who it was that pushed you..."
I didn't remember that. At that moment, I was sure that would be the most appropriate answer. It
was just a normal accident. I was careless, all I could say is tough luck for me. I guess I'll leave it
at that.
"Only you came to visit me?"
Where was Haruhi? I had wanted to ask, but in the end didn't. Yet Koizumi still chuckled and
said, "You've been looking around all this time. Are you looking for someone? Don't you worry,
we've been taking turns looking after you. Before you opened your eyes, there was always
someone by your side. I think it's about time for Asahina-san to arrive."
I was unsettled by Koizumi's gaze; he looked as though he was meeting a friend that actually
believed his April Fool's joke, and was lost for words. What was he trying to insinuate?
"Oh, nothing really. I was just feeling envious of you. You could say those were envious looking
eyes."
Why are you saying this to a patient that has knocked his head?
"While we regular members have to rotate to watch over you, the Commander sees it as part of
her responsibilities to worry about the safety of her members..."
Koizumi elegantly peeled off all the skin from the apple, then sculpted it into a rabbit shape
before placing it on the tray on the bedside table.
"Suzumiya-san has been here all along, since three days ago she has never left this place."
I turned towards the other side of the bed where Koizumi was pointing.
"..."
And there she was.
Wrapped tightly inside a sleeping bag was Haruhi, her mouth slightly agape as she snoozed
away.
"We were all worried about you, both her and I."
He sounded so sad; it felt like some soap opera.
"You should've seen how distressed Suzumiya-san looked... No, we'll leave that for next time.
Anyway, isn't there something you need to do right now?"
Why does everyone like to order me around!? Asahina-san (big) was like that, now even this
Koizumi... But, I didn't begrudge them. And I couldn't care less if all those apples sliced by
Koizumi were an offering to some deity.
"Yeah," I said.
I really felt like drawing on her face. Maybe next time, I'll have all the time to do that.
I sat up straight and stretched my arm to touch that seemingly angry looking face of hers.
Her hair wasn't long enough to tie a ponytail yet. I quickly felt nostalgic about her long hair. As
if to spite me, that short dark hair of hers began to move.
Haruhi had woken up.
"...Umm...hmm?"
Haruhi moaned as she struggled to open her eyes, and by the time she realized who was pinching
her face...
"AH!?"
She tried to leap up at once, but failed miserably as she had forgotten she had zipped herself
inside the sleeping bag, and so she rolled and crawled about like an inchworm. Eventually she
managed to get herself free, proceeded to point a finger at me and started cursing,
"Damn you Kyon! Why couldn't you notify me first before waking me up!? I wasn't even
mentally prepared!"
Now that's asking for the impossible. Yet seeing you yelling and cursing was more effective than
any medicine for me.
"Haruhi."
"What?"
"Wipe your drool."
Haruhi's face twitched for a while, she quickly rubbed her mouth, and then stared at me with that
scowl of hers,
"You... Are you sure you didn't draw anything on my face?"
I was tempted to.
"Hmph. Well, don't you have anything to say?"
I gave her a reply that she would expect,
"Sorry to make you worry."
"Well, I'm glad you are. After all, worrying about the well-being of the brigade members is one
of the responsibilities of a commander!"
Haruhi's cussing sounded like heavenly singing. At that moment, a soft knock emitted from the
door. Koizumi instinctively got up and pulled the door open.
As the third visitor standing outside the door saw me,
"Ah, ahh, aaahhhh..."
She proceeded to make a series of frantic sounding noises. Standing there with a vase in her
hands, was none other than the second year North High schoolgirl with her long hair, a cute
child-like face, and a slim yet well-grown figure.
"Hey... Asahina-san, hi there,"
I wasn't sure whether I should say long time no see, for me at least I couldn't tell.
"Sniff......"
Tears started to trickle from Asahina-san's eyes,
"Thank goodness... Oh... Thank goodness..."
I really wanted to embrace her like last time, who knows, Asahina-san was probably thinking the
same thing. Though she seemed to have forgotten to put down the vase, and only stood there
crying.
"Aren't you overreacting a bit? He just knocked his head and fainted. I knew all along that Kyon
wouldn't sleep like this forever."
A sense of gratefulness could be heard within Haruhi's voice, and she continued without even
looking at me,
Koizumi began chuckling, Asahina-san's giant tear drops trickled endlessly to the ground, while Haruhi
turned her face away. At first glance it would seem that she looked mad.
"As I've already mentioned before, the SOS Brigade works 365 days a year without rest. Nobody
is allowed to take a day off. I'll never accept a lame excuse like bumping one's head and going
into a coma for sick leave, absolutely never. Do you understand, Kyon? The price for going
AWOL for three days is very high. You'll be fined! Not just a regular fine, but an overdue fine
on top of that as well!"
Koizumi began chuckling, Asahina-san's giant tear drops trickled endlessly to the ground, while
Haruhi turned her face away. At first glance it would seem that she looked mad.
I looked at them and then nodded my head and shrugged my shoulders,
"All right then, including the overdue fine, how much do I need to pay in total?"
Haruhi stared at me, the smile on her face was beaming so brightly that it was hard to believe she
was mad a while ago. She really is a very simple girl.
In the end it was decided that I would have to pay the bill for everyone in the coffee shop for
three consecutive days. As I pondered whether to terminate my existing time deposit...
"One more thing..."
There's more?
"Yup, I still haven't gotten around to compensation for all the trauma you've caused. Ah yes,
Kyon, for the Christmas party, you can dress up as the reindeer and perform some spectacular
stunts for us. You have to play until you get all of us laughing! If it's too boring, I'm gonna have
to kick you to an alternate dimension! You'll need to do that as well for the kids' party. You
hear!?"
With a gaze as bright as the light from a prism, Haruhi once again began ordering me about.
While I was now fully awake, it didn't mean I could get discharged right away. After the doctor
came to have a look at me, I was sent to be examined on all sorts of machines, it was so
complicated and annoying that it felt as though they were trying to remake me into a cyborg.
After spending a whole day on all sorts of body checks, I was going to have to spend the night in
the ward again. For me, tonight would truly be my first night in the hospital, and since I'd never
been in a hospital, I might as well experience what it felt like.
Haruhi, Koizumi, and Asahina-san were just about to leave when my mom and sister came to
visit me. Haruhi sounded very courteous as she spoke to them, I never knew she could be this
polite, so it was kind of surprising.
As I spent time chatting with my mom and sister, my mind was occupied with various thoughts.
If things continued the way they were, what would've happened next? Nagato, Koizumi, and
Asahina-san would just be regular human beings without any supernatural background
whatsoever. Nagato would be a silent bookworm from the Literature Club, Asahina-san would
be an unreachable beautiful upper classman, while Koizumi would be a normal transfer student
studying in another school.
And Haruhi would probably just be an eccentric high school student.
Perhaps under such settings, an interesting story can be written as well. There would no longer
be any need to learn about the truth of this world, nor would there be any need to worry about
any changes caused. It would just be a normal story without any connection to this dysfunctional
world.
I probably wouldn't play any role in that story. All I could do there was just peacefully live my
normal high school life and graduate without incident.
Which world would I be happier with?
I think I know the answer to that now.
It was only in this "present world" could I be happy. Otherwise why would I risk losing my life
just to come back to this world?
What about you? Which world would you choose? I'm sure the answer would be pretty obvious.
Or am I the only one who would think like that?
After my family went home and the lights in the ward went out, I could only stare at the ceiling.
As I had nothing better to do, I decided to close my eyes.
For the past three days, in this world that is, I was told I had spent all that time sleeping.
In that case...
If the world had become like that, that meant that it'd been changed.
This world had already been changed twice. The world that was distorted by Nagato had changed
once again to the original world as it is now. So who was it that made the second change?
It couldn't be Haruhi. For those three days, Haruhi didn't have such powers, and the Haruhi of
this world didn't even know the world had changed.
Then, who could it be?
Saving my life by catching Asakura's blade with her bare hands, there could only be one person
with the ability to do such a thing...
That would be Nagato.
Besides, before I lost consciousness, I saw two Asahina-sans. The second one wasn't the adult
Asahina-san, but my senpai Asahina-san. She was none other than the cute upper classman from
the future that I was very familiar with.
There was another person, the mysterious voice that spoke to me near the end. I knew I'd heard
that voice before.
I tried to recall who it was, but very quickly I realized I didn't even need to try.
That was my own voice.
"I see, so that's how it was,"
In that case...
I would have to travel back to that time period again. The time would have to be early morning
on December the 18th, and I had to go with the Asahina-san and Nagato of this time period.
Only then could the world be restored to its present state.
Asahina-san would be responsible for bringing me and Nagato back to that time period, while
Nagato's mission was to amend her past self, who had gone astray for the past three days.
Though I wouldn't know whether she would use Haruhi's powers or the powers of the Integrated
Data Sentient Entity.
I too had a role to play in this as well.
That's what I thought anyway. If I hadn't heard my own voice speaking back then, I wouldn't be
here today. In order to preserve my present existence, I would need to go back and say the same
thing to my past self,
"Sorry about that. I have my reasons for not rescuing you right away, but don't hate me for it.
After all, it was painful for me as well. Anyway, we'll take care of the rest. No, I already know
what to do now, and you will as well. So go get some sleep for now."
I repeatedly memorized these lines in my head. That's what I said if I recalled correctly. While I
couldn't guarantee that it'd be correct word for word, the meaning should be the same.
In place of the me who got stabbed by a dagger, the one using the needle-gun would be my
destined role.
As for the reason why I couldn't save my past self from being stabbed by Asakura, I understood
that as well. From the tone of my future self's voice, I didn't sound like I ran over in a hurry. I
must have hidden somewhere nearby before hand. Asahina-san and Nagato also came out cue on
time. It couldn't be too early, nor could it be too late. I had to wait until I got stabbed by Asakura.
Why was that? Because of my past self, that was something that had already happened. To quote
Asahina-san,
"This is a predetermined event,"
It was now late at night, but I wasn't in the mood to sleep.
I was waiting. Waiting for what, you ask? Of course I was waiting for the only person among the
people I knew who had yet to visit me. It'd be a joke if she didn't come.
I lay in bed and stared at the ceiling all this time. It was only late in the night, when visiting
hours were long over, that my patience was rewarded.
The door to the ward slowly opened, the light from the corridor revealed the shadow of a tiny
figure on the floor.
Standing there was the figure of the last person to come visit me, Nagato Yuki.
As usual, Nagato said without any emotion,
"I am responsible for everything that has happened."
For some reason, I felt nostalgic at hearing this calm voice.
"My punishment is currently being assessed."
I lifted my head and asked,
"Assessed by whom?"
"The Integrated Data Sentient Entity."
Nagato said calmly, as though it had all happened to someone else instead.
Of course, Nagato had long known she would create a ruckus on the morning of December 18th.
Because I had gone to visit Nagato three years ago with the adult Asahina-san. She knew all
along, and she tried her best to prevent it from happening. Yet there was no way to stop the tide.
Sometimes even if you knew what was about to happen, you just couldn't avoid it. No, it was
possible to avert it...
I suddenly thought of the behavior and mannerisms of Nagato after summer, which were slightly
different from before,
"But," I interrupted her, "If you knew you were going to go astray three years ago, you could've
told me any time, couldn't you? Whether it was after the school festival, or before the baseball
tournament. In that case, I would've been able to take action earlier in that specific time on
December 18th. Then all that would've needed to be done would be to call everyone out and
travel back to three years ago again,"
Nagato's expression was as cold as ice, there was hardly a smile,
"If I had told you beforehand, my astray self would still have been able to erase all your
memories concerning the incident and change the world. Besides, no one can guarantee that
something that hasn't happened will ever occur. The best I could do was to keep you in your
original state when December 18th arrived."
"Didn't you leave an Escape Program for me? That was more than enough already!"
As I was thanking her, I began to grow angry. But I wasn't angry at Nagato, neither was I angry
at myself.
The blank voice echoed through the walls of the ward,
"I cannot guarantee that I won't go astray again in the future. As long as I continue to exist, my
internal errors will continue to accumulate. This is a very dangerous possibility."
"BULLSHIT! Relay this message for me."
Hearing me swear, Nagato's head tilted back about two centimeters. She even blinked.
I reached out and grabbed that little white arm of hers. Nagato did not resist.
"Tell this to your boss, so listen carefully. If he ever thinks of letting you disappear, then I'm
going to let all hell break loose. I'm going to get you back, no matter what it takes. I may not
have any powers, but I'm pretty good at provoking Haruhi,"
I did indeed have a trump card in provoking Haruhi. All I needed to do was tell her, "My name is
John Smith."
That's right. While my powers were as good as a useless bum, that idiot Haruhi happened to
possess enormous powers. Once Nagato disappeared, I would tell everything to that girl until she
believed me. And then we would embark on our journey to rescue Nagato. Even if Nagato's boss
hid her away or eliminated her, Haruhi would always think of some way to turn the tables, at
least I'd make her think of a way. Who knows, Koizumi and Asahina-san may even lend a hand.
By then, who would give a damn about some Data Entity from some unknown corner of the
universe!? What difference did it make whether that thing existed or not!?
Nagato was our friend. And if someone from the SOS Brigade was to go missing, Haruhi would
never let the matter rest. And it wasn't just Nagato, if Koizumi, or Asahina-san, or I had suddenly
left, even by our own will, that girl wouldn't give us up so easily. She would resort to anything to
bring us back. That's Suzumiya Haruhi, the pushy, self-centered, inconsiderate and troublesome
Queen of the SOS Brigade for you.
I stared furiously at Nagato,
"If your boss even tries to do anything funny, then I'll join up with Haruhi and transform the
world completely. We'll create a world similar to the one in those three days, where you exist but
the Integrated Data Sentient Entity doesn't. I'm sure they'll be even more disappointed if that
happens. Observation target? Observation my ass!"
My anger intensified as I spoke.
I had no idea how sentient the Integrated Data Entity was, but he should've been pretty smart. He
was probably one of those that could calculate pi to the hundred millionth decimal point in just
two seconds and do all sorts of advanced tricks.
If that was true, then I have to tell him something.
I'm sure it would be a piece of cake for you guys to give Nagato a more human-like personality.
Before she became a psychotic killer, Asakura was quite popular in class, not to mention being
open and friendly. She'd even call out some classmates to go shopping together during holidays.
If you could create someone like her, why must you set Nagato as a lonely little schoolgirl sitting
and reading a book all by herself in the Literature Club room? Are you thinking that if her
personality wasn't set that way, then it wouldn't look like a Literature Club, that she wouldn't
attract Haruhi's attention? Who made such a decision anyway?
At this point I noticed I was clutching Nagato's hand strongly. Yet the book-loving Interactive
Humanoid Interface did not begrudge me at all.
Nagato simply looked straight at me, and then slowly nodded her head,
"I will relay the message."
The calm voice then softly added,
"Thank you."

Chapter 5 - Vol 5

Chapter 5
"......"
I still didn't know what to say. Nagato now turned towards Asahina-san (big),
"Let me give you the space-time coordinates of the target."
"Oh, sure."
Asahina-san (big) stuck out her hand like a loyal dog eager to shake hands with its master.
"Go ahead..."
Nagato softly tapped her finger on the back of Asahina-san's (big) palm, and then retracted it...
That's it? Though Asahina-san (big) looked content with it.
"I understand now, Nagato-san. All we need to do is to go and mend 'her' up, right? That won't
be hard, since 'she' wouldn't have any powers by then..."
The time traveler seemed determined as she clutched her fists, the alien then said,
"Please wait."
Not wearing any glasses, Nagato said,
"In this state, you too would be swept into the changes of the space-time continuum.
Counteractive measures need to be applied."
She then stuck her hand out.
"Your hand."
What for? Does she want to shake hands? I obediently stuck out my right hand. Nagato's icy cold
fingers grabbed my wrist, causing my heartbeat to go faster for a while.
"..."
Nagato suddenly moved her sullen-looking face towards my arm.
"Whoa!"
I yelled involuntarily. It was an unavoidable reaction, I guess. Kneeling down, Nagato not only
touched my wrist softly with her lips, she even revealed her teeth. It was like during the making
of the movie, when she constantly assaulted Asahina-san and bit her.
It didn't hurt, actually. It felt like one of those soft unhostile bites Shamisen would make
whenever I caressed him. Though the canine teeth sinking into my skin felt a bit prickly, like
being jabbed by something but not hurting at all. Maybe it was because Nagato's saliva contained
some sort of anesthetic to numb the pain. It was more like being bitten by a mosquito.
Kneeling down, Nagato not only touched my wrist softly with her lips, she even revealed her teeth.
After biting my hand for about five to ten seconds, Nagato slowly lifted her head.
"Your body surface has been applied with a data-manipulating stealth barrier and protective
shield,"
Nagato said without even blushing. On the other hand, cupping her mouth with her hands,
Asahina-san (big) looked rather amazed. I felt a bit numb and looked at my wrist. On it were two
small holes which looked like vampire bite marks. As I stared at them, the two small holes began
to heal and disappeared without a trace. Like with Asahina-san during the making of the movie,
my body was also injected with Nagato's nanomachines.
"You too."
Under Nagato's request, terrified Asahina-san stuck out her hand.
"...It's been a while since you've injected me. It must've been tough on you, back then..."
"This is my first time giving you an injection."
"Oh, yes, right. I forgot..."
Shutting her eyes tightly, the time traveler stuck out her wrist and accepted the alien's kissing
baptism. The time it took for her to be injected with nanomachines was shorter than mine. Once
it was over, she began to cough dryly.
"Well, let's go. Kyon-kun, the real thing starts now."
Really? The warm-up this time sure felt quite long! Then again, I was only doing my best to
narrate this for everyone, even though I really didn't want to do this.
"Thanks."
I tried to remain calm as I gave thanks to the mistress of the apartment. The silent Nagato
remained unresponsive. I could not find any form of self-awareness through her expression. Yet
for some reason, I just felt Nagato, who was standing upright, felt very lonely. Was it really
because she was lonely as I had speculated?
"Nagato, I'll see you then. Before Haruhi and I arrive, make sure you wait for us in the Literature
Club room until then."
Like a doll being injected with life, the alien-created organic being mechanically nodded her
head.
"I will wait."
Such a sentence was enough to ignite a mysterious flame within my heart. Though it was only as
bright as a cigarette butt that someone had forgotten to put out. As I was about to figure out
where that little spark came from, Asahina-san (big) now said,
"Just to prevent you from getting uncomfortable,"
she tightly grabbed my shoulders.
"Can you please close your eyes?"
I followed as she instructed me to. Asahina-san (big) seemed to be standing right in front of me,
holding my hands.
"Kyon-kun."
This soft chanting sounded just too pleasant. Was she going to give me a kiss?
"Here we go."
Please, go ahead. You can kiss as many times as you like, the more passionate the better. Just as
I was thinking this...
The dramatic dizziness had begun. It was good that I had closed my eyes. Even if I had them
opened, it would probably be pitch-black as though there was a power shortage. I now felt like
sitting in a roller coaster with my seat-belt taken off; I was no longer sure whether the blood in
me had left my body or was rushing towards my brain. The sense of floating weightlessness
continued. Though I had closed my eyes, I still felt dizzy. The fact that I didn't lose
consciousness was all thanks to the warmth felt through Asahina-san's (big) hands.
How many minutes has it been already? Or even how many hours? I lost all awareness of time
and space. I can't hold on much longer. Asahina-san, I feel like throwing up...
As I was ungraciously trying to look for something that I could puke in...
"Um... We've arrived."
The long lost sensation of my feet standing on firm ground was back again. The coldness of the
ground passed through my socks and into my body. My sense of gravity was back as well. Like
an illusion, the urge to throw up also suddenly disappeared.
"You can open your eyes now. Thank goodness, this is the place that Nagato-san had directed
us... And the time as well."
I lifted my head and saw glittering in the night sky a bunch of winter constellations. As the air
was cleaner, the stars were much clearer than in the summer. I turned around and instantly
recognized the roof of the North High complex looming above the residential housings.
I looked around me, trying to confirm where I was now. Though it was dark, I couldn't be
mistaken. I was standing here just a few hours ago. I could still remember Haruhi in her ponytail
and Koizumi in my PE uniform as well.
This was where Haruhi and Koizumi had gotten changed. It should be a coincidence, I guess!
Now then, what time was it?
Looking at her watch, Asahina-san (big) told me,
"It's four forty-eight in the morning on the 18th of December. In about five minutes, the world
will be changed."
From the moment I hit the "Enter" key on the 20th and traveled back three years in time, the 18th
would be two days ago. On that day, I went to school as usual, unaware of what was about to
happen, and I fell into a state of pandemonium as a result of seeing a North High that has
completely changed. Haruhi has suddenly disappeared, while Asakura had reappeared; and
Asahina-san couldn't recognize me, while Nagato has become a completely different person
altogether.
It all started here, I was now at the time period where the conversion took effect. In other words,
I could also prevent it from happening, and that was why I was standing here now.
As I was getting fired up by the intense anticipation......
"Oh no! I forgot to bring my shoes!"
Asahina-san (big) exclaimed softly.
As we traveled directly from indoors, naturally we weren't wearing any shoes. As expected from
Asahina-san, not even the passage of time could wear away her clumsiness.
"Would Nagato-san take good care of them for me?"
Her anxiety briefly relieved me of my own nervousness. I'm sure she'd take good care of them.
After all, she managed to preserve a tanzaku for three years. So she won't lose a pair of shoes so
easily. You can always go to her apartment and check her cupboard......
As I calmly thought about these, an electric-like sensation went through my body all of a sudden.
That was because I wasn't wearing any shoes, not to mention having to leap from summer back
to the freezing winter, so the cold felt even more intense. I immediately thought of putting back
on the jacket I was holding in my arms; that was when I noticed Asahina-san shivering while
tightly wrapping herself with her arms. Well, wearing only a long-sleeved blouse and a tight
mini-skirt in such low temperatures, I suppose it's only natural that she would be freezing like
hell.
"Put this on,"
I placed my jacket over her shivering shoulders. Even I was pleased by my own act of chivalry.
"Oh, thank you. I'm so sorry about that."
There's no need to apologize, it was nothing. If you hadn't waited for me three years ago, I'd
never be able to return to here. Just this point alone was enough, even if it meant I had to strip all
my clothes for you.
Asahina-san (big) gave me a smile, which perfectly combined sexiness and cuteness, and would
soften the legs of more than half of the audience, then said seriously,
"It's almost time."
Maybe it was good that we forgot to wear our shoes, as we didn't make any sound while walking.
Despite that, Asahina-san (big) and I still didn't dare to breathe loudly as we walked in small
steps towards the entrance of North High. We stopped by the corner and like hunters following
their prey, we only stuck our heads out and stared at the path ahead of us in the dark.
There weren't a lot of street lamps in this area, though there was one just outside the gate. Only
the area under the light was illuminated. Though the light was dim, one could still make out
whoever was standing under that lamp.
"Here she comes......"
A warm hand landed on my shoulder. I could feel Asahina-san's (big) intense yet sweet breathing
blow into my ears. Normally, I would be spellbound by it, but I wasn't in the mood right now.
The space-time converter emerged from the shadows and into the light under the lamp.
A North High uniform. That was the person Nagato had mentioned. "That person" was the
culprit who had altered our world, separated the members of the SOS Brigade and turned
everyone into normal human beings. Only my memories remained, while the memories and
history of everyone and everything else were totally changed.
Right now, "that person" had begun making her move.
I still couldn't rush out yet, I had to wait till everything has changed. That was the advice Nagato
gave me. I must wait till that person had changed the world completely before I could inject the
Restoration Program. Otherwise, the history where I activated the Escape Program would never
have existed. I didn't quite understand what Nagato meant, though Nagato and Asahina-san (big)
both seemed pretty clear about it. They must be pretty familiar with the flow of time, a person
like me would never understand. Since I'll never get it, I might as well follow the advice of the
professionals. That Nagato would never lie, she has always been standing by our side with a
serious look on her face......
I tightly grabbed the short needle pistol Nagato gave me and waited silently.
Walking in regular strides, "that person" arrived before the gates of North High. She lifted her
head to look at the school complex that was shrouded in darkness and stopped.
Her sailor uniform skirt flickered as the wind blew.
She didn't seem to notice us. This was all thanks to the nanomachines Nagato injected into us,
creating a stealth barrier and protective shield on the surface of our bodies.
"That person" suddenly lifted one arm and made a gesture as though grabbing onto something in
the air. It didn't look natural, it's as though she was being controlled, but I knew that wasn't the
case.
"Amazing..." Asahina-san (big) exclaimed, "That was a powerful time quake. She actually had
such power... I still find it hard to believe even after I've seen it with my own eyes,"
Even with my own eyes, I still don't see any changes. The night sky was still dark. Yet Asahinasan
(big) seemed to have witnessed that person use some method to cause a massive change to
the history of this world. She was from the future after all, so it's not surprising if she could see
it.
Asahina-san (big) leaned herself tightly onto me. Originally, we too would have been swamped
by "that person's" alteration of the world, but we were protected by having Nagato bite us.
Nagato and Asahina-san (big) were indeed helpful, it seems the course of action I've taken was
correct. What follows next would be the action needed to resolve this matter, I can't afford to
screw up at the last hurdle.
I held my breath when I saw that person putting down her arm and suddenly turn her head in our
direction. At first I thought she had discovered we were peeking on her, but it turns out she was
only looking around.
"Don't worry, she hasn't discovered us. Right now she has been 'reborn.' The time quake... The
alteration of the world has ended. Kyon-kun, it's our turn to move now,"
Asahina-san (big) said in a stiff and serious tone and gave me the signal.
I emerged from the darkness and headed towards the school gate. There was no need to hurry, as
she was not going to run away. As expected, when "that person" noticed me standing under the
street lamp, she was still standing in front of the school gate. The only change was the expression
on her face. When I saw the astonished look on her face, I suddenly felt melancholic all of a
sudden.
"Hi there,"
I called out to her. As though seeing a friend I haven't met for a long time, I approached her.
"It's me, we meet again,"
I was able to guess a bit from the tone of Asahina-san's (big) voice. Of the people that I knew,
besides Haruhi, only one person could make her feel so uneasy. Think about it. After the 18th,
the secret personal profiles of the SOS Brigade members had suddenly vanished. Yet all their
personalities remained intact, all save one, whose actions, expressions and mannerism had
changed completely.
Under the dim night sky, wearing a North High uniform, the tiny figure stood there not knowing
what was going on. She didn't seem to understand why she was here, like someone suffering
from sleepwalking who had suddenly woken up and begun to look around...
"Nagato,"
I said,
"This was all your doing, right?"
Wearing glasses, it was that Nagato. After the 18th, this Nagato Yuki was just the mere
remaining member of the Literature Club, she was neither an alien or any mysterious entity
whatsoever, just a very shy bookworm.
The bespectacled Nagato now looked even more astonished, not understanding what was going
on,
"...Why... why... are you here?"
"I was about to ask you that, do you even know why you're here?"
"...I'm taking a walk,"
Nagato said uneasily while widening her eyes. The glasses on the girl's face that I was looking at
reflected the light of the street lamp. I looked at her like that and thought,
No, it's not like that, Nagato.
This girl was only feeling tired. Having to spend all day being turned around in circles by
Haruhi, while busy saving my life, as well as being secretly active in some unknown location
behind our backs - it was only natural that she would become fatigued by it all.
A while ago in Nagato's apartment, this was what the Nagato three years ago told us:
"The erroneous files accumulated in my memory database will trigger an anomalous reaction. It
can be foreseen that this is unavoidable. On December 18th three years from now, I will
reconstruct the world."
She continued calmly,
"There are no counter-measures available, because I do not know how such errors could occur."
But I do.
I know the reason behind Nagato's unexplicable, abnormal action, and just what those erroneous
files she had been accumulating were.
It was the most basic desire. Even for an artificial intelligence run by a complex program, even
for an android interface who never had such stuff installed, after living for some time, it was
natural for her to develop such a desire. You'll never understand, but I do. And probably Haruhi
does as well.
I continued to observe Nagato's troubled expression unreservedly. Yet the dream girl from the
Literature Club now looked even more uncomfortable. Seeing how helpless she looked, I can't
help but yell inside, Nagato! This is what we call emotions!
It is because you were designed not to have any emotions to begin with, the reaction felt from
you was far greater. You probably felt like screaming, or going ballistic, or just yelling out loud,
You stupid girl! I've had enough of you! Right? No, even if she didn't think that way, what she
did was totally understandable. Her actions can be forgiven, because I was partly responsible,
after all. I've become too reliant on her, having gotten used to letting Nagato take care of
everything. I always thought that as long as Nagato was helping, I could switch off my brain.
What an idiot I was, an even greater idiot than Haruhi. So I had no right to condemn her for this.
That was why Nagato - this girl here, came up with the silly idea of changing the world.
So was it an anomalous reaction, or a programming error?
Boy, you sure are annoying, it's neither of the above.
This was what Nagato wished for - a normal world like this.
She only preserved my memories, while altering the memories of everyone else, including
herself.
It was now that I finally understood the question that was puzzling me for the last few days.
Why was I the only one to remain unaffected?
The answer was simple, it was because the girl had wanted to let me make the choice.
Is the altered world better? Or is the original one better? Under her well crafted script, the final
decision rests on me.
"Damn it,"
To hell with choosing! I never had a choice!
If I had only wanted the SOS Brigade, then I didn't have to return at all. I could just start over in
the new world. Haruhi and Koizumi may be studying in another high school, but that wouldn't be
too much of an obstacle. We'll just treat it as an out-of-school hobby. This mysterious club can
meet as usual at that coffee shop. Over there, Haruhi would come up with some ridiculous stuff,
while Koizumi would grin all the time; Asahina-san would look extremely distressed, and I
would just look away with a scowl on my face... An image of that scene floated in my mind at
once. The Nagato there would probably look troubled as well, of course she would still quietly
read her book. Yet still...
That wouldn't be the SOS Brigade that I knew. Nagato isn't an alien, Asahina-san isn't a time
traveler from the future, and Koizumi's just a normal person, while Haruhi wouldn't possess any
extraordinary powers. It would just be a simple, normal and happy club.
Am I fine with that? Isn't that even better?
How did I think about it at first? Just what did I make of Haruhi's constant trouble-makings
beyond the boundaries of common sense?
What a pain.
Enough already!
Are you an idiot!?
I've had enough with you!
"......"
My heart began to hurt.
A normal high school student who was forced to take part in many troublesome situations,
constantly complaining to Haruhi yet still managing to live to tell the tale. That was the role I've
been playing all along.
Now then! Yes, Kyon! I'm talking to you! I've got to ask myself a very important question, so
listen carefully and answer me. You can't refrain from answering. Just a single "yes" or "no"
would do. Now listen up, here comes the question:
Don't you find such a weird and extraordinary school life fun?
Hurry up and answer, Kyon! Think carefully. Well? Can't I ask what you think of this? Hurry up
and tell me. In a world where I was being turned around in circles by Haruhi; attacked by aliens;
hearing a time traveler explain wild theories; putting up with the philosophical babble with an
esper; trapped in a Sealed Dimension where giants go on a rampage; living with a cat that
speaks; making an incomprehensible leap through time; not to mention having to follow the strict
rule of not letting Haruhi know all of these, allowing the commander of the SOS Brigade to
happily continue her pursuit of mysterious events, while completely oblivious that she has made
a huge mess.
Don't you find such a world interesting?
Or did you think that was just too annoying, and had wanted to tell her enough is enough? Since
you've always thought she was an idiot and had decided to ignore her. Well? Is it true? In other
words? Is that what you really think?
That world was hardly interesting at all.
Are you sure? According to what you said, you find Haruhi in the original world to be very
annoying. No matter what wild ideas she would come up with, you would always feel
melancholic. Of course it's natural that you wouldn't find such a world to be interesting. And
don't tell me it's not true! You know it is.
Yet, in reality you're secretly enjoying all of this. Because that world is interesting.
You ask me why I say that?
Then let me tell you why,
Didn't you hit the "Enter" key?
You know, the one for the Emergency Escape Program that Nagato left for you.
Are you ready?
The answer you gave for that question then was a resolute "yes."
Am I right?
Our Great Goddess Nagato went far out of her way to create a stable world for you, and you had
to turn down Her offer. Ever since you met Suzumiya Haruhi back in April, you've taken that
idiotic world for granted. You actually want to return to a crazy world where aliens, time
travelers and espers wander freely in school. Why is that? Aren't you the one who was
complaining all the time about how woeful you are?
If that were the case, then why didn't you ignore the Escape Program? By choosing to stay in this
very normal world here, you'll know Haruhi, Asahina-san, Koizumi and Nagato as ordinary high
school students, and lead a happy life as usual under Haruhi's leadership. Since Haruhi doesn't
have any powers, you could say goodbye to all those surreal experiences.
In that world, Haruhi would just be a normal girl who likes to boss people around; Asahina-san
would no longer have the attribute of being a time traveler from the future, she would just be a
very cute character; Koizumi would be a normal high school student without any backing from
some mysterious 'Organization'; and Nagato would just be a timid and humble bookish girl, not
having to carry any burden or use any amazing powers to observe or protect someone. Oh yeah,
though most of the time she would remain expressionless, she would still laugh heartily at some
lame joke, and then blush furiously. Who knows, she could be a person who could slowly open
herself up if I spend some time with her.
Such an idyllic life that would be, and yet you have forsaken it.
Just why is that?
I'll ask you one last time. Answer me truthfully.
Do you find Haruhi the troublemaker and the nightmarish events that she causes to be
interesting? Hurry up and answer!
"Of course I do,"
I answered as such,
"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize it was fun. So don't ask me something so trivial
anymore."
If someone had actually said they don't find that interesting, then that person would be a
blithering idiot. His wits would be thirty times dimmer than Haruhi's.
I mean, there are aliens, time travelers and espers out there!
Just one alone would be intriguing enough, but to have three sorts of interesting characters all at
once! With Haruhi included, some powerful force is bound to be triggered. At this rate, I'll never
be bored. If someone had made any objections to that, I think I'd beat him to a pulp at once.
"So that's how it is,"
I said to myself. You could say I've finally been enlightened.
"I still prefer the original world. This world just doesn't suit me. I'm sorry, Nagato. I don't like
the present you, I prefer the Nagato from before. Besides, I like you better without glasses,"
This Nagato looked at me with a very puzzled face,
"What are you talking about..."
The Nagato Yuki I know would never say something like that.
This girl would have no knowledge of these three days, when I discovered something was wrong
up to now. That was to be expected, because this Nagato had just been reborn, and so has never
met me. She would have no memory of looking shocked as I barged into the Literature Club.
The only memory this Nagato had was the fabricated memory in the library. Besides that, the
memory we share now all happened since she changed the world a while ago.
A few months ago, I was trapped in the grey Sealed Dimension with just Haruhi. According to
Koizumi, that was a new world created by Haruhi.
Nagato was probably using that power. Somehow she managed to nick or steal that mysterious
power from Haruhi and used it to create this world.
That sure was a convenient power. No matter who it is, they will always have the thought of
wanting to start all over, or wishing that things would go back to where it would be favorable for
them.
Yet, a normal person would never be able to achieve such a wish. And it was better that they
gave up that thought. I myself didn't want to start all over, which was why I returned from the
Sealed Dimension with Haruhi.
This incident was caused by the transferral of a god-like omnipotent power from Haruhi to
Nagato. Haruhi was unaware of it all, while Nagato lost control and went forward to change the
world.
"Nagato,"
I walked towards the stiff tiny figure standing there. Nagato remained motionless and stared back
at me.
"No matter how many times I have to say this, my answer is the same. Please return everything
to normal, including you as well. Let's live to fight another day in the club room. As long as you
give the signal, I'll be there for you. Lately Haruhi hasn't been going astray for no reason now, so
there's no need for you to use such an unhealthy power to forcefully change the world. Just keep
everything as it is."
The eyes under the glasses betray a sense of fear.
"Kyon-kun..."
Asahina-san tugged at my sleeve and said,
"It's useless trying to explain to this Nagato-san. Because even she has changed. This Nagato-san
is just a normal girl without any powers..."
I suddenly thought of something.
The long haired Haruhi in that world called me John. Without any god-like or demon-like
powers, she was just an ordinary schoolgirl who barged into North High without hesitation. Her
eyes glittered brightly as she showed great interest in my story about the SOS Brigade, while
exclaiming, "Sounds like fun!"
Carrying a wide grin at all times, the Koizumi there said he fancies Haruhi. Wearing my PE
uniform, the straight A transfer student would show a complicated expression.
Giving me an invitation to join the Literature Club, this bespectacled Nagato would reminisce
her fabricated memory together with me. The smile on her face was like the sun rising out of the
horizon, I can't help but want to see that smile once again.
I realized I would never see these people again. To be honest, I kind of missed them. It's just that
their existences were all fabricated. They were not the Haruhi, Koizumi, Nagato and Asahina-san
I knew. It was a pity I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to them, but I've already made up my
mind. I want to go back to the Haruhi, Koizumi, Nagato and Asahina-san I knew.
"I'm sorry."
I took the gun out and pointed it. Nagato instantly froze on the spot, seeing her reaction, I felt
extremely criminal. But I've come this far, so there's no point in hesitating.
"Everything would return to normal very soon. We'll be able to go to many different places
again, have our Christmas hot pot, and then go to the mansion in the snow mountain. You can be
the Great Detective this time. A Great Detective that could solve the case just when it has
occurred, right? That'll be......"
"Kyon-kun! Look out... KYAA!!"
As Asahina-san screamed out, someone rammed into my back. Thud! A loud shudder caused me
to shake, even the shadow under the street lamp was shaking. In that shadow was the silhouette
of another person. What the? Who was it?
"I can't let you hurt Nagato-san!"
I turned my head over my shoulder and saw the pale face of a girl.
Asakura Ryoko.
"What the..."
I couldn't say anything, as I suddenly felt something icy cold jabbed into my abdomen. It was a
flat object that was thrusted deep into my body. So cold. The sense of disorientation far
surpassed the sense of pain. Just what was going on? How can this be? Why was Asakura here?
"Hee hee,"
To me, her grin looked like that of an expressionless mask that has suddenly begun smiling.
Asakura then backed off from me, pulling out the blood-soaked dagger which she used to stab
me.
Losing my balance, I fell to the ground like a spinning top. Standing before me all this time,
Nagato's legs gave in as she slumped to the ground and said fearfully,
"Asakura...-san?"
As though greeting someone, Asakura-san waved the Swiss army knife that was drenched in my
blood and said,
"Hi, Nagato-san. Don't you worry, as long as I'm here, I'll eliminate anyone that attempts to
threaten you. That was the reason why I was created."
Asakura smiled and continued,
"It is what you have wished for, isn't it?"
That's a lie. Nagato would never have made such a wish. She's not the sort to kill a bird simply
because it's not singing as she wants it to. Absolutely not. As Nagato began to act abnormally,
this Asakura that was re-created was also acting in an abnormal way, basically becoming a
shadow to Nagato......
Asakura's shadow slowly landed on my body. Very soon her silhouette blocked out the moon
from my vision.
"Allow me to send you on your last journey. As long as you're dead, everything will be fine. It's
your fault for making Nagato-san suffer in the first place. Does it hurt? I'm sure it does. Better
enjoy it while it lasts, because that'll probably be the last sensation you'll ever feel,"
The wide dagger was slowly lifted, the tip of the blade was pointed to my heart. I was bleeding
non-stop. Is this the end? ...I struggled to think as my mind became blurry. I was losing all sense
of reality. So, Psycho Asakura, is this your mission? To act as back-up to Nagato Yuki...
The dagger began to move downwards...
In the blink of an eye, a hand stretched out from one side.
"...!!!"
Someone had grabbed the blade of the dagger, and with bare hands as well.
"Who the...?"
Bare hands...!? Where have I seen this before?
My vision was becoming more and more blurry, so I couldn't tell who it was. There's not enough
light, anyone mind turning up the light? She was standing in front of the bright street lamp, so I
couldn't see her face properly. All I knew was that it was a short-haired girl...wearing a North
High uniform...not wearing glasses...that's all I could see... Koizumi! ...Where's the guy in charge
of lighting when you need him!?
"Huh...!?"
Exclaiming softly was Nagato, who was sitting on the ground. Her glasses reflected the
brightness of the street lamp, so I couldn't see her expression clearly. Was it fear? Or was it
astonishment?
"Why? But you're...!? Why..."
Asakura yelled. She seemed to be talking to the girl who caught the blade with her bare hands,
but the girl remained silent and said nothing.
Asahina-san sounded as though she was right next to me,
"I'm so sorry... Kyon-kun, I should have known, but still..."
"Kyon-kun! Kyon-kun...... No! You can't!"
There seems to be two Asahina-sans. One was the adult Asahina-san, while the other was the
Lolita Asahina-san that I knew. Both had tears all over their faces, and were shaking my body.
Hey, both of you, that hurts...
...Huh? What was Asahina-san (small) doing here? While I could still understand the adult
Asahina-san holding me in her arms and crying, since she came here with me to this time period;
but just where on earth did the little Asahina-san come from? Ah, I get it now. It's one of those
illusions, a recollection of one's whole life as one reaches the end of his life...
Now this was scarier than the feeling of pain and seeing blood flow non-stop out of your body.
Damn it, I'm about to die.
As I wallow in regret for not having written a will, I felt someone appear above me. That person
lifted me and picked up the needle-gun that Nagato made that had dropped to the ground.
A familiar voice, yet I could not remember whose, spoke,
"Sorry about that. I have my reasons for not rescuing you right away, but don't hate me for it.
After all, it was painful for me as well. Anyway, we'll take care of the rest. No, I already know
what to do now, and you will as well. So go get some sleep for now."
What's he talking about? And who was he talking to? Do what? And whose taking care of what?
The images of Asakura's fatal strike, the bespectacled Nagato supporting herself with her arms
while kneeling on the ground, the two Asahina-sans, and Haruhi in a different school uniform
had all now been fused together...
I gradually fell unconscious.

Chapter 4 - Vol 4

Chapter 4
I believe anyone who has experienced it would know how scary it is to walk alone at school in
the dark.
I hung my jacket over my shoulder and walked slowly out of the club room. Like a ninja, I tried
not to make any sound when walking down the stairs. Every time I reached a corner, I would
always take a look around me before moving any further. It sure was exhausting! I had no idea
what date it was in this North High, but it'd be troublesome if I was seen by an on-duty teacher. I
wouldn't even know how to explain this--in fact, I wish someone would explain all this to me
instead!
I walked sweatily under the humid air and finally reached the entrance hall.
"Now, what do we have here..."
After saying that, I opened my shoe locker. Inside were someone else's indoor shoes--I was
pretty sure they weren't mine. I quickly eliminated the possibility of someone opening the wrong
locker and taking my shoes by mistake. It was the middle of summer right now, that means I've
once again leaped into another dimension -- I'm quite amazed I could have such an imagination.
The current owner of this shoe locker wasn't me, but someone from this world or dimension. I
wasn't as surprised as I expected myself to be, either because I was already used to this stuff, or
because I was already numb to such overwhelming events.
"Can't be helped."
Obviously it wouldn't look nice to be wearing indoor shoes outside, but I was left with no other
choice. My priority was to leave the school complex. As expected, the entrance door was locked
tight at night. So I walked to a nearby window, unlocked it and opened it carefully. I slowly
inhaled the fragrant night breeze and leaped out the window and onto the stony steps, where
Haruhi had awoken me when we had been inside the Sealed Dimension.
I stopped for about ten seconds. After making sure no one could see me, I continued onward.
It was just as hot outside the school complex. This was a typical, humid Japanese summer heat. I
just came over from the freezing cold winter, so all my sweat glands were now opening up like
mad. I wiped the sweat off my face with my long sleeved shirt and headed towards the gate.
It was easy once I was outside. I must thank the school's non-existent security--I only needed to
climb over the fence and that was it. After climbing over, I picked up my jacket which I had
thrown across beforehand, and looked up at the starry sky as I pondered my next move.
Right now, I need to know what date and what time it is now. After all, there was a huge time
difference between the past and the future.
Might as well walk down the hill first. There should be a convenience store along the way. If I
walked into a nearby residence and asked, "What year and month is it today?" I'd probably be
treated as a demented high school student and locked up by the authorities. Better to go
somewhere where I could find out the date without having to ask someone.
"Still, it's quite hot..."
I was already hot as I was wearing my winter uniform, but now even my trousers were glued to
my legs by all the sweat. At that moment, I truly hated the inventor of these synthetic fibers. Not
to mention this winter uniform doesn't even keep one warm in winter; it's only designed to look
nice.
The fact that I was mumbling about such stuff meant that my brain was beginning to function
properly again. Instead of freezing in the winter waiting for spring to arrive, I'd rather be
complaining about how hot summer was while waving a fan. Besides, I've had too many
memories of my first summer in high school, though they were all physically and mentally
exhausting, yet once I got them over with, they weren't so bad at all. At least I got to see
Asahina-san in a swimsuit. I don't think we've had any SOS Brigade style activities in winter so
far.
My mind was occupied with the taste of the hot pot I was missing as I walked down the slope.
After fifteen minutes, I finally saw an illuminated sign. It was a convenience store which I
occasionally go to so I can grab a bite on my way home. At least I knew another thing, the
current time was before the store closes for the day.
I couldn't wait for the automatic doors to open, and looked around the wall once I got inside. It
took some time for me to get used to the coolness of the air conditioning. During this time, I
looked heartily at the analogue clock hanging on the wall.
Eight thirty.
As the sun had already set, it should be eight thirty at night.
What about the date? What year was it? There were all kinds of newspapers on the rack. Any one
would do. I randomly picked up a sports daily in the front and browsed very quickly at the
contents. It doesn't matter what was being written; even if it were the wildest imaginations
cooked up by some third-rate tabloid, they wouldn't go so far as to fake the date at the top of the
page, as well, would they?
My gaze stopped on a certain spot, and I saw it.
A set of numbers, which some people would consider lucky, entered my vision.
What year was it? As though I was trying to swallow the paper, I carefully confirmed the year
that was printed on top. The store assistant took a quick glance at me looking annoyed, but I
couldn't care less about that now.
I stared at the four digit number again and again. If I subtracted the year I had arrived from--
where I was still having a cold December--from the year on this sports daily... Even a kid would
know the answer to such a simple math question.
"So that's how it is, Nagato..."
I lifted my head from the newspaper and sighed deeply as I looked at the ceiling.
The joyously romantic Tanabata festival.
Today was the 7th of July of three years ago.
Tanabata, three years ago... Just what happened on this day?
The Tanabata of "this year" was like a rhapsody; after writing our wishes and hanging them out
on a bamboo stick, I had accepted Asahina-san's invitation and traveled back in time to this day.
Afterwards, I met the adult version of Asahina-san, who urged me to go to East Junior High that
night. And so, I came across a seventh-grade Haruhi about to climb over the fence and was
dragged along to help her write a message to outer space on the school's track field with white
chalk.
Thereafter, I brought Asahina-san (small), who lost her time-traveling device called a TPDD, to
Nagato's high-class apartment, and there the two of us slept for three years, allowing us to return
to where we came from...
"That means..."
This was easier than a simple math problem. All I needed to do was trace back what I had done
that day. That's it, I've finally got the gist of it, the essential step needed to restore the twisted
world back to order.
It has to be like that, right?
My legs were trembling hard, not from fear but rather the thrilling sensation from realizing that
something very important needs to be done.
Three years ago. Tanabata. East Junior High. The mysterious signs. John Smith.
As all the seemingly unrelated pieces begin to add up, I finally came to a conclusion. It was a
simple yet clear conclusion, I spoke the same line once again,
"That means..."
"They" are "here".
The seductively charming Asahina-san (big) and the Nagato Yuki in standby mode.
The two helpful people who could assist me were right here in this time period.
I threw down the newspaper and bolted out of the convenience store, thinking as I ran along.
I remember that the first time when I came to three years ago, which was right now, Asahina-san
had woken me up on a bench in the park near Kouyouen Station and told me "It's about nine at
night." If I were to run for about half an hour, I should be able to reach there in time. The only
problem was whether the culprit had also made changes to this time period. If there were
changes, then I would not find my other self there. In any case, I've got to make contact with
Asahina-san (big) or Nagato in her luxury apartment, or I could meet both. That means there
were two places I should go, the question was where to go first.
Nagato would be in her apartment all the time, so I could see her anytime, but I would only find
Asahina-san (big) in that specific time and place.
Dressed as a teacher, this adult Asahina-san was the one who had given me a hint concerning
Snow White and quickly left, hailing from an even farther future than the Asahina-san I knew.
The image of her pinching her younger self's face and smiling cheerfully was still fresh in my
memory.
That Asahina-san must know who I am, there should be no doubt about that.
Though the park wasn't far from the station, there were hardly any people there. Maybe it's
because it's very late now; this is an ideal time for all types of suspicious characters to come out.
Is this the holy land for freaks I wonder... I was thinking the same thing when I first came here
during the last Tanabata visit.
I didn't feel like making a grand entrance, so I had to walk alongside the brick wall of the park in
the dark. Though it's called a wall, it was only as tall as my waist, while on top of it was a large
wire fence, and surrounding it were all sorts of bushes. It was extremely easy to hide without
being seen by anyone inside the park in the daytime, let alone at night, though I'll need to be
careful of any pedestrians outside giving me weird gazes behind my back.
I recalled the position of the bench where I had woken up that time and slowly moved along the
wall to find an ideal hiding spot.
It was nearly nine at night.
I guess what I'm doing can be called voyeurism. After sticking my neck out from within the
bushes, I finally saw what I wanted to see.
"...That's the one."
It feels like watching myself starring in a movie. It also feels like watching myself from a thirdperson's
perspective in a dreamscape.
"But how am I gonna explain this..."
The bench appeared under the illumination of the lamps, as though being showered by the bright
light. Though it was a bit far, I couldn't be mistaken, the two people on top were both wearing
North High uniforms. It was as I remembered.
My past self and Asahina-san were sitting right there.
That other "me" was lying horizontally, resting his head on Asahina-san's lap while sleeping. I'd
be lying if I said I wasn't dreaming of anything worth drooling over. If a person couldn't get
sweet dreams using the world's most precious pillow, then there's no way he could ever sleep in
peace.
Being used as a pillow, Asahina-san would occasionally take a look at me sleeping on her lap, or
blow softly into my ear, or toy around with it. Man, I was feeling jealous already... No, wait, why
was I feeling jealous over myself, anyway?
For a moment, I really felt like shoving off that other "me" and taking his place, but in the end I
decided to suppress that impulse. The "me" in this time did not see my other self then. If I rushed
out now, things would just get complicated... right? The space-time continuum was already
messed up as it is; the last thing I want is to mess it up further myself.
Withholding my body's irrational impulsiveness, I continued my role as a Peeping Tom. The
more I thought about it, the more pleased I was with myself for managing to keep my composure
at such an odd time.
It was under such thoughts that I continued my observation. Asahina-san moved her cherry-red
lips and said something; sleeping on her lap, "I" moved slightly and then slowly woke up. I
couldn't hear anything from where I was hiding, but I remembered clearly that Asahina-san said,
"Oh, you've awakened?"
After conversing for a while with Asahina-san, she then felt tired and rested her head on "my"
shoulder...
The bush behind the bench ruffled, and that person appeared.
Wearing a white long-sleeved blouse and a blue mini-skirt, there's no way I could ever forget
that teacher's outfit.
Just before the end of May, she wrote me a note asking to meet me, and then gave me the hint
about Snow White. She even told me about her star-shaped birthmark, as well. And then on this
day, that is on Tanabata, she made Asahina-san (small) fall asleep, then guided me to where
Haruhi was before disappearing...
The adult version of Asahina-san.
Her height and body had both grown for a couple of years, coming from an even farther future
than Asahina-san the time traveler, this was none other than Asahina-san (big).
It was just like that time.
It's true, I was there myself on Tanabata three years ago, yet what was happening was exactly the
same as I had remembered.
After speaking to "me" for a while, Asahina-san (big) knelt down to pinch Asahina-san's (small)
face and caressed her body, she then stood up to say something to "me" again.
It was her mission to bring you here, yet from here onwards, it would be my mission to guide
you.
Um... Just what is...
I think that's what was being said.
After explaining everything to a wide-jawed "me", Asahina-san (big) then walked away and
disappeared from the illumination of the street lamp. It was now that I noticed that she was
heading towards the exit that was opposite to the one leading to East Junior High.
"I" remained awestruck, staring at the sleeping Asahina-san (small) and thinking about
something. I wanted to recall what it was that "I" had been thinking of, but I abandoned trying to
walk down Memory Lane after a few seconds, as I didn't want to lose track of Asahina-san (big).
I dashed out from the bushes where I was hiding and walked quickly along the edge of the park.
There was no longer any need to hide my presence, as when I was "me", "I" did not notice me.
At that time, "my" attention was not fixed on me who came from another time period, neither did
"I" realize there was another me in this time period. This made sense, as the "me" in the past
could never have realized how messed up the time-space continuum in my time period would
become. There was no time to pay any more attention to "me", who was too busy carrying
Asahina-san on his back to be worried about other things. I decided to walk away.
After passing the next corner I saw her at about a hundred meters away. She was walking with
her back towards me. The tapping sounds made by her high-heeled shoes sounded melodic. She
didn't seem to be in a hurry--suits me as I was in a hurry to see her. If I lose her now, then I
really won't know why I went through all the trouble to come here.
Walking a bit faster, I shortened my distance to her. Under the dim lights at night, her long limbs
and flowing hair seemed to glimmer in the light. Though I could only see her back, I was sure it
was her.
It didn't take me long to catch up and call out to her,
"Asahina-san!"
She stopped. The soft sound of her high-heeled shoes tapping on the ground ended. The soft
brown hair on her back wavered. As if in slow motion, she gradually turned around.
I wondered what she was going to say.
Huh? Didn't we just say goodbye a while ago?
Did you follow me all the way here? You couldn't have.
Hey, where's my other self?
In the end, it was none of the above.
"Good evening, Kyon-kun."
With a beautiful face that was just as I had remembered, she greeted me with a beaming smile.
With a beautiful face that was just as I had remembered, she greeted me with a beaming smile.
"It's been a while. For 'you', that is."
The adult Asahina-san winked after saying that. It was indeed the smile that I last saw five
months ago.
With the expression of a relieved child, Asahina-san (big) said,
"Thank goodness, we get to meet here again. Actually I was a bit worried whether I had made
any mistakes,"
"I'm still pretty clumsy," Asahina-san said and then cutely stuck out her tongue. It was such a
charming move that was enough to soften the bones inside one's body. But if I were to melt into
a pile of dirt right now, then I'll lose everything.
This Asahina-san knew what I was about to do next.
Trying my best to control my tongue, which seemed to have a mind of its own, I spoke,
"Asahina-san, so you knew I'd come here...... You knew I'd return to this time, and in this place,
right?"
"Yes," Asahina-san nodded her head, "Because this is a predetermined fact,"
"On that day of Tanabata, the little Asahina-san would bring me to the Tanabata three years
ago...... Which is today. You must be the one who had arranged for her to bring me here, right?"
"Yes, that is a prerequisite. Otherwise, you would not be here now,"
If I hadn't gone to East Junior High and drawn those graffiti, I wouldn't have told the seventhgrade
Haruhi now that my name was "John Smith". Of course, that would mean that the Haruhi
studying in her first year in Kouyouen School would never have heard of that name. In other
words, I would not have found the link. Because besides that name, there would be no link
whatsoever with me and that Haruhi who I was just with a few hours ago. As a result, the five of
us would not be gathered in the club room, and the Escape Program would not be activated.
At this time, a question arose in my head. That other John Smith...... Could it be!?
"That would be you, Kyon-kun. The current you,"
Asahina-san (big) gave me a smile as pretty as a white rose,
"It's a bit tiring talking while standing up, let's find somewhere to sit down. We still have time,"
The power in her smile and words was enough to dispel all the anxiety and confusion within me.
If Asahina-san (big) was here, that means the future still exists. Not the chaotic future after
December 18th, but the future where I and the Haruhi and Asahina-san I knew came from.
There's got to be a way.
I've obtained a sense of confidence that made me feel relieved. As if to further boost that
confidence, she continued,
"From now on, guiding you will be my mission. But after that, you're on your own. I will only
follow your lead then,"
She then gave me a wink that was enough to cause my knees to go soft.
We returned to the park and sat on the bench where Asahina-san (small) and "I" were sitting a
while ago. Before sitting down, Asahina-san (big) looked as though she were touching an
ancestral relic as she softly caressed the bench. I gradually sat down looking serious as well. The
bench was still warm, it was the body warmth of myself and Asahina-san who five months ago
had traveled back three years ago in time.
I asked quickly,
"Did something happen to the flow of time? I knew that the time period where I came from is
linked to this Tanabata. If that wasn't the case, I wouldn't have arrived here. Then, Asahinasan......
Does that mean there's no connection between the future you're from and the altered
future I came from?"
"I can't tell you the details,"
I thought so, must be one of those classified information, huh?
"No,"
Asahina-san (big) shook her head,
"I cannot explain it in a way you would comprehend. Our STC Theory is built on specific
concepts. It's too difficult to convey it in speech for you to understand. Do you still remember the
time when I first told you my true identity?"
I sure do, sitting by the river bank with the cherry blossom petals falling, I heard Asahina-san,
who I always thought to be just a cute upperclassman, reveal the shocking truth about her being a
time traveler.
"At that time, didn't I say something that you could hardly understand? That's the point. If I had
explained, I would just make you even more confused,"
Asahina-san (big) softly hit the side of her head as though knocking on it while winking at the
same time. Every little thing she does is just so sexy.
"This is a concept that cannot be explained in speech, it can only be conveyed in ways other than
that. Do you understand?"
Nope. As though trying to teach a kindergarten kid calculus, Asahina continued to explain to me,
who was already feeling dizzy,
"Um, but, soon you will understand. You will. That's all I can tell you now,"
Soon you will understand. Where have I heard of that before? That's it, it was Nagato. Nagato
had told me the same thing before...... No, hang on.
A flash of inspiration was triggered by the synapses in my brain as I gave the following reaction,
"Before summer vacation...... The one Nagato mentioned in the giant cave cricket incident......
About how computers in the future aren't like what they are now, could it be......"
"Wow, that's impressive. You still remember that? You're right, the equivalent to computers or
the so-called Internet in this time period, um...... It does not exist in a material sense in our time
period, but rather it exists in a shapeless sense within our brains. The TPDD is also the same,"
The object that wasn't supposed to disappear but has gone missing.
"Is that a time-traveling device?"
"It's a Time Plane Destruction Device,"
Isn't that supposed to be classified information!?
"Well, it was classified for me back then. But for me, the rules have been relaxed a lot. The fact
that I could come here means I've been working very hard,"
Asahina-san proudly puffed up her chest, the buttons on her blouse were close to popping out. A
physically impossible body proportion was revealed before my eyes, normally I would be dazed
by such a sight, but sadly, I wasn't in the mood to satiate the appetite of my eyes with such
scenery. I continued to ask,
"What's the cause of it? I knew the future I'm from had changed, but when did it start to change?"
"For more details you should try asking Nagato-san in this time period. I can only tell you one
thing: the change in the time plane where you came from occurred three years from 'now', on the
morning of December 18th,"
For me, that would be two days ago. So it's the time plane that's changed? In that case...... Once
again I tried to recall the two possibilities that Koizumi suggested. Turns out the non-alternate
world theory was the correct one.
"That's correct. Overnight, the STC files...... I mean, the whole world has changed. Only your
memories remained intact. It was a massive time-quake that could be detected even in the distant
future,"
It's not like I wasn't interested in what the STC or time-quake were, it's just that I didn't have
time to delve into these irrelevant things, as I had more pressing questions to ask,
"Asahina-san, is it because you needed to resolve this huge change in the future that even I got
involved in that you were waiting here?"
"It can't be done by myself alone," her face began to darken, "I would need the assistance of
Nagato-san. Of course, it can't be done without Kyon-kun as well,"
"Who is the culprit? I can only think of Haruhi doing this,"
"No,"
Asahina-san retracted her smile and said seriously,
"It wasn't Suzumiya-san. The culprit is someone else,"
"Is it some new unknown person? Like some out-of-world slider that I've not met or something
like that......"
"No,"
Interrupting me, Asahina-san looked worried for some reason as she said,
"It's someone you know very well."
After looking at her watch, Asahina-san (big) said there's still time and began to think
nostalgically of her memories with the SOS Brigade. For me, all those memories had taken place
this year, yet for her it was many years ago. Being dragged by Haruhi into the club room, forced
to dress up as a bunny girl, making wishes in Tanabata, encountering a murder mystery on a lone
island, wearing yukatas in the O-bon festival, the whole brigade gathering together to work on
our summer vacation homework, the various things that happened while shooting the movie on
location...... As my memories were slowly being rekindled, Asahina-san's (big) voice became
slower and slower.
I was looking forward to hearing what my future would be like, and was waiting for her mouth to
skip. Yet Asahina-san was extremely cautious about that, and kept the topic limited to the usual
chit-chat.
"It may have been rough, but those memories were great."
After making her concluding statement, Asahina-san kept quiet and gazed at me silently.
I was thinking about what to comment on as something soft yet warm landed on my shoulder. It
was Asahina-san's head. What was the meaning behind this action of hers? The weight of her
body leaning against me was worth it's weight in gold - the fragrance and weight stimulated my
nerves and triggered all sorts of wild thoughts in my brain, I just couldn't think properly at all.
What was she trying to convey with that aroma from the cloth of her blouse? Was she trying to
feel something from me? Closing her eyes and leaning her face on my shoulder, Asahina-san
(big) didn't say anything, yet I could feel her cherry-red lips moving. She seems to be whispering
about something, just what was it?
Could it be...... I began to drift into fantasy again. Could this Asahina-san fall asleep as well,
only to have another Asahina-san appear and tell me something enigmatic as well? And so I
remain here forever as I meet numerous Asahina-sans from different time periods...... Damn it,
my thoughts were becoming as mixed as the laundry in a washing machine, going around in the
same circles. Just what was I thinking!? Can someone please bother telling me!?
Asahina-san (big) leaned on me for about another minute or so.
"Hee hee."
As if she could read my thoughts, she smiled and said,
"It's almost time. Let's go."
She stood up as though nothing had happened, though it was a pity, I had no choice but to return
to my senses. She's right, it's time to go. Um...... Where're we going anyway?
The second destination.
The time was ten at night on Asahina-san's watch, that was the time after "I" had completed my
role as an accomplice to Haruhi the seventh grader and finished drawing the graffiti on the track
field of East Junior High. It was the time when "I" held the hand of a sobbing Asahina-san as we
entered Nagato's apartment. It was at this time when time became frozen for "me".
Time to pay Nagato another visit.
"Before that,"
Asahina-san gave a heart-thumping and glittering smile and said,
"Isn't there something else you need to do first?"
After walking a short distance from the park, I came to a residential area.
Following Asahina-san's directions, I turned into an alley.
Ahead in the dark path was a tiny figure dashing like the wind. With a tiny pair of arms and legs
sticking out from the short-sleeved T-shirt and shorts, she moved further and further away as her
hair flowed.
"Hey!"
The tiny figure in a T-shirt and shorts slowly turned her head. After making sure she had noticed
me, I cupped my mouth with my hands and shouted without holding back,
"Please take good care of the John Smith who would shake the world!"
After having a quick look at me, the seventh grader turned around looking pissed for some
reason and marched forward.
She was probably thinking she'll be able to find me anyway if she went to North High, so she
turned without hesitation. Looking at that semi-long dark hair, I quietly added,
"Please remember it, Haruhi. You have to remember the name John Smith......"
I prayed with the bottom of my heart to the 12-year-old Haruhi, who would probably continue to
be mischievous in East Junior High for some time to come.
Please don't forget that I was here.
I knew the road to the high class apartment like the back of my hand, so I could practically walk
there with my eyes closed. Walking just ahead of Asahina-san (big), I lifted my head to look at
the building which I had just visited about twenty hours ago. Though we were still outside,
Asahina-san (big) had already hidden her nice figure and stood behind me.
"......Kyon-kun, I have a favor."
Seeing as how she was basically begging me, there was no reason for me to turn her down. No
matter which time period Asahina-san is from, I'm not weird enough to turn down her request.
"I'm sorry, but even now I still feel uneasy when I'm with Nagato-san......"
That reminds me, Asahina-san (small) was like that every time she was in the club room, it was
the same the last time she came here. Besides Haruhi, the only other person to keep his
composure when in the presence of an alien or time traveler was Koizumi.
"That's fine, I understand,"
I said gently as I entered the number 708 on the keypad next to the entrance, I then pushed the
bell button.
A few seconds later, the intercom gave a knocking sound, indicating someone was listening on
the other end.
Silence was greeted by silence and returned to my ear.
"Nagato, it's me."
Silence.
"Sorry about this, I don't know how to explain it myself. In any case, I'm back from the future.
Asahina-san is with me as well, the adult version that is. Oh, that's Differential Temporal Variant
for you."
Silence.
"I need your help. After all, the one who threw me into this time period was you."
Silence.
"Both Asahina-san and I should be in your apartment, right? Sleeping in that time frozen guest
room......"
Beep. The lock to the gate opened.
"Come in."
The voice of Nagato coming through the intercom felt so soothing. It was as calm as usual,
without any exclamation or depression, though she sounded as though she was surprised, but
maybe that's just me. There's nothing Nagato couldn't do. Even in this situation she's sure to find
a way out, otherwise I'm finished.
As if walking into a fortress in her high-heeled shoes, Asahina-san grabbed hold of my belt with
her finger, looking extremely nervous. After opening its door, the elevator began to take us up
vertically once we were inside.
Finally, we have come before the familiar door of Room 708.
There was a doorbell, but it wasn't working yet, so I knocked silently on the door. I could not
sense anyone standing behind the door, yet the metallic door still opened.
"......"
The bespectacled face looked through the gap towards me, she then moved her gaze over onto
Asahina-san (big) before moving it back onto me.
"......"
Being expressionless and silent at the same time, she was so devoid of any emotion that I really
wanted someone to beg her to say something. This was Nagato indeed, the Nagato Yuki that I
first knew. The original Nagato during the beginning of the school term in spring, as well as the
one which "I" had asked help from "three years ago."
"May we come in?"
After a thoughtful silence, Nagato nodded her head for about a centimeter or so, then turned
towards her apartment. I guess I'll take that as a "yes." I said to the beautiful woman standing
right behind me looking anxious,
"Let's go, Asahina-san,"
"Er...... You're right, it'll be fine,"
Sounds as though she was saying it for herself.
By the way, how many times have I visited this place already? According to my biological clock,
this would be my fourth time, but chronologically, this was only my second time here. I've
already been so confused by the order of time that I was impressed that my biological clock
didn't malfunction. Leaping from winter to summer and coming back to three years ago twice, it
would have been normal if something wrong had happened to me, yet right now I'm feeling fine.
Not to mention my thoughts are the clearest they've been since I was born. Maybe I've gotten so
used to all these surreal experiences that I've taken it for granted. If it was someone else, his
mind would have short-circuited already.
When I look at it once again, Nagato's lifeless apartment was as cold as I had remembered it. It
was no different from the "three years ago" which we went to back in May.
What was reassuring was that this Nagato was still the Nagato I knew. She was still
expressionless and emotionless, she wouldn't panic if something were to happen, the ever
reliable alien.
I took off my shoes and walked through the narrow corridor before coming to the living room.
Nagato was there waiting. She stood there all alone, staring silently at me and Asahina-san. Even
if she was surprised at our visit, I could not tell it from her face. Maybe she was already getting
used to me coming to visit her from the future, though I didn't want to keep coming back to this
day again and again myself.
"I guess we can skip the introductions,"
Nagato didn't sit down, so Asahina-san and I remained standing,
"This is the adult version of Asahina-san, I believe you've met each other before," Just as I said
that, I remembered that that was actually three years later, "Sorry, you will meet each other.
Anyway, this here is also Asahina-san, so try not to think too much about it."
Nagato looked at Asahina-san (big) with the eyes of an examiner during the national exam paper
for mathematics. She then looked around the living room before finally fixing her gaze on the
sexy figure behind me once again and said,
"Understood."
She nodded lightly, her hair hardly even flickered.
As I was following Nagato's gaze, I noticed that place - the special room adjacent to the living
room, separated with a paper door.
"Can that be opened?"
Nagato shook her head towards the room that I was pointing at and said,
"Negative. The entire structural composition of that room has been frozen in time."
I felt a sense of both pity and relief at hearing that.
A warm breath was felt on my neck, it was Asahina-san (big) sighing in relief. She was thinking
the same as I was, it seems. If she had seen herself sleeping cozily with me in the same
futon/room, what would Asahina-san (big) have thought? I'd really like to ask, but right now it
was more important to explain what was going on.
"Nagato, I'm really sorry for having to keep visiting you so suddenly. Anyway, can you please
hear our story?"
How much had the "me" in the adjacent room told her already? The history of the SOS Brigade
up to Tanabata, was it? Then I'll just have to continue from there and tell her what happened in
the second half of the year, from the melancholic spring, where I had to put up with Haruhi's
boredom, to the incessant sighs I made while making her movie. Of course, you were there as
well, Nagato. You had always come to the rescue. After all these, the world suddenly changed
when I woke up the day before yesterday. I wanted to know why everyone has lost those
memories of what happened, which was why I came here with the help of the Emergency Escape
Program which Nagato had provided.
It's going to take some time if I go into details, so once again I recited the condensed version
which I told Haruhi. I skipped the minor details and only mentioned the important context of the
story. For this girl, that was more than enough.
"......And that's how it was. So here I am once again, thanks to you."
As evidence was more important than a mere testimony, I took out the crumpled up bookmark
from the pocket of my jacket. Like handing a spell-charm to a phantom, I handed the bookmark
over to Nagato.
"......"
Nagato took the bookmark with her finger tips. She looked past the flowery patterns on the
bookmark and studied the text that was printed on the back like an archaeologist who had just
dug out an LCD television from a Cretaceous-era bedrock. It seems as though she was going to
take forever to study those words, so I interrupted her examination,
"What should I do now?"
"I, I wish to restore this temporal anomaly,"
Asahina-san's (big) voice sounded so nervous as though she was about to confess her love to the
man of her dreams. Whenever she's with Nagato, Asahina-san still remained as jittery as usual
after all these years. That's what I thought, anyway.
"Nagato-san...... Can you please assist us? You're the only person who could restore the altered
time plane to its original state. I beg you......"
Asahina-san (big) put her palms together and closed her eyes as though worshiping a deity. Oh
Great Goddess Nagato, I too am praying for you to show mercy upon us. Please let me return to
the club room where I could see Asahina-san and enjoy the tea that she brews, play board games
with Koizumi, see you sitting like a statue and reading, while Haruhi would always barge into
the room. That's all I wish for.
"......"
Nagato lifted her gaze from the bookmark, and looked straight into the skies. I could understand
why Asahina-san would look so nervous, since there was no chance of winning if she's from a
different faction than Nagato. I mean who in this world could fight even with Nagato? Only
Haruhi perhaps?
The perfect acoustics of this high-class apartment meant that there was no echo made. It was so
quiet that it seemed as though time had stopped. Nagato and I exchanged gazes, and I saw her
nod a few millimeters.
"Let me confirm."
Nagato said. As I was about to ask what she was going to confirm, she closed her eyes.
"......"
Very soon she reopened her eyes and looked at me with her obsidian black eyes,
"Unable to synchronize."
She said quickly, and then stared at me. Her expression has changed a bit, and this time it wasn't
me imagining things. This was the expression she had between spring and summer, even
Koizumi has noticed this change. Ever since she met us, Nagato's expression has gradually
changed, though it wasn't the Nagato by winter time.
Her pale red lips moved again,
"I am unable to gain access to my temporal variant of that time period, because she has set up a
protective barrier which selectively blocks my attempts to access."
Though I didn't understand what that meant, I felt uncomfortable with it. Does that mean there's
nothing you can do?
Nagato disregarded my fears and continued,
"However, I have an idea of the whole situation. It is possible to undergo restoration."
Nagato softly caressed the words on the bookmark. After that, she began to explain with a voice
that begins to accumulate words like a snowball,
"The temporal converter has made full use of Suzumiya Haruhi's ability to create data and altered
part of the world's data."
Her familiar calm voice sounded as serene as a music box I had heard when I was a baby and had
soothed my heart.
"Therefore, the altered Suzumiya Haruhi does not possess the power to create data. In that
dimension, the Integrated Data Sentient Entity is non-existent as well."
I couldn't quite understand, but it sure sounds very serious. Turns out besides myself, everyone,
including Haruhi, has been given a new set of memories; a girls school became a co-ed, part of
the students in North High were moved over to that other school, while all their memories have
been secretly altered; the agent from the 'Organization', Nagato the alien, and Asahina-san the
time traveler now all lived different lives; not to mention Asakura has returned while everyone in
North High has no memory of Haruhi at all. Now it seems even Nagato's boss has been erased.
What a mess.
"Using the powers stolen from Suzumiya Haruhi, the temporal converter was able to alter data
concerning past memories in the range of 365 days."
In other words, everyone's memories from last December - from the time where I came from,
that is - to December 17th this year has been altered completely. Yet for memories concerning
Tanabata three years ago - which is now - there was nothing the culprit could do about that. It
was thanks to Haruhi being able to remember about what happened in Tanabata that I was able to
come here. Just who's the dummy out there doing the same idiotic stuff that Haruhi would do?
Nagato's gaze continues to be fixed on me,
"To restore the world to its original state, one must travel from here to December 18th three
years from now, and activate the Restoration Program just after the temporal converter has
executed the alteration."
So, we'll be traveling to three years in the future next, right? The one who'll be doing the
restoration would be you, right?
"I cannot go."
Why not?
When Nagato pointed to the guest room, I understood at once.
"I cannot leave them alone."
According to Nagato's explanation, in order to allow the time where my other self and Asahinasan
were sleeping to remain frozen, she cannot perform any time travel herself. She then said in a
voice as though reporting the time,
"Activate Emergency Mode."
"What does that mean?" I was getting a bit anxious.
"Harmonization."
I still don't get it.
Nagato slowly took off her glasses and wrapped them with her hands. As if being hung by an
unseen thread, the glasses in her palms began to float. If I saw a normal person doing this, I
would have thought there were some invisible strings attached to that person's fingers. Of course,
Nagato wouldn't do something so normal.
Distortion.
The frame and glass both began to twist and form into a strange whirlpool shape, in an instant
the pair of glasses has turned into another object. I've seen this shape before, it was a shape that
would strike fear into the hearts of any human being.
I hesitantly gave my comment,
"It looks like a very huge syringe."
"That is correct."
A colorless liquid was filled up inside the syringe. Just who was going to get jabbed by that
thing?
"This is the Restoration Program used to inject into the temporal converter's body."
Looking at the sharp needle sticking out from the end of the syringe, I instinctively turned away.
"Um...... Isn't there a more reliable way. I'm sorry to say this, but I'm an amateur when it comes
to this. It'll be pretty disastrous if it were to stab the wrong place."
Nagato's dark eyes, which glittered like an LCD screen, looked at the syringe she was holding,
and said,
"Is that so?"
She widened her hands again, the syringe once again formed into a whirlpool before morphing
into another shape. Seeing the shape of this new object, I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Another object that would create a huge ruckus."
This time it's a gun, though it had a small nozzle while its material was made of stainless steel.
Nagato placed the shiny metallic pistol, which looked like a brand new toy-gun onto her palm
and handed it to me.
"The chances of this penetrating clothing is very high, but if possible, it is better for you to
directly shoot the target's skin."
"What about bullets? Does this thing have real bullets in them?"
From its appearance, it looked like an aluminum or plastic gun.
"This is a short-needle gun, the program is infused on the tip of the needle."
I felt more at ease psychologically with this thing than with a giant syringe. I received the gun
and was amazed at how light it was.
"Oh yeah,"
I finally asked the question that I dare not ask a while ago,
"Who is the culprit? Who's the one that altered the world? If it isn't Haruhi, then who is it? Can
you tell me?"
I heard Asahina-san (big) sigh softly.
Nagato slowly opened her mouth, and without any expression she calmly uttered the name of the
culprit to me.