[FFML] [Haruhi] Outcast (part 3/3)

[Brian Randall]

#     Outcast

##     A Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu fanfiction

###     by Brian Randall

     Disclaimer: The series begun with the light novel 'The Melancholy of
Suzumiya Haruhi'/'Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu' is the creation of Nagaru
Tanigawa.  No disrespect is intended with the creation of this work.

     --------------------------------------------------

     After Asahina-san and Nagato finished up and said their goodbyes to
me, I waved to the pair of them, then slowly made my way back to my
classroom.  I was probably stalling for time, still trying to puzzle out
who wanted to talk to me -- and why.

     When I finally pushed the door open and stepped in, I was a bit
stunned to see our class representative there, her back to the door.  She
was holding a book before her, though I didn't see the title when she
turned and snapped it shut, giving me a small smile.

     "Aha!" Asakura Ryouko said brightly.  "You came!"

     "Er, yeah," I agreed, scratching my head.  "I ... didn't think you
were the one who sent me that note."

     "Well, it was me!  But ... to be honest...."  She clasped both hands
on the book before her, the title still covered.  "Well, I do apologize,
but I ended up determining a resolution to the issue that I had called you
here to discuss already!"

     ...I had no real reason to be upset.  It had cost me only a few
minutes of my time, since it was a detour after I had left the club anyway.
 "Is that so?" I asked.  "What ... was it that I could help you with?  And
if you resolved it yourself, why did you wait?"

     "I asked you here," she said with a small shake of her head.  "Isn't
it only proper to meet with you and apologize for taking your time?"  Her
eyes sparkled as her smile widened.

     I felt a chill up my spine, feeling inexplicably uncomfortable about
the situation.  She hadn't answered the first part of my question.  "I wish
I could have been more helpful to you, then," I said anyway.

     "Oh, I've asked all of you that I possibly could already," she said
resolutely.  "Just continue to be a proper student and keep doing your
best!"  With that, she released a pleased giggle and traipsed past me to
the door.

     Bemused, I only watched her leave, scratching the back of my head
curiously again.  What _was_ that all about?

     Well ... there was nothing for it.  That had felt like nothing so much
as a confusing waste of time!

     I set out behind her, closing the door after me--  To my surprise,
when I reached the hall there was no sign of Asakura Ryouko.  Even more
unexpectedly, Nagato was standing in the hallway facing the direction I
supposed that the class representative must have gone.  While she was
difficult to read, I could detect subtle clues in her stance.

     Her head was slightly bowed, her hands hanging not perfectly loosely,
but her fingers curled the slightest bit in.  Beyond that, there was an
aura clinging to her -- a sense of frustration, of anger held just in check.

     "Nagato-san?" I asked cautiously.

     As though confirming my suspicions, her fingers uncurled, the
minuscule trace of anger leaving her stance.  Her head turned, and her eyes
met mine, suggesting the merest hint of regret there.

     What was going on today?

     "I'm headed home," I told her.  "Something left to do, here?"

     After a pause she answered, "No."

     I wasn't sure what it was.  As strange as things were, I didn't want
to lurk any longer.  It was late already.  "Well -- I'm headed home, so
take care, Nagato-san!"

     "Yes," she answered again, this time without hesitation.

     Thinking that was the end of things, I gave her one last nod and
headed toward the shoe locker, keenly aware of Nagato's gaze on my back as
I left.

     ***

     Had I known in advance what awaited me at school the next day, I
probably wouldn't have gone.  Alas, I did not know, and thus in good
spirits, thinking that things were fine and pleasant outside of some small
oddities with Asakura Ryouko and Nagato, I went anyway.

     Even the climb up the hill seemed less draining than usual.  The
students I walked with, or that passed me, seemed in equal spirits to mine,
soaking up the sun's warmth.  As dire as the trudge to school was, I felt
we were all comrades -- brothers- and sisters-in-arm.

     Taniguchi was in the shoe lockers when I reached it, slapping me on
the back a bit harder than I would have liked and cheering, "Morning!"
before dashing to the classroom ahead of me.

     Still not suspecting anything amiss, I opened my shoe locker.

     The offering today was not a letter in a neatly folded envelope.

     I closed my shoe locker and tried to take stock.  I was still
dreaming, maybe?  I pinched myself, drawing an odd look from a classmate --
Goto -- as he finished tugging his shoe on, shrugged, and then walked
toward the stairs.

     I didn't wake up.  Nothing in particular had changed.  I tried to
convince myself that I was imagining things -- I had not seen what I
thought I had seen.

     Even so, I moved to a position where I could shield the view into my
shoe locker from anyone else.  I cracked it open, trying to be casual, as
though nothing were wrong.

     It was what I thought I had seen previously.

     What had I done to offend someone?  Was it a prank intended for
someone else?  Did someone spread a rumor of me doing something
unforgivable to Asahina-san?  Why would someone have done it?  I couldn't
imagine anyone who had any reason to stuff a dead rat into my shoe locker.

     At a loss for what I should do, I resolved to ignore it for the
moment.  Undoubtedly, it would start to decompose, but it seemed relatively
freshly killed.  I carefully pulled my shoes from around it, gingerly
avoiding contact with the thing.  At lunch, I could find a trash bag and
more carefully -- and discreetly -- dispose of it.

     As rattled as I was, and as shaken as I felt from the encounter, I
stuffed my outdoor shoes into my school bag.

     I trudged to the classroom, lost in thought as to why someone would
_do_ such a thing.  By the time I reached the door, lost in my own
thoughts, I had come to the conclusion that it had to have been an
accident.  It was meant for someone else.  I tried to think of the cheer
I'd had only minutes before, and put on a mask before stepping into the
classroom.

     Every student present was animated, the entire room buzzing with
murmured conversation that cut off the second I stepped through the door.
 I was uncomfortably self-conscious -- every eye suddenly went to me, and
then just as quickly away.  Not everyone had arrived yet; Suzumiya herself
was absent.

     But when my gaze went past her empty seat and found my own desk, as
though to confirm what those gazes had suggested....  At that point, I knew
that the rat wasn't a mistake at all.

     Now, I had never had the misfortune to share a class with a student
that had passed away, but I knew the tradition the same as anyone else.  To
mark their passing, a white vase of flowers was placed on their desks.

     I wasn't dead, though.  Everyone was ignoring me too completely for
that.

     Perhaps things would have been better if I _were_....

     But in this instance, the meaning was clear enough.  Someone had
_wished_ I were dead, and said it as clearly as if they were to tell me,
'please die!'

     I didn't realize I was frozen in the doorway, the entire class and
myself equally uncomfortable in this frozen tableau until Kunikida came
from behind me, patting me on the back and asking, "What's going...."

     That was as far as he got before he processed the entire scene.  It
was enough to spur me into motion, though.

     "A joke," I said uneasily, walking to my desk.  I had no desire to
keep such a thing--  In one motion, I grabbed it and pulled the flowers
from the vase, swiftly dashing the water out the window.  I tossed the
flower and vase into the rubbish bin at the back of the classroom, then
dropped into my seat.

     It was starting to become clear, what had actually happened.  I didn't
want to believe or admit it, though.

     I tried to ignore the class rep drawing close to Kunikida and
whispering something to him -- something lost in the other whispers between
the rest of the class, as they all set about murmuring.

     Suzumiya arrived moments before Okabe-sensei, barely reaching her seat
before we were called to stand, bow, and then be seated.

     I couldn't focus on my lessons.  I tried, but there were too many
questions.  What had gotten out?  I _knew_, on some levels, but I wasn't
ready to admit it.  Did Suzumiya know?  Was that the end of our association?

     Was I out of the club?

     I didn't have the courage to ask her before class ended, and as was
her custom, she was out the door in a flash.  Break was a miserable
experience, leaving me to feel entirely alone as my classmates continued
their rigorous effort to pretend I didn't exist.

     I lacked the strength to challenge that ... I didn't have the power to
stand and demand that I be recognized--  Tell them that I was just like
them....

     Because through it all ... could I honestly say I _was_?

     Suzumiya returned after break, arriving just in time to avoid being
caught out by the teacher for being late.

     As if things weren't bad enough, the teacher then announced a surprise
quiz -- in math, my worst subject.  Class rep Asakura Ryouko was called to
the front to pass our test forms out, and I realized who was really
responsible then.

     Each test was handed over individually ... except for mine.

     That confirmed my suspicion.  I'd rather have been assaulted with a
knife than have to endure this....

     As much as that hurt, I was comforted by Suzumiya, surprisingly
enough.  "Eh--  What's the big deal, Asakura?" she asked sourly, passing
her own sheet up to me.  "Did you suddenly go blind?"

     "My apologies, Suzumiya-san!" Asakura Ryouko said sweetly, smiling at
the girl behind me.  "I didn't mean to skip you!"

     "What are you--"

     "Less chatter," our teacher, Nakamura-sensei, interrupted.
 "Asakura-chan, be seated, and the test will begin."

     So, there was _that_ much at least.  But was that because Suzumiya was
indifferent?  Or was it simply that she hadn't been _told_?

     I did such a terrible job of focusing that I didn't even bother trying
to hand my test in at the end.

     Asakura Ryouko didn't even pause to check.

     "You need to study harder," Suzumiya grumbled at me, running off again
before I could reply at the next break.

     Well, why not?  If the teachers were at least indifferent, it would be
alright, wouldn't it?

     That thought in mind, when my best subject came around, I resolved
myself to dedicate myself to my studies -- to focus on _them_ to the
exclusion of all else.  The other students wouldn't matter if I could still
complete my classes.

     It was a feeble hope, but desperation can make a man do mad things.

     Suzumiya came into the room, skidding like a manga character and
popping into her seat the exact moment that Aoyama-sensei stepped into the
room, his mouth drawn into a sour grimace.

     I was prepared to be diligent.  I was prepared to study.  I was
prepared to answer almost any question that the thin old man could pose to
the entire class.

     And still ... I was not prepared for what happened.

     His lesson began:

     "Tadamichi-san," he said.  For anyone else, this is just a name.  For
me, it's _my_ name.  For years, ever since my aunt gave me that nickname,
and my little sister reminded everyone of it, I'd longed to be called by
that in a respectful tone.  Instead, I was called by that nickname I could
barely tolerate -- but accepted with swallowed pride.

     I did not realize that I could like hearing the suddenly excessive
formality of my proper name even _less_ than my hated nickname until just
that moment.

     But that's a digression.

     "Tadamichi-san, please stand."  Despite my thoughts on my name at just
that moment, I rose to my feet.  "Now, can you tell the class about the
lowest class of people in the system that the Tokugawa Shogunate
established?"

     "Yes, Aoyama-sense," I replied.  This question was trivial.  "The four
divisions of society were gentry, farmers, artisans, and merchants.  The
lowest of these castes--"

     He interrupted me with a rough, "We're looking below that,
Tadamichi-san."

     I was shaken.  The very thing that had marked _my_ family through the
years and generations, and he had pointed it out first thing in the class.

     "That....  Burakumin, who reside in what we now call
hisabetsu-buraku," I answered.  At least by current standards,
'discriminated village' was the correct term, and the people who lived in
them would naturally be called 'villagers'; these things scarcely deserved
to be explained.  "They--  The lowest class formally recognized by the
Tokugawa Shogunate was formed of outcast members of society.  Special tax
exemptions were offered because at the time taxes were in rice, and
burakumin were not allowed to own--"

     "What was the period name for 'burakumin'?" Aoyama-sensei asked,
interrupting me again.

     My mouth dried out.  "That is....  At the time, they were called
'eta'."  I didn't know how my voice remained so steady.  How I didn't rasp
that, or falter....  "The term meant 'abundance of filth'."

     "The term's meaning has not changed," Aoyama-sensei said flatly.
 "What people comprised this group?"

     "Those ... with occupations considered 'unclean'," I answered.  I felt
as though part of my brain had simply left, abandoning me to spout my
knowledge unchecked.  But then, if I had the wherewithal, what could I
really have done differently?  "Both physically unclean occupations such as
the execution of convicts, leather-working, and spiritually unclean
occupations such as slaughtering animals and grave-digging.

     "H-however, in eighteen-sixty-nine, the feudal system ended, and in
eighteen-seventy-one burakumin were officially given equal legal status."
 This last I added quickly, unable to keep a small hint of desperation from
my voice.  Never mind the commonly recognized judgment in only
eighteen-fifty-one that a burakumin's life was 'worth only one seventh of a
man's.'

     There were tales of cruel samurai who would cut down people to test
the sharpness of their swords.  The practice -- tsujigiri -- commonly
targeted poorer merchants ... or burakumin.  A samurai killing a burakumin
... such a thing wasn't even a crime.

     The rest of the class didn't respond, other than Suzumiya, who
released a quiet, confused noise, looking between me and Aoyama-sensei as
though she were trying to puzzle things out.

     "Be seated, Tadamichi-san," Aoyama-sensei said in a bored tone.

     I sat down stiffly, wishing for that long ago time -- yesterday --
when I was mildly disappointed with being the teacher's favorite student.

     From there, the lesson became one I'd normally expect ... except for
the fact that I couldn't focus on it.

     When lunch came around, I couldn't muster the courage to turn and face
Suzumiya before she ran off.  Had she figured it out?  Would someone corner
her at lunch and tell her?  Would she corner someone else and demand the
explanation from them?  And the kind Asahina-san, from her proper family?
 Or Nagato, who had helped me out before?

     I didn't know how to deal with any of it.  A simple _glance_ showed me
that Kunikida and Taniguchi, both of them a bit pale, were busily eating
together, studiously pretending I didn't exist.  Asakura Ryouko was
chatting with a quartet of girls in a businesslike voice, though I couldn't
make their discussion out.

     I slowly rose from my seat, unable to eat just yet.  Before anything
else, there was still that rat to dispose of.  I stumbled to the shoe
locker, finding a trash bag on the way and taking care of it -- throwing it
into a waste bin when there weren't too many eyes on me.

     My mind was on automatic, like a runaway car, unguided, unthinking.

     How would I tell Suzumiya?  _Would_ I?  Or would she discover it on
her own, and I would simply be dismissed from the club that had never even
fully formed?

     With a heavy heart, I stopped at my desk, not even sitting down.

     I stared at my bento in dismay, my eyes stinging.  Of course, I hadn't
brought it with me when I left the classroom.  Some 'clever' classmate....
 No.  They had stopped being my classmates.  They were just students.
 Whoever it had been, someone had unwrapped my lunch and dropped the entire
bento on the floor, spilling the contents out.

     Some of the other students had doubts about the way I was being
treated.  I could see that neither Kunikida or Taniguchi were amused, even
if they said nothing, and wouldn't meet my gaze.  I could see some of the
other students unsuccessfully hiding smirks, or just plain disgusted looks.
 A few were outwardly indifferent, busy ignoring me and everything else.

     I picked up the cloth that had been left on my seat, and then the
bento.  For a moment, I considered cleaning up the mess.  For another
moment, I considered trying to say goodbye to Taniguchi and Kunikida.
 There was still an untidy pile of rice and vegetables on the floor, the
day's special treat of daikon radish to one side -- cut into the shape of a
flower by my mother.

     The imprint of someone's shoe was conspicuous where it had been
crushed.  It's strange what you observe when you're numb from shock, your
mind overwhelmed and simply not knowing what to react to.

     After re-wrapping my bento and reclaiming my bag, seemingly untampered
with, I methodically cleaned my desk out, taking up the rest of my books.

     No one said a word to me before I left the room.

     When I went to the office to turn my books in and request my
withdrawal forms, I found someone had already filled them out; the clerk
who didn't meet my eyes needed only my books and my signature.

     And so, that was my last day at Kitago.

     ***

     Leaving the school grounds felt like passing through a magical
barrier.  I felt simultaneously free and unbelievably heavy -- as though
any step could send me hurtling like a UFO descending into the atmosphere.
 I was headed home.  There was no particular reason to prefer home over any
other place, but the point was that I was leaving.

     Only half a block from the school, a patrol car rolled up beside me, a
heavyset police officer with gray hair leaning out the window.  "Young
man," he called in a surprisingly kind voice, which arrested my forward
motion.  "What are you doing heading away from school?"

     He wasn't a simple truancy officer, but I was still wearing my
uniform, wasn't I?  "I dropped out," I admitted shakily.

     "Really?" he asked, looking more surprised than I would have expected,
then turning to glance at his partner behind the wheel.  "Ah--  Well, you
look troubled!  Let us offer you a ride home, then.  We can spare you being
questioned by any truancy officers, right?"

     "Sure," I agreed quietly, climbing into the back of the car.  The
officer's partner was a much younger-looking man, who nodded at me, but
mostly was focused on the road.  I gave them directions to my parents' home.

     "So," the first officer said warmly, "this school didn't work out?"

     "...I didn't fit in," I agreed, turning to stare out the window as the
car lurched into motion.

     "You certainly look troubled," he said, nodding.  "You were still
wearing your indoor shoes!"

     I hadn't even realized, but quietly changed them.

     "I bet you could transfer, easy," the driver said, guiding the car
down the hill.  "There's a lot of schools in this town -- Kitago's a tough
one, but it's brand new, isn't it?"

     "Yeah...."

     "The important thing is not to give up," the first officer
contributed.  "Whatever happens.  So are you going to try for another
school?"

     "I don't know yet," I sighed.

     "Hey, hey!  You can't give up -- you're just getting started!
 Sometimes you get thrown a curve, or knocked down -- but that didn't stop
your ancestors, did it?  So no matter what happens, you keep fighting!
 Maybe the battle to stay at that school is lost ... but the war to get a
proper education can still go on!"

     I slowly turned to look at the officer.  He was twisted halfway
around, giving me a strangely intent look.  Was he refering to _my_
ancestors specifically?  Or just people in general?

     I didn't really feel it, but I nodded at him.  "You're right," I said.
 I did have my paperwork.  Turning 'dropping out' into 'transferring' would
be a trial as well, though.  I didn't know if I had the strength for it.
 But in honesty, I could say, "That is an option."

     As though the matter were settled, the gray-haired man's face split in
a grin, and he nodded, turning back to face forward.

     The rest of the ride -- normally a real treat -- was in silence.  They
stopped before my house to let me out, both of the officers insisting,
"Take care, young man!  And good luck!"

     I had to think that there was at least some kindness left in the world
... but would they still have been so kind if they knew _why_ I had dropped
out?

     My mother looked up in surprise from folding her laundry in the living
room when I came home.  "You're home early, Kyon-kun!" she exclaimed.  "Did
something happen?"

     I'll admit, as kind as the officers had been, the warmth of home was
enough to let the final barriers collapse.  Man or not, as the door closed
behind me, I wept.

     ***

     After my mother had given me some soup to make up for the missed
lunch, I went to lay down and try to rest.  The ordeals of the day still
wore on me.

     I hadn't gotten to say farewell to anyone, but could that be for the
best?  Suzumiya seemed not to fully grasp what was going on.  I had no idea
if Asahina-san or Nagato knew.  The idea of any of them scorning me hurt
... and if they didn't, I could only hurt their reputations and standing if
they continued to associate with me.

     I spent some amount of time trying to convince myself that they were
better served by my sudden absence rather than any goodbye.

     Some time later, my mother knocked on my door and let herself in,
announcing, "I've called my brother down, so he'll be in tonight or
tomorrow.  I need to wait by the phone.  That aside, you can't shut
yourself in all day, so put on some different clothes and go fetch your
sister from school.

     "Yes," I agreed, sitting up.  She nodded and closed the door.

     So, farewell to the Kitago uniform.  I wasn't a student, so there was
no reason to wear it, was there?  In the meantime ... what should I do with
myself?  My family wasn't about to move again -- like we had when I
finished grade school.

     We couldn't afford it.  At the same time, how long would it be before
everyone I could find work from knew?  Naturally ... there were some jobs
that my family's status wouldn't be a bar to getting.  I did have my middle
school diploma.

     Such a thing was sometimes jokingly called proof of graduating a
'yakuza finishing school.'

     Considering how hard my parents and I had worked to come as far as we
had, the idea lacked appeal.

     Then again ... something like sixty percent of yakuza were buraku,
since little else would welcome them.

     I was able to put those thoughts from my mind, thinking about my
sister.  What about her reputation?  Her friends in her grade school?  Was
she having a day as poor as mine?

     I had to hope not.

     But if she was, then my mother was right, and I had to be there for
her.

     I dressed in my casual clothes, feeling strange to wear something
other than my school uniform.  The same shabby and worn clothing I'd
managed to avoid wearing when I went to meet Suzumiya and the others, just
two days ago.

     I reached the gate of the school shortly after the bell rang.  My
sister's jubilant glee was too pronounced to make me think anything bad had
happened to her.  I just had to hope no one knew about _me_, and my
presence hadn't somehow ruined things for her.

     "Kyon-kun~!" she chirped, slamming into me like a clingy medicine
ball.  "Where's mom?"

     "She's at home, waiting for a phone call from Uncle Keiichi," I
answered.  "Let's go meet her, alright, Imouto?"

     "Okay!" my sister agreed.  Turning to a classmate of hers she added,
"See you tomorrow, Miyokichi!"

     "Bye, Kyon-kun!" my sister's friend answered, waving to both of us
pleasantly.  "See you tomorrow, Nono-chan!"

     Walking my sister home ... even if I was an unemployed high school
dropout, that helped me feel a bit better about things.

     ***

     Still undecided about how to proceed, I got up at th time I was
supposed to the next day.  For once, I woke up on time without any help
from my sister ... ecxept, without any school to attend.  My mother
approved of me getting up early, naturally.

     Before leaving for his unforgiving factory job, my father said nothing
more than, "I trust your judgment, Son."

     So the morning was spent puttering around the house, keeping myself
busy with the tasks my father was frequently too busy to help with.  At the
end of things, it was mostly just killing time.  Before it was time for
lunch, I picked up the newspaper my father had left behind, half-heartedly
looking at jobs.

     My search was interrupted by a knock at the door.  My mother answered
it before I could, and I started slightly to see her brother -- my uncle
Keiichi -- there, carrying a heavy-looking paper bag in one hand, and a
travel bag in the other.

     "Imouto," he greeted her, giving her a hug before kicking his shoes
off and joining me at the table, setting the bags to one side.  "Kyon-kun!
 Sorry about the delay -- I ended up getting side-tracked on my way in, but
I have some excellent news!"

     "One thing at a time," my mother countered.  "Let me make you some
tea, Nii-san."

     "Aha--  Thanks, Imouto," Uncle Keiichi chuckled.  Turning to me, his
typically smiling face turned to solemn concern.  "And how are you holding
up, Kyon-kun?"

     "I'm still alive," I allowed, folding the paper up.  "Just trying to
keep myself busy."

     My uncle was a lawyer -- he'd frequently been offered positions in the
Burakumin Liberation League, but didn't wholly approve of their methods.  I
couldn't quite blame him, honestly.  Kidnapping officials to admonish them
was unpleasant in the extreme.  When they were more reasonable, and
pursuing proper legal action, they frequently hired him to advocate cases,
however.

     It was nice that he was showing his support, but I didn't want to be
involved in such a lawsuit.  Certainly, it wouldn't be fast.

     "You want to keep going to school, right?" he prompted, grinning.

     Well, of course I did.  But Kitago was out of my reach.

     "Okay--  It's not the greatest school, but I checked around on my way
in--  That's why I was late.  I happened to run into the principal of
Hikami Gakuen at the prefectural office when I was doing some preliminary
research.  He recognized me from a case a few years back.

     "And you know what?  Just like our family, he's mura-no-mono, too!" my
uncle proclaimed proudly.  It was a bit strange to hear that term -- the
polite one, that we called ourselves -- after the previous day.  When not
being politically correct, 'people of the village' was just fine.

     But--  Wait.  "There's a school principal who's one of us?" I blurted
out in surprise.

     "He doesn't see any reason to hide it," Uncle Keiichi declared
staunchly.  "Again, the school's reputation isn't great.  You'll need to
work even harder to get into a very good university ... but that's not the
point."

     Latching on almost instantly, my mother joined in, "But this means
Kyon-kun can go back to school?  He can attend Hikami Gakuen instead of
Kitago?"

     "That's right!  Hashimoto-sensei was just as appalled to hear what
happened at Kitago as I was.  He said he would do whatever it took--  He
said he would be willing to accept your attendance as early as Friday --
the day after tomorrow."  Hefting the paper bag he'd set aside, he uncle
added, "I may have been too hasty, but when he gave me the specifications
for the school uniform, I picked one up for you straight away!"

     "That's wonderful!  Thank you, Nii-san!" my mother gushed, dropping to
her knees to give her brother a hug.

     I was overwhelmed, myself!  I knew about Hikami Gakuen -- its
reputation was actually rather poor.  It was considered the delinquent
capital of the city, among other things.

     But....

     It was still a _school_.  And I, for one, knew better than to judge so
simply.  For the second time in as many days, I felt my eyes sting.
 "T-thank you, Uncle Keiichi," I managed, scooting back from the table to
bow in gratitude.

     "H-hey!" he said, laughing in embarrassment.  "Come on, now; we're
family!  I'd have to do this for you, if I wanted to keep calling myself
that!  And I know things might be tough for Nono-chan, too."

     "But you've done so much!" my mother insisted.  "Thank you again,
Nii-san!"

     I didn't need to think about it.  Certainly, I wasn't going to tell my
uncle he'd gotten a uniform I wouldn't be using.  If a chance like this
came along, I was going to take it, the same way a floundering man in the
sea would use anything he could find for flotation.

     "In the meantime," Uncle Keiichi continued, "the league is eager to
get into this upset.  Kyon-kun, I'm guessing you don't want to deal with
the stress, so I'll be in town for a few more days in case any reporters or
league representatives try and recruit you.  I'll see if we can't get them
to help the legal course of matters."

     "Thanks again, Nii-san!" my mother said happily.  "Now--  How about
some lunch?"

     "That'd be great!" my uncle said enthusiastically.

     And even though I missed what I lost, I couldn't help but be more
confident about things, too.

     ***

     Hikami Gakuen was not as pretty and new a school as Kitago.  It
instead looked like something built almost immediately following World War
II.  Despite that, it wasn't a delinquent-filled war zone, as I'd feared.
 The grounds looked a bit shabby, but given the decades of students it had
seen come and go, that was more than reasonable.

     The name could be read as 'top of the day,' but I had heard that some
students used the more derisive interpretation of 'above the gutter' with
the implication that it wasn't above by much.

     That didn't bother me.

     My withdrawal paperwork from Kitago was taken without hesitation;
Hikami Gakuen's entrance requirements were more relaxed than my previous
school.  If I had passed a more stringent test, I could evidently be given
a pass.  That suited me fine.

     The new costume was a gakuran-style uniform, more militaristic than
the relaxed suits worn at Kitago, but somehow comfortably familiar.  It
wasn't that different from my middle school uniform, really.

     I did have to travel further to attend classes, almost an hour by
train, but the dreaded hill was no longer part of the picture.

     I didn't care for the attention on me being announced as a transfer
student, but it wasn't as though I could just sneak in, was it?  And so,
wanting to make a good impression I made my introduction, spelling my name
on the chalkboard and bowing to my new classmates.

     They bowed back and greeted me, "Welcome," in a single voice -- which
wasn't unpleasant at all.  My new classmates seemed much more strongly
disciplined than my old ones.

     So....  Was my background known?  I doubted it.  Truthfully, I doubted
most of the students at this school would even care that much -- certainly
not as much as those at Kitago did.  The principal himself made no effort
to hide _his_ lineage.  With that, I made up my mind to just settle in and
do my best to get along.

     I enjoyed some unexpected popularity from the other students once the
lunch bell rang -- questions about the circumstances of my transfer,
naturally:

     "Why did you leave your old school?"

     "Isn't Kitago better than this place?"

     "I heard there's some team of lawyers going after one of Kitago's
history teachers for something!  Have you heard anything about it?"

     That last made me wonder what my uncle was up to, but I earnestly
answered: "I just want to be a student.  I left Kitago because of some
unfortunate circumstances.  They aren't worth discussing, really."

     The class representative was a boy with the family name of Munemoto,
slightly taller than me and wearing spectacles.  He admonished my new
classmates: "Alright--  Let's give Tadamichi some space.  We'll be sharing
the class with him for the rest of the year, after all!"

     Most of my classmates backed off at that, but among those who remained
was a short pretty girl with her hair in a pair of pigtails.  With a shy
smile, eyes glinting, she asked, "Tadamichi-kun, do you have a girlfriend?"

     I thought her name was Nozomu.  Beside her was a stout boy who looked
like he could cause some damage in a fight -- not that I had any intention
to get into one.  His name was Gen'e.  "Tadamichi, you interested in
joining the baseball team?" he asked in a gruff voice, but with a friendly
smile.

     "Nothing like that," I answered both of them, shaking my head.  "I'm
really trying to focus on my studies more than anything--  I have to catch
up after my transfer!  But I'd be happy to make friends out of my
classmates."

     "You know," Nozomu said thoughtfully, touching a fingertip to her
lower lip, "there's another boy who transfered in today, too?  Hey, hey!
 Why don't you come with me, so we can go meet him, too?"

     Not really sure what to expect, I shrugged, agreeing, "Why not?"

     Certainly, I didn't want to make a bad impression....  Even if I _did_
want to focus on my studies, Nozomu seemed like a friendly girl, and Gen'e
was affable as well.  I followed them from the classroom while class
representative Munemoto shook his head.

     Thinking nothing in particular, I was led to a classroom down the
hall, where I encountered the other transfer student.  He looked
comfortable with the attention he was receiving, which I had to feel a
little jealous of.  Though I'm not given to admiring the looks of other
men, I could recognize that most girls would find him handsome.

     This wasn't my analysis from watching him, but my realization from
seeing the girls surrounding him.

     "Hello, new transfer student!" Nozomu declared, waving brightly.
 "You're the second student we've welcomed today -- so I wanted to
introduce you to the other!"

     While I didn't know the circumstances of this introduction, the other
boy quickly rose from his seat, bowing in introduction.  I could only
return it politely, all things considered.

     "Koizumi Itsuki," he announced himself, smiling brightly.

     I gave him my own name, of course, and his eyebrows rose.  "Is that
so....  I've heard of you," he remarked, which made my relaxed expression
slip a bit.

     He continued, unperturbed, adding, "I hope we can get along and become
friends--  In fact, perhaps since we are both new here, and just as behind
on lessons, we should form a study group?"

     "Oh, my, that's diligent!" Nozomu remarked, eyebrows rising.  "If
either of you join the art club, you'll be able to spend time with me!"

     "And, the baseball club can use more members," Gen'e contributed
weakly, his rueful smile suggesting he knew his recruitment drive was a
lost cause.  "Well -- if you care to join us just for practice, that would
be fine, too!"

     "My studies are a bit behind," I admitted, scratching the back of my
head.  Really ... while I could avoid him, I'd rather find out if this new
presence intended trouble for me or not.  I hoped it wasn't trouble, at
least.

     Nozomu pouted, and half of the girls surrounding Koizumi made unhappy
noises.

     "Well, could we meet in front of the offices after classes and discuss
it further, then?" Koizumi posed, smiling.

     "Sure," I agreed.  "That works perfectly for me.  Well--  I should eat
my lunch, and I'm guessing you'd like to do the same.  Take care,
Koizumi-san."

     "You as well, Tadamichi-san."

     I felt that logically, I should be more apprehensive about the fact
that I might be 'outed' after such a short time at the new school, walking
back to my own class.  Nozomu chattered on about the art club, and her
friends there, but my mind was on recent events.

     Somehow, I realized I expected my reputation to follow me.  The cat
was out of the bag, so to speak.  Being revealed so soon would actually be
a relief in some ways, because I expected this school -- at least most of
it -- would accept me.  And having the truth out there, wouldn't that spare
me building friendships, only to see them turn?

     Those thoughts on my mind, I managed to smile and nod at Nozomu as she
continued to chatter at me all through lunch.  What would she really think?
 Well, I wouldn't worry too much.

     If nothing else, by transferring schools, I could try and look at the
positive!  I'd finally lost the annoying 'Kyon' nickname!

     ...I'd take that back to have enjoyed the sense of acceptance and
belonging I had with Asahina-san, Nagato ... and Suzumiya.  But time flows
like water -- in one direction.

     No matter how much we might sometimes wish otherwise.

     ***

     After class let out, I was given a free pass on cleaning duties as
part of my welcome.  I thanked my classmates for letting me in on the fun
of dodging that responsibility already, and then went to meet Koizumi as
he'd requested.

     "So, you wanted to meet me?" I asked cautiously as I approached.  He
was holding some papers in his hand, and I had the sense he was holding
something back from me already.  What were those papers, anyway?

     "That's right!" he said, still giving me that same smile.  "I was
hoping to speak to you alone for a very simple matter, though."

     "And what's that?"

     "Two things, actually," he said.  "Firstly, I wanted to expand on
something I said earlier -- I've heard of you, and I know why you left
Kitago."

     What I had thought was my calm broke instantly, and I felt my knees
shake.  I managed to keep my voice steady, even if I did have to put a hand
on the wall to steady myself.  "Is that so?" I asked.

     "But the reason I'm telling you is that it means nothing negative to
me," he added quickly, his smile fading slightly.  "I admire your resolve,
after all.  Discrimination is unpleasant for any student.  For myself,
hoping I can trust you with information of equal importance to me ...
school life in Tokyo was difficult due to the threat of my Korean ancestry
being discovered."

     There was an eye-opening remark.  Buraku were not the only people with
difficulties in Japan.

     This did tell me what he _really_ meant when he approached me.  There
was the question of how he had found out, but the circumstances of my
departure were no great mystery.  I could expect that Kitago would probably
try their best to be quiet about it, naturally, but students talked, and
so....

     "Thank you for that trust," I allowed.  "I understand what sharing
that means."  Glancing at the papers in his hand I asked, "What is the
other thing, then?"

     "I was serious about forming a study group," he answered, his smile
seeming suddenly more natural, less forced.  "There are others within the
school, but the faculty has agreed to provide us with a room in the
clubhouse.  Given our various reasons, I was thinking that the official
surface of the group would be 'a study group for transfer students', at
least to start."

     That seemed reasonable.  The safest thing in the world, honestly.
 After all, how many other transfer students would there be?  "And what
will we really be doing?" I wondered.

     "If not studying, I would hope we could be friends," he answered
simply, shrugging.  "Perhaps we could play board games, or cards?"

     ...I could think of worse ways to end my first day at a new school.
 "That sounds fine, actually," I agreed, finding my own smile.

     "Then bring one of these back tomorrow," he said, handing over a club
enrollment form.  "And that should be that!"

     Ah, yes.  The new school schedule would have me attending class every
other Saturday, as opposed to Kitago's schedule.  "That sounds good to me,"
I agreed, taking the sheet and putting it carefully in my bag.  "Well, I
hope we can be friends, too.  Take care, Koizumi-kun."

     "And you as well, Tadamichi-kun!"

     ***

     After that pleasant surprise, I had expected my life to settle into
comfortable, predictable patterns once more.  I filled out Koizumi's form,
and the next day after class, we spent a while working on our homework
together.  Even if we were in different classes, the assignments were the
same, after all.

     When we finished, we played a few hands of cards while I waited for my
train.  While he was friendly enough, Koizumi wasn't very good.  He was a
good sport, though, and merely complimented me on my strategy and
preparation, remarking he was trying to improve himself in those areas as
well.

     After that, considering how stressful my week had been, I was content
to sleep through almost all of Sunday....

     ...or would have been.  I couldn't entirely escape reminders of what
had happened, and one of them was Nagato's book.  I wasn't sure how to
return it to her, though.  I didn't know where she lived, and I had my own
school to attend, so I could hardly lurk around Kitago to return it.

     Not that I wanted to be near Kitago, and those unwelcoming faces.

     It put me in a bit of a melancholy mood when I got to class early the
next Monday.  I knew I should be cheerful, but isn't it human nature to
wish for more than you have?  I was certainly feeling human.

     Nozomu's cheerful smile or Munemoto's nod of acknowledgement weren't
unwelcome, but....

     Well.  I thought I should be working harder to try and forget about
those who I was unable to let go of.

     I sat at attention with the rest of the class as my new homeroom
teacher announced a new transfer student.  While it was unusual, I didn't
particularly mind; it would help draw attention away from me.  And at the
end of the day, that suited me well.

     Or so I thought.

     I had largely tuned out the introduction, my mind blank as I trawled
through my memories.  It was really as though I could hear Suzumiya's
voice, it seemed so keen.  I could imagine her saying something along the
lines of hoping she got along with everyone and enjoying her time here--

     Then I nearly fell out of my chair--

     At the front of the class, beaming a bright devil-may-care smile,
still wearing her Kitago uniform, our new transfer student was none of than
Suzumiya herself!

     I stared in disbelief, eyes widening.  Why on earth would _she_ be
here?  She caught my gaze instantly, and in blatant defiance of the laws of
nature, her grin intensified.  "Hi, Kyon!" she called happily, waving.

     My heart stopped in my chest for a moment.

     "Kyon?" Nozomu wondered from my side, turning to look at me curiously.
 "Is that your nickname?"

     "No--" I started.

     "Of course it is!" Suzumiya countered without hesitation, crossing her
arms over her chest and nodding confidently.  "All of Kyon's friends know
that Kyon is Kyon!"

     "I like it!" Nozomu exclaimed, grinning.  "That's a very fitting
nickname!"  Realizing she was speaking in class, Nozomu popped to her feet
and bowed to the teacher.  "Sensei--  Since Kyon-kun and Suzumiya-chan are
friends, may I offer this seat for her?"

     "That's fine, Nozomu-chan--  Take the seat by Munemoto-kun.  We'll do
the lottery and reassign seating on Friday.  In the meantime...."  Our
homeroom teacher paused thoughtfully, then nodded.  "Kyon-kun, please take
responsibility and show Suzumiya-san around the school, as you're already
friends, and you've been here longer."

     "U...understood, Sensei," I yelped.

     "Now--  Let us welcome your new classmate!"

     I don't know if I was the loudest, but thinking of my _own_ welcome
just a few days previously, when we bowed and greeted her, I felt mine
might have been the most sincere.

     Still grinning, Suzumiya marched to the desk that Nozomu had eagerly
vacated and dropped into her new seat next to mine.  My mind burned with a
thousand unanswered questions, but I didn't know where to start -- and we
were in class anyway!  How would I get a chance to talk to Suzumiya and ask
her what had happened?  Wasn't she far too good for this school?

     As it turned out ... I didn't have to ask many questions -- which was
just as well, since I still wasn't sure where to begin when home room
ended, and she was swarmed by my new classmates.

     "Ah, Suzumiya-chan!  Why did you leave Kitago?  Is it for the same
reason as Kyon?"

     That added the question of my nickname spreading faster than wildfire
to the list, but that was a minor concern.

     "I left Kitago because I got in trouble for punching the class rep,"
Suzumiya answered without hesitation.

     What?!  Suzumiya hit Asakura Ryouko?

     Munemoto's eyes widened and he took a step back, alarmed.  The rest of
the class gasped; not what I would have expected from 'the delinquent
capital of the city.'

     "C...can I ask why?" Nozomu asked in surprise.

     "Long story," Suzumiya said with a shrug.  "They were going to let me
slide, but by that point I didn't like the school anymore anyway.  Stuffy,
stupid, and way too intolerant!  More importantly ... what I was looking
for wasn't there."  This last she said with an evasive glance, almost
meeting my eyes, but not quite.

     Ignoring the others for the moment, Suzumiya shook her head and turned
to regard me.  "I'm glad to see you here, Kyon!  I was worried I'd be stuck
in another class!  It's too bad Yuki isn't with us, but isn't this lucky?"

     "I don't know what to say!" I managed to eke out, before the next
teacher arrived, and everyone quickly hurried to their desks.

     What a day!

     ***

     Instead of running off between classes to explore, Suzumiya waited
patiently at her desk with the rest of the class, answering questions from
our classmates.  I could sense that she wished she wasn't being bothered,
but she remained polite about her responses anyway.

     "Are you into any sports?"

     "Not enough to join a club."

     "Do you have a boyfriend?"

     "No one at Kitago, but I'm not looking!"

     "What did the class rep at your old school do?"

     "Not worth talking about anymore."

     I was impressed at her patience, considering how I'd seen her respond
to people before.  She may have been a bit blunt, but it was clear that
things had changed for her.  Instead of snapping that she had no time for
normal humans, she bore their questions with enough determination to
maintain a polite facade.

     Unfortunately, even by the time lunch had rolled around, I hadn't been
able to think of the right questions to ask.  At the same time, Suzumiya
bounced to her feet the moment the bell rang and rounded on me.  "Well?"
she prompted.  "You're going to show me around, so where's the cafeteria?"
 Of course, even as she said this, she was holding what looked like her
_own_ bento to me....

     I did happen to know where the cafeteria was, even though I always
brought a bento as well.  "Er, it's this way, Suzumiya-san," I said with a
helpless shrug.  If she wanted to see it, I would show her the way.

     For reasons that I couldn't fathom, Nozomu smirked and gave me a wink
on the way out the door, Suzumiya dogging my heels.  It didn't take us long
to reach the crowd of students jockeying for position to get the good
breads before they were gone.  I worried for those poor students who might
be standing in Suzumiya's way once she decided to charge in, but she merely
raised her eyebrows.

     "If this is as bad as it gets, the 'delinquent capital of the city' is
a bit overrated," she remarked, shaking her head.  "But I expected this,
which is why I brought a bento today anyway!"

     "But you wanted me to show you where the cafeteria was anyway?" I
asked, looking at her sidelong.

     "Well, I want you to show me the entire school, at some point," she
corrected me.  "But more than that, I want to talk with you!"  Her smiling
expression faded to a pensive look.  "Is there a place we can have lunch,
just the two of us?  I've got a lot of questions, and there's quite a bit I
want to say, too!"

     I shouldn't have been surprised.  "I know a place," I agreed.
 Suzumiya's smile returned, but this time it was closer to her 'ready to
challenge the world' grin.

     She paced at my side in perfect step, eyebrows rising as we walked to
the detached club building.  With some small sense of trepidation, I opened
the door to the clubroom that Koizumi and I shared.  Not entirely
surprising, he was sitting at the table inside, finishing his own bento.

     "Who's this?" he asked with a curious smile.

     Well, I wasn't certain how to tell him to leave me and Suzumiya alone
to talk, so answered, "I didn't expect to see you here, Koizumi-kun.  This
is Suzumiya Haruhi-san, from Kitago; she transfered in today.
 Suzumiya-san, this is Koizumi Itsuki-kun."

     "We seem to be flooded with potential candidates for our study group,"
he remarked with a chuckle, rising from his seat and bowing.

     "Any friend of Kyon's is a friend of mine," Suzumiya declared without
pause, nodding.

     "Hmm, if you two are friends, then I think I should give you some time
to talk," the other boy said, tapping his chin thoughtfully.  "Well--  I
hope to see you again soon, Suzumiya-san.  Good luck in your recruiting
attempt, Kyon-kun!"

     With that, he chuckled again, gathering up his empty bento and
stepping outside.

     That was certainly thoughtful of him.

     Suzumiya made a thoughtful noise as she set her lunch down, surveying
the space we had.  In terms of size, it seemed identical to the club room
at Kitago.  For furniture, there was a similar table, and a pair of much
shorter bookshelves.  The same standardized folding chairs were stacked
against the wall, with the one Koizumi had been using set up at the table
still.  Since it was a single story building, the view was not particularly
spectacular, though.

     All of that was aside from the point.

     "Did you really punch Asakura Ryouko?" I blurted out, unable to refine
my questions.

     Suzumiya's smile fell.  "Well, yeah," she sighed.  "You know, _she_
was the one responsible for spreading those rumors about you."

     I had thought as much.  Unfortunately, that did suggest a
miscommunication.

     "It....  Suzumiya-san," I said uneasily, still standing, "it wasn't a
rumor.  I don't ... want to mislead you.  What was said about my family ...
is how it is."  Turning my gaze to the floor, I stared at my shoes.  "I am
mura-no-mono."

     I felt a rush of shock pass through my system as Suzumiya replied,
"Oh, I don't care.  It was a rumor, even if it was true.  Being passed
around behind your back by cowards who were willing to pick on you, but
ashamed to speak to your face -- judging you for something that wasn't your
choice?"  She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and tilting her head
to one side, eyes closed.  "Well....  Listen to me, alright?  I have to
tell you everything that happened, I think."

     "Okay, Suzumiya-san," I agreed shakily.

     "You just suddenly vanished on me -- and everyone was acting funny,
too.  Weird enough Aoyama wasted class time on being such a stodgy ass--
 At the time I didn't know why he was making you regurgitate that shameful
piece of trivia ... but I guess he showed us that it's not _trivia_, it's a
prejudice that old bastards like him and those other idiots still can't let
go of!

     "But I didn't know that--  I just thought he was being weird.  You
looked really jumpy, but I thought I could talk to you about it at the
club.  Except when I got back from lunch, you were _gone_.  Sure, I might
think you had spilled your bento, but I could think of reasons why you
might leave the room -- and I couldn't imagine you not cleaning up your
lunch if you meant to come back."

     "You remember what I eat every day?" I wondered.

     "Well, your mom doesn't change what she cooks very often," Suzumiya
returned softly, opening her eyes and looking away.

     Wasn't that the truth!

     Shaking her head, she continued, "I thought it was a temporary thing,
but when class ended and you hadn't returned, I was sure something was up.
 Once you missed the club meeting, that seemed to confirm it!  Of course,
no one was telling me anything, but I poked around--  Found that vase and
flowers in the trash.  You didn't look like a ghost to me, but I realized
people must have been picking on you.

     "The next day, you were still gone, and they didn't even call your
name for attendance?  They didn't announce you transferring out, they were
just acting like you'd never been there!  It wasn't like a well done
conspiracy, or a complex cover-up -- it was just people being _jerks_.  So
I cornered Asakura.  As the class rep, wouldn't she know?

     "So she got this smug look on her face, acting all superior and
haughty, and -- would you believe it -- that stupid....  She had a copy of
Tokushu Buraku Chimei Soukan!"

     I spluttered in surprise.  Only a few years ago, that book had come to
light--  Even though there were laws to make identifying burakumin harder,
that book was one of the tools that discriminators used to track and
confirm burakumin identities.

     "So she knew what she'd done -- she was _proud_ of it!" Suzumiya
exclaimed, some shadow of the anger she must have shown Asakura Ryouko
crossing her features.  "Worse ... she acted like she'd done me some
_favor_!  So I didn't really _think_ about it, I just remembered what you
said, about....  Well, with Mikuru-chan, and being accepted.  And I was _so
mad_ ... I just punched her."  She sighed, that shadow of anger vanishing.
 "She's a total bitch, though, so I can't regret it that much....

     "After that I went to the office to try and find out what happened to
you, but they wouldn't tell me.  Then the teacher caught up with me, and
they gave me some lecture about how because of my grades, they'd let me
stay at school even after hitting Asakura, blah blah, proper behavior --
but I didn't care.  I didn't want to stay at a school with discriminating
bastards like Aoyama and intolerant idiots like Asakura!  So I told them
where they could stuff the apology they expected me to give her.

     "Of course, if I thought the _school_ was bad, then even my _parents_
gave me trouble.  I've never been so disappointed to be related to them in
all my life--  And we got into a fight about school, and...."  She paused,
and I winced, realizing that even if she wasn't going to say it, it was her
association with _me_ that had caused such strife.

     "Well, I decided to run away," she said, spreading her hands in a
shrug.  "I'm old enough to live on my own!"

     "What--  Where will you stay?  How on earth...."

     I trailed off as she grinned and raised a fingertip, waggling it in
the air.  "Through it all, I've learned who I _really_ want to keep as
friends," she explained, eyes glowing with confidence.  "Did you know, the
second she found out that both of us left Kitago, Yuki quit, too?  We'd
traded addresses the day you vanished, just in case--  Evidently her
parents are loaded!

     "And she mentioned they're from somewhere north of Tokyo, so they
don't care--  But she has a house, so she said I should move in with her."

     "Nagato dropped out, too?" I exclaimed.  This was too much!  "And
Asahina-san?"

     "You know, that girl -- she used her family's connections--  I don't
know who they are, but they must be pretty powerful!  They were able to
find out where you went ... so we decided to come here, as well!"

     "How--  But you were going to Kitago!  You were able to be with your
parents!  How could you throw that all away?" I asked, aghast.  I had never
wanted Suzumiya to ruin her life like that!

     "How could I _stay_?" she countered, the glow in eyes igniting as her
voice filled with energy.  "I was looking for aliens, time travelers, and
espers -- and I still want to find them!  But how the hell can I be proud
of the world I'm from when it's full of ignorant people who embrace
discrimination for the dumbest of all reasons?  How can I smile and play
with them where there are important problems that need to be overcome?

     "Maybe to a time traveler, there's no problem, because those things
have all gone away--  Well, that's great, but doesn't that mean that now,
we have to work on fixing those issues?  And to an alien, we're _all_
different from them, so if aliens wouldn't care about someone's background,
why should _we_?  Espers are trickier -- but they shouldn't care about much
except the way people _think_.

     "But," she continued in a softer tone, "I don't really think any of
them would be around a place filled with idiots like Kitago.  In any case
... while I still want to search, I can't afford to be blind to the fact
that we can do a lot to help this world and the people in it be fun and
interesting to the aliens and espers and so on.  I realized ... what I was
really hoping for when I told you about that trip to the baseball stadium.

     "I realized even more that I think I know what _you_ meant when you
talked about acceptance and getting along.  And I think I know why you're
so polite, trying to put up barriers to protect yourself from some people--
 Well, that's enough of that!  Kyon, from now on you can call me 'Haruhi'.
 I won't accept another 'san' from you, in any case!"

     "I...is that so?" I managed, completely off balance by this girl.
 "But I'm--"

     "That makes _no_ difference to me," she countered intently, stepping
closer to me and staring into my eyes.  "You accepted....  Well, if
extraordinary beings won't appear for those who seem friendly but hide
intolerant natures behind such masks, what does it say for people who seem
aloof and unapproachable already?  You're pretty amazing in that regard,
because you had every reason to, but _didn't_ judge!  So I accept you, and
more than those people we left behind -- it's their loss if they're that
stupid!"  And then, shocking me so much I would have fallen over if she
hadn't made it impossible, she stepped right up to me and hugged me tightly.

     Her frame was strong enough to keep me from tipping over, but I
reflexively put my own arms around her.  For all of her energy and bravado,
she felt small, almost fragile.  Even if her grip was almost crushing, she
was still a girl my own age.

     It did not take long to realize I could get very used to this
sensation.  "If....  After all you've done and shown me, how could I not
accept you as well ... Haruhi?" I wondered.

     She sighed in contentment, relaxing in my arms as I firmed my stance,
putting strength back into my knees.  After what she'd been through,
wouldn't she be stressed, too?  Running away from home, having an argument
like that with her parents....  Hadn't I wanted to maintain this aspect of
my life at Kitago?  If it had cost her so much, I was going to do my utmost
to respect that!

     And I'd be able to see Nagato and Asahina-san, too?  Come to think of
the girl I still owed a book to....  Wasn't she also at this school?

     "Also," Suzumiya, ah, no.  That is, _Haruhi_.  "Also," she said, "I
took that library book from you.  We'll have to return it before it's late."

     The only way the situation could be more perfect was--

     And at that moment, the door opened, Koizumi thoughtfully continuing
from whatever he was saying in the hall mid-word, "-ould be right in--
 Oops!"

     "Oh, my!" Asahina-san exclaimed, giggling.

     Haruhi released me and straightened up, her face red as she faked a
cough, unable to hide a smirk.  "Well, it's only fair that you get to say
hello to Kyon as well, Mikuru-chan, Yuki--  I suppose we might as well all
have lunch together, shouldn't we?"

     "So many new recruits!" Koizumi exclaimed.

     "Hmm, sure, sure," Haruhi agreed with a grin.  "Okay, and on that
note, I say that we change the policy.  'Transfer students only' sounds too
discriminatory!"

     "Don't we need to put that to a vote?" I wondered.  After everything I
had been through that day, I must have been in mild shock, still.

     "Mikuru-chan, Yuki?" Haruhi posed, prompting both of the girls peeking
in through the doorway to nod faintly.  They hadn't gotten their new Hikami
Gakuen uniforms yet, either, my dazed mind noted.  "Well -- majority rule!"

     "That is enough for us to officially be recognized as a club!" Koizumi
agreed, gesturing the two girls in the hall inside the room.

     "Great!  Then there's still time for us to change the name of the
club!  How about 'SOS Brigade'?"

     "Hey, hey, you can't just--"

     "Majority rule!" she declared with a wide grin, eyes shining.

     "...alright," I allowed, unable to resist smiling back.

     Sometimes, we can have our dreams.  And if Haruhi was willing to work
so hard on making mine come true, the least I could do is return that
favor.  Wasn't that right?

     --------------------------------------------------

     Author's notes: I hope, despite the unpleasant topic, that this story
can be enjoyed.  Thanks for reading.

-- 
Brian Randall
--
Yrne awaits those with the courage to seek it.
--
I write fanfiction. Too much of it. You can read it here, on my terrible
webpage:
http://www.soulriders.net/brian/
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