[FFML] [Haruhi][WAFF] Nakama (1/2)

[Brian Randall]

The now-traditional Tanabata fic....

#     Nakama

##     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.

     Note: This is a direct sequel to Outcast, in the vein of 'Distant
Glimpses', though obviously a bit different at this point.

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

     I've read that people cling to familiarity, or that touches of
familiarity make adapting to a changed situation easier.  People
probably adapt regardless, but I can freely admit that certain factors
had made adapting to a new school in the middle of a term much easier
than it might have been.  It didn't hurt in the slightest that my new
classmates were welcoming, considerate people.

     It also didn't hurt that certain details of my ancestry were a
commonality I held with the school principal -- though that had never
come up directly.  In fact, I'd only seen him twice.  Once in passing,
and once during a speech he gave to the student body about
school-issued work permits.

     The work permits were handy as well; many schools specifically
forbade students from holding jobs while attending, so that more time
would be spent on study.  While I would have to admit that I could
benefit from more time doing that, being able to work part time was an
asset as well; my family had a meager income, and supplementing it was
important to me.

     That wasn't the only reason I didn't mind working, though.

     Having study partners was a boon as well, but the things that
were most precious to me, that let me enjoy school to the fullest, and
consider it a truly pleasant place, were my friends.

     Koizumi, who I only met at that school.  Asahina-san, who came
from Kitago when I left.  Nagato, who came with her.

     And most importantly, Haruhi, who dragged those two with her when
she rejected the behavior of Kitago's students -- on my behalf.

     The only thing to dislike about it was that such a noble act
engenders a debt that might never be repaid.  I really had to wonder
what I could ever do that would be equal to that.

     But that aside, the days passed in a comfortably pleasant blur,
even despite the study I had to devote to the subjects I didn't excel
at.  Which was all of them, save history and grammar.

     ***

     "Lucky for you two again!" Nozomu declared, winking at Haruhi and
myself, when we got to keep our seats on the window row.  Of course,
the seating order alternated boy and girl, and the teacher switched it
around to prevent anyone maintaining the same seat in any case -- but
it worked out that Haruhi and I got the same seats we had in our
previous classroom.

     "If that kind of luck worked for the lottery, I'd be wealthy!"
Haruhi declared with a laugh, as we traded desks.  "It's too bad it
doesn't seem to work that way."

     "The lottery would be quite nice," I had to agree.  "Then I
wouldn't need to study anymore."

     "Well, if you'd just turn lazy, maybe it's for the best you don't
win," Haruhi scolded me gently.

     So for the remaining time until summer vacation, I would get to
enjoy the best seat in the classroom.  Certainly, that was not a thing
to complain about!

     I shrugged and checked my watch.  "That all being said, I'd have
to play in order to have a chance of winning, which presents a
difficulty.  I'm not much for taking gambles in any case," I remarked.
 "And I don't think I can cover my cleaning duties today and also get
to work on time."

     Class representative Munemoto raised his eyebrows on hearing
that.  Nozomu did as well, tapping her lower lip thoughtfully.  Around
us, once they'd switched desks, our classmates were already either
gathering cleaning supplies or making their way out of the room to
head home.

     "You work together though, don't you?" he wondered.

     "In the same place," Haruhi corrected, though she nodded anyway.

     "Can't be helped!" he said with a shrug.  "Alright -- I'll trade
with you, Kyon.  If I cover you, will you take an equal number of days
from me in the future?"

     Ah, yes.  The one imperfection in an otherwise flawless high
school existence: that nickname.

     It was a small enough price to pay, however.

     "I would be in your debt, noble class rep," I agreed, bowing to
the bespectacled boy.

     "Same deal, Haruhi-chan?" Nozomu asked, though her eyes were on
the class rep as she blushed faintly.

     Haruhi made a face at that, and it took me a moment to realize
she was biting back a laugh.  "I know it's a real burden, Nozomu-chan,
but I'd be appreciative," she agreed, grinning.

     "Alright -- don't be late, and work hard!" our classmate declared.

     "We will!"

     We bowed together and quickly made our way to the reclaimed club
room.  Our club usually only met every other day, due to the work
schedule, and so on alternate days, we misappropriated it as a
changing room.  Haruhi went first, taking off the Kitago uniform she
hadn't been able to replace yet and putting on more casual work
clothes.  Once she was done, I stepped in and followed suit, carefully
folding up my Hikami Gakuen uniform and stowing it in my bag to put on
the sturdier but more worn t-shirt and jeans.

     The hall monitor gave us only a glance in passing on our way out,
having seen our permits many times before, and not long after that we
reached the station and boarded our train.

     "On schedule," Haruhi said with a nod, when we crowded on with a
number of other students heading home.

     In fairness, the trains hadn't been off schedule since last
month's earthquake in the Miyagi prefecture, and that was for the sake
of caution instead of any actual damage.  Even the Shinkansen was
still running.

     I nodded back, but there were too many people piled up like boxes
in a back room to make real conversation.  Historically, I knew people
had been crowded together more tightly than this when they moved from
place to place, but there was a difference I only seldom thought of.
Long ago, as tightly as people might be packed, they would tend to be
from the same walk in life.

     Criminals would crowd together to face judgment almost as tightly
as nobles pressed together to watch a show.  Soldiers would form tight
formations, and farmers might pack together during festivals.

     But in that day and age, in a train, an officer worker and a
government official, or a student and a police officer could be
pressed just as close.  Even being accepted and accepting the friends
that I had made, the thought didn't simply vanish.

     I couldn't let myself be dragged down by those thoughts anymore,
though; just like the train, society was moving forward.  The past was
moving away like a distant station.  Still relevant, but not nearly as
much.

     When we disembarked, such thoughts were still going through my
head, and Haruhi gave me a strange look.

     "Distracted?" she asked.  "Thinking if there might be life on the
newly discovered moon of ninth planet?"

     "Just thinking about the future," I answered.  "Which planet was
that, again?"

     She snorted, giving me a smile.  "Pluto," she informed me dryly.
"The proposed name is Charon, but they still have to confirm that it
exists.  Yuki gets some astronomy newsletters, so I read about it just
last night.

     "So current events are interesting as well!  But, I suppose
thinking about the future is much better than spending all your time
thinking about the past!"

     "I'm thinking about that, too," I assured her.  She nodded
absently, quickly catching sight of Koizumi.

     "Ah!  There you are!" she pronounced, waving to him.

     He shrugged from where he had been waiting with an easy smile.
"I went ahead," he admitted, "but I ended up on the same train, so I
suppose there was no point to it!"

     "Well, we still have a few minutes, but let's not be late," I
said, glancing at my watch again.  Not for the first time, I had to
add, "And thanks to you, Koizumi, for helping us get work with you."

     "It's not glamorous," he said with another depreciating shrug.
"But it is work!"

     That was for certain....  The large department store that was our
workplace quickly loomed before us, though we all went around the
back, along with some other arriving co-workers.  Once we entered
through the back door, we gathered our work clothes -- gloves for
Koizumi and I, and a floral-patterned smock for Haruhi.  She made a
face at her outfit before shrugging.

     "Work hard!" she declared, before marching to the door leading to
the front of the store.

     "You, too!" I called back to her before she vanished from
earshot.  Of course, where Koizumi and I had the rather dull task of
unloading trucks as they came to the rear of the building, Haruhi's
role was helping customers find various items.  She wondered at the
evident choice at one point, and I had tactlessly blurted out that it
was simply a business plan to put the attractive one among the three
of us out front.

     Haruhi groused about it, saying she'd rather have worked beside
Koizumi and I, but ultimately accepted the role, her cheeks red from
my careless words.  Then again, she didn't mind attention on her very
much.  I actually didn't mind unloading things and avoiding the public
eye, and because it was a simple task, it left my mind free to
contemplate other things.  Koizumi as well, though he frequently let
his thoughts escape his mouth, seemingly unaware.

     The first of those had been musing that he wasn't actually
insulted by my comment, comparing him Haruhi as 'less attractive.'  I
would guess that he himself would be considered appealing --
certainly, the girls at our school seemed to think so -- but my
interests went in an entirely different direction, so I could only
shrug apologetically and move to the next box when he mentioned it.

     ***

     After the day's work was complete, I was almost entirely worn
out.  I'd rather have been able to idle about, but my family had only
so much money to work with, and that meant every bit helped.  Koizumi
parted ways with us at the train station, and Haruhi followed me the
much shorter distance to my home.

     That had become an entirely common incident, as well.  When the
group of us were together, we studied, but on days we had work, Haruhi
and I studied together.

     Once we boarded the train, it was even more crowded than the
earlier trip -- packed with salary-men on the way home, and students
finished with late club activities.  Haruhi and I ended up pressed
together, but the trip was brief, and when we reached the station
nearest my house, we both stretched widely.  It would have been
especially pleasant if I could sit down and nap, but that wasn't a
possibility.

     Glancing at me sidelong, Haruhi demanded, "Give me your bag!"

     "I moved heavy things all day," I countered.

     "So haven't you done as I said and worked hard?  Doesn't that
mean you've earned a break?"

     I shrugged, hiding a small smirk.  "But now, thanks to working at
this job so often, I've become inured.  Indeed, the weight of my
school bag is feather light compared to how it was before we started
working!"

     "Then you won't mind carrying _my_ bag?" she asked shrewdly.

     Aha, she was sharp.  Still, the pain of carrying extra weight was
nothing compared to my mother's sharp reminders that I should make
such a sacrifice for someone like Haruhi willingly.  "Alright," I
agreed, taking her bag without hesitation, briefly surprising her.

     She scowled, but her eyes betrayed her amusement.

     "Anyway, Koizumi and I got to sit between workloads; you've been
on your feet non-stop," I added.

     "Fine, fine," she tried to grumble.

     "Though, our job is relatively boring.  Was yours interesting?" I prompted.

     "Just keeping things on the shelves neat and pointing customers
toward stuff," she sighed.  "I'd like to work in the record department
-- that would be nice, but I don't have a record player at home
anymore.  I miss some of my old albums, so it would be kind of fun to
tell people where to find things."

     I hadn't thought of that; our family listened to the radio when
we wanted music, and that was the extent of it.  "Did you have a lot
of records?" I wondered.

     "A few," she allowed.  "My parents gave me a copy of David
Bowie's _Ziggy Stardust_ -- that's my favorite, by far."

     I recalled her singing 'Starman' to herself at one point, so
nodded sympathetically.  I didn't really even know how to work a
record player, myself.

     Shaking her head, she changed the subject slightly, adding, "But
I don't have enough seniority to work in that section yet; evidently
it's a coveted part of the store.  I get stuck with vacuums, mostly.
Telling people which bags go with whatever model they have or
whatever...."

     I hadn't meant to remind her of what she'd given up, as it made
the mood a bit more morose.  I had been curious, though I did regret
the mood.  However, shortly after that we reached my house, where my
sister was anxiously peeking out the window in expectation of our
arrival.  "Kyon-kun!" my sister exclaimed, until redirected.

     Attacking with a ferocity that Napoleon himself would have
respected, she charged through the door at me -- Haruhi intercepted my
sister's tackling hug with ease.  Hefting her in the air, she spun in
place, wearing the momentum down as steadily as a Soviet winter,
leaving me unscathed.

     After working my body as hard as I had already, that reprieve was
quite welcome!  Even better, her infectious positive energy attached
itself to Haruhi without delay, driving away the ominous mood for the
moment.

     "Ahaha, Haru-nee!" my sister cheered.  "Come inside before mom
ruins dinner!"

     "I heard that!" my mother called from the kitchen.  "Well, anyway
-- come in, Haruhi-chan!  I've just started making dinner--"

     "Ah, pardon my intrusion," Haruhi answered back with cheerful
formality, stepping through the doorway.  "You'll let me help, right?"
Haruhi asked, setting my sister down at the same time I put our bags
on the floor.  Of course, Haruhi wouldn't accept 'no' for an answer,
so it wasn't much of a request.

     "Well, it seems that even my own daughter knows that my cooking
isn't half as good as yours!" my mother replied, peeking through from
the kitchen with a happy smile.  "Kyon-kun--"

     "I know the drill," I returned.

     "Don't take too long!" my mother admonished, as Haruhi winked at
my sister and stepped into the kitchen to help with cooking.

     "Imouto, don't give them any trouble," I reminded her, before
heading to the bathroom to wash the sweat of work off.

     As much as my muscles delighted in the soothing warmth of the
water, I didn't linger long in the bath.  After changing from my work
clothes to a clean pair of jeans and shirt, my sister and I set the
table together, just in time for Haruhi and my mother to bring the
meal out.

     "Ah, thanks for letting me join you for dinner," Haruhi added,
ducking her head when my mother insisted we should eat.  My father
worked late, so would have to make do with leftovers, but as he said,
when they were of such fine quality, he couldn't complain.

     "It's _my_ pleasure to have your help in the kitchen!" my mother
insisted.  "Some day, Haruhi-chan, you'll make a wonderful bride!"

     Haruhi's reaction was both melancholy and pleased at that --
conflicted between those two ideals.  She ducked her head and blushed,
but I could see a hint of some other thought distracting her.
"T-thank you," she managed.

     It was only after my mother insisted she join us for dinner after
working that I'd come to realize that Haruhi was not particularly used
to being thanked for anything at all!  Well, my mother was working
very hard on ensuring Haruhi had enough exposure to gratitude, while
making time to somehow chide my own efforts as insufficient.

     After enjoying fare finer than I suspect Ieyasu himself enjoyed
during his rule, Haruhi and I retreated to the living room to work on
our homework, my little sister joining in.  "Really," my mother said,
as she took care of the dishes, "after all you do to help tutor Kyon,
I feel I owe you more!"

     Later, once we were done with homework, and my father had a
chance to wash and enjoy his own dinner, he clapped his hands together
and declared that it was time to give Haruhi a ride home.

     "Unless you want to stay here!" my mother teased.  "You're
practically a daughter to us anyway!"

     This made even Haruhi blush.  "B...but without me, Yuki and
Mikuru-chan will eat only takeout," she managed.  "I have to look out
for them, too!"

     "Well, alright," my mother allowed with a pout.

     It was already implicit that I'd join Haruhi for the ride back to
her apartment, which had come in handy for my father on one occasion,
when our aging family car got a flat tire.  Haruhi and I climbed into
the back seat together, and she stifled a yawn.

     On the drive back, my father asked, "Haruhi-chan, who do you
think will win the season?"

     "Are you looking for betting tips?" I asked.  "You know mom hates that."

     "It's just five hundred yen in the pool," he said defensively.
"But if we win, I'll treat the entire family to dinner out--
Including Haruhi-chan, of course!"

     That was a sufficient bribe to bite my tongue around my mother!

     "Ah, that's a lot of pressure!" Haruhi protested, though she
blushed at my father's praise of her analysis.  She did have a good
eye for who was likely to win.  "Um, but the Braves have won the last
three years -- I think their luck is going to run out soon, and even
if he makes MVP again, Yamada Hisashi-san isn't at his peak anymore."

     "He's done well for himself as a pitcher though.  Hmm, so you
think that Yomiuri will finally avenge themselves?" my father posed,
raising his eyebrows.  "The odds won't pay well for that bet, but a
win is a win...."

     "Nah, I don't think the Giants are even going to make it this
season," Haruhi determined.  "I'd say the Swallows are going to take
their first win this year."

     "Let's hope that's true!  If they make it, you can even pick
where we go!" my father said enthusiastically.  "Of course, that means
you must join us to watch the game on television!"

     "Ah....  Alright," Haruhi agreed, unable to keep from smiling.
"That does sound fun."

     The me of a few weeks -- and one high school -- prior would not
have believed that days like this might ever happen.  And the me of
the time of that transition would have thought that such optimism was
in the realm of fantasy.  But these scenes had become pleasantly
routine, in reality.

     After reaching Nagato's house, Haruhi climbed out of the car, and
I stepped out with her.  Part of the reason was so that I could ride
in the front on the way back, but it was also my mother's insistence
that I 'be a gentleman' and ensure Haruhi was completely inside before
leaving.  She reached the door and turned to wave goodbye--  I waved
back, and then she stepped inside and was gone.

     After that, well ... it wasn't a fantasy, and so I had to admit
that there were significantly worse ways to spend a day!

     ***

     What was just related is how many of my high-school days after
moving to Hikami Gakuen went.  They were almost idyllic, and there was
little to complain about.  They weren't perfect, but they were what I
had to consider good -- a stable period, if not quite a golden age.

     The next day, Haruhi and I had cleaning duty, as we no longer had
the excuse of work -- but that was a welcome change, as the difficulty
was significantly lower.  Class rep Munemoto and Nozomu seemed a
little saddened, for some reason, but we owed them in any case.

     Once we were done cleaning -- a breeze, with Haruhi's energy --
we retreated to our club room.  Upon arrival, Koizumi was banished to
wait in the hall with me until Haruhi finished changing.  As he stood
in the hall, he put one hand on the opposite shoulder and moved that
arm in a big circle.  "I have to admit," he said with a rueful chuckle
and a shake of his head, "you're able to bear up through our work a
bit better than I am!"

     "Only because that's the sort of thing I did over Golden Week," I
replied with a shrug.  "Just don't overdo it and you'll be fine."

     "Even though I was able to get us the interviews, thanks to my
uncle, I believe at work I should call you 'sempai'!"

     Somehow, from him, that felt strangely annoying.  "Please,
don't," I said, holding up a hand to ward the thought off.  "We're
students in the same year and we've worked together the same amount.
I think I'm unready to take responsibility for a kohai."

     Whatever response he had to make was lost as Haruhi opened the
door, eyebrows raised almost to the edge of her stewardess cap.

     "Come in," she ordered, putting hands on her hips.

     At first, I thought her insistence on wearing the costume was a
curious quirk--  She modeled it herself the original time, as I'd
suggested.  After that, Asahina-san wore it a time or two, but shortly
after that point, Haruhi had worn it exclusively.  Asahina-san didn't
particularly mind, though every time Haruhi allowed us back into the
clubroom after changing, she would remark:

     "Ah, Suzumiya-san, that costume is cute!"

     Of course, the upperclassman who made this remark was -- herself
-- adorable, shaking her head gently, with both hands balled into
fists below her chin as she cheered Haruhi's change of dress.

     The costume consisted of a sort of short-sleeved blazer, a
miniskirt that probably touched on the edges of what the school would
permit in terms of shortness, the cap, and a sort of fluffy
neckerchief.  "It would be nice if we had more costumes," Haruhi
mused, shrugging, before she shook her head.

     Unshakable as always, Nagato sat at one side of the room, next to
the shelf she seemed to have decided it was her personal duty to fill
with books.  She was as steadfast as a samurai piling up trophies from
defeated duelists, and approached that self-assigned task with the
same dedication I would have expected from one of those ancient
warriors.

     At a glance, today's title was evidently an English publication:
'Tuck Everlasting.'

     I wondered if my skills would ever get to the point where I could
casually read a book in another language like she did?  The thought
didn't hold my attention long, though.  Despite Haruhi wearing the
costume, it was Asahina-san who prepared the tea and served it --
quite pleased at the skill Haruhi had taught her.

     Considering how well she had applied herself, I felt her
happiness was warranted!  Certainly, I didn't think I could do the job
nearly as well.

     My attention circled around to Haruhi's costume again anyway --
and it wasn't just because it looked good on her, though that much was
true in any case.  Without making any fuss or announcement, as we were
relaxing before beginning our assignments, Nagato silently adjusted
her glasses and set her cup down before rising.

     Haruhi watched curiously as the other girl went to the room's
small storage cabinet and opened it -- revealing a small potted bamboo
plant.

     "What's this?" Haruhi exclaimed.  "Rather, I know what it is --
but why do you have it?  Do you know what today is?"

     Well, the question wasn't aimed at me, but I happened to recall.
It wasn't a particular historical event, but it was still a holiday of
sorts.

     "Yes," Nagato said quietly.  "You said, 'Our club should have a
bamboo to celebrate,' so I acquired this for all of us."

     Haruhi looked mildly surprised.  "From when we were watching that
special on festivals?  Well, it was a kid's show, but how much do you
recall about the holiday?  I gather than your family wasn't big on
them...."  She trailed off, and I think both of us realized that this
might have been Nagato's way of trying to celebrate it; certainly,
even if her family were wealthy, they were quite distant.

     Koizumi's eyebrows rose, while Asahina-san became curious.  "I
must have missed that show.  Um ... it's a nice enough plant," she
offered.  In fairness, it wasn't flowering, and bamboo isn't the most
spectacular example of plant life, especially when there's just the
one stalk.  "Bamboo, isn't it?  But what is important about today?"

     Haruhi frowned thoughtfully, her gaze lingering on Nagato --
perhaps thinking the same things I was about the other girl's family.
"Well ... it's an important day to me," she offered.  "Hmm, it's
mostly celebrated by children, though in some places they have proper
festivals -- Kyon, you know it, don't you?"

     "Tanabata," I answered.  "Is that right?"

     "Yes!" Haruhi agreed, pleased that I knew.  I nodded and mulled
over her costume as Haruhi patiently
explained the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi to Asahina-san.  She
finally concluded, "...and there is also a
tradition of tying your wishes to the bamboo to see if they will
receive and grant your wishes!"

     "I remember this tradition," Koizumi supplied, nodding.

     Haruhi shook her head and turned an expectant stare on Nagato.
The nearly eternally silent girl softly explained, "I have never
celebrated this tradition before.  It seemed ... unique."

     "Well...."  Haruhi hesitated only a moment before nodding and
putting the plant where it would receive light from the window.
"We'll have to do that together now, then!  I'm surprised at you just
jumping into it -- but excellent work!  Though, I wonder ... how did
you even get it here?"

     "Yesterday," Nagato answered in a voice barely louder than a
breath.  Even behind the lenses of her glasses, I thought I could
detect some of that rare happiness she showed me long ago -- when she
paid for my library card.  A debt I still had to make up, come to
think of it....

     Haruhi seemed to be thinking similarly, but if celebrating
Tanabata with Nagato could help repay that, I'd be glad to!

     "Well done!" Haruhi cheered.  "Okay, on that note, I think we
should each write two wishes down and tie them to this bamboo!"  She
hesitated a moment.  "Hmm, we have construction paper and scissors, so
I guess we can make our own tanzaku--  Here, Mikuru-chan, Yuki, since
the two of you have never done this before, I'll show you how it's
done!"

     With her characteristic energy, Haruhi grabbed the supplies and
set to work.

     While still cutting his own tanzaku out, Koizumi mused, "With so
many options, what could we wish for?"

     "They're wishes -- there's no limits!" Haruhi declared, before
pausing.  "Actually -- I already know what Kyon will wish for.  So,
everyone, at least _one_ wish must be a selfish wish, for yourself!"

     I supposed that wish from me _was_ a given, wasn't it?

     "Right!" Haruhi decided, nodding firmly.  Once the tanzaku were
cut and arrayed, she added, "Of course, we must have a contest to see
who gets their wishes granted first.  If someone wishes for something
difficult for the world that may take a long time, it's only
reasonable to make another wish for something that's easier to grant,
isn't it?  Otherwise it will be a very tedious challenge!"

     It didn't take long for our wishes to be gathered up, and Haruhi
and Nagato tied them all carefully in place with bits of yarn--  All
matter of arts-and-crafts supplies had come with the club room.

     I wished for the obvious thing, so my 'equality for everyone' was
offset by my 'own my own house'.  Haruhi's were 'world peace' and 'to
time travel, befriend an esper, or see amazing alien worlds and
adventures'.  Koizumi wished for 'prosperity' and 'my family to remain
healthy'.  Asahina-san wanted 'everyone to be happy' and 'to get
better at domestic tasks', which made me wonder how well she
understood the exercise.  Nagato had wished for 'tranquility', which I
thought was the same thing that Haruhi wished for and 'to stay with my
friends'.

     Waggling her finger at them gently, Haruhi admonished,
"Mikuru-chan, I can teach you those things, and Yuki, we're not going
to abandon you any time soon!  That wish is practically cheating,
since you'll win first for sure!"

     "That was clever of her," Koizumi remarked, spreading his hands
in a shrug.  "You did say it was a contest, didn't you?"

     Haruhi shook her head and sighed.  "I guess I did," she mused, a
bit wistfully.

     He gaze went to the hanger that held her school uniform.  School
policy was to require that a student wore a uniform, but in cases like
hers where a new uniform hadn't been obtained yet, the one from a
previous school would do.  Of course, without her parents to provide
for her....  Of course, that was the reason for Haruhi choosing to
take a part time job.

     For myself, such a task was somewhat optional.  The reality of
the situation was that Haruhi had done some incredible things on my
behalf, and she would not have ended up in such a situation if it
weren't for _me_.  So when she mentioned looking for part time work, I
wanted to help her; even if I didn't _need_ to work part-time, it did
help my family out.  She was fiercely independent, and even if Nagato
gave her a place to stay, she wasn't going to accept it as charity.

     That meant that among their household, Haruhi did the lion's
share of the chores, and as she'd confided to me in exasperation,
Asahina-san's cooking was worse than my mother's, and Nagato was
simply too lazy to make more than the most simple curry.  She didn't
really give me the impression that she actually minded; that gave her
an opportunity to prove herself by ensuring that they ate properly,
and enjoyed a greater variety.

     Still, because she was also contributing to her share of
groceries when she could, she hadn't saved enough to buy a uniform.

     It was at that point, pondering her somewhat happy, yet also
melancholy expression, that I had an epiphany.

     Haruhi wore the stewardess outfit because she didn't like wearing
her Kitago uniform.  There was a time when she would have reveled in
having an excuse to dress differently and stand out, but that had
passed, and she wanted the same uniform as anyone else.  Of course,
even if Asahina-san or Nagato were to offer, she wouldn't accept a
gift.

     The pair of them would probably be willing to make the offer, and
after what Haruhi had done to keep their household neat, they would
consider it more than a fair trade.  But that didn't matter in the
slightest if Haruhi herself felt she couldn't accept it.  My mother
_might_ have been able to convince Haruhi to accept such a gift, but
even with my income added to the household, our budget was tight.
Most of what I made went to support our aging car.

     So ... Haruhi was stuck wearing the uniform of a school she now
found distasteful, until she managed to save up enough somehow, and I
was powerless to help her.

     I suddenly felt I understood her melancholy, but also felt even
more indebted to the uncle that had granted me my own uniform as a
gift.

     "Ah," Haruhi realized, looking at the clock as the school's chime
rang.  "Well -- Koizumi-kun, Kyon, you can go ahead, since I have to
change."

     "Alright," we agreed, shrugging to one-another.

     There was an unavoidable sense of regret when we parted, no
matter how I wracked my brain to mend the situation.

     ***

     I drifted into wakefulness in an unfamiliar place.  I wasn't in
my bed, being woken up by my sister, but instead sitting on a park
bench in an odd position.  While I would normally get cold in such a
situation, sleeping on a park bench sitting upright, I had an
unexpected source of warmth curled up next to me.

     Sleeping as peacefully as I felt I must have been a moment ago,
her expression more charming than usual, was Haruhi.  For reasons I
couldn't fathom, my arm was about her, and she was leaning into me,
eyes closed as her soft breath drew in and out, one hand folded neatly
against my chest.  She shifted her shoulders a tiny bit, and I
couldn't resist the temptation to reach out and brush a stray hair
back, behind her ear.

     Her eyes fluttered open as she blinked at me in a dazed
exhaustion, before her face scrunched up in confusion.  Pushing
herself free of me, she scratched her head curiously before allowing a
great yawn to escape and stretching her arms over her head.  I
recovered my own arm from where it had been curled around her and
turned to look forward.

     The area seemed vaguely familiar to me; a scene like one I must
have walked past on Haruhi's 'mystery search' while chatting with
Asahina-san.  It was too late in the season, even in this odd dream,
for cherry blossoms.  Haruhi huffed a small sigh when she looked down
at herself and recognized her Kitago uniform--  For myself, though I
had not thought of it, I realized I was wearing my Hikami Gakuen
uniform still.

     Neither of us said anything for a long moment, until Haruhi
frowned, raising a hand to pinch her cheek -- scowling.

     "Have I hit my head?" I wondered, looking at her askance.

     "I don't _think_ this is a dream, but I have no idea how I got
here," Haruhi replied, looking at me askance.  "And I don't suppose
you do, either?  Because this would be a pretty astounding prank, but
I can't imagine how you'd pull it off!"

     "There must be some explanation for how we come to wake up on a
park bench," I answered thoughtfully, rubbing my chin.

     Haruhi smacked one small fist decisively into the opposing palm.
"Alright!" she declared.  "We're going to find a newspaper -- see how
much time has passed between today and Tanabata."

     That seemed reasonable enough in this seemingly inexplicable
situation, so I agreed, and we climbed to our feet.  Haruhi's eyes
were shining with excitement, but somehow, far less than I would have
expected from what I would have guessed her reaction to be when we
both attended Kitago.

     She gave me a strange look after setting into motion, leading us
down a path out of the park we were in.

     "You're not as enthusiastic about this as I would have expected,"
I said, prompted by her questioning gaze.

     "Well, we could be having a grand adventure," she counted.  "But
we might also have been drugged, or something, and missed work--  I'll
be quite upset if we lose our jobs over this!"

     ...that idea hadn't even occurred to me.  "Responsibility does
put a bit of a damper on the mystery," I mumbled in agreement,
frowning.  "Drugged, though?  Could that have happened?"

     She touched a fingertip to her lower lip, frowning thoughtfully.
"I'll be upset if it did.  We may have been hypnotized, too -- but
that's impossible unless we willingly accepted it."

     "That raises even more questions," I sighed, running a hand
through my hair.

     "Maybe we were abducted by aliens?" she posed.  "They just put us
back when they were done and wiped our memories?  I'd be very upset at
that, though!  How can we meet and play with them, and maybe look to
them for guidance to resolve this world's issues, if they make us
forget afterward!"

     I scratched my head and tried to consider that, but the situation
was too daunting for me to fully comprehend.  I had enough difficulty
trying to study for any subject beyond history without Haruhi's help!

     She paused at the edge of the path, as it met the sidewalk.
There was a newspaper vending machine there, and Haruhi frowned at it
through the glass.

     "Looks like they haven't changed the papers in a while," I said
thoughtfully, looking at the day.

     "In _three years_," Haruhi retorted dryly.  Her eyes suddenly
shot wide as I double-checked, realizing she was correct.  "We--
We've somehow gone _back in time_!" she exclaimed, hopping in
excitement.  "Kyon, do you realize what this _means_?"

     I was too busy trying to understand _how_ we went back in time.
Thinking of Haruhi's earlier gesture, I followed suit, pinching the
back of one hand.  It hurt enough for me!

     "How did this happen?" I marveled.

     "I don't--  I don't _know_," she said.  "But we have to go--
Quickly, come with me!"

     She burst into a run, and I was hard-pressed to follow her.  With
her athletic ability, she had to restrain herself; if pinching my hand
weren't enough, I was ragged and exhausted from the run!

     "They're not here yet," she groused, while I heaved for breath
and only slowly absorbed our surroundings.  We'd run quite a few
blocks -- people we'd passed didn't seem to give us much more heed
than any other pair of running students.

     "Who?" I asked.

     She stamped a foot and shook her head, grabbing a familiar gate
with one hand--  Ah, I _did_ recall this place.  We'd been here once
before; the back entrance to East Middle School.

     "Three years ago--  Well, no.  Actually _today_, I came here.
That is ... the me of three years ago," she clarified, giving me a
frustrated glance.  "And that younger me met two people -- a boy and a
girl.  They told me some things I ... didn't pay complete attention to
at the time.  I've wondered who they were and wanted to meet them
again -- and now we have a chance to do that!"

     "Okay," I said, frowning as I stood up, wiping the sweat from my
brow with my handkerchief.  "Do you suppose they were time travelers?"

     "I'm _sure_ they were," she said adamantly.  "They were waiting
inside the gate when I got here, so climb over the gate and open it
for me!"

     "_You_ climb over the gate," I admonished her gently, one hand
going to the side where my stitch was still fading.  "You're a better
athlete."

     Plucking the hem of her skirt with one hand, Haruhi's eyebrows
rose.  "Are you trying to see under my skirt?" she prompted.

     "I'll climb the gate," I corrected myself, blushing faintly.
Even if I was tired, I should have been more considerate, shouldn't I?
 My mother would scold me, for certain.

     I was clambering over the fence before I reconsidered my
thoughts.  My mother would be much more upset about me breaking into a
school, wouldn't she?  Or would she be supportive enough of Haruhi
that she actually would be more upset that I hadn't helped?

     Well, unless my memories were off, I evidently had at least three
years before it would be an issue, didn't I?

     After dropping to the ground inside the gate, I undid the heavy
latch and threw myself into hauling the weighty thing open.  It was a
good thing I kept my muscles in shape with those boxes at work!  Even
so, Haruhi helped eagerly, squeezing through as soon as it was wide
enough to fit her.

     She paused once we were both inside, surveying the area around
us.  It was deserted, which was probably for the best.  A security
guard, or the teacher on duty at the moment would have gotten us in
quite a bit of trouble!

     Between our gate and the school was a path, to one side of which
was the school's track.  The lawn inside it was pristine, invitingly
green; if it were shady, I would have gravitated to it in an instant
and happily napped beneath a tree.

     "They're not here," Haruhi said slowly, looking around.

     "What do they look like?" I asked, leaning back against the gate
we'd left rolled partially open.

     "The girl had hair in ribbons and a uniform I didn't recognize,
and the boy...."  She trailed off after glancing toward me, blinking
rapidly.  "...oh."

     I frowned, looking over at her.  She was the only girl in sight
with ribbons in her hair.  I was the only boy at all -- it didn't take
me long to make a guess.  "If we've time traveled, somehow, does that
mean your younger self met both of us in the past?"

     "I think so," Haruhi said slowly, leaning against the gatepost,
leaving the gap between us as she frowned, crossing her arms over her
chest.  "My younger self probably won't get here for a bit.  But how
did we get here?"

     "That's what I'd like to know," I replied, shrugging.

     Neither of us had an immediate answer.  On the other hand, we
were involved in a true mystery!  Exactly the kind of thing she'd
wished for!  "I guess this means you won the Tanabata contest," I
remarked.  "Even before Nagato-san -- by three years, even!"

     She turned to stare at me before rolling her eyes, though she
smiled as she looked away.  "Dummy," she chastised me gently.  "You
think _that's_ what's important?"

     "But maybe that's it?" I posed.  "You made a wish, and it was
granted by Orihime and Hikoboshi?"

     Taken slightly aback, her smile faded.  "I suppose that _is_
true," she agreed thoughtfully.  "Hmm, does that mean that world peace
will come, too?"

     I couldn't complain if that were true; at that date, the war in
Vietnam had ended only a few months prior.  We mulled that over for a
period, considering the implications.  "What do we do, though?" I
wondered.  "We got to time travel, because of your wish ... does that
mean that once we meet your younger self, we get to go back?"

     "I--"  She cut herself off, shifting her hands to her hips as she
pursed her lips thoughtfully.  After a pause, she slowly said, "I
_hope_ so.  But we could also take advantage of things and rewrite
history, couldn't we?  Think of it -- Kitago hasn't even finished
being built yet!  We could ensure that Asakura and her stupid book
never got into the school!"

     "We could arrange things to discriminate against her?" I asked,
frowning.  "And if we did that, wouldn't we have lost our chance to
meet Koizumi-kun?"

     "Damn," Haruhi cursed, frowning.  "Well -- there's no reason we
couldn't meet him anyway!  We know where to find him, after all!  In
any case, it seems a shame to waste this opportunity!"

     "I wish I had memorized winning lottery numbers," I agreed.  "My
younger self could use them.  Ah, or horse racing results.  Well, I
could tell my father who wins the Japan Series for the next three
years."

     "Hankyu Braves," Haruhi agreed with a chuckle.  "But...."

     I looked over to her as she stared at the field.  "But?" I prompted.

     She shook her head.  "I'm not ... sure that's the right thing to
do," she mumbled, frowning.  "Even if we could stay at Kitago, I'd
still have my disagreement with ... my parents."

     I normally would lack the courage to broach such a topic with
Haruhi, but due to the unreal circumstances, I felt I could be more
earnest than I typically was.  We were already in the past -- able to
change the fabric of history itself, if we so chose!

     Strange that it motivated me to try and change the present ...
but then, isn't that what history does anyway?  So emboldened, I
suggested, "But then you wouldn't have to hate your uniform, at least.
 Even if you didn't stay with your parents...."

     "Huh?" she wondered, blinking.  "Eh--  Well, I was really happy
when I got this -- for what it represented," she explained, plucking
at the fabric of her blouse.

     "But you'd be happier just blending in with everyone else,
though, right?" I prompted, when she fell silent.

     "What?" she asked, dropping the pinched cloth and regarding me in
confusion.  "No -- that's stupid," she corrected with a small smile
and shake of her head.  "Standing out is fine, and I even have an
excuse -- I don't like people being judged for things that are beyond
their control, but if someone excels or is outstanding ... the way
_you_ were when you were so reasonable with me....

     "There are a lot of reasons not to be happy about this uniform,
though," she continued, her gaze going to the school building before
us.

     "Well....  I don't like it mostly because it _does_ remind me of
Kitago," Haruhi continued, when I remained silent.  "And thinking
about that ... I'm not sure I actually care to change things to get to
stay there.  Maybe you're right, and we _are_ better off at Hikami
Gakuen--  No, even if you don't say it, I know for _certain_ I'm
happier there."  She nodded decisively.

     "I see," I said slowly, grimacing a bit at what was becoming my
unfortunate stock phrase.  Discontent to just let things stay on that
line again, I plowed on: "It makes me feel in your debt, that you feel
so strongly about what happened.  Somewhere in my closet there is
still that old uniform, since I had no other idea of what to do with
it....  Perhaps I could have the school logo carefully removed and
just use it as a suit?"  I shrugged; I doubted that the same option
would apply for Haruhi, and in any case, that didn't address the issue
of her not having a proper uniform.  "In any case, you're right, and
it's time to move on."

     "I could help -- I'd be happy to erase that symbol from your old
uniform," Haruhi replied, smiling softly.  "But if you feel you owe me
for some reason -- stupid as that is -- you'd never accept the offer,
would you?"

     What an amusing conundrum.  I couldn't help but chuckle,
spreading my hands in a sigh.  "You're right," I agreed.  "I have to
pay you back, somehow, not get further in your debt."

     "You dummy," she chastised me, in a tone of voice that failed to
be admonishing or harsh.  "I guess you're a bit like me in that way,
though...."  Haruhi sighed and her expression sobered after flashing
me a brief, sunny smile.  "It's not like _I_ can escape my personal
debts, either, so I do understand.

     "I'm not willing to go back to them, anyway, though," she
explained, going back to the topic of her parents.  "That's the real
reason to dislike this uniform.  Part of it is that it's true I never
really realized how much I relied on them until I stopped.  But those
hardships are nothing compared to the fact that ... I miss them.

     "I hate that they're so stupid about your ancestors and making
this big nonsense _fuss_ over it....  Well, my mom more than my
father.  This is the uniform that they gave me, though, and it just
always reminds me that ... even with Koizumi-kun getting us part-time
work with him, I _can't_ really make it on my own."

     "Well, you're doing an amazing job," I countered, shaking my
head.  "Even if you don't give yourself credit, you took a substantial
risk to stand up for what you believe in -- and you haven't backed
down.  Of course, from what I know of you, you'd never back down, but
even facing the consequences of your actions, you aren't flinching."
I bit my tongue, considering things.  I'd already admitted how much I
owed her, so I screwed up my courage and blurted out, "I think that
might be what I admire the most about you!"

     She turned to stare at me, eyes widening as her face turned red.
"I...if you feel you owe me ... you could make that debt up, you
know," she muttered, looking away.  "I ... wouldn't want it to be the
only reason, but if you were to ask me out, I would not refuse."

     "As amazing as you are, a person like me--"

     "Who cares about your ancestors!  Your grandparents could have
been gravediggers or princes, and I wouldn't care!" she retorted in
irritation, her blush fading, before she paused.  "Actually,
gravediggers would have pretty amazing stories, I think -- and could
have buried any number of princes....  But that's not the point at all
anyway!"

     "I wasn't thinking of _that_ as much as the fact that I don't
think I could accomplish what you have," I said, a bit more quietly.
I couldn't help but think that I might have been in partial shock.
That should have been justified, after traveling back three years,
though!

     "In any case, if my family didn't support me, I'd be lost -- so
for that, you do an amazing job.  Even if you do have to rely on your
friends," I continued.  "I can't see that as a thing to be ashamed of.
 If you wanted...."  I hesitated.  I didn't want to say it, but I had
to make myself voice the possibility:

     "You know, Haruhi, setting everything else aside, you could go
back to your parents and make up with them -- until you _are_ ready."

     "Not even an option," she declared without hesitation, shooting
me a sharp glare.  "I chose you over them, and I stand by that -- no
matter what."

     It was quiet for a brief period, as we both stared at the school
building again.

     "I still miss them, though," she sighed quietly.  "Your father is
friendly, and your cute little sister ... and your mom is funny, even
if she _is_ a bit dull in the kitchen.  But isn't it human nature to
be greedy and want more than you have?"

     I couldn't help but recall thinking similar things -- just before
Haruhi re-entered my life and I _got_ what I wished for.  I wasn't
about to judge her for wanting to have her cake and eat it, too -- not
about that subject.

     "I don't know how to fix that," I admitted, frowning.  "I can
only hope that social attitudes are like a sandy beach -- the waves of
progress eventually change their shapes, and given enough time...."

     Haruhi heaved a gloomy sigh at that.  "I'll make enough over
summer break to get a real uniform," she said after a moment.  "And at
least then, I won't have to wear _this_ anymore," she added, pointing
at her skirt.

     "If it really bothers you, your friends are more than willing to
help you out," I suggested.  "And even if it took you a while to pay
it back, we wouldn't mind."  I already knew what answer she would
have, and could only shrug when she began shaking her head before I
finished.

     She pushed herself away from the wall she was leaning on,
smoothing the disliked skirt out.  "Behind that wall," she declared
very quietly, pointing past the gate.

     I followed her instructions without hesitation, mirroring her own
position; though we were inside, we were placed like gate guards at an
ancient daimyo's castle, weren't we?  As I stood at the ready, I heard
footsteps slapping against the pavement outside, a shadow crossing the
gate as a small figure froze on the walkway outside of the school.

     A figure that I realized must be Haruhi's younger self stepped
through, her long hair whipping about behind her as she stared between
myself and her older self in confusion.  This smaller figure's eyes
widened in alarm, and then narrowed in a scowl as she glared at us.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded in a voice that was slightly
higher pitched, and much haughtier.

     Knowing who she grew into, I couldn't help but find her younger
self adorable, despite that attitude.

     "Celebrating Tanabata, of course!" Haruhi answered without
hesitation, putting her hands on her hips.  "Now, are you going to
tell us what _you_ are doing here, or should we find if there's a
teacher at the front gatehouse?"

     The smaller Haruhi's glare sharpened.  "Fine," she snapped
tersely.  "But since you're here, you're going to help me do it," she
declared, sniffing and gesturing us to follow her.

     Haruhi nodding, falling into step.  "Of course, of course," she
agreed, smirking at her younger self.  I followed, but thinking of the
nature of things, didn't bother closing the gate afterward.

     Nodding decisively, the younger Haruhi sped off to a storage shed
ahead of us as Haruhi and I strolled forward sedately.  "What do you
remember me doing here, anyway?" I wondered.

     "More manual labor," the girl in the Kitago uniform answered,
smiling sweetly.  "Maybe you can think of perpetrating this crime for
my younger self as a way to repay your 'debt' to me?  In either case,
I get to work with you."

     "I'll probably always feel like I owe you, but I'd like that," I
admitted, even if I was puzzled by our undertaking.  By the time we
caught up with her, the somewhat breathless smaller Haruhi had managed
to successfully break into the equipment storage shed, and laboriously
hauled out the line-marker.

     The Haruhi at my side worked with me to haul bags of chalk out
and fill the thing -- before the smaller version of herself could bark
out the order to do so.  I could tell that she was put out, annoyed
that she had lost the opportunity.  "How do you know what to do?" she
asked me with a suspicious glare.

     "A good leader inspires others to follow," I answered with a
shrug.  She had a good question, but in reality, the older Haruhi
should have remembered what happened, so I just needed to follow her
example.

     "Well!" the smaller Haruhi declared, crossing her arms over her
chest.  "In that case, make the marks as I tell you!"

     "And why's that?" the amused older Haruhi asked her younger self.

     "So we can contact ... aliens, espers -- _something_ amazing!"
was the snapped back response.  "Why do you think?"

     "If Hikoboshi and Orihime are lonely, shouldn't we send them a
message to feel less alone?" Haruhi offered.

     The younger girl huffed, "Being alone has to be better than being
surrounded by boring people!"

     At my side, the older girl stiffened slightly -- her younger self
seemed to miss it, staring at me.

     "Don't you think so?" Haruhi's younger self demanded.

     "There have been times I'd be happier left alone and ignored than
the alternative," I answered honestly.  "But finding people you like
to be around is very, very important, too."

     The smaller Haruhi rolled her eyes.  "Let's get to work before it
gets dark!" she ordered.  "Okay, Gakuran," she said, nicknaming me
after my uniform.  "Move the line-marker to the corner over there."
She pointed imperiously, even while turning her face to her older
self.  "And you ... Ribbons," she decided, her pointing finger
sweeping out to follow her gaze, "stay halfway between us to pass
messages to Gakuran."

     "We'll switch out every so often, but fine," Haruhi agreed, as
her younger self climbed the steps that overlooked the field and
turned around.

     Haruhi relayed her younger counterpart's messages, though there
was no real need.  Her younger self had a loud enough voice that I
could hear it just fine, though it was amusing the way that Haruhi
dropped the imperious tones and was more polite about it.  Thanks to
her running interference, my impression of the younger Haruhi being
cute wasn't dimmed by her attitude in the slightest.

     When my arms began to tire after a few minutes because one of the
line marker's wheels didn't turn well, Haruhi ignored her younger
self's demands that we get back to work and switched out with me.  I
pacified the younger Haruhi, "If neither of us gets too tired, we'll
get the work done faster."

     Somehow, that did calm her.  As odd and amusing as the entire
task was, I was still quite tired by the time we were finished.  Even
with her seemingly boundless energy, the older Haruhi was all too
eager to join me on the steps as we surveyed our handiwork.  The
symbols were largely nonsense to me -- random squiggles that could
mean anything, really.  They made no sense to my mind, but I was
satisfied with the job we'd done anyway.

     Come to think of it, even if it were an entire school ago, hadn't
I been told by someone that Haruhi had drawn symbols like that on the
lawn?  How strange to think I was actually hearing about my own
exploits!  Of course, Haruhi had me entirely outdone, since _two_ of
her were involved in doing it!

     The older Haruhi smiled, nearly glowing despite her own evident
exertion, appreciating the end result.

     "Hey, Gakuran," the smaller girl suddenly piped up, breaking off
from her own study of the field as the sun set.

     I turned to regard her with one raised eyebrow.

     Thrusting her chin toward me, she haughtily demanded to know, "Do
you think there are aliens?"

     "Out there somewhere," I agreed, thinking of Haruhi's interest in them.

     "Espers?" she prompted, frowning.

     I tapped my chin.  "Probably," I mused.

     "Ribbons," she announced, frowning at her older self.  "What
about you?  Think there are time travelers?"

     "Must be," Haruhi answered without hesitation, still gazing at
the field.  "It'd be strange if it were just the two of us who ever
got to go back, wouldn't it?"

     The younger Haruhi in her casual clothes stared, eyes bulging
before they narrowed.

     "Of course, memories are traveling back in time, and anyone can
do that," Haruhi added.  "We all move forward through time, too -- but
more than that?  Jumping forward and backward in time?"

     "Yes, _stupid_," the younger girl snapped.

     Haruhi only laughed, though I had to frown slightly.  Would
Haruhi judge herself so harshly?

     "Not sure if they're ready for us to know about them yet," the
older one decided after a thoughtful pause.  "They would have to be
very careful about what they did, possibly even only visiting their
own pasts!  But anyway, you don't just find those amazing _beings_
first."

     "Well, you find them and play with them, of course!" the younger
agreed, placing her hands on her hips.  "What's the point in _just_
finding them?"

     "I mean, before you find amazing beings, you have to find amazing
_people_," Haruhi gently corrected her younger self.

     "Somewhere," the younger girl said doubtfully.  "And where do you
find them, anyway?"

     "Well, speaking personally, _I_ found the most amazing person I
know at the school this uniform is from," Haruhi explained, gesturing
at her Kitago outfit.

     I hoped the flush on my face would be attributed to the heat.
"Well, I know I met the most amazing person I know there, too," I
managed to offer.

     "What's your name, anyway?" the younger Haruhi asked me suspiciously.

     "He's John Smith," Haruhi supplied, smirking.  "I'm Sarah Jane."

     The smaller girl's expression turned flat and unimpressed at that
answer, even when I shrugged helplessly beneath her gaze, as if to
say, "There you have it!"

     "Then what are you?" the younger girl prompted.  "Brother and
sister?"  Grimacing with distaste, she added, "Boyfriend and
girlfriend?"

     Haruhi's lyrical laugh and shake of her head were the first
response, followed by the older girl's, "Some day, you'll find out for
certain!"

     Snorting, the younger girl pointedly turned her face away with an
exaggerated toss of her hair, and stared at the symbol on the lawn for
a long moment.  With surprising suddenness, she abruptly announced,
"I'm going now!" and jogged down the steps.

     Haruhi sighed as she watched the younger version of her vanish
through the gate.  "I wonder now," she said slowly.  "Why did we get
to come back here?  And what happens next, anyway?"

     "Are you happy with what we've done so far?" I wondered.  "We had
grand plans, even if we haven't finished them.  But maybe we still
have time?  Lottery numbers, changing things at Kitago...."

     She shook her head.  "It's unique enough getting to meet your
past self," she mused slowly.  "And I think ... thanks to both of us
getting this one-of-a-kind opportunity, we've gotten a chance to say
things we might not have figured out how to otherwise, haven't we?"

     I couldn't deny _that_.  "True enough," I agreed, spreading my
hands in a shrug.

     "It's probably shameless to say, but that smaller and younger me
was kind of cute," Haruhi sighed.

     "In a way," I had to agree.  "You know, long hair really suited you."

     She looked at me curiously, her expression falling slightly.
"You liked that more?" she wondered.

     There was no point in lying; wasn't the point that we _were_
being honest with one-another?  "Well, you look fine the way you are,
too," I said with a shrug.  "Hair is just an accessory, isn't it?  You
can change your hat, or your clothes....  And even if you can't, I
admire the person behind it more than I appreciate just the surface
values.  You don't judge me for the unwanted accessory of my past,
after all.  Don't I owe you the same?"

     "Ah...."  She smiled and shook her head, seeming to steel
herself.  "What--  What I'm really saying is that I really ... really
like you," Haruhi managed, her face red.  "But I think that even if
you play dumb, you already know that."

     "Guilty as charged," I admitted after a hesitant pause, smiling
weakly.  The mood was getting heavy, though.  She was _right_, but
wasn't this moving too quickly?  Regarding the fruit of our labor, I
tried to change the subject.  "What is the symbol, anyway?" I asked.
"It doesn't look like any language I know."

     "It....  It was a message.  When I was the smaller me, I thought
it was to Hikoboshi and Orihime, but now that I'm the one who drew it,
I think it's different," Haruhi explained, hopping to her feet and
stretching her arms over her head.  "I wanted to tell them that I
wasn't satisfied and wanted to join them.

     "Now, though, I know that the message wasn't just for them.  I
wanted someone to recognize me -- to see to the _real_ me, and not
just look at me as 'another boring human.'  The message was, 'I am
here!'"

     She took a deep breath and turned to face me.  "But stop trying
to avoid the subject -- the one I'm _really_ happiest to send that
message to is the one right beside me.  That smaller me may not
remember this clearly, but that doesn't matter as much, since I
understand why it happens -- and that it's because it's something we
both want," she concluded, her smile radiant.  I was drawn to my feet
by her expression, hopeful, happy, and the faintest shade melancholy.

     I don't know that I'd ever received such a compliment -- or that
_anyone_ had, in reality.  In all honesty, I felt that eclipsed even
the mysterious circumstances of our time travel -- and I suspected
that she felt the same way, since she was still regarding _me_, and
not trying to puzzle out how we'd gotten there.

     Haruhi laughed again and stepped closer, clasping my hands in
hers, and holding them between us.  She hesitated a moment, and I
wondered what she had in mind.  Even if I couldn't -- if I didn't have
the courage in the real world, just like she said -- here....  So,
everything that happened before 'had' to for some reason?  I wasn't
sure I understood that, but I did like the idea of having more
freedom.  Aside from that, I felt I owed her ... but I could
understand if she honestly said she didn't care.  Debt aside, she'd
been right on the mark; I _did_ feel that way about her, didn't I?

     It was a bit scary, really, both moving so fast _and_ somehow
moving through time -- but Haruhi was right, in the end.  I wanted it
too much to try and fight now, myself; despite my anxiety, well ...
for her, and I suppose _because_ of her, I succumbed.

     Her eyes drifted shut as my face neared hers.  Her face tilted
back, and very gently as my own eyes closed, our lips touched.  Her
hands released mine as she gently hugged me, and my own arms went
about her....  Was this okay?  Were we rushing carelessly ahead?

     Perhaps, I was simply overthinking things?  I couldn't really
keep all those thoughts in my head, though--  I mostly could only
think of _her_.  The contact was sweet and lingering, Haruhi in my
arms as she had been before once, when we reunited at Hikami Gakuen,
but the instant we parted....

     As if in response to my anxiety, well ... everything went dark.

     The next moment, I was cursing as I crashed to the floor, tangled
in my blankets and disoriented.  I spent a minute to realize where I
was before cursing even more; I wasn't frequently given to the habit,
but it felt more than warranted!

     Something _that_ absurdly strange and self-indulgent couldn't
really have happened, could it?  I grumbled for long minutes in a
collapsed heap on my floor, too irate to even clamber back into my
bed.  Time traveling?  Just for the sake of Haruhi confessing to me?

     Yeah, _right_!

     As if either of us could just dismiss what I owed her so casually!

     If my subconscious had a physical form at that point, I might
have to swat it for that!

     As realistic as it was, such a fantasy had clearly been a dream.
After a few minutes, I sighed and climbed back into my bed to eke out
what sleep I could, emotionally exhausted enough that I felt I had
actually done an evening of work instead of idling.

     While I seldom recalled my dreams, I had a sense that one would
stick with me for a long time -- possibly even forever!

     ***


--
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/