Kyon -- Big Damn Hero: Thus Solving The Problem Forever

Disclaimer: The novel series of Suzumiya Haruhi that began with 'The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi' is the creation of Nagaru Tanigawa. No disrespect is intended by the posting of this fanfiction, as I do not own the characters or settings involved. I'm merely dabbling with another set of paints. TVtropes(dot)org is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License (and it's possible that this fic technically is, too; seems fair to me). Additional characters are borrowed from Higurashi, which is the creation of Ryukishi07.

"Fragment: Clan Annals (unverified)"

"Entry for 5.16.2011:
Civility is the prized, fading, heart of proper criminals. But there's this bad impression that somehow, it just won't work as neatly as it feels it should have.
-- Tsu-Oyabun # 108"

"[Undecipherable]" -- Recovered From Primary T.E.S.A. Archive

After watching an almost terminally cute first six episodes of the anime, Haruhi realized that Kanae had fallen asleep. Even though she was (somewhat embarrassing to admit) really enjoying the show, she knew an opportunity when she saw one. Tsuruya had noticed it as well, and was grinning even wider than usual. The tall girl looked almost catty with amusement -- but held herself still, somehow. While Yurie dragged herself across the floor of her family's living room on the screen and moaned about the heat, Haruhi gave Yuki a sharp look, jerking her head the tiniest distance in a nod.

Her face not turning, Yuki's eyes met Haruhi's. She blinked for a moment, and Haruhi wondered if the 'connection' she had with Yuki was strong enough to send specific thoughts.... She'd considered the possibility before -- it seemed reasonable to her, anyway. And, come to think of it, Yuki could get a clue just from whatever changes she tried to make. Of course, lately, Haruhi had been restraining herself -- barely. She really wanted to make specific changes, but it was a pain to need Yuki to translate, and then Kyon to allow it.... Plus, she'd gotten to be part of the force that would preserve Mikuru's excellent gift to Kyon.

Still, if she formed a request, the quiet girl should pick it up -- and she'd gotten her attention already anyway. Yuki blinked once, then turned toward Koizumi and opened the bag at his side, pulling the digital camera out and holding it up on one flat palm. Haruhi concentrated, and the camera lifted the slightest distance and drifted toward her, ducking around the edge of the couch from Kyon's view until it reached her hands.

She'd long ago memorized all of the controls by hand, but checked with a quick glance anyway to make sure there was still space. The card didn't have many pictures on it yet, so she nonchalantly rose from the couch during a slow point. As the characters on screen retreated into an abandoned house to escape the rain, she snapped a shot of Kyon in passing, then a quick handful of follow ups. She took the first one before he had time to react, but was quick enough that his reaction was merely a confused blink, until she had caught two more pictures, before he suddenly flinched back in confusion, looking from side-to-side.

Tsuruya was barely holding in her laughter when Kyon realized that Kanae had fallen asleep against him. Haruhi remembered the pose from late night in Hinamizawa, when Kyon's sister had fallen asleep against him on the couch the same way. As with that time, he'd absently put an arm around her, just as he'd unknowingly done with Kanae. The next shot was his double-take at the camera in Haruhi's hand, further stunned amazement.

His face turning dark red in realization covered the next three quickly snapped frames. "I...it's not what it looks like," he said defensively.

"Um, um, Kanae-chan didn't sleep well last night!" Mikuru said hurriedly, looking nervously between Kyon and Haruhi. "S...she's just tired!" Beside Kyon, Tsuruya finally exploded into laughter, clapping her hands over her mouth to try and restrain herself.

Yuki turned toward the pair and watched, tilting her head to one side curiously as Haruhi finished taking pictures. "Er, it's just..." Kyon tried lamely. "I mean...."

"This is the perfect kind of picture for our scrapbook!" Haruhi said excitedly, wrestling to keep her own voice low, and trying to avoid disturbing the slider. "These are the memories we want to store forever and always be able to look back on!" Kanae mumbled something incomprehensible in her sleep and curled up more closely with Kyon, turning her face into his side. Reflexively snapping more pictures, Haruhi decided, "Dozens of scrapbooks! Some day we'll have a whole library of them!"

Koizumi coughed very quietly. "Michikyuu-san is like a sister to you, Kyon-kun?" he suggested.

Well, Haruhi wouldn't have minded curling up with Kyon herself, but not with quite so many witnesses. She realized that was probably a little bit hypocritical, but felt that the extreme cuteness of the slider at that moment made up for it.

"Huh?" Kanae mumbled, sitting up sleepily and rubbing at her eyes. Face still somewhat red, Kyon quickly reclaimed his arm, looking steadfastly at the screen as Haruhi snapped a picture of Tsuruya, who gave up trying to muffle her laughter and just guffawed openly, clinging to Kyon for support. "Wha...?" Kanae managed, looking over at the older girl and trying to blink away her sleepiness. "Did I miss something?"

"Nothing much," Haruhi assured her, reclaiming her seat. Tsuruya slowly subsided to merely chuckling loudly, straightening up.

When Kanae turned a questioning gaze on him, Kyon just scratched the back of his neck and studiously examined the ceiling.

"Check these pictures out," Haruhi suggested, sending the camera to float back to Yuki across the distance between the couches. "Koizumi-kun, go ahead and restart the episode."

"It's okay, if you're tired. But next week you're going to have to be at full energy! We have next Saturday off from school, so we're going to have a bigger event for the SOS Brigade!"

"I'm kind of liking this event," Kyon said, before Koizumi gave him a strange look. "Er, that is ... I'm really enjoying this anime."

"You're just being lazy, and like to lounge around all day on the couch," Haruhi countered. "But it's okay to have this kind of activity, too, once in a while."

"I don't mind this kind of thing, either," Mikuru managed. "Um, the show is quite cute, I think."

"It has an interesting story," Koizumi agreed. "Honestly, however, I find the male lead's obliviousness to the female lead's romantic interest somewhat frustrating and over-emphasized." Haruhi thought Koizumi was trying to stress the last statement, for some reason.

She couldn't fathom why, but thought the rest of the show worked despite that. "It's cute," Haruhi disagreed. "I think it's better to have a relationship slowly grow; it seems to me to be more realistic than the typical quickly-resolved romance plots! Plus, I'm pretty sure that he's just playing really really dumb because he doesn't want to hurt her feelings, considering how easily she's embarrassed." The male lead was too competent to actually be that clueless.

"Hehe, now would be a good time to breaks for lunch," Tsuruya said, her laughter finally under control. "Why don't we pause the anime here?"

Nodding enthusiastically, Haruhi exclaimed, "Great idea! We can decide on an activity for next weekend while we eat!"

Even though she had dozed off through almost half of the anime, Kanae ended up thinking it was fun to watch. She felt a little embarrassed about falling asleep and having her picture taken, especially since Haruhi had only grinned knowingly and refused to show her the pictures when she had asked about it.

Had she drooled, or had something scribbled on her face in marker? She hoped not.... For some reason, her sempai had looked a bit embarrassed, too. Surely it couldn't be that she had said something she shouldn't have in her sleep?

Whatever it was, Haruhi and the other girls seemed amused by it, so she supposed it must not have been that bad. It was kind of reassuring, actually, for her friends to be aware of the possible troubles they might face, and be so cheerful anyway. After a filling lunch, the rest of the brigade focused on the anime, which gave her more time to consider the idea of trying to stay in one world for an extended length of time and fight....

It was still scary, but she had her sempai, and he seemed confident in the other members of the SOS Brigade. Now, at least, she could admit to herself that she was scared, instead of blindly scrambling to escape.... It also didn't hurt that there had been a breakthrough while practicing with Yuki the previous night. For the first time since she'd started trying to practice with the others, she felt like she had significantly improved.

Admittedly, she still couldn't actually try it, yet, but she felt strangely more confident that she'd have better control over it. A few more practice sessions like that, and she was certain she'd be able to slide even better. For some reason, it felt more tiring than it had previously, almost as though her sliding left her hauling herself through significantly more resistance. She wondered briefly if she was gaining weight, then decided that probably wasn't it. At least, she hoped it wasn't -- she couldn't afford to diet with as much as she felt her body needed to develop!

Even so, by the time Monday rolled around and she'd gotten the chance to practice again, she was eerily even more confident. Was it a side-effect of the anchor that Yuki had established? Was it helping her out in some way they'd just never tried before? She supposed it made a small degree of sense ... only when there were limits in place could she be more cognizant of what it was she was trying to do. Without the anchor she had merely flailed around; now that she could feel distinct limitations, she had a better understanding of what it was that she was trying to do.

She waited by a pillar in the train station for her sempai, a bit nervous when a tall second year boy with slicked-back hair approached her. "You're Michikyuu Kanae-chan, right?" he asked, giving her a grin, hands in his pockets.

"Y...yes," she managed timidly, nodding. The last time a male upperclassman aside from her sempai or Koizumi had tried to talk to her, it had become quite frightening....

"Hey," Yanagimoto protested, punching the boy's shoulder playfully as she emerged from the crowds departing another train, "what did I tell you about flirting with younger girls?" Kanae blinked for a moment, before she remembered Yanagimoto from a onetime visit to the SOS Brigade clubroom, while they were still having meetings during lunch.

"Ouch!" he protested, rubbing his shoulder and giving the girl a look of feigned hurt. "Why, Yanagimoto-hime, you wound me!" he cried. "To think so little of me...."

"Save it, Taniguchi-baka," she retorted, rolling her eyes, but unable to keep from grinning at his act. Her face suddenly flashed to an alarmed grimace. "Did ... we just do that horribly overly cute 'couple introduction' thing?"

"I don't know about overly cute," Taniguchi replied, giving a somewhat rakish grin. "But I'll accept it for the purposes of 'couple'!"

Kanae tried not to giggle. She didn't know these students well, but that seemed friendly enough. They almost seemed like they were practicing a comedy sketch. Another unfamiliar boy emerged from the crowd, somewhat short, about the same height as Yanagimoto. "Good morning," he said to the pair. "You seem in very good spirits today, Taniguchi."

"Morning," Taniguchi returned. "Anyway, Kunikida, Yanagimoto-hime, this underclassman is Michikyuu Kanae-chan; she's the one that Kyon rescued from Ryuguu Ryo."

"Oh!" Yanagimoto exclaimed, eyes widening. "That's right; you're in the club with Kyon, aren't you? I didn't realize you were also the first year girl he had saved!"

"That's me," Kanae agreed, nodding her face red. Was that her reputation around the school? The girl her sempai had saved? Well, that did make sense.... "Are you by chance ... Sempai's classmates?"

"Of course!" she exclaimed, nodding. "Because that's who he is! And 'Kyon' isn't his name."

"Lucky dog," Taniguchi mumbled. Yanagimoto absently stomped on the toes of one of his feet. "Ah! Hey! It's true, you know; Kyon is lucky! Not as lucky as me, but lucky!"

"Oh?" Haruhi's voice came, before she stepped around the pillar. She eyed Taniguchi warily. "Hey there, Kanae-chan. Is this stal-- uh, student bothering you?"

Stiffening the moment she heard Haruhi's voice, Yanagimoto said, "I'm keeping him on a short leash." Forcing herself to meet the other girl's eyes, she managed to falteringly say, "S...so...."

Glancing across the boys, the brigade chief crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh-ho. Good morning, everyone.... So, Yanagimoto, are you still upset about the rhythmic gymnastics club thing?"

Yanagimoto's face reddened. "Not so much, Suzumiya," she managed. "Your abilities serve your club better than they would mine." She elbowed Taniguchi in the ribs, adding, "Anyway, as you can see, I'm doing penance for my misdeeds."

"Don't go overboard," Haruhi added, giving a bright smile, rivaled only in luminosity by Tsuruya's eternal grin.

"I'll make it up to you," Yanagimoto said, giving the boy a small smile and relaxing a tiny bit. "How about dinner at my place this Friday? At around seven?"

"Bold!" Haruhi remarked, dropping her hands to her hips as she took an appraising look at Yanagimoto.

"Hell, yeah!" Taniguchi cried eagerly, pumping one fist in the air. "Totally worth it!"

"Are you two rehearsing for a comedy sketch?" Kunikida asked, eyes narrowed and looking away in annoyance.

"I know, I thought the same thing!" Kanae said, giggling. "S...sorry, sorry -- I shouldn't say things like that!"

"Hey, live life dramatically," Taniguchi replied, adjusting his tie, "if you got it ... flaunt it!"

"I'll pass up on the obvious one, for now," his girlfriend added. "I think we're alienating Kunikida-kun."

"It's hard not to be a bit melancholic," the shorter boy said with a wry grimace. "I suppose it's somewhat expected during spring, though, isn't it? That's what they say, anyway ... it's the springtime of youth and you'll only enjoy it once, so make the most of it." He shrugged, abruptly shaking his head and adding, "Well, never mind me; I'll go on ahead." He forced a smile, bowing before trotting away from the station.

"Ah, he's got a point about getting to school, though," Taniguchi sighed, raising one hand in a semi-salute to Haruhi and Kanae. "Can't hang around forever."

"See you in class," Yanagimoto added as she bowed her farewell, before the pair walked away.

"I guess so," the older girl admitted, still grinning as she turned to watch another train arrive. "Hmm ... Kanae-chan, there's something I'd like to talk about with you after school."

"Well, something like that," Haruhi allowed, as the boy they awaited stepped off the train and walked toward them. As he drew into hearing range, Haruhi added, "But Kyon, here, needs to study, because there's two tests this week, and he's got a ninety percent or better quota!"

"Awesome," he remarked dryly, nodding at the brigade chief. "Good morning, Haruhi, Kanae-chan."

Haruhi snorted and hitched her bag higher on her shoulder. "Do you want to risk missing out on this weekend's activity?" she challenged.

"No," he acknowledged, as Haruhi and Kanae fell into step on either side of him, trooping up the hill together. "I'm looking forward to going to the beach, since it's really starting to heat up. A good idea for something borrowed from the anime we watched."

Haruhi looked like she was about to spout something out as a retort, but caught herself. Instead, she said, "You missed the show, but your friend Taniguchi seems to be dating Yanagimoto, now. They're a funny couple."

"He actually got a steady girlfriend?" the boy mused. "I knew they had a date ... but they seem to be lasting?"

Sticking his hands into his coat pockets, her sempai sighed, nodding. "Well, I can't deny that," he admitted. "I guess it does explain why I haven't heard much out of him lately. Actually, come to think of it, I'm surprised Kunikida hasn't complained about it by now."

Kanae glanced to Haruhi in time to see the older girl glancing back at her, offering a knowing smirk.

At lunch, Kyon watched Haruhi bustle out of the classroom in her accustomed manner, but not before dropping an extra bento at his desk. His mother was at least up to her usual standard, but Haruhi's cooking was a pleasant bonus ... and spending all night training with Yuki to better understand her solution to him being able to jump thirty meters had been intense. He was cultivating an ability to ignore things, and set that ability on the previous night's training with a vengeance.

He had delicious food, and probably enough of it; for the time being, that was good enough. Kunikida moved a desk to sit next to him, commenting, "We haven't chatted in a while. How are you doing, Kyon?"

"Left to my own quite a bit, recently. I'm going to a cram school, now. I tested against Sasaki recently, as it turns out; I almost beat her when we compared scores." He nodded thoughtfully, setting down his bento. "I think I can get a better result than her next time, for certain."

Kyon raised an eyebrow and nodded back at his classmate, uncertain of how to really feel. For some reason, he thought he felt the slightest bit ... annoyed by it. He munched on the steamed vegetables from the bento Haruhi had made him, until he was interrupted by Tsuruya calling him out from the hallway. "Ya-hoo~! Kyon-kun~!" She waved one hand at him.

"Ah, sorry, I'll be back in a minute," he apologized, feeling very slightly guilty for abandoning his friend, but mostly just not patient enough to listen to the other boy complain. After all, Kunikida hadn't gotten shot the week before.

"Hey, Tsuruya-kun," he said, nodding in greeting as he stepped into the hallway. As usual, he was unable to keep from catching at least some of her infectious good cheer, and found himself smiling easily before she could lead him away from the doorway, where they could be overheard.

"Heya, Kyon-kun, you busy tonight?" she asked in a low voice. "I checked with Haru-nyan earliers, and she said she didn't mind letting us skip the club meetings to take care of some business. Since she was with us last time, I'd likes to invite Nagato-chi, too!"

"Yeah, I think my parents are a bit scared of your father," he said with a dry chuckle, spreading his hands in a shrug. "My father mentioned that I owed your father for the hospital stay, so, no complaints from me." Though, even if he did owe them, Tsuruya had paid him last week, just like she had every week since the first time he'd done work for her. He had decided he was better off not asking about that for the time being, though.

It also didn't hurt that he'd been incentivized by one of the most amazing happenings since he'd joined the SOS Brigade:

He hadn't been required to cover any brigade expenses from his own pocket in weeks.

He made a mental note that he really should try to find time to spend some of that money on something; without any better ideas, he'd been depositing it in the account his mother had made him set up.

"Did you ask Nagato, or do you think I should?" he wondered, realizing that he was distracting himself.

"Could you?" Tsuruya asked, flashing him a grin and clasping her hands together pleadingly. "You knows, I don't think she has a cell phone?"

"I think you're right," he agreed. Not that she probably couldn't just send him a message directly if she wanted to. "Anyway," he continued, glancing around to check for eavesdroppers, "what are we going to be doing, if you can give me a hint?"

"Formal meetings," she replied quickly. "Us, my father, and some of those fellows we've previously had trouble with. They want to apologize for last week's incident."

He nodded, actually a tiny bit surprised about that. Well, Tsuruya's father would be there, so hopefully he could get by with just following the large man's lead.

"Shoe lockers," she said with a decisive nod, before waving. "See you there~!" she called out, skipping away with one last smile over her shoulder at him.

He smirked, turning away and going the other direction, to the club room. He knocked cautiously on the door, surprised when an unexpected yet familiar voice called, "Come in~!"

Cracking the door open cautiously, he peeked in to see Mikuru's older self, beaming him a bright smile from where she stood next to the computer. As seemed to be her policy when Mikuru's older self was around, Yuki wasn't anywhere in sight. Coughing politely, Kyon stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. "Um, hello, Asahina-san. I, er ... just came by to ask Nagato if she wanted to come with Tsuruya-kun and myself to another, er ... ninkyo dantai ... gathering. But, come to think of it, I'm guessing you actually already knew that," he added, cautiously smiling at the woman.

Mikuru giggled, her fingers laced together. She pushed her hands down, which had a very interesting effect when her arms squeezed her chest, incidentally causing some buttons on her white button-up shirt to strain. Her leaning toward him accentuated the effects, pulling his gaze into it like a gravity well attracted matter. "Well, there is something that needs our attention, but I'm actually here a bit early; I made an unreasonable request for a personal reason!" she answered.

"W...what's that?" he wondered. Despite how much trouble it was going to mean for him, he had a zero percent success rate resisting the woman if she tried to kiss him.

"You're still keeping a certain picture of me, right?" she asked, winking. "I'd love to see it for myself again~!"

"U...uh," he managed, feeling his face reddening. That picture had never been mentioned between himself and the younger Mikuru, outside of her e-mail to him. "Y...you didn't save a copy?" he asked.

She stuck her tongue out and mimed a blow to her head. "I ... lost my own copy," she admitted. "I could ask Tsu-chan, but I'd rather ask you; she might not like keeping me a secret from my younger self."

"R...right," he managed. So awkward.... Trying not to think about it too hard, he pulled his shiny new cell phone slash PDA from his pocket. As Yuki said, it had learned, upgrading its OS a handful of times already in the day he owned it. The touchscreen read his thumbprint, and he nervously sorted through his pictures until reaching the folder with his most precious images. He froze, fingertip poised to open the directory.

The older Mikuru had probably not intended to distract him, but in her amazingly seductively innocent way, had walked behind him to peek over his shoulder. Even if she was a tiny bit taller than her younger self, she was still shorter than him; the side of her face pressed against his shoulder, and one arm went around him, while amazing, pillowy softness was pressing into his back. "I'm liable to forget what I'm doing," he managed, his voice almost cracking.

Mikuru gave him what was probably meant to be a reassuring squeeze. "Let me see~!" she simpered. "I'd be sad if you didn't have it anymore!"

Swallowing, his mind fuzzy, Kyon opened the picture, glancing at her to try and determine her thoughts.

"Ah!" she gasped, blushing at the picture of her younger self nervously smiling at the camera in skimpy lingerie. "Hehe, I used to be so cute~!" She pressed herself against Kyon more tightly, sighing, before she released him and he regained some ability to think. He quickly hid the picture; after all, her older self was right there.

He was positive his face was glowing red. She merely looked very pleased with herself, and maybe the tiniest bit melancholy. Suddenly, she cocked her head slightly to one side. "Do you like that picture, Kyon-kun?" she asked.

"Er, yeah, of course," he mumbled. "It.... I mean, I shouldn't have kept those other pictures in the first place, but letting me know that you didn't really mind so much, like this...." He shrugged. "So, aside from the obvious, it has some meaning to me."

She smiled warmly. "I'm glad for that, Kyon-kun." Shaking her head, she looked at the costume rack, now with the extra items that her younger self had started making. Reaching out, she let her fingertips trail across Kanae's 'stewardess' costume.

Still feeling a little dizzy from the unexpectedly ... soft yet firm contact, Kyon took a seat at the table and flipped through the PDA's menus until he found an appointment book. "Ah ... well, I don't mind talking with you, Asahina-san," he said, looking at her curiously. "What is it that brings you here, though?"

"Actually," Mikuru answered, giving him a bright smile, "it's not something for right now ... it's for later this evening. Something important has been left undone for quite some time, don't you think?"

"Back to that fateful Sunday?" he asked. "When ... this latest bit of strangeness happened?"

"That's right!" she said, clasping her hands together beneath her chin. "I'm glad you didn't forget!"

"I do try.... I'm surprised you didn't leave a note for me in my shoe locker, like you used to, though."

"You're too much of a celebrity, these days," she said with a wink. "But, that's fine; I got to send you notes first!"

He wasn't really sure what to say to that, so managed a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his head and looking away. Mikuru took the seat opposite him, humming thoughtfully.

"Oh, Kyon-kun," she said suddenly, giving him an incredibly wistful gaze. "You remember the advice I gave you, right?"

Her smile widened and she nodded happily. "That's right," she agreed. Her smile faded. "I wish I could spend more time with you, because.... Ah, but, never mind that for now. I'll find you later tonight, after your meeting."

"At least I know that will go well," he commented, smiling weakly at her as she rose from her seat.

"Oh?" she squeaked, looking alarmed. "I didn't mean to let anything slip! I don't want to risk changing things; really, I wanted to try coming to give you a little reassurance before--" She cut herself off and looked sharply away. "Um, um.... So, I'll see you later tonight, Kyon-kun, okay?"

Her lovely, mature features had suddenly adopted a nearly panicked expression much more like her younger self. "Right, later tonight," he agreed, making a note on his PDA. "I don't suppose you know where Nagato is?"

"Huh? You said-- Er, um, yes! She should be along shortly, so...." She shook her head, collecting herself. "Ah, never mind that, Kyon-kun. Let me give you something nice, though, okay?"

He had the time it took her to walk around the table to prepare himself, finding himself rising to his feet involuntarily. She giggled, pausing just near him. "Oh, Kyon-kun ... I don't have a shouta complex, but for you, well...." He was so disarmed by the last comment, his resolve failed him, and she planted another one of those electrifying kisses on his lips, leaving him feeling lightheaded.

She pulled away from him, giggling again. "You're so cute~!" she whispered, giving him a hug. It had another, interestingly mind-blurring effect as her body slid next to his, her lips pursed near his head, her warm breath tickling his ear. "Take care, Kyon-kun."

Somehow, she had once again stunned him with her feminine wiles. One of these times -- one of these times -- he was going to manage to get a word in edgewise. But something about the older Mikuru's.... Well, it wasn't just her body (though, that didn't hurt), or the fact that she still acted enough like her younger self that he could recognize her (though, that didn't hurt, either), or the fact that she'd asked specifically to see a picture of her younger self practically naked (that last one had really thrown him for a loop). Something about how much better she seemed to know him, though....

When he finally came back to his senses, standing next to the table, Yuki was standing before him, gazing up curiously into his eyes.

"U...um," he managed, jerking himself to stand up straight, one hand going to the back of his neck reflexively. "Er.... Hello, Nagato."

"A kiss," she remarked. "Asahina Mikuru's time divergent alternate appears to possess great skill at this."

"Y...yeah," he agreed, sighing. "Huh, I wonder how she got so good at it?" Though he realized that was a stupid question the moment he asked it. For all he knew, the younger Mikuru was just as good at it; he hadn't tried, so he wouldn't know. The secondary realization that he probably shouldn't casually discuss this with Yuki came up next.

He looked at her, worried he might have irritated her, but her expression hadn't changed much, save to look slightly ... amused? Was her sense of humor still developing? "That information is classified," she answered.

"R...right," he allowed, chuckling. Something else he was better off not thinking about. "Um, anyway, sorry to bother you; I actually came to ask you if you would mind terribly coming with Tsuruya-kun and I for a meeting tonight. It has to do with those ... fellows we fought last time. Will you come with us?"

She nodded before she reached one hand up with slow deliberation, her fingers pinching the fabric of his lapel and tugging on it gently. He started, reminded of the timid nature of her alternate self ... was that ... maybe ... a real part of her?

"Er, yeah, I think so," he agreed quickly, feeling his face warm up as he nodded vigorously. "Um.... But why do you ask?" Maybe girls just liked to hear that from time to time...?

Her fingertips released his lapel and traced across his coat, to his sleeve, only stopping when she was touching his PDA. Her head tilted back slightly, and she suddenly looked very expectant. "D...do you want ... me to kiss you?" he asked, suddenly realizing what she might be after.

Well, he thought, as long as Haruhi didn't choose that moment to kick the door open.... He leaned forward and kissed Yuki, marveling in the contact. He didn't really want to try and compare it directly to Mikuru's older self, and her kiss, but it was unavoidable. They were different, but he knew immediately that labeling one 'better' would be a mistake.

Where Mikuru's older self conveyed a strange, electrifying ... something he couldn't quite name, Yuki's gentle kiss, waiting until he pressed against her to reciprocate.... They were matched, and the part he knew was going to damn him to that special hell he was dreading was that he thought it was at the same level as Haruhi's own mutually awkward and somewhat rough, but genuine kiss.

Eventually, he managed to break the contact, his breath short. Yuki blinked up at him, her eyes warm, and he gave her a smile, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. "Eight minutes remain before the next period," she noted, before he could speak. "Your lunch is waiting."

He staggered back a half step, eyes widening. He'd completely forgotten! He'd just abandoned Kunikida and his lunch to chat with Tsuruya, before ... distractions had come up. "Sorry!" he yelped, scrambling over his chair and out of the room.

The plan wasn't perfect, but it would get things done. Strangely, that felt true of a lot of her projects lately, though. For whatever reason, she felt that her ability to make her goals happen had just been limited somehow. Well, that was fine, in the grand scheme of things. She couldn't help but think that meant lately everything she'd achieved had been genuinely earned, not just given to her because she wanted it.

She couldn't imagine that she'd make a good role model if her defining attribute was that she was just handed what she wanted.

So, even though Yuki and Tsuruya weren't going to be there, Haruhi was going to have a chance to talk to Kanae ... about Kyon. Though, when she stopped to think about it, things would probably be much easier for the smaller girl with fewer people around. She did seem to get nervous and embarrassed easily.

That all aside, she still felt entitled to a personal morale boost, especially since she hadn't gotten a minute alone with Kyon since the hospital. Even though she had walked home with him after school, there were really too many witnesses around....

She'd let Mikuru and Koizumi know that club was canceled for the day, and when Kyon finished putting his own things in his bag, she struck. Martial skill or not, she was able to seize his tie and give a sharp tug, spinning on one heel to charge to her favorite quiet corner of the school.

"Not again," he managed, prompting an amused titter from the surrounding classmates before he fell into step behind her, preventing the tie from becoming taut in her hands until she stopped, intentionally forcing him to a halt on the step below the final landing.

Their faces were level, so before he could say anything else, she tugged sharply on his tie, leaning close to him. "I didn't get a chance to do this since you were in the hospital," she announced, pulling him close. She'd been aiming for a tender kiss, but her haste left her feeling a bit awkward as she clumsily mashed her lips against his.

He pulled the slightest distance away from her and then abruptly kissed her back. She had the strangest feeling that, for whatever reason, he was much better at it than she was. When the kiss finally broke, she was embarrassed to be leaning against him heavily, almost panting for breath. Well, that was better than most of her dreams of kissing him, that much was certain. Plus, she had to admit, the idea of sneaking around, doing such a thing at school.... It was a bit of a cliche, but the prospect of possibly being caught was kind of exciting.

He was straining for breath, too, until she remembered to release his tie. Maybe she shouldn't do that so much, she realized. While he adjusted his tie, she pulled her handkerchief from her pocket and hurriedly wiped her lips. "S...so," she managed, her face warm, and still feeling lightheaded, "um...."

She stared at him, her mouth dropping open in surprise at the realization that she had, before she abruptly remembered. "Don't take that superior attitude!" she protested. "Really! You can only stun me for a few rounds, at best!"

Why did he have to make this all so difficult, part of her wanted to despair, while the rest of her wanted to glomp onto him and see if the next kiss would be just as--

She coughed, trying to shoot him a sharp look, completely ruined by her blush. "Sometimes you can be kind of cute yourself," she muttered. "A...anyway, we both have important things to take care of today, but...." She took a deep breath and forced herself to meet his eyes. "I just wanted to ... let you know that I was really worried when you got hurt. And, um, that I care about you, so...."

She steeled himself for his snarky retort, but in response, after shifting his feet, he cupped her cheek in one hand and gave her a small, earnest smile. "Thank you, Haruhi," he said with grave solemnity. "I don't know what I've done to deserve it, but I appreciate that. And you know that I care about you, too."

Obviously she did know, but an occasional reminder went a long way. "Good," she managed, barely more than a breath. More loudly, raising a hand to trace her fingertips across Kyon's, she added, "Just ... make sure you care about the rest of ... um ... the brigade, too. It seems they're the ones who need your help more than I do, really."

She hesitated, realizing she could clarify.... When she thought about it, though, maybe it would be too much pressure for Kyon. She just needed to make sure that he didn't fall for her so hard that he forgot about the others. Perhaps at some point she could ask him when he'd gotten so good at kissing....

"A...anyway, Tsuruya-san is waiting for you," she said, nervously smoothing out her skirt. "You've got a bunch of nifty power-ups, so I expect a dramatic report afterward! You'd better take good care of her and Yuki-chan -- and you will be in so much trouble if you get hurt! I'm warning, you, don't you dare!"

He chuckled, saluting her before dashing down the stairs. She took an additional minute to fan her face before shaking her head and marching toward the clubroom, where Kanae would be waiting. She reached the clubhouse corridor in time to see Kanae standing before the door, the president of the computer research society standing opposite her, chatting about something.

As she came into range, she caught him explaining, "...which we hope will beat the previous year's game in popularity. Anyway, these days it seems your club president has some sway with the student council, so if you could, put in a good word for us, and see if we can get a good location for our booth?"

Kanae's blink at the club president suggested that she followed about half of what he had said. The slider gave him a hesitant nod, smiling uncertainly. "Um, hello, Suzumiya-san," she said, brightening and waving to Haruhi as she padded up behind the computer club president. "I think that ... um ... shoot, what's your name again?"

Looking only mildly affronted, the computer club president smiled, stepping to one side and adjusting the tie of his non-uniform suit. "My name is Ya-" The rest was cut off with the resounding crash of a member of the calligraphy club accidentally dropping a double armload of easels across the floor, where they clattered noisily until the president was finished.

Much to her embarrassment, Haruhi couldn't remember his name, either, now that Kanae had brought it up. Rather than address the issue, she decided to step around it, asking, "So, what's this you're trying for?"

"Ah, it's not important," the man sighed, running one hand through his hair. "Just making conversation. I won't even be here for this year's cultural festival; classes for college will begin soon, so...." He shrugged, offering an awkward smile.

"I get it," Haruhi allowed, giving him a firm nod. "Well, your underlings are beholden to the SOS Brigade, since we beat them in that fight; I guess with you gone, I'm somewhat obligated to look after them, aren't I? Alright, Prez, I'll see what I can do. Just make sure that your minions know that we're looking out for them!"

The man looked at her askance, raising one eyebrow, then shook his head. "Very well," he agreed. "I'll let you get to ... your business, then." Chuckling to himself, he nodded at Kanae before heading into his own clubroom.

"What's going on today, Suzumiya-san?" Kanae asked, opening the door to the clubroom, then blinking when she saw it was empty. "Where's everyone else...?"

"Kyon, Yuki-chan, and Tsuruya-san are on a mission," she said, trying to sound offhanded. She couldn't keep the edge of pride from her voice, though; it was awesome to be able to say that and have it be the truth. Sure, she could have claimed that any time she sent Kyon out to do her bidding it was a mission for the brigade, but actually fighting legitimate bad guys....

"Oh.... What about Koizumi-san and Asahina-san?" Kanae asked curiously, setting her bag on the table and pulling out the sketchbook she always seemed to be doodling on.

Closing the door, Haruhi contemplated soundproofing the brigade room. Doing it the traditional way, with insulating foam or the like would be expensive, Kyon would doubtlessly complain that it broke school rules, and it would end up looking pretty ugly. Add in the fact that it wouldn't really help much with the door anyway.... But even Kyon would probably agree that using her powers -- with Yuki's help -- would let them discuss things without so much risk of being overheard.

Even if the computer research society was a secondary branch of her own club, they weren't part of the critical inner circle.

Damn, she realized, she was spacing again! Why was Kyon such a good kisser? She needed to find that out at some point ... somehow.... "I sent them away," Haruhi said, turning around to face Kanae, who was already absorbed in drawing.

"Hmm?" Kanae looked up from her sketchbook and blinked in confusion. "But, why?" she asked.

"I told you I wanted to talk to you this morning, remember?" she asked, taking Kyon's usual seat, which happened to be directly across from the slider.

"Oh, right! I just thought ... it would be a club thing," Kanae replied, ducking her head slightly in embarrassment.

Something else to investigate, Haruhi mused. What did the slider draw, anyway? Was she any good at it? Deciding that was a matter for another time, she folded her hands together, setting them on the table before her. "I need to ask you some questions to confirm my suspicions," she explained, "so, I'm sorry for that, but trust me when I say that my goal is to help make you happy."

Kanae looked puzzled. "This is about ... the anchor keeping me here right now?" she asked cautiously. "Um, w...well, at first I was really afraid, but it seems that thanks to that, I'm actually getting a lot of really good practice."

"I'm glad to hear that, but no.... Anyway, I have a suspicion, here. Kanae-chan, you really like Kyon, don't you?"

The little girl blushed darkly with wide eyes. Haruhi judged her to be at nearly Mikuru's full moe capacity, even though she had an entirely different type of appeal. She was tempted to drag the slider across the table and hug her -- but she restrained herself. She'd consoled Kanae after their last dramatic discussion, after all. "Um, Sempai is ... really dependable," Kanae managed, smiling weakly. "S...so, yes, of course!"

Haruhi leaned forward, raising her eyebrows. "You know what I mean by 'like', right?" she asked. "This isn't your innocent, 'do you think he's a good friend' question. This is the serious, 'would you date him if you could' question."

Kanae's mouth dropped open, and she frantically waved both hands in front of her, her face turning positively crimson. "N...no, I'm not trying to take Sempai away from you! I know he's yours!"

"Don't try to hide it," Haruhi sighed, raising one hand to rest her cheek on her palm. Did she really present such a terrifying visage? In all those other worlds, was Kanae always confronted with a jealous, self-centered Haruhi? She hoped the slider was just overcautious and paranoid, until she considered the thought, and what it implied.

Ugh ... she decided she was better off ignoring that and focusing on other things. "Look," she said sternly, "I don't really doubt my ability to judge most people, and it seems to me you've hinted that you really like Kyon -- a lot. Now, you're not in any trouble if you do like him, but you've got to admit it to yourself, first."

"U...um.... Are you going to make me ... like Asahina-san ... try?" Kanae asked, looking worried.

"I hope I don't have to get too much better at this speech," Haruhi mused to herself, trying not to chuckle. Kanae needed to be reassured, not unsettled. "Okay, listen, there may be a way, if you want to try and really make this place your home, even if only temporarily."

Kanae gaped, then looked away, her face still glowing. "Um.... Well, even if I could ... just temporarily...." After taking a breath to steel herself, she blurted out, "The world where Sempai was dating me was my favorite!"

Suddenly, Haruhi was glad that she'd dragged Kyon off to a distant corner of the school for that kiss before the discussion. Then again ... how badly must it have hurt for Kanae to run from the boy she cared for most, believing it was the only way to save him from her enemies?

"E...even if it's only happened one time in all of the worlds I've been to," Kanae managed, bowing her head and staring at the table before her. "Y...you almost always have him, so...."

"Feels too neat and unearned," Haruhi judged. "Anyway, maybe this time will be the time that sticks, right?"

"What if Kyon can date more than one person?" Haruhi posed. "What if, by being very clever -- Kyon is a bit slow to catch these things, you know -- a few girls who all liked Kyon and each other well enough to share him decided to do just that?"

"B...but," Kanae sputtered, shaking her head in disbelief. "I.... If that was a way for me to, um, be with Sempai...."

"It is!" Haruhi insisted. "Now, remember -- Kyon doesn't know this part yet, so don't let this slip to him, or it will be a penalty! Anyway, as I learned from a very wise shrine maiden in Hinamizawa...."

Though she tried to hide it, Tsuruya was nervous about meeting members of the Sumiyoshi-rengo for their apology. She wore the same smile she almost always used, and sat at Kyon's side in the back of the limousine headed toward the meeting site. It was a warehouse owned by her father, not far from the harbor; the location had been chosen at the last possible moment, to prevent their enemies from preparing a trap.

They could have chosen a less neutral location, like her father's tower, or any of his other establishments downtown, but the seeming impartiality of the setting was meant to ensure that any good-faith apology that was given was received the same way. They had changed for the meeting, Yuki once again in her 'delinquent mode' outfit by her own request (which made sense; she wasn't a member of the Tsuruya's syndicate), Kyon in the standard dark blue suit and his greatcoat, and Tsuruya herself in her traditional formal kimono.

She'd had enough time to explain how the meeting was supposed to go, and then had sat silently by Kyon's side while watching the first disc of the Trope-tan anime, since he had mentioned he was unfamiliar with it. She knew that time could have been spent more productively, even just doing homework, or maybe trying to engage Yuki in a discussion about poetry.

Even better, since she had permission from Haruhi, she could have tried to explain to Kyon that she liked him -- she had a vast library of anime with suggestions as to how a confession should go. She wasn't terribly confident in them, though. It seemed the real world would be more complicated than that, somehow. Yuki was on the same page, naturally, so it shouldn't have been a problem....

But the best she managed was to lean against him after the first episode. It was the curse of her upbringing, she supposed.... She was from a wealthy family, had been trained in the family business, and was raised to do all the proper cultured things she should: memorize poetry, learn classic calligraphy, maintain a positive disposition to ensure that those around her were cheered by her....

She really didn't know much about making friends, though. Luckily, when she had first met Asahina Mikuru, the time traveler (though, Tsuruya hadn't known that at the time) was just as clueless, and didn't realize that Tsuruya was stumbling through their awkward introduction, and eventual study sessions. Embarrassingly, Mikuru had adapted very quickly, fitting in with the other students except for her striking appearance ... but thankfully, she had still wanted to be friends with Tsuruya.

And when she stopped to think about it, she owed Mikuru again for introducing her to Haruhi's club. Without that, she wouldn't have had Haruhi and the rest of the brigade as friends -- and she wouldn't have had Kyon to rescue her from being overwhelmed. Not just once, but three times already ... and while it wasn't quite a rescue, if it weren't for him, she never would have been able to secure the alliance with the Sonozaki-gumi in Hinamizawa, either.

Those thoughts in her head, she said nothing, just enjoying what closeness she had, and the fact that Kyon -- at least -- didn't seem to mind. It wouldn't have hurt if he'd given some positive response to that picture she'd sent him a while ago, though.... That would have been nice.

She was roused from her apathetic inattention when Kyon shifted, and she realized she was leaning on him again in the back of the limousine. But he wasn't trying to push her away; instead he was leaning forward, peering out the windows as the vehicle slowed to a halt. "Is it here?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said, more cheerily than she really felt. The driver opened her door to let her out, and she stepped onto the street and looked around. Kyon slipped out next to her, scanning the surroundings warily, and Yuki moved to his side, turning to gaze at something in the shadows and fixing her vision there.

They had waited until after sunset, and in the quiet road between dark warehouses, she could see her father's limousine, as well. The man himself was standing near the edge of the pool of light shed by an overhead lamp, the glowing tip of his cigar bobbing about as he relayed instructions to a small group of his retainers. Kasai and Mori were with him, more clearly illuminated, and though the woman looked very uncomfortable, Kasai was wearing his neutral 'ready for a fight' expression.

Other than occasional streetlights to illuminate the routes between warehouses, the area seemed abandoned. When Tsuruya looked in the direction that Yuki was staring, she saw nothing but an old van, looking abandoned with one tire missing, propped up on cinder blocks. Kyon shifted his shoulders, flicking his greatcoat flat from where it had gotten wrinkled in the car, then double-checking the Tsuruya organization pin on his collar.

"A bit," he admitted. "But it's cooler here, close to the sea, so it's not too bad."

He nodded, moving around so that Yuki was on one side of her, and he was on the other. She wondered briefly if any of his training had covered proper bodyguard practices, or if he were just intuitive. Either way, her nervousness was soothed by his calm demeanor.

She stopped a few steps from her father as he finished giving orders, and his men bowed before melting into the darkness. He puffed on his cigar, then flicked the glowing red tip completely off, stamping it out before speaking. "Daughter, Kyon-kun, and...." He squinted at Yuki. "Hum. We haven't met; who's this one?"

Tsuruya giggled guiltily. "This is Nagato Yuki," she introduced the impassive girl. "Um, she's Kyon-kun's subordinate." A minor deception ... but technically true! She was his subordinate in the brigade, right?

"Oh?" Tsuruya's father mused, eying the small figure in the darkness. "Accountant?"

"Er, Nagato is ... our," Kyon began, before he paused thoughtfully for a moment, then said settled on, "wakagashira." Tsuruya felt her smile widen a tiny bit. The rank of 'first lieutenant' was almost equal to the rank she had given Kyon, and was logically the next role she should have filled.

Tsuruya's father smiled back, teeth gleaming in the dimness of the shadow. "I won't ever says that it's bad to have women in your group," he said reassuringly. "You are, after all, my heir! So, Nagato-kun, I trust Kyon-kun and my daughter's judgment. I senses that great power hides within that tiny figure!" He broke into booming laughter, echoing off the nearby warehouse fronts, Tsuruya and Kyon joining in, though Tsuruya knew that in Kyon's case it was because of how right her father was, without really knowing the half of it.

Mori pursed her lips and looked vaguely amused herself, but said nothing, only Kasai and Yuki maintaining stoic, unflinching demeanors.

A pair of headlights beamed from one of the roads between two distant headlights, a compact vehicle slowly rolling into sight before stopping, a short distance from the pair of parked limousines. Tsuruya couldn't help but tense. Kyon either sensed it, or was already on the alert himself, shifting forward a handful of steps so that he blocked a clear shot toward her ... if their enemies were that bold.

Yuki stood loosely between Tsuruya and her father. Mori closed her eyes and took a breath, her expression shifting in a heartbeat to a no-nonsense business woman with an unsmiling expression. Kasai tilted his head first to one side, and then the other, cracking it twice, loudly.

The smaller car's headlights shut off, and the doors opened, a quartet of members of the Sumiyoshi-rengo emerging. Tsuruya couldn't really make out the model or color in the lighting, but she noted that Fujiya Masao himself had been driving. The man shifted his shoulders and led his small group to the opposite side of the pool of light from Tsuruya's father.

Stopping right on the edge of the shadow, Iyouji to one side, his two enforcers behind them, Masao first stood perfectly straight, and then bowed. Politely, though it still sounded like he was speaking through clenched teeth, he began, "Fujiya Masao of the Sumiyoshi-rengo greets the Tsuruya-tachi of the Yamaguchi-gumi."

"Hum," Tsuruya's father responded, taking a moment to make a show of lighting a new cigar. The tip glowed bright red when he drew on it, then puffed a trio of smoke rings into the light. "Sos ... for tonight, let us drop the formalities due to the severity of this situation."

Masao nodded, barely visible in the darkness. "As you wish," he allowed. "In that case, I am here to apologize for the indiscretion of one we no longer consider a member of our branch."

"Watanabe Daichi is no longer considered a part of the Fujiya-tachi?" Mori asked. That would have been a breach of protocol, Tsuruya knew, but her father had already called the formalities off.

Masao took a step further into the light, peering across the meters between the groups to see her better. In response, Mori stepped into the light herself, giving him an unnerving smile.

Iyouji allowed a squeak of alarm to escape from where he was standing, and Tsuruya couldn't blame him. Coughing slightly, Masao looked away, clarifying, "Watanabe Daichi has acted against the better interests of the Fujiya-tachi. I no longer wish to have anything to do with him."

"Howevers," Tsuruya said softly, knowing her voice carried well anyway, "he remains a member of the Sumiyoshi-rengo?"

"As they say, that's a matter beyond me," Masao replied, shrugging. "In that regard, while Watanabe and myself are both members of the Sumiyoshi-rengo, what he's done doesn't represent the Fujiya-tachi. We are, in truth, petty criminals, at best. As you can probably already guess, gun smuggling is not something that my group touches. Too high risk; we're more comfortable operating below the NPA radar. While I don't intend to presume, our operations should not typically conflict with your own."

That much was true. The Tsuruya-tachi tended to deal with higher levels of crime on the whole, which was the main reason two different groups operated in the same city. It wasn't that any part of the Yamaguchi-gumi was too weak to oust the Sumiyoshi-rengo, as much as it wasn't worth the bother. From what Tsuruya herself knew, the lower level antics served to occupy the police, and generally made the Tsuruya-tachi look better in comparison.

Her father wasn't about to let anything slip, though. For all of Masao's speech, there was no reason to spit out something incriminating. "However that goes," he rumbled, "before your apology, I have a question."

Another brightening of the cigar's cherry, and a ring of smoke behind Mori, briefly giving her an eerie halo of smoke before it passed over her head and dissipated. "You know where these guns came from," her father pronounced. "I am curious to knows that as well? Strangely ... I haven't heard of any smuggling operations of that scale within our own city. And, really, consecutives serial numbers...."

Masao stiffened, then shook his head. "I can't answer that," he said, looking away. "I hope it's enough that you have our apology, and the understanding it wasn't intentional on our part. Even though we regret this incident, and the trouble between our organizations, I cannot be expected to betray my brothers."

Tsuruya's father snorted, almost laughing. "Fair," he allowed. "I'd think less of you if you betrayed your superiors so easily! Anyways ... that's my questions. On to your apology, then."

Masao's expression flickered briefly, a scowl crossing his features before he schooled it and cleared his throat. "Thank you for your graciousness in hearing us out, Tsuruya-sama."

"And in turn," she added, pleased that her voice didn't shake at all, "it was because of respect for Kyon-kun and Kasai." That last part was hastily tacked on, she admitted ... but it was disrespectful to the larger man to accept a formal apology for Kyon being shot while dismissing the week and a half Kasai had spent in a hospital.

"In that case," Masao said, wincing, "it becomes sadly clear that as an oyabun, I am only equal in rank to Kowa-Keigo Kyon and Kowa-Keigo Kasai."

At her side, Kyon barely stifled a snort, and a glimmer of amusement flickered across Kasai's usually implacable face, too. She wasn't certain if it was because of the alliteration, or the formalized 'terrifying guardian' title that the two had earned ... a respectful title and a nickname at the same time? Then again, the Sumiyoshi-rengo had no idea what his actual name was.

"So, Kowa-Keigo of the Haru-tachi, I apologize. The incident was never intended by myself or my organization, save one individual we no longer call brother," Masao managed, following with the stiffly formal ninety degree bow.

"I hold no further grudge," Kasai said politely, nodding. "Ultimately, blood paid for blood, and Tsuruya-san was protected throughout."

"I also hold no further grudge," Kyon added, taking his cue from the larger man. "As politely as such can be said, I hope our paths do not cross again."

"Well spoken," Masao said, dourly, adjusting his suit jacket as he straightened. "If we are done, then...?"

"Done," Tsuruya's father agreed. The four members of the Sumiyoshi-rengo slunk back to their car, and it started up, turning around and driving away with the quiet crunch of loose gravel before speeding out of sight.

"Well," the large man mused, cutting his cigar short and stowing the stub in his jacket. "That went well enough. Kyon-kun, you and your family are coming to a formal dinners with me and my daughter on Thursday. I'll see you there; don't get shot again before then."

"I will do my best, Tsuruya-sama," Kyon allowed, bowing. Tsuruya's father chuckled, striding to his car without any further words. Mori and Kasai moved with him, as a number of other dark-suited members of her father's personal group melted from the shadows, bowing to her wordlessly.

"Come on, Kyon-kun, Nagato-chi," Tsuruya called, leading the pair to her own limousine. Once they were inside, and her driver was on the way back home, she let herself relax slightly, wishing she could lean against Kyon again, like when they were watching the anime earlier.

"That went really, really smoothly. Kind of surprising, really. You alright?" he asked, looking at her with a small, concerned smile.

"Yeah," she managed. "I was just nervous...." It suddenly occurred to her that once, Kyon had done more than let her lean against him. "Will you put your arm around me again?"

He started slightly, and seemed about to speak ... but then shrugged. "You were there for me," he agreed, putting one arm around her shoulders, just like he had the night they had invaded Masao's headquarters. He gave her a slight, reassuring squeeze, and she felt herself grinning. "The least I can do is be there for you, too."

"Of course!" he said, somewhat indignantly. "Even if you weren't my friend, Haruhi would be furious if I didn't!"

"Anyway, I, for one, am just glad this whole thing is over," he said resolutely.

"Mmm, want to stay with me tonight?" Tsuruya asked coyly, after mustering her courage.

"Uh ... I ... have an errand to attend," he admitted, looking abashed. "I'm supposed to be going back in time tonight."

"Too bad~! But I guess that's a good things; all the loose ends wrapped up!" And it wasn't like she could really complain about what time she got to spend with his arm around her shoulder.

Kyon: Big Damn Hero

Initial Conflict Arc I

Chapter Twenty Four: Thus Solving The Problem Forever