Kyon -- Big Damn Hero: Bait and Switch

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 (the website) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License, and so is every part of this fic that isn't the property of someone else. For example: Additional characters are borrowed from Higurashi, which is the creation of Ryukishi07, and Half Life 2, which is the property of Valve.

"Chapter Twelve: Moderation"

"It really is possible to have too much of a good thing. Don't add too much fuel to the fire, unless you're prepared to deal with the consequences...."

"Tending the Flame" -- [The author's name has been scratched out here]

While her sempai's plan surprised her, Kanae knew it was a good one as soon as she heard it from the girl with the golden ribbons. She didn't have the same problems that the other girls did with boys asking her out, but if she could help Haruhi, well ... she would! Her friends in the Brigade had helped her out so much, how could she not?

So, on Haruhi's instructions, Kanae steeled herself at the entrance to the Brigade chief's classroom. The second-year students passing in or out shot her amused, curious glances, but she gathered her strength and stepped into the room, able to reassure herself by stealing a glance at her other sempai. He was sitting next to Haruhi while eating from a bento that appeared to match Haruhi's.

"What are you doing in here?" an unfamiliar, but friendly-looking girl sitting near Haruhi asked, giving her a quizzical smile.

Yanagimoto -- who Kanae vaguely recalled -- answered before she could speak, saying, "This is that first year girl that Kyon-kun rescued from that thug! Kanae-chan is your name, right?"

"Y...yes," Kanae managed, feeling her face flush as the remaining students turned their attention to her. She froze, feeling pinned down by all those gazes, and swallowed, forcing herself to smile shakily. "U...um, I w...wanted to give something to ... Suzumiya-sempai," she whimpered unsteadily.

"What's that?" Haruhi asked, before anyone else could question, already grinning in anticipation.

Kanae swallowed and stepped closer, stopping a pace away from Haruhi and producing the envelope that her Mikuru-onee had given her when she'd asked. It was a soft pink color, sealed with a crimson heart sticker from Tsuruya. The note inside, of course, was entirely Kanae's.

"U...um, S...Sempai," Kanae quavered, before forcing herself to blurt out: "I've admired you for a long time, so if it's not too much-- Please accept my feelings!" She concluded with a formal bow, holding the envelope out toward Haruhi in both hands by the two corners closest to her -- presenting it properly, so that Haruhi could see the heart sticker.

The Brigade's vice commander blinked in amazement, his mouth falling slightly open.

The older girl's grin widened, and she got the faintest hints of a blush on her face, even though starting this had been her own idea. Not that Kanae had any objections! "Well! You had the courage to ask me to my face -- the first person who's done that in a long while! So -- what are you really asking? You want to date me?"

"It takes a lot of guts to confess in front of everyone like this!" Haruhi replied, nodding. "You're pretty brave, especially for a kohai -- so I'll accept it! You're too cute to pass up!" Still grinning, she opened the envelope and pulled Kanae's note out. Her eyebrows rose as she scanned it, adding, "Y...you've been harboring these feelings for a while, eh?"

"Y...yes," the slider squeaked out, still conscious of all the eyes on her -- most especially her sempai's, since he seemed as astounded as his other classmates, outside of Haruhi herself. She hadn't told him in advance? She supposed it didn't really hurt anything, but it was still a bit surprising!

Haruhi shook her head suddenly and rose from her seat, putting one hand on Kanae's shoulder and rummaging through one skirt pocket with the other. "Um-- This was mine when I was in middle school. I found it again earlier this morning and picked it up -- and now I know why!" she declared, producing a flat, rounded hairpin. She held it up before Kanae to show it off -- the grinning smiley face there was instantly endearing to the smaller girl. How cute!

"I think it'll suit you," Haruhi added, when Kanae only stared in amazement at the piece.

She didn't have long hair -- she couldn't compete with the others in the brigade on that count. But maybe a hair decoration would be nice? "C...can I try it on?" Kanae managed shyly.

"Let me," Haruhi said, raising her hands to Kanae's head, carefully brushing her hair slightly to one side, and with a startling 'snap,' clicking the pin into place. "Gah!" she gushed, shaking with excitement as her grin widened even further. "You're unreasonably cute like that!" she insisted, turning to Kanae's other sempai and smacking his shoulder forcefully. "Don't you agree, Kyon?"

"Er-- Y...yeah, Kanae-chan is really cute like that," he agreed, looking dazed. "Um ... wow.... Congratulations, Haruhi ... I don't know what else to say."

"Y...you're," Yanagimoto started to interject, the first of the other students so find a voice after Kanae's confession. She bit off whatever she was about to say and gave a tiny, determined shake of her head before fixing Haruhi with a piercing gaze. "Um-- Suzumiya, you're ... into girls?"

"It's a 'Class-S' relationship," Haruhi answered without hesitation. "Perfectly normal."

"For a middle-schooler," Taniguchi finally remarked. "Shouldn't you...." He trailed off, wincing at Yanagimoto's sudden glare. "I mean-- Never mind! From Suzumiya, this is nothing unexpected!"

Haruhi snorted, shaking her head, then asked Kanae, "Why don't we walk home after school together? Until class gets out -- take care, my kohai!"

"Yes, Sempai!" Kanae agreed eagerly, spinning on her heel and fleeing before her blush deepened any further.

Though Haruhi thought Kanae had done her part of the assignment admirably -- in fact, Haruhi hadn't expected anything nearly as earnest as her written confession! -- she knew that her classmates wouldn't be satisfied with just that. Even considering what she'd told Yanagimoto and Sakanaka the previous day!

She wasn't surprised when the pair pounced on her with perfect synchronization as she left the room the first break after lunch. She let the duo herd her into the nearest bathroom, where Yanagimoto checked for eavesdroppers while Sakanaka gave Haruhi a very severe look.

"Is this really okay?" she asked, while the gymnast returned to the pair, nodding her own acknowledgment of the question.

"Well-- Are you okay with people thinking that it's not that innocent?" Yanagimoto asked. At Haruhi's sharp look, she waved her hands before her, shaking her head quickly. "No matter what's going on -- your friends will know what the truth is, but you know.... Others might think otherwise!"

"People will think what they want to think," Haruhi returned. "I don't care what people say about me-- But Kanae-chan is a good girl and deserves someone who can return her affection and give her an example of what dating is like. Isn't that the whole basis for a relationship like this? To get ready to move on and date boys?"

"W...well, it's not like I wasn't in a relationship of my own like that in middle school," Sakanaka allowed, blushing faintly. "And she's small enough that most people will pass it off as cute-- But for you...." She trailed off and shrugged, offering an apologetic smile.

Haruhi was a bit taken back by the support her friends were willing to give her, all things considered. "W...well," she allowed, before shaking her head. "Okay," she sighed. "You're seeing through me, I guess.... In a way, I'm actually also using Kanae-chan as ... a cover. And you can let Taniguchi know that, so he can get those perverted thoughts out of his head, but only if he can keep it to himself!"

"Cover?" Yanagimoto asked, looking confused. Her eyes narrowed even further, her expression twisting to upset. "You're not toying with that girl's feelings, are you!?"

Kanae was special to her! It was mutually beneficial, only.... She shook her head, sighing again. "Let me explain," she offered the gymnast. "Everyone thought I was interested in Kyon, didn't they?"

Sakanaka and Yanagimoto exchanged the briefest of glances before nodding agreement, along with a synchronized emphatic, "Yes."

Haruhi felt her face warm up-- So much for being subtle on that count! "I-- I don't want to get harassed by guys asking me out all the time, so by 'dating' Kanae-chan, I have the perfect cover, right? We're both 'taken,' and so won't be bothered!"

"That's perfect right up until either of you wants to ... be with...." Yanagimoto trailed off, realization seeming to dawn in her eyes. "Oh," she said softly, earning a sharp, questioning glance from Sakanaka.

Shaking her head, the gymnast sighed, asking, "This is because you can't have Kyon-kun, isn't it? And neither can she-- So the two of you comfort one-another while making sure you don't get pestered?"

"Wha-- That's--" Sakanaka made a face, then gave Haruhi a piercing, worried look. "But, Suzumiya-san ... if you like Kyon-kun, is it really okay to just let him go?"

She wanted to protest with a stock phrase, something along the lines of, "It's not like that!" Her voice failed her, though, so she could only shift her shoulders in an awkward shrug.

"Wait-- You and Tsuruya-sempai, if you're competing, don't you want to have more of a fair shot?" Yanagimoto pressed. "She's-- She's basically cheating, right?"

"Hang on," Haruhi countered, her strength returning at the idea of defending Tsuruya's claim on Kyon. "It's not.... Tsuruya is a really good friend of mine, you know? And ... while I can tell you honestly it's not something I would have been cheering about a few months ago, I really am happy for both of them that they're engaged!"

That much was absolutely true, just like she had told Tsuruya, what seemed so long ago now. "So ... if Tsuruya, Kyon, Kanae-chan, and I can all be great friends, while Kyon and Tsuruya are engaged ... why risk losing the friendship we've gained?"

"But-- What if you could be friends with them and still win Kyon?" Sakanaka argued. "I just-- Suzumiya-san, you don't seem like someone who would want to let something slip away! So, letting Kyon-kun go like this...."

"I'm not letting him go," Haruhi returned, smiling. "We're friends, right? And, if I did steal Kyon from Tsuruya and managed to stay as friends, then -- what's to stop Kanae-chan from thinking that's the right thing to do, too?

"For any of us, wouldn't 'winning' Kyon be making the other friends lose? And ... if I were trying to steal Tsuruya's man, wouldn't that say I was a terrible friend to her? The idea of being that selfish...."

Oh, once, the idea of her having Kyon all to herself would have seemed like the better option. There were still moments when she wished she could have him alone ... but more and more, those were being overshadowed by the images of Kyon and the others she cared about, all happy together.

"And I don't buy this," Yanagimoto added a moment later, scowling. "I just don't believe you'd give up on him like this-- Good excuses or not. So what's really going on?"

"And you're still making Kyon-kun lunch? That's somehow okay, when you're not going after him at all?" Yanagimoto pressed skeptically. "You're not letting his fiancee do that?"

"I...it doesn't ... really seem like Suzumiya-san to smile like that in this situation," Sakanaka agreed with a wince, unable to meet Haruhi's eyes. "Um-- We are your allies, you know; we'll help you in any way we can! But ... is there something else going on?"

Haruhi cringed, not really expecting that she would have been seen through so easily. "I.... It's kind of crazy," she relented, wincing. "I.... I guess from you I can't actually hide it -- but it.... I can't talk about it here!" She shook her head to emphasize that final point.

Yanagimoto and Sakanaka exchanged a glance and nodded. "Alright," Sakanaka agreed, sighing. "We could have talked about this last night, but why not go out for ice cream after school today to talk about this? Ah-- After I get out of chorus, that is."

"Gymnastics for me -- but same difference," Yanagimoto agreed. "School gate, when clubs let out, alright?"

Realizing she was going to have to explain things to the other two girls, Haruhi heaved a sigh. Did she need another cover story for them, if the first had failed? "I'll bring Kanae-chan with me," she agreed. "But -- there are enough rumors going around already!"

"Ah ... it's not much-- But we're your friends, too, Suzumiya. I've learned my lesson on that count-- And I owe you and Kyon-kun -- and even Tsuruya-san -- too much to watch you ignore your chance to be happy ... even if...." She trailed off with a grimace there, shaking her head.

"If there's anything we can do to help," Sakanaka agreed fervently. "It's not fair that you know who you like, and can't even tell him! There's no reason for both of us to be stuck in that situation!"

"Yea-- Wait, what? Who are you interested in?" Yanagimoto asked her ally, regarding Sakanaka curiously.

The other girl blushed, turning to look at her feet demurely. "I...it's nothing..." she mumbled. "Suzumiya-san's situation is more worth our attention, isn't it?"

"We can talk about me later," Haruhi countered. "Actually, Yanagimoto, I've been stuck on figuring out a way to help Sakanaka-san with Kunikida."

"He.... He's a centimeter and a half taller than me," Sakanaka protested weakly. She blinked and realized quietly, "T...though if ... I were to somehow manage to confess to him now, I.... I suppose that would draw some attention away from Suzumiya-san...."

"That's a terrible reason to confess," Yanagimoto countered. She looked about ready to launch into another tirade, and while Haruhi was tempted to hear what the gymnast would say, she glanced at the clock over the bathroom door.

"We should talk about this later," Haruhi warned, shaking her head. "Class is about to resume."

"It's a plan," Yanagimoto agreed without hesitation, ignoring Sakanaka's feeble protests.

Alone in her office -- as she frequently was, thanks to the distance she kept between herself and the officers -- Miyuki reviewed her notes again. Even going over everything with a more critical eye, nothing immediately leaped off the pages at her. She'd had Yamane Jun interviewed a final time after his drastic shift -- the one following Kyon's mysterious appearance before the camera.

After that, as a juvenile offender, he'd been relocated. The records were still there, and she could go investigate his current location if she wanted to interrogate him again. She doubted that would uncover anything new, and it would certainly attract attention. But she still did have the records....

Naturally, she hadn't interviewed him personally, as she was doing her level best to remain invisible to those she was chasing. She'd gone through the recording of the conversation interview previously, and couldn't help frowning at her note to herself.

Poring through records of interviews with both Kyon and Suzumiya Haruhi after his shooting hadn't yielded much. Both of them answered questions as though they'd been coached, but that wasn't really a surprise, considering Kyon's role in a criminal organization. Haruhi's responses seemed -- surprisingly -- slightly better rehearsed than Kyon's ... but that could be chalked up to Kyon's injury leaving him on less sure footing for his interview.

Or, Miyuki thought, pushing the papers in front of her around thoughtfully, Haruhi was more involved than it seemed on the surface. How could a schoolgirl like that be more important than Kyon himself? Well ... she supposed given Tsuruya Haruka -- and Kyon -- it really wasn't out of the question.

Did that mean that she might be better served by focusing on Haruhi for her investigation? And if so, why stop there? It wouldn't surprise Miyuki in the slightest if the entire club were somehow involved in a criminal affair.

Sitting back in her chair she heaved a sharp sigh, shaking her head. Even though it wasn't precisely lawful, she did understand that the members of Haruhi's club were involved in uncovering the photography ring. Perhaps it wasn't as neatly motivated as doing justice? What if, instead, they were just taking out a rival group?

So ... who else in the club should she be investigating? More importantly -- how could she turn the investigation to reveal whoever was behind the curtains on her side of things, giving her nearly invisible, unexpected 'help'?

She found her notes and hummed to herself thoughtfully, smoothing out the slightly crumpled page and sipping at her tea. Ah -- yes. She'd intended to have the 'Asakura Ryouko' character that Jun had mentioned investigated, hadn't she? She was certain she'd delegated the task to one of the assistants that had been assigned to her -- but if it weren't for the handwritten note she'd left herself on her paperwork....

She picked up the stack of notes she'd made on the interview and possible leads. Jun wasn't in a good mental state, and the initial examination hadn't turned much up -- the girl was evidently a Kitago student who'd transfered out of the country. At least, according to the records at the school.

Miyuki hadn't expected much from it, but had wanted Asakura Ryouko's whereabouts investigated. Evidently, her subordinates had failed to follow through -- or had decided on their own that it wasn't worth reporting to her.

Shaking her head, she pulled out the last known address before her move to Canada. The building's address seemed familiar to her, and she frowned thoughtfully, drumming her fingers on her desktop before realizing why. Asakura Ryouko had lived in the same building as Nagato Yuki, another member of the club that Suzumiya Haruhi and Kyon both attended. If she hadn't just looked at that bit of information in her notes....

And wasn't it interesting that none of her assistants had noted that particular combination of details?

She nodded thoughtfully to herself. That answered that question; obviously the one she should focus on was Nagato Yuki. Now, how to monitor her without allowing the mysterious forces pulling strings in the background to become aware? That could take some work ... but that was going to be her next order of business.

All things considered, at this point she had to wonder if there might have been some sinister overtone to Asakura Ryouko's disappearance after all....

Kitago's Martial Arts club was not highly renowned, but Oe Akito had no small amount of pride in it anyway. He'd worked very hard to round out the worst of the club's flaws; in his second year, he'd supported his sempai in the club, and together, the club had claimed a few decent trophies. After that, toward the end of the previous year, his sempai had nominated him as successor for the role of club president, and he'd been cheered on by the other members, graciously accepting the position.

While he was successful in his club, and his grades were decent, he felt the lack of a girlfriend keenly. Much more keenly this year than last, as it happened. It wasn't a lack of interested girls, because there had been a small handful based on his prowess as a martial artist alone -- but he had been searching for someone who was more of an equal than a pretty admirer.

All of the girls interested in him were meek and timid; he'd hoped to find someone with a spark of her own. Someone energetic and enthusiastic! That girl appeared, however unexpectedly, the previous year. His first encounter was seeing her dressed in a daring bunny-girl outfit, singing on stage with some of his sempai's classmates during a rainy spell of the cultural festival. It didn't take long to find out more about her.

Some of his underclassmen knew her from her middle school, and gave him dire warnings. More than just 'energetic' and 'enthusiastic,' she was 'un-tamable.'

It took some time to put his thoughts together on how to approach her, but by the time he had ... his underclassmen warned him that she already seemed more than just casually interested in someone else. Supposedly, someone had managed the impossible, and begun to 'tame' her.

That specific someone else was an unimpressive-seeming guy from her year. That was a blow to Akito -- to find out the kind of guy she was interested was evidently a snarky standoffish guy? At least Akito could boast comparable grades, after checking out Kyon's performance on the posted test results, but that wasn't a very good start at all.

The realization that she seemed to admire strong guys after all -- coming to light once Kyon had busted the photography ring -- was somewhat uplifting, though. That meant he had a chance! Not that he could go after Kyon, though; a guy who could dangle another student out the window with one hand was pretty powerful, and more importantly, Akito had nothing to gain by challenging someone who'd won the respect of almost the entire school.

Akito hadn't been happy about that ... but if he wanted to care for her, trying to interfere with her choices wouldn't be that. So he'd turned his attention to managing the club to the best of his ability; his sempai had done a good job as president of the club, and Akito devoted himself to being worthy of the nomination that his predecessor had bestowed upon him.

When he found out that she was instrumental in helping stop that tasteless photography ring, backing up Kyon's strength with her intelligence, his admiration for her increased even further. She was everything Akito had dreamed of! Capable and intelligent, but also able to recognize and admire strength in others?

And then, as though by magic, rumor reached him that Kyon had somehow gotten involved (engaged, evidently) to someone in Akito's year!

He'd taken some time to steel his resolve, but knew he had to confess soon; Suzumiya Haruhi attracted a lot more eyes than his own, and supposedly had a reputation as willing to give anyone a chance. However it was going to work out -- even if he had to challenge her other suitors -- at this point Akito was willing to do it!

Walking with all of the collected cool he could muster, Akito sauntered from his classroom toward the room he knew she held her club in. He couldn't join, naturally; like her, he was a club president, too. That just meant they had something in common!

Random snatches of conversation reached his ears as he approached the corridor connecting the school building to the club house. Against his better judgment, he picked up hints of further rumors.

"...already engaged? I don't want to speak ill of her, but if she wasn't at least pregnant, why would that even be done?" someone babbled excitedly, not as quietly as they probably should have.

"If it's not that, what is it?" someone else agreed. "Their families would have to be insanely traditional in this day and age!"

Bah -- that rumor meant nothing to him! He knew Tsuruya in passing, and even just from that doubted that she would be so careless. There was no accounting for what other people might say, but he would respect his classmate -- even as he thanked her for freeing Haruhi up to be dated. To say nothing of the fact that if those rumors reached Kyon's ears....

"...and then Suzumiya accepted a confession from someone else," one voice whispered in excitement.

Even though he nearly stumbled at hearing such a thing, that wouldn't slow him down! A true martial artist's resolve wasn't shaken so easily! He didn't want to use the threat of force, but a genuine, fair challenge should be fine, right? He wouldn't beat up a first-year, he'd just demonstrate his own skill -- mostly by not harming his opponent! He had just the pin in mind to use on someone the size of a typical first-year!

That sounded like an excellent approach; Suzumiya Haruhi was on the lookout for amazing and impressive things? She respected and admired strong guys? Well, he'd had a small number of trophies to his name, and that seemed to catch the attention of most girls!

"Hey-- Hey-- There she is!" a pale, nervous-looking first year student whispered to a friend. "Oh, man, I hope that super scary sempai from her club isn't around!"

This was it! This was his chance, Akito realized. He was just before the corridor, so planted himself in the middle of the hallway, turning to face the milling students and waiting for Suzumiya Haruhi -- and Akito's as-of-yet unknown first-year opponent -- to emerge from the crowd.

It was Haruhi who emerged first, giving a dark look to a boy who was a bit slow to make way for her, before she stopped and turned, hands on her hips. "Hey!" she protested. "Let my kohai through!"

"S...sorry," someone else mumbled, stumbling through the crowd to let Akito's opponent come into sight, even as he steeled himself, the words of a challenge coming to his lips.

His speech became a wheezing, questioning noise as he deflated, eyes widening at the first-year girl that Haruhi led. And before he could wonder if there was a mistake, the second-year girl grabbed her ... girlfriend's hand, Akito supposed, feeling almost ready to fall over.

There was no way he could challenge her! That wouldn't make him look like a powerful, competent martial artist at all!

And as if that weren't enough, he recognized her! Not just anyone, but.... It clicked into place and Akito leaped to one side -- out of Haruhi's way -- when she moved toward him with no indication of slowing down, towing Michikyuu Kanae behind her. That first-year girl was the same one that Akito had heard of in conjunction with Kyon.

He didn't realize how long he'd been in a daze until one of his club members emerged from the milling crowd to look at him with concern. "Sempai?" the younger boy asked cautiously. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I've just suffered the most crushing defeat in the history of our club," Akito groaned, bowing his head.

After they'd reached the clubroom and Kanae had changed into her stewardess costume, Kyon was glad to duck in and hide from the small crowd of students that just 'happened' to be lurking in the hallway. Koizumi bore up under their gazes, but Kyon couldn't help feeling a bit nervous as a target for all that attention.

Then again, considering that the snippets of rumor Kyon was hearing were about Kanae's confession to Haruhi, he supposed it wasn't about him as much as the fact that he and Koizumi were just the best targets within range.

Safely inside the clubroom, he sat down at his seat and managed a smile in return for Kanae when the girl beamed one at him, offering him a cup of tea. After a cautious, scalding sip, he said, "Kanae-chan, you're really getting the hang of this!"

Mikuru and Haruhi nodded their agreement, prompting the slider to blush and duck her head, giggling in embarrassment as she served Koizumi his tea next.

"Kyon's right," Haruhi said, setting her own teacup down. "But let's not lose sight of our goals! Even if you're doing a great job with the tea, we can't forget about our costume design, can we? Mikuru-chan, you're doing an excellent job as chief of mascot services! Now, will we need more material?"

"Ah, um," Mikuru stuttered, flipping through her sketchpad and then stopping on a page with neatly penned notes. "Oh, yes," she agreed, wincing. "I-- I feel bad about this, Tsuruya, um, but...." She trailed off, giving the other girl an apologetic smile.

"No problems!" Tsuruya replied without hesitation, chuckling. "We got lots of supplies, though, so what's missing?"

"Um, some buttons and ribbons, mostly," Mikuru explained sheepishly. "And, um, some material for hats and other accessories...." She quickly pointed out a list of other supplies as Tsuruya drew to her side, nodding her understanding.

Still blushing from the praise she'd received earlier, Kanae pulled out her own sketchbook, checking some of Mikuru's drawings for reference. Her attention to detail and grasp of scale -- skills Kyon suspected had been honed to help her 'jump' -- translated well to turn Mikuru's sketches into practical blueprints to make the outfits. At least, as far as he could tell.

Ryouko's tiny form was set on the table between Kanae and Mikuru, a virtual screen over her head showing references to the characters the costumes were based on. Yuki didn't have many corrections or suggestions on the process, at least, and if it was close enough for her, well....

After gathering a list from Mikuru, Tsuruya nodded-- And then Haruhi declared, "Okay! The costume design team seems to have things in-hand. Tsu-chan, Koizumi-kun, we should discuss security! We want this to go off safely, without a hitch!"

"Is there anything I should do to help?" Kyon asked. Not that he liked the idea ... but running into something unexpected and unpleasant, that was something he liked even less!

"You're our big gun and fall-back emergency measure," Haruhi negated with a grin and a sharp shake of her head. "If we do things right, you can just be your normal lazy self! It used to annoy me a lot, but now I like when things are calm enough you're not in 'action mode'."

"Then ... what do I do?" he asked, frowning. It was no good being the one idle person when everyone else had a task assigned!

Wordlessly, Yuki set a chessboard on the table between them, looking up at Kyon ... not quite with a hopeful expression.

"Perfect," Haruhi declared, before Kyon could even protest. "Kyon and Yuki-chan relaxed and playing a game makes me feel like there's nothing to worry about! Ah-- On that note, Kanae-chan and I have something to take care of after club, so Kyon, you should treat Yuki-chan to dinner to thank her for her hard work for the Brigade recently!"

That sounded reasonable enough to Kyon. Except, he realized aloud, "Considering the rumors going around already, is that a good idea?"

"It is not needed," Yuki said quietly. "A field to occlude observation can be established."

Scratching his head and ignoring Koizumi's questioning look, Kyon nodded his agreement. That didn't sound too bad at all.

As poor as her own luck in the romantic arena had been, Sakanaka was eager to rush from choir practice to meet with Haruhi-- And Kanae and Yanagimoto. That part was still strange to consider; Haruhi in an S-class relationship.

Still, Haruhi had said there was more to it than what she'd let slip to Yanagimoto and Sakanaka the previous day, and she couldn't wait to find out what her friend was doing. Absolutely, if she could help Haruhi get a happier ending than the one she seemed headed toward, she would!

That thought in mind, she tried to offer a supportive smile, only actually managing a cautious one when she found Kanae and Haruhi in the school entryway. Yanagimoto rounded the shoe lockers as she arrived, both of them slightly winded from club activities.

The first year girl looked happy being at Haruhi's side, her eyes distant and a bit dreamy. Judging by Haruhi's smile, she found it endearing, at the least. But then, she genuinely did seem to be looking out for the younger girl. Really, the confession she had offered seemed so genuine, Sakanaka couldn't help but worry that getting Haruhi together with Kyon might actually end up hurting the smaller girl's feelings, too.

Well -- hopefully there was some solution that could at least result in as many happy people as possible-- Sakanaka had to believe that even if things couldn't work out for her, her friends could have more success than herself.

Just before Sakanaka and Yanagimoto drew close enough to greet their friend, they paused, realizing the rest of her club was around her, making their farewells. Neither felt the need to intrude, so changed their shoes, also unintentionally eavesdropping.

"I'll be dropping by the hospital again," he said with a shrug. "Hmm-- While there are other concerns, as well, I need to discuss Kyouko's release. She can't stay there forever, after all."

"Ah, that's good," Haruhi answered, nodding even as she frowned slightly. "I worry, though-- You're working awfully hard on that. Don't you want some time to yourself to just relax and have fun?"

"Don't worry about me," he said with a good-natured chuckle, catching a curious look from Kyon. "Kyouko and I have quite a bit in common...." He trailed off and shrugged, still smiling.

"Y...yeah," Haruhi said slowly, blinking, before her eyes went wide. "Wait, wait-- 'Kyouko,' huh?"

Koizumi managed another chuckle, scratching the back of his head with faint nervousness. Sakanaka was mildly taken aback; quite a few girls at school seemed interested in the handsome boy. They'd undoubtedly be saddened to hear that his heart belonged to some other girl. Then again, if this 'Kyouko' were hospitalized, she deserved some sympathy; a boyfriend like Koizumi might just make her happy!

Haruhi's expression shifted into a smirk, seemingly mirroring Sakanaka's thoughts. "Alright," she agreed, nodding. "I guess you two do have a lot in common -- have a good time, then!"

"I'll do my best," the handsome boy agreed, bowing slightly, then waving as he turned to begin his walk away -- to the hospital, Sakanaka presumed.

Kyon blinked slowly, then shook his head and nodded to Yuki, the pair of them also waving before they headed away. Sakanaka and Yanagimoto exchanged a glance, as this left Haruhi and Kanae alone enough to approach.

They converged on Haruhi and Kanae immediately, Sakanaka's expression showing concern, and Yanagimoto's determination.

"It has to be somewhere we absolutely cannot be overheard," Haruhi warned severely, shaking her head.

"Ah!" Sakanaka gasped, brightening immediately. "Um-- I happen to have passes for karaoke!"

Yanagimoto winced slightly, then shook her head. "Yeah -- against a member of the choir and someone who performed on stage last year," she groused. "Alright -- but no making fun of how awful I'm going to be compared to you two!"

Sakanaka giggled in embarrassment. "That's why I always have passes," she admitted. "My mother encourages my singing, after all. I know I must be getting better -- Rousseau doesn't try and sing along anymore!" She ducked her head and led the group away from the school, down the hill. "This place is about a block from the train station."

"Who's 'Rousseau'?" Kanae wondered, looking between Sakanaka and Yanagimoto as Haruhi took her hand, snickering at the singer's remark.

"Oh, you haven't met him yet," Haruhi realized. "Well-- If Sakanaka-san feels up to it, maybe we can introduce you at some point! He's her family dog, and one of our mysteries was when he started getting depressed!"

"Really?" Yanagimoto mused, raising her eyebrows at that. "Have you gotten a lot of those -- aside from ... that big one earlier this year?"

"Not too many," Haruhi admitted. "But that's not a problem, really. Sometimes it's nice when things are peaceful and we can just play games!"

"Considering the alternatives, I'll have to agree," Yanagimoto sighed. At Sakanaka's curious glance, she quickly clarified, "I mean -- I don't want there to be another mystery like that photography ring to be uncovered at our school!"

"Oh!" Kanae started. "I-- I don't, either." She paused, then couldn't help but turn to Haruhi and ask, "D...did they have ... pictures of me?"

Haruhi grimaced. "They had pictures of almost everyone," she groused. "I'm just glad we were able to shut them down before it got any further than it did."

"That kind of made you school heroes," Yanagimoto remarked, giving Kanae a supportive smile. "I mean ... your sempai did a lot of the hard work, and Suzumiya was really important too -- just like Tsuruya-sempai. But you know, everyone knows about the first year girl who Kyon saved fighting that jerk! And that's you!"

Kanae's face reddened, and she managed to shakily say, "I-- I wish I could have helped, somehow...."

"Everyone did their part, Kanae-chan," Haruhi consoled her, smiling. "You were just starting out, and at that time, Kyon and Tsu-chan had to keep it secret."

Yanagimoto made a face at that, and then they were at the entrance to Sakanaka's favorite karaoke parlor; she said nothing while the singer excused herself from the group to approach the attendant and arrange for a room. Judging by the first year girl's wide-eyed stare, she'd never seen the interior of a karaoke parlor before. The singer couldn't help but hope that at some point in the future, they could go just to sing, instead of discussing whatever it was that Haruhi was going to tell them.

Of course, it wouldn't do to bring that up in the lobby -- Sakanaka recognized quite a few regulars from school already, most of them waiting for another friend or two to show up before heading in.

Once Sakanaka handed her passes over, the politely smiling attendant led the group down a hall and to an unoccupied room, where they were able to hear faint music coming through some of the nearby doors. Sakanaka couldn't help but feel embarrassed at the sound of one particularly enthusiastic and slightly off-key singer, until they stepped inside their room.

From there, she thanked the attendant as he left, closing the door and immediately turning to the song list. Haruhi led Kanae to the sofa lining the wall opposite the door, then pulled a menu from the stack on the central table, while Yanagimoto lowered herself to a plush chair facing the karaoke system's display.

"Alright-- Order your ice-cream, so we can get down to business," the gymnast ordered, crossing her arms over her chest and giving Haruhi a stern look.

Not even looking up from the menu, Haruhi snorted, frowning slightly. "Ah," she decided, pointing to a picture that Sakanaka couldn't see from her vantage. "Kanae-chan, want to split this with me?"

"Ah, okay," the first year girl agreed, perking up. "Um-- Can I sing 'Over the Rainbow'? That's my favorite!"

A few minutes passed while Sakanaka picked out some songs, Yanagimoto grumbling but still adding her own order as well -- a sundae for the gymnast, and a simple float for the singer. After that, Sakanaka showed Kanae the song book, and explained how to order songs. She really would have to take her and Haruhi out again, so they could really just focus on having fun and singing.

After that, Sakanaka and Haruhi performed a quick duet of 'Sweet Blue Days' -- Kanae seemed utterly spellbound by the effort, and Yanagimoto too clapped in astonished surprise. Kanae performed a decent rendition of her chosen song, and after hearing that, Yanagimoto passed on even trying to sing, just shaking her head. They set the microphones down when their orders arrived, and Yanagimoto dialed in a song on the karaoke machine.

"Alright," the gymnast decided after sampling her sundae, "what's really going on here, Suzumiya?"

Haruhi took a deep breath, giving Kanae a smile and setting her own spoon down. The slider gave a cute, innocent smile, and tried a sample of the treat herself. Her eyes went dreamy and distant again; not for the first time, Sakanaka wondered what the smaller girl daydreamed about.

"This may be hard to believe," Haruhi began slowly, her face intent as she glanced between the other two girls in her year, one hand taking Kanae's up again. "Um ... so, I suppose I can't hide this from you, really ... but you can't let anyone else know!"

"I.... If you're doing something behind Tsuruya-sempai's back," Yanagimoto began hesitantly, "then ... I'm not sure I'll be happy about that. I mean-- I want to support you and be your ally ... but this is difficult, because I know that Tsuruya-sempai really does depend on Kyon-kun for a lot."

Yanagimoto's eyes narrowed, but she nodded. "Alright," she agreed. "You've got my word, Suzumiya."

The first year girl snapped out of her reverie, but bit her lip, evidently having nothing to contribute. Shaking her head quickly, she sampled another bite of the parfait she was sharing with Haruhi.

"So ... Tsu-chan and I have an agreement," the girl with the golden ribbons said slowly, her gaze flicking between Sakanaka and Yanagimoto equally intent on both of them. "I didn't.... I didn't know it was going to work out the way that it does, but there's an, um, arrangement where we kind of ... share Kyon."

Sakanaka blinked twice, and then her eyes crossed. She set her drink down shakily, pressing one hand to her forehead. "R...really?" she managed to ask shakily. How on earth did that work?

Shaking her head while the other girls absorbed that detail, Haruhi picked up her spoon again, sampling a smaller bite of parfait.

"...alright," Yanagimoto allowed, flopping back into her seat with an explosive sigh. "Somehow-- Somehow, after seeing the way Kyon-kun was with Nagato-san and Tsuruya-sempai ... I can believe this."

"What?" Sakanaka protested, surprised. "But that's-- That's just...." She trailed off there, blinking. "D...does that-- How can you.... He's engaged to Tsuruya-sempai! And-- And Kanae-chan here-- What about her?"

"She's got to be in on it, too," Yanagimoto reasoned, before Haruhi or Kanae could speak.

Sakanaka worked her jaw for a moment, then sighed, leaning back into her chair more delicately. "So.... So that's how it is?" she managed weakly, rubbing her forehead. This didn't seem like something that would make Haruhi happy, somehow!

"It wasn't easy!" Haruhi exclaimed, her hand giving Kanae's a comforting squeeze; the smaller girl managed a subdued giggle, her mouth full of the treat she was splitting with Haruhi. "It's sometimes still not easy.... But, hey, haven't you ever seen one of those harem genre anime?"

"Kyon has a harem," Sakanaka managed, sounding somewhat dazed, unsure how to handle that. He'd never seemed the sort! She'd respected him! But he led Haruhi to this? "How-- How could you let him push you into that?" she protested, shaking her head and leaning forward intently once more.

"I pushed him into it," Haruhi corrected her classmate. "Do you really see him pushing me into anything I wouldn't accept?"

Sakanaka's ire withered, unable to keep her leaning forward as she slumped back into her chair, slowly letting that sink in. "T...that's ... true," she admitted.

"I need to hear this story from the beginning!" Yanagimoto insisted, leaning forward as intently as Sakanaka had a minute before. "How did this whole thing get started?"

Even if she wasn't sure how to accept it, Sakanaka wanted to know that, too, so nodded in emphasis to the gymnast's question.

"I'm getting to that," Haruhi said, shaking her head. "So impatient ... sheesh-- This is hard to trust with people outside of our group, you know! Anyway -- 'harem' may not be the ideal word, really -- but bear with me. You know, the cliche and annoying harem anime?"

"Vaguely," Sakanaka allowed. "Um ... some guy who probably shouldn't manages to get the attention of several girls and ... never commits?" She looked puzzled at the last and gave Yanagimoto a questioning glance. She suspected the other girl followed that sort of thing more closely than she did herself.

"Sounds right to me," Yanagimoto agreed, frowning as Haruhi spooned up a bite of parfait--

At the last moment, the second year girl changed her mind on eating it, instead presenting the spoon to Kanae.

"Eh," Kanae managed, slightly embarrassed. After a short moment of hesitation, she opened her mouth, accepting the treat with a giggle, even as she blushed darkly.

Sakanaka's mouth fell open slightly at the display ... but if she was experiencing any doubt before, she had to recognize that it meant nothing in the face of Haruhi's obvious conviction.

Haruhi grinned and gave Kanae a wink, then continued, "So, the main problem with those anime is -- let's say that the guy's competent and genuinely likable, not just some loser who inexplicably gets the attention of girls way out of his league -- let's say that all of the girls really actually like that guy, right?"

Sakanaka shook her head slowly at the sight of Kanae -- still blushing -- returning the favor for Haruhi. She supposed that technically ... the pair were girlfriends. Haruhi momentarily dazzled the younger girl with a bright grin, accepting the offered treat before Kanae's hand could tremble enough to spill it.

The singer tried to rally herself to offer some sort of token protest, but fell into surprised silence, eyebrows raised at the spectacle.

Licking the last bit of cream from her lip, Haruhi offered Kanae a wink that made the first year girl's blush intensify before continuing, "So-- That gives you a basic formula, where the number of girls that are unhappy is the number of interested girls minus one. And that just sucks!"

"Y...yes, I suppose I can see that, but...." Sakanaka sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry ... I don't mean to be rude or difficult, but this is...." She trailed off and spread her hands helplessly. What else could she say? Despite her complaints, if Haruhi were set on it ... well, wasn't that the extent of it, really?

"I-- I can actually see this," Yanagimoto allowed, managing a rueful grin, rendering Sakanaka more speechless than anything Haruhi had said. "This really does sound like Suzumiya, you know? And ... I can understand how important Kyon-kun really is to Tsuruya-sempai. If he's just as important...." She shook her head and mused, "I can't see a guy like him actually suggesting something like this, though. So, of course he would become this important to more than one girl, and this is Suzumiya's plan to take care of that, huh?"

"My goodness," Sakanaka finally relented, shaking her head. "So ... then you're trying to reach for a happy ending for everyone? Is that it?"

"That's exactly it!" Kanae agreed, before Haruhi interrupted her by spooning up another bite. "Mmph!"

After swallowing, the smaller girl had to giggle and try for revenge. Sakanaka watched the shameless flirting silently, letting the reality of the situation sink in. "Anyway," Haruhi allowed, taking a napkin and dabbing at one corner of Kanae's mouth, "we all look out for one-another. It's not like it's a super-easy thing ... but we were angling for it already when Kyon's parents -- who are crazier than you probably think I am -- went and engaged Kyon to Tsu-chan.

"So, Tsu-chan was ready to throw everything away because she didn't want to come between me and Kyon ... and let me tell you," she said, her expression suddenly becoming dimmer, "realizing that made me feel selfish and awful-- Kyon's done some really amazing things for me, like...."

She trailed off, hesitant, a look of intense irritation coming to her face. It vanished into surprise when Kanae took advantage of the window to serve the last bite of their parfait to her.

"You know," Haruhi said, brightening after she swallowed the final bit of their treat, "he saved me from getting hit by a car, most recently -- but if I had a paper crane for all of the things that Kyon's done for me, I'd have a wish by now! And then he also saved Yuki-chan from some real trouble with her family -- serious stuff that I don't even want to get into -- and to top that all off, he saves Tsu-chan from being shoved out a window in front of the whole school!"

"A...and me from that scary person," Kanae added, shivering at the memory -- then relaxing and beaming what Sakanaka had to admit was an adorable smile when Haruhi put an arm around her and gave the first-year girl a comforting hug.

"I...isn't that a bit far for gratitude, though?" Sakanaka asked uncomfortably, still wrestling with the idea. "Didn't he kind of save all of the girls at Kitago? Or at least our reputations?"

"It's not just that!" Kanae protested, before Haruhi could speak. "Sempai.... Sempai's a genuinely caring person, and ... there are some problems we can't really explain -- but he helps us with them all, and so we became very, very close!"

"Is Asahina-sempai in on this too?" Yanagimoto wondered. "Because her explanation about dating some guy I've never heard of named 'Shutaro' sounded a bit fake to me -- but I wouldn't push, since I know she's your friend."

"Eh, yeah," Haruhi allowed, mildly taken aback. "But like Kanae-chan says, it's not just saving us from danger, it's the other things he's done, and ... let's say he's really done a lot to earn it."

"I ... suppose," Sakanaka allowed. Goodness ... aside from Haruhi, Kanae, Tsuruya, and evidently even Asahina-sempai ... how many people were involved? "He's ... come a long way from when I distantly knew him in middle school. Certainly, he's got hidden strengths!"

"He's not the only one," Yanagimoto chimed in. "I saw Nagato-san hold a club room door shut with one hand! And Kyon-kun held Yamane out a window with just one hand, too! I know he was a small guy, but that's no easy task!"

"I didn't mean physical strength," Sakanaka answered dryly, recovering enough to manage a wry smile for the gymnast. "Though, that's impressive, too...."

"So-- That's what's really going on," Haruhi declared, shrugging. "And now you know why we don't want anyone else knowing all about this. But ... I think we can trust you."

"Yeah, but I can't let Tani-baka know about this -- ever," Yanagimoto said, shaking her head. "The second he heard about it, his head would explode!" She blinked, thinking about what she just said as her face reddened. "And I'm going to shut up now," she muttered, reaching for her slightly melted sundae.

Sakanaka heaved an immense sigh. "I won't tell anyone, either," she agreed. "For one thing, it would really just come across as a sad rumor -- if you hadn't told me this yourself, Suzumiya-san, I wouldn't have believed it for a heartbeat! But ... beyond that...." She sighed again and hung her head. "If you're happy in some capacity, then I can't just let myself be jealous ... even though I don't think I could manage to work the same thing out in my situation.

"I-- I don't mean to be critical, I just think I'd be ... too selfish to do that. It ... must take a lot of strength. More than I have, anyway." She managed an apologetic smile at that, shrugging at her friend.

"Well-- Hey, even if he's kind of a perv and can say some dumb things, I don't think I'd be happy about that with Taniguchi-kun, either," Yanagimoto agreed. "It might be different if I was already really close friends with someone else interested in the same guy.... But I think we're kind of lucky we don't have to deal with that. And on that note...."

She rounded on Sakanaka and set her empty glass down, fixing the singer with a firm stare.

"What's going on with you?" she pressed curiously. "It's the shor-- uh, smart kid, right? What makes you think he's out of your reach? Did you even try confessing yet?"

"Ah," Sakanaka gasped, raising her head, her face coloring. "W...well, he likes another girl, even though she doesn't seem interested in him, um...."

"Alright," Yanagimoto decided with a grin. "I would have been a bit conflicted about helping Suzumiya -- even if I couldn't just watch when I thought she was letting Kyon-kun slip away from her. Tsuruya-sempai relies on him and I owe her for saving us from those real pervs-- But you, I believe we can help!"

"T...that's not--" Sakanaka began, waving her hands in protest, before Haruhi chimed in.

"She's got a point, you know! You've listened to me and agreed to keep our secret; shouldn't I be doing something in return for you? We are friends ... right?" Sakanaka was surprised to hear the uncertainty from Haruhi's voice -- she'd wanted to be friends with Haruhi for quite some time; even though she had been a bit antagonistic at first, Yanagimoto clearly did, too.

"That's right!" Kanae chimed in. The smaller girl's face glowed with cheer, nicely complimenting the smiley face on her hairpin. Like that, she absolutely exuded cuteness. "Let us help you, too!"

"A...alright," Sakanaka allowed meekly, feeling her face redden. It was fine if Haruhi did things differently with those she was close with, wasn't it? It wasn't like Haruhi was trying to press her approach on others as a universal solution, after all! "S...so...."

After exiting the school building, Yuki fell into step at Kyon's side, the pair walking away from the school building in relative silence. Her own habit was to move silently simply because being more noticeable would have shifted her from observer to participant, but that line had been more than crossed already. Changing how she moved didn't feel necessary, even if her role had changed somewhat.

Perhaps also by habit, Kyon's own steps were light; while she was able to register the noise that both of them made -- and even their heartbeats, if she focused -- he moved quietly enough that most humans would not even pick up the sounds.

Did he do it simply because he was with her? He usually didn't take any measure to silence his step, despite the training she'd given him in it. Logically, there was no need for him to publicly change his demeanor, but if he mirrored her in those situations....

At the bottom of the hill, where they would traditionally part ways -- he to the train station across the street, and her toward her apartment -- he paused, frowning. "Ah ... Yuki-chan," he said, causing that long-familiar, inexplicably pleasant reaction in her chest as her heart-rate increased slightly, "did you want to split up and change, or do you think we'll be okay in our uniforms?"

The field she would erect would cause those details to not be noticed by most. Mikuru had shown Yuki a lot about how clothes tied into expression, and that wearing nicer clothes for someone could serve as a demonstration of affection; beyond that there was the notion of clothing as a status symbol, and if they were operating in a field to reduce notice from others, then that point was entirely defeated.

More importantly, she calculated that it would be less enjoyable to lose the time required to change than simply staying together.

"Maybe next time," she allowed, prompting him to raise his eyebrows. "There is no need to change." She paused briefly, determining the most efficient words to convey the next bit of information, and then declared quietly, "I do not observe flaws with your appearance."

His look at that shifted to somewhat confused, and Asakura Ryouko chimed in to fill the void, unexpectedly running Yuki's intent through the smaller interface's superior social filter. "She says you look good to her anyway," the interface's tiny projection clarified.

"Ah," he managed, taken a bit aback, displaying the slight tension and awkward stance that she'd come to associate with him being mildly embarrassed.

While Yuki was not able to directly deny that, somehow it felt like it exceeded what Yuki actually wanted to say, so she replied, "Enable 'good child' mode." Even after that, she still realized she was experiencing a reaction; the capillaries in her face were filling with blood, and her eyes continued to try and orient themselves away from meeting his.

His expression was, if anything, even more surprised at that, until he put on a surprised smile, shaking his head. "U...um, in that case, what would you like to eat? Wait-- You think about that for a minute; I should call my parents and let them know I'll be home later, tonight."

What she ate had little bearing, as opposed to the company she ate it in, from what she was able to discern of the situation. If it were a 'date,' then there were entire databases on what should be considered 'romantic,' but she wasn't certain how to apply those to her. Then again, the vast majority of those were social issues, rendered almost completely irrelevant because of the field.

So she contemplated the options while he left a message on his mother's voice-mail, showing faint relief over not having to speak with her directly.

By the time he concluded his call and pocketed his phone, she determined, "Curry."

His eyebrows rose in mild surprise and curiosity before he shrugged. "Sure," he agreed. "That sounds fine-- Did you have a place in mind?"

It took only a moment of searching to determine the nearest suitable location. A restaurant two blocks away. She turned and began walking toward it with a small nod -- enough for him to catch, at least.

He gave her a subtle smirk and nodded, catching up to her almost immediately. There was nothing else to say, though Yuki was enjoying his presence and company anyway, engaging a field that would make the pair of them difficult to focus on or remember to most bystanders as they moved. Another interface could easily see through it, but Yuki did not anticipate direct action from any of them at this point.

While she might have made a mistake and let Ryouko through her awareness once, Kyon had handled that anyway -- with some help from Mikuru's alternate temporal self.

It was possible the IDSE had configured Ryouko specifically to be intercepted, but based on how the smaller interface was reacting to the events surrounding their group, Yuki couldn't determine how it would benefit them. Certainly, she was already on guard for anything else that they might attempt. Kuyou's help in that regard was quite helpful.

As that thought processed, she observed a shift in the field around her, warping its intent even further than she's initially planned, strengthening it with resonance -- and allowing Suou Kuyou to emerge from an unfolded hyperspace manifold at Kyon's other side. The dark-haired entity studied her in silence as Kyon paused in alarm, quickly calming as he recognized her.

At her full size, Kuyou's height was slightly taller than Yuki's, though her dark hair was longer by far. From Yuki's observation, the volume was slightly above the range that a human her evident age could expect to achieve. That suggested that Kuyou's emulation was off ... but within what Sasaki evidently considered a plausible range.

She made another note to herself to pass that observation on to Haruhi and Mikuru -- she suspected that they might have more insight into the significance of longer hair to more socially capable females.

Dismissing that thought, and taking advantage of the opportunity afforded by the increased strength of the occlusion field, Yuki grasped Kyon's nearer hand. While slightly surprised, he didn't complain, and in fact gave her a smile -- one that caused another of those pleasant reactions in her chest -- when she entwined her fingers with his.

Yuki watched closely as Kuyou immediately emulated the gesture with Kyon's other hand, which prompted him to whip his head around and stare at her in consternation. "Ah-- Um," he began, stuttering slightly.

There were no problems with it as far as Yuki was able to determine; no one could see them, and Kyon had spent time between two females who were interested before on multiple occasions.

She made a note to try and engineer an upcoming occasion where the other involved female could be Mikuru again -- that had been a unique, but worthwhile experience.

Kuyou's head tilted slightly to one side as she regarded Kyon questioningly, though said nothing.

"Ah ... heh," he chuckled, nervous for some reason. In his coat pocket, Ryouko waved her hands for his attention, out of his immediate line of sight as he glanced between the full sized figures instead. "Um-- So, where is the place?"

"Here," Yuki said, pointing at the door of the restaurant as they approached. It was much smaller than most buildings in the area, and the establishment itself had a shorter menu than its nearest competitors.

"So, you like this place?" Kyon asked, as she and Kuyou both released his hands, and he held the door open for them.

"It is fine," Yuki answered, dampening the severity of the field around them enough to become noticeable to the server within.

A minute later, they were seated at a small booth, Kyon on one side of the table -- Ryouko removed from his pocket and sitting next to his place settings -- with Yuki and Kuyou sharing the other side.

Kuyou's face tilted up and her eyes swept slowly closed and then open again. After a thoughtful pause she determined, "Asahina Mikuru prepared curry. It was superior to noodles."

Kyon managed a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his head. "That's ... okay, I suppose. Still, it seems neither of you really care much about the food, do you?"

Looking slightly bewildered, Kyon managed a nod in return. "I...is that okay, Yuki-chan? Um, that Suou-san join us for this?"

There were no valid reasons why that could be a problem, in Yuki's understanding of things. Mikuru had effectively determined it was fine on her own, labeling Kuyou's early attempt to kiss Kyon as 'too soon' instead of 'inappropriate,' according to the records from Ryouko and Kyon's PDA. If Yuki were to trust her judgment, then this was probably within acceptable parameters.

"Er, no, no," he said quickly, shaking his head. "You're our friend, Suou-san, I didn't mean that."

Kuyou abruptly smiled, emulating Ryouko's typical cheer when she was full-sized. "I am wanted," she deduced.

Kyon looked about to say something, then shut his mouth and shrugged, determining it was probably better not to clarify. After the server gave them all tea and took their orders (beef curry with a side of tempura vegetables for all) he sipped from his cup thoughtfully. Setting it down he said, "Well ... I wanted to thank Yuki-chan for all of her help lately-- But, Suou-san, I have to thank you, too.

"So this isn't really much -- but I appreciate what you've done to help out and protect the Brigade -- really, our whole world, at this point!" He settled back into his seat and paused for a moment, giving Ryouko a thoughtful look. "And," he relented with a sigh, shaking his head, "I have to thank even you for helping.... I'm not happy about Imouto being in danger, still--"

Ryouko waved her small arms furiously, her expression showing genuine concern, but unable to speak with 'good child' mode enabled.

"--but ... I can tell you're not happy about it, either. I still don't like that you tried to attack me, but ... I guess you're proving that Haruhi was right, and you really can grow. I can tell that you're not happy about what almost happened to Imouto ... so for that, even if I'm not happy about circumstances, I should tell you that I think I understand, at least."

Her waving slowed from frantic to much slower, her expression showing surprise. Yuki had to acknowledge that it was unexpected to her as well; Kyon might really be too trusting of her, all things considered. Still ... even if she wasn't entirely sure how Ryouko had come to be so concerned for Kyon's smaller sister, she could at least confirm:

"Her worry for your sister is entirely genuine." After a pause, she added, "It is not currently possible to determine why."

"She has been placed in the orbit of his sister," Kuyou clarified. "Non-destructive interaction with him is not directly possible without altering her orientation and velocity; Suzumiya Haruhi altered her entry vector into this system to bring her interactions into a more harmonious line. The first body she encountered altered her trajectory in accordance with the Chorus, harmonious with the Song."

Yuki analyzed the content of Kuyou's transmission. That was Kuyou's perception of what Yuki had done with Haruhi's power that day? It filled certain gaps in knowledge and understanding. Her social monitor caught a pattern in their interactions, and she turned to face Kuyou while their server set their orders before them.

Once the server was gone, Yuki said, "You are our ally. It is fine that you are here."

The smile Kuyou showed in response to that did not appear to be emulated from anyone at all.

After consuming the meal of curry with the entities that Kuyou had determined were her friends, Kuyou followed Yuki and Kyon as they left the restaurant. Having spent more time with the smaller entity, she picked Ryouko up herself, carrying the tiny interface comfortably in both hands before her.

The group moved to the street, and Kyon gave Yuki a brief speech about how important she was to him; Kuyou traced the resonances of the memetics extending out from him and rippling across the memetic medium. Within the occlusion field, she observed with intense focus as he concluded his somewhat rambling expression of gratitude, and moved to turn away.

Before he could manage more than turning his head a few degrees, Yuki reached up and turned his face back, pulling him down as she rose onto her tiptoes.

The pattern of dancing memetic strings intrigued Kuyou as the smaller girl's form rose, and her lips met with his as their eyes closed. While initially surprised, the strings intensified in resonance as he slipped into well-rehearsed patterns, his arms going about her and holding her body tight to his. Yuki's own body sagged slightly, leaning on him entirely for the duration of the exercise--

Kuyou could only try and calculate what the experience might have been like in the center of the memetic tangle -- but the rest of the Chorus couldn't offer input on those observations. Still, judging by the strengthening bonds between herself and Yuki, there was one way to observe directly.

Then the kiss finally broke, and Kyon breathlessly released the girl, both of them flushed, though him much more intensely than her, Kuyou instantly moved to a similar position and raised one hand toward his head--

Only to be intercepted by Yuki's grasp. Not excessively forceful; Kuyou gauged that she could break free of her grip without damaging the environment badly, but halted herself. She turned a questioning gaze to the other girl; why couldn't she try to observe the same thing?

Yuki's expression wasn't easily readable, but the radiant memetic surges from her carried the suggestion of mild amusement. "Not yet," she told Kuyou.

Kyon's eyes widened at this, even as Kuyou nodded her acknowledgment. The most commonly observable pattern was that Kyon did not engage in that particular transmission with those who he called with the '-san' honorific.

Obviously, she needed to determine how to tighten her orbit in relation to his, at least enough that she changed honorifics. Observations from the Chorus couldn't offer any insight into this; perhaps she should consult more closely with Ryouko? She seemed to understand the exchanges between Kyon and the others much better.

"Er-- Yeah," Kyon mumbled, shaking his head and giving a last confused glance to Yuki. "Um-- I consider you a friend and an ally, Suou-san."

"Next time, I will make cookies for you," Kuyou determined. She was certain that would help.

Kyon: Big Damn Hero

The Laying Low Arc I

Chapter Fifty One: Bait and Switch