Here's a little a sample. Section 1 of 4
I don't know how to post it on the main server, please teach me how to.
WARNING: VERY LONG
Spoiler! :
The Melancholy of Asahina Mitsuuru
Even though many incidents happened during winter break, it more or less turned out to be as I expected, just like getting nothing in return after purchasing a lottery ticket. As I reluctantly trudged through the cold, I silently blamed the school's lame construction as it made the already freezing temperature seem even colder.
Trying not to suspect the cold of being a top-secret counter-measure made to combat global warming, I tried to fix my eyes elsewhere, but they so happened to land on the classroom's malfunctioning heater, making me wonder if our classroom was actually colder than the north pole itself. Thinking about how I would have to suffer the same fate until I graduated from high school, I was embarrassed at myself for not choosing a better school. But alas, what could I do? I was already stuck at North High.
After school, having nothing better to do, I once again made my way to the clubroom.
Originally belonging to the literature club, the club room had, during the past year, slowly morphed into the SOS Brigade's official headquarters (although I'm not sure "official" is the right word to use). Just like a mother bird gradually forgetting about its own young and treating a cuckoo's baby as its own, the whole school seemed to have forgotten about the literature club's existence. Added to the fact that the sole literature club member didn't mind us occupying his club room, even I wasn't bothered by it much anymore, never mind Haruki.
No matter how you looked at it, this was the only place I could go after school hours. Although I did intend to skip club activities once in a while, the thought of a certain guy sitting behind me trying to drill holes in my back with his killer intent fired through high intensity vision beams was enough to vanquish any attempt of any kind. It simply wasn't worth the risk. However, I wasn't sure if I was making the right choice, or merely the easy one.
With those thoughts in mind, I instinctively knocked on the door, having arrived at the club room without even knowing it. If I were to enter without first knocking, there was a good chance I would be greeted with a sight as beautiful as heaven to behold. However, I'd rather make that small, often insignificant gesture, in order to ensure something like that doesn't ever happen again.
Under normal circumstances, I would often be answered with a soft "Yes," as the door was slowly opened by my smiling sempai, whose appearance was angelic to say the least. He was so full of boyish charm he could easily pass as a prince, or an elf in disguise. Waiting for him to open the door was an after-school ritual that I had comfortably gotten used to.
"..........................."
There was no answer. Hence it was safe to conclude that there were no princes, elves or smiling board game freaks in the club room. Even if there were someone inside, it would be the silent book-lover. Not even Haruki was inside. This I was willing to wager my most prized possession, second only to my life, on.
Having reached this conclusion, I boldly opened the door, as if opening the door to the refrigerator in my house.
Of course, Haruki wasn't inside, nor Itsuko, and to my surprise, not even Nagato.
But------
Asahina-sempai was.
His hot body was impossible to conceal under that butler outfit, as he sat on one of those steel folding chairs, holding his broom in one hand, and wearing a look that suggested that he was spacing out. There was no doubt, it was our beloved Asahina-sempai all right.
Wait, something wasn't right.
He was totally oblivious of me entering the club room, as he sat there gazing into space, occasionally letting out a sigh or two. It was simply amazing. Even simple gestures like that could be watched over and over on tape, and still be equally cute.
I admired the cute scene before me for a full minute, before I proceeded to wake him up.
"Asahina-sempai?"
The desired effect was instantaneous.
"Eh? Ah? Ah! Yes!"
Jumping up from his seat, Asahina-sempai looked at me with eyes full of surprise, as he tightly clutched his broom in a half sitting position.
"Ahhhh, Kyon-nëchan.... When did you arrive?"
What do you mean when, I clearly remember I knocked.
"Eh, d-did you? I d-didn't hear it at all...... S-sorry."
Asahina-sempai's face turned a deep shade of pink, as he nervously answered my question. "Umm... I was thinking about some... ehh.... stuff..."
Asahina-sempai hurriedly stuffed the broom into a utility closet Haruki nicked not too long ago, before raising his head to face me. The expression he wore was also fantastic! Anything he did was fantastic! Asahina-sempai banzai! If it weren't for me constantly reminding myself not to, I would have surely rushed forward and hugged him, which is what I've always wanted to do. Well, what are you waiting for then? Just do it! Nay, hold on a second, try to think about what would happen to both you and the world... Just as the war between the angels and demons in my mind was fast coming to a conclusion---
"Where's Suzumiya-san? Isn't he with you?"
Those miserably short sentences were enough to bring me back to reality. Oh crap, I had almost caused another major disaster, one that involved the fate of the world. Again. Pretending as if nothing had happened, which was partially true after all, I calmly placed my bag on the desk.
"That guy's in charge of class duty today. He's probably sweeping the auditorium right now."
"I see..."
As if uninterested in Haruki's current whereabouts, Asahina-sempai once again closed his cherry lips.
Even though I wasn't really good at guessing Asahina-sempai's thoughts, I could clearly tell something was different with today's Asahina-sempai. The time-traveler would usually welcome me into the club room with a smile as bright as a flower in the sun (of course, most of the glow was due to my imagination), along with his clear, hazel eyes and soft, silky hair, while giving out an aura of absolute sweetness. Today, however, he radiated a sense of melancholy.
With the words "troubled" clearly written all over his face, Asahina-sempai stood there looking at me, his hands twirling furiously in his lap, as if he had to convey an extremely difficult message. Sadly, it wasn't due to his being unable to confess his love towards me. I've only seen this Asahina-sempai once, and it didn't take long for the memory to once again resurface. This was the same expression Asahina-sempai wore when he unexpectedly begged me to follow him (for the first time) to the past, or more specifically, to the 7th of July three years ago, the day of the Tanabata Festival.
Half a year had passed since then, and while Asahina-sempai has grown even cuter, I unfortunately remain that idiot who always succumbs to a man's charm. Although I knew that this had more-or-less something to do with Haruki or the current state of the SOS Brigade, I consoled myself yet again by saying "Oh never mind, that isn't so bad either". No matter what Asahina-sempai said, I would never remain startled for too long, never mind refuse his offer.
As I was busy trying to imprint Asahina-sempai's black butler outfit as my homework, it appeared that he finally made up his mind, as he opened his round lips and said:
"K-kyon-nëchan, I-I have a favor to ask..."
Creak.
The door to the club room softly opened, as if trying to make the least amount of noise as possible. With a swish~ it slowly slid open. I instinctively turned my head backwards, only to see the short-haired, poker-faced boy silently enter the room.
Like an android, Nagato proceeded to close the door.
".................."
Taking a swift glance at me and Asahina-sempai, it seemed that Nagato understood that he was intruding. Nevertheless, he said nothing and merely headed to his regular seat.
With his face devoid of any emotion, Nagato sat on his chair before pulling out a large hardcover from his bag. If he had shown any interest in me and Asahina-sempai staring face-to-face in an empty club room, it was far outweighed by that book which would be better off being called an encyclopedia, the title alone being enough to give anyone a headache.
Let's just ignore the fact of who reacted first. Asahina-sempai's actions would always be larger than mine, and consequently, more obvious.
"A-Ah, that's right. Tea. Let me make some tea."
As if wanting the entire world to know what he was about to do, Asahina-sempai deliberately raised his voice as he stumbled towards the kettle.
"Water, water."
Cradling the kettle in his arms, Asahina-sempai hurriedly opened the door to the refrigerator.
"Kyaa~ We're out of water... Not to worry, I'll go fetch some."
I stopped him, just as he was about to hurry out of the club room.
"Let me help you with that."
I stretched out my hand to retrieve the kettle from my senpai.
"It's already cold enough outside. Should you step out in that outfit, you'd inevitably poison other students' eyes. There's no need to provide free eye candy for anyone. The water fountain's just downstairs. I'll just go and get it..."
Upon hearing this, Asahina-sempai immediately said:
"A-ah, then I'll go with you."
Asahina-sempai looked at me with eyes like those of a cat being left alone in the rain. He is so cute! Cuteness aside, however, this was also quite a troubling situation. Even now Asahina-sempai is still not accustomed to being alone with Nagato-san. Someone should definitely break the ice between them. But come to think of it, having both an alien and a time-traveller co-exist together in a small club room was already quite an amazing feat. I suppose it all boils down to who's involved, huh?
Seeing that Asahina-sempai would rather follow me to fetch some water rather than stay in the club room alone with Nagato, I could find no reason to refuse him, even if I were to dig all the way to the Mohorovicic discontinuity to search for one. Of course, if it were Haruki then things would be different. Heck, there wouldn't be any need to dig at all; all the reasons would come spewing out faster than an unearthed oil fountain. Luckily Haruki wasn't around, or else I would probably suffer another series of ponytail grab and pulls.
With the kettle safely in my arms, I hummed to myself as I considered which route I should take to the water fountain. I finally decided to take the path to the Old Block, when...
"Ah...... Wait for me..."
Still clad in his butler uniform, Asahina-sempai stumbled along, like a young cat stubbornly clinging on to its mother.
Walking side by side with Asahina-sempai, I felt a sense of pride swelling up within me. Although it wasn't me who gave Asahina-sempai that perfect body, those angelic features, or his charming personality, as far as I know, I was the only one to have ever been so close to him. Ahaha, what joy!
Too busy feeling pleased with myself, I totally forgot all about Asahina-sempai's melancholy. That's why,
"Kyon-onëchan."
Just as I started filling the kettle with water,
"Are you free this Sunday? There's a place I would like to visit with you."
Asahina-sempai's tone was dead serious. At the same time, I was so shocked by his statement that no modern calculating device could determine the exact value of my surprise. For a moment, I totally forgot what day today was, and how many days it would take to reach Sunday. After much effort, I finally managed to croak out......
"Sure."
Even if I had something to do this Sunday, at Asahina-sempai's invitation, all the red markings on my calendar had magically disappeared. Even if he requested we meet on the 29th of February, I would still be there. Who cares about something as trivial as a leap year?
"Yeah, I guess I'm kind of free."
After forcing out those words, shrouds of mist began to slowly rise in my heart.
--- Haven't I heard this somewhere before?
But then again, at that time we were travelling to three years ago. Time travel gets kinda boring after a while, you know? Sure, it may seem fun at first, but frequently hopping from past to future and vice versa, one has to wonder if one's appetite grows larger after time travel.
"Please don't worry."
Asahina-sempai had subconsciously picked up the kettle, and had started fiddling with it. His eyelids were drooping, as he casually watched the flow of tap water.
"This time I'm neither going to the past, nor the future. Actually, all I wanted was to get some tea leaves from the local supermarket. Onëchan, would you care to accompany me?"
Asahina-sempai then proceeded to reduce his voice to barely audible levels, and placed his index finger on his cherry lips.
"Keep this a secret from everyone...... Okay?"
My chest once again swelled with pride, filled with so much confidence that I reckon I would still be able to tell a straight out lie after a full dose of Veritaserum.
The days, hours, minutes and even seconds that soon followed never felt longer. Why is it that the more you stare at the clock, the slower it moves, as if intentionally mocking you? Could it have, by any chance, decided to take a holiday while I wasn't looking? Even shaking the clock with my hands didn't seem to speed up the movement of the accursed second hand. I finally realized how powerless we humans truly were subjected to the slow passing of time, as our dull and tasteless life slowly drifts by.
Nevertheless, this was the first time I had an ordinary, time-unrelated outing with a time traveler, for the sole purpose of purchasing tea leaves. Now I'd been thinking these past couple of days (since there was obviously no better way of passing time). I didn't think Asahina-sempai was one to have any problems doing the shopping all by himself, and he definitely wasn't so indecisive as to need help deciding what brand of tea leaves to buy. Even if he bought the worst tea leaves available in the market and produced a cup of totally horrible tea, I would probably still enjoy it. And the rest of the SOS Brigade wasn't that picky either.
If so, what did Asahina-sempai invite me out for? And why so mysteriously?
A boy and a girl, of similar age, walking together on a Sunday.
That is to say, would that be what normal humans consider a date? Hmm, I can't think of any other explanation. Yeah, it's a date alright, just as I thought. Choosing tea leaves was just an excuse, after all. Aww, you didn't need to be so mysterious. Couldn't you have just told me right then? No, wait; this is how it should be. Otherwise, it wouldn't be Asahina-sempai.
With those thoughts in mind, Sunday finally came.
I pedalled my bike furiously as I sped towards the agreed meeting spot before the train station. My trusty bike seemed to understand how I felt, as even without a motor, the pedals spun shockingly fast. This was probably the first time I had looked forward to a meeting ever since I joined the SOS Brigade, because this was an extremely ordinary outing. The destination was not a sealed space with red giants, the tickets weren't tickets to the future, and the mode of transport definitely wasn't a UFO.
Unless the one waiting before the station was the elder version of Asahina-sempai, with that secretive smile that screamed of a hidden motive, now that would be a different story.
No matter how you look at it, I'm still a high school student with a moderate amount of intelligence. Thanks to that and my past few experiences, I could more or less predict how the future would turn out. Asahina-sempai (tall) was no exception. He would appear whenever I got the feeling that he would. So even if he showed up today, I would not be too surprised....
"No way!"
I forcefully parked my bike in the shade of the power poles, before proceeding to lecture myself.
Even my thoughts had become biased! If things carried on like this, even if something did happen, I'd still remain perfectly calm. And that wasn't good, either. The only person who can stare something weird in the face and remain perfectly calm is someone who's missing a few screws in her brain. I want to be a normal person, or at least someone who's mentally sane! Although it may already be too late for that, I should at least smile when it's the time to smile. Now was definitely one of those moments.
So, I tried my best, and forced myself to smile.
The Asahina-sempai standing at the usual SOS Brigade meeting spot today was none other than my favourite version of Asahina-sempai.
Standing amidst a busy crowd, he waved furiously at me with that tiny hand of his. That pose was enough to melt anyone's heart.
Sporting a simple yet elegant outfit, he was like a boy trying eagerly to become a man. Seeing such a change in him, I was moved to the point of tears.
Faced with an elegantly dressed Asahina-sempai, I hastily pulled my bike to a halt, and revealed an Itsuko-style smile, which I had rehearsed over and over in the mirror.
"Sorry I'm late."
Although there were still 15 minutes till the agreed time.
"It's okay......"
Asahina-sempai breathed a sigh of relief, as he lowered her gaze to the ground.
"I just arrived too."
That was followed with a smile.
"Alright, let's get going!"
Asahina-sempai stepped forward.
Looking at Asahina-sempai like this, an indescribable feeling slowly welled up in my heart. I was like one of those loyal maids in your typical love stories, with a sworn duty to protect a prince who had to flee the palace due to inner conflict in the royal court and wander all over the world, typically falling in love with each other before the end.
Asahina-sempai's tiny footsteps, coupled with his childlike features, made me wonder, was he really a year older than me? His footsteps could easily compare to mine, and to top it off, he was still very young-looking. Looking down at his small footsteps, an urge to protect him swelled up in my chest, so much so that I feared that if he turned back to look at me with those big, round eyes of his, even he would feel uncomfortable.
I mean, every single one of my actions was different compared to my usual self. Being cooped up in a small, awkward room together with the eccentric Haruki, smiling Itsuko and silent Nagato, my actions were usually half-hearted and often chaotic. Now, there was only Asahina-sempai and me. Better still, no one knew about it. The tyrannical brigade commander, the reliable alien, and even the esper weren't here. This was quite the change.
I really wanted to announce this at the top of my lungs: Deciding to go out with Asahina-sempai alone is the best decision I have ever made in my life!
To tell you the truth, I was happy. Very happy. Walking side by side with one of North High's most handsome students, even if someone chucked my Purple Diploma into the gutter, I would still not feel any sense of regret, seeing that the diploma was issued by a country that wasn't renowned for literature anyway.
We were headed to the mall near the train station.
Sometimes, having nothing better to do, I would accompany my family here to do the shopping. This mall mostly sold food and apparel, and it also had a large bookstore inside. However, that was Nagato's field of specialty, not mine. As I expected, Asahina-sempai took me to the lower level, where the food was sold.
Beyond a row of shining ATMs was the store we were headed to. Specializing in dealing nothing but tea leaves, the racks inside were filled with all sorts of different kinds.
"Good afternoon."
At the sound of Asahina-sempai's cute greeting, the shop owner's face immediately cracked a smile that resembled bitumen melting on a hot summer's day.
"Welcome, thanks for visiting us again."
It seems that Asahina-san had already become a regular at this shop, and was on friendly terms with the shop owner.
"Ehh... Which type should I buy?"
Asahina-sempai muttered to himself, while surveying the different type of tea leaves printed on a large poster hanging by the wall, complete with their corresponding names and prices.
Of course, my knowledge of tea leaves was less than Asahina-sempai's, so I was unable to give him any suggestions. I stood silently by his side as I inhaled the different aromas and fragrances of the various tea leaves, my nose itching wildly in the process.
Turning serious at the topic of tea leaves, Asahina-sempai discussed with the shop owner the various methods of brewing tea, from the amount of leaves to the time required. I stood there listening, with nothing much to do or say, like a scarecrow after harvest.
The only one who ever gave any comments on Asahina-sempai's tea was me. Haruki would usually down the entire cup in a single gulp, probably not even noticing whether it was tea or not, while I can't even confirm if Nagato has any taste buds or not. Itsuko rarely voices her opinion on any matter anyways, so the only one left was me.
I had already sworn that I would drink any tea that Asahina-sempai prepared, even if it was a silver goblet of hemlock. Seeking aid right after drinking should allow me to live to tell the tale. Most importantly, Asahina-sempai's feelings would not be hurt.
Seeing that I had no advice to offer whatsoever, I continued to stand idly by the door, playing the role of Asahina-sempai's chaperone. It was not until Asahina-sempai finally made his decision and bought the type known as "High Class Goddess" or something that I finally stopped standing guard like a sentry.
"It's such a rare chance that we get to come out together---"
Asahina-sempai looked at me with even politer eyes than usual.
"Do you want to come in and drink some tea? The dango they serve here is quite tasty. We could ask the shop owner to help brew the tea leaves we just bought earlier......"
Even by the time all the hydrogen in the sun had been consumed and turned into helium, I would still be unable to find a reason to refuse his offer. In a simple shop like this, it was surprising that tables and chairs were prepared, as if telling me to come in and sit down. Without a second thought, I followed Asahina-sempai into the store and sat down, as the aroma of freshly brewed tea soon filled my nostrils.
There was one thing which I greatly missed.
Asahina-sempai seemed to care a lot about the time, as he frequently shot glances at his watch, unable to calm down and enjoy his tea. His actions, however, didn't seem deliberate, and it was as if he was trying to hide it from me. My apologies, Asahina-sempai, but no matter how much you try to hide it, I can still notice. Because apart from looking at the time, you seem to be sighing every time you glance at your watch. Something must be bothering him.
"The dango here is tasty, and the tea is also sweet smelling, just as expected from Asahina-sempai. Hmm... This is really delicious."
Even so, I pretended not to notice Asahina-sempai's nervousness. I really must desist from praising myself for being such a kind and thoughtful soul. Oops, I'm sorry. Is it already too late?
"Hmm..."
Asahina-sempai took a bite from his dango, before glancing at his watch again.
I suddenly had a bad feeling, like the calm before the storm.
That's right; this whole ordeal was fishy from the start. The fact that I was going out with one of the top three cuties in North High, who was in that cute winter outfit, would be enough to propel anyone to the roof of the school hostel and yell about it at the top of their lungs.
I drank my cup of tea, and as the hot fluid slowly flowed down my digestive tract, my suspicion began to grow thicker and thicker.
There must be a catch.
My analysis of past experiences and data has proven that the only upperclassman in the SOS Brigade, Asahina Mitsuuru-sempai, is indeed a time traveller. He was sent here from the future for some reason, which unfortunately remains classified information. As for how he became the SOS Brigade's official mascot, well, that was all due to Haruki's tyrannical ways. It definitely has nothing to do with his original assignment.
That's right. Observing Haruki is his official assignment. He's also in charge of bringing me to the past and the future, in order to trigger future events or to clean up the mess my past self has unknowingly created. Those were the assignments his superiors gave him. No matter how you think of it, that more or less resembles his true mission.
So the question is, was today's date an assignment too? Was the whole tea leaves choosing business meant to camouflage the true purpose of events that were about to happen? Did Asahina-sempai know from the very start? Come to think of it, that expression on his face kinda gave everything away...
After finishing our dango, Asahina-sempai insisted on paying on his own.
"It's okay, since it was me who asked you out in the first place."
Even so, I can't let you spend so easily.
"It's really alright. You treat us every time anyway."
That's because that idiot Haruki made a self-proclaimed rule that the last one to arrive would be the one who would treat the entire brigade to a meal, and, for some unknown reason, the last person to arrive is always me. In the end, I was the one to settle the bill, something you don't see outside the SOS Brigade. Today was different, though, and maybe it was due to the rare chance that the both of us got to go out alone, all the bills stuffed in my wallet seemed to be screaming to be let out. Perhaps they thought being spent this way would be more meaningful.
"Let me settle this bill for once."
Asahina-sempai looked at me with pleading eyes.
"Pretty please?"
The expression Asahina-sempai wore was so genuine; I naturally nodded my head in agreement.
Even though many incidents happened during winter break, it more or less turned out to be as I expected, just like getting nothing in return after purchasing a lottery ticket. As I reluctantly trudged through the cold, I silently blamed the school's lame construction as it made the already freezing temperature seem even colder.
Trying not to suspect the cold of being a top-secret counter-measure made to combat global warming, I tried to fix my eyes elsewhere, but they so happened to land on the classroom's malfunctioning heater, making me wonder if our classroom was actually colder than the north pole itself. Thinking about how I would have to suffer the same fate until I graduated from high school, I was embarrassed at myself for not choosing a better school. But alas, what could I do? I was already stuck at North High.
After school, having nothing better to do, I once again made my way to the clubroom.
Originally belonging to the literature club, the club room had, during the past year, slowly morphed into the SOS Brigade's official headquarters (although I'm not sure "official" is the right word to use). Just like a mother bird gradually forgetting about its own young and treating a cuckoo's baby as its own, the whole school seemed to have forgotten about the literature club's existence. Added to the fact that the sole literature club member didn't mind us occupying his club room, even I wasn't bothered by it much anymore, never mind Haruki.
No matter how you looked at it, this was the only place I could go after school hours. Although I did intend to skip club activities once in a while, the thought of a certain guy sitting behind me trying to drill holes in my back with his killer intent fired through high intensity vision beams was enough to vanquish any attempt of any kind. It simply wasn't worth the risk. However, I wasn't sure if I was making the right choice, or merely the easy one.
With those thoughts in mind, I instinctively knocked on the door, having arrived at the club room without even knowing it. If I were to enter without first knocking, there was a good chance I would be greeted with a sight as beautiful as heaven to behold. However, I'd rather make that small, often insignificant gesture, in order to ensure something like that doesn't ever happen again.
Under normal circumstances, I would often be answered with a soft "Yes," as the door was slowly opened by my smiling sempai, whose appearance was angelic to say the least. He was so full of boyish charm he could easily pass as a prince, or an elf in disguise. Waiting for him to open the door was an after-school ritual that I had comfortably gotten used to.
"..........................."
There was no answer. Hence it was safe to conclude that there were no princes, elves or smiling board game freaks in the club room. Even if there were someone inside, it would be the silent book-lover. Not even Haruki was inside. This I was willing to wager my most prized possession, second only to my life, on.
Having reached this conclusion, I boldly opened the door, as if opening the door to the refrigerator in my house.
Of course, Haruki wasn't inside, nor Itsuko, and to my surprise, not even Nagato.
But------
Asahina-sempai was.
His hot body was impossible to conceal under that butler outfit, as he sat on one of those steel folding chairs, holding his broom in one hand, and wearing a look that suggested that he was spacing out. There was no doubt, it was our beloved Asahina-sempai all right.
Wait, something wasn't right.
He was totally oblivious of me entering the club room, as he sat there gazing into space, occasionally letting out a sigh or two. It was simply amazing. Even simple gestures like that could be watched over and over on tape, and still be equally cute.
I admired the cute scene before me for a full minute, before I proceeded to wake him up.
"Asahina-sempai?"
The desired effect was instantaneous.
"Eh? Ah? Ah! Yes!"
Jumping up from his seat, Asahina-sempai looked at me with eyes full of surprise, as he tightly clutched his broom in a half sitting position.
"Ahhhh, Kyon-nëchan.... When did you arrive?"
What do you mean when, I clearly remember I knocked.
"Eh, d-did you? I d-didn't hear it at all...... S-sorry."
Asahina-sempai's face turned a deep shade of pink, as he nervously answered my question. "Umm... I was thinking about some... ehh.... stuff..."
Asahina-sempai hurriedly stuffed the broom into a utility closet Haruki nicked not too long ago, before raising his head to face me. The expression he wore was also fantastic! Anything he did was fantastic! Asahina-sempai banzai! If it weren't for me constantly reminding myself not to, I would have surely rushed forward and hugged him, which is what I've always wanted to do. Well, what are you waiting for then? Just do it! Nay, hold on a second, try to think about what would happen to both you and the world... Just as the war between the angels and demons in my mind was fast coming to a conclusion---
"Where's Suzumiya-san? Isn't he with you?"
Those miserably short sentences were enough to bring me back to reality. Oh crap, I had almost caused another major disaster, one that involved the fate of the world. Again. Pretending as if nothing had happened, which was partially true after all, I calmly placed my bag on the desk.
"That guy's in charge of class duty today. He's probably sweeping the auditorium right now."
"I see..."
As if uninterested in Haruki's current whereabouts, Asahina-sempai once again closed his cherry lips.
Even though I wasn't really good at guessing Asahina-sempai's thoughts, I could clearly tell something was different with today's Asahina-sempai. The time-traveler would usually welcome me into the club room with a smile as bright as a flower in the sun (of course, most of the glow was due to my imagination), along with his clear, hazel eyes and soft, silky hair, while giving out an aura of absolute sweetness. Today, however, he radiated a sense of melancholy.
With the words "troubled" clearly written all over his face, Asahina-sempai stood there looking at me, his hands twirling furiously in his lap, as if he had to convey an extremely difficult message. Sadly, it wasn't due to his being unable to confess his love towards me. I've only seen this Asahina-sempai once, and it didn't take long for the memory to once again resurface. This was the same expression Asahina-sempai wore when he unexpectedly begged me to follow him (for the first time) to the past, or more specifically, to the 7th of July three years ago, the day of the Tanabata Festival.
Half a year had passed since then, and while Asahina-sempai has grown even cuter, I unfortunately remain that idiot who always succumbs to a man's charm. Although I knew that this had more-or-less something to do with Haruki or the current state of the SOS Brigade, I consoled myself yet again by saying "Oh never mind, that isn't so bad either". No matter what Asahina-sempai said, I would never remain startled for too long, never mind refuse his offer.
As I was busy trying to imprint Asahina-sempai's black butler outfit as my homework, it appeared that he finally made up his mind, as he opened his round lips and said:
"K-kyon-nëchan, I-I have a favor to ask..."
Creak.
The door to the club room softly opened, as if trying to make the least amount of noise as possible. With a swish~ it slowly slid open. I instinctively turned my head backwards, only to see the short-haired, poker-faced boy silently enter the room.
Like an android, Nagato proceeded to close the door.
".................."
Taking a swift glance at me and Asahina-sempai, it seemed that Nagato understood that he was intruding. Nevertheless, he said nothing and merely headed to his regular seat.
With his face devoid of any emotion, Nagato sat on his chair before pulling out a large hardcover from his bag. If he had shown any interest in me and Asahina-sempai staring face-to-face in an empty club room, it was far outweighed by that book which would be better off being called an encyclopedia, the title alone being enough to give anyone a headache.
Let's just ignore the fact of who reacted first. Asahina-sempai's actions would always be larger than mine, and consequently, more obvious.
"A-Ah, that's right. Tea. Let me make some tea."
As if wanting the entire world to know what he was about to do, Asahina-sempai deliberately raised his voice as he stumbled towards the kettle.
"Water, water."
Cradling the kettle in his arms, Asahina-sempai hurriedly opened the door to the refrigerator.
"Kyaa~ We're out of water... Not to worry, I'll go fetch some."
I stopped him, just as he was about to hurry out of the club room.
"Let me help you with that."
I stretched out my hand to retrieve the kettle from my senpai.
"It's already cold enough outside. Should you step out in that outfit, you'd inevitably poison other students' eyes. There's no need to provide free eye candy for anyone. The water fountain's just downstairs. I'll just go and get it..."
Upon hearing this, Asahina-sempai immediately said:
"A-ah, then I'll go with you."
Asahina-sempai looked at me with eyes like those of a cat being left alone in the rain. He is so cute! Cuteness aside, however, this was also quite a troubling situation. Even now Asahina-sempai is still not accustomed to being alone with Nagato-san. Someone should definitely break the ice between them. But come to think of it, having both an alien and a time-traveller co-exist together in a small club room was already quite an amazing feat. I suppose it all boils down to who's involved, huh?
Seeing that Asahina-sempai would rather follow me to fetch some water rather than stay in the club room alone with Nagato, I could find no reason to refuse him, even if I were to dig all the way to the Mohorovicic discontinuity to search for one. Of course, if it were Haruki then things would be different. Heck, there wouldn't be any need to dig at all; all the reasons would come spewing out faster than an unearthed oil fountain. Luckily Haruki wasn't around, or else I would probably suffer another series of ponytail grab and pulls.
With the kettle safely in my arms, I hummed to myself as I considered which route I should take to the water fountain. I finally decided to take the path to the Old Block, when...
"Ah...... Wait for me..."
Still clad in his butler uniform, Asahina-sempai stumbled along, like a young cat stubbornly clinging on to its mother.
Walking side by side with Asahina-sempai, I felt a sense of pride swelling up within me. Although it wasn't me who gave Asahina-sempai that perfect body, those angelic features, or his charming personality, as far as I know, I was the only one to have ever been so close to him. Ahaha, what joy!
Too busy feeling pleased with myself, I totally forgot all about Asahina-sempai's melancholy. That's why,
"Kyon-onëchan."
Just as I started filling the kettle with water,
"Are you free this Sunday? There's a place I would like to visit with you."
Asahina-sempai's tone was dead serious. At the same time, I was so shocked by his statement that no modern calculating device could determine the exact value of my surprise. For a moment, I totally forgot what day today was, and how many days it would take to reach Sunday. After much effort, I finally managed to croak out......
"Sure."
Even if I had something to do this Sunday, at Asahina-sempai's invitation, all the red markings on my calendar had magically disappeared. Even if he requested we meet on the 29th of February, I would still be there. Who cares about something as trivial as a leap year?
"Yeah, I guess I'm kind of free."
After forcing out those words, shrouds of mist began to slowly rise in my heart.
--- Haven't I heard this somewhere before?
But then again, at that time we were travelling to three years ago. Time travel gets kinda boring after a while, you know? Sure, it may seem fun at first, but frequently hopping from past to future and vice versa, one has to wonder if one's appetite grows larger after time travel.
"Please don't worry."
Asahina-sempai had subconsciously picked up the kettle, and had started fiddling with it. His eyelids were drooping, as he casually watched the flow of tap water.
"This time I'm neither going to the past, nor the future. Actually, all I wanted was to get some tea leaves from the local supermarket. Onëchan, would you care to accompany me?"
Asahina-sempai then proceeded to reduce his voice to barely audible levels, and placed his index finger on his cherry lips.
"Keep this a secret from everyone...... Okay?"
My chest once again swelled with pride, filled with so much confidence that I reckon I would still be able to tell a straight out lie after a full dose of Veritaserum.
The days, hours, minutes and even seconds that soon followed never felt longer. Why is it that the more you stare at the clock, the slower it moves, as if intentionally mocking you? Could it have, by any chance, decided to take a holiday while I wasn't looking? Even shaking the clock with my hands didn't seem to speed up the movement of the accursed second hand. I finally realized how powerless we humans truly were subjected to the slow passing of time, as our dull and tasteless life slowly drifts by.
Nevertheless, this was the first time I had an ordinary, time-unrelated outing with a time traveler, for the sole purpose of purchasing tea leaves. Now I'd been thinking these past couple of days (since there was obviously no better way of passing time). I didn't think Asahina-sempai was one to have any problems doing the shopping all by himself, and he definitely wasn't so indecisive as to need help deciding what brand of tea leaves to buy. Even if he bought the worst tea leaves available in the market and produced a cup of totally horrible tea, I would probably still enjoy it. And the rest of the SOS Brigade wasn't that picky either.
If so, what did Asahina-sempai invite me out for? And why so mysteriously?
A boy and a girl, of similar age, walking together on a Sunday.
That is to say, would that be what normal humans consider a date? Hmm, I can't think of any other explanation. Yeah, it's a date alright, just as I thought. Choosing tea leaves was just an excuse, after all. Aww, you didn't need to be so mysterious. Couldn't you have just told me right then? No, wait; this is how it should be. Otherwise, it wouldn't be Asahina-sempai.
With those thoughts in mind, Sunday finally came.
I pedalled my bike furiously as I sped towards the agreed meeting spot before the train station. My trusty bike seemed to understand how I felt, as even without a motor, the pedals spun shockingly fast. This was probably the first time I had looked forward to a meeting ever since I joined the SOS Brigade, because this was an extremely ordinary outing. The destination was not a sealed space with red giants, the tickets weren't tickets to the future, and the mode of transport definitely wasn't a UFO.
Unless the one waiting before the station was the elder version of Asahina-sempai, with that secretive smile that screamed of a hidden motive, now that would be a different story.
No matter how you look at it, I'm still a high school student with a moderate amount of intelligence. Thanks to that and my past few experiences, I could more or less predict how the future would turn out. Asahina-sempai (tall) was no exception. He would appear whenever I got the feeling that he would. So even if he showed up today, I would not be too surprised....
"No way!"
I forcefully parked my bike in the shade of the power poles, before proceeding to lecture myself.
Even my thoughts had become biased! If things carried on like this, even if something did happen, I'd still remain perfectly calm. And that wasn't good, either. The only person who can stare something weird in the face and remain perfectly calm is someone who's missing a few screws in her brain. I want to be a normal person, or at least someone who's mentally sane! Although it may already be too late for that, I should at least smile when it's the time to smile. Now was definitely one of those moments.
So, I tried my best, and forced myself to smile.
The Asahina-sempai standing at the usual SOS Brigade meeting spot today was none other than my favourite version of Asahina-sempai.
Standing amidst a busy crowd, he waved furiously at me with that tiny hand of his. That pose was enough to melt anyone's heart.
Sporting a simple yet elegant outfit, he was like a boy trying eagerly to become a man. Seeing such a change in him, I was moved to the point of tears.
Faced with an elegantly dressed Asahina-sempai, I hastily pulled my bike to a halt, and revealed an Itsuko-style smile, which I had rehearsed over and over in the mirror.
"Sorry I'm late."
Although there were still 15 minutes till the agreed time.
"It's okay......"
Asahina-sempai breathed a sigh of relief, as he lowered her gaze to the ground.
"I just arrived too."
That was followed with a smile.
"Alright, let's get going!"
Asahina-sempai stepped forward.
Looking at Asahina-sempai like this, an indescribable feeling slowly welled up in my heart. I was like one of those loyal maids in your typical love stories, with a sworn duty to protect a prince who had to flee the palace due to inner conflict in the royal court and wander all over the world, typically falling in love with each other before the end.
Asahina-sempai's tiny footsteps, coupled with his childlike features, made me wonder, was he really a year older than me? His footsteps could easily compare to mine, and to top it off, he was still very young-looking. Looking down at his small footsteps, an urge to protect him swelled up in my chest, so much so that I feared that if he turned back to look at me with those big, round eyes of his, even he would feel uncomfortable.
I mean, every single one of my actions was different compared to my usual self. Being cooped up in a small, awkward room together with the eccentric Haruki, smiling Itsuko and silent Nagato, my actions were usually half-hearted and often chaotic. Now, there was only Asahina-sempai and me. Better still, no one knew about it. The tyrannical brigade commander, the reliable alien, and even the esper weren't here. This was quite the change.
I really wanted to announce this at the top of my lungs: Deciding to go out with Asahina-sempai alone is the best decision I have ever made in my life!
To tell you the truth, I was happy. Very happy. Walking side by side with one of North High's most handsome students, even if someone chucked my Purple Diploma into the gutter, I would still not feel any sense of regret, seeing that the diploma was issued by a country that wasn't renowned for literature anyway.
We were headed to the mall near the train station.
Sometimes, having nothing better to do, I would accompany my family here to do the shopping. This mall mostly sold food and apparel, and it also had a large bookstore inside. However, that was Nagato's field of specialty, not mine. As I expected, Asahina-sempai took me to the lower level, where the food was sold.
Beyond a row of shining ATMs was the store we were headed to. Specializing in dealing nothing but tea leaves, the racks inside were filled with all sorts of different kinds.
"Good afternoon."
At the sound of Asahina-sempai's cute greeting, the shop owner's face immediately cracked a smile that resembled bitumen melting on a hot summer's day.
"Welcome, thanks for visiting us again."
It seems that Asahina-san had already become a regular at this shop, and was on friendly terms with the shop owner.
"Ehh... Which type should I buy?"
Asahina-sempai muttered to himself, while surveying the different type of tea leaves printed on a large poster hanging by the wall, complete with their corresponding names and prices.
Of course, my knowledge of tea leaves was less than Asahina-sempai's, so I was unable to give him any suggestions. I stood silently by his side as I inhaled the different aromas and fragrances of the various tea leaves, my nose itching wildly in the process.
Turning serious at the topic of tea leaves, Asahina-sempai discussed with the shop owner the various methods of brewing tea, from the amount of leaves to the time required. I stood there listening, with nothing much to do or say, like a scarecrow after harvest.
The only one who ever gave any comments on Asahina-sempai's tea was me. Haruki would usually down the entire cup in a single gulp, probably not even noticing whether it was tea or not, while I can't even confirm if Nagato has any taste buds or not. Itsuko rarely voices her opinion on any matter anyways, so the only one left was me.
I had already sworn that I would drink any tea that Asahina-sempai prepared, even if it was a silver goblet of hemlock. Seeking aid right after drinking should allow me to live to tell the tale. Most importantly, Asahina-sempai's feelings would not be hurt.
Seeing that I had no advice to offer whatsoever, I continued to stand idly by the door, playing the role of Asahina-sempai's chaperone. It was not until Asahina-sempai finally made his decision and bought the type known as "High Class Goddess" or something that I finally stopped standing guard like a sentry.
"It's such a rare chance that we get to come out together---"
Asahina-sempai looked at me with even politer eyes than usual.
"Do you want to come in and drink some tea? The dango they serve here is quite tasty. We could ask the shop owner to help brew the tea leaves we just bought earlier......"
Even by the time all the hydrogen in the sun had been consumed and turned into helium, I would still be unable to find a reason to refuse his offer. In a simple shop like this, it was surprising that tables and chairs were prepared, as if telling me to come in and sit down. Without a second thought, I followed Asahina-sempai into the store and sat down, as the aroma of freshly brewed tea soon filled my nostrils.
There was one thing which I greatly missed.
Asahina-sempai seemed to care a lot about the time, as he frequently shot glances at his watch, unable to calm down and enjoy his tea. His actions, however, didn't seem deliberate, and it was as if he was trying to hide it from me. My apologies, Asahina-sempai, but no matter how much you try to hide it, I can still notice. Because apart from looking at the time, you seem to be sighing every time you glance at your watch. Something must be bothering him.
"The dango here is tasty, and the tea is also sweet smelling, just as expected from Asahina-sempai. Hmm... This is really delicious."
Even so, I pretended not to notice Asahina-sempai's nervousness. I really must desist from praising myself for being such a kind and thoughtful soul. Oops, I'm sorry. Is it already too late?
"Hmm..."
Asahina-sempai took a bite from his dango, before glancing at his watch again.
I suddenly had a bad feeling, like the calm before the storm.
That's right; this whole ordeal was fishy from the start. The fact that I was going out with one of the top three cuties in North High, who was in that cute winter outfit, would be enough to propel anyone to the roof of the school hostel and yell about it at the top of their lungs.
I drank my cup of tea, and as the hot fluid slowly flowed down my digestive tract, my suspicion began to grow thicker and thicker.
There must be a catch.
My analysis of past experiences and data has proven that the only upperclassman in the SOS Brigade, Asahina Mitsuuru-sempai, is indeed a time traveller. He was sent here from the future for some reason, which unfortunately remains classified information. As for how he became the SOS Brigade's official mascot, well, that was all due to Haruki's tyrannical ways. It definitely has nothing to do with his original assignment.
That's right. Observing Haruki is his official assignment. He's also in charge of bringing me to the past and the future, in order to trigger future events or to clean up the mess my past self has unknowingly created. Those were the assignments his superiors gave him. No matter how you think of it, that more or less resembles his true mission.
So the question is, was today's date an assignment too? Was the whole tea leaves choosing business meant to camouflage the true purpose of events that were about to happen? Did Asahina-sempai know from the very start? Come to think of it, that expression on his face kinda gave everything away...
After finishing our dango, Asahina-sempai insisted on paying on his own.
"It's okay, since it was me who asked you out in the first place."
Even so, I can't let you spend so easily.
"It's really alright. You treat us every time anyway."
That's because that idiot Haruki made a self-proclaimed rule that the last one to arrive would be the one who would treat the entire brigade to a meal, and, for some unknown reason, the last person to arrive is always me. In the end, I was the one to settle the bill, something you don't see outside the SOS Brigade. Today was different, though, and maybe it was due to the rare chance that the both of us got to go out alone, all the bills stuffed in my wallet seemed to be screaming to be let out. Perhaps they thought being spent this way would be more meaningful.
"Let me settle this bill for once."
Asahina-sempai looked at me with pleading eyes.
"Pretty please?"
The expression Asahina-sempai wore was so genuine; I naturally nodded my head in agreement.