When I realize it, I can't exactly snap at my Brigade for it. I mean, when I come into the clubroom, the first thing I do is zip to the computer and get it fired up. The dang thing is taking longer and longer to start up, too, but once it's up, I check my e-mails and look at the site.
Our hit count hasn't really jumped much since that one big spike, though. On the other hand, for all of those hits, we didn't get any actual leads. So wishing for more traffic when it doesn't lead anywhere....
But that's when it hits me. Checking the hit-count and group mailbox anyway -- just some spam from some supposed prince in Nigeria who wants to send me a few billion yen, if I can help him out. But I do that and look up at the Brigade.
Do you think the emphasis on when as opposed to that is natural?
Mikuru-chan's finished serving tea to everyone and is already diligently working on her homework.
Koizumi is already losing to Kyon at ... looks like today's game is go, while the pair of them ignore their own assignments.
Yuki pauses, halfway between her seat and the door. She turns to look at me, as though she realized she'd caught my attention, but I just wave her off and lean back into the chair. Our own club is so boring she's going to spend time next door, huh?
I don't want to yell and tell her she can't go. After all, it's not like we're doing anything.
That still upsets me, though. That realization -- that we are that boring.
The most unique and interesting club on the campus -- possibly in all of Japan! And we're just killing time!?
Ugh!
As if it were punctuating my annoyance, Koizumi's cell phone chirps, and he pauses the game with Kyon to check his text messages. "Ah," he says, sounding surprised after he reads it, turning to face me. "My apologies, Suzumiya-san; some work has come up."
Kyon stares at the go board with a frown as I wave at him in dismissal. He sighs and sits up once Koizumi is gone, idly plucking the stones up and putting them back in their containers.
"What's on your mind?" he asks, while Mikuru-chan continues her work, seeming to tune out the entire outer world.
"I wonder if we've let ourselves slip?" I ask him, frowning. Usually I'm a bit more prepared. "Sometimes.... Sometimes I really worry that we've lost focus of the big picture and aren't really doing the best job that we can-- What have we done toward our mission statement lately?"
"Our-- Oh, you mean what you put in that flyer?" he asks as Mikuru breaks off with a blink.
"Ah!" she exclaims. "Oh, um ... more tea?"
"Yeah," I allow, nodding at her as Kyon pretty much fawns over her, being way nicer than a simple cup of tea really requires. Well, it's not like it's hurting anyone, I guess. "I mean," I say, when Kyon's expression becomes thoughtful, "I think we could have been more efficient, you know? I feel if we were more focused on our goals, we could have gotten more done."
His expression goes from thoughtful to pensive as Mikuru-chan focuses intently on the tea kettle and pitcher. I'm ... not really sure how he's going to respond to that, and I'm not sure I want to know, either. It's not something I want to get into an argument over.
Just before he finally seems to have found something to say in response -- around the time Mikuru-chan is done making tea, I cut him off. "It doesn't matter," I say, taking the teacup from the third-year girl. "It's just something to think about."
Consider this hyphen?
He looks unsure about it, but before he can totally get lost in thanking Mikuru-chan, I say, "Speaking of efficiency and focus -- you should work on your homework, too, Kyon!"
His face tells me what he thinks of that.
"We may as well make the most of the time we have!"
"Fine," he grumbles, taking his homework and schoolbooks out. I try and just focus on making sure that he gets his work done, but that idea.... The thought that the Brigade could be more efficient....
It sticks with me.
And I'm one hundred -- no, five hundred percent sure that explains what happened afterwards.
I went home and did my usual chores, followed by a little bit of tutoring of the neighbor's kid. He's alright, I guess -- looks like a little professor. I was confident my method would help, and bit by bit, he's picking up steam and working a bit better.
His parents are less worried about his progress, though I can't imagine why they thought I didn't know what I was doing.
Anyway, after that I go to bed. I have another one of those dreams I haven't had in a long while, with those glowing blue giants and.... I can't remember how they usually go, but this time, the figure seems to kind of hesitate and sulk. It doesn't do any damage, at any rate.
It seems to figure something out -- and then I wake up.
Weird.
So then it's the run to school, where I have to wait for Kyon to show up-- Except he's actually shown some initiative!
The day seems like it's off to a better start already; I start to think we might actually get something done. He's focused on his cell phone, furiously punching buttons with a look of concentration. I'm about to smack him on the back to see if I can startle him a bit -- but I notice that he looks ... sharper than usual. He usually wears his uniform in a way that makes him look kind of casual.
I mean, I don't have super focus on Kyon's appearance or anything, but you spend as much time with him as I have and you start to notice things, right? So he's wearing his uniform properly, tie done up all the way instead of a little loose, shirt properly tucked in, and I'd swear his uniform looks cleaner than it usually does.
That doesn't stick out nearly as much as the fact that he's actually combed his hair properly. He must have put something in it to make it stay in place, too -- gel or hair-spray or something. That's ... unusual.
Instead of bothering him, I sit down in my own seat and try to puzzle out what today is. Is it something special? I can't think of what he'd dress up so sharply for, though. Of course, he's blowing any chance he has of looking really sharp by playing whatever game he's found on his phone.
Well, whatever. I'm sure it's not a big deal.
Kyon puts his phone away before class begins, barely, and then we're called to attention and it's the usual thing. I pretty much tune it out entirely, until break. Right! The rest of the Brigade may be slacking off, but I'm going to do my part!
Despite all my searching, the day ends up being just like any other. Lunch is spent wandering around and exploring the track ... still nothing new.
After that I get back to class just before the chime -- just about the same time as Kyon, actually. He gives me an odd look, but can't say anything before class begins.
What's that about, anyway?
I don't really think of it until it's time for the club to get together. When I reach the clubroom door, Mikuru-chan is huffing, just reaching it at the same time. Well, good for her, showing some initiative! I nod at her and open the door for her.
Yuki and Koizumi are waiting inside, and both nod at me like they're expecting something.
That's strange.... Looking around, I can't help but notice. If Kyon looked sharper, Koizumi looks like a male model! Yuki's changed her hair a bit, wearing a pair of pins to keep it neat and out of her way. I can't really see that Mikuru-chan looks different, but, take my seat at the head of the table instead of going to the computer.
"Sorry, sorry," she apologizes, hurriedly grabbing a laptop and moving to the table.
What happened to the costume? When I glance at the costume rack, it's missing, though. Maybe she took it home for cleaning? She does that once in a while, after all. It looks like she took all of them back for cleaning, though, leaving ... some spare business suits behind?
Before I can really figure that out, Mikuru-chan has powered up the laptop and then her hands hover over the keyboard expectantly, as her gaze goes between me and Koizumi.
"I believe we're ready, then," Koizumi judges, nodding.
"What about Kyon?" I protest. I mean, if he's slow he'll lose out, but whatever they've got planned, it sure seemed to involve him!
"He's a chicken," Koizumi says with a shrug. "We can get his input later."
What the hell?
"It's not a big deal," Kyon says, opening the door and stepping in. "Let the pigs go first."
I can only stare at Koizumi.
He nods quickly. "Okay," he says. "We have some open escalations from last week. Asahina-san, could you read off the minutes?"
Mikuru-chan types a few keys quickly, then says, "We have three outstanding issues at the moment. First of all, Kyon-kun was to secure a venue for our scheduled inspection next Wednesday."
"Any progress?" Koizumi prompts, looking at Kyon expectantly as he sits down, fiddling with his phone still.
"I don't have any commits yet, just leads. If I can't actualize them, we'll need a fall-back," Kyon answers with a shrug of his own. "Nagato?"
"That's item two," Mikuru-chan notes, still taking down what everyone else is saying. Mikuru-chan, who couldn't handle a computer without help three days ago. And now she's typing as quickly as we can speak?
"Sources have been identified, but cost-analysis is not yet complete," she answers quietly. "The report should be finalized by tomorrow."
"Great-- And number three?" Koizumi replied, turning his attention from Nagato to Mikuru-chan.
"Ah ... there's an action item for Suzumiya-san to go over the restructuring we discussed yesterday? This was supposed to be resolved during the lunch meeting, but...." She trails off and shrugs, offering me an uncertain smile.
Wait -- lunch meeting?
I'm not sure what's going on, but this is pretty crazy. I wanted efficiency, but this....
"The merger with the Computer Research Society," Kyon adds, still looking at his phone. "But I have some insight to that issue."
"The -- what?" I manage, staring.
"The plan to bring the Computer Research Society under our leadership so we can direct them for the mystery search operation more efficiently," Kyon clarifies, looking up and frowning slightly. "We were going to have them see about--"
"If there's no progress on that front," Koizumi interrupts, "you two can discuss that offline."
"Alright," Kyon agrees, going back to his phone.
"I believe this issue must be handled immediately," Yuki says in her quiet way. "Further progress is blocked until we secure the internet team. We do not have adequate funding to contract this out, and must leverage our previous partnership to gain the necessary manpower."
Kyon leans back in his chair and blows out a long sigh. "Alright, I've got nothing," he says, like an admission. "I was hoping Haruhi would take the lion's share of the workload -- I've got my hands full with Taniguchi-gate. Keeping him from turning into a PR disaster is a job and half on its own."
"Taniguchi!" I can't help but exclaim. "What does--" I cut off when everyone stares at me.
Okay, they're all playing some game, or else being way, way too efficient, or.... I don't even know -- but I'm sure I can fake it! "Look, just settle things with him once and for all, alright?" I tell Kyon. Let's see ... what had Koizumi said.... "If you have to, we can discuss that offline."
Everyone nods, so I must have gotten that right.
"Well, in that case, what about the merger?" Mikuru-chan pipes up, looking confused. "Oh!" she exclaims suddenly. "You-- You were handling that on your own during lunch?"
Merger? Those guys....
"Yeah, yeah," I say dismissively, shrugging. "So, I'll take care of that."
"It's already in the pipe?"
Whatever that means. I nod anyway. If Kyon isn't keeping up -- which it sounds like -- all I really have to do is corner him alone and discuss with him further. I can get the rest of the information on whatever the hell is going on from there.
"That being said, if there's nothing else, I want to discuss something in private with Kyon," I add.
Koizumi looks to Mikuru-chan for confirmation. She peruses her laptop screen for a moment, and then shrugs.
"Alright," Kyon sighs, shaking his head as he rises, finally pocketing his phone. "Let's go, then."
Koizumi turns his attention to Yuki. "I wanted some clarification on that last TPS report you filed," he adds, as Mikuru-chan continues tapping away at her computer, and Kyon and I step into the hall.
Is there a red stapler in the new clubroom?
I catch one last little bit about a 'transfer of information' from Yuki before we're out of earshot, Kyon plodding lethargically toward the vending machine that offers coffee. "Sorry if I'm falling behind," he adds, belatedly.
I look at him sharply. "What's this about?" I prompt bluntly, not really wanting to beat around the bush.
He stops in front of the machine and heaves a little sigh when he looks at it. "I've missed some paperwork, but we also have schoolwork to contend with," he says blandly. "I suppose that now that push has come to shove, I need your guidance on which way to go."
I can only stare at him for a long minute. Kyon actually coming to me for advice? "...what?"
"I have to choose prioritization of my current tasks," he explains, shaking his head. "I'm thinking that the most efficient route would be to deprioritize schoolwork, to focus on my Brigade assignments. If I'm not an asset to the team, we won't ever find what we're looking for, will we?"
How the hell am I supposed to respond to that? We spent yesterday's club session making sure he got his homework done, and now he's telling me he wants to throw that aside ... to focus on the mission statement I brought up yesterday?
"W...why would you do that?" I manage to ask.
He shrugs and taps on the vending machine behind him, right on the button for coffee -- though he hasn't put any money in, so nothing happens. "Like you said," he explains. "Coffee is for closers." He nods to himself, even though I haven't said anything.
"Alright," he decides. "I'll see what I can do to resolve the issues assigned to me. Thanks for your time, Haruhi."
And then he turns and walks away, pulling his phone out again.
So ... I guess in hindsight ... he wasn't playing a game, but texting someone, or something. Working hard for the club.
I'm so stunned by that ... I really don't know how to respond. We'd grabbed our bags before leaving the clubroom, so after that ... I go home.
When I get home, I think about things a bit more. This has to be a nightmare, right? A bad dream? A really, really realistic bad dream.
So it's my sub-conscience telling me, "Be careful what you wish for!"
Subconscious.
Well, screw you, sub-conscience!
I'm going to go to sleep and wake up with everything back to normal!
Sure enough, the next day, when I get back to school, everything is back the way that it should be. Kyon's his normal grumpy and tousled self, showing up later than me. When I prod, "Hey, you finish that action item?" he can only stare at me the way he usually does when I say something he can't keep up with.
And that's okay.
It's a weird kind of nightmare, though, because it somehow replaced my memories of the other day -- but I just chalk that up to how realistic the damn thing was.
I idle a bit in class instead of rushing off during breaks, and scare Kyon's pervy friend off to eat my cafeteria lunch at my own desk. Kyon seems a bit confused, but natters on about his sister and helping her with homework. That seems fine.
Pervy friend? Taniguchi? Or someone else?
When it's time for the club to meet, I take a meandering path there, not feeling like I'm in a real rush. Mikuru-chan must be changing in there, because Koizumi and Kyon are talking about something -- though they stop when I get close.
I still hear Koizumi's final, "...a bit harder, though." He looks a bit tired, for some reason.
"Ah," he remarks, when he sees me. "Well, Suzumiya-san, I'm afraid some part-time work has come up again, and I must be off; but I was able to at least check in with you!"
Kyon looks particularly annoyed for some reason, just shaking his head and crossing his arms over his chest.
"Well, take care, then," I say, shrugging.
Once Koizumi's gone, Kyon sighs and mutters, "Haruhi ... do you ... think I should ... work harder for the club?"
Obviously, that's what Koizumi put him up to, but thinking about things....
"You could work harder, but I'll let it slide!" I tell him. "Officially, we're supposed to be an organization that helps students with problems -- and looking at your grades, that's you! So let's make sure you keep getting your homework done, and you study properly!"
He sighs at that, again, but this time I can tell it's his, "I'm pretending to not be really happy about this," sigh, not an actually tired one -- and that is just fine, I think!
I like that this piece gets to the point quickly, and Haruhi goes through a significant change as a result of the piece. Can't ask for much more than that. I do get the feeling this may be, er, inspired by a bit too much office hijinx. It does enhance the humor, actually.