# Sympathy

## A 'Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi' fanfiction

### Chapter Two -- Assembling the Forces

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.

* * *

The very first instant that we had a chance -- the second the chime sounded --
I spun around and launched myself at Kyon.

For all of his placid demeanor, he did see me coming. That let him intercept
my lunge towards his tie, catching my wrist. That was the first time I got to
really experience how strong he was, and it was a little unsettling --
surprising.

I mean, that's why I just froze for a few seconds, letting him hold my wrist
still; that's totally justifiable. He's a guy! And bigger than me!

I may not be some dainty flower, but he's got more muscle mass no matter how
you want to argue gender equality.

So, I twisted my hand free and grabbed his sleeve, since he wouldn't let me
take his tie. I don't like the way he's smiling, half-amused, like this is--

It is _not_ flirting!

Anyway.

That's where we are now, and why I'm holding his sleeve.

I don't give him any warning, just breaking for the door at top speed, hauling
him along with me.

On the bright side, he has no trouble keeping up, and he does ... well, I'll
have to admit it here:

He lets me drag him off. No way I could do it, if he were to set himself
against me.

There's an abandoned corner of the school, leading to the roof access, where a
great stack of art supplies are stored. It's a quiet, out of the way place,
and ideal to sneak off to when you need to discuss something in private.

Leading Kyon there, I stop him two steps from the top of the staircase and
turn to face him (from the top). Coincidentally, yeah, this does let me look
down at him a bit, but, anyway -- things are going pretty good, so I give him
a grin. Hell, I haven't felt this excited about anything in a long time!

We're going to do it -- get somewhere! Find something! We'll be the ones to do
it, even if he doesn't know how much he's going to be helping me!

"So, what's this about, then?" he asks, cocking his head slightly to one side,
looking around. At least he's not acting like he's waiting for my confession,
or something.

"We're going to make a club," I declare to him.

He gives me an amused look, raising one eyebrow. "What makes you think I'm
going to be part of this?" he wonders.

"Do you have something better to do with your time?" I challenge.

"Mm. And what's this club going to be about?" he replies, not at all answering
my own question.

Though.... Okay, that's a good question. I haven't entirely figured it out
yet, but I will.

"What we talked about earlier!" I bark at him, not letting my smile slip.
"Look-- I'm going to get a club room -- you get the paperwork from the office
to form a club, alright?"

I run past him and back down the stairs -- I need to double-check with that
quiet girl, but if she's all there is for the literature club, it should be
_no_ problem to take over! I guess, even though I didn't answer his question,
he shouldn't mind too much -- I mean, he didn't chase after me, and he
absolutely could have, if he wanted to.

So that means he doesn't mind, right?

* * *

When I get to the clubroom at lunchtime, that quiet girl is still there. Or is
there again, I guess?

She's this tiny little slip of a girl, her eyes hidden behind her glasses when
I step into the room. She raises her face, but the lenses of her spectacles
turn into blinding mirrors for a moment when she moves. Only a moment -- nice
effect! -- and then I can see her dull eyes.

I guess she looks pretty average, then. Small, glasses, short hair -- and
quiet.

"So, this is your clubroom?" I ask, even though I already know.

She gives a silent nod in answer.

"So, listen," I tell her, "I've got another member that I'm starting a club
with. If you're the only member of the Literature Club, then it's no trouble
if we use this space, right?"

She stares at me quietly.

Blinks.

Gives the world's most _incredibly_ tiny nod -- if I weren't staring at her I
would have missed it -- and says, "No problem," in a voice barely louder than
a breath.

...weird.

If she doesn't protest much, it'll be child's play to slowly lure her into
joining our club, though -- especially since we're in the same room. She's
really, really uninspired.

She'll make a good matched set with Kyon -- the queen and king of boring!
Yeah, if I get to be too like the pair of them....

"Holding you to that!" I declare, grinning. I think about giving her a hearty
pat on the shoulder, but she looks like she might break under the force, so
settle for nodding at her brightly.

Slowly, everything is coming together.

* * *

That afternoon, I go for Kyon's tie even faster -- but still not fast enough.
He raises an arm to block, so I settle for his sleeve, and do a passable job
of making it look like it was completely on purpose this time.

That guy....

For some reason, I catch a dirty look from Onoki on the way out the door.

Not that it's my problem.... If you want something, you have to have the
courage to _take_ it, so it's on her, right?

I hurriedly lead Kyon to the literature club room without any trouble, and
then show it off, explaining that it's going to be ours. He mostly ignores me,
looking around -- like I did, actually -- for something cool and interesting.

And yeah, it's a _really_ dull space -- but think of the potential! We could
get ... a computer, maybe a small fridge to keep drinks-- A tea station! We
absolutely could get that--

Gah! I'm almost shaking with excitement! We can make this place truly unique
and fun -- the ideal place to hang out between missions and expeditions!

But Kyon's ignoring everything I'm saying, looking at the girl curiously and
finally asking, "Are you really okay with all of this, then?"

The smaller girl, for whatever reason, is staring at Kyon like her gaze was
locked onto him with a bolt. "No problem," she breathes again.

"Eh," he starts, before hesitating, his brow furrowing slightly. His eyes go
away from hers thoughtfully. "Um...."

She then quietly introduces herself in her soft voice, "Nagato Yuki."

"Alright," Kyon says, heaving a tiny sigh, but unable to keep the amusement
from his expression. "If it's okay by you that she wants to turn this into an
... I-don't-even-know...."

"No problem," she repeats again, still looking at him. What's so interesting
about the most boring guy in the school?

Maybe she's so shy that he's the first guy who's ever talked to her, or
something? She'd better get used to it, then, because I'm not letting him slip
away-- out of our new club!

"Right," I say, before the conversation goes further, drawing Kyon's attention
back to myself. "Come on, let's go home -- tomorrow, we'll start gathering
members properly!"

I have a good candidate in mind, at least. Another girl, which should help,
since Yuki seemed so shy around Kyon.

That's fine, though.

* * *

The following day, after sending Kyon to the clubroom ahead of me, I run off
to intercept the girl I stumbled across in my earlier searches.

Well, I guess I stumbled across a few, but she stuck out a bit -- daydreaming
on her own in some corner of the school with the most distant look ever, like
she were listening to something I couldn't hear.... So it was no trouble at
all to snag her wrist when I find her in the hall, and drag her along behind
me to the clubroom.

She doesn't even manage to breathe out more than the merest, confused hint of
a protest before she has to jog to keep up -- panting and barely keeping her
footing.

She's cute!

Unreasonably cute!

When we get to the club room, Kyon has just stepped in, and I haul my newest
member through the doorway after him before slamming and locking the door.

Instantly, the cute girl squeals, cowering and begging to know what's going
on.

That'll attract _so_ much attention! This girl was wasting her time and
potential by doing anything else -- she'll be the perfect beacon to draw the
strange and unusual to us!

"Look at her!" I gush, grabbing her shoulders and turning her around to show
her off to Kyon and Yuki -- who breaks off from staring at him to look us. "Go
on, introduce yourself!"

"I...I'm Asahina Mikuru!" she squeaks out. "W...what's going on?"

Ah, this girl, this upperclassman.... Well, I'm going to be her superior, so
let's set that straight right now, since I won't be calling her 'sempai' -- no
chance, with that face! "Listen up," I tell her. "I'll call you Mikuru-chan
from now on!"

"W...what?"

In the meantime ... this girl, with that expression and that body.... "Look at
these!" I protest, grabbing Mikuru-chan around the chest and squeezing her.
"I'm almost jealous!" I guess it was too much to hope she was stuffing her
bra, wasn't it? Didn't really seem like it, but I still wanted to check.

...well, maybe not just 'almost.' I wanted to find someone who was really
cute, but it's aggravating, knowing how _much_ cuter than me she is! So
unfair!

If I had a face like that, and a rack like the one I've got my hands--

Kyon yanks me away before I can explore much further, giving me an incredulous
look. "You can't do that!" he protests.

I think I pretty obviously just did. What, is he feeling left out or
something? I guess that's possible....

"You want to play with her too?" I ask. There's a light in his eyes for the
briefest second before he tries to deny it. Like he didn't just watch me play
with her for like, five minutes?

Well, I can't say that's too surprising. Who wouldn't want to play with
Mikuru-chan? Though, come to think of it.... That gives me a _great_ idea to
attract attention for our forming club!

"Anyway," I say, when he finishes sputtering out a denial, "come here every
day after class from now on, Mikuru-chan!"

"Suzumiya, you can't just kidnap people for your club!"

"It wasn't a kidnapping!" I didn't have to use any chloroform. A real
kidnapper would have that, for sure -- and probably a good escape vehicle,
along with a cadre of guys to stand around and sneer in a superior manner
without doing anything else useful.

Don't they always have those things?

"Asahina-san," Kyon says, ignoring me, "you don't have to listen to her."

Then, that cute upper classman gives Kyon to most _devastatingly_ sweet and
hopeful look. "But ... you'll be here too?" she asks, glancing between the two
of us -- at him with happiness, and me with worry.

...I'm not sure why, but that annoys the hell out of me.

Still, if she doesn't care about what I do, but he makes her stick around, she
can contribute meaningfully while she's here, right? A mascot costume is just
the thing for that -- unless I come up with something better while I'm waiting
for something more amazing to show up.

* * *

As much as my idea to order something online for Mikuru-chan to wear --
something cute and sexy -- is a good one, I wasn't able to order it until the
evening. And I get one for myself, too -- it's too much fun to pass up on! The
only problem is, 'one day delivery' takes longer if you order after a certain
time in the day, evidently.

So much for expedited shipping!

It's not the first time things haven't lined up the way I wanted them to, but
this one gets to me a bit more, for some reason. I mean, I can't expect a
mysterious transfer student to show up just because I want it. And since I
can't do anything on that front, I should focus on what I _can_ do!

If I could have ordered from the school -- if we'd had a computer, like I was
thinking -- then it wouldn't been much of a problem. Instead, I have to wait
two more days for them to get here!

I want to use Mikuru-chan's charms to draw in more interesting people. I'll
need to be careful to avoid the wrong crowd paying too much attention, but I
figure I can use Kyon as the barometer for that. When he gets too interested,
it's too far, right?

Something about that....

It feels _right_ that I should keep him from getting too interested in her --
or Yuki. I'm ... not sure why I think that, though. I guess it's because he's
so boring and average, if I'm careless, he'll sink into the same boring
relationships as everyone else?

Not that it would bother me! Onoki and ... whoever else....

Only, I guess it _would_ bother me, wouldn't it? When I make myself to try and
look at it....

If I do things right, it'll be way too interesting for them to get distracted
with thoughts of something like romance, right? So ... really ... I have to
_keep_ things interesting. I mean, for all of us! Not just him.

And one of the big ways I can think of to do that involves getting a computer
for the clubroom after all. But then, that won't work if I don't know that the
latest and greatest is. So, a full day pretty much wasted doing research for
that -- really, going to the shopping district instead of straight home and
copying down the model numbers and important stats on all of the best systems.

Well, the most expensive systems, anyway -- which means they'd _better_ be the
best systems!

At that price, I don't think I'm going to be able to sweet-talk anyone into
giving them over.... But, in the vein of using Mikuru-chan's charms....

In the back of my head is the thought that Kyon, really, shouldn't mind _that_
much. After school, when the club gets together and I tell him my plan, he
doesn't raise any objections, at least. I don't like the look he gives me --
like he's not sure if I'm serious.

Idiot.

It's not like he has any better ideas!

So, in the club room, once Mikuru-chan arrives, I hand Kyon the camera and
grab her wrist before she can react.

What, am I surrounded by _ninja_ or something? She seems to see it coming, too
-- I see her tense for the barest fraction of an instant before she seems to
realize what's happening. Then she abruptly drops her tension, just looking
innocent and confused.

What the hell is that? I mean, it's great she acts like all moe-moe, but it
kind of weirds me out if it's just an _act_.... Then again, if it _is_ just an
act, then that means she's actually on the same page as me -- she thinks this
is just as much fun as I do!

That'd be great!

* * *

I can't _believe_ how successful my plan was-- Just like I hoped, Mikuru-chan
played along perfectly! I only needed to pretend to give her the tiniest push
before she sprawled over the computer club president and then fell down --
pulling him on top of her. While it _looked_ like she was pushing him away, I
could see that she was clearly holding his hand in place.

Kyon took pictures like I ordered, so he's on my side, too-- With members this
loyal, I'm _sure_ that tomorrow's plan is going to go even better!

I can't stop grinning until after we've gotten the thing installed, hooked up,
and then connected to the network.

And that's just perfect-- Exactly what I wanted for our club!

Tomorrow's plan should be even _more_ exciting and awesome-- If he went along
with getting a computer, I think Kyon sure won't complain. I _know_ I can
count on Mikuru-chan to work with me on it!

* * *

The next day, I can barely restrain myself through class -- though, Kyon
poking me with the eraser-side of his mechanical pencil does get me to turn
and glare at him before he raises an eyebrow and asks what I'm bouncing in my
seat for.

Yeah, well.... I don't want to tell him, though.

I mean, he'll get to see it as it is, and I have no doubt he'll love it. But I
don't want to imagine him sitting behind me and drooling over the idea of me
and Mikuru-chan in such outfits before it's time!

When class lets out, I race to my locker to get the bags I put our outfits in,
then run back to the clubroom.

I get there just in time to see Kyon and Mikuru-chan chatting about something,
though they cut off the second I come into sight. Maybe a bit too fast ... I
kind of wonder what they were talking about, but I catch the way Mikuru-chan
looks nervous when she sees me. Kyon seems to catch it, too, looking troubled,
but more resolved.

That's something of an unusual look for a guy as lazy as him.

I ignore him and turn to Mikuru-chan, launching into my spiel about what the
costumes are for and how we'll use them. He stares at me in dumb confusion,
and Mikuru-chan watches with wide-eyed wonder. The extent of his questioning
as far as I bother listening is why I didn't get one for Yuki.

Well.... I didn't think of that -- but no way am I going to admit that to him!
I could say she's just not as charming, but that seems too mean -- and I kind
of like her quiet attitude, so I just say, "I couldn't afford another one,"
which actually is entirely true.

Putting that out of my mind and ignoring what he's saying, I grab the bottom
edge of Mikuru-chan's blouse and yank it upwards sharply. The upperclassman's
arms fly up as she struggles against me -- for a second, Kyon looks like he's
about to complain, but surprisingly enough, Mikuru-chan protests before he can
say anything!

She begs him to stop looking -- and that's all the encouragement _I_ need to
keep going! I don't know why Kyon might have changed his outlook from
yesterday, but it doesn't much matter. Just like I expected, Mikuru-chan stops
putting on her moe-moe show the second Kyon's out of sight, though she does
keep up the whining for Kyon to hear. It's actually kind of funny, so I can't
help but play along -- and wonder what he's doing in the hallway.

Probably blushing and unable to stop listening in.

The whining does get annoying, though, especially if she's not really honest
about her protests. Then again, you'd _expect_ someone moe to fuss over this,
wouldn't you? "Oh, hush!" I bark at her, going for her skirt.

She doesn't move a hand to stop me, her glance flicking to the door as she
whimpers.

It's actually ... a little weird to undress someone else -- though kind of
fun. With Mikuru-chan helping me out (even with the whining), she's like a
life-sized doll~! How awesome and fun is that? This is going to be great!

* * *

...except it's not great at all-- Hell, it's not even _good_!

What the hell-- Mikuru-chan's on my side, and Kyon didn't get in my way, but
after all that setup, the only one who really got to enjoy our costumes was
Kyon!

Stupid, stupid teachers! I know I've pushed the limits in things before, but
having to deal with my parents freaking out about me 'destroying my chances at
a better education'.... I swear -- if I were even the slightest bit luckier,
that dumb homeroom teacher would focus on someone lazy, like _Kyon_, and not
have come after me like that!

Of course, he gets all the luck of the best seat in class and somehow falls
off the teachers' radars....

Thank goodness I didn't bring the costumes home; my mom was so furious, I
think she might have cut them up!

Well.... At least I only had to deal with a lecture.

So, _that_ sucked. I saw Kyon escorting Mikuru-chan to the clubroom while the
teachers were dragging me to the office to call my parents, but didn't get a
chance to talk to him until class that morning.

When I complain to him about things, he gives me a mildly unimpressed look and
asks, "Did you honestly believe that you could do such things without your
parents being called about it?"

That's the way it _should_ be! Why do my parents even need to know? It's not
_that_ big a deal! "Stupid teachers," I grumble again, crossing my arms over
my chest and shooting Okabe a death-glare as he departs at the end of
homeroom.

"...you mean, you really thought they would just let you off with a warning?"
he asks, sounding a little bit surprised.

I really believed they wouldn't care that much, actually. "It wasn't _that_
big a deal," I mutter, before shaking my head. Whatever! It was supposed to be
fun, and Mikuru-chan agreed!

"The important thing is that we have a new transfer student, right?" I tell
him. At least I picked up on _that_ rumor. "A mysterious transfer student,
just like I was hoping for!"

Kyon leans back in his chair and gives me a thoughtful look, shaking his head
slowly. "Boy or girl?" he wonders.

"Boy, I think," I answer. "But I haven't seen them yet -- so it could be a
good disguise." Hmm.... Even if she's a little weird, I think Mikuru-chan's
got the 'moe' covered. Probably, it would be better to have a guy.

"That means it's a boy," Kyon says flatly, boring as ever.

I'm tempted to ask him if he's willing to bet on that, but I don't have much
money after buying those costumes. Well, why waste time speculating? I'll just
go talk to the new student next break -- and anyway, I have to recruit him or
her anyway, so no need to take Kyon with me.

Especially since the new member might get the wrong idea if a guy and a girl
were to show up together and insist they join the club.

And ... maybe a little, I think it'd be easier to get him to follow me without
Kyon around.... It probably really _is_ a boy. Anyway, once he joins the club
and sees Mikuru-chan, it'll probably be good enough anyway, right?

As soon as the lunch chime sounds, I'm off like a shot, tearing towards the
new student's room. When I get there, he's sitting at his desk, surrounded by
a small crowd of boys and girls who are asking him about his hobbies.

It's class 1-2, so it's not as amazingly mysterious as if he were in the
advance science-physics track -- class 1-9 -- but that's fine! His background
can make up for that, can't it?

Physically he looks ... I'd say okay. I mean, he'd probably look like a
regular pretty-boy if he were to iron his uniform, brush his hair, and
practice his smile. That 'tousled' look isn't so bad, but he's not really
doing himself any favors by leaving it so unkempt. Not a whole lot of guys can
_really_ pull that look off and actually look _good_.

I mean, there's Kyon--

Anyway, I shoulder through the crowd and reach the new boy's side. "Come with
me!" I order, seizing his wrist and hauling.

He stares at me, resisting me effortlessly for a heartbeat before he nods,
shrugging at the other students with his free shoulder. "Guess I'm headed to
another castle!" he quips to them, before letting me drag him off.

Damn it -- why can't I _win_ any confrontation without my targets just
_letting_ me?

A few minutes later we're at one of the spots on the grounds I know students
sometimes sneak to smoke. I know a lot of little spots like this, though the
best one by far is the stairwell -- mostly because it's indoors, so no one
will smoke there.

"So ... can I ask what this is all about?" he wonders quietly, admiring the
trees around us.

"Mysterious transfer student!" I declare, beaming a grin at him. "You stand
before the leader of the SOS Brigade! We're looking for someone unique and
special -- and it may just be you!"

He quirks one eyebrow higher.

"So, I am Suzumiya Haruhi, fearless leader -- and I want to know more about
you! Tell me your awesome stories and legendary heroics!" I demand.

"Well," he says after a moment. After a thoughtful blink, he shrugs and says,
"Okay. Most recently, I was able to beat the 'hell' level of _Cave Story_
without cheating in just under five minutes -- I haven't gotten to the three
minute mark to unlock the alternate music yet, though. I'm not sure that
qualifies as 'legendary,' considering that.... Well, for me it was quite an
undertaking! Something I could be proud of, hmm?"

I have to say I like the enthusiasm, but I wasn't asking about video games....
Still -- he's a transfer student, and seems mysterious enough so far. It's not
like I could expect him to just open up about the conspiracy theories behind
him after only a minute, is it?

"Alright -- I'll bring you to our clubroom at the end of class!" I declare.
Once he joins us, I'll have more time to find out what his secrets are! "Be
there!"

I catch him raising his eyebrows curiously before I turn around and run away
again. But, hey ... if I've got his interest, that's something to make up for
yesterday, right?

* * *

That day after class, Koizumi is waiting for me as ordered -- it's no trouble
to haul him to the clubroom. When we arrive, Mikuru-chan cuts off something
she was mumbling out at the sight of me and won't meet my eyes, just hunching
over and edging closer to Kyon every time I look at her.

What's going on with that!? She was totally on my side yesterday! And I got in
more trouble than she did over that, so what's she got to be upset about?

That's not fair! Well -- whatever; we've got someone new, now. Someone who
brings our total members up to five!

"Listen up, everyone!" I cheer, pointing at the new boy. "This is Koizumi
Itsuki-kun, our mysterious new transfer student!"

"Ah, right," Kyon sighs in a way that suggests an awful lot of familiarity
with me. Okay, so he and I _did_ discuss that earlier without the others-- But
the club is still being formed! Heck, Koizumi-kun only just now got recruited!
"I'm terribly sorry you've gotten caught up in her madness."

Hey!

"I would have just wasted my time otherwise," Koizumi-kun replies with a shrug
and an easy grin, stepping past me to stand by the chair opposite Kyon. "Hmm,
so, what's this club about?"

"Evidently Suzumiya plans on using us to -- somehow -- find aliens, espers,
and time travelers," Kyon explains with a shake of his head.

Sound more enthusiastic!

Koizumi-kun looks inexplicably startled by that for a heartbeat before he
reassumes his relaxed, somewhat amused expression, nodding. "I find those
things all the time in my video games," he offers.

"Oh, yeah?" Kyon asks, shifting in his seat to face Koizumi-kun properly.
"What do you like to play?"

"It's fine to talk about things like this when we're not on a mission," I
decide, interjecting to remind them what our real goal is. "In fact, I'm glad
to see you two getting along so well! Mikuru-chan, ah, Yuki," I almost stutter
for a moment, debating giving her the respect of her last name-- Somehow, that
just seems too obvious right next to 'Mikuru-chan,' so I settle for her first
name alone. "You two should try and get along, too!"

Come to think of it ... now that we've gotten a full compliment and can become
official, we need some sort of establishing group activity for the weekend.
That's a good idea; I'll work on that next. It should give Kyon and Koizumi-
kun a chance to get to know one-another better. Plus, if Mikuru-chan's upset
over us getting in trouble for yesterday, that should be a chance to hang out
without worrying about things like that!

Hmm, I should probably try and get Koizumi-kun to step up for Mikuru-chan,
though-- Ah, a girl like that, really, she needs someone looking over her, and
I don't want Kyon distracted all the time. If she's always acting all moe-moe,
she'll probably get hit on a lot; someone to protect her from that would
probably be great!

Something about that seems like a good idea, too, but I want to be very subtle
about it. Hmm, maybe I could get the two of them in a group with me ... Kyon
would be okay with Yuki, as quiet as she is. I bet it wouldn't be too hard to
rig things -- marked toothpicks or something like that, right?

Hey, I've got a computer now! While Kyon and Koizumi talk about some other
game -- something called 'Bastion,' which Kyon thinks has some great gimmick
involving narration -- I check the internet and look for tips on what I was
thinking of.

This weekend-- Yeah, now we can have the fun we should have had yesterday,
with no annoying teachers to get in our way!

* * *