there was a pile of annoying things I needed to take care of by the end of the year. There weren’t many days before the mountain trip, after all.
“Kyon, I don’t care about whatever plans you have. What’s important is Nagato. Please, just ask her. If she refuses, then I’ll give up. But so long as there’s even one chance in a thousand, I’ll take that chance. Dreams will always stay mere dreams without action.”
That sounded like a load of nonsense to me, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it—my old weakness.
“Fine,” I said.
I flopped down on the bed and sighed.
“I’ll call Nagato after this.”
I had a premonition. Nagato would not refuse.
“Where was your school again? If Nagato says okay, I’ll bring her over.”
I’d probably bring some other people too—that was all right, wasn’t it?
“You’re a great matchmaker! I’ll be calling on you again for the wedding—no, perhaps I’ll name our first child for you—”
“Bye,” I said coldly, then hung up. If I let Nakagawa go on, I felt like worms would start coming out of my brain.
I put the cordless phone receiver on the shelf and got out my cell phone, then looked up Nagato’s number and gave her a call.
The next day came very quickly.
“You’re late! You’re the one who called us out here, and you’re the last to arrive? Do you even care about this?”
Haruhi smiled and pointed at me. We were at the station where the SOS Brigade always met. Three others were also waiting for me—Nagato, Koizumi, and Asahina.
My original idea had been to just bring the silent android along with me, but going to the game with just the two of us simply wasn’t possible. I didn’t even want to think about what punishment awaited us if the brigade chief found out we’d done something without her. Everyone would have to come along. After I’d called Nagato to get her answer, I called up the other three to invite them along as well. The fact that everybody had come said a lot about how much free time we all had, thanks to winter vacation. Or maybe they just wanted to see what kind of guy would fall in love with Nagato at first sight.
Owing to the midwinter chill, everyone had bundled up. Asahina’s outfit was particularly notable—the fluffy furriness of her white synthetic fur coat made her look as lovely as an innocent white bunny rabbit hopping through the mountain snow. She was the one people should be falling in love with.
Nagato wore a simple duffle coat over her school uniform, the hood drawn over her head. Unsurprisingly, the pseudo-alien was able to handle our Earth’s chill.
“…”
Her face was so expressionless you’d never have guessed she was going to see the guy who’d confessed his love for her.
“All right, let’s go! I can’t wait to see what this guy looks like. Also, it’ll be my first time watching a football game!”
Haruhi wasn’t the only one who seemed like she was up for a picnic. Asahina and Koizumi were both smiling. My own face was hollow, and Nagato’s was blank.
“I checked the bus map in advance. It’s about thirty minutes to the boys’ school from here. Here’s the entrance.”
With a voice like a tour guide, Koizumi showed us the way. I had less and less to say.
They sure seemed to be having fun—Koizumi and Haruhi, and maybe Asahina too.
As we walked, Koizumi casually drew alongside me and whispered significantly into my ear.
“You certainly do have some mysterious friends.”
I waited for him to say more, but he only smiled and went back to his role as tour guide.
Nakagawa was mysterious? Maybe. One thing was certain—no ordinary person would take one look at Nagato and be instantly struck down with love.
As we made our way to the bus station, something felt amiss about it all.
I had a bad feeling about this.
After half an hour of bouncing along on a private bus, it was a few minutes’ walk from the bus stop to Nakagawa’s school. When we got there, the game had
“Kyon, I don’t care about whatever plans you have. What’s important is Nagato. Please, just ask her. If she refuses, then I’ll give up. But so long as there’s even one chance in a thousand, I’ll take that chance. Dreams will always stay mere dreams without action.”
That sounded like a load of nonsense to me, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it—my old weakness.
“Fine,” I said.
I flopped down on the bed and sighed.
“I’ll call Nagato after this.”
I had a premonition. Nagato would not refuse.
“Where was your school again? If Nagato says okay, I’ll bring her over.”
I’d probably bring some other people too—that was all right, wasn’t it?
“You’re a great matchmaker! I’ll be calling on you again for the wedding—no, perhaps I’ll name our first child for you—”
“Bye,” I said coldly, then hung up. If I let Nakagawa go on, I felt like worms would start coming out of my brain.
I put the cordless phone receiver on the shelf and got out my cell phone, then looked up Nagato’s number and gave her a call.
The next day came very quickly.
“You’re late! You’re the one who called us out here, and you’re the last to arrive? Do you even care about this?”
Haruhi smiled and pointed at me. We were at the station where the SOS Brigade always met. Three others were also waiting for me—Nagato, Koizumi, and Asahina.
My original idea had been to just bring the silent android along with me, but going to the game with just the two of us simply wasn’t possible. I didn’t even want to think about what punishment awaited us if the brigade chief found out we’d done something without her. Everyone would have to come along. After I’d called Nagato to get her answer, I called up the other three to invite them along as well. The fact that everybody had come said a lot about how much free time we all had, thanks to winter vacation. Or maybe they just wanted to see what kind of guy would fall in love with Nagato at first sight.
Owing to the midwinter chill, everyone had bundled up. Asahina’s outfit was particularly notable—the fluffy furriness of her white synthetic fur coat made her look as lovely as an innocent white bunny rabbit hopping through the mountain snow. She was the one people should be falling in love with.
Nagato wore a simple duffle coat over her school uniform, the hood drawn over her head. Unsurprisingly, the pseudo-alien was able to handle our Earth’s chill.
“…”
Her face was so expressionless you’d never have guessed she was going to see the guy who’d confessed his love for her.
“All right, let’s go! I can’t wait to see what this guy looks like. Also, it’ll be my first time watching a football game!”
Haruhi wasn’t the only one who seemed like she was up for a picnic. Asahina and Koizumi were both smiling. My own face was hollow, and Nagato’s was blank.
“I checked the bus map in advance. It’s about thirty minutes to the boys’ school from here. Here’s the entrance.”
With a voice like a tour guide, Koizumi showed us the way. I had less and less to say.
They sure seemed to be having fun—Koizumi and Haruhi, and maybe Asahina too.
As we walked, Koizumi casually drew alongside me and whispered significantly into my ear.
“You certainly do have some mysterious friends.”
I waited for him to say more, but he only smiled and went back to his role as tour guide.
Nakagawa was mysterious? Maybe. One thing was certain—no ordinary person would take one look at Nagato and be instantly struck down with love.
As we made our way to the bus station, something felt amiss about it all.
I had a bad feeling about this.
After half an hour of bouncing along on a private bus, it was a few minutes’ walk from the bus stop to Nakagawa’s school. When we got there, the game had
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