Suzumiya Haruhi:Volume4 Epilogue
From Baka-Tsuki
Epilogue
I began to contemplate what I should do next.
The end-of-term assembly was over, and I obtained my term report card from Okabe-sensei, thus my high school life for this year had come to an end.
Today was December 24th.
The vanished Class 1-9 and its students had all been resurrected, including Koizumi, who didn't appear much in this story. Asakura had disappeared from Class 1-5 over half a year ago; Taniguchi continued his giddy mood of being in love; the seat behind me had once again been occupied by Haruhi; and there was no longer any flu epidemic in class. When I saw Nagato in the assembly hall, she wasn't wearing glasses. After the end-of-term assembly, I bumped into the sisterly duo of Asahina-san and Tsuruya-san, who waved and greeted me simultaneously. I also confirmed this while on my way to school this morning - Kouyouen School had now been restored as a prestigious private girl's school for the rich and famous.
The world had been restored to its original state.
Yet, the choice to keep this world remained with me. I still had to go back with Nagato and Asahina-san - back to the morning of December 18th. If I didn't, the world would never be restored. Only by going back could restoration be possible. The thing is I still hadn't decided when I should go back. I had yet to explain all this to Asahina-san. She'd probably hear it from her future adult self. I did see her in the past few days, but I did not mention a single word to her.
"Damn!"
After moaning meaninglessly, I embarked upon the corridor leading to the club room complex.
Like a racing car, I would have to follow the golden rule of coming back to the starting point. It didn't matter whether I was lagging by two or three laps, that wasn't for me to decide anyway. The road and the scenery of the first lap and the final lap were the same, yet they carried different meanings. All I needed to do was to be careful not to get myself eliminated, and safely reach the finishing point so the checkered flag could be waved.
......Forget it, it's pointless trying to say anymore.
It was no use trying to justify my actions as it was I who made the decision to return to this side. It was different to Haruhi's thoughtless rampages, this decision was my own free will, I have thus chosen to be spun around meaninglessly.
In that case, someone needed to carry that responsibility and see things through to the end.
That person wasn't Nagato, it wasn't Haruhi either, but myself.
"Serves me right......"
I began to lapse into self-pity and made a cool pose. It didn't matter if someone saw me, since no one would bother looking anyway. As I was thinking that way, I exchanged glances with an anonymous high school girl who was walking by. Very quickly she turned her eyes away and scuttled off. I said softly to her back a greeting which she probably couldn't even hear,
"Merry Christmas."
If this were the last episode of a soap opera, shiny white snow crystals would begin falling, and the protagonist would catch one in his palm and exclaim, "Ah!" Or something like that. Looks like there's no hope of a White Christmas this year. Today's weather sure was surprising, it was actually a fine day.
As a result, I became one of the main characters. A bystander would have already disappeared into the far corners of the galaxy by now, and become a relic of the past.
"So, now what?"
It was only now that I realized this. I really didn't know what to do. There's no doubt about it, I belong here. I realized that long ago. From the day Haruhi dragged me to the Literature Club room and I heard her declare indefinite occupation of the place, I had become part of this bunch already.
Like the other members of the SOS Brigade, I would stand on the side actively protecting this world. No one made me do this, I raised my hand out of my own will.
In that case, there's only one thing I need to do.
It was easier to get up after falling on something instead of falling flat on the ground, though both involve falling. Let me rephrase this, I'll have to go back and pick up my other self who had fallen down. From the outcome, I can say it's for my own good.
I walked up the stairs while focusing on today's upcoming activities. Haruhi and Asahina-san were in charge of buying the ingredients. I was spared the pain of being a human shopping cart, thanks to my being hospitalized. I didn't think this had anything to do with Haruhi being merciful, on the contrary, she's probably keeping the menu secret until the final moment, where she'd surprise everyone - that's what I thought anyway. Maybe she'd even use her experience from the lone island to hold a cheap and big "Hotpot in the Dark Christmas Party."
I wondered what ingredients were being used. As Haruhi was the chef, she'd probably prefer something stimulating and exciting. Who knows, she may have come up with an experimental hotpot, never before seen in the history of human cuisine. Still, no matter what was being boiled in the pot, it should be edible once cooked. Even Haruhi wouldn't be dumb enough to put something she couldn't digest into the pot. Though it'd be another matter if she had the stomach of a monster. Haruhi might be eccentric, but I'm sure her stomach's made of the same stuff as a normal human's, right? The only thing beyond human standards would probably be that brain of hers.
However, before having the hotpot party, I still had to dress up in a reindeer costume and provide some sort of entertaining performance. You can't even imagine how it feels to have to think of what the show would include.
"Yare yare,"
The sigh of depression that I sealed away just last month, had once again come out of my mouth. Now don't be so picky! They may sound the same, but what I say may have different meanings if you interpret it differently.
I gave myself an excuse for reusing this phrase, while jotting a must-do predetermined event down in the diary in my head.
This predetermined event was something I had to do if I wanted to continue staying in this world.
I have to find a time in the near future to go back and restore the world.
As I approached the club room, I could smell the food coming to my nose. That was enough to make me full. Where did this sense of satisfaction come from? I was supposed to go back to pick up the mess some time later, yet I was already feeling so satisfied before I even made my move. Now wasn't I a bit too easy to satisfy!?
Ah well, it's not too bad. Before then,
There was still time. The one in charge of the operation would be the me in the future, though it was neither the me from the distant future, nor the me from the next moment.
I grabbed the doorknob of the Literature Club room and asked the world a question,
Hey, mind if you wait for a while? Before I go back to have you restored, can you just wait a little longer?
At least......
Until after I've tried out Haruhi's hotpot. It shouldn't be too late to go after that, right?
(Epilogue End)
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