Disclaimer: I do not own "Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu". Tanigawa Nagaru does, so go and thank him. This fanfic was written for fun.

Melancholy in Threes

A Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu fanfic by Fatherz

Chapter 1

The trek downhill from North High was a welcome respite from the earlier sweat drenched, uphill battle to beat the school bell. The late afternoon was gracious enough to provide less glaring rays of sunlight with the occasional mild breezes in between. However, the journey downhill was perhaps just as slow as the uphill one. Why is that you ask? Well, for one thing, school has drained my body (and mind) of all its precious energy. The desire to go home and lie in bed wasn't motivation enough to pump my legs faster, even with the assistance of gravity. Not even restoring my calories would help in revitalizing this burnt out husk of a human being. Okay, perhaps I was exaggerating quite a bit, but there are other reasons too.

"That sure was an interesting introduction huh, Kyon?"

That's the other reason. Currently, Sasaki is matching my pace as I headed towards my home. Being the gentleman that I am towards my middle school classmate and current friend, I thought it would be considerate if I slowed my pace down. It's not like my house is going anywhere.

By the way, the name Kyon, if it isn't obvious enough, is my name. Not my real one of course, but a nickname my aunt gave to me. Unfortunate events, perpetrated by my own little sister, have conspired to have this accursed name spread to my various circle of friends, including Sasaki here.

There was no question on whose introduction Sasaki was refering to. Haruhi Suzumiya's quip about aliens, time travellers, and espers certainly turned more than a few heads towards her direction. Mine were already riveted to her, but that didn't stop the long haired beauty from glaring at me.

Sasaki giggled at me then, as she is doing right now.

"I can't help it. You were gawking at her. It's been awhile since I saw you get that look."

What look?

A calculating smile crept into her short hair framed face. As I recalled, during the time I spent in junior high with her, Sasaki would do this particular mannerism and followed through it with a lengthy explanation that would send any ordinary person reeling in information overload. Thankfully, my time spent with her last year prepared me for these eye-opening revelations.

"Usually, you'd have that listless look on your face."

Well, that's already a given. You only know me too well, Sasaki. And as I recall, you were partly the reason I've been somewhat indifferent to this mundane world.

Sasaki held her hands up in a placating manner, though the smile on her face told me that my sarcasm was not ill-received.

"I realized that, and I apologize for it..."

She held up a finger against her cheek in deep thought, her eyes twinkled in anticipation as she probably formulated the next words she would say.

"...But I do recall a time when you gave your opinion about the existence of aliens, or doing impossible things like walking through walls and that sort of stuff. We debated about it for quite a while, and whenever the argument reached its end, you'd end up speechless with your mouth hanging open. That's your look I'm talking about."

Ah, true enough. I never could win against Sasaki in any argument during middle school. I don't hold any grudges about it though. I merely nodded in agreement to Sasaki's analysis, thus urging her to continue.

"However, the context in this case is different. While you originally held onto the belief of aliens, and then had it turned upside down with logic; this time your preset conceptions based on said logic were reversed. In other words, you were startled out of your conditioned state by an unknown element, and that is your usual response to it."

Let me point out that my belief wasn't solidified in the first place anyway. And you seem to be reading into Haruhi Suzumiya and myself too much to treat her as an 'unknown element' to my experimental 'control group'. And finally, I must point this out... I don't feel comfortable with being treated as a guinea pig for Pavlovian conditioning.

Sasaki burst into a ripple of restrained giggles. Perhaps it was the result of my last jibe on an otherwise serious (from another person's point of view, anyway) discussion.

"Okay then, let's end this discussion here for now."

Sasaki turned her head away and looked straight ahead, a hint of a smile already fading away into a strangely melancholic gaze. I wonder what could've prompted such a mood? Sasaki then started to mumble something almost incoherent, though I did manage to hear parts of what she said.

"...a bit like you."

Huh? Come again?

"Nevermind. It's nothing." She dismissed my inquiry with a wave of her hand. Though I was a bit curious, I did not press the issue any further.

The walk downhill passed by in companionable silence, until we went our separate ways upon reaching the fork on the road. Sasaki waved goodbye, which I reciprocated, then went on her way. No promises of seeing each other again tomorrow were made. I should know from experience.

Sasaki never misses a single day of school.

--

The next day of school saw a change in the atmosphere, though I can't really say it's for the better. For one thing, Sasaki was not yet here. I guess I was a bit too early in coming to class. A few other students milled around the classroom doing whatever strikes their fancy.

That wasn't the reason for the strange feeling that something wasn't right, however.

You see, the yesterday's eccentric behaviour of one Haruhi Suzumiya was, strangely enough, subdued today. One would think that this long tressed, ponytail bound beauty currently sitting quietly behind me is a normal, cute girl.

Instinct was a defense mechanism of the animal world against any sort of danger. When humanity went down from the trees (or whatever theory you want to uphold), the human intellect and rationality overtook intuition.

So when my rational mind took in the calm appearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, my proximity to her, the absence of Sasaki, and my current lack of any other friend in this classroom, I logically concluded that it was safe to talk to her. I was also reminded of the conversation I had with Sasaki yesterday, and so I wanted to confirm a few things with this girl.

Perhaps I should have taken in the silence as a bad sign.

In any case, the time for regrets have passed. I have, in essence, crossed the Rubicon. My mouth was already open before I could think through what I was supposed to say.

"Hey."

My approach towards her was casual. It was neither offensive, nor detached with just a hint of inquisitiveness.

"The stuff you said in your intro, how much of it was serious?"

Unfortunately, the Walls of Haruhi won't just crumble with a mere seven days march around its perimeter, which is to say the casual approach prompted a more defensive reaction.

"What 'stuff in my intro?'"

"The stuff about the aliens and all that."

From that point on, the conversation (if it can be called that) degenerated into a word bashing spree with me as the unfortunate pinata. The relatively one-way exchange ended with me stuttering an apology so quick that it defied the speed of neural synapses firing.

The silence that drawled out after that episode was even more disconcerting. Along with the sympathetic stares from the rest of the students present, it made for a really stressful atmosphere.

What is wrong with you people? Don't tell me you got your kicks out of my expense? This is so not funny! In fact, I'm feeling a tinge of annoyance creeping up my-

"Hey."

"Gah!"

I was so deep in thought then. I never noticed the hand that grasped on my shoulder accompanied by a laid-back greeting. There standing behind me with her hand already retracted in mild surprise from my jumpy reaction was Sasaki.

"Well... you're quite tense today." Sasaki had already composed herself before she took her seat. Once she had situated herself, she followed through her observation with an immediate inquiry.

"Something the matter?"

I snuck a peek at Haruhi Suzumiya to see if my answer to Sasaki's line of questioning would ever provoke a reaction. Afterall, she was entirely the reason for my agitated mood.

It seems I didn't have to worry about anything.

Haruhi, with a deep frown on her face, was giving the classroom window a very hard stare. As if ignorant of the whole world once again. But who knows? Maybe this oddball of a girl actually has a pair of owlish ears? I probably wouldn't put it past her right now.

The lull in the conversation between Sasaki and I perhaps stretched a tad bit too long. And so, to avoid further incurring the wrath of the volatile girl behind me, I opted for a safe answer.

"It's... nothing." I replied at last. It was a rather lame reply at that.

"Sorry." I added in afterthought, as an apology to my earlier behavior.

Hmm... This sounded like the last part of my verbal repartee with THAT girl behind me. However, the difference being was that I was genuinely sorry, and Sasaki, being the genuinely concerned friend, merely waved off the apology.

"It's okay, Kyon. It's not like you scared me to death anyway. I'd find a harder time forgiving you for that." Sasaki's light hearted banter ended with slight grin, and I found myself smiling in amusement as well.

Having already forgotten the incident with Haruhi Suzumiya, we went on to converse in our 'normal' topics, until eventually, Sasaki reached a point in the discussion strangely not oriented on any abstruse subject matter.

"Say Kyon... Is it okay for me to ask a favor of you?"

A favor, huh? I don't think I've ever heard of Sasaki asking any favors from me.

"Sure. Depends on the favor though."

"Well, I was wondering if you'd mind bringing along your bike some time next week."

Lug along that thing uphill? Sounds like a lot of work. I did not voice out these opinions to Sasaki, though.

"What for?" I asked instead.

"If you must know, I was planning to attend cram school for this year as well."

I immediately understood her intentions when Sasaki mentioned cram school. During junior high, Sasaki would ride with me on my bike on the way there. She was, coincidently, the only person I knew from my middle school who also attended cram school then. Perhaps it was the reason she's my friend in the first place? What a strange string of coincidences then.

"Kyon, why don't you attend cram school this year too? It'd be just like old times."

"Hmm... I'll think about it."

In actuality, I didn't need to think about it. I've had my fill of cram school to last a lifetime. Though if my mother started to nag about my grades again, I don't think I would have any choice on the matter.

Still, it was fine by me to help a friend in need. Sasaki did contribute a bit to my grades back in junior high afterall, so this would be a reasonable payback.

I agreed to her request, though Sasaki looked like she had some reservations regarding this arrangement.

"Is it really okay for you? From the looks of it, I don't think you'll have any plans to attend cram school. Won't it be too much of a bother?"

Ah, darn it. Sasaki read me out too well. I began to stutter a half-baked argument, hoping she wouldn't feel guilty about it. Though, I mentally asked myself why I was so insistent in pursuing this matter.

"Well, you've helped me out a lot back in junior high. You can just consider this as my way of making things even between us."

Even though I spouted out that remark with a completely straight face, I couldn't help but feel like I'll once more lose in this exchange of words.

Sasaki once again had that calculating smirk paired with that glimmer in her eyes. At this point, I don't know what's going on in her mind. Seriously, must she make things so complicated? I braced myself for the knock-out blow which will probably come in a form of a concisely thought out explanation.

"Alright. If it is fine with you..." Sasaki held out her hands towards me, almost like in gesture of a handshake. An uncharacteristically gentle smile was engraved on her face as she continued what she was saying.

"... Then I accept your gracious offer."

I dumbly looked at her cream colored hand in slack jawed surprise at the unexpected response. My hand clasped Sasaki's involuntarily as my thoughts went astray. I seriously thought that Sasaki would drawl this out into another lengthy rhetoric.

Perhaps I didn't notice it until now, but it seems Sasaki has changed a bit since middle school. Even our conversation yesterday felt like it would have gone on longer, and yet Sasaki ended it at a premature point. Was it her way of simplifying things for me, possibly empathizing with my difficulty in keeping up with her intellectual pace?

It was unfortunate that this question will be left unanswered for now because my musings and our conversation were soon interrupted by the arrival of Okabe-sensei. However, Sasaki was able to get a few last words out.

"I'm very glad Kyon. You are still the kind person I remember. You haven't changed a bit."

I didn't get a chance to answer her back. The class already rose from their seats and proceeded with bowing and greeting the teacher. However, I gained a measure of understanding in Sasaki's words. Indeed, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

The rest of the day proceeded as usual. Nevertheless, the pleasant feeling from Sasaki's praise stayed with me throughout the entire day.

End Chapter 1

Author's Notes: I am not Tanigawa Nagaru, so forgive me if I skip on some of the conversations between Haruhi and Kyon. I don't like to copy the light novel narrations word for word either, so I settled for creating my own narration of Kyon's point of view. I'll still try to make canon conversations accurate though.

A review from KeRose addressed an issue regarding the characterization of Sasaki. I tried to base it a bit from Itsuki, but I winged most of the rest. The most difficult part in Sasaki's conversation is her intellectual musings, which I must confess far exceed my own intellect. Tanigawa Nagaru must've done a lot of research, so there's just no comparison. Hence my decision to introduce some change in Sasaki and downplaying her rhetoric, at least in front of Kyon. I hope I didn't disappoint and turn her OOC.

The review from the grey mage addressed certain issues as well, many of which will be revealed in due time. As for anything else, I hope this chapter can provide the beginnings of it.

My thanks also go to Kalrak and Quinbin for their reviews.

PS: I don't know if this will turn into a Sasaki/Kyon romance fic. It's still a mystery, and I'm not much of a romance writer anyway.

PSS: If there are followers of Haruhi-ism here, then you could say I'm for Sasaki-ism. If there's a Church of Sasaki out there, I'd gladly worship there. Haha...

On the other hand, if there isn't one, I'd gladly establish one myself! Bwahahaha!

PSSS: Does Sasaki even have a last name? I can't believe that such a crucial character doesn't get one! Then again... so does Tsuruya-san. And Kyon's sister.