Strangely Otami-sensei wasn’t in the room when we arrived. None of the rest of the class paid any attention to us except for Taniguchi, who grinned in the most annoying way when he saw us sneaking in late. We went straight to our desks and sat down, and a few seconds later I heard Haruhi’s head thump on the desktop.
“Oooh, I feel terrible…”
Then stay home if you feel sick. The universe might be safer that way.
“Don’t say strange things so early in the morning. Anyway, it’s not that kind of sick. I got a terrible headache yesterday while talking with Strame-sensei, and it hasn’t quite gone away. I didn’t sleep at all last night.”
That would be because you were busy conjuring up two magical giants to battle one another the next world over, but I can’t tell you out loud. In fact there wasn’t anything I could tell her out loud about the last eighteen hours or so.
“I want you to investigate Strame-sensei,” she added a few seconds later, in a tone that made it clear she’d changed the topic, or that she thought she had.
“I thought Mr. Strame was your best hope for the future of the SOS Brigade.”
“He is! But he’s still a very mysterious substitute teacher! What Westerner turns up to teach at a Japanese high school, especially a boring one like this one, within hours of a vacancy opening up? That’s suspicious! That’s why I want him as a sponsor- so I can find out what mysteries he’s hiding! Maybe he’s a secret agent and this teaching job is his cover story!”
If he is, I’m not likely to find out by myself.
“Get Koizumi and Yuki on the case too! Koizumi should be in charge, since he’s my lieutenant, but you’re here now and I might not see him again today!”
Why not? Are you cancelling club activities for the day?
“No... but I’ve got to talk with Strame-sensei again, and if this headache doesn’t get better I may have to leave to see the doctor. Gaaah, this is so frustrating!” she grumbled. “A real mystery drops in my lap and my head hurts too much to enjoy it!”
The classroom door opened again, and Otami-sensei finally walked in. Behind him two figures remained standing in the doorway: Yuki Nagato and Eimi Kimidori. Otami called my name and said, “Go with Miss Kimidori to the office, please. You’ve been given special duties for the day, by order of the principal.”
I’ll just bet I have. And I bet I know exactly who gave the principal those orders to give me.
“Don’t forget- Strame!” Haruhi hissed as I picked up my things and left the classroom.
Outside Kimidori did the talking. “Apparently we have some special visitors this morning!” she said brightly. “A journalist from Great Britain and her photographer are doing an in-depth article on how a Japanese school compares to British education!”
It can’t have been more than a few minutes since Sarah Jane Smith went looking for the office. Something worked very quickly… or should I say someone? Koizumi had said once that Kimidori was one of Nagato’s fellow organic interfaces for the Data Overmind, of a different but allied faction within that body. Even if their alien powers were sealed, apparently they still had quite a bit of influence they could use in certain circumstances.
“The principal considers it very important that North High School be presented in its best possible light, so he asked the student council to recommend two guides for our guests. One of you will escort Miss Smith, and the other will escort her photographer.”
Kimidori looked at me, smiling that demure smile of hers. Yuki, likewise, stared at me, not smiling, just waiting for something to happen. Apparently they were leaving the choice of assignment up to me...
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(Posted Fri, 24 May 2013 04:11)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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