5 ~ Every one of my classmates shared the same look of disbelief [audio]

[menial]

['Well, it's been a while since Valentine's. Maybe I can show my face on the journal again. Well, so to speak. My tiny icon. Whatever. After having laid low for a while, it should be safe, right?'

And so this rather lackadaisical message appears on the journal.]

Has anyone ever had that feeling where you anticipate something bad happening for a while, but when it actually comes to pass, it's just confusing instead? And then disappointing.

Actually, I guess that would be a good way to describe everything... simply confusing. Anyway. I guess there are New Feathers coming around here, too. My advice for you would be to suspend disbelief and just move on with your life as soon as you can. Helpful, I know. Well, good luck.

Oh, and I guess Haruhi would want me to say... if you need to talk about your problems, the SOS Brigade is here. So there's that.

Well, I hope everyone I haven't talked to in a while is okay and all that, and later.

Comments

[installing]

We've got a while until then, though.

[menial]

Yeah. More time to get nervous, I suppose.

[installing]

Or forget about it?

[menial]

I'm sure it will follow an increasing-decreasing pattern, so that it'll be a nice surprise when it comes.

[installing]

Sounds like you have your stay all planned out. [Sigh.]

Have you been doing anything here? Like going to school or picking up a new skill?

[menial]

['You mean besides picking up the skill of coping with the wrench (appropriately enough) that you've thrown into my life, Rockbell?']

Not really. Guess my plan isn't that good.

[installing]

Why not pick something up? At least you can say you accomplished something, right?

[menial]

What's the point, exactly? Who'll I say it to when I get home and forget?

[installing]

You say that like you have better things to do here than learn something useful.

[menial]

Well, I for one find complaining to be a pretty good thing to do.

Also, and I say this merely for the illustration of a point, there are lots of cute girls.

[installing]

And what will you do about those cute girls, Kyon?

Stare at them? Because with your attitude dating them would be pointless.

[menial]

Well, I wouldn't mind staring. What's that supposed to mean, though?

[installing]

The whole "what's the point" attitude won't really gain you any points if you want to date someone here.

[menial]

Maybe it'll work with someone who has a similar "what's the point" attitude.

But I guess you are the expert on the topic of dating someone here. What attitude should I adopt?

[installing]

E-expert? [Ignoring. Question.]

[menial]

Well, aren't you?

[installing]

I wouldn't say that! No!

[menial]

['So Rockbell can be cute when flustered, huh?']

Well, you have the longest successful relationship I've heard of here.

[installing]

W-we do? Oh...

Well it's been difficult, and I don't even know how long it'll last, so I wouldn't say expert...

[menial]

['Difficult? Haruhi? I would never have guessed.

How, incidentally, am I keeping a straight face right now again? Mostly because Rockbell is doing enough awkward for the both of us, I guess.']

The challenge only redounds further to your credit.

[installing]

You don't have to butter me up or anything like that. Jeez.

[S-so embarrassing.]

[menial]

['I begin to see what Haruhi sees in her. Albeit I didn't think this was what Haruhi would see in anyone, so ... Square 1.5.']

I'm not doing anything of the kind, Rockbell.

[installing]

You're basically praising me for being a good girlfriend with a lasting relationship.

It's weird. [Especially after he seemed to have such a hard time dealing with the fact her relationship existed. Sigh.]

[menial]

['Who says it was really "praise"? All I said was that you were an expert.']

Well, I'm just stating your qualifications. I'll be the first to admit I still don't understand them. As you've been telling me.

[installing]

[Calling someone an expert is close to praise!]

It's just- I guess it only matters if you're looking for something that's deeper than just a casual relationship.