ASAHINA MIKURU<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"I'm quite well, thank you."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>I smiled back at Koizumi-san's smile. I wondered suddenly if he smiled like that all the time, even at the dentist. Never changing,<em>kitsune</em>-like. It was a silly thought. I pushed it away.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"Hey, Mikuru. I bought you some new outfits online, they should arrive soon. So we're going to have to see how they fit you."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><strong>"Heh?!"</strong><em>Outfits? Oh no! Not in front of Kyon again, please!</em>I shuddered a little and shrank back into my table-corner-safe refuge.<br/><br/><strong>"Oh. Suzumiya-san. That'll be... hee... fun."</strong>Truth be told I quite liked dressing up sometimes. This maids dress had grown on me and made me feel quite grown up, and the café dress I'd worn at the Culture Fest had been nice. I even quite liked the combat waitress dress though the skirt was a little short. It was when Haruhi made me wear things that showed off<em>places</em>. You know. Places boys shouldn't see. And worst of all when she attacked me in front of Kyon. That first time she'd put the bunny girl outfit on me and after we had got in trouble with the sensei I'd come back and Kyon had picked up my clothes and was... touching them... even my undies... as he handed them back.<br/><br/>He'd had such a look on his face. Deadpan. It was so deadpan I knew he was covering up boy thoughts. I shuddered again. Haruhi just didn't care.<br/><br/>Then I was saved, or I hoped I was saved, as Kyon came in. I gave him as much of a smile as I dared given Haruhi's presence and mood and after giving him a little bow and murmured greeting I freshened the teapot.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"You're late."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>I heard Haruhi say behind me,<em>and you're going to die Kyon-kun!</em>I heard Kyon pull out a chair and sit and the atmosphere subsided a little. I wasn't aware of anything special happening today though of course I relied on the others to prompt me if I was needed.<br/><br/><em>Of course! You don't have parents and won't get into trouble! Baka Mikuru! How did you forget?</em>As I made more tea I glanced at Nagato-san. She was still reading her book as usual. Nothing changes.<br/><br/>I poured Kyon-kun his tea and took it over on the tray, bending beside him and reaching to place the cup on the table on his other side, I squished a little bit against his shoulder as I did so. It was the only small treat I allowed myself with Kyon-kun. He was a nice boy, I think he's the most normal person here and his calmness is very likeable.<br/><br/><em>Looks good in beach shorts too.</em><br/><br/><em>Ah! Mikuru-chan! Stop it!</em><br/><br/>But... he was important here. If only he knew it, he was the second most important person in the room. Maybe even the second most important person in the<em>world</em>so it was vital that we encouraged him to play his part, his special role and keep Haruhi happy. And that meant I could never get close to Kyon-kun, even if I wanted to. We were fated to play our roles, he the unknowing saviour of the world and me a secret combat waitress from the future.<br/><br/>Life is funny. Especially in SOS-Dan, though to confess I do quite enjoy it. I get to dress up and do important things secretly behind the scenes that affect billions of people and I get to hang out with two cute boys too!<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"Just let it go, Kyon-kun. What would you like to be, black or white?"</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><strong>"Oh? Let what go?"</strong><em>Let what go?</em>I don't know why but that phrase 'let it go' made me glance down in his lap. I straightened up suddenly,<strong>"Sumimasen!"</strong>Turning outrageously pink at my own thoughts I retreated to the side table and served Nagato-san a cup of tea too, though I doubted she would drink it.