"I'm a girl, you know. Of course I'd get angry when I hear someone badmouthing me."
"Tch, I should've seen that coming." Jiu Ming curled his lip. He had no idea how Yakumo Yukari had poked him just now; it hadn't hurt him, yet the pain had bored straight into his heart. "Heh heh, I need to rest and recuperate properly. Make yourselves at home."
After saying that, Jiu Ming stood and headed for the World Crossing Gate. He went straight to Haruhi's world—the SOS Brigade's main base... the clubroom they had acquired by taking over the Literature Club... none of those details mattered in the slightest.
The entire clubroom was empty. All the students were in class now. After looking around, Jiu Ming found a place to sit. There happened to be an unfinished game of Othello on the table, with one side obviously cornered in a dead end. Jiu Ming studied it for a while, then decisively looked away.
He couldn't understand it at all!
He had absolutely no interest in those brain-testing puzzle games... no, it was more that he had no motivation to play them. Lately, Jiu Ming had been addicted to computer games.
Dating sims? Tch!
He did not have to wait long. The first person to arrive was unexpectedly not Yuki, but the ever-delicate Asahina Mikuru. She seemed to have been lost in thought when she came in, because she did not notice Jiu Ming at all. After opening the door, she went straight to where the clothes were hung and familiarly picked up the maid outfit hanging there... Had Haruhi already trained her into accepting it as normal?
"Ahem!"
Feeling ignored, Jiu Ming gave a light cough.
"Eek!?" Mikuru, who had been about to change, was startled by the cough. Her hand jerked,