The Boredom of Haruhi Suzumiya

wasn’t dead. Also, you never referred to
“I was trying to be fair.”
“There’s still more. I’m actually an a

that way. The interior side of the door
explanation, the door hit the handle of
Enough to drive a knife into a huma
involved, there should have been some k
wasn’t. The door looked brand-new, with

“What splendid powers of observatio
“And one more thing. It concerns A
hadn’t even been here for a week yet. Y
that’s when they came to this island, righ
“That’s right. Is there something odd
“There is. There definitely is. Your
day we were here. What did you say wh
up when we got off the ferry?”
“Well, what did I say?”
“ ‘It’s been quite some time.’ Those
that? You said that this was your first t
been the first time you ever met them. W
as though you were already acquai
impossible?”
Koizumi chuckled.
I took his laughter to be an open conf
finally understood the whole picture, and
“That’s right. This whole affair was
expect you to realize it.”
“Don’t underestimate me.”
“Excuse me. However, I must admit
reveal the truth at a later time, but I didn’
“Which means that Tamaru, Mori,
They’re probably members of that ‘Agen
“That is correct. Pretty good acting
think?”
The knife in the chest was a trick
bloodstain was actually paint, Keiichi wa
and the missing Yutaka had merely mo

Page169

Tamaru’s body as a corpse.”

attentive person, though it may not seem
r to Keiichi’s room. According to your
the knife with a fair amount of force.
an body. If that much force had been
kind of indentation on the door. But there
hout a scratch.”
on.”
Arakawa and Mori. The story that they
You said they were hired a week ago and
ht?”
d about that?”
behavior was odd. Remember the first
hen Arakawa and Mori came to pick us

e were your words. Why would you say
time on this island. So this should have
Why would you greet Arakawa and Mori
inted with them? Shouldn’t that be

fession. All the tension left my body as I
d Koizumi began to talk.
s a setup. A grand act. Though I didn’t

t that I was surprised. I had intended to
’t expect to be caught so soon.”
and everyone else were all in on it?
ncy’ thing, right?”
g for a bunch of amateurs, don’t you

k one with a retractable blade, the red
as only pretending to be dead, of course,
oved the cruiser to the other side of the

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island.
Koizumi revealed the truth in an easy
“Why did you come up with this plan
“To ease Suzumiya’s boredom. And
“What do you mean?”
“I’m pretty sure that I’ve already tol

provide Suzumiya with entertainment to
ideas. For the time being, Suzumiya is f
she not?”

“Except that Haruhi thinks we’re the
After the presumed murder, Haru
appeared to be deep in thought. Creepy a
“Then I’ll have to move up the sche
plan, we would return by ferry to the ha
them, Keiichi Tamaru and Yutaka, alon
with smiles—that was the ending we’
anything concerning the ‘Agency’ an
relatives.”
So you actually had a surprise party p
I sighed. I hope Haruhi has a good
pissed, you’ll have to deal with her. ’Cau
Koizumi winked at me as he smiled.
“That would be quite the predicame
soon then. I shall go with Tamaru an
apology. I’m sure he’s getting tired of pla
I kept my mouth shut as I looked out
I wondered how Haruhi would reac
being tricked, or would she just smile an
in a mental state that’s easier to understan
Koizumi smiled wryly as he continue
of detective and forensic expert, but it ap
waste. In any case, I didn’t expect su
agenda included a search of the mansion
scene of the crime… It didn’t work out to
That just shows that you didn’t think
As I looked up at the clouds, I wond
few hours.

Page170

y manner.
n?”
to lessen our burden.”

ld you this. Basically, we were trying to
o prevent her from getting any strange
focused on the current turn of events, is

killers. Is that a good idea?”
uhi had been unusually quiet. She’d
as hell.
edule,” Koizumi said. “According to our
arbor on the mainland to find the four of
ng with Arakawa and Mori, greeting us
’d prepared. Naturally, we would hide
nd stick to the story that they’re my

planned.
d sense of humor. If she gets seriously
use I’ll be long gone.

ent. I should probably apologize to her
nd everyone else to bow our heads in
aying a corpse.”
the window.
ct. Would she go into a mad rage about
nd laugh it off? Either way, she’ll end up
nd than the one she’s in now.
ed, “I had people ready to play the roles
ppears that those preparations will go to
uch an uneventful ending. The original
n as well as gathering evidence from the
oo well.”
this through enough.
dered how clear the skies would be in a

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In the end, Koizumi wasn’t stripped o
hurricane quickly disappeared and we t
sky. Haruhi was in a good mood that l
ways in front of the station. It’s a good
joke.

In return on the ferry trip back, Koiz
juice for everybody. I felt that he’d gotte

Nagato, who probably knew what wa
no reaction. Asahina woke up to yell,
adorable manner, but once Koizumi and
servants bowed their heads in apology,
don’t worry about it!” I figured I should

Incidentally, Haruhi had made the fo
up to take a picture on the deck of the fer

“I’ll be counting on you for our w
better scenario this time. We’ll be going
be a blizzard. You better provide an app
I’ll be mad. Yep. I can’t wait!”

“Well… What to do?”
Koizumi turned to me for salvation
who’d received a direct order from the
Allied Commander with a single squad
the waning years of World War II.
I looked at Koizumi the way you w
made a beautiful shot into his own
championship match up to that point, bef
“Beats me. I’m also looking forward
I assume that I can at least expect a
could figure it out.
And so Haruhi won’t be so bored
would cause extraordinary phenomena to

Page171

of the title of vice brigade chief. The
took the ferry back under a bright, blue
lasted the entire trip up until we parted
thing that Haruhi knows how to take a

zumi had to buy box lunches and canned
en off pretty lightly.
as going on from the beginning, showed
“That was so mean!” and pout in an
the Tamaru brothers along with the two
she quickly said, “Ah, it’s fine. Please
include that little episode in here.
ollowing request when we were all lined
rry during the trip back to the mainland.
winter camp, Koizumi. Come up with a
g to a mountain retreat. And there has to
propriately designed manor this time or

n, looking like a rookie German officer
Führer himself to capture the Supreme
on the European Western Front during

would look at a defender who had just
goal, during what had been a tied
fore speaking insincerely.
to it, Koizumi.”
a solution that isn’t so weak that even I

with the ordinary to the point that she
o happen.

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AFTER

I don’t know the story behind the practic
a book, but it’s become as universall
Additionally, I should mention that I wa
as I wanted for this section, an offer that
but I’ll save that for a later opportunity.
a few comments on each of the stories in

My overall impression will come ac
two months go by even faster,” a no-bra
death.

“The Boredom of Haruhi Suzumiya”
The namesake for this book was al

Brigade’s exploits. I believe it appeare
before “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzum

I was pretty worried about publishin
first book, but it appeared that I was the
as nobody else questioned the idea, wh
wrote this story on the spur of the mom
but in the end, there weren’t any positive
ears so I just had to live with it.

Incidentally, I’ve only played base
remember. I probably don’t need to te
baseman who couldn’t catch a fly ball. I
hitting the ball, which is quite a shock, al

“Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody”

Page172

RWORD

ce of including an afterword at the end of
ly accepted as holes in Swiss cheese.
as told that I could write as many pages
would normally make me dance for joy,
I would like to take this chance to write
ncluded in this book.
cross as “a year goes by in no time, but
ainer, so I hope that I don’t bore you to

lso the first printed edition of the SOS
ed in The Sneaker around two months
miya” was published.
ng a story about later events before the
e only person who harbored such doubts
hich was a big relief for me. After all, I
ment so I was worried about the quality,
e or negative comments that reached my

eball around ten times, as far as I can
ell you about my exploits as a second
just now realized that I can’t recall ever
lbeit late in coming.

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The original title was “The Confusio
was some discussion about how it would
we ended up with this title. At the time,
published on a regular basis, so I can
when I saw the words “to be continued in
appeared in the magazine.

Since I had a time traveler to work w
story about time travel, but there was a se
the next volume—which was my goal.

“Mysterique Sign”
Owing to extenuating circumstances,

best in terms of the time it took from ide
to put the group through, and the next th
This was around the time when I starte
series to Fight On, Nagato, but I gave up
anywhere. Still, she appears to be the m
have high expectations for her. Really,
way, what should I do about her glasses?

I had intended to give the computer
for now, I don’t have any specific ideas
out.

“Remote Island Syndrome”
I actually began writing this before

supposed to appear in the magazine, but
and longer, so owing to various circum
ended up as an extra story in this book.
count in this volume as an extra story wh
and too short to publish as a stand-alon
reflect on. I’m always thinking about how
all it took, everything would be so much
life, I can only count a few examples
wanted. And that is the reason my brain i

I wonder if someone might allow m
remote island. I’m pretty sure I could a

Page173

on of Mikuru Asahina.” However, there
d be hard to recognize the series title so
, I didn’t expect these short stories to be
vividly remember how horrified I was
n the next issue” on the last page when it

with, I felt that I was obligated to write a
ense that this episode would foreshadow

, I believe that this story was a personal
ea to completion. I was considering what
hing I knew, this is what I ended up with.
ed considering changing the title of the
p on the idea since the story wouldn’t go
most effective character in the bunch. I
, I’m counting on you, Nagato. By the
? Does she look better with them?
society president some more action, but
so I can’t really say how that will work

“Mysterique Sign,” and this story was
as I continued, it just kept getting longer
mstances that were entirely my fault, it
Which is why it boasts the highest page
hich was too long to run in the magazine
ne book. This episode gave me much to
w to work things out, but if thinking was
h easier. In fact, when I look back at my
where something happened the way I
is in amoeba status now.
me to stay a week at a fancy resort on a
at least serve as a witness. Though I’ll

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probably spend the whole day sleeping.
And so, I was able to publish this thir
gratitude to everyone who made it to thi
name, position, and nickname, but the
there, many of whom I do not know the
as there would be no end if I began.
appreciation.

I hope to see you again somewhere.

Page174

rd volume. I would like to express my
is point. I would love to list everybody’s
list would include all the readers out
e names of, so I’ll have to scrap the idea
. Instead, I can only offer my sincere

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Thank you for buying th
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Copy

This book is a work of fiction. Names,
product of the author’s imagination or a
actual events, locales, or persons, living o

Suzumiya Haruhi No Taikutsu copyright
Illustrations by Noizi Ito

First published in Japan in 2004 by Ka
Tokyo. English hardcover/paperback tra
Shoten Publishing Co., LTD., Tokyo, thr

English translation by Chris Pai for MX M

English translation copyright © 2010 by
Novel translation: MX Media LLC.

All rights reserved. In accordance with
scanning, uploading, and electronic shar
permission of the publisher is unlaw
intellectual property. If you would like to
for review purposes), prior written perm
the publisher at [email protected]
author’s rights.

Little, Brown and Company

Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Visit our website at www.lb-teens.com
www.jointhesosbrigade.com

Little, Brown and Company is a divisi

Page176

yright

characters, places, and incidents are the
are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
or dead, is coincidental.
t © Nagaru TANIGAWA 2004

adokawa Shoten Publishing Co., LTD.,
anslation rights arranged with Kadokawa
rough Tuttle-Mori Agency, Inc., Tokyo.
Media LLC
Hachette Book Group, Inc.

h the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the
ring of any part of this book without the
wful piracy and theft of the author’s
o use material from the book (other than
mission must be obtained by contacting
om. Thank you for your support of the

7

ion of Hachette Book Group, Inc. The

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Little, Brown name and logo are tradema
First e-book edition: September 2012
ISBN: 978-0-316-22863-3

Page177

arks of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

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