Hyouka Episode 22 AU
Little birds can remember.

"By the way…"

He hadn't even really thought about it that much. It was just an idea. Maybe it wasn't even a good idea. Thinking back, it was the best decision he'd ever made, and if he could go back, he'd do it all over again without changing a thing. But if he'd thought rationally at the moment, he wouldn't have said anything. He'd probably just brush it off and make a comment about the weather. It was April then but it was a bit chilly for the time of year, so he would've said something along the lines of "It's getting pretty cold", and happily return to his grey-colored high school life.

"About the business side that you gave up on…"

He actually doubted himself at this point. Never in his young life had he felt anything like this, how could he know it was that one special feeling? Images of Satoshi on that snowy night flashed through his head. If only he could ask him, if only he could know for sure that this was what he thought it was, if only his theories would be confirmed, if only… But no; he was on his own. He couldn't wait until later to ask Satoshi, it had to be now. If he'd wait any longer, he might never find the courage to do anything like this ever again.

"…How about I take care of that for you?"

A strange, almost magnetic power forced him to turn around. A sudden gust of wind whipped up a haze of fallen cherry blossom petals, and had he looked around him then, it probably would've been a wonderful sight; but at that moment, he really couldn't have cared less. There she stood, her ethereal beauty mesmerizing as ever. Screw the scenery. His eyes were for her and for her only. Her hair smooth like silk and black as the night, her skin pale as the moon, although a slight hint of pink was forming on her cheeks, and oh, her eyes. Those deep pools of amethyst that could compel him to do anything, however tedious or time-consuming it might be, those beautiful, shimmering-

He knew that shimmer. It meant trouble.

"E-Excuse me?" she stammered.

Good going, Houtarou. He mentally kicked himself for being so stupid. Yeah, that was real smooth and all, but what are you going to do now, huh?

"C-could you… perhaps… repeat that?"

She wanted him to do what?! No. No, no, no, no. He was most definitely not going to say that again. What was he even thinking when he said it? Oh, that's right. He wasn't. He was an idiot for even trying. What was he expecting, anyway? That she'd swoon at the thought of them getting married? That she'd say 'A thousand times yes!' and beg him to please, please be with her forever, and promise her to never leave her side? Pathetic. He was pathetic. He scowled in disgust.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Oreki-san, I don't mean to be a nuisance…"

His scowl dissipated within nanoseconds. He really was an idiot, how could he make her blame herself for what he did? He gulped down a heavy lump in his throat that he didn't notice was there before.

"It's okay, Chitanda." He tried his best to be encouraging and squeezed out a soft smile. "Go on."

"Please do forgive me, but… Well, you see, the wind suddenly rushed in, and I couldn't really hear you… Or, rather, I did hear you, but I- I think I misheard… No, I'm sure I misheard. Could you please repeat what you were saying?"

She had to be kidding, right? He knew she had excellent hearing. There was no way she misheard, he was sure of it. She heard him, but she didn't want to believe it. Truth be told, neither did he. Maybe he should just leave it at that. Yeah, that was probably for the best.

"… Nevermind. It was nothing important. C'mon, let's go." He turned around and started to walk away. It was that easy, he just had to walk out.

"Oreki-san!"

She was right behind him in a heartbeat, tugging at the right side of his coat with both her petite hands. She let go just as fast though, as if she'd gotten an electric shock. Was he static? He turned back slightly to look at her, prepared to face those violet orbs that would pierce through his very soul, but he found himself looking at the young girl's forehead instead. Apparently, she found the hem of her shirt very interesting, because she was staring at it intently and fumbling – fumbling – with it. She could be so obvious sometimes…

It had to be now.

He kicked down his bike stand and turned around to face her completely. Something inside him had snapped. He didn't know if it was adrenaline, dopamine or both pumping through his veins with every beat of his racing heart, but he never felt so powerful, so confident, so good. To hell with reserving energy – right now, he could do anything. He would walk all around town five times, he would take on the entire school in a fist fight, or…

He raised his hands and put them on her shoulders, softly, so as not to startle her, but she still let out a small gasp as she looked up at him. Purple locked with green, and he could see the surprise in her eyes, the doubt, the disbelief – the anticipation.

It had to be now.

Before he even realized what he was doing, he closed his eyes and swooped down with one swift movement. The smell of her jasmine shampoo enveloped him, her taste driving him completely insane. He reveled in the feeling of her soft, plump lips against his own, pressing down harder in a relentless effort to be closer to her. But he had heard her squeal as their lips made contact, felt her shoulders go stiff under his hands. He miscalculated. This was a mistake. He loosened his grip on her, slowly breaking away, trying so, so hard to not lean down again and-

But his lips wouldn't come off hers. She was fisting his shirt in a desperate attempt to keep him as close to her as possible. She slowly raised her small hands to hold his face, bringing him down and pressing her mouth more firmly onto his. He completely lost whatever control he had. Trick of the mind or not, he didn't care. His hands slid from her shoulders so he could wrap his arms around her waist and pull her flush against him. It felt like his entire body was on fire, little bolts of lightning shooting straight through his skin everywhere they made contact.

All of a sudden, she pulled away. His eyes shot open with horror. Had he done something wrong? Had he gone too far? No, wait, maybe it was just a trick of the mind. This wouldn't be the first time his imagination had gotten the better of him. Could that really be it? But at the sight of her heart-shaped face, he soon calmed down, a sense of victory washing over him.

She was smiling.


"Oreki-san?"

He had been completely caught up in his memories. He must've looked like some sort of maniac, smiling so suddenly without any direct reason. Only she could make him do that. She would be the first and the last that could ever make him do that.

"What is it, Chitanda?" he replied without looking up from his book.

"I should be asking you that, Oreki-san. You're smiling all of a sudden… This is unlike you, you have me worried."

He looked at her from across the table in their club room. A frown had set across her face, her lips in a small pout, arms crossed over her chest. She really was worried.

"No, it's nothing," he chuckled, gazing out the window. A small shiver made its way up his spine.

"It's getting pretty cold, isn't it?"

"No, Oreki-san." she answered with a soft smile. "It's already spring."


A/N
Oh god, I'm usually on the reading side, not the writing side, and I think I should keep it that way. I was just thinking about what would've happened if Houtarou actually said what he wanted to say in episode 22. Seriously, I can't deal with Hyouka being over, it was so, so so so so sooooooooooo good. Definitely one of the better anime of this year! The plotwriting was so astonishingly good; I don't think I've ever seen anything like it before. Ngl I've seen a LOT.

I even had this whole idea of making this a multi-chapter thing with references to Sherlock Holmes mysteries and a plot and angst and fluff and everything a fanfiction needs. But I think I'll keep it at this.

Unless, of course, this would miraculously get some reviews… Which it totally does not deserve, it's just a drabble. But it would be very nice, not to mention completely impossible.

I apologize for any grammar/spelling mistakes, English is my second language.

Thank you SO much for reading! Peace out~