Houtarou quietly sat in the club room. The silence seldom found recently. With all the mysteries popping up and Eru getting all excited about it…. He sighed, the club room was really quiet,"But not for long. She'll come through that door and again another load of work to do. It's not really good for my energy store…"

Outside in the hallway he heard sound of running feet…"Chitanda for sure."

But that was not the case because Mayaka ran in flustered and shouted,"Why are you sitting here, Houtaro?"

"What else am I supposed to do?"

Mayaka sighed,"Do you know where Chii- chan is?"

"No."

"You really are worthless."

"So, what of Chitanda?"

Mayaka said,"Wait till Fuku-chan gets here."

Satoshi entered to see Mayaka pacing around the room and Houtarou observing a glass of water on the table. Seeing him Mayaka demanded,"Fuku-chan tell this worthless Oreiki what we saw."

Satoshi asked,"Houtarou you interested?"

Houtarou looked away and slowly said,"I guess… I am… curious."

"Then no time to be chit-chatting on this rare occasion."Satoshi said. Houtarou glared at Satoshi and Mayaka glared back at him. Satoshi bagan in a dramatic voice,"Chitanda-san in planning to leave this club…"

A gasp almost escaped Houtarou till Satoshi said,"… most probably."

"How do you know?"

Satoshi said,"We saw her with a registration form going to the student council room. Mayaka was convinced that she is joining another club and leaving this one."

Houtarou eyed Mayaka and asked,"Have you lost you rational mind? Even you and Satoshi are in more than one club-"

But Mayaka insisted,"Not Chii-chan. And if that was the case why didn't she tell us?"

Houtarou didn't have an answer to that. Chitanda Eru was really not a girl to keep a lot of secrets. Yes, one or two really deep secrets she will have but not secrets involving clubs. And Mayaka continued,"And isn't she usually the one to come to the club first? She isn't here today and lunch break is almost over."

Satoshi said,"She'll turn up."

Mayaka was not convinced and demanded to Satoshi,"Fuku-chan you look for her."

She looked at Houtarou as if challenging him to say anything in contrary, but he didn't say anything. He just tugged his bangs lightly. Mayaka said,"You can sit here and rot away." And went away pulling Satoshi with her. Houtarou thought,"Mountain out of a mole-hill."

But Eru really didn't come to the club room that day, even though all the three had surely seen her at school that day. Mayaka was close to hysterics and even Satoshi was a bit worried. Houtarou remained silent while reading their anathalogy "Hyouka".