Turning on her heal, Chitanda Eru walked with the utmost purpose. The hem of her dress twirled around her legs as they made their long strides. The sun was still a ways off from setting, but the barely retreating light cast shadows around her figure. It warmed her back, offering up what little comfort it could to console her. She was not one to be so somber, but the cell phone she held tightly within her grasp was beginning to groan from the applied pressure of her fingers.

She let her eyes fall to the road before her, not really wanting to make eye contact with those around her. The shopping district was busy today, but she felt completely isolated. As if all life were obliterated when she received that call. 'It shouldn't be like this,' she thought, as her shoes scraped against the ground below. This was expected, something she knew about for a long time, but it still seemed as though she were unprepared. 'Why does it hurt all over again?'

There was a split in the road now and she had to make a decision. One way would lead her down a crowded street, and through a series of turns and twists, she would wind up in front of the Ibara residence. That would be fine if Mayaka were to be home, but she had mentioned a full weekend of club related activates to do with the Manga Society. She had been rather unenthused, but it sounded like she would be busy and ultimately enjoy herself with her fellow club members.

It would seem that Fukube Satoshi also lived in that direction, actually a lot closer than Mayaka, but she had no desire to pay him a visit. It just didn't feel right. However...

Facing in the opposite direction, Chitanda took the first steps that would lead her to Oreki's house. She knew he was a homebody, so the odds of him being out were minimal. Her pace had amplified from a steady walk to a wobbly jog the closer she got, finally turning into a sloppy, tear-filled run. Her vision was blurred, but she felt confident enough to make it without incident. 'Why couldn't this have happened at home?' was all she could think while she ran. There was his house. Then his front door. With all of the calmness she could muster, Chitanda knocked loudly, hoping - praying - that Oreki was the only one home and that he would answer. She could see his bicycle from the corner of her eye, giving her some comfort.

It seemed to take ages, and her knees were shaky, but the door finally cracked open. To her relief, it was exactly the person she had been hoping for. Without giving him time to speak, she lurched forward, dropping the cell phone she had been clutching in favor of twisting his shirt into a knot within her hands. Her legs gave out as she fell to the ground, the rough landing scraping at her exposed skin, but she hardly noticed. A rack of sobs escaped her as tears fell in a steady stream from her eyes. She could only cry and shake while holding onto Oreki.

He was stunned at the sight before him. He'd only just barely managed to open the door when she latched onto him. His eyes fell with her form, widening at the pathetic and broken mess she'd become at his feet. This was not a side of Chitanda he'd seen before. She was like a vase filled with flourishing roses - each rose represented a different emotion, but they all stood colorful and vibrant, creating a bouquet of magnificent richness. To see her like this was like staring at a wilting, dying rose. It was very unsettling.

"Oi, Chitanda-san! What's wrong?" he said, voice panicked and firm. His arms lay stiff at his sides, debating back and forth on whether to hold her or leave her be. He didn't really know what to do.

She met his question with a loud sob and the weak sound of her voice. She spoke in volumes, being either overly vocal or terribly quiet. It was hard to string her words together, but Oreki heard, "They found him. My uncle... his body's been found on the coast of India. All this time... All this time, he's been gone! He's..." The news hit him like a bolt of lightning. Sekitani Jun's body had been found after seven years. He has been confirmed dead, and now Chitanda is... well, she's curled up at his feet.

Oreki placed a hand atop her head, petting her in slow motions. His other hand lightly griped her shoulder in reassurance. He had no clue how he was supposed to comfort the crying girl, but it seemed he had no choice. He gave her a minute to calm down before offering her a hand. Then he guided her inside, using his foot to close the door behind them.

He led her to the couch, the TV program he'd been watching still playing, as he offered her a seat. He made a quick retreat to the kitchen to put on some tea and gather his thoughts. Save for some sniffling and the occasional whimper, Chitanda was no longer making a sound. That could be good or bad, but he had no way of knowing without speaking to her. He peeked out from around the corner to see her back to him, her shoulders slightly shaking, and her hair falling in pieces to frame her face. He stayed hidden until the tea was ready, allowing him as much time as it could to prepare himself. This wasn't like one of their mysteries that he could just solve and appease her curiosity. That complicated things quite a bit.

Carrying in the tray, Oreki set down the two cups and poured some tea, clicking off the TV, and walking over to the window to let in some light. He sat in the chair next to the couch so as to give her some space and keep her from crowding him. His mind seemed to cloud the closer she was to him. It wouldn't help the situation.

"Chitanda-san, I'm very sorry to hear about your uncle. If there's anything I can do for you, please let me know. I'm sure-"

"Oreki-san," was the first clear thing she'd said yet. Her voice was filled with such sadness, but she curled her lips up into a smile. He watched more tears roll down her cheek as she spoke. "I'm so... I'm... Thank you. I'm sorry for showing up unannounced. On a day off, too. I really didn't mean to intrude, I just... I got the call while I was out, and... I'm sorry for bothering you."

She motioned to stand, but her legs caved beneath her, plopping her right back onto the couch. She chuckled dryly at herself, before wiping away some tears. Honestly, what was she thinking? Appearing before a friend in such a state was truly embarrassing.

Oreki was silent. She had just been delivered some heartbreaking news and she was apologizing for bothering him? He might have been the kind to wish to conserve his energy, but situations like this were an exception to that rule. They were friends, after all. Pulling himself to his feet, Oreki handed Chitanda her cup of tea, catching her eye in the process. Dampened lavender met mossy green as he tried to make his words reach her. "Don't speak such nonsense. Do not apologize. You're hurt and in need of help. Allow me to do at least this much for you."

Her mouth hung open, eyes wide from shock. She had never expected Oreki to say such... kind things to her. Not that he wasn't a kind person, for he most certainly was, but... it only made her want to cry more.

"I'm sorry, Oreki-san. Thank you!" she sputtered out, face twisting as more tears began to fall. He was barely able to catch her cup as her head fell forward and connected with his chest. Light pink dusted his cheeks as he carefully set his hand on her back. Within moments he was rubbing small circles over her as her sobs faded into nothing. Her frame relaxed greatly against his in time and it was obvious that she was exhausted.

Oreki carefully maneuvered the tea cup out of his hand and onto the table behind him. He gently pushed Chitanda back, taking note of her bloodshot eyes and pale skin. The way she fought to keep her eyes open made it even clearer that she needed rest. He instructed her to lie back while he went and fetched her a blanket.

"My parents won't be home until late. You should rest here for now. I'll wake you when dinner's ready and then I'll walk you home."

Chitanda knew that it wasn't an offer, it was decided. She hardly felt like protesting. Wrapping the blanket around herself, she smiled just a little bit before closing her eyes and falling asleep. If it was Oreki, she'd trust him to take care of her.

~\*/~

The walk home was full of crisp, spring air and silence. Oreki dutifully walked next to Chitanda, glancing at her every so often to observe her face. Her eyes were less puffy and red from before and her skin had more color to it. Good.

When the Chitanda estate came into view, Oreki sighed and averted his gaze. He was glad to be able to escort her home, where she could properly grieve with her family. It must be hard on all them. He stopped at the front gate, waiting to hear it open. Once it did, he would watch her retreating figure until she was safely inside. Then... he was uncertain.

"Oreki-san?" Chitanda peered at him curiously. Being lost in his own thoughts must have worried her.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright? You seem upset." She looked so much more like herself and it made him feel relieved.

"Yes, Chitanda-san, I'm alright. I was just thinking."

She smiled at him and he found himself blushing once again. Her smile was even more powerful after a storm of tears and grief. He'd have to remember that. Still, he was happy to see her feeling better, even if it was only just a little bit.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do much for you. Please take care of yourself and call me if you need anything."

She giggled. Why had she giggled?

"This is so unlike you, Oreki-san. Going out of your way for me. You've done so much for me that I don't know how I'll ever repay you. I think... I think things can only get better from now on. We have closure now. I will be even happier in the days to come. Thank you, Oreki-san."

She bowed her head to him and he could only think to bow back. He'd been so caught off guard all day that he hardly knew how to act. Hopefully tomorrow would be easier. He watched as Chitanda open the gate, half stepping inside. She smiled at him one more time before catching a glimpse of her family in the window. She made one last quick dash to Oreki's side, brushing his cheek with the feather-light touch of her lips, before heading inside.

If anymore unusual things were to happen today, Oreki was sure he would be permanently flushed.

"A/N: I just want to point out that I've only seen the Hyouka anime. I know that her uncle was later confirmed dead, but I don't know what actually happened. This is just an idea that hit me and I decided to roll with it. If you liked it, please leave a review. I may write more in the future."