AUTHOR'S NOTE

Moshi moshi minna! This is my first Hyouka story. I've had it on my mind that I'd write a Hyouka fanfic since I started loving this anime.This story is takes place 10 years after the anime ends. This is going to be a story much later of their school or college life.Anyways, let's start the story.Disclaimer: I don't own Hyouka.

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Chapter 1:

It was 7:30 a.m in the morning. The atmosphere of the room was inert and cold. The Smartphone on top of the bedside table rang up. A hand came up from under the covers to get hold of the gadget. After groping for a while, the hand was successful in getting hold of the device. The device was brought close to the asparagus green eyes of the owner of the hand to see who was calling early this morning (or at least for the person 7:30 a.m was too early).

The screen showed the word 'Aneki'. Swiping the green circle Houtarou received the phone.

"Moshi-moshi,"

"Houtarou is that you?"

"Who else do you expect to receive my phone?"

"Well, you sound very off,"

"That's because I was sleeping."

"Sleeping! Hountoni? Do you ever have anything else in your mind?"

"Well, what else do you expect someone to do at this early hour?"

"Well, then for your information, I might as well tell you that I'm already out in the roads and I'll soon be arriving at home."

"Nani?! You're coming home? At this hour?"

"For you it may be still midnight but for many it's already working hours. Anyways, I heard from otou-san last night that you came back home that's why I'm coming."

"Are you coming alone?"

"No. Yuusuke and Mai-chan are coming along with me too."

"You know, you really didn't…"

"See you in an hour."

And the phone was hung down.

Houtarou frowned. He didn't like the way his sister was always after him, questioning him like a suspect behind a murder. He kept his phone back and went back to sleep. However, he couldn't fall asleep. He cursed his sister under his breath for destroying his sleep and got up.

With a lot of difficulty he got out of his bed and shivered. He grabbed hold of the nearest woolen and put it on to reduce the cold. It was December. And it was really cold at this hour. He went downstairs. As he was advancing towards the bathroom he heard his father's voice.

"You're up Houtarou."

"Hai."

"Would you like some tea? I'm making some."

After a moment's thought he answered, "Maybe later."

"Ok then."

Houtarou went to the bathroom.

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After brushing his teeth and taking a warm and relaxing bath Houtarou came out of the bathroom. He walked down to the drawing room and sat down on the L-shaped sofa. He saw that day's newspaper lying on the table. He picked it up and started reading it.

Houtarou's father came into the room and sat on the other arm of the sofa. Houtarou looked up from the newspaper.

"Ohayou, otou-san."

"Ohayou. Had a good sleep at night?"

"Hai."

"I called up your aneki last night and told her that you came back."

"Wakatta. She called me up at 7:30 a.m and told she is heading here."

"I told her she needn't come here right now but she didn't listen to me."

As expected from her. She will never listen and anyways she has her reasons to enquire me. Houtarou thought. "Hmmm." Houtarou nodded.

Then the brunet looked up at the wall clock to see it was 8:30 a.m. Perhaps he had spent quite a lot of time in the bath. But of course he couldn't help it. It was quite relaxing especially, in winter, to take a warm bath.

Just then the door bell rang. Houtarou knew it was Tomoe. He got up and went to open the door. As he opened the door there stood Tomoe along with a man and little girl of about two and a half years.

"Hi little brother." She greeted Houtarou.

But before he could give any answer, the little girl ran to him and hugged him (his legs as she was too little).

"Uncle! Uncle!" She said gleefully.

Whatever feelings Houtarou might have had for his sister, but for this little girl who was his niece, he always had a weakness. Houtarou smiled at the girl who was happily looking up at her and picked her up. "Hello Mai-chan. How are you?" He asked. "Okay." She nodded gleefully.

"So little brother, what brings you back to Kamiyama from Tokyo?" Tomoe asked him. As Houtarou looked at Tomoe his smile was replaced by a frown. "Well, maybe you'd like to talk about it over the tea, Tomoe. Asking him things like this at the door isn't very polite." Yuusuke said. Yuusuke-san holds more civil manner than you do Aneki. Houtarou thought.

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Houtarou along with his father, older sister, brother-in-law and niece sat in the drawing room of his house. While Mai was playing with a doll, the others were engaged in an important conversation over tea.

"So you moved back to Kamiyama resigning your job in Tokyo? But, why?" Yuusuke asked Houtarou.

"What's the difference in Tokyo and in here? I'll soon enough join in to the job that I had applied for, right here in Kamiyama. It's no different from Tokyo. And, to be true life in Tokyo is too fast for me to handle and, I don't even have anyone to accompany me there." Houtarou answered.

"So you are saying you want a dull life without any sort of adventure?" Tomoe asked him in a quite biting manner.

Houtarou frowned. You've given me quite a lot more adventure than I wanted. He thought to himself.

Tomoe sighed. "Well, I can't force you to go back to Tokyo. But, just answer one question of mine." Houtarou knew this was coming. "Hope you did not leave behind what I told you not to."

"No. I did not. And I'll have a word with you about it later." Houtarou answered.

Tomoe smirked. "Well, I've got no problem then. You can do whatever you want."

Houtarou sighed.

"What does that mean Tomoe?" Their father asked.

"Well, that's something between us otou-san. Let's say it's a sibling secret. Nothing much significant though." Tomoe smiled.

"I don't understand what you two talk. Leaving those out, how are you doing Tomoe and Yuusuke?" Mr. Oreki asked.

"Everything's going well otou-san. My job's all fine. And home affairs too. Yuusuke's the same." She answered. And then she added. "But Mai is a naughty girl sometimes. Giving me and her father trouble."

At the mention of her name, the little girl turned around. "Mai is not naughty. Oka-san thinks that." The little girl pouted.

Houtarou patted her head. "I know you are a good girl Mai. Your oka-san thinks too much."

"Stop spoiling her Houtarou." Tomoe rebuked him.

"Well, I was thinking of something." Mr. Oreki suddenly said.

"What is it otou-san?" Tomoe asked.

"This might be out of the blue, but I was thinking that since Houtarou has planned to finally settle down here in Kamiyama, maybe we should start looking for a girl for Houtarou." Said Mr. Oreki.

Houtarou had just taken a sip from his cup when he choked. "Nani?!" Houtarou cried. "What do you mean by a girl for me?"

"Well, you know what otou-san means. He means arranging a wedding for you." Yuusuke said.

"Nani?! No! No way!" Houtarou denied straightaway.

"But, why?" His father asked.

"I'm not exactly yet settled. And I'm just 26. I don't want to marry before I'm at least 27." Houtarou answered.

"It's not like you are getting married tomorrow. It takes time for all the work. It might take more than a year for all the preparations and everything. You'll be settled within another year. So it won't be a problem for you I guess." His father said.

Houtarou groaned a little.

Then Tomoe said with a devious smile, "Perhaps Houtarou has someone in his mind. That's why he doesn't want you to look for a girl for him. " Yuusuke very well understood what Tomoe meant. He sniggered.

Houtarou glared at Tomoe.

"Is it really so Houtarou?" Mr. Oreki asked his son.

"Umm… uuuhh… n-no." Houtarou answered hesitantly.

But that surely wasn't the truth. The truth was that he did have a girl in his mind and that was none other than the ever curious Eru Chitanda. Houtarou had been harboring feelings for the girl since his high school but he never really dared to confess to her, afraid of commitment and afraid that his energy saving lifestyle would be altered. However, his feelings for the girl only grew over the years. And there indeed is a lot of history behind that as well.

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In the second year of their high school Eru had been told that she need not look after the family business and she was free to choose her career. It came as a big blow to her of course. She was quite upset about the fact and remained unusually quiet about it. However, after overcoming the shock she decided what she would do with her future.

After graduating from the Kamiyama High School, Satoshi decided to study journalism while Mayaka decided to refine her drawing skills and become a mangaka and thus decided to go with manga studies. While Houtarou decided to study in Tokyo with his sister's advice and they all found out, quiet to their shock that Eru had decided to study in an university abroad. Houtarou recalled that day when the classic club had a reunion after graduation.

"Since I won't be looking after the family business I decided that I wanted to study culinary art abroad." Said Chitanda. "Really Chi-chan? But why? Why do you need to go abroad? With the grades you have you can easily apply in any such school in Japan." Ibara cried. "I know Mayaka-chan, but, I just want to go somewhere else. Somewhere perhaps where I'll not be reminded of any of this. In Japan, I might be reminded of what happened but in abroad at least I can somehow put the thought at the back of my head." I knew Chitanda was still upset about her family business affair. But I really couldn't help her in any manner. But I really wish that I could.

"It's your decision anyways Chitanda-san, we can't really intervene in it. But we all just hope you'll be all right and really successful in whatever you do." Satoshi said in an encouraging tone. "Thank you Fukube-san." Chitanda smiled.

"I'll really miss you Chi-chan." "I will miss you too Mayaka-chan. And you too Fukube-san and… Oreki-san." "Houtarou will really miss you a lot too Chitanda-san." Satoshi said out of the blue. I almost choked the coffee I was having but somehow managed not to. "Won't you Houtarou?" Satoshi smiled deviously at me. I glared at him and then saw an expectant expression at Chitanda's face. I felt my cheeks go a little hot but I tried to say in a matter-of-fact voice. "Well maybe."

The classic club went their separate ways. Houtarou now knew there was no way he could confess to Eru and perhaps it was better. He might as well lose his feelings for her. However, nothing like that happened. If fact if something happened that was that Houtarou's feelings towards Eru only became stronger. Houtarou could still sometimes meet up with Satoshi and Mayaka. But he could only connect with Eru over phone calls and texts. A number of times Houtarou pondered whether he should confess to Eru but always decided against it.

Five years later Eru returned from abroad completing her academics, earning degrees in culinary arts and management and decided to open a confectionery featuring traditional Japanese sweets and specialising in mochi. She also decided to help in advising in her family business which to her intense relief was not disagreed to. Houtarou could conclude to why she had also decided to earn a degree in management. Even if she were not to look after the family business the fact did not change that she would still succeed the Chitanda household.

In less than a year, the confectionery was a mega hit and the business of the shop was running successful. Satoshi was doing quite well in the local branch of a national newspaper office. While Mayaka had started flourishing as a mangaka. Houtarou worked in Tokyo in his respective job.

The classic club was supposed to meet at Eru's grand opening day of the confectionery however Houtarou was unable to meet up due to his work. Mayaka was quite vexed and Satoshi didn't quite blame him but Eru seemed a little upset. In fact, Houtarou's work pressure seemed so much that the classic club could not meet up anytime sooner before Satoshi and Mayaka's wedding.

The two of them decided to get married at spring the following year to which Eru started her own business. In Houtarou's opinion they were getting married too early (at the age of 24) but nevertheless everyone was enthusiastic about the wedding.

As Houtarou sat and contemplated he recalled about the wedding ceremony that took place roughly two years ago.

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So that was it for the first chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Please review your options about what you think of my story. If you have any questions write it in the review or pm me. I'll always be there to answer your questions.

Please review.

Thank you.

Kana.