The rain that delayed Mayaka and Satoshi's passage was still a small way off when Eru Chitanda's bicycle parked itself in front of the Oreki residence. Though she'd left the school far behind, Eru could still feel the apathetic air clinging to her as she approached the front door and knocked. Houtarou's house was cozy by Eru's standards, but she'd quickly learned in previous visits to the homes of her friends not to broach the subject of the wage gap between her parents and theirs. Instead, Eru got herself psyched up for battle by clenching her fists and attempting to look intimidating by hopping from one foot to the other. You can do this, Eru. Just tell him you're sorry and that you'll help him understand and that everyone is waiting for him. This has to be the chance you've been waiting for to bring Oreki-san back. Eru's detailed plan remained unacted on as she found herself left on the doorstep without a response to her knocking for well over a minute.
Growing anxious, Eru worked up the courage to try the door one more time. Her knuckles rapped a bit more firmly on the door as she harkened her friend. "Oreki-san? Are you there? I'd like to speak with you for a moment, if you don't mind." A subsequent call to Houtarou's cell phone went unanswered and made Eru wonder if she was being ignored.
It was tempting to knock on the door again, but Eru's hardened sense of propriety from her upbringing prevented her from such a rude demand, at least for the moment. This didn't obviate her concerns from blossoming as she continued to fidget on the doorstep. Oreki-san must be upset with me. Or perhaps I made it here before him somehow? No, if that were the case, I would have seen him on the way here. Maybe he decided to write the manuscript so oddly because he's upset with me. But that does not make sense, even if he was trying to spread a lie about my uncle. That's not like him. Mayaka-san would probably agree, or Satoshi-san would have some fact to contradict that assumption. I wish they could have come with me. I wish I had a way to help Oreki-san feel better. It was as Eru was making this wish that the front door finally cracked open.
Instantly, Eru bowed her head, raising her clapped hands together in apology at the same time. "Oreki-san, I'm sorry that you're upset, but please come with me back to school! Everyone's really concerned about you and we want to help you write a manuscript everyone will be happy with. I have some questions too if you don't… mind… Oreki-san?" Eru tilted her head, finally noticing who she was talking to.
The piercing green eyes matched the intended recipient of her message, but the person in front of her was clearly female. Her colorful flowing garb was odd for the inclement weather, but Eru barely had time to notice that before the woman took Eru's silence as her turn to speak. "So, that's what it takes to bring the famed Eru Chitanda to my doorstep, huh?" she presumed, opening the door fully. "It would seem my little brother has been giving you some trouble. My apologies. He's a bit of a dunce when it comes to women."
Eru blinked, losing her voice uncharacteristically for a moment. "A-ah, no, nothing like that. I'm not famous at all. You must be Oreki-san's older sister, then?" she presumed, realizing what she'd recognized in those eyes staring at her playfully.
"Guilty as charged," the woman smiled. "And anyone who gets my brother to do something he doesn't want to do that isn't me is famous in my book. Sorry I couldn't come to the door immediately; sound doesn't travel too well in this house. Now, what can I do for you?"
"Oh, ah, actually I came to see Oreki-san," Eru reiterated, trying to remember if Houtarou had ever mentioned anything important about his older sister besides the fact that he'd joined the Classics Club at her request.
"Nice to meet you then," the woman beamed, holding out a hand. "Oreki-san, at your service."
Eru blushed, realizing her mistake. "Oh, I meant Houtarou-san, my apologies, ah- "
"Tomoe will do, no more, no less," Tomoe Oreki insisted. "Now, let's get inside. I don't think the weather will wait for you to gather your thoughts, but you can wait for my little brother in here. I've got him out picking up some things for me."
As Eru was hustled inside against her protests that she could easily come back later, she learned exactly why Houtarou didn't mention his sister very often. Apparently, Tomoe had been away studying abroad until a day or so ago and had just returned, though she'd been kept appraised of Houtarou's activities through the phone and letters. By the time Tomoe had managed to put some tea on and sit Eru down in the homey kitchen still in view of the front door, the guest had begun to collect her thoughts. She's very nice, if not a little difficult to keep up with. It's almost the opposite of Oreki-san. I feel bad for imposing like this. "Don't get down," Tomoe suggested, startling Eru out of her thoughts by reading her mind. "Just go with the flow. That's what my brother does."
The advice put Eru's head at a tilt, the club president not quite understanding. "I was under the impression you were away studying abroad," she started, unwilling to leave familiar ground for the moment. "Based on the letters Ore- I mean Houtarou-san showed us." Keep it together Eru! How many times have you done something like this before? Be polite!
"Yes, until just the other day, actually," Tomoe agreed without taking note of Eru's internal conflict. "But every road leads home eventually, whether you like it or not. Something told me I had to be around, and lo and behold, a beautiful young lady appears at my doorstop."
Still feeling somewhat flustered, Eru could only nod for a moment. When she found the voice to speak again, her curiosity had decided that it had been delayed long enough. "Well, to be honest, I was hoping to bring Houtarou-san back to school with me. I don't know if he has mentioned it to you, but we're publishing the next volume of Hyouka as the Classics Club's contribution to the Cultural Festival this year, and we had some concerns about the way he drafted his article." Eru's explanation cut itself off as she realized her target had stopped listening.
"Ah, the Kanya festival, good times," Tomoe reminisced like a woman decades older than she looked. "I remember our Classics Club's editions of Hyouka. Did you read my old contributions? They wouldn't let me put my best works in there, but I thought I made it pretty interesting."
Eru clearly recalled seeking out Tomoe Oreki's stories out of curiosity, reading the first couple of lines, then shutting the volume and promising her uncle that she would do the anthology he'd named the justice it deserved this year. "They were very interesting!" Eru half-lied with a straight face. "Is that why you encouraged Houtarou-san to join the Classics Club?"
"No, that's a story for another time," Tomoe waved off immediately. "Let's just say I was doing my fellow club alumni a favor. More importantly, I'd like to hear about what Houtarou's written to cause such an interesting visitor to darken my doorstep."
Making her impropriety so clear embarrassed Eru to no end. Though she didn't necessarily enjoy standing on tradition, the instincts endowed on her by her family wouldn't allow such disgrace to stand for long. So as the tea finished boiling, Eru explained the situation that had led her to Houtarou's house and her hopes in resolving the issue with Houtarou personally before his friends turned their backs on him permanently. As she listened, Tomoe had a mildly interested expression that Eru recognized very well. It was the face someone made when you were telling them something they already knew but they wanted to be polite. She wasn't sure what to make of this, but she had no option but to finish her story for fear of upsetting her host. As Eru concluded in time with a cup of tea being set down in front of her, Tomoe's expression became more contemplative. "I see. That troublesome boy. I'll have a word with him about treating his friends right, don't you worry, Chitanda-san."
"Oh, no, I don't mean to get him in trouble Tomoe-san!" Chitanda insisted, waving her hands in front of her face. "I was just curious about your opinion on the matter as an alumni."
The topic of Tomoe's involvement with the Classics Club had been broached again, but this time Tomoe didn't dodge the question completely. "Well, I don't know if I have much to say. My little brother doesn't share his thoughts very freely. It's not part of his current lifestyle, and we haven't had the chance to catch up yet anyways." She glanced out a window where the rain was slowly starting to accumulate on the glass panes. "Do you think he's right?"
Eru tilted her head. "About the manuscript? It doesn't seem to sit right with me because- "
"No, no, no," Tomoe interrupted. "That's not important. I'm talking about his lifestyle. Do you think living a grey life like his is a good enough goal to strive for? Is his assessment of the nature of the world accurate?"
It was a heavy question, though not one Eru hadn't given thought to at some point in the long afternoons she spent reading silently with only the enigmatic energy conservationist for company. "I believe Houtarou-san is doing what he believes will make him happy without bothering anyone else," Eru responded simply. "If that is what he wants to do, I don't have any right to criticize his choices. Right now, though, it doesn't seem to me as if he's doing that anymore. I'm grateful to him for helping me understand the truth behind my uncle's time with the Classics Club, so I want to be useful to him if I can." The answer had been prepared in the event Satoshi or Mayaka had asked something similar, but Eru somehow felt as if it was waiting to be elicited from her by Tomoe.
Tomoe nodded insightfully to herself over a long sip of tea. "Alright. I'll help you and your friends out then. Ask me anything you want until he gets back. I know a thing or two about Jun Sekitani myself that might be helpful."
Overwhelmed by choice, Eru had to resist not blurting out all of her questions at once. She settled on the first one that had come to her mind. "Did you know about my uncle when you asked him to join the club? Is that why you asked him to join?"
The older sister was shaking her head before Eru could even finish speaking. "No, that was a coincidence. Houtarou can't know significantly more about what happened 45 years ago than you do, either. He's making a blind guess, would be my guess."
This only raised more questions in Eru's mind. "Then why did he write the manuscript the way he did? What made him want to change his deduction?"
"Why do you think he did it?" Tomoe countered, her gaze again drifting to the window.
Eru recalled the ideas she'd had while making her way to the Oreki residence. Oreki-san wants to live a grey life, one with as little energy exertion as possible. He says that makes him happy. But he'll still participate in activities if he's asked to. I guess I'm a bit curious about that. "I just assumed he figured something else out based on the facts available," she guessed, earning a sigh from Tomoe.
"No. It's the same reason he's acting the way you say he is right now and why he shuns the rose-colored life in the first place. He believes if he leads a grey life he doesn't have to be special."
These words struck Eru as odd. Special? What does that mean? Does it have something to do with the movie incident? Eru failed to come to any conclusions before her phone interrupted her contemplations.
Chii-chan, they let me go early because of the rain, so I wanna come over. Are you still at Oreki's place?
-Mayaka
After receiving an encouraging nod from Tomoe to go ahead, Eru responded to her friend.
Yes, I'm with his sister waiting for him to come home. Is Fukube-san with you?
-Eru
Mayaka failed to respond for several minutes before simply stating that she'd be there soon, leading Eru to become concerned and Tomoe to become curious. "That's your fellow clubmate, right?" she guessed to Eru's nod. "Have 'em come over. I'm sure if you all talk things out with my brother you'll figure something out."
"Oh, no, we couldn't all impose on you like that!" Eru contested, shaking her head.
"Sure you can," Tomoe replied easily. "I made too much tea anyways."
The already precarious standing Eru misinterpreted her situation as caused her to argue back and forth in her mind, debating whether it would be morally acceptable to accept Tomoe's kindness with the intent of confronting her little brother about his personal life. But we're trying to help, right? We can't bring him back to school if nobody is there anyways, and Fukube-san won't be here tomorrow. We have to talk things out while we can. With this new resolve Eru nodded once at Tomoe with determination. "We'll show Houtarou-san the truth together, then."
Tomoe smiled approvingly. "That's the spirit. Here, let me get you more tea."
As she had her tea refilled, Eru went ahead and called Satoshi to ensure that he knew of the situation. She trusted Mayaka, but to leave anything to chance now that a potential solution was at hand was unacceptable. With confirmation that both of her friends were coming, Eru resettled in to wait for the Classics Club to assemble. "Now," Tomoe started with a wicked grin. "Let's make sure you're ready for this. I'll start by teaching you the best ways I know to subdue my brother."
Houtarou Oreki sneezed as he wandered forward with only the rain for company. He wasn't the sort to enjoy a rainstorm, but on other days it usually meant he'd have an excuse to keep to himself in his room. Only when he was forced out of this sanctuary did the rain become as intolerable as most other severe weather conditions. Large raindrops fell unforgivingly against the awnings of nearby houses, a harsh wind scattering some of the droplets far enough under its reach to dampen Houtarou's school uniform along with his mood. If things had gone better, he would have been able to wash his hands of the entire situation after today. Instead, he had been cast out into the rain by his own capricious sister to run errands that weren't even necessary as far as he could tell. Perhaps my sister planned this. It sounds like something she'd do. Did someone say something to her? No, that shouldn't be possible. Even if it was, there's nothing to say. I wouldn't be able to tell even if there was. She probably just wanted the house to herself for a while. Even so, this is sort of cruel. Houtarou glanced at the damp groceries hanging limply from one hand. She better not send me out again just because these got wet.
The added weight kept Houtarou's shoulders sagged and his heart heavy as he cautiously navigated towards home. There was rarely cheer in Houtarou's expression, but any sort of emotion since summer had started was currently a scarcity. Invariably his thoughts attempted to drift towards the morning's events, his handoff to Mayaka and the calls he'd ignored in his pocket, but the freshman steeled his resolve against action every time, focusing instead on the rain surrounding him. Contrary to what his clubmates might say, it took significant mental fortitude to be committed to taking the least enervating route in life. It will take care of itself. I should forget about it. If I leave it alone long enough, it will go away. The gnawing feeling in his heart vehemently disagreed.
Only when his house came into view was Houtarou inspired to drag his drenched clothes into a light jog to get out of the rain. His umbrella had done a pitiful job protecting him and his cargo, but this hardly mattered to Houtarou now that the promise of shelter was merely a moment away. As he approached the front porch, he made out his sister's pensive expression melting into relief at his appearance, the university student having posted herself by the door. Houtarou frowned, stepping under the awning and offering the soaked bag to Tomoe. "Tell me this was necessary," he grumbled, shaking his mop of brown hair out like a wet dog.
"I'm sorry, really!" she apologized with a genuine bow as she accepted the food. "I thought you'd have more time before the rain, honest! I'll make it up to you tomorrow, okay?
"Not now?" Houtarou echoed as he started inside.
"Weeell," Tomoe stuttered, giving Houtarou pause. "You might be a little busy today."
Houtarou barely had time to ask what this meant before Eru Chitanda threw his front door open and dragged him inside. He could tell that she was having a terribly difficult time being so aggressive, so it was a combination of surprise and the watchful eye of Tomoe that led Houtarou to be gently yanked inside his own house. By the time he had regained his bearings and finished wondering where Eru had learned how to kidnap people, the other three members of the Classics Club were all bearing down on him at once with varying expressions of concern and indignation.
The rainstorm outside wasn't enough to prevent Houtarou from seriously entertaining the idea of leaving for a moment. His writing decision had now cost him so much free time that he could consider it a serious mistake. This is what happens when you try to do things you can't. Might as well get the consequences over with.
"Why didn't you tell us what you found out about Jun Sekitani's past?!"
"Do you think my uncle was special?"
"Why did you keep us waiting this long?!"
None of the questions properly registered with Houtarou as everyone crowded around him, nearly forcing the boy back out the door. "Uh, I-"
"You already got to say your piece," Mayaka interrupted while holding up the manuscript. "Now we get to talk. We've had enough of you going off on your own and acting like you're the only one who can solve problems like it's this huge burden for you. Do you not trust us at all?"
"It's not just that," Satoshi continued, his expression more serious than Houtarou had ever seen. "The manuscript reveals something about Jun Sekitani that doesn't make sense, and it's bothering me. I don't like to admit it, but I want to know, so tell us already."
"We're just worried about you," Eru reassured in a way that was far less convincing considering Mayaka and Satoshi's words just now. "Can't we work this out together? I'm sure we-"
"Enough!" Houtarou demanded, taking a step back to dislodge himself before breathing in and out slowly to calm down. "I- no, sorry for worrying you, but I'm fine. If the manuscript bothers you that much, I'll have a new version ready by tomorrow."
"But it's not just that!" Eru insisted, piercing through the wall Houtarou was trying to put up with her widened eyes. "I want to understand where you were coming from, Oreki-san! Can't you tell us?" The willpower Houtarou had been trying to stockpile for this exact conversation was melting away rapidly, as it always did when Eru stared at him with such an innocent expression.
There was no doubt that Houtarou had lost the game the moment he allowed Eru into his sight so soon after she'd seen the manuscript. If he'd been able to buy himself a few days with Satoshi's absence like he planned, he could have found a way to redirect her interests without having to sacrifice the integrity of his manuscript. Even as he came to terms with this fact Houtarou could hear the voice inside of him telling him to simply open up and give in to Eru's demands. Only through experience was Houtarou able to temporarily restore order to his mind. I can't shake Chitanda-san off now, not easily at least. And those two aren't going to be any help at all. I'll have to give them something if I want them to leave. Guess there's no way around it. "Guess there's no way around it," Tomoe noted, appearing behind Houtarou. "You should tell them what's up, bro."
Houtarou shot a glare at his older sister. "I was getting to it," he muttered irritably. "You should have told me they were here."
"You would have dawdled in the rain even longer than you did," Tomoe shot back with a knowing look. "Can't have my little brother getting a cold on me."
"Why don't we let Oreki-san dry off first?" Eru suggested to get away from the hostile atmosphere being created. "Then we can talk comfortably. I believe we all have some questions to sort out."
Relieved at the excuse to collect his thoughts, Houtarou agreed. Though Mayaka and Satoshi were less sympathetic, the promise of Tomoe making snacks and having their concerns answered was enough to temporarily placate them. A hand found Houtarou's still soaked head as he locked himself in his room to change clothes. He knew the others were waiting on him, but he was in no hurry to return before he was good and ready. They expect a good explanation for my actions. I need to come up with one that will satisfy their curiosity. If I can't do that, they won't leave me alone. Telling the truth will at least prevent Chitanda-san from leaving me alone about it until she decided she'd helped me. I need to convince her that I'm fine because I am. The others just need a bit of explanation about my reasoning for Jun Sekitani. Alright. I can waste a little energy now if it means saving more later. Slipping on a dry shirt and shorts after hanging his school uniform up to dry, Houtarou prepared to let his friends into his room. Before he could, however, his phone blared to life one more time.
Had he not been forced outside, Houtarou would have turned his phone off entirely, the necessity of ignoring calls from his clubmates to avoid Eru difficult even for him. Glancing at the phone now only confused him.
Be special or I'll tell them you suck your thumb at night.
-Sis
Houtarou's eyebrows furrowed. He would have expected his sister to ask him to be honest, or even to get rid of his friends as quickly as possible. There was no more time left to ponder what this meant as a voice came from the other side of his door. "Oreki-san? Are you ready yet?"
Putting on a neutral expression with a deep breath, Houtarou opened the door to greet his clubmates. "Come on in."
Eru, Mayaka, and Satoshi filed into Houtarou's room, Tomoe thankfully having the sense to remain downstairs and let him sort things out with her cryptic messages alone. The three visitors sat down in a semi-circle around the bed which Houtarou planted himself on. Preempting the questions he knew were coming, Houtarou made a snap decision to stick to his original plan. "Alright, I'll explain it one time," Houtarou started, folding his arms sternly. "Jun Sekitani was one of the founding members of the Classics Club 45 years ago. The Cultural Festival at the time was being threatened to be reduced to 2 days by the faculty. We concluded based on what our librarian told us that Jun Sekitani, Chitanda-san's uncle, was forced into the role by his peers as a scapegoat so the student body could escape punishment for their activism. When Chitanda-san asked her uncle about it as a child, he told her that she had to become strong so she wouldn't end up getting used and tossed out like he was. However, when I went back to write the manuscript, a few things didn't line up for me. One, I found out that Sekitani-san was on the Executive Committee, which means he should have had at least some influence on the student body. Two, according to the librarian he also attended most of the events the students put on in protest of the reduction. Regardless of what he might have told others, these facts don't line up with the portrait of a student that had no agency over his situation. In sum, he didn't want to be remembered as a hero, and this desire was honored by the Classics Club, but his actions and the way the school chose to remember him see otherwise. I just wrote the manuscript to reflect that." Houtarou paused to breathe for a moment, satisfied with his deduction.
Three people not satisfied with Houtarou's deduction exchanged looks in front of him. Mayaka spoke up first, leaning forward with the now slightly torn and damp manuscript in her hands. "That doesn't make sense to me. What about what Itoigawa-sensei's testimony that Jun Sekitani didn't want to represent the student body in the first place? He clearly regretted how things turned out by the way he talked to Chii-chan about it when she was little."
Houtarou shook his head. "Of course he didn't want to do it. That's what makes him a hero to the student body. Isn't it better that we portray him that way rather than labelling Chitanda-san's late uncle a coward who couldn't stand up for himself?"
"It's better that we portray the truth," Mayaka fired back, a spark in her eyes that hadn't been there this morning holding Houtarou's full attention. "That's what it means to have pride in your work. Even if Jun Sekitani was in a position of power, he clearly didn't want to be the face of the rebellion. We already know someone else was really pulling the strings, but you omitted that in addition to making it seem like the whole thing was all part of this guy's master plan. How can you argue against that?"
"I can't," Houtarou agreed, looking away. "And I'm not trying to. All I said was Jun Sekitani was special enough to take advantage of his bad situation. Having power and choosing not to use it is different from being powerless to do anything. It changes how Jun Sekitani would have approached the situation entirely. His neck was on the line as an Executive Committee member because of the activism anyway. Publicly leading the rebellion wouldn't have been a stretch even if someone wanted to do it from the shadows. When the time came, he chose to do what was best for the student body over himself, even if he didn't want to."
Mayaka sat quietly for a moment, long enough for Houtarou to think he might have won before her crimson aura flared up again with a sharp look to the boy. "The facts you discovered may add context to how he made his decisions, but they don't change the outcomes or the overall truth of the case. Regardless of how you felt Jun Sekitani handled the situation, you omitted several key facts that needed to be included."
It was a given that this was coming, and as such Houtarou had been prepared to make some concessions. It wasn't a special manuscript anyways. There's always a few things that need to be cleaned up in the editing room. "Okay," Houtarou conceded. "I'll revise it to include the facts you mentioned. Is that your only complaint?"
"Well, no, there's also the matter of your choice to portray him as some gallant hero like your initial deduction-" Mayaka's next point was cut off with a hand from Houtarou.
"You trusted me to write the manuscript, so I wrote it trying to portray Jun Sekitani in the most accurate light possible," the freshman interrupted, hoping he was making enough of a point to turn Mayaka away. "Why should you care how he's seen as long as the facts are right?"
"But the facts you're referring to are subjective," Satoshi cut in, a hand on his chin partially obscuring his bemused smirk. "Which means they aren't facts. We can't say for sure how Jun Sekitani felt unless we ask him himself."
"That's right!" Mayaka agreed, rising to her feet. "It's your word against Itoigawa-sensei's, and she was actually there 45 years ago. If you ask me, we should go with the scapegoat angle rather than the hero angle. It fits all the pieces of the mystery much better."
An eyebrow quirked up on Houtarou's head. His instinct wanted him to remain quiet, but the work he'd put into building Jun's character overrode it. "Does it?" he questioned, sitting up straight. "It's not about angles. The point was to reveal the truth. Jun Sekitani's activism doesn't line up with the scapegoat idea, and his expulsion without protest doesn't line up with the hero idea. It's easier to construe the latter events as the actions of a sacrificial hero than it is to interpret the former, which paints him as an incompetent scapegoat. No offense, Chitanda-san."
Eru only shook her head, too absorbed in her own thoughts to be upset. This small miracle wore off quickly when Satoshi spoke in her place. "I have one question for you then, Houtarou. What do you believe being on the executive committee means?"
Houtarou hadn't prepared himself for this question, nor had he expected Satoshi to be particularly invested in this affair in the first place. He couldn't rely on Satoshi to consistently bail him out of getting dragged into mysteries by Eru, but the boy was supposed to at the worst be a neutral party. When he locked eyes with the freshman, Houtarou saw a spark there that had been missing since middle school. The rain hammering on the roof was starting to feel like someone was rapping a rubber mallet on his head repeatedly. Such a waste of energy. "You manage the affairs of student organizations and make sure things run smoothly so the teachers don't have to step in," he summarized plainly.
"You're half-right. The Executive Committee currently does that, yes, but 45 years ago they existed only to represent the students in official faculty meetings. Their administrative duties came about as a result of the Kanya Festival incident. That's what the old files say, anyways. Were you aware of that? It's in the file you took out a few days ago. Here, I borrowed it." He held out the file for everyone to see.
"No," Houtarou admitted, a hand finding his hair as he scanned the new information and cursed his lax attention to detail. "If that's the case then maybe…" he trailed off, becoming lost in his own thoughts.
Was I wrong again? Did I fail to consider all the variables in the case again? I should have asked them for their thoughts. Satoshi probably knew something was wrong from the beginning, yet he said nothing. Something must have changed since I dropped the manuscript off. I might have read this situation all wrong. What's the best way out of this situation, then, to give in? Yes, that's the path of least resistance. "With that in mind, I suppose I should rewrite the manuscript to something more akin to the tragic martyr we thought he was. It's going to take a few days though," Houtarou decided. "Is that good enough for everyone?" A hole was forming in the pit of Houtarou's stomach as he spoke, but he ignored it for the moment.
Satoshi and Mayaka exchanged a look before nodding. "I think that would be best," Mayaka responded for the two of them. "We can help, if you-"
"It's not good enough!" Eru blurted out before Houtarou could deny Mayaka's offer. "Ah, sorry, but that's not good enough at all, Oreki-san! You haven't explained why you chose to write the story this way."
"I haven't?" Houtarou echoed, confused by Eru's outburst and slightly threatened by the way she'd risen to her full height and was bearing down on him. "I already told you the facts that led to my conclusion."
Eru shook her head, now centimeters from Houtarou's face. "You haven't told us why you felt the need to look into it again in the first place! I'm more curious about that than anything else. I won't be satisfied with you giving up until that question is answered."
"For what it's worth, I'm curious about that too," Satoshi chimed in helpfully.
Houtarou glared at Satoshi for lack of being able to wither Eru's enthusiasm with his gaze. "This isn't that big a deal. I'm sorry I made you all follow me home over this, but I don't have any good reason for it other than wanting to ensure I wouldn't have to do it again, which clearly didn't work. There's no deeper meaning to it."
Puffed up cheeks outlined a pout that disagreed with Houtarou's claim. The freshman scooted backwards on his bed, but it didn't do anything to alleviate the pressure he was feeling at the moment. What do you want me to say? I can't say anything other than that. Eru's thoughts appeared to run in a similar vein, the girl still very much inclined to speak yet remaining silent.
It was Mayaka who broke the silence, having spent the last minute staring out the window on the far side of Houtarou's room and making him thank his lucky stars he cleaned up yesterday. "Let's get something straight then, Oreki. I don't really care if you were right about Jun Sekitani or not. Those two might, but I don't. I got mad because I thought you were writing it differently from the truth to make yourself look more right than you were. So answer me this: did you do your best to make the best manuscript you could?"
To have such a loaded question come to Houtarou from left field was enough to stun him for a moment. The best I could? What else would you expect me to say to that? Do you know who you're talking to? But if I say that, she'll never let me hear the end of it. And I can't deny that I've wasted energy looking into it because I felt like something was wrong… Maybe it's okay to be honest, then. "Yeah," he muttered, his voice much less audible than he anticipated.
Eru backed off at this, surprising everyone in the room. Mayaka recovered first, folding her arms and looking away with a huff. "Well, good for you. Since you said you'd fix it, I guess I can let you off the hook for today. I want that edited manuscript by Monday though."
Grateful to finally have an out, Houtarou started to grunt in understanding before Satoshi's infuriating voice piped up. "Why not take care of it now? We're all here, and it doesn't look like the rain's going anywhere. I'm sure Tomoe wouldn't mind, don't you think?"
"I made snacks!" Came Tomoe's faint voice from downstairs.
Shaking off the feeling that his sister had somehow planned everything from the beginning, Houtarou met the expectant faces of his clubmates. He didn't have to think to understand what they were waiting on him to say. "If that's what you want to do, knock yourselves out," he agreed begrudgingly.
Contrary to his expectations, only Satoshi and Mayaka appeared to be relieved by this concession. Eru had retreated, but her pensive expression suggested that the rain stopping immediately was more likely than her calling her curiosity sated. Satoshi took notice of this as well, becoming the last to rise and take Mayaka's hand. "Let's go set stuff up downstairs to work," he suggested neutrally.
Though Mayaka looked like she wanted to argue, being in contact with Satoshi was apparently enough to cloud her judgement and change her mind. "A-alright," she agreed, starting for the door before turning back to Houtarou. "Oreki, I- no, never mind. See you downstairs." Without another word, Satoshi waved the pair off and marched downstairs with Mayaka in tow like he'd accomplished everything he wanted to.
Personally, Houtarou didn't see Satoshi's purpose, and he wasn't about to spend the energy figuring it out, especially with Eru Chitanda still standing right over his bed. The girl's expression hadn't changed since Satoshi had made his suggestion, still facing some point in the distance beyond the grey rain Houtarou couldn't see. Just as well. I'm the only one who ever seems to understand what it means to be grey anyways. Houtarou was about to suggest following their friends downstairs to diffuse the awkward atmosphere when Eru plopped down on the bed next to him.
The lengths Houtarou had gone to suppress his emotions since the movie incident had never been tested so harshly as they were in that moment. Eru's body language was uncertain as well, the freshman fidgeting despite seating herself a good armlength from her friend. "You're not satisfied," Houtarou guessed, unable to look at Eru himself.
"No," Eru admitted, also unable to raise her head. "I spoke with Tomoe-san for a while earlier. She told me a lot about you."
Houtarou did his best to not look like his blood was running cold. "I'm sure she did," he responded disinterestedly.
The diffident answer was enough to convince Eru to look at Houtarou again. The freshman only managed to steal a glance at Eru, but it was enough to burn her violet eyes into his memory. "I think I understand how you made the decisions you did, but the why doesn't make sense. Did you really go to all that effort because you wanted to make sure the truth was accurate? Why wouldn't you consult us?"
"You wouldn't understand," Houtarou claimed quietly, his eyes locking on the manuscript Mayaka had left on the ground. "The more I thought about it, the more special Jun Sekitani seemed. A scapegoat doesn't go to the lengths he did just to leave a message like that, not when he can do something. Though maybe I had the idea backwards in my head. Maybe Jun wanted to find another way for things to resolve and he couldn't. Maybe he tried a bunch of things like the Executive Committee and attending events to prevent a tragedy from happening but it wasn't good enough. I started wondering if maybe Jun wasn't a scapegoat but instead a hero who regretted not being able to do enough to help himself or his school." It wasn't Houtarou's intention to spill out his intentions like the rain falling above him onto Eru, but his silence had lasted for so long that the first opportunity to truly speak his mind again was too much for him to resist.
Eru's voice cut straight to Houtarou's soul when she spoke again. "I'd like to be able to think about my uncle that way, but it doesn't have to be true in order for me to consider him special."
"What do you mean?" Houtarou asked, failing to sound disinterested as his saccade moved between Eru's face and the floor in front of him. "He's special because he was able to accomplish his goal. That's all it was, what I wanted to confirm." Though Houtarou didn't mention it, he could tell Eru was thinking about his failure with the filmography club.
"Regardless of what my uncle did in the past, he was a special man to me when I was little," Eru argued. "As much as I'd like to know the entire truth, it's not possible now that he's gone. But… that's okay. You helped me understand what I needed to, Oreki-san, helped me connect to my uncle one more time. That's special to me. That should be good enough, don't you think?"
As he opened his mouth to deliver a thoughtless response, Houtarou made the mistake of meeting Eru's eyes directly. All at once he could feel the grey life he'd inundated himself in being drained away and dragged into the light of a blinding rose-colored sun. The rain was stuck outside, leaving Houtarou to bask unprotected in the energy outflowing from his friend. This is why I didn't want to have this conversation. Why couldn't she just accept things for how they are? Why should I have to believe what she's saying? "Sorry," Houtarou apologized, tearing his gaze away. "But I already told you. I got lucky a couple of times and then I was wrong. It wasn't unreasonable to assume I was wrong about Jun Sekitani too."
"So what?" Eru countered, startling Houtarou. "Isn't that just a role you're embracing, the way you said my uncle embraced the role of a hero? We don't have to be perfect to have an impact, do we?"
It was a simple enough question to answer, yet Houtarou found himself lost for words. What am I doing? The answer is no, so why am I having such a hard time saying it? "It helps," Houtarou admitted, silently admonishing himself for saying so. She'll never be satisfied with something like that, and if she's not, she won't leave you alone. You can at least try to do better than that, can't you?
There was a silence for a time, only the rain and muffled conversation between the other three occupants of the house downstairs left to fill it. Not for the first time Houtarou began to doubt himself as he leaned backwards on his hands. If I don't have to do it, I won't. If I do have to do it, make it quick. That's the motto I should be living by. When I stopped doing that, I caused problems for people just as much as I solved them. I'm not special. It's much easier just to keep to myself. And yet she's still looking at me. Houtarou found it within himself to meet Eru's expectant gaze. "If you really want to keep living your life valuing energy conservation, that's fine," Eru informed him. "But could you do me a favor, Houtarou-san?"
"What is it?" he asked without thinking.
Eru smiled softly at him, leaping over all the walls he'd been trying to rebuild to defend himself with. "I'd like you to continue helping me and the Classics Club. I don't want you to quit just because you don't think you can be right every time. That's what you were really trying to say, isn't it? You don't have to be special to be in this club, you know?"
Of all people, Houtarou hadn't expected Eru to deduce what his intentions had been. Of course, he couldn't actually quit the club with the threat of his sister hanging over him, but it would have been simple enough to just stop coming to the clubroom. She understood the message I was trying to say, then she rejected it. The others probably helped her too. That's why they left me alone with the only person I can't seem to say no to. I… I don't want to think about this today. "I'll think about it," was all Houtarou could confidently say in response to Eru's plea.
It was barely a commitment at all, but somehow this was enough for Eru to breathe a huge sigh of relief like the matter was completely settled. "Thank you, Oreki-san. Take all the time you need to think about it. For today, why don't we join the others? Oh, and we can keep this conversation between us until you make your decision. I think that would be best, don't you?" The girl rose and offered a hand to Houtarou.
With a bit of hesitation, Houtarou allowed himself to be helped up as his mind raced. His grey colored life had been yanked away from him the moment he'd stepped inside, the boy unable to comprehend why he was being compelled to step back into the clubroom again after his mistakes. It doesn't make sense. Do they all just enjoy wasting energy that much? And why do I feel relieved? I must be coming down with something. I should just go with the flow for now. That's the path of least resistance, isn't it? This excuse was enough for Houtarou to awkwardly release Eru's hand as he stretched himself out, but not to start his feet moving down the stairs. "Since you're already here, there's not much I can do, is there?" Houtarou reasoned, trying to let his irritation show in his voice.
This only seemed to embolden Eru, who made for the door. "Exactly, Oreki-san! Let's go see the others. We'll make a fantastic manuscript together!"
Houtarou had no inclination to agree or disagree, so he simply followed Eru out the door. As he did, he paused, glancing back to his original manuscript still laying on the floor. He turned around to pick it up, only to hesitate again, glancing between the retreating Eru and his work. There was no time to consider all the implications, so for once Houtarou found himself going with his gut. We don't need this. It would only make things more difficult. Though he'd no intention of returning to how things were, the rain could stay outside, just for today.