Hyouka – The AfterStory
Project Collaboration by Commander Cody & Maria
EPISODE 02
Houtarou arrived at the library, dressed in the attire of a black suit and tie that bespoke a man attending a funeral. He probably figured the occasion for formal dress was a funeral of his former years as a young man in high school when he practically had many freedoms that many men and women in the work force had given up, all for the sake of loyalty to a business company, along with family obligations; though loyalty to a business company would take more of loyalty than would family obligation. Houtarou was hoping, of course, that work life would not become so oppressive to him, but rather be conducive to allowing more time to himself that did not involve…more day to day labors in the office, and on a desk.
A relatively cheerful library staff member occupied the receptionist's desk; a young girl in the uniform of Kamiyama High. To Houtarou, it seemed a bit unusual for high-school students to staff the receptionist's desk. Judging by her confident frame and her posture, she seemed to reach Houtarou's height.
"Gomen kudasai…" said Houtarou, making a bow. "I'm here to see the Head Librarian."
"The Head Librarian…Yamada-sensei?" she asked.
"Hai," said Houtarou. "I have an appointment at twelve-hundred."
The receptionist checked the schedule list. "I see," she said. "Of course. Yamada-sensei's office is on the second floor, to your right."
Houtarou mulled the words, trying to commit them to his short-term memory. "Hai," he said, before bowing in gratitude. "Arigatou gozaimasu."
With his custom-made resume in hand, Houtarou followed the girl as they took a curved flight of stairs to the second level. The second level held many of the research offices, all neatly lined up in the corridor. By the look of the walls, doors, and doorknobs Houtarou could make a general conclusion about the building being several years old.
Houtarou had finally reached the office of the Head Librarian, where the door was left ajar. The Head Librarian was in the middle of what appeared to be a meeting with one of the library staff in the upper levels; particularly a bespectacled woman in light-colored business skirt. Spotting a waiting chair nearby the office, he plopped himself on the chair, waiting for the inevitable, but remained careful not to slouch, as he had to make a good impression even for the employees around him.
The woman emerged from the Head Librarian's office. Judging by her age, she appeared to be quite young and pretty. Houtarou blushed a little before entering the Head's office.
The Head Librarian was a bespectacled man with a little hair on his head who appears to be in past his prime, but still able to carry on his duties. He is soft-spoken, calm, and dedicated. Houtarou could see wrinkles on his face.
As he made a deep formal bow, Houtarou addressed this dignified man in a greeting at the formal layer, Houtarou said,
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Yamada-sensei. Hajimemashite." Houtarou had conveyed a formal morning greeting said when being first introduced to someone above his social rank. Having recited his greeting, Houtarou stood up. "Dozo yoroshiku," he added, as a way of asking a superior to look upon him with favor.
If the Head Librarian was a sensei, he would be most likely a man with an academic mind. Houtarou shows her his resume.
"Sunohara-sensei has already forwarded Oreki-san's copy of his resume to you," said the staff member.
"Sunohara-sensei?" asked Houtarou curiously.
"The young lady I just talked with," said Yamada.
"I brought my rirekisho with me, just in case" said Houtarou, referring to his resume.
"Hai. Dozo," said Yamada. By his words, Houtarou knew that the old man was conveying his approval. With that, he beckoned the young man to the seat in front of his desk as he seated himself in his leather armchair. Houtarou sits down.
"The hiring staff already forwarded a copy of your resume to me…but it pays to come to an interview prepared," said Yamada.
"Hai," said Houtarou.
Then Yamada looked over Houtarou's resume.
"Hmm…not bad…" said Yamada.
If that was the compliment Houtarou was to receive from all his hard work at college, at least Yamada would seem to show favor to him, in the literal sense of the word."
"Would you like some tea?" asked Yamada.
"Of course," Houtarou felt obliged to say. "Yes, please." He felt a bit thirsty anyway, and desired to quench his thirst.
Yamada poured Houtarou a cup of tea before settling back into his chair. "So you're a specialist in the humanities," he said.
Houtarou took a sip from his cup of tea. "Hai," he answered.
"And you also took a part-time job in a city library," Yamada further remarked.
"I took some courses related to library archiving," said Houtarou.
"Yes, of course," said Yamada. "From what I'm reading…you seem to be a promising employee."
"I…I suppose I have my sister, and the Chitandas to thank," said Houtarou.
"Of course," said Yamada. "I'm one of Chitanda-san's clients."
"Chitanda?" Houtarou asked curiously.
"Their rice is excellent."
Yamada focused his eyes on the resume again.
"I also see you have one reference from your employer from one of the Kobe libraries," Yamada observed. "Interesting. Why is that?"
"That was the only place where I worked," Houtarou answered.
"Indeed," said Yamada. "Usually, we ask for more references, but…judging by your employment record, you seemed to have kept the job for four years. I'm surprised; most students your age would want a little more excitement in their lives."
Houtarou said nothing. It would be too much trouble to explain how his circumstances would be too much trouble to tell Yamada.
Yamada puts down Houtarou's resume on his desk.
"But…it seems your records may bring about a promise of dedication," said Yamada. "And if Chitanda-san had a hand in helping you…"
Usually newcomers sent their resumes by mail, but it was a little unusual for them to bring a paper copy.
"Right," Yamada proceeded. "So…please allow me to elaborate on what the work involves. As a mid-level researcher, you assume responsibility as a knowledge consultant for directing people to research material. On occasion, you will assist in sorting and cataloguing research material to facilitate the research work of patrons who come here. Some employees have brought up complaints of boredom due to the repetitive nature of these tasks."
"I worked in a library," said Houtarou. He felt little need to spell everything. He still had difficulty letting go of his energy-saving tendencies. A tolerance for tedium seemed to be preferred, but not outright laziness.
Houtarou listened as Yamada had more to say. The hours, I think, are ideal, from seven in the morning to eighteen-hundred in the evening, the time when library services end," Yamada added."
Yamada was a man who seemed capable of commanding a situation with a calm demeanor. He seemed to be a man who seemed to be able to get modest performance from his employees while keeping his employees for the most part satisfied. Houtarou found himself envying his situation a little.
"Settled then," said Yamada, sensing that Houtarou made objections. "Now…onto the matter of benefits." Yamada drew out a paper with some kind of list. "Kamiyama Library offers some benefits to its employees. The salary base of librarians in your line of work is a little modest, due to the high level of specialty involved in the area of academic research. All employees have a thirty-minute break for lunch, allowing for some time to relax before getting back into the work cycle."
Houtarou thought for a moment. That kind of schedule seemed to appeal to him, and he could get home a little earlier.
"I think I shall enjoy working in here," said Houtarou.
"It's settled then," said Yamada. "Sayo."
Yamada dialed a series of numbers on his office phone. "Sunohara Kanae-sensei, would you please report to my office?" Yamada requested. "We have a new employee."
"Hai," said the young lady over the phone.
He hung up the phone. "I think you will like working in here," he said.
"Of course, sensei," Houtarou agreed, finding that he had little to say so far.
"You will have a supervisor to keep an eye on you," said Yamada. "The atmosphere is quiet. I often find myself refreshed during most of the day."
Houtarou and Yamada waited. The door opened, and a young bespectacled lady entered the room. Smartly dressed, she appeared to be a little older than Houtarou.
"Sunohara Kanae-sensei desu," said Yamada.
Houtarou made his customary bow. "Hajimemashite," he greeted her in a deferential manner.
Houtarou studied the young lady. Even with her glasses on, Houtarou could barely help himself from being charmed by her confident beauty, manifested even across her face, which also had color. The young lady wore a pleated blouse and skirt. She made her customary bow toward Houtarou, with her hands down and together.
"One of her specialties is the Japanese humanities," said Yamada. "She will be your senjou. She directs your tasks."
"Hai," said Houtarou.
"Sensei, please see to Houtarou's accommodations," Yamada said to the bespectacled young lady, before turning to Houtarou. "Sunohara-sensei will direct you to your office space."
"Hai," said Kanae.
The young man bowed to the Head Librarian. "Arigatou gozaimasu," he said.
Houtarou took a stroll with Sunohara Kanae across a large room.
"How long have you worked here?" he asked
Kanae smiled. "Four years," she replied.
"You must really like it here," Houtarou seemed to observe.
"When I was little, my family regarded me as a bookish girl," said Kanae. "I was…a little different from many of the schoolgirls in my life. The library was the place where I could seek solitude…when I was at school."
"I can see why working in the Library suited you," said Houtarou. He could almost see himself working for a long time; aside from the pay being a little better, if not superb, the library environment would allow each patron the experience of a serene environment.
"It does," Kanae agreed with a smile.
"By the way…why was the position of mid-level research vacated?" Houtarou inquired out of curiosity.
"He figured that he was getting to the point where he was losing interest," said Kanae. "The environment seemed too boring for him."
"Boring?"
"Some people may can be involved with this kind of work…but dedication does not last sometimes," said Kanae. "Plus…he thought he could seek another opportunity in the Kansai region."
"Ahh…" Houtarou mused. That thought took him back to his days at Kobe. Many of the cities in the southern part of the country seemed to have a rural feel; perhaps less hectic than that of the larger cities up north.
Kanae directed Houtarou to his office; a space adjacent from the young lady herself.
"I'm working alongside you?" asked Houtarou.
"It was one of the few spaces available," said Kanae. "At least you'll have an office. And there's an added benefit: it makes keeping an eye on you a little easier."
Houtarou became surprised. He looked around at the mahogany tables and high shelves. It was a place he could see himself working at indefinitely, as priority at work was the work life. Too much trouble to look elsewhere, he thought to himself.
Houtarou settled himself in. He had already negotiated his salary; a satisfying 3,700,000 yen, after some minor negotiations with Yamada. For a fellow librarian with a university degree, it was a modest sum.
Houtarou got himself settled in his new office space. His desk was situated beside the right side of the wall facing from the doorway. On the desk, free of clutter, was a phone and an answering machine. A fabric armchair stood at the front of the desk, and a small bookshelf with a handful of books, mostly job manuals and library reference methods, stood at the left side of the room opposite the desk.
The place was meticulously tidy; a characteristic afforded by the librarians, given that few people accepted this kind of library position.
His phone rang. Houtarou promptly picked up the receiver, figuring it was one of the staff, a customer, or Yamada-sensei.
"Oreki desu," he said. "Humanities department."
"Houtarou?" It was from his sister, Tomoe.
"Hai."
"I received a call from Chitanda Eru-san," said Houtarou's sister. "She called me to ask you if you could visit her house…and that you're welcome anytime."
The last part was usually said as a courtesy to guests and acquaintances. Houtarou knew he had friends. But he figured there were times when his time would be limited.
"Well…I could, but…" said Houtarou.
Houtarou slumped down on his chair, heaving a sigh. Perhaps it was a schedule not as convenient as he had hoped. Nevertheless, he would take up the opportunity. "Very well," he said. "After my shift, which ends in eighteen-hundred hours. It may be a bit late, but that's when my shift ends."
"I'll let Chitanda Eru-san know," said his sister.
Evening of the Next Week…
Houtarou was nearing the end of his daily shift for the week. After he had completed his last library research task for the day, he logged off from his computer before shutting it down and packed his messenger bag before locking his office.
He went to Sunohara Kanae's office to fill out his weekly time card. Kanae put her own seal of approval before filing it away for Yamada-sensei.
Slinging his bag, he went to the library's bicycle parking area, where his bicycle was parked. He hopped on his bicycle, and raced off onto the sidewalk near the city's main roads. On his itinerary, he had plans to visit the Chitanda residence, which he intended to fulfill.
It had been a long time since Houtarou had visited Kamiyama City. The small town environment was conducive for the state of tranquility. The evening street lights started to switch on as dusk settled across the town, soon to be followed by the incandescent glow of the building lights. Some storekeepers closed up shop for the day during the early evening, except for those who owned and operated the convenience stores, all night; even if the customer was kami-sama, everyone needed rest. Kamiyama's small-town environment made for a strong contrast from the bustling city life of Kobe that Houtarou had been accustomed with. He would have to reacquaint himself with the environment now, as his job would be situated in his place, along with his friends.
Within himself he debated over whether he would miss city life. Perhaps he would, if his friends Satoshi, Mayaka, and Eru were there. But his friends were in Kamiyama; particularly Eru, who, along with her family, had pitched in to help the young man get through the monotony of university life.
Houtarou finally arrived at the Chitanda residence. He knocked on the door.
A woman greeted him. "Oreki-san," she said. It was Chitanda Hiromi.
There seemed to be no need for formal introductions, as he was already acquainted with the Chitanda family during his university years.
Chitanda Hiromi led Houtarou to the entrance of the room where Eru and her father were on the verge of concluding business. The business schedule seemed a little rigid, and Houtarou was visiting by appointment, especially if this was his first visit coming back home from Kobe.
"There are five…no, six bags of white rice that won't arrive till tomorrow," said Eru. "Nakahama Industries said the firm were out of stock. The manager sends his personal apology."
Chitanda Tetsugo widened his eyes. "Six bags?" he asked, astonished. It was not often the supplier delayed its regular shipments. "Why six? What is going on with that fool?!"
"Otousan…" Eru tried to remind him.
Her father rubbed his head, his mind distracted. But it was Eru's way of having him maintain perspective; it was not necessary to jeopardize a customer-supplier relationship over one delay.
Chitanda Tetsugo heaved a sigh. It was a least favorable time to have delays in rice shipping. "Juumoji-san was hoping he and his family could have the white rice shipment by the next year's season," said Tetsugo. It was a long way coming, but the Chitanda family needed time to grow the rice before the family shipped it to customers. White rice could take at least a year or a couple of years to grow, and Chitanda Tetsugo needed a wider window to account for this time.
"Juumonji-san?" asked Eru. The Juumonjis were acquaintances of the Chitanda family; one of the wealthy families in Kamiyama City who owned a local shrine. Juumonji Kaho was a friend of Eru. She and her family received their white rice supplies after growing.
"You know, Father, we might not have to get all that worked up about it yet." said Eru. "We should still have plenty of white rice to grow…starting tomorrow."
Chitanda Tetsugo, feeling frustrated inside, nevertheless had to remind himself to count his blessings. Nakahama Industries only had rare cases of delayed shipments. Something strange seemed to be going on, but Tetsugo felt spent during the day.
"Alright, Eru, I'll send my apologies to Juumonji-san. Perhaps he will be a little understanding with us when I tell him what's going on. For now…I'm going to meet with some people," he said.
"Perhaps the next day…preferably?" asked Eru a little timidly. "Oreki Houtarou-san is coming to visit."
Chitanda Hiromi was hardly was keen on the idea of delaying his meetings. But if Oreki Houtarou was coming, he would prefer to meet him, as he was curious.
"Just give me a few minutes to clear my mind," said Tetsugo. "I'll come to dinner in a moment. In the meantime…did you send the rice order to Nakahama?"
"I did," said Eru. "He should get it today."
"Dozo," said Tetsugo. "At least our acquaintance can be relieved."
Chitanda Hiromi entered the room. "We have a guest, Tetsugo," she said. "Oreki Houtarou."
At his name, Eru perked up her head in great wide-eyed excitement.
"Houtarou-kun!" she beamed, grabbing his hand. She used to do that all the time when they were in high school, but it felt different now. She dropped his hand, and he was looking at her. "How've you been?" she said.
"Busy," said Houtarou. "It's my first time at the job. But things will get better, I think."
"I'm glad," said Eru. Then it dawned on her that her father was present before them.
"Houtarou-kun, you remember otousan?"
"Hai," Houtarou affirmed, upon hearing the question.
"Houtarou-kun," Tetsugo mused. "Eru…you seem to have gotten familiar with him. A little…too…familiar?"
Eru began to blush. Houtarou, on observing her cheeks turn red from awkward bashfulness, could tell that she seemed a bit shy and nervous. Nevertheless, customary greetings could not be ignored. But perhaps it seemed that Eru was beginning to develop some kind of romantic feelings for him? Otherwise, why would she even blush at all? Unless there was something about Houtarou she was beginning to feel drawn toward him…
"Hajimemashite," Houtarou greeted Eru's father.
Chitanda Tetsugo made a courteous bow.
"You should thank him," said Eru.
"Right," said Tetsugo, in a manner that almost said to Houtarou, "You owe me a favor." After all, he used his connections in the area to, in some way, guarantee Houtarou a fairly well-paid job at the library.
"Eru-chan," her mother called her. "I need help with the daikon."
"Hai! Coming, okaasan!" Eru said loudly. "I have to go," she said, before heading back into the kitchen.
Houtarou studied the room a little. Tetsugo's desk contained various knick-knacks accumulated throughout his life, from his childhood and his university years. He noticed that Tetsugo's room had a framed degree displayed prominently on the corner of his desk.
"I had no idea you studied at Kobe," said Houtarou.
"Mmm…" Tetsugo made a grunting noise, affirming what the young man had said. "To be honest with you…I hardly had a sense of direction during my initial university years. My family made strong suggestions about attaining a business specialty, since it would be of much use in managing the family farm."
Houtarou gave that matter some thought. In some way he would have hardly stood out from his peers. The Chitanda family seemed to esteem University education. Such education seemed to broaden the mind, in addition to bestowing upon the mind a collection of specialized knowledge. The public universities received their generous share of government funds.
"What about you, Oreki-san?" Tetsugo was blunt to ask the young man. "Those four years you spent at University…maybe they'll pay off…I hope."
"Ano…" Houtarou uttered. "I'm still starting," he said. "Perhaps…if I stuck to the job…"
"Have you ever thought of eventually advancing toward a masters'?"
"Maybe," said Houtarou.
"You'd better have some sense of direction," said Tetsugo. "Eru, at least…she knows where her place in the family is."
Tetsugo's words could hardly be argued, Houtarou figured. Eru, at least, could use her specialized knowledge of crop growth to aid in the efficient use of family resources in the rice and vegetable farm. Houtarou knew where his knowledge could be used, but for some reason, there was some kind of torpor in his life; a state where one never seemed to advance in life; a state where everything simply remained the same as it was before. But then, in Eru's case, she would be tied to the land. Perhaps her lot in life was a path of her own choosing.
Eru emerged into the office space. "Dinner is ready now," she announced.
Eru's father went into the kitchen, with Houtarou accompanying him. Houtarou became amazed over the amount of food present at the dinner table; he felt as if he were participating in a banquet. Chitanda Hiromi and Eru had prepared onigiri stirred in cooking oil; the favorite Houtarou's friends. Then there was yakisoba; meat mixed with thin-spaghetti-like noodles.
Chitanda Hiromi assigned Houtarou his seat, which Houtarou took. Eru sat beside her mother. Chitanda Tetsugo was the last to sit down. His seat was at the center side of the dining table.
"Itadakimasu," they said together. They commenced their meals.
"How are affairs going with the Juumonji family?" asked Hiromi.
"Juumonji-san was gracious enough to take the delays in stride," said Tetsugo. It was not an easy thing to say, and he hoped his profuse apologies would appease the family friend. The Juumonji family was in charge of Arekusu Shrine. The daughter, Kaho, was a friend of Eru.
As talks of the evening turned to the affairs of the Juumonji family, Houtarou, while listening passively to the conversations, learned, among other things, that Kaho had already graduated from the same university that Eru attended, and was helping her father manage the shrine, in the same way that Eru was helping her father manage the family farm.
"Oreki -san?"
Houtarou perked up his head in the midst of devouring yakisoba. He and Chitanda Tetsugo were facing each other; he heard Tetsugo say his name.
"Hai?" Houtarou responded.
"You hardly said anything today. How was your day?"
"All right, I think," said Houtarou simply.
"Everything going well with your job at Kamiyama Library?" Chitanda Tetsugo inquired. "It is, after all, your first day."
"Hai," said Houtarou. He felt a bit unimaginative in this regard of telling about his work life. "It's a quiet life, to be honest," he said. Those words were essentially a summary of how his work life had been; uneventful, serene. I guess I like it that way, he thought to himself.
"Well…do you enjoy it?" asked Eru curiously.
"My job, you mean?" asked Houtarou. He felt a bit awkward, as there was not much for him to elaborate on. "Hai…I mean, the quiet environment is one that really agrees with me," he answered
Chitanda Hiromi seemed to be a bit unsettled, and even Eru was feeling the same way, too. Houtarou, being observed, seemed to notice the mood in both mother and daughter, but he simply shrugged his shoulders and continued with his dinner. There was hardly anything else Houtarou could say in his relatively uneventful life. The young man seemed to be lacking of anything to say that made any dinner conversation meaningful.
"Perhaps you seem to be a bit tired?" asked Tetsugo. "Don't take it badly; sometimes, after a first day…"
"Well…maybe…" Houtarou said. He faced Eru and her family. Eru seemed unhappy, and her countenance reflected this unhappiness. She was hoping that she could engage Houtarou in lively conversation, but Houtarou seemed hardly in the mood.
Deep down, the reticence made Houtarou feel bad for saying that he could say little about his life. "I don't think I'm that tired, though," he said.
"Well…I think that's good," said Hiromi, trying to be agreeable in the family. It was her way of preserving an aura of harmony among those in her presence, and even in her family, too. "Demo…even so, Eru-chan…it's been quite a while since he visited us," said Chitanda Hiromi. "Let him finish his dinner first. You'll get to spend time with him after…if he's all right with that."
"Hai," said Eru, in a tone that almost seemed filled with regret.
Houtarou said nothing else, and his silence seemed to be taken for consent. But everything about Houtarou seemed different, in a sad way. Deep down, she was determined to find out what was contributing to Houtarou's unusually reserved behavior. She hoped his behavior would not become a permanent part of who he was.
The silence was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell.
"I'll see to it," said Tetsugo, as he got up from his chair.
Houtarou was already finished with his dinner, so he went to the kitchen to put his dishes into the sink. Overhearing hushed chatter, Houtarou turned to see what was going on. Chitanda Tetsugo was in the middle of a meeting with a customer. Curious, he decided to find out his identity. His astute observance discerned an old bespectacled man; someone who was familiar to him; someone whom he had seen, face to face.
Yamada-sensei…perhaps? Houtarou asked himself. He hardly bothered.
"Shall we sit in the porch?" she asked Houtarou. She was sending an invitation to the young man to spend more time with her. She almost forgot that Houtarou seemed to have awakened from his silent retreat, if only for a moment.
"Hai," said Houtarou.
Oreki and Eru took a direction to the hall and to the porch overlooking the small garden pond in front of the porch steps. Eru spread her legs, which her dress covered, and put her hands on them to support herself when sitting upright.
For a time Houtarou and Eru said nothing; together, they just stared into the garden, admiring all the little beautiful details it had to offer, with its crawling butterflies and flowers. The sounds of the cicadas, together with the small fountain with water running over the layers, contributed to an atmosphere of peace with pleasant soothing sounds to calm the troubled soul. Even in spite of his own little energy-saving policy, Houtarou seemed to feel drawn to the quiet life outside.
Eru had a longing to hold Houtarou's hand; but she feared that if he did, he would recoil; he just was not used to such premature actions of the language of love. Deep down, she seemed worried a bit. She seemed a bit fearful over Houtarou trying to shrug off her question in a rude way, a response that would shake her sensitive heart, making her retreat within herself.
"Houtarou-kun…" Eru said. "Houtarou-kun?"
Houtarou looked at her.
"You hardly said any words at dinner. Daijoubou?"
Houtarou made a nod, much to Eru's surprise, though, as the young man did not shrug off her question. No; perhaps he was just tired. Maybe tired, in the physical sense. But of something in his life? That part was yet to be determined.
"Houtarou-kun…I…"
She cleared her throat.
"I'm becoming more worried about you."
Me? Asked Houtarou. It's strange…
"I think something is occupying your mind today," said Eru.
"I'm not sure how my reticence at the dinner table has anything to do with something weighing me down," said Houtarou.
Perhaps if there was something weighing him down, Houtarou was reluctant to admit it. To him, his reluctance to unburden himself to a young woman he had just been reacquainted was hardly manly. This, from a young man who could solve problems of deduction the way Sherlock Holmes could. And yet it seemed he could not even admit his own problems…if he had any.
"Houtarou-kun, let me ask you a question." He and Eru were face to face. "Are you even happy at all?" she asked.
"Happy…" Houtarou's eyes widened. Eru had used the word ureshii, a state of happiness that was not fleeting, but eternal.
"Well…"
"There are many enjoyable things in this world," said Eru, using the word tanoshii, a word describing a state of enjoyment that was fleeting. "Many fun and happy things." She looked at the young man with caring eyes. "You have to search for them," she said. "Even in places where you least expect it."
"Fun…happy things…" said a perplexed Houtarou. Eru was keen on using the word tanoshii; a word describing anything to be truly enjoyed.
"Hai…" said Eru. "Otherwise you can never really enjoy life."
Houtarou heaved a sigh. It seemed that her words were things anyone could be told. Perhaps he needed to be reminded of them, seeing that he hardly seemed contented with his life.
"Houtarou-kun…are you really happy with your job?"
Houtarou leaned back on the porch steps. "I guess I am," he said. "It's not that bad…"
"Listen to yourself speak," said Eru. "Don't you find yourself wavering between saying you are either satisfied…or despondent?"
"I don't see what that has to do with my job," said Houtarou.
"I'm becoming more worried about you, Houtarou-kun," said Eru, who was beginning to feel troubled about Houtarou's state in life. "You're going to go through the same routine, day in and day out; never accomplishing much of anything special in your life." She took his hand. "You're just going to go through the motions of life without building any kind of progress in anything greater than yourself." She stared into the garden. "I find such a life sad, Houtarou-kun. I would hate to imagine you going through such a life."
Eru reclined on the steps of the porch. "Houtarou-kun…would your job be something you truly enjoy doing?" she asked.
"What else is there?" asked Houtarou. "Besides…I like the quiet."
"Of course you do," said Eru. "But when you start thinking…you begin to realize how much of your life is really unfulfilled." Eru made a light smile. "You could try teaching," she said. "You're familiar with the humanities of our country; what will happen if the young people who will become the future citizens of our country have no knowledge of our country's history?"
"I suppose I could take that into consideration," the young man mused. Such an endeavor would mean expending more time and energy.
"You're going to have to learn how to think of yourself less," said Eru. Her exhortations seemed a little empty; what incentive was there for Houtarou to think more about the people in his life? Perhaps if there was a special someone whom Houtarou would go so far to expend even his own energies…
Tanoshii. Ureshii. A thing of momentary enjoyment, and the state of being fulfilled. These words were not just relegated to the material; they extended to the intangible; the people, places, and things that mattered most to people in life.
Even in her early twenties, Eru could still be her usual self. "So…enjoy life to the full," she told him, leaning her chin on her knee and hugging her legs.
"Chitanda-san…I mean…Eru?" he addressed her. He was still getting acquainted with calling Eru by her given name; a privilege assumed mostly in cases when a relationship started to deepen. Or that it already was.
"How do you do that?" asked Houtarou. "How do you manage to keep a smile upon your face?"
Chitanda beheld at the young man, giving him a sweet smile. "You're the deduction genius. Why don't you tell me?" She looked into his eyes. He looked at her, and then at the sky ahead, the sun glowing golden over the tree tops and the farmlands below.
"It's my off-day," said Houtarou.
She smiled. "I don't smile all the time, you know." She said, playing with a leaf. "It's actually only with you, that…" she said, looking away. Houtarou looked at her, his eyes wide.
"Houtarou-kun…I…"
"Chitanda…Eru?" Houtarou asked curiously. Eru grabbed both Houtarou's hands. And a feeling of fascination and wonder took Eru's mind as she locked eyes on Houtarou, and Houtarou felt cornered.
She pulled away, laughing to herself a little.
"I used to do that when we were still in high school," she said, letting go of his hand.
Houtarou said nothing.
"Eru," a voice called from the hall.
"It's Otousan," said Eru.
"Business?" asked Houtarou.
Eru made a hurried before leaving the porch. Suddenly Houtarou's thoughts returned to the man visiting Chitanda Tetsugo.
"That man visiting Chitanda-san…he must be the Head Librarian," Houtarou uttered. "Yamada-sensei."
"You know him?" asked Eru.
"He is Kamiyama's Head Librarian," said Houtarou. "It's curious why he's here, though. He couldn't contact Chitanda-san by phone?"
"Today…we had some issues with delayed shipments of white rice," said Eru. "Perhaps he may have discussions with Otousan about the matter."
"Hmm…" Houtarou mused. The way things look, the talk may last longer than a chat over the phone.
Meanwhile, something preoccupied Eru's mind about how Chitanda Tetsugo would handle such a delicate matter without letting it go sour. "Otousan should be all right…I hope." It looked like that she was trying to assure herself more than stating a matter of fact as she went to her father's office room.
Houtarou had waited for Eru to finish whatever business affair her father needed assistance with. He remained seated on the porch, having nothing to do.
Pondering over his encounter with Eru, he felt elated inside over rekindling an old friendship with the young woman; a girl he had first encountered during his first year at Kamiyama High, and now an accomplished young woman whom, he felt, led a more active life than he did.
However, he felt troubled over what the other part of his mind was telling him: that his encounter with Eru would lead to rekindling a dilemma to choose between the grey life and the rose colored life; a life governed by harsh realism, and a life governed by pleasant ideals. The two, he thought, would be eternally in conflict with each other.
Eru emerged into the porch. Houtarou's eyes settled on the young woman. Her expression seemed a bit worried.
"Chitanda-san…I mean…Eru?" Houtarou asked. "Daijoubou desu ka?"
"Ano…a little," she said, using the word chotto. She stopped for a moment. Houtarou had the urge to ask what was bothering her. But there was no need. Eru turned to Houtarou right away as she sat down beside him, staring into his face.
"Actually, Houtarou-kun, there is something. Something related to my family's business."
Houtarou braced himself. Whenever Eru brought up a subject matter, chances were she was going to pester him about it.
"Watashi…watashi kininarimasu!" she cried.
Houtarou heaved a sigh of disappointment. There was no way he could escape Eru's hold on him. "Go on," he said in exasperation.
Eru began to relate all she had been doing, yesterday and today, until she came to the part about her family's business problems, beginning with six bags of white rice being delayed.
"We began having problems with our regular supplier, Nakahama Industries," said Eru."You see…we never had these kinds of problems with Nakahama Industries," said Eru. Our regular supplier was always punctual. It has to be, as the rice farmers are on a timetable, and every manager of a rice grain supplier would know that. But…if we did…it was quite rare."
"Perhaps it could only be a temporary inconvenience," Houtarou surmised. "As you said…such occurrences can be quite rare."
"Maybe," said Eru. "But…I have this feeling…that something is not right. We have had no trouble with our regular supplier for the past several years."
Houtarou heaved a sigh. He still had some difficulty seeing what he figured would be some kind of temporary setback as something suspicious. But Eru seemed serious about her suspicions.
"And our difficulties are compounded with our strained business relations with the Juumonji family," said Eru. "We can only be thankful that Juumonji-san is gracious enough to accept our apologies."
"The Juumonji family?" Houtarou asked rather curiously.
Eru made a nod. "Kaho-san is still a friend of mine," she said.
Houtarou thought hard, but it seemed that he could come no closer to solving what would ordinarily would be just another temporary inconvenience on a family. Was there really any need to think too deeply into such matters? Perhaps some kind of crazy conspiracy was going on, perhaps against the Chitanda family? How would that ever be possible?
"I'm going home to think about it," said Houtarou. He bid Eru a good night before leaving the Chitanda house.
"Tadaima," said Houtarou.
"Oh…Houtarou?" called Tomoe. "How was your visit?" she asked.
"Uneventful," Houtarou said simply. "I'm going upstairs to take a bath."
"Good idea," Tomoe complimented him.
Houtarou went upstairs and into the bathroom. He turned on the water, setting the faucet to its warm setting, and waited until the bathtub was almost full. He cast off his clothes before stepping into the warm water.
It felt so relieving, and it allowed Houtarou to cast off all anxiety from his mind and rejuvenate it, at least for a time. His first day at Kamiyama Library had been a bit uneventful, though, in reflection, he had to learn the procedures in his line of work.
He was about to retrieve bathwater soap. He felt around the tray, only to feel nothing. He checked; there was no bathwater soap.
"Tomoe?" he called. "Is there soap anywhere?"
"There's none there?" she answered, after glancing from the computer.
"No," he said, conserving energy. Exasperated, he heard her get up from the computer, and a minute later she dropped in the soap.
Houtarou leaned back in the tub. Eventually his thoughts dwelt on the mystery of the Chitanda family's troubled rice supply. Now that he was having plenty of time in the bathtub to think about this dilemma, some questions were beginning to arise from his mind.
For instance, why would Nakahama Industries, or whatever it was called, run into supply shortages? Perhaps that was just one of these things that businesses would face; it could hardly be something extraordinary, unless the shortage, constituting a severe loss on the business, had a negative effect on delivering to customers right on time. Yet according to Eru, Nakahama Industries seemed to have a stellar reputation for quality and timely delivery. To maintain this kind of reputation, Nakahama Industries would have had to exercise rigorous, meticulous inventory management, which meant keeping track of every single rice bag carried out on the assembly line and into the delivery trucks, which, then, would have had to be in excellent condition to drive to their destinations.
But every company would have to abide by government regulations on maintaining vehicle safety, and no company would ever want to run the risk of a lawsuit and a prosecution by citizens or government against the company. Which then, of course, left the matter of the assembly lines, and possibly the rice itself. Maybe the assembly lines were malfunctioning? Perhaps. What about the rice? Maybe it was tampered. Malfeasance among employees? Maybe. These kinds of things would warrant a lawsuit from employees or from the Prefectural safety inspectors, if such things had not yet occurred, or that the company was trying to downplay these kinds of affairs. Perhaps it had to be either of those things, or two, or all of them. The young man could not be sure now, but such scenarios could be likely.
"Houtarou, you've been in the bath too long," Tomoe called. Come out of the bath before you turn into a raisin."
Houtarou drained the water, and while that happens, he dried himself with a clean white towel; the only one available after Tomoe used the other for her bath. He used a hair dryer to dry his hair.
Then he curled up in his bed cover and drifted off to sleep.
END OF EPISODE
NOTES:
A Very Important Note on Japanese Names:
Japanese names, like many names in many Asian countries, are ordered differently from Western names. In the Western convention, the given name is listed before the surname. In Japan, however, the order is reversed. For example, a name such as Johnny Jones would be listed as Johnny Jones.
I have noticed that in many fanfic works on Hyouka that many writers get the order of names confused. So in the context of this story, I shall list examples of Japanese naming conventions, and reverse them according to Western customs:
Japanese Naming Convention:
Surname: Given Name:
Oreki Houtarou
Chitanda Eru
Fukube Satoshi
Ibara Mayaka
Sunohara Kanae
Western Naming Convention:
Given Name: Surname:
Houtarou Oreki
Eru Chitanda
Satoshi Fukube
Mayaka Ibara
Kanae Sunohara
NOTE: Yamada's given name is never given. Yamada is the surname.
Vocabulary Translations from the Japanese Language:
Hai - Yes
Iie - No
Ano... - Umm... (Filler Word)
Gomen kudasai – please excuse me
Yamada-sensei, Oreki Houtarou-san desu. – Yamada-sensei, this is Oreki Houtarou-san.
Ohayo gozaimasu, Yamada-sensei. Hajimemashite. – Good morning, Yamada-sensei. How do you do.
(Ohayo gozaimasu is the formal version of "Good Morning".)
Dozo yoroshiku. – Please favor me.
Hai. Dozo. – Yes. Good. (Word used for conveying approval)
Sayo – You're hired
Sunohara Kanae-sensei desu – This is Sunohara Kanae-sensei.
("Sensei" is an honorific used to formally address people who have attained some level of mastery in their academic field.)
Senjou – boss or superintendent
Arigatou gozaimasu – Thank you very much (Formal)
3,700,000 yen = 37,000 dollars in U. S. Currency. Rough estimate. 100 yen = 1 dollar.
At least, given that this story would take place seven years from the events of the Hyouka series, this sum would be reasonable, accounting for the purchasing power of the given year.
Tanoshii koto - Search for fun, happy things.