Hyouka – The AfterStory
Project Collaboration by Commander Cody & Maria
EPISODE 03
It was a Friday afternoon. Houtarou had soon become acclimated to his work routine. His position had benefits related to some form of health and well-being, of which he took exceeding delight, as such benefits appealed to his energy-saving habits. But if there was any recognition to be expected from those who benefited from his efforts, particularly from the patrons of Kamiyama Library, few could ever have an awareness of the research librarian's responsibility. It was generally on account of people like Houtarou, willing to take up this kind of insignificant, uninteresting occupation with a modest payment that people were able to access the treasure trove of unique reference material of the fine arts, the histories, literature of Japan, and those of other lands, and the local newspapers, if there was space to hold them all, and perhaps a bit of math-related material; all of which dwelt locally in the archives of Kamiyama Library.
Suddenly Houtarou's phone rang off the hook in the morning. He picked up the phone.
"Oreki desu," said Houtarou in his usual monotone manner, in the manner of expecting a call for research assistance. "What can I do for you?"
"Ano…Chitanda Eru desu."
Houtarou recognized Eru's voice that it almost made Eru introducing herself almost redundant.
"Ah…Chitanda-san?" Houtarou inquired curiously. "I was hardly expecting you."
"Oh…gomen, Houtarou-kun," Eru nervously apologized. "If I disturbed you in the middle of work…"
"Iie. I don't mind." He meant it in honesty; that is, when it came to Eru speaking. "Demo…how is it you got my office phone?"
"My father made inquiries," said Eru, before making a light giggle.
Great, Houtarou thought glumly. Now Eru was going to call his office anytime. His past experiences in his high school years told him that if Eru was persistent about a request, she would keep up the pressure until he gave in.
"Anyway, Fukube-san and Maya-chan are visiting our place tomorrow," said Eru.
Houtarou became curious over what would be the occasion. "It's for a high school reunion party," said Eru.
"Is there going to be some talk about a mystery?" asked Houtarou. "I'm not sure I'll be in the mood…"
"Well…you never know," said Eru.
That's encouraging, Houtarou thought with such sarcasm. Anyone in his place would welcome the distraction, as his line of work would have the lion's share of boredom. But Houtarou was the kind of man who would hardly complain of his own routine.
"Chotto…" Houtarou uttered. "I'm not sure if I can…"
"Of course you must!" Eru exclaimed right away. "I insist! So does my family."
Houtarou became taken aback at Eru's insistence. Even over the phone, there was something in her tone that told him he was under obligation to do the young woman's intrusive bidding as a social courtesy. Even with her bubbling personality, something told Houtarou in his heart that in such matters of social gatherings, Eru would not take "No" for an answer; much less a "No" traditionally conveyed in a polite way. With Eru, what she asked could hardly be called a request.
"Besides," Eru kept on, "Maya-chan and Fukube-san…they even had to give up their weekends just make this reunion happen. You must oblige us by doing your part…Houtarou-kun."
Satoshi. Mayaka. It had been quite a while since they met. This gathering was an opportunity to spend time together with the two.
Houtarou slumped down on his chair, heaving a sigh. Eru sounded very insistent; a bit of a strange thing, since Eru usually asked people to do certain things in a way that sounded like she was extending an invitation to them.
If even the knowledge of his friends' arrival hardly served to rouse him from his indolence, what else would? Perhaps it was a schedule not as convenient as he had hoped. Nevertheless, he would take up the opportunity, seeing that having this kind of a reunion would hardly occur often. "Very well," he said. "At twenty-hundred hours. It may be a bit late, but that's when my shift ends."
Houtarou heaved a sigh, resigning himself to Eru's request, now morphed into a demand. "All right, I'll come," said Houtarou.
"Yatta!" Eru exclaimed over the phone with great joy.
"What time will the party take place?" Houtarou inquired.
"Eh?" Eru asked, recovering himself. "Oh…around nineteen-hundred in the evening," said Eru.
Houtarou glanced at the calendar at the right of his desk. Anticipating nothing else in his weekend schedule that would conflict with the reunion party, he said, "I should be able to make it by then."
"Right," said Eru. "I'll let you work."
The last thing Houtarou heard over the phone was a click. He placed the receiver back on the phone.
Houtarou had arrived at the Chitanda house. This time, it was Eru who opened the front door.
"Houtarou-kun!" she greeted the young man with great enthusiasm. "You came!"
"Konbanwa," Houtarou greeted her in an informal way.
"The others are here," said Eru. "They're in the living room."
Eru brought Houtarou into the living room. There was Satoshi, along with Mayaka.
"Maya-chan!" cried Eru.
"Wait…what?" asked Houtarou. "Who did you just call her…Ibara-san?" It had been a while. "You must be the best of friends, then," Houtarou surmised.
Houtarou couldn't help being surprised, even a little. Word of his friends' arrival seemed to spread pretty fast in Eru's family. But the way Eru used her friend's given name…that said something about the relationship between Eru and Mayaka. Houtarou also observed that Mayaka kept her hair the way she did back in her high school days: neck-length and spread-out.
His attention suddenly turned to his friend, Satoshi.
"Satoshi…" Houtarou greeted his friend. In contrast, Eru ran up to Mayaka and embraced her, tightly, with such joy.
Satoshi gave Houtarou a pat on the back. "How's life?" he asked him. His question as quite direct.
"Better," Houtarou answered, directly in turn.
"Now, Houtarou, don't tell me that your life did not take some gratifying, dramatic turn for the best," Satoshi chided his friend in what seemed to be a tease. "Are you telling me that your life was the same like it had been before?"
It seemed Houtarou had little to say about his life. Maybe he just was not used to talking about his life the way Eru would, or Mayaka, or perhaps Satoshi. Yet Houtarou seemed to ponder the question. "Well…I guess it had," he admitted in a vague way.
"I hear you have a good job as a research librarian," said Satoshi, hoping it could help Houtarou count his blessings, at the very least. Which made Houtarou muse all the more over whether he had what he really wanted.
Satoshi was on the verge of inquiring more about the library job before Houtarou asked, "What about you…Satoshi?"
"Things got a little restless," his friend answered. "But I seem to enjoy my work life."
Satoshi, who attended Keio University's School of Business in Tokyo, held a job as a department manager at an advertising firm in that same city; a position that paid rather well, though the occupation required him to work during much of the day. In his position, he got to employ his creativity skills in designing and crafting the best possible advertisements for a variety of products and services. Houtarou remembered how Satoshi had successfully advertised for the sale of the Hyouka anthologies. It seemed almost like a strange but fascinating coincidence, as it had been such a long time. Fascinating, because Satoshi was in a paid job that allowed him to exercise the very skills he had during his years at Kamiyama High.
"We often employ young girls from the high schools in the Tokyo Prefecture to advertise certain services or products," said Satoshi.
"What kind?" Houtarou asked in a straightforward manner.
"Well, at one time, we were commissioned to provide advertising services to a company specializing in special soap bars," said Satoshi. "We had brought in a band of young ladies to do an idol dance."
"Huh," said Houtarou. It was not a grunt of ridicule, but rather it was one affirming an unusualness about his friend's story.
The girls, meanwhile, were quite chatty about their lives. "Maya-chan, it has been such a long time!" Eru exclaimed. "How are you?"
Mayaka heaved a sigh. "To be honest, Chii-chan…I've been busy," she said.
"Hmm…" said Eru thoughtfully. "It has something to do with your work life, I guess," she said, to which Mayaka made a nod.
"It's getting a little better," said Mayaka. "I was able to draft and compile…two manga tankobon published. The editor approved the drafts, fortunately, but he wanted me to revise some aspects of the romance, which I was initially unwilling to do, but I had to do anyway…at his insistence."
"Demo…why were you against the revisions?" asked a curious Eru.
"The revisions made little to no sense, in light of the entire theme!" cried Mayaka. "Well, if the editor has his way, then…"
Mayaka felt a bit sidetracked. "But what about you, Eru-chan?" she pressed her friend.
"Well…we have been getting by," said Eru.
Mayaka burst out laughing. "Chii-chan!" she exclaimed incredulously. "Your surroundings…how can you even claim…?"
Eru made a nervous laugh as well. "Ano…that's not quite what I meant…"
Mayaka reverted into a serious demeanor. "Well, whatever do you mean?" she asked.
"It's…it concerns…well, issues related to crop growth," said Eru. "We were expecting some bags of white rice from our regular supplier…but we were having shipping problems. But…" she was anxious to assure her friend, who now seemed a bit ill at ease, "We'll be able to find their causes."
"I hope…" said Mayaka. "Oh…Chii-chan! have something to show you. It's a treat for all of us."
"A…a treat?" asked Eru curiously. "Watashi…kininarimasu…"
"You usually say your favorite catchphrase with great gusto, Chii-chan" said Mayaka, who was now making a face at Eru. "May we go into your kitchen?"
"Hai," said Eru right away eagerly, before calling the others. "Houtarou-kun? Fukube-san? Maya-chan wants to show us what she got."
"Coming, Mayaka!" cried Satoshi, before he began to be alerted by how Eru addressed Houtarou. "Houtarou-kun…" he mused.
"I imagine she could be getting pretty close to me," said Houtarou.
"Is she falling for you?" asked Satoshi in such a gleeful manner, like one ready to exploit a latest tabloid scoop on the romantic partners of celebrities.
Houtarou seemed a bit awkward and embarrassed. "I…I guess," he said. He seemed less eager to go along with whatever gestures of advances Eru was making to him; that is, if Eru was doing those things. Maybe the young woman was drawn to him, in some way?
But…why?
Satoshi shrugged his shoulders as he followed Mayaka into the kitchen. Eru's mother was still in the middle of cooking.
"What's going on?" asked Hiromi.
"Maya-chan has got something to show us," said Eru.
Hiromi was eager as well, even as she was still stir-frying vegetables in one pan, and karaage chicken in the other. The smell of cooking oil wafted in the kitchen that the guests nearly had the impression they were in a restaurant.
Mayaka put down her shopping bag on the cooking table. From the shopping bag she took out marbled beef.
Eru gasped in excitement, and Houtarou became wide-eyed with surprise.
"Marbled beef," she said. "Along with gyoza,", she added, pointing to fully prepared meat dumplings that were said to have originated from China.
"I don't think I have come across this kind of beef," said Eru. "Not often, perhaps. Where did you get it from?"
"Oh…we were shopping in the Ginza District," said Mayaka. Ginza was located in Tokyo City. "The place was selling specialty brands from all over the country. I've heard this beef is high-grade. It cost a lot."
"May I see?" asked Hiromi in excitement. "What's in there?"
As if to give Eru's mother her approval, Mayaka beckoned her to see the contents for herself.
"You haven't really said much lately," said Eru. "How is your work?"
"Oh…my manga publishing?" asked Mayaka.
Eru made a nod. Both Eru and Mayaka had many things to chat about, starting with some variation of her little stories about convincing their publishers to have a series of her works published for a monthly magazine for girls, though there were some works she edited for boys.
But even Eru, and Houtarou, who seemed to be observing in the background, were learning things about the manga industry that would hardly constitute the environment as ideal and rosy.
"There was even one assistant I knew; well, acquainted; she had to make a very uneasy decision to leave the industry; the income could barely support here," said Mayaka. "She could hardly cope with her schedule." From what Eru could tell, the manga assistants seemed to be underpaid, and possibly overworked.
"And we had one previous publisher whose demands were often…unreasonable," said Mayaka. "I had to endure disapproving comments from him about my work, and often they were accompanied by comments insinuating that my works were trash."
"Oh my," said Eru woefully. And the more Mayaka spoke of her work, the more Eru began to feel sorry for her friend.
"Maya-chan," said Eru, "Perhaps your work environment seems to be…well, too high a price to pay?" she asked.
"Well…I guess so," said Mayaka.
"Even at your age, Maya-chan, you are still young," said Eru. "I don't want you to turn into a bitter woman." Eru feared that the environment would squeeze out whatever innocence and gaiety Mayaka had when she was a girl, turning her into a shell of her former self.
Mayaka laughed. "I think it may be a bit exaggerated," she said. "But…perhaps I was considering the possibility of leaving the industry. But not yet."
"What's motivating you to continue in there?" asked Eru.
"I've still got the passion in me," said Mayaka. "My situation at work is good…if not the best. After some complaints…we had a new publisher."
Eru took a deep breath, said nothing. She hated the idea of her friend slaving away in an industry reputed to regard lower-level employees as more expendable than a school janitor. At least that was what she thought about the industry Mayaka was working in. What was Mayaka getting herself into, in that manga industry? It was a good thing Mayaka had the passion to compensate. Mayaka seemed to remain the same, just as she had encountered Eru enrolled during her first year at Kamiyama High.
"You know, Chii-chan…I had one series planned out."
Eru was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts. "Huh?"
Mayaka waved her hand over Eru's face, which made her recoil in fright. "Maya-chan, I'm awake!" she cried.
"Oh," said Mayaka. "You seemed to be drifting off into fairyland."
"It…it wasn't fairyland," Eru protested. "I was just worried about…about your career."
Mayaka smiled. "Daijobou," she assured her friend. "I can stand up to an editor if he treats me like I'm a child." She put her hand on Eru's shoulder. "Anyway…as I said before, I had a manga series planned out."
"What is it about?" asked Eru.
"A romance," said Mayaka.
Eru laughed, sensing that Mayaka would still remain at this topic, even at her age.
"There is some wavering, back-and-forth between the girl and the boy, before the boy plucks up the courage to confess his love to her," Mayaka elaborated.
Houtarou cleared his throat. "Sounds an awful lot like your love life between you and Satoshi," he remarked.
Eru, surprised, hardly knew what to make of Houtarou's surprise remark.
"Well…in a way, it does," Mayaka admitted.
"Are you considering its publication?" asked Eru.
"Hai," said Mayaka.
"I did," said Mayaka. "I took up the matter with my new publisher. He says he will…consider it." A response like that usually amounted to a polite "no". Mayaka heaved a sigh; a rejection like that was pretty hard to take, at least for someone as sensitive has she was, and particularly when it was a work she would love to publish, and was passionate enough to publish, at least while she was still interested enough to publish this kind of a romance work.
"Perhaps maybe your publisher just doesn't see the bigger picture," said Eru.
"Maybe I'll bring up the matter again, perhaps when I add more ideas to this story," said Mayaka.
Then talks turned to the relationship between Mayaka and Satoshi, to which Mayaka was saying that Satoshi seemed divided between his time at work and an obligation to stay in touch with Mayaka; to which Houtarou thought that Satoshi seemed a bit…wishy-washy, at least from what Houtarou was gathering from the chatter of words between Eru and Mayaka. Perhaps deep down, Mayaka wished for a happy ending in her life, and her desires bled into whatever manga work she was expending great effort.
Houtarou saw something in Mayaka that was a little…well, different from her; something that changed about her. It had been quite a while that Houtarou ever came across Mayaka since the days at Kamiyama High.
"Ibara-san…there's something different about you," Houtarou remarked.
Mayaka became puzzled at first, before she mentally trained where Houtarou's eyes were acutely trained at.
"M-my chest?!" she cried, blushing and stammering.
All doubt about Houtarou's remark vanished with reference to her chest, which, believe it or not, had grown a little. Mayaka, now red-faced, looked down. Houtarou was on the mark. But even his face reddened, as well.
"Ano…" he uttered. He became hesitant to say more. He felt awkward; as if everyone in the room would accuse him of perverted behavior. He had an urge to run.
Instinctively Mayaka put her hands on her chest, twitching fingers together. "Well…," she began to stammer. "I was a little flat-chested before; so…it's a great improvement. Ah…right?"
"It serves for great appeal, I might add."
Mayaka turned to see who it was. It was Satoshi. She felt surprised…
"Houtarou was just complimenting what a great body you have," Satoshi added further.
Mayaka recoiled even more, at a loss for words, as it was too much to handle. "F-F-Fuku-chan!" she protested.
Damn it, Satoshi, you're no help at all, Houtarou seethed. He still felt cornered like an animal, as he was the one who started it in the first place.
"Ah…gomen, gomen, Mayaka. Please forgive me," Satoshi said quickly to defuse Mayaka's tendency toward impulsive outbursts. Turning to Houtarou, he said, "Yo, Houtarou, I have something to show you. Want to see?"
Houtarou was rather relieved that at least he had an excuse to leave the room. "Gomen kudasai," he said to the others. He accompanied Satoshi into the living room.
"Maya-chan, daijoubou," Eru said right away, trying to put her friend at ease. Mayaka would have had an urge to slap Satoshi and Houtarou in the face. "Houtarou-kun is…well…it's just been a long time since he saw you. You've just grown up a lot."
Mayaka still felt awkward. "Still…" she uttered.
"Was there no other way you could save me without making it worse?" asked Houtarou in a surly manner.
"Well…to be honest, there probably was not," said Satoshi in his casual attitude. "Demo…you should at least be grateful that I stepped in. Otherwise, Mayaka would have had an excuse to slap you."
"I suppose," said Houtarou. "But I think she would have slapped you, too."
"Ano…let's not think about that," said Satoshi, making his nervous laugh.
Satoshi cleared his throat. "You know…during my senior year at University, I had the opportunity to travel to the United States," he said. "Traveling abroad, so to speak. I got to visit New York City."
"New York City?" asked Houtarou, struggling to pronounce those English words.
"Hai," said Satoshi. "There were many places of interest I wanted to visit. Particularly…the Natural History Museum. The one in New York City."
Houtarou felt a bit intrigued. "You don't strike me as zoologist," he remarked.
"I'm not," Satoshi admitted rather casually. "But there are just so many wonderful, exotic things to behold! I would love to visit that place again." Then he said to himself, "Maybe I could bring Mayaka along, too…if she is interested."
Some part of Houtarou envied Satoshi a little; traveling was expensive, and Houtarou's income, while hardly constituting an average man like him wealthy, would have chewed up much of his savings. Satoshi was a first-level supervisor of an advertisement department in a company located in Kamiyama, a job that allowed him a higher income level than that of Houtarou.
"Advertisement?" asked Houtarou.
"I have the knack for it," said Satoshi. "And the creative mind. And the management." Of which was entirely plausible; in high school he had successfully advertised the Hyouka anthologies. He had a creative mind. And Satoshi had been a member of the Executive Committee at his school. Even if Satoshi's track record at Kamiyama High was some long way past, some things related to his life experiences seemed to translate into his work life.
But even if Houtarou was in the position to travel abroad, he was not the type. An old part of him on his energy-saving tendencies remained; a trip abroad would take massive planning; an endeavor he did not wish to take unless he found it necessary.
But Satoshi had something to give to Houtarou.
"Oh…Houtarou…you'll find this interesting," said Satoshi.
"Huh?" Houtarou turned around.
"I got this little book in a bookstore," said Satoshi. "It concerns motion studies."
Houtarou took a look at the book. "Motion studies?" he asked curiously.
"The study of reducing the number of motions in a task," Satoshi said. "Its prominent developer of this method was someone named…Frank Gilbreth."
"Interesting," Houtarou mused. Of course, it was rather doubtful that he would read it in detail, but he would keep it as a souvenir; a gift from Satoshi's trip to the United States.
"I figured you would be interested," said Satoshi. "Maybe Gilbreth-san had a penchant for energy saving."
Houtarou cast a stare at his friend. "If this is your idea of a joke…" he muttered.
"Partly," said Satoshi, hearing his friend.
Chitanda Hiromi entered the room. "We are commencing dinner now," she said.
"Coming!" Eru cried, as she headed into the dining room, soon to be followed by Mayaka. Satoshi was about to follow suit until Houtarou got his attention.
"Satoshi," he called.
"Nande?"
"Ibara-san had plans to work on a manga work," Houtarou informed Satoshi, hoping that any knowledge of Mayaka's work would arouse him toward Mayaka herself. "A romance."
"Romance?" Satoshi asked curiously, pronouncing the English word.
"Hai," said Houtarou. "A boy and a girl. The girl falls in love with the boy…but the boy is too…wishy-washy."
"Intriguing," Satoshi remarked in a surprised way. Then he had a feeling that this character Mayaka had plans to write about…reminded Satoshi of himself, until Houtarou confirmed his friend's coincidental parallel. "Hmm…could this boy remind me of…"
"You?" asked Houtarou. "I seem to get the impression it does. After all…Ibara-san said it was a parallel of her own life."
Eru was already helping her mother prepare the was the first to enter the dining room, and Satoshi and Houtarou followed after, with Houtarou being the last to enter. The four young men and women filed into their seats. Eru sat beside her mother, Mayaka beside Eru, and Houtarou and Satoshi at the other side of the table.
Everything at the dining table was a feast. There was the alluring karaage chicken and stir-fried vegetables, along with the yakisoba.
Everyone at the table clapped their hands once. "Itadakimasu," they said together, with great cheer.
Chitanda Hiromi, being as dainty as her daughter, carefully took hold of her vegetables and meat with chopsticks, and Eru followed her mother's example. Satoshi and Mayaka took great plunges into their food. Houtarou quietly handled his food on the plate.
"Oh…" Eru burst out. "Just out of curiosity…I checked into what had taken place with the Classics Club."
"It has been a long time, indeed," said Satoshi. "I was away from Kamiyama for so long. So was Mayaka. How is the club?"
"Still alive," said Eru rather cheerfully. "I received some surprising news. The year all four of us entered University, the Classics Club had a member we previously had."
"Who?" asked Mayaka.
"Oohinata Tomoko-san," said Eru.
"Honto desu ka?" asked an astonished Satoshi. "How…how do you know?"
"I asked Ibuki Norio-san," replied Eru. "The new Classics Club president is a young man. Ibuki-san says he plans to take the Classics Club to a…new direction."
Houtarou dropped his chopsticks into his plate, genuinely surprised. Oohinata Tomoko joined the Classics Club during her first year at Kamiyama High, and Houtarou was in his second year. Houtarou, Satoshi, Eru, and Mayaka could remember this girl being some part of their lives during their second year at Kamiyama High. About four years had passed since any of the former members of the Classics Club brought up the name of this girl.
"Demo…Oohinata-san quit the Classics Club," said Houtarou, remembering his second year at Kamiyama High, when Oohinata Tomoko was still a member of the club. Mayaka and Eru nodded to each other in agreement. Eru and Houtarou could remember this girl being some part of their lives during their second year at Kamiyama High. About four years had passed since any of the former members of the Classics Club brought up the name of this girl.
For Eru, the memory was a bit personal, particularly because of the lingering thought that the reason Oohinata Tomoko had quit the Classics Club before was something she did, inadvertently, that drove the poor girl to consider leaving. Perhaps Tomoko wanted friends, and she thought she was not being shown much attention. Was that the case? The details were a bit fuzzy, but the general scope of the event remained in Eru's mind.
"Maybe Oohinata-san changed her mind," said Satoshi with a casual shrug. "Who knows?"
"Ibuki Norio-san said that Oohinata-san had come down with a severe form of flu after her second year," said Eru. "Her illness set her back a year."
"My goodness!" exclaimed a horrified Mayaka.
"Demo…even if Oohinata-san was well, she could be class president after we have graduated," said Houtarou, noting that Oohinata Tomoko had joined the Classics Club a year later. "Theoretically, Oohinata-san would have had one more year of high school to go."
"Now that I've thought about it, it would makes sense," Satoshi used.
"That is a possibility," said Eru. "Ibuki-san had known Oohinata-san pretty well."
"Well…what persuaded Oohinata-san into joining the Club again?" asked Satoshi.
"Perhaps the fact that Chitanda-san wasn't in the Classics Club anymore," Houtarou surmised. Eru hung her head, recalling how she though it was her fault that the girl left the Club.
The former members of the Classics Club launched into a brief exchange over possible reasons, starting with Houtarou's recollection of Oohinata Tomoko saying that Chitanda was like a bodhisattva; an enlightened being that had come down to earth to help other people achieve enlightenment like the Buddha. Maybe Tomoko was thinking that Eru, without realizing her actions, was acting elitist around Tomoko, paving her way with good intentions that only served the opposite of what they were originally intended? Then topics of various strange, but plausible reasons came forth in a torrent of words, of which Houtarou could pick up the main gist that perhaps Tomoko felt peeved over some kind of misunderstanding, most likely between Eru.
Then the whole discussion came to a crashing halt when Satoshi immediately switched gears.
"Houtarou, you should consider being a sensei at Kamiyama High," said Satoshi.
Houtarou raised his brows. "That…hardly crossed my mind," he said. "For what reason?"
"So you can be an advisor to the Classics Club," said Satoshi. "And an excellent one at that."
"Hai," Eru agreed, rather surprisingly, plucking up the courage to suggest that career path for Houtarou. "It would be an appropriate path to take. I mean…I think it would suit you, with your knowledge in the nation's humanities and all. After all…the Classics Club dealt with literature, and could use Houtarou's mind…perhaps. In fact," Eru continued rather wistfully, "I feel tempted to persuade Houtarou to take up a teaching position at Kamiyama High."
"You'll have to push him," Mayaka suggested to Eru, with a crafty look on her face. "Oreki -san has less incentive to better himself if his girlfriend doesn't coax him out of his stagnant lifestyle."
Houtarou shot back a peevish frown at Mayaka, feeling a little insulted that his academic health depended on a girlfriend pushing him. He attended Kobe University on his own accord, did he not? Well, he had some encouragement from his friends, particularly Eru. But to imply that he had to be pushed around like a child in grade school, that was another matter. He only heaved a disgruntled sigh. Eru was observing Houtarou at the moment, and she felt unsettled by his behavior.
"Ano…Houtarou-kun, daijoubou?" she asked rather timidly.
"I'm fine," said Houtarou simply, with a cross face.
"Well," said Eru, speaking on behalf of Houtarou. "I had to encourage Oreki-san a little. He hardly minded."
Houtarou hardly said much, other than his own remarks about a past club member.
"I haven't gotten around to asking you about your job at the library," said a curious Satoshi. "What's it like?"
"It's quiet," said Houtarou. He drank some water. "Peaceful, even." His answer was quite similar to the one he gave to Eru's father.
"That's Houtarou for you," said Satoshi. "Here at Kamiyama Library there be plenty of opportunities for personal solitude."
"Isn't it a bit boring?" asked Mayaka. Mayaka worked as a manga artist, which seemed to be more engaging as it involved a certain kind of creativity not found often in Houtarou's line of work.
"Not if you don't mind the environment," said Houtarou.
"It is boring," Mayaka huffed. "Don't you agree, Satoshi?"
Satoshi, surprised, made an agreeing nod. I hope you're happy with your job, he thought. You'll spend your waking hours and years on it. Houtarou's line of work involved research and being a human encyclopedia sauntering around the library like a ghost in a haunted hall, or man visiting a cemetery contemplating the loss of his wife buried in that cemetery. Either way others looked, Houtarou's life seemed destined to be one governed by a never-ending cycle of tedious routine. It makes one wonder how a man can live such a life, thought Satoshi.
"It pays decently," said Houtarou. Certainly not as much as Satoshi, who worked for an advertising firm, but enough to keep him beyond a level of basic subsistence. As for Mayaka's criticism, it seemed to Houtarou that she preferred a life of, well, novelty. Perhaps it's not that simple, he thought. Maybe Ibara-san wants to be more engaged in life, and I prefer to be more…disengaged from it.
"Ah…but at least Houtarou-kun can be employed, at least," said Eru, trying to encourage everyone at the table, even her own mother and father, to look at the bright side. Not that Houtarou would be fairly wealthy as Satoshi would, but Houtarou would not become a destitute man.
Mayaka heaved a sigh. "I guess so," she could only concede to Eru.
"Besides…with plenty of time to himself, he can rest for a bit and do other things during his break other than work," Eru added further. "Right, Houtarou-kun?"
Houtarou was taken aback, thinking that Eru was concerned over what she thought about library work was an isolating, dead-end routine. "Ano…hai," he agreed. The young man observed Eru, who by now had a face of despair. She probably doesn't think it would be conducive to spending a lot of time together with friends, the young man thought. "I'm not completely isolated, though, if that's what you were thinking," he said aloud.
"Sou desu ne," Eru said with a bashful smile. "To be honest, I felt a little this way," she said. "And so you spoke your mind."
"Well…I guess it happened like that," said Houtarou. "Perhaps I was just lucky."
"Come on, Oreki-san, there's no need to be so modest," said Mayaka. "Your logical deduction skills should be worth bragging about."
"Hai," Eru agreed.
Mayaka had just wolfed down the last of the soba noodles left in the serving bowl, much to Houtarou's amazement.
"Chii-chan, don't you usually serve onigiri?" Mayaka asked with curiosity. "You make good onigiri." Onigiri, a type of ball cake made from rice fried in oil, were usually a family favorite of the Chitanda family, especially with Eru.
Houtarou also found it curious that there were no dishes based on rice.
"Ah…hai," Eru agreed. She felt a little ashamed that she was not being as accommodating with meals as she wished. "But…we had some issues with rice shipment. We have a couple of bags, though. But if you want, we can make some."
"We were in the middle of debating whether we should use up the last two," said Chitanda Hiromi.
"If you want, I can make some," Eru offered eagerly. "After all…I would like to have some, too."
"Oh…well…if it isn't too much trouble," Mayaka said, as she was considerate about her friend's family.
"Yes, please!" Satoshi begged.
"Houtarou-kun, what about you?" asked Eru.
"I won't refuse a second helping," said Houtarou simply.
"I'll bring out more sake and prepare the stove," said Chitanda Hiromi.
"I'll fetch the bag," Tetsugo offered.
"Daijobou," said Satoshi. "Have Houtarou do it."
Satoshi… Houtarou seethed within himself.
"Demo…he doesn't know where the storage area is…" said Eru, a little faintly. "I can walk with him, though," she said, offering to help with a smile. Somehow, for someone to suggest another guest to help was almost heaven-sent; it would have been rude for the host family to ask guests to help them.
"That's right, Chitanda-san," said Satoshi, raising an approving index finger. "Houtarou, you have to make yourself useful. Besides…the two lovebirds need some time for themselves."
"Ah, that figures," said Mayaka. "Oreki-san and Chii-chan are in a relationship."
Eru blushed, as did Houtarou. Houtarou had never expected this kind of teasing from his friend. Without a word, but with a resigned sigh, Houtarou got up from his seat, as Eru got up from her chair.
"Come on, Houtarou-kun; genki dashite," Eru exhorted a disappointed Houtarou.
Houtarou calmed himself. "Gomen," he said. "It's just…if Satoshi asks me to expend energy again on something that should have been resolved beforehand…"
"You could have refused," said Eru with a smile; a smile that, to Houtarou, felt condescending. "But you didn't."
Houtarou cast a glance. Any other girl would have been put off by his attitude. But Eru seemed to put up with it. Somehow his attitude of refusal seemed unjustified; he felt overcome with remorse. "Well…I guess when that road came, no one else would do it," he said.
"I think there was also something that made you want an excuse to leave the table," said Eru. "For a time."
Houtarou was quick to blame Satoshi for bringing up the matter so early, but decided not to say anything about it. For now, he would delve into the matter of the Chitanda family's rice shipment problems.
"What sort of problems with shipping?" the young man inquired.
"Well…this time, it's with Juumonji-san," said Eru.
"Juumonji-san…Kaho-san's family?" asked Houtarou.
"Hai," said Eru. "We first have to grow the rice, and then ship it to Juumonji-san and his family," she said, referring to the father of her friend Kaho.
Houtarou and Eru found the storeroom.
"Here we are," said Eru, as she opened the door. Houtarou observed the neat arrangement of the rice bags, many of them spanning from floor to ceiling. Each rice bag bore the emblazoned logo of Nakahama Industries.
Eru pointed to the lower shelf. "This is the rice we use," she said.
Houtarou proceeded to pick up the bag of rice. The bag weighed about twenty pounds.
"I can help," said Eru.
"Daijoubou desu," said Houtarou, picking up the bag. If he so chose, he could be a gentleman to the ladies.
Houtarou carried the rice bag as Eru accompanied him to the kitchen. "I've got to help okaasan prepare the onigiri," she said, before turning to her mother. "We've got some white rice," she said.
"Dozo," said Chitanda Hiromi. Using a plastic measuring cup, she took one cupful of rice out of the bag before pouring the rice into the rice cooker, where water was kept in a container. While waiting, she took out bottles of sake.
"Oh, Houtarou-kun, want some sake?" Eru asked.
"I suppose I wouldn't refuse," said Houtarou. Eru poured a glass of sake for him, and Houtarou took a sip.
"How are things at your place?" he was keen to inquire Eru.
"The same," said Eru. "At least, with advising otousan about what crops to grow on the family farm…much of the time, until the shipping problems."
"I see," said Houtarou. Far from being in a position of servitude, Eru worked with at her father's side in the management of the farm crops.
"But it shouldn't be something for you to worry about, Houtarou-kun," said Eru. "I…it would not feel right for me to start dragging you into these little problems."
"The way things look, Eru, I don't have the impression that this rice shipment problem is minor," said Houtarou.
"Of course it isn't," said Eru. "But…I don't want you racking your head over it…at least for now. You still have your job at the Kamiyama Library, remember?"
Houtarou nodded. What Eru said, it seemed a bit uncharacteristic of her to be concerned about Houtarou not racking his head over anything. Usually Eru would say that she was worried, as much as Houtarou dreaded the possibility.
Curious, he thought. But the less Houtarou said anything about Eru's family business dilemma, the less likely Eru would start getting ideas about having Houtarou solve the problem for her.
"Do you enjoy it?" asked Eru? "The Library work? From what Fukube-san and Maya-chan have been saying, it is as if you were in…in…"
Eru had difficulty finding the right word until Houtarou finished it for her with a reference from Dante's Divine Comedy. "Dante's Purgatorio?" he finished.
Eru made a laugh. "Something like that," she said. "You're…you're quite witty…and knowledgeable…"
"We studied even the European classics," said Houtarou, referring to his time when he was majoring in the humanities. "The study was…more of an overview."
"How does this European work bear relation to your circumstances?" asked Eru curiously.
"In Dante's Purgatorio…souls suffering from the effects of the Seven Deadly Sins are inflicted with great burdens and chastisements before they can enter the afterlife of heaven," said Houtarou. "Two things in this work stood out for me. For Pride, men must carry heavy burdens on their backs. As for another group…the Lazy…these men must run without rest."
Eru gave the young man's words some thought. "You know," she said, "Perhaps you don't seem badly affected by pride, but you don't seem to have a lot of ambition in life; which, I think puts you in the second category."
Houtarou heaved a sigh. "Perhaps by all outward appearances I may seem lazy, but I just don't like doing things if I don't have to do them. And if I have to do them, I'll do it quickly," he said, paraphrasing his own energy-saving motto he held since his younger days.
Eru took in a deep breath, and Houtarou could tell she was depressed over his words. "Houtarou-kun, now you are just making an excuse to justify your laziness," she said, shaking her head over the depressing likelihood that Houtarou could be reverting to his old habits.
I'm not lazy, Houtarou thought quickly, in an outburst of anger.
"You cannot afford to live life this way," Eru continued, shaking her head. "You'll have to take an active part in anticipate the good of other people, even if it is not required of you." She went back to stirring the onigiri. "You ought to be running without rest, then, until you become more inclined toward seeking an active life," she said.
That's hardly helpful, Houtarou thought in a cynical manner. The idea of running without rest, for some pointless reason, irked the sore places of his heart. "Making a man do pointless things for no reason is a good recipe for making a man die fast," he declared.
"Gomen ne, Houtarou-kun," Eru apologized, though she felt deep down the young man deserved her words. "It's just…well…I just don't want you completely disengaged in life, that is all," she finished.
Houtarou leaned back on a kitchen aisle, brooding in thought.
"Well, tell me more about your library work," said Eru.
"My work is fairly enjoyable," said Houtarou. "Uneventful? In comparison to Satoshi and Ibara-san…of course. It is my…preference. But…to be honest…I don't do a whole lot of work," he admitted.
"Well…that says you have some free time," said Eru. She gave the stir-fried rice cakes another look before letting it simmer in the frying pan. "For me, though…I can be thankful that I am active in my life, even if…even if I'm tied to the land."
"But you being tied to the land…that is of your own choosing, it seems," said Houtarou.
"I suppose it is," said Eru.
"Suppose?" asked Houtarou, a little confused.
"Family obligations," said Eru, as if this one word was her answer. "And...I have grown rather attached to it. It may not be like much to you, but…it's what I have. It's what I'm blessed…to have."
Chitanda Hiromi took the finished rice and started frying it in cooking oil. "This won't take so long," she said.
Houtarou and Eru watched the rice cakes simmering in cooking oil in the iron skillet.
"Do you…have more sake?" asked Houtarou.
"Hai," said Chitanda Hiromi. She fetched the sake bottle from the rightmost pantry and poured another glass for the young man.
"Don't start having too much of it," said Hiromi. "You start getting too inebriated, and you'll have difficulty finding your way home…or worse."
"Car accident?" asked Houtarou.
"Possibly," said Hiromi. "Eru-chan would not be too happy about you having your senses dulled."
"Of course," Eru agreed.
Houtarou took another drink of the sake before his eyes focused on Chitanda Hiromi near the stove, taking a taste of the onigiri.
"How is it?" asked Eru.
"It's cooked now," said her mother. Eager for a taste, Eru took a small bite of the onigiri. "Ahh," she said with great pleasure.
"Dozo," said Chitanda Hiromi with a beaming smile, as she fetched a tray of glasses. "We're almost finished here. A few more, and…and…"
COUGH! COUGH! COUGH! COUGH!
Eru turned around. It was her mother.
"Eru-chan, the…the sake," said her mother.
"Oh…hai," Eru said with great urgency, on the assumption that her mother wanted the sake bottle fetched.
But she could not help her mother in time. Hiromi stumbled, falling to the ground, glasses breaking on the floor, creating a ghastly mess.
"Okaasan…okaasan!" cried Eru.
Soon, Eru started going into a coughing fit.
"H-H-Houtarou-k-kun…" Eru pleaded. COUGH! COUGH! "G-get…o-o-" COUGH! COUGH! "Otousan!" COUGH!
Houtarou, now frightened beyond his wits, left the kitchen. He made a dash to the dining room.
"It's Eru!" Houtarou cried. "And Chitanda-san!"
"Nanda desu ka?" cried Mayaka in a frantic voice.
"They collapsed on the floor!" cried Houtarou. "They're in a coughing fit!"
Satoshi, Mayaka, and Chitanda Tetsugo followed Houtarou in a dash to the kitchen. There both Eru and her mother were racked with coughing fits; fits so severe as if the wind were knocked out of them.
Houtarou and his friends rushed to her, but her Father beat him to her and immediately rushed to her to keep her upright.
Satoshi pulled out his phone. He dialed a number for emergency services. "Yes," he said urgently. "I'd like to report a coughing fit."
Satoshi was listening on the phone to what seemed like some kind of incredulous question over an ailment that could be alleviated with homemade remedies. "No, it's really serious!" he cried. "It's debilitating! It requires medical attention!"
After some seconds, Satoshi put his phone back into his pocket. "Emergency services are aware of our situation," said Satoshi. "An ambulance is on the way."
Meanwhile Chitanda Tetsugo was frantically calling the names of his wife and daughter, exhorting them to hold on, even for just one more single minute of their lives. Satoshi was still clutching his mobile phone in his right hand, and Mayaka was joining in the frantic exhortations, too, as watching Hiromi and Eru in uncontrollable coughing fits scared her out of her wits.
Even Houtarou watched in confusion. Not to mention dread. Houtarou, feeling dread? Even with his calm composure, he was only human, too. Tetsugo felt scared sick, which made Houtarou feel scared and helpless, too; helpless to do anything for Eru. What could he do? Eru was unconscious, as the rational part of his mind was kept telling him; making these exhortations as Tetsugo was doing would hardly do any good, other than being a perfectly human reaction to a loved one near death's door.
Soon an ambulance arrived. Emergency medical personnel scrambled out of the ambulance rear. They knocked on the door as hard as they could.
"I'll get it," said Houtarou, as he headed for the door. Houtarou opened the door. The personal immediately filed into the house as Houtarou led them past the hall and into the kitchen. A young bespectacled woman in uniform examined the pulses of both Hiromi and Eru.
"How long were they both coughing?" asked the medic.
"Since…almost ten minutes ago, as I recall," said Tetsugo.
The young woman made other assessments, checking off a procedural list of symptoms that had occurred in both Hiromi and Eru. Then she signaled two other personnel to put the mother and daughter on separate stretchers.
The personnel immediately rushed to a coughing Eru and a coughing mother. Another medic administered a dose of medicine to suppress the coughing fits, which were only a temporary measure. The young medic checked the pulses of both Hiromi and Eru.
The personnel loaded Eru and Chitanda Hiromi into the back of the ambulance. Chitanda Tetsugo watched as the ambulance left for the local hospital.
Houtarou looked around. Both Satoshi and Mayaka were left not knowing what to do next. The sickness…it was all so sudden, like a thief raiding a house at night. It felt as if an epidemic had come, if it had. Perhaps not likely, as it was localized in the Chitanda family.
Houtarou recalled that Eru and her mother had tasted the finished rice cakes. Almost after that, they came down with some kind of coughing fit. Perhaps there was something tainted in the rice? Then he remembered Eru telling him that her family had to deal with rice shipment problems. Maybe the two were linked? Maybe it was just a coincidence?
Almost like in any mystery thriller, coincidences turned out right…ninety-nine percent of the time. But this was reality; leaving the possibility for the two situations to be coincidental. Now Houtarou was torn between accepting the two scenarios in her mind. He could hardly concentrate, as he felt worried sick, too. Maybe the whole mystery would come back to him, but another time, when he was fully settled, and when he could think.
Right now, he could barely think.
Houtarou had little to do during the week, so he offered to work overtime. He was, in some way, able to use his work to give him a focus outside of worrying. But the thoughts still lingered. He was still worried about Eru, and the family in particular. Along with Satoshi and Mayaka, Eru and her family had put much effort, probably more, into preparing Houtarou for a career.
That, and he seemed to like Eru, even as a friend, in spite of Satoshi and Mayaka's presuming that both Houtarou and Eru were in a relationship. Eru was becoming more understanding of Houtarou, and understood him more, too. Maybe something between them was developing, or it had already, perhaps even during Houtarou's stay at Kobe.
But his constant worrying for Eru could not possibly arise from a mere friendship. In his mind, he took Satoshi as an example. If Satoshi was the one who had been nearly poisoned, he definitely would feel apprehensive about the welfare of his friend. But his worry over Eru was different from that of someone who was merely a good friend; perhaps even a best friend; and Houtarou kept in touch with Satoshi from time to time. Eru's feminine touch, the kind, endearing words of a young woman implying some sort of romantic liking for a man she feels drawn, over time, seemed to have the power to soften Houtarou's rational, analytical, perhaps even lugubrious mind, even a little. And even if Houtarou felt annoyed by Eru saying watashi kininarimasu whenever she got carried by some kind of mundane mystery, and having felt that satisfying her curiosity would be more efficacious than resisting her determination, he seemed to have a liking for this young women.
Why, indeed. Is it because she is a kind friend? Well, Satoshi could count as one, and perhaps Ibara-san. But Eru is…different. She…seems to take a fancy toward me. And I don't mind it. In fact…maybe I'm becoming drawn to this girl. But he felt torn; torn between pursuing this interest, and maintaining his old life.
Houtarou decided to make this inquiry to her father. He dialed the number to the Chitanda residence. "Moshi moshi," said Houtarou.
"Oreki-san?" It was Chitanda Tetsugo.
"I'm wondering…how is Eru?" Houtarou asked.
"Still recuperating, from what Rengou Hospital personnel have been saying," said Tetsugo. "Hiromi is also recuperating as well. We can't visit them just yet; they're still undergoing intensive recovery."
Eru and her mother were taken to Rengou Hospital, the local hospital in Kamiyama City. That being the case, the hospital decided it was prudent to prohibit visits for the time being.
"They said Eru and her mother could recover in a day, but…on Sundays…"
Houtarou checked his calendar. The hospital remained closed on Sundays, even to visitors, with the exception of emergency conditions.
Houtarou heaved a sigh of despair. "Sou desu ne," he said, feeling resigned to the circumstances.
When his shift was finished for next day (which fell on a Monday), Houtarou made his way to a nearby flower shop. He decided to get flowers, as it was the custom of visitors to bring flowers to patients. He purchased roses with light colors of pink and yellow; visitors had to be particular about what the color of those roses were, since some colors signified unpleasant things like blood and death.
Houtarou stepped into the reception hall of the Rengou Hospital. The facility was open during normal visiting hours even on weekdays, and such visiting hours extended into late evening. He filled a visitation form. The receptionist contacted one of the personnel, and the receptionist informed Houtarou that Eru, along with her mother, remained in the west wing on the fourth floor.
So he took the elevator to the fourth floor. Chitanda Tetsugo had already finished visiting Eru, and he was now visiting his wife, who was resting in another room a room away from the one where Eru rested. Houtarou briefly observes a little before entering Eru's room. Mayaka and Satoshi were inside the room.
"How is everyone?" asked Houtarou.
"Otousan's all right," said Eru. "Okaasan…she's still bedridden…"
"What about you?" asked Houtarou.
"Tired," said a weak Eru. "I had a…really bad fever. I…I don't have any strength in me…yet."
"For someone in your state, you sure are overly optimistic," said Mayaka.
Eru simply smiled. "I…I just don't want…everyone…to be so sad…and fretful," she said.
"How thoughtful of you," said Satoshi. Mayaka only scowled at him, as what Satoshi said.
"What?" Satoshi challenged. "I was just trying to cheer everyone up."
"You are a bit inconsiderate," said Mayaka. Satoshi heaved a sigh.
"I…I have some things to speak to Houtarou," said Eru. "Maya-chan…Fukube-san…would you be able to give us a minute?"
Mayaka made a solemn nod. She and Satoshi left the room, leaving Houtarou and Eru to themselves.
"Eru…" Houtarou began. "I…you were almost near death's door…we were so afraid…I was afraid…you would be lost…"
"Houtarou-kun," said Eru. "You've changed."
"Wh…how?" asked a stammering Houtarou.
She looks into his eyes. "You're no longer…the energy-saving boy…I once knew."
"What the hell is so unusual about that?" retorted Houtarou. She smiled, and he looks away. Houtarou remained silent, for he felt that there was some part of his old self left in him.
But something seemed to be overpowering his old self; like waves canceling each other out; like light overcoming darkness. Here, at the moment of such impending judgment at a time when a young woman whom he seemed to admire was near death's door, was Houtarou's moment of reckoning. Perhaps the young man was desperate; driven to the brink.
There was something in Houtarou that affirmed a disposition to cherish people; a kind of saving grace that somehow had the potential to force him to look past his own self-absorption and actually appreciate people's company; especially a company enjoyed between him and Eru, even when they were acquainted as friends. He and Eru had kept in touch, and he, and especially the young woman, seemed to become invested in each other.
Except that between a young man and a young woman, this state of being drawn together could be powerful; a pull usually experienced by a man and a woman being drawn close together, in a romantic way. Perhaps near-death experiences had ways that forced people to look past themselves and prioritize what, or who, was more important in their lives. Or was it? At least for Houtarou, it was. If this was a relationship, perhaps it seemed to be growing intimate. And just as that was happening, now he shuddered inside himself at the thought of losing her.
"Eru…" Houtarou uttered. Eru looked at him, her face sad, exhausted, and weak.
"Houtarou-kun…" she whispered. "Wa…watashi…kininarimasu…"
"I was going to do it anyway," said Houtarou. "You wouldn't even need to say it to me."
"I…I didn't…know," said Eru.
Houtarou made a nod. "For your sake…I will solve this terrifying mystery for you."
Houtarou became reluctant to leave Eru's side, even if he promised Eru he would solve the mystery of the attempted poison plot. On top of it all, he had other obligations, particularly his work at the Kamiyama Library. He could congratulate himself that he had spent whatever free time he could after work to stay with Eru during her hour of illness. No; even self-congratulations were insufficient; he could only rise to the occasion beyond the call of duty only for someone who was a close friend to him; no, to someone who was beginning to become more than a friend. Someone to whom he was being drawn. And just when a budding closeness was beginning to bloom, death was threatening to end this newfound experience so soon.
But Eru was going to recover. Death had nearly snatched her away and she managed to escape it, like sand grains escaping the clutching grip of human hands. There was hope, at least. And hope was what Houtarou would have to go on, even if things hardly made much sense to his rational, minimalist mind.
He stepped out Eru's room. Outside, Mayaka and Satoshi remained seated at a waiting chair. Mayaka stood up as Houtarou was about to walk past by her.
"Oreki-san," she called him.
Houtarou turned around.
"You have to solve this mystery," said Mayaka. Her face was earnest, and serious, the kind of face Mayaka always reflected when she was herself. "You have to solve this mystery we have on our hands," she repeated. "For the sake of Chii-chan." Now her eyes were twitching, and Houtarou could almost see it. Could Mayaka be on the verge of tears?
I have to solve it anyway, Houtarou said to himself quietly.
END OF EPISODE
Author's Notes:
Oohinata Tomoko is a new character featured in the fifth volume of Hyouka titled The Approximation of the Distance of Two. In this volume, Oohinata Tomoko had initially joined the Classics Club, but later quit, due to a misunderstanding, possibly with Eru.
You can peruse these chapters to learn more: Chapters 4-3 and 4-4, and chapters after these chapters.
NOTE: I had only skimmed through the entire volume, doing a keyword search on "Ohinata". My summary of this volume may contain missing information I had not learned.
You can access this volume on this link:
?title=Hyouka:Volume_5
The link belongs to a completely translated collection of the Hyouka Volumes on Baka-Tsuki:
/project/?title=Hyouka
Japanese Naming Convention:
Surname: Given Name:
Oreki Houtarou
Chitanda Eru
Fukube Satoshi
Ibara Mayaka
Oohinata Tomoko
Chitanda Tetsugo
Chitanda Hiromi
Western Naming Convention:
Given Name: Surname:
Houtarou Oreki
Eru Chitanda
Satoshi Fukube
Mayaka Ibara
Tomoko Oohinata
Tetsugo Chitanda
Hiromi Chitanda
Vocabulary Translations from the Japanese Language:
Hai - Yes
Iie - No
Ano... - Umm... (Filler Word)
Sake – a Japanese beverage
Kaarage - Fried chicken
Rengou Hospital – The local hospital of Kamiyama City. The name is featured in the fifth volume of the novel version of Hyouka, titled, "It Walks By Past".
Genki dashite – show some spirit
("Genki" means "energy, vitality". The exhortation is meant to be the equivalent of "cheer up".)
Dante's Purgatorio:
Dante Alghieri was a major Italian poet in the Late Middle Ages. "Purgatorio" is Dante's second volume of the "Divine Comedy". In this volume, the souls in Purgatory must undergo various penances to counteract the effects of the Seven Deadly Sins.