Hyouka – The AfterStory
Project Collaboration by Commander Cody & Maria
Zaizen Village,Summer Festival…
"TAAAMAYA! KAAAGIYA!"
The great shout of a chant came from the Oreki family, resounding across an arched wooden bridge in the park of a forest clearing, where a magnitude of fireworks sparked off into the clear night sky during Zaizen Village's evening summer festival, as the family shouted the names of two great fireworks artists who contested against each other to see who would launch the very best display of fireworks.
"Again!" cried a five-year-old Oreki Aiko.
Houtarou heaved a sigh. Sometimes there were some things relate to his energy conservation habits that he had not completely discarded in her life. All right, thought Houtarou.
And so their cries resounded throughout park, as another magnificent round of colorful fireworks light up the clear, starry night sky:
"TAAAMAYA! KAAAGIYA!"
Now Houtarou and Eru felt spent a little, except perhaps for little Aiko, who was still eagerly clapping over the fireworks display. Houtarou wondered how even a little child had the capacity to see much enjoyment over things he was used to seeing at many of the country's festivals.
He was in a loose summer robe. Aiko wore a yukata, as did her mother. Her mother has hair pinned up in a ponytail, whereas Aiko's wavy dark-brown hair was left to run free. She had her mother's eyes.
So…adorable , he thought in a relatively bland way.
Aiko always accompanied her mother and father during one of Kamiyama's summer festivals.
Eru had planned the trip, and Mayaka made arrangements to stay at the Seizansou, the Zenna family inn.
"Tousan…" Aiko pleaded, tugging at her father's robe.
"Nande?" asked Houtarou, turning to face the little girl.
"I want to have fun scooping goldfish again," said Aiko.
Houtarou observed Eru as she puts her hand on her belly. It was not large, though, but Eru was conscious of another life growing within her. She learned about it a few months ago.
The goldfish vendor is three blocks from the arched bridge.
"If your mother is up to it," said Houtarou.
"It's a long distance, Aiko-chan," Eru reminded her daughter.
"Demo…Kaasan…" Aiko protested.
"Besides, you have a goldfish," Houtarou pointed out to his daughter, pointing to a bag of water with one goldfish Aiko was carrying.
"Demo…I want to scoop one more," Aiko pleaded to both her father and mother.
Houtarou heaved a sigh. The family had already been to the stall of fish-scooping, and he was hardly in the mood to make another trip. "Fine," he conceded. "One more."
"Daijoubou," Eru assured her husband. "I wouldn't mind walking around, too."
Houtarou and Eru walked the three blocks. The climate was was a little humid, yet here at the festival could be seen the excitement of many children, and the reserved behavior of some of the mothers and fathers at the festival. Colorful displays of lanterns and some neon lights illuminated the night.
Aiko, Houtarou, and Eru made their way back to the goldfish stand in order that the little girl could have more fun scooping goldfish again. The sport of goldfish0scooping involved the use of a poi, a round frame with a handgrip, and the frame was usually made of plastic. The person had to move the poi slowly in the water to avoid breaking the paper. That part presented a challenge to the goldfish catcher.
After perhaps several tries, Aiko managed to scoop up one more goldfish.
"Aiko-chan," Eru addressed her daughter, "Let other people have a chance at this game, all right?"
"Hai," said Aiko.
"I'm concerned those bags might break," said Eru. "So we may want to put the fish in the aquarium." The Oreki family kept a relatively small aquarium in their living room.
"I guess it might be understandable for you to have one more goldfish," remarked Houtarou. "In case the other one gets ill."
"The other goldfish is for ojii-san," said Aiko, referring to her grandfather.
Immediately Houtarou widened his eyes. "You could have said so before," he grumbled.
"If I said the other goldfish was for ojii-san, you would have less inclination to take me to the goldfish scooping stand," Aiko elaborated.
Houtarou made a snort. "You're just as bad as Eru," he muttered.
The family came across a vendor selling taiyaki, those batter pastries with red-bean juice, which Aiko exceedingly enjoyed.
"May I have some taiyaki, please?" asked Aiko.
Houtarou and Eru purchased some taiyaki for the indulgence of little Aiko.
"We are due to meet some old friends soon," said Houtarou.
Eru looked at her husband. "Ano…Maya-chan told me she and her family would come here," she said.
Aiko took notice of three familiar figures coming their way. "Ano…Jirou-kun! Jirou-kun is here!" she cried.
"Yo, Aiko!" the boy called, in perfect imitation of his father greeting his friend.
"Aiko-chan, what's going on?" Eru asked curiously. Turning to her daughter's direction she saw the Fukube family.
"Eru-chan!" Mayaka cried with glee.
She ran up to Eru and embraced her tightly.
"Maya-chan, you're going to squeeze the life out of me!" Eru cried.
"Oh…gomen ne," Mayaka apologized, before loosening her embrace.
"How are you?" asked Mayaka.
"Ano…I'm a bit exhausted, though," said Eru.
"Oh, goodness!" exclaimed Mayaka. "We'll get you back to the Seizansou, soon," she added, offering to help her friend get back to the inn that Mayaka's relatives still owned and managed. "Your mother and father will want you back in the next hour."
"Maybe…maybe after a little while," said Eru. Chitanda Tetsugo and Hiromi remained at the Seizansou to make use of the onsen as much as possible.
In the meantime, Houtarou and Satoshi faced each other.
"Houtarou…how are you looking up these days?" Satoshi asked his friend.
"Fine, I think," Houtarou replied simply. "How are affairs at your end?"
"Same as always, with some notable accomplishments at work," said Satoshi. "My advertisement plan was accepted by the company committee…after several hours of discussion."
"That…must have been a lot of work," remarked Houtarou.
"It was," Satoshi agreed. "As for Mayaka…she is now in the position to establish a manga studio."
"Manga studio?" Houtarou asked curiously.
"Indeed," said Satoshi. "It was Mayaka's dream. She talked about it a lot…but she had to postpone her plans. I may be able to help her establish the studio through partial financing."
Houtarou seemed to take an interest in Mayaka's manga studio. "Fukube-san," he called, addressing Mayaka. "Is it true? About your plan to establish a manga studio?"
"Hai," said Mayaka. "For young, aspiring manga artists."
"Ano…" Houtarou continued. "Aiko had an interest in learning more about manga."
"Really?" asked Mayaka eagerly.
"Well…I am pretty good at drawing…but I would like to learn how to write a better story," said Aiko.
Mayaka leaned over to face little Aiko. "Aiko-chan…if you want, I can take you in as one of my students, assuming that I am successful in establishing the studio," said Mayaka. "Perhaps in the meantime…Jirou-kun may be able to teach you a little."
"I…I think I would like that very much," said Aiko. For her, being given assistance was a dream come true, but she was afraid that her work would be seen as sub-standard, particularly from someone who was quite good with manga.
"If she can put it into her schedule," said Eru. "And don't worry, Aiko-chan; the whole point of learning from Mayaka is to help you improve your craft."
"Well…all right," said Aiko.
"Oh…Maya-chan…how is your manga coming along?" asked Eru.
"Still working on it," replied Mayaka. "I managed to complete about half the story; the one that my previous publisher rejected. I may consider submitting my work to another publisher."
"Well…what about the one whom you're working for?" asked Eru.
"Well…maybe," Mayaka said, hesitating a little. "Demo…I want to refine some details, you know. I did have editor look at my work, though."
"What did she say?" Eru pressed further.
"Well…she said that my work had potential…but it could be improved, starting with the way the romance between my two main characters grow and flourish. She thinks my romantic development is too sudden; the romance needs more depth."
Eru made a beaming smile, and her eyes sparkled with much gladness. "It sounds like your editor is really helpful in your manga work," she remarked with gladness.
"I know," Mayaka agreed. "For that…I am so grateful."
Eru turned to her daughter. "Aiko-chan," she called. Little Aiko looked up to her mother.
"Aiko-chan," Eru continued, "Maya-chan can help you write manga better. She is improving her craft."
"Hai," Aiko agreed. "That would help greatly."
"Well, out of curiosity, have you already established a story idea on paper?" asked Mayaka.
Aiko nodded. "Well…my story is about a girl trying…well…befriend a boy," she said.
Her eyes became a little serious. "It is a generic story,"
"It is generic," remarked Houtarou, before he felt a pinch on his arm. It was from his wife.
"Don't discourage her, Houtarou-kun," Eru admonished him, before turning to her daughter. "For a start, I think that's quite good," she complimented the girl.
"For a start, yes, I agree," said Mayaka. "It does remind me a bit of my days in Kaburaya with Satoshi. Maybe I could supply my own experiences to help Oreki Aiko-chan develop her story. What do you think, Aiko-chan?"
"That…that would help," said Aiko.
"Ano…how is the Zenna family?" Eru inquired.
Mayaka told Eru what had gone on with the Zenna family. Kayo was already married to the man of her dreams: Awatsuki Tsuurichi. And Rie was married, too. The Zenna sisters were spending vacation at the Seizansou.
Aiko offered Jirou a taiyaki. "Would you like one?" she asked the boy.
"Hai," Jirou replied eagerly, and Aiko gave one of these pastries to him.
"Ano…I have some fireworks we can play with," said Jirou. "There is some sort of clearing where we can play with the sparklers."
"Well…sure," said Aiko, before turning to her mother and father. "May I play with Jirou-san?"
"If you're accompanied, at the very least," said Eru.
"We'll do that," said Mayaka.
Aiko and Jirou played with the sparkler fireworks, running and waving around the clearing.
"Run faster!" Jirou challenged Aiko.
"I'm trying," said Aiko. "I'm just not…"
"You need more energy, then," said Jirou.
Aiko heaved a sigh. "It's too much trouble," she said. "Besides, I've been walking around the festival stands!"
Houtarou and Eru watched Aiko and Jirou play with the firecrackers, as Satoshi and Mayaka accompanied the children.
Eru laughed, as she felt charmed by the sight. Eru looks into Houtarou's eyes, and her husband seemed to smile, even a little. "I wonder if he's going to end up like you…a little," she said, as she faced her husband.
"Perhaps I wouldn't worry about it." Houtarou said.
"Why not?" asked Eru.
Houtarou looked at her, and put his arm around her. "He'll grow out of it," he said. "If not by himself…"
Eru turned to him. "Is that what you did?"
Houtarou fixed his attention on the little ones. "It's what we all have to do…eventually."
His wife smiled in a teasing way. "Well…I helped, didn't I?"
Houtarou kissed his wife as another round of fireworks exploded overhead, illuminating their dark silhouettes against the bright lights.
"Hai. That…you did."
Houtarou could hardly recall the time when he found himself open to the thought of living a rose-colored life. He and Eru would have a blessed life together.
END OF EPILOGUE
THE END.
NOTES:
Well, this is the end of the story, everyone! I hope you have all enjoyed this magnum opus. This work has been the most ambitious fanfic of the Hyouka series.
Vocabulary Translations from the Japanese Language:
Hai - Yes
Iie - No
Ano... - Umm... (Filler Word)