Hyouka:Volume 2 Chapter 5

5 - Let's Try This

After meeting with Sawakiguchi, we expected Eba would come, but in the end she didn't. It would be bothersome for our end if she did not relay that we had rejected Sawakiguchi's deduction. Wonder what she's up to? At any rate, as the sun was setting, even the energetic Kami High students were beginning to scatter homewards, and we too began tidying up the club room. Well, I'm sure there's a way to contact them if something unexpected were to happen, as Chitanda does know Irisu quite well.

When Chitanda finally woke up, she was so embarrassed after realizing she was so drunk that she fell asleep that her face went very red. Though it seemed like she still hasn't completely woken up, as when heading towards the school entrance, she would occasionally wobble to and fro. I hope she reaches home safely.

Chitanda was accompanied by Ibara as they left school, while I walked together with Satoshi for half the journey. As we exited the school gate, Satoshi swung his drawstring bag as he grumbled alone,

"So we ended up rejecting them all. What will happen with the movie then?"

Wasn't it obvious? For three days no one has figured out a correct solution.

So the only way was to not complete it.

At hearing that answer, Satoshi smiled while raising his brow,

"What a miserable answer. So it's basically The summer grass - It is all that's left of an ancient warrior's dream, huh? Or rather, All of Naniwa is dream after dream. If Chitanda-san wakes up from such dreams, she'll probably go into a quarrel."

(TL Note - Sunohara is quoting poems from Matsuo Basho http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsuo_Bash%C5%8D and Toyotomi Hideyoshi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyotomi_Hideyoshi Both allude to the incomplete movie project being nothing but a "dream". )

"What are you gonna do now?"

"Me? I'll be busy from now on. I wouldn't have time to help reduce stress for other classes."

We walked amongst the sparsely scattered students heading home. Under the crimson skies, the cool breeze blown in the late summer was rather cold. Summer was truly coming to an end.

At the first traffic intersection, Satoshi pointed to the path where we part ways,

"I got something else to do, see ya."

And promptly left.

Since I'm all alone, guess I'll head home.

Indeed, the movie was probably not going to be completed...... I recall the meeting with the people of Class 2-F during the past four days.

Nakajou - Armed with a passion to complete the movie, but was not used to solving riddles.

Haba - Confident and prideful of his knowledge of mystery, with the conviction that his deduction was correct.

Sawakiguchi - Self-righteous way declaring her method to be a matter of fact, but ended up being too far-fetched.

They all tried their best, regardless of whether they were thoughtless, haughty or careless, their passion of wanting to complete their own project could not be faked. Though as we were entrusted as judges, we ended up rejecting all their deductions. The reason being that they were simply wrong.

Well, guess it can't be helped. They have my sympathies, but it's not our fault. This may sound cruel, but I'm not that softhearted as to oblige myself to put out a fire on the opposite shore of a river. That's why I said I did not want to get involved in this in the first place.

As I approached the residential streets, I could soon see my house. I'm just gonna get some sleep when I get home. Like Satoshi, I have no obligation to burden myself with other class's troubles. The responsibility for the movie being incomplete lies with the crew's lack of planning, they should not have gone ahead with such a project to begin with. I regripped the shoulder bag that was slipping off my shoulder, and looked upwards at the sky.

As I returned my gaze to the ground, I noticed someone waiting for me in front.

Standing at the end of the intersection where the road signal "stop" was written was Irisu Fuyumi in her school uniform. As I realized it was her, she walked a few steps towards me and said,

"Do you mind taking some time off to have some tea with me?"

Incredibly, I nodded honestly and agreed.