Warau

Chapter A: The Cherry Blossoms blooms again

As I meet up with the group, I realize that I left my bicycle unlocked. "Hi everyone, sorry for sudden leave but please excuse me as I forgot to lock up my bicycle." I say this with a straight
face. "Typical Oreki." Mayaka says it while sighing. And at that point, as I was about to look onto Eru, "How did you forget to lock your bicycle, that really makes me.." Eru pauses for a while and gives a small grin, "I am curious~"

"I just forgot." I say simply. Then I start walking towards the parking lot to lock my bicycle.
"That's Oreki for you, do not worry about it Chi-Chan. Oreki definitely just forgot to lock his cycle" says Mayaka to ensure Eru(Tbh I should stop using Eru every now and then).

"I see..." - Chitanda
"Btw, why did you get curious about Oreki forgetting to lock his bicycle?" - Mayaka
"Um..." - Chitanda
"Are you being suspicious of Hotaro? - Satoshi
"Well, no" - Chitanda

"Now, you're being suspicious Chitanda-san" - Satoshi
"Eh? I am being suspicious now?" - Chitanda
"Stop it Fuku-chan, you shouldn't tease Chi-chan past the limit." - Satoshi
"Hehe, btw, what do you think of Hotaro? You really like his company and seem to be really dependent on him." -Satoshi
"Huh?!!" - Chitanda
"FUKU-CHAN!" - Mayaka
"Hehe, sorry Chitanda-san, but it has been 2 years and your bond with Hotaro seems really
like couples now." - Satoshi
"SA-TO-SHI!!" - Mayaka
Chitanda blushes,
"Hotaro-, I mean Oreki-san is a good friend to me...but.. we are not romantically connected." -Chitanda


I locked up my bicycle and came into sight of the group. "Oi Hotaro, you sure took your time." Satoshi shouts at me while I approach them. "You actually came back at the right time, a little bit earlier, then you would have heard our conversation.", says Mayaka with a relief. I made a confused face. "Anyways, I have delightful news for everyone- I mean for the Classic Literature Club. A new first year student who has recently joined our school this year has opted for the Classic Literature Group. He will be starting his club attendance from today onwards." Satoshi announces with delight.

"OH! That's a great thing! Right Chi-Chan?" - Mayaka
"Yes, it's a really pleasant news to the club as whole" - Chitanda
And then I ask the most bizarre question as I always do.
"What's his curiosity level?" - Me(Hotaro)
"..." - Chitanda
"Hotaro..." - Mayaka
"Well, we will find that out when we meet him today at the club." - Satoshi
"Ok then, species like Chitanda are rare anyways" - Me(Hotaro)
"You're right I guess..." - Chitanda
"Well, enough chats, we are supposed to go to our classes now. No one likes being late on the first day of a new term." - Satoshi
"Yes, but I am really curious about the new student tbh. I really am eager to meet him."
"K then, bye guys, I'll meet you all after the classes in the club today."
And thus, the group conversation ended for now. We four said goodbye to each other and we were off to our respective classes. Oh and, I just remembered that Chitanda and I are in the same class. Still I would mainly like to focus on the board as my sis challenged me for a result showdown. Basically I have to surpass the results she got in her 3rd year at Kamiyama High School. And not going to lie...
SHE ACED HER EVERY EXAM WITH A SCORE I CAN JUST DREAM OF HAVING!!..
But, a challenge once accepted has to be completed. This definitely goes against energy conservation but, I'll try to make it quick. I would really like to rest for an entire year after I graduate. I am going to lose a lot of energy this year(predicted by a fortune slip).

Periods pass by and our classes finally end. Chitanda approaches my bench and invites me to come to the club together with her. I take steps slowly to not waste much energy; a little late arrival won't hurt much. "You are really walking slow." Says Chitanda. Before I could say anything, she grabbed my arm and rushed towards the Club room. "Slow down a bit..:" I try to slow her down but she ignores me. Soon enough we were standing right in front of the Earth Science Prep Room, retrieving our breaths. The door was closed. I asked Chitanda, "Are you sure our club room hasn't changed this year too? Last year remained the same because of some problems." "I told the student council that we were really comfortable with the Science Prep Room and so I requested them to not change our place." replied Chitanda who was still getting her breath. I tried to open the door and it surprisingly was unlocked. "Oh, the room wasn't locked.." We both entered inside and I went to the window to get some view of the school scenery. Chintanda shut the door as she always did(it's for the plot, I really don't have time to make a proper reason). She then joined me in the sightseeing. We were just enjoying our views on the clear orange sky without a word uttered from our mouths. After 5 mins like this, Chitanda finally was about to say something. Before the words could come out from her lips, the door opened and a young boy with earphones on his ears entered the room. He casually asks a question to us, "Are you two ghosts? Or perhaps some thieves?" Chitanda gets surprised and asks him back, "What do you mean? We are live humans and we aren't some thieves who are here to steal stuff. I am Eru Chitanda, the president of the Classic Literature Club."
"Oh! Well, pleasure to meet you. Myself Radao Heki, a student of 1A. I am a new member in your club...um..how did you two get in with the door being closed?" - Radao
"Huh?!!" - Chitanda
"The door was closed?" - Me(Hotaro)
"Apparently, when I came here the door was locked from outside. I went to get the club key and came back. The door was still locked so I opened it. And then, I found you two here, standing next to each other near the window like a romantic couple." - Radao
"Um-wha?" - Chitanda (idk which expression to use)
"Hm, did you see any cleaning staff on your way here?" - Me(Hotaro)
"Ye, he was cleaning the rooms below this floor. - Radao
"That solves the thing ig...Why did you shut the door close, Chitanda?" - Me(Hotaro)
"I don't know myself..." -Chitanda
"Sus" - Radao
"Huh?!!"- Chitanda
I realize Radao's joke and continue it.
"Ye, sus" - Me(Hotaro)
"Hah?!!!..." - Chitanda
"We finally caught you red handed... sus-tanda, you're not good at hiding yourself but, ur tanda so-" - Me(Hotaro)
"WHY DIDN'T YOU ASK ME WHEN I HAD SHUT THE DOOR CLOSE?!! YOU ARE SUS TOO OREKI-SAN!" - Chitanda
Then comes the great betrayal.
"Definitely,..sus" - Radao
"I was taking your side, and you are ratting on me-.. Well, what is your name? - Me(Hotaro)
"Radao Heki, I told you a few moments earlier though.." - Radao
"Huh? Really?.." - Me(Hotaro)
"Ye, a few lines above this conversation, you were really busy with your gurl huh?" - Radao
"A few lines above... eh?" - Me(Hotaro)
"Jokes, just a novel fan, I said it when Chitanda-senpai told me she was not a ghost or any thief." - Radao
"Oh ok." - Me(Hotaro)
"Well, that disapproves Chitanda-senpai's fake allegation too on..um.. Oreki-senpai?" - Radao
"Hotaro Oreki, my name, pleasure to meet you" - Me(Hotaro)
"Wdym by 'disapproves Chitanda-senpai's fake allegation'?" - Chitanda
"Well, you suspected Oreki-senpai,but.. He seems to have a not caring bout stuffs nature.... Also its not good to fight with your boyfri-" - Radao
"WE ARE NOT COUPLES OR LOVERS!!" - Chitanda
"Enough teasing...so you are the new member of our club?" - Me(Hotaro)
"Ye" - Radao

Normally, people would not like a guy like him, his mouth just goes on in an unseemly path. For me, he's ok. I don't really care tbh but, if he can keep Chitanda distracted for at least this year, I will be really happy with him. I just want to focus on my studies and try to save as much energy as I can while doing my intense studies. The reason for me being so worked up is a mystery to which, even I don't have an answer to. Is a challenge from sis so important? Well...my backstory will say yes.

Anyways, we three sat down on our chairs and waited for the best couple Mayashi(Mayaka x Satoshi) to come and meet this new guy. Radao was sitting on the chair right in front of me. I took out my novel and started reading it. Radao stared at my book for a while and asked, "How's the book?" "Fine," I reply. He then took out his novel and we both read our novels in tranquility.
Chitanda joined us by starting to read the book she had brought. We were in a complete stalemate. After completing one chapter, I took out my school notebooks and textbooks to study; the environment was really peaceful. An hour passed by like this, I was lucky that Chitanda didn't try to start any conversation.

"Ok then, I will get going now, Satoshi and Mayaka ain't really gonna come this late now, perhaps they got some important work like before?" I decided to finally leave. "Um, we didn't even get to know about Radao much today...sorry Radao, your first day was pretty boring I suppose." Chitanda being sorry to Radao. "It felt nice really, the quietness of the surroundings verily helped in reading my book today." Radao tries to cheer up Chitanda. "I see...maybe too much conversation is bad too.." Chitanda replies. Too much conversation is, in fact,bad.

I packed up my bag and was ready to leave for home. I said my goodbyes to Chitanda and Radao and headed home. I got back home before the night had entered into the town. (I really used the word home a lot here...)

I opened the door and-
"Welcome back Oreki-Sama!" - Tomoe(Big Sis)

"Why are you dressed up as a maid? You got job in a cafe?" - Me(Hotaro)
"No...My current job keeps me busy a lot, doing other work along with it is a real trouble." - Sis"
Then what is this outfit for?" - Me(Hotaro)
"You already know"- Sis