As Sweet As Ice Cream [hyouka fanfiction]

The disappearance of Chitanda Eru

Oreki Houtarou

I'm already in the second year of high school  Believe it or not but I'm in class 2-A, a class mainly full of the smart or rich kids of our town. I did state previously that I clearly wanted to study Humanities and I'm pretty sure that classes A up to D are for Science students, so I got that going for on. As for Chitanda, she landed an ideally good place in 2-H. Satoshi is in 2-D and Ibara is in 2-C. We're all in different classes but we still try to meet up at least once a week at the Classics club room to discuss certain ideas for the existence of our club.

A lot of events has passed throughout the beginning of my high school life including dealing with Chitanda's curiousity towards whatever her Uncle said, then the mind boggling ending of 2-F's "mystery" film and many more yet to mention. Being the energy saving person that I am, I don't really take notes about anything that has occurred — unless it was meant to be oh-so-important (and in my case, it wasn't so). I'm not really expecting a rose-colored high school life like most of the students here at Kamiyama High, but by the looks of it, I probably would retrieve it by the end.

This semester, Chitanda hasn't been acting like she usually does. If you have read the previous volumes of this particular series, by now you'll know what I mean by how she acts in her daily life. She definitely has a problem, I mean she looks like she does, and I guess I can't lend a hand. Neither can Ibara, Satoshi, nor any of the other classmates of 2-H that she usually interacts with.

Until recently, she's been faking smiles. Not that I spend my time staring at her that much, wanting to give most of my energy for that matter, but apparently everyone has been saying the same thing to me and the other Classics club members.

This "Chitanda Eru" is not the Chitanda Eru I knew last year.

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Ah...it's finally lunch time. If not, I guess my hearing needs a quick examination at the doctor.
I'm sure that the school bell just rang a few seconds ago, alarming the entire student body that it's time to forget whatever happened back in class and quickly chow down.

After reaching for my lunch box under my table, I walked out of 2-A and stumbled upon the awaiting Satoshi. How odd, seeing him here in front of my class as opposed to him always begging me to go to his instead.

"Yo!" he called casually. 

I nodded. Like usual.

"What's with that frown?" he asked, unusually. "It's not like you, Houtarou."

After complimenting my expression, he ran ahead, leaving me questioning him in front of my class to then follow him in wide steps.

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We headed to the cafeteria, passing by 2-B until 2-H whilst listening to Satoshi ramble about how he regretted not bringing the packed lunch that his mother has already prepared for him. He was indecisive; wondering about whether he should buy a sandwich or stick to a warm bowl of ramen.
I wouldn't suggest any of the two. I myself brought rice and chicken, not the one I'd prefer eating because this rice and chicken in my hands is the masterpiece of my older sister who just got back from that city I have no idea how to pronounce. Tangerang, I think? She sure had a wild trip around Indonesia, shown by her many polaroids at the beach. Some at the top of mountains.

"Now that I think of it, you actually have been acting strange lately..." the boy patted my back, right after paying for the sandwich that he ended up choosing after winning the battle in his little mind.