cheering for exposing fools

;;

i

;;

It's impossible for Kaho Juumonji to not notice her dear friend's constant presence at the Arekusu Shrine.

Juumonji had first figured that Chitanda was nervous about their high school entrance exam and the possibility that her grades might not be as high as she expected; Chitanda had expressed that she really, really wanted to get accepted into Kamiyama High.

But then Spring break came, and with their Inji Middle School uniform packed away, Juumonji still couldn't place a finger to why Chitanda came to the shrine. Juumonji knows her friend well, Chitanda has never been very religious, and when Juumonji had asked, Chitanda simply said, "There's no harm in praying."

But praying for what? That's the question Juumonji wanted to know.

;;

"Nee, Kaho-san?" Chitanda calls out, just loud enough for Juumonji to hear.

It's late, but Juumonji rolls over regardless. There's a brief second where Juumonji squints in the darkness of her room before she reaches for her bedside lamp.

"What is it, Eru?" Juumonji asks back, not wanting Chitanda to feel discouraged or get cold feet.

"It sounds scary, doesn't it?" Chitanda continues, just as quietly.

"What does?"

"High school,"

Once again, Juumonji squints at Chitanda through blurry vision. She's trying to read Chitanda's mind.

Most people their age get excited about the new chapter in their lives, but Juumonji gets an itching feeling that Chitanda is not enjoying her youth. There's a great unrest deep in Chitanda's soul.

Juumonji wonders if Chitanda thinks anything along the lines of "We're moving too fast," or "This is very grown up!" because Juumonji knows that most of her peers make being a high school student a big deal.

There's not much Juumonji can do though to sooth Chitanda's worry, so she offers what she can.

"If you're worried about your future —" Juumonji whispers, making Chitanda's sleepy head poke out from under her blanket. "— I could read your palm,"

This successfully earns a small laugh from Chitanda. "You've already read my palm so many times, Kaho-san."

Juumonji knows that Chitanda is convinced that nobody knows the lines on her hands better than Juumonji does.

And maybe Juumonji does, maybe it's true. Juumonji often knows more than she leads on. Like right now for example, Juumonji can tell that Chitanda is holding back. Chitanda is obvious when she wishes to talk about a sensitive topic but doesn't know how to start.

So Juumonji confesses first. "As soon as we begin classes at Kamiyama High, I plan to start a Fortune-Telling Club,"

"I'm thinking of reviving the Classics Club." Chitanda says, following Juumonji's step and not missing a beat; though her proclamation doesn't sound as steady. "I heard some news that it's been memberless for three years. I don't want it abolished."

Juumonji grins at Chitanda's thoughtfulness. Is this Chitanda's long kept secret?

"Don't you think the possibility of being the only club member frightening too?" Chitanda whispers back.

"I don't mind." Juumonji answers.

"You don't?" There's awe in Chitanda's voice.

"I don't," Juumonji hums.

There's a small pocket of silence that follows after. While Juumonji is deep in thought, Chitanda stares at the other girl's long brown hair; admiring the curly waves shaped by the constant braid Juumonji's locks are kept in.

"Let's make a promise." Juumonji speaks after a moment, somethingabout the declaration makes her feel like a kid again.

"What for?" Chitanda asks.

"So we don't back down from what we said we'd do." Juumonji answers. Then she adds, "Not that you will back down," as if sensing Chitanda's hesitance.

"How do you know that?" Chitanda asks, her tone filled with curiosity. "Did you see into the future or are you a deity who bestows fate?"

Juumonji smiles at Chitanda's joke then aims her grin at the other girl. "I know it because I know you. You're brave, Eru. Besides," She pauses for dramatic effect. "With eyes as big as yours, I don't have to get involved with the supernatural, they're windows to the soul and an easy read."

;;

"Kaho-san, I wanted you to be the first person I tell this to: the Classics Clubs has two new members!" Chitanda exclaims cheerfully, bouncing with glee.

Juumonji beams, excited for her friend and flattered that Chitanda would want to share such great news with her.

"What about you? Has anyone joined the Fortune-Telling Club?" Chitanda asks, reverting back to her well-mannered, lady-like self.

"I haven't foreseen any new members." Juumonji replies, shrugging. She's not all that disappointed, she knows her small club can't rival against the Charms Society.

But Chitanda's grin wobbles. "Well — Well, I can't leave that as it is!" Chitanda starts, remembering how Satoshi Fukube had told her that a student can join up to a maximum of three clubs. "What if I join your club? I can do it! I haven't had a chance to look around or broaden my interests yet so I could —"

But Juumonji stops Chitanda with a small shake of her head. "You don't have to join my club, Eru."

"But, won't you feel lonely being the only member?"

"You know me, I've never minded being by myself."

Chitanda's expression remains solemn. "I wish I could be as comfortable with myself as you are, Kaho-san." Chitanda comments, it hurts Juumonji's heart a little. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'm sure," Juumonji says in a steady tone. She doesn't want Chitanda to feel any obligations to the Fortune-Telling Club. "I'll put up some recruitment posters and place one on the main school notice board." Juumonji says simply. "It might attract some wandering eyes."

Chitanda nods, knowing not to push. A new determined glow lights up on her face. "I'll be on the lookout, I'm sure your poster design will be super cute!"

;;

"I think I've made a discovery," Chitanda says, her voice pulling Juumonji out of her thoughts. "I don't think I know myself very well. Not like how most people do. Often, I find it difficult to describe who I am or what I stand for."

Chitanda's legs are marching, making her way to the Arekusu Shrine, pushing the wheels of her bicycle forward, but Chitanda herself might be constant. The way her lips are plucked with uncertainty tells Juumonji that she doesn't know how to feel.

Juumonji doesn't even pause, "You have plenty of time to figure yourself out. Just because we're in high school doesn't mean we have to hurry and grow up."

Chitanda doesn't say anything to this, but Juumonji can tell that she's considering the given words of wisdom.

"Where is this coming from?" Juumonji asks, still moving at a leisure pace uphill.

Chitanda stops pushing her bicycle. "Remember the two new club members I talked about? They're a pair of friends, I don't think they could be any less alike but they seem to have themselves figured out. They even have mottos!"

"Mottos?"

Chitanda nods. "One is, 'If I don't have to do it then I don't, if I have to then I'll do it quickly', the other is, 'A joke lasts but for a moment, if it leaves a misunderstanding then it's a lie',"

Juumonji snorts, not even contemplating on the philosophy of such statements. "Sounds like a bunch of baloney."

"Kaho-san!" Chitanda scolds but Juumonji doesn't react to it.

"It's true!" Juumonji replies, then asks, "Should you even be hanging around guys like that? They sound like bad influences."

Juumonji admits she sounds like a mother. She wonders if she could meet this Oreki fellow, Fukube is her classmate so she sees him on a daily basis. He's alright, but they don't talk.

"They're good people, I can feel it!" Chitanda insists.

"You're not just saying this because the Classics Club need more than one member, are you? Can't they be replaced by any other student?"

"No, they're special!"

Juumonji adjusts her glasses, attempting to see through the fuss. "You're really insistent. What's all this really about?"

Chitanda fidgets in response and avoids Juumonji's gaze. "Well …"

Something is amiss. Chitanda is busying herself more than usual, and Juumonji has a desire to unravel the reason behind Chitanda's running around.

"It's hard to explain," Chitanda finally admits.

"Is it?"

"Yes, but I'll tell you soon," Chitanda turns, facing Juumonji once more. "I promise! I just don't have all the clues yet!"

Juumonji stares for a little longer. Then she hums, dropping her shoulders.

"Alright then," Juumonji says, and they start moving forward again. "But, Eru, you shouldn't be too caught up with their mottos. You already have one,"

"I do?" Chitanda gasps dramatically.

Juumonji lets out a snicker, wondering how Chitanda can be so oblivious to it. "Hmm, maybe it's more of a saying? You're always telling everyone about that curious mind of yours!"

;;

She hasn't met him in person yet, but Juumonji thinks she's starting to warm up to Houtarou Oreki.

Chitanda's mood has brightened tenfold since she started relaying Oreki's ingenious mind of solving mundane mysteries alongside Satoshi Fukube and Mayaka Ibara. Realistically, Chitanda could have been happy over the mere excitement of the unexpected turn in club activities.

But Juumonji has a sneaking suspicion that it's more than that; that Oreki's behind it.

;;

"You know, Kaho-san," Chitanda says with an undertone of happiness in her voice. "I think Oreki-san is someone really special."

Now, under any other circumstance, Juumonji would have raised a suspicious brow or tease Chitanda about such a statement. Chitanda paints Oreki as someone who sounds too good to be true. But, looking at her dear friend closely, Oreki seems like the real deal; the source of Chitanda's youthful happiness.

The change in Chitanda's demeanour is so hard to ignore. Juumonji wants this sort of gladness to be constant, she loves seeing Chitanda smile.

So Juumonji nods and says, "Yes, I think so too."

;;

It takes some time, but Chitanda finally tells Juumonji what she's been doing throughout these past few days, weeks, months — she's been asking people left, right and center; fleeting from one place to another; talking in whispers.

"I'm trying to uncover the past. It was something said to me by my uncle, Jun Sekitani."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I didn't know how." Chitanda answers before explaining that she finds it difficult to bring up personal matters without some sort of justification.

Juumonji understands that this closure is something much needed in Chitanda's life. But Juumonji wishes Chitanda hadn't hid such strong feelings. It must have been so hard to keep such heaviness to oneself; all while juggling the fast-approaching fate of a beloved uncle's funeral, schoolwork, duties to the Chitanda family and the role of club president.

"But you did tell someone before me, right?" Jummonji asks.

Chitanda nods slowly. "Yes," She replies. "He's trying to help me solve it."

"He is?"

Chitanda nods once again. "Fukube-san and Mayaka-san too."

Juumonji instantly feels grateful. Grateful that Chitanda is no longer burdened as much. Grateful for the Classics Club's help. Grateful for Oreki.

;;

The memory is still fresh in her head.

Juumonji recalls the day she bumps into Chitanda — with the sky a golden yellow and them falling into step, moving towards the shrine to pray.

Juumonji didn't think anything of it at first. She didn't even need to ask, 'What for?', this has been Chitanda's routine for months now.

But, as the sun sinks, Juumonji swears she sees something new flash in Chitanda's large eyes. Juumonji thinks she knows where this gush of emotion is all coming from — Oreki, the Hyouka anthology and Jun Sekitani.

They are silent until Juumonji extends her hand, as if asking Chitanda to read her palm lines.

Chitanda takes Juumonji's hand and squeezes her friend's fingers until it turns a healthy pink. "I finally know the truth of what happened to my uncle. I don't know where to begin but … I don't think I'll be able to see the Kamiyama Cultural Festival the same ever again."

Juumonji offers a soft smile. "Eru, how about I treat you to some dango after we pray? Would you like that?"

Chitanda's head dips low at the approaching tears, she mutters something that sounds like a 'yes, please'.

Juumonji smiles at the crown on Chitanda's bowed head and pats it the same way she does with her younger sibling. "Good, because I think today is worth celebrating."

It isn't until they're sat down at the shop's bench do they continue speaking.

"Could you come to my uncle's funeral too?" Chitanda asks.

Juumonji notes the added 'too' and almost asks who Chitanda had asked prior, but she thinks she knows who it is.

There's only one answer, one person.

;;

ii

;;

Chitanda unintentionally tells Juumonji a lot about Oreki — how smart he is; how fascinating he is and kind too; hard-working in preserving other people's feelings, yet also lazy with his own; and everything in between.

It's almost constant. Almost like Chitanda is infatuated with Oreki. Like the girl doesn't even notice how much she talks about her adventures with Oreki, but Juumonji catches it all, absorbing the information like a sponge, saving it for a rainy day.

Most of the time, she spends her time listening, sitting beside Chitanda, smiling and nodding knowingly. She adores the refreshing retellings of mysteries solved by the Classics Club.

Often, Juumonji finds herself trying to solve the mystery as Chitanda tells it. If Juumonji wasn't so busy with her own club and duties, she would have joined the Classics Club long ago to witness the genius that Chitanda often talks about. In other words, Houtarou Oreki's deduction skills.

But, for now, Juumonji will settle on Chitanda's epic tales; Chitanda never leaves out a detail, her memory is too great for that.

"Tell me more," Juumonji says, smiling as they sat outside the Arekusu Shrine.

"Eh?" Chitanda chimes, sounding like a mother out of bedtime stories. "There's not much more to say."

"Are you sure?" Juumonji presses on.

Chitanda bobs her head.

Juumonji hums, unconvinced. Then plucks a purple flower for Chitanda and tucks it between her ear; when they were little, one of the things they bonded over were their shared interest in the colour purple.

"If that's the case, how about you talk about Oreki-kun then? You never seem to run out of breath when speaking of him," Juumonji proposes.

Chitanda gaps, her face flushed and red. "K — Kaho-san!" She scolds.

Juumonji laughs. "Oh, come on, Eru, I'm joking." Though she was hoping Chitanda would gush more about the boy.

Chitanda chooses to look away in response — Juumonji first thinks Chitanda is frowning, until she sees the tint of red on Chitanda's pale cheeks, and it takes everything in Juumonji to not snort.

;;

She's had a sneaking suspicion of Chitanda's crush on Oreki long before she had even laid her blue eyes on the boy. Chitanda has been singing praises about Oreki's sharp mind for practically forever.

It could be love. But it could also be one-sided.

Juumonji would like to believe that Chitanda's feelings for Oreki are returned. But Juumonji knows there's always two sides to the story, and Chitanda may have interpreted everything in a rose-coloured fashion.

Juumonji doesn't want to chalk it up as a schoolgirl crush, but she isn't sure about the possibility of it all (if only she knew his birthday, blood type, any source for her to read his star alignment and personality).

It isn't until one encounter does she start believing.

She was leaving the girls' bathroom and saw the familiar profile of Chitanda, pulling a rather tall boy. His green eyes looked alarmed but his body language told Juumonji that he had surrendered any fight against Chitanda's persistence.

Juumonji had stood frozen in perplexity until a girl had collided into her back.

"Don't stand at the exit,"

"Sorry," Juumonji had said and moved aside. But three seconds later and she was staring at the empty spot Chitanda and the tall boy were just occupying.

She wondered if that was Oreki.

But then she reasons, it was just one moment. One time. Surely, she wouldn't catch it happening again?

;;

But then it did.

This time in a slower, lazier manner. Juumonji spots the Classics Club walking home together; with the sun setting and the flush expression of red cheeks from the heat of the afternoon.

Chitanda's hair was in a braid, having it styled the way Juumonji had taught Chitanda to keep the heat off her neck, shoulders and back.

She had turned her head, purple gaze set on Satoshi, likely to answer a question — that's when Juumonji sees it. The way the tall boy's eyes snaps away, landing on Chitanda's exposed neck. He was in a trance, until —

"Oreki!" A short girl shouts, small fists yanking on his sleeve, bringing him back to earth.

Juumonji sees his lips move but didn't hear his reply. Not that it mattered now, Juumonji's consumed by the fact that she's right. So that is Houtarou Oreki, and he does, in fact, return Chitanda's feelings.

;;

iii

;;

The only frustrating thing about Oreki is the fact that he's oblivious about being firm and dances around his feelings for Chitanda. Juumonij decides, if this is going to go anywhere, then Chitanda will need help!

(Even if Juumonji hadn't noticed Oreki's reaction that day, Chitanda is too cute to ignore!)

Picking up Oreki's not-so-subtle hints and assembling the clues together is pretty easy; especially with the answer glaring at her.

And, not many know this about her, but Juumonji would like to say that she has a talent for meddling and scheming. She refuses to be a simple witness. Her self-assign match-maker role may be too much, but it's not like anyone would have suspected her.

To many, she is the eldest daughter of the Juumonji family; carrying dutiful responsibilities at the Arekusu Shrine as a miko. She is known as the president of the Fortune-Telling Club, as well as the only member of the said club. Her classmate, Satoshi Fukube, refers to her as 'the master of the library' for her bibliophilist ways.

Those who see her in passing would say she's a girl with silky braided hair, neatly pinned by a purple butterfly clip; a beauty mark behind spectacles.

It's all a perfect front to hide her guilty pleasure of mischief. Only a handful of people know this side of her; and the reason behind this is because they are often the victims of said tricks and teasing.

Houtarou Oreki could fall into that category. It will be so easy to tease him.

Juumonji knows she shouldn't. But, then again, how can she not?

;;

When New Year comes around the corner, Juumonji already expects a lot to take place on such a day, but what she didn't expect is for Chitanda to show up with him.

Chitanda arrives at the shrine with glee; dressed in her red kimono, a bottle of sake on the tatami mat floor and a boy by her side. The moment Juumonji's blue eyes lands on him, it came together like pieces of a puzzle. And despite the busyness of the night, Juumonji makes a beeline towards the two.

Even without an introduction, even before saying a word to the brunette boy, Juumonji already knows who he is. And without even needing any confirmation — she takes the opportunity to tease him.

"Happy New Year,"Juumonji greets Chitanda in a serious voice, sitting with her feet tucked and her arms perfectly angled. The sleeves of her shrine maiden dress exposes her pale wrists and hands.

"Happy New Year." Chitanda echoes in return to Juumonji's greeting.

Then Chitanda bows — deeply — and Houtarou sits there wide-eyed, gawking at the back of Chitanda's exposed neck. Juumonji had to fight against a smile, concealing her grin as Chitanda straightens her back from her low bow.

He's so obvious.

Juumonji figures the night can't get any better.

But then it did.

Houtarou fumbles — and it's funnier than Juumonji can ever dream it to be. She decides to tease him further.

"I accept no trifles." Juumonji replies when the sake bottle is presented.

She immortalises the frozen panic look on Houtarou's face and catches the exact moment Houtarou feared he had offended a miko — though she isn't really one. The impression of her formal greeting had pulled him into the moment.

To him, it appears that everything is spiraling until it isn't.

Until Juumonji and Chitanda bursts into a fit of giggles; the type of laughter that hints others of their mischief but explains nothing, not caring if it leaves people confused. It's their inside joke — chosen like the butterfly design on the sleeve of Chitanda's kimono and the matching purple clip pinning Juumonji's fringe.

"We're joking." Chitanda tells Houtarou and Juumonji sees the recognition in his eyes.

Oho, so Chitanda's shown Houtarou this side of her before. If possible, Juumonji grins wider.

.

.

.

Juumonji didn't want to leave the two shy lovebirds alone in the guest hall, she wanted to sit there and watch them pretend Cupid hadn't already shot them with his arrows. But Juumonji's schedule is hectic and Chitanda had asked to see Ibara, so they go their separate way. And, well, duties called.

.

.

.

Juumonji passes the small space of the attendance hall — back and forth and back and forth and back and forth — to try to catch glimpses of the pair, hearing them talk about a bad fortune, until it seems like there is something the two of them can do.

"Sorry to trouble you," Juumonji says, trying to sound as apologetic as possible as she pokes her head back into the room. "But can you please go and pick up more sake from the storage shed, Eru? Oreki-kun could help too, if he wants."

Juumonji had left the final decision to Houtarou, hoping that he would take the bait.

And he does.

"Thanks for your help," Juuumonji bows, glad that Chitanda had chosen such a thoughtful person.

And as she leaves the two to spend time with each other, Juumonji thinks, Maybe the bad fortune Oreki-kun had drawn isn't so bad after all?

;;

It's not that she had predicted that she would be bumping into Houtarou today of all days, that would be a stretch, but he's a sort of predictable guy, and it's hilarious to see him fumble. So, when Juumonji spots him wandering around the Arekusu Shrine, she tells herself that she has to pounce and make a move.

"Welcome." Juumonji bows deeply at him, her hands folded and the crown of her head peaking at him.

He says nothing, seconds pass, and she waits for some kind of stuttered reply until she realises he's intentionally quiet.

"Aren't you going to react?" Juumonji asks, her body still perfectly postured.

"Normally, I would've been shaken up being unexpectedly greeted like this, but I remembered falling for the same trick in the past." Houtarou admits.

"Ooohhh," Juumonji grins.

This boy is truly sharp! So he remembers her little show during New Year, the one that left him flustered before he realised she was teasing him? Looks like it didn't take long for Houtarou to catch on.

And, to be perfectly honest, Juumonji's impressed. Houtarou hadn't fallen for the same trick twice, that's quick learning. She never would have guessed just by looking at Houtarou, he seems more like a daydreamer than anything.

She could let him off the hook.

But then again, why should she? Houtarou's already gotten a glimpse of her mischievous side, why not show him a bit more? Juumonji's already comfortable making jokes. And, he is the one to show up randomly to the shrine on a Sunday.

So she thinks of another small plan.

"Eru is here." Juumonji says, keeping the smile on her face as neutral as possible.

"Huh?" Houtarou utters, like he had misheard her. Then — "Wait, Eru's here?" He asks, echoing her words.

"You should come in and join us." Juumonji says after snickering at his shocked reaction. "I'll make you some tea."

"No, it's okay. I'm just —"

"It's not like you're unrelated to what Eru and I are currently talking about." Juumonji says, feeling her funny-bone tickle. She's already planning something else, but she can't be too obvious. "I won't force you," Juumonji continues, "But, you know what they say, 'Even chance meetings are preordained',"

.

.

.

And then she's showing Houtarou to her room where Eru sits. They both fumbled like idiots in love, and Juumonji made it — arguably —worse by pointing out the pictures taken during the Doll Festival.

"Oreki-kun, this picture of you mid-yawn is so funny!"

"More like nightmarish." Houtarou grumbles to Juumonji's comment.

"By the way, this picture of Eru over here's pretty terrible too."

"Kaho-san, that's off-limits!"

Juumonji laughs — twice — at Chitanda and Houtarou's flustered state. Who would have guessed the two would meet each other under such circumstances?

Juumonji really enjoys making them both blush by embarrassing one another.

.

.

.

And then she decides to leave Chitanda and Houtarou alone — on purpose — yet again.

"Oh shoot, my chores!" Juumonji says to Chitanda, frozen like she had realised an impending doom. Her brow furrows slightly and she lowers her head. "I'm really sorry, I wonder if I can still make it in time."

"What's happening? What happened?" Houtarou asks, whatever Juumonji is unable to do sounds like his fault.

"I was asked by my family to do some grocery shopping. I was leaving the shrine when I bumped into you. I was so surprised when I saw you that I ended up forgetting about the errand." Juumonji explains.

Houtarou's face morphs into one that tells Juumonji he doesn't believe her bluff. There wasn't an ounce of shock that showed on her face when she greeted Houtarou.

But, of course, Chitanda believes Juumonji.

"It's okay, Kaho-san, you go. I'll help you with your other chore." Chitanda replies.

Juumonji nods. Her chore is just tidying the area around a miniature shrine dedicated to Inari. It's not even a two-person job but Houtarou doesn't need to know that.

"So," Juumonji says hurriedly, putting emphasize on how ready she is to bolt out of her home and go 'grocery shopping' (for however long it would conveniently take her)."What will you do now, Oreki-kun? I don't mind if you stay here."

"I …"

.

.

.

"I'll help out."

;;

iv

;;

"Wow." Satoshi says, marveling at the story Juumonji just told him and how sneaky she can be when she wants to. "For a girl who works at a shrine, you sure know how to be cheeky and blunt."

"I couldn't have done it without your help, Fukube-kun, you really are a well of knowledge." Juumonji praises, grinning like a Cheshire cat at Satoshi.

She knows what he's thinking; that her gentle manner and soft voice may just be a front for how sly she truly is. But Juumonji doesn't mind. She likes that he knows the truth.

In fact, she's glad Chitanda had told her about Satoshi being one of the Classics Club members and Houtarou's close friend. It helped her expand her circle. There's a saying, isn't there? 'Any friend of yours is a friend of mine'?

"Still," Satoshi hums, mimicking Juumonji's smile. "You're very good at playing match-maker."

"It's not hard when Eru and Oreki-kun make themselves clear. Besides, I think Oreki-kun is a very straight-forward guy."

"Is he? He's been surprising me a lot by being a detective for Chitanda-san." Satoshi replies. "Or, are you just saying these things because you don't want to tell me that you've actually predicted these sightings in advance?"

"Come join the Fortune-Telling Club and then maybe I'll tell you," Juumonji answers.

Satoshi lets out a chuckle. "Don't be like that, Juumonji-san."

"I'm joking, you're very bad at recognising jokes for someone who constantly uses them as an excuse."

"Ouch," Satoshi winces at Juumonji's call out.

She, however, doesn't pay Satoshi's expression any mind and turns back to the topic. "Oreki-kun becomes very helpful when Eru is involved. He never says turns away when I give him a choice to either lend her a helping hand or go on with whatever business he has to attend to." Juumonji explains. "Nothing is going to convince me that Eru's crush on Oreki-kun isn't returned."

Satoshi bobs his head understandingly, gathering the data spewing out of Juumonji's mouth. What an interesting classmate he has.

"Though," Juumonji says suddenly, making Satoshi pause in his nodding. "I don't know if I can say that I was the least bit surprised to see Oreki-kun showing up at the shrine when Eru visited."

Satoshi gazes at Juumonji in a new light; at her small glasses and the unique way she often looks. He wonders if this either means Houtarou is well spoken of via Chitanda's mouth, or if Houtarou has been a topic brought up in Juumonji's life many, many times.

Or maybe it just speaks on how much Juumonji knows about Houtarou? That's a mystery Satoshi wonders if he can solve.

"Anyway," Juumonji clears her throat. "I told Oreki-kun that he was weird for showing up at the shrine unannounced and he didn't think much of it. He said he was simply taking a walk. Maybe he didn't have a destination in mind, but I still think it's funny that he landed in a place where Eru is. Sometimes I see how traditional Eru can be, and I have to hype myself up to nudge her as a way to break the ice. It's a lot of work, I wonder if I could just yell at them and say, 'Stop being awkward, do something, you fools!',"

"That may be pushing it, Juumonji-san. You have to let them come to their own terms." Satoshi says, letting out another chuckle.

"Maybe you're right." Juumonji sighs, letting the moment linger. "Maybe I'll just let them be and see how things go," Then she smiles, resting her hands on the table, fingers splayed out.

Satoshi smiles back, a genuine one. After all, he knows, Juumonji would do just about anything to help Chitanda enjoy her youth.

;;

end

;;

Notes 1: Considering how Chitanda had prayed for the Cultural Festival to go well, I think she'd pray for the chances of her uncle's mystery to be solved too. And who lives at a shrine? Ya gurl Kaho Juumonji!

I really like their friendship. Juumonji is the only person in the show who calls Chitanda by her first name 'Eru' and I think their friendship needs to be explored more because it's cute and has potential! If you think I'm making Juumonji's personality 80% Divination, it's because I want it to be! A tribute to my Harry Potter AU because I'm stumped on the last one-shot for the series.

I encourage you to read The Long Holiday;Juumonji really shines as a OrekiChitanda shipper.

Notes 2: I still think the funniest thing I discovered while Googling 'new school year for Japanese schools' is the gap between middle school and high school.

When we first see Houtarou in Ep 1, he's being all philosophical about a rose colour life and he's all "I will chain myself to this gray existence." And you think it's hella deep, but then you tinker around a bit and reality sets in. Spring break is ten days. Which means somewhere during those barely two week vacation, Houtarou must have gone into some really deep thinking and decided to lay down a three year plan to do absolutely nothing. (You know he wouldn't spend his energy during exams thinking about anything more than just his tests, he wouldn't expand himself that much)

I know a rose colour lifestyle is very ingrained in Japanese culture, but it still makes me laugh. Ten days, Oreki. Chill, bro. (But now I get why Summer vacation is so precious!)

Notes 3: I also want to explore Satoshi and Juumonji's relationship as classmates and Juumonji's position as a member of Satoshi's Exponential Four Clan thingy.

I sort of want to make a sad version of this fic where Satoshi thinks Juumonji is approaching him because he thinks that she thinks that he's special but she only wants to pair Oreki and Chitanda up and need Satoshi's help in terms of data, so Satoshi gets frustrated and kinda sad and disappointed at the failed expectation …

Why am I like this?

— 9 April 2020