Hello readers! This story is a bit different for me in regards mostly to the way I'm writing it. It's my first real Hyouka FanFiction, my other one was a crossover (I'm proud to say that I'm the only person thus far to have written a crossover for Hyouka!). I plan to write mostly, hopefully, in the style similar to the novels (which I love!), but in reality the characters aren't very different.

Notes:

Genre: Slice of Life/Romance

POV: 1st (Oreki)

Time span: This takes place over the course of almost a year, but it starts in the summer.

Other: I haven't finished reading the novels, but I'm going by what I think will happen later I'm also using the TV show as reference especially for some of the later parts.

I hope you enjoy this and also, please leave comments since this my first time writing a story like this. Thanks!

Once upon a time, I had sat upon my bed in the quaint city of Kamiyama City, pondering what I would think of my high school years ten years later. I was 15 at the time and working through the '"Hyouka" incident'. Only a short time before, I had formed my resolution to keep to an energy-saving mode as much as possible, which I still hold dear to my heart 10 years later. Though, I've learned that it's rarely possible to keep, especially when you begin to have a job, but I still try my best. To be honest, however, it's gone from simply saving energy to just going with the flow. I don't resist changes, I adapt to them. This is how I found my way here, hundreds of miles away from my home city, in Tokyo.

Through a series of events that I won't bother explaining, I've ended up working for a bank in Tokyo. I don't mind the job, I don't have curious girls to distract me, coworkers to prod at my life choices, or affiliates to bother my peaceful mood. I work in my cubicle relatively undisturbed, or, at least, until Satoshi or Ibara decided to come prancing along.

They do this occasionally because they followed me to Tokyo. Oh, and their relationship status now is 'engaged'. It's taken them a long time to settle with each other. Actually that' s mostly speaking for Ibara. She would get irritated and break it off, then feel sorry and get back together with Satoshi, who has been standing waiting for her to make up her mind the entire time. It seems he's gotten his priorities straightened out since that time, so long ago, that we had that talk. They are supposed to be married in April, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, back in Kamiyama City so that Chitanda can attend without too much trouble, but without thought to if it would be difficult for me.

I glanced at the calendar in my cubicle in regards to this event and sighed. It was still a long ways off in the future, this only being June. Because it was June it was cruelly hot outside and everyday it took all the energy and enthusiasm I could summon to get out of bed. But when I go to the office it was always freezing cold so I kept a jacket on hand. And so it was, while bundled up like an Eskimo, that I received a phone call on my work phone. I picked it up and answered it in the usual manner.

"Yo! Hotarou!"

"Satoshi, how many times have I told you not to call me on my work phone?"

"I think this is about the twelfth?"

"Case in point. So what do you want? You're taking up my work time."

"How about taking a week off and coming down to Kamiyama City with us for a festival?"

"Not happening."

"With a response like that, it's a wonder you have any customers."

"Most customers don't call me for unreasonable and ridiculous requests."

"Okay, okay, I get it." I tapped my fingers on the desk impatiently.

"Is this festival really a week long?" I changed the subject back then started typing on my computer to do some research. I never remembered any summer festivals in Kamiyama City before. There was a spring and an autumn festival, but one at this time of year?

"No..."

"Then why would I take a week off? Just because you have a flexible work schedule doesn't mean..."

"It's the Kamiyama High Sports Festival."

"Not interested. I've never like the Sports Festival."

"You sure are a stick in the mud."

"Well sorry."

"How about this, some of the people in a neighborhood are planning on holding a small festival with a few booths for fun. You don't have to dress up, but it would be a fun time to come around a catch up. A lot of people wonder about you Hotarou, and they're curious to see that you're doing these days. So why don't you..." I then heard a shuffling sound as if Satoshi were being pushed off the phone.

"Hi Hotarou!"

"Sis?"

"Yep! This is a request from me! Come down to Kamiyama City this next week, you've been working too hard!"

"Why're you with...?"

"Oops! Gotta go! See you on Sunday!"

"Wai-" Dial tone. This is ridiculous. I refuse to be manipulated by my sister any more. I have a job and a life outside of being her henchman. She can wander around the world all she wants, be my guest but...

"So you're taking the week off for family?" I heard the familiar voice of my boss from behind me.

I smirked to myself. Dang, she moves fast. I turned around and forced my best smile. "Yeah, I suppose so."

"That's good, I've already fill out the form." He handed me the paper, I glanced over it then nodded with fake gratefulness.

"Your sister informed me," he continued, "that your father's health hasn't been very good so you're going to visit him. I hope he gets better, send my regards." Don't just blatantly lie, dad's doing fine, he's living the life fishing in the mountains on retirement! "Also, you've been working very hard for five years without any vacation or sick time, you deserve more time off."

"I'm just doing my job, sir."

He nodded and smiled. "See you in a week!" he waved his hand and walked off.

The next day, Saturday, I slept in to preserve energy then began packing my things, and the day after that I found myself on a train to Kamiyama. I wondered what awaited me with my sister and Satoshi asking me to come back to Kamiyama City. Well I guess it's a nice visit home.