Now that I think about it, what does the Classics Club do anyway? The only students that do know what it does are no longer with the school, and I couldn't be bothered to ask the teachers about it. I could ask my sister about it, but unfortunately she's in Beirut. Still, while it's rare to have a club that does not know what it does, there are plenty of clubs whose existence can only be classified as a mystery, so it's not something worth fretting about.
It has been a month since the resurrection of the Classics Club. The club room - the Geology Room - was no longer a private space, but it was still a relaxing spot. It was a place where I could kill some time after school whenever I'm feeling bored. Satoshi might be inside. Or Chitanda might be inside. Or both of them might be inside. Or not. It doesn't really matter either way. We could choose to converse, or we could also choose to keep quiet. Satoshi was the sort that could calmly endure silence to begin with, while our lady Chitanda was the sort of graceful lady befitting of her image, as long as she doesn't let her curiosity explode. Therefore, while unintentional, this club appears more like a leisure club than a school club.
Thus I do not get weary even amidst their company, since I was never apprehensive of other people to begin with, though Satoshi does sometimes mistake that I am.
Today was a drizzly day, and I was inside with Chitanda. I was leaning back on a chair by the window, reading a cheap paperback while Chitanda sat at the front of the room reading a thick book for some reason. One would say this was a sluggish afternoon after school.
Looking at the clock, I noticed only 30 minutes had passed. The time that was spent unconsciously was still short. Although you could say I was feeling quite relaxed, that isn't exactly correct. Rather, it was because I was feeling nervous and stressful that I had to enter into a state of relaxation. I'm really just consciously trying to extend my energy saving mode for as long as possible, that's all.
The silence was only broken by the sound of pages turning and the raindrops outside.
"..."
I'm getting sleepy now. I think I'll go home as soon as the rain stops.
Thud The sound of a book closing was heard, as Chitanda, who sat in front with her back facing towards me, sighed and said,
"How barren."
While she wasn't looking at me, it was clear she was speaking to me rather than to herself. Though I had no idea how to respond to her sudden comment. Anyway, I'll try asking.
"What? The crops in your family farmland?"
"Those have two crops."
Chitanda answered as though reading it out and turned around,
"And they're semi-annual. So it's hardly barren."
"As expected of a lady of a farmland owner."
"No, there's no need to praise me..."
The sound of rain, followed by silence.
"No, that's not what I was saying."
"You were saying something about 'barren'."
"Yes, that. It's barren."
"What is?"
Chitanda looked firmly at me, and then raised her right arm as though showing the whole room,
"All this time spent after lessons. We don't seem to have any purpose or do anything productive at all."
Of course, this was merely a way to kill time, not to produce anything. I closed my paperback and looked up towards her,
YOU ARE READING
Hyouka vol.1
Mystery / Thrillerthis story isn't mine, I just wrote the English version of the Hyouka novel, for people that want to read the novel but can't find the English or the novel itself.
