“I’m curious.”
He was used to hearing her spouting this phrase off at every little mystery, at every tiny unsolved event. But he was not used to her whispering it with a voice that shook a bit with uncertainty, and with eyes that were more focused on her feet than on the expression crossing his face.
Everyday there was usually at least one thing that Chitanda did that he simply had no idea what to make of it. But, when she stated that she was curious, he usually knew what that entitled, he usually knew where she was going with her question and answer session. This time though, he had no idea what she was curious about. She was invading his personal space, as per usual, but her normal enthusiasm was being tamed by some kind of insecurity, some form of embarrassment that simply made no sense to him.
“I-I’m curious.”
Her repeating this phrase was also nothing particularly special, she usually repeated it over and over again until he finally relented and she saw something in his expression that showed her that he had. But, today she stuttered and her eyes, while they had moved up from staring at her feet, were staring at his chest, rather than his face. In order to get her to move beyond the phrase “I’m curious,” she was going to have him ask her about it. She was going to have him exert some of his low level energy.
The thought bothered him a bit, but all he did was give a small and short sigh, and then he was fine. Because, for some reason, when it came to Chitanda, he really did not mind giving into and appeasing her curiosity, in fact, a small part of him even liked it. He liked it because he felt as if he was experiencing one of those rose-colored high school moments that he always heard and read about, and which Satoshi always went on and on about. Clearing his throat slightly Oreki asked, “So, you want my help to figure something out?”
“Yes…” Chitanda’s voice trailed off as she answered him.
Her lack of fervor in her answer unsettled him a bit, but he carried on, “What is it that you can’t get off your mind; another missing book incident?”
She shook her head, a bit wildly, which made him think that, perhaps, her usual eagerness would return, but instead she just mumbled out a no.
“What is it then? What are you curious about?”
He watched as her eyes scrunched shut and she stated, calmly and strong, though quietly, “You.”
“Wha–!?” The word flew out of his mouth, his eyes widened, and his body automatically started to take a step back.
There went all of his low level energy.
And now, he was certain, this was a rose-colored high school experience. One that he never anticipated nor one that he was prepared for…
Her eyes were making contact with his face now, but they were not focused on his eyes or expression…They were focused on his lips.
“Wha…What are you…?” He tried to ask her what she was planning, what mystery about himself she wanted to solve, though he had an inkling and that inkling…It confused him.
But she just shushed him by placing her forefinger over his lips, “Please, Oreki-san, just calm down and stay still like that, if you do that then you’ll be able to help me figure out this mysterious feeling I get because of you…I think.” Her eyes were nervous, but they had, at the very least, moved away from his lips and were now looking directly into his. They were shinning with that twinkling desire to know, and even if he wanted to move away, he could not. Her eyes did this every time and, after having used up all of his low level energy moments before; he had no strength to even fight it.
A part of him even wondered if he wanted to fight it. But, before he could even really think about this and debate with himself over it, her soft lips were over his. His body froze. This was not something he ever thought about experiencing in high school. This was something that happened to people with high energy, to people who were involved and “busy,” like Satoshi. Not him.
And, before he even knew it, her lips were gone.
His eyes started roaming everywhere and anywhere, except at Chitanda. He could not look at her. Still, he felt her rest her body against his, her ear pressed against his chest, and he chanced a glance downward. Her eyes were closed. That was just for a brief moment though, and with a contented sigh she backed away.
“Ah, I see. Thank you, Oreki-san. Like always, you fulfilled my curiosity and helped me figure out my mystery.” Her voice and smile were confident as she told him this.
His Adam ’s apple simply bobbed up and down as he gulped. He did not get it; he did nothing, so how had he helped her in anyway? Chitanda picked up on his puzzlement with a quick stare. Her ability to read his facial expressions impressed him, scared him, and made him a bit happy all at the same time.
“Oreki-san, you are very good at figuring out mysteries. So, I think, you should be able to figure this one out, too.” That was what she left him with; as she scurried away, her face –he noted- was slightly blushed and she was carrying her book bag with tightened fingers.
Once she had left the empty classroom that was used for the Classic Literature Club, Oreki allowed himself to fall down to floor in a heap. He was exhausted and still had no idea what mystery he had just solved for the black haired girl with the mesmerizing eyes. He let out a loud and heavy sigh then, closed his eyes, and figured he would figure it out tomorrow.
“I’m curious.”
He was used to hearing her spouting this phrase off at every little mystery, at every tiny unsolved event. But he was not used to her whispering it with a voice that shook a bit with uncertainty, and with eyes that were more focused on her feet than on the expression crossing his face.
Everyday there was usually at least one thing that Chitanda did that he simply had no idea what to make of it. But, when she stated that she was curious, he usually knew what that entitled, he usually knew where she was going with her question and answer session. This time though, he had no idea what she was curious about. She was invading his personal space, as per usual, but her normal enthusiasm was being tamed by some kind of insecurity, some form of embarrassment that simply made no sense to him.
“I-I’m curious.”
Her repeating this phrase was also nothing particularly special, she usually repeated it over and over again until he finally relented and she saw something in his expression that showed her that he had. But, today she stuttered and her eyes, while they had moved up from staring at her feet, were staring at his chest, rather than his face. In order to get her to move beyond the phrase “I’m curious,” she was going to have him ask her about it. She was going to have him exert some of his low level energy.
The thought bothered him a bit, but all he did was give a small and short sigh, and then he was fine. Because, for some reason, when it came to Chitanda, he really did not mind giving into and appeasing her curiosity, in fact, a small part of him even liked it. He liked it because he felt as if he was experiencing one of those rose-colored high school moments that he always heard and read about, and which Satoshi always went on and on about. Clearing his throat slightly Oreki asked, “So, you want my help to figure something out?”
“Yes…” Chitanda’s voice trailed off as she answered him.
Her lack of fervor in her answer unsettled him a bit, but he carried on, “What is it that you can’t get off your mind; another missing book incident?”
She shook her head, a bit wildly, which made him think that, perhaps, her usual eagerness would return, but instead she just mumbled out a no.
“What is it then? What are you curious about?”
He watched as her eyes scrunched shut and she stated, calmly and strong, though quietly, “You.”
“Wha–!?” The word flew out of his mouth, his eyes widened, and his body automatically started to take a step back.
There went all of his low level energy.
And now, he was certain, this was a rose-colored high school experience. One that he never anticipated nor one that he was prepared for…
Her eyes were making contact with his face now, but they were not focused on his eyes or expression…They were focused on his lips.
“Wha…What are you…?” He tried to ask her what she was planning, what mystery about himself she wanted to solve, though he had an inkling and that inkling…It confused him.
But she just shushed him by placing her forefinger over his lips, “Please, Oreki-san, just calm down and stay still like that, if you do that then you’ll be able to help me figure out this mysterious feeling I get because of you…I think.” Her eyes were nervous, but they had, at the very least, moved away from his lips and were now looking directly into his. They were shinning with that twinkling desire to know, and even if he wanted to move away, he could not. Her eyes did this every time and, after having used up all of his low level energy moments before; he had no strength to even fight it.
A part of him even wondered if he wanted to fight it. But, before he could even really think about this and debate with himself over it, her soft lips were over his. His body froze. This was not something he ever thought about experiencing in high school. This was something that happened to people with high energy, to people who were involved and “busy,” like Satoshi. Not him.
And, before he even knew it, her lips were gone.
His eyes started roaming everywhere and anywhere, except at Chitanda. He could not look at her. Still, he felt her rest her body against his, her ear pressed against his chest, and he chanced a glance downward. Her eyes were closed. That was just for a brief moment though, and with a contented sigh she backed away.
“Ah, I see. Thank you, Oreki-san. Like always, you fulfilled my curiosity and helped me figure out my mystery.” Her voice and smile were confident as she told him this.
His Adam ’s apple simply bobbed up and down as he gulped. He did not get it; he did nothing, so how had he helped her in anyway? Chitanda picked up on his puzzlement with a quick stare. Her ability to read his facial expressions impressed him, scared him, and made him a bit happy all at the same time.
“Oreki-san, you are very good at figuring out mysteries. So, I think, you should be able to figure this one out, too.” That was what she left him with; as she scurried away, her face –he noted- was slightly blushed and she was carrying her book bag with tightened fingers.
Once she had left the empty classroom that was used for the Classic Literature Club, Oreki allowed himself to fall down to floor in a heap. He was exhausted and still had no idea what mystery he had just solved for the black haired girl with the mesmerizing eyes. He let out a loud and heavy sigh then, closed his eyes, and figured he would figure it out tomorrow.
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