Hyouka - Volume 03 - The Kudryavka Sequence - Welcome to KANYA FESTA! (1)

not see it and tell myself such a masterpiece doesn't exist. But it just couldn't
let me be. Who would have thought a copy sold in last year's Kanya Festival
would end up reappearing in the hands of a first year? And during Kanya
Festival to boot.
"...... It must be fate,"
Sempai said while putting the cap back on her pen. As though leaping, she
pushed herself away from the handrail. Waving her hand, she headed towards
the school building. Without looking at me, she said,
"I'm sorry that you went through the trouble of showing me this, but I won't
read it. Since it's not yours, you'll have to return it to its owner. Because, you
know?
"If I read it, I'll have to call her. And I'd have to say 'I read it, it was amazing!
I look forward to your next piece!' That's not something I'd want to say, you
know?"
I wasn't able to stop Kouchi-sempai from leaving. Walking lightly as though
nothing had happened, she disappeared from my sight. All this time, she
never saw me in the face.
It was then I noticed the doodle that she had scribbled on the handrail. It was
a semi-deformed character, an anthropomorphic cat. He wasn't wearing
anything in particular except for a pair of baggy boots...... I realized I had
seen this character before, and I whispered,
"This is...... from Body Talk,"
I see.
So that's why.
Both of my treasured mangas Ashes at Dusk and Body Talk were amazing.
But if I had to choose one out of those two, I would have to pick Ashes at
Dusk after some agonizing.
And I realized Kouchi-sempai would also come to the same conclusion.