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

I see, you have a point. Guess I'll take it.
"Then I suppose you'll be needing this copy of 'Hyouka' for that purpose,"
"You're a shrewd one,"
"We're the ones in trouble here, after all,"
Tanabe smiled bitterly and handed 200 yen over.
"I'll give the signal by making eye contact with you,"
"Understood...... By the way, what's your name?"
Oh dear me, where're my manners? I purposely cleared my throat and
announced,
"Oreki Houtarou, of Class 1-B,"
As we parted ways, Tanabe spoke as though it were nothing,
"You said that the 'Juumoji' Incident was an elaborate hidden message for
Kugayama, right?"
Carrying the shoulder bag, I turned around and said,
"Yeah,"
"And you said that the message was Kugayama had lost The Kudryavka
Sequence,"
"Was I wrong?"
Yet his voice was soft. I could only imagine as to what Tanabe had wanted to
convey to Kugayama.