HOLY SHIT did I even watch Hyouka the first time around?? Almost done with my rewatch and I'm suddenly realizing how brilliant this series is in not only coming up with elaborate mysteries, but showing how Chitanda has had a HUGE influence on Oreki, without even really knowing!

Episode 18 truly solidified it. In short, Chitanda tags along with Oreki to solve a mystery that HE himself wants to crack down on. At the end of the episode, Oreki feels like it was insensitive, or not very mindful of him to feel so proud about finding the truth to it..

bc it had resulted in 2 mountaineers dying. That part about him being mindful. Mindful about other people's feelings. That isn't exactly what Oreki kept in mind whenever he was pushed into these kinds of situations. After all, his motto is that if he needs to do..

something, he will do it as quickly as possible. The old Oreki wouldn't really consider people's feelings, because he only focuses on getting things done. BUT when he meets Chitanda and spends a whole school year trying to fulfill her own curiosity, he starts to become..

more open with the idea of doing things even if they don't have any real purpose. He's always lived this life of simplicity, killing two birds with one stone (mainly for his benefit). But with each episode that requires Oreki to tackle one problem after another, comes a new,

blossoming Oreki. As if Chitanda was the sun and water to help him grow.

In conclusion, they're soulmates and I want a second season of Hyouka.