#the fact that i'm writing a character analysis for Hyouka in the freaking two thousand twenty four

[the-classics-club-anthology]

I have this headcanon that Oreki is aro-ace or at least on the ace spectrum. Why do I think that? I'm not sure. I may be massively projecting here because I first watched the show at a time I was Going Through Stuff re: my sexuality. But. Even after rewatching it so many years later, it still seems to me that there's something about Oreki's reactions to Chitanda that look like he's more embarassed that anything else. Or, at least, there's a very strong sense of "I shouldn't be feeling like this." Which, given the circumstances, is pretty reasonable. But you combine that with Oreki's not wanting to be in romantic relationships, his feeling constantly conflicted about Chitanda, him constantly referring to himself as different. It's obvious that he's quite ambivalent towards romance and sexuality.

You could make the argument that Oreki is just not used to this kind of stuff. The attention Chitanda gives him is wholly new to him, and he doesn't yet know how to deal with it. And yeah, that could be. However. The ending, to me, indicates otherwise. I know everyone hates that the show was so open ended. Why didn't Oreki confess when he clearly wanted to? When he liked Chitanda so much that he wanted to spend his whole life with her? But if you look at it from this angle, it makes much more sense. The show is about Oreki finding himself, and accepting himself for who he is. And he does. He realises what he really wants, and that is to be with the people who care about him. And he allows himself to care about them too. He also realises that if he said what he was thinking out loud to Chitanda, she would most definitely take it as a confession. But Oreki still doesn't want a romantic relationship. It's just that right now, he doesn't really have any other way of expressing it. So he just. Doesn't say anything. His relationship with Chitanda has been more about actions than words anyway. He thinks that she'll get it, in time. She understands him in a way that even he didn't understand himself. So for now, he's just content to quietly be at her side.