“Yes, it was a relief.” Pausing to think of a way to continue the conversation..“Also—” her words were cut off by the whistling of the kettle. Making her way back to the kitchen, she carefully pours the water into the cups with the tea bags. She serves it after placing the cups on a tray. "You might want to give a minute or two, since I just placed the tea bags and all.“ Taking her seat again she looks back at Hakuba,
"Are you still planning to go to Oxford?”
“Ah, yes proper steeping time and all,” Hakuba said, nodding his head with a quirky little smile. It pleased him so much to have the company of such a smart young girl – she even knew proper tea etiquette! Amazing. “Thank you.”
His attention fell to the tea cups themselves, curious and elated, which is precisely why he didn’t find anything odd about the question asked until he’d finished answering it. “Oh, Oxford? Yes, that is still the plan for University, but I suppose we’ll have to see where I end up soon here… lots of variables in the works and all, but it does seem like the best option at this moment…"
Then he paused, blinking, and turned his attention back to the little girl.
"Haibara-chan…” He tilted his head, suspicious. “How did you know that I intended to go to Oxford? Don’t tell me you’ve been reading my magazine interviews~"