"Why wouldn't I believe it?" Kotaro Katsura said matter-of-factly, without the slightest hint of timidity. "What we were drinking was oolong tea to begin with..."
"The flammable kind?"
"Yeah..." Kotaro Katsura looked puzzled. "What's wrong with that? It's common knowledge that oolong tea can burn..."
"What kind of common knowledge is that?"
"Isn't it?" Kotaro Katsura looked utterly lost. "This was what that—"
Seeing the innocent, bewildered look on his face, Sogo Doma fell silent. "..."
He could no longer tell whether Katsura Kotaro was just exceptionally good at playing dumb, or simply too much of an airhead.
"You really believed that?" he asked tentatively.
"Why wouldn't I?" Kotaro Katsura still looked as if it were only natural. "This was the result of research by a legitimate club. It had scientific evidence behind it..."
Before he could finish, Sogo Doma was already at a loss. "What scientific evidence!?"
"Though I don't really understand it either..." Kotaro Katsura explained, "doesn't everyone say that things researched at school can't be lies?"
"..." This guy had way too much faith in schools.
"Wait..."
"Hm?" Had he come to his senses, or had he really been playing dumb after all?
"Could they have lied to me? The [Oolong Tea Research Club] isn't a club at your school, or maybe it isn't a legitimate club?"
"..." Was he putting on an act, or was he genuinely this dense? Sogo Doma's head ached. "Our school does have that club, and it is a legitimate club..."
"Then there you have it..." Kotaro Katsura spread his hands. "If it was a conclusion reached through research at school, why wouldn't I believe it?"
"..." It sounded logical and well-supported—my ass. Sogo Doma shot him a sidelong glance. "Katsura Kotaro, have you ever drunk oolong tea that could catch fire?"