Lonely Rock for the Blind.

"Ah."

Nekoyashiki Haru responded softly.

Yamada Ryo took a coin out of his pocket.

"There's a fork in the road ahead, left or right."

"Hmm? So what?"

Which way are you going?

Yamada Ryo turned around and asked Nekoyashiki Haru.

"right."

"Then I'll go left, flower or letter?"

"Flip a coin? I'll choose the flower."

"I am a word."

Snapped!

The coin flew high into the air and then spun as it fell.

Yamada Ryo reached out and grasped it.

Is it a flower or a word?

"Nekoyashiki Haru asked."

"flower."

Yamada Ryo put away the coin with the numbers facing up.

"Let's go, to the right."

"it is good."

She took the boy's hand and walked to the right.

That's a small alley.

There was no murder and body disposal site, and no thugs blocking the way.

It's just an ordinary alley.

There were also a few windows with white lights on along the roadside.

The night suddenly made Yamada Ryo feel cold.

"Liang, you have something to say, right? Why don't you just say it?"

Nekoyashiki asked, but Yamada Ryo remained silent and continued to pull Nekoyashiki along.

"... "

Without being urged, Nekoyashiki Haru quietly followed the girl's steps once again.

"Ask after we get out."

"Yamada Ryo said."

"Where are we?"

"The alleyway."

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded, and then fell silent.

The alley is not long.

Because it's just normal social distancing between buildings.

It contains both loneliness and comfort.

As he stepped out of the alley, the city lit up once again in Yamada Ryo's eyes.

Neon lights illuminate this place.

Yamada Ryo opened his mouth.

"How did it feel just now?"

Yamada Ryo asked Nekoyashiki Haru.

"...Hmm, what should I be feeling?"

Nekoyashiki Haru tilted her head.

"I usually treat this as an adventure."

Yamada Ryo squatted down in the corner, pulling Nekoyashiki Haru down with him.

There's a special feeling there.

"I can't feel anything."

"Nekoyashiki Haru said."

"I see."

Yamada Ryo nodded, then looked at the people who occasionally passed by.

"When I came out of the alley, I always felt a sense of disappointment."

"why?"

"Even after passing through the secret passage, we still haven't reached the mysterious location."

Yamada Ryo lowered his head.

"I just took a different route and returned to a place I was already tired of."

Where are we now?

"A commercial street not far from the other side of the starry sky."

"Yamada Ryo said."

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru squinted her eyes.

"You really love surprises."

"I just don't like the ordinary; I don't care about surprises or not."

Are these two different?

“They are different.”

Yamada Ryo looked at Nekoyashiki Haru.

“I hope I can walk through that alley, to places I don’t usually see, and then tomorrow I can tell other people about it and bring them here.”

"Have you ever been to places you don't usually see?"

“At first she came, then she didn’t. I brought Hongxia twice, and then she got tired of coming.”

"After all, it must be very boring for her."

Nekoyashiki Haru smiled, and Yamada Ryo felt a sense of tenderness in seeing Nekoyashiki Haru's smile.

"You care about Hongxia a lot."

Isn't it obvious?

"...But do you really care about Hongxia that much?"

Why do you ask that?

"Nekoyashiki Haru asked."

"... "

Yamada Ryo didn't answer, but instead leaned against the wall behind him.

"Little cat, I said before that you seemed unexpectedly indifferent."

"You did say that."

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded.

Yamada Ryo continued.

"Perhaps it's not indifference."

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru waited for Yamada Ryo's voice.

Are you scared?

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru squinted her eyes.

"To be honest, I don't quite understand what you're talking about."

"Ah."

Yamada Ryo nodded without explaining, but suddenly said something.

“I heard you talking to Pa-san today.”

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru remained silent.

Are you afraid you won't be able to see colors?

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru didn't speak, and neither did Yamada Ryo.

It wasn't until a minute later that Nekoyashiki Haru spoke.