Lonely Rock for the Blind.

Page 191

The phone is making a mechanical sound; it's touching the wrong thing.

[Connected]

The phone emitted a mechanical voice; this time it was correct.

[Connection confirmed]

The phone call connected.

【Hey, Haru.】

"...What's wrong...?"

Kiku and I are on our way to Eliza's house. Do you want to come along? Kiku said she can pick you up on the way.

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru remained silent for a moment.

My emotions were in turmoil, with all sorts of doubts colliding within me.

The sparks that flew made Nekoyashiki Haru drift into a daze.

[Hello? Qing? Are you listening?]

"...Ah...um."

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded.

"Come pick me up... I'm right in front of my house, Kiku knows where I am."

OK.

After hanging up the phone, Nekoyashiki Haru looked up.

Occasionally, the sound of passing cars could be heard.

It is not in the darkness of nothingness, but occasionally memories of the past will creep over it.

The car, its shape already twisted; the trees, already twisted.

The repeated processing of these memories shapes them into falsehoods that make one feel comfortable.

Nekoyashiki Haru narrowed her purple, fragmented eyes.

And then...

They stood there, waiting.

...

……

.........

"Ah, Qing."

Leading the dejected Hiroi Kikuri, who was feeling down because she hadn't had any alcohol, Iwashita Shima walked toward Nekoyashiki Haru, who was standing blankly in the distance.

"Shima?"

Nekoyashiki Haru faced the direction from which the sound came.

"Okay, let's go. Eliza said she's going to her house for sukiyaki. It seems she finally caught up with her manuscript."

Iwashita Shima smiled and stepped forward to help Nekoya Shiqing.

Then he suddenly froze for a moment.

As she got closer, she sensed something was wrong.

The deathly silence emanating from Nekoyashiki Haru caused Iwashita Shima's pupils to shrink slightly.

"...Are you in a bad mood?"

"Ah."

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded in response.

Hiroi Kikuri, who was standing next to her, blinked.

"...What happened?"

Iwashita Shima continued to ask.

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru remained silent.

"you…"

Before Iwashita Shima could say anything, Hiroi Kikuri grabbed her and hugged her tightly.

"Alright, alright, Xiao Qing has picked us up. Let's go eat sukiyaki."

"…OK."

Iwashita Shima nodded.

Hiroi Kikuri hesitated for a moment, then gently placed her hand on Nekoyashiki Haru's hand.

"Give me the white cane."

"…Why?"

"Nekoyashiki Haru asked."

"There's no reason why, just give it to me, it'll be easier for me to lead you there."

Hiroi Kikuri exerted a little force, and Nekoyashiki Haru released her cane.

Then they grabbed each other's hands.

"Follow along, slowly."

"Ah."

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded.

Shima Iwashita watched from behind.

Then I followed silently.

Chapter 138 Suppression

"Xiao Qing! I miss you so much!"

As soon as the door opened, Eliza, with her hair tied up, rushed over and hugged Nekoyashiki Haru.

"You have no idea what I've been through these past few days! I've been staying up until 3 a.m. every night to finish this draft! I'm finally done! I'm free!"

"Yes, yes, I understand. Let's go inside. It's so noisy here, the neighbors are going to complain."

As Iwashita Shima spoke, she pushed the group into the house and closed the door behind her.

A small table was set up in the room, and on the table, soup was bubbling away on an induction cooker.

The ingredients were piled high in the oven, their colors vibrant.

The dim, yellowish light swayed precariously from the ceiling. Although I knew it wouldn't fall, it still made Iwashita Shima feel uneasy.

"Aren't you going to change the light bulb?"

"Hmm? I think it's great, don't you think it has a great atmosphere?!"

"Holding the silent Nekoyashiki Haru," Eliza said.

"Well, it does look a little unsettling, but it doesn't really matter."

Kikuri Hiroi said with a smile, then sat down at the small table.

He then pulled a box of Demon Slayer Sake from his pocket.

"Ah...it's finally time for drinks..."

Kikuri Hiroi took a deep breath and muttered to herself.

I've been enduring all day, all for this moment.

Iwashita Shima nodded.

"It's amazing that you actually managed to quit, only taking one box a day... It's not easy for either of us..."

Iwashita Shima recalled the past few days when Hiroi Kikuri had been endlessly lamenting in her ear about the gap between the rich and the poor, the orphan problem, poverty in mountainous areas, and the world situation. Thinking that she would finally be able to stop listening to these things, Iwashita Shima couldn't help but smile.

Eliza pulled Nekoyashiki Haru down to sit, then asked Hiroi Kikuri.

"Kikuri really wants to stay at Haru's place?"

"...I'm sure I'll want to..."

Kikuri Hiroi sighed.

"That's a bathroom with a bathtub!"

"So it's still for the bathroom."

"Iwashita Shima said helplessly, and then sat down next to Hiroi Kikuri."

Hiroi Kikuri took a sip of sake.

"So, Xiao Qing, why are you in a bad mood?"

Eliza was taken aback and looked at Nekoyashiki Haru.

"Are you in a bad mood, Xiao Qing?"

"... "