Lonely Rock for the Blind.

"Xiao Qing... um, sorry to bother you again, haha..."

Inside Nekoyashiki Haru's rented room, Hiroi Kikuri said apologetically to Nekoyashiki Haru.

"It's alright... Shima and Eliza won't let you stay here, Kiku-nee?"

"Guh... Kiku-ri-nee..."

Because she hadn't heard such a respectful address in a long time, Kikuri Hiroi couldn't help but cry out in emotion.

"It can't be that bad, can it..."

Nekoyashiki Haru sighed.

"Have you got a meal yet?"

"No…"

"Let's order takeout then, it's on me."

"Are you going to treat me to dinner again? I was right to bother you for so long back then!"

"You... never mind..."

Haru Nekoyashiki opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end she gave up.

Hiroi Kikuri followed Nekoyashiki Haru into the room.

"Oh dear... the last time I came was... um..."

"Last Wednesday, were you so drunk that you can't even remember this little thing?"

Nekoyashiki Haru sat down at the small table.

"Your memory is terrible."

"So verbose!"

"Hiroi Kikuri called out, then looked at Nekoyashiki Haru's ears."

Where's your earring?

“That kind of thing was fake to begin with. After you woke me up, I understand a little bit more about it.”

Nekoyashiki Haru shook her head.

There's no need to pursue fake things.

"... "

Hiroi Kikuri blinked.

"What I said...had such a profound impact on you..."

"Huh? You're saying this to me now?"

Nekoyashiki Haru took off her sunglasses, her purple, shattered pupils narrowing in displeasure.

"Why do you think I call you Sister Kikuri?!"

"Hehe...Isn't that because you respect me? I haven't felt respected like this in a long, long time...Ah! I used to have Yuyuko too, but now it seems like she doesn't want to talk to me anymore, and she's always following you around."

"...Because you behaved too improperly."

"Nekoyashiki Haru said."

"If you drink less alcohol and are more composed, everyone will know that you are actually a very capable person."

"Hmm... never mind then, I guess I just can't give up alcohol..."

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru squinted and didn't say anything.

ding dong~

The doorbell rang, and Kikuri Hiroi looked up and behind her.

"I'll go open the door."

Hiroi Kikuri ran to the door with a thud, and a little while later she ran back with a thud.

"The takeout is here! That was fast!"

"...What did you buy?"

"I'll give Hiroi Kikuri the complete right to decide what takeout to order," asked Nekoyashiki Haru.

"Hehe, it's alcohol~"

"I knew it..."

"And there are snacks to go with the drinks!"

Kikuri Hiroi sat down at the small table and slowly arranged the takeout orders.

Would you like a drink?

"Otherwise? I'll just eat it all?"

Nekoyashiki Haru reached out unhappily, and Hiroi Kikuri handed the sake to Nekoyashiki Haru.

Pfft…

Glug glug glug~

Nekoyashiki Haru lowered her head.

Hiroi Kikuri also tilted her head back and drank shochu.

"Why did Kiku-san drink?"

Nekoyashiki suddenly asked.

"Hmm? Because we're going to perform live on stage..."

Hiroi Kikuri is holding a bottle of shochu.

"I didn't have the guts to go on stage back then, so I relied on drinking to bolster my courage."

Kikuri Hiroi said.

"Only in this way can I perform on stage. Thinking about it carefully, I'm quite pathetic."

"...This isn't pathetic, is it? If you're pathetic, what am I...?"

Nekoyashiki Haru shook her head.

"To be honest, I'm too old to drink alcohol."

"Since you've already drunk it, there's nothing you can do about it."

Hiroi Kikuri laughed.

"It's all your fault..."

"Nekoyashiki Haru said irritably."

"It's all because you took me drinking that I've become like this."

"Hehe... So tell me, is the wine good or not?"

"It doesn't taste good..."

"Nekoyashiki Haru said, then took a sip of her drink."

"But I don't dislike it."

"... "

Hiroi Kikuri narrowed her eyes.

"I understand. I didn't like the taste of alcohol at first either, but when I got drunk, I didn't need to think about many things."

"...That's pure escapism."

"Nekoyashiki Haru said."

"Yes, I'm running away. After all, once I sober up, all those worries will come rushing back. Xiao Qing has seen... no, heard of what I look like when I'm sober, right?"

"Ah...it's very troublesome."

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded.

"This was the first time I'd ever known you had so many worries."

"So, if I don't run away from it, I think I'll die of anxiety."

Hiroi Kikuri shook the shochu.

"Even if you run away, the problems will still come. When that happens, you can just keep running away."

"... "

"Keep running away, keep running away, that's also a way to solve the problem."

"...You're really twisted."

"Haha, that's how adults are."

Hiroi Kikuri touched Nekoyashiki Haru's sake bottle with her own.

"Let's continue!"

"... "

Glug glug glug...

As the alcohol flowed into my stomach, the room gradually became filled with its aroma.

Their minds became increasingly confused.

Before anyone knew it, the ground was covered with empty bottles.

"So... those guys don't understand at all! That's real rock! And they're saying I don't respect the audience!"

"...Hmm...I understand what you mean..."

"Xiao Qing, wasn't it the same last time? Someone commented that you were swearing!"