Lonely Rock for the Blind.

Nekoyashiki Haru's voice was filled with doubt.

"But it wasn't old enough... so it was refurbished."

"Ichi Nijika said with her eyes closed."

Do you know where you are?

Then the girl opened her eyes and asked.

"…Um."

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded.

"We've played here before."

"Yeah... but actually we haven't played here that many times, so it wasn't until I saw it that I remembered we'd been here before."

The dust dripping into the park shimmered in the sunlight, like the ever-churning, boiling water of time, now transformed into stardust, gently rippling.

It wasn't winter then, it was summer.

The children had a park that was considered authoritative at that time.

It's big enough, and there are plenty of facilities.

The children all go there, but many of them don't actually like going there; it's just that their parents like it.

So, the children without parents went to the deserted park.

It was a tiny park that seemed to be surviving like a parasite in the cracks of Shimokitazawa.

The girl and the boy walked under the scorching summer sun.

"Kitten, shovel!"

The girl squatted in the sandpit and built a tower with water and sand.

The boy next to him obediently handed over the shovel.

The girl pointed to the tower in front of her.

Do you know what this is?

"…volcano?"

The boy thought for a moment before answering.

"No, no! It's a tower!"

The girl shook her head in dissatisfaction.

"This is a tower, a tower where people can live."

"...But it doesn't look like it."

The girl looked at the boy with dissatisfaction.

He always blurts out truths that aren't very pleasant to hear.

"I know it's not like..."

The girl was using a shovel to refine the details.

"But you can think of it as a tower! Or a building! Or... or..."

"Family?"

"I asked the boy."

"Yes! Home!"

The girl nodded in satisfaction.

"You'll be living here from now on."

"...I can't move in."

"Then my sister and I will stay inside! We won't bring you, little cat!"

"Neither you nor Sister Xingge can move in."

The boy told the truth.

"... "

The girl pouted, then shoveled the sand tower down, and looked at the boy behind her with displeasure.

Then I saw the boy's slightly smiling expression.

"Are you kidding me?!"

The girl realized what was happening.

"I'm just telling the truth."

The boy answered.

"Gurgle..."

The girl stomped her foot angrily, then climbed up the slide next to her.

The boy walked to the end of the slide and waited.

The girl slid down the slide, her expression still showing dissatisfaction.

But when she saw the boy waiting at the finish line, the girl couldn't help but smile.

She slid down the slide and then slid straight toward the boy.

Then she reached out her hand to the boy…

Hold me.

Sitting at the top of the slide, Ichiji Nigatsu stretched out her hands to Nekoyashiki Haru standing in front of her and made a request.

In the void of vision, the color yellow rose up.

"Ah."

Nekoyashiki Haru bent down and picked up Ijichi Nijika.

Ijichi Nijika's legs were placed on Nekoyashiki Haru's hands, and then the girl reached out and wrapped her arms around the boy's neck.

"I thought it would be more difficult for you to hug me."

"Ichi Nijika, who was being picked up, rested her head on Nekoyashiki Haru's shoulder and said."

"No, I've been eating properly ever since I got back."

"Nekoyashiki Haru said."

Ichiji Nijika trembled slightly, then asked.

Do you want to play?

"I'm too big."

"Nekoyashiki Haru said."

"The slide is too short for me."

"...But I want to watch you play."

Nijika leaned close to Nekoyashiki Haru's ear and gently breathed in the warm air.

"I want to watch you play, can you grant me my little wish?"

"... "

"I've never seen you play on this slide, neither before nor now; you've always just waited for me at the end."

"Hmm...I understand..."

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded gently.

Nijika Ichichi got off Nekoyashiki Haru, then took Nekoyashiki Haru's hand and pulled him behind the slide.

Do you want me to help you climb up?

"Ichi Niji Natsumi asked."

"Need not."

Nekoyashiki Haru shook her head in refusal, then climbed up.

Ichi Nijika pursed her lips and then ran to the end of the slide.

"...I'm waiting for you here now."

She raised her voice.

Nekoyashiki Haru used her hands to propel herself down the slide.

Ichi Nijika watched the boy move towards the finish line.

Biting down on his lower lip with his teeth.

She suddenly felt very apologetic, and also felt a strange resentment.

Nekoyashiki Haru stretched out her hands toward the girl in front of her.

"Can you hold me?"

"I probably can't pick up... the kitten..."

Ichi Nijika gently crouched down and hugged Nekoyashiki Haru.

"I can only hug you, but I can't lift you up."

"Yes, I can pick you up."

Nekoyashiki Haru smiled.

"…sorry…"

Ichi Nijika buried her head in the boy's arms.

Why the sudden apology?