Lonely Rock for the Blind.

"I forgot..."

Yamada Ryo stated the truth.

"Seriously... I don't think my sister would mind, but if all else fails, you can just send her a box of juice."

"It feels okay."

Yamada Ryo nodded.

"...I thought you'd say something like, 'How can this be! Let's go pick out a gift!'"

"Is this the first day you've met me?"

"...No, this is just wishful thinking on my part."

Ichi Nijika sighed.

"And also... I asked Xiao Xiduo, wasn't it you who suggested following me yesterday?"

"?"

Yamada Ryo glared angrily at Kita Ikuyo, who was hanging stars on a ladder in the distance.

Noticing the gaze, Kita Ikuyo looked at Yamada Ryo.

"... "

With a polite smile, Kita Ikuyo turned her head back to hang up the stars.

"traitor…"

"This is called abandoning darkness and turning to the light."

Ichi Nijika crossed her arms.

"Don't follow me!"

"...I'm following Cat-kun..."

"Such sophistry is useless, it's hopeless."

Ichi Nijika shook her head.

"Besides, it's fine if it's just a regular place... I wasn't doing anything good to begin with, and you guys are following along. If you get caught, it'll be troublesome."

"He wasn't arrested."

"Even if we don't get caught, it's still dangerous. Anyway, let's not do this..."

Before Ichiki Nijika could finish speaking, the door behind them was pushed open.

The group turned around to look.

Goto Ichiri slowly walked in.

Then, a blonde figure followed her in from behind.

"Morning~"

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru paused for a moment, then looked up.

"Eliza?"

"Yes, that's right~"

Eliza pushed the bewildered Goto Ichiri slowly in, then looked at the Christmas tree in the distance and smiled.

"Wow, it's a surprisingly big Christmas tree."

"The price was okay, so I bought it."

Ichiji Hoshika began to explain, and then asked a question.

"Looking for Qing? Is there something you need?"

"It's okay~"

Eliza said with a smile.

"I came here to have some fun because I had nothing else to do!"

Ichi Niji Natsumi paused for a moment, then looked towards the entrance of [Starry Sky].

What are you looking at?

Eliza leaned closer and asked.

"Huh? Ah... I thought Kiku-senpai would come too..."

"Ah, that's true. Generally speaking, it's Kiku who's the one who comes here."

"?"

Nekoyashiki Haru frowned.

"She hasn't come for quite a while."

Ichi Hoshika took over the conversation.

"While this is a good thing, what happened?"

"No, Xiaoju just got completely drunk again."

Eliza replied.

Everyone fell silent.

This answer... is so in line with the character's persona.

Kita Ikuyo climbed down the ladder.

"It has been a while since I last saw her... and I haven't gone to see her either."

Kita Ikuyo suddenly felt a little guilty.

After all, she had given me advice back then, but then she went on a date with her senior and ignored me...

And also...

Kita Ikuyo looked at Nekoyashiki Haru.

Nekoyashiki Haru calmly "gazes" at Eliza in the distance. Although he is invisible, he gives the impression of "gazing" at her.

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru walked forward.

"Eliza".

"Hmm? What's wrong, Xiao Qing?"

Eliza smiled as she looked at Nekoyashiki Haru who was walking over.

"Is there a problem?"

"Let's talk in private."

"Nekoyashiki Haru said."

Ijichi Nigatsu, who was standing next to her, was taken aback.

"I'll be back soon, wait for me."

Nekoyashiki Haru clasped her hands together in prayer to Ijichi Nijika, then took Eliza's hand and walked towards the starry sky.

"... "

Ichi Nijika tilted her head.

Yamada Ryo, who was standing nearby, came over.

"Something happened."

"Hmm, it looks like something's wrong."

Ichi Nijika nodded.

"But Qing didn't tell us, which means it's none of our business."

Goto Ichiri spoke up at this moment.

"That's true. If it were something that concerned us, the kitten would have told us."

Ichi Nijika nodded.

Kita Ikuyo remained silent behind the group.

Its yellow-green eyes stared at the closed "Starry Sky" door, as if it were deep in thought.

...

……

.........

"What's wrong, Xiao Qing? Are you planning to spend Christmas Eve with me?"

Eliza asked with a smile.

"...Eliza came to see me today, right?"

"Nekoyashiki Haru asked."

"Hmm? Why would you think that?"

Eliza asked with a smile.

"I really just thought Folt's place was a little boring, so I came to check it out."

Eliza shook her head and said.

"...Kikuri is in trouble, isn't she?"

"So why do you think that way?"

"[Generally speaking, it's Kiku who's the one who comes here.] You're right, aren't you?"