Lonely Rock for the Blind.

Page 442

Nekoyashiki Haru continued to question him.

“I understand you… Hiroi Kikuri…”

"What makes you think you know me?!"

Hiroi Kikuri said urgently, as if her tail had been stepped on.

"You were the one who approached me first? You, Kikuri Hiroi, have the audacity to claim you understand me! Why can't I say I understand you now?!"

"!"

"You're the one who approached me and befriended me! You're the one who did it all, right, Kiku? So tell me now! Why are you avoiding me!"

"... "

Haa... Haa... Haa...

Hiroi Kikuri was breathing heavily.

The boy was looking directly at him.

Those eyes, which could see nothing, rendered him unable to move.

Hiroi Kikuri opened her mouth.

"…I…"

"I...I just see you're too happy...and I'm not happy about it...is that okay?"

"...Why do you feel uncomfortable seeing me happy...?"

Nekoyashiki Haru's voice softened.

"Why...Kikuri?"

"...What do you want me to say...?"

Hiroi Kikuri trembled.

"How am I supposed to answer you? Seeing your friend so happy, and then hiding away from him... How am I supposed to explain this?"

"Just explain it like that!"

"Nekoyashiki Haru shouted."

"Okay... I'll explain... because... because the person who makes you happy isn't me!"

Kikuri Hiroi said.

"The person who makes you happy... isn't me! I'm not the one who makes you happy! That's why I'm upset!"

Hiroi Kikuri continued shouting, hysterically replying to Nekoyashiki Haru.

"I want to see you need me! I want to see you can't live without me! But I didn't see that! You were smiling so happily! Your personality had warmed up too! These are things I couldn't do... things I couldn't do! So I hid! I hid like a coward... Don't see me like this... I don't want you to see me like this! So I'm hiding from you!!!"

"Kikuri..."

"I...I...I'm afraid of reality...afraid that you've already left me...wouldn't it be better if I just got drunk? Wouldn't it be better if I just stayed drunk like this?"

"... "

"Please, Qing... go away... let me stay here..."

Large tears streamed down Hiroi Kikuri's cheeks.

"…don't want."

Haruto Nekoyashiki refused Kikuto Hiroi's request.

Everything in Hiroi Kikuri paused at this moment.

The boy's voice then rang out.

"I already asked you, Kikuri, you lied to me, didn't you..."

Nekoyashiki Haru closed her eyes.

Then slowly open your eyes.

"Kiku-nee, do you like me?"

"!"

Hiroi Kikuri trembled, trembled and trembled…

"me…"

"I like you, Kiku-san."

"Nekoyashiki Haru took a deep breath and said."

"I will care about you, I will miss you, I will worry about you, so... I like you."

"... "

"I'm sorry, I didn't pay attention to my own feelings before, but now I do."

"...So I'm very clear that I...have no misunderstandings or confusion about my feelings! I just like you!"

"...So, Kiku-nee...what's your answer to this scumbag of a person like me?"

Thump…

dong dong dong...

Boom boom boom boom...

My heart started pounding.

The silvery light slowly faded from Hiroi Kikuri's eyes.

Hiroi Kikuri opened her mouth.

"Reality...is terrifying..."

"... "

"The future world is terrifying, my future... a future without light..."

"... "

"I'm not a good person... I always cause trouble for everyone, I always just carelessly walk away, even though... even though I feel guilty, I just can't change... because I'm really... so afraid of reality..."

"... "

"It's fear... Alcohol gives me a sense of security and the courage to ignore everything."

"... "

That's why I...

"Sister Kikuri!"

Nekoyashiki Haru interrupted Hiroi Kikuri.

Hiroi Kikuri looked at Nekoyashiki Haru with trembling eyes.

"I... will be your wine."

"...Huh?"

Hiroi Kikuri was stunned.

“I’ll be your source of security, Kiku-nee.”

Haru Nekoyashiki hugged Kikuto Hiroi, and the warm embrace made Kikuto Hiroi stiffen all over.

"Don't worry about your future, I will take care of it. Don't be afraid of your reality, I will protect it. Don't be afraid of hurting others, when the time comes, I will make amends with you. So, Kiku-nee, answer me..."

Nekoyashiki Haru took a deep breath.

"do you like me?"

"…I…"

Kikuri Hiroi clenched her fist.

"…I like…"

Hiroi Kikuri hugged Nekoyashiki Haru tightly, pulling her close.

"I like you! I like you so much! I've liked you for a long time! But... but I've always been afraid of holding you back! I'm afraid I'm not good enough for you! I'm afraid I can't make you happy! I was the one who pushed you away, and now I'm throwing a tantrum at you... to tell you I like you even after all this... you're already my favorite!!!"

"...That's enough..."

Haru Nekoyashiki cupped Kikuri Hiroi's face in her hands.

Then, their lips met.

A very, very long time...

And so, a very long time passed.

The two then slowly separated.

"...Kikuri-nee...?"

The moment Nekoyashiki Haru's voice rang out, Hiroi Kikuri pushed him to the ground.

boom!

"...You...you asked for this...you said you'd give me a sense of security..."

Kikuto Hiroi said, lying on Haru Nekoyashiki's body.

“…Then…give me a sense of security…”