Lonely Rock for the Blind.

She said that only my place was willing to take her in.

"Ha...you've really had it tough, getting stuck with her."

Iwashita Shima stepped forward and patted Hiroi Kikuri's belly hard.

"Hey, wake up! Don't cause trouble for others!"

"Ugh..."

Kikuri Hiroi frowned, then turned over and went back to sleep.

"You rascal..."

Shima Iwashita's lips twitched, and she couldn't help but clench her fists.

"...Miss Shima and Sister Kiku are really good friends."

On the bed, the boy's voice made Iwashita Shima pause slightly.

"Ok?"

"It feels like no matter what, Ms. Shima is always there to clean up Kiku's messes."

Nekoyashiki Haru smiled.

"It's enviable."

"...Haa..."

Iwashita Shima sighed and sat down on the other side of the bed.

"There's no other way. We can't just watch her fall into depravity alone, can we?"

Iwashita Shima stared blankly at Hiroi Kikuri, who was sleeping soundly on the floor, her wine-red eyes slightly glazed over.

"...Meeting her was really my bad luck."

"is it?"

Nekoyashiki Haru paused for a moment, seemingly quite surprised.

"She wasn't like this at first. She used to be troublesome, but at least she was as cute as a little animal. Now... sigh..."

"Why does Kiku-san like drinking so much?"

Nekoyashiki asked again.

"...Who knows? It started as a way to bolster my courage, but it ended up like this without me even realizing it."

"...Kiku-san did mention a few things to me, saying that after drinking, you won't think about many of your worries."

"Nekoyashiki Haru said."

"... "

Iwashita Shima paused for a moment, then spoke.

"But those things won't just disappear like that."

She sighed again.

"It's so annoying... Whether she's drunk or I'm cleaning up her mess, it's all so annoying."

"But Ms. Shima didn't just abandon her."

Nekoyashiki Haru leaned against the wall.

"...There's nothing I can do..."

Iwashita Shima raised her head, then turned to look at Nekoyashiki Haru.

"Oh, right."

"Ok?"

Nekoyashiki Haru turned her head.

"You... are completely different from when we first met."

"…Yeah?"

"Yeah, you were clearly aloof and a bit irritable at first, how come you're so... well, how should I put it? docile now?"

"Is there?"

Nekoyashiki Haru laughed.

"It's just that it's more comfortable to get along this way."

"...Don't you have your original personality?"

Iwashita Shima continued to ask.

"Of course I am. I'm not some... empty robot... cough cough, if you need, I can restore myself."

Nekoyashiki Haru lowered her head and pondered for a while.

"Could you please take that annoying drunkard from your band and get out of my house?"

Nekoyashiki Haru said coldly.

"it is good."

Iwashita Shima nodded and moved closer to Hiroi Kikusato.

"Wait, wait, wait! I was just kidding! I didn't really mean to kick you out!"

Nekoyashiki Haru quickly reached out to stop her.

"…hehe."

Iwashita Shima chuckled softly a few times.

Then she continued to look at Kikuto Hiroi.

"But, it's not a good idea to keep her lying down all the time."

"Hmm... but we can't wake her up. Miss Shima, why don't you wait here for a while?"

"Ah."

Iwashita Shima sat down again.

Do you have any ingredients here?

"Miss Shima, would you like to cook?"

"Hmm, I could make some dishes to help with hangovers..."

"Sorry, no."

Nekoyashiki Haru shook her head.

"That's true...it's too dangerous for you to cook."

Iwashita Shima nodded.

"By the way, you know you can't drink, right?"

"I know, but it's okay if nobody knows."

Nekoyashiki Haru continued.

"If this would make Kiku-san a little happier."

"If you let her get away with this, she'll take advantage of you."

"It's alright, I'm the same as you, Ms. Shima."

"Nekoyashiki Haru replied."

"...Just like me?"

Iwashita Shima paused for a moment.

"Yes, just like you, I want to take care of her..."

Nekoyashiki Haru opened her mouth.

"Ah, it just means to give in to her a little bit when we're together."

"Yeah…"

Iwashita Shima pursed her lips.

"Actually, sometimes I'm quite disappointed in myself."

"why?"

"Nekoyashiki Haru asked."

“Even with me by your side, Kiku has still turned out like this.”

Iwashita Shima tilted his head.

"Where exactly did we go wrong?"

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with it, right?"

Nekoyashiki Haru faced Iwashita Shima.

"The fact that things turned out this way is entirely a personal problem. Isn't Ms. Shima taking too much responsibility for herself?"

"...Why are you taking this so seriously? I was just kidding."

Iwashita Shima narrowed his eyes.

"But we still have to keep an eye on her. She doesn't have many friends, and the band is practically her whole life in this city."

"I'll help out."

"Nekoyashiki Haru replied."

“…Ugh…”

Iwashita Shima frowned.

"I'm telling you... don't fall for this guy."