Lonely Rock for the Blind.

A fist came down.

"…I…"

"You self-centered shut-in!"

Snapped!

The fist came down, but it was caught in someone's hand.

"I'm not just concerned about myself anymore!"

Eliza was far stronger than Hiroi Kikuri, and she flipped over to pin Hiroi Kikuri down.

"I came here with a firm resolve!"

Eliza roared at Hiroi Kikuri beneath her.

"Why can't I be happy?! Why can't I let go?! I want to see him smile, I want him to smile because of me! I love him!"

Fuck you!

Hiroi Kikuri grabbed Eliza's hand and bit it hard.

The sharp teeth made Eliza's pupils shrink, and she cried out in pain.

"Ha! You..."

Before Eliza could react, Hiroi Kikuri punched her in the face again.

boom!

Eliza fell to the ground, and Kikuri Hiroi regained control of the position.

"I will never believe you again!"

"Why!"

"You're just so untrustworthy!"

Kikuri Hiroi raised her fist.

"I remember every single word you said!"

"!"

"So...how can you expect me to trust you again!"

"... "

Eliza was stunned.

My body temperature... is rapidly decreasing.

Can't...believe me?

Chapter 447 Thick-skinned

"Who are we?! How did you answer that?!"

boom!

"You only care about your own goals, and joining my band was just like giving charity! Since you gave it to me, you shouldn't have taken it back! But what did you do?! You just quit like that! You weren't even willing to explain why!"

boom!

"Qingta! I'm in so much pain! It's all because of you! Why couldn't you be brave sooner? Why couldn't you make that so-called resolution sooner?"

boom!

"Otherwise...how could things have turned out like this!"

boom!

Hiroi Kikuri threw punch after punch, showing no mercy.

Eliza was helplessly punched repeatedly, and even though her face was bruised and swollen, she did not fight back.

Splash splash splash splash...

The rain is getting heavier.

Hiroi Kikuri clenched her fist again in mid-air, but it remained frozen there.

"Why didn't you fight back!"

Kikuri Hiroi roared at the silent Eliza.

"... "

Eliza was silent for a moment, then her voice rang out softly.

"...Kikuri...do you believe me now?"

"!"

boom!

A fist slammed down.

"I don't believe you!"

"...It's fine if Kiku keeps hitting me, I won't fight back..."

Eliza managed a weak smile.

boom!

The fist landed, but it was noticeably lighter than before.

"...Haa...Haa..."

Hiroi Kikuri, feeling her strength waning, was panting heavily.

I can't feel a trace of warmth.

Even though we were so close, practically touching, all we felt was dampness and cold.

"...Kikuri...are you willing to believe me now?"

The blood from Eliza's mouth dripped down with the rain.

"I do not want!"

Kikuri Hiroi roared, gripping Eliza's collar tightly.

"...Why are you acting all gentle?...Why are you acting like we're still on good terms?"

A liquid, whether raindrops or tears, fell onto Eliza's chest.

"...It's too late! If...if you had told me sooner! If you had brought this up with everyone sooner, if you had sincerely apologized to Haru from the beginning! Things wouldn't have turned out like this..."

"Sorry…"

Eliza reached out, wanting to touch Kikuri Hiroi's cheek.

"Don't touch me!"

Hiroi Kikuri roared, and Eliza's hand trembled in the air before stopping.

Ah...I see...

So that's what Shima meant...

I already understood this principle, but it seems I'm only now truly experiencing it.

Just how badly did I hurt them...?

When people come into contact with each other... there's no doubt they'll hurt each other...

Humans are selfish... they will take away the interests of others for their own benefit.

Therefore, anyone who is around me will get hurt.

There's nothing we can do about it...

"…wrong…"

Have I used this kind of fallacious reasoning on everyone?

Kiku has never hurt me...

Shima has never hurt me...

Qing is the same... No one has ever hurt me...

I hurt them, and I hurt myself.

That's why I seem so untrustworthy...

That's why I said those selfish things.

I've had enough... I don't want to hurt anyone anymore, and I especially don't want to hurt myself anymore!

I don't want to leave... I...

"...I hate you! Eliza! I hate you the most!!!"

Hiroi Kikuri cried and roared.

The hand that had been hovering in mid-air trembled slightly, then, as if breaking through something, slowly came to rest on Kikuri Hiroi's cheek.

"...I'm sorry...Kikuri..."

"...Huh?"

Hiroi Kikuri's mind went blank.

"...I'm sorry, Kiku...I've neglected everyone for too long..."

"... "

"Being with everyone...I'm so happy. Being in a band is so much fun. I want to continue being with everyone. I don't want to be alone anymore. I don't want to bind myself with thorns anymore. I...I want to continue being in a band with Kikuri."

Tears couldn't get through her swollen eyes; they gathered in her eye sockets, blurring Eliza's vision.

"...I want to be frank...Kikuri..."

"... "