Lonely Rock for the Blind

Page 131

“The colors you see are beautiful, at first.”

"... "

“The world is full of colors because people who love music can be found everywhere.”

Nekayashiki Haru smiled and leaned against the wall behind him, then changed from squatting to sitting.

"I'm like a thief..."

"why would you say so?"

"At first, I listened to CDs every day, over and over. I wasn't picky. I would listen to any kind of music because I could always hear some color in it."

"Later, I couldn't hear the colors in the CDs anymore, so I went to listen to various live performances. The colors there were richer and more brilliant, and then I couldn't hear them either."

"After that, I learned to play the instrument myself and listened to the colors of my own playing. That was the hardest to see, but I still tried to listen."

“And then there was nothing…”

Nekayashiki Haru took a deep breath and then exhaled gently.

"I was like a thief, stealing other people's colors everywhere, but I was always losing them. The colors I heard were just lost like that."

“From the beginning, all my actions were based on my desire for color.”

"what about now?"

Yamada Ryo asked.

"Not any more."

Nekoyashiki Haru shook his head and said.

Yamada Ryo guessed.

"…Because if you keep stealing, you might run out of money. Are you afraid?"

"Can't I say I see everything clearly?"

"You didn't see clearly."

"Too."

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded.

"You're right, I guess."

“…Why did you come to Japan?”

"I've almost lost all the color there, so I came back to Japan."

"and then?"

"I've been listening to it for two years, and it's almost gone."

Nekoyashiki Haru said.

“…Will ours not be able to hear it either?”

"Maybe."

Nekoyashiki Haru said.

"... "

Yamada Ryo clenched his fists.

"What are you going to do after you can't hear?"

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru didn't answer.

"…will you leave?"

Yamada Ryo asked, narrowing his eyes.

Chapter 115: Not Satisfaction, But Giving Up (Yet)

Yamada Ryo looked at Nekayashiki Haru, waiting for an answer.

“…Probably not.”

Nekoyashiki Haru said.

"Why? Listening to your experience, you're willing to cross borders just for color. Why are you saying you won't leave now? Wouldn't it be nice to go to another city and listen to the color of the bands there?"

Yamada Ryo asked.

"So, Liang, do you want me to leave?"

Nekoyashiki asked.

"... "

Yamada Ryo shook his head.

"Do not want to."

"why?"

"You and I get along really well, so I hope to see you again in the future if possible."

"That's it."

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded.

"Then why don't I just not leave? Why are you asking me why?"

"…Because…you're not leaving because you're satisfied."

Yamada Ryo's golden pupils looked at Nekoyashiki Haru.

"Have you given up?"

"... "

"After hearing about our colors, we gave up on finding new ones, right?"

"…almost."

Nekoyashiki Haru smiled.

"That's enough. I've completely accepted the fact that I'm blind."

"... "

"In the past two years, I have been looking for so-called colors everywhere, but it was actually because I refused to accept it."

Nekoyashiki Haru stretched out her hand.

“I still want to see it, I still want to touch it, so I go looking for it.”

Nekoyashiki Haru put down her hands.

"But I don't want to think about it now, because it's meaningless."

The boy smiled at the girl.

"Keep listening. No matter how much you listen, you won't be able to retain it. In the end, you will lose it."

"In that case, then don't even bother looking for it in the first place."

"... "

Yamada Ryo opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Nekayashiki Haru continued.

"So I'm not leaving. This is the end, and that's fine. I accept it."

Nekoyashiki Haru stood up.

“He who cannot see can’t go far.”

"I…"

Yamada Ryo's tongue moved.

The brain organizes language, but no words can be uttered.

"Why don't you speak?"

Nekoyashiki Haru asked.

"Since Liang wants me to stay and be your friend forever, then you should be happy with my answer now, right? Or are you sad for me?"

Nekoyashiki Haru smiled and shook his head.

"That kind of thing is totally unnecessary."

Yamada Ryo nodded, then stood up and took Nekayashiki Haru's hand again.

“I like to go to new places and experience things I haven’t experienced before.”

"That's good, you can see it, so it's okay."

“…I’ll take you through it?”

"No need."

Nekayashiki Haru shook his head in refusal.

"I have no problem taking you anywhere, as long as it's not a dangerous place."

Nekayashiki Haru kept pace with the girl's slowly increasing pace.

"But there's no need to make me go through that. It's meaningless."

"significance…"

Yamada Ryo didn't say anything, but continued walking towards the next alley.

"My expedition is meaningless."

“Like is the meaning.”

Nekoyashiki Haru said.

"How do you like it?"

Yamada Ryo turned around and asked Nekayashiki Haru.

"I can't say whether I like it or not. If you need someone to accompany you, I can."

"That means it doesn't make sense to you either."

Yamada Ryo nodded.

"If you fall in love with me, will it become meaningful? If you do something with someone you like, then those meaningless things will become meaningful."

"Haha, are you kidding?"

Nekoyashiki Haru couldn't help but laugh.

"As of now, there is no possibility for me to fall in love with you."

"I'm a beautiful girl."

"I can't see it, and beautiful girls mean nothing to me."

Nekoyashiki Haru said softly.

"Character and character are more important, and Liang, neither of these two things of yours falls within my range."

"Really, what a shame."

Yamada Ryo nodded and said.

"Unhappy? You don't really like me, do you?"

Nekoyashiki Haru asked.

"Don't worry, not at the moment."