Lonely Rock for the Blind

Nekoyashiki Haru sighed, then calmly raised his cane.

Cold sweat ran down Hiroi Kikuri's forehead.

"Wait!"

Snapped!

.........

Time and again, he kept disturbing her. To be honest, sometimes Hiroi Kikuri herself didn't know why she was obsessed with this boy.

Maybe it’s because I really saw his painful shadow.

He tried hard to imitate and performed, but what he longed for was getting further and further away from him.

Hiroi Kikuri could see it.

It’s just like when I longed for rock music but couldn’t get close to it because of social anxiety.

That's why I keep approaching and disturbing you.

What are you hoping for?

Probably hoping that he would play for something else a little bit...

“Rock and roll should be a very happy thing…”

On the rooftop, Hiroi Kikuri said to Nekoyashiki Haru.

"Come and be a mercenary in our band tomorrow, Mr. Poison Cat."

"…casual…"

Nekoyashiki Haru responded casually while drinking beer.

Chapter 142 Purple Memories (Part 2)

"Xiaoqing... um, sorry to bother you again haha..."

In Nekoyashiki Haru's rental house, Hiroi Kikuri said to Nekoyashiki Haru embarrassedly.

"It's okay... Shima and Eliza won't let you live here, Kikuri-nee?"

"Gu...Jiuri-sister..."

Because she hadn't heard such respectful address for a long time, Hiroi Kikuri couldn't help but burst into tears with emotion.

"You're not that bad, are you..."

Nekoyashiki Haru sighed.

"Have you got a meal yet?"

"No…"

"Then order takeout. It's my treat."

"Will you still treat me to dinner? I was right to bother you for so long!"

"You... forget it..."

Nekayashiki Haru opened his mouth to say something, but gave up in the end.

Hiroi Kikuri followed Nekoyashiki Haru into the room.

"Oh... the last time I came here was... uh..."

"You were so drunk last Wednesday that you can't remember anything like that."

Nekoyashiki Haru sat down at the small table.

"You have a terrible memory."

"Long-winded!"

Hiroi Kikuri shouted, then looked at Nekoyashiki Haru's ears.

"Where are your earrings?"

"That kind of thing is fake to begin with. After you woke me up, I now understand a little bit."

Nekoyashiki Haru shook his head.

“There’s no need to pursue fake things.”

"... "

Hiroi Kikuri blinked.

"What I said...it turned out to have such a profound impact on you..."

"Huh? You're talking to me like that now?"

Nekoyashiki Haru took off his sunglasses and narrowed his purple pupils in dissatisfaction.

"Why do you think I call you Sister Juli?"

"Hehe... Isn't it because you respect me... I really haven't felt respected this way in a long time... Ah! I used to have Yuyuko, but now she doesn't seem to want to pay attention to me either. She's always following you around."

“…Because you acted so inappropriately.”

Nekoyashiki Haru said.

"If you just drink less and be more steady, everyone will know you're actually a pretty formidable character."

"Well, forget it. I really can't give up drinking..."

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru narrowed his eyes and said nothing.

ding dong~

The doorbell rang and Hiroi Kikuri raised her head and looked behind her.

"I'll open the door."

Hiroi Kikuri ran to the door and came back again after a while.

"The takeaway is here! It's so fast!"

“…What did you buy?”

asked Nekoyashiki Haru, who completely gave the decision of what takeout to order to Hiroi Kikuri.

"Hey, wine~"

"I knew it…"

"And snacks and other things!"

Kikuri Hiroi sat down at the small table and slowly placed the takeout.

"Do you want a drink?"

"Otherwise? I'll just eat it dry?"

Nekayashiki Haru stretched out his hand unhappily, and Hiroi Kikuri handed the wine to Nekayashiki Haru.

Phew…

Gulp gulp gulp gulp~

Nekoyashiki Haru lowered his head.

Hiroi Kikuri also tilted her head back and drank shochu.

"Why did Sister Juli drink?"

Nekoyashiki Haru suddenly asked.

"Huh? Because we have to go on stage for a live performance..."

Hiroi Kikuri is holding a glass of shochu.

"I didn't have the guts to go on stage at that time, so I drank to boost my courage."

Hiroi Kikuri said.

"This is the only way I can perform on stage. When I think about it, I'm pretty pathetic."

"... This isn't pathetic, is it? You're pathetic, but what am I..."

Nekoyashiki Haru shook his head.

"Then I shouldn't be drinking at my age."

"You've already drunk it, so there's nothing we can do."

Hiroi Kikuri laughed.

"It's not you..."

Nekoyashiki Haru said unhappily.

"It's all because of you that I got drunk, that's why I'm like this now."

"Hehe... Then what do you think about the wine? Is it good?"

“It doesn’t taste good…”

Nekoyashiki Haru said, then took a sip of wine.

"But not annoying."

"... "

Hiroi Kikuri narrowed her eyes.

"I understand. I didn't like the taste of alcohol at first, but after getting drunk, I don't have to think about many things."

“…That’s a complete cop-out.”

Nekoyashiki Haru said.

"Yeah, escaping. After all, when I sober up, all those worries come back to me. Xiaoqing has seen... no, heard of me when I'm sober, right?"

"Ah...it's really troublesome."

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded.

"That was the first time I knew you had so many troubles."

"So, if I don't escape, I think I'll die of anxiety."

Hiroi Kikuri swirled the shochu.

"Even if you run away, problems will come back. Then, just keep running away."

"... "

"Keep running away, that's also solving the problem."

"…You are so twisted."

"Haha, that's what adults are like."

Hiroi Kikuri touched Nekayashiki Haru's wine with her bottle.

"Keep going!"

"... "

Gulp gulp gulp…

The wine flowed into his stomach, and the room was gradually filled with the smell of alcohol.

The two of them became more and more confused.

Before I knew it, the ground was already filled with wine bottles.

"So... those guys don't understand at all! My performance is authentic rock! And they're saying I don't respect the audience!"

“…Hmm…I understand what you mean…”

"Xiaoqing, it was the same thing last time. Someone commented that you cursed!"