Lonely Rock for the Blind

“Last year, there was still creeper on the walls here.”

"Ah."

"There's nothing much to see in the city. Sometimes you'll find things you've never seen before if you go down the alleys... Didn't I tell you that?"

"It doesn't matter how many times you say it."

Yamada Ryo looked back.

Nekoyashiki Haru's expression was smiling.

The purple shattered eyeballs stood there lifelessly.

"...You're so handsome, isn't it a shame to always wear sunglasses?"

Yamada Ryo asked.

"Eyes, don't want to be seen."

Nekoyashiki Haru answered.

Yamada Ryo nodded, and continued to pull Nekoyashiki Haru deeper into the alley, speaking as he went.

"You just took the initiative to put it down for me to see."

"Well, is it a special situation?"

Nekayashiki Haru nodded and asked.

"Afraid? Of my eyes?"

“…If you look closely, it’s a little scary.”

"I thought you'd say it wasn't scary at all."

"Then I'd be a liar."

Yamada Ryo stopped.

"There's a statue in front."

"…Then what?"

"statue."

Yamada Ryo repeated it again.

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru stepped forward and held out his hand.

Then I touched the stone-like texture.

"What kind of statue is this?"

"An elephant."

“…Blind men and the elephant…”

Nekayashiki Haru lowered his hand and turned back to face Yamada Ryo.

"and then."

"No, keep going."

Yamada Ryo held Nekayashiki Haru's left hand and continued walking forward.

As he walked, he stroked the swollen red marks on his left hand.

"Feel sorry…"

Yamada Ryo said softly.

"Ah."

Nekoyashiki Haru responded.

"Why don't you just leave it alone."

As he walked, Yamada Ryo spoke in a voice that usually only he could hear.

"I can hear it."

Nekoyashiki Haru lowered his head slightly.

"Well, so what's the answer?"

Yamada Ryo continued to ask.

"It can't be done."

"... "

"It would be fine if I didn't know, but now that I know, I can't just sit back and do nothing."

"why?"

"There's no reason for this kind of thing, right? If you must give a reason..."

Nekayashiki Haru gently pressed his chest.

"Take it seriously..."

"... "

Yamada Ryo turned around and looked at Nekoyashiki Haru.

"But if you do anything, it might make the situation worse."

“I know, but I still have to do it…”

Nekoyashiki Haru raised his left hand, and the girl holding it also raised her hand.

"Now that you know, you can't pretend you don't know."

“…I shouldn’t have told you.”

"You're still struggling with this."

The corners of Nekayashiki Haru's mouth rose slightly.

"Do not worry."

"…rest assured?"

Yamada Ryo looked at Nekayashiki Haru, waiting for his next words.

Nekoyashiki Haru opened his mouth, but Yamada Ryo's heart suddenly trembled.

So he took Nekoyashiki Haru away.

"I do not want to hear."

“…Okay, it’s the same if I listen to it later.”

Walking out of the alley, there is a street under a row of dim street lights.

The green trees are dyed yellow by the light, but what is conspicuous is not the green leaves dyed yellow, but the shadows that are more conspicuous than the light after being illuminated by the light.

"Will you remember the streets as they once were?"

Yamada Ryo suddenly asked.

"Yes, I think about it often."

Nekoyashiki Haru answered.

"With Hongxia and Sister Xingge, we were walking peacefully on the street."

"Sister Xingge's expression is usually one of disdain and annoyance, but sometimes I also see a smile on her face."

"Hong Xia was always smiling, and sometimes she would look at Sister Xingge with a disdainful expression."

"At that time, their relationship was not very good..."

"stop."

Before Nekayashiki Haru could finish his words, he was interrupted by Yamada Ryo.

"I'm not asking about them, I'm asking about you, your past..."

"... "

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Nekayashiki Haru smiled.

"Mine... Just an ordinary street."

"that is it?"

"I don't remember asking more questions."

"why?"

"If I don't remember, I don't remember. There are so many things to recall and remember, so sometimes there is no place for them to exist."

Nekoyashiki Haru continued to speak to Yamada Ryo.

"You don't remember trivial things, do you?"

"... "

Yamada Ryo nodded without replying, even though she knew that Nekayashiki Haru was blind.

Nekoyashiki Haru didn't get a response, but he knew Yamada Ryo should have heard it.

That's fine.

The two walked on the street for a while, and after the dusk in the sky completely disappeared, Yamada Ryo looked at Nekayashiki Haru and said.

"I'm starting to feel bored."

"Then go back and get some sleep, how about that?"

Nekayashiki Haru said with a smile.

"Then I have to take you back, which is a bit troublesome."

Yamada Ryodao.

"Ah...So you mean to leave me here? Not impossible."

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded with a smile.

"Do not…"

Yamada Ryo shook his head.

Then he pulled Nekoyashiki Haru and continued walking forward.

"Didn't you say you were going back?"

"I'm just saying it."

Yamada Ryo clenched his fists.

"... "

Nekayashiki Haru took a deep breath and asked.

"Is there a place to sit nearby?"

"bench."

"take me."

Yamada Ryo nodded and pulled Nekoyashiki Haru to sit on the bench.

"what time is it now?"

"Around 9 p.m."

"Really?... It's really late then. No wonder I'm a little sleepy now."

Yamada Ryo looked at Nekoyashiki Haru.

"Wait a moment, don't sleep."

"I won't sleep on the bench anyway. After all, I've learned from the past."