Lonely Rock for the Blind

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru picked up the water from the coffee table.

"... "

Then it gently poured onto the coffee table.

The water is gurgling.

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru didn't get up until all the water in the cup disappeared.

Then he walked towards his room.

After entering the room, he fumbled to open the wardrobe.

I rummaged through the closet and found a lot of CDs.

Click...

On the record player, the disc started spinning.

Nekoyashiki Haru sat on the ground and put the headphones in his ears.

Slightly violent rock music rang in my ears.

He turned up the volume on purpose.

Very big.

My ears feel a little sore from listening to it.

Pick up the guitar you left in your room.

Nekoyashiki Haru lowered his head and began to play the piano silently.

The old man outside the door heard the sound of the guitar, hesitated for a moment, and then walked into the apartment.

Then he looked towards the bedroom...where there was a young man sitting on the floor playing the guitar.

Nekoyashiki Haru played the guitar and kept playing it like a machine.

Improvised songs followed one after another.

Until the end of the disc.

Nekayashiki Haru reached out and changed a CD, and then the guitar started playing again.

One hour, two hours.

Nekoyashiki Haru has been playing.

The old man walked into the bedroom.

"You should go to bed."

"…No…"

Nekoyashiki Haru gently refused.

"Let me play, don't bother me."

"... "

The old man hesitated for a while, and finally nodded.

Then he walked out of the apartment.

...

……

.........

"One mile?"

Goto Michiyo looked at Goto Ichiri who was staring blankly at the table and said softly.

"If you don't eat now, the food will get cold."

"Ah...I...I understand."

Goto Ichiri, feeling inexplicably nervous, nodded, then picked up some rice and put it into his mouth.

“Very…delicious!”

"…What's wrong with you today? Why do you feel so nervous?"

Goto Michiyo tilted her head and asked.

"Ah... no, that's... because..."

Goto Ichiri hurriedly stretched out his hand to explain.

Goto Jiri beside him laughed.

"Sister, have you got a boyfriend?"

"Eh?!"

Goto Ichiri suddenly turned his head and looked at Goto Jiri.

"I, I, I... didn't... didn't!"

Goto Ichiri shook his head vigorously.

The scene of Ijichi Hongka and Yamada Ryo arguing behind the teaching building replayed in his mind.

"I don't have a boyfriend! We're all just friends! Um... friends!"

Goto Ichiri's fingers were entangled.

"Er... Erli can't talk nonsense..."

"Is my sister still alone?"

Goto Jiri tilted his head in confusion.

"But my sister was dressed up beautifully last time, and there was a handsome brother in the photo. Isn't that her boyfriend?"

"no!"

Goto Ichiri retorted a little excitedly.

"I...I'm full...I'll go upstairs first!"

Goto Ichiri lowered his head and said, then turned and ran towards the stairs.

Not a boyfriend... Not a boyfriend...

The quarrel still rang in my ears.

If...if I also like Qing...will we quarrel again?

Goto Ichiri thought.

She ran to the closet, flung it open, and dove inside.

Hiding in the closet, I finally felt better.

"…tomorrow…tomorrow everything will be different."

Goto Ichiri muttered to himself.

"Qing said he knew about those things, and he also said he would solve them... Tomorrow everyone will be the same as before."

Goto Ichiri covered his heart.

"So... why am I still feeling a little nervous? It's so strange..."

Goto Ichiri closed his eyes tightly and opened them again after a while.

Among the photos that fill the closet, Nekoyashiki Haru's figure stands out.

Goto Ichiri took out a new guitar.

"... "

Then it slowly bounced up.

"Don't worry, don't worry."

Goto Ichiri muttered to himself while playing the guitar mechanically.

Improvised songs followed one after another.

Goto Ichiri played the guitar and his panic gradually subsided.

dong dong dong...

There was a gentle knock on the closet.

"Is Yili in there?"

Goto Michiyo's voice rang out.

"…ah…"

Goto Ichiri crawled to the closet and pushed it open.

"mom, Mom, Mom."

"Ah, it's inside."

Goto Michiyo smiled.

"Can Mommy come in?"

"Huh? It's... very crowded."

"It's okay, it's okay. Look, mom brought you some fruit."

Goto Michiyo placed the fruit in front of Goto Ichiri, then went into the closet and reached out to pull it closed.

“It’s really crowded…”

A drop of cold sweat ran down Goto Michiyo's forehead.

"Um...what is mom going to do?"

Goto Ichiri raised his head and looked at Goto Michiyo in confusion.

"Hmm? Just came to see you."

Goto Michiyo laughed.

"I didn't eat much just now. Won't you be hungry tonight?"

“No…I won’t…”

Goto Ichiri shook his head.

"That's it..."

Goto Michiyo nodded and looked at the photos taped to the closet.

"Did the band have fun?"

Goto Michiyo suddenly asked.

"Eh?"

Goto Ichiri was stunned for a moment, then suddenly reacted.

"Happy...Happy! Very happy!"

"Don't get so excited, just ask."

Goto Michiyo said.

"But, just now at the table, it looked like you weren't very happy."

"... "

Goto Ichiri lowered his head.

"Did something happen? A conflict? Or did you encounter difficulties? Can you talk to mom about it?"