Lonely Rock for the Blind

"I'm sorry, I don't know who you know, but I think the store manager is a good fit?"

"He has opened a shop now. I remember when I was little that I also loved spending money recklessly..."

Nekoyashiki Haru lowered his head.

"Anyway, he's not the store manager. He's someone I've only just met in the past two years."

Nekoyashiki Haru raised his head and smiled.

Yamada Ryo was silent, then silently looked at Ijichi Nikka who was taking pictures in the distance.

“…female?”

"…Yes? Why are you suddenly asking about gender?"

"It's okay, I'm just curious, go ahead."

Yamada Ryo licked his fingers and began to count the money in his hand.

"Anyway, when I first returned to China, I wasn't like what you see now. Back then, I was irritable and cold, and I also liked to do some inexplicable, childish things."

"Oh? Like what?"

“…like paying someone to play a duel with a musician from a popular band.”

"Boxing? Or kickboxing?"

“It’s a musical instrument!”

"Ooooh! Using a musical instrument to attack?!?!"

Yamada Ryo showed a shocked expression while counting the money.

“…It’s a performance…”

Nekoyashiki Haru sighed.

"Anyway, that was how I was during that time. I was running around everywhere, sometimes I would be a mercenary for other bands that were short of members... The reason was probably because I wanted to hear more..."

"More what?"

Yamada Ryo asked while counting the money.

"Nothing, let's get back to the topic."

Nekoyashiki Haru shook his head.

"Then, one day I met a drunk. From the sound of her footsteps, she seemed to be stumbling towards me. She pointed her finger and, with a strong smell of alcohol on her breath, she asked me to join her band."

"We were overtaken?!"

Yamada Ryo was surprised and even stopped counting the money.

"No... I didn't agree. I just ignored her and took her cheap wine out of revenge."

“…You still have a vengeful mentality.”

Yamada Ryo blinked and resumed counting the money.

"I don't know why, but she started following me around every day. Finally, after a performance, I couldn't stand it anymore. I had already refused to join her band, but she kept bothering me. So I asked her directly what she wanted from me."

"What did she say?"

“…She denied it.”

Cat House Haru looked up at the sky.

"She denied me the ability to play something that would have gotten everyone excited."

"Why deny it?"

Yamada Ryo asked.

"If you rely on the superficial voices of others instead of your own heart, the things you want to see will only get further and further away from you."

"What do you mean?"

"That sentence really hit home with me. Even though I was still a mercenary, I was usually with him. He was just like you, unable to save money. It was either due to an accident or because he deserved it."

Nekoyashiki shook his head and smiled, then stood up.

"Let's go, let's go find Hong Xia, it feels like it's about time."

Nekoyashiki Haru walked away, sweeping the ground with his cane.

"... "

After counting the money, Yamada Ryo raised his head and a drop of cold sweat ran down his forehead.

Oh no, Hongxia...it seems like someone got there first...

Stuffing the money into his pocket and then poking his finger deeper into it, Yamada Ryo followed Nekayashiki Haru.

Chapter 28 Group Photo

Outside the park, Ichichi Hongxia sat on a bench looking through photos.

"Hmm... it all looks pretty good. I've got photos of the park, the fence, the stairs, and the plants behind it... and it's getting late."

Looking up and feeling the orange sunlight, Ijichi Hongxia closed her eyes slightly.

"The air is starting to get colder too."

Nekoyashiki Haru said from the side.

"Well, let's look for it and take the last photo of the day!"

Ijichi Hongxia said after standing up from her chair.

Snapped!

"Ugh!"

Ijichi Hongxia was startled by the sudden pat on her shoulder. She looked behind her and saw Goto Ichiri pointing behind her.

"What is it, Pochi? You scared me."

Ijichi Hongxia breathed a sigh of relief.

"There...there is a wall with a very nice smell..."

Goto Ichiri pointed behind her and described, then raised her hand to use body movements to supplement her description, but the pain in her back made her stop.

“But…you can go there to take pictures…”

Goto Ichiri said, his eyes filled with anticipation.

"Well done, Ichiri, that's amazing!"

Nekayashiki Haru, who heard the anticipation in Goto Ichiri's voice, praised with a smile.

"Hey...hehe..."

Goto Ichiri rubbed his head and smiled.

Yamada Ryo and Kita Ikuyo came over from behind, each holding one side of Goto Ichiri, and walked in the direction she had just pointed.

"Okay! Let's go!"

Kita Ikuyo raised her hand and shouted.

"Hurry up, I'm hungry and want to eat."

Yamada Ryo next to him followed up.

"When the filming is over, let's go eat together!"

Ijichi Hongxia said with a smile.

"your treat?"

Yamada Ryo asked.

"Do you always try to take advantage of others?!"

...

……

.........

In front of the red wall, Yamada Ryo, Kita Ikuyo and Goto Ichiri stood together.

The orange-yellow light began to grow more intense.

"It's almost night, so hurry up."

Ijichi Hongxia said with a smile, then adjusted her phone.

"Let me see, what expressions and poses should I make?"

Ichichi Hongxia thought.

"Learn from me, I'm an absolutely standard band guy."

Yamada Ryo said.

"Uh...it just doesn't seem very reliable."

Ijichi Hinikaka said this, while Kita Ikuyo shook her head.

"I think Senior Liang really does have that kind of style and temperament! I can definitely do the right thing by learning from him!"

"Then... then come on..."

Click!

Looking at the finished product, Ijichi Hongxia twitched her lips.

The expressions of the four people in the photo have all become unmistakably "private equity faces."

“…It feels like I’m at a wake…”

Ijichi Hongxia sighed.

"Hmm... Indeed, this definitely wouldn't work for promotion... The composition is a bit weird too..."

Kita Ikuyo commented.

"Xiao Xiduo seems to be very familiar with taking pictures?"

"Because I have been uploading photos to social networking sites."

Kita Ikuyo held up her cell phone to show it.

"Ohhh...not bad! Then everyone, let's imitate Kita-chan's expressions!"

Ijichi Hongka announced.

Click!

“…So subtle…”

The four of them looked at themselves in the photos and all had strange expressions on their faces.

"Pochi's smile is like a guy in a horror movie who's been possessed by a spirit..."

Kita Ikuyo hesitated for a moment and said, Goto Ichiri trembled violently and gradually lost his human form.

"Why is Liang's smile so stiff? Like a robot..."

Ijichi Hongka asked Yamada Ryo.

"I don't know. Without Mr. Fukuzawa Yukichi, I would be laughing like this."

"How greedy are you!?"

Ijichi Hongxia shouted.

"Your smile is weird too, like that character in anime who has their crush stolen and then gives that 'Isn't this fine?' look."

Yamada Ryo said seriously.

"How are they similar?!"

Yijizhi Hongxia roared.