Lonely Rock for the Blind.

"But... I've never apologized to you. I was planning to wait until a more appropriate time... but you left first..."

"Thinking back, you've always been the one taking care of me, indulging me, helping me, and valuing me since I was little... so I'm always very grateful to you..."

"I have always looked forward to meeting you again."

"But I never expected it to turn out like this..."

Ichi Nijika rolled onto the bed, resting her head on the pillow. Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the photograph in her hand.

"If...if I had apologized to you back then, would you have stayed and not gone blind?...No...no, even if I had apologized, you would still have left me."

Ichi Nijika knew very well that Nekoyashiki Haru didn't really care about her apology, and might not even remember it himself.

However, those complex emotions continued to fester in his heart. Years of overlapping feelings and the anticipation of reuniting with him were met with the realization that he had lost his sight.

"Next... Qing..."

Ichi Nijika smiled as she looked at the photo.

"From now on, I will protect you well! I won't let you get hurt again! I will also find time to apologize to you for what happened before!"

"Oh right, I need to fatten you up first! You're too skinny right now!"

"Then, the band will try to get you to join. This is a rare opportunity for youth, and it's also my dream. Having you in my dream would be the best thing!"

"And then...and then...maybe we can be together..."

Ichi Nijika's voice suddenly paused for a moment, and her cheeks flushed.

"I...we'll always be best friends..."

Ichi Nijika's red eyes narrowed slightly; she was a little sleepy.

"... "

In the quiet room, the sound of breathing gradually became clearer.

The girl, holding the photo, drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Chapter Thirty-Three: Audio Tape

“Hongxia…I’m back.”

Opening the door, Ijichi Hoshika took off her shoes and walked into the living room.

"Not here?"

Raising her eyebrows slightly, Ichiji Hoshika peeked into the kitchen.

They're not here either.

"Sigh...did he fall asleep again?"

Ijichi Seika sighed, looked towards Ijichi Nijika's room, and quietly walked over.

Gently push open the door.

It wasn't locked.

The room was dark, but light seeped in through the crack in the door that Ichiji Hoshika had pushed open, illuminating the sleeping face of the girl on the bed.

"Hey…"

Ijichi Hoshika chuckled softly, suddenly feeling all the fatigue of the day disappear.

"She's sleeping so soundly, she's not even covered with a blanket."

Ijichi Seika scratched her head, then went into the room to cover the girl, who was sleeping on her side, with the thin blanket next to her.

As she got closer, Ijichi Seika's foot suddenly bumped into something.

"?"

Looking down, with the light spilling from the living room behind her, Ichiji Seika could see clearly.

It was a leather suitcase.

"...Hiss? It looks like the one under Nijigasaki's bed?"

Ichika tilted her head and then squatted down.

The box full of old items instantly caught her attention.

"Hey...you're quite nostalgic, aren't you?"

Ichika smiled with satisfaction, then reached into the suitcase.

She wanted to find something that was related to her.

She quickly found several photos.

"A photo of me, Haru, and Hongxia together..."

Looking at the three people in the photo, Ijichi Seika couldn't help but show a nostalgic expression.

"Then what are these cassette tapes?"

Looking down at the cassette tapes arranged in the box, Ijichi Seika hesitated for a moment before picking one up.

There were no markings on it, so it looks like it was done by Ichiki Nijika herself.

"... "

Ijichi Hoshika pursed her lips and put one of the cassette tapes into her pocket.

Then she leaned towards Ichichi Nijika.

"Make sure you're covered up properly..."

She said this softly, but as she was about to cover Ijichi Nichika with the blanket, Ijichi Nichika turned around.

She shifted from lying on her side to lying flat, and the photo in her arms was displayed before Ichiji Seika's eyes.

The girl tightly clutched the photo with both hands; the photo was a picture of a girl and a boy together.

Ijichi Seika paused slightly, then gently reached out to pull the photo out of Ijichi Nijika's arms for a closer look.

But you can't pull it out without using force.

"...What are you doing...sleeping while hugging a photo..."

Ichiji Hoshika took two steps back and sighed.

"...If you want to sleep, go find the person in person..."

Ijichi Seika didn't try to pull out Ijichi Nijika's photo; instead, she quietly left the room.

"Tsk..."

After leaving the room, Iji Tomoka's good mood suddenly vanished. After clicking her tongue in disbelief, Iji Tomoka headed towards her own room.

"Cassette player, cassette player..."

While rummaging through her room for equipment, Ichiji Seika quickly found the player she wanted from the messy boxes.

After locking the room door, Ijichi Hoshika put the cassette tape into the player.

Click...click click...

First, there was some static, I don't know if it was from the contents of the tape or a malfunction from the player not being used for a long time.

then…

【Hahaha!】

The sudden sound of a boy's laughter startled Ichiji Seika.

"What? What are you doing?!"

Ichi Hoshika was confused about the situation.

【Hongxia! 】

This time, her voice was much more cheerful than the last time.

"?!"

Ijichi Hoshika stared in horror at the player in front of her.

She could tell.

Isn't that Nekoyashiki Haru's voice?

Ichi Hoshika swallowed hard.

Was it from before? How did Hongxia record the audio? Was it taken from an old video?

Come to think of it, I do seem to have asked my dad for some old videos before... I overheard him talking on the phone.

【Hongxia, make sure you're dressed properly…】

It seems that it was winter back then, Qing was asked by her mother to deliver a coat to Hongxia, while she and her mother stood on the other side recording a video.

【Meow… I learned it, Nijika.】

Reluctantly, she imitated a cat's meow. I remember that it was after Hongxia begged Qing for a long time that Qing finally learned to meow.

【Hongxia's hair is messy.】

Next came the sound of combing hair.

【Hongxia...】

【Hongxia...】

【Hongxia...】

Ijichi Hoshika listened quietly, her whole body stiff and unable to move.

【Nijika is so cute!】

Click.

The player stopped playing after the last sentence.

"... "