Lonely Rock for the Blind.

Hiroi Kikuri, her smile returning, put her arm around Nekoyashiki Haru's shoulder and laughed.

"…Ugh…"

Nekoyashiki Haru sighed again, conveying a sense of utter exhaustion.

"The effects came on way too quickly! So whether you get drunk or not isn't the point, the alcohol itself is!"

Kita Ikuyo exclaimed in shock.

Chapter Forty-Four: The Cake

Cake shop.

"It's really a beautiful place, a place I would never normally go to."

Looking at the pink decorations around her, Kikumi Hiroi sighed.

"If the staff saw you looking like that, they'd probably close the door."

Kita Ikuyo said, then pulled Nekoyashiki Haru to sit down next to her.

"Is there anything you'd like to eat, senior?"

Kita Ikuyo placed the menu in front of Nekoyashiki Haru.

"...Uh, what is it?"

Nekoyashiki Haru pointed to her sunglasses and said.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot, I forgot."

Kita Yuki stuck out her tongue.

"Then let me order for you, senior. After all, I guess you don't usually eat cake. Would black tea be alright?"

"…OK…"

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded.

Kita Ikuyo smiled with satisfaction, then said to the waiter next to her.

"Two cups of Ceylon tea, two blueberry chiffon cakes, oh, one with more cream, the other with less..."

"Um... is the extra cream for me?"

"Nekoya Shiki asked from the side."

Yes, that's right.

Kita Ikuyo nodded and said.

"...I'll get tired of it..."

"It's okay, it's okay, the extra amount isn't much."

Kita Ikuyo waved her hand to suppress Nekoyashiki Haru's worries.

Nekoyashiki Haru took out her wallet from her pocket, then pulled out a few Fukuzawa Yukichi bills and handed them to Kita Ikuyo.

"We don't need that much."

Kita Ikuyo quickly waved her hand and said.

"It's okay. I might have to treat you to a meal in the future, so consider this an advance payment."

"How much food are you going to treat me to with all this?!"

"The more the better."

"I'll take one."

“She’s completely different from Yamada. Usually, she takes it away the moment I take it out.”

"Nekoyashiki Haruto said with relief, her voice filled with kindness, as if the air itself were filled with the sound of "Good boy, good boy."

"Senior Liang is just short on cash... I'll definitely pay you back next month."

Kita Iku offered a brief explanation on behalf of Yamada Ryo, then drew a card from Fukuzawa Yukichi and turned to look at Hiroi Kikuri on the other side.

"...Hiss...Why isn't there any wine?"

Hiroi Kikuri said with distress.

"A cake shop definitely doesn't sell alcohol!"

Kita Ikuyo covered her face and said.

"Kikuri..."

Nekoyashiki Haru's voice carried a hint of threat.

"Haha... I'm just curious, I don't drink."

Kikuri Hiroi's finger pressed on the menu.

"Then this...this...pistachio mille-feuille? Cough cough, this is fine!"

Hiroi Kikuri said casually.

"Ok."

The waiter, who had been maintaining a polite smile, nodded.

Please wait a moment.

After the waiter left, Kita Ikuyo stretched lightly.

"Hmm... Street performances are really tiring. Suddenly I realize how hard it is for people who usually perform on the street."

"It's alright, actually."

Hiroi Kikuri was folding paper and playing with tissues.

"You're an experienced person, so you probably think it's just average. Kita is only feeling tired because he's nervous, right?"

Nekoyashiki Haru asked Kita Ikuyo.

"Yeah, that senior who suddenly stopped me from playing guitar was really going too far..."

"Feel sorry…"

Nekoyashiki Haru apologized weakly, and then asked.

"However, Kita did indeed play it."

"It's terrible."

Kita Ikuyo commented on herself.

"Those things don't matter, Kita. What matters is, did you hate how you felt back then?"

Haru's hand was grabbed by Kikuri Hiroi, and then she was put on a small boat made of folded tissue paper. The boat collapsed the next moment.

"...I don't dislike it."

Kita Ikuyo shook her head.

"In fact, I quite like that feeling."

Kita Ikuyo leaned back slightly against the chair behind her.

"That's enough."

Nekoyashiki Haru smiled gently.

Kita Ikuyo glanced at Nekoyashiki Haru's smile.

His yellow-green eyes narrowed slightly.

"You look so cool playing the guitar."

Kita Ikuyo suddenly said.

"Really? Thank you for the compliment."

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded.

"... "

Kita Ikuyo stared at Nekoyashiki Haru without saying anything more.

"Your cake."

The waiter placed the cake on the tray, bowed slightly, and then left.

"Ah, this is yours, senior."

Kita Ikuyo said with a smile as she placed the blueberry cream cake in front of Nekoyashiki Haru.

"You have to eat it all, here, fork."

"...I'll try my best..."

Haruto Nekoyashiki took the fork from Ikuyo Kita and gently poked at the cake...

"Wait a moment!!!"

Kita Ikuyo suddenly shouted to stop her.

"What's wrong?!"

Startled, Nekoyashiki Haru turned towards Kita Ikuyo.

"The first bite of the cake can't be this part! But you can't see it anyway, so there's nothing I can do."

Hiroi Kikuchi, who had already eaten half of the cake, looked up in a daze.

"Is it really necessary to be so particular?"

"This is necessary!"

Extending her fork, she gently adjusted the position of Nekoyashiki Haru's fork.

"Alright, let's eat here!"

"... "